Tag: Press Release

PRESS RELEASE : Economic growth and energy security on the agenda as Shapps convenes Downing Street energy summit [August 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 2 August 2023.

Energy Security Secretary Grant Shapps meets with energy industry leaders in Downing Street.
Energy Security Secretary Grant Shapps meets with industry leaders to discuss the government’s energy security and business plans to invest over £100 billion, including to accelerate renewables, to help grow our economy

discussions include new powers to protect critical energy infrastructure from disruptive protest groups and maintain energy supply

summit hosted at No 10 Downing Street as part of government push to strengthen energy security, support jobs and attract investment in the UK’s energy industry

Leaders of the UK’s energy industry will meet in Downing Street today to discuss their plans to collectively invest over £100 billion and create jobs around the country, working with government to boost energy security.

Energy Security Secretary Grant Shapps will meet a wide range of energy companies – including EDF, SSE, Shell and bp, who collectively have multi-billion pound plans to invest in low and zero-carbon projects. Each of these will support thousands of jobs across the country, which could help reduce household energy bills while delivering cleaner, more secure sources of energy, to deliver on the ambition to have the lowest wholesale electricity prices in Europe by 2035.

Mr Shapps will outline government measures to protect UK energy supplies from disruption both at home and abroad. He will highlight decisions to invest in home-grown energy sources – including renewables, a revival in nuclear power, and backing North Sea oil and gas.

But he will also highlight measures to protect critical energy infrastructure from disruptive protests. This follows in the wake of protests such as those at the Kingsbury and Thurrock clusters of oil terminals and Grangemouth refinery.

The Public Order Act now includes a new criminal offence of interfering with key national infrastructure – including oil refineries – aimed at preventing protests from causing or threatening public safety or serious disruption. It particularly addresses tactics that these protesters have used such as locking on and tunneling.

Energy Security Secretary Grant Shapps said:

We need to send the message loud and clear to the likes of Putin that we will never again be held to ransom with energy supply. The companies I am meeting in Downing Street today will be at the heart of that.

Energy industry leaders can see that this government will back home-grown, secure energy – whether that’s renewables, our revival in nuclear, or our support for our vital oil and gas industry in the North Sea.

But it is a sad reality that we also need to protect our critical national infrastructure from disruptive protests. Today I’ll be setting out what we are doing to achieve this and want to hear from the energy companies the vital work they are doing in this area.

Energy firms have demonstrated their confidence to invest in the UK, and collectively the firms meeting at 10 Downing Street plan to invest tens of billions over the next decade in energy projects across the country. Some of these investment commitments include:

Shell UK aims to invest £20-25 billion in the UK energy system over the next 10 years. More than 75% of this is intended for low and zero-carbon products and services

bp intends to invest up to £18 billion in the UK’s energy system by the end of 2030

SSE plc have announced plans to invest £18 billion up to 2027 in low carbon infrastructure creating 1,000 new jobs every year to 2025. SSE’s plans could see it invest up to £40 billion across the decade to 2031-2032

National Grid plc will be investing over £16 billion in the 5-year period to 2026

EDF have outlined plans to invest £13 billion to 2025

RWE have an ambition to invest up to £15 billion in clean energy infrastructure in the UK by 2030

ScottishPower plan to invest £11 billion up to 2028 in critical green energy security infrastructure creating 1,000 jobs this year alone

To provide greater reassurance and support to industry, the Energy Security Secretary will outline the range of measures the government is taking to protect energy infrastructure from intentional disruption, as well as maintaining the network’s strong resilience. This includes:

The Public Order Act, with specific powers coming into effect in July to protect critical infrastructure

working with the police to ensure protestors cannot gain unauthorised access to sites

the work of the Civil Nuclear Constabulary, whose 1,300 officers and 300 support staff operate to protect nuclear sites across England, Scotland and Wales

The Energy Security Secretary will also discuss progress on major UK energy investment projects across renewable projects, oil and gas, new nuclear, and new technologies such as carbon capture.

