Tag: Press Release

PRESS RELEASE : UK-India to build closer trade and innovation partnership during UK Ministerial visit [January 2024]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 8 January 2024.
- UK’s Minister of State, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, will visit Chennai in Tamil Nadu and Ahmedabad in Gujarat on a 3-day visit to India
- attending the Tamil Nadu Global Investor’s Meet (TNGIM), he will announce 2 new UK-funded sustainability projects
- he will also attend Vibrant Gujarat, an innovation-focused summit
Lord (Tariq) Ahmad, Minister of State for the Middle East, South Asia, UN and the Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict arrives in India today (Monday 8 January) where he will launch 2 new UK-funded sustainability projects.

Whilst in Chennai, the minister will launch a Heat Mitigation project alongside Tamil Nadu’s State Planning Commission. The project will provide recommendations to the Government of Tamil Nadu to address extreme heat related deaths and the loss of vital ecosystems.

With the Tamil Nadu Department of Environment and Climate Change, he will also launch an Electronic and Battery Waste Management project, which will develop a plan to reduce battery waste.

The minister will meet with national and local government representatives and talks will be wide ranging, from clean energy to human rights. He will also discuss progress towards an ambitious trade deal, for which there is strong political will on both sides.

As the states of Tamil Nadu and Gujarat are 2 of India’s largest economies, the minister will use his trip to highlight the strong UK-India trade partnership and explore new opportunities to collaborate, including on clean energy growth.

Lord Ahmad Minister of State for the Middle East, South Asia, UN, and the Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence said:

Tamil Nadu and Gujarat are leading the way in the development of emerging technologies, and I am delighted to see first-hand British businesses pioneering innovation in the region.

During my visit I look forward to further promoting joint innovation projects alongside dynamic Indian businesses – from renewable manufacturing to financial services. These are made possible through the close trade partnership we have between our 2 countries.

Attending the TNGIM in Chennai, a flagship investment summit, Lord Ahmad will deliver a keynote speech on the success of innovative UK-India projects in climate and energy.

He will continue to showcase the sustainable success of British businesses overseas at a GREAT reception and will see first-hand how British business is supporting clean growth in India.

At the Biennial Investors’ Summit, Vibrant Gujarat, the minister will celebrate the close ties between the UK and India through business, culture, and our great links between our peoples.

While at Vibrant Gujarat, he will witness the signing of an MoU between the UK’s Abertay University and India’s École Intuit Lab. The partnership agreement will see teaching, research and innovation expertise shared between the 2 organisations.

Strengthening the UK-India relationship is a key pillar of the UK’s long-term foreign policy, as part of its enduring engagement in the Indo-Pacific set out in the Integrated Review Refresh.
January 8, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : UK invests in high-tech nuclear fuel to push Putin out of global energy market [January 2024]
The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 7 January 2024.

£300 million UK investment to support domestic production of fuel required to power next-generation nuclear reactors.
- First European country to launch high-assay low enriched uranium (HALEU) programme with landmark £300 million investment
- Programme will produce enriched uranium needed for next generation of reactors and provide jobs and investment in North West England
- Investment will end Russia’s reign as the only commercial producer of HALEU
The UK will become the first country in Europe to launch a high-tech HALEU nuclear fuel programme, strengthening supply for new nuclear projects and driving Putin further out of global energy markets.

The landmark £300 million investment is part of plans to help deliver up to 24GW of clean, reliable nuclear power by 2050 – a quarter of the UK’s electricity needs.

The government funding will support domestic production of high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) – the specialist fuel required to power the next generation of nuclear reactors. Most advanced reactors require this fuel that is currently only commercially produced in Russia.

The launch of the HALEU programme will enable the UK to supply the world with specialist nuclear fuel and further isolate Putin’s Russia.

An additional £10 million will also be provided to develop the skills and sites to produce other advanced nuclear fuels in the UK, helping to secure long term domestic nuclear fuel supply and support international allies.

