Tag: Press Release

PRESS RELEASE : Pakistan saves billions through UK backed governance reforms [August 2025]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 13 August 2025.

A landmark UK programme has successfully concluded after delivering major reforms across Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

The UK’s Sub-National Governance Programme ran from 2019 to 2025, unlocking over £1.9 billion in public finance through improved planning, budgeting, and revenue mobilisation.

Working closely with provincial governments, the programme has helped to achieve savings to reinvest into other public services. For example, it helped the Government of Punjab to develop a comprehensive pensions reform plan. This included the introduction of a new pensions scheme where both the employer and employee pay in, which is expected to save the Government of Punjab PKR 2.7 trillion over the next 30 years.

Reforms through the programme have also directly supported people’s livelihoods. In Punjab, 35 million people’s social and economic data was collected, meaning the government can now better target urgent cash assistance and food subsidies. The programme helped design and rollout social protection initiatives such as Ba-Himmat Buzurg, which offers elderly people with no source of income financial assistance, and the Himmat Card which provides financial support for people with disabilities in Punjab. In KP, it helped overhaul waste management, introducing sustainable door-to-door waste collection which is now being scaled up across the province.

British High Commission Development Director, Sam Waldock, said:

This programme shows what is possible when strong partnerships come together to support long-term reform, changing people’s lives. We’ve strengthened institutions, improved service delivery, and helped Pakistan unlock more of its resources to finance its own development. That has led to direct improvements to the day to day lives of millions- from helping people to access essential cash assistance, to creating waste management systems which makes their surroundings cleaner and more hygienic.

The UK’s work on governance reform in Pakistan will continue. In collaboration with UN Development Programme, the UK will continue to focus on sustained institutional reform and improved public financial management. Several key initiatives, including further reforms to provincial pension schemes, will be carried forward in the UK’s new National Governance Programme.

August 18, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Senior business leaders bolster Treasury board [August 2025]
The press release issued by HM Treasury on 13 August 2025.

Chancellor bolsters business expertise at the Treasury with three new appointments to the Board of Directors.
- Former chairman of John Lewis, Sir Charlie Mayfield, experienced banker and regeneration entrepreneur Edward Twiddy and economics communications specialist Jenny Scott appointed as non-executive directors.
- Trio will oversee the Treasury’s work and offer challenge and advice to the Department to support decision making.
Three experienced business leaders from retail, tech and communications have been appointed to the Board of Directors at the Treasury by the Chancellor Rachel Reeves.

Former Chairman of John Lewis Sir Charlie Mayfield will play a lead role on the Treasury’s Board of Directors alongside banking and regeneration entrepreneur Edward Twiddy and economics communications specialist Jenny Scott.

They will use their business expertise and experience to help the Treasury run as efficiently as possible, ensuring it effectively supports economic growth, the government’s number one mission.

All of the appointees will commence their terms on 1 September 2025, each serving an initial three-year term.

Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves said:

I’m really pleased to welcome Sir Charlie Mayfield, Edward Twiddy and Jenny Scott to the board, as we build on our partnership working with business. Between them, they bring a huge amount of experience and fresh thinking. Their insights will be invaluable as we focus on growing the economy to deliver for working people as part of our Plan for Change.

Sir Charlie Mayfield is an experienced Chair and business executive as the former Chairman of John Lewis Partnership. Sir Charlie has over 20 years’ experience in the private sector and 7 years within the public sector as Chair to the UK Commission for Employment and Skills. He brings extensive leadership skills including a strong track record in change management, both in developing talent and capability, and in driving technology-led transformation.

Edward Twiddy is Chair of Northstar Ventures, a Newcastle-based venture capital firm. He also co-founded the leading fintech start up, Atom Bank back in 2014 when the technology was in its infancy after spending 13 years as an official at the Treasury. Edward has extensive leadership experience in both executive and non-executive roles, with a strong focus on enterprise and innovation.

