Tag: Press Release

PRESS RELEASE : We will not become numb to the suffering caused by Russia’s illegal invasion – UK statement to the OSCE [January 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 26 January 2023.

Ambassador Bush condemns Russia’s attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, and stresses Russia will not break the resolve of the Ukrainian people.

Thank you Mr. Chair. Last week I, and many others spoke about the devastating Russian missile attack on an apartment building in Dnipro. The lives of 46 innocent Ukrainian civilians were tragically cut short, including six children, with 80 injured and 11 still missing. This horrific attack was yet another example of Russia’s numerous and sustained violations of international law over the course of the last 11 months, which continue to this day. Following reports of further Russian strikes overnight, we stress our solidarity with Ukraine. Russia will not break the resolve of the Ukrainian people.

Since the start of Russia’s illegal invasion, and following several investigations by the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine (OPG), ODHIR, the UN and through the Moscow Mechanism (to name but a few), there can be no doubt as to Russia’s culpability for atrocities and human rights violations carried out in Ukraine. The evidence is overwhelming.

We have seen indiscriminate attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, and the use of wide area, inaccurate weapons in residential and highly populated areas resulting in loss of life and widespread devastation. The theatre in Mariupol sheltering children. The railway station in Kramatorsk where women and children were fleeing. The shopping centre in Kremenchuk. Too many stories. Too many innocent victims.

We’ve heard harrowing testimony from survivors, detailing summary executions, unlawful confinement, torture, rape and other sexual violence committed in areas once under Russian control. As recorded by the UN’s Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, family members, including children, were sometimes forced to witness the crimes – powerless to act. We have spoken of Russia’s disturbing policy of filtration and of those who have disappeared, some unlawfully deported to Russia – including orphaned children. We recall the attacks against sites with protected status – medical and educational facilities, cultural and religious sites, and energy infrastructure. We commend the investigators seeking the truth, often under dangerous conditions, and those courageous survivors willing to share their testimony to ensure justice is delivered.

As reported by ODHIR, the sheer number of accounts describing allegedly systematic torture and ill-treatment inflicted upon civilians by Russian forces seems to suggest these practices were carried out in an atmosphere of impunity.

However, we will not allow ourselves to become numb to the immense suffering caused by Russia’s illegal invasion. The victims and the survivors will be remembered. We must, and we will, deliver justice and accountability for all of them. For those in Bucha, Irpin, Izium, Makariv, Kupiansk, Mariupol. The list is far too long and the price paid by Ukrainians for their freedom far too high.

There can be no lasting peace in Ukraine without justice. In London this March, Justice Ministers from across the world will meet to discuss further provision of financial and practical support to the International Criminal Court investigation in Ukraine. We will ensure the ICC has all it needs to pursue investigations and prosecute those responsible. The UK has joined a core group of partners to ensure criminal accountability for Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. UK legal expertise will be utilised to ensure Russia’s leaders are held to account fully for their actions. We continue our work with the Atrocity Crimes Advisory Group (ACA) for Ukraine, bringing together multinational experts to assist and advise the OPG War Crimes units in their tireless work.

Last week we and many participating States asked the Russian Federation for a comprehensive response to the reports of SMM vehicles being used in eastern Ukraine. These are the assets of the organisation and its participating States.

In closing, Mr Chair, the international community must collectively send a strong message to the Russian government – through our words and through our actions. We will not stand for unbridled aggression against a sovereign state; we will not tolerate violations and abuses of international law and human rights; we will not sit back and allow the perpetrators of such egregious crimes in Ukraine go unpunished; and we will seek and see justice delivered for those who have suffered at the hands of Russian aggression.

January 26, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Climate change conference addresses future needs in defence [January 2023]

The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 26 January 2023.

The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) has hosted its first climate change event focusing on sustainability and climate security for defence.

The event gave experts, practitioners and stakeholders from defence and security, academia and industry an important opportunity to collaborate, develop relationships, and share ideas and expertise.

