Tag: Press Release

PRESS RELEASE : Transport Secretary announces £70 million boost for more rapid electric vehicle chargers at COP28 [December 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 6 December 2023.

EV chargepoint pilot scheme at motorway service areas to support government’s vision of transition to electric vehicles.
- trials will boost the number of ultra-rapid chargepoints at motorway services and spark private investment
- pilot launched at COP28’s Transport Day, along with US and UK green shipping pledge
- first global zero emissions vehicles transition roadmap launched to strengthen support for emerging markets and developing economy countries
A £70 million pilot scheme launched today (6 December 2023) will power up motorway service areas to pave the way for ultra-rapid electric vehicle (EV) chargepoints.

Speaking on COP28 Transport Day in Dubai, Transport Secretary, Mark Harper, laid out plans for up to 10 trial sites in England with boosted electrical network capacity – ensuring electricity network capacity is future-proofed for at least 10 years, to 2035.

COP28 marks a pivotal moment in addressing climate change, with the UK having decarbonised faster than any other major economy and committed to the fastest reduction in emissions between 1990 and 2030 on current pledges.

Today’s rapid chargepoint announcement, part of the government’s ambitious rapid charging fund (RCF), will cover a portion of the costs of upgrading the electricity grid at successful motorway service areas, ensuring that the private sector can continue to expand the charging network and providing consumers more confidence to choose EVs.

Transport Secretary, Mark Harper, said:

This government is on the side of drivers and working with the private sector to provide robust chargepoint infrastructure is part of our Plan for Drivers, with today’s announcement paving the way for more ultra-rapid chargepoints.

This £70 million pilot scheme is the starting point and sends a message to consumers and industry that we are investing wisely and rapidly to grow the future of transport in the UK.

Technology and Decarbonisation Minister, Anthony Browne, said:

This is an important next step in our journey to net zero and demonstrates the government’s commitment to help the private sector expand our charging network.

The scheme follows our world-leading zero emission vehicle mandate, meaning we are truly supporting drivers and industry in making the switch to electric.

Motorway service areas are strategically important as regularly spaced stopping points along the motorway. Investment here addresses the need for a highly visible and dependable longer-distance charging network to support drivers and accelerate future EV purchases. The pilot, which is being delivered by National Highways, will help gather evidence to inform the design of a full fund.

Today also sees the launch of a 10-week rapid charging fund consultation seeking views from a range of stakeholders, including chargepoint operators, motorway service area operators and electricity suppliers, on where chargers are needed most and how best to design the RCF.

Alongside the pilot launch, the UK and the US are teaming up to announce a competition to develop green shipping corridors between both countries. The US is the UK’s second-largest direct partner when it comes to international maritime trade – with over 40 million tonnes of maritime trade carried out last year. Launching next year, the initiative builds upon the UK’s successful partnerships with the likes of Norway, Denmark and the Netherlands, solidifying the journey towards zero-emission shipping.

When the UK hosted COP26 in 2021, it announced the Clydebank Declaration for green shipping corridors, where signatories declared ambitions to implement zero-emission shipping routes. Today, it was announced that new shipping corridors will be forged between the Republic of Korea, Lithuania and the United Arab Emirates, taking its membership to 27.

UK Chamber of Shipping CEO, Sarah Treseder, said:

Green shipping corridors will play an important part in decarbonising shipping, especially on major routes such as the UK and US.

To be successful, they require dedicated infrastructure across the corridor to ensure that vessels can access low and zero emission fuels, as well as facilities such as shoreside power. We look forward to working with the UK and US governments, as well as those involved in the competition, to turn this project into a blueprint for how to create a successful green corridor.

Yesterday (5 December 2023) also saw the launch of the world-first global zero emission vehicle (ZEV) transition roadmap, designed to improve understanding and accessibility around the international push to decarbonise road travel and to more clearly lay out the financing available to developing economies and new markets. It commits to an annual update at future COP events, helping to map the transition to cleaner travel on a global scale and ensure no country is left behind.

It comes in the same week that the House of Commons agreed (4 December 2023) the percentage of new zero emission cars and vans that manufacturers will be required to produce each year up to 2030. By safeguarding investments made by the car industry in the UK and protecting skilled British jobs, this complements the Prime Minister’s proportionate and pragmatic decision to delay the ban on new petrol cars from 2030 to 2035 to support families making the switch.

This has also been backed by over £2 billion government investment and rapidly expanding charging infrastructure, which has already grown 42% on last year – a rate that puts us well on the way to 300,000 by 2030.

