Tag: Press Release

PRESS RELEASE : War Pension and Armed Forces Compensation Schemes Complaints Process Change [September 2023]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 1 September 2023.

The Ministry of Defence has introduced an updated process for actioning War Pension and Armed Forces Scheme complaints.

As part of an ongoing effort to modernise and improve services for customers, the Ministry of Defence has introduced an updated process for actioning War Pension and Armed Forces Scheme complaints, to simplify the process and reduce the time taken to receive a final response.

The streamlined process will see a reduction in the overall stages from five to three following the removal of the Independent Complaints Panel, reducing the internal target time for resolution from 60 to 40 days. It has been developed in consultation with, and endorsed by, the Chairs of the Veterans Advisory and Pensions Committees (VAPCs) and the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO).

As of 1 September 2023, the process is as follows:
- Complaints should now be submitted via formal complaints form. A new online form is now available on Gov.uk with support still available via Helpline (0808 1914 218). This online submission method enables complainants to provide all information at the outset, which will enable the MOD to provide a comprehensive and full response as quickly as possible.
- A paper copy for is available via Helpline for non-digital customers.
- Following initial submission, the complainant will receive a response from the Head of the Complaint Resolution Team within 20 working days. If the complaint is not resolved at this first stage, it will be escalated to the Head of Service (or 1* level).
- At each of these two stages, the complainant will be offered a phone call within three working days to ensure all concerns are fully understood, and to help work towards earliest possible resolution.
- If the complaint remains unresolved, it will be escalated to the independent PHSO.
The new process will shorten the time it takes for a complaint to reach the independent Ombudsman where necessary, and MOD will continue to monitor this updated process as part of ongoing continuous improvement efforts.
September 4, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Childcare settings receive cash boost as funding rates increase [September 2023]

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 1 September 2023.

Nurseries and childminders across the country will be paid more from today for every government-funded hour they provide to parents.

Nurseries and childminders will benefit from higher payment rates from today (1 September), as part of the largest ever investment in childcare in England.

The government has today increased the funding rates to local authorities for both three- and four-year-olds and two year olds, in a landmark moment for the early years sector,.

The additional £204 million of funding is providing a substantial uplift for local authorities to increase hourly rates paid to early years providers for delivering the government funded hours to parents.

Funding rates per child paid from today are increasing from an average of £5.29 to £5.62 for three and four-year-olds, and from an average of £6.00 to £7.95 for two-year-olds.

There will be a further increase in funding to come next year, with the average rate paid to local authorities for 2024/25 anticipated to be set at £8.17 for two-year-olds and £11.06 for under twos. This would make the average rate for under twos almost double the average hourly fee of £5.68 charged to parents.

Final 2024-25 hourly funding rates for local authorities for all age groups will be confirmed in the autumn.

From April 2024, eligible working parents of two-year-olds will get a new offer of 15 free hours per week of free childcare. From September 2024, eligible parents will get 15 free hours from nine months until their children start school, and from September 2025, they will get 30 free hours from nine months until the start of school.

Parents whose children turn three this term can sign up for the 30 hours codes for the spring term, which starts from 1st January. The government is therefore urging every parent to check now if they are claiming the free childcare hours they are entitled to, with national data showing almost one in five eligible children may be missing out.

Minister for Children and Families, David Johnston, said:

This funding increase is another vital step in this government’s work with the early years sector to deliver the flexible, affordable, and quality childcare that parents need.

With yet another increase in funding coming next year, we are committed to supporting nurseries, childminders and everyone working with children in their vital early years to deliver on our biggest ever investment into childcare in England – set to save a working parent using 30 hours of childcare up to an average of £6,500 per year.

Alongside funding and developing a national recruitment campaign, the government is also supporting the early years workforce to deliver the biggest ever investment in childcare in England.

Funding rates have been set using insight gathered from surveying 10,000 providers up and down the country to understand their cost pressures. In autumn 2023, it will look into how best to bring down registration times for childminders from up to four months to 10 weeks.

September 3, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : UK reviewing membership of energy treaty [September 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 1 September 2023.

