Tag: Press Release

PRESS RELEASE : Significant intervention to cap rail fares comes as government delivers target to halve inflation [December 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 22 December 2023.

Fare increases capped at 4.9% and will not increase until 3 March 2024.
- most regulated rail fares will be capped at 4.9% instead of the July RPI figure which has been historically used
- lower fare cap comes after government delivers target to halve inflation by the end of the year
- rail fare increase is significantly lower than July’s 9% rate and set to come in on 3 March 2024 so passengers benefit from cheaper fares for longer
- increase necessary to support the long-term financial stability of the railway and deliver reforms
The government has today (22 December 2023) announced a significant intervention to cap next year’s rail fare increase at 4.9%, considerably below the 9% July’s retail price index (RPI) figure on which they are historically based.

This comes as the government delivers its commitment to halve inflation by the end of the year with the latest statistics showing inflation is at its lowest level for over 2 years at 3.9% – helping to keep fare rises lower in the long term.

Since 1996, under both Labour and Conservative governments, regulated rail fares have increased closely in line with RPI inflation – never being more than 1% above or below RPI before last year’s significant government intervention.

Today’s announcement means fare increases are lower than last year’s rise and will not increase until 3 March 2024. This means passengers will not see any changes in their fares until then, giving them more time to purchase season tickets at the current rate and keeping fares as low as possible for longer. Fare changes will now take place in March every year moving forward.

The regulated fare cap for National Rail operators in England is also significantly lower than in Scotland where rail fares are set to increase by 8.7% from April next year.

Transport Secretary, Mark Harper, said:

Having met our target of halving inflation across the economy, this is a significant intervention by the government to cap the increase in rail fares below last year’s rise.

Changed working patterns after the pandemic means that our railways are still losing money and require significant subsidies, so this rise strikes a balance to keep our railways running, while not overburdening passengers.

We remain committed to supporting the rail sector reform outdated working practices to help put it on a sustainable financial footing.

Today’s announcement builds on last year’s unprecedented intervention, which saw government cap the increase for 2023 at 6.4 percentage points lower than the 2022 July RPI figure. This means the government will have helped keep ticket prices more than 9% lower than what passengers would have paid if rises matched the RPI benchmark in the last 2 years.

With changes to working and travel patterns, there are significant challenges facing the railways. From July to September 2023, rail revenues were 78% of pre-pandemic levels once inflation was taken into account. Over the past year (2022 to 2023), the taxpayer has provided £12 billion in support for the railways, which is over £420 per household, as it continues to deal with a persistent revenue shortfall after COVID-19.

Some fare increases are, therefore, necessary to ensure the financial sustainability of our rail network, as are cost-saving reforms which ministers have urged rail unions to agree with.

The 4.9% increase strikes the right balance to keep our railways running and financially sustainable, while not overburdening passengers with excessive fare rises as we bear down on inflation.

This comes on top of further government interventions to keep the cost of travel more affordable. Since January 2023, single bus fares in England have been capped at £2 thanks to government funding. The bus fare cap had been due to rise to £2.50 in November 2023 but we are keeping the fares down at £2 until the end of next year to help millions of people make significant savings on their travel costs.

The bus fare cap has helped cut fares in England outside London by 7.4% between June 2022 and June 2023, with even bigger savings in rural areas where fares have dropped by almost 11%. This extension is only possible due to the redirected High Speed 2 (HS2) funding as part of our Network North plan and takes the total government investment to keep bus fares down to nearly £600 million – with over 140 operators signing up to continue offering the cap across more than 5,000 routes.
December 26, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : UK music strikes festive chord Down Under thanks to new trade deal [December 2023]
The press release issued by Department for Business and Trade on 22 December 2023.