Jenny Scott co-founded and owns strategic communications advisory firm Apella Advisors. Jenny previously held senior communications posts at the Bank of England, shaping and guiding communications across all policy areas during the financial crisis and the Brexit referendum. Before joining the Bank, Jenny was the Economics Correspondent at the BBC and went on to present BBC2’s ‘The Daily Politics’ with Andrew Neil.

About the appointment process

Sir Charlie Mayfield, Edward Twiddy and Jenny Scott have been appointed by the Chancellor following a fair and open recruitment process run by HM Treasury.

The Treasury is committed to appointing a diverse range of people to public appointments and continues to take active steps to attract the broadest range of suitable applicants for posts.
August 16, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Live Facial Recognition technology to catch high-harm offenders [August 2025]

The press release issued by the Home Office on 13 August 2025.

Named and contactable neighbourhood police officers will also be in place in every community.

Every neighbourhood across England and Wales now has named, contactable officers in place to tackle issues blighting their communities, marking a major milestone in the government’s Plan for Change.

As part of the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee to put 13,000 more officers into communities by 2029, the public will have consistent direct links to their local force, with dedicated anti-social behaviour leads and new visible patrols in town centres.

In addition to bolstering police presence in communities, the Home Office is announcing the rollout of 10 new Live Facial Recognition (LFR) vans to seven forces across the country, equipping officers with targeted, cutting-edge technology to catch high-harm criminals.

The new vans will operate according to strict rules, which ensure they are only deployed when there is specific intelligence. The College of Policing has clear guidance on how the technology should be used.

These vehicles enable law enforcement to target and locate wanted criminals and suspects for the most serious crimes including sex offences, violent assaults, homicide and serious and organised crime. Forces already using LFR have used it to arrest rape, domestic abuse, knife crime and robbery suspects as well as sex offenders breaching their conditions. The technology has also been used to maintain safety at big public events.

Existing safeguards require checks only to be done against police watchlists of wanted criminals, suspects and those subject to bail or court order conditions like sex offenders. Watchlists are bespoke to every deployment, with officers following strict guidance from the College of Policing guidance when composing a list.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said:

Neighbourhood policing has been decimated over the last 15 years, but through our Plan for Change we are turning the corner, starting with town and city centres.

Within the next year, we will have 3,000 new neighbourhood officers and PCSOs in place, which is a big shift. We also want them to have more powers to tackle off-road bikes, shop theft, street theft and other crimes that have blighted some of our town and city centres, so everyone can feel safe in their own town.

And we will provide police with the tools they need to do their jobs. Facial recognition will be used in a targeted way to identify sex offenders or people wanted for the most serious crimes who the police have not been able to find.

That’s why we’re funding 10 vans and also drawing up a new legal framework, so we’ve got proper safeguards and checks in place so that we can use the technology to go after the most dangerous criminals.

Police forces including the Metropolitan Police and South Wales have already seen success with their own live facial recognition deployments. The Met reported that in 12 months they made 580 arrests using LFR for offences including, rape, domestic abuse, knife crime, GBH and robbery, including 52 registered sex offenders arrested for breaching their conditions.

Alongside the roll out of the 10 vans, the government will simultaneously consult on how the technology should be used and what appropriate safeguards and oversight are needed to ensure transparency and public confidence, in turn helping the government to shape a new legal framework for its use.

They also need to follow the College of Policing’s guidance on how the technology is used – measuring faces from a live feed only against police watchlists to try to determine matches – and comply with the surveillance camera code of practice.

Every van is manned by trained officers who check every match made by the technology. The algorithm being used in the vans has been independently tested and will only be operated in specific circumstances and with robust oversight.

The facial recognition algorithm used in the new vans has been independently tested for bias by the National Physical Laboratory (NPL). The testing found that the algorithm is accurate and there is no bias for ethnicity, age or gender at the settings used by the police.

The 10 new units will be deployed to forces in Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, Bedfordshire, Surrey and Sussex (jointly), and Thames Valley and Hampshire (jointly).

