Tag: Press Release

PRESS RELEASE : Welsh Secretary heads to US and Canada to boost trade and investment [July 2025]
The press release issued by the Wales Office on 23 July 2025.

This visit comes as Aston Martin resume exports to the US, protecting 600 jobs in St Athan.
- The deal negotiated with the US protects thousands of car making jobs and supports growth in the Welsh aerospace industry.
- Secretary of State for Wales, Jo Stevens, in Toronto and New York to drive further inward investment to Wales
Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens is this week (22-25 July) travelling to the United States and Canada on a mission to boost trade and investment in Wales. The two countries are among the most significant markets for Welsh exports, with goods and services worth over £2 billion destined for the US and Canada each year.

Trade and investment between Wales and North America supports over 50,000 Welsh jobs. With the significant economic links between the countries, the US and Canada provides Welsh businesses with great opportunities to grow and prosper. The visit follows the signing of the UK’s economic prosperity deal with the US in May, protecting businesses and securing jobs across the country, and boosting key sectors in Wales like steel, aerospace, car making and life sciences.

Car manufacturer Aston Martin, which has a base in St Athan in the Vale of Glamorgan employing at least 600 people, resumed exports to the United States following the successful trade deal. The Welsh Secretary will visit the new Aston Martin showroom in New York City and meet executives.

Jo Stevens’ visit to North America comes after the UK Government’s publication of its Industrial Strategy and aims to highlight Wales as a key destination for inward investment into the UK.

During the visit the Welsh Secretary will raise awareness of this December’s Investment Summit in Wales, encouraging North American business leaders and investors to participate in the event.

Driving investment into Wales is the Welsh Secretary’s primary goal, with high profile business facing events and roundtable meetings with industry leaders and investors in Toronto and New York.

Her programme includes:
- Hosting a reception for business at Aston Martin’s new showroom in New York City
- Meeting key Canadian businesses with an interest in Wales – including from manufacturing and other sectors – at a roundtable meeting in Toronto.
- A business breakfast with investors in sport real estate in the UK in New York.
Speaking ahead of the visit, Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens said:

There are strong and important economic and cultural ties between Wales and North America and it is fantastic to be able to promote these and help strengthen them further.

The UK Government has made economic growth our key mission and our new trade deal with the United States delivers fantastic benefits for our key businesses like Aston Martin and for working people across Wales.

I want to build on this progress and while I am in the USA and Canada I will be discussing further opportunities for investment in Wales with companies like Aston Martin.

My message is very clear – Wales is open for business.

Deputy Trade Commissioner for North America, Alan Gogbashian said:

From sports economy firms to the automotive industry, Wales plays a key role in the UK economy, and has strong trade and investment ties with Canada and the United States.

It’s fantastic to host the Secretary of State for Wales in New York and Toronto this week to engage with current transatlantic businesses including Aston Martin, and to connect with potential investors ahead of the Investment Summit in Wales later this year.

The Welsh Secretary’s itinerary also includes a reception in Toronto with business and cultural groups with interests in Wales and meetings with individual investors in Wales like Vale Mining.

The Welsh Secretary travels to Toronto on Tuesday, 22 July and then onto New York City before returning to the UK on 25 July.
July 29, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : NS&I Chair to step down [July 2025]

The press release issued by HM Treasury on 23 July 2025.

HM Treasury has confirmed today (23 July) that Lord Gerard Lemos CMG CBE will be stepping down from his role as Chair of the Board for National Savings and Investments (NS&I) with immediate effect.

Lord Lemos has been a member of the House of Lords since January 2025. Prior to this, he was appointed to the NS&I Advisory Board as Chair from 1 April 2024 on a three-year term but will be stepping down with immediate effect to take up an appointment in the Whip’s Office within the House of Lords.

Non-Executive appointments to NS&I’s Board, including the Chair, are regulated by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments. The process to identify an Interim Chair will follow the Governance Code for Public Appointments and HM Treasury will seek to confirm the Interim Chair as soon as possible.

Further information

NS&I is an arm’s length body of HM Treasury, responsible for raising cost-effective finance for the government through the retail savings market.

The role of NS&I’s Non-Executive Directors, including the Chair, is set out in the Framework Document agreed between HM Treasury and NS&I. The Chief Executive Officer remains responsible for the day-to-day operations of NS&I and ensuring that NS&I is run on the basis of the standards set out in Managing Public Money, including terms of governance, decision-making and financial management.

As the Minister responsible for NS&I, the Economic Secretary to the Treasury is responsible for determining the overall policy and performance framework within which NS&I operates. Further information can be found in the Framework Document.

July 29, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Statement on the meeting of the Defence Ministers of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Türkiye [July 2025]

The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 23 July 2025.

The Defence Ministers of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Türkiye today reaffirmed the strength of the UK-Türkiye partnership.

The Defence Ministers of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Türkiye welcomed the opportunity to meet at the 17th International Defence Industry Fair in Istanbul today and reaffirmed the strength of the UK-Türkiye partnership. They underscored the importance of the two countries’ longstanding defence cooperation, including collaboration through NATO and growing ties in defence industry and security. Both Ministers committed to deepening this strategic partnership in support of the Alliance’s collective deterrence.