They include:

carbon capture – earlier this week, the Prime Minister announced 2 further projects in Humber and the North East of Scotland, which can move towards becoming clusters for this new technology – alongside 8 already being considered, and 2 existing clusters in the North East, and in the North West and Wales

oil and gas – the Prime Minister has also confirmed future licensing rounds will continue for the extraction of oil and gas in the North Sea – while the North Sea Transition Authority reports they have received over 115 bids from 76 companies in the latest licensing round

nuclear – companies can now register their interest with the UK’s new organisation, Great British Nuclear, to secure funding support to develop new technologies including Small Modular Reactors

offshore wind – the UK has the world’s largest operational wind farms off its shores, with plans for further development off the East Anglia Coast and at Dogger Bank in the North East which could collectively provide enough clean energy for over 6.5 million homes
03/08/2023
PRESS RELEASE : UK Government reiterates commitment to Africa’s green industries [August 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 1 August 2023.

The Foreign Secretary meets a key Nigerian player in electric vehicles, MAX Nigeria, backed by UK investors from the UK’s Manufacturing Africa programme.

In line with the UK Government’s commitment to supporting clean, green and sustainable economic growth in Africa, UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly visited a Nigerian e-mobility platform and electric vehicle assembler, MAX Nigeria.

With support from the UK-funded Manufacturing Africa programme, MAX raised $31 million to ramp up the assembly of electric two- and three-wheelers. MAX is now gearing up for a third capital raise, to fund its expansion to become a regional e-mobility player. MAX Nigeria has empowered over 21,000 drivers operating in 8 cities within Nigeria and has contributed to cutting 52 metric tons of CO2 emissions from the environment.

Manufacturing Africa’s team of McKinsey consultants conducted a market assessment of the electric vehicle value chain for MAX, contributing to their electric vehicle (EV) scale-up strategy. UK-linked financiers including Novastar (backed by British International Investment) and Shell Foundation are some of the organisations financing MAX’s growth. MAX has also found a UK business partner in Field Ready, to support them on recruitment.

Work with MAX is part of the UK’s support for economic growth, job creation and value-addition in Africa that aligns with global climate priorities.

British funds continue to support game-changing entrepreneurs and companies in Africa. British International Investment manages a $4.7bn investment portfolio in Africa, including 86 companies and 43 funds in Nigeria alone. Other funding sources include:

Infracredit, which provides local currency guarantees to unlock long-term infrastructure financing in Nigeria
FSD Africa Investments, which invests in order to improve the financial instruments supporting Africa’s green economic growth
the Climate Finance Accelerator, a public-private finance initiative that supports low-carbon projects
Importantly, the UK also provides support for companies to access investment, whether from the UK or elsewhere. The Manufacturing Africa programme is supporting 22 manufacturers to land investments in Nigeria, with a pipeline of $664m+ foreign direct investment (FDI). The programme supports over 120 companies across 5 countries in Africa, which are mitigating 239,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide, while creating 14,000 new jobs.

British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Richard Montgomery said:

I am delighted to visit MAX Nigeria with our Foreign Secretary James Cleverly. MAX are truly innovative and entrepreneurial, solving a thousand problems at once to bring affordable electric vehicles to West African riders.

It is fantastic that a combination of UK public and private sector support is helping MAX to create jobs, bring new skills into the market, and solve climate change challenges. We will continue to support companies doing this groundbreaking work on the continent.

Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of MAX Nigeria, Adetayo Bamiduro said:

Our mission at MAX is to continue scaling the impact of our vehicle subscription platform across Africa and to deliver on our commitment to provide sustainable income to millions of mobility entrepreneurs by enabling them to access income-generating, energy-efficient, and electric vehicles that meet the essential needs of Africans.

01/08/2023
PRESS RELEASE : Sarah Breeden appointed as Deputy Governor of the Bank of England [August 2023]

The press release issued by HM Treasury on 1 August 2023.

Sarah will take up her role at the Bank on 1 November 2023, after the appointment was approved by His Majesty The King.

The Chancellor has announced that Sarah Breeden will succeed Sir Jon Cunliffe as the next Deputy Governor for Financial Stability (DGFS) at the Bank of England.

His Majesty The King has approved the appointment.

Sarah will take up her role at the Bank on 1 November 2023 for a term lasting five years.

The new Deputy Governor for Financial Stability will lead the Bank of England’s work on financial stability, will sit on the Financial Policy Committee (and chair it in the Governor’s absence) the Monetary Policy Committee and the Prudential Regulation Committee and play a key role in providing a link between financial stability and monetary policy.

Sarah will also be a member of the Court of the Bank of England, Chair the Financial Market Infrastructure Board, and represent the Bank of England on a number of national and international bodies.

Sarah will succeed Sir Jon Cunliffe, who has served since 2013.