The UK government confirms it will be reviewing its Energy Charter Treaty membership, and considering withdrawal if vital modernisation is not agreed.
- UK is reviewing its membership of the Energy Charter Treaty if member states do not reach agreement on modernised terms by November 2023
- warning comes after UK played a leading role in negotiating updated treaty, strengthening UK sovereignty in transition to cheaper and cleaner energy
- but protracted stalemate over whether to proceed with new terms means UK ministers are considering taking action to safeguard the UK’s green transition
The UK is reviewing its membership of the Energy Charter Treaty, Energy Minister Graham Stuart announced today (Friday 1 September), including whether the country will leave.

The treaty has historically provided protections for investors in fossil fuels – the UK’s future membership will depend on whether proposals for the treaty’s modernisation are adopted in November.

Last year the UK reached a landmark agreement to modernise the terms of the Energy Charter Treaty, maintaining its current benefits while supporting the transition to cleaner energy.

The modernised treaty, for which the UK has been a strong advocate, was supposed to have been adopted in November last year. It would have a much stronger focus on promoting clean, affordable energy, such as carbon capture, utilisation and storage as well as hydrogen and other renewables. It would also strengthen the UK government’s sovereign right to change its energy system to reach net zero and protect UK investors abroad.

However, several EU member states have decided to leave the treaty, leading to an impasse on modernisation. Ministers are therefore reviewing the UK’s membership of the Energy Charter Treaty to support the transition to cleaner, cheaper and home-grown energy sources, in a mission to bolster energy security.

Minister of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Graham Stuart, said:

Rather than being stuck indefinitely with an outdated treaty, the UK wants to see an agreement on a modernised treaty as quickly as possible.

In its current form, the Energy Charter Treaty will not support those countries looking to make the transition to cleaner, cheaper energy sources such as renewables – and could even penalise our country for being at the forefront of those efforts.

Governments around the world are looking to boost their sources of home-grown energy, including with new clean technologies – and that is why the Energy Charter Treaty must be modernised. It is also why we are reviewing our membership, and will consider withdrawal, if that vital modernisation is not agreed.

The UK will continue to carefully consider the views of stakeholders in business, civil society and Parliament to inform the UK’s approach. The UK’s strong rule of law means it remains an attractive destination for investment in the energy sector regardless of its Energy Charter Treaty membership.
September 3, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Healthcare studies more affordable as financial support increased [September 2023]
The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 1 September 2023.

Government increases financial support to make healthcare studies more affordable.
- Travel and accommodation support for healthcare students to be raised by 50% as part of government efforts to boost training
- Uplift will mean students are appropriately reimbursed for cost of travelling for clinical placements
- Follows publication of NHS Long Term Workforce Plan which committed to huge expansion of education and training places
Eligible students on nursing, midwifery, allied health professions, medical and dental courses will be able to claim 50% more for travel and accommodation expenses while more students from low-income families will be given financial help, the government has announced today (Friday 1 September 2023).

Students will be able to claim more money for any trips taken as part of their training, such as clinical placements in hospitals. For example, a student who travels 1,000 miles by car or motorcycle during their placement will now receive £420 compared to £280 under the previous rates.

The government will also raise the means-testing threshold for the NHS Bursary Scheme raising the amount a student’s parent or partner can earn before they are eligible for support from £24,279 to £26,076.

Minister of State for Health, Will Quince, said:

Working in the NHS is incredibly rewarding and we want to ensure a diverse range of students can pursue a career in nursing, midwifery or medicine.

We have therefore listened to students’ concerns and are taking action to ensure they are appropriately reimbursed for any additional costs of travelling for clinical placements, as well as boosting means-tested and childcare support for medical students.

Ahead of the biggest ever expansion of education and training places as part of the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan, this will help to support the next generation of NHS staff in their training.

Today’s increase comes on top of existing support including a non-repayable training grant for eligible nursing, midwifery and allied health professional students of £5,000 per academic year, plus up to £3,000 available for childcare support or those studying certain specialisms, such as radiography or mental health nursing.

