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Tag: Press Release

  • PRESS RELEASE : Mobile phone use to be banned in schools in England [October 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Mobile phone use to be banned in schools in England [October 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Education on 2 October 2023.

    Mobile phone use to be banned during the school day, including at break times, new guidance recommends.

    Mobile phone use should be banned in schools across England to improve behaviour, the Education Secretary Gillian Keegan announced today.

    New guidance from the Department for Education will back head teachers in banning mobile phone use throughout the school day, including at break times, to tackle disruptive behaviour and online bullying while boosting attention during lessons. It aims to support the wider work the government is doing to raise standards in schools by increasing students’ focus and reducing distractions.

    This ban supports the hard work of teachers and education staff – and continues to build on government’s reforms backed up by the highest level of funding for schools in history, in real terms, of nearly £60 billion by 2024-25.

    The move will bring England in line with other countries that have already implemented a ban, including France, Italy and Portugal. It follows warnings from the United Nations on the risks of smartphones in schools and government data that found around a third (29%) of secondary school pupils reported mobile phones being used when they were not supposed to in most, or all, lessons.

    If schools fail to implement the new guidance, the government will consider legislating in the future to make the guidance statutory.

    Tom Bennett, school behaviour advisor said:

    This is a fantastic move forward for ensuring that students are able to work, learn and grow in a place free from the distracting influence of mobile phones. Schools that have already banned them report that students are safer, happier and able to focus far more than they were before- and it’s popular with them too.

    And heads should now be reassured that their efforts to keep schools mobile-free will be backed by the DfE. This is a positive and progressive step forward.

    The guidance will set out limited exemptions where necessary – for example, where children require their phones for medical reasons.

    The ban builds on a £10 million investment in behaviour hubs which support up to 700 schools to improve behaviour alongside the appointment of a new behavioural taskforce led by DfE’s behaviour tsar Tom Bennett.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Seven Scottish towns to share £140 million to improve long-term future [October 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Seven Scottish towns to share £140 million to improve long-term future [October 2023]

    The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 2 October 2023.

    Prime Minister announces 55 UK towns each to be given £20m endowment-style funds each over 10 years to invest in local people’s priorities.

    Seven Scottish towns have been named by the Prime Minister as part of £1.1 billion levelling up investment being provided to 55 towns across the UK.

    Clydebank, Coatbridge, Dumfries, Elgin, Irvine, Greenock and Kilmarnock will each receive £20 million from the UK Government as part of a long-term investment plan for towns that have been overlooked and taken for granted.

    The money will be provided directly by the UK Government to the relevant local authority and we will work with them and the Scottish Government to take a place-centred approach which maximises investment and opportunity.

    Under the new approach, local people will be put in charge, and given the tools to change their town’s long-term future. They will:

    • Receive a ten-year endowment-style fund to be spent on local people’s priorities, like regenerating local high streets and town centres or securing public safety.
    • Set up a Town Board to bring together community leaders, employers and local authorities to deliver the Long-Term Plan for their town and put it to local people for consultation.

    More than half the UK population live in towns, but half-empty high streets, run-down town centres and anti-social behaviour undermine towns in every part of the UK. Today’s announcement marks a change in approach that will put an end to people feeling like their town is ignored and empower communities to take back control of their future, taking long term decisions in the interests of local people.

    This plan builds on the UK Government’s central mission to level up the UK by putting more power and money in the hands of people who know their areas best to build a brighter future for their community, creating bespoke initiatives that will spark the regeneration needed.

    Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, said:

    Towns are the place most of us call home and where most of us go to work. But politicians have always taken towns for granted and focused on cities.

    The result is the half-empty high streets, run-down shopping centres and anti-social behaviour that undermine many towns’ prosperity and hold back people’s opportunity – and without a new approach, these problems will only get worse.

    That changes today. Our Long-Term Plan for Towns puts funding in the hands of local people themselves to invest in line with their priorities, over the long-term. That is how we level up.

    Levelling Up Secretary, Michael Gove said:

    We know that in our towns the values of hard work and solidarity, common sense and common purpose, endeavour and quiet patriotism have endured across generations. But for too long, too many of our great British towns have been overlooked and undervalued.

    We are putting this right through our Long-Term Plan for Towns backed by over £1bn of levelling up funding. This will empower communities in every part of the UK to take back control of their future, taking long term decisions in the interests of local people. It will mean more jobs, more opportunities and a brighter future for our towns and the people who live and work in them.

    Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said:

    I wholeheartedly welcome the launch of the UK Government’s Long Term Plan for Towns. It’s great to see that seven Scottish towns will benefit from £20 million each from the latest round of levelling up funding which so far has seen us invest more than £2.4 billion right across Scotland to help grow our economy and level up the country.

    I look forward to seeing these towns – and the communities within them – use this investment to breathe new life into the places where they live, work and play.

    ‘Our Long-Term Plan for Towns’, published today, is carefully designed to complement the wider levelling up programme, working alongside funding for specific projects across the UK, our targeted support to the places most in need through Levelling Up Partnerships, and initiatives supporting economic growth in wider city regions like investment zones.

    The Long-Term Plan for Towns will require town boards to develop their own long-term plan for their town, with funding over 10 years and aligned to the issues that research shows people want the most, such as:

    • Improving transport and connections to make travel easier for residents and increase visitor numbers in centres to boost opportunities for small businesses and create jobs.
    • Tackling crime and anti social behaviour to keep residents safe and encourage visitors through better security measures and hotspot policing
    • Enhancing town centres to make high streets more attractive and accessible, including repurposing empty shops for new housing, creating more green spaces, cleaning up streets or running market days

    Local people will be at the heart of decisions, through direct membership of a new Towns Board, which will include community groups, MPs, businesses, cultural and sports organisations, public sector agencies and local authorities for each town and through a requirement to engage local people on the long-term plan for each town.

    The Government has also announced a new ‘Towns Taskforce, sitting in the Department for Levelling Up and reporting directly to the Prime Minister and Levelling Up Secretary. This will help town boards to develop their plans, and advise them on how best to take advantage of government policies, unlock private and philanthropic investment and work with communities.

    A new ‘High Streets and Towns Task Force’ will also be established, building on the success of the existing version, providing each selected town with bespoke, hands-on support.

    Further information

    Towns have been allocated funding according to the Levelling Up Needs Index which takes into account metrics covering skills, pay, productivity and health, as well as the Index of Multiple Deprivation to ensure funding goes directly to the towns which will benefit most, without new competitions or unnecessary hurdles. A full methodology note will be published.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Government launches review of regulators to cut red tape and bureaucracy [October 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Government launches review of regulators to cut red tape and bureaucracy [October 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 2 October 2023.

    Review set up to cut burdens for businesses in new post-Brexit regulatory framework and improve customer outcomes.

    • Cut burdens for businesses in new post-Brexit regulatory framework and improve customer outcomes
    • Seeking to establish what works well, what needs improving and boost performance
    • Around 90 regulators in the UK covering most sectors cost around £5 billion a year

    The UK Government is today announcing an in-depth review into all regulators across the country. The 12 week call for evidence will seek to capitalise on our post-Brexit freedoms to bring about Smarter Regulation to the economy. The review will seek to ensure regulators are working efficiently and delivering on reforms needed to help grow the economy and protect consumers.

    The 12 week call for evidence will seek views of businesses, consumers and regulators to establish areas that are working well as well as where regulators could improve. It comes as part of the wider Smarter Regulation Programme, which aims to bring about more effective and less burdensome regulations across the economy.

    There are 90 regulators in the UK, and 39 per cent of small businesses say red tape holds them back. This review will identify the changes to the regulatory landscape that will really make a difference to economic growth, as well as improving the outcomes for consumers and our environment.

    Businesses have made clear that burdensome regulations have hampered growth, which is why we are taking this action – the UK government is firmly backing business.

    Kemi Badenoch, Secretary of State for Business and Trade, said:

    “I want us to use our Brexit freedoms to scrap unnecessary regulations that hold back firms and hamper growth. It’s clear that the regulators that enforce the rules can also sometimes be a blocker to businesses, so our review will seek to root out the bad practices with the aim of making companies’ lives easier and reducing costs for consumers.”

    The principal focus of this call for evidence is to understand what works well and what could be improved in how regulators operate to deliver for the sectors they serve.

    It seeks views on regulatory agility; proportionality; predictability and consistency of approach. It will also consider whether there are any further steps we can take to reform the existing stock of regulation on the UK Statute book (both Retained EU Law and wider regulations).

    Regulators play a crucial role in protecting consumers rights,  workers’ rights and the environment which is why no reforms will come at the expense of the UK’s already high standards.

