Tag: Press Release

PRESS RELEASE : Further steps to prepare Sizewell C for construction [January 2024]
The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 22 January 2024.

£1.3 billion additional investment in the nuclear plant, key to expanding nuclear energy in the UK and providing stable, cheaper and more secure power in the long-term.
- Government announces further funding to support construction at Sizewell C after Development Consent Order was triggered in January
- money comes ahead of a final investment decision expected later this year
- Sizewell C will support thousands of jobs and provide enough power for up to 6 million homes
The government has made an additional £1.3 billion available to support the construction of Sizewell C, which will create thousands of jobs and enough stable, cheaper and more secure power for up to 6 million homes. The largest funding package to date will allow early construction works to continue ahead of a final investment decision later this year.

The funding – made available from existing budgets – will support ongoing preparatory works such as improvements to roads and rail lines around the Suffolk site, ensuring the necessary local infrastructure is in place before full construction begins. Committing further government support at this stage will help the project stay on schedule and keep down overall costs.

The Development Consent Order (DCO) triggered by Sizewell C on 15 January gave the formal green light for construction to begin and released £250 million funding for initiatives for the local community and environment.

Investing an additional £1.3 billion consolidates the government’s position as the majority shareholder in the project, reached in December 2023. It follows a £700 million funding pledge in November 2022 and a further £511 million agreed last summer.

Earlier this month the government announced the biggest expansion of nuclear power for 70 years, with the Civil Nuclear Roadmap setting out how the UK will quadruple nuclear power generation to up to 24GW by 2050. It commits to exploring another GW-scale power plant similar in scale to Sizewell C, simplifying regulation and building a fleet of Small Modular Reactors.

Nuclear Minister Andrew Bowie said:

We are making fantastic progress on the next GW-scale power plant in the UK’s nuclear pipeline.

This investment injection means we can steam ahead with work on Sizewell C ahead of the final investment decision targeted later this year.

It’s a win for our energy security and sends a strong message to investors that Britain is serious about its low-carbon, homegrown nuclear-powered future, providing reliable, cheaper power for British families.

Julia Pyke and Nigel Cann, Joint Managing Directors at Sizewell C, said:

This significant investment underlines the importance of Sizewell C for Britain and is a further sign of confidence in our team to deliver it. With the project now in construction, the funding means we can step up activity in Suffolk and deliver on our commitments to local communities.

Sizewell C will build on the huge contribution of Hinkley Point C in restarting nuclear construction in Britain. It will bring another big boost to British nuclear skills and training, putting the industry in an even better position to deliver the other projects this country needs for its low carbon future.

In addition to the 500 people employed so far, Sizewell C has plans to award 70% of the value of construction to UK businesses, helping to create thousands of jobs in Suffolk and nationwide. The project will also create 1,500 apprenticeships, helping to build the skills base to support the UK’s long-term plans for new nuclear.

Once operational, the plant will generate 3.2GW of electricity, equating to 7% of the UK’s needs and enough to power up to 6 million British households for over 60 years.
January 24, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Two years on from Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine and this war benefits no one – UK statement at the UN Security Council [January 2024]

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

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

Colleagues, two years ago, Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Since its illegal and unprovoked attack, over 300,000 Russian personnel have been killed or wounded. Mothers and wives of these soldiers have been arrested or ignored. Thousands of Russian anti-war protestors have been detained. Media organisations have been shut down, and many journalists are now in Russian prisons.

Russian military modernisation has been set back eighteen years.

Now Russia’s defence industry strips down fridges for parts. It orders its weapons from the DPRK, in violation of multiple resolutions agreed in this Chamber, under this Russian Foreign Minister’s instruction. Its purchase and use of Iranian drones involves both states violating a Security Council resolution.

And for what? To lose more than half of the land it seized since February 2022 and a fifth of its Black Sea Fleet? To have its economy deprived of over $400 billion by sanctions, and hundreds of thousands of young Russians, who have emigrated for a better future?

