Tag: Press Release

  • PRESS RELEASE : Heat pump applications surge after increase in government grant [November 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Heat pump applications surge after increase in government grant [November 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 30 November 2023.

    New applications for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme surged, after the government increased its grant for installing a new heat pump to £7,500.

    • New figures show applications for Boiler Upgrade Scheme tripled in the week after grants increased to £7,500
    • subsequent weeks saw applications remain nearly 60% higher than the previous average
    • heat pumps could become easier to install under proposed changes to planning rules

    More families are choosing to ditch fossil fuel boilers for a cleaner alternative, after the government increased its grant by 50% for new heat pumps – making it one of the most generous schemes in Europe.

    New figures published today (30 November) show the number of new applications for government’s heat pump support surged after the increased £7,500 grant, announced by the Prime Minister, became available.

    The number of new applications to the government’s Boiler Upgrade Scheme in the first week since the grant uplift reached 1,150 – more than 3 times higher than the average weekly rate prior to the change. In the subsequent 3 weeks, new applications have remained nearly 60% higher than the previous weekly average.

    The scheme, which is available in England and Wales, provides financial support for families to switch from fossil fuel heating systems to a cleaner heat pump alternative – and as a result of the uplift, is now one of the most generous of its kind in Europe.

    Energy Security Secretary Claire Coutinho said:

    Today’s new figures show our pragmatic approach to net zero is working. In the first week after our 50% increase to the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, applications tripled.

    We are supporting hardworking families who want to make the switch and replace their boiler in a way that’s within their budgets.

    The results come alongside new independent research published today confirming heat pumps are generally rated as quiet, with a majority of those surveyed saying they did not notice the sound.

    The review found complaints from neighbours are rare – with people far more likely to hear the noise of traffic and dogs barking, over of the sound of nearby heat pumps.

    Lord Callanan, Minister for Energy Efficiency and Green Finance, said:

    This fantastic increase in applications through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme demonstrates not only the desire for heat pumps in this country, but also that our approach to reach net zero works.

    We want more families to enjoy the more stable bills and cleaner heating that heat pumps have to offer – and today’s evidence that heat pumps make minimal noise is yet another reason to make the switch.

    Today’s report examining the sound coming from heat pumps follows significant advances to reduce noise levels. The report concludes that heat pumps are now very quiet – with sound levels similar to a gas boiler or fridge.

    Extensive research was carried out for the independent study by acoustic experts – who reviewed existing data and conducted interviews with households, installers, manufacturers, industry bodies, as well as local authority planning officers.

    Currently some households need to seek full planning permission to install a heat pump. However, the report recommends a change in planning rules to make it easier for households to install heat pumps under permitted development rights – while also strengthening heat pump noise assessments conducted by installers to continue protecting the public from noise pollution.

    The government announced, in last week’s Autumn Statement, that it will consult on introducing new permitted development rights to end the blanket restriction on heat pumps one metre from a property boundary in England.

    Customers do not have to apply for grants through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme and can check their home is eligible on GOV.UK. Anyone interested just needs to agree a quote for the work with an MCS certified installer, who will then do all the paperwork. Ofgem will simply contact the customer after that to confirm they would like to proceed.

    Also today, the government confirmed plans for a new Clean Heat Market Mechanism, launching next year, which will incentivise the UK’s heating industry to invest in making heat pumps an increasingly attractive and affordable choice for families and businesses.

    Rebecca Dibb-Simkin, Chief Product & Marketing Officer at Octopus Energy Group, said:

    The Boiler Upgrade Scheme has already done wonders to kickstart a nascent heat pump industry and drive hundreds of millions of pounds of private sector investment in the UK. Since the increase in the grant was announced, we’ve seen 5 times more requests for heat pumps from our customers, and we’ve even been able to offer some installations for free.

    Many of the planning rules around heat pumps are outdated, so it’s great the government is modernising them to make it easier for more people to get their hands on one.

    The Clean Heat Market Mechanism announced today will also give industry the certainty we need to grow heat pump manufacturing here in the UK – securing green British jobs for generations to come.

    Mat Moakes Chief Commercial Officer at OVO said:

    It’s encouraging to see the rise in applications for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme with the recent uplift helping households make the switch.

    At OVO we’ve seen an uplift in customer interest and our data also shows that when paired with innovative tariffs to reduce the cost the uptake increases.

    Notes to editors

    New figures on weekly applications to the Boiler Upgrade Scheme have been published. These show weekly applications from the start of the scheme (23 May 2022) to the end of week of 13 November 2023).

    See the latest applications statistics for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, which cover the latest delivery figures for the scheme up to 31 October.

