Tag: Press Release

PRESS RELEASE : UK development minister visits Turkey-Syria earthquake response [February 2023]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 19 February 2023.

UK Development Minister Andrew Mitchell travelled to southern Turkey on Sunday 19 February to see the response first-hand.
- First trip by UK Minister to Turkey since devastating earthquakes to witness first-hand impact of UK aid, helping those affected in Turkey and Syria.
- Follows major new UK aid package on 15 February in response to needs on the ground in both Turkey and Syria.
- Minister toured a UK-led Field Hospital in Türkoğlu to thank UK medical staff for providing lifesaving care alongside Turkish medics, and met UK-aid-funded White Helmets (Syrian Civil Defence) to discuss what is needed in the next stage of the response
As the UK continues to play a leading role in the global response to the devastating earthquakes in Syria and Turkey, UK Development Minister Andrew Mitchell travelled to southern Turkey on Sunday 19 February to see the response first-hand.

He witnessed the work of UK medical and aid teams supporting the Turkish authorities, Syrian organisations, UN and other aid organisations to coordinate the emergency response in both Turkey and Syria.

In Türkoğlu he toured a joint MoD-FCDO Field Hospital staffed by UK-Med and MoD personnel with an emergency room and 24/7 operating centre providing lifesaving care and thanked UK medical staff working side-by-side with Turkish medics.

He also met the White Helmets and Syrian Women’s groups as well as the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) member charity, Care International, the Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) and UN agencies to hear first-hand about their relief efforts in Turkey and Syria and understand what more needs to be done as the crisis moves from rescue to recovery.

Development Minister Andrew Mitchell said:

We have been working since day one of this terrible earthquake to help coordinate the emergency response in both Turkey and Syria and provide life-saving support to those who need it.

As this evolving situation heads into a new phase from rescue to recovery, I’ve seen first-hand the incredible efforts on the ground at the field hospital, with UK medical teams providing live-saving operations, including to those rescued from under the rubble.

The British public’s response to the Disasters and Emergency Committee appeal, which has now reached a staggering £88 million, underlines the strong support from the UK for rescue and recovery following this tragic event.

I have seen and heard today how this extraordinary generosity has enabled British expertise, charities and NGOs to scale up their support and make a real difference to the people of Turkey and Syria.

The UK match funded the first £5 million of public donations to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) Turkey-Syria Earthquake appeal providing immediate life-saving support to hardest-hit areas, thanks to the compassion and generosity of the British public.

The visit follows a further £25 million major UK package of support on 15 February, with the UK responding to needs on the ground in Turkey and in Syria in line with requests from the Turkish authorities, the UN and aid agencies.

The UK also sent a team of 77 search and rescue experts with specialist equipment, as well as four rescue dogs, who worked day and night to help people affected by the earthquake. The UK-aid-funded White Helmets (Syria Civil Defence) mobilised a significant search and rescue effort and the UK mobilised an additional £4.3 million to the White Helmets in support of this. As we move from rescue to recovery, the UK is continuing to send urgent relief supplies to Turkey and Syria such as tents and blankets to help survivors cope with the freezing conditions.

We are working closely with the UN to maintain the swift delivery of these supplies across the Turkish border into north-west Syria.
February 19, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : HMS Anson departs Barrow-in-Furness [February 2023]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 19 February 2023.

HMS Anson, the fifth Astute Class submarine, has sailed from Barrow-in-Furness to begin her journey to His Majesty’s Naval Base Clyde.
- The fifth Astute-Class attack submarine has sailed from BAE Systems’ shipyard bound for her new home.
- Upon arrival at HMNB Clyde, she will undergo sea trials.
- £1.3 billion of UK investment in the programme.
Marking entry into the Royal Navy, HMS Anson was formally commissioned in ceremony last year, and is the eighth Navy vessel to bear the name, originally named after Admiral George Anson.

Building on commitments made in the Integrated Review, the completion of HMS Anson demonstrates the strength of British industry and its world-leading nuclear technology.

Upon arrival at the Clyde, HMS Anson will begin sea trials.

