Tag: Press Release

PRESS RELEASE : Government slashes up to £1bn a year of business burdens [November 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 7 November 2023.
Reforms allow businesses additional freedoms while retaining the UK’s world leading workers’ rights

Proposals include reducing record keeping requirements around Working Time Regulations and simplifying the calculation of holiday pay and entitlement

British businesses could save up to £1 billion a year as the Government confirms plans to remove unnecessary and outdated bureaucracy following our exit from the EU.

The Government has today [Wednesday 8 November] announced amendments to several retained EU laws to ensure UK regulations are brought up to date and tailored to the needs of businesses, freeing up firms to refocus their time and money elsewhere to help create jobs.

The reforms will see the reduction of time-consuming reporting requirements and the simplifying of annual leave and holiday pay calculations under the Working Time Regulations as well as the streamlining of regulations that apply when a business transfers to a new owner.

These proposals don’t change existing workers’ rights in the UK, which remain some of the best in the world, and instead remove unnecessary bureaucracy in the way those rights operate, allowing business to benefit from the additional freedoms we have through Brexit.

Business Minister, Kevin Hollinrake said:

These reforms ensure our employment regulations are fit for purpose while maintaining our strong record on workers’ rights, which are some of the highest in the world.

Seizing these benefits of Brexit, including a saving of £1 billion for businesses, will support the private sector and workers alike and are vital to stimulating economic growth, innovation and job creation.

Earlier this year, the Government launched a consultation on three areas for reform with the removal of unnecessary bureaucracy including:

Record keeping requirements under the Working Time Regulations

Simplifying annual leave and holiday pay calculations in the Working Time Regulations

Consultation requirements under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment), or ‘TUPE’, Regulations

The Government also launched a consultation in January 2023 on calculating annual leave entitlement for part-year and irregular hours workers.

The reforms confirmed today follow both consultations and will address concerns from businesses by helping to simplify the calculation of holiday entitlement for employers and make entitlement clearer for all irregular hours and part-year workers.

FSB National Chair Martin McTague said:

We welcome these sensible changes, striking a balance for workers while offering clarity for employers. It’s good to see the Government cutting through excessive burdens without losing the benefits of regulations.

We’re eager to see a system that’s clear-cut, cost-effective and easy for small businesses to roll out, so these announcements are a crucial step forward.
08/11/2023
PRESS RELEASE : £4 billion UK-Poland air defence deal strengthens European security [November 2023]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 7 November 2023.

The UK and Poland defence industries have signed a deal worth over £4 billion to continue the next phase of Poland’s future air defence programme, Narew.
Industry deal worth over £4bn to deliver next generation air defence system to Poland.

Partnership to bolster European security in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Work will enable critical skills and jobs in both countries.

The UK and Poland defence industries have today signed a milestone deal, worth over £4 billion, to continue the next phase of Poland’s future air defence programme, Narew.

UK firm MBDA has signed the sub-contract with Polish defence company PGZ, in a programme that will provide Polish forces with an enhanced ground-based air defence system capable of launching missiles to engage air threats, such as cruise missiles and fighter jets, at ranges of more than 40 kilometres. It will create more than 1,000 Common Anti-Air Modular Missiles – Extended Range (CAMM-ER) and over 100 iLaunchers.

Bolstering security and defence development for both NATO countries, the deal is the largest commercial agreement ever secured between the UK and Poland.

It is the culmination of years of close collaboration and will strengthen Poland’s military capabilities, while delivering on the UK Prime Minister’s priority to grow the economy and continuing to showcase British industry as a leading global defence partner.

Bringing significant benefit to both nations’ defence industries, the partnership will see British engineers from Bolton, Bristol and Stevenage working with their Polish counterparts, sharing key technologies and supporting jobs and critical skills in both countries for more than 15 years.

Defence Secretary, Grant Shapps, said:

This is another crucial step forward for our historic defence ties with Poland, supplying next generation air defence capabilities to act as a clear deterrent to our adversaries.

We continue to fully back our thriving UK defence industry, and this landmark export deal is yet another example of the huge potential our collective defence sectors boast.