This builds on the UK’s status as a world leader in the production of nuclear fuels, with domestic capability in uranium enrichment and in fuel fabrication in the North-West of England.

Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Claire Coutinho, said:

We stood up to Putin on oil and gas and financial markets, we won’t let him hold us to ransom on nuclear fuel.

Britain gave the world its first operational nuclear power plant, and now we will be the first nation in Europe outside of Russia to produce advanced nuclear fuel.

This will be critical for energy security at home and abroad and builds on Britain’s historic competitive advantages.

These plans will help build new supplies of affordable and clean domestic power so the transition to net zero doesn’t mean higher prices, protecting households from global instability.

Advanced modular reactors will play an important role in the UK’s nuclear revival as, like small modular reactors, they are smaller, can be made in factories, and could transform how power stations are built by making construction faster and less expensive. Many designs have the potential for a range of applications beyond low-carbon electricity generation, including production of hydrogen or industrial heat.

With the first plant scheduled to be operational in the early 2030s, the funding will boost the North West of England’s nuclear fuel production hub, supporting local industry and jobs while helping to expand our nuclear revival in the UK and overseas – vital to meeting global net zero targets.

This builds on the UK’s work to displace Russia from the global nuclear fuels market, particularly in uranium conversion services, where government and industry are together investing up to £26 million to bring this capability back to the UK by the end of the decade.

At COP28 the UK also restated its commitment to working with G7 nuclear partners to reduce global dependence on Russian fuel.
January 7, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Government payments for communities affected by flooding [January 2024]
The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 6 January 2024.

Flood-hit communities can now apply for thousands of pounds from the government to help them recover.
Flood-hit communities impacted by Storm Henk (2nd Jan – 8th Jan) can now apply for thousands of pounds from the government to help them recover.

The financial support announced today, 6 January 2024, will be available to eligible areas in England that have experienced exceptional localised flooding.

Help will be available for:

Flooded households in eligible affected areas, who can apply for up to £500 cash to help with immediate costs.

Households and businesses significantly affected, who will be eligible for 100% council tax and business rates relief for at least 3 months.

Small-to-medium sized businesses in eligible affected areas, who can apply for up to £2,500 from the Business Recovery Grant to help them return quickly to business as usual.

Eligible flood-hit property owners, who can apply for up to £5,000 to help make their homes and businesses more resilient to future flooding via the Property Flood Resilience Repair Grant Scheme.

Farmers who have suffered uninsurable damage to their land will be able to apply for grants of up to £25,000 through the Farming Recovery Fund towards repair and reinstatement costs for farmers adversely affected by exceptional flooding.

This support will be made available through a scheme called the Flood Recovery Framework, which is used in exceptional circumstances to support councils and communities following severe flooding. The measures were announced by the Communities Secretary Michael Gove and Environment Secretary Steve Barclay.

45,000 properties have already been protected from the worst impact of Storm Henk thanks to flood defences put in place through previous government funding and quick Environment Agency action on the ground. Environment Agency teams and first responders have been working around the clock to manage the risk of flooding and protect communities by operating flood defences, clearing watercourses and putting up temporary barriers where needed.

Communities Secretary Michael Gove said:

If you’ve been affected by the recent severe flooding, you do not have to deal with it alone – we are providing financial help so you can recover as quickly as possible.

We know families and businesses are facing extreme challenges right now and we are doing all we can with our partners across central and local government to ensure communities are supported.

Environment Secretary Steve Barclay said:

I know how difficult flooding is for those affected and we will do all we can do support households, farmers and other businesses as they repair and rebuild.

45,000 properties are already protected thanks to our flood defences, and I would like to pay tribute to the work of Environment Agency teams, first responders, and others.

For those who have sadly been affected, our Property Flood Resilience Repair Grant Scheme will soon be open to help residents protect their property in the future, while our Farming Recovery Fund will support farmers who have suffered damage as they work to put food on our tables.

