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Tag: Press Release

  • PRESS RELEASE : New tax credits for British film, TV and video game makers start from today [January 2024]

    PRESS RELEASE : New tax credits for British film, TV and video game makers start from today [January 2024]

    The press release issued by HM Treasury on 1 January 2024.

    British film, TV and video game producers will benefit from new, more generous tax credits that start today (1 January 2024).

    • New and improved tax credit system for film, TV and video game production companies starts from today (1 January 2024)
    • An extra £42,500 in relief for children’s TV, animated TV and animated film production
    • £5,000 in relief for high-end TV, film or video game production

    To maximise the potential of the UK’s cutting-edge production industry and help incubate unique British talent, the government’s Audio-Visual Expenditure Credit and the Video Games Expenditure Credit replace the previous tax reliefs for film, TV and video games.

    All companies will receive more tax relief than they did under the previous system, greater flexibility over production decisions and greater clarity about the amount of credit companies can expect to receive.

    Nigel Huddleston, Financial Secretary to the Treasury, said:

    We are backing the makers of the next Barbie, Happy Valley and Grand Theft Auto with this new, more generous, tax credit system for British production talent.

    The UK is a world leader in creativity, and we want to ensure that continues well into the future by making it easier for British film, TV and video games to thrive.

    Under the new system, a children’s TV production, animated TV production or film with £1 million of qualifying expenditure will receive an additional £42,500 in relief. A high-end TV production, film production or video game will receive £5,000 in relief. To ensure fairness, the uplift in relief for animation will be extended to include animated films as well as TV programmes.

    The credits will be calculated directly from a production or game’s qualifying expenditure, instead of being an adjustment to the company’s taxable profit.

    Animation and children’s TV productions will be eligible for a higher credit rate of 39%, a rate increase of 4.25% under the previous reliefs. The 34% credit rate for film, high end TV and video games is roughly equivalent to a rate increase of 0.5% under the previous tax reliefs.

    The new system applies to the whole of the UK. The government has listened to feedback from industry that companies will need sufficient time to adapt to the new expenditure credits. For this reason, productions and games in development on 1 April 2025 may continue to use the previous tax reliefs until they end on until 1 April 2027.

    The move to reform tax relief for entertainment productions and video games was announced at the Spring Budget in March 2023. The system implemented today was developed hand in glove with the UK entertainment industry, with consultations on both the policy itself and the draft legislation. It is being legislated as part of the Finance Bill 2023-24.

    The UK’s creative industry is already worth £126bn and the UK has the largest video game employee base in Europe, at nearly 21,000 by the last estimate.

    Today’s new tax credit system is the latest move by UK Government in support for British creative industries. The Chancellor also announced that full-expensing will be made permanent in 2023’s Autumn Statement, helping creative businesses invest for the less by saving them 25p in every £1 they spend on qualifying equipment and machinery.

    At Spring Budget 2023, the Chancellor also extended the rates of relief for theatre, orchestra and museums for two additional years to April 2025.

    In September last year, coinciding with a visit by the Chancellor Jeremy Hunt to Warner Bros. Studios in Los Angeles, it was announced that the production giant would expand their studio in Leavesden, Hertfordshire, in 2024. The move is expected to create 4,000 new jobs in the UK and contribute more than £200m to the UK economy.

    Further information

    • Qualifying expenditure will remain broadly unchanged. For the Video Games Expenditure Credit, to align the conditions for video games with film and TV, at least 10% of expenditure has to be ‘used or consumed’ in the UK.
    • At Spring Budget 2023, the Chancellor also extended the higher 45% (for non-touring productions) and 50% (for touring productions) rates of relief for theatre, orchestra and museums for two additional years to April 2025.
  • PRESS RELEASE : VAT on period pants scrapped [January 2024]

    PRESS RELEASE : VAT on period pants scrapped [January 2024]

    The press release issued by HM Treasury on 1 January 2024.

    Women will save up to £2 on a £12 pair of period pants as the government scraps VAT on the underwear.

    • Women to save up to £2 on period pants worth £12 as government scraps VAT today.
    • Retailers, including M&S, Primark and Tesco, have committed to pass on the savings, worth 16%.
    • Move follows scrapping of tampon tax in 2021, removing VAT from sanitary products, following the UK’s decision to leave the EU.

    From today, 1 January 2024, women will save up to £2 on a £12 pair of period pants – up to 16% – as the government scraps VAT on the underwear.