This war benefits no one, not Russians, and certainly not Ukrainians.

Colleagues,

Last time the Russian Foreign Minister was here, he spoke of protecting the rights of Russian-speakers in Ukraine.

Yet the only threat to any civilian in Ukraine continues to come from Russia. Russia continues to impede access for humanitarian organisations to the millions of people in need.

The UN Commission of Inquiry has reported a systematic pattern of torture against Ukrainian civilians by Russian authorities.

Russian missile strikes continue to strike population centres, with some of the most intense waves yet falling during the New Year. And Russia says it wants peace.

But while Ukraine, the UK and around 80 other countries were in Davos last week, discussing President Zelensky’s plans for peace, based on principles of the UN Charter that all here have signed up to, the deputy head of Russia’s National Security Council was proclaiming there could never be peace while an independent state of Ukraine existed.

That is not peace. That is subjugation, which would threaten Ukraine’s very existence as a state and usher in a new era of global instability.

This is why the UK will continue to replenish Ukraine’s air defences, to help it shield its civilians from these brutal attacks. This is why we have signed a new long term agreement on security cooperation, and announced £2.5bn more in military aid, and £18 million more in humanitarian aid for Ukraine.

Because Ukraine’s security matters for global security.

President, as my Prime Minister said on his recent visit to Kyiv, we remain unwavering in our commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its borders, to ensuring Ukraine’s ability to defend itself, to resist future coercion, to choose its own future, and to prosper peacefully.

Thank you.

January 24, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Solicitor General Robert Courts sworn in [January 2024]

The press release issued by the Attorney General’s Office on 22 January 2024.

The Solicitor General was sworn in today during a ceremony attended by the Lord Chancellor.

Robert Courts KC MP was today sworn in as His Majesty’s Solicitor General at a ceremony attended by the Lord Chancellor and Clerk to the Crown.

The Solicitor General was also appointed to the rank and office of King’s Counsel (KC).

Speaking after the ceremony, HM Solicitor General Robert Courts KC MP said:

It is a great honour and privilege to be sworn-in today as Solicitor General for England and Wales.

The Law Officers have an important and unique role advising the government and I look forward to working with the Attorney General, government lawyers, and the Civil Service upholding the rule of law at the heart of the UK constitution.

The Solicitor General supports the Attorney General in her role as the Government’s chief legal adviser. Alongside the Attorney, the Solicitor General oversees the work of the Law Officers’ Departments: the Crown Prosecution Service, the Serious Fraud Office, the Government Legal Department and HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate.

The Solicitor General carries out important functions in the public interest, such as considering whether to refer unduly lenient sentences to the Court of Appeal and taking action when there has been a contempt of court.

These functions are carried out independently of the Solicitor’s role as a government minister.

The Attorney General, Rt Hon Victoria Prentis KC MP, said:

Congratulations to Robert Courts MP for being sworn in as Solicitor General for England and Wales. I look forward to working with you advising the Government, superintending government departments, and upholding the rule of law.

Robert Courts KC MP was appointed as Solicitor General for England and Wales on 7 December 2023.

January 24, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Reforms to boost confidence in the BBC’s impartiality and complaints system set out in Mid-Term Review [January 2024]
The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 22 January 2024.

Government recommends reforms to boost public trust in the BBC following a review at the mid-point of its 11 year Charter.
Review recommends greater independent scrutiny of complaints handling, improving transparency for commercial media organisations, and extending Ofcom oversight over more BBC online services

BBC urged to better reflect diverse views and opinions in decision-making and improve engagement with underserved audience groups, among other key recommendations

The government has recommended major reforms to help boost audience confidence in the BBC’s impartiality and complaints system, following the first Mid-Term Review published by the government today.

Launched at the halfway point of the BBC’s 11 year Royal Charter, the Mid-Term Review evaluates the effectiveness of the governance and regulatory arrangements introduced by the Charter in 2017, with recommendations to ensure the best outcome for audiences.

