Tag: Press Release

PRESS RELEASE : UK steps up humanitarian aid commitments to Gaza [December 2023]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 21 December 2023.

The Foreign Secretary will visit Al Arish as the UK continues to urge Israel to increase the flow of aid into Gaza through as many routes possible.
- Foreign Secretary to visit Al Arish to see first-hand the impact of lifesaving UK aid to the people of Gaza
- UK supporting delivery of humanitarian land corridor from Jordan into Gaza via Kerem Shalom crossing, with 750 tonnes of life-saving food aid arriving in the first delivery yesterday (20 December)
- Mark Bryson-Richardson announced as the Foreign Secretary’s Representative for Humanitarian Affairs in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, with a particular focus on the UK’s humanitarian effort in Gaza
The Foreign Secretary will see first-hand the impact of UK aid on a visit to Al Arish, near the Egypt-Gaza border today (21 December), as the UK calls for significant more aid to reach Gaza, through as many routes as possible.

David Cameron will meet with representatives from the Egyptian Red Crescent Society, who are coordinating the relief effort at the Rafah crossing, and hear how the UK’s contributions of shelter, blankets and other vital equipment has been providing much needed relief to the people of Gaza.

Together with international partners, the UK is increasing efforts to get greater humanitarian aid into Gaza. The UK will support United Nations World Food Programme to further enhance the new humanitarian land corridor from Jordan through Kerem Shalom.

The first direct World Food Programme aid convoy, made up of 46 trucks, travelled from Jordan to Gaza yesterday (20th December) carrying over 750 tonnes of food aid. A £2 million contribution from the UK will help to get further emergency food assistance to those who need it most.

We continue to urge Israel to increase the flow of aid into Gaza through Kerem Shalom and are exploring other routes to increase aid reaching Gaza, including maritime options.

Foreign Secretary David Cameron said:

The UK is committed to alleviating the suffering of people in Gaza. We have already trebled our aid commitment to Palestinians this year and the Prime Minister and I urged Israel at the highest levels to open Kerem Shalom in order to get significantly more aid into Gaza.

We need to use as many routes as possible to achieve this goal. We have supported Jordan to deliver a new humanitarian land corridor from Jordan into Gaza and continue to call for significantly more aid to be allowed into Gaza through Kerem Shalom.

I am delighted to appoint Mark Bryson-Richardson as the UK’s Humanitarian Representative. He is a highly skilled diplomat official with extensive experience working in the region and will drive forward this vital work.

The UK is stepping up its commitment for greater humanitarian aid and fuel to reach civilians in Gaza by appointing Mark Bryson-Richardson as the Foreign Secretary’s Representative for Humanitarian Affairs in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Mark is a former UK Ambassador to Iraq and previously headed the Department for International Development’s Middle East and North Africa Directorate and the cross-Government Stabilisation Unit.

So far, the UK has announced it will spend almost £60 million in additional humanitarian funding in Gaza, trebling our existing annual budget to the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs). UK aid will make a huge difference on the ground in Gaza, for example we will be providing coverage kits which are temporary shelters including plastic sheeting and blankets that are desperately needed in the harsh winter weather. The UK continues to reiterate the urgent need for more humanitarian pauses and sustained access for more aid and fuel to reach civilians in need.

The most recent package of £30 million funding, announced by the Foreign Secretary on his last visit to the region, has been allocated to trusted partners on the ground. This includes UNRWA, UNICEF, the OCHA Pooled Fund and the British Red Cross to support the Egyptian and Palestinian Red Crescent Societies, who are providing vital food, shelter and medical supplies.

Find out more about the Foreign Secretary’s retu
December 26, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : World Trade Organization General Council [December 2023]

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

The UK spoke on a number of agenda items at the World Trade Organization’s General Council on 17-19 December 2023.

Item 3 A (IV) Work Programme on electronic commerce

The UK would like to start by commending the efforts by the facilitator, and in particular, all of her leadership and guidance throughout this process.

The UK aligns with the statement made by Switzerland, on behalf of the co-sponsors. The UK is pleased to co-sponsor communication W/909. Renewal of the moratorium will preserve the foundation of global digital trade, and provide certainty for consumers and businesses around the world.

We do not have to wait for the Ministerial to deliver an outcome. Renewing the moratorium is something that we can, and should do right here. We welcome the African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group’s recent communication seeking to extend the moratorium.

Over 100 Members are now calling for the moratorium to be extended at this time. We urge Members to join with a growing consensus – to get this done before the Ministerial.

Item 4 Work programme on small economies – report by the Chairperson of the dedicated session of the Committee on Trade and Development (CTD)(WT/COMTD/SE/12)

The UK welcomes the work that the Dedicated Session on Small Economies has taken forward throughout this year and thanks the chair for his leadership and support.

We are pleased to have agreed language on a draft Ministerial Decision ahead of MC13.

This will commit us to work on future digital trade, resilient supply chains especially around food security and climate change adaptation and mitigation.

All of this will be necessary if we are going to be able to support the most vulnerable countries going forward.

Finally, whilst I have the floor, I wanted to quickly update members to say that today the UK’s Minister for Development deposited the UK’s instrument of acceptance to the WTO’s Fisheries agreement and formally ratified the treaty, and I am particularly pleased to say that we have pledged to contribute up to £1 million towards the Fish Fund. So we are very pleased to see the UK’s flag in the map in the atrium and we are very much committed to intensifying the negotiations on phase 2 when we get started in the New Year.