    The pledge to scrap the tax was made by the Chancellor Jeremy Hunt at the Autumn Statement 2023 and follows the end of the tampon tax in January 2021.

    Around 80 MPs, charities and retailers called on the government to scrap the VAT in August 2023.

    With Marks & Spencer spearheading the campaign, other retailers including Primark and Tesco have committed to pass the tax cut straight to the consumer.

    Financial Secretary to the Treasury, Nigel Huddleston, said:

    This is a victory for women across the UK and for the campaigners who’ve helped raise awareness of the growing importance of period pants.

    It’s only right that women and girls can find more affordable options for what has become an essential and environmentally friendly product.

    Since reforming the ‘tampon tax’, the market for period underwear has expanded and they are now a mainstream choice for many women. The scrapping of the current VAT will ensure that period underwear is treated the same as traditional period products.

    Having left the European Union, the UK is no longer legally bound by EU laws which saw sanitary products subject to five different rates of VAT between 1973 and 2021.

    The move comes after the ‘Say Pants to the Tax’ campaign, led by retailers such as Marks & Spencer, women’s groups and environmentalists, called to scrap the tax.

    Victoria McKenzie-Gould, Corporate Affairs Director at Marks & Spencer, said:

    Paying tax on period pants was a bum deal for women everywhere so we’re thrilled that the Treasury has done the right thing by axing the tax and levelling the playing field on period products for good.

    Nearly 25% of women cite cost as a barrier to using period pants so we know the new legislation that comes into effect from today will make a big difference to women’s budgets across the UK.

    A big thank you to WUKA, the tens of thousands of individuals, politicians, brand and retailers, who threw their weight behind our campaign – Say Pants to the Tax – and of course a big thank you to the Chancellor and HM Treasury team who made the change we were campaigning for a reality.

    Women with sensory issues who find conventional period products difficult to use will also benefit from period pants becoming more affordable.

    The savings for women are subject to the VAT cut being passed on, with the army of retailers behind the campaign pledging themselves to play their part to pass on the 20% VAT cut.

    Laura Coryton, tampon tax campaigner and founder of social enterprise Sex Ed Matters, said:

    Ending the tax on period underwear will make a huge difference, particularly given skyrocketing levels of period poverty across the UK. It will also help to tackle the stigma associated with periods, which stops at least 10% of girls going to school every month.

    Now, it is important for retailers to pass savings on to consumers, not only in relation to period underwear, but all period products.

    Further information

    • Women’s Sanitary Products have been subject to five different tax rates since 1973. The UK first introduced VAT in 1973 with a standard rate of 10% applied to sanitary products. In 1974, standard VAT was cut to 8%, before rising to 15% in 1979 and 17.5% in 1991. The government moved sanitary products to a reduced rate of 5% in January 2001 following a campaign and debates in Parliament.
    • Read the 50 retailers’ letter to the Financial Secretary to the Treasury from August 2023.
  • PRESS RELEASE : English Sparkling Wine makers raise a glass to new opportunities [December 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : English Sparkling Wine makers raise a glass to new opportunities [December 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 31 December 2023.

    On the eve of New Year reforms for the wine industry, Environment Secretary Steve Barclay today welcomed the scrapping of outdated rules inherited from the EU.

    The reforms made possible by leaving the EU will uncork innovation, encourage sustainable practices and reduce burdens for businesses.

    In addition to the UK’s longstanding status as a global wine trading hub, with a wine market worth over £10 billion last year, England and Wales have a fast-growing winemaking industry.

    Now boasting almost 900 vineyards, hectares under vine in the UK have more than quadrupled since 2000. Viticulture – the cultivation and harvesting of grapes – is now Britain’s fastest-growing agricultural sector, employing around 2,300 people full time with a predicted 50% growth in jobs by 2025.

    WineGB also reports 2023 is Great Britain’s largest-ever grape harvest, expected to produce an estimated 20-22m bottles and over 50% bigger on Britain’s previous record year in 2018.

    Benefiting from perfect growing conditions in the south of England, English Sparkling Wine has seen a surge in popularity in recent years with 8.3 million bottles produced last year. The home-grown fizz is expected to be a popular choice for Brits to see in the New Year.

    From tomorrow (1 January 2024), makers of English Sparkling Wine will no longer have to use mushroom-shaped stoppers and foil covers on bottlenecks, giving producers the choice to opt for simpler packaging to reduce both waste and costs.

    Restrictions will also be scrapped on the making and selling of piquette – a lower-alcohol drink dating back to antiquity, made by extracting the remaining goodness from grapes left over after winemaking. This gives producers the option to create new income streams and tap into consumer demand for lower-alcohol drinks.