Funding for flood defences has increased with over 381,000 homes better protected since 2015 thanks to this investment, and the government is going even further by delivering a record £5.2 billion investment to better protect hundreds of thousands of properties.

Support will be available through councils who will announce further details on eligibility and how to apply.
January 6, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Public urged to remain vigilant and flooding continues in England [January 2024]

The press release issued by the Environment Agency on 6 January 2024.

The Environment Agency is warning people to take care during the ongoing flooding.

Significant river flooding impacts are expected to continue today (Saturday) until Monday in parts of the Midlands, Lincolnshire and on the River Thames, due to the recent prolonged wet weather and intense rainfall. Parts of Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire have seen increased river levels over the past 24 hours, with areas of Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire continuing to also be impacted.

At 1pm on Saturday 6 January, 207 flood warnings and 222 flood alerts are in place and Environment Agency teams are out on the ground with other emergency responders operating around temporary pumps, barriers and flood defences to help reduce impacts.

So far, more than 45,000 properties have been protected from flooding caused by Storm Henk in the last few days, but sadly around 1,800 properties have flooded.

While risks are likely to start reducing over the weekend, ongoing flood impacts are also likely across much of England over the next five days as some larger rivers slowly respond to recent and forecast rain. Many rivers are elevated and will remain so for several days.

The message to the public remains to check their flood risk, sign up for free flood warnings and keep up to date with the latest situation. Anyone driving is urged to not to go though flood water and follow advice of local emergency services on the roads.

Katharine Smith, Flood Duty Manager at the Environment Agency, said:

Significant river flooding impacts are still expected today and over the next few days across parts of the river Thames in Oxfordshire as well as the River Trent near Nottingham and the River Severn including Gloucester. The prolonged wet weather and intense rainfall has led to flooding impacts and our thoughts are with all of those affected.

Environment Agency teams are out on the ground, working to minimise the impacts of flooding where possible by operating flood defences and clearing watercourses. So far, more than 45,000 properties have been protected in the last few days. We also urge people not to drive though flood water and follow advice of local emergency services on the roads – flood water is often deeper than it looks and just 30cm of flowing water is enough to float your car.

People should check their flood risk, sign up for free flood warnings and keep up to date with the latest situation as well as following @EnvAgency on X, formerly Twitter, for the latest flood updates.

For images of operational activity by the Environment Agency, please see the South West, South East, and Midlands team’s accounts on X, formerly known as Twitter.

January 6, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : £1,000 yearly tax cut for households from today [January 2024]
The press release issued by HM Treasury on 6 January 2024.

27 million people across the UK will benefit from a yearly tax cut worth hundreds of pounds from today, meaning a household with two average earners will save nearly £1,000 per year.
- 27 million people to get tax cut from today as the main rate of employee National Insurance will be cut by two percentage points, from 12% to 10%.
- Change in gear for government, cutting taxes for hard working people so they have more money in their pocket.
- Online tool launched to help workers estimate their savings.
The main rate of National Insurance has been cut by 2p from 12% to 10% today (Saturday 6 January 2024). This reduces National Insurance by more than 15%, saving £450 this year for the average salaried worker on £35,400.

Millions of people working different jobs across hundreds of industries will now be better off. An average full-time nurse will save £520, a typical junior doctor £750 and an average teacher £630.

In the past year, inflation has halved; the economy has recovered more quickly from the pandemic than first thought; and debt is on track to fall. With a renewed focus on the long-term decisions to strengthen the economy, the government is changing gear and cutting taxes for hard working people, giving them the opportunity to build a wealthier, more secure life for themselves and their families.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:

“We have made tough decisions on the economy, supporting people through global shocks such as the pandemic and Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine. It is because of the tough decisions this government has taken that today we are able to cut taxes for 27 million people across the UK.

“Today’s tax cuts will directly reward hard working people, putting £450 back in the pocket of the average worker and helping them make ends meet.”

Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt said:

“With inflation halved, we’ve turned a corner and are cutting taxes – starting with today’s record cut to National Insurance worth nearly £1,000 for a household.

“From nurses and brickies, to cleaners and butchers, 27 million hard-working Brits will have a little more cash in their pockets.”

The cut means that for those on average salaries, personal taxes would be lower in the UK than every other G7 country, based on the most recent OECD data. The UK also has the most generous starting allowances for income tax and social security contributions in the G7.

To mark the tax cut, HMRC have launched an online tool to help people understand how much they could save in National Insurance this year.

The tool will use salary information to give employees personalised estimates of how much they could save because of the government’s changes, and will be hosted on the government’s cost of living support website on GOV.UK.

The last major cut to the current personal tax system of today’s magnitude was when the National Insurance personal allowance increased from £9,880 to £12,570 in July 2022. This was the largest ever cut to a personal tax starting threshold, allowing working people to hold on to an extra £2,690 free from tax whilst taking 2.2 million people out of paying tax altogether.

Today’s tax cut combined with above-inflation increases to tax thresholds since 2010 means that the average earner will pay over £1,000 less in personal taxes than they otherwise would have done.

At the Autumn Statement the Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced the biggest package of tax cuts to be implemented since the 1980s. In addition to today’s action, the Chancellor also announced a National Insurance cut for 2 million self-employed people, which will take effect on 6 April 2024 and is worth £350 for the average self-employed person on £28,200. He also announced the biggest ever increase to the National Living Wage, effectively cut corporation tax by more than £55 billion as he made full expensing permanent to help businesses invest for less, froze alcohol duty for six months and extended cuts to business rates relief for the high street.

Today’s historic National Insurance cut takes effect following the government stepping in to support households during the Covid-19 pandemic and throughout Putin’s barbaric war in Ukraine. The government took the decision to manage the public finances responsibly by not saddling future generations to help pay down debt.

Further information
- Use HMRC’s new online tool. It will be online at 05:00 on Saturday 6 January 2024.
- Visit the government’s cost of living support website
- National Insurance factsheet
- Latest OECD tax on wages data
- Visit the Treasury’s Flickr to view photos from the Chancellor’s visit to Openreach, Crawley to mark the NICs cut
- Today’s NICs cut has reduced the 32% combined tax rate for employees (income tax + national insurance) paying the basic rate of tax to 30% – the lowest since the 1980s.
- From April 2024, a full time National Living Wage worker’s take home pay will be 30% greater in real terms than it was in 2010, due to successive increases in the National Living Wage and changes to personal tax rates and thresholds.
- The OBR say that, by 2028-29 this tax cut will increase the number of people in employment by 28,000 alongside a substantial economic benefit from those in work increasing their hours which the OBR forecast will be equivalent to 79,000 on a full-time equivalent basis. Overall, the OBR say that by 2028-29 this measure will increase the number of hours worked by new and existing employees by 0.3%, or 94,000 in full-time equivalent terms. This shows the government is making work pay.
Who does this help?
- A senior nurse with 5 years of experience on £42,618 will receive an annual gain of £600.
- An average full-time nurse on £38,900 will receive an annual gain of over £520.
- An average police officer on £44,300 will receive an annual gain of over £630.
- A typical junior doctor on £63,000 will receive an annual gain of over £750.
- A cleaner working night shifts on £21,000 will receive a gain of £170.
- A typical self-employed plumber on £34,400 will receive an annual gain of £410.
- An average teacher on £44,300 will receive an annual gain of over £630
- A hard-working family with 2 earners on the average earnings of £35,404 will be £900 better off.
January 6, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Business and Trade Secretary visits Turkey to boost trade ties [January 2024]
The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 5 January 2024.