    It comes as many businesses, consumer groups and other industry leaders have expressed their concern over the operation and enforcement of regulation by independent regulators. Broadly, these criticisms fall into three categories:

    • The regulatory landscape is a crowded space, with too many regulators having too many duties to trade-off against each other meaning consistency across regulators and a clear direction on what good looks like is essential.
    • Regulator behaviour, risk appetite and overall performance is not as it should be. Businesses/industry groups argue that regulators are overly risk averse and focus too heavily on process, and that this is at the expense of delivering the best outcomes.
    • Regulator powers and accountability have not moved in tandem, in part because of the increased decision-making power of some regulators now that decisions are taken at a UK- (not EU-) level.

    This work is complementary to existing work in train, including the more specific review of Ofgem, Ofwat and Ofcom – which also forms part of the Smarter Regulation Programme.

    This is the next step in the government’s programme of Smarter Regulation and deregulation. We have already launched a series of consultations and reviews into the growth duty for larger regulators, the UK’s product safety review and fire safety for domestic appliances – these have all been aimed at improving safety, cutting business burdens and improving regulations for the economy.

    Across the UK, there are 90 regulators, and 39 per cent of small businesses say red tape holds them back. Which is why this review will work to identify the changes to the regulatory landscape that will really make a difference to economic growth, as well as improving the outcomes for consumers and our environment.

    The findings will help to improve regulators right across government to ensure they are more accountable, effective and responsive to the needs of the sectors they represent.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Government takes action to back small businesses and tackle late payments [October 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Government takes action to back small businesses and tackle late payments [October 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 2 October 2023.

    Government announces measures to tackle late payment of invoices to support small businesses and grow the economy.

    • Paying small businesses on time could boost the economy by £2.5 billion annually
    • Measures form part of wider government review on Cash Flow and Prompt Payment

    The government has today announced tougher measures to tackle the issue of late payments to small businesses. These new measures will be included in the upcoming Prompt Payment & Cash Flow Review, due to be published shortly and will improve delivery and enforcement of policies, enabling more small businesses to get paid on time.

    Late payment of invoices and long payment terms are key issues that businesses, especially SMEs, highlight as a barrier to their growth. Owners and managers are forced to spend disproportionate time chasing payments; resulting cash flow problems cause even good, viable firms to struggle.

    In 2022, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) were owed on average an estimated £22,000 in late payments. Improving payment culture in the UK will support smaller businesses, many of which do not have the resources to accommodate long or late payments from their business customers and could boost the economy by £2.5 billion annually.

    That is why the Government is extending and improving the Reporting on Payment Practices and Performance Regulations and conducted the Prompt Payment and Cash Flow Review.

    New measures to be announced in the review will include:

    • Extending the Reporting on Payment Practices and Performance Regulations 2017. Following consultation, Government will take forward legislation to extend payment performance reporting obligations. We will include new metrics for reporting, including a value metric, so businesses and commentators can see the value of invoices, including invoices paid late, and a disputed invoices metric. We will also introduce reporting on retention payments for businesses in the construction sector.
    • Providing greater advice to small businesses on negotiating payment terms that better suit them, and on how going digital can help them get paid quicker and manage their cash flow.
    • Broadening the powers of the Small Business Commissioner: Introducing broader responsibilities, enabling the Commissioner to undertake investigations and publish reports where necessary on the basis of anonymous information and intelligence. This will require primary legislation, so will be subject to the legislative timetable.

    The stronger measures will benefit UK businesses by fostering a stronger payment culture and providing businesses with more predictable and reliable cash flow, allowing businesses to spend and invest with greater certainty.

    It will reduce the time spent by businesses chasing payments, freeing up more time for other activities that will help them to grow. Tackling late and long payments provides an opportunity to increase investment and productivity across the economy.

    This will improve payment culture in the UK to support smaller businesses, many of whom do not have the resources to accommodate long or late payments from their business customers.

    Secretary of State for Business and Trade Kemi Badenoch said:

    SMEs make up 99 per cent of firms in the UK and are the lifeblood of our economy. I know that late payments are a massive barrier to growth and I am determined to fix that.

    The measures we’re announcing will take a big step towards making sure SMEs get their payments on time, helping firms to grow and prosper.

    Small Business Minister Kevin Hollinrake said:

    Small businesses form a crucial part of large companies’ supply chains. Without them, they couldn’t do business. It’s only right that they should be paid promptly for their services.

    SMEs that are paid on time can do more business, scale up and make more profits, delivering growth for the economy.