The two nations continue to make excellent progress on the export of Eurofighter Typhoon. Welcoming Türkiye as a Typhoon operator would build on the bonds of friendship developed over many decades between key NATO Allies and would be a significant step towards enhancing Türkiye’s advanced combat air capabilities. This will mark the start of a new chapter in the UK-Türkiye partnership, working together to strengthen capability collaboration and supporting both countries’ defence industries through the reciprocal purchase of word-leading equipment.

The Defence Ministers have today jointly signed a Memorandum of Understanding. This document codifies the relationship between the countries, taking them one step closer to a full agreement on Typhoon. Both Ministers welcome signature as a positive step towards bringing Türkiye into the Typhoon club and share a mutual ambition to conclude the necessary arrangements as soon as possible.

July 29, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : New survey shows just 27% of all waste crime incidents reported [July 2025]

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 23 July 2025.

Environment Agency publishes results of National Waste Crime Survey 2025, showing almost three quarters of all waste crimes go unreported.

Landowners and farmers are being urged to help the Environment Agency stop waste crime as new research shows only 12% reported the most recent incidents which affected them.

The findings were revealed today (Wednesday 23 July) in the results of the Environment Agency’s National Waste Crime Survey 2025, which also show more than half (57%) of landowners and farmers are estimated to have been affected by waste crime.

Networks of organised criminal groups operating across the country are targeting privately owned property and land, particularly in rural locations, to dump rubbish collected through illegal means. The waste industry, landowners and farmers who took part in the survey estimate 35% of waste crime is committed by organised crime groups, attracted by financial gains.

Last year, three men were convicted following a major investigation led by the Environment Agency into large-scale illegal deposits of more than 26,000 tonnes of waste – the equivalent weight of around 2,170 double-decker buses – at 17 sites across the country. Organised criminal gang members approached waste facilities and offered to dispose of baled waste at reduced costs, which they later abandoned.

The Environment Agency is determined to stop waste crime, protect the environment, and pursue criminals. It’s essential to know when and where these offences are happening – and the survey shows only just more than a quarter (27%) of all waste crimes are reported.

To ensure it has the best possible information to identify and stop the culprits, the Environment Agency is appealing to landowners and farmers to report every incident to its 24-hour incident hotline on 0800 80 70 60. Reports of any known or suspected illegal waste activity can also be made anonymously to Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111.

Steve Molyneux, Environment Agency Deputy Director for Waste & Resources Regulation, said:

Waste criminals’ toxic crimes cause widespread and significant harm to people, places and the economy. The Environment Agency is determined to use all our powers and resources to stop waste criminals, but we cannot achieve this alone.

Our survey shows almost three quarters of waste offences go unreported, so we urge industry and the public to help us stop waste criminals faster by sharing what they know about the people carrying out these heinous crimes.

Circular Economy Minister Mary Creagh said:

Through our Plan for Change, this government will crack down on the waste cowboys, seize and crush fly-tippers’ vans, and clean up Britain.

With the shocking scale of this challenge revealed today, we are tightening the net on the organised crime groups who exploit our broken waste system.

We will not stand and watch while our countryside is polluted by criminals who undercut decent businesses.

Sam Corp, Head of Regulation at the Environmental Services Association, said:

With more than half of British landowners now reporting that they have fallen victim to the illegal dumping of waste, the survey findings are further evidence of the waste crime epidemic facing the UK, much of which is perpetrated by organised crime groups.

It is essential that we all exercise our duty of care to ensure waste does not fall into criminal hands and that, across society, we report all waste crime when we see it to help the authorities identify and stop the culprits.

Dan Cooke, Director of Policy, Communications & External Affairs at CIWM, said:

Waste crime causes misery and anxiety to communities wherever it occurs. It also damages local economies and undermines the professional recycling, resources and waste sector.

These latest National Waste Crime Survey figures show the extent of the challenge we face and the need for renewed focus and action. We can all do something to tackle waste crime and to bring those responsible to account.

CIWM encourages everyone to report suspicious activity or any incidents involving the illegal tipping of waste materials – wherever and whenever you see it. By reporting it to your local authorities or to the Environment Agency, you’re increasing the chance of prosecution and of swift action to maintain the quality of local environments on which our economy depends.

Conducted in February, the survey is used to help better understand the nature and scale of waste crime, as perceived by those experiencing it, including landowners, farmers and the waste industry.

The survey’s results show waste criminals are active across the country, with respondents estimating 20% of all waste produced may be illegally managed at some point in the supply chain – enough to fill Wembley Stadium 35 times.

Waste industry respondents who had suffered waste crime reported incurring significant costs, with 52% experiencing losses exceeding £50,000 due to illegal waste sites, 44% from illegal waste exports, and 32% from large-scale fly-tipping.

Under their Plan for Change, the government has confirmed rogue operators caught transporting and dealing with waste illegally will face up to five years in prison under new legislation. This will act as a strong deterrent and ensure the full force of the law comes down hard on those trashing the nation’s communities.