Defence Secretary, Ben Wallace, said:

HMS Anson will play a vital role in defending the UK, providing a competitive edge for decades to come, and I am proud to see her make her journey up to her permanent home on the Clyde.

Supporting tens of thousands of jobs across the UK, our Astute-Class submarines are a leading example of our commitment to defence manufacturing, continuing to boost British industry for decades to come.

One of the most sophisticated underwater vessels ever built, HMS Anson represents £1.3 billion of UK investment.

More than 11 years in the making and built in BAE Systems’ Barrow-in-Furness site, the departure of HMS Anson is a significant moment for the UK’s submarine manufacturing industry.

Delivering on the Prime Minister’s priority to grow the economy, creating better-paid jobs and opportunity right across the country, the construction of HMS Anson has included more than 10,000 coders, engineers, scientists, submariners and technicians across the UK.

Steve Timms, Managing Director of BAE Systems’ Submarines business, said:

It’s with enormous pride that we bid farewell to HMS Anson as she departs our site to take up her vital role helping to protect the UK’s national security.

This is a truly national endeavour, so delivering the most capable attack submarine ever built for the Royal Navy is a tremendous moment for our company, our employees, the Barrow community and the whole of the submarine enterprise, not least our vast and crucially important UK wide supply chain.

Capable of defending the UK’s interests at home and overseas, HMS Anson will be armed with up to 38 Spearfish Heavyweight Torpedoes, and Block V Tomahawk land attack missiles, able to tackle targets at a range of up to 1,000 miles.

Powered by a Rolls-Royce nuclear reactor, the boat will also be operational for 25 years without refuelling.

The Astute Class is the first nuclear-powered submarine class to be designed entirely in a three-dimensional, computer-aided environment –represent the cutting edge and state of the art nature of the UK’s military capabilities.

They are the most advanced boats ever operated by the Royal Navy, providing the capability needed to defend the UK and its allies’ interests at home and overseas.

Dr Tim Sheldon, Director Submarines Acquisition for the Submarine Delivery Agency, said:

We commend the tremendous effort by all those involved across the UK in the delivery of HMS Anson to the Royal Navy.

Her departure from Barrow is a major milestone, not only in her journey to full operational service, but for the Astute programme as a whole.

Weighing 7,800 tonnes, she is 97 metres long – just short of two Olympic swimming pools – with 240 kilometres of cabling – enough to stretch from Barrow-In-Furness to its new home in Faslane, Scotland.

Commanding Officer of HMS Anson, Cdr David ‘Bing’ Crosby, said:

My team and I are grateful to all across the build enterprise and SDA who have made HMS ANSON such a formidable submarine. We are eagerly looking forward to putting the boat through her paces on sea trials, realising her full potential and joining our colleagues on the Clyde – the home of the Royal Navy Submarine Service.

The first four Astute-Class submarines – HMS Astute, HMS Ambush, HMS Artful and HMS Audacious – are already in service with the Royal Navy.

The final two submarines in the class – Agamemnon and Agincourt – are in various stages of construction at Barrow-in-Furness.
February 19, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Rishi Sunak meeting with Prime Minister Kristersson of Sweden and President Niinisto of Finland [February 2023]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 18 February 2023.

The Prime Minister met Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Finnish President Sauli Niinisto in Munich today.

He underscored the UK’s unwavering support for Sweden and Finland’s accession to NATO. The Prime Minister was clear that a NATO with Sweden and Finland in it will be stronger, and he expressed his hope that they would be able to join ahead of this summer’s NATO Summit.

The Prime Minister said that Sweden and Finland’s huge contribution to European security was already evident from the work they do with the UK through the Joint Expeditionary Force, particularly in the northern most reaches of the continent.

The leaders agreed that Europe’s long-term security would be defined by our response to Putin’s war in Ukraine.

February 19, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Plans to bolster patient safety and boost support for frontline staff by streamlining the system for healthcare regulators [February 2023]
The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 18 February 2023.