The consultation announced today will launch in the autumn to seek views on when and how the technology should be used, appropriate safeguards and oversight, to ensure transparency and public confidence, and will help the government to shape a new legal framework.

The mobile units will be distributed in the coming weeks, with the rollout being coordinated by the National Police Chiefs Council and South Wales Police. It will be for individual forces to determine how and when they are deployed in their respective areas, operating within the College of Policing guidance, but with clear monitoring of their use and effectiveness in order to feed into the consultation.

Lindsey Chiswick, NPCC lead for facial recognition, said:

The police have a duty to prevent crime and keep the public safe. Live Facial Recognition supports effective policing, enabling officers to locate suspects quickly and accurately.

The increased access to Live Facial Recognition vehicles to forces that previously did not have the capability is an excellent opportunity for policing. Each Live Facial Recognition deployment will be targeted, intelligence-led, within a set geographical location and for defined period of time, ensuring deployments are proportionate, lawful and necessary.

Live Facial Recognition has already been used in policing to great success, locating thousands of wanted offenders, or others breaching their bail conditions.

I am confident that the increased use of this technology will continue to support the safety of communities across the country moving forward.

South Wales Police has been a national leader in facial recognition deployment, with no false alerts reported since August 2019 and multiple arrests linked to LFR use.

Chief Superintendent Tim Morgan, of South Wales Police, said:

Our priority is to keep the public safe and this technology continues to help us achieve that.

We understand the concerns which are raised about the use of live facial recognition technology and we use any new technology ethically and spend time and effort making sure it’s deployed in line with all legislation and guidance.

It is important to remember that use of this has never resulted in a wrongful arrest in South Wales and there have been no false alerts for several years as the technology and our understanding has evolved.

The level of oversight and independent scrutiny means that we are now in a stronger position than ever before to be able to demonstrate that our use of facial recognition technology is fair, legitimate, ethical and proportionate.

John Hayward-Cripps, Chief Executive, Neighbourhood Watch said:

The Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee reflects what many Neighbourhood Watch members want: responsive policing that prioritises local relationships. This is so important because people stop reporting issues when they don’t have confidence that something will be done.

We know that successful community policing takes time. Having named and contactable officers is an extremely positive step, the most effective neighbourhood policing models combine targeted approaches with genuine community engagement.

Working with communities as partners rather than passive recipients should deliver the visible, community-based policing that not only keeps people safer, but builds confidence and encourages all of us to play an active role in our communities.

The announcement forms part of the government’s Safer Streets Mission and follows the launch of the Safer Streets Summer initiative, which is delivering increased patrols and enforcement in over 500 town centres nationwide.

August 16, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Higher Public Spending for People in Scotland [August 2025]

The press release issued by the Scotland Office on 13 August 2025.

Public spending is £2,669 per person in higher in Scotland, according to new Scottish Government figures.

The Scottish Government’s Government Expenditure and Revenue (GERS) figures for 2024-25 show that people in Scotland benefit by £2,669 more per head of additional spending compared to the UK average, as a result of the redistribution of wealth throughout the UK, and the impact of our Plan for Change. This is an increase of £358 on the previous year [£2,311 in 2023-24].

In 2024-25, £91.4 billion in tax receipts was raised in Scotland through devolved and reserved taxation, compared to £117.6 billion in public spending for Scotland. That works out to 8.0 per cent of UK revenue and 9.1 per cent of spending.

The figures also reveal that the ‘notional deficit’, or net fiscal balance, in Scotland grew to around £26.5 billion, or 11.7 per cent of GDP, more than double the UK deficit of 5.1 per cent of GDP. This is an increase of £5.1 billion on the previous year [£21.4 billion in 2023-24].

The UK Government is committed to retaining the Barnett Formula and funding arrangements agreed with the Scottish Government through the Fiscal Framework, which enables this higher spending for Scotland. We are also committed to working in partnership with the Scottish Government to drive economic growth in Scotland as part of our Plan for Change.