    Background

    • The Government will work with partners (such as business representative organisations) and other existing initiatives (Growth hubs, Help to Grow) to help deliver an improved payment culture which will include guides on negotiating payment terms.
    • The powers of the Small Business Commissioner will be broadened, enabling it to undertake investigations and publish reports where necessary on the basis of anonymous information and intelligence.
    • There will be closer integration of the Small Business Commissioner with other late payment functions.
    • We will strengthen the Prompt Payment Code so that business signatories must reaffirm their commitment every two years to stay on it.
    • We will extend the Reporting on Payment Practices and Performance Regulations, taking forward legislation to extend payment performance reporting obligations. This will include new metrics for reporting, including a value metric, so businesses and commentators can see the value of invoices, including invoices paid late, and a disputed invoices metric.
    • There will be an effective and proportionate compliance regime to help ensure that businesses required by law to report their payment data, do so.
    • We will promote the benefits of digital payment technologies and of embedding prompt payments as part of firms’ ESG (environmental, social, governance) programmes, if they have them.
  • PRESS RELEASE : Government holds first taskforce for the UK Battery Strategy [October 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Government holds first taskforce for the UK Battery Strategy [October 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 2 October 2023.

    The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) launches the UK Battery Strategy Taskforce made up of leaders from academia and industry.

    • The Department for Business and Trade launches new expert UK Battery Strategy Taskforce.
    • The Taskforce is made up of industry and academic experts from across the battery eco-system.
    • The UK Battery Strategy is due to be published in the coming months.

    Today (Monday 2 October) the UK Battery Strategy Taskforce had its inaugural meeting.  The group brings together industry experts and academics from across the battery ecosystem to support development of the UK’s first battery strategy.

    The Government plans to publish the UK’s battery strategy in the coming months, setting out a joined-up government-industry approach to deliver a battery ecosystem that unleashes economic prosperity, delivers on our net zero ambitions and ensures our access to technologies and applications that are vital to our security.

    Membership list:

    • Dame Professor Clare Grey, University of Cambridge (co-chair)
    • Professor Julia Sutcliffe, Department for Business and Trade Chief Scientific Advisor (co-chair)
    • Jacqui Murray, National Manufacturing Institute Scotland
    • Craig Wilson, WAE Technologies
    • Carol Rose Burke, Unipart Manufacturing
    • David Bailey, Birmingham University
    • Merlin Hyman OBE, Regen
    • Nicholas Beatty, Zenobe
    • Simon Moores, Benchmark Minerals
    • Robin Brundle, Technology Minerals
    • Kunal Sinha, Glencore Recycling
    • Gavin Graveson, Veolia
    • Mike Hawes, SMMT
    • Professor David Greenwood, WMG High Value Manufacturing Catapult
    • Jeff Pratt, Envision, AESC
    • Anna Wise, Nyobolt
    • Professor Patrick Grant, Oxford University
  • PRESS RELEASE : Action to support rural communities announced [October 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Action to support rural communities announced [October 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 2 October 2023.

    100,000 homes and businesses in rural parts of the UK will be further supported to access improved broadband connections.

    100,000 homes and businesses in the most remote and rural parts of the UK will be further supported to access substantially improved broadband connections, under plans outlined by the Secretary of State for Rural Affairs Thérèse Coffey today (Monday 2 October).

    The government is committed to ensuring rural communities have access to reliable gigabit-capable broadband connection across the UK, with a target of reaching 85% of premises by 2025 and to reach as close to 100 per cent as soon as possible after.

    However, a small minority of premises in rural and remote areas of the UK – known as ‘Very Hard to Reach Premises’ – are unlikely to benefit directly from the substantial activity across the telecoms industry to deliver gigabit-capable broadband services. This can be caused by their isolated location, low population density or limited existing telecoms infrastructure – all of which can make them challenging to connect.

    Consultations published today outline plans to review and update the broadband Universal Service Obligation (USO) which already gives homeowners and businesses the legal right to request an affordable, decent broadband connection, and to develop and assess future policy to improve broadband connectivity for Very Hard to Reach Premises.

    Alongside the measures to improve rural connectivity, the Secretary of State set out the government’s plans to level up rural communities by unlocking new homes in rural areas and investing in new technology to improve local transport links.

    The ‘Future of Transport: Helping local authorities to unlock the benefits of technology and innovation in rural transport’ will support local authorities, transport planners, bus operators and transport companies explore how emerging technologies could be deployed in non-urban areas.

    Secretary of State for Rural Affairs Thérèse Coffey said:

    “Our countryside, home to millions of people, is rich in potential and we want to make sure that everyone can develop their skills and reach the opportunities for success.