Climate change could have many implications for defence, experts were able to come together to develop a clear understanding of science and technology activities (past, current and future), to identify and understand potential science and technology solutions to climate change problems for defence, as well as de-conflict efforts, and identify gaps in research programmes.

The 2 day event in January 2023, opened by Dstl’s Chief Technical Officer, Professor Andy Bell, combined insightful presentations with roundtable working groups.

Andy said:

It is absolutely vital that defence collaborators work together to address the challenges and effects that climate change can have on how our armed forces operate. Attendees at the symposium discussed the major issues and looked at problem solving and ways forward, and was a huge success.

Lt General (Retd) Richard Nugee provided the first keynote speech setting the scope of the challenge. Richard has earned international recognition for bringing the implications of climate change and sustainability to the defence and national security sectors. After a full career in the British Army, as his final role he wrote a review of defence’s approach to climate change and Sustainability. He is now the Non-Executive Director for Climate Change and Net Zero for the Ministry of Defence (MOD).

The focus throughout the event was on collaboration; James Clare, MOD Director Levelling Up, The Union, Climate Change and Sustainability (Dir-LUCCS) reinforced the message that climate change is not a future concern.

It will change where we operate, who we operate with, what we need to operate, and how we need to operate. Climate change will also impact on how the MOD will function as an organisation and that response has to be whole system or whole enterprise.

Gen (Retd) Tom Middendorp, Chairman of the International Military Council on Climate and Security (IMCCS) gave a presentation on Walking the Climate-Security Talk with the clear message to ‘think big, act small, start somewhere.’ In this he gave examples of how defence has and can build partnerships and ecosystems and provided an overview of a climate-security ecosystem bringing together security experts, research institutes and government officials through the IMCCS.

Lt Gen Richard Wardlaw emphasised that delivering the outcomes sought through the recently published Sustainable Support Strategy will require collaboration across defence and with academia, industry and our allies.

In a motivating keynote Lt Gen Wardlaw said:

We must focus our attention to the Sustainable Support Strategy as, this is an opportunity for defence, a solution for the future force in a climate changed world. It is also an opportunity to enhance military capability with emissions reduction as a consequence not as a force driver. I would ask that with the recent publication of the Sustainable Support Strategy, we view this event an open invitation to help us on that journey.

This event is just the beginning for the science and technology research programme.

January 26, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Government to introduce legislation to pave way for new National Holocaust Memorial [January 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 26 January 2023.

Holocaust Memorial Bill will update historic legislation and progress the building of a new memorial in London.
- Holocaust Memorial Bill will update historic legislation and progress the building of a new memorial and learning centre in Victoria Tower Gardens, Westminster
- Located next to the Houses of Parliament, memorial will serve as a powerful reminder to the whole of society
- Memorial and learning centre will be free to visitors and its careful design means the memorial will enhance the gardens.
The Government will introduce new legislation to progress the construction of a national Holocaust memorial.

The Prime Minister announced in the House of Commons yesterday (25 January) that the Holocaust Memorial Bill will update historic legislation, removing a statutory obstacle that has previously prevented the building of a new memorial and learning centre in Victoria Tower Gardens in Westminster.

Located next to the Houses of Parliament, the memorial will serve as a powerful reminder to the whole of society of the Holocaust, its victims and where prejudice can lead if unchallenged.

The Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, said:

“This important Bill brings us one step closer to delivering a national Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre at the heart of our democracy in Westminster, where it rightly belongs.

“The Memorial will honour the memory of those who were so cruelly murdered and preserve the testimonies of brave survivors so that future generations will never forget the horrors of the holocaust.

“As the remaining survivors become older and fewer in number, it is vital that we push ahead with the Memorial which is supported by all major political parties.”

Secretary of State for Levelling up, Housing and Communities, Michael Gove said:

“As the Holocaust moves from living history, to history, it becomes ever more important that we take the time to remember the six million Jewish men, women and children murdered and pay tribute to the survivors.

“We are committed to building the Memorial next to Parliament, a site which reflects its national significance and is close to other important memorials including the Cenotaph.