LDC Graduation (Annex 2 of W/807/Rev.2)

We thank the CTD Chair for his report, and for the extensive work undertaken in the Least Developed Countries (LDC) Sub Committee to examine Annex 2 of the LDC Graduation proposal.

We agree with the Chair’s very good report.

The UK wants to see an agreement reached on LDC Graduation Annex II at MC13. To get there, as Norway said, we really need to intensify our discussions in the LDC Sub Committee.

There are clearly still elements that need to be worked through, and like Norway and others, we are very happy and keen to come forward with proposals to find ways to work it through.

But it is critical that we have very focussed, intensified discussions in January to ensure that we can deliver on this important issue at MC13.

MC13 – Immediate steps to respond to food insecurity. (Communication from Singapore)

The food security challenge is acute. The WTO has a clear role to play in responding to the food security crisis.

This is an issue our Ministers are going to want to focus on when they reach Abu Dhabi, so it is right that we are considering what we can do here.

That said, there are live discussions happening in the Committee on Agriculture Special Session (CoA-SS) and we should continue discussing Singapore’s ideas there.

It is clear we have to progress negotiations towards a fair and market-oriented trading system, including on reducing trade-distorting support, which would be beneficial for food security globally.

And we believe the efforts and progress made this year in CoA-SS ought to allow us to be more specific and ambitious in the details of what is possible than is currently contained in this proposal.

As part of this wider work in the CoA-SS it is clear that we need to begin to tackle export restrictions.

The UK has put forward a proposal, alongside proposals by the LDC Group and Japan. We see complementarity between those ideas and, as encouraged by the CoA-SS Chair, we are actively engaged on bringing together the key elements of all three proposals.

We plan to bring our ideas back to the membership in January, and we want to work with all Members, including Singapore, on what might be possible.

Tackling this issue needs to be part of a holistic outcome on agriculture at MC13. As we have said before, tackling export restrictions is not a substitute for progressing agriculture reform. There are high ambitions across the membership across all files on agriculture reform.

We welcome and fully support the efforts by the CoA-SS Chair to find a way through this challenging negotiation. As we said at TNC, let’s now intensify discussions, including at HoD level, to ensure we deliver on Agriculture at MC13.

Item 12 Proposed ministerial declaration for MC13: Strengthening regulatory cooperation to reduce Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT). (Communication from Cameroon, China, Jordan, Macao, Myanmar and Seychelles)

We want to thank China for their proposal and for their presentation today.

We are pleased to work with Members on this proposal and it is great to hear new co-sponsors coming onboard.

This declaration highlights the important and varied work of the TBT Committee in facilitating trade and supporting collaboration.

In particular it invites Members to participate in this work, with a view to improving results through and within the TBT Committee and to foster more international regulatory cooperation.

This document sends a positive message about multilateralism and what it can deliver, during and after MC13.

So we welcome and look forward to discussing with potential co-sponsors and to help Members to understand this declaration, so once again we can deliver this one.

Item 13 Draft Ministerial decision on promoting agricultural productions and trade in Net Food Importing Developing Countries (NFIDCS) and LDCs. (Communication from LDCs and Africa Group)

Thank you to the Africa Group for their submission and presentation. Given it was only circulated two days ago London is still reviewing it. At this stage we wanted to reiterate the point we made under Agenda item 11: the negotiations are going on in CoA-SS, and they are live. We encourage Members with agricultural issues to bring them there. As others have said, we agree on the approach that we need to enhance productivity, sustainability and productive capacity.

Time is short ahead of MC13. This proposal is jam-packed. It asks Members and other international organisations to make serious commitments, including expanding limits on trade distorting support, establishing a new international compensatory financing mechanism.

We also have concerns as others have said around some of the new suggestions on flexibilities.

As others have said, negotiations are live in the CoA-SS.

We should all know the difficulties that we are facing there. We need a holistic approach in the interests of all Members, we need proposals like these to be part of that conversation.

We also have a food security work programme under CoA-SS as agreed at MC12. As a first step, Members should agree to conclude the food security work programme and its report as currently complied. Particularly as one Member is blocking this. Thank you.

Item 15 Technology transfer and Economic Resilience. Request from the Africa Group

The UK thanks the Africa Group for its papers. We have found the various discussions in the committees helpful. We do want to just pause, and like the US, we are a little unclear about the process. We agree with the point that they made. It is always helpful to see something in writing to guide our discussions.

We are presuming this is on the 6 Africa Group papers that have previously been submitted. As a Member that also has a paper on Technology Transfer, we have been active in the discussions across the WTO.

Hearing about the experiences of Members and their stakeholders has been informative and has been a good basis for constructive discussions.

We think that the input is critical to the discussion on how to promote voluntary technology transfer further, and we welcome further discussions with Members.

We recognise that technology transfer might not be a silver bullet, but we see it has an important role to play and very much has delivered results.

The UK believes that establishing a shared understanding of what constitutes voluntary technology transfer is important in continuing this discussion.

There are several factors that might help facilitate voluntary technology transfer. It is important to consider all of these factors and find practical responses.

We also believe that the Working Group on Trade and Technology Transfer is best placed to coordinate these discussions. It brings together what we have heard across the various committees, and can identify cross-cutting elements and themes so we can continue to discuss this in a constructive spirit. And we all know we are in the safe hands of the Chilean Ambassador.