COP28 UAE takes place from 30 November to 12 December 2023 at Expo City, Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. The United Nations climate change conferences are yearly conferences and serve as the formal meeting to negotiate and agree action on how to tackle climate change, limit emissions and halt global warming.

Thursday’s Transport Day comes just a week after the first-ever transatlantic 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) flight from London to New York. The Transport Secretary has a full schedule for the day, attending Pavilion events and other engagements discussing the ZEV mandate, zero emission shipping, sustainable aviation and climate-resilient transport.

At this year’s COP, the UK is focusing efforts on:
- tackling deforestation: supporting countries to tackle deforestation through Forest Country Packages and £576 million new International Climate Finance (ICF) programming, £465 million of which is new and additional funding since Glasgow, aimed at supporting companies, communities, smallholders and governments to tackle forest loss and protect nature
- green finance: endorsing the new Global Climate Finance Framework to champion reform of international financial institutions to make them bigger, better and fairer, and pledging up to £60 million for loss and damage, including up to £40 million for a new fund to ensure that finance can flow to the poorest and most vulnerable to climate change
December 9, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Appointment of Lord-Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire [December 2023]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 6 December 2023.

The King has been pleased to appoint Professor Veronica Pickering, DL, as His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant for the County of Nottinghamshire.

Veronica Moraa Pickering is a social entrepreneur, a former UK Social Worker and Children’s Guardian and was an International Child Protection Consultant for the UN and many NGOs across Africa, supporting vulnerable people and their families. In 2022 she was awarded the Moran of the Order of the Burning Spear (M.B.S.) for service to Kenya by the President.

She now works as an Executive Coach and partnership specialist with a number of companies and organisations across the UK. A strong supporter of the arts and wildlife conservation charities, she is a Trustee of the RSPB and Nottinghamshire YMCA (Robin Hood Group) and Ambassador for The Woodland Trust and UK RAF Museums. She is also visiting Professor to Lincoln International Business School. She is the first black woman to be appointed the Royal Air Force (RAF) Honorary Air Commodore.

Veronica is the current High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire and is married to the Nottinghamshire-born artist Roy Pickering. They have two adult children and live near Nottingham.

December 9, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Member appointed to the Independent Advisory Panel on Deaths in Custody [December 2023]

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 6 December 2023.

The Lord Chancellor has approved the appointment of Professor Seena Fazel as a member of the Independent Advisory Panel on Deaths in Custody for three years from 1 October 2023.

Established in 2009, the Independent Advisory Panel on Deaths in Custody (IAPDC) forms part of the Ministerial Council on Deaths in Custody in England and Wales. The IAPDC provides expert advice and challenge to Ministers, departments, and agencies with the central aim of preventing deaths in custody.

This appointment is made by the Secretary of State for Justice in consultation with the Department of Health and Social Care and the Home Office, who co-sponsor and co-fund the IAPDC.

Appointments are regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments and recruitment processes comply with the Governance Code on Public Appointments.

Biography

Professor Fazel is a serving member of the IAPDC, having begun his first term in 2018 and his second in 2021. Professor Fazel is the Professor of Forensic Psychiatry and Director of the Centre for Suicide Research, at the University of Oxford. Since 2007, he has also been an Honorary Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist for Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust.

December 9, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Plans progressed to create a smokefree generation [December 2023]
The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 6 December 2023.

Public consultation on historic proposals draws to a close, with roughly 25,000 responses from teachers, parents, healthcare professionals and public.
- UK in lead to be first country in the world to create a smokefree generation by phasing out the sale of tobacco
- Government taking long-term decisions to protect children and an entire generation from the harms of smoking as they grow older
Plans to introduce the most significant public health intervention in a generation and phase out smoking are progressing at pace, as the government’s consultation closes today.

Amassing roughly 25,000 responses – including from healthcare professionals, public health experts, academics, teachers, parents and teenagers – officials will analyse results and ministers will set out next steps in the coming weeks, including details on the forthcoming Tobacco and Vapes Bill recently announced in the King’s Speech.

The majority of the public are behind the plans, and the government is determined to take vital action quickly to protect future generations from the harms of tobacco addiction.

The government’s response to the consultation will be published ahead of the Bill’s introduction to Parliament in the new year.

Public Health Minister, Andrea Leadsom, said:

As a former teenage smoker, these historic plans might just have prevented me from ever lighting a cigarette.

Smoking is the biggest preventable killer in the UK, and that’s why we need to push ahead at pace with our plans to protect today’s children, and create the first smokefree generation while cracking down on youth vaping.

We are taking the long-term health decisions needed to safeguard the next generation from the harms of smoking and risk of addiction.

