Tag: Press Release

PRESS RELEASE : Teachers to get up to £6000 extra to teach vital subjects [April 2024]

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 23 April 2024.

The incentive is backed by £200 million investment to support schools and colleges attract and retain the excellent teachers they need in vital subjects.

From September, up to £6000 will be available for teachers working in key STEM and technical subjects such as maths, construction and engineering, as well as early years education, as part of the government’s drive to recruit and retain the best staff, the Department for Education announced.

The expansion of the levelling up premium payment scheme to those working in further education and to a wider range of subjects for the first time will support young people to progress skills that will help grow our economy. It will also double the existing Levelling Up premium payments to school teachers of maths, physics, chemistry and computing.

The incentive is part of the government’s drive to support schools and colleges to recruit and retain the talented teachers they need in the future, and ahead of the introduction of the advanced British standard – a new baccalaureate style post-16 qualification which is set to bring together the best of technical and academic education.

At the heart of the proposals for the advanced British standard are an increase in teaching time of around 200 hours over the course of the qualification, greater breadth and choice of subjects for young people and a core focus on maths and English.

Backed by an investment of around £200 million over the next 2 years, it will make sure more young people – particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds – continue to have access to the world-class education and training they need in the subjects to fulfil their potential, whilst plugging skills gap and boosting the economy.

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said:

Teachers are the heart of our education system, inspiring young people and shaping future generations.

By offering incentives of up to £6,000, we’re ensuring schools and colleges can support the recruitment and retention of dedicated teachers in high priority subjects and in the areas that need them most.

This will make a real difference to schools and colleges across the country allowing them to provide world class education for all ahead of the Advanced British Standard, whilst giving businesses the skilled workers they need to drive economic growth.

This move is part of plan to deliver a world-class education system for all, where primary children are the ‘best in the west’ at reading and 90% of schools are now rated good or outstanding – up from just 68% in 2010.

The £6000 incentive is being offered through the government’s levelling up premium doubling payments introduced in 2022 to support schools in disadvantaged areas across the country to recruit and retain the teachers they need in maths, physics, chemistry and computing.

The programme is being significantly expanded to cover further education teachers teaching in vital subjects including early years, building and construction, digital, engineering, manufacturing and transport engineering and electronics.

Levelling Up Minister Jacob Young said:

Spreading opportunity is at the core of the government’s levelling up mission because while we know ability is spread evenly, opportunity is not. That includes supporting young people to thrive through a quality education as everyone deserves the best start in life.

A high-quality education relies on excellent teachers and this funding will help schools and colleges attract and retain the staff they need to equip our kids with the best possible start in life.

David Hughes, chief executive, Association of Colleges said:

This extra funding will help attract and retain key staff in colleges, so I welcome the expansion of the Levelling Up premium.

The issue of teacher recruitment is one of the most pressing challenges facing the sector, particularly in these key areas where experts working in industry are likely to earn salaries significantly beyond those of teachers.

There are record numbers of teachers working in schools – up by 27,000 since 2010. To attract the brightest and the best teachers, the government is also investing £196 million this academic year to get more teachers across key subjects.

The incentive will build on this by making sure we have more excellent school teachers as well as further education teachers in classrooms across the country so that young people have access to the world-class education and training they need to succeed.

To attract and retain the brightest and the best further education teachers, £470 million is being invested over two financial years from 2023-24 to enable providers to address key priorities, such as recruitment and retention, and providing additional support through the teach in FE campaign and the taking teaching further programme.

The advanced British standard will mean most students choose a minimum of five subjects from a menu of options to give more breadth and flexibility. The subjects will be built on A Levels and T Levels, retaining their rigour and focus on building knowledge. By increasing teaching time and the breadth of what students can study, including maths and English, the Advanced British Standard will widen students’ career options and bring England in line with major economies such as France, Germany, Japan and the USA.

May 8, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Government backs amendment to better protect victims’ counselling records [April 2024]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 23 April 2024.

New legislation will provide extra protections for victims’ counselling notes during criminal investigations.
- New measure to provide extra protections for victims’ counselling notes
- Greater scrutiny and protection for victims’ privacy through statutory Code of Practice
- Protections to encourage victims to seek professional help
New legislation to provide extra protections for victims’ counselling notes during criminal investigations received government backing today.

The amendment to the landmark Victims and Prisoners Bill, tabled by Baroness Bertin, will require the police to be satisfied that counselling information is likely to add substantial value to their investigation before they request a victim’s records.

It will also provide further protections in the new statutory Code of Practice, which will state clearly that police must start with an assumption that a request for counselling notes is not necessary and proportionate to their investigation.

The move will give greater confidence to victims – particularly those of sexual assault – in seeking the therapy they need to help move forward with their lives, without fear that information revealed in absolute trust will be used against them.

Lord Chancellor, Alex Chalk KC, said:

It is only right we do everything we can to ensure victims feel confident in accessing support services such as counselling which are vital in helping them rebuild and move on with their lives.

I want to thank Baroness Bertin for her enduring commitment to improving the experience of victims, giving them greater confidence in the justice system.

Baroness Bertin said:

I am delighted and proud that the government has accepted these much needed amendments.

If enforced properly, this should make a material difference to the wellbeing of so many victims and survivors.

This government is making every effort to change the approach taken to rape survivors and investigations. This is another step in the right direction.

It should never be the case that intimate and personal notes are routinely accessed by law enforcement agencies. By raising this threshold I hope many more victims will pursue both justice and support to get their lives back on track.

Andrea Simon, Director of the End Violence Against Women Coalition (EVAW), said:

This is a significant moment for rape survivors and their right to access healing and support while pursuing justice.