In addition to the air defence launchers and missiles, the partnership will see the UK support Poland to be able to manufacture complex missiles on Polish soil in years to come, further increasing regional security through greater supply chain flexibility.

This contract is a huge step forward in UK-Polish defence relations, building on the UK-Polish Defence Treaty and the UK–Poland 2030 strategic partnership, which will be of long-term benefit to the defence, jobs and skills of both nations.

Managing Director of MBDA UK, Chris Allam said:

The scale and ambition of NAREW is truly impressive – building a Polish air defence shield using our CAMM family missiles and iLaunchers that will protect the entirety of Poland’s skies.

The transfer of technology in NAREW will be transformative for Poland’s sovereign complex weapons capabilities, and we are deeply proud of the trust placed in us by Poland and excited for the future of our partnership with PGZ.

Following a contract awarded by the Polish government to PGZ in September this year, the Narew system will utilise MBDA’s CAMM-ER missile, developed jointly by the UK and Italy, in addition to Polish radars, vehicles and other equipment together with the United States’ Integrated Battle Command System (IBCS).

Earlier this year, the UK and Poland announced the first stage of a programme to deliver the CAMM to Poland in a £1.9 billion contract. Flying at supersonic speeds, CAMM missiles can destroy modern air threats including stealth aircraft and high-speed missiles.

As historic defence partners and NATO Allies, the UK stands with Poland to defend NATO’s Eastern Flank and support Ukraine against Russian aggression.

The UK and Poland are close Allies, with hundreds of British troops deployed to the country at any one time. That includes the recent deployments of Challenger 2 tanks and Sky Sabre air defence systems to Poland.
07/11/2023
PRESS RELEASE : Minister for Europe demonstrates UK commitment to Baltic security [November 2023]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 7 November 2023.

Minister for Europe, Leo Docherty visits Lithuania and Latvia to reinforce UK cooperation on regional security and support for Ukraine.
- Following the success of the NATO Summit in Vilnius in July, Minister Leo Docherty will visit the two Baltic nations to show the UK’s leadership in tackling threats to European security.
- He will discuss plans to bolster NATO’s Eastern Flank before attending a NATO Cyber Conference in Berlin.
- Visit will also reiterate collective support for Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression and enable discussions on the situation in the Middle East and preventing regional escalation.
Minister for Europe, Leo Docherty, will visit Lithuania and Latvia to underline the UK’s continued commitment to the Baltic States’ security and discuss the strengthening of support to Ukraine.

During meetings in Vilnius with Lithuanian Deputy Foreign Minister, Jonas Survila, and the Presidential National Security Advisor, Kęstutis Budrys, the Minister will discuss growing cooperation, from the training of Ukrainian forces to closer collaboration on regional security and tackling illegal migration. He will also highlight the need for a collective effort to prevent the tragic situation in the Middle East from escalating more widely and support humanitarian aid entering Gaza.

The visit follows the NATO Summit which Vilnius hosted in July, where the Prime Minister outlined the UK’s leading role in protecting regional security in the face of increased threats across Europe.

In Riga, Minister Docherty will meet Latvian Parliamentary Secretary, Reinis Brusbārdis, and the Minister of Energy, Kaspars Melnis, to discuss the importance of energy security, and how the two countries can work together to address Russian malign influence.

Minister for Europe, Leo Docherty said:

The Baltic States are on the frontline of Russia’s malign activity, and the UK is steadfast in our commitment to supporting them defend their freedom and security.

Through NATO and the Joint Expeditionary Force, we are working with Latvia and Lithuania to keep the region and our allies safe, including through a united effort to prevent further conflict and terrorism in the Middle East.

More than 20,000 British troops will be deployed to the region next year, where they will take part in large-scale, multi-country exercises, as well as carrying out air policing and cold weather training.

The UK has a long-standing relationship with both Latvia and Lithuania across all arms of the military, including cooperation in NATO and the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF).

The Minister is also expected to visit the Hill of Crosses, an important cultural site symbolic of Lithuanian identity and peaceful resistance. In Latvia, he will lay a wreath at both the Commonwealth War Grave in Jelgava and at Riga’s Freedom Monument, which commemorates those who fought for Latvia’s independence over 100 years ago.