The Environment Agency fully supports legitimate operators and is working hard in collaboration with other partners to stop illegal waste management. In one recent successful prosecution, a former teacher who filled two quarries in Hertfordshire with enough illegal waste to fill the Royal Albert Hall nearly three times over was ordered to pay almost £79,000 following an Environment Agency investigation.

And, in another prosecution brought by the Environment Agency, a County Durham man was jailed for 44 weeks in February for operating an illegal waste site without an environmental permit.

July 29, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : UK sanctions notorious people-smuggling gangs and their enablers in global crackdown [July 2025]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 23 July 2025.

Gang ring leaders, key intermediaries and suppliers of people-smuggling equipment have today [July 23] been hit with the first ever sanctions targeting irregular migration by the UK.
- UK sanctions 25 targets at the heart of people-smuggling networks that drive irregular migration to the UK.
- Sanctions come on day 1 of the UK’s world-first dedicated sanctions regime targeting irregular migration and organised immigration crime.
- Action marks latest step in government’s campaign to secure Britain’s borders and reduce irregular migration, delivering on the Plan for Change.
Gang ring leaders, key intermediaries and suppliers of people-smuggling equipment have today [July 23] been hit with the first ever sanctions targeting irregular migration by the UK.

Today’s sanctions target individuals and entities involved in people-smuggling and driving irregular migration to the UK, from a small boat supplier in Asia, to informal Hawala money movers in the Middle East, to gang leaders based in the Balkans and North Africa.

They cover a range of different activities from supplying small boats explicitly for smuggling, to sourcing fake passports, middlemen facilitating illicit payments through Hawala, people-smuggling via lorries and small boats, and the gangland leaders themselves.

Sanctions can disrupt the flow of money and materials – including freezing property, bank accounts and other assets – which allow organised criminal gangs to operate this vile trade.

The plans are a key example of the FCDO using innovative foreign policy approaches to deliver on the government’s Plan for Change. The regime will be the world’s first dedicated to targeting people-smuggling and organised immigration crime, with the exploitation of vulnerable people by criminals and their associated networks being one of the key drivers of irregular migration to the UK.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy said:

This is a landmark moment in the government’s work to tackle organised immigration crime, reduce irregular migration to the UK and deliver on the Plan for Change.

From Europe to Asia we are taking the fight to the people-smugglers who enable irregular migration, targeting them wherever they are in the world and making them pay for their actions.

My message to the gangs who callously risk vulnerable lives for profit is this: we know who you are, and we will work with our partners around the world to hold you to account.

Among those sanctioned today is Bledar Lala, an Albanian who is in control of the ‘Belgium operations’ of an organised criminal group which smuggles migrants from Belgium across the English Channel to the United Kingdom.

Sanctions have also been brought against a company in China which has advertised their small boats on an online marketplace explicitly for the purpose of people-smuggling. The boats advertised are of the type used by criminal gangs in which migrants are packed, before being sent across the Channel at huge risk.

The UK is also sanctioning Alen Basil, a former police translator who went on to lead a large smuggling network in Serbia, terrorising refugees, with the aid of corrupt policemen. Basil was subsequently found to be living in a house in Serbia worth more than one million euros, bought with money extorted from countless desperate migrants.

Also sanctioned is Mohammed Tetwani, the self-styled “King of Horgos”, who brutally oversaw a migrant camp in Horgos, Serbia and led the Tetwani people-smuggling gang. Tetwani and his followers are known for their violent treatment of refugees who decline their services or cannot pay for them.

Today’s package also includes individuals like Muhammed Khadir Pirot, a hawala banker involved in informal money transfer networks, which people-smugglers use as a way of taking payment from migrants.

All of those sanctioned today are publicly named and barred from engaging with the UK financial system, helping to further undermine their operations.

NCA Director General Graeme Biggar said:

The NCA is determined to use every tool at our disposal to target, disrupt and dismantle the criminal networks involved in people-smuggling, preventing harm to those they exploit for profit and protecting the UK’s border security.

These new sanctions powers will complement that NCA activity. We have worked with the FCDO and partners to progress the designation of these sanctioned persons.

They will give the UK a new way of pursuing, undermining and frustrating the operational capability of a wide range of organised immigration crime networks, including those who facilitate or enable offending.

Today’s designations are the first made under the UK’s new Global Irregular Migration Sanctions Regime. The regime is a world first and empowers the FCDO to impose sanctions not only on individuals and entities involved in people-smuggling to the UK, but also any financiers and companies found to be enabling their activities.

The FCDO has worked closely with the National Crime Agency and other partners to develop its cases and ensure they complement law enforcement activity.

Today’s announcement is part of the FCDO’s three-pronged ‘disrupt, deter, return’ strategy to tackle irregular migration globally. In addition to disrupting organised immigration crime networks through sanctions, the FCDO works with source and transit countries to deter would-be migrants from making a dangerous journey in the first place and works with the Home Office to negotiate the return of people who have no right to be here to their countries of origin, including criminals and failed asylum seekers. Since the election, over 35,000 people have been returned, up 13% on the same period in the year before.