    “So whether through improved connectivity, housing or transport I’m championing rural communities as we seek to grow our economy – so that every part of our country gets the support it needs to thrive.”

    Secretary of State for Rural Affairs Thérèse Coffey announced:

    • A consultation on reviewing and updating the Broadband Universal Service Obligation (USO) which already gives homeowners and businesses the legal right to request an affordable, decent broadband connection.
    • A consultation on further proposals to improve broadband provision for Very Hard to Reach Premises, which are unlikely to receive a gigabit-capable connection via either a commercial or government funded intervention. This will ensure communities with the most limited connectivity experience a step-change in their digital connectivity as soon as possible, fuelling the economy and supporting jobs growth for decades to come.
    • A statement from Homes England setting out its work to support rural communities and families by enabling the delivery of more good quality, affordable homes. The statement includes case studies of successful rural housing schemes currently operating within Cornwall and the Yorkshire Dales.
    • The publication of ‘Future of Transport: Helping local authorities to unlock the benefits of technology and innovation in rural transport’ to help rural local authorities, their communities and other stakeholders to harness transport innovation, helping to improve access to services, tackle isolation and increase access to jobs in rural and remote areas.

    The announcements build on the Unleashing Rural Opportunity paper published in June, which outlines how government will deliver the Prime Minister’s priority to grow the economy, creating better paid jobs and opportunity across the country.

    Defra also continues its rural proofing work whereby all government policy is examined to ensure it is delivering for rural communities. The next rural proofing report will be published later this year.

    This follows a decade of action that has boosted rural connectivity and opportunity, from our flagship Project Gigabit programme that has already helped to deliver high-speed, reliable and future-proof broadband to more than 75 per cent of the nation, to improving access to doctors in underserved areas, fixing millions of potholes and resurfacing thousands of miles of road on which our rural communities rely.

    Further information

    • This a broad range of steps the government is taking to boost rural communities on housing, transport, digital connectivity and jobs as set out in Unleashing Rural Opportunity.
    • Rural areas already contribute over 15% to England’s economy, which amounts to over £270 billion of our national GDP, but the programme seeks to unlock further growth.
    • This builds on significant government action since 2010 to support rural communities including in March it announced the grant awards of the Rural England Prosperity Fund, a £110 million rural top-up to the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to support levelling up across the UK. It will support initiatives such as farm diversification, projects to boost tourism, and community infrastructure projects such as electric vehicle charging stations.
    • Huge improvements have also been made over the last decade to support connectivity in rural areas. Over 75% of UK premises can now access gigabit-capable broadband, [up from 6% at the beginning of 2019], and over 730,000 premises have already been upgraded in hard-to-reach rural areas as part of our £5 billion Project Gigabit investment.
    • Investing, jointly with industry, £1 billion in the Shared Rural Network to improve 4G mobile coverage throughout the UK to reach 95% geographic coverage by the end of 2025.
    • Help for rural low-income households to move to cheaper heating. Up to £378 million is being made available in grants, ring-fenced for rural areas, to fund energy efficiency and clean heating upgrades for low-income households living off the gas grid in England.

    On the Boiler Upgrade Scheme:

    • Our Boiler Upgrade Scheme is supporting families across the country with costs, with over £81 million in vouchers issued in the first year. The scheme recently received a 50% increase in funding from £5,000 to £7,500 – making it one of the most generous support schemes of its kind in Europe.
    • The Prime Minister recently set out proposals to make it easier and cheaper for households to install heat pumps. We remain fully focused on meeting our aim of 600,000 heat pump installations a year by 2028.
    • While most off-grid properties will ultimately switch to heat pumps, not all buildings are suitable for one – instead, these properties will need a range of technologies and approaches to help decarbonise their heating and reach our net zero goals. We are currently looking into whether these could include high temperature heat pumps, hybrid heat pumps, solid biomass, and renewable liquid fuels, like HVO – and we will publish our recommendations on this in due course.
  • PRESS RELEASE : Government launches new crackdown on parents who refuse to pay child maintenance [October 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Government launches new crackdown on parents who refuse to pay child maintenance [October 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Work and Pensions on 2 October 2023.

    Parents who refuse to pay child maintenance will face accelerated sanctions as Ministers announce the introduction of new powers to speed up strong enforcement action and other reforms to make the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) fairer.