Counselling should be a safe and private space to explore feelings and heal from trauma, and records must be protected from unnecessary and disproportionate requests during a police investigation. We’re pleased to see this now reflected far better in law, although much rests on its implementation, which we will be following closely.

Ciara Bergman, CEO of Rape Crisis England & Wales, said:

We are delighted that the Government has recognised the profoundly private nature of counselling notes and that such sensitive and personal material will now be afforded better protection. This is a significant step in the right direction, and we look forward to working closely with victims and survivors and criminal justice agencies, to ensure that this much-needed change in law is implemented consistently in practice.

Further amendments to the Victims and Prisoners Bill to strengthen victim support include:
- a crackdown on the misuse of confidentiality clauses to stop victims of crime accessing support services
- a new statutory duty holding the police and other criminal justice agencies to account which means they must not only inform victims of their rights under the Victims’ Code – but deliver services in accordance with it
- a bolstered role for Victims’ Commissioner to ensure support available to all victims
- families can make impact statements at mental health tribunals
Through the Victims and Prisoners Bill, the principles of the Victims’ Code will be placed on a statutory footing, and police, prosecutors and other frontline staff will have a duty to ensure victims know the services and support that they are qualified to receive – including the entitlement to be referred to a support service, receive updates on their case and to make a victim personal statement.

Alongside new legislation, the government is also continuing to bolster support services – quadrupling victims’ funding by 2024/25, up from £41 million in 2009/10, and using ringfenced funding to increase the number of Independent Sexual Violence and Domestic Abuse Advisors by 300 to around 1,000 – a 43% increase by 2024/5.

Further information

Alongside new legislative clauses in the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 relating to Victim Information Requests, the government will be publishing a Code of Practice to accompany new duties, which will add clarity on the expectations on policing and promote consistency in practice.

The code will set out a best practice approach for police making requests for victim information, including giving information to the victim about what is being requested, and how the material will be used. Police will be required to have due regard for this code when making requests. The Code will be consulted on before it is published.

The amendment will be subject to agreement by both the House of Lords and the House of Commons.
May 8, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : UK and Germany open ‘new chapter’ in defence partnership [April 2024]
The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 23 April 2024.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will meet German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin today [Wednesday] to deepen our defence and security cooperation.
- Prime Minister and Chancellor Scholz to hold talks in Berlin on security, trade and shared issues like illegal migration
- UK and Germany to launch new joint industrial programme to develop artillery systems
- German companies announce investments into the UK of more than £8 billion
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will meet German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin today [Wednesday] to deepen our defence and security cooperation.

As an initial step, the UK and Germany will announce plans for a joint endeavour to develop Remote-Controlled Howitzer 155mm Wheeled Artillery Systems (RCH 155), which will be fitted to Boxer vehicles.

The joint programme is expected to create hundreds of British and German jobs, while equipping our armed forces with battle-winning capabilities for future ground warfare.

It follows the Prime Minister’s visit to Poland on Tuesday, where he held talks with Prime Minister Tusk and the Nato Secretary-General and announced a historic uplift in UK defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2030.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:

The UK and Germany are European powerhouses. Together, we are stronger – whether that is defending against Russian aggression or driving economic growth and technological advance.

Today we are opening a new chapter in our relationship, one that will make us safer and more prosperous. At this dangerous moment for the world, the UK and Germany are standing side by side to preserve security and prosperity at home and across our continent.

The leaders are also expected to discuss collaboration on energy and renewables, including on the export of green hydrogen from the UK and Germany, and joint efforts to tackle organised immigration crime.

The UK and Germany are the two largest economies in Europe and Germany is our largest trading partner on the continent, with bilateral trade worth £147.7 billion last year.

The Prime Minister will meet leading businesses in Berlin to drive further economic cooperation, as German firms announce £8 billion worth of new investment today into the UK.

German energy company RWE have confirmed their intention to invest more than €8 billion (£6.9 billion) in the UK by the end of this decade, and E.ON energy will be investing £1bn in the UK over the next 5 years to help drive the green energy transition.

RWE CEO Dr Markus Krebber said:

The UK has been one of RWE’s most important core markets for decades. We are committed to continuing to contribute to the UK’s ambitious renewable energy and decarbonisation targets. We intend to invest a further €8 billion in the UK by the end of this decade into commercially viable projects.

Uniper, another leading German energy company, has also committed to invest a further €8 billion in green transformation projects in its main markets in Germany and the UK through 2030, including in gas-fired power plants, solar and wind parks, energy storage systems, and hydrogen production units.

More information

Constructed on a Boxer armoured vehicles chassis, the RCH 155 is able to fire up to 9 rounds of 155mm artillery per minute and possess a powerful blend of tactical and operational mobility.

Rounds can reach distances of around 40 kilometres, and the RCH 155 is the world’s first howitzer that can fire on the move, meaning it is more versatile in avoiding counter-artillery fire.

The programme has the potential to bring significant economic benefits to the UK, including component construction creating hundreds of British jobs across more than 100 separate UK-based subcomponent suppliers that support the wider Boxer programme.

The full list of investments announcement into the UK today from Germany companies is:

RWE (Energy Investment)

German energy company RWE has the intention of investing a further €8 billion in the UK by the end of this decade.

E.ON (Energy Investment)

German energy company E.ON will continue their track record of significant investment in the UK by committing £1bn over the next five years.

Siemens Healthineers (Life Sciences Investment)

Siemens Healthineers is announcing plans for a new biomarker production facility in Bedfordshire, bringing more than £20 million investment and a home for up to 40 highly-skilled jobs.

Patrizia (Real Estate Capital Investment)

German real estate investment manager Patrizia will invest an additional £140m in urban logistics in Greater London in the next 18 months. The investments will lead to further job creation and contributing to the modernisation of London’s urban infrastructure.