    The independent research was conducted by:

    • engineering consultancy firm WSP
    • construction engineering company BSRIA
    • University of Salford
    • Stephen Turner Acoustics

    Read the report on Review of Air Source Heat Pump Noise Emissions, Permitted Development Guidance and Planning Regulations.

    See the government response to the consultation on the Clean Heat Market Mechanism.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Councils pilot net zero projects with £19 million government backing [November 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Councils pilot net zero projects with £19 million government backing [November 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 30 November 2023.

    Local Net Zero Accelerator pilots will help combined authorities deliver green initiatives such as retrofitting homes and installing solar panels.

    • Local Net Zero Accelerator pilots will help combined authorities deliver green initiatives such as retrofitting homes and installing solar panels
    • Greater Manchester and West Midlands selected to receive over £12 million to leverage private sector investment and meet climate goals
    • York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority supported with further £2 million to secure a strategic business partnership to accelerate decarbonisation

    A new £19 million pilot programme will help selected combined authorities unlock private investment, speed up their efforts to tackle climate change and help the UK reach its net zero target.

    Two Local Net Zero Accelerator pilots in the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and the West Midlands Combined Authority will help drive investment in multiple green projects across key sectors such as energy, housing and transport – essential to delivering on the UK’s climate targets.

    The combined authorities will decide how to allocate funding, selecting projects that will benefit their communities. These could include housing retrofit and renewable energy and transport projects, such as installing solar panels, battery storage and deploying green buses – all of which could help significantly cut emissions.

    Councils have previously faced barriers to attracting private sector investment in smaller net zero programmes and one-off projects. But today’s funding is designed to tackle this so they can secure investment at scale to deliver a range of green initiatives and expand decarbonisation work in the years to come.

    By combining multiple green projects across different sectors, rather than requesting funding for one-off, short-term projects, the new Local Net Zero Accelerator Programme will make it easier to secure private investment in a long-term, sustainable way.

    A third, separate pilot will be launched in the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority, with the aim of replicating a similar, successful model in Bristol, which supported around 1,000 jobs. Bristol City Leap established an innovative public-private partnership between Bristol City Council, Ameresco Ltd and Vattenfall Heat UK, which helped secure millions of pounds worth of investment into Bristol’s energy system, including solar, wind, heat networks, heat pumps and energy efficiency measures across the council’s estate.

    Minister for Energy Efficiency and Green Finance, Lord Callanan, said:

    The UK is a world leader when it comes to tackling climate change. But the work we do locally is just as important for cutting emissions and delivering net zero.

    These pilots will help combined authorities to unlock private sector investment that they can spend on green projects they see fit locally, whether that be retrofitting housing or investing in green public transport networks – all while supporting skilled jobs, building out supply chains and growing our economy.

    Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, Gareth Davies, said:

    Our £19 million investment is helping local governments explore new ways to fast-track our ambitious net zero objectives.

    This initiative is pivotal in mobilising the money we need to transition and boosting green jobs and investments across the country.

    Mayor of the West Midlands and chair of the West Midlands Combined Authority, Andy Street, said:

    The government’s decision to ask our region to help lead the drive to net zero represents a real vote of confidence in what we can do and indeed are already doing here in the West Midlands.

    Whether it’s the strides we’re making to retrofit homes – making them warmer and more energy efficient – or cutting energy bills for local businesses or indeed ensuring our transport network is more sustainable, we’re taking the practical steps on the ground to advance the net zero cause.

    Together, we can help draw in the required public and private finance that will accelerate the rollout and take up of net zero related projects right across the UK as a whole.

    Green City Lead for Greater Manchester, Councillor Tom Ross, said:

    We welcome the £7 million funding to accelerate our net zero ambitions across Greater Manchester over the next 2 years. Greater Manchester has established Local Area Energy Plans which identify the £12.5 billion of investment in infrastructure required, that is substantially under local authorities influence, to achieve our carbon neutral ambitions by 2038.

    This Accelerator funding from government will be used to design investment models to attract private investment – which is scalable, replicable and which leads to securing investment partners capable of delivering at scale.

    The 3 new schemes will be supported by a centralised finance service. Supported by around £3 million, this will give the pilots access to financial and commercial knowledge to attract private investment in the local programmes.

    Meanwhile, the Greater South East Local Net Zero Hub will receive an extra £2 million to ensure independent oversight and the successful delivery of the 3 pilot schemes. The Net Zero Hubs programme was set up in 2017 and supports combined authorities to develop net zero projects and attract commercial investment.

    The lessons learnt from these pilots will be used to support other combined authorities across England deliver on net zero targets.

  • PRESS RELEASE : New appointments made to Office for Internal Market Panel [November 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : New appointments made to Office for Internal Market Panel [November 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 30 November 2023.