“We owe it to Holocaust survivors, to the British people and future generations to remember where hatred can lead.”

Rt Hon Ed Balls and Rt Hon Lord Eric Pickles, Co-chairs of the UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation said:

“As the generation of brave Holocaust survivors passes away, we have a duty to create this memorial to make sure that the memory and the truth of the Holocaust is preserved.

“Victoria Tower Gardens, at the heart of Westminster and alongside the great symbol and heart of our democracy, is absolutely the right place to construct the national Memorial to the Holocaust.”

Manfred Goldberg BEM, a Holocaust survivor who was held captive in Stutthof concentration camp, Poland, said:

“Several years ago survivors were promised a Holocaust Memorial in close proximity to the Houses of Parliament. I am a 92 year old survivor who would be so grateful to be alive when this project, uniquely situated next to the Mother of Parliaments, comes to fruition.”

Planning consent for the Holocaust Memorial to be built in Victoria Tower Gardens was granted in July 2021, but the decision was quashed by the High Court in April 2022 due to historic legislation that requires the garden to be maintained as a garden open to the public.

The memorial and learning centre will be free to visitors, with timed entry tickets.

Careful design means the memorial will enhance the gardens, ensuring they continue to provide an important public garden available to residents and visitors to Westminster. Paths and seating will be more attractive, accessible and landscaping improvements will enhance the local environment, maintaining public access.

Holocaust Educational Trust Chief Executive Karen Pollock said:

“As the Holocaust fades further into history, and with survivors becoming fewer and frailer, time is of the essence. Located in the heart of our democracy, the UK Holocaust Memorial will send a clear signal for years to come of the place the Holocaust should always have in our national consciousness and the importance of learning its lessons for generations to come.”

The proposal to construct a new national Memorial to the Holocaust, with an accompanying learning centre, was announced by the then Prime Minister with cross-party support in January 2015, and the decision to build the memorial at Victoria Tower Gardens was announced in January 2016.

Following an international competition, a design team of Adjaye Associates, Ron Arad Associates and Gustafson Porter + Bowman was selected. A planning application was submitted in December 2018 and planning consent was granted in July 2021, following a lengthy public inquiry.

A High Court judgment in April 2022 found that the London County Council (Improvements) Act 1900 imposed an obligation to maintain Victoria Tower Gardens as a public garden, and that this obligation was an obstacle to construction of the Holocaust Memorial at that site. Based on this conclusion, the High Court quashed the decision to grant planning consent.
January 26, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : EA Chair says collaboration needed to protect local economies and nature on the coast [January 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 26 January 2023.

More work is needed to ensure the protection, recovery and restoration of our coastal and marine environment, and to enable coastal populations to thrive.

A concerted effort is needed to better protect our coastal communities and economies whilst enhancing our marine environment, said Environment Agency Chair Alan Lovell today (26 January) as the EA launches its latest ‘State of the Environment: Coast and Marine’ report.

Speaking at the Coastal Future’s Conference, Alan Lovell said that with over a third of the UK population living within 5km of the coastline, more work is needed to ensure the protection, recovery and restoration of our coastal and marine environment, and to enable coastal populations to thrive.

Alan Lovell said:

England’s national story is a story about our relationship with the coast and a century of air travel has not totally eroded our reliance on ports and estuaries to deliver the things we need.

Yet, coastal towns are now among the most deprived in the country.

We need to work together with coastal communities to identify the best possible way to keep them safe and prosperous.

We need a concerted effort to better protect coastal communities and economies while enhancing the marine environment.

The report, produced by the EA’s Chief Scientist’s Group, draws attention to the many consequences of climate change, with 85% of England’s salt marshes – which store the carbon equivalent of nearly 40 million people’s annual domestic emissions – estimated to have been lost since the 1800s, as well as up to 50% of seagrass meadows and 95% of our native oyster population. Meanwhile over 100,000 people are estimated to be at risk from significant coastal flooding – a figure likely to increase by 300% this century, even if global warming is kept to 2 degrees.