Audiences will be given greater certainty that their complaints about BBC TV, radio and on demand content – including concerns about bias – are dealt with fairly, through greater scrutiny of its complaints process, which is to be made more independent from programme makers. A new legally binding responsibility on the BBC Board will require it to actively oversee the BBC’s complaints process to assure audiences that their concerns are being fairly considered.

In recognition that audiences are increasingly getting their news and watching content online, Ofcom oversight will be extended to parts of the BBC’s online public services, including the BBC News website, to enable Ofcom to hold the BBC to account in a more robust way. And Ofcom will be given a new legally binding responsibility to review more of the BBC’s complaints decisions, meaning audiences can have greater confidence that their complaints have been handled fairly.

The Mid-Term Review stresses the need for the BBC to clearly demonstrate how it will meet its obligations on distinctiveness over the remainder of this Charter period, and for the BBC to meaningfully engage with its competitors, such as radio stations and local newspapers, when it is considering a change to its services.

The government consulted the BBC and Ofcom closely on the recommendations and expects them to be implemented in a timely manner. The government has also identified some key issues as a result of the Mid-Term Review that need to be further considered at the next Charter Review before 2027.

In particular, we will continue to place a strong emphasis on impartiality and complaints, including reviewing the effectiveness of the BBC’s new social media guidelines and whether the BBC First model – formally introduced by the Charter in 2017 – process remains the right model for complaints, as well as how distinctive BBC output and services are from those of commercial providers. The Government has highlighted these priorities for the next Charter in correspondence with the BBC.

Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer said:

The Government wants to see a strong, independent BBC that can thrive in the years to come as a major contributor to the nation’s successful creative industries.

In a rapidly changing media landscape the BBC needs to adapt or risk losing the trust of the audiences it relies on. Following constructive conservations with the BBC and Ofcom, we have recommended reforms that I believe will improve accountability while boosting public confidence in the BBC’s ability to be impartial and respond to concerns raised by licence fee payers.

These changes will better set up the BBC to ask difficult questions of itself, and make sure Ofcom can continue to hold the broadcaster to account. We all rely on the BBC being the best it can be and this review will help ensure that is what the British public gets.

Complaints and impartiality

The Mid-Term Review has concluded that the BBC’s complaints process introduced at the last Charter Review in 2017, known as BBC First – where audience complaints are normally addressed by the BBC before they can be escalated to Ofcom – allows licence fee payers to hold the BBC directly accountable.

However, impartiality continues to be an ongoing issue for audiences, with concerns about the broadcaster’s objectivity making up the majority of complaints about the BBC’s editorial content. The review highlights a lack of public confidence in the way the BBC currently handles complaints.

Following challenging and constructive conversations with the government, the BBC will introduce reforms to enhance the independent scrutiny of its complaints handling and further improve the experience of viewers who make a complaint.

The BBC Board previously had a responsibility to oversee only the establishment of a complaints handling process. We are now giving the entire Board the responsibility to oversee how that process is working in practice. Furthermore, the non-executive board directors and external advisors on the BBC’s Editorial Guidelines and Standards Committee will be given greater powers to scrutinise and challenge how BBC senior management responds to complaints.

The job role which has responsibility for complaints handling now reports directly to the Director General rather than the Director responsible for editorial policy, separating pre-broadcast editorial policy and post-broadcast complaints resolution.

Currently Ofcom regulates the BBC’s TV, radio and on demand output, but not other elements of its online content. The government has committed to extending Ofcom regulation to other elements of the BBC’s online public service material in order to give audiences confidence that the BBC is being held to greater account across its digital services. The government expects this to apply to BBC branded content on third party websites, applications and other online interfaces over which the BBC has editorial control – including the BBC News website and the BBC’s YouTube channel.

