Tag: Press Release

PRESS RELEASE : End to intrusive fishing expeditions of rape victims’ therapy notes [May 2023]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 15 May 2023.

Victims and Prisoners Bill will stop unnecessary and invasive access to personal materials such as therapy notes.
- move to empower victims to access therapy without fear of infringements on their privacy
- robust new guidance for police on how and when to request access to personal records
Victims of rape will no longer face unnecessary and invasive requests to access their therapy notes or other personal records during the investigation stage thanks to new legislation announced today (15 May 2023).

For the first time ever, an amendment to the government’s Victims and Prisoners Bill will set out clearly in law that police should only request material that is absolutely necessary and proportionate to ensure that vulnerable victims aren’t put off seeking vital support.

This will end expansive fishing expeditions for information that can be irrelevant to the investigation and used to undermine the credibility of the victim.

This change gives greater clarity to victims and the police about when information can be requested and provides survivors of the most heinous crimes with the confidence to access therapy earlier without fear notes could be used against them in court.

Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary, Alex Chalk MP KC, said:

This important reform will end invasive unnecessary requests for therapy notes for rape victims and give them the confidence to seek the help they need earlier, free from the fear that what they share in the process of healing could be weaponised against them.

The Victims and Prisoners Bill is ensuring victims are treated as participants in, not just spectators of, the justice system – improving support for them while overhauling the parole system to better protect the public from the most dangerous offenders.

Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, said:

It is simply unacceptable that victims of some of the most traumatic crimes have had significant amounts of their personal records unnecessarily requested.

We have been clear that this issue must be addressed through legislation and that’s why we’re making this vital amendment to the Bill. This is just one of the ways we are working across government to improve how the criminal justice system deals with these horrendous crimes.

The changes follow a Home Office consultation in 2022 which showed almost 90% of respondents were in favour of introducing a statutory duty on police forces to only make necessary and proportionate requests for the disclosure of third-party information. To ensure police are abiding by the new law, the government will also publish a new robust code of conduct – with forces who fail to abide by the new rules to face consequences including possible legal action.

Justice Minister, Edward Argar MP, said:

The Victims and Prisoners Bill will ensure that victims feel listened to and are treated fairly, properly, and with dignity when they come forward to bring their offender to justice.

The reforms we are announcing today will mean that rape victims know their rights when they are asked to provide personal information like therapy notes.

The new legislation forms part of the Victims and Prisoners Bill which will transform victims’ experience by putting the principles underpinning the Victims’ Code on a statutory footing – sending a clear signal about what they can and should expect from the criminal justice system.

The bill will also overhaul the parole system by allowing ministers to block the release of the most dangerous offenders including murderers, rapists, and terrorists – putting public protection back as the overriding focus of the parole process.
May 22, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Health secretary attends Japan summit with health tech at top of the agenda [May 2023]
The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 15 May 2023.

Secretary of State visits Japan for G7 health ministers’ meeting to see how technology is improving patient care and reducing the burden on staff.
- Meetings held to discuss healthcare workforce recruitment, cutting waiting times and how member states are using innovation and tech
- End of summit agreement signed on Sunday to help tackle global health issues including antimicrobial resistance, dementia and pandemic preparedness
Health and Social Care Secretary, Steve Barclay, concluded a visit to Japan today (Monday 15 May) for the G7 health ministers’ meeting, where he led discussions with international counterparts on how technology can be used to improve patient care, reduce pressure on health and social care staff and cut waiting times for patients.

During his first international summit, the Secretary of State visited Silver Wing care home in Tokyo. It uses technology such as bed sensors, robotic mobility and walking aids and interactive entertainment to reduce pressure on staff while providing better care for residents.

He saw some of the tech in action, including the mobility aids staff use to lift and move residents to and from their beds, which staff say has reduced pain in their lower backs while respecting residents’ privacy.

The Secretary of State also held one-to-one meetings with health ministers from G7 countries to discuss shared opportunities on using tech and innovation, workforce recruitment as well as cutting waiting times.

Talks between the Secretary of State and his counterparts also focussed on pandemic preparedness, tackling antimicrobial resistance (AMR) – which costs around 1.27 millon lives a year globally – and how member states are working to develop vaccines within 100 days of a pandemic threat being identified.

Speaking from Japan, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Steve Barclay, said:

Japan is pioneering the use of the latest technology and innovation in health and social care, so my visit to Nagasaki has been a great opportunity to see at first hand how this innovation helps both staff and people in care.

