Tag: Press Release

PRESS RELEASE : Welsh traditions set to be formally recognised as UK joins UNESCO Convention [January 2024]
The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 2 January 2024.

Communities across Wales will be able to nominate their most cherished traditions.
- Public encouraged to propose festive traditions, such as the Nos Galan road races and Mari Lwyd, for formal recognition alongside other mainstays of UK culture
- UK to ratify 2003 UNESCO Convention for Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage
- Consultation launched to inform UK’s approach to creating a new register for traditions valued by communities up and down the country
Communities across Wales will be able to nominate their most cherished traditions to be included in a new register of cultural heritage in the UK.

Festive favourites, such as the Nos Galan road races, 3am carol singing and the Mari Lwyd could all be formally recognised.

Seasonal celebrations taking place at St David’s Day, the Royal Welsh Show, St Dwynwen’s Day and the tradition of holding Eisteddfodau, where all cultural activities including singing and spoken word are conducted in the Welsh language, could also be included.

Traditions that are central to Welsh culture, identity and communities, from the Urdd, to the playing of the Welsh harp and the spoken word art of Cerdd Dafod are expected to also be put forward for a UK-wide official inventory.

Modern day events like bog-snorkelling in Llanwrtyd Wells and the famous Elvis Festival in Porthcawl could be registered alongside more long-standing activities such as singing in male voice choirs.

Artisanal crafts such as slate-carving, making lovespoons and the art of making traditional Welsh cakes with a bakestone, together with the practitioners of these traditions, will also be considered.

The selected Welsh traditions will sit alongside valued traditions from across the rest of the UK, from bagpipe-playing and Highland dancing to cheese-rolling and the art of basket weaving.

It comes as the UK Government has confirmed its intention to ratify the 2003 UNESCO Convention for Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, which seeks to protect the crafts, practices, and traditions which are recognised as being key part of national life and providing a sense of identity to communities.

These practices are often also referred to as ‘intangible cultural heritage’ or ‘living heritage’ and are inherited from our ancestors and passed on to our descendants.

Arts and Heritage Minister Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay said:

The UK is rich in traditions which have been passed down from generation to generation – with the music and culture of Wales adding significantly to that richness.

These crafts, customs, and celebrations have helped to shape our communities and bring people together, who continue to shape them in turn.

By ratifying this Convention, we will be able to celebrate treasured traditions from every corner of the country, support the people who practise them, and ensure that they are passed down for future generations to enjoy.

Welsh Secretary David TC Davies said:

We have a huge number of wonderful traditions and customs in Wales that help make our nation unique and distinct and it’s great that many of these will now be formally recorded and recognised.

It’s important to preserve and protect living heritage, as well as physical landmarks and heritage sites, to pass onto future generations and maintain our special Welsh culture.

By ratifying the Convention, the UK Government will be able to recognise our most important crafts and traditions in the same way as we have considered our physical heritage sites such as the Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales, the Castles and Town Walls of King Edward I, the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal, and the Blaenavon Industrial Landscape.

As intangible cultural heritage can only be considered as such when it is recognised by the communities, groups or individuals that create, maintain and share it, it will be these groups and people from across Wales who will be able to nominate their favourite traditions to be formally recognised.

A public consultation launched today will seek the public’s views on the UK Government’s proposed approach to implementing the Convention across the UK to safeguard valued traditions. This will include the approach to how people will be able to nominate traditions, how they will be adjudicated, and any criteria that the nominated practices will need to meet before they are considered.

The UK Government has been working closely with the Devolved Administrations, the Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories in the run up to this decision and will continue to do so in order to implement the Convention and collate the UK-wide inventory, which is expected to launch for nominations next year.
January 4, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Tough government action on student visas comes into effect [January 2024]

The press release issued by the Home Office on 2 January 2024.

From 1 January 2024, tough government action means most international students can now no longer bring family members to the UK.

Restrictions to student visa routes came into effect yesterday, as the government continues to slash migration and curb abuse of the immigration system.