The government will streamline the system to modernise regulatory legislation to boost patient safety and support staff.
- Regulating thousands of medical associate professions will help increase their deployment on the frontline
- Potential for their role to be expanded, including looking at the case for extending prescribing responsibilities to PAs and AAs, reducing pressure on other frontline staff
The government has reaffirmed its commitment to streamline the system, improve patient safety and expand the role of medical support staff in the NHS to relieve pressure on GPs and improve access to services.

A new consultation will be launched today seeking views on draft legislation to provide the General Medical Council (GMC) with powers to regulate physician associates (PAs) and anaesthesia associates (AAs) for the first time.

These professions support doctors and surgeons in providing medical care and anaesthetic services to patients. With over 3,500 PAs and 160 AAs working already, regulation will enable them to play an increasingly important part in supporting the workforce to deliver the medical care appropriate for a growing, changing and ageing population.

Regulation is key to help maximise the potential of these roles to boost the workforce and increase their deployment on the frontline, particularly in primary care. For example, once regulated, opportunities could be explored for PAs to help relieve pressure on GPs, including looking at the case for extending prescribing responsibilities to PAs. This would free up clinician time to focus on seeing patients and boosting the number of appointments.

The government consultation, launched today, also represents the next step in the government’s commitment to modernise the regulatory system for healthcare professionals across the UK. These changes will give all regulators the powers to design their own regulatory processes to improve patient safety and help to streamline the system to enable staff to join the NHS frontline more easily.

Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said:

I want all parts of modern, multi-skilled healthcare teams to able to work to their full potential.

That’s why we’re modernising out of date regulatory legislation to harness the full potential of roles such as physician and anaesthesia associates to provide the highest quality care for patients and relieve pressure on the NHS.

This could also open the door to expanding prescribing powers, helping free up GPs, improve access to appointments and reduce pressure on hospitals.

The wider proposals also include:
- Streamlining the system to allow regulatory bodies to update and change their day-to-day regulatory processes and standards, without needing the approval of Parliament or the Privy Council, allowing them to respond to changes quickly.
- Modernising and improving registration and regulatory processes to enable professions to respond to emerging healthcare challenges more quickly and ensure patients can continue accessing high quality services, confident they are provided by practitioners who are fit to practice. For example, during the Covid pandemic, regulators wanted to introduce remote fitness to practise hearings to boost workforce numbers, but this required to enable regulators to open emergency registers, slowing down the process.
- Ensuring consistent powers for each of the healthcare professional regulators as there is currently variation in the powers regulators have available. This means regulators across different professions will be working with similar powers, presenting opportunities for collaboration and sharing of best practice, ultimately aimed at improving patient safety and outcomes.
PAs and AAs undergo two years of post-graduate studying on average. PAs deliver health care and treatment to patients, such as diagnosing illnesses, performing diagnostic and therapeutic procedures and developing treatment management plans, under the supervision of doctors whilst AAs generally work in hospitals and emergency environments and provide care for patients before, during and after their operation or procedure, including taking a history, performing physical examinations, and using diagnostic data to identify relevant problems.

The government’s ambition is to increase training places for AAs and PAs, with 1,000 PAs being trained each year from 2023/24 and 250 AAs being trained each year from 2024/25.

The proposals will help provide a template for future reforms to support the NHS and improve access for patients.

There are record numbers of staff working in the NHS helping to ease winter pressures and we will publish a comprehensive workforce strategy this year to help recruit and retain more staff, with independently verified forecasts for the number of doctors, nurses and other professionals that will be needed in five, 10- and 15-years’ time.
February 19, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Rishi Sunak meeting with US Vice President Kamala Harris [February 2023]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 18 February 2023.

The Prime Minister met US Vice President Kamala Harris, at the Munich Security Conference today.

They paid tribute to the enduring strength of the UK-US relationship, which protects our people and makes the world a more secure place. They agreed there is no clearer evidence of that than in Ukraine, where we are the country’s two closest international partners.

The Prime Minister and Vice President Harris discussed how to accelerate international action on Ukraine, to allow them to win the war and secure a just and lasting peace. They agreed on the importance of thinking beyond Ukraine’s immediate needs to how the international community can ensure Ukraine never faces the same threats again.