Government plans include introducing a new law to stop children who turned 14 this year or are younger from ever legally being sold tobacco in England. There is also a worrying rise in vaping among children and the government will therefore also introduce measures to reduce the appeal and availability of vapes to children, while ensuring they remain available as a quit tool for smokers.

This will prevent thousands of children from starting smoking in the coming years and potentially having their lives cut short as a result.

The UK is now proudly set to be the first country in the world to introduce such a landmark law on smoking.

Deborah Arnott, chief executive of health charity Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), said:

With the overwhelming support of the public the UK has picked up the baton to become the first country in the world to create a smokefree generation.

In the twentieth century the UK, home to the tobacco industry, had the highest smoking rates in the world, in the twenty first we are now on track to lead the way out of the tobacco epidemic.

This will herald the start of a new era in tobacco control, where the end of the smoking is finally in sight.

Smoking is the UK’s biggest preventable killer, causing around 1 in 4 cancer deaths and 64,000 deaths in England alone, costing the economy and wider society £17 billion each year. No other consumer product kills up to two-thirds of its users and the plans will save tens of thousands of lives and save the NHS billions of pounds.

People take up cigarettes when they are young.

Four in five smokers have started by the time they are 20 and although the vast majority try to quit, many due to the addictive nature of cigarettes.

Cathy Hunt, 58, is a mum of four from County Durham. She was diagnosed with lung cancer and had half a lung removed in 2015 just two days before her 50th birthday. She underwent surgery again in 2022 when the cancer returned, and in June this year had a kidney removed due to cancer.

Cathy said:

I am absolutely over the moon about the government’s plan to raise the age of sale for tobacco one year every year until we see the end of smoking, and all my family and friends are too.

Smoking isn’t a lifestyle choice but a lethal addiction which traps hundreds of new victims in its claws every day, victims who struggle to escape. I only managed to stop once I found out I had lung cancer but wish now I could turn the clock back to the time I started smoking as a child aged 11.

That’s also why I’m so pleased the government is providing more funding for anti-smoking campaigns, stop smoking services and enforcement to help stop the start and start the stop for those already addicted to smoking like I was.

Gower Tan, Cancer Research UK ambassador and campaigns officer, said:

I started smoking aged 13, and this deadly addiction took me over 25 years to quit. Having watched my dad – a lifelong smoker – die of lung cancer, I understand the devastating harms of tobacco and I support vital legislation on the age of sale. Knowing my children and future generations will not suffer the tragic consequences caused by smoking is a legacy we could all be proud of.

To tackle youth vaping, the government’s plans include a range of measures to reduce the appeal and availability of vapes to children, including restricting vapes flavours, regulating point of sale displays in stores that sell vapes, and regulating vape packaging.

Stakeholder reaction:

Cancer Research UK’s chief executive, Michelle Mitchell, said:

“Smoking is the biggest cause of cancer in the UK, responsible for around 150 cancers a day. Raising the age of sale for tobacco products is one of the biggest opportunities we have had to help prevent cancer in over a decade.

“This consultation is a vital step on the road to the first ever smokefree generation. If the government takes decisive action in all UK nations, the UK can phase smoking out for good and protect the next generation from a potential lifetime of addiction and disease.”

John Herriman, chief executive at the Chartered Trading Standards Institute, said:

“It comes as no surprise that responses have been submitted in the thousands to this consultation that poses the biggest positive change to public health in our lifetime. Most people have been affected by smoking either directly or indirectly, and smoking related illnesses put a huge strain on the NHS. In time, this will free up much needed resources and will help safeguard future generations to come.”

“Effective policing of the age of sale of tobacco will be critical to the effectiveness of the government’s aim of eliminating smoking for future generations and Trading Standards teams working in local communities across the UK will play a central role in making this happen. We look forward to working with DHSC to ensure that we have the tools and resources needed to support businesses and educate consumers as the country phases out tobacco products for good.

Henry Gregg, director of external affairs for Asthma + Lung UK:

“Creating a smoke-free generation is one of the most impactful things we could do to improve the health of future generations. We know that many people with a lung condition and their families strongly support these proposals, to prevent others from going through what they have experienced. We urge the government to ensure these measures are implemented in full to save thousands of lives.

“Smoking remains the biggest cause of lung disease deaths in the UK, with tobacco costing the NHS £2.5 billion every year and £1.2 billion in social care costs. More than 8 out of 10 smokers take up smoking before the age of 20 and become addicted, so proposals to gradually increase the smoking age to stop younger people from ever taking up smoking is an opportunity for the government to lead the way on measures that will protect future generations from developing lung conditions caused by this deadly addiction”.
December 9, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Foreign Secretary travels to US to reaffirm support for Ukraine [December 2023]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 6 December 2023.