Despite this, the Scottish Government recently confirmed that its policy is to end the current application of the Barnett formula in Scotland, a move that would mean a funding gap of more than £14 billion that the Scottish Government needed to manage.

Scottish Secretary Ian Murray said:

These figures underline the collective economic strength of the United Kingdom and how Scotland benefits from the redistribution of wealth inside the UK. By sharing resources with each other across the UK, Scots benefit by £2,669 more per head in public spending than the UK average. It also means that Devolved Governments have the financial heft of the wider UK behind them when taking decisions.

That means more money for schools, hospitals and policing, if the Scottish Parliament chooses to invest in those areas. People in Scotland will rightly expect to see better outcomes.

These figures also underline that the Scottish Government’s policy of full fiscal autonomy would mean turbo-charged austerity and economic chaos for Scotland. That’s why the UK Government will stand up for the pooling and sharing resources across the UK as part of our Plan for Change – to grow the economy and put more money in working people’s pockets.

A recent Westminster Scottish Affairs Committee inquiry examined the effectiveness of the Barnett Formula – the mechanism which determines the level of funding the UK Government sends to Scotland every year. The MPs found the measure was “fit for purpose”. The committee also rejected calls for the formula to shift and provide funding to Scotland based on need. The report said Scotland already receives more funding per head than any other country in the UK, and a change in the framework could see funding cut.

At the Spending Review the Chancellor set out a record settlement for the Scottish Government. It will receive an extra £9.1 billion over the course of the Spending Review period, meaning that the Block Grant is forecast to increase in real terms for every year of the Spending Review and will be worth £52 billion by 2028/29, the highest since devolution.

The UK Government is also investing directly in Scotland – including £1.7 billion in local growth projects. £750 million for Edinburgh’s supercomputer, £250 million to upgrade Faslane, and £200 million in the Acorn project. And of course the billions the UK Government is spending on defence disproportionately benefit Scottish jobs and industry.

The GERS figures are published here.

August 16, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Local councils and charities urged to help more people get online with £9.5 million government fund [August 2025]
The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 13 August 2025.

The Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund will help more people get online, drive economic growth and raise living standards, as part of the Plan for Change.
- More people will be supported to get online through new government fund helping to drive economic growth and raise living standards as part of the Plan for Change.
- Backed by £9.5 million from UK government, the funding will help tackle digital inequality across the UK, including through workshops to familiarise people with tech and donating new devices to those without access to online world.
- Funding will be delivered in partnership with the devolved governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – building on local knowledge and expertise.
Local charities and councils could benefit from £9.5 million in new UK government funding being announced today (Wednesday 13 August), to turbo-charge grassroots efforts to help the 1.6 million people in the UK who can’t access to online world. The money will support the best and smartest ways of tackling digital exclusion, which could include putting on workshops to familiarise people with tech, schemes donating devices like phones and laptops to the digitally excluded, all led by local councils, charities and other bodies working in the heart of their communities.

Digital exclusion is holding too many people back and tackling it is critical to driving growth, which is at the heart of the government’s Plan for Change. Research suggests that 7.9 million adults across the UK lack basic digital skills, while 1.6 million people live offline altogether. These are people who are locked out from some of the basic opportunities that modern life offers, whether that’s mastering the essential digital skills for work – like setting up an email account and sharing files – or facing higher costs for things like home insurance, train travel and food – with people paying up to 25% more than consumers who are online.

The government has today launched the Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund to help tackle these issues and get more people online. In England, local government, charities and research organisations can apply for funding worth £25,000 to £500,000 to help boost digital inclusion and skills in their local areas. The devolved governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will determine their own arrangements for the distribution of funding to best support local digital inclusion initiatives.

This follows June’s launch of the IT Reuse for Good charter, where organisations can pledge to donate devices to the digitally excluded.