    The Department for Business and Trade has today announced the appointment of seven new members to the Office for the Internal Market (OIM) Panel.

    The OIM was set up to support the effective operation of the UK internal market, advising the UK government on how specific laws, rules and regulations impact the market.

    These appointments will support the OIM Panel Chair, Murdoch MacLennan, to deliver a trusted source of expert and independent advice and reporting to the four governments and legislatures to help ensure frictionless trade between the four nations. The panel will have a wealth of expertise and knowledge to provide effective insight relating to the operation of the UK internal market in different parts of the UK.

    The appointed panelists are:

    Angharad Butler, Stephen Gifford, Shane Lynch, Michael Neilson, Professor Suzanne Rab, Dr Timothy Render, Professor Andreas Stephan.

    Minister for Exports Lord Offord, said:

    These appointments to the OIM Panel, under the leadership of Murdoch MacLennan, will ensure that the OIM is able to carry out its important work and demonstrates this government’s ongoing commitment to an effective internal market that works for the benefit of business and consumers throughout the UK.

    Chair of the Office for the Internal Market Murdoch MacLennan said:

    I am delighted to welcome the OIM Panel on board and am very impressed with the quality of these appointments. The Panel members have a wealth of experience from across the UK, and I very much look forward to working with them.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Defence Secretary sends Royal Navy destroyer east of Suez to safeguard security in the Gulf [November 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Defence Secretary sends Royal Navy destroyer east of Suez to safeguard security in the Gulf [November 2023]

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 30 November 2023.

    HMS Diamond has set sail to bolster UK naval forces across the Middle East.

    HMS Diamond is en route to join Operation Kipion, the UK’s maritime presence in the Gulf and the Indian Ocean, the Defence Secretary has announced.

    As a powerful demonstration of the UK’s commitment to regional security, the Type 45 Destroyer will bolster the UK’s naval presence in the Gulf and work to deter escalations from malign and hostile actors who seek to disrupt maritime security.

    The Type 45 destroyer will conduct operations to ensure freedom of navigation in the region, reassure merchant vessels and ensure the safe flow of trade. She will join HMS Lancaster, which deployed to the region last year, as well as three mine hunters and a Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) support ship.

    Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said:

    Recent events have proven how critical the Middle East remains to global security and stability.

    From joint efforts to deter escalation, following the onset of the renewed conflict in Israel and Gaza, to now the unlawful and brazen seizure of MV Galaxy Leader by the Houthis in the Red Sea – it is critical that the UK bolsters our presence in the region, to keep Britain and our interests safe from a more volatile and contested world.

    Today’s deployment will strengthen the Royal Navy’s patrols, help to keep critical trade routes open and prove that our commitment to regional security not only endures but enhances.

    Her deployment follows increasing concerns over maritime security at narrow sea trade routes worldwide, known as chokepoints. The ship is part of the UK’s commitment to supporting security in the region and the global maritime commons.

    Operation Kipion is the UK’s long-standing maritime presence in the Gulf and the Indian Ocean. In addition to HMS Lancaster, a squadron of three mine hunting vessels (HMS Bangor, HMS Chiddingfold, and HMS Middleton) and a Royal Fleet Auxiliary support ship (RFA Cardigan Bay) are also deployed as part of the operation, helping to keep the vital trade routes of the Middle East open for business.

    Royal Navy vessels have been permanently deployed to the region since 1980 and have fallen under Operation Kipion since 2011. Under the command of the UK Maritime Component Command (UKMCC) in Bahrain, they work with allies and partners across the region, including under the Combined Maritime Forces partnership.

    HMS Diamond is deploying with a Wildcat helicopter onboard, a highly capable aircraft which has been central to HMS Lancaster’s activities since its deployment in 2022, including when it seized substantial quantities of illegal drugs and intercepted weapons being smuggled in international waters.

    The additional deployment of HMS Diamond, one of the Royal Navy’s most advanced vessels, will significantly bolster international efforts to protect maritime security in the region.

    The waters of the Gulf are vital routes for merchant shipping, including for tankers carrying much of the UK’s supply of liquefied natural gas. Around 50 large merchant ships each day pass through the Bab-el-Mandeb, connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, while around 115 major merchant ships pass through the Strait of Hormuz.

  • PRESS RELEASE : New business guidance to boost skills and unlock benefits of AI [November 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : New business guidance to boost skills and unlock benefits of AI [November 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 30 November 2023.

    New draft guidance will support businesses to upskill their workers with the tools they need for jobs alongside AI.