They agreed that Putin’s war in Ukraine is a global war, both in terms of its impact on food and energy security and in terms of its implications for internationally accepted norms like sovereignty. The Prime Minister and Vice President Harris condemned those countries who have supported Putin’s efforts politically and militarily.

The leaders also spoke about the AUKUS alliance, where we are working alongside Australia to make the Indo-Pacific region more stable and secure.

February 19, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Rishi Sunak meeting with Poland’s Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki [February 2023]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 18 February 2023.

The Prime Minister met Poland’s Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki at the Munich Security Summit today.

They reflected on a profoundly challenging year for the continent following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which brought war to Poland’s borders. The leaders welcomed the UK and Poland’s unity of purpose and ever-closer collaboration, as we stand side by side to help Ukraine and bolster European security.

The Prime Minister committed to continue to support Poland’s security, including through the deployment of the Sky Sabre air defence system and British troops stationed in Poland with NATO’s enhanced Forward Presence. The leaders discussed working with allies to provide further strategic military support to Ukraine’s defence.

They agreed to continue working closely together to deepen our defence and security partnership, strengthen our energy security and develop the UK and Poland’s thriving economic and cultural links.

February 19, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Joint statement by Rishi Sunak and the President of the European Commission [February 2023]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 18 February 2023.

Joint statement by the Prime Minister and President of the Commission Ursula von der Leyen at the Munich Security Conference, 18 February 2023.

President of the Commission von der Leyen and Prime Minister Sunak updated one another on their discussions with President Zelensky last week. They agreed on the importance of giving Ukraine the military momentum they need to secure victory against tyranny.

The leaders welcomed the powerful alignment in EU and UK support for Ukraine over the past year, as exemplified both by our record military and economic aid to the country, and the coordination of the most substantial and unprecedented sanctions packages in response to Putin’s war of aggression against Ukraine. They agreed EU and UK efforts to train Ukrainian troops will make a real difference on the battlefield.

The President and the Prime Minister expressed their confidence that the spirit of cooperation with which we have responded to Putin’s brutal war in Ukraine should also be reflected across the full range of issues the EU and the UK face together.

They also had a positive discussion about the talks on the Ireland / Northern Ireland Protocol. They agreed that there had been very good progress to find solutions. Intensive work in the coming days is still needed at official and ministerial levels.

The leaders agreed to remain in close contact over the coming days.

February 19, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Rishi Sunak meeting with the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz [February 2023]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 18 February 2023.

The Prime Minister met the German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, in Munich today.

He paid tribute to the role Chancellor Scholz has played in eliminating Germany’s energy dependence on Russia and transforming Germany’s defence.

The leaders agreed on the need to sustain the record level of international support for Ukraine. They agreed recent international offers of main battle tanks and other equipment would be transformational on the ground.

The Prime Minster stressed the need for allies to think not just about securing peace in the short term, but about strengthening Ukraine’s long-term defences.

The leaders also discussed the importance of strengthening NATO, and expressed their support for Swedish and Finnish accession.

February 19, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : British soldiers lead joint desert training exercise with Oman [February 2023]

The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 18 February 2023.

Troops perfected their battle-winning tactics during a two-week exercise alongside the Royal Army of Oman – a key partner in the Gulf.

British troops have been honing their desert war-fighting skills on a training area six times the size of Salisbury Plain over the last two weeks (3-14 February). They were taking part in Exercise Khanjar Oman, the first main training exercise of their four-month deployment to Oman.

The combined exercise saw soldiers operate alongside the Royal Army of Oman on the Ras Madrakah joint training area, as they built towards a mock assault on an enemy urban area. The exercise tested troops’ ability to train and operate in arduous terrain, including desert plains, complex wadi systems and mountains.

At the same time, it provided an opportunity to perfect key soldiering skills, including soldiering in austere environments, working with partner forces and learning battle-winning tactics to protect the British public from future threats.

Battlegroup Commander Lt Col Ben Hawes 2nd Battalion, The Royal Anglian Regiment, is preparing his troops to assume command of NATO’s Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF) in January 2024. He said:

Since March last year, the focus of our training has been to ensure that we are ready to fight against a peer enemy force. This exercise is the UK ensuring that its spearhead battlegroup is in exactly the right place to go out the door.