The review recommends the BBC materially improves the experience of audiences when lodging a complaint by giving clearer explanations of the process and the roles of the BBC and Ofcom, to ensure licence fee payers are not put off from sharing their views. The review also recommends Ofcom improves the transparency of its decision making when considering whether to open a formal investigation into content that the BBC has found has breached its own editorial standards. This will help audiences to better understand whether Ofcom is taking further regulatory action and why.

At Charter Review, the government is committing to examining whether BBC First remains the right complaints model to enable the BBC to deliver against its responsibility to serve all audiences.

To help the BBC go further to tackle perceptions of bias, the review also recommends that the BBC publishes more information about the work it is doing to strengthen the impartiality of its editorial content, including to illustrate the impact it’s having.

The BBC’s impact on the wider market

Looking at the BBC’s impact on the UK media landscape, the review sets out that the BBC must clearly demonstrate how it effectively balances delivering for licence fee payers and supporting the UK’s wider creative industries when making decisions about how its services and output are distinctive. This is increasingly important given broader structural trends in some of the markets in which the BBC operates, such as online local news, and will be an important question for the Charter Review.

Meaningful engagement with competitors should be strengthened and the BBC must be more transparent when it seeks to make changes to its services. This higher standard of engagement and transparency should support other businesses operating in the same markets as the BBC, including commercial radio stations and local news publishers. The government has recommended that Ofcom publish an annual high-level view on the BBC’s position in the local news sector, as it does for other sectors, to provide further clarity.

The government has also recommended that the BBC develop a public strategy outlining how it will partner with others, and provide competitors with greater clarity on how it will make decisions on partnerships.

While the government supports the BBC’s ambitious plans to grow its commercial revenue, and has found that the governance and regulation of its commercial activities works effectively, the impact of any changes, such as the introduction of a BBC Commercial Board in 2022, needs to be closely monitored.

Diversity

As a national broadcaster, the BBC has a duty in its Charter to accurately reflect, represent and serve diverse communities across the UK, both on and off the screen.

While the BBC has said it is committed to improving representation, the review recommends it considers how diversity of thought and opinion could be better reflected in its decision-making. Some audience groups, for example, disabled viewers and people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, feel underrepresented by the BBC. We recommend that the BBC works to ensure engagement with these groups is sufficient to best understand their specific needs and concerns.

Notes to editors

Following the 2015/16 review of the BBC Royal Charter, new BBC governance and regulatory arrangements were established: the governance of the BBC is now conducted by a new unitary Board, and regulation passed to Ofcom, the BBC’s first independent, external regulator. Given the extent of these changes, the Charter provided for the government to conduct a Mid-Term Review by 2024. The current BBC Charter began on 1 January 2017 and ends on 31 December 2027. A full Charter Review will take place in advance of the next Charter period starting in 2028.

The Mid-Term Review was launched in May 2022, with the publication of its Terms of Reference. As per the restrictions set out in the Charter, the review did not consider the BBC’s Mission, its Public Purposes or the BBC’s funding model for the Charter period. The World Service was not in scope as it is not regulated by Ofcom.

The review was conducted on the basis of targeted stakeholder consultation and consultation with the BBC, Ofcom and the Devolved Administrations. A number of the review’s recommendations require amendments to the Framework Agreement. These will be published as soon as possible.
January 24, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : More support for industry to cut emissions and energy bills [January 2024]
The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 22 January 2024.

Over £190 million will be made available to help industry in the transition to net zero, reducing emissions as they switch to cleaner, cheaper energy.
- Twelve winning projects will bring together local partners and develop plans to cut manufacturing emissions, with up to £6 million in government support
- up to £185 million available for the next round of the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund, with even more sectors eligible to apply
- funding will support businesses reduce emissions and bills by making the switch to cleaner energy, helping to meet the UK’s net zero goals
A multi-million-pound package will help businesses across the UK to cut their emissions and energy bills.

Minister for Energy Efficiency and Green Finance Lord Callanan today (Monday 22 January) announced 12 winners from the Local Industrial Decarbonisation Plan competition, who will each benefit from a share of up to £6 million to develop plans for a low carbon future.