    In a move welcomed by wine traders, the government will also remove the requirement for imported wines to have an importer address on the label, reducing administrative burdens for businesses.

    Environment Secretary Steve Barclay said:

    Our departure from the EU gives us the opportunity to review and scrap outdated and burdensome rules that have been holding back our wine sector.

    The reforms we’re introducing tomorrow will help our wine producers and traders become more profitable, dynamic, and sustainable – while freeing them from pointless red tape.

    Looking ahead to 2024, I’m committed to this government continuing to support our world-class winemakers, vineyards and traders to grow and innovate.

    Nicola Bates, CEO of WineGB, the trade association for Great British vineyard and wine producers, said:

    We welcome the additional choice that comes from this first phase of actions from the wine reform consultation. There will be producers who are keen to take advantage of all and every option to reduce materials on bottles, so we can expect to see fewer foils on sparkling allowing you to celebrate that bit faster, and with an environmental benefit.

    We look forward to working with Government and the Defra team on future consultations, and am sure they will be as constructive as those now being implemented.

    Earlier this week, the government announced that businesses will be able to sell prepacked still and sparkling wine in 500ml and 200ml sizes as well as a new 568ml ‘pint’ quantity.

    The reforms coming into force tomorrow (1 January 2024) follow this year’s Wine: reforms to retained EU law consultation) on the overly complex and bureaucratic existing 400-page rulebook for wine. The changes aim to facilitate international trade and foster domestic innovation and growth.

    • The UK wine market was worth over £10 billion in 2022 in off-trade and on-trade sales, and the UK’s developing domestic production sector has attracted significant global investment.
    • The UK is a global hub for wine. It is home to a diverse and dynamic wine sector and is the second largest importer of wine in the world by value.
    • In 2022, off-trade sales of still, sparkling, and fortified wine via supermarkets, convenience stores, and specialist off-licences in the UK were worth around £7.6 billion, while on-trade sales through hospitality outlets were worth an estimated £3.5 billion.
    • The domestic winemaking sector in England and Wales is by comparison very small, but rapidly growing and developing a global reputation for quality. Production reports for 2022 show a 36% increase in production. There has been a 74% growth in hectarage of vines between 2017 and 2022 (from 2257ha to 3928 ha).
  • PRESS RELEASE : New legal restrictions on XL Bully dog now in force [December 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : New legal restrictions on XL Bully dog now in force [December 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 31 December 2023.

    It is now illegal to breed, sell, advertise, gift, exchange, and abandon these dogs or let them stray.

    New restrictions on the XL Bully dogs are now in force (31 December) making it a legal requirement for all XL Bully dogs to be kept on a lead and muzzled when in public. It is also illegal to breed, sell, advertise, gift, exchange, abandon or let XL Bully dogs stray from today.

    The decision to ban XL Bully dogs was made following a concerning rise in attacks from these dangerous dogs, with 23 people sadly losing their lives after vicious dog attacks in the last three years. XL Bullies have been involved in many of these tragic deaths.

    Owners are also being urged to apply to register their current XL Bully dogs, as the Government takes action to safely manage the existing population of the breed. There is only a month left to meet the deadline when the ban comes into force on 1 February.

    Owning an unregistered dog after this date will be a criminal offence, with owners who don’t facing a criminal record and an unlimited fine.

    Owners who do not want to keep their dogs after this date should take them to a vet to have them put down.

    If owners are unsure whether their dog could be classed as an XL Bully, they should check their dog carefully against our guidance and photo examples of XL Bully dogs to help them decide.

    Environment Secretary Steve Barclay said:

    The Prime Minister pledged to take quick and decisive action to protect the public from devastating dog attacks with measures in place by the end of 2023. We have met that pledge – it is now a legal requirement for XL Bully dogs to be muzzled and on a lead in public. It is also now illegal to breed, sell, advertise, gift, exchange, abandon or let XL Bully dogs stray.

    All XL Bully owners are expected to comply with the law and we will continue to work closely with the police, canine and veterinary experts, and animal welfare groups, with further restrictions on XL Bully dogs coming into force on 1 February.

    The Government has taken a staggered approach to safely manage the existing population of XL Bully dogs, while ultimately banning the breed.

    On the 31 October, XL Bully dogs were added to the Dangerous Dogs Act, with owners given two months to prepare for the first stage of the ban.