HyImpulse (Space Investment)

German space startup HyImpulse intends to invest up to €50m in the UK over the next 3 years. The investment will create 70 jobs at a new engineering office in Glasgow and develop the company’s launch capabilities at Scottish Space Port Saxa Vord.

Siemens Healthineers (Life Sciences Investment)

German life sciences company Siemens Healthineers is announcing plans for a new biomarker production facility in Bedfordshire, bringing more than £20 million investment and a home for up to 40 highly-skilled jobs.
May 8, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Contract awarded for UK’s first all-electric ‘green’ prison [April 2024]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 23 April 2024.

Mitie Care & Custody has been awarded the contract to operate HMP Millsike, the UK’s first all-electric prison that will provide around 1,500 places.
- Mitie Care & Custody awarded 10-year contract following rigorous competition
- Green prison will use 75% less energy than older prisons
- Boost to Yorkshire economy with hundreds of jobs and over £117 million spent locally
Due to open next year, the Category C prison is the third new prison being built as part of the government’s £4 billion prison expansion programme, delivering 20,000 new places.

The appointment follows a competitive bidding process where Mitie Care & Custody set out a strong proposal.

When opened, the category C prison in Yorkshire will hold 1,500 prisoners who will spend their sentences learning the skills they need to find work on release as part of the government’s drive to cut reoffending and keep the public safe.

In addition, Mitie Care & Custody has committed to deliver drug treatment that supports abstinence-based recovery for prisoners in prison and after their release, a learning package tailored to prisoners to help them boost their skills, and 1,000 living wage jobs for prison leavers over the course of the contract.

Prisons Minister Edward Argar said:

We are creating modern and secure prisons with rehabilitation at their heart so we can turn offenders lives around for good and cut crime and reoffending further.

We are building 20,000 prison places now that we are keeping the most dangerous offenders behind bars for longer and I look forward to seeing Mitie Care & Custody’s innovative approach in action when HMP Millsike opens next year.

HMP Millsike will run solely on electricity, making it the first of its kind in the UK. The build will use solar panels, heat pump technology and more efficient lighting systems to run the prison, meaning that it will use approximately a quarter of the energy used to heat traditional Victorian prisons.

The government believes that a mix of public, voluntary and private sector involvement is key to the success of our prisons and it has been shown to introduce improvements and deliver value for money for taxpayers. Appointing Mitie Care & Custody as a new private operator of prisons helps to increase the diversity and resilience of the market and brings fresh ideas and approaches.

The building of the prison has already provided offenders with valuable work experience, with prisoners on day release supporting its construction, learning key construction skills, as well as transferable skills such as teamwork, communication and organisation that will help them find jobs at the end of their time in prison.

Over £117 million has been invested in the local community through the construction so far, and Mitie Care & Custody will employ over 500 people when the prison is operational.

Danny Spencer, Managing Director, Mitie Care & Custody, said:

As proud partners to the public sector, we are pleased to have been awarded this contract to operate HMP Millsike.

With our experience delivering critical public services to support the immigration, justice and care sectors, as well as our expertise in facilities transformation and decarbonisation, we are excited to bring a modern and caring approach to prison management at this innovative new site.

The news comes as the Ministry of Justice also confirmed Serco has been awarded a new contract to continue operating HMP Ashfield, a Category C prison in South Gloucestershire. The contract will run for 10 years.

Notes to editors
- Mitie Care & Custody will operate HMP Millsike for 10 years from its opening in 2025.
- The contract with Mitie is worth £329 million. Many privately-run prisons are among the best performing across the estate and have been praised by independent inspectors and HMP Millsike’s contract award is reflective of this.
- Through its specialist Care & Custody business, Mitie delivers a range of critical public services to support the immigration, justice and care sectors. This includes managing Immigration Removal Centres on behalf of the Home Office and delivering healthcare services for custody detention suites. Mitie also provides facilities management services within the UK prison estate.
- Situated on land next to the existing HMP Full Sutton, HMP Millsike has been named after Millsike Beck, a local river that runs adjacent to the new jail, firmly embedding the prison into its local community.
- We have embarked on the largest prison building programme since the Victorian era, creating 20,000 modern places, and are on track to have delivered around 10,000 by the end of 2025.
May 8, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Rwanda Bill to become law in major illegal migration milestone [April 2024]
The press release issued by the Home Office on 23 April 2024.

Final phase of implementing the flagship policy to commence, marking a crucial step in the global response to illegal migration.

UK government efforts to stop the boats and tackle illegal migration took a major step forward, after the Safety of Rwanda Bill completed its passage through Parliament overnight, Monday 22 April.

The Bill’s passing means the government can enter the final phase of operational planning to get flights off the ground to Rwanda, pioneering a new response to the global challenge of illegal migration.

Robust operational plans are in place to ensure a first flight to Rwanda can be delivered within 10-12 weeks, with multiple flights set to take off after this.

The landmark legislation means that going forward, Rwanda should be deemed a safe country for the purposes of relocating people, including in UK courts and tribunals.

It will prevent legal challenges from being used to delay or halt a person’s removal to Rwanda on the grounds that Rwanda is generally unsafe, or that an individual will be returned to an unsafe country after removal to Rwanda – an act known as refoulement.

The Bill makes it unambiguously clear that UK Parliament is sovereign, and the validity of any Act of Parliament is unaffected by international law. Ministers will be able to retain the decision on whether to comply with interim measures from the European Court of Human Rights, for example, a Rule 39 injunction.

Home Secretary James Cleverly said:

This vital legislation means we can now proceed with our Rwanda plan and begin removing people with no right to be here.

The only way to stop the boats is to eliminate the incentive to come – by making clear that if you are here illegally, you will not be allowed to stay.