The UK’s trade deal with Australia is ringing in festive cheer this year, having helped British music companies expand Down Under ahead of the festive period.
- UK music businesses feel benefits of Australia trade deal which slashed tariffs and cut red tape for British exports
- London-based music tech company expands presence Down Under to help musicians recoup royalties over lucrative Christmas period
- British musicians featured in three of the top 10 Christmas songs in Australia last year
The UK’s free trade agreement with Australia is ringing in festive cheer this year, having slashed tariffs and helped British music companies expand Down Under ahead of the lucrative festive period.

Backed by British legends Sir Elton John and Sir Paul McCartney, London-based music tech company Audoo produce smart listening devices, or Audio Meters, which are placed in pubs, shops and bars to identify when and where music is being played and ensure musicians are paid for that play.

The UK’s trade deal with Australia has made exporting for Audoo easier, slashing tariffs on their product, simplifying paperwork and speeding up the customs process. This has helped them more than double the number of Audio Meters found in Aussie venues, rolling them out across all major cities including Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne and Adelaide, ensuring musicians are paid fairly over the festive period – a key time for sales.

British Christmas bangers feature heavily during Australia’s festive period, with three of the top 10 songs last year featuring UK artists.

According to Bloomberg, in 2018 artists and record companies were losing out on almost $3 billion in unaccounted royalties each year.

Minister for Trade Policy Greg Hands said:

British music is rocking around the world’s Christmas trees for a reason and Australia is no exception, with our iconic tunes ringing out across Aussie cities over the festive period.

All our music artists really want for Christmas is to get the payment they deserve, regardless of where their song is being played. Our trade deal with Australia makes it easier for businesses like Audoo to expand Down Under and fill our stars’ stockings with well-earned royalties.

Audoo Founder & CEO Ryan Edwards said:

Launching across Australia has been a major step in our journey as a proud British business growing on a global scale. The free trade agreement helped us accelerate our implementation ensuring our mission to deliver accurate data for fair royalty distribution.

Melbourne took the crown as the most festive Aussie city in 2022, with Christmas songs accounting for 34% of all music played from November to December 31st, rising to 43% in December.

The UK-Australia free trade agreement came into force in May 2023 and under its beneficial terms tariffs on all UK goods exports to Australia have or will be removed, making UK products more competitive in the Australian market.

This is the first trade deal that the UK has negotiated from scratch since leaving the European Union and is expected to increase trade with Australia by 53%, boost the economy by £2.3 billion and add £900 million to household wages each year in the long run.

The deal also cuts red tape that was faced by more than 13,000 small and medium-sized businesses across the UK who already export goods to Australia, ensuring goods leave customs quickly.
December 26, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Simpler road signs to protect small animals and boost safety [December 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 22 December 2023.

Changes will help protect crossing routes for hedgehogs and other small animals, particularly on rural roads in England.
- new warning sign to help drivers identify wildlife hotspots and be better protected from hazards
- more signs could help boost wildlife numbers and reduce harm to small animals
- simpler process for installing small animal warning signs for local authorities will make it easier to protect hedgehogs
Hedgehogs and other small animals will be better protected on English roads under rule changes announced today (22 December 2023) to make it easier for local authorities to put up wildlife warning signs.

The current hedgehog sign will be updated following feedback from the sector to make it clearer for drivers. Alongside this, rules around the small wildlife warning signs will be relaxed to make it easier for local authorities to put up small wildlife warning signs, helping to better protect hedgehogs and other small animals.

Changes made by the Department for Transport (DfT) will ensure local authorities are able to place small wild animal warning signs where they are needed most rather than having to apply to DfT on a case-by-case basis.

To mark the change, Transport Secretary, Mark Harper, visited Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital in Buckinghamshire to meet a host of furry – and spiky – friends, many on the mend from road accidents. Touring the facility, he witnessed a hedgehog undergo surgery for a leg injury, ran a bath for hydrotherapy treatments, helped to weigh animals and witnessed one hedgehog pose in front of the new-look sign.

Transport Secretary, Mark Harper, said:

It was an absolute pleasure to see behind the scenes at the famous Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital, where I witnessed the incredible work they do to heal a wide range of wildlife.