    Since the 31 December [today], it is illegal to breed, sell, advertise, gift, exchange, abandon or let XL Bully dogs stray. All XL Bully dogs must also be kept on a lead and muzzled when in public.

    From 1st February all XL Bully dogs must be registered.

    From 30 June, XL Bully dogs over 1 year old must be neutered, this is extended until the 31 December for younger dogs.

    Notes to readers:

    • Leading animal welfare organisations including Blue Cross, Dogs Trust, PDSA and Battersea Dogs and Cats Home have developed a range of helpful resources and free online learning opportunities to support owners to muzzle train their dogs.
    • To register an XL Bully, owners must hold active public liability insurance for their dog, have had their dog microchipped, and pay the application fee. Owners will also be required to provide proof that their dog has been neutered. This will be by 30 June 2024 for most dogs, and by the end of 2024 for dogs under one-year-old on 31 January 2024.
    • Owners who no longer wish to keep their dogs and who arrange for a vet to put them down may apply for compensation towards this. Owners and their vets will need to complete a form to make a claim.
    • Owners can access the most up-to-date information on what action they need to take and when on this dedicated page, Prepare for the ban on XL Bully dogs – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

    If the dog is:

    • less than one year old on 31 January 2024, it must be neutered and evidence received by 31 December 2024
    • more than one year old on 31 January 2024, it must be neutered and evidence received by 30 June 2024
    • If your dog is already neutered, a vet must confirm this by:
      • 31 December 2024 for dogs less than one year old on 31 January 2024
      • 30 June 2024 for dogs more than one year old on 31 January 2024
  • PRESS RELEASE : Russia has now turned to indiscriminate attacks on civilians – UK statement at the UN Security Council [December 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Russia has now turned to indiscriminate attacks on civilians – UK statement at the UN Security Council [December 2023]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 30 December 2023.

    Statement by Deputy Political Coordinator Tom Phipps at the UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine.

    President, the United Kingdom deeply regrets any civilian deaths in conflict, wherever they happen and particularly where children are involved. We are committed to upholding international humanitarian law and we remind all parties to conflicts everywhere of their obligations.

    We are also committed to upholding the UN Charter, and its principles of respect for sovereignty and the right to self-defence. Yesterday, we discussed Russian airstrikes on civilians in Ukraine. Today, Russia has called this meeting to discuss Ukrainian strikes in Russia.

    Russia is attempting to draw equivalence, but let’s be absolutely clear: there are hundreds of thousands of Russian soldiers in Ukraine. There is not a single Ukrainian soldier in Russia. The war in Ukraine is an invasion started by Russia – a fact that no amount of disinformation can obscure.

    President, first Russia blamed Ukraine for these strikes. Then it tried to demand Czechia appear before the Council. Now the Russian ambassador is blaming the UK, the US and the EU.

    If Russia wants someone to blame for the deaths of Russians in this war, it should start with President Putin. President Putin is responsible for sending many thousands of Russian servicemen and women to their needless deaths.

    In 2022, President Putin claimed his invasion was to stop a supposed genocide in the Donbas. The International Court of Justice rejected this and ordered Russia immediately to end its invasion.

    Russia’s real objectives were revealed when it attempted the illegal annexation of further Ukrainian territory and the UN membership rejected this and repeatedly demanded Russia end its invasion and withdraw.

    As we discussed yesterday, having failed to defeat Ukraine militarily, Russia has now turned to indiscriminate attacks on civilians. The death toll from this week’s attacks across Ukraine, the largest since the war started, continues to rise. Innocent children were among the casualties here too.  In total, over 10,000 civilians, including more than 560 children,  have been killed and over 18,500 have been injured in Ukraine since 24 February 2022.

    President, Russia chose to start this war, Russia can choose to end this war; Ukraine did not start it and has the right to defend itself. This is why the UK reiterates that we stand resolutely with Ukraine and will continue to do so. So, we call once again on Russia to respect the UN Charter, to end this war and to withdraw its forces from Ukraine.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Storm overflows monitoring hits 100% target [December 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Storm overflows monitoring hits 100% target [December 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 30 December 2023.

    Every storm overflow across England’s water network is now monitored.

    100% of storm overflows across the water network in England have now been fitted with Event Duration Monitors (EDMs), meeting the ambitious target set by the government to do so by the end of 2023.

    Event Duration Monitors increase transparency by measuring how, when and for how long a storm overflow is in operation. This shows the public when discharges are happening, and helps the government and regulators to better hold water companies to account for illegal sewage spills and improve knowledge of overflow operation to identify where improvements can be made.