David Cameron is making his first visit to Washington DC as Foreign Secretary to reaffirm the strength of the UK-US relationship and support for Ukraine.
- Foreign Secretary David Cameron undertakes first visit to Washington DC since taking office to reaffirm strength of diplomatic, security and trade ties with UK’s closest ally
- he will meet US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and other senior US Government figures, as well as Republican and Democratic Congressional leaders
- Foreign Secretary will announce £37 million of humanitarian funding for Ukraine as conversations focus on keeping up UK and US support for the country, and the situation in the Middle East
The Foreign Secretary will travel to the United States today (Wednesday 6 December) to reaffirm both the strength of the UK’s relationship with its closest strategic ally and our unwavering support for Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression.

He will also discuss the Middle East, getting humanitarian aid to those affected by the conflict in Gaza and how the UK and US can work towards enabling a long-term two-state solution which allows both Israelis and Palestinians to live together in peace.

In his first visit to Washington DC as Foreign Secretary, David Cameron will discuss how the enduring partnership between the UK and US is delivering security and prosperity on both sides of the Atlantic and upholding democratic values where they are threatened around the world.

It comes as the UK will, on Wednesday, target military suppliers who are propping up Putin’s war machine through a series of sanctions. Foreign suppliers exporting equipment and parts to Russia are among dozens of individuals and groups to be sanctioned to starve Putin of the resources he needs for his illegal war in Ukraine.

Ahead of the visit, the Foreign Secretary has announced a new winter humanitarian response package of £29 million for Ukraine and will bolster support with a further £7.75 million for humanitarian activities that will focus on the needs of the most vulnerable in Ukraine, such as women, girls, older people and people with disabilities.

Funding allocations are part of the UK’s overall £127 million of humanitarian support to Ukraine and the region in 2023 to 2024, as announced at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in June.

The Foreign Secretary will hold an intensive round of diplomatic talks with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to reaffirm international cooperation and support for the Ukrainian people as they approach two years of battling Russian forces.

While in Washington, the Foreign Secretary will also meet key Congressional figures on both sides of the House.

Foreign Secretary David Cameron said:

The UK and the US are deeply bound by a shared mission to defend the values that provide security and prosperity for us all.

That is why we remain unwavering in our support of Ukraine. If we allow Putin’s aggression to succeed, it will embolden those who challenge democracy and threaten our way of life. We cannot let them prevail.

We also stand united in the Middle East, working together to ensure long-term security and stability in the region, and in responding to the challenges posed by China.

The UK’s steadfast support for Ukraine against Russia’s aggression was highlighted by David Cameron choosing to travel to Kyiv last month for his first overseas visit as Foreign Secretary.

The UK’s total military, humanitarian and economic support for Ukraine now amounts to £9.3 billion.

The UK and US are equally united in promoting prosperity and security in the Indo-Pacific as they respond to the epoch-defining challenge of China, and the Foreign Secretary will discuss how the UK is strengthening national security protections, while engaging where it is consistent with the UK’s national interest.

The Foreign Secretary’s visit also reflects the immense value the UK places on its trade relationship with the US and will build on work to deliver the Atlantic Declaration, a first-of-a kind economic partnership which was agreed by the Prime Minister and President Biden earlier this year and will see the UK and US working together more closely than ever across the full spectrum of economic, technological, commercial and trade relations.

With the UK and US sharing a $1 trillion investment relationship, a re-energised and enhanced economic relationship presents huge opportunities for people and businesses on both sides of the Atlantic – supporting the Prime Minister’s priority to grow the economy and create better paying jobs.

During his visit to Washington, David Cameron will set out the UK’s foreign policy priorities at a live event at the Aspen Security Forum on Thursday.

Background
- The Foreign Secretary’s address to the Aspen Security Forum will be livestreamed
- after the US, the UK is the second largest donor of military assistance to Ukraine, committing £4.6 billion to the country so far
- the UK’s £29 million winter humanitarian response package for Ukraine will go towards supporting the UN and Red Cross, with roughly half of it supporting winter allocations for the UN-managed Ukraine Humanitarian Fund
- the US trades more with the UK than any other individual country. The investment relationship is worth over a trillion dollars, and bilateral trade was worth £310 billion in the 4 quarters to the end of quarter 2 2023
- the UK has already signed 7 individual arrangements with Indiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, Utah, Oklahoma, Washington and Florida, and is actively engaging with other states including Texas and California
December 9, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : UK firms to deliver €415 million sustainable development scheme in coastal Angola [December 2023]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 6 December 2023.