Members will also be aware that the UK has a paper on IP that touches on technology transfer in relation to voluntary licensing. The UK is keen to continue to discuss this to understand Members’ perspectives better, and to consider the evidence base, to try to find a constructive way forward. We would welcome engagement with our proposal, particularly by sharing national experiences so that we can continue to develop our understanding and deepen this conversation and dialogue to work out what best practice looks like and how we can deliver it in the future.

Item 19 Enhancing multilateral deliberative function of environment – Related trade measures and fostering sustainable development. Request from China and Colombia

2023 is set to be the hottest year on record, dangerously nearing the 1.5-degree threshold. As our Ministers return from the UAE, we are pleased to see the first Trade and Finance Day at COP. We should feel the collective push behind us to make real progress here in this organisation. While we work the work that the DG and Secretariat have done, if I may, just encourage a little more engagement and transparency with Members in advance so that we can really help and contribute to that work.

The Committee on Trade and Environment (CTE) and its recent reinvigoration is a key part of working here on what Members can do to tackle the climate crisis, alongside other environmental challenges.

We welcome the process and thank the CTE Chair to really drive this forward.

In June, the UK tabled its own paper on how to revitalise the deliberative functions of the CTE, and make sure it works for all Members, in line with our wider reform efforts. This included practical steps to improve the efficiency and inclusivity of our work.

We started we thematic sessions and it is great to see that these are now underway. It is the UK’s view that the discussion at the CTE work better when they are thematic to preserve the CTE’s valuable function as a forum for dialogue and exchange, rather than litigation.

They should aim to foster a more rigorous analysis of emerging policies and evidence. Members, with stakeholders’ support, can and should take time to explore what good policy design could look like. We also wish to emphasise the bottom-up, pragmatic work on trade policy solutions. This is the key added value of the CTE and we seek to not duplicate the existing WTO functions and the work that is done elsewhere.

December 26, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Over £1 billion generated from more efficient use of Government property [December 2023]
The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 21 December 2023.

New figures, published today in the Government Estate Annual Data Publication, confirm £1.1 billion of property sales have been achieved in the past year.
- A new report confirming the size, value, and cost of Government properties in 2022/23 has been published
- In the first year there were 306 property disposals, from 8 departments, generating a combined total of £1.1 billion
- Government is on track to meeting its target of achieving £1.5 billion in property disposals by 2025, as outlined in the Government Property Strategy
£1.1 billion has been generated over the course of the last year, through a major drive to make more efficient use of Government land and buildings.

New figures, published today in the Government Estate Annual Data Publication, confirm £1.1 billion of property sales have been achieved in the past year, meaning more than two thirds of the three-year target has been delivered in the first twelve months.

Cabinet Office Minister Alex Burghart said:

We want to make government more efficient in all areas as we change this country for the better, and today’s report shows the public estate is playing its part.

We’re clear we want to see a smaller, better, and greener public estate and we want to use public property to stimulate economic growth and create opportunities for jobs and regeneration.

Those were the principles we built our Government Property Strategy around and I am pleased we have made such impressive progress in just the first year.

The actions the Government is taking to deliver these efficiencies include its work to consolidate how many buildings public services are provided from – creating multi-department, integrated buildings and offices.

Government land and property is only disposed of when it is no longer needed to support public service delivery, or where there is an opportunity to make better use of the property for regeneration such as residential or commercial developments.

Over the period covered by this report, there were 180 land disposals that raised £222.2m. The majority of these land disposals were made by Homes England, who sold 112 land assets, accounting for approximately 500 hectares. The land sold by Homes England is expected to unlock development opportunities for over 5,000 houses and facilitate regeneration projects across the UK.

The Ministry of Defence disposed of 24 assets over the course of the year, raising £65.1m. In addition, NHS Trusts sold 21 sites that raised £34.3m, and NHS Property Services disposed of 5 five secondary health care sites which raised an additional £4.6m.

This report is a precursor to the annual State of the Estate Report, which provides the full picture of the size, makeup, value, and performance of the public estate. The State of the Estate report will be published in early 2024, as per the usual schedule.
December 26, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Tariffs on electric vehicles avoided as UK and EU extend trade rules [December 2023]
The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 21 December 2023.

The UK and EU have agreed to extend trade rules on electric vehicles until the end of 2026 to keep costs down for manufacturers and consumers, the Prime Minister has announced today (Thursday 21 December).
- UK and EU agree to extend trade rules on electric vehicles saving manufacturers and consumers up to £4.3 billion in additional costs
- Agreement to provide long term certainty for automotive industry and boost electric vehicle sales between the UK and Europe
- Comes as government invests over £2 billion to advance domestic battery production and investment in the UK
To access zero tariffs under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), businesses must prove their products include a minimum level of EU or UK manufactured content. These requirements are known as “rules of origin” and help determine where products originate rather than where they’re shipped from to ensure lower tariffs are correctly applied to eligible products and support market competition.

Under the existing Trade and Cooperation Agreement, a staged approach was introduced for electric vehicles and batteries which required phased increases in these rules of origin requirements – with the first increase due to take effect on 1 January 2024, before a final increase from 1 January 2027.

This phased approach would increase the content requirements for electric vehicles to be eligible for tariff free trade over the next three years. These were initially designed to reflect industry capability at the time and incentivise investment in domestic battery production.