Jeremy Hunt, Chancellor of the Exchequer, said:

“I am pleased to appoint Sarah Breeden as the next Deputy Governor of the Bank of England who brings extensive experience to the role including from her work as a member of the FPC and across monetary, economic and financial matters.

“I want to thank Sir Jon Cunliffe for his decade of service as Deputy Governor of the Bank of England. Over the last 10 years, he has led the Bank’s work on delivering financial stability and has played a key role in ensuring Britain’s financial services are well placed to thrive in the future.”

Andrew Bailey, Governor of the Bank of England, said:

“I am delighted that Sarah has been appointed as DGFS. She will bring a wealth of financial and economic policy knowledge to the role, both domestically and internationally.”

About the appointments

The Bank of England is the central bank of the UK. It is governed by the board of directors known as the Court of Directors. Further information can be found at the Bank of England website.

The Deputy Governor for Financial Stability is appointed by His Majesty the King, on the recommendation of the Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

The role is subject to pre-commencement scrutiny by the Treasury Select Committee.

Public appointments are made on merit following a fair and open competition process.

About Sarah Breeden

Sarah is currently at the Bank of England, serving as Executive Director for Financial Stability Strategy and Risk and a member of the Financial Policy Committee (FPC). Prior to her current role, Sarah was the Executive Director responsible for supervising UK Deposit Takers, and before that was responsible for the supervision of the International banks. Sarah is also a trustee of the Education Endowment Foundation.

Footnotes

Following the principles in the Governance Code, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity (if any is declared) to be made public. Sarah has confirmed she has not engaged in any political activity in the last five years.

01/08/2023
PRESS RELEASE : Trade Update – UK-Gulf Cooperation Council FTA [August 2023]

The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 1 August 2023.

Statement on the fourth round of negotiations for a free trade agreement between the UK and the Gulf Cooperation Council.

The fourth round of negotiations for a free trade agreement (FTA) between the UK and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) took place between 17 and 28 July.

The round was hosted in London and held in a hybrid fashion. A number of GCC negotiators travelled to London for in-person discussions with others attending virtually.

Draft treaty text was advanced across the majority of chapters. Technical discussions were held across 23 policy areas over 44 sessions. Good progress was made and both sides remain committed to securing an ambitious, comprehensive and modern agreement fit for the 21st century.

The GCC is equivalent to the UK’s 7th largest export market and total trade is worth £61.3 billion according to latest figures. An FTA will be a substantial economic opportunity and a significant moment in the UK-GCC relationship.

Government analysis shows that, in the long run, a deal with the GCC is expected to increase trade by at least 16%.

The fifth round of negotiations is expected to be hosted by the GCC later this year.

His Majesty’s Government remains clear that any deal we sign will be in the best interests of the British people and the United Kingdom economy.

01/08/2023
PRESS RELEASE : School children and hospital patients set for higher quality food under new government plans [August 2023]
The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 1 August 2023.

A new agreement for procuring food and drink has been announced by the Crown Commercial Service.
Crown Commercial Service agreement will support food producers, including SMEs, in accessing public sector food contracts

Plans to drive up standards of food and drink available to the public sector including schoolchildren and hospital patients

Initial stages of the agreement are estimated to attract £100 million worth of spend

New plans revealed today will help schools, hospitals and other organisations buy higher quality food and drink at better value for the taxpayer.

A single online portal will make it easier for public sector customers and small businesses by offering a simplified route to markets – opening up access to a range of food and drink suppliers for the public sector.

This has the added benefit of creating more choice for customers, while improving standards and providing better access to locally-sourced produce. Public sector procurement teams will also have the option to add their preferred SME suppliers to the agreement.

All suppliers available through the portal will have to adhere to the updated Government Buying Standards for Food, which the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) are set to update in due course.

Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office, Minister Alex Burghart, said:

Delivering better value for the taxpayer and driving up food and drink standards are key priorities for government.

This new system will deliver better quality food to our schoolchildren and care home residents, while creating a level playing field to help small businesses win more contracts from the public sector.

The government’s ambition is to further embed Government Buying Standards (GBS) to food and catering served through all public sector organisations. The framework will increase compliance with the GBS further.

This delivers a centralised option for purchasing food and drink and will be made available for the public sector across the UK. The agreement will enable public sector organisations to source healthy and high-quality produce in a consistent way – all their food and drink needs will be available in one place, providing a holistic approach to the ordering, fulfilment, consolidation and delivery of food produce.