However, the report also shows important progress towards tackling these threats to our marine and coastal environment, including salt marsh restoration, helping fish populations recover and improving water quality in designated bathing waters.

Reflecting on this, Alan Lovell also said:

Continued action must be taken to curb the threat of climate change – through evidence based, collaborative approaches spanning from large-scale projects, local on-the-ground restoration and working alongside coastal communities to identify the best possible approach to coastal management.

The EA continues to invest in a healthy coastline through many outlets including our National Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management strategy and our Restoring Meadow Marsh and Reef initiative.

Although some progress has been made, there is a great deal more to be done and I hope that what we learn from innovative projects such as these will encourage others to join us and invest in ways that champion coastal resilience and help in the fight against climate change.

The EA’s Restoring Meadow Marsh and Reef initiative is just one of the programmes taking action to tackle climate change, and aims to restore at least 15% of priority estuarine and coastal habitats by 2043.

Additionally, the EA’s £120m Habitat Compensation and Restoration Programme, funded through Flood and Coastal Risk Management, has created over 1200ha of salt marsh and mudflat since 2005 to keep pace with protected habitat lost as a result of managing risk to people and property. The latest mapped extent of salt marsh in England shows an overall increase of 7% compared with 2006 to 2009 figures, nearly half of which is as a result of habitat creation in this programme. The restoration initiative aims to build on this experience for salt marsh and help to build an accelerated programme for this and other inshore habitats.

Other investments by the EA to protect and restore the coastal and marine environment include:
- £1.8m in Championing Coastal Coordination over the next 3 years with 20 projects receiving funding in 2022/23. Innovative projects will mix citizen science, local restoration and large-scale work to generate resilient coastlines, and Alan Lovell has today called for further investment to scale up solutions.
- More than £5 billion over 5 years in River Basin Management Plans which will enhance and limit further deterioration of England’s waters giving us increased resilience to the impacts of climate change. This includes 23 specific estuarine and coastal measures, ranging from habitat restoration plans and citizen science campaigns, to tackling marine litter and pollution.
- Support to the Natural Capital Ecosystem Assessment Programme through an ambitious Land Sea Interface project. The project will provide new evidence on the value of our marine environment and underpin our restoration ambition with knowledge of all the benefits our marine ecosystem provides, encouraging policy and management decision-making that achieves a resilient coast.
The Environment Agency will continue to invest in innovation, partner collaboration and local on-the-ground restoration to ensure a coordinated approach to manage our coastal and marine environment, combat the effects of climate change, and mitigate the damage that has already been done.
January 26, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Report by the President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly – UK response [January 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 26 January 2023.

Ambassador Bush voices full support for the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s continued focus on Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.

Madam President, on behalf of the United Kingdom, welcome back to the Permanent Council. I thank you for your address. We support your call for the immediate release of Vladmir Kara-Murza and all political prisoners in Russia, as well as Belarus, and those areas under temporary Russian control in Ukraine.

A new year usually ushers in new beginnings and hopes for the future. Instead, we are faced with death and destruction in Europe as Russia continues to inflict its appalling war against its neighbour, endangering the lives of Ukraine’s citizens and threatening the peace and stability of the wider OSCE region. Most Parliamentarians across the region are rightly appalled by this unrelenting assault and complete disregard for OSCE’s commitments and principles. We are grateful for the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s focus on Russia’s illegal invasion and we join you in denouncing President Putin and his enablers for their horrific acts of violence against the people of Ukraine.

The pursuit of justice and accountability has been an integral part of the UK’s support to Ukraine from the very beginning. We have consistently supported Ukrainian authorities’ and the international community’s efforts to investigate, document, pursue and prosecute those committing horrific crimes. Madam President, we welcomed your appointment in July of Rt Hon John Whittingdale MP as Special Rapporteur on War Crimes to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. His mandate to raise awareness and share information about Russia’s war crimes, and engage with Ukraine’s judiciary and the International Criminal Court (ICC) is desperately needed. In March, the UK and The Netherlands will welcome Justice Ministers from across the world to agree on practical support to the International Criminal Court and ensure it has all it needs to prosecute those responsible. Russian forces and their proxies should know they cannot act with impunity and we will back Ukraine until justice is served.