UK Telecoms Minister Sir Chris Bryant said:

It is unacceptable that in 2025, millions of people across the UK simply can’t access the vast opportunities that technology and the online world offers. Digital inclusion is an essential for modern life and work, not just something that’s nice to have, and it forms a critical part of our Plan for Change.

Making technology widely accessible could be the thing that means a sick patient can speak to a GP remotely, or that helps a young person successfully apply for a job. Through this funding we’re moving further to empower local leaders and groups nationwide, who are already working tirelessly to get their communities connected and change countless lives for the better.

Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Jane Hutt, said:

For over a decade, Wales has led the way in digital inclusion, and our Digital Strategy for Wales makes clear our aim to ensure everyone who chooses to can engage safely and with confidence with digital.

Being digitally included means having the basic digital skills and tools needed for everyday life – from accessing vital services and applying for jobs to staying connected with friends and family.

This new funding from the UK government will build on the progress we’ve made, helping to further our lead and support the aim to support people to meet the minimum digital living standard.

The fund is being directed at local organisations because they are best placed to know how to support the needs of their communities. Where new and innovative ways of tackling digital exclusion are shown to be effective, the hope is that by proving them through this fund, they can then be rolled out wider across the country.

Launching the Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund delivers on a key commitment set out in the Digital Inclusion Action Plan published earlier this year, which set out this government’s first actions to tackle digital exclusion so that technology can be harnessed by everyone in the UK, and help the government boost growth and raise living standards under the Plan for Change.

Tackling digital exclusion will be crucial to raising living standards across the UK as part of the government’s Plan for Change, for instance by helping more people apply for jobs online, use the NHS app to book doctor’s appointments, or get advice on government services through tools like GOV.UK Chat.

Notes for editors

The full Digital Inclusion Action Plan can be found on GOV.UK: Digital Inclusion Action Plan: First Steps

Research shows that digitally excluded people face higher costs for things like home insurance, train travel and food paying up to 25% more on average than consumers who are online.

Allocations for the devolved governments for this FY (25-26) have been calculated on a per capita basis and amount to:
- £400,368 for Wales
- £764,020 for Scotland
- £267,249 for Northern Ireland
August 16, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Statement of the Co-chairs of the Coalition of the Willing [August 2025]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 13 August 2025.

President Macron, Prime Minister Starmer and Chancellor Merz today co-chaired a virtual meeting of a grouping of ‘Coalition of the Willing’ Leaders and with the participation of President Zelenskyy and Vice-President Vance, ahead of President Trump’s meeting with President Putin in Alaska.

Leaders welcomed President Trump’s efforts to stop the killing in Ukraine, end Russia’s war of aggression, and achieve just and lasting peace. They welcomed the open discussions with President Trump earlier that day.

They were clear that the path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine. It was necessary to continue an approach that combined active diplomacy, support to Ukraine and pressure on Russia. A diplomatic solution must protect Ukraine’s and Europe’s vital security interests.

They also reiterated that:

First, meaningful negotiations can only take place in the context of a ceasefire or a lasting and significant cessation of hostilities.

Second, sanctions and wider economic measures to put pressure on Russia’s war economy should be strengthened if Russia does not agree to a ceasefire in Alaska.

Third, international borders must not be changed by force.

Fourth, Ukraine must have robust and credible security guarantees to effectively defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity. The Coalition of the Willing is ready to play an active role, including through plans by those willing to deploy a reassurance force once hostilities have ceased. No limitations should be placed on Ukraine’s armed forces or on its cooperation with third countries. Russia could not have a veto against Ukraine‘s pathway to EU and NATO.

They confirmed they would continue to cooperate closely with President Trump and with the United States of America, and with President Zelenskyy and the people of Ukraine, for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.

August 16, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Reminder to eligible households to get £150 off energy bills [August 2025]
The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 13 August 2025.