    In 2010, just 7% of storm overflows had monitors fitted. Since then, the government has driven an increase in monitoring, with 100% oversight of overflows now achieved. This delivers on commitments in our Plan for Water which sets out our plans for more investment, stronger regulation and tougher enforcement in the water sector.

    The installation of monitors rapidly accelerated under this government in 2013 when Lord Benyon instructed water companies to increase their storm overflow monitoring.

    Storm overflows are an automatic safety valve that release excess pressure on the network from flooding and heavy rain – preventing sewage backing up into properties and stopping widespread mains pipe bursts across the country. They should, however, only be used under strict permit conditions. Increased monitoring will give government and regulators the information they need to take action when permits are breached.

    Environment Secretary Steve Barclay said:

    The completion of storm overflow monitoring is a major step forward in better protecting our precious waterways, as well as the communities and wildlife that rely on them.

    The wealth of data collected from these monitors will ensure that we know the full extent to the problem – increasing transparency, revealing the worst-offending overflows, and enabling regulators to hold polluters to account.

    This step is just one of many ambitious actions set out under our Plan for Water, which is delivering more investment, stronger regulation, and tougher enforcement across the water system.

    Environment Agency Executive Director John Leyland said:

    After eight years of work, every storm overflow is now monitored, giving us much more information about where and when storm overflow discharges are happening.

    This increased transparency will allow the Environment Agency to better tackle illegal discharges from storm overflows. We are dedicated to investigating those that breach their strict permitting conditions.

    We take our responsibility to protect the environment very seriously. We are also strengthening our regulation by expanding our specialised workforce, increasing compliance checks, and using new data and intelligence tools to inform our work.

    Water UK Chief Executive David Henderson said:

    With 100% of the near 15,000 storm overflows across England now monitored we have the best, most comprehensive and accessible monitoring system in the world. This data will be invaluable in ensuring investment is targeted at those sites which urgently need improvements.

    Storm overflows are a design feature and act as a release valve after heavy storms. Water companies want them to operate as little as possible, which is why we are seeking regulatory approval to invest £11 billion over five years – three times the current rate – to increase the capacity of our sewers and prevent much more storm water entering the system in the first place.

    As well as the expansion of EDMs, the Government has taken significant action throughout 2023 to boost water quality and resilience and hold polluters accountable for environmental damage.

    As part of our Plan for Water, over £2.2 billion of new, accelerated investment is being directed into vital infrastructure to improve water quality and secure future supplies, with £1.7bn of this being used to tackle storm overflows to cut over 10,000 discharges.

    This builds on stringent targets on water companies to reduce storm overflows, outlined in our Storm Overflow Discharge Reduction Plan – driving the largest infrastructure programme in water company history of £60 billion over 25 years. This will result in hundreds of thousands fewer sewage discharges every year by 2050. The Plan frontloads action in particularly important and sensitive areas including designated bathing waters, meaning the overflows causing the most harm will be addressed first to minimise impact.

    Polluters now face unlimited financial penalties for breaching permits and polluting the environment thanks to changes to Variable Monetary Penalties (VMPs), which are civil sanctions issued by the Environment Agency. The move is designed to offer a more rapid form of punishment compared to criminal prosecution.

    Furthermore, government has given Ofwat increased powers to ensure water company dividends are linked to environmental performance while the regulator has also tightened the rules on bonus payments.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Brand new guide to help public easily access court hearings [December 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Brand new guide to help public easily access court hearings [December 2023]

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 30 December 2023.

    People are being encouraged to see how justice is done in courtrooms with the publication of a new and simple ‘how to’ guide for attending court hearings today.

    • First ever easy-to-use guide published to help people access court hearings
    • Public encouraged to know their rights to support open justice
    • Follows successful Reporters’ Charter to boost transparency in justice system

    Around two million court and tribunals hearings take place every year and for the first time ever, this eight-page document sets out in one place how people can access many of them.

    From murder trials to employment law cases, it explains the different types of courts and tribunals, how to observe a court hearing, which areas of court are open to the public and what to expect once inside the court.

    It also includes details like what to do before a hearing and how to access Wi-Fi in court buildings, and directs people to further resources for more information.

    Justice Minister, Mike Freer, said:

    Open and transparent courts are a key principle of our justice system and it is vital people can see for themselves how justice is done.

    This guide is another way we are lifting the curtain for the public to help them easily observe trials, tribunals and hearings.