Business and Trade Secretary kicks off 2024 with trip to Turkey to boost trade.
- Kemi Badenoch visits Turkey to strengthen business links ahead of the expected launch of trade deal talks later this year
- Trip kicks off a big year of trade focused on progressing a wave of services-focused deals with countries like Turkey, Switzerland and South Korea, and the Gulf region in 2024
- Visit follows news Airbus will supply 220 planes to Turkish Airlines – one of the UK’s biggest ever export deals, worth billions of pounds and supporting thousands of jobs
Ahead of the launch of talks on an upgraded trade deal with Turkey, Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch visits Istanbul to strengthen trade ties and kick off a year of boosting services trade.

The UK and Turkey have a thriving trading relationship, with trade up more than 17% in current prices to £26.2 billion in the year to June 2023. The two countries have an existing trade deal which covers goods but not services, digital or data – three key components of 21st century trade.

While in Istanbul the Secretary of State will meet her Turkish counterpart, Minister for Trade Ömer Bolat, to discuss how to boost UK-Turkish trade ahead of the launch of talks on an upgraded trade deal covering services and digital later in the year.

While there she will also visit Turkish Airlines, who have just contracted Airbus to supply them with 220 planes, the wings for which will be designed in Bristol and built in North Wales, with Rolls Royce supplying engines, made in Derby, for much of the fleet. The contract is one of the UK’s biggest export deals to date, worth billions of pounds to the economy and supporting thousands of skilled jobs.

Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch said:

I’m delighted to be in Turkey ahead of talks to upgrade our existing trade deal to make it fit for the 21st century.

The UK is the second biggest exporter of services in the world – UK lawyers, accountants and architects are in high demand across the globe.

With its major economy and strategic position, Turkey presents huge opportunities for UK businesses. And I’m excited to start discussions on ensuring our new trading relationship with Turkey unlocks those opportunities.

The UK’s services sector – from lawyers and accountants to engineers and financial professionals, makes up around 80% of GDP. Our services exports reached a record a high of £464 billion in the 12 months to October 2023, up 16% in current prices on the previous 12 months.

The UK has set its sights on progressing a whole host of innovative, service-focused trade deals with countries including Turkey, Switzerland, Mexico, Canada, India and South Korea, as well as the Gulf Cooperation Council, in 2024. The deals are designed to give UK companies a competitive edge in those countries, boost UK service exports even further and support jobs up and down the UK.

While in Istanbul the Secretary of State will also meet top UK and Turkish investors including Ford and Mott MacDonald to discuss how the UK and Turkey can boost investment in sectors such as manufacturing, tech and transport, building on the £8.9 billion of UK investments in Turkey and £720 million of Turkish investments in the UK.

TheCityUK Managing Director of International Nicola Watkinson said:

Turkey holds tremendous growth potential through the rising Middle East to Asia growth corridor. The UK is well-positioned to forge innovative and forward-looking trade agreements and be part of these exciting opportunities.

This visit not only demonstrates the UK’s commitment to fostering stronger economic relationships but also sets the stage for an ambitious Free Trade Agreement that promises benefits for our industry.

Mott MacDonald Group Head of Strategy Simon Harrison said:

Turkey continues to play a key geostrategic role in the world and shares the UK’s position of being a large economy adjacent to the European Union, and hence a partner with whom trade ties matter.

The UK-Turkey relationship is warm and longstanding, with many complementarities – for example UK professional services and Turkish construction are both world renowned, and these trade discussions provide an opportunity to build from a position of strength for both nations.