Background

The individuals and entities sanctioned today can be seen below:

Iraqi-linked people-smuggling
- Goran Assad Jalal, formed part of an organised crime group which stowed migrants in refrigerated lorries which crossed the English Channel from France to the United Kingdom on at least ten occasions between January and March 2019.
- Hemin Ali Salih, helped smuggle migrants into the UK in the backs of lorries.
- Dedawan Dazey, a people-smuggler who runs safe houses for migrants in Northern France before they are smuggled to the United Kingdom.
- Roman Ranyaye, an Iraqi people-smuggler responsible for the smuggling of migrants from Asia to Europe.
- Azad Khoshnaw, for supplying inflatable boats, onboard motors and other maritime equipment for use in people-smuggling of migrants from France to the UK.
- Nuzad Khoshnaw, for equipping gangs in Northern France with outboard motors, inflatable boats, and other maritime equipment for use in people-smuggling to the UK.
- Nihad Mohsin Xoshnaw, for providing inflatable boats, outboard motors and other maritime equipment used by migrants to cross the English Channel from France.
Hawala Network
- Muhammed Khadir Pirot, a hawala banker who controls payments from people being smuggled from the Kurdistan region of Iraq to Europe via Turkey.
- Mariwan Jamal, controls money movements through a Hawala banker, which handles payments to people smugglers from migrants in Iraq.
- Rafiq Shaqlaway, involved in hawala banking as an advisor to migrants looking to pay smugglers operating routes into Europe via Turkey.
North African gangs operating in the Balkans
- Kazawi Gang, a people-smuggling network which controls people-smuggling routes from North Africa into the EU known to deal out harsh punishments to migrants who are unable to pay.
- Tetwani Gang, known as one of the Balkan’s most violent people-smuggling gangs, members are reported to hold migrants for ransom and sexually abuse women unable to pay their fees.
Gangland bosses
- Bledar Lala, leads a smuggling ring moving people from Belgium across the English Channel to the UK.
- Alen Basil, a former police translator who through violence and intimidation became boss of a large people-smuggling network.
- Mohammed Tetwani, the head of the ‘Tetwani’ gang and self-styled “King” of Horgos in Serbia.
- Yassine Al Maghribi Al-Kasaoui, the boss of the “Kazawi” gang.
Balkan gangs supplying fake passports
- Kavač Gang, a Balkan organised crime organisation known to use fake passports to smuggle its gang members between the Balkans and Turkey.
- Škaljari Gang, an organised crime organisation in Montenegro that smuggles criminals between the Balkans and Turkey.
- Dalibor Ćurlik, procures fake passports and forged documents for use in the Kavač gang’s people-smuggling.
- Almir Jahović, member of the Kavač gang, which is involved in supplying fake passports for smuggling gang members across borders
- Marko Petrović, a member of the Kavač gang which sources false identification and passports for use in people-smuggling.
- Nikola Vein helps the Škaljari Gang secure fake passports and travel documents for use in people smuggling.
- Ratko Živković, a Škaljari Gang associate, which gathers fake passports for the purpose of smuggling gang members across borders.
- Dejan Pavlović, a member or close associate of the Škaljari Gang, which supports the manufacture of false identities and passports.
The following company based in China has been designated over the manufacture of inflatable boats being advertised for people smuggling.
- Weihai Yamar Outdoors Product Co
Background to the Global Irregular Migration sanctions regime
- Using the powers conferred by the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act (the Sanctions Act) the Government has laid secondary legislation before Parliament that introduces a new Global Irregular Migration sanctions regime. The Regulations will be debated by both Houses of Parliament when they return from the summer recess in line with the made affirmative procedure.
- An asset freeze prevents any UK citizen, or any business in the UK, from dealing with any funds or economic resources which are owned, held or controlled by the designated person. UK financial sanctions apply to all persons within the territory and territorial sea of the UK and to all UK persons, wherever they are in the world. It also prevents funds or economic resources being provided to or for the benefit of the designated person.
Travel ban
- A travel ban means that the designated person must be refused leave to enter or to remain in the United Kingdom, providing the individual is an excluded person under section 8B of the Immigration Act 1971.
Director disqualifications
- Where director disqualification sanctions apply, it will be an offence for a person designated for the purpose of those sanctions to act as a director of a company or to take part in the management, formation or promotion of a UK company.
July 28, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Households given freedom and choice with more ways to cut energy bills [July 2025]
The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 23 July 2025.

Government sets out plans for a more flexible electricity system, helping working families save on their bills.
- More support for consumers to bring down their bills, with new ways to take advantage of off-peak, lower electricity prices if they choose
- flexible tariffs and technologies allow consumers to shift energy usage to times when it is cheaper
- plans for a more flexible electricity system will ensure families benefit from the government’s clean energy mission and Plan for Change
Households and businesses will be supported with more options to take control of their energy – expanding freedom and choice as the government drives for clean power.

The government’s plans for a more flexible electricity system set out today will help working families save on their bills, by supporting those who want to take advantage of low prices when clean energy is abundant. Consumers will have the opportunity to switch to a flexible tariff and use smart appliances to automatically reap the rewards of cheaper power at non-peak times.

Many consumers are already protecting their pockets by varying when they use their electricity. Electric vehicle drivers, for example, could save up to £330 per year by smart charging overnight.