By harnessing the collective buying power of customers across the public sector, the agreement is expected to significantly reduce costs and therefore help combat food inflation.

Crown Commercial Service (CCS), the UK’s largest public procurement organisation and part of the Cabinet Office, has worked with DEFRA to develop the new agreement. As part of that process, CCS has engaged extensively with SMEs to ensure the UK’s business community has directly fed into the plans.

Mark Spencer, Food Minister, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said:

The UK produces world leading quality food and drink, demonstrating excellence in animal welfare and sustainable production standards.

This is an exciting opportunity for the public sector to lead by example, showcasing our great food and drink and supporting small businesses. We look forward to working with CCS on the agreement.

Simon Tse, CEO of Crown Commercial Service said:

We’re delighted to be working alongside Defra to introduce better quality, seasonal and nutritious food into schools, hospitals and prisons.

As we continue to level up and grow the economy, this food solution will support public sector bodies in purchasing good quality food and help local and small businesses compete for public sector contracts for the first time, opening up economic opportunities across the country.

Crown Commercial Service has engaged with food suppliers and industry bodies from across the UK to develop its procurement strategy for the new agreement, which is expected to be open for business in Spring 2024.

The initial contract value is estimated to attract £100 million worth of spend over the 4 year contract period, which is a small proportion of the annual £2.1 billion public sector food spend. Public sector buyers are free to choose to buy from other buying organisations who provide food products through frameworks in a similar way.
01/08/2023
PRESS RELEASE : Appointment of Lord-Lieutenant of Berkshire [August 2023]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 1 August 2023.

The King has been pleased to appoint Mr Andrew Try, DL, as His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant for the Royal County of Berkshire on the retirement of Mr James Puxley, CVO, on 23rd October 2023.

Andrew Try is the founder and Managing Director of ComXo, which provides virtual personal assistance and other workplace services to large enterprise clients in the City of London; his company employs 110 people in Datchet. A sixth-generation Windsorian, his voluntary work has focused on serving the locality, including as Trustee of the Windsor Festival, the Windsor Learning Partnership Multi-Academy Trust and the Prince Philip Trust Fund; member of the board of the Friends of St George’s Chapel; chair of the Royal Windsor Rose and Horticultural Society; and governor of Clewer Green Primary School and Papplewick School, Ascot.

Mr Try has two children and an adult stepson and lives in Windsor with their mother, Vicky.

01/08/2023
PRESS RELEASE : Boost for broadband and 5G coverage revolution rollout as government explores plan to open £160 million satellites fund [August 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 1 August 2023.

A potential £160 million scheme to fund next generation of satellite communications development and boost UK’s leadership in ever-growing global satellite market.
- The government is working to establish a potential £160 million scheme to fund next generation of satellite communications development and boost UK’s leadership in ever-growing global satellite market
- satellites will be key to offering connectivity in remote and rural parts of UK, bridging the digital divide and levelling-up our country while growing the economy
- Low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites more resilient and harder to disable and have ensured reliable connectivity for Ukraine in the face of Russia’s illegal invasion
British innovators working to revolutionise 5G and broadband coverage for every corner of the UK could be in line to secure up to £160 million from a scheme to deliver the next generation of high-tech satellites, Science and Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan announced today.

LEO satellites represent the next generation of space technology, offering unparalleled resilience and resistance to disabling attempts. Their vital importance was demonstrated during Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, when they ensured continuous and reliable connectivity, even in the most challenging circumstances. The Connectivity in Low Earth Orbit scheme (CLEO) would build on our country’s established and growing satellites industry by providing UK researchers and businesses with critical support to drive the development of new constellations.

This would include supporting smarter satellites with better hardware, using AI to make data delivery faster and connecting satellites together for improved connection – all creating interconnected networks serving billions worldwide. The proposed scheme would ensure UK businesses are supported in developing the next generation of low Earth orbit satellites, driving the UK’s thriving satellite industry towards global leadership.

The development would mark the UK’s most significant ever investment in satellite communications, unleashing our country’s potential to become global giants of the satellite industry while creating hundreds of highly skilled jobs to boost the Prime Minister’s priority of growing our economy.

This package would be complemented by a range of live 5G integration projects such as the 5G testing facility at ESCAT in Harwell, Oxfordshire, aiming to establish networks in underserved and remote areas, bringing high-speed internet and connections to every single part of the UK, while addressing a major priority to improve Future Telecoms, as laid out in the government’s Science and Technology Framework.