The changes will come into effect from today, in time for the 2023 to 2024 academic year.

The 50% increase in travel and accommodation costs will include:
- travel on the student’s own pedal cycle: from current 20p to 30p per mile, for general maintenance and wear and tear
- travel in or on the student’s own motor vehicle: from current 28p to 42p per mile
- commercial accommodation such as a hotel or bed and breakfast: from current £55 to up to £82.50 per night
- non-commercial accommodation, including staying with a friend or relative, but not parents: from current £25 to up to £37.50 per night
Changes to the NHS Bursary Scheme for medical students will:
- uplift the means-testing threshold to £26,076 from £24,279. This is the amount a student’s parents or partner can earn before their income becomes deductible from the student’s means-tested bursary, and will increase the amount of means-tested funding available to support medical students
- uplift childcare allowance to align with the rates provided by the Department for Education for earlier years of study, meaning medical students will be able to claim more support for childcare costs, where needed
The NHS Learning Support Fund (LSF) provides non-taxable and non-repayable funding to eligible nursing, midwifery, and allied health professional (such as paramedics or physiotherapists) students on pre-registration healthcare courses. The NHS Bursary provides funding support to eligible medical and dental students.

The NHS Bursary travel and dual accommodation rates have remained unchanged since 2015, and the LSF rates since its inception in 2017.

The NHS Long Term Workforce Plan, backed by over £2.4 billion of funding for the next 5 years, will help to train more staff and retain dedicated existing staff to help cut waiting lists, one of the government’s top 5 priorities. It will also reform the way we work, including by embracing the very latest technological innovations.

By 2031, as part of the biggest ever workforce training expansion in NHS history, undergraduate medical school training places will double to 15,000 a year with more places targeted in areas with the greatest shortages to level up training and tackle health disparities. As part of this the government will be working with the General Medical Council to create new medical schools.

Adult nursing and midwifery training places will also nearly double, with more than 24,000 additional places a year.

The NHS will ramp up the number of apprenticeships so students can earn while they learn – widening opportunities to start a career in the NHS beyond traditional training routes. As a result, nearly a fifth of all clinical staff will train through apprenticeship routes by 2030, up from just 7% today. Up to 2,000 people a year will also achieve university medical degrees through an apprenticeship by 2036 to 2037.

Dr Navina Evans, Chief Workforce, Training and Education Officer for NHS England, said:

Changes to the Learning Support Fund and NHS Bursary Scheme is a welcome boost for healthcare students.

Financial support is key to helping to attract a diverse range of students onto healthcare courses, many of which may be mature students with families they need to financially support while they learn.

While on clinical placements, healthcare students are honing their skills and providing frontline care to patients. It is vital that we ensure that those that need support aren’t left out of pocket during these training periods.

We know that making the NHS an attractive place to work and train is vital to achieving the ambitions laid out in the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan and hope this increased funding will go some way to achieving that.
September 3, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Domestic abusers tagged on release and blocked from harassing victims from prison [September 2023]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 1 September 2023.

Hundreds of victims of domestic abuse will be better protected as perpetrators who still pose a risk once they are released from prison will be made to wear electronic monitoring tags.
- new scheme to tag hundreds of prison leavers at risk of abusing partners
- service that blocks harassment from behind bars has protected over 2,700 victims
- extra work to protect victims from domestic abusers behind bars and after release
Through the scheme, which will launch in the East and West Midlands, any offender who poses a threat to a former partner or their children can now be forced to wear an electronic tag, protecting victims from further trauma.

Offenders who are tagged can be banned from going within a certain distance of a victim’s home, with the tags monitoring their whereabouts or making them abide by a strict curfew. Offenders who breach these rules face being returned to prison.

Up to 500 prison leavers will, for the first time, be made to wear a GPS or curfew tag as part of an initial pilot which is expected to be rolled out across England and Wales next year.

The government has also announced today that over 2,700 victims have been protected from further harassment from their imprisoned abusers thanks to a Prison Service scheme launched last summer.