New technology, including artificial intelligence, has a big role to play in the NHS’s future, helping to deliver one of the government’s 5 priorities to cut waiting lists so patients get the care they need quicker.

We’re already seeing the benefits – the NHS App is being used to order more than 500,000 repeat prescriptions every week, while our £123 million investment in AI technologies is helping staff tackle issues like stroke diagnosis, cancer screening and cardiovascular monitoring.

The summit was also a vital opportunity to get round the table with health ministers from other G7 countries and commit to action to ensure we’re ready to respond to a possible future pandemic, both at home in the UK and globally with our international partners.

The Secretary of State delivered a speech at the summit in which he said new innovations will help tackle global health issues – including ageing populations and AMR. He cited as an example the UK’s world-first antibiotic subscription model – which incentivises drug companies to produce new antibiotics – which other G7 countries are looking to as something they could implement domestically.

The UK government is already taking action to implement technology across the NHS and social care. In March, the government announced nearly £16 million investment into pioneering artificial intelligence research through the AI in Health and Care Awards.

This brings the total investment to £123 million in 86 AI technologies, which stand to benefit over 300,000 patients and support the treatment of conditions including cancer, heart disease, diabetes, mental health and neurological disorders.

The 2-day G7 health ministers’ meeting finished on Sunday with member states signing an agreement on tackling shared global health challenges, including:
- better surveillance, data and information sharing to protect the world against another pandemic
- incentivising the development of new antibiotics to tackle the rising threat of AMR across the G7
- member states investing in research into dementia and future treatments
The Secretary of State also spoke at a side event on dementia in which he recognised the need for global, as well as domestic, solutions which improve knowledge and understanding of dementia, helping to drive the production of innovative treatments and medicines.

The government will soon launch a call for evidence for our Major Conditions Strategy which will cover 6 conditions: cancer, mental ill health, cardiovascular diseases, musculoskeletal disorders, chronic respiratory diseases and dementia.

The G7 health ministers’ meeting took place in Nagasaki, Japan, from Saturday 13 May to Sunday 14 May 2023.

The G7 leaders summit will take place in Hiroshima from 19 to 21 May 2023.
May 18, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : National Cyber Advisory Board meets at CyberUK 2023 [May 2023]
The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 15 May 2023.

Government and business leaders co-chaired the second meeting of the National Cyber Advisory Board at CyberUK, discussing how to support the delivery of the National Cyber Strategy.

Deputy Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Oliver Dowden, and Chief Information Officer at Lloyds Banking Group UK, Sharon Barber, co-chaired the second meeting of the National Cyber Advisory Board on Wednesday 19th April. The meeting took place at CYBERUK, the government’s flagship cyber security conference held in Belfast.

In the meeting, the board reflected on the UK’s achievements within cyber since the launch of the National Cyber Strategy. The board discussed how it can further support the successful implementation of the National Cyber Strategy by challenging and validating current government assumptions on cyber. The board also debated how it can inform the government’s top level approach to ransomware, which remains a tier one national security threat.

The Board discussed progress against its three areas of priority focus:
- Build cyber skills throughout the economy by introducing better recruitment practices, such as standardised job specifications, and exploring how to accelerate the development of entry-level talent.
- Strengthen the security of supply chains, an area critically needing cross-industry improvement, and improve efficiency in the assurance process, through standardised supplier questionnaires.
- Increase businesses’ awareness of the risks posed by cyber attacks to drive greater action on cyber resilience.
The board expects to announce progress and actions in these areas at the next meeting, scheduled for October 2023.

These priority areas have been driven through the NCAB working groups on Cyber Skills and Diversity, Risk and Crisis Management, and Supply Chains, composed of NCAB members and government.

The National Cyber Advisory Board, a key commitment of the National Cyber Strategy, first met in November 2022. Since then, the Board has run workshops with the UK Cyber Security Council on increasing gender diversity in cyber, visited cutting-edge businesses from across the UK, including two net-zero businesses in Belfast, Translink and Artemis, and established the NCAB working groups.

Deputy Prime Minister and Co-Chair of the Board, Oliver Dowden, said:

My conversations with businesses make clear that in today’s interconnected world, security and prosperity go hand in hand. That’s one of the reasons why the National Cyber Advisory Board is central to our National Cyber Strategy.