Later in the week, the Minister will go on to represent the UK at the first NATO Cyber Defence Conference taking place in Berlin. The gathering will discuss the Alliance’s ability to adapt to evolving cyber threats and the strengthening of its ability to detect, prevent and respond to malicious cyber activities.
07/11/2023
PRESS RELEASE : 44th Universal Periodic Review – UK Review on Cabo Verde [November 2023]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 7 November 2023.

The UK delivered a statement during Cabo Verde’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) at the Human Rights Council in Geneva.
Thank you, Mr Vice-President,

The United Kingdom welcomes steps taken by Cabo Verde to promote and protect human rights, such as improvement on action against gender-based violence. We urge the government to improve implementation of this legislation by increasing the number of cases taken to court and successful prosecutions.

We recognise and praise the steps the government has already taken to tackle child abuse through a national network of organisations, including the government’s child protection body, the Institute for Children. We urge Cabo Verde to take further legislative action to protect children and reduce instances of such abuse.

We recommend that Cabo Verde:

Urge the National Assembly to debate and approve the anti-discrimination draft law presented by the National Commission on Human Rights and Citizenship in 2021.

Improve prison conditions by increasing the number of officers and the use of alternatives to prison such as bail, home arrest, and plea bargaining, and improving sanitary conditions.

Improve training for professionals in law enforcement and the judiciary to respond to sexual abuse of children and gender-based violence.

Thank you.
07/11/2023
PRESS RELEASE : UK and Austria commit to work closer on illegal migration and terrorism [November 2023]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 7 November 2023.

The UK and Austria have signed a statement today agreeing to closer cooperation on tackling illegal migration and terrorism.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman met with Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner in Vienna on 2 November to discuss the importance of partnership and international cooperation in the face of illegal migration, terrorism and transnational crime.

The ministers agreed to work hand-in-hand to ensure public security and signed a joint statement to commit to:
- exploring the principle of safe third country concepts to enhance regional migration management
- engaging in a joint dialogue on illegal migration, including with relevant third countries of origin and transit
- enhancing cooperation in combatting serious and organised crime by strengthening bilateral law enforcement and criminal justice links
- intensifying their cyber security dialogue with a focus on preventing online radicalisation
Speaking after the signing, Home Secretary Suella Braverman said:

The global migration crisis is the challenge of our age, with the UK and the European continent seeing huge movements of people travelling illegally across our borders. This is placing an unprecedented burden on our communities and public services.

Austria is a close ally in tackling illegal migration, and we have already begun sharing knowledge of our actions and strategies such as third country removals.

This joint statement is a commitment to work more closely together to achieve our aims, and enhance our cooperation on a wide range of security challenges.

Austrian Minister of Interior Gerhard Karner said:

The UK has a lot of experience when it comes to processing asylum applications outside of Europe in the future. That was an important theme in my meeting with the Home Secretary in Vienna because Austria can benefit from this experience.

We will continue to make a consistent effort for the EU commission to advance and enable such procedures outside of Europe.

Following her meeting with Minister Karner, the Home Secretary also spoke to Jewish community leaders at the city’s main synagogue, reaffirming the UK government’s solidarity with the Jewish community following recent incidents of abuse, in particular this week’s arson attack at Vienna’s Central Cemetery.

She visited the site of the 2020 Islamist terrorist attack, in which 4 civilians were killed, and laid a wreath to mark the anniversary. The Home Secretary also visited the Shoah Wall of Names memorial to pay her respects to Jewish victims of the Holocaust.

The visit concluded with a tour of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, to deepen ties on tackling fraud and organised immigration crime.
07/11/2023
PRESS RELEASE : Progress of landmark UK-Japan treaties driven forward as Defence Secretary visits Tokyo [November 2023]

The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 7 November 2023.

The visit is the latest in a series of high-level UK-Japan bilateral engagements this year, driving progress on two major treaties.

Driving forward advanced technology and cooperating closely to promote freedom and democracy is at the heart of the defence relationship between the UK and Japan, which Defence Secretary Grant Shapps hailed in a meeting with his counterpart in Tokyo.