International students starting courses this month will no longer be able to bring family members on all but postgraduate research courses and courses with government-funded scholarships. The changes, first announced last May, have also seen people banned from using the student visa as a backdoor route to work in the UK and will see an estimated 140,000 fewer people come to the UK.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) estimated that net migration was 672,000 from June 2022 to June 2023. In the year ending September 2023, 152,980 visas were issued to dependants of students, a more than 930% rise from the 14,839 in the year ending September 2019.

The changes to student dependant rules are part of a wider package of measures to come into force that will drastically bring down the high numbers of migrants coming to the UK to sustainable levels, and crack down on those who take advantage of the flexibility of the UK’s immigration system.

Home Secretary James Cleverly said:

This government is delivering on its commitment to the British public to cut migration. We have set out a tough plan to rapidly bring numbers down, control our borders and prevent people from manipulating our immigration system, which will come into force throughout this year.

Yesterday, a major part of that plan came into effect, ending the unreasonable practice of overseas students bringing their family members to the UK. This will see migration falling rapidly by the tens of thousands and contribute to our overall strategy to prevent 300,000 people from coming to the UK.

Tom Pursglove MP, Minister for Legal Migration and the Border, said:

Our world-leading universities rightly attract some of the brightest students from around the world to the UK. But we have seen a surge in the number of dependants being brought by students, which is contributing to unsustainable levels of migration.

We are completely committed to seeing a decisive cut in migration. The action implemented yesterday to restrict bringing dependants on the student visa route allows us to better protect our public services, while supporting the economy by allowing the students who contribute the most to keep coming here.

This is part of a series of measures which together will see 300,000 fewer people coming to the UK compared to last year.

At the same time, the government is stopping the boats and tackling illegal migration. Small boat arrivals to the UK are down 35% this year, illegal working raids have increased by 70%, migration agreements have been signed with France, Bulgaria, Turkey, Italy, Georgia and Ethiopia, more than 5,000 Albanians have been returned and arrivals from Albania are down by 90%. This is on top of signing a new treaty with the government of Rwanda and introducing new legislation making it clear that Rwanda is a safe country and allowing asylum seekers to be relocated there as a safe third country.

The changes to student visas strike the right balance to continue to preserve the attractiveness of the UK’s world-leading higher education sector, while removing the ability for institutions to undermine the UK’s reputation by selling immigration not education.

The government remains committed to the International Education Strategy which recognises the important benefits that international students bring to the UK, including the economic contribution they make. This means balancing the commitment to lower overall levels of migration with ensuring those coming to the UK are highly skilled and provide the most benefit to our economy.

The government will work with universities to design an alternative approach, in order to continue to attract the brightest and the best to the UK, and so they can bring dependents to the UK’s world-leading universities, while continuing to reduce net migration.

In December, the Home Secretary announced a further set of measures to bring legal migration down to sustainable levels. This includes ending the abuse of health and care visas by stopping overseas care workers from bringing dependants, and requiring care firms in England to be regulated by the Care Quality Commission in order to sponsor visas.

Salary thresholds across the skilled worker route will also be increased by nearly 50% to £38,700, while the government is also cracking down on cut-price labour from overseas by scrapping the 20% salary discount for shortage occupations and replacing the Shortage Occupation List.

The minimum income requirement for British or settled people sponsoring family members to join them in the UK will also be increased to £38,700 by Spring 2025, while the Migration Advisory Committee will be commissioned to review the Graduate route to prevent abuse and ensure the integrity and quality of the UK higher education system is maintained.

This package of measures, taken in addition with the measures on student dependants, means that around 300,000 people who came to the UK last year would not be able to in the future – the largest reduction ever. This is a tough but fair approach to bring net migration down to sustainable levels as soon as possible, while ensuring those affected have ample time to prepare for upcoming changes – with the package being introduced gradually throughout early 2024.