    • Government introducing long-term changes to make the system fairer for children and parents
    • Enforcement process to be made almost four times faster and non-compliance will be detected and dealt with more quickly
    • Application fee will be removed to ensure the service is accessible to all

    Today (02/10/2023) the Government is announcing a Liability Orders consultation to speed up enforcement action, the removal of the application fee to the CMS and longer-term changes.

    Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride said:

    Parents need to take financial responsibility for their children. It’s completely unfair that it can take so long to get children support they are due. I am determined to go after those parents who are refusing to pay up when we know they can.

    Child maintenance makes a real difference to the life chances of many thousands of children. The CMS can and does enforce compliance, but we want to enable it to act much faster.

    DWP Minister Viscount Younger of Leckie said:

    We always act fairly and carefully to protect children in separated families so they are supported by both their parents to have a good start in life.

    These new powers will improve how the Child Maintenance Service supports children of separated parents, helping families receive child maintenance faster and preventing further arrears.

    Liability Orders consultation

    A consultation published today lays the groundwork for new regulations that will accelerate tough sanctions on non-paying parents – such as forcing the sale of property – by modernising the enforcement process.

    Families will be paid faster as the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) will be able to use an administrative liability order to recover unpaid child maintenance instead of applying to the courts and waiting up to 22 weeks. It’s anticipated this change could reduce the wait for further action to around six to eight weeks.

    Around 10,000 parents a year who wilfully refuse to pay maintenance are estimated to be affected by the new liability order regulations, to the benefit of thousands of children and parents for whom child maintenance is a key source of financial security.

    Removal of the £20 application fee

    There is currently a £20 application fee to apply to the CMS for assistance securing the financial support a parent is owed, although victims of domestic abuse and applicants aged under 19 are exempt.

    The Government will remove this application fee for all parents so that children in the poorest families are not unfairly disadvantaged if their parent cannot afford the £20.

    Changes to maintenance calculations

    The Government will legislate to ensure unearned income, such as savings, investment, dividend and property income, is taken into account automatically when the maintenance calculation is made. This will make it more difficult for the small number of parents who avoid paying the correct amount.

    Improvements to collection of payments

    The Government has also committed to consulting on the way the CMS collects and makes payments so it can act on non-compliance more quickly.  Changes will mean the CMS can use its strong enforcement powers more quickly to go after those who wilfully avoid their financial obligations to their children.

    This follows the Child Support (Enforcement) Act 2023 and The Child Support Collection (Domestic Abuse) Act 2023 receiving royal assent in the summer. These Acts provide the basis for the CMS to act swiftly, progressing enforcement action faster with the aim of getting money to children more quickly, establishing compliance, preventing further arrears and bolstering domestic abuse protections for parents.

    The CMS helps around 930,000 children get the financial support they are entitled to and between June 2022-2023 arranged a record £1.2 billion on their behalf. Overall, child maintenance payments help to keep 160,000 children out of poverty each year.

    The liability order consultation is published here www.gov.uk/government/consultations/child-maintenance-accelerating-enforcement and closes on 24 November.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Warsaw Human Dimension Conference 2023 – UK opening statement [October 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Warsaw Human Dimension Conference 2023 – UK opening statement [October 2023]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 2 October 2023.

    Ambassador Neil Holland says that the Warsaw Human Dimension Conference is an important manifestation of participating States’ will to preserve the OSCE’s capacity to defend and promote human rights.

    Thank you, Mr Chair.

    The Warsaw Human Dimension Conference (WHDC) is an important manifestation of our collective will to preserve the OSCE’s capacity to defend and promote human rights.

    I would first like to thank ODIHR and the Chair in Office, as well as our hosts Poland, for their work to make sure we can meet here this week and next. And I would also like to thank the Representative on Freedom of the Media for her invaluable work since last year’s WHDC.

    The human dimension underpins Euro-Atlantic security and is critical to the functioning of the OSCE. The UK will continue to defend the independence, mandates, and budgets of the OSCE’s human dimension institutions. We’re determined that Russia’s attempts to block discussions of democracy and human rights as well as its wider efforts to undermine the OSCE will fail.

    The United Kingdom also thanks Ireland in their capacity as 2023 Chair of the Human Dimension Committee. We’re delighted to invite delegates to a joint screening by Ireland and the United Kingdom of a film entitled ‘Wave Goodbye to Dinosaurs’ on Wednesday 5 October at 7pm in the Atlantic Cinema. This documentary focuses on the involvement of a cross-community group, The Northern Ireland Women’s Coalition, in the negotiation of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement 25 years ago.