However, in recognition of the disruption to the global supply chain caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, the UK and EU have agreed to cancel the 2024 changes, meaning the existing rules of origin will last for a further three years until the end of 2026.

This agreement facilitates UK-EU tariff-free trade in electric vehicles and prevents 10% tariffs being levied on this trade from January. Industry expects this will save car manufacturers and consumers up to £4.3 billion in additional costs and provide long term certainty to the sector as we continue to scale up our domestic battery supply chain and work to deliver our net zero commitments.

We have listened to the concerns of the automotive industry, and we have made it a priority to find a joint solution with the EU on electric vehicle tariffs that works for both sides. Today’s agreement is further evidence that our more constructive relationship with the EU is delivering for UK citizens and businesses, building on the Windsor Framework and the bespoke agreement reached on the Horizon research programme.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:

We have been listening to concerns of the sector throughout this process, and I know this breakthrough will come as a huge relief to the industry.

The UK Government is delivering a pragmatic solution to keep costs down for businesses and for people at home who want to make the switch to electric vehicles.

We are also leaving no stone unturned to bolster our domestic battery industry and deliver long term certainty for our thriving automotive sector to help them grow their roots in the UK.

Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch said:

This government is determined to ensure the UK remains one of the best places in the world for automotive manufacturing. We listened to the concerns of the sector and worked hard with counterparts in Brussels and across Europe to deliver a solution that works for both sides.

Resolving issues like this one is part and parcel of being an independent trading nation. This very good result is a visible demonstration that the UK is delivering for business with trading partners around the world.

The UK will also look to agree to extend the equivalent rules of origin in the UK-Turkey preferential trade agreement ready for the end of the year, in a further boost for UK car companies who are major exporters to the Turkish market, such as Ford. This will ensure the existing rules of origin will last for a further three years until the end of 2026, and comes as the UK looks to start negotiations for a new modern free trade agreement with Turkey next year.

The agreement comes as both the UK and EU committed to working together to bolster our domestic battery supply chain. At the Autumn Statement the Chancellor announced that we’re making available £4.5 billion over five years through the Advanced Manufacturing Plan to unlock private investment in strategic manufacturing sectors across the UK.

This includes over £2 billion in R&D and capital funding for the automotive sector to support the manufacturing and development of zero emission vehicles, their batteries and supply chain – building on existing support.

Last month we published the UK’s first ever Battery Strategy, outlining our plan for the UK to attract investment and achieve a globally competitive battery supply chain by 2030. In the strategy, we announced an additional £50 million investment to develop the UK’s battery industry and to secure a resilient UK manufacturing supply chain. The battery sector alone could create 100,000 highly paid and skilled jobs in the UK.

Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said:

Deferring the rules of origin is a win for motorists, the economy and the environment. Maintaining tariff-free trade in EVs will ensure consumers retain the widest and most affordable choice of models, at a time when we need all drivers to make the switch.

Governments have listened to the sector and acted to safeguard the competitiveness of the EU and UK automotive industries and give the Anglo-European battery industry the critical time it needs to catch up. The measure will help cut carbon, support growth and jobs, and is the right decision for the decarbonisation of road transport.

Lisa Brankin, Chair, Ford Britain said:

On behalf of Ford in the UK, I want to thank policymakers in London and Brussels for listening to and engaging with a united automotive industry. Today’s decision to avoid unnecessary tariff costs is a major moment that will protect jobs, support countless investments, and most-importantly help to keep costs down for consumers and businesses on their journey to an all-electric future.

The Government’s focus on updating the UK-Turkey battery trade rules to reflect today’s agreement with the EU is also very welcome. Our dedicated Ford Pro organisation is committed to helping businesses go electric and this swift action will help us to continue do that.

Maria-Grazia Davino, Group Managing Director, Stellantis UK said:

We welcome the agreement between the EU-UK to maintain the current Rules of Origin for batteries requirements until January 2027.

We can now focus on our planned acceleration towards electrification, keeping costs down for our customers. The agreement demonstrates the importance of the trading relationship between the EU and UK and keeping the UK competitive.

BMW Group said:

We welcome the agreement which has been reached between the European Union and the United Kingdom on their Trade and Cooperation Agreement.

This planning certainty will allow the BMW Group to enhance its manufacturing and sales footprint in this highly competitive market.

The government has already spent over £2 billion to accelerate the transition to zero emission vehicles, including reducing the upfront cost of electric vehicles and supporting the roll-out of charging infrastructure. There are now over 52,600 public chargepoints across the UK, a 44% increase since this time last year.

Earlier this year, we also published the zero-emission vehicle mandate which will come into effect in 2024, setting out the percentage of new zero emission cars and vans manufacturers will be required to sell each year, starting with a requirement for 22% of new cars sold in 2024 to be zero emission vehicles.

The mandate ensures the UK has the most ambitious regulatory framework of any country for the switch to electric vehicles, reaching 80% of new cars and 70% of new vans being zero emission by 2030, providing long term certainty and direction for the sector as we set out the pathway to phase out all new diesel and petrol cars and vans by 2035, although some manufacturers already plan to reach 100% sooner.