The Defence Secretary met his counterpart, Minister of Defense Minoru Kihara, for a series of meetings to further progress on two major treaties which will increase interoperability between the UK Armed Forces and Japan Self Defence Forces and cement our commitment to shared security.

It follows the signing and implementation of the ground-breaking Reciprocal Access Agreement by the Prime Minister earlier this year, which will underpin our shared defence activity by enabling the UK and Japan to operate and exercise together more easily, as well as continued work on developing a framework agreement for the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP).

The UK and Japan are each other’s closest security partner in Europe and Asia respectively, a commitment reaffirmed in the Hiroshima Accord announced by PM Sunak and PM Kishida on the margins of the G7 Summit this summer.

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said:

Amid increasing tension and instability across the world – it is more clear than ever that the threats we face are global, and it’s particularly important we strengthen our relations with our international partners and allies.

In my meetings with Minister Kihara, we discussed how to further deepen our cooperation through these two landmark treaties and reaffirmed our commitment to building a truly next-generation combat aircraft through GCAP.

Despite the distance between us, the UK and Japan stand closer together than ever before in support of peace, stability, and the rules-based international order.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has also been in Japan for a meeting of the G7 and both UK ministers joined their Japanese counterparts for a combined meeting, during which shared security interests such as support for Ukraine in its defence against Putin’s illegal invasion and condemnation of the Hamas attack against Israel, were discussed.

The UK remains the only European partner to have a bilateral exercise on Japanese soil, and the Army and Japanese Ground Self Defense Forces (GSDF) are currently planning Exercise Vigilant Isles 2023, which will see more than 150 UK personnel deploy to Japan this month – further demonstrating the UK’s commitment to the Indo-Pacific region, as set out through this year’s refreshed Defence Command Paper.

At sea, persistently deployed Offshore Patrol Vessels HMS Tamar and HMS Spey have enabled the UK to operate closely with Japan and regional partners to promote maritime security.

Work between the UK, Japan, and Italy continues on developing GCAP, which will futureproof our Combat Air sectors and deliver enhanced investment in our people and technology, deepening integration of supply chains. It will bring together defence and security expertise from across our three nations to strengthen our defence industrial base and secure high skilled jobs.

07/11/2023
PRESS RELEASE : Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces – UK condemns withdrawal [November 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 7 November 2023.

The UK has issued a statement in response to Russia’s withdrawal from the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe.

The UK has criticised Russia’s decision to withdraw from the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe, a landmark element of Europe’s post-Cold War security architecture.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said:

We unequivocally condemn Russia’s decision to withdraw from the Treaty, the latest in a line of Russian efforts to undermine strategic stability and the Euro-Atlantic security architecture.

Russia’s unilateral withdrawal undermines reciprocity, which lies at the heart of the CFE Treaty. This is a destabilising move for the integrity of the Treaty and to continue to implement the Treaty would suggest that we think that the Treaty continues to operate as intended. This is plainly not the case.

In response to Russia’s move, the UK, alongside its Allies has decided to suspend its participation in the Treaty and to work with likeminded nations to develop and implement voluntary stabilising measures.

07/11/2023
PRESS RELEASE : World Trade Organization General Council – UK Statement [November 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 7 November 2023.

The UK spoke on a number of agenda items at the WTO General Council on 1 November 2023.

Item 2: Reform and TRIPS

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Madam Chair, you said we should not really get into the detail of reform, as we will cover that this afternoon, so I will try not to. One point to pick is the point about deconflicting meetings which I know is so important for so many smaller delegations. It is one that we have brought forward in our own proposals and I think it is one that we need to keep on thinking about to ensure that we are a genuinely inclusive organization, not just in words but in deed.

Let me just say a quick word about TRIPS. My Swiss colleague has set out in substance far more eloquently than I could and I endorse every word he has said.