These common-sense changes will lead to more small animal signs across the country, cutting down on bureaucracy to help protect both drivers and small animals, improving safety on our roads and making sure fewer casualties are checked into wildlife hospitals like these.

The small animal warning sign depicts a hedgehog and was first introduced in 2019. As well as cutting the restrictive red tape preventing them being placed, the government has also refreshed the design by adding white quills to the hedgehog’s back. This will improve clarity and make it more visible from a distance for all road users.

The changes will also help protect vital crossing routes for hedgehogs and other small animals, particularly on rural roads. Hedgehog numbers have dropped by between 30% and 75% in rural areas since the millennium, with traffic a major factor in the decline.

Colin Stocker, Chief Executive Officer at Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital, said:

On behalf of myself and everyone here at Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital, we were delighted to welcome Mark Harper to the hospital to hear more about the policy change that will make the process for erecting small animal road signs easier.

A lot of the 14,000 animals admitted to us every year come in due to road traffic accidents and making motorists more aware of their presence, and encouraging them to be more cautious is a great step towards helping British wildlife.

We were able to show Mark around our hospital and he was able to see some of the patients we currently have and meet the veterinary team behind the lifesaving work carried out here. We hope this policy change will result in more signage that, in turn, will remind motorists to be mindful of British wildlife when out and about.

Today’s announcement will help reduce bureaucracy for local authorities, allowing them to focus their resources more effectively on delivering for their communities. It follows recent announcements committing to improving conditions for motorists across the UK under the Plan for drivers.

The Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital was established by Les and Sue Stoker in 1978 as a refuge for injured animals to receive treatment and rehabilitation.
December 26, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Over 70 pubs, theatres and museums rescued by government package [December 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 22 December 2023.

UK Government announces £25 million of levelling up funding to save cherished places like pubs, theatres and museums through its Community Ownership Fund.
- Successful community projects across the UK will receive up to £2 million for the first time, with three heritage theatres winning the top awards
- Funding will ensure local people continue to reap the benefits of their valued community assets, preserving them for future generations
Museums, pubs, parks and cinemas across the country will be kept alive by a £25 million rescue package announced today (22/12/23).

Successful bidders will be given a share of the Community Ownership Fund – a funding pot rescuing community places that form the beating heart of a local community.

More than 70 treasured buildings across the UK will be saved, protecting important community spaces that mean so much to local people. £2 million will be granted to individual projects for the first time ever, with three historic theatres set to benefit from significant funding in this round.

Just over £2 million will go to the historic Wolverhampton Grand Theatre so it can buy a neighbouring 1800s building and turn it into an adjoining venue. This will allow the theatre – which just turned 129 years old – more space to host creative and performing arts activities.

Adrian Jackson, CEO and Artistic Director of the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre said:

Wolverhampton Grand Theatre is committed to supporting and empowering our cherished community, therefore the grant from the Community Ownership Fund will allow us to continue to enhance the cultural and creative enrichment within the City.

The theatre has been developing major creative expansion plans for the past six years and these will now finally become a reality. I wish to express my sincere gratitude to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities for recognising the significant impact our work will have on the local community and for this exciting new chapter.

Another £2 million will help secure the long-term future of the King’s Theatre in Edinburgh, one of Scotland’s most historic and significant theatres. The heritage building will be extended to improve its disability access. A new community hub will also allow the theatre to host more activities like song-writing and singing, story-telling, language-cafes, relaxed performances and volunteering.

In another win for theatres, over £1 million will restore the historic Jacobs Wells Baths building in Bristol, to bring its live dance and theatre performances to life again. The Grade II Listed building will also provide space for other community activities like jobs fairs, flea markets, dance and fitness classes, youth support and targeted arts and heritage projects that bring young and old people together.

Secretary of State for Levelling Up Michael Gove said:

Investing in communities improves lives – whether that’s rebuilding a community centre, rescuing historic pubs and theatres or upgrading sports facilities used by families every day.