Support from UK Export Finance means that British firms have secured contracts to upgrade critical infrastructure in Benguela Province and protect the region against future flooding.
- The UK government has issued guarantees which secure Standard Chartered Bank to arrange financing for a €415 million contract between exporter Innovo Group and Angola
- The largest-ever sovereign transaction which UKEF has closed in Sub-Saharan Africa, this enables the delivery of critical infrastructure in Benguela Province, a coastal region of Angola vulnerable to flooding and poor drainage
- Over a third of the contract – more than £140 million – will be spent on UK goods and services, with British and Angolan communities alike to benefit from the deal
The UK has issued loan guarantees which allow British exporter Innovo Group to secure a €415 million contract to deliver critical infrastructure projects in Benguela Province, a region in the west of Angola adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean.

The support has been issued through UK Export Finance (UKEF) – the government’s export credit agency – and means that projects will now go ahead to improve the region’s potable water supply, storm drainage, sanitation, roads, public lighting, and commercial infrastructure. This includes the municipalities of Benguela, Baía Farta, Catumbela and Lobito.

Comprising 23 individual projects, the programme is expected to support 11,000 local jobs across a range of sectors including construction over the next five years.

During the UN’s COP28 climate change summit, UKEF announces the deal as an example of the role played by international trade in supporting global adaptation against climate change and extreme weather.

Benguela Province is a coastal region vulnerable to flooding and poor drainage. UKEF’s support allows the Angolan government to finance Innovo Group’s contract using funds arranged by Standard Chartered Bank, as Structuring and Coordinating Bank, Bookrunner and Mandated Lead Arranger.

This allows the Benguela province to benefit from new water supplies, stormwater channels and drainage networks aimed at reducing the risk and impact of flooding and other climate related events.

The projects will generate a direct spend of over £140 million on UK exports which are expected to support a water supply and drainage projects, road rehabilitation and community facilities.

Andrew Mitchell, UK Minister for Development and Africa said:

This ground-breaking deal will provide critical infrastructure that will change lives and reaffirm our commitment to building mutually beneficial partnerships as we prepare for the UK-African Investment Summit next year.

Our partnership with Angola is long-standing, and this funding will provide huge benefits to the people of Benguela province, including new water supplies and protection from the harsh impacts of climate related events including flooding.

By teaming up to tackle climate change now, we are creating a more resilient and sustainable future – it is clear that we can go far when we go together.

Paul Woodman, CEO of Innovo Projects, said:

We are delighted to have secured this most important project that will have a hugely positive impact for the people and communities of the Benguela province, as well as making the region more resilient to the impacts of climate change. This is the third contract we have secured in Angola with the support of UK Export Finance and we would like to thank all stakeholders, including the Ministry of Public Works & Housing, for their cooperation in bringing this project to fruition.

Faruq Muhammad, Global Head of Structured Export Finance at Standard Chartered Bank, said:

We’re proud to be the Angolan government’s long-standing banking partner once more to bring about social, cultural and economic positive change for thousands of people in the Benguela Province, with improved infrastructure, water supply and building renovations.

Innovo Group will also deliver projects which support the development of the local economy, including road rehabilitation works, renovation of historic buildings, andthe construction of a fish market in Benguela City for traders who currently work outdoors without refrigeration.

This follows the export credit agency’s announcement in January of support for Innovo (then trading as ASGC UK) to build a specialist burns hospital in Angola’s capital city, Luanda.
December 9, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Bill to make clear Rwanda is a safe country and stop the boats [December 2023]

The press release issued by the Home Office on 6 December 2023.

Safety of Rwanda Bill to be introduced to Parliament tomorrow, making clear that Rwanda is a safe country where illegal migrants can be lawfully relocated.

A bill to conclusively deem Rwanda a safe country notwithstanding UK and international law and end the merry-go-round of illegal migration delay tactics by migrants, will be introduced to Parliament by Home Secretary, James Cleverly, tomorrow (7 December).

The bill is the toughest immigration legislation ever introduced to Parliament. It includes provisions to disapply relevant sections of the Human Rights Act, unambiguously exclude the courts from challenging the fact that Rwanda is safe, and confirm that ministers alone can decide whether to comply with blocking orders from Strasbourg, like the one that grounded the first Rwanda flight in 2022.

The draft of the new Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill has today been published ahead of introduction. It builds on the treaty signed yesterday by the Home Secretary and Rwandan Foreign Affairs Minister, Dr Vincent Biruta, and makes clear in UK law that Rwanda is a safe country for asylum seekers – answering all of the concerns of the Supreme Court.