I want to acknowledge first of all the continued efforts of our TRIPS Chair and let me welcome her efforts and the Secretariat’s to move our discussions forward. Let me also acknowledge the arrival of the report from the US ITC. Like others I’m sure we are still analysing the information that is contained in that report but for us it reaffirms the importance of known issues, including on this issue, including the role of voluntary licenses where the UK issued a paper, in increasing affordability and access to COVID-19 products and technologies globally. I hope everybody has seen our paper on this which looks at how we can build on that in future pandemic preparedness.

I just wanted to recognise that access issues go well beyond intellectual property and that considering broader factors in reactors should help us as we look at whether the decision that we took back at MC12 should indeed be extended to therapeutics and diagnostics. Let me also just encourage my fellow members, particularly those from developing countries and LDCs, to come to us to give us their thoughts on our paper, share their national experiences and challenges that they have faced in voluntary licensing and technology transfer partnerships, so that we can try and take forward our work in a structured and collaborative manner.

Lastly, a number of colleagues this morning have said that not taking a decision will be a real issue for this organisation. I think that there is something worse than not taking a decision and that is taking the wrong decision for this organisation, for the intellectual property which is the basis for our innovative economies, and taking the wrong decision for our future pandemic preparedness.

Thank you.

Item 3: Work programme on Small Economies – Report by the Chairperson of the Dedicated Session of the Committee on Trade and Development

Thank you very much Chair.

We wanted to come in quickly to recognize the importance of this issue. We really wanted to welcome the excellent Small Economies evidence sharing session and to thank the Chair, the Secretariat and everybody that inputted to the session.

We are also looking forward to the opportunity to review the draft ministerial decision on this issue at the upcoming session.

Thank you very much.

07/11/2023
PRESS RELEASE : Law Commissioner appointed [November 2023]

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 7 November 2023.

The Lord Chancellor has approved the appointment of Professor Alison Young as the Law Commissioner for Public Law and the Law in Wales for 5 years from 18 March 2024.

The Law Commission was created by the Law Commissions Act 1965 with the role of keeping under review the law of England and Wales with a view to its systematic development and reform. The Law Commission promotes the reform of the law to make it clearer, more modern and more accessible. The Commission’s projects bring real benefits to the public, businesses or other organisations affected by old, complex and out-of-date law.

Appointments to the Law Commission are made by the Lord Chancellor and are regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. This appointment has been made in line with the Governance Code on Public Appointments.

Biography

Professor Young is the Sir David Williams Professor of Public Law at the University of Cambridge, and a Fellow of Robinson College. She is also an academic associate at 39 Essex Chambers and an Emeritus Fellow of Hertford College, Oxford.

Before joining the University of Cambridge, Professor Young studied for a Law (with French) degree at the University of Birmingham, spending a year at the Université de Limoges. She then completed the BCL and D Phil at Hertford College, University of Oxford. She spent three years as a Tutorial Fellow at Balliol College, Oxford, before returning to Hertford as a Fellow in Law and later Professor of Public Law at the University of Oxford.

Professor Young has not declared any political activity.

07/11/2023
PRESS RELEASE : £2.2 billion in Cost of Living Payments paid by DWP over the last eight days [November 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Work and Pensions on 7 November 2023.

99% of households already eligible for the second Cost of Living Payment have been directly paid £300 by the Government.
- The payments are the second of up to three worth up to £900 in 2023/24 for those eligible.
- Those remaining will continue to be automatically paid between now and 19 November by DWP.
More than seven million households across the UK have been paid a £300 Cost of Living Payment, a £2.2 billion cash injection made by the Department for Work and Pensions in just eight days.

This means the vast majority of already eligible households have received the support in just eight days of the rollout starting, equating to over a million payments on each day they were made.

The payment is the second of up to three Cost of Living Payments being made this financial year, illustrating the Government’s commitment to supporting low-income families with financial pressures. These payments will all be tax-free, will not count towards the benefit cap, and will not have any impact on existing benefit awards.

Global inflationary pressures have seen the Department for Work and Pensions step in to provide unprecedented cost of living support, with billions of pounds sent directly into low-income households’ accounts over a matter of days.

This comes alongside work to deliver on the government’s five priorities, including halving inflation and growing the economy, ultimately helping put more money in people’s bank accounts.