Science, Innovation and Technology Secretary, Michelle Donelan, said:

Tackling the digital divide is at the heart of empowering our citizens wherever they live, and by investing in the vital research and development that CLEO would facilitate, we can level up our country while growing the economy through high-quality jobs.

This proposed record investment is also potentially a huge opportunity to harness our reputation as a world leader in innovation and R&D investment, supporting leading UK businesses to deliver the next generation of satellites and positioning the UK as true space superpower.

To propel the UK’s capabilities and long-term ambitions in the space sector, the government is exploring grant funding of up to £100 million. The government is also exploring whether to support this grant funding with an additional £60 million from the European Space Agency’s (ESA) UK-backed Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems (ARTES) programme, which supports UK industry in delivering commercial satellite communications infrastructure. The scheme would establish UK leadership in many critical areas for the next generation of LEO satellite communication technologies such as AI and machine learning.

CLEO would aim to deliver the R&D needed to support the launch of hundreds of satellites into space, revolutionising the UK’s communication infrastructure and closing connectivity gaps.

Harshbir Sangha, Missions and Capabilities Delivery Director at the UK Space Agency, said:

Today’s announcement is a vital step towards the delivery of a key priority of the UK Space Agency – to maximise the potential of low Earth orbit and become a global leader in next generation satellite communications technologies by building our ability to service future high-volume constellations.

Our intent is to catalyse investment, build on existing capabilities and meet the challenges associated with seizing a significant share of a fast-moving global market, by leveraging our growing national space programme and leading investments in commercial ESA programmes such as ARTES.

This announcement follows the reintroduction of the government’s National Space Council, as part of the UK’s mission to become a true space superpower. Co-chaired by the Science and Defence Secretaries, the Council is responsible for coordinating government policy on space and ensuring that the UK is well-positioned to take advantage of the opportunities presented by the space sector to drive job creation and grow the economy, one of the Prime Minister’s 5 key priorities.
01/08/2023
PRESS RELEASE : UK acknowledges acts of genocide committed by Daesh against Yazidis [August 2023]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 1 August 2023.

The UK has today formally acknowledged that acts of genocide were committed against the Yazidi people by Daesh in 2014.
- Announcement comes ahead of events marking the nine year anniversary of atrocities committed by Daesh against the Yazidi people.
- UK decision follows ruling by the German Federal Court of Justice which found a former Daesh fighter guilty of acts of genocide and crimes against humanity.
- UK continues to play leading role in eradicating Daesh, including through rebuilding affected communities and tackling its poisoning propaganda.
The UK has today formally acknowledged that acts of genocide were committed against the Yazidi people by Daesh in 2014.

The Minister of State for the Middle East Lord Ahmad made the announcement ahead of events marking the nine-year anniversary of atrocities committed by Daesh against the Yazidi people.

Minister of State for the Middle East, Lord Ahmad, said:

The Yazidi population suffered immensely at the hands of Daesh nine years ago and the repercussions are still felt to this day. Justice and accountability are key for those whose lives have been devastated.

Today we have made the historic acknowledgement that acts of genocide were committed against the Yazidi people. This determination only strengthens our commitment to ensuring that they receive the compensation owed to them and are able to access meaningful justice.

The UK will continue to play a leading role in eradicating Daesh, including through rebuilding communities affected by its terrorism and leading global efforts against its poisonous propaganda.

The UK’s position has always been that determinations of genocide should be made by competent courts, rather than by governments or non-judicial bodies. This determination has been made following the judgment of the German Federal Court of Justice earlier this year, where it found a former Daesh fighter guilty of acts of genocide and crimes against humanity committed in Iraq.

The UK officially acknowledges five instances where genocide has occurred: the Holocaust, Rwanda, Srebrenica and acts of genocide in Cambodia and against the Yazidi people.

During his visit to Iraq earlier this year, including to the Kurdistan region, Lord Ahmad also welcomed progress with the passage of the Yazidi Survivors Law, which will provide reparations to survivors. He underlined the UK’s commitment to helping Iraq fully implement the law and ensure that survivors receive full support and access to justice.

A commemoration event – which is being held in Baghdad – has been organised by Yazidi civil society organisations and will welcome international stakeholders. The UK’s Ambassador to Iraq, Steve Hitchen, will attend and confirm the UK’s announcement.