Only by working together can we combat the evolving threat posed by criminals, hacktivists, and foreign states, and ensure that the UK remains one of the most attractive destinations for entrepreneurs and investors from all over the world.

Co-Chair of the Board and Chief Security Officer at Lloyds UK, Sharon Barber, said:

The second meeting of the National Cyber Advisory Board demonstrates the value of cooperation between the government and businesses. Working together to combat the shared threats we face helps to ensure the UK remains a safe place to invest and do business.

The Board encourages businesses to get involved with one of the many brilliant initiatives taking place across industry to strengthen our national cyber ecosystem and build the UK’s cyber resilience

The National Cyber Advisory Board embodies the ‘whole of society’ approach to cyber, which is a critical part of the National Cyber Strategy. The approach fosters the sharing of expertise and knowledge and provides the basis for stronger collaboration with partners in the UK and around the world.

Interested in contributing to the aims of the National Cyber Advisory Board? Please get involved in the following opportunities:
- Engaging with your local cyber cluster through the UK Cyber Cluster Collaboration (UKC3), signing up to the Cyber Runway programme and industry training such as the NCSC for Startups Programme.
- Completing NCSC’s Cyber Action Plan questionnaire, using the new NCSC “Check your Cyber Security” tool to identify and fix issues, and reading NCSC’s Cyber Security advice for Small and Medium Organisations.
- Continuing to report scam emails, texts, and websites to NCSC.
Full membership of the Board:
- Rt Hon Oliver Dowden CBE MP, Deputy Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Co-Chair)
- Sharon Barber, Chief Information Officer, Lloyds Banking Group (Co-Chair)
- Julian David, CEO, Tech UK
- Claudia Natanson, Chair, Board of Trustees, UK Cyber Security Council.
- Stephen Bonner, Executive Director, Regulatory Futures, Information Commissioner’s Office
- Debbie Forster, Co-founder and CEO, Tech Talent Charter
- Nick Godfrey, Director, Office of the CISO, Google Cloud
- Saj Huq, Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Innovation, Plexal
- Chris Johnson, Pro Vice Chancellor, Engineering and Physical Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast
- Rachel Laursen, Global CISO and Head of Technology Risk, Marks and Spencer
- Emma Smith, Cyber Security Director, Vodafone
- Don Smith, Vice President, Secureworks
- Yasmin Brooks, Co-Lead Global Cyber & Data Practice, Brunswick Group
- Alison Dyer, Chief Information Security Officer, ASOS
- Gareth Williams, Vice President Operations & International – Cyber Defence Solutions Business Line, Thales
- David Meads, Chief Executive, UK and Ireland, CISCO
- Stuart Aston, National Security Officer, Microsoft.
May 18, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : 1,500 UK troops join major NATO exercise amid expanded UK deployment to Estonia [May 2023]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 14 May 2023.

More than 1,500 UK troops are set to train alongside thousands of personnel from NATO Alliance countries, as part of a major exercise in Estonia.
- Personnel from all three services of the UK Armed Forces are deployed in Estonia, carrying out exercises and operations as part of our commitment to NATO.
- More than 1,500 troops have been deployed for Exercise Spring Storm, demonstrating the reinforcement of the UK-led NATO enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) Battlegroup to Brigade-sized strength.
- 14,000 personnel from 11 NATO countries will demonstrate interoperability in multi-domain training scenarios as part of the exercise.
More than 1,500 UK troops are set to train alongside thousands of personnel from NATO Alliance countries, as part of a major Estonian-led exercise.

Exercise Spring Storm is the largest annual military exercise involving the UK-led NATO enhanced Forward Presence Battlegroup, comprised of both UK and French forces, with more than 14,000 personnel due to take part from 11 NATO countries.

At last year’s NATO summit, the UK committed to increase the size of its eFP commitment, with this year’s exercise marking the first time the UK has conducted a brigade-sized deployment to Estonia – involving hundreds more personnel than in previous deployments.

Spread across tough and varied Estonian terrain, ground units will be tested on realistic battlefield scenarios including trench assaults, reconnaissance missions, and light infantry tactics, moving up to armoured vehicle manoeuvres and combined arms warfare.

Defence Secretary, Ben Wallace, said:

Hundreds of UK troops from across our Armed Forces will again train with personnel from eleven NATO nations, demonstrating the strength of our interoperability with partner nations and our combined commitment to the NATO Alliance.

While the Russian Army continues their illegal invasion of Ukraine threatening stability in Europe, the UK and our allies will continue to support Ukraine and defend our shared values and freedom.