More households who want to feel those benefits will be supported through the government’s commitments in the Clean Flexibility Roadmap. These include helping electric vehicle drivers get discounts on their electricity when using public chargers at off-peak times, requiring suppliers to make information on smart tariffs more accessible to consumers, and taking the next steps to help consumers access tailored products and services based on their electricity usage.

Supporting more consumers to use electricity at off-peak times will also boost the efficiency and resilience of the electricity network, making up to £70 billion in estimated savings on system costs by 2050.

This marks a crucial milestone in ensuring consumers reap the rewards of the government’s mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower, which it is driving forward as part of its Plan for Change.

Energy Minister Michael Shanks said:

This roadmap gives households and businesses the choice and control over when and how they use their energy.

The flexible electricity system we are working to build will help make that a reality for consumers across the country, by supporting them to bring down their bills through using new tariffs and technologies.

In this way we will protect working people’s pockets and ensure they are the first to benefit from our clean power mission.

Kayte O’Neill, Chief Operating Officer, NESO, said:

The journey towards a decarbonised system will bring opportunities for industry and consumers if we can solve the challenges of using the system flexibly.

This roadmap provides clear direction for that, setting out the actions needed to increase flexibility across Great Britain and the rewards it will bring.

Akshay Kaul Director General for Infrastructure Group, Ofgem, said:

A more flexible energy market will be a real game changer, giving households more control over what they pay for their energy.

Small lifestyle tweaks such as programming a dishwasher or tumble dryer to run overnight when costs are low or charging your electric car during high winds can have a material impact on people’s bills.

At Ofgem we’re opening up flexibility markets to bring better tariffs and products to consumers to make cheaper bills a reality.

Stakeholder reaction

Sarah Honan, Head of Policy at ADE: Demand, said:

Industry demanded a step change in leadership to match our ambition – and this roadmap delivers. A dedicated Flexibility Commissioner aligns squarely with our sector’s blueprint for consumer-led clean power.

Now, we must place British homes and businesses at the heart of the system; paying them to flex, not paying gas plants to bail us out. That’s how we lower bills, ditch fossil fuel dependency and make clean power by 2030 real.

Barnaby Wharton, Director of Future Electricity Systems, RenewableUK, said:

A secure, affordable and resilient power system based on renewables needs flexibility at its core, to match times when wind and solar are generating with smart demand.

This roadmap puts consumers at the heart of that system, empowering households and businesses to take control of how and when they use electricity, so they can save money by using power when it’s cheapest.

By embracing smart tariffs and technologies like EVs, modern heating systems and home batteries, and by accelerating the roll-out of more grid-scale batteries and Long Duration Energy Storage alongside renewables, we can build a more agile system which can shift, adapt and respond to demand faster. Scaling up our capacity to store energy is essential to strengthen the grid and enhance the UK’s energy security.

Naomi Baker, Senior Policy Manager at Energy UK, said:

Energy UK welcomes the roadmap as a positive step towards a smarter, more flexible electricity system that passes the lower cost of renewables through to bill payers. We support the comprehensive scope – from the major new technologies (long duration storage, CCUS and hydrogen) that will ensure system resilience, through to the knotty regulatory barriers that limit market access from consumer assets.

The UK is already leading the world in creating an energy system with consumers at the heart of it. Today’s publication builds on this with a market-led approach where customer participation is voluntary, attractive and accessible. A smart flexible system will be a win for bills, a win for British jobs and a win for energy security.

Kelly Butler, Director of External Affairs at BEAMA, said:

As long-standing advocates for accelerating electrification, BEAMA welcomes the publication of the Clean Flexibility Roadmap and a commitment not only to track progress but also focus on practical delivery.

With appropriate lead times for product development, a technology agnostic approach within electrification and a clear connection across consumer facing policies such as EPCs, we anticipate major supply chain investment to meet the challenge.

With the oversight of a new Flexibility Commissioner, the roadmap has the potential to help grow the sector, and bring increased momentum to delivering flexibility to consumers and businesses through mass market uptake of Energy Smart Appliances.

Merlin Hyman OBE, Chief Executive of Regen, said:

Making our power system more flexible in how we match supply and demand is a key part of clean power 2030 so we greatly welcome the government’s Clean Flexibility Roadmap.

The roadmap is an important step to bring together reforms needed to unlock the full value of the rapidly developing grid scale storage sector and consumer led flexibility in a coordinated work programme.

The challenge now is to deliver what is a significant programme of reform of the way our electricity markets and system work to enable a rapid transition to a clean power system and to deliver value to customers.

Chris O’Shea, Centrica CEO, said:

A one-size-fits-all approach to energy doesn’t work for the world we live in now. The Government’s shift to personalised power is the right one. We know consumers want flexibility and fairness, and this roadmap delivers both. At British Gas we’ve already started this work through our market-leading Peak Save scheme, saving our customers over £25 million on their energy bills. Whether it’s smart charging an EV overnight or running appliances off-peak, we’re empowering households to get cheaper, greener energy with tech that works around our customers lives – not the other way around.

Ramona Vlasiu, Chief Operating Officer at E.ON Next said:

We welcome the government’s Clean Flexibility Roadmap as a vital step in giving households more control over their energy use and bills.