The legislation and treaty deliver on the Prime Minister’s priority to stop the boats and ensure that people know that if they come to the UK illegally, they will not be able to stay.

Once the bill receives Royal Assent, it will pave the way for the UK to begin next steps in processing people for relocation and starting removal flights to Rwanda. The government intends to fast-track the emergency legislation through the House as soon as possible.

Underpinned by the treaty, the law will prevent UK courts and tribunals from delaying or preventing a person’s removal to Rwanda, on the grounds that they are at risk of being removed to an unsafe country.

The bill will also make clear that the UK Parliament is sovereign, and the validity of any act of Parliament is unaffected by international law. Ministers will retain the decision on whether or not to comply with interim measures from the European Court of Human Rights.

It also makes clear the extremely limited exceptions which individuals could challenge removal to Rwanda, and the exceptions which narrow this to the maximum allowed within the law. This includes preventing UK courts and tribunals from granting interim measures, apart from when a person can produce compelling evidence – as a result of their specific personal circumstances – that would lead to them facing a real, imminent and foreseeable risk of serious and irreversible harm if removed to Rwanda. In addition, it disapplies elements of the Human Rights Act 1998, meaning they cannot be factored into court or tribunal decision making.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:

I have been unequivocal that we can no longer tolerate the endless scourge of illegal migration on our country. It is costing us billions of pounds and costing innocent lives, and that is why we are taking action to put a stop to it and make clear once and for all that it is Parliament that should decide who comes to this country, not criminal gangs.

Through this new landmark emergency legislation, we will control our borders, deter people taking perilous journeys across the channel and end the continuous legal challenges filling our courts.

And we will disapply sections of the Human Rights Act from the key parts of the bill, specifically in the case of Rwanda, to ensure our plan cannot be stopped.

We have acted quickly to remedy the issues raised by the Supreme Court, proving that Rwanda is not just a safe country, but a modern, prosperous nation, and today we are ending the tactics used by people to cheat the system and betray the British people.

My message to the vicious people smugglers is clear, there is no point in ruining people’s lives any longer, if an individual comes here illegally, they will be removed.

Home Secretary James Cleverly, said:

We are taking crucial steps forward to respond to the Supreme Court’s findings, which recognised that changes could be delivered to make this landmark partnership work.

Building on our legally binding Treaty, the Safety of Rwanda Bill will make absolutely clear in UK law that Rwanda is a safe country.

This will play a key part in our efforts to stop the boats and save lives – I would urge parliament to ensure the legislation is passed as soon as possible.

Rwanda is a country that cares deeply about supporting refugees. It stands ready to welcome those relocated there.

The bill also further reflects the strength of the Government of Rwanda’s protections and commitments given to people transferred to Rwanda, as committed to in the treaty.

The principle of relocating people to another country to have their asylum claims processed is lawful – the High Court confirmed this, and it was upheld by the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, which did not disturb that finding.

Countries across Europe are following the United Kingdom’s lead in exploring third country models for illegal immigration – including Austria, Germany, Denmark, and Italy in their deal with Albania.

Rwanda currently hosts more than 135,000 people seeking safety and protection and has a track record of providing that protection and supporting people in thriving in their country. The UN Refugee Agency has its own scheme for refugees in Rwanda, which is not delivered through a legally binding treaty.

On Tuesday the Home Secretary was in Rwanda to sign the treaty with his counterpart, Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vincent Biruta.

The document is binding in international law and is currently going through the Parliamentary ratification process.

December 9, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : UK hits military suppliers propping up Russia’s war machine [December 2023]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 6 December 2023.

The UK government announces new sanctions targeting people and groups that are supplying and funding Putin’s war machine.
- UK announces 46 new sanctions targeting individuals and groups supplying and funding Putin’s war machine
- this includes businesses in Belarus, China, Serbia, Turkey the UAE and Uzbekistan who continue to support Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine
- by including entities operating in China, Serbia, and Uzbekistan the UK has now taken action against over 30 third-country entities supporting Russia’s war efforts. This signals the UK’s no tolerance approach to those enabling Russia’s illegal war, wherever they may be
Foreign military suppliers exporting equipment and parts to Russia are among dozens of individuals and groups sanctioned today to target those helping Putin’s war machine.

Russian weapons manufacturers and defence importers were also among the list of 46 new sanctions imposed as well as 3 actors supporting the Wagner Group network and 4 operators of so-called ‘shadow fleet’ vessels used by Russia to soften the blow of oil-related sanctions imposed by the UK alongside G7 partners.