These are unique and cherished places, valued by local people of all ages, and we know how much they mean to communities. The Community Ownership Fund is about restoring pride in the places people call home and I’m delighted to be funding these projects.

The latest round of the Community Ownership Fund will also be supporting:
- 26 community centres and village halls;
- 14 creative buildings including museums, theatres, cinemas, music venues and art galleries;
- 12 sports and leisure clubs;
- 3 commercial buildings for vital community shops, including a post office in rural Derbyshire;
- 8 community pubs; and
- 4 parks and green spaces.
Minister for Levelling Up Jacob Young said:

We’ve had brilliant bids from every corner of the UK and I’m delighted we’re supporting an extra 72 projects with almost £25 million of levelling up funding going directly to community groups.

We know this funding has the power to bring about meaningful change to local people; protecting local spaces, preserving historic buildings, and transforming communities.

Scottish projects in this round will be supported with £8 million of funding, with a further £1.4 million for Northern Ireland and almost £440,000 for Wales. So far, the Community Ownership Fund has awarded a total £13.6 million for 43 projects in Scotland; £5.5 million for 24 projects in Northern Ireland and £4.2 million for 19 projects in Wales.

In England, the latest funding round will support:
- 4 projects worth £1.2 million in the North West – including £360,000 so the community in Ashton can buy and restore their Golden Lion pub
- 3 projects worth almost £600,000 in the North East – including over £273,000 to preserve the medieval St Mary’s Church in Gateshead, so it can host more community events
- 8 projects worth £2.3 million in Yorkshire and the Humber – including £240,000 to restore Charlotte Brontë’s birthplace in Bradford and boost local tourism
- 6 projects worth almost £2 million in the East Midlands – including £700,000 to transform Loughborough’s 1930s Generator Hall into an arts and culture hub for the community
- 5 projects worth £3 million in the West Midlands – including £2 million for the historic Wolverhampton Grand Theatre
- 6 projects worth £1.6 million in the East of England – including £300,000 to turn a three-acre site into a new community park with a play area and outdoor gym in Canvey Island
The Levelling Up Minister Jacob Young visited two Community Ownership Fund projects in Gateshead this week (20/12/23). One of them included the Fighting All Cancers Together Family Community Centre which supports people diagnosed with cancer. The building recently finished renovation works using £300,000 from the last round of the Community Ownership Fund. The minister also visited the heritage St Mary’s Church which has just been awarded over £273,000 for energy efficient works, so it can continue to host its community.

The next funding window of the Community Ownership Fund is now open for bids and will close on 31 January 2024. Projects are being urged to apply for up to £2 million.
December 26, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Nearly 5,000 churches across the United Kingdom benefit from £42 million conservation fund [December 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 22 December 2023.

Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme supporting the protection of religious buildings representing all faiths and denominations, benefiting local communities.
- Cash boost comes as more than a million people across the country expected to attend Midnight Mass and Christmas Day services in their local church
- Since 2010, the Government has returned £346 million to listed churches, synagogues, mosques and temples
Nearly 5,000 religious buildings in the United Kingdom have received a share of up to £42 million in public funding ahead of this year’s festive celebrations, as the Government continues its support for the conservation of listed places of worship across the country.

As more than one million people are expected to attend Midnight Mass and Christmas Day services, they might be attending one of the 4,900 places of worship which have benefited from Government support over the last year to ease the cost of essential conservation and maintenance work.