Beyond the land-based elements of the two-week exercise, members of the RAF will carry out training exercises in reconnaissance and air-land integration, while Royal Marines Commandos will also carry out a beach assault exercise to test the UK’s maritime strike capability.

The eFP provides a continuous NATO presence along its eastern border, with deployed troops acting as a deterrence against any aggression towards the Alliance’s borders. Recent actions carried out as part of the UK-led eFP include air intercepts of Russian aircraft by RAF fighter jets.

Personnel from the British Army’s 7th Light Mechanised Brigade Combat Team (7LMBCT) HQ and Light Dragoons Battlegroup (LD BG) join the Queen’s Royal Hussars (QRH) for the exercise, which will include Challenger 2 tanks, Warrior and CV90 Infantry Fighting Vehicles, Jackal, CAESAR self-propelled howitzers, and other artillery pieces, including British GMLRS and US HIMARS.

Supporting air-based exercises will be four Wildcat and five Apache helicopters, as well as three RAF Typhoon fighter jets.

The Queen’s Royal Hussars Commanding Officer Lt Col Steve Wilson said:

The eFP is looking forward to the opportunities provided by Exercise Spring Storm. The chance to train over the terrain we might need to defend adds to the gravitas of the exercise.

Our Battlegroup is fully integrated with 1st Estonian Brigade and brings a highly trained and capable UK and French troops to the field. We will be bringing a wide range of hard-hitting capabilities from Main Battle Tanks (MBT), anti-tank, and artillery to snipers, mortars, engineers and tactical air controllers. We look forward to demonstrating the capabilities and resolve of the NATO alliance over the coming days.

The exercise is conducted in a peer-on-peer format, allowing the reconnaissance capabilities of the LD Battlegroup to be tested against the heavy armour of the QRH Battlegroup, and vice versa.
May 18, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : 5th UK-Morocco Higher Education Commission [May 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 15 May 2023.

The UK and Morocco held the 5th UK-Morocco Higher Education Commission on 10 May.

On 10 May 2023 Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister of State for the Middle East and North Africa, South Asia, the UN, and the Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict, and Dr Abdellatif Miraoui, Morocco’s Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research, and Innovation, presided over the 5th meeting of the UK-Morocco Higher Education Commission at the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office in London.

The meeting followed the previous day’s 4th UK-Morocco Strategic Dialogue in Rabat, co-chaired by Lord Ahmad and Nasser Bourita, Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccan Expatriates. The Dialogue – covering culture, education, political, economic and security issues – further demonstrated the strength and depth of the bilateral relationship.

The meeting brought together representatives from the Moroccan government, the British Council, the UK’s Department for Business and Trade, the UK Quality Assurance Agency, Universities UK International, Morocco’s National Agency for Evaluation and Quality Assurance (ANEAQ), as well as several UK and Moroccan universities. The meeting served to advance higher education collaboration between Morocco and the UK, in particular English learning and assessment, transnational education and scientific research.

The meeting saw a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the British Council in Morocco and Morocco’s Ministry of Higher Education. The agreement aims to increase the uptake of English language assessment in Moroccan public universities, paving the way for future partnerships with other UK institutions in the field of student assessments.

The meeting also discussed bilateral successes including the institutional partnership between Keele University and the Moroccan Ministry of Higher Education, collaboration on quality of higher education offerings, and climate research partnerships between University College London and University Ibn Tofail of Kenitra.

Established in 2019, the Higher Education Commission meets annually, as well as through quarterly sub-groups, to foster stronger ties in higher education, scientific research, quality assurance, and transnational education.

May 18, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : 43rd Universal Periodic Review – UK Statement on Burundi [May 2023]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 15 May 2023.

The UK delivered a statement during Burundi’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) at the Human Rights Council in Geneva.
The United Kingdom welcomes the Government of Burundi’s stated commitment to improving its record on human rights, and certain positive developments since its last review, including the recent acquittal and release of Tony Germain Nkina.

However, we are concerned that the human rights situation in Burundi has not improved sufficiently. We encourage Burundi to make genuine reforms to deliver on its commitment to ensure all of its people benefit from the full enjoyment of their human rights.

We recommend that Burundi:

Takes effective measures to establish an independent judiciary.

Engages fully with this Council, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and other UN bodies working to improve the human rights situation in Burundi.