The UK’s approach has already attracted record investments in gigafactories and electric vehicle manufacturing. This includes the recent announcement of a £2bn Nissan led investment to produce two new electric vehicles in Sunderland, Tata’s investment of over £4 billion in a new 40 GWh gigafactory, BMW’s investment of £600m to build next generation MINI EVs in Oxford, Ford’s investment of £380 million in Halewood to make Electric Drive Units and Stellantis’ £100m investment in Ellesmere Port for EV van production.
December 26, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Three Trustees reappointed to the Victoria & Albert Museum [December 2023]

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 21 December 2023.

The Prime Minister has reappointed Allegra Berman, Amanda Levete, and Amanda Spielman as Trustees to the Victoria & Albert Museum, for terms of 4 years.

Allegra Berman

Reappointed from 01 March 2024 until 29 February 2028.

Allegra Berman is a General Manager and the Global Head of Institutional Sales within the Markets & Securities Services division of HSBC Bank plc. Allegra has 30 years’ experience in investment banking across a number of areas, including capital markets, mergers & acquisitions, infrastructure finance, corporate banking, Securities Services and Markets.

Allegra was previously a Trustee of the National Portrait Gallery and Chair of its Investment Committee and Finance Committees. Allegra is currently a Trustee of the Wolfson Foundation and Chair of its Risk & Audit Committee.

Amanda Levete

Reappointed from 01 March 2024 until 29 February 2028.

Amanda Levete is a Stirling Prize–winning architect and principal of architecture studio AL_A.

Completed museum projects include the V&A Exhibition Road Quarter and MAAT, the Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology in Lisbon. Ongoing commissions include Paisley Museum in Scotland, the D’Ieteren headquarters in Brussels and the Belgrade Philharmonic Concert Hall in Serbia.

Amanda trained at the Architectural Association and worked for Richard Rogers before joining Future Systems as a partner in 1989, where she established the ground-breaking Media Centre at Lord’s Cricket Ground. She founded AL_A in 2009 with directors Ho-Yin Ng, Alice Dietsch and Maximiliano Arrocet.

Amanda was awarded a CBE for services to architecture in 2017 and in 2019 she was made an Honorary Fellow of the American Institute of Architects. In 2021, she was elected a Royal Academician at the Royal Academy of Arts.

Amanda Spielman

Reappointed from 01 March 2024 until 29 February 2028.

Amanda Spielman has been a V&A trustee since 2020. She is chair of the audit committee and a member of the Young V&A committee.

Amanda has served for nearly seven years as His Majesty’s Chief Inspector at Ofsted, which is responsible for the inspection of schools, colleges, apprenticeships, adult education, nurseries, childminders and children’s social care. In this role she has spoken regularly about education, including speeches about art & design, design & technology and music.

Before this she was chair of Ofqual, the qualifications regulator, and research and policy director at the academy chain Ark Schools. Her early career was in strategy consulting, finance and investment at KPMG, Kleinwort Benson, Mercer Management Consulting and Nomura International.

She has also been a council member at Brunel University London and at the Institute of Education, a director of the Wales Millennium Centre, and a school governor. She holds an honorary doctorate from the University of Buckingham and is an honorary fellow of Brunel University.

Remuneration and Governance Code

Trustees of the Victoria & Albert Museum are not remunerated. This appointment has been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments. The appointments process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Under the Code, any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years must be declared. This is defined as including holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation, or candidature for election. Allegra Berman, Amanda Levete and Amanda Spielman have not declared any significant political activity.

December 26, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Celebrating the Seas-on of Christmas [December 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 21 December 2023.

Maritime sector working round the clock since September to deliver Christmas to households across the UK.
- from toys to tinsel – the maritime industry works day and night to make Christmas what it is
- seafarers, harbourmasters and other staff at ports will work over the festive period to ensure presents, food and crucial goods get to millions of people across the country
- September is the busiest month for the arrival of Christmas decorations into UK ports by container
While the maritime sector is a cornerstone of the UK economy year-round, its significance escalates during the Christmas season. As much of the country gets ready for a break from work, the maritime sector remains in full swing, with vessels arriving at UK ports even on Christmas Day.

Given that 95% of trade volume reaches the UK by sea, it’s no surprise that a considerable share of Christmas merchandise, including gifts, decorations and Christmas trees, is imported. The maritime sector plays a crucial role in ensuring its timely arrival by orchestrating the transportation and logistics of shipments from international suppliers.

Strategic planning is required to deliver the logistical challenge that comes with the festive period. According to analysis by the Department for Transport (DfT), September is the busiest month for the arrival of Christmas decorations into UK ports by container, making their way into shops in good time for Christmas.

Lord Davies, Maritime Minister, said:

As we approach the festive season, I would like to express my gratitude to those sacrificing time with their friends and family – particularly those who are away at sea or working at ports.

Every year, the maritime sector ensures that stockings are full, gifts are wrapped and the holiday spirit sails smoothly into every household across the UK. Their ceaseless commitment ensures the festive season is truly special.

Ports are at their peak in the run-up to Christmas, with the Port of Dover handling twice as much freight and tourist traffic as normal. This often means longer working hours for seafarers and staff over the festive season to ensure operations and journeys run smoothly.

Doug Bannister, Chief Executive at Port of Dover, said:

We’d like to thank all our people, the ferry operators and the lorry drivers who, after making sure everyone else has what they need, will be driving home for Christmas to be with their loved ones. And we wish those travelling overseas to be with friends and relatives happy holidays.

According to HMRC data, the Port of Immingham also imported a staggering £7.3 million worth of fresh Christmas trees last year. This not only highlights the scale of operations but also emphasises the critical role that ports play in the Christmas narrative.