Further information:
- On 30 November 2021, Frankfurt Higher Regional Court sentenced Taha Al-Jumailly, a former Daesh fighter, to life imprisonment for acts of genocide and crimes against humanity, for the enslavement and abuse of a Yazidi woman and her five-year-old daughter in 2015. On 17 January 2023, the Federal Court of Justice (BGH) upheld the Frankfurt ruling and rejected the Defendant’s appeal.
- Though territorially defeated, the fact is that Daesh remains a serious threat in Iraq, Syria and elsewhere. The UK continues to support the work of the United Nations Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Da’esh/ISIL (UNITAD) and international efforts to bring perpetrators of Daesh violence to justice.
01/08/2023
PRESS RELEASE : Greater use of location data can unlock innovation in the property sector [August 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 1 August 2023.

New Geospatial Commission report identifies opportunities to unlock greater value across the property ecosystem through location data, technologies and services.
- New report identifies significant opportunity for the property industry to embrace emerging technologies and digital tools enabled by location data
- Report can be a catalyst for enabling change, supporting greater growth of the PropTech sector and promoting further innovation in the public sector
- There is a technological revolution underway in the property industry, with data enabled opportunities to change further and faster.
The Geospatial Commission has identified opportunities where improved data and use of location services and applications can unlock innovation across the property ecosystem in a new report published today (1 August).

The UK property sector is undergoing a technological revolution, rapidly adopting new data-driven digital tools. Location data, services and applications are central to this revolution and essential for a well-functioning property sector, from town planning and site identification to property management and retrofitting.

The UK property sector contributes an estimated £100 billion to the UK economy each year. Applying a spatial lens is crucial to achieve the sector’s economic, social and environmental ambitions, boosting productivity and innovation, improving our residential areas and achieving net zero commitments.

Alexandra Notay, Independent Commissioner, Geospatial Commission said:

The property ecosystem provides the infrastructure of where we live, work and play. However, many of our interactions with the industry from planning to buying, renting and maintenance, remain stubbornly analogue.

We can all see the transformative potential and multitude of opportunities for the property industry to embrace emerging technologies and digital tools empowered by location data; yet a truly systematic approach to innovation and technology across our diverse and siloed asset classes and property types has yet to emerge. This report can be a catalyst for enabling that change.

The report highlights some key initiatives already underway across the property sector and identifies further opportunities where location data, services and applications can drive innovation across the property life cycle, including:
- Further digitisation of the property buying and selling process and ensuring data interoperability underpins the end-to-end process
- Growing deployment of green technologies, like solar panels, heat pumps, insulation and energy efficiency solutions, into our homes by supporting better understanding of where they could have the greatest impact
- Improving productivity in the industry through greater re-use of location data collected and created during design and construction to reduce costs, and support better targeting and design of retrofitting interventions
The report sets out four cross-cutting themes to support the better use of location data, service and applications, including property as a complex interconnected system and the importance of a strategic approach to data access. These themes arise from an understanding of the role of location data and services across different stages of the property lifecycle from land use and planning, design and construction, buying and selling, safety and operations to the broader themes of retrofit and regeneration.

Dan Hughes, Alpha Property Insight and Real Estate Data Foundation said:

The property sector is at the heart of a thriving economy, our impact on the planet and a healthy society, and the effective use of data is becoming increasingly important in ensuring that it operates effectively. The world is changing rapidly and so the depth and breadth of data used by property is growing equally fast and at the heart of this is high quality and trusted location data.

For many years, the UK has had one of the strongest property market data infrastructures which has been a key element in the UK being recognised as one of the leading global property markets. As the world evolves, it is important that the approach to data does too and so this report, and the actions identified, are very welcome to enable the property sector to meet the needs of society, the planet and the UK economy.

Lynne Nicholson, Head of Data, HM Land Registry said:

HM Land Registry was pleased to work with the Geospatial Commission on this report which outlines the immense potential value of geospatial data for the UK economy. As one of the governmental bodies which holds significant geospatial data, HM Land Registry is committed to unlocking its value and supporting its re-use by making it more FAIR, in alignment with the UK Geospatial Strategy 2030. By sponsoring the award-winning Geovation Accelerator Programme, we are supporting the next generation of innovative Proptech start-ups using location data to revolutionise the property sector.