Our policy does exactly that and plans are well under way to begin flights within 10-12 weeks.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:

The passing of this landmark legislation is not just a step forward but a fundamental change in the global equation on migration.

We introduced the Rwanda Bill to deter vulnerable migrants from making perilous crossings and break the business model of the criminal gangs who exploit them. The passing of this legislation will allow us to do that and make it very clear that if you come here illegally, you will not be able to stay.

Our focus is to now get flights off the ground, and I am clear that nothing will stand in our way of doing that and saving lives.

The government is ready to deliver a first relocation flight and teams are working at pace to prepare. This includes:
- an airfield on standby and commercial charter planes booked for specific slots
- detention spaces increased to 2,200
- 200 trained dedicated caseworkers are ready and waiting to quickly process claims
- the judiciary have made available 25 courtrooms to deal with any legal cases quickly and decisively
- to escort illegal migrants all the way to Rwanda, we have 500 highly trained individuals ready, with 300 more trained in the coming weeks.
Responding to the concerns raised by the Supreme Court, the Safety of Rwanda Bill was introduced in December last year and builds upon the UK-Rwanda Treaty.

Together, these measures and evidence of changes in Rwanda since summer 2022, will allow government to implement the policy, supporting the wider plan to stop the boats by removing the incentive to come here illegally.

The new law, which is one of the toughest pieces of legislation ever introduced, builds upon the Treaty, reflecting the strength of the Government of Rwanda’s protections and commitments relocated to Rwanda in accordance with the Treaty. It also:
- confirms that, with the new Treaty, Rwanda is safe
- prevents UK courts and tribunals from delaying or preventing a person’s removal to Rwanda on matters relating only to the general safety of Rwanda
- allows for an exceptionally narrow route to individual challenge to ensure that the courts will interpret the relevant provisions in accordance with the will of Parliament
- disapplies relevant sections of the Human Rights Act 1998
- confirms that only a Minister of the Crown can decide whether to comply with an interim measure issued by the European Court of Human Rights.
In November 2023, the Supreme Court upheld the lawfulness of resettling illegal migrants for the purposes of determining their asylum claims, but required more assurance that they would not be refouled.

The internationally binding Treaty between Rwanda and the UK was announced by the Government in response to this finding and introduces measures to make clear Rwanda will not return anyone to an unsafe country.

Under the Treaty, Rwanda has also introduced a strengthened end-to-end asylum system, including a new, specialist asylum appeals tribunal to consider individual appeals against any refused claims. It will have two co-presidents, from Rwanda and from another Commonwealth country, and be made up of judges from a mix of nations.

The Treaty also enhances the role of the independent Monitoring Committee, which will ensure adherence to obligations under the Treaty and have the power to set its own priority areas for monitoring.

But this significant step forward remains just one part of the government’s wider plan to stop the boats. Solid progress has been made, with the number of small boat arrivals falling by more than a third in 2023. Our work with international partners prevented more than 26,000 crossings last year, as well as helping to dismantle 82 organised crime groups since July 2020.

Our new agreement with Albania has cut Albanian small boat arrivals by more than 90 per cent; and we recently signed a ground-breaking deal with Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, marking another crucial step in securing our borders.

The Bill is expected to receive Royal Assent in the coming days.
May 8, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Rishi Sunak joint statement with Prime Minister Donald Tusk of Poland [April 2024]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 23 April 2024.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak makes a speech during his visit to Poland.

Well Donald, thanks very much – it’s great to be here with you.

And I’ve come directly from visiting British troops stationed in North East Poland…

…where they serve alongside your Polish Armed Forces, guarding NATO’s eastern flank.

And it is a reminder of the incredible strength of our relationship.

We are… sojusznicy na zawsze.

Allies for the long term.

We will never forget in Britain that it was Polish pilots that gave their lives to protect our country in the Battle of Britain.

And today we’re proud to stand together as NATO allies…

…two of Europe’s biggest military powers…

… two of Ukraine’s firmest friends.

And Donald, I want to thank you – and President Duda – for your leadership in supporting Ukraine.

We have stood beside them for two years…

…but this is the moment for us, militarily, to go further.

And today I have announced a further half a billion pounds of additional support for Ukraine…

…to provide more help on the battlefield and defend against the relentless Russian bombardment.

And together we call on all our partners to look again at what more they can do.

That includes acting now to unlock Russia’s frozen assets, which you and I have discussed.

And I also want to thank you for being so clear sighted on the rising threats that are facing our continent.

And again, on this issue we’re of one mind.

And today I announced an historic uplift in UK defence spending to meet those threats…

…to a new baseline of 2.5% of GDP.

It’s the biggest strengthening of our national defence since the end of the Cold War.

Because it’s time for us to re-arm.

And across Europe, I think Poland and the UK are part of a growing wave of countries that are taking greater responsibility for our collective security.

Poland is spending more of its GDP on defence than any NATO ally in Europe.

And with today’s announcement, the UK will be spending more in cash terms than any NATO ally in Europe.

And together we’re both firing up our defence industrial capacity.

We’re building new frigates here in Poland.

And as you said we’re delivering a next generation air defence system to help defend your skies.

And as a result of our conversations I am pleased to say we have strengthened our cooperation in all the different formats so that we can work together on this crucial issue of air defence.

I can also announce that next year we will be deploying RAF Typhoons here as well, emphasising how important we take this issue – and we want to help police Poland’s skies.

Air defence is critical and the UK wants to support Poland and work closely with you to do that.

We’re also deploying over 16,000 troops here as part of the NATO exercise Steadfast Defender.

So I’m proud that the UK is a partner of Poland and remains at the heart of European security.

Because that’s good for our shared security, and it’s also good for our prosperity.

I was pleased to note that our trade has doubled over the last few years reaching now £30bn.