This funding will give winning businesses and partners the chance to work together on plans to cut their emissions, learning from each other while also having access to technical advisors to prepare for adopting measures such as using hydrogen or carbon capture.

In particular, this will be targeted at projects outside of the UK’s major industrial areas – from a Yorkshire pet food manufacturer to a Poole ferry operator. Companies in dispersed locations away from industrial heartlands account for 55% of the country’s industrial emissions.

He also shared plans to open a new phase of the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund later this month for a further £185 million, which will help companies transform their operations to run on cleaner, more secure energy – backing measures such as replacing inefficient equipment, installing electric furnaces and switching to hydrogen. The funding is ensuring businesses are supported in the transition to net zero, in a sustainable way and cost-effective way, securing green industrial jobs for the future.

Sectors including manufacturing and recycling – and for the first time controlled environment horticulture, industrial laundries and textile renting facilities – will be among those eligible for apply for this new support, as part of wider government efforts to meet the UK’s net zero targets.

Minister for Energy Efficiency and Green Finance Lord Callanan said:

From manufacturing chemicals to food and drink, UK industry is at the heart of our economy.

With over £190 million available for businesses to make the move to cleaner, cheaper energy – and with 12 projects benefiting directly today – we are delivering the support they need to decarbonise.

I look forward to seeing the plans developed by the successful clusters and encourage other businesses to apply to our Industrial Energy Transformation Fund, which has already made awards to over 150 projects to help companies go green.

Today’s winners include:
- Shoreham Port Industrial Cluster, an established cluster with 175 businesses based on the 110-acre site, which will explore ways to reduce emissions and improve local air quality by working with local councils
- Industrial Decarbonisation for Northern Ireland (ID-NI), which will develop plans to help local businesses increase their productivity while also cutting emissions, embracing the opportunities that a low carbon future will offer
- Decarbonising the Midlands Aerospace Cluster (DMAC), who will work with key players in the region’s aerospace supply chain, identifying manufacturing processes that contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and potential solutions
The Industrial Energy Transformation Fund will also offer support for businesses to switch to more energy efficient technologies through a new phase opening on Monday 29 January.

Previous winners have included:
- Pioneer Foods in Peterborough – a leading cereal manufacturer, to improve the energy efficiency of their 3 industrial ovens by replacing burners, minimising heat loss and installing new motors
- Cemineral in Lincolnshire – a supplier of cement products for housing and infrastructure, to convert its conveyance and processing systems to electric power, helping to reduce their carbon emissions
- Natural World Products in Dunmurry – a producer of peat-free composts and soil conditioners, to replace diesel-powered equipment with electric equivalents.
These announcements are part of the government’s commitment to spend more than £12 billion on energy efficiency by 2028, helping more households and businesses to benefit from lower bills and cleaner energy.

Further quotes

Shoreham Port Industrial Cluster LIDP

Tom Willis, Chief Executive of Shoreham Port, said:

We are delighted that the Shoreham Port Industrial Cluster has been successful in the Local Decarbonisation Plans Competition and will receive a portion of the £6 million awarded by the Department for Energy, Security and Net Zero in partnership with Innovate UK. As a Trust Port, collaborative relationships with local, educational, and business communities remain key to our success. This funding will support us to create a tangible plan to decarbonise our Cluster, enabling us to act as a catalyst for regional emission reduction.

NEW- ID (Northeast Wales)

Ben Burggraaf, CEO of Net Zero Industry Wales, said:

Today’s funding announcement is another welcome step in the right direction for Welsh Industry’s journey to net zero. It will allow the region to continue to thrive at the industrial forefront of the UK, aided by the uptake of low carbon technologies — all while opening up a range of skills and employment opportunities.