While every Christmas tree is special, there’s one that is a yearly spectacle in the UK’s capital. The world-famous Trafalgar Square Christmas tree, sitting at 62 feet this year, was imported through the Port of Immingham earlier this month. As a symbol of friendship and gratitude for the support provided during the Second World War, Norway gifts the UK a tree every year – with this year marking the 76th anniversary of the tradition.

Simon Bird, Regional Director at Associated British Ports (ABP) for the Humber ports, said:

It’s been a very long tradition that every year the Trafalgar Square Christmas tree arrives in the Port of Immingham.

Our tenant DFDS has transported this gift for more than 25 years. It’s a great privilege that this symbol of peace from Norway travels through the Humber on its journey to London. We hope this tradition continues. You feel Christmas has started when you know it’s on its way.

In November, the tree was cut down by The Lord Mayor of Westminster Councillor Patricia McAllister and The Mayor of Oslo Anne Lindboe during a felling ceremony.

None of this would be possible without the hard work and dedication of seafarers, delivering our Christmas presents after weeks, sometimes months, at sea. DfT has implemented a comprehensive programme to support seafarers, working with the sector to improve safety, skills and welfare through the Seafarers’ Charter and the Seafarers’ Wages Act.

Ports are also vital to the sector’s future, which is why DfT is currently reviewing the National Policy Statement for Ports – to support their development.

On top of this, the government has allocated £206 million to the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions (UK SHORE) to decarbonise shipping. This is the biggest ever government investment to accelerate the technological advancement necessary to decarbonise our domestic maritime sector.

The government will also publish the refreshed Clean Maritime Plan as soon as possible, to deliver an ambitious, action-focused plan to accelerate maritime decarbonisation and reduce the sector’s environmental impact.
December 26, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Thousands of green jobs created thanks to government nature fund, new report finds [December 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 21 December 2023.

The £80m Green Recovery Challenge Fund supported 150 projects, created more than 2,600 jobs and connected more than 400,000 people with nature.

More than 2,500 jobs have been created in the environmental sector thanks to the government backed Green Recovery Challenge Fund, a new report published today (21 December) shows.

The report – published by The Heritage Fund, which distributed the funding – shows the flagship £80 million Green Recovery Challenge Fund supported more than 150 environmental projects from North Northumberland to the tip of Cornwall, helping create 2,630 jobs in green sectors and connecting more than 400,000 people to nature.

The fund supported a range of projects, including large-scale initiatives to protect landscapes and restore important habitats, such as wetlands and woodlands. The fund also enabled projects to help wildlife flourish by creating bat boxes, kingfisher tubes and bug hotels, as well as launch community schemes and events which aimed to bring people closer to nature.

Flagship projects included:
- Greater Manchester Environment Fund – In Greater Manchester, the GRCF enabled a wide range of nature conservation projects, from creating floating reed islands in Piccadilly Basin to restoring bogs. These projects have helped to ‘green up’ urban spaces and bring people closer to nature across Greater Manchester, including at the heart of Manchester city centre.
- Generation Green – The Youth Hostel Association used GRCF funding to create Generation Green, a 16-month project which gave 115,000 young people from disadvantaged backgrounds the opportunity to connect with nature through a facilitated day, residential trip, or self-led experience. The success of the programme saw the Government announce a further £2.5 million last month to connect more children from under-represented groups. This will help deliver our commitment set out in the Environmental Improvement Plan for everyone to be within 15 minutes of a green space or water and to reduce barriers to access.
- Magdalen Environmental Trust Farm – Magdalen Environmental Trust Farm, in Somerset, which promotes environmental education by running nature visits for schools and charities, used funding from the GRCF to support the ‘Axe Valley Oasis’ project and has subsequently gone on to be one of the leads in the Upper Axe Landscape Recovery Project.
The challenge fund was launched as a short-term, competitive grant fund in September 2020 to help the nation build back greener from the COVID-19 pandemic, whilst creating and retaining thousands of jobs.

The projects funded through GRCF helped to accelerate progress on the government’s green ambitions of protecting and enhancing nature, while better connecting people with the outdoors.

This report comes after the completion of the second round of project funding this year.

The report finds:
- The fund supported nature conservation and restoration across nearly 450,000 hectares of land, encompassing grasslands, woodlands, wetlands and ponds, and created indirect benefits for more than 1.5 million hectares of land, an area roughly equivalent to the size of Greater London.
- Overall, 1,895 sites have benefitted from GRCF environmental actions across the programme, including many Sites of Special Scientific Interest and local wildlife sites, with projects helping to deliver positive impacts on biodiversity, habitat quality and ecosystem health across England.
- The GRCF enabled 609 improvements or installations of infrastructure, including 192km of footpaths, 37km of fences, and 8km of boardwalks to improve access to nature.
Nature Minister Rebecca Pow said:

The Green Recovery Challenge Fund is another superb example of the multiple benefits that investing in nature recovery can bring to people and nature. We have created improved habitats for precious species, upskilled the next generation in sustainable jobs and enabled many more people to experience the joys of spending time in the natural world.

The impact this fund has had is another example of our commitment to restore nature at a bigger scale. We will continue to protect and enhance our environment and improve access to our wild places, as set out in our ambitious Environmental Improvement Plan.