UK firms are investing a lot in Poland in defence, healthcare, infrastructure, and again today we talked about deepening our energy partnership …

… And I’m glad that we’ve tripled UK export finance – support for Polish companies to buy goods and services from the UK from £5bn to £15bn in financial support. That’s the most generous offer to made to any partner.

And again is demonstration of our close cooperation.

And as you said we’re also working together to tackle illegal migration – which Putin and Lukashenko have sought to weaponise.

And that’s why we sent our Royal Engineers to help secure your border.

And why we’re joining forces with others across Europe to smash the trafficking gangs.

And there is, as you said, so much that unites us.

And there is an incredible affinity between our peoples.

But, I know Donald, from our conversations, that we have something else in common…

…that we are united by our admiration for one of Europe’s great leaders.

I’m talking of course about Margaret Thatcher.

She was the first British Prime Minister to visit Poland back in 1988.

But Donald knows that, because you were there to meet her at the Gdańsk shipyard!

Just to conclude, in her speech during that visit she described, precisely, the challenge before us today.

She said: “experience teaches us that freedom incurs responsibility.”

And as ever, she was right.

And I’m pleased that together we are meeting that responsibility.

Thank you very much.

May 8, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : UK Government honours exceptional exporters with prestigious Made in the UK, Sold to the World Awards [April 2024]
The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 23 April 2024.

The Department for Business and Trade has announced the 10 SME winners of the 2024 Made in the UK, Sold to the World Awards.
- Ten SMEs announced as winners of the 2024 Made in the UK, Sold to the World Awards.
- Now in their second year, the awards celebrate outstanding small businesses achieving exporting success, as new figures show UK was world’s 4th largest exporter of goods and services in 2022.
- Winners include SMEs operating across the UK, such as Warner’s Distillery, Munro Vehicles and CIGA Healthcare.
A family-owned craft drinks B-Corp, an electric vehicle company and a rapid diagnostic tests specialist are among the 2024 winners of the Department for Business and Trade’s Made in the UK, Sold to the World Awards announced today.

Now in their second year, the awards celebrate the international sales success of small-medium businesses across the UK and provide a stepping stone for further growth and opportunity.

Winners include Warners Distillery, an independent, family-owned craft drinks producer that creates 100 percent natural, sustainably sourced products crafted from ingredients grown on its farm in Northamptonshire.

Awarded in the Agriculture, Food and Drink category, the B Corp accredited business’s range of spirits and non-alcoholic drinks are listed in major UK retailers and sold in over 30 countries, including the United States, Australia, China, and nations across mainland Europe.

The awards come after new figures from the UN’s body that leads on global trade show the UK was the 4th largest exporter of goods and services globally in 2022, moving up from 7th in the rankings in 2021.

For businesses looking to find out more about how to start selling internationally or to expand their international footprint, the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) has a wide range of free guidance, services and experts available to help unlock new opportunities and grow their sales at GREAT.gov.uk.

Minister for Exports Lord Offord said:

We’re proud of our British exporters and these Awards highlight some fantastic businesses punching above their weight and selling UK-made products and services around the world.

I hope the winners serve as inspiration to others looking to get onto the exporting ladder and encourage more businesses to showcase the incredible talent and innovation of UK businesses selling abroad.

Cabinet Office Minister Ester McVey said:

Selling overseas is key to driving economic growth across the UK. As part of the GREAT campaign, it’s wonderful to celebrate these businesses who showcase the best of what Britain and Northern Ireland have to offer the world.

The winning businesses have been drawn from a diverse range of 12 sectors across 10 categories: Agriculture, Food and Drink; Creative Industries; Education & EdTech; Financial Services and FinTech; Retail & Consumer Goods; Consultancy & Professional Services; Healthcare; Infrastructure & Engineering; Low Carbon Energy; and Manufacturing, Advanced Manufacturing & Construction.

In the Low Carbon Energy category, Glasgow-based Munro Vehicles was recognised for its next-generation, fully electric commercial vehicles that are designed to help essential but carbon-intensive industries transition to net zero. The company, which exported to 16 countries in 2023, plans to move to a new purpose-built site near Glasgow later in the year, creating up to 300 jobs.

The Healthcare winners are pioneers CIGA Healthcare, a leading UK company specialising in rapid diagnostic tests including fertility tests, blood pressure monitors and blood glucose monitors. CIGA Healthcare’s products are supplied to national health services and international brands, such as Walmart and AmerisourceBergen, and the company’s international reach extends to over 80 countries, including the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Australia, Canada, and nations across South America.

Within each category, three additional businesses were also awarded highly commended status for their inspiring business stories and exporting prowess.

Marco Forgione, Director General of The Institute of Export & International Trade (IOE&IT) and judge on the panel for this year’s awards, commented:

The calibre of businesses that entered across all categories has been incredibly high and selecting a winner has been a tough job. We are delighted to offer an IOE&IT membership to these winners alongside the businesses that are highly commended and look forward to working with this year’s companies, helping them to grow and expand through international trade.

These awards provide an important opportunity to recognise and celebrate the global trade success stories of small businesses from all Nations and regions – and we hope these winners will inspire even more budding business owners.

The evidence continues to tell us that businesses that trade internationally are more sustainable, more resilient, more innovative, employ more people and, ultimately, are more profitable. So, it is vital that these businesses are supported in their exporting journeys and that their success stories are celebrated.

In 2021, DBT launched the ‘Made in the UK, Sold to the World’ campaign to celebrate exporting success from across the UK and tell businesses’ stories. The awards programme builds on this to further recognise and celebrate the global trading success of SMEs from across the UK.

Winning businesses receive an invitation to an evening Parliamentary Reception and receive a year’s free membership with the Institute of Export and International Trade (IOE&IT). They will also win a digital badge, physical certificate and trophy and enjoy promotional activity across DBT channels, including individual profiles to share their export success.