As the Prime Minister said to Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a call last week, the UK’s support for our Ukrainian allies is steadfast. Today’s measures will disrupt Putin’s ability to equip his military through third-party supply chains in Belarus, China, Serbia, Turkey, the UAE and Uzbekistan.

The move will hit Russia where it hurts and starve Putin of the resources he needs for his illegal war on Ukraine.

Today’s package comes as G7 leaders are due to discuss and agree additional measures designed to:
- go further to bear down on the revenue Russia needs to finance Putin’s war machine
- prevent Russia from accessing inputs to its military and industrial base, and
- demonstrate to Russia there is a price to pay for the damage it has caused to Ukraine
Among those sanctioned today are:
- Russia’s military industrial complex: 31 individuals and entities linked to designing and manufacturing drones and missile parts and importing and supplying key electronic components. This includes several directors and their immediate family members
- third country suppliers to Russia’s military:
  - JSC Display Design Bureau, a Belarusian defence organisation linked to manufacturing military technology for the Belarusian regime, which has directly facilitated Putin’s illegal war
  - AVIO CHEM, a Serbian company which has sent multiple shipments of aircraft parts and accessories to Russian entities
  - MVIZION, an Uzbek company which acted as intermediary to import parts to Russia
  - a Turkish entity, Smart Trading Limited, involved in the supply of sanctioned western electronics to Russia
  - 3 Chinese entities: Asia Pacific Links Limited, Sinno Electronics Co., Limited, and Xinghua Co., Limited, supplying sanctioned goods, critical for Russia’s war efforts
- Wagner Group related: 3 entities and individuals linked to the Wagner Group’s wider network, including RUSICH Military group, a private Russian company active in Ukraine and its commander
- oil related: 4 UAE-based entities using opaque corporate structures and deceptive shipping practices to facilitate unfettered trade in Russian oil, bearing down on Russia’s efforts to generate war revenues
Sanctions are starving Russia’s military of key western components and technology. Alongside our partners, sanctions on international supply chains have resulted in a 98% reduction of Russian imports of battlefield technology from sanctioning countries. Pre-invasion Russia was a major exporter of arms. Instead, it is now having to turn to North Korea and Iran for unreliable equipment and to buy back parts it previously exported to other countries. While the world is moving forwards technologically, Russia is going backwards.

In tandem with today’s sanctions, the National Crime Agency has today issued an advisory for the UK’s regulated sector. This advisory provides banks and other firms with key red flags of transactions and customer attributes commonly associated with sanctions evasion. We call on industry to report all suspicious activity, and potential sanctions breaches as set out in the guidance.

Sanctions Minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan said:

Today’s sanctions will hit Putin where it hurts, damaging Russian defence systems, and cracking down on illegal supply chains propping up Russia’s war machine.

Working alongside our G7 partners and international allies we will continue to ratchet up pressure on Putin and crack down on third parties providing restricted goods and technology to Russia, wherever they may be.

Today’s sanctions tackle Russia’s repeated attempts to circumvent and offset the clear impact UK sanctions are having on its war effort.

In August the UK launched one of its largest ever actions targeting Russian military suppliers and last month took action to disrupt a covert procurement network used by Russia to acquire critical western technology. Today’s announcement builds on these actions and cracks down on those who continue to supply and fund Putin’s illegal war in Ukraine.
December 9, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : New Cyber Explorers Cup competition launched for pupils across the UK to boost their tech skills [December 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 6 December 2023.

Schools from across the UK are invited to compete in cybersecurity challenges with the chance to win prizes.
- Pupils to put cybersecurity skills to the test as they compete for tech prizes in UK-wide challenge
- New competition supports teaching of key cybersecurity skills, encouraging uptake in computer science and future careers in the field
- Technology Secretary today calls on more schools to engage with the UK government’s free Cyber Explorers course
Schools from every corner of the UK are invited to test their tech skills for the chance to be crowned Cyber Explorer champions, Science and Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan has announced.

The Cyber Explorers Cup kicked off today (Wednesday 6 December) giving pupils between 11 and 14 years the opportunity to compete in cyber security challenges – boosting their learning in a vital technology, with the chance to win tech-related prizes which could include vouchers for schools to buy new learning materials and equipment, class trips, and opportunities for teachers and students to engage with other learning opportunities.

More than 60,000 students from around 2,500 schools across the country have already been signed up to Cyber Explorers – a free learning platform provided by the UK government that introduces Key Stage 3 pupils to important cyber security concepts such as digital forensics, encryption, secure communication, the Computer Misuse Act and network security. The competition is open to all schools, including home schools, and involves teams of up to four students per school completing a series of missions based on a ‘Capture the Flag’ format during the hour-long competition.