The Unwanted Prisoner Contact Service ensures offenders are unable to dial a victim’s number from prison phones or send out threatening letters to their address. Its relaunch last year through a simple online form and greater publicity has spared thousands from threats and abuse.

Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary, Alex Chalk, said:

Survivors of domestic abuse show great strength and bravery in coming forward, and it is right that every tool is used to protect them from further harm.

The tagging of prison leavers at risk of committing further domestic abuse is a further protection we are introducing to help victims rebuild their lives and feel safe in their communities.

Louise, a survivor of domestic violence, said:

The thought of my abuser trying to make contact – either from behind bars or once released – was one that left me feeling anxious and powerless.

These measures provide reassurance that we as survivors are being better protected from these efforts to intimidate and terrorise us.

More than 3,000 reports have been made to the Unwanted Prisoner Contact Service since its relaunch in June 2022 – representing a 4,779% increase compared to the old offline scheme. Of the 2,700 unique users who have filed reports, 93% are female with many being victims of domestic violence.

The service has also been used to disrupt criminal activity, such as the use and possession of illicit mobile phones by prisoners from behind bars. A recent case saw a prisoner’s sentence extended by 30 months, as a result of intelligence submitted via the online portal.

Crucially, the scheme allows domestic violence charities and other support services to file reports on behalf of the victims, saving them from having to think about their abuser.

The introduction of the domestic abuse tagging pilot is part of the government’s wider monitoring programme which was extended in 2021 to include two world-first projects, tagging thieves, burglars and robbers using location data to pin them to the scenes of further crimes and imposing alcohol monitoring tags on offenders post-custody.

Should an individual breach their licence conditions, such as entering an exclusion zone or breaching a curfew, then the offender faces going back behind bars.

The Domestic Abuse Commissioner for England and Wales, Nicole Jacobs, says:

I welcome announcements from government today to tackle perpetrators of domestic abuse. The domestic abuse electronic tags pilot is a positive step forwards in protecting victims.

By blocking perpetrators from contacting victims, the Unwanted Prisoner Contact scheme sets an important standard that the criminal justice system will not be used to further domestic abuse, making a difference for survivor’s safety, recovery, and freedom from abuse.

For too long, the onus has been on victims of domestic abuse to protect themselves from harm. I will continue to work with government to ensure a whole suite of measures is in place to protect victims and prevent domestic abuse, including improving probation practice and the use of evidence-based perpetrator interventions.

Valerie Wise, National Domestic Abuse Lead at the charity Victim Support said:

Unwanted contact from offenders is frightening and stressful – it is often used to intimidate survivors and continue campaigns of abuse.

Early indications that survivors are making use of this service is positive news. We hope it will continue to make it easier and quicker to stop this behaviour, so that survivors can move on and rebuild their lives.

These measures build on the government’s intention to end violence against women and girls, building on the landmark Domestic Abuse Act which introduced a range of measures to protect victims. This includes the introduction of new offences for non-fatal strangulation and image-based abuse and banning the cross-examination by abusers in the family courts.

The government has also quadrupled funding for victim services and recruiting hundreds more Independent Domestic Violence Advisers.
September 3, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Zimbabwe election 2023 – UK Minister for Africa’s statement [August 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 31 August 2023.

Minister for Development and Africa Andrew Mitchell gave a statement following the Zimbabwe elections.

The United Kingdom commends the people of Zimbabwe for demonstrating patience and resilience in exercising their democratic rights, and especially for maintaining a peaceful atmosphere on election day and beyond.

We share the view of the Election Observation Missions’ preliminary statements that the pre-election environment and election day fell short of regional and international standards. Issues included limited transparency from the electoral commission, the lack of level playing field, the passing of repressive legislation, long delays in the opening of some polling stations, and reports of intimidation of voters. The UK takes note of the announcement by the Chair of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission of results on 26 August. However, we are concerned by a lack of transparency in the tallying of results, as well as the arrests of domestic observers.

We urge all parties and citizens to continue to follow constitutional processes in the coming weeks, allow space for inclusive dialogue, and act with restraint.