This year’s winners include:

Agriculture, Food and Drink – Warner’s Distillery

Warner’s Distillery is the world’s leading premium farm-born spirits gin producer. Created and run by Tom & Tina Warner, Warner’s Distillery sits in the rolling hills of Northamptonshire. Since launching in 2012, Tom & Tina have built an expert team, producing unique spirits, elegantly crafted from ingredients grown on the farm such as elderflower, angelica, verbena and lavender. They became B Corp accredited in Summer 2022.

Creative Industries – Media Bodies

Media Bodies is a Performance Influencer Marketing Agency focusing on YouTube, Podcast, TikTok, Instagram, Twitch, and Experiential Marketing. Having started with a focus on the gaming industry, Media Bodies now works across industries including tech, retail, ecommerce, beauty, fashion, wellness, and more. Media Bodies’ client roster is in close to 20 countries around the world.

Education & EdTech – SimVenture

Used by education institutions and workplace training providers in over 20 countries, SimVenture digital software products enable educators and trainers to bring business learning to life. By providing business and entrepreneurship learning tools, learners are able to make decisions, deal with consequences, and work in a highly engaging and authentic way.

Financial Services and FinTech – Mosaic Smart Data

Mosaic Smart Data is a data analytics software company providing solutions to the global financial services industry. Its product uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to help its customers better understand and service their own customers. The business model is primarily a SaaS subscription software license model, where customers are offered a cloud-hosted, fully managed solution. Exports have been central to Mosaic’s growth. The company has customers on every continent and over 70 percent of its paying customers are international, generating approximately 70 percent of total revenue.

Retail & Consumer Goods – PG Paper Company Ltd

PG Paper is a global, award-winning pulp, paper and board company that creates markets and solutions to enable trade for paper and packaging products worldwide. It has experienced exponential growth and is now one of Scotland’s largest trading companies, operating in over 60 countries with multiple global offices.

Consultancy & Professional Services – Intralink Ltd

Intralink is an international business development consultancy. It helps companies to expand in Asia, Europe and North America, corporates to innovate through global collaboration, and governments to grow their exports and attract foreign investment. Intralink has 120 employees across 15 offices, with 23 in the UK. Over its 34-year history, it has helped more than 1,500 companies secure deals worth around £600 million.

Healthcare – CIGA Healthcare

CIGA Healthcare Ltd operates in the International Rapid Test Diagnostic sector, including both electronic equipment and reagent tests. It supplies both the professional and consumer markets in its SURESIGN brand as well as in customer “own label” brands. It supplies national health services and international brands, such as Walmart and Walgreens.

Infrastructure & Engineering – Autoflame Engineering

Autoflame Engineering manufactures industry-leading commercial and industrial combustion management and monitoring solutions. It empowers its customers to reduce their fuel and maintenance costs, substantially lower emissions and remain compliant with environmental regulations. Autoflame Engineering is family-owned and distributes through a network of 110+ Technology Centres around the world. It boasts an impressive 46 patents.

Low Carbon Energy – Munro Vehicles

Munro Vehicles, based in Glasgow, is a designer and manufacturer of fully electric commercial vehicles, exporting to Europe. Their mission is to develop and deliver next-generation zero-emission vehicles that help essential but carbon-intensive industries transition to net zero.

Manufacturing, Advanced Manufacturing and Construction – IceMos Technology

IceMOS Technology is a privately held semiconductor technology corporation and manufacturer of a new class of MEMS based power and sensing advanced semiconductor technologies. This serves wide-ranging applications anywhere that power efficiency and sensing matters. The company has a manufacturing centre of excellence located in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

This year’s highly commended businesses include:

Agriculture, Food and Drink

Highly Commended: Doughlicious – The London Dough Co.

Doughlicious is a “Better for You” cookie dough platform. The Doughlicious brand is present in the frozen, chilled and ambient categories throughout retailers and food service. All its cookie dough is gluten-free and manufactured in our its factory in London, which runs on renewable electricity. The product lines consist of ready-to-bake cookie dough, cookie dough and gelato bites and baked ready-to-eat cookies.

Highly Commended: LoveRaw

LoveRaw is the plant-based chocolate brand; free from palm oil and artificial ingredients, creating indulgent vegan versions of the nation’s favourite chocolate bars. Husband-and-wife team Rimi and Manav Thapar launched LoveRaw, a B-Corp Certified business, in 2013.

Highly Commended: Wootzano

Wootzano is a British state-of-the-art robotics company based in Sedgefield, northeast of England. Their highly dexterous robotic system, Avaraia, is crafted to meet the needs of the post-harvest industry by supplementing a struggling workforce in the packing of delicate, soft produce.

Creative Industries

Highly Commended: Sixteen South

Sixteen South is focussed on the creation of the highest quality television for kids in every country across the world. Sixteen South creates, produces and distributes its own unique and original content from their studios with the ambition that they’re seen by every child in every home in every country across the world. Their shows air on the leading networks and broadcasters in over 160 countries across the globe.

Highly Commended: Katapult

Katapult is an award-winning themed attractions and experiences design company that amaze and engage visitors globally. Its work is enjoyed by 95 million visitors, at 120 attractions, in 26 different countries, every year. It works alongside the biggest names in the leisure industry to create theme parks, themed resorts, experience and visitor attractions, including The LEGO Group, Merlin Entertainments, Warner Bros Discovery, Ferrari and many more. Katapult is a B-Corp certified business.

Highly Commended: Wales Interactive

Wales Interactive is a multi-award-winning indie video games and interactive movie developer, publisher and investor. As well as creating our own in-house titles, we have evolved into a publishing label collaborating with some of the most talented game developers and film makers across the globe to help bring their original creations to gaming platforms.