My troops have been absolutely put through their paces. Everything that our peer enemies could do to us, has been done to us. I’ve operated with every single one of my radio frequencies jammed, I’ve operated with no GPS, I’ve operated at night for long periods of time; we’ve done training serial after training serial.

This is about our ability to operate and sustain an operation against an enemy that has the same, or maybe even greater capabilities than we do.

More than half the soldiers participating in the exercise were drawn from 2nd Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment. Smaller numbers were drawn from The Royal Logistics Corps, The Royal Engineers, The Royal Artillery, The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment and the Coastal Security Force.

The 4th Light Brigade Combat Team is delivering the first series of exercises for Exercise Desert Khanjar, which describes the two annual, four-month deployments of UK troops to the British Army’s Land Regional Hub in Duqm, Oman.

It is the British Army’s foremost annual training and defence engagement event to take place across the Gulf region, involving up to 1,000 British and 100 Omani soldiers.

During deployment, British personnel undertake unit training, exercise with partners and provide a forward-based force capable of building regional security capabilities and responding to threats where they arise.

February 19, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Millions of people get boosted against Covid [February 2023]

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 18 February 2023.

Nearly 17.5 million eligible people received their Covid autumn booster jab, with tens of thousands coming forward in the final week of the programme.

Millions of eligible people across England have come forward for their Covid autumn booster, giving them the protection they need from serious illness and helping to ease pressure on the NHS.

The Covid autumn booster programme – which started on 5th September 2022 and ended on 12th February 2023 – saw 17.46 million jabs given to eligible people including those aged 50 and over, residents in care homes, people aged 5 and over in an at risk group, and health and social care staff.

Tens of thousands of people responded to the call from the Chief Medical Officer, Prof Chris Whitty, and NHSE England before the programme ended, with 74,692 people getting jabbed in the final week – almost double the 40,947 jabs administered in the previous seven days.

Overall, 64.9% of people aged 50 and over took up the offer of an autumn booster. Take up was highest among the 75 to under 80s (82.8%), over 80s (82.7%), and 70 to under 75s (79.2%).

Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said:

Our phenomenal Covid vaccination programme has helped us to live with the virus, protected the most vulnerable from serious illness, and reduced hospital admissions.

Millions of eligible people came forward for their autumn booster, rolled up their sleeves and got their immunity topped up.

I want to thank everyone who came forward for their jab, and for playing their part in reducing pressure on the NHS and helping to clear the Covid backlogs.

The latest data shows 20.9 million eligible people have had their flu jab, but take up is low among pregnant women and children aged two and three.

Eligible people – including pregnant women, young children, and those with an underlying health condition – have till 31st March to come forward for their flu jab.

Dame Jenny Harries, Chief Executive of the UK Health Security Agency, said:

Our ability to combat Covid and flu this winter has been dramatically improved by the incredible efforts of a whole legion of professionals who continue to get these important vaccines to those who need them – from our local authority public health teams, our experts in UKHSA and MHRA and our front-line NHS staff.

Millions of people answered our call and came forward to protect themselves and their loved ones against these serious illnesses.

Vaccines save lives and there is no doubt that this mammoth effort has helped prevent many people from ending up seriously ill in hospital. We are thankful to everyone who took part.

The UKHSA’s flu data published on Thursday shows flu levels continue to fall sharply and they advise people not to pass it on by staying at home if they’re unwell, and not visiting vulnerable people.

NHS director of vaccinations and screening, Steve Russell, said:

The NHS Covid-19 Vaccination Programme has once again delivered life-saving protection to millions of people across England and it is fantastic that more than 17 million people received a booster jab this winter, helping to keep themselves and their loved ones out of hospital.

The fastest and largest vaccine drive in health service history has now delivered almost 145 million Covid vaccinations in just over two years since the programme began and I would like to thank the NHS staff, volunteers and local government and partners who have made this possible – we will be ready again to stand up future campaigns to protect our communities when given the green light.

February 19, 2023