    The WHDC is an important opportunity to reflect on the reality of life for tens of thousands of Ukrainians living in territory temporarily under Russian control, including in illegally annexed Crimea. This week and next we will hear how Ukrainian civilians bear the brunt of Russia’s aggression, are subjected to unimaginable abuse, and denied even the most basic rights and freedoms.

    As we stand united with Ukraine, we must also reflect on the state of human rights within Russia and Belarus.

    Belarus has now experienced three years of brutal repression – of civil society groups, political opponents, journalists and ordinary citizens. We call on Belarus to end this repression now.

    As we have seen in the Moscow Mechanism report, internal repression is part of Russia’s longstanding strategy to suppress dissent and punish human rights defenders and civil society. Ultimately this internal repression led to external aggression by Russia, destabilising the OSCE region as a whole.

    The UK again calls on Russia to uphold its international commitments and obligations on human rights and fundamental freedoms. Together with others in this organisation we remain determined to hold Russia to account for its actions in Ukraine.

    Mr Chair, the UK is concerned about the humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, due to the limited access international aid organisations have into Nagorno-Karabakh, and the significant refugee flows from Nagorno-Karabakh into Armenia. We are liaising with the UN, ICRC and others to assess humanitarian need in the region and what further UK assistance might be required.

    Finally, a word to civil society. We look forward to positive and constructive engagement with you throughout the conference. We admire your brave determination to hold governments and societies to account and to give a voice to the voiceless. We will listen to you.

    Thank you.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Judge orders director of gift company, Grisha Valchev, to repay falsely-obtained Covid loan [October 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Judge orders director of gift company, Grisha Valchev, to repay falsely-obtained Covid loan [October 2023]

    The press release issued by HM Treasury on 2 October 2023.

    Grisha Valchev, 43, of Enfield, has been ordered to repay £43,570 after abusing the Bounce Back Loan scheme. In addition to the compensation order, the judge also disqualified Valchev as a director for nine years.

    Valchev was a director of Healthy & Tasty Ltd, a north London-based gift company selling fruit baskets, chocolates, hampers and flowers.

    Healthy & Tasty Ltd went into liquidation in July 2021, triggering an investigation by the Insolvency Service which uncovered the abuse of the loan scheme.

    On 6 September 2023, District Judge Geddes at the High Court of Justice Business and Property Courts in Leeds imposed the order and disqualified Valchev, after hearing that the director had given false information to claim the maximum Bounce Back Loan amount of £50,000 in May 2020.

    The company’s actual turnover on which the loan should have been based was around £35,400, which meant Healthy & Tasty Ltd had been entitled to less than £9,000, and had ultimately received more than five times that amount.

    Valchev argued in court that he was unable to repay the money, but the Judge rejected this, and ordered him to repay £43,570, which included the excess amount that he had falsely claimed, plus interest.

    Rob Clarke, Chief Investigator of Insolvent Investigations North at the Insolvency Service, said:

    Grisha Valchev abused taxpayers’ money to give his company an unfair advantage over other businesses impacted by Covid-19.

    This is the first Compensation Order handed out to a director who challenged our case in court. It is a significant result for the Insolvency Service and shows that abuse of the public purse will not be tolerated.

    Where there have been similar cases of abuse by a company director, we will be seeking further Compensation Orders and disqualifications.

    Valchev’s ban began on 27 September 2023 and lasts for 9 years. His disqualification prevents him from becoming involved in the promotion, formation or management of a company, without the permission of the court.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Government launches plan to put drivers back in the driving seat [October 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Government launches plan to put drivers back in the driving seat [October 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 2 October 2023.

    New 30-point plan to support people’s freedom to use their cars and curb over-zealous enforcement measures.

    • Transport Secretary announces plan for drivers to fix common issues on the road and back people who use cars in their daily lives
    • action will be taken to support drivers with easier parking, smoother journeys and fairer traffic enforcement
    • measures will also speed up the rollout of electric vehicle chargepoints across the country and crack down on inconsiderate driving

    Today (2 October 2023), the Transport Secretary announced a new 30-point plan to support people’s freedom to use their cars and curb over-zealous enforcement measures.

    Drivers will benefit from smoother, easier journeys thanks to the government’s new plan for drivers, including £70 million to keep traffic flowing and measures to speed up the rollout of electric vehicle charging.

    The plan includes measures that could help councils increase spending on fixing potholes and road repairs by more than £100 million over 10 years, fining roadworks which overrun, new technology to simplify parking payment and updating 20mph zone guidance for England to prevent inappropriate blanket use

    The government has also today committed to exploring measures to speed up the installation of chargepoints for electric vehicles and extending grants to schools to install chargepoints.