We’re already helping customers unlock these benefits through innovative time-of-use tariffs, smart battery trials that could save households up to £300 a month, and our partnership with Northern Powergrid to explore how smart technologies and local energy solutions can help lower bills and support a more resilient grid.

Flexibility is key to a cleaner, more affordable energy future. We support continued progress on the policies and regulations that will make it easier and more accessible for people to transform their relationship with energy, tackle long-term affordability, and ensure everyone can benefit from Britain’s transition to clean power.
July 28, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Response to Supreme Court judgment [July 2025]

The press release issued by the Serious Fraud Office on 23 July 2025.

A statement by the Serious Fraud Office on R v Hayes and R v Palombo.

The Serious Fraud Office investigates and prosecutes the most complex fraud, bribery and corruption cases affecting the UK and the safety of our economy.

Today’s Supreme Court decision comes thirteen years after we first investigated the practice used by some traders and submitters at selected banks to influence key benchmark rates of interest in financial markets.

These rates were called the London Inter-bank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) and the Euro Inter-bank Offered Rate (“EURIBOR”) and they affected the value of hundreds of trillions of dollars’ worth of financial products around the world, including ordinary people’s pensions, mortgages and savings.

Our investigation led to nine convictions of senior bankers for fraud offences, with two of these individuals pleading guilty and seven found guilty by juries.

This judgment has determined that the legal directions given by the judge to the jury at the conclusion of trial were incorrect in Hayes’ and Palombo’s trials and for that reason their convictions have today been found unsafe.

We have considered this judgment and the full circumstances carefully and determined it would not be in the public interest for us to seek a retrial.

July 28, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : UK and Türkiye agree big step towards multi-billion-pound export of Typhoon fighter jets [July 2025]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 23 July 2025.

A multi-billion-pound export deal of Typhoon fighter jets to Türkiye – which could secure thousands of skilled UK jobs – is a significant step closer today, following the signing of an agreement that will also strengthen the UK-Türkiye partnership.
- Defence Ministers of UK and Türkiye sign agreement in Istanbul, a major step towards the export of Typhoon fighter jets to Türkiye.
- Agreement strengthens NATO’s collective deterrence and builds on years of defence cooperation and growing industrial ties between UK and Türkiye.
- 20,000 UK jobs are supported by Typhoon programme, with exports set to secure thousands of UK production line jobs, delivering on the Government’s Plan for Change.
Defence Secretary John Healey and Defence Minister Yaşar Güler signed the Memorandum of Understanding at the International Defence Industry Fair in Istanbul. Building on years of defence cooperation, they agreed that a future Typhoon exports deal would strengthen Türkiye’s advanced combat capabilities and help sustain the 20,000 UK jobs involved in the Typhoon programme here at home.

Negotiations on the potential deal with Türkiye will now continue over the coming weeks. It would be the first export order the UK has secured for Typhoon since 2017.

By securing thousands of jobs on UK production lines, the Government will be delivering on our Plan for Change by driving defence as an engine for economic growth.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:

The UK’s production of Typhoon fighter jets is an engine for economic growth – supporting the lives and livelihoods of thousands of British people right across the UK.

Signing a multi-billion export deal with Türkiye will sustain and protect 20,000 UK jobs for future years to come – which is why my government is so dedicated to securing it. It will bolster our vital defence industry, deliver on our Plan for Change and keep us and our allies safer during these uncertain times.

Defence Secretary John Healey MP said:

Today’s agreement is a big step towards Türkiye buying UK Typhoon fighter jets. It shows this government’s determination to secure new defence deals, building on our relationships abroad to deliver for British working people.

Equipping Türkiye with Typhoons would strengthen NATO’s collective defence, and boost both our countries’ industrial bases by securing thousands of skilled jobs across the UK for years to come.

Last month’s Strategic Defence Review stressed the importance of exports, and now with our new defence exports office, we are developing defence’s role as an engine for economic growth as a foundation of the government’s Plan for Change.”

It comes as the Defence Secretary John Healey makes the drive for new defence export deals a high priority.

The Ministry of Defence is preparing to take on responsibility for defence exports from 31st July, in a significant step of delivery for the Strategic Defence Review. The defence exports team will back British businesses on the global stage, drive potential exports and seek to enhance economic growth.

The latest statistics show UK defence exports were valued at £14.5 billion in just a 12-month period. Following the SDR’s direction, it moves responsibility for defence exports from the Department for Business and Trade, making the MOD the lead for securing deals for military equipment with our allies.

The Typhoon workshare agreement would see more than a third (37%) of each aircraft manufactured in the UK; the rest of each aircraft would be produced by the Eurofighter Partner Nations. Final production at BAE Systems’ Warton site would include radars from Edinburgh and engines from Bristol, helping secure thousands of UK jobs.

Charles Woodburn, Chief Executive, BAE Systems said:

This Memorandum of Understanding between the Governments of Türkiye and the UK underscores the importance of their long-standing defence co-operation through NATO and the critical role Typhoon plays in security and defence in Europe and the Middle East.