September 3, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Japan’s discharge of treated Fukushima-Daiichi water: UK statement [August 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 31 August 2023.

An FCDO spokesperson gave a statement on Japan’s first discharge of treated water from the Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear site.

On 24 August 2023 Japan undertook its first discharge of treated water from the Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear site.

A Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office spokesperson said:

The UK is fully supportive of the Government of Japan in taking such action.

The UK government would like to restate its full satisfaction with the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) monitoring and judgement that Japan’s release of treated water from the Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear site is safe and consistent with internationally accepted nuclear safety standards.

The UK wishes to underscore the routine nature of aqueous discharges of tritium. It is standard practice throughout the nuclear industry globally.

September 3, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : North Korea’s ballistic missile launches on 30 August 2023 – FCDO statement [August 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 31 August 2023.

Following the ballistic missile launches by North Korea on 30 August 2023, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office released a statement.

A Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office spokesperson said:

North Korea’s ballistic missile launches on 30 August are a breach of multiple UN Security Council resolutions.

Illegal ballistic missile launches continue to destabilise the peace and security of the Korean Peninsula.

The UK will always call out these violations of UNSCRs.

We strongly urge North Korea to return to dialogue and take credible steps towards denuclearisation.

September 3, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : The UN Interim Force in Lebanon plays a critical role in maintaining peace and stability – UK Statement at the Security Council [August 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 31 August 2023.

Explanation of vote by Ambassador James Kariuki at the UN Security Council meeting on Lebanon.

Let me begin by joining others to thank France for their efforts as penholder.

In the spirit of compromise and consensus, The UK has voted in favour today.

The UK is a strong supporter of UNIFIL. It plays a critical role in maintaining peace and stability across the Blue Line, preventing any further escalation that would be catastrophic for the region.

Resolution 1701 has always been clear – UNIFIL is authorised to take all necessary action to ensure the freedom of movement of its personnel and to fulfil its duties. This resolution clearly upholds that principle.

We are pleased the language clarifying UNIFIL’s long-standing mandate to exercise freedom of movement – which allows UNIFIL to conduct independent patrols and respond quickly to blue-line violations, and was added last year to that end, has been retained. However, it is unacceptable that UNIFIL is still unable to access some locations along the Blue Line border, including Green Without Borders sites. Particularly given Hezbollah’s self-acknowledged stockpiling of weapons in violation of resolution 1701.

The support UNIFIL provides to the Lebanese Armed Forces [LAF] has had a positive impact on the situation across the Blue Line. So, it is disappointing that the logistical support – an important signal of cooperation – was removed from this year’s mandate. The UK has long been a proud supporter of the Lebanese Armed Forces and we will continue our support to the LAF and Internal Security Forces in Lebanon as the pillars of Lebanon’s stability.

With this mandate passing we look to UNIFIL to provide stability that Lebanon needs and we pay tribute to its personnel.

September 3, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Police pledge to pursue any reasonable lead to solve more crime [August 2023]

The press release issued by the Home Office on 31 August 2023.

Police forces have committed to pursuing all leads where there is a reasonable chance it could result in catching a perpetrator and solving a crime.

The ‘back-to-basics’ approach will mean police forces across England and Wales are expected to take advantage of footage made available by CCTV, vehicle dashcams, phones and smart doorbells to help identify suspects and place them at the scene of the crime.

While the pledge applies to all crimes, the Home Secretary expects police and crime commissioners to hold forces to account for a drastic change in the way police approach crimes like phone theft, car theft, shoplifting and criminal damage to bring more offenders to justice and restore public confidence in local policing.

This will mean that if there is tangible evidence, such as details of a website where a victim’s stolen goods appear, the police should request information to help identify the suspect. Alternatively, if a stolen mobile phone can be tracked with an app and there is a reasonable chance the police could recover it, then action should be taken.

This comes as the government confirms that over 50,000 drug tests for cocaine and opiates have been conducted on suspects arrested in the past year, with over half of these coming back positive. This testing is crucial for preventing further crime, as offenders are diverted towards life-changing intervention and treatment services. We are also expanding the powers for police to test for specified Class B drugs, such as cannabis and ketamine when parliamentary time allows.