The report is the first deliverable from the UK Geospatial Strategy 2030 that was published in June. It supports two of the Strategy’s missions: embracing enabling technologies to accelerate geospatial innovation, and driving greater use of geospatial applications and insights across the economy.
01/08/2023
PRESS RELEASE : HMS TAMAR crew refurbish Ballalae War Memorial [August 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 1 August 2023.

The Crew of HMS TAMAR refurbished and rededicated a memorial to the 517 British WWII prisoners of war at Ballalae.

When visiting Solomon Islands, the Crew of HMS TAMAR refurbished and rededicated a memorial to the 517 British WWII prisoners of war at Ballalae, Shortland Islands, 80 years after they were executed by Japanese Imperial Forces.

In November 1942, 517 soldiers of the Royal Artillery, prisoners of war captured in the fall of Singapore earlier that year, were transported to the Island of Ballalae, in Shortland Islands, to construct an airfield the Japanese dubbed an ‘unsinkable aircraft carrier’.

Over the ensuing months of unrelenting forced labour in the brutal tropical climate, many had died from exhaustion and tropical disease, and hundreds more as a result of allied bombings with their captors forbidding them to build trenches to shelter themselves.

In 1943, as the Allied forces liberated the South Pacific islands, the Japanese Commanders on Ballalae believed that they would be taken next and executed the remaining 57 prisoners.

When US forces took the Northern Solomon Islands they bypassed Ballalae and left it to ‘wither on the vine’ and it wasn’t until 1945 that the first Allied forces landed and discovered the remains of the last 57 in shallow trenches.

An atrocities commission was carried out on the island that led to the discovery of a mass grave from which 436 bodies were exhumed with artefacts identifying them as British artillerymen. They were subsequently re-interred in separate graves at the Bomana War Cemetery near Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, their headstones marked with the solemn inscription, ‘Here lies a Soldier, known only to God’.

In 2003, relatives of 3 of the POWs undertook a pilgrimage to Ballalae and dedicated a memorial at the air strip in the form of a cairn with a wooden cross and a plaque donated by the Royal Artillery Association. As it is not a registered Commonwealth war grave it does not receive any regular maintenance and by 2007 the memorial had fallen into disrepair.

An ex-British serviceman, Mr Phil Jones, then working in the Solomon Islands as part of an Australian government mission, kindly re-built the memorial with an iron cross on top of a concrete plinth built over the top of the remains of the old cairn and this is what stands today.

In 2023, 80 years on from the atrocities of 1943, the British High Commissioner to the Solomon Islands, His Excellency Thomas Coward took the opportunity during a visit to the Islands by Royal Navy Vessel, HMS TAMAR to maintain the monument.

After wading ashore across the coral beach of Ballalae, the High Commissioner and HMS TAMAR’s Captain, Commanding Officer Teilo Elliot-Smith were warmly welcomed to the island by the local people from Shortlands.

The crew then got to work removing the rust and grime of 16 years to return the memorial to its former glory before a service of re-dedication was held to remember the soldiers who had died on the island.

The re-dedication service was officiated by HMS TAMAR’s Chaplain, Reverend Mick Uffindell, and attended by the Ship’s crew and representatives of the local community.

During the ceremony, traditional remembrance Red poppy wreaths were laid by the British High Commissioner, His Excellency Thomas Coward, and HMS TAMAR’s Executive Officer, Lieutenant Commander Matt Millyard, alongside hand-made floral bouquets from the Solomon Islanders.

Reflecting on the day, the Chaplain said:

It was an incredible privilege to be able to pay tribute to these servicemen and their families today and in addition to restoring the memorial we placed 517 white stones, one for each individual who lost their life on Ballalae Island.

HMS TAMAR’s Commanding Officer, Commander Teilo Elliot-Smith said:

It has been an honour for the Ship to pay our respects to these British Servicemen. Ballalae is simultaneously the site of a horrific chapter of WWII, in the most inhospitable of places, and now a peaceful and idyllic island. Our sailors were eager to pay their respects and did so beautifully.

His Excellency Thomas Coward said:

It was an honour that we could gather to commemorate and pay our respects to the brave soldiers of the Royal Artillery who died on Ballalae. I want to thank the Government and People of Solomon Islands who supported us to conduct this important act of remembrance. I want to thank the government of Western Province, and the people of Shortland Islands for your warm help and for allowing this memorial to their sacrifice to stand as a reminder of the importance of peace.

01/08/2023