Madam President, we agree with your and the new Chair’s view that we cannot neglect other vulnerable regions in our neighbourhood. Conflicts and instability persist in Moldova and the South Caucuses (including Georgia). Our Central Asian partners are subject to multiple security, economic and climatic shocks and we need to ensure stability in the Western Balkans. Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine exacerbates many of those issues. The OSCE has the versatile toolbox required to help address all of these challenges. We must ensure it is sufficiently resourced and empowered to do so, and condemn those who deliberately seek to undermine it.

Finally, I wish to commend the Assembly’s unwavering commitment to advancing gender equality in the OSCE region, and Special Representative, Hedy Fry’s and your own leadership on this issue. Women have a right to participate in the decisions that affect their lives, in peacetime and in war. Full, equal and meaningful participation of women leads to better outcomes before, during and after conflicts. This is no less true than in Ukraine, where women are making a critical contribution on the frontline and in their communities. This year, the UK will publish its new UK National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security for 2023-2027, which will continue the important tradition of reporting to the UK Parliament. We welcome the transparency which will be critical in holding us to account.

Madam President, to conclude, we value the Assembly’s ongoing partnership with the OSCE and its institutions. The UK offers its full support to you and the Assembly and we look forward to continued co-operation and collaboration in 2023 and beyond.

January 26, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : UK Defence Senior Advisor Conducts Visit to Lebanon [January 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 26 January 2023.

The UK Defence Senior Advisor to the Middle East and North Africa (DSAME) Air Marshal Martin Sampson conducted a three day visit to Lebanon from 23 to 25 January.

DSAME met Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri, Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Commander in Chief of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) General Joseph Aoun. He was accompanied by the British Ambassador to Lebanon, Hamish Cowell, and the UK’s Defence Attaché Lt. Colonel Lee Saunders.

At the UNIFIL Headquarters in Naqoura, DSAME toured the Blue Line and underlined the UK’s full support for UNIFIL’s work in south Lebanon, as mandated in UN Resolution 1701, and offered his condolences following the tragic death of Private Sean Rooney. He was accompanied by the UK’s new Deputy Head of Mission, Camilla Nickless.

DSAME also met the inspiring Lebanese endurance athlete Michael Haddad. DSAME was inspired to hear about Mr Haddad’s ambitious plan to walk 100 kilometres across the North Pole later this year, in order to draw attention to the devastating impact of climate change.

The British Ambassador to Lebanon, Hamish Cowell, said:

It is a pleasure to welcome Air Marshal Sampson to Lebanon. The longstanding cooperation and partnership between the UK’s Armed Forces and the Lebanese Armed Forces makes a significant contribution to Lebanon’s security, sovereignty and prosperity. The UK will continue to do all we can to support this, including through our agreement last month for a further £13 million commitment to support the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF).

I also take this opportunity to express my admiration for Michael Haddad’s achievements. He is an inspirational role model. I wish him the best of luck in his upcoming North Pole expedition.

Air Marshal Martin Sampson said:

It was an important visit to Lebanon, hearing about the impact of the severe economic crisis on the Lebanese people in general and the Lebanese Armed Forces in particular. I admire the courage and resilience of the Lebanese people and that of the LAF in face of adversity. The UK remains committed to strengthening our bilateral cooperation between our two countries and supporting the LAF’s resilience.

I conveyed my condolences and support to UNIFIL over the tragic incident which resulted in the tragic death of Private Sean Rooney and injured three others. We reiterated the UK’s position that the perpetrators must be held to account. UNIFIL’s mandate and operations in South Lebanon are important to stability and security for Lebanon and the region.

January 26, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : New visits to understand children’s experience of alternative provision [January 2023]

The press release issued by Ofsted on 26 January 2023.