Eligible households encouraged to check they are named on their electricity bill to automatically benefit from the Warm Home Discount this winter.
- This will help ensure people automatically receive the discount from their energy supplier, putting more money in their pockets under the Plan for Change
- Follows the extension of the Warm Home Discount, meaning an extra 2.7 million households will qualify this winter
Millions are set to save £150 on their electricity bills this winter, as the government urges eligible households to check they are named on their bill to get the discount automatically – helping ease the cost of living under the Plan for Change.

Every household where the billpayer receives an eligible means-tested benefit will now be in line for the discount, after the government removed restrictions that previously excluded many who needed help with bills.

In England and Wales, this means households in receipt of Housing Benefit, Income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Income Support, Pension Credit and Universal Credit will now be eligible.

This takes the number of households set to benefit from the Warm Home Discount to over 6 million – an increase of 2.7 million households, including 900,000 more families with children.

The government is now issuing a call to eligible households to check they are named on their electricity bill, with suppliers set to rely on customers’ records as of Sunday 24 August.

Someone might not be named on their electricity bill if they have recently moved house and changed supplier.

Having the eligible person named on the electricity bill will help make sure households receive the £150 discount automatically.

Last winter, 96% of eligible households received their discount automatically through this route, making it the easiest and quickest way for the overwhelming majority of households.

Minister for Energy Consumers Miatta Fahnbulleh said:

We took decisive action earlier this year to expand the Warm Home Discount, giving more working families certainty and peace of mind before winter.

I now want to make sure as many eligible households as possible get £150 off their energy bill, putting more money in their pockets as part of our Plan for Change.

If you know someone who might be eligible – please start spreading the word to family and friends, encouraging them to check they are named on their energy bill.

Eligible customers on pre-payment meters who use a key or card to top up will also need to ensure that their household’s account is registered in their name.

This cost-of-living support comes alongside the government’s mission to bring down bills in the long term by replacing the UK’s dependence on fossil fuel markets controlled by petrostates and dictators with clean, homegrown power.
August 16, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Collaborative action from the international community is needed as Yemen faces worsening food insecurity – UK statement at the UN Security Council [August 2025]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 12 August 2025.

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Yemen.

First, it is now one month since the latest Houthi attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea, which resulted in the tragic loss of life of at least four crew members.

The UK reiterates its unequivocal condemnation of ongoing Houthi attacks and calls for the immediate release of those taken hostage.

As we highlighted in yesterday’s high-level open debate, maritime security must be safeguarded. I reaffirm the UK’s support for Resolution 2722 and the principle of freedom of navigation.

The Yemen Maritime Security Partnership, or YMSP, is an essential mechanism for international cooperation with the aim of protecting Yemen’s waters, safeguarding maritime trade, combating illicit activities and rebuilding the capabilities of the Yemen Coastguard.

The UK is proud to co-host the inaugural YMSP High-Level Conference on 16 September in Riyadh, alongside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We call upon our international partners to join and support this initiative.

Second, the UK commends the recent interdiction of 750 tonnes of weapons intended for the Houthis, by forces aligned to the Government of Yemen.

This illicit transfer of weapons directly undermines the stability of Yemen and the wider region, and is in clear breach of the arms embargo.

We call upon all Member States to ensure full compliance with Resolution 2216.

Third, as we’ve heard today, Yemen faces worsening food insecurity.

18.1 million people, over half the population, are projected to experience increasing food insecurity in the next six months, some areas face catastrophic levels of food insecurity for the first time in almost two years.

We need quick and collaborative action from the international community in order to reverse this trajectory, and to meet the needs of the most vulnerable.

The UK once again reiterates its call for the immediate and unconditional release of aid workers arbitrarily detained by the Houthis.

These detentions are making humanitarian access more difficult and dangerous at a time when the needs of Yemenis are rapidly increasing.

President, the UK remains committed to supporting the efforts of the Special Envoy and his team in charting a path towards long-term stability and security.

It is what the people of Yemen and the wider region need and deserve.

August 16, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Joint statement on the humanitarian situation in Gaza [August 2025]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 12 August 2025.

Joint statement on behalf of 32 partners on aid to Gaza and restrictions facing NGOs.