Background
- Trade between the UK and Turkey reached £26.2 billion in the 12 months to June 2023, making Turkey the 17th largest trading partner for the UK.
- UK services exports to Turkey in sectors such as transport, financial and other business services increased by 57% in current prices in the 12 months to June 2023.
- While in Istanbul the Secretary of State will also:
  - Launch a £1 billion loan guarantee from UK Export Finance for the construction of a new 140km high-speed railway in Turkey, which is expected to create new, multimillion-pound contract opportunities for the UK’s manufacturing sector,
  - Sign an MoU on third-country collaboration which could mean more opportunities for UK companies to support joint UK-Turkey projects such as the recent deal to develop 350km of drainage infrastructure in Iraq, to which UKEF will contribute £226 million,
  - Announce Turkey as a priority country under the UK’s International Science Partnership Fund (ISPF) – opening the way for the best of the UK and Turkey’s scientists and innovators to partner together and bid into a £337 million global fund, and
  - Conclude the review and update of the Technical Barriers to Trade chapter of the existing UK-Turkey goods-only FTA, which will help to facilitate goods trade, for example for motor vehicles and chemicals, between the UK and Turkey by helping to reduce or eliminate regulatory barriers.
- UKEF is an export credit agency operating at no net cost to the UK taxpayer. For their most recent announcement, please see the gov.uk release: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/mufg-and-export-credit-agencies-unlock-12bn-financing-for-turkish-electric-railway
January 5, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Digital pathology to improve cancer screening and save lives [January 2024]
The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 5 January 2024.

Government to take forward UK National Screening Committee recommendation on use of digital images to make it easier to identify cancer and speed up diagnosis.
- Digital pathology to speed up and support diagnosis for cancer patients
- Government and NHS England back UK National Screening Committee recommendation on digital pathology
- Reviewing tissue sample images digitally will boost breast, bowel and cervical cancer screening
Screening for breast, bowel and cervical cancer will be made quicker and more effective under plans to roll out the use of digital images to detect cancer.

The Department of Health and Social Care is taking forward the recommendation of the UK National Screening Committee to increase the use of digital pathology to examine body tissue samples as part of screening programmes.

This will help:
- Clinicians to gain second opinions on whether samples obtained are cancerous.
- Laboratories to work more efficiently and quickly, including allowing reporting off site.
- Make it easier to identify cancer.
- Speed up diagnosis for patients.
The announcement comes after the NHS expanded the Bowel Cancer Screening Programme earlier this month, sending out hundreds of thousands of testing kits for people to use at home to detect cancer at an earlier stage.

The government has also opened 141 community diagnostic centres delivering more than five million additional scans, including for cancer, and earlier this year invested a further £10 million for 28 new breast screening units and over 60 life-saving upgrades to services in the areas where they are most needed.

Health Minister, Andrew Stephenson, said:

We know the earlier cancer is detected the sooner it can be treated, and the greater the chances of survival and recovery.

Cancer is already being diagnosed at an earlier stage, more often and the NHS is seeing and treating record numbers of cancer patients.

Increased use of digital pathology will help the NHS to go further and faster and provide another weapon in our battle against cancer.

In 2020, the UK National Screening Committee was asked by the National Coordinating Committee for Breast Pathology and by the Royal College of Pathologists to consider the evidence regarding the use of whole slide imaging.

This is a technique which allows slides to be reviewed digitally on a computer screen, rather than with a microscope. The technology enables an image of the entire glass slide to be created in high resolution which can then be stored and viewed on a computer screen or mobile device and saved for later review.

A trial then assessed whether using digital microscopy was as effective as using microscopes and slides for screening samples and with results confirming it was, the committee agreed it’s a safe option to complement or replace light microscopy.

Chair of the UK National Screening Committee, Professor Sir Mike Richards, said:

We need a high level of evidence when it comes to screening programmes so, alongside the National institute for Health and Care Research, we sponsored vital research to assess the effectiveness of this technique.

Following that research, I’m pleased that the UK National Screening Committee’s recommendation to allow the use of digital pathology has been approved. Its use will support flexibility for pathologists and make sharing samples for second opinions or quality assurance easier and more efficient.

Some areas of the NHS have been early adopters of digital pathology but the recommendation published today, and accepted by the government, will allow the rollout across the NHS.

NHS England is expected to follow by issuing guidance to pathology teams on the best way to use the technology.