Education & EdTech

Highly Commended: TransformELT Ltd

TransformELT is an English Language Teaching consultancy enabling individuals, institutions and education systems to define, design and meet their development goals by building progressive strategies for change. Launched in 2017, TransformELT has taken part in a succession of high-profile projects in 44 countries.

Highly Commended: International Dyslexia Learnings Solutions Ltd

International Dyslexia Learning Solutions provides specialist multi-sensory software to schools in the UK and around the world. Our goal is to provide learning support to those most in need and our software is used by thousands of learners across the globe. IDL Literacy dramatically increases reading and spelling ages for those with dyslexia or low literacy ability.

Highly Commended: Learning with Experts

Learning with Experts is an online learning platform, uniting enthusiastic learners with leading experts in diverse subjects like gardening, photography, and Food. The courses are enriched through partnerships with the Royal Horticultural Society and River Cottage, and focus on interactive, community-centric education.

Financial Services and FinTech

Highly Commended: Exus

EXUS helps Financial Institutions and Utilities improve their debt collection results through state-of-the-art technology. EFS (EXUS Financial Suite) is the main product offered and this is a comprehensive suite of software products that manage credit risk along the whole lifecycle of accounts.

Highly Commended: Tapoly

Tapoly is an award-winning Insurtech providing business insurance for SMEs and freelancers. Winner of Technological Development at the European Business Awards 2021 and Insurance Broker of the Year at the British Business Awards 2023, Tapoly provides a comprehensive list of insurance products to cater for businesses of all sizes, including the gig economy.

Highly Commended: Konsentus

Konsentus provides specialist advisory services and technology solutions to support the national implementation of open finance ecosystems. Subject matter experts, Konsentus advisors have a proven track record in navigating complex, multi-stakeholder ecosystems and understanding individual regulatory and market requirements. Konsentus’ award-winning technology powers national open finance infrastructures. Modular and scalable by design, our trust infrastructure solutions are tailored to individual market requirements, enabling ecosystem participants to seamlessly identify each other and interact within a safe and trusted environment. Founded in 2018, Konsentus is active across 37 markets and counts many of the largest global financial institutions as clients.

Retail & Consumer Goods

Highly Commended: Katy Sue Designs

Katy Sue Designs is an award-winning British company specialising in crafting innovative food safe silicone moulds and unique paper craft products. Proudly manufacturing in the UK, Katy Sue Designs brings an exceptional range of die-cut, foiled paper crafts, stickers, and more.

Highly Commended: Urban Apothecary London Limited

Urban Apothecary London started life at the kitchen table in 2012 as founder and perfumer-alchemist Tajinder Banwait MBE sat surrounded by aromatic botanicals spilling from beautiful bottles and her notebook of scent stories. This modern apothecary British brand is fuelled by a passion for blending flowers, fruits, resins and woods in unconventional, contemporary ways.

Highly Commended: Captain Fawcett Ltd

Founded in 2010 by Richard Finney, Captain Fawcett Ltd is an international lifestyle brand specialising in First Class Gentlemans Grooming Requisites. The company was established after Richards Moustache Wax, initially crafted for personal use, won acclaim among film industry professionals.

Consultancy & Professional Services

Highly Commended: Luminance

Built on a proprietary legal Large Language Model (LLM), Luminance’s specialised legal co-pilot uses next-generation AI to automate the generation, negotiation and analysis of contracts. Developed by world-leading AI experts, validated by leading lawyers, and in use by over 600 customers in 70 countries, Luminance’s ‘legal-grade’ AI is a key component of any legal team.

Highly Commended: People 1st International

People 1st International partners with industry, development banks, government agencies, NGOs and education providers to create sustainable approaches to workforce development. Providing consultancy, research and training solutions globally, it develops skilled, productive and inclusive workforces to help drive social and economic growth.

Highly Commended: EECO2

EECO2 works with global life science organisations – empowering them to reach their decarbonisation targets ahead of promised deadlines through proven energy efficiency and sustainability initiatives. It works across the globe with the smallest and largest pharma organisations to decarbonise their operations.

Healthcare

Highly Commended: Dulas Ltd

For over 40 years, Dulas has been a pioneer in renewable energy. Its mission is to develop and implement renewable energy solutions that improve lives, help to combat climate change, and support communities in the most rural parts of the world.

Highly Commended: Chemian Technology

Chemian Technology Limited (CTL) has developed, patented and now makes almost all its income from a naturally derived, but highly effective insect repellent active substance, that it supplies to producers of consumer insect repellent brands under its general Trade Name of Citrepel.

Highly Commended: Evenly Ltd

Evenly Bra Balancers are for all those with uneven breasts, no matter what the cause. Breast asymmetry, where there is a noticeable difference in the size of the breasts, affects up to 90% of women. Multiple studies have shown the damaging effects this can have on a woman’s self-esteem, mental health, physical comfort and quality of life and researchers repeatedly stress that this is more than just a cosmetic issue. Evenly’s silicone breast forms offer a non-surgical, affordable and natural-looking solution.

Infrastructure & Engineering

Highly Commended: Inciner8

Inciner8 manufactures cutting-edge incinerators for diverse customers and applications in more than 180 countries. Inciner8 has been built on one simple principle: well-designed incinerators, suitable for installation anywhere, providing a safe, environmentally responsible, and convenient form of waste disposal.

Highly Commended: Xrail Group Ltd

Xrail is an international rail engineering solutions provider delivering turnkey multi-disciplinary signalling, telecommunications, overhead line (OLE) and trackside civils engineering services.