    • Businesses to be helped to upskill employees so they can use AI to carry out tasks in the workplace, boosting productivity
    • Draft guidance sets out areas of focus for employers, workers, and training providers, including data protection
    • Announcement comes as the UK government calls on the business community and experts to help shape final guidance

    Businesses throughout the UK will be supported to unleash the enormous potential of AI across their workforce as the UK government publishes new guidance to make sure employees have the skills they need.

    The guidance, published today (Thursday 30 November), is intended to help employers boost their employees’ understanding of AI so they can use it safely in their day-to-day role, by setting out the key knowledge, skills and behaviours they should have in order to reap the benefits of AI safely – including how to use artificial intelligence tools effectively such as Large Language Models and the safe and secure management of sensitive data.

    Focused on five key areas, the guidance covers everything from using AI to evaluate the performance of projects through to how to build the skills and techniques needed to solve issues as people work with AI when they crop up. Employees will be helped by employers and training providers to develop a deeper understanding of how their organisation works with AI, how they can further incorporate its use, and in turn what tools they need to tackle a particular task. From admin to accounting and a range of other aspects in a worker’s day-to-day role, the guidance will support employees to propose solutions and build a strong knowledge base to go from strength to strength as they work increasingly with AI.

    Given the growing use of AI in businesses across the country, this will serve as a vital tool for employers to ensure their workers can harness the huge potential of the technology to fuel both their own development and that of their organisation. By upskilling workers, businesses will also ramp up productivity and ensure their workforce can focus on the tasks which will make the biggest impact. Having a highly skilled workforce will allow businesses to go from strength to strength, fuelling their success and contributing to the Prime Minister’s priority to grow the economy.

    Developed in partnership with the Innovate UK BridgeAI programme and The Alan Turing Institute the guidance marks a first step, with the UK government continuing to work closely with the business community and experts to further develop the guidance and draw concrete actions which can be implemented by businesses across the country – ahead of publishing a final version.

    It comes as the Chancellor welcomed Microsoft’s £2.5 billion investment in UK AI over the next 3 years – expanding its next generation AI datacentre infrastructure, which is a vital investment to process, host and store the massive amounts of digital information needed to develop AI models. He will today (Thursday 30 November) visit one of Microsoft’s new ‘next generation datacentre facilities’ under construction in North London – which will create jobs and run fully on renewable energy – joined by Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith, and Microsoft UK CEO, Clare Barclay.

    Minister for AI Viscount Camrose, said:

    Making sure workers up and down the country have the skills they need for their jobs with and in AI is a key part of our strategy in making the UK an AI powerhouse and ensuring the skills of our workforce keep pace with this rapidly developing technology.

    This guidance will be vital in helping us realise that ambition, continuing an important conversation with businesses across the UK to make sure the steps they can take are practical, functional, and successful.

    Having a workforce which is equipped to work alongside AI will drive growth for businesses and allow us to realise the enormous opportunities AI presents in every sector of our economy.

    Each of the five areas identified in the guidance are broken down further into corresponding knowledge and skillsets, such as knowledge of how AI can be used effectively; the ability to carry out a range of tasks; using appropriate behaviour when working with AI; and strong professional values to develop a sound judgement in situations where AI could be used.

    Underpinning this new guidance is a breakdown of four distinct ‘personas’, which correspond to the level of AI expertise an individual may need. This will help users – individuals, employees, employers – to quickly identify their skills gaps, and training providers to develop relevant training schemes to address these.

    AI Citizens are defined in the guidance as members of the public who could be customers or employees of an organisation making use of AI. AI Workers are employees whose day-to-day role sits outside of data and AI, but whose jobs are likely to be impacted by the technologies. AI Professionals are also identified as employees with specific responsibilities around data and AI, while AI Leaders are people in senior positions which help to oversee and introduce emerging technologies, such as individuals in board-level roles. These personas will help businesses improve their L&D offer for existing workers, and to identify key AI skills when recruiting.

    Professor Will Drury, Executive Director – Digital and Technologies at Innovate UK said:

    The adoption of AI is critical for our economy – it will help drive growth and competitiveness, unlocking the potential for greater productivity.

    I welcome this framework and consultation focused on developing employees’ skills in AI; the recognition that AI is part of industry’s future and our workforce’s future is just the start of integrating AI into business at a grass-roots level.

    Innovate UK’s BridgeAI programme concentrates on four key sectors – this piece of work will build on that by engaging with industry across the board.

    Matt Forshaw, Senior Advisor for Skills at The Alan Turing Institute said:

    Businesses are increasingly interested to learn how AI could enhance their productivity and competitiveness, but they also want to ensure they have the skills and competencies to adopt these technologies safely and ethically.

    The new framework clarifies routes to workforce upskilling and will support businesses across the country to harness the value of AI. This project is underpinned by strong partnership working and we look forward to seeing the impact of this project on the current and future AI workforce.”