Beneficiaries of the scheme this year include:
- Leicester Cathedral in Leicester, which has received more than £600,000 to restore the historic building, including renewing the cathedral’s heating, lighting and electrics and creating a heritage learning centre for visitors from the local community and beyond;
- the 11th-century Chichester Cathedral in Chichester, which has received more than £195,000 for its roof and lighting projects. The cash from the Listed Places of Worship Fund has also supported organ repair and maintenance, new fire and intruder alarms, and support with other major projects to protect this Norman building;
- the 12th-century Collegiate Church of St Mary in Warwick, which has been granted over £141,500 to repair the ancient tower, including work on the clocks and faces. Funding also supported the maintenance of electric and heating systems as well as new security and alarm systems;
- the Grade II*-listed All Saints’ Church in Wokingham, which has received £112,000 to rebuild the Copeman Hart organ and install new speakers. New underfloor heating was installed alongside an accessible toilet and entrance;
- Salford Cathedral, which has received more than £452,000 for a series of works to protect the long-term safety of the 19th-century building, including refurbishment of the roof, new insulation, replacement windows and doors, and new lighting;
- Llandaff Cathedral, originally opened in 1290, which has received more than £67,000 for design and work to replace the current heating and lighting system;
- Netherlee and Stamperland Parish Church, East Renfrewshire, which has received £104,000 for works to refurbish the sanctuary roof with works to the masonry, gutters, downpipes, lead works and drains;
- Shankill Parish Church, Lurgan, Craigavon, which received £92,000 to fund the repair of dry rot, the roof and the lightning conductor on the church’s spire.
To mark the impact of the scheme over the last twelve months, Arts and Heritage Minister Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay visited St Mary’s Church in Hitchin, Hertfordshire to see how the more than £5,000 it has received has helped to support works on the church’s bells.

Arts and Heritage Minister Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay said:

As churches across the country fill up for Nativity plays and Christmas services, it’s a reminder of the huge role that they and other places of worship play in the lives of their community.

The Listed Places of Worship Scheme supports these precious buildings, which are cherished by people of all faiths and none.

With nearly 5,000 supported over the past year alone, I’m glad to see the difference it has made to visitors, worshippers, and the people who look after them for the benefit of future generations.

Anne King, leader of the “spaceforall” community project at All Saints’ Church in Wokingham said:

We simply could not have done the work without the VAT grant. The refund of £250,000 was essential, and, importantly for our cash flow, always paid promptly. We can now run concerts, community drop ins and a lively café as well as enjoying worship in beautiful surroundings.

Karen Rooms, Dean Designate of Leicester Cathedral said:

The Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme is providing vital grant support covering the VAT we incur on the extensive repair work being carried out on our Grade II* listed building as part of our Leicester Cathedral Revealed project. We are very grateful for this support which is an essential part of the overall funding package.

Elizabeth Cranfield, Churchwarden, St Mary’s Church, Hitchin said:

We are very grateful to this scheme for the grants that we have received over the last few years. The works have included – replacing crumbling stonework; repairs to leaking roofs and gutters; recasting of the tenor bell and provision of rope guides greatly improving the sound and handling of the ring of 12 bells; installation of a roof alarm. These grants have significantly reduced the cost to St Mary’s. It has been easy to use the Scheme and it has undoubtedly supported our vision to keep St Mary’s as a beautiful place of Christian witness for the town and beyond.

Ruth Bamford, Communar and Bursar for Chichester Cathedral said:

The Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme has enabled many projects at Chichester Cathedral. Our fundraising arm, the Chichester Cathedral Restoration and Development Trust, do a fantastic job but without the ability to recover VAT through the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, they would have to fundraise for VAT charges. Funders would rather see their investment go towards something tangible rather than towards taxes.

Recent projects supported by the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme include the complete replacement of the old leaky copper roof with a new lead one. We are also upgrading the Cathedral’s internal lighting scheme replacing old lights and cabling with a bespoke LED scheme. The new lighting is sympathetic to the building and has reduced energy consumption by 50%.

Aside from the major projects, the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme also covers many general repair and maintenance costs for the Cathedral, effectively making the Cathedral fabric neutral in respect of VAT.

Canon Michael Jones of Salford Cathedral said:

We are delighted and so grateful to have been a beneficiary of the Listed Places of Worship Grant.