Highly Commended: Belzona Ltd

Belzona designs and manufactures polymeric repair and protection materials for industry. Across its 72-year history, the Business has engineered an extensive portfolio of solutions that prolong the asset-life in an ever-growing number of industries, thereby reducing the need for replacement. This mitigates not just the financial costs of replacing equipment, but also the harmful environmental consequences.

Low Carbon Energy – Munro Vehicles

Highly Commended: Silverstream Technologies

Silverstream Technologies is a market-leading maritime clean technology company specialising in hull air lubrication. The company is headquartered in London with offices in Shanghai. The Silverstream® System reduces frictional resistance between the water and the ship’s hull, reducing average net fuel consumption and GHG emissions. They export to all corners of the world including Japan, China, Dubai and Europe.

Highly Commended: Rosehill Polymers Group

Based in Sowerby Bridge, Rosehill Polymers Group specialises in creating innovative infrastructure products from recycled tyre rubber. Rosehill has a global reach and export their products to over 40 countries.

Highly Commended: Clearly

Together Global Ltd. (trading as Clearly) is a data-driven mobility emissions platform which offers net-zero solutions for decarbonising road transportation. It integrates diverse data sources, like vehicle/GPS data, operations/shipments data, fuel & energy data, financial data, and sustainability regulations, to provide a unified view and calculates accurate fleet emission/energy intensity. They currently export to US, Norway and Thailand.

Manufacturing, Advanced Manufacturing and Construction

Highly Commended: I Holland Ltd

I Holland has been specialising in superior quality punches and dies for the pharmaceutical industry for over 75 years, making us the longest established tool manufacturer in the world.

Highly Commended: Vikoma International Limited

Vikoma designs and manufactures oil-spill response, industrial clean up and environmental protection equipment, with a reputation for innovation, quality and reliability. The company provides products and services to various industries and has solutions for all scenarios; offshore oil & gas, ports and harbours, shoreline, refinery & petrochemical and onshore.

Highly Commended: Silson Ltd

Silson is a manufacturer of ultra-thin films, specialising in silicon nitride, silicon carbide and silicon membranes, as well as more advanced, customer-specified products. Our products are used during scientific research experiments and often in equipment on beam-lines.
May 8, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Rishi Sunak call with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine [April 2024]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 23 April 2024.

The Prime Minister spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy this morning, to assure him of the UK’s steadfast support for Ukraine’s defence against Russia’s brutal and expansionist ambitions.

He confirmed that the UK would provide an additional £500 million in immediate funding to support the highest priority capabilities, including further ammunition, air defence and drones – taking our support this year to £3 billion.

The Ministry of Defence would also make our largest-ever single commitment of military equipment to help Ukraine fight back across land, sea and air – including 60 boats, more than 400 vehicles and over 1,600 missiles.

President Zelenskyy thanked the Prime Minister for the UK’s continued support, saying the new military assistance would make a material difference to ordinary Ukrainians fighting on the frontline to defend their country.

Ahead of a visit to Poland and Germany, the Prime Minister reiterated that Ukraine’s security was central to all of Europe’s security. He said the UK would continue to work to galvanise the international community to support Ukraine’s defence.

May 8, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Rishi Sunak meeting with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg [April 2024]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 23 April 2024.

The Prime Minister met NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg in Warsaw today.

He set out the UK’s historic plan to steadily increase defence spending to 2.5% and fire up our national defence industrial production, ensuring we remain the foremost military power in Europe and a core contributor to NATO operations.

The Prime Minister and Secretary-General discussed the growing threat from autocratic countries like Russia and Iran, which were increasingly aligned and assertive. They agreed on the importance of all NATO countries stepping up and keeping pace to support our collective defence, as well as industrial cooperation across the alliance.

The Prime Minister said supporting Ukraine’s defence was also central to Europe’s security, and they discussed progress towards Ukraine’s membership of NATO. The Prime Minister looked forward to discussing this further at the NATO Washington Summit in July, and he invited the Secretary-General to attend the UK-hosted European Political Community Summit.

May 8, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Criminal armed gangs cannot be allowed to hold Haiti hostage: UK statement at the UN Security Council [April 2024]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 22 April 2024.

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki at the UN Security Council meeting on Haiti.

Thank you, President. I thank SRSG Salvador, Executive Director Waly, and Executive Director Russell for briefing us today. And I also welcome the participation of the Permanent Representative of Haiti as well as the Foreign Minister Álvarez Gil of the Dominican Republic.

I would like to express our gratitude to SRSG Salvador and her team for their steadfast commitment to the Haitian people during these difficult times. We pay tribute to the UN’s efforts, especially the establishment of a humanitarian airbridge to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian supplies and personnel.

President, we commend the courage of the Haitian national police. Criminal armed gangs cannot be allowed to hold the country hostage and to continue this appalling violence against the Haitian people. There are continued reports of indiscriminate killing, burning of camps for internally displaced people, and sexual and gender-based violence. We hear chilling accounts of girls facing collective rape by gangs on their way to school. No child should have to choose between their personal safety and education.

We are calling on all those with influence over the gangs to rein them in now, for the good of the Haitian people. And we should use our UN sanctions regime to change the behaviour of those who are destabilising Haiti. The United Kingdom will continue to work with all Council members to this end.

A political solution remains critical to resolving this crisis. We commend the efforts of CARICOM to secure an agreement on a new power-sharing transitional government. This transitional government should be in place as soon as possible to begin its work towards inclusive, free, and fair legislative and presidential elections.

President, the United Kingdom will continue to support the rapid deployment of the Multinational Security Support Mission to help deliver the security the Haitian people deserve. We thank Kenya for leading these efforts and thank all countries that have contributed personnel and funds. These efforts are critical, and the United Kingdom has pledged over $6 million dollars to the UN Trust Fund.

Thank you.

May 8, 2024