Eilish McGuinness, Chief Executive, The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said:

Beyond the impressive impact on nature, we are pleased that the Green Recovery Challenge Fund will benefit nature recovery far into the future by strengthening relationships, supporting jobs and helping to build organisational resilience.

The Green Recovery Challenge Fund is a great example of our partnership approach to support natural heritage projects that help the UK meet its nature recovery targets and mitigate the impact of climate change, allowing our heritage to be valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and the future.

Giles Aspinall, Chief Executive of The Magdalen Farm Environmental Trust, said:

Green Recovery Challenge Fund was transformational for us. It enabled us, for the first time, to properly resource our conservation ambitions, and to take the first big steps in transforming our land into a wonderful swathe of new habitats. We planted thousands of trees, sowed many millions of wildflower seeds, and put 100 acres into conservation management.

We also helped as many people as we planted trees to connect with nature, some for the first time, staying for up to a week to fully immerse themselves in new experiences. And finally, the work we did through Green Recovery Challenge Fund got us ready for long term sustainable conservation work through Higher Tier Countryside Stewardship, which we would not have been ready for without the help of the Fund.

GRCF projects were delivered by a range of organisations, from national bodies such as the National Trust, Woodland Trust, Youth Hostel Association to more local organisations such as the Greater Manchester Environment Fund and the Magdalen Environmental Trust Farm. GRCF funding has laid the groundwork across England for nature recovery and community engagement with the environment, which will continue to have an important impact over the coming years.

These projects have contributed to the goals within the Government’s Environmental Improvement Plan to halt the decline in our biodiversity so we can achieve thriving plants and wildlife.

Notes to editors:
- Round one of the GRCF (£40 million) launched in September 2020, and the second round (£40 million) in March 2021.
- The GRCF was funded by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and delivered by the Heritage Fund. Its delivery was supported by the following arm’s-length bodies: Natural England, the Environment Agency, and the Forestry Commission.
- Further information on the evaluation of both rounds of this fund is available on the Heritage Fund’s website.
December 26, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : New British Sign Language GCSE heading for classrooms [December 2023]

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 21 December 2023.

The new GCSE will provide pupils with the opportunity to learn how to effectively communicate using British Sign Language.

Pupils across the country will soon be able to take the British Sign Language (BSL) GCSE as the subject content has today (Thursday 21 December) been published, providing pupils with an important life skill and advancing inclusivity within education.

Parents, teachers and organisations from the deaf and hearing communities have provided overwhelmingly positive support for the introduction of the BSL GCSE, following a 12-week public consultation.

The responses have helped ensure the content is knowledge-rich, diverse in its teaching and challenging. Students who take this GCSE will learn to communicate effectively with other signers in work, social and academic settings and possess valuable life skills.

With the aim to have exam board syllabuses approved from September 2025, the BSL GCSE will teach students to effectively communicate using BSL and provide an understanding of the history of BSL in the UK.

Education Secretary, Gillian Keegan said:

“It’s fantastic to see such an overwhelming amount of support across both the education sector and the deaf and hearing communities for this new GCSE.

“Studying British Sign Language can open so many doors for young people, giving pupils an understanding of how thousands of people communicate and ultimately even expanding job prospects.

“This new qualification will not only break down barriers and give young people valuable new skills, but also celebrate the history and rich culture of British Sign Language.”

Deputy Chief Regulator of Ofqual, Michael Hanton said:

“We’re grateful to those who engaged with our consultation, which was a crucial step forward for this new and important qualification.

“We will now begin the detailed regulatory work to ensure that the new GCSE in British Sign Language will be high quality and fair for students.”

Influencer and activist for the deaf community, Tasha Ghouri said:

“It’s so important to have inclusivity in schools.

“Accessibility is something I massively stand for and it’s amazing that BSL is now a GCSE course and students will soon have the opportunity to learn the foundations of BSL, the history and how it was formed.

“It’s such a beautiful language to learn. Thank you to everyone who has supported this step in the right direction!”

Chief Executive of the National Deaf Children’s Society, Susan Daniels OBE said:

“After more than a decade of campaigning for a GCSE in British Sign Language (BSL) we’re delighted we now have the finalised course content published.

“A GCSE in BSL is vital as it will break down barriers and celebrate the rich culture and history of British Sign Language. An incredible amount of work has been undertaken to get to this point, not least from young deaf campaigner Daniel Jillings who fought so hard for the right to study a GCSE in BSL.”

In line with all qualifications, the GCSE is open to all pupils and will be recognised and accepted in school and college performance tables.

An internationally recognised qualification, pupils who study this will develop ways of expressing and negotiating meaning through visual spatial language, communication and visual memory skills that will be an advantage to them for the rest of their lives.

As well as learning how to sign effectively, the GCSE will also give students an understanding of the history of sign language in the UK. This will provide a solid foundation for students’ understanding of how the language reached its current form.

The introduction of this high standard, knowledge rich subject follows on from GCSE and A level reforms brought in since 2010 to ensure improvement to qualifications, ensuring they reflect the knowledge and skills pupils need.

Expanding on this, in October, the Prime Minister set out a bold new plan to introduce a new baccalaureate style qualification. The Advanced British Standard (ABS) will be built on A levels and T Levels, retaining their rigour and focus on building knowledge. At the heart of these proposals are an increase in teaching time of around 200 hours over the course of the qualification, greater breadth and choice for young people, and a core focus on vital maths and English. The ABS will widen students’ career options whilst bringing England in line with major economies such as France, Germany, Japan and the USA.