January 4, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Legacy backlog cleared as plan to stop the boats delivers [January 2024]
The press release issued by the Home Office on 2 January 2024.

The legacy asylum backlog target has been met with more than 112,000 asylum cases cleared in 2023 and small boat crossing arrivals down by 36%.

The Prime Minister’s commitment of clearing the legacy asylum backlog has been delivered, with 112,000 asylum cases being processed in the past year.

Ending the legacy asylum backlog, a pivotal step in the government’s pledge to stop the boats, comes as end-of-year statistics show small boat crossings were down by 36% in 2023. In recent months, crossings have fallen even more sharply – by 45% in the second half of the year and 64% in the final quarter of 2023, against equivalent periods in 2022. This is despite sea crossings into Europe surging by 80% in 2023.

In December 2022, the Prime Minister pledged to tackle the remaining legacy asylum backlog – which had more than 92,000 cases of individuals who claimed asylum before 28 June 2022, which were still waiting for an initial decision.

Fundamental changes to the decision-making process and boosting efficiency has resulted in 112,000 asylum decisions this year, and the highest annual number of substantive decisions in a year since 2002.

The government stepped up processing, deploying an additional 1,200 caseworkers, meeting our target to double the number of asylum caseworkers and tripling productivity to ensure more illegal migrants are returned to their country of origin, quicker.

The increased efficiency has seen the Home Office not just clear the original 92,000 legacy asylum backlog, but exceed it, processing 112,000 cases.

All cases in the legacy backlog have now been reviewed, with 86,800 decisions made. In one 4-week period from 20 November to 17 December 2023, there were 20,481 initial asylum decisions made, this is more than the number of asylum decisions made in the entirety of 2021.

When the Prime Minister set out his ambition to cut the backlog, he made clear it could not be cleared at the expense of thorough security and background checks. This has meant that, despite the surge in decision-making, the grant rate for asylum decisions in 2023 is at 67%, lower than in both 2022 and 2021, which were 76% and 72% respectively.

While all cases have been reviewed and 112,000 decisions made overall, 4,500 complex cases have been highlighted that require additional checks or investigation for a final decision to be made. These hard cases typically relate to asylum seekers presenting as children – where age verification is taking place; those with serious medical issues; or those with suspected past convictions, where checks may reveal criminality that would bar asylum.

The robust action taken by the government to disrupt and deter small boat gangs and people smugglers has seen the UK defy trends across Europe, and large parts of the world, by having fewer small boat arrivals than the previous year, while sea crossings to Europe are up 80%.

As well as individuals arriving by small boats dropping by 36%, there has also been a 46% decrease in the number of vessels crossing the Channel, demonstrating the success of operations to disrupt the supply of boats and engines.

Further action by the government in 2023 includes:
- returning more than 24,000 people who have no right to be in the UK, including more than 5,500 Albanians, some of whom were removed within 48 hours of illegally arriving by small boat
- a surge in enforcement visits, with 10,509 in the first 9 months of 2023 compared to 6,865 in same period in 2022 and 5,576 people arrested linked to these compared to 2,175 in the previous year – including illegal working, overstaying, facilitating illegal entry and entering illegally
- a 68% increase in illegal working visits
- 246 arrests of people smugglers
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:

I am determined to end the burden of illegal migration on the British people. That is why we have taken action to stop the boats, return hotels to their local communities, and deter those wanting to come here illegally from doing so.

By clearing the legacy asylum backlog, deciding more than 112,000 cases, we are saving the taxpayer millions of pounds in expensive hotel costs, reducing strain on public services and ensuring the most vulnerable receive the right support.

But we cannot be complacent, which is why I am focused on delivering on my commitment to stop the boats and get flights off the ground to Rwanda.

Home Secretary James Cleverly said:

While illegal entries across Europe are going up, the number of people coming into the UK illegally is going down. This is a significant achievement, but the job is far from over.