We look forward to supporting the NEW-ID Plan which in turn, will support us in our mission to empower businesses to build greener futures. What’s more, we are confident that learnings from other live projects — such as the great work being delivered by SWIC, DDF and Net Zero North West — will allow us to maximise the Plan’s potential.

Decarbonising Midlands Aerospace Cluster

Dr Andrew Mair, Chief Executive at Midlands Aerospace Alliance, said:

Decarbonisation is essential to the future of the Midlands’ aerospace industry and we know the cluster’s responsibility in this area as well as the opportunities it brings. But it is notoriously hard to move fast in aerospace given tightly controlled sector-specific materials and processes for manufacturing aircraft parts that have a long in-service life. This provides a key challenge for the cluster which we are excited to tackle through this cluster decarbonisation project, with the ambitious aim of developing in detail credible and feasible solutions to reduce emissions in the region’s aerospace cluster.

Solent LIDP

Anne-Marie Mountifield, Chair of The Solent Cluster, said:

This announcement is great news for our region and for the decarbonisation ambitions for the whole of the UK.  Here in the Solent, the funding will be used to work with industry to ensure access to low-carbon hydrogen production and carbon capture and storage, at the same time as measuring wider economic benefits to the local region. Working together as The Solent Cluster, we have the potential to effect real change in energy production and consumption which will, in turn, secure existing livelihoods and create new green jobs, support energy resilience and affordability, and ensure the UK is at the forefront of the emerging low-carbon economy.

ID-NI (Northern Ireland)

Rachel Sankannawar, Head of Green Economy Development at Invest Northern Ireland, said:

We welcome today’s announcement which will bolster our efforts to unlock the economic possibilities of a low carbon future for Northern Ireland.

The funding provided will enable us to collaborate with key industry partners, our universities and all 11 Councils to develop and implement a comprehensive local industrial decarbonisation plan for Northern Ireland. The plan will not only enhance our competitiveness globally but support us to boost our productivity and contribute to reducing our emissions.

Innovate UK

Bryony Livesey, Challenge Director – Industrial Decarbonisation at Innovate UK, said:

Today’s announcement shows the keenness of businesses to collaborate on plans to decarbonise by forming local industrial clusters and working together to drive down emissions. This is a crucial step in tackling decarbonisation at dispersed sites on the UK’s journey towards net zero by 2050.
January 24, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Education secretary approves Dyson STEAM donation [January 2024]

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 22 January 2024.

A £6 million donation to build a first-class science, technology, engineering, art and maths (STEAM) centre in Wiltshire has received the green light from Education Secretary Gillian Keegan.

Ministers at the Department for education approved the expansion of Malmesbury Primary School in Wiltshire for the new centre which was a condition of the donation from the Dyson Foundation.

This demonstrates the government’s ongoing commitment to ensuring pupils at all levels have access to high quality STEM education.

The expansion would see purpose-built rooms equipped for design, technology, art, science, and mathematics-based activities as well as additional classrooms. If planning permission is approved by Wiltshire Council, it is expected to be open to pupils from September 2027.

The Prime Minister has, separately, announced his ambitious 10-year plan to drive up young people’s skills through the Advanced British Standard, requiring all pupils in England to study some form of maths to the age of 18. This will help embed essential numeracy skills and give young people a platform to develop STEM expertise, supporting the government’s plan to create a world-class education system by growing the economy and investing in the skills that industry needs.

Our reforms are already improving maths education and driving up standards, with the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) study finding that England outperformed the international average in maths, rising to 11th in international league tables in 2022.

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said:

I welcome this generous donation from the Dyson Foundation which will support cutting edge education for local pupils, helping to develop the scientists and engineers of the future.

This new centre will provide world-class facilities for pupils in Malmesbury and the surrounding areas to inspire them and develop the skills we need to compete on the world stage.

The £6 million donation builds on the work we have been doing to boost the uptake of STEM subjects in schools and through apprenticeships and further education, boosting growth and opportunity in these vital sectors.