This additional funding is much needed on our journey to fix and restore some of the original design features that have been lost over the years. Not only is the project looking to restore the Cathedral’s heritage, using innovative technologies will also provide new sources of energy to heat and light the Cathedral as well as offer long term drainage and roofing solutions to increasingly unpredictable and extreme patterns of weather associated with climate change.

The project will enhance the sacred space and what we are able to offer the community here in Salford.

John Luxton, Church Warden at Collegiate Church of St Mary in Warwick said:

St Mary’s is incredibly grateful for the support provided by the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme which was critical in enabling the church to raise the funding required to restore the amazing tower of our Grade I listed building.

I would urge any organisation in a similar position, seeking support, to investigate the scheme and then check out the eligibility criteria.

Tony Ireland, Project Manager for Netherlee and Stamperland said:

For us the Listed Places of Worship Scheme was seamlessly administered and the refunds authorised were efficiently delivered direct to our bank account. We found the explanatory notes detailing the operation of the Scheme straightforward to understand and a useful reference tool to establish what works qualified for support under the Scheme. The grant application forms were submitted electronically and after the first form was successfully submitted and approved the subsequent applications confidently followed. For listed property such as ours this Scheme delivered not just financial support but a very real feeling that we were part of an important national effort. Thank you Grants Team!

Archdeacon Mark Harvey, Rector, Shankill Parish Lurgan said:

The Church of Christ the Redeemer in the Parish of Shankill, Lurgan, was consecrated for worship in 1863, and is the largest parish church building in the Church of Ireland. Prior to the pandemic, we had been planning to carry out a complete re-ordering of the inside of the church. This had to be delayed however due to urgent repair works. In 2022, we discovered and treated an extensive outbreak of dry rot, and then in 2023, we undertook the enormous task of completely replacing our 160 year-old roof. The total cost of these repair projects was £716,000 plus VAT.

We could not have completed this work without the benefit of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme which has enabled us to claim back the VAT on these significant repairs and so reduced the financial burden on the parish.

We now plan to carry out the internal works to the church starting in mid-2024 at an estimated cost of £1.5-£2 million plus VAT. The support of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme thus far has been a huge factor in allowing us to progress these plans.

Since 2010, the Places of Worship Fund has invested £346 million in listed churches, synagogues, mosques and temples. The fund provides grants towards the VAT incurred on eligible costs, such as works to the roofs, masonry and monuments integral to the buildings.
December 26, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Welsh projects’ success in latest round of Community Ownership Fund [December 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 22 December 2023.

A pub and museum, both in North East Wales, will receive a share of £440,000 in UK Government funding.
- £440,000 will be awarded to two projects in Wales to breathe new life into a village community pub and build a new museum and art gallery
- The Sun Inn pub set to receive £292,000 for transformation into community hub
- Museum in Denbighshire to undergo renovations with £146,580 from fund
A community pub is one of the successful Welsh projects set to receive thousands in UK Government funding following a successful bidding round.

Wales will receive a total of £440,000 as part of the Round 3 Window 2 of the Community Ownership Fund.

To date, Wales has received £4.2 million for 19 projects, including a pub frequented by Dylan Thomas. The pub, in the village of Ystrad Aeron in Ceridigion, won a £300,000 grant in September this year.

The Sun Inn community pub, supported by the community Ownership Fund development support provider, will now also receive £292,000 to purchase and renovate the Sun Inn in Eryrys, near Mold to create a social hub for the village that complements the neighbouring Dewi Sant Community Centre.

In Denbighshire, essential renovations to Llangollen Museum will make it available for future generations to enjoy. Once completed, the building will reopen as a museum and art gallery offering a range of educational programmes for schools and educational institutions.

UK Government minister for Levelling Up Jacob Young said:

We’ve had brilliant bids from every corner of the UK and I’m delighted we’re supporting an extra 72 projects with almost £25 million of levelling up funding going directly to community groups.

We know this funding has the power to bring about meaningful change to local people; protecting local spaces, preserving historic buildings, and transforming communities.