I will continue to do everything possible to stop the boats. No people smuggler will be safe, we will work with law enforcement partners and governments across the world who want to tackle this threat and ensure that British taxpayer money is not wasted on people trying to abuse our generosity.

The UK will continue to work with international partners to tackle illegal migration. In 2023, we signed new agreements with countries including France, Albania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Italy, Georgia and Ethiopia.

The government will progress its Safety of Rwanda Bill through Parliament, which will enable Parliament to make clear Rwanda is a safe country, address the conclusions of the Supreme Court in November and allow flights to relocate asylum seekers to Rwanda to start.

The UK continues to urge genuine asylum seekers to claim asylum in the first safe country they reach, and the government will continue to target, disrupt and dismantle people smuggling gangs, who continue to lure vulnerable people to undertaking the deadly journey across the Channel.

We will be going further this year in targeting the people smugglers and breaking their business model through leveraging international cooperation and innovative disruption tactics.
January 4, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Countdown for 5.7 million customers to file their tax return [January 2024]
The press release issued by HM Treasury on 2 January 2024.

Self Assessment customers have less than one month to file their tax returns.

With less than a month to go to the Self Assessment deadline, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is urging nearly 5.7 million customers to file their tax return for the 2022 to 2023 tax year.

HMRC data shows almost 6.5 million customers have already beaten the Self Assessment clock by filing their tax return including 49,317 customers who used the New Year holiday to get a head start on their tax obligations:
- 25,593 customers filed their tax return on New Years Eve, with the most popular time being between 12:00 and 12:59, when 2,677 customers filed
- 127 customers saw in the New Year by filing their tax return between 00:00 and 00:59 on 1 January
- 23,724 customers filed on New Year’s Day, with the most filing between 15:00 and 15:59, when 2,354 customers filed
The deadline to file a tax return for the 2022 to 2023 tax year and pay any tax owed is 31 January 2024. Customers can submit their tax returns and pay any tax owed online at GOV.UK.

Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Director General for Customer Services, said:

The clock is ticking for those customers yet to file their tax return. Don’t put it off, kick start the new year by sorting your Self Assessment. Go to GOV.UK and search ‘Self Assessment’ to get started start today.

HMRC has a wide range of resources online including a series of video tutorials on YouTube, help and support on GOV.UK, to support customers in completing their tax return.

The quickest and easiest way customers can pay their tax bill is via HMRC’s app which is free and secure. Information about the different ways to pay can be found on GOV.UK.

Customers who are unable to pay in full can access support and advice on GOV.UK. HMRC may be able to help by arranging an affordable payment plan, known as Time to Pay for those who owe less than £30,000. Customers can arrange this themselves online. Go to GOV.UK and search “HMRC payment plan” for more information.

HMRC will consider a customer’s reasons for not being able to meet the deadline. Those who provide HMRC with a reasonable excuse may avoid a penalty. The penalties for late tax returns are:
- an initial £100 fixed penalty, which applies even if there is no tax to pay, or if the tax due is paid on time
- after 3 months, additional daily penalties of £10 per day, up to a maximum of £900
- after 6 months, a further penalty of 5% of the tax due or £300, whichever is greater
- after 12 months, another 5% or £300 charge, whichever is greater
There are also additional penalties for paying late of 5% of the tax unpaid at 30 days, 6 months and 12 months. Interest will also be charged on any tax paid late.

Customers need to be aware of the risk of falling victim to scams and should never share their HMRC login details with anyone, including a tax agent, if they have one. HMRC scams advice is available on GOV.UK.
January 4, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : 6 million vital checks carried out at local diagnostic centres [January 2024]
The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 2 January 2024.

NHS patients benefit from 6 million more checks at centres across England.
The hubs play an important role in cutting waiting lists, speeding up diagnoses and treatments

The programme, backed by £2.3 billion, is the largest central cash investment in MRI and CT scanning capacity in the history of the NHS

More than 6 million tests, scans and health checks have taken place at community diagnostic centres (CDCs) across the country, helping speed up diagnoses and treatments for NHS patients.