    Transport Secretary Mark Harper said:

    We’re backing drivers and our new long-term plan will improve journeys for millions across the country, whether they’re commuting to work or college, parking up for a day trip, or charging their electric car.

    Our plan for drivers will support thousands of skilled jobs and help grow the economy, sitting alongside our continued record investment in public transport and active travel – ensuring people have the freedom to travel how they want.

    To help ease congestion, £70 million will be provided to councils this financial year in 3 different schemes to invest in improving traffic lights and signals, including AI tech to optimise traffic flow in city centres.

    Journeys will also be smoother and quicker with the digitisation of traffic regulation orders, which will pave the way for autonomous vehicles and make life easier for today’s motorists by ensuring satnavs have the most up-to-date information on the location of parking spaces, road closures and speed limits.

    These measures fulfil the government’s commitment to support families and grow the economy by making driving easier for the 50 million car licence holders in the UK. It will also help people make the switch to electric vehicles as the country continues its proportionate, balanced journey to net zero.

    The measures come on top of extending the temporary fuel duty cut for another year in March 2023 to save drivers a total of around £5 billion over the past 2 years.

    The full plan for drivers will make journeys smoother by:

    • strengthening guidance to make sure bus lanes operate only when buses are running
    • guiding local authorities on allowing motorcycles to use bus lanes and holding a consultation about whether motorcycle access should be standard
    • permitting red flashing lights for breakdown vehicles, helping to protect recovery drivers by making them more visible at the roadside
    • supporting councils to introduce more lane rental schemes, which reduce roadworks by incentivising utilities to avoid the busiest roads at the busiest times
    • consulting on requiring local authorities with lane rental schemes to use at least 50% of any surplus on pothole repairs or resurfacing
    • consulting on extending fines for overrunning street works at weekends and increasing fixed penalty notices
    • rolling out the Live Labs 2 programme to explore new, low-carbon and high-tech ways of managing local highway networks, supporting the transition to net zero carbon local roads and infrastructure
    • developing a New Road Condition Data Standard to provide local authorities with access to new technologies enabling them more easily to identify and deal with road defects like potholes
    • £30 million fund to upgrade traffic signal systems, replacing unreliable and obsolete equipment to improve reliability
    • £20 million ‘Green Light Fund’ to tune up traffic signals to better reflect current traffic conditions and get traffic flowing
    • £20 million to deploy advanced technology for traffic signals, making use of machine learning and AI to optimise traffic flow and balance traffic across city centres

    We’re also stopping unfair enforcement by:

    • issuing 20mph zone guidance for England to help prevent inappropriate blanket use.
    • consulting on measures including the removal of local authorities’ access to DVLA data to enforce such schemes by camera
    • focusing on the importance of local support and consider as part of the LTN review how to address existing LTNs that have not secured local consent
    • strengthening government and sector-led guidance on enforcement of moving traffic offences such as entering yellow box junctions, to ensure consistency and stop drivers from being penalised unfairly
    • launching a call for evidence on options to restrict local authorities’ ability to generate surpluses from traffic offences and over-zealous use of traffic enforcement powers

    We’re making parking easier by:

    • delivering the new National Parking Platform by autumn 2024, ending the need to use multiple parking apps
    • consulting on revising guidance about the public’s right to challenge local authority parking policies
    • introducing digitised traffic regulation orders to help easily identify where it is legal to park anywhere in the country

    We’re tackling inconsiderate driving by:

    • consulting on removing the right of uninsured drivers to claim compensation for property damage
    • launching a communications campaign and enforcement to tackle lane hogs and other inconsiderate driving on the motorway
    • allowing local councils to roll out noise cameras to target unacceptable vehicle modifications
    • clamping down on roadside littering, extending the trial on camera enforcement across the strategic road network

    We’re supporting the transition to zero emission driving by:

    • reviewing grid connections process for EV chargepoints, with the aim to accelerate it
    • consulting on measures to speed up the approvals process for installation of chargepoints
    • providing dedicated, targeted support for schools to install chargepoints, using existing grants
    • widening eligibility of EV chargepoint grants to include cross-pavement solutions to make EV ownership a more practical option for those without off-street parking
    • providing guidance on the use of safe cross-pavement solutions
    • consulting on the expansion of permitted development rights, making private chargepoint installation cheaper and easier
    • working with industry to myth-bust concerns about EVs