To support growth and develop STEM skills, the department runs programmes such as the Stimulating Physics Network, and has a network of maths hubsand scholarships worth £30,000 to encourage more teachers to nurture future talent by teaching STEM subjects.

Additionally, design and technology trainee teachers will now receive tax free bursaries of £25,000 to train to teach, up from £20,000 in the academic year 2023 to 2024.

New T Level qualifications are also being rolled out, including in engineering and manufacturing, whilst a network of 21 Institutes of Technology is being established to work closely with industry and pioneer higher-level STEM training.

We continue to work with employers to offer more apprenticeship opportunities, including in dynamic and in-demand STEM fields. Apprenticeships are a great way for anyone, regardless of their background, to gain the skills they need for a successful career in STEM, and employers have developed over 365 high-quality apprenticeships in the Construction, Digital, Engineering and Manufacturing, and Health and Science sectors.

Our new specialist maths school are also being established across the county, offering talented young people world class maths and STEM opportunities regardless of their background. Seven schools are already open and teaching students in Exeter, Cambridge, Leeds and London (Imperial College), with a further 4 set to open in other parts of England.

The department is also working with other government departments through the UK Science and Technology Framework to deliver talent and skills for critical technologies.

January 24, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Rishi Sunak call with President Biden [January 2024]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 22 January 2024.

The Prime Minister spoke to US President Biden this evening.

They discussed the situation in Israel and Gaza, and the urgent need to secure the release of Israeli hostages while alleviating the very real impact of the conflict on civilians in Gaza. The Prime Minister stressed that supporting Israel in its efforts to defeat the threat from Hamas does not detract from the need for the IDF to take greater care to protect civilians and operate within International Humanitarian Law.

The Prime Minister and President Biden resolved to continue working together to encourage further humanitarian pauses to get hostages out of Gaza and allow more aid to enter. As part of this they underscored the need to open more aid routes into Gaza, including at Ashdod, while simultaneously increasing the efficiency of existing routes. The leaders also agreed that a two state solution which allows Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace and security is more important than ever.

The Prime Minister and President Biden paid tribute to the British and American personnel who are currently working closely together to uphold freedom of navigation and protect lives in the Red Sea. The Prime Minister passed on his condolences on the death of two US Navy Seals confirmed today.

The leaders condemned the surge in violent Houthi attacks on commercial ships transiting the area and undertook to continue efforts alongside international partners to deter and disrupt those attacks. This includes work through the multinational Operation Prosperity Guardian, putting diplomatic pressure on Iran to cease their support of Houthi activity and, as needed, targeted military action to degrade Houthi capabilities.

The Prime Minister updated President Biden on his recent announcement of £2.5 billion of further military support for Ukraine alongside the signing of a new UK-Ukraine bilateral security agreement. The leaders agreed that it is paramount that the world continues to back Ukraine as it resists unprovoked Russian aggression.

January 24, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Appointment of Martin Jones as His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Probation [January 2024]

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 22 January 2024.

The Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor has announced the appointment of Martin Jones as His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Probation.

The Secretary of State and Lord Chancellor, Rt Hon. Alex Chalk KC MP, has announced the appointment of Martin Jones as the Chief Inspector of Probation. The appointment will commence on 1 March 2024 for a 3 year term to run until 28 February 2027.

The recruitment of HMCI Probation is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments and this appointment has been made in line with the Governance Code on Public Appointments.

His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Probation

His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Probation (HMCIP) is the independent inspector of probation and youth offending services in England and Wales. The Inspectorate offers independent scrutiny of the quality of work undertaken with individual offenders to seek to improve outcomes for individuals and communities.

Biography

Mr Jones has been the Chief Executive of the Parole Board since 2015. Prior to that he served as Deputy Director for Sentencing Policy from 2012 to 2015 and as Head of Crime for Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service from 2008 to 2011.

January 24, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : New Government WhatsApp Channel to provide public information [January 2024]
The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 22 January 2024.