Mel Stride, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, said:

Getting this vital money to over 7 million people across the UK in just eight days shows our determination to give people greater financial security as we work to halve inflation, bring costs down, and boost people’s bank balances.

In the long term, the best way to secure financial security is through work, and thousands of Work Coaches in Jobcentres across the country are on hand to help people find a job, enhance their skills, and reap the benefits of work.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt said:

Christmas can put a strain on people’s finances which is why this £300 will be a welcome boost for millions of families.

But we must tackle the root cause of higher bills by halving inflation this year and by sticking to our plan, we’re on track to do so.

The Cost of Living Payments, spread across 2023/24, are worth up to £900 for those on means-tested benefits. The first payment was made in April and May of this year, with the next one to come by Spring 2024.

The Cost of Living Payments build on the significant cost of living support already provided to eligible households throughout 2022 – now worth an average of £3,300 per household over this year and last. We have also gone further by:
- Increasing benefits in line with inflation, meaning more than 10 million working age families will see an average increase of around £600.
- Maintaining the Triple Lock earlier this year to give around 12 million pensioners the largest ever cash increase to the State Pension.
- Extending the Household Support Fund for another year in England to help families with essential costs with £1 billion of extra funding.
- Increasing the National Living Wage by its largest ever cash amount for 2 million workers – worth over £1,600 to the annual earnings of a full-time worker – and committing to increase it to over £11 an hour from April 2024.
- Cutting fuel duty by 5 pence and freezing the increase, worth £100 to the average driver this year.
- Covering up to 85% of childcare costs for working households on Universal Credit, up from 70% under the legacy system – currently worth over £19,500-a-year for families with two or more children.
Pensioner households will also receive £300 which will be paid as a top up to those eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment in November and December. Combined with the one-off Cost of Living Disability Payment earlier this year, some households will receive £1,350 in total.

The small number of payments still outstanding will continue to be made between now and 19 November, and anyone eligible still waiting for a payment does not need to contact the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) before then. After this date, if someone thinks they may be missing a payment they are entitled to a form can be filled out on the gov.uk website to make a claim.

In addition, eligible families, receiving tax credits only, will get their £300 Cost of Living Payment from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) between 10 and 19 November with the payment reference ‘HMRC COLS’.

While payments are made automatically, people must be receiving one of the eligible qualifying benefits during the specified period to qualify. Those who wish to check their entitlement to benefits should use a benefits calculator on Gov.uk to get a better idea of what they could receive.

Further Information
- The three means-tested Cost of Living Payments, worth up to £900 in total, is being delivered in three slightly different amounts, each relating to a specific qualifying period before the payment is made. This allows DWP to ensure support is targeted at those who need it and are eligible; to determine if a payee received the correct payments and identify the payment value; and to reduce the risk of fraud.
- To get the £300 payment someone must (subject to a very limited exception explained below) have been entitled to a payment of a qualifying benefit as follows:
  - For Universal Credit, payment in respect of an assessment period ending between the 18 August and 17 September 2023
  - For all other DWP means-tested benefits, payment in respect of any day 18 August and the 17 September 2023.
  - For tax credits-only customers to be eligible they must have received a payment of tax credits in respect of any day in the period 18 August 2023 and the 17 September 2023, or later be paid in respect of any day in this period.
- Those on DWP benefits other than Universal Credit who are entitled to less than 10 pence and meet all other qualifying criteria but who do not receive a benefit payment, will still receive a Cost of Living Payment.
- Payment windows and eligibility dates for the remaining Cost of Living Payment will be announced in due course.
- For constituency and local authority level breakdowns on payments, please visit www.gov.uk/government/news/first-2023-24-cost-of-living-payment-dates-announced
- The £300 Pensioner Cost of Living Payment will be paid to all households in receipt of Winter Fuel Payments, in the same way as 2022/23 payments were made.
- For more information on these payments, please visit www.gov.uk/guidance/cost-of-living-payments-2023-to-2024
- For regional, constituency and local authority level breakdowns on payments, please visit www.gov.uk/government/news/first-2023-24-cost-of-living-payment-dates-announced
07/11/2023