    To ensure the guidance is useful for organisations across the UK economy, the government is now seeking views from across the UK’s expert community. Stakeholders have the opportunity to comment on the guidance through the Alan Turing Institute until January, who will then host a webinar and Q&A on 7 December. Building on this feedback, in the new year InnovateUK BridgeAI and the Alan Turing Institute will publish updated guidance, an accompanying skills framework and sector-specific case studies. These resources will help businesses understand their AI upskilling needs and training providers to develop training solutions which will enable businesses to unlock the value of AI.

    The government has already invested £290 million in a broad package of AI skills and talent initiatives since 2018, giving people the tools they need to work effectively alongside AI. Last month, a wide-ranging skills package was also unveiled which encompasses postgraduate research centres and scholarships, putting the UK on a strong footing with a high-skilled workforce fit for the digital age.

    The AI Skills for Business Competency Framework builds on already established models of professional standards and approaches, such as the government’s Essential Digital Skills Framework, and the Alliance for Data Science Professionals. Its publication today marks a new chapter in identifying the knowledge, skills, and personal qualities that workers across the country need to tap into in order to navigate the practical challenges which AI presents in the workplace.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Royal Navy task force to deploy with JEF partners to defend undersea cables [November 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Royal Navy task force to deploy with JEF partners to defend undersea cables [November 2023]

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 30 November 2023.

    Six Royal Navy warships, a Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship, and a Royal Air Force maritime patrol aircraft will form the UK’s contribution to the JEF deployment.

    A Royal Navy task force of seven ships will deploy with allies early next month to jointly patrol areas with vulnerable undersea critical infrastructure, following an unprecedented agreement by ministers of the ten JEF nations.

    The UK contribution to the deployment will include two Royal Navy frigates, two offshore patrol vessels and mine countermeasures vessels, as well as a Royal Fleet Auxiliary landing ship – supported by a Royal Air Force P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft.

    The contingent will depart in early December to join other ships and aircraft from JEF participant nations to launch joint patrols, with vessels spaced to cover a wide area from the English Channel to the Baltic Sea – demonstrating the interoperability between JEF nations in the maritime and air domains.

    It comes after defence ministers from all ten JEF nations met on Tuesday and unanimously agreed to activate a protocol mobilising military assets from across participant nations – known as a JEF Response Option (JRO) – for the first time in JEF’s history.

    Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said:

    This historic and unprecedented agreement will see a Royal Navy task force of seven ships, supported by the RAF, join allies from across northern Europe as part of a joint operation to defend our shared critical infrastructure against potential threats.

    The UK and our JEF partners will do whatever it takes to defend our mutual areas of interest, and today’s display of unshakeable unity sends a powerful message of deterrence that we stand ready to meet any potential threat with force.

    Together, we stand firmly in support of peace, security, and a steadfast resolve to uphold the rules-based international order.

    During the deployment, ships and aircraft from JEF nations will work together to carry out deterrent patrol in areas of key interest, as well as to deepen surveillance around offshore assets and share intelligence.

    The patrols will ensure an extended security presence, picking up from NATO’s enhanced Vigilance Activity which took place in the Baltic Sea region throughout November.

    The agreement comes following an extraordinary meeting of JEF defence ministers to discuss options for joint activity to defend offshore critical infrastructure, after an increase in attacks and threats.

    Ministers from the ten JEF nations issued a joint statement following Tuesday’s virtual meeting, highlighting the significance of the first activation of a bespoke JRO – providing a tangible demonstration of the JEF as a credible contributor to Northern European security.

    The JEF is a group of like-minded nations – Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. The nations share the same purpose, values and a common focus on security and stability in the JEF core regions of the High North, North Atlantic and Baltic Sea region.

    At a meeting of leaders from the JEF nations last month, the Prime Minister vowed to step up the UK’s military presence in northern Europe – deploying more than 20,000 troops to the region next year, with the intent to combat emerging hybrid threats and to defend critical national infrastructure.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Statement on Secretary of State’s decision to intervene in the anticipated acquisition of Telegraph Media Group by RedBird IMI [November 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Statement on Secretary of State’s decision to intervene in the anticipated acquisition of Telegraph Media Group by RedBird IMI [November 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 30 November 2023.

    The Secretary of State’s decision to issue a Public Interest Intervention Notice (PIIN) with regards to the the anticipated acquisition of Telegraph Media Group by RedBird IMI.

    My Department has today written to the Barclay family and RedBird IMI, the current and proposed owners of Telegraph Media Group (TMG), to inform them that I will be issuing a Public Interest Intervention Notice (PIIN) in relation to the anticipated acquisition of the Telegraph Media Group Ltd (TMG) by Redbird IMI.