The UK also continues to invest in its own world-class Typhoon fleet, which will remain the backbone of the UK’s air defence until at least the 2040s. The RAF’s existing Typhoons are being upgraded over the next 15 years, supporting skilled jobs across the UK.
July 28, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Jobs unlocked as first wave of hydrogen projects sign contracts [July 2025]
The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 23 July 2025.

10 projects from the first phase of the government’s flagship hydrogen programme can begin construction.
- Spades in the ground as 10 of the UK’s first commercial-scale green hydrogen projects sign contracts, boosting growth as part of Plan for Change
- homegrown, green hydrogen to fuel range of British business and industry with clean power, from tissue manufacturing and waste disposal to breweries and bus services
- projects to unlock more than 700 good jobs across Britain in the clean energy industries of the future, while delivering on clean energy mission and industrial strategy
Skilled jobs will be created in Britain’s industrial heartlands, as the first commercial-scale green hydrogen projects in the country sign long-term contracts to fuel heavy industry with clean, homegrown energy.

In an update to the hydrogen market, the government has confirmed that 10 projects from the first phase of its flagship hydrogen programme – Hydrogen Allocation Round (HAR1) – can begin construction, supporting the government’s mission to become a clean energy superpower.

This means spades can now enter the ground across the country in a major boost to the UK’s hydrogen industry, creating highly skilled jobs in industrial cities and regions such as South Wales, Bradford (North West), North Scotland and Teesside (North East).

These projects will support British industry to move away from using fossil fuels towards domestically-produced low-carbon hydrogen, reducing emissions heavy industry – such as steel, glass and heavy transport – ensuring decarbonisation is a route to reindustrialisation.

The HyMarnham project in Newark, Nottinghamshire has already started construction. The project is transforming the old High Marnham coal-fired power station into a clean energy hub by using hydrogen to decarbonise waste disposal operations.

Cromarty Hydrogen Project in Northeast Scotland is another of the 10 projects. The project’s 3 5MW electrolysers – which use electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen – will power local industrial users, including distilleries.

Taken together, the projects are expected to create over 700 jobs, including roles for apprentices, graduates, pipefitters and engineers. They are also expected to bring in over £400 million of private capital investment which has been committed between 2024 and 2026 – driving economic growth and British innovation through the Plan for Change.

The update comes as Andrex and Kleenex producer Kimberly-Clark announces that it will be the first major consumer goods company in the UK to make a significant commitment to green hydrogen. Kimberly-Clark, together with energy partners HYRO, Carlton Power, and Schroders Greencoat, will invest a combined £125 million into HAR1 projects at two plants in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria and Northfleet, Kent.

Minister for Industry, Sarah Jones, said:

This government is rolling out hydrogen out at scale for the first time, with 10 of the first projects now shovel-ready to start powering businesses with clean, homegrown energy from Teesside to Devon.

Hydrogen will help us cut industrial emissions and support Britain’s industrial renewal by creating thousands of jobs in our industrial heartlands as part of the Plan for Change.

Neil McDermott, Chief Executive of Low Carbon Contracts Company (LCCC), said:

LCCC is proud to have signed the UK’s first Low Carbon Hydrogen Agreements, supporting the development of projects under the Hydrogen Production Business Model.

These agreements provide revenue stability for producers, and a clear signal that low-carbon hydrogen has a key role to play in the UK’s future energy system.

We look forward to working closely with project developers to bring these projects into operation.

Dan Howell, Managing Director at Kimberly-Clark UK & Ireland said:

We are delighted to be the first UK consumer goods manufacturer to really embrace green hydrogen, showing that manufacturing industries can take the lead and overcome the technical challenge and adopt green hydrogen at scale. This initiative builds on the investments and progress we’ve already made with innovative technologies for our business, our consumers and our customers.

Today’s announcement follows the Spending Review which saw an extra £500 million confirmed for the first ever hydrogen transport and storage network as part of Britain’s industrial renewal, connecting hydrogen producers with vital end users, including power stations and industry for the first time.

The government has also announced that it will consult on transmission-level hydrogen blending – assessing the economic and technical feasibility for hydrogen to be blended into the networks that are the backbone of Britain’s gas system, before it is safely transported into homes and businesses.

Hydrogen transmission blending has the potential to reduce costs for hydrogen production projects and the wider energy system, and the consultation will also gather evidence to assess whether hydrogen blending could lower consumers’ energy bills.

Clare Jackson, CEO of Hydrogen UK, said:

Signing these contracts demonstrates the confidence and commitment of both the government and industry in building a sustainable hydrogen sector.

Our members are at the forefront of this transition, and their projects will play a vital role in meeting the UK’s net-zero targets while driving economic growth and job creation.

Dr Emma Guthrie, CEO of the Hydrogen Energy Association, said:

This announcement marks a significant and encouraging milestone for the UK’s hydrogen sector.

The signing of contracts for 10 projects under HAR1 provides vital momentum and confidence for industry and investors alike.

We look forward to seeing these projects move into the next phase, helping to scale up the UK’s low carbon hydrogen economy.

Pierre de Raphélis-Soissan, CEO of Hynamics UK who are developing the Tees Green Hydrogen project, said:

We are delighted that Tees Green Hydrogen has successfully signed a contract as part of the Hydrogen Allocation Round.