Welsh Secretary David TC Davies said:

“Congratulations to the Sun Inn, and the Llangollen Museum which are both receiving funding from the UK Government to safeguard them for the future.

“We recognise how important it is for communities to give the places that are important to them a new lease of life. These projects mean that local people will have somewhere to socialise and amenities that bring them together.”

The Community Ownership Fund is a £150 million fund over 4 years to support community groups across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland to take ownership of assets which are at risk of being lost to the community.

This window will see £24.7 million awarded to 72 projects across the United Kingdom. This additional funding will take the funding total to £71.4 million for 257 projects.
December 26, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : The UK supports Security Council resolution 2720 on aid to Gaza [December 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 22 December 2023.

Today, 22 December 2023, the UK voted in favour of United Nations Security Council resolution 2720 calling for expanded humanitarian access in Gaza.

Foreign Secretary David Cameron said:

It is good news that the UN has come together to back a resolution to get more humanitarian aid into Gaza.

The UK is doing everything it can to get more aid in, as I saw when I visited Al Arish in Egypt, near the border with Gaza, this week. People across Gaza urgently need food, medicine and shelter. We have consistently argued for more aid and called on Israel to open more border crossings.

As well as the need for expanded humanitarian access, the UN resolution today demands the immediate and unconditional release of hostages. This is vital.

Crucially, the resolution also calls for steps towards a sustainable ceasefire. This is an outcome that I advocated for last week along with the German Foreign Minister and strongly think is the right approach.

A sustainable ceasefire must mean that Hamas is no longer there, able to threaten Israel with rocket attacks and other forms of terrorism.

This resolution repeats so many of the points we have been making: the importance of complying with international humanitarian law. The need to reduce civilian casualties and it also backs a two-state solution that would be the best long-term guarantee of security and stability for both Israel and the Palestinian people.

We thank the UAE for their leadership on this resolution.

It has been a difficult process to reach agreement within the UN but there is now greater unity and purpose about what needs to happen to relieve the humanitarian crisis, and to start working towards the sustainable ceasefire that the British government has argued for.

December 26, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : African Union peace support operations play an important role in delivering peace and security – UK statement at the UN Security Council [December 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 21 December 2023.

Explanation of vote by Ambassador Barbara Woodward at the UN Security Council meeting on Africa.

Thank you, President.

And I want to start by appreciating the role and the work of Ghana, Gabon, and Mozambique working with the African Union Commission in seeking to develop a framework for UN support to future African Union-led operations. And I think it goes without saying that the UK recognises the important role that African Union peace support operations can play in delivering peace and security in Africa.

The UK voted in favour of today’s resolution which represents a significant breakthrough.

As we look ahead, we recognise that more work will be needed to ensure that any future African Union-led operation can access the sustainable and predictable financing that it needs. And that requires clarity on financial and logistical burden-sharing arrangements between the UN, the African Union and other contributors – beyond elements for which contributors would already expect to receive reimbursement.

We also want to ensure that the UN Security Council, given its mandate for international peace and security, is fully involved and consulted from the outset in the development of any peace support operation. This will help us work hand-in-hand with the AU PSC to design accountable, effective and efficient missions of the future.

We very much look forward to working with Council colleagues in the coming months to cement today’s achievement and to ensure we have a workable framework that enables African Union-led peace support operations to meet the peace and security challenges faced in Africa and helps to silence the guns.

I thank you.

December 26, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : The Secretary of State appoints new members to The Parades Commission for Northern Ireland [December 2023]

The press release issued by the Northern Ireland Office on 23 December 2023.

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, the Right Honourable Chris Heaton-Harris MP, has announced the appointment of a new Chair and members to the Parades Commission for Northern Ireland.

The appointment of a new Chair, Evelyn Collins and of members, Derek Wilson, Billy Gamble,and Nicola Rountree will take effect on 1 January 2024. The new chair and members will join Joelle Black who will remain a member until her term of appointment ends on 31 March 2024.