Identifies and implements policies which facilitate an active civil society, an open media, and addresses in particular threats to journalists and human rights defenders.

Thank you, Madam Vice-President.
May 18, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Prime Minister meeting with President Zelenskyy [May 2023]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 15 May 2023.

The Prime Minister welcomed Ukrainian President Zelenskyy to Chequers today.

President Zelenskyy thanked the Prime Minister for the enduring support of the British people for the people of Ukraine.

The Prime Minister outlined the new package of support the UK has announced today, including further air defence missiles and drones. This builds on the confirmation last week that the UK has become the first country to provide long-range cruise missiles to Ukraine.

The Prime Minister reiterated that the UK will continue its support to ensure Ukraine secures a just and lasting peace. That includes both immediate military support and providing long-term security assistance to guarantee Ukraine’s ability to deter aggression.

The Prime Minister said he would use his meetings with world leaders over the coming days at the Council of Europe and G7 Summits to stress the importance of sustaining global support for Ukraine at this pivotal time.

May 18, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : UK and Japan strengthen science and tech ties in Tokyo [May 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 15 May 2023.

UK and Japan today signed a renewed science and technology deal, building on decades of close cooperation.
UK and Japan today signed a renewed science and technology deal, building on decades of close cooperation

deepening relationship on science and technology follows initial joint UK-Japan projects announced as part of International Science Partnerships Fund (ISPF) in December

deal comes as part of Science Minister George Freeman’s work to cement science and tech cooperation between the world’s leading economies, at the G7 Science and Technology Ministers’ Meeting in Sendai

The UK and Japan will take their cooperation on science, technology and innovation to new heights, after agreeing to renew the two countries’ longstanding Science and Technology Agreement for the 21st Century, with a focus on innovation and game-changing new technologies.

The new Implementing Arrangement was signed by UK Science Minister George Freeman and Minister State Minister Nakatani Shinichi from Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry today (Monday 15 May), in Tokyo, and forms the latest part of the UK’s push to take a truly global approach to science and innovation.

The renewed deal opens up more opportunities for close collaboration to bring cutting edge new technologies to market. This could focus on priority areas like semiconductors and clean tech, which will be critical to growing the economy which is one of the Prime Minister’s five key priorities.

UK Minister for Science George Freeman said:

Japan is the world’s third-largest economy and a science and technology powerhouse. They have produced more Nobel Prize laureates than any other Asia-Pacific country. Bringing Japan’s unique strengths even closer together with the UK’s world-class science and research expertise is a massive opportunity for both our countries, to pool our skills and expertise as we tackle some of the biggest challenges facing the world, all whilst growing our economies and creating jobs.

This deal is just another demonstration of the UK’s ambition to become a truly global science superpower, by deepening collaboration on the science and technology of tomorrow with like-minded nations like Japan, as well as the rest of the G7, to secure our collective future, drive economic growth and improve lives.

Over the last week, in Japan, Minister Freeman has been making the case for the world’s leading democracies to work closer together, to ensure that scientific advances deliver security, prosperity, while tackling the key issues facing our planet, from climate change and bio-security through to space sustainability.

The G7 Science and Technology Ministers’ Meeting, hosted in the Japanese city of Sendai in the last few days provided an important platform to demonstrate how the UK’s leadership in science and innovation – as well as that of the world’s other leading free societies – can be used to enforce our shared principles and challenge authoritarian narratives, as well as drive economic growth. The economic benefits that flow from innovation, are what unlocks investment in public services like the NHS, the ability to cut national debt, and what brings down inflation, all of which are key priorities for the Prime Minister in 2023.

The last week has also provided an opportunity to further cement the UK’s close relationship with Japan, visiting researchers at the NanoTerasu synchrotron radiation facility as well as Tokohu University’s disaster science institute, and meeting leaders from Japanese science and tech companies that are heavily involved in the UK.

The UK and Japan share many of the same science and innovation priorities. Japan’s Moonshot R&D Programme includes a focus on quantum, one of the five critical technologies identified in the UK Science and Technology Framework.

Last year, the UK government committed a further £15.5 million investment to the Hyper-Kamiokande (Hyper-K) project, which is a next generation global neutrino experiment in Japan. This 15-storey physics experiment is helping scientists discover more about the fundamental particles that make up the Universe. We have long enjoyed close links in areas like life sciences, space, and through collaborative research projects funded in partnership by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and partners like the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) and Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS).