    This relates to concerns I have that there may be public interest considerations – as set out in section 58 of Enterprise Act 2002 – that are relevant to the anticipated acquisition of TMG by RedBird IMI and that these concerns warrant further investigation.

    At this stage, my decision to issue the PIIN triggers the requirement for the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to report to me on jurisdictional and competition matters, and for Ofcom to report to me on the media public interest consideration in section 58(2A) of the Enterprise Act 2002 – namely, the need for accurate presentation of news and free expression of opinion in newspapers. I have asked both the CMA and Ofcom to report back to me by 26 January 2024.

    I reserve the right to take such further action under the Act as I consider appropriate, which may, if appropriate, include exercising my powers under section 42 of the Act in relation to any other relevant merger situation. My decision to issue a PIIN today is without prejudice to my ability to take any such additional action in accordance with the Act.

    My role as the Secretary of State in this process is quasi-judicial and procedures are in place to ensure that I act independently and follow a process which is scrupulously fair, transparent and impartial.

    DCMS will update Parliament only after both reports from the regulators have been received and considered.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Over 50,000 extra nurses in NHS – hitting government target early [November 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Over 50,000 extra nurses in NHS – hitting government target early [November 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 30 November 2023.

    It marks the largest ever sustained growth in the NHS nursing workforce, with the expanded workforce delivering hundreds of thousands of extra appointments.

    • More than 50,000 extra nurses are working in the NHS compared to September 2019
    • Government hits target delivering largest ever sustained growth in NHS nursing workforce

    Data published today (30 November 2023) by NHS England shows there were 51,245 additional nurses in September 2023 compared to 2019. This means the number of nurses have increased from 300,904 in 2019 to over 352,000 – hitting the government’s manifesto commitment to recruit an additional 50,000 nurses 6 months early.

    This is the largest ever sustained growth in the NHS nursing workforce, with the expanded workforce delivering hundreds of thousands of extra appointments, helping to tackle waiting lists and improve access for patients.

    Health and Social Care Secretary Victoria Atkins said:

    There are 50,000 extra nurses in the NHS caring for our loved ones, delivering extra appointments and improving access for patients.

    We have delivered on our promise but we won’t stop here. The first ever NHS Long Term Workforce Plan will help to retain our current workforce, reform clinical practice, and deliver the biggest training expansion in NHS history, almost doubling the number of adult nurse training places by 2031.

    These additional nurses will help support cutting waiting lists – which is one of our 5 priorities – and getting patients the care they need, when they need it.

    Building on this achievement, the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan will further expand the nursing workforce, with additional training numbers, improved retention and the introduction of new roles to support our hard-working nurses.

    The 50,000 nurses commitment has been achieved through boosting training and education routes into nursing, ethically recruiting internationally and actions to improve the retention of the existing workforce. This includes a financial support package for nursing students – the NHS Learning Support Fund – providing eligible nursing, midwifery and allied health professions students with non-repayable grants of at least £5,000 per academic year to ensure course sustainability.

    The data also shows there are over 1.3 million staff working in NHS trusts and other core organisations in England, 68,900 (5.6%) more than a year ago.

    There are almost 7,300 (5.6%) more doctors in the NHS compared to September last year.

    The NHS Long Term Workforce Plan – backed by over £2.4 billion over 5 years – sets out three priority areas to train, retain and reform the health workforce.

    The plan will significantly expand domestic education, training and recruitment and will deliver more nurses than ever before. It will almost double the number of adult nurse training places by 2031, with around 24,000 more nurse and midwife training places a year by 2031. This will include over 5,000 more mental and learning disability nurses a year.

    By improving culture, leadership and wellbeing, the government is aiming to ensure up to 130,000 fewer staff leave the NHS over the next 15 years. For example, the NHS and government will improve flexible opportunities for prospective retirees to keep them in the NHS workforce for longer, and make it easier for those who have already left to come back in flexible, contracted roles or as a temp.

    Taken together, these recruitment and retention measures will mean the health service has at least an extra 170,000 more nurses in place by 2036 to 2037.

    Additionally, the plan commits to reforming training to support education expansion. The government will expand enhanced, advanced and associate roles to offer modernised careers, including increasing training places for nursing associates and is also working with regulators and others to explore how nursing students can gain the skills, knowledge and experience they need to practise safely and competently in the NHS in less time.

    Background information

    The 50,000 nurses target includes nurses working in the NHS in England, including in GP settings. This covers all NHS providers across acute, community, mental health and ambulance settings. It does not include non-NHS providers, including social care providers and social enterprises. For GP settings, it covers all nurses employed in general practice.