    In a further boost to support the principle of open justice, the document will also help HMCTS staff be well prepared to help members of the public access hearings, and to support those attending for the first time.

    The guide follows a move last year to allow cameras to film some sentencing remarks by judges in Crown Courts to allow more people to see inside the courts as justice is served.

    The Government has previously published the Reporters Charter which outlined the rights and responsibilities of court reporters to boost transparency in the justice system.

  • PRESS RELEASE : The Military Division of the New Years Honours 2024 [December 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : The Military Division of the New Years Honours 2024 [December 2023]

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 29 December 2023.

    Armed Forces personnel and Defence Civil Servants have been granted state honours by His Majesty The King in the annual New Year Honours list.

    His Majesty The King has recognised over 180 service personnel and civil servants in the 2024 New Year Honours list for their outstanding acts of service to protect national security. From delivering His Majesty’s Coronation, to facilitating some of the most complex equipment programmes, the honours list praises the outstanding achievements of personnel across Defence.

    The recognition follows praise from the Prime Minister who has spoken about the valiant work of our Armed Forces, including in the Middle East and in Estonia as part of our unshakeable commitment to NATO.

    The full list of Defence personnel named in the 2024 New Years Honours list is available here.

    State honours have also been awarded to senior members of the Armed Forces, for their work including force integration, service on operations and driving organisational change to ensure Defence is ready to leverage the most cutting-edge technologies.

    Welcoming the New Years Honours, Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said:

    I want to congratulate all our Defence personnel who have been named in this year’s New Year Honours.

    As the world becomes more dangerous and Defence’s global commitments have increased, you have all risen to the challenge through your selflessness, resilience, and ingenuity.

    You showcase the very best our nation has to offer, and it is only right that your exceptional acts of service have been recognised.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Scots recognised in King’s New Year Honours List [December 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Scots recognised in King’s New Year Honours List [December 2023]

    The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 29 December 2023.

    The Scottish Secretary has congratulated the many people from across Scottish society who have been recognised in the New Year Honours List published today.

    Speaking as King Charles’ New Year Honours were announced, Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said:

    My warmest congratulations go to all the Scottish recipients of the King’s New Year Honours. Scots are well represented in His Majesty’s list, which showcases the best of Scottish talent – including sport, the arts, community, education, business, charity, policing and healthcare.

    Scottish rugby centurion Stuart Hogg, who announced his retirement earlier this year, is rightly celebrated [MBE] for his services to the game. Former Scotland rugby captain Rob Wainwright is also honoured [OBE] for his extraordinary work raising money for research into motor neurone disease through the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation. From the world of football, former player and Scotland, Rangers, Hibs and Motherwell manager Alex McLeish is recognised [OBE] for his services to charity.

    I welcome best-selling author Alexander McCall Smith being knighted for services to literature, academia and to charity. And much loved star of BBC comedy Two Doors Down, Arabella Weir, has been rightly recognised [MBE] for her work with the arts and young people, not least through the Kirkcaldy Festival of Ideas.

    And it’s poignant that just days after the 35th anniversary of the Lockerbie atrocity a leading police officer in the investigation, Stuart Cossar, is recognised [MBE] for his services to the inquiry and bereaved families.

    This year, more than 100 Scots have been awarded honours. The achievements of such a diverse number of our fellow Scots is truly inspiring.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Welsh Secretary congratulates 2024 New Year’s Honours recipients [December 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Welsh Secretary congratulates 2024 New Year’s Honours recipients [December 2023]

    The press release issued by the Office for the Secretary of State for Wales on 29 December 2023.

    Dozens of people from across Wales have been recognised by His Majesty The King.

    Welsh Secretary David TC Davies has congratulated the recipients from Wales on the King’s New Year Honours List.

    Among dozens of recipients from Wales were singer Dame Shirley Bassey, businesswomen Amanda Blanc and Joanna Swash and many more recipients of honours for services in the community including Pembrokeshire guide leader Wendy Barnett (BEM), water safety campaigner Debbie Turnbull (MBE) and founder member of Monmouth Male Voice Choir Huw Edwards (MBE).

    Secretary of State for Wales David TC Davies said:

    I am inspired by the many inspirational people from across Wales who have deservedly been recognised on the New Year Honours List.

    It is fantastic to see people from such a wide range of backgrounds being recognised, including for services to business, community work, culture, charity or health.

    Hearing about the extraordinary and invaluable work of so many people from across Wales is inspiring – I congratulate all the recipients being honoured and thank each and every one for their contribution.