In a bid to clean up communities across the country, the Home Secretary also encourages officers to make full, legitimate use of their stop and search powers to get drugs off the streets.

Today’s announcement builds on work the government is doing to cut crime and build stronger communities, with over 20,000 additional police officers on our streets and overall crime cut since 2010.

The government has also given the police the powers and resources they need to keep our streets safe. As well as putting more officers into our communities than ever before, police in England and Wales have received record levels of investment, with up to £17.2 billion this year.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman said:

The police have made progress in preventing crime across the country with neighbourhood offences like burglary, robbery and vehicle theft down by 51% since 2010.

Despite this success, since I became Home Secretary I’ve heard too many accounts from victims where police simply haven’t acted on helpful leads because crimes such as phone and car thefts are seen as less important – that’s unacceptable. It has damaged people’s confidence in policing.

Criminals must have no place to hide. The police’s commitment today is a huge step forward towards delivering the victim-focused, common-sense policing the public deserve.

The commitment today has been worked up and agreed by the Home Office, in tandem with the National Police Chiefs’ Council and College of Policing, and is formally defined as an agreement to pursue all ‘reasonable lines of enquiry’ in relation to all crime types.

It builds on the previous commitment from all police forces to attend the scene of all home burglaries, to ensure better evidence gathering and make victims feel safer, which is now being actioned across the country.

The Home Secretary has also asked for plans from police and crime commissioners and chief constables on how they intend to improve visibility in communities to make our streets safer and improve confidence in local policing.

Minister for Crime and Policing Chris Philp said:

There is no such thing as a minor crime. All crimes, where there is a reasonable lead to follow up should be investigated. This will keep the public safe, catch more criminals and avoid disorder escalating. Crimes such as shoplifting, phone theft, car theft and burglary profoundly affect business and the public, and all merit proper investigation where there are leads to follow.

There are now record numbers of police officers and record funding that has gone into policing, including for more patrols in hotspot areas of crime, and to make neighbourhoods more secure with better street lighting and CCTV. Along with camera images, combined with facial recognition, this will mean many more offenders can be brought to justice.

I welcome this recognition and agreement from the policing sector that more can – and will – be done to solve crime. I believe it will improve performance and transform the public’s perception of their local force – as we have seen in Greater Manchester already.

There are already forces who are making commitments and delivering improvements to boost investigations and give the police more opportunities to catch offenders, for example Greater Manchester Police. They have made significant changes to the service they provide to the public, including an impressive 44% year on year increase in the number of charges recorded by the force.

Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable Stephen Watson said:

The provision of additional officers; improved leadership; and an efficient but sustainable plan which focusses on the very basics of the job, has equipped Greater Manchester Police to significantly improve the policing services delivered to the communities within Greater Manchester and, crucially, victims of crime.

Additionally, an increased focus on vehicle crime in the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) in the first three months of 2023 led to 59 arrests and the recovery of 100 stolen vehicles, and MPS data suggests an 8% reduction in vehicle theft in the same period.

To support police forces to deliver on their commitment, the College of Policing have drafted new guidelines and have already updated the policing manual on best practice for investigating crime to support effective decision-making by officers (the Authorised Professional Practice).

The College of Policing is also developing specific good practice guidance on conducting residential burglary investigations. Setting the standard in respect of the initial response and the subsequent investigation, it emphasises the importance of attending the scene as early as possible to maximise evidence for the investigation, and this concept should be carried through to all crime types.

The public expect to get a timely response from the police which is why the Home Secretary and Policing Minister have today written to Chiefs and PCCs setting out their expectation for all emergency 999 calls to the police to be answered in less than 10 seconds and for all non-emergency contact, whether 101 or online, to be responded to as quickly as possible.

Operational decisions will always be a matter for individual police chiefs and their force, and it is right that each incident is looked at on a case-by-case basis, on the evidence available and in proportion to the crime.

September 3, 2023