A total of 6.1 million checks were carried out at CDCs as of November 2023, since they were first introduced in July 2021.

Based in a variety of settings including shopping centres, university campuses and football stadiums, 141 of the diagnostic centres, including 4 temporary sites, are already open – including 40 brought forward earlier than planned. They offer patients a wide range of diagnostic tests closer to home and greater choice on where and how they are treated, reducing the need for hospital visits and helping them to receive potentially life-saving care sooner.

Health and Social Care Secretary, Victoria Atkins, said:

The government’s £2.3 billion community diagnostic centre programme is the largest investment in MRI and CT scanning capacity in the history of the NHS. Placing high-tech equipment in places like shopping centres and near football stadiums makes it simpler for patients to get the care they need, as quickly as possible.

We have now opened 141 CDCs across England, with more to come, and they are playing a vital role in faster diagnosis of illnesses like cancer and heart disease.

Patients are referred to CDCs via their GP. Healthcare staff use CT scanners, MRI scanners and other new diagnostic equipment to diagnose a range of health conditions. Early diagnosis and treatment are key in preventing death and illness.

The programme, backed by £2.3 billion, constitutes the largest central cash investment in MRI and CT scanning capacity in the history of the NHS and we are on track to meet our target to open 160 CDCs by March 2025, with many due to open ahead of schedule.

Dr Vin Diwakar, NHS Medical Director for Transformation, said:

Thanks to the hard work of staff, latest data shows the NHS has delivered a record 25.9 million tests and checks over the past year – 2 million more than the previous 12 months, and almost 50% more than a decade ago – helping ensure patients get the all-clear or diagnosis, so they can be treated for a range of conditions as quickly as possible.

Millions of these tests have been performed at one of our 141 ‘one stop shops’ open across the country, situated in locations most convenient for patients, so I would encourage anyone with a health concern to come forward and get checked – it could save your life.

As a result of the success of the CDC programme and the wider measures outlined in the elective recovery plan, the government met its target to virtually eliminate waits of over 2 years and has cut 18-month waits by over 90% from the peak in September 2021.

In November, the government also provided £800 million – a combination of reprioritised and new funding – to mitigate the impact of industrial action.

It is also maximising independent sector capacity to reduce waiting times for NHS patients. A number of the CDCs are run by the independent sector but available to NHS patients as part of the programme.

Background information

DHSC and NHS England count CDCs delivering tests and accessing national funding as open. This may include temporary sites while the full CDC is completed.

Read the Department of Health and Social Care’s media blog for:

more information on the government’s plans to tackle the NHS backlog

more information on how the government is supporting the NHS this winter

Full list of open CDCs

East of England:

Bishop’s Stortford CDC

Braintree CDC

Clacton CDC

East Norfolk CDC

New QEII Hospital CDC

North Bedfordshire CDC

Thurrock CDC

West Essex CDC

Whitehouse Health Centre CDC

Wisbech CDC

London:

Barking Community Hospital CDC

Eltham Community Hospital CDC

Finchley Memorial Hospital CDC

Kingston CDC

Mile End Hospital CDC

North West London Ealing CDC

Purley CDC

Queen Mary’s Hospital Roehampton CDC

St George’s Hornchurch CDC

Wembley CDC

Willesden CDC

Wood Green CDC

Midlands:

Cannock Chase CDC

Corbett CDC

Corby CDC

Coventry City Community CDC

Florence Nightingale Community Hospital CDC

Grantham CDC

Guest CDC

Hereford City CDC

Hinckley CDC

Ilkeston Community Hospital CDC

Kidderminster Treatment Centre CDC

Kings Heath CDC

Leicester CDC

Mansfield CDC

Merry Hill CDC

North Solihull CDC

Rugby St Cross CDC

Shrewsbury and Telford CDC

Sir Robert Peel CDC

South Birmingham CDC

South Warwickshire CDC

Stoke-on-Trent CDC

Walton CDC

Warwickshire North CDC

Washwood Heath CDC

Whitworth Hospital CDC

North East and Yorkshire:

Armley Moor Health Centre CDC

Askham Bar Community Care Centre CDC

Barnsley Glassworks CDC

Bishop Auckland CDC

Blaydon CDC (closes when ICP North – Metrocentre opens)

Bradford District and Craven CDC

East Riding Community Hospital CDC

Friarage CDC

Halifax CDC

Hartlepool CDC

Huddersfield CDC

Lawson Street CDC (closes when new Tees Valley Hub opens)

Leeds CDC

Montagu Hospital CDC

Penrith CDC (closes when North Cumbria opens)

Redcar CDC

Rotherham Diagnostics CDC

Scarborough Gateway CDC

Selby War Memorial CDC

Wakefield CDC

North West:

Bolton CDC

Burnley General Hospital CDC

Clatterbridge Diagnostics CDC

Crossland Day Hospital CDC

East Cheshire CDC

Ellesmere Port CDC

Fleetwood CDC

Heysham CDC

Leigh CDC

Liverpool Women’s Hospital CDC

Manchester and Trafford CDC

Northern Care Alliance Oldham CDC

Paddington CDC

Preston Healthport CDC

Rossendale CDC

Salford CDC

Shopping City CDC

South East Manchester

Southport CDC

St Helens CDC

Victoria Infirmary Northwich CDC

Warrington and Halton CDC

Westmorland CDC

Whitegate Drive CDC

South East:

Amersham CDC

Andover CDC

Bexhill CDC

Bognor Regis WMH CDC

Bracknell CDC

Buckland Community Hospital CDC

Caterham Dene CDC

Crawley Collaborative CDC

Dartford, Gravesham and Swanley CDC

Falmer CDC

Fareham CDC

Heatherwood CDC

Hythe CDC

Island CDC

Lymington New Forest Hospital CDC

Medway CDC

Milford Community Hospital CDC

Oak Park CDC

Oxford CDC

Portsmouth CDC

Queen Victoria Hospital CDC

Romsey CDC

Royal South Hants CDC

Southlands Hospital CDC

Swale CDC

West Berkshire Community Hospital CDC

West Kent CDC

Woking Community Hospital CDC

South West:

Boscombe AECC CDC

Bridgwater CDC

BSW BaNES Locality CDC

CDC Poole at Dorset Health Village

CIOS Bodmin CDC

Devon and Torbay CDC

Devon Exeter Nightingale CDC

Gloucestershire Quayside CDC

North Bristol CDC

Plymouth CDC

Poole, Beales CDC

Somerset East CDC

Somerset West CDC

South Petherton CDC

South Walks CDC

Taunton Central CDC

West Cornwall CDC

West Mendip CDC

Weston CDC

Weymouth CDC

Yeovil CDC (closes when Somerset East CDC fully patient ready)
January 4, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Foreign Secretary call with US Secretary of State Blinken [January 2024]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 2 January 2024.

Foreign Secretary David Cameron discussed Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, the humanitarian situation in Gaza and support for Ukraine with Secretary of State Blinken today.

A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesperson said:

The Foreign Secretary spoke to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken today [2 January 2024].

The Foreign Secretary and Secretary of State discussed the international community’s shared condemnation of the illegal and unjustified attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea by Houthi militants. They made clear that the UK and US will work with our partners to hold the Houthis accountable for these unlawful seizures and attacks.

The Foreign Secretary raised worsening food insecurity in Gaza and the urgent need for significantly more aid to reach civilians, through as many routes as possible.

Finally, the Foreign Secretary and Secretary of State discussed Russia’s deplorable air strikes against Odesa, Lviv, Dnipro, Kharkiv and Kyiv over the New Year period, and their steadfast commitment to supporting Ukraine this year.

January 4, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Rishi Sunak call with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine [January 2024]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 2 January 2024.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy today.