Ofsted and the CQC have published guidance for the first series of thematic visits to be carried out under the new area SEND inspection arrangements.

Beginning in February, the visits will take place across the spring and summer terms, with the findings to be shared in a national report published in autumn 2023.

Each academic year, the series of in-depth reviews will explore particular aspects of the special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) system. The first set of visits will focus on alternative provision (AP), given the large number of children and young people with additional needs in these types of provision.

The visits will not result in judgements about local areas. Instead, the overarching report will highlight examples of good practice and identify any systemic concerns.

Inspectors from Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) will explore how AP arrangements are currently working, including how partners work together to commission and oversee AP. These visits will enable the inspectorates to better understand and report on the increasingly varied reasons why AP is used. By sharing examples of good practice, Ofsted and CQC aim to highlight the positive role that AP can play in the education system.

All types of AP may be examined during the visits, which will consider how AP is being used and if it is meeting children’s needs. Evidence will be gathered from a range of stakeholders, including young people and their families, to understand the experiences and outcomes of those at the centre of the AP system.

Lee Owston, Ofsted’s National Director for Education:

The current SEND system is not working for too many young people and their families, and we want to play our part in driving forward much-needed improvement.

We know that the majority of children and young people in alternative provision have some form of SEND. But all too often alternative provision is being used for purposes that it was not originally intended to serve. These visits will help us to better understand how alternative provision is working for those who rely on it most, and support the sector in meeting growing demand. They will also highlight any areas that need to be improved.

We hope that these thematic reviews will provide valuable insights as the government develops its plans for reform of alternative provision. They will also help support partners across education, health and social care to work together in delivering important improvements for children and their families.

Dr Sean O’Kelly, Chief Inspector of Hospitals and interim Chief Inspector of Primary Medical Services at the Care Quality Commission:

All good services should start from an understanding of how to provide the best care for the people that use them. With a significant number of young people with SEND in alternative provision, this work with Ofsted is a critical opportunity to ask how local agencies are working together to recognise and meet the health and educational needs of children and young people in alternative provision.

Visiting these services with Ofsted – working together as we expect other agencies to do – will help to identify and share best practice, as well as areas for improvement.

January 26, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Three company directors banned for a total of 30 years for abusing Bounce Back Loans, Mathius Thompson, Moira Wood and Ioan Adrian Mociar [January 2023]
The press release issued by HM Treasury on 26 January 2023.

Mathius Thompson, 33, from Birmingham, Moira Wood, 47, from Lightwater, Guildford, and Ioan Adrian Mociar, 35, from Harrow have been banned for a total of 30 years after separate investigations found they had abused the Bounce Back Loan scheme during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Mathius Thompson was the sole director of West Midz Cars Ltd in Ladywood, Birmingham. In May 2020 he applied for a Bounce Back loan of £50,000 for his used car dealership.

Bounce Back Loans were a government scheme to help keep businesses afloat during the Covid-19 pandemic. Under the rules of the scheme, companies could apply for loans of up to 25% of their 2019 turnover, up to a maximum of £50,000. All loan money had to be used for the economic benefit of the business.

Thompson stated in his loan application that the dealership’s turnover for 2019 was around £287,500, and received the maximum £50,000 loan for the company. But the business went into liquidation in August 2021 owing £53,500, including the full amount of the Bounce Back Loan, which triggered an investigation by the Insolvency Service.

Investigators discovered that West Midz Cars Ltd’s turnover in 2019 had been just over £2,500 and the company’s bank statements for that year show no income or trading activity, meaning the business had not been entitled to a loan.

The company accounts also showed no evidence that the money had been used for the economic benefit of West Midz Cars. A compensation order of £50,000 is now being sought, to repay the loan provider.

Moira Wood, who was sole director of her IT consultancy, Clockwork Compliance Services Ltd, in Guildford, Surrey, applied for a £24,000 Bounce Back Loan for her company in September 2020. The business went into liquidation in February 2022, owing £55,800, including the full amount of the loan, and triggering an Insolvency Service Investigation.