    The 50,000 nurses are full time equivalent (FTE) rather than headcount. This means that if a nurse works part time, they will be recorded as less than one FTE nurse (with the number depending on the degree to which they are part time).

    While nursing associates are a career progression to become a registered nurse they do not count towards the 50,000 target. Additionally, midwives, allied health professions and health visitors are not part of the registered nurse expansion work.

    The baseline for the target is numbers of FTE nurses in the NHS as of 30 September 2019. More details are available in the 50,000 Nurses Programme: delivery update.

    The table below shows the regional breakdowns of nurse numbers across England.

    NHS England region Sept 2019 Sept 2023 Change since Sept 2019 % change since Sept 2019
    England 300,904 352,149 51,245 17.0%
    London 54,036 61,689 7,653 14.2%
    South West 27,789 33,056 5,267 19.0%
    South East 38,887 47,664 8,777 22.6%
    Midlands 55,596 64,891 9,295 16.7%
    East of England 28,649 33,350 4,701 16.4%
    North West 46,061 54,608 8,546 18.6%
    North East and Yorkshire 49,885 56,891 7,006 14.0%
  • PRESS RELEASE : Boost for UK AI as Microsoft unveils £2.5 billion investment [November 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Boost for UK AI as Microsoft unveils £2.5 billion investment [November 2023]

    The press release issued by HM Treasury on 30 November 2023.

    The Chancellor has welcomed Microsoft’s £2.5 billion investment over the next 3 years to expand its next generation AI datacentre infrastructure.

    The Chancellor has today hailed Microsoft’s major investment in AI infrastructure and skills as critical for future growth and innovation, boosting the country as a science and technology superpower.

    Microsoft is committing to more than doubling its datacentre footprint in the UK and training more than one million people for the AI economy. It’s also supporting the UK’s growing AI safety and research efforts through partnerships with the government and leading universities.

    As part of this, Microsoft will spend £2.5 billion over the next three years to expand its next generation AI datacentre infrastructure, bringing more than 20,000 of the most advanced Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) – which are crucial for machine learning and the development of AI models – to the UK by 2026.

    This is the single largest investment in its 40-year history in the country which will see Microsoft grow its UK AI infrastructure across sites in London and Cardiff and potential expansion into northern England, helping to meet the exploding demand for efficient, scalable and sustainable AI specific compute power. Datacentres process, host and store the massive amounts of digital information that is critical for developing AI models.

    This £2.5 billion commitment was confirmed on Monday as the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak unveiled £29.5 billion of investment in our most innovative sectors, including tech, life sciences, renewables, housing and infrastructure at the Global Investment Summit.

    The UK is already the leading European tech ecosystem, which last year was worth more than double Germany’s and three times as much as France’s. The UK’s AI sector also contributes £3.7 billion to the UK economy and employs 50,000 people across the country.

    The Chancellor welcomed Microsoft’s investment on a visit to one of its new, next generation datacentre facilities under construction in North London – which will run fully on renewable energy – where he was joined by Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith, and Microsoft UK CEO, Clare Barclay.

    Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:

    “Microsoft are one of the founding fathers of modern technology and today’s announcement is a turning point for the future of AI infrastructure and development in the UK.

    “The UK started the global conversation on AI earlier this month, and Microsoft’s historic investment is further evidence of the leading role we continue to play in expanding the frontiers of AI to harness it’s economic and scientific benefits.

    Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt said:

    “The UK is the tech hub of Europe with an ecosystem worth more than that of Germany and France combined – and this investment is another vote of confidence in us as a science superpower.

    “And it follows the £500m investment in Compute that I committed to in my Autumn Statement last week, taking our investment in advanced computing for AI to £1.5bn – a down payment on the jobs and economic growth it will bring to the UK.”

    Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology Michelle Donelan said:

    “This is a huge vote of confidence in the strength of the UK’s technology sector, showing Microsoft’s support for the UK to reach superpower heights and cementing our global AI safety leadership.

    “This investment not only bolsters critical infrastructure but also ensures that the UK remains at the forefront of driving economic growth and innovation.”

    Microsoft vice chair and President Brad Smith said:

    “Microsoft is committed as a company to ensuring that the UK as a country has world-leading AI infrastructure, easy access to the skills people need, and broad protections for safety and security.”

    Microsoft UK CEO, Clare Barclay, said:

    “The pace of change in AI demands action today to build a prosperous future for the UK tomorrow.  Today marks the single largest investment in our more than 40-year history in the UK.

    “As business and the public sector embrace the AI opportunity, we are building the infrastructure that will support the growth they need, training the people who can deliver it responsibly and securing our society against emergent threats”.