He offered his condolences to all those Ukrainians killed and injured in barbaric Russian airstrikes over the Christmas period. The Prime Minister said the UK would continue to stand steadfastly by Ukraine as they fight aggression and occupation, throughout 2024 and into the future.

The leaders discussed recent developments in the conflict, including progress in the Black Sea and the success of the Ukrainian air defence, bolstered by UK-supplied ground-to-air missiles.

The Prime Minister set out ongoing UK work to provide military and diplomatic support to Ukraine, including through further deliveries of lethal aid, support for President Zelenskyy’s peace plan and a long-term security framework.

January 4, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : First UK maritime shipment of lifesaving aid for Gaza arrives in Egypt [January 2024]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 2 January 2024.

Lifesaving UK aid shipment for Gaza including thermal blankets and essential items delivered from Cyprus by Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship Lyme Bay.
- 87 tonnes of life-saving UK and Cypriot aid for the people of Gaza delivered by Royal Fleet Auxiliary Ship Lyme Bay to Egypt from Cyprus
- delivery includes over 10,000 thermal blankets, nearly 5,000 shelter packs and medical supplies to be transferred to Gaza through the Rafah crossing
- it follows the Foreign Secretary’s visit to Egypt last month to see first-hand the importance of UK aid for the people of Gaza and the Defence Secretary’s visit to Cyprus and Israel. Both have pressed for an acceleration, with significantly more aid to be allowed into Gaza, through as many routes as possible
The first UK maritime shipment of aid for Gaza has arrived in Egypt, carrying almost 90 tonnes of thermal blankets and other essential items.

The lifesaving shipment was delivered from Cyprus by Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship Lyme Bay, carrying thermal blankets, shelter packs and medical supplies provided by the UK and the Republic of Cyprus. From Port Said, the aid will be received by the Egyptian Red Crescent and will make its way to Al Arish and then through Rafah and into Gaza for distribution by UNRWA.

It follows a visit to Egypt from the Foreign Secretary to Al Arish last month (21 December) to meet with representatives from the Egyptian Red Crescent Society, who are coordinating the relief effort at the Rafah crossing, and the Defence Secretary’s visit to Cyprus and Israel on 7 December to push for accelerated aid deliveries into Gaza.

The Foreign Secretary and Defence Secretary have made clear that Israel must increase the flow of aid into Gaza and facilitate the delivery of relief on the ground, including through negotiated humanitarian pauses. The UK will continue to explore other routes for aid deliveries, including the Cypriot initiative for a maritime corridor between Cyprus and Israel/OPTs and supporting United Nations World Food Programme through the humanitarian land corridor from Jordan through Kerem Shalom.

Foreign Secretary David Cameron said:

The UK is committed to supporting the people of Gaza. We have already trebled our aid commitment to Palestinians this year and today’s aid delivery – the first UK maritime shipment of aid for Gaza – via Port Said in Egypt contains almost 90 tonnes of vital supplies.

Significantly more aid needs to reach Gaza to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people. The UK will continue to work with our partners in the region to open more aid routes into Gaza, including through the proposed maritime corridor between Cyprus and Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said:

I recently visited the region to find the best way to get aid into Gaza and support those in desperate need. Today’s maritime aid delivery, the first of its kind, is a significant milestone.

RFA Lyme Bay has docked in Egypt with almost 90 tonnes of aid bound for civilians in Gaza. This includes shelters for winter, medical supplies and thermal blankets – all pre-screened in Cyprus. By testing new maritime routes, the UK is paving the way for other international donors to increase and accelerate aid deliveries.

The UK has so far announced it will spend almost £60 million in additional humanitarian funding in Gaza this financial year, trebling our existing annual budget to the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs). 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 including UNRWA, UNICEF, WFP, the OCHA Pooled Fund and the British Red Cross to support the Egyptian and Palestinian Red Crescent Societies.
January 4, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Extension of appointments to the Animal Welfare Committee [January 2024]

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 1 January 2024.