A further two new members, Pauline Leeson and Rachel Quigley, will take up appointment with effect from 1 April 2024.

All appointments will be for three years.

Background

The Parades Commission for Northern Ireland was established in 1997 and took on its full powers in 1998 through the Public Processions (Northern Ireland) Act 1998. The Commission operates as a Non-Departmental Public Body sponsored by the Northern Ireland Office.

Under the terms of the Act, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland is responsible for making appointments to the Parades Commission. The appointments are made in accordance with paragraph 3 of Schedule 1 of the Act.

Further information on the Parades Commission for Northern Ireland can be found at: https://www.paradescommission.org/

Biography of Appointees

Professor Evelyn Collins CBE is the Chair of Board of Trustees of the Equal Rights Trust, Member of the National Statistician’s Inclusive Data Advisory Committee and UK Board of Trustees of the Abraham Initiatives. She formerly held the role of Chief Executive of the Equality Commission NI and the Equal Opportunities Commission NI. Evelyn is an Honorary Professor at the School of Law at Queens University.

Derek Wilson is currently serving as a Parades Commissioner and holds the position of Chair of the Northern Ireland Medical and Dental Training Agency and Non- Executive Board Member and Chair of the Resources and Performance Committee, Northern Ireland Housing (NIHE) and Vice Chair and Human Resources and Finance Committee member of Co-ownership Housing Association.

Billy Gamble is currently serving as a Parades Commissioner and formerly held the positions of Equality Commissioner, member of the International Fund for Ireland and Equality Director in the Executive Office.

Nicola Rountree is a self-employed Barrister specialising in criminal and family law. She is a member of the Continuing Professional Development Committee.

Pauline Leeson is currently Chief Executive of Children in NI and a former Commissioner for Racial Equality NI. Pauline is an Independent member of Lisburn and Castlereagh Policing & Community Safety Partnership, non-executive member of Southern Health & Social Care Trust and independent member of the NI Housing Executive.

Rachel Quigley is currently a Principal Public Prosecutor with the Public Prosecution Service of NI. Rachel is a Solicitor of the Court of Judicature in NI.

Terms of appointment

These positions are part-time for a period of three years.

The position of Chair attracts a fixed annual remuneration of £50,000 and the member position receives a fixed annual remuneration of £22,000.

These positions are not pensionable.

Political Activity

All appointments are made on merit and with regards to the statutory requirements. Political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity in defined categories to be made public.

None of the appointees have declared any political activity in the past five years.

Regulation

The appointment process has been regulated by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointment (OCPA) and all stages of the process were overseen by an independent panel member.

Statutory Requirements

These appointments are made by the Secretary of State in accordance with the Public Processions (Northern Ireland) Act 1998.

December 26, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : WTO General Council – UK statement on International Trade Centre [December 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 21 December 2023.

The UK’s Permanent Representative to the WTO and UN in Geneva, Simon Manley, spoke about the ITC at the World Trade Organization General Council (17-19 December 2023).

Item 22: International Trade Centre UNCTAD/WTO Report of the Joint Advisory Group (JAG) on its 57th Session

The ITC, what a terrific organisation it is. It is an organisation that delivers real impact across the developing world despite some very challenging circumstances – so we congratulate them on this report and the very successful JAG.

As I said at the JAG, we particularly appreciate the way that the ITC brings us close to what actually works for businesses in the developing world, bringing commercial realism to our policy, and turning our policy into commercial reality on the ground. Our own trade partnerships programme, UKTP, with the ITC, helps us in the UK to understand what businesses need in order to take full advantage of our own, more generous, preferences scheme – the developing countries trading scheme. We were pleased to have more than doubled our funding to UKTP this year.

And we are of course extremely proud of the UK-ITC partnership on trade and gender – as I would say as Co-Chair of the informal working group – through the fabulous SheTrades programme. Tackling gender inequality is at the very heart of our views as government on development and on trade, and we are delighted to see that programme progress.

December 26, 2023