    To support research on AI, Microsoft will extend its Accelerating Foundation Models Research (AFMR) programme to include prioritised access to GPUs for the UK’s science and research community.  AFMR drives interdisciplinary research on AI alignment and safety, beneficial applications of AI, and AI-driven scientific discovery in the natural and life sciences. This new UK effort will aim at harnessing the power of AI to accelerate scientific discovery via multiscale multimodal data generation through prioritised access to Microsoft’s AI tools. This programme includes researchers from the UK’s world leading participating universities including Cambridge, Oxford, Imperial College, UCL, Bath and Nottingham.

    To support UK workers across the AI economy, Microsoft will make a multi-million pound investment to train one million people with the skills they need to build and work with AI, including expanded training for people looking to start, or move into, a career in AI.

    Working in partnership with multiple learning and non-profit partners, the programme will focus on building AI fluency, developing AI technical skills, supporting AI business transformation, and promoting safe and responsible AI development and use including the first Professional Certificate on Generative AI.

    Today’s news comes as the government has agreed a new Online Fraud Charter with tech companies, including Microsoft – the first agreement of its kind in the world – to clamp down on fraud taking place on their platforms.

    Under the agreement, platforms will verify new advertisers and promptly remove fraudulent content. Individuals selling items on peer-to-peer platforms such as Facebook Marketplace will also be verified, and there will also be a function for people using online dating services to confirm who they are.

    Today’s announcement also comes as the Chancellor announced a further £500 million investment in advanced computing for AI at the Autumn Statement, bringing the government’s total planned public investment in compute to more than £1.5 billion.

    These investments will help provide the UK with the infrastructure we need to create a world-leading AI ecosystem where our scientists and researchers continue to make extraordinary new discoveries, benefitting all of society, and making the UK is the best place in the world to start and grow an AI start-up.

  • PRESS RELEASE : 50 million more GP appointments delivered by the NHS [November 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : 50 million more GP appointments delivered by the NHS [November 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 30 November 2023.

    More than 50 million additional general practice appointments made available after government fulfils its pledge months early.

    • Latest data shows over 50 million more appointments compared to October 2019
    • Confirms government has met manifesto commitment
    • News comes as NHS England data shows over 50,000 extra nurses in NHS

    Data published today by NHS England shows that for the year to October 2023, there were 50.9 million additional general practice appointments delivered when compared to October 2019, meeting a key government commitment set out in 2019.

    The announcement comes as separate data also published today shows that compared to September 2019, there are over 50,000 additional nurses working in the NHS. This meets another of the government’s targets.

    Health and Social Care Secretary, Victoria Atkins, said:

    We owe a debt of gratitude to all the staff working in general practices for their support and commitment to their patients and for achieving the target of 50 million additional appointments months ahead of schedule.

    Our primary care recovery plan is going even further with more appointments, more staff and greater support from pharmacies – backed by funding – meaning we can offer the primary care patients need.

    In the 12 months to October 2023, 358 million general practice appointments, including COVID-19 vaccinations, were delivered – this is an increase of 50.9 million compared to 2019, meaning we have delivered on our manifesto commitment for 50 million more appointments a year. This is equivalent to 44 more appointments per practice per working day, with over 70% of these taking place within 2 weeks of booking.

    Health Minister, Andrea Leadsom, said:

    Today’s figures, published by NHS England, clearly demonstrate that more people are getting the care they need, when they need it.

    Thank you so much to GPs and primary care teams up and down the country for their tireless work to care for patients, which saw around 32,500 more appointments delivered every day.

    While this is positive news, we know that there is more to do to make it easier and quicker for patients to contact their general practice and continue to focus on delivering the primary care recovery plan.

    Today’s announcement builds on data from earlier this month which showed that there were over 34,000 additional direct patient care staff working in general practice – exceeding the government’s commitment to recruit an additional 26,000 primary care staff which was met one year early and is helping to cut waiting lists.

    Earlier this year, the government published its primary care recovery plan focused on improving access to primary care. Providing practices in England with £240 million, it supported them to embrace the latest technology to tackle the 8am rush, reduce the number of people struggling to contact their general practice and ensure patients know how their query will be handled.

    As of August 2023, more than 1,000 general practices had signed up to digital upgrades – giving them the latest digital technology designed to make booking general practice appointments easier.

    Following the pandemic the government is investing up to £645 million and is working with NHS England and the pharmaceutical sector on the best way to support primary care.

    This includes ensuring patients who need prescription medication for 7 common conditions can receive it without the need for a GP appointment and is estimated to free up around 15 million appointments over the next 2 years for patients who need them most.

    Workforce data is published by NHS England: NHS Workforce Statistics – August 2023.