The new arrangements for the UK-Japan Science and Technology Agreement commit both countries to work together on joint R&D programmes, as well as academic and industrial exchange schemes. The two governments will encourage collaboration between UK and Japanese companies, by creating new networking and investment opportunities, and through closer connections between public bodies like UKRI and Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO). The UK and Japan will also work together closely to ensure their science governance and standards are aligned.

The UK Science and Technology Framework sets out the ambition for the UK to be internationally recognised as a tech superpower by 2030. International collaboration is what powers the UK’s global leadership in science and technology. This means it is essential for the UK to collaborate more deeply with other leading nations to tackle the urgent global challenges facing our planet through science and tech. The International Technology Strategy sets out the work being done to build those partnerships, in a way that promotes positive values and boosts security.
May 18, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Statement from the Solicitor General on Thomas Cashman [May 2023]
The press release issued by the Attorney General’s Office on 15 May 2023.

The Solicitor General, Michael Tomlinson KC MP, provides a statement on the case of Thomas Cashman.

The Solicitor General Michael Tomlinson KC MP said:

Olivia Pratt-Korbell’s senseless murder at the hands of Thomas Cashman shocked and sickened the nation.

Because of the strong feelings this case evokes, it was little surprise that I received several requests under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme, to consider the sentence of life imprisonment with a minimum term of 42 years that was handed down to him.

My duty as a Law Officer in considering whether sentences may be unduly lenient is to act independently of government, even when it is not easy or popular.

Having received detailed legal advice and considered the issues raised very carefully, I have concluded Cashman’s case cannot properly be referred to the Court of Appeal.

Such a referral can only be made if the rigorous legal test is met, irrespective of the seriousness of the crime or the emotions the offending may evoke. The threshold for referral is a high one, and that was not met in this case.

The test is only met if the sentencing judge made a gross error or imposed a sentence outside the range reasonably available in the circumstances of the offending.

My thoughts remain with Olivia’s family and friends who have shown such immeasurable strength during this devastating time.

Background:
- Thomas Cashman was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 42 years, less time served on remand, following his conviction after trial. The sentencing judge, Mrs Justice Yip DBE, decided that the appropriate starting point set out in legislation was a minimum term of 30 years, which she increased by 12 years to reflect the seriousness and aggravating factors of the case.
- More information on the ULS scheme, including who can refer and for what reasons, can be found on GOV.UK
- Anyone can ask for a sentence to be reviewed – you do not have to be involved in the case.
- Examples of exceptional circumstances that can lead to a referral under the ULS scheme include if the sentencing judge made a gross error or imposed a sentence outside the range of sentences reasonably available in the circumstances of the offence.
May 18, 2023

PRESS RELEASE : Change of His Majesty’s Ambassador to Laos – Melanie Barlow [May 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 15 May 2023.

Ms Melanie Barlow has been appointed His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Lao People’s Democratic Republic in succession to Mr John Pearson who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment. Ms Barlow will take up her appointment during August 2023.

Curriculum vitae

Full name: Melanie Barlow

Spouse: Mark Goodrich

Children: 2

Year	Role
2022 to 2023	Kathmandu, Deputy Head of Mission and Consul General
2019 to 2022	FCDO, Deputy Head, Consular Strategy and Network Department
2018 to 2019	FCO, Lead Trade Negotiator, Third Country Agreements Unit
2018	UK Government Illegal Wildlife Trade Joint Unit, Senior Manager, Private Sector Engagement
2015 to 2018	Seoul, Trade Policy and Economic Diplomacy Counsellor
2013 to 2015	FCO, Head, India and Nepal Team, South Asia Department
2013	FCO, Head, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Maldives Team, South Asia Department
2011 to 2012	FCO, Team Leader and Programme Manager, Conflict Department
2009 to 2011	Tokyo, Second Secretary (Trade)
2006 to 2008	Tokyo, Second Secretary (Political)
2004 to 2005	Japanese language training
2003	FCO, Project Manager, Department for Strategy and Innovation
2003	FCO, Desk Officer, Iraq Political Team
2002 to 2003	Trade Partners UK, Special Projects Manager Japan and China
2002	Joined FCO
1996	Private sector

May 18, 2023

Tag: Press Release

Defence Secretary, Ben Wallace, said:

The Queen’s Royal Hussars Commanding Officer Lt Col Steve Wilson said:

The Solicitor General Michael Tomlinson KC MP said:

Background:

Curriculum vitae