Four committee member terms are extended.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has extended the terms of four members of the Animal Welfare Committee (AWC).

Dr Romain Pizzi, Dr Pen Rashbass, Professor Sarah Wolfensohn and Dr James Yeates will serve on the committee for an additional four years from 1 January 2024 until 31 December 2027.

The AWC advises Defra, as well as the Scottish and Welsh Governments, on matters relating to animal welfare, including farmed, companion and wild animals kept by people.

Madeleine Campbell, Chair of the Animal Welfare Committee, said:

I am delighted that Doctors Pizzi, Rashbass and Yeates and Professor Wolfensohn have agreed to serve a further term on the AWC. They each bring distinct, independent expertise and experience to the committee. I am looking forward to continuing to work with all of them in the interests of animal welfare.

Biographical details

Dr Romain Pizzi: Romain is a specialist veterinary surgeon, former president of both the British Veterinary Zoological Society and the Scottish branch of the British Veterinary Association, and a Fellow of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.

Dr Pen Rashbass: Pen has specialism in genetics, sheep and beef cattle, agroecology, conservation grazing and rewilding, and is a member of Defra’s Genetics for Livestock and Equines Committee.

Professor Sarah Wolfensohn: Sarah is a veterinary surgeon and Professor of Animal Welfare at the University of Surrey’s School of Veterinary Medicine. She was awarded an OBE for services to animal welfare in 2012 and a Fellowship of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in 2019.

Dr James Yeates: James is a veterinary surgeon with a degree in bioethics and law, and a PhD in animal welfare. He is CEO of World Federation for Animals and authored ‘Animal Welfare in Veterinary Practice’ and ‘Veterinary Science: A very short introduction’.

January 4, 2024
PRESS RELEASE : Charges for disposing of DIY waste at recycling centres scrapped [January 2024]

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 1 January 2024.

From today, households no longer have to pay to get rid of DIY waste at council recycling centres.

Households no longer have to pay to get rid of small-scale DIY waste at council recycling centres, boosting recycling and making it easier for people to dispose of their waste in a responsible manner.

The Government has abolished the fees which around one-third of local authorities previously charged to dispose of DIY waste at household waste recycling centres (HWRCs).

From today, all councils in England will now treat DIY waste the same as other household waste when it meets certain conditions, such as not exceeding 2x 50L rubble bags.

This change has the potential to save households hundreds of pounds, with charges that were up to £10 an item, such as a piece of plasterboard, now scrapped.

Today’s changes are the latest in a string of Government reforms to make it simpler and easier to recycle. That includes a consultation launched last week to make it easier to recycle household electrical items and simpler household collection rules announced in October.

The DIY waste changes came into force as of 31 December 2023 and follow overwhelming public support at consultation, with 93% of householders agreeing with the plans to amend legislation.

Recycling Minister Robbie Moore said:

We have delivered on our promise to make it easier and cheaper for people making home improvements to get rid of their waste properly.

Removing charges for DIY waste at council recycling centres will help New Year home improvement projects become a reality and ensure that those disposing of waste responsibly aren’t being penalised for doing so.

The removal of the fees is part of the wider Government aim to tackle waste crime and fly-tipping, which is estimated to cost the economy £924m per year in England. Among other measures, last year the Government announced grants totalling £775,000 to help councils roll out a range of projects to crack down on fly-tipping, with an additional £1m for grants being made available this year.

The Government has also consulted on reforming the waste carrier, broker, dealer regime and on introducing mandatory digital waste tracking and is developing a fly-tipping toolkit with the National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group to help spread best practice on tackling the issue among local authorities. The toolkit is being extended to raise awareness of waste duty of care among householders and businesses.

Elsewhere, the Government has increased the maximum fines for fly-tipping, littering and graffiti, while concurrently ringfencing of the proceeds from those related fixed penalty notices so that fines can be reinvested back into enforcement and local clean-up activities.

January 4, 2024