Government launches new Whatsapp Channel to provide helpful opt-in information to the public.
Government rings in new WhatsApp Channel to provide helpful information to the public

New WhatsApp Channel will communicate important information directly to people’s phones.

System is entirely opt-in and will amplify key messages like information on childcare support and cost of living payments.

Town crier announces launch of new communication channel outside Parliament.

The Government has launched a new account on WhatsApp Channels, allowing members of the public to subscribe to receive important updates to their phones.

WhatsApp Channels are used by a range of organisations, from news sites to football clubs and increasingly by Governments – providing single message alerts or updates to anyone subscribed to them.

WhatsApp makes it clear that the channels are one-way only and users can opt in or out at any time.

Cabinet Office Minister Alex Burghart said:

We are always looking for new ways to communicate with the public. WhatsApp is a hugely popular platform in the UK so we hope our new and entirely opt-in WhatsApp channel will be a useful way of providing people with updates from the government. We’re looking forward to seeing how people respond to this service and will develop it over time based on users’ feedback.

Helen Charles, Director of Public Policy, WhatsApp at Meta, Europe said:

We’re pleased that the UK Government is using WhatsApp Channels to give people in the UK better access to reliable information through the most private broadcast service available.

As a trusted, verified account the UK Government channel will focus on reiterating important information which is relevant directly to the public in areas like updating on public services, news updates that affect a large part of the population or pointing to new guidance and public resources.

Like any new communications method being used by Government – the UK Government channel will be continuously reviewed to ensure that it is being used effectively to provide timely and relevant information. Users can expect to regular updates from across government on a weekly basis.

From Tuesday followers of the UK Government WhatsApp channel will be notified that they can get discounted rail tickets from the Great British Rail Sale

Examples of other UK Government channel posts include:

Reiterating public health advice like announcing winter flu jabs

Deadline reminders like self-assessment tax return deadlines

New information on extra support the public can receive, like cost of living payments and government-linked discounts and other benefits

Childcare support updates

The Government will also use the channel to share trusted and essential information from partner organisations like UK Health Security and Public Health England health alerts.

The channel will be a publicly run information service, similar to gov.uk or official government social media accounts. It will not be used for political or campaign purposes and will be managed by government officials.

Anyone with a WhatsApp account can follow the new UK Government WhatsApp channel by searching for ‘UK Government’ in the ‘Updates’ section of the app and choosing to follow the account.

The channel is entirely separate from the national emergency alerts system, which was tested in 2023 and which provides alerts only when there is a direct risk to life. Unlike emergency alerts, users must opt-in via WhatsApp to subscribe to the Government WhatsApp channel.

Critical information and updates will always be published to gov.uk – the UK Government’s official website, in the usual way, and the WhatsApp channel will help amplify information to those who opt in. The channel is intended to help reach more members of the public who might not otherwise receive Government updates.

To mark the launch of this new channel of communication, town crier Alan Myatt made a public announcement outside Parliament. The video of this can be found here: https://youtube.com/shorts/a6tBIBsD0eQ

You can subscribe to the UK Government WhatsApp Channel here: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaGDHQ6GpLHKEdlUt03L
January 24, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Statement on Air Strikes against Houthi military targets in Yemen [January 2024]

The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 22 January 2024.

On 22 January, the UK conducted further strikes against Houthi targets. Four Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s, supported by a pair of Voyager tankers, joined US forces in a deliberate strike against Houthi sites in Yemen.

Our aircraft used Paveway IV precision guided bombs to strike multiple targets at two military sites in the vicinity of Sanaa airfield. These locations were being used to enable the continued intolerable attacks against international shipping in the Red Sea. This follows our initial operation on 11 January, and subsequent US action, to degrade the Houthis’ capability to conduct such attacks.

In line with UK standard practice, a very rigorous analysis was applied in planning the strikes to minimise any risk of civilian casualties, and as with the previous strikes, our aircraft bombed at night to mitigate yet further any such risks.

January 24, 2024