The highest scoring school in each UK nation will be awarded tech prizes, and branded learning material to support students to build their skills. The competition will run until March 2024, and will be launched by the Science and Technology Secretary on a visit to a school in South-East London. She is joined by Cyber Explorers campaigner and primetime TV personality Baasit Siddiqui who will deliver an in-person learning session with the students, exploring the online platform.

Science and Technology Secretary, Michelle Donelan, said:

As the pace of technological change picks up, it is more important than ever to harness the enthusiasm of future generations, inspired by the prospect of exciting careers in cybersecurity that keep us safe. The Cyber Explorers cup will help us do exactly that.

I want Cyber Explorers to create new opportunities for thousands of young people to gain the crucial knowledge in cyber security, digital tech and computing we need to bolster our growing cyber sector and make the UK a technology superpower.

With exciting activities and expert insight on offer to help build those valuable skills, I encourage teachers across our country to take on the challenge.

Baasit Siddiqui said:

Having worked on the Cyber Explorers programme for over a year, it has highlighted the importance of preparing the next generation of cyber professionals. We need to empower digital literacy, resilience, and creativity in the digital space.

I’ve enjoyed supporting students in recognising the incredible ways in which technology is used in varying careers but also informing them of the importance of protecting their devices and data from varying cyber threats.

I’m confident the upcoming Cyber Explorers Cup will celebrate the most cyber-savvy children across the UK and I’m excited to be a part of these events.

Cyber Explorers was launched in February 2022 to support and inspire pupils towards a future career in tech and give them the foundational knowledge to pursue crucial subjects such as computer science.

On this free learning platform, students can access a range of quizzes and activities, with support from the team’s Cyber Squad experts, showing the new and exciting opportunities available for those striving to work in a range of tech roles, across social media content creation, sports technology and AI innovation to name a few.

The UK cyber security sector is growing fast, having generated £10.5 billion in 2022 – up 3% on the previous year – and with around 2,000 cyber security firms based across the country. The sector employs nearly 60,000 people, up 10% on 2021, with continued investment to drive up job opportunities in the coming years.

Notes to editors

Competing schools can create a team with a maximum number of four competing students. It is recommended there is at least one competing student from each year group. KS3 (England and Wales), P7, S1 and S2 (Scotland) and Years 8, 9 and 10 (Northern Ireland).

Competing schools, homeschools and students must be available for a 1-hour session at various available times in March 2024.

It is recommended that the competing school or homeschool has completed a minimum of 65% of the content provided by the online Cyber Explorers learning programme, e.g., three Character challenges and five Missions. This will be based on the number of students a school has registered at time of entry. Progress will be assessed by the Cyber Explorers team.

Teachers and home editors applying for their school to take part must submit a request to the Cyber Explorers team, who will then review the competing schools’ or homeschools submission and assess if the minimum requirement of 65% completion of the learning programme has been met.
December 9, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea is a major achievement of diplomacy and international law-making – UK statement at the UN General Assembly [December 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 5 December 2023.

Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward at the UN General Assembly meeting on the Law of the Sea.

Mr President, the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, UNCLOS, is a major achievement of diplomacy and international law-making. It is critical to the rules-based international system. Its provisions apply to 70% of the surface of the globe and form an essential component of global governance.

UNCLOS has made a significant contribution to global peace, prosperity and security by providing consistency and certainty concerning the governance of the ocean. It provides the legal framework for all activities in the ocean and seas.

UNCLOS sets out the legal framework for maritime claims and the rules of freedom of navigation. It sets out obligations for bilateral, regional and international cooperation, including for the conservation and management of living resources, for the protection and preservation of the maritime environment, and for the peaceful settlement of disputes. This legal framework applies in the South China Sea as it also applies across the rest of the world’s oceans and seas.

This year, we welcomed the adoption of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement. This Agreement is the third implementing agreement under the Convention and is historic for biodiversity. We support its entry into force as soon as possible. The BBNJ agreement will mean much greater protection for the two-thirds of the global ocean that lie beyond national jurisdiction. It will play a key role in supporting the delivery of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. It is critical that we work toward upholding the commitments in the GBF to help achieve the target to effectively conserve and manage at least 30% of the ocean by 2030.

We take this opportunity to reinforce the critical role that both the BBNJ Agreement and Global Biodiversity Framework have in relation to the topics covered by both the resolutions Oceans and Law of the Sea and Sustainable Fisheries.

I thank you.

December 9, 2023