Joint statement:

The humanitarian suffering in Gaza has reached unimaginable levels. Famine is unfolding before our eyes. Urgent action is needed now to halt and reverse starvation. Humanitarian space must be protected, and aid should never be politicised.

However, due to restrictive new registration requirements, essential international NGOs may be forced to leave the OPTs imminently which would worsen the humanitarian situation still further. We call on the government of Israel to provide authorisation for all international NGO aid shipments and to unblock essential humanitarian actors from operating. Immediate, permanent and concrete steps must be taken to facilitate safe, large-scale access for the UN, international NGOs and humanitarian partners. All crossings and routes must be used to allow a flood of aid into Gaza, including food, nutrition supplies, shelter, fuel, clean water, medicine and medical equipment. Lethal force must not be used at distribution sites, and civilians, humanitarians and medical workers must be protected.

We are grateful to the US, Qatar and Egypt for their efforts in pushing for a ceasefire and pursuing peace. We need a ceasefire that can end the war, for hostages to be released and aid to enter Gaza by land unhindered.

This statement has been signed by:
- The Foreign Ministers of Andorra, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK.
- The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, the EU Commissioner for the Mediterranean and the EU Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management.
August 16, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : David Smith, Director of century-old Scottish machinery firm banned after under-declaring VAT by more than £1.5 million [August 2025]
The press release issued by the Insolvency Service on 12 August 2025.

The company entered administration owing more than £3 million.
- David Smith submitted false VAT returns on behalf of long-established Scottish machinery firm Balgownie Limited across a three-year period
- In total, more than £1.5 million was undeclared to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) between 2019 and 2022
- Smith has been banned as a director for 11 years and the company was bought out of administration by another firm last year, with 15 jobs saved
The director of a century-old Scottish machinery firm which went into administration last year has been banned after failing to declare more than £1.5 million in VAT.

David Smith, 61, was the director of FB Realisations Limited, which was known for decades as Balgownie Limited.

However, for more than three years between 2019 and 2022, Smith submitted false VAT returns on behalf of the company in his role as finance director without the knowledge of his fellow directors.

Smith, of Kirkton of Bourtie, Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, has been disqualified as a company director for 11 years following investigations by the Insolvency Service.

Mike Smith, Chief Investigator at the Insolvency Service, said:

David Smith’s conduct falls well below the standards we expect of company directors.

Smith’s misconduct was hidden from his other directors and only came to light when a consultant queried finances at a board meeting and he admitted that he had been manipulating the accounts for several years.

By deliberately suppressing VAT payments, Smith deprived the public purse of vital funds that should have gone towards essential public services such as schools and the NHS.

Balgownie Limited was set up on Companies House in 1973 but had a trading history dating back to 1907.

The undeclared VAT totalling £1,575,584 consisted of:
- Falsely claiming VAT refunds on expenses that were actually for private or personal use rather than legitimate business purposes in the quarter ending December 2018
- Deliberately understating the amount of tax due on sales made between March 2019 and March 2022, across multiple quarterly returns
- Falsely claiming refunds by backdating purchases to earlier tax periods without having valid invoices or evidence to support these claims
Smith signed a disclosure with HMRC in March 2023 where he admitted deliberately under-declaring the amount of VAT his company should have paid.

Balgownie Limited went into administration in March 2024, with 24 people losing their jobs and creditors owed £3,163,795.

However, 15 jobs were saved when the business and its assets were bought out of administration by another company the following month.

The Secretary of State for Business and Trade accepted a disqualification undertaking from Smith, and his ban started on Monday 21 July.

It prevents him from being involved in the promotion, formation or management of a company, without the permission of the court.

Smith was declared bankrupt in August 2024 following a petition from one of the company’s creditors.

Further information
- David Smith is of Kirkton of Bourtie, Inverurie, Aberdeenshire. His date of birth is 17 May 1964
- FB Realisations Limited (company number SC053574)
August 16, 2025