We are committed to advancing low carbon hydrogen solutions that not only support the UK’s energy transition but also contribute to a sustainable future for our communities.

This achievement marks a significant milestone in the journey towards industrial decarbonisation within the Tees Valley region.

Gareth Mills and Kevin Selleslags, on behalf of Bradford Low Carbon Hydrogen (BLCH) said:

Signing our contract to take the largest HAR 1 project forward is a significant step.

Thanks to the government’s investment, we’re able to continue to progress our plans to transform Birkshall from a former fossil fuel gas site powering Bradford’s homes and businesses to a flagship low carbon hydrogen production facility and fuelling station.

The scheme will not only help the area decarbonise with cleaner fuel but will vitally create around £120 million and support 125 jobs in the regional economy.

Alistair Collins, Director at HyMarnham Power, said:

As one of the first HAR1 projects now commissioning electrolyser systems, we’re proud to demonstrate what government support can unlock, real infrastructure, green hydrogen production and a tangible contribution to the UK’s net zero and energy security goals.

Lucy Whitford, RES’ Managing Director, UK&I, said:

Green hydrogen, created using British low carbon energy, will revolutionise how we power industry, helping the UK to build a globally competitive, zero carbon economy in the process.

We are proud of the success of HYRO’s Northfleet project, which will show how we can make green hydrogen a reality.
July 28, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : World sprint champion sentenced after using Covid loans to help buy £1.3 million home [July 2025]
The press release issued by the Insolvency Service on 23 July 2025.

Athlete sentenced for Bounce Back Loan fraud.
- British Masters athlete Rick Beardsell obtained two maximum-value Bounce Back Loans for his sportswear manufacturing business and used most of the funds to help buy a £1.3 million home in a Cheshire village
- Money spent on purchasing the five-bedroom house should have been used to benefit his Sports Creative Limited business
- Beardsell also broke the rules of the scheme by substantially inflating his company’s turnover and securing two loans when businesses should only have received one
- The 46-year-old has now repaid the £100,000 he fraudulently applied for in full
A world sprint champion has been sentenced after he spent Covid loan funds to help buy a £1.3 million house.

Rick Beardsell secured two £50,000 Bounce Back Loans for his Sports Creative Limited company in 2020 and 2021 when businesses were only allowed a single loan.

The 46-year-old then moved the Bounce Back Loan funds into his personal bank account, using part of the money to help buy a five-bedroom property on Macclesfield Road in Prestbury, while also transferring cash to family members and making mortgage payments.

Beardsell, who has won multiple sprint titles and holds world records representing Great Britain as a masters athlete, was sentenced to 18 months in prison, suspended for two years, when he appeared at Chester Crown Court on Tuesday 22 July.

He was also ordered to complete 250 hours of unpaid work and pay costs of £11,152.

Beardsell repaid the £100,000 in full earlier this year after his guilty plea but before sentencing.

David Snasdell, Chief Investigator at the Insolvency Service, said:

Rick Beardsell exploited a Covid support scheme designed for struggling businesses, fraudulently obtaining loans he was not entitled to.

While legitimate business owners fought to stay afloat during the pandemic, Beardsell bought a £1.3 million home with the help of money that should have been supporting his company through difficult times.

This case sends a clear message that we will not tolerate those who viewed government support schemes as an opportunity for personal enrichment during a national emergency.

Sports Creative Limited was set up in January 2009 with Beardsell as its sole director. The company described itself on social media as “a bespoke sportswear manufacturer”.

Beardsell applied to the bank for his first £50,000 Bounce Back Loan just before Christmas 2020.

In the application, he claimed that Sports Creative Limited had a turnover of £485,000.

Just two weeks later, in early January 2021, Beardsell applied to a second bank for another £50,000 Bounce Back Loan, this time stating that his company had an estimated turnover of £320,000.

Insolvency Service analysis of Sports Creative Limited’s bank account revealed that its turnover was just over £90,000, meaning he exaggerated his company’s revenue on both occasions.

Beardsell claimed that he had received a purchase order of $600,000 (approximately £440,000) for personal protective equipment during the pandemic which ultimately failed to materialise.

Even if this were the case, businesses were required to provide their turnover for 2019, prior to the start of Covid.

Investigations also found Beardsell transferred £83,900 of the £100,000 loan money to his personal bank account in three separate transactions at the start of March 2021.

A total of £431,160 from that account was paid to solicitors for the purchase of a house on Macclesfield Road in September 2021.

Beardsell also made fraudulent transfers of £5,000 to his wife, £10,000 to another family member, and two mortgage payments for his previous house in Manchester which put the funds beyond the reach of creditors.

In a prepared statement, Beardsell claimed that he had sought “professional advice” that Bounce Back Loan funds could be used for “any purpose” that resulted in a direct benefit to the company. He added that he was advised that this could include investments in company assets or property.

Beardsell also said that HMRC told him that he was eligible to receive the funds from the second loan, advice which would not have been given had he been honest about his successful application for an earlier Bounce Back Loan.

Sports Creative Limited entered liquidation in December 2021.

Further information
- Rick Beardsell is of Macclesfield Road, Prestbury, Cheshire. His date of birth is 19 January 1979
July 28, 2025