The recently published special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and alternative provision (AP) improvement plan set out how all children and young people, including those who are deaf or have a hearing impairment, will get the support they need to succeed in their education.

December 26, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : HM Armed Forces Veteran Cards will officially launch in the New Year following a successful assessment from the Central Digital and Data Office [December 2023]

The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 21 December 2023.

The Ministry of Defence and Office for Veterans’ Affairs are jointly delivering this commitment as part of ongoing improvements to veterans support.

The Ministry of Defence has been working closely with the Office for Veterans’ Affairs and Government Digital Services to develop a new digital service to enable veterans who left the Armed Forces prior to December 2018 to verify their veteran status and receive a Veteran Card in the post.

Veteran Cards have two primary functions: to ensure that veterans can quickly verify their status to access public and charitable sector support if they need it and to provide a recognition of service in the Armed Forces.

The service will officially launch by the end of January 2024 following a successful assessment from the Central Digital and Data Office, with updates on this to follow.

December 26, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Border Force crackdown on Christmas counterfeit electrical goods [December 2023]

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

Border Force seized almost one million items of counterfeit goods worth nearly £200 million in 2023, with fake electricals targeted in the run-up to Christmas.

An intensive Border Force operation to tackle counterfeit electrical goods in the run-up to Black Friday and Christmas led to more than £170,000 worth of seizures.

Operation Rivean, a concerted Border Force operation targeting electrical counterfeit products, ran for 3 weeks from 20 November 2023 and targeted counterfeit electrical being shipped into the UK as Christmas gifts.

The operation saw Border Force officers seize 250 counterfeit Dyson-branded haircare products, which would have a retail value worth more than £98,000 were they genuine.

Officers also seized 120 GHD-branded counterfeit hair styling tools, valued at £31,980, as well as 640 non-branded hair straighteners that were found to be a safety risk as they did not meet health and safety laws and standards.

Furthermore, 8,880 counterfeit Oral B and Philips Sonicare branded electronic toothbrush heads were also seized, worth over £42,000.

Tom Pursglove MP, Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery, said:

We are determined to crack down on the illegal trade of counterfeit goods and the criminals that drive it.

Counterfeit goods fund serious crime, endanger customers, harm legitimate businesses and contribute to the loss of tens of thousands of British jobs every year.

Our Border Force officers have been working relentlessly to seize dangerous electrical counterfeit products, and I urge the public to buy genuine products for Christmas this year.

According to the Intellectual Property Office, an estimated 98% of counterfeit electrical goods fail product safety tests, meaning they can damage other possessions, pose a fire safety risk, as well as cause injury to the consumer and their family.

Among the products seized were 250 counterfeit Dyson-branded products, which included fake Supersonic hairdryers, as well as counterfeit copies of the Airwrap multi-styler, a hair styling tool.

Giles Lane, Senior IP Legal Counsel at Dyson, said:

We welcome UK Border Force’s continued efforts to protect consumers and our owners during this busy time of year. Consumers should be alert to the dangers of counterfeit products – particularly in the holiday season, when counterfeiters capitalise on shoppers looking to secure a deal on their gifts.

Genuine Dyson machines are the product of years of diligent research, development, and engineering. They contain the technology we are known for and are manufactured to our exacting quality, safety, and durability standards. Counterfeiters cut corners and make unsafe goods that put people at risk.

Shoppers looking to purchase the latest Dyson products are advised to buy directly from Dyson – via our website, Dyson Demo stores or trusted retailers.

Operation Rivean forms just part of Border Force’s continued determination to seize counterfeit products all year round. So far this year, there have been over 2,000 separate seizures, with almost one million counterfeit goods removed from the marketplace, which would have had a value of just under £200 million were they legitimate products.

Last week, counterfeit Apple, Samsung and PlayStation products with a retail value of over £500,000 were seized at Felixstowe Port.

Miles Rees, Deputy Directory of IP Enforcement at the Intellectual Property Office, said:

The sale of counterfeit goods is anything but a victimless crime. It has been estimated to contribute to over 80,000 job losses a year in the UK, diverting funds away from legitimate traders and into the hands of criminals.

We are pleased to support the activity by UK Border Force to help disrupt the supply of such illicit goods and protect the public. As well as being linked to serious and organised criminality on a global scale, the trade in these goods presents real dangers for those using them, as they are not subject to the usual safety checks and very often are made to an extremely poor quality.

We continue to work with our partners to highlight the harms to the public, communities and our economy of buying counterfeits, empowering consumers to make informed choices and sending a clear message to the criminals who trade in such goods that this activity will not be tolerated.

Once items are detained, Border Force’s specialist international trade teams work with the owners of brands to establish whether goods are genuine. If they are fake, the goods are usually destroyed, and the rights holders must decide whether to privately prosecute the importers.

Those involved in the production of counterfeit goods are highly unlikely to follow health and safety laws – both in manufacturing the counterfeit goods, and also for individuals likely to be being exploited during their production.

Criminals stop at nothing to increase their profit margins, often at the expense of consumers, the environment, legitimate businesses and our economy – and even those working for them, who may often be doing so against their will.

Consumers who believe they have purchased counterfeit goods are advised to contact Action Fraud.

Anyone with information about activity they suspect may be linked to smuggling should call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or report smuggling on GOV.UK.

December 26, 2023