Steve Russell, National Director for Vaccinations and Screening at NHS England, said:

The NHS’ successful national screening programmes – bowel, breast and cervical – are saving thousands of lives every year by identifying people at risk and spotting cancers early.

While we are already using some digital innovations to improve the accuracy of cancer diagnosis, we look forward to further utilising digital pathology imagery for the benefit of screening patients.

The UK National Screening Committee is an independent Scientific Advisory Committee that advises ministers and the NHS across the UK on all aspects of screening. They meet three times a year and consider work undertaken by the sub-groups on various conditions and existing programmes.

Background:
- The Agenda and draft minutes of the UK National Screening Committee meeting on 10 November 2023 can be found here.
January 5, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : New interim Chair of The Pensions Ombudsman appointed [December 2023]

The press release issued by the Department for Work and Pensions on 5 January 2024.

The Department for Work and Pensions has today appointed Anthony Arter CBE as the Interim Chair of The Pensions Ombudsman (TPO).

Beginning on 1 January, this will be for an interim period during which a recruitment campaign will be conducted to fill the position permanently.

Minister for Pensions Paul Maynard said:

I am pleased to welcome Anthony Arter CBE as the Interim Chair of TPO. He brings a wealth of experience and I look forward to working with him.

Following the tragic loss of Caroline Rookes, I would also like to pay tribute to the steadfast leadership and dedication she provided during her time in the role.

Dominic Harris, Pensions Ombudsman, said:

I am delighted that Anthony has agreed to fill the void left by Caroline’s sad death, until such time as a permanent Chair is appointed. It is important that the organisation has stability, and it is an excellent idea to appoint someone with Anthony’s knowledge and experience of TPO to support us through this period. I am looking forward to continuing our good working relationship.

Anthony Arter CBE said:

It is with mixed emotions that I have accepted the role of TPO’s interim Chair following the unexpected, sad and untimely death of Caroline Rookes.

However, it is an honour to have been appointed and I look forward to working with my fellow Non-Executive Directors supporting the Pensions Ombudsman Dominic Harris and his colleagues, in order to meet the organisation’s strategic objectives.

With a wealth of experience and expertise from his various roles within the pensions industry, including Chair of the Ombudsman Association, former Pensions Ombudsman and interim Deputy Pensions Ombudsman and Deputy Pension Protection Fund Ombudsman, Anthony Arter brings valuable insight to this important role.

Anthony Arter will succeed Caroline Rookes, who sadly passed away earlier this year and had served as Chair of TPO since September 2019.

In his capacity as interim Chair, Anthony Arter is entitled to an annual remuneration of £24,000, based on a minimum time commitment of 36 days per year.

January 5, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Russia uses North Korean weapons against Ukraine – UK response [December 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 4 January 2024.

The UK has issued a statement in response to Russia using weapons sourced from North Korea against Ukraine.

A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesperson said:

The UK strongly condemns Russia’s decision to use ballistic missiles sourced from North Korea in recent attacks against Ukraine. We urge North Korea to cease its arms supply to Russia.

Russia is turning to North Korea for its weapons in pursuit of its cynical and ill-conceived military aims in Ukraine. This is symptomatic of its isolation on the world stage and a sign of its desperation. Furthermore, this activity is in violation of multiple UN Security Council Resolutions – which Russia supported as a Permanent Member.

Any support for North Korea’s own illegal weapons programmes risks significantly undermining the UN’s long standing commitment to security, and further destabilising the region.

North Korea is subject to a robust sanctions regime, and we will continue to work with our partners to ensure that North Korea pays a high price for supporting Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine.

January 5, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : UK condemns bombing in Kerman, Iran [January 2024]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 4 January 2024.

The UK has issued a statement condemning the bombing in Kerman, Iran, on 3 January.

A spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said:

The UK condemns the horrendous bombing in Kerman, Iran, yesterday which killed so many Iranians.

Our thoughts and condolences to the families of those killed and injured.

January 4, 2024