Investigators discovered that Wood had transferred £23,400 to herself between October 2020 and January 2022, just before the company folded, with no evidence that the money had been used for the benefit of Clockwork Compliance Services.

And Ioan Adrian Mociar, who was sole director of Midi Construction Ltd in Pinner, Harrow, applied for a £41,000 Bounce Back Loan for his building company, after stating on the application that the business’s turnover in 2019 had been £166,000. Under the rules of the scheme, if a business began trading after 1 January 2019, the estimated annual turnover could be used.

When Midi Construction Ltd went into liquidation in December 2021 with debts of around £46,000, including the full amount of the loan and almost £5,000 owed to HMRC, it triggered an investigation by the Insolvency Service.

Investigators found that as the building company had only begun trading in June 2019, accounts showed that its turnover for the year ending 31 May 2020 was around £45,500. Midi Construction had therefore received around £29,600 more than it was entitled to under the rules of the loan scheme.

They also discovered that payments of more than £39,700 had been made from Midi Construction Ltd’s bank account during a three-week period between October and November 2020, without any evidence to show that they were for the economic benefit of the company.

The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy accepted disqualification undertakings from the three directors after they did not dispute that they had caused their companies to either:
- provide misleading information to a bank to obtain a Bounce Back Loan when they knew or ought to have known that their business was not eligible for a loan of the amount claimed
- and/or not provide evidence to show that payments from the company bank accounts were used for the economic benefit of the company.
Ioan Mociar’s disqualification runs for 11 years from 6 January 2023. Moira Wood is banned for 8 years from 30 January 2023, and Mathius Thompson is banned for 11 years, also from 30 Jan 2023.

The disqualifications prevent them from directly or indirectly becoming involved in the promotion, formation or management of a company, without the permission of the court.

Tom Phillips, Assistant Director of Company Investigations at the Insolvency Service, said:

The Bounce Back Loan scheme was designed to support businesses in genuine need. These three company directors abused taxpayers’ money to either apply for loans to which they weren’t entitled, or by failing to show that the money they claimed had been used to support their companies.

They have been removed from the corporate arena for a total of 30 years, and their disqualifications should serve as a reminder to others that the Insolvency Service will take action to protect the public and the taxpayer.
- West Midz Cars Ltd traded as a used car salesroom at Great Tindle St, Ladywood from its incorporation in January 2016 until it went into liquidation in August 2021.
- Clockwork Compliance Ltd traded as an IT consultancy firm in Guildford from its incorporation in January 2018 until it went into liquidation in February 2022.
- Midi Construction Ltd traded as a building company in Pinner, Harrow from its corporation in in May 2019 until it went into liquidation in December 2021.
January 26, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Thérèse Coffey – Farmers central to food production and environmental action [January 2023]

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 26 January 2023.

The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has today (Thursday 26 January 2023) set out detailed plans for the nation’s farming sector, supporting farmers to be profitable and resilient as they produce food sustainably while protecting nature and enhancing the environment.

The accelerated roll out of the Sustainable Farming Incentive – a key part of the Government’s Environmental Land Management schemes – will provide farmers with a diverse range of paid actions to manage hedgerows for wildlife, plant nectar-rich wildflowers and manage crop pests without the use of insecticides.

These incentives will make food production more resilient and efficient over the longer term whilst contributing towards the UK’s environmental goals on carbon, biodiversity, water quality and net zero. Together this will safeguard the long-term prosperity of the farming industry and protect the environment for future generations.

Environment Secretary Thérèse Coffey said:

Farmers are at the heart of our economy – producing the food on our tables as well as being the custodians of the land it comes from.

These two roles go hand-in-hand and we are speeding up the roll out of our farming schemes so that everyone can be financially supported as they protect the planet while producing food more sustainably.

Environmental Land Management

Six additional standards will be added to the Sustainable Farming Incentive this year, meaning farmers can receive payment for actions on hedgerows, grassland, arable and horticultural land, pest management and nutrient management. They build on the three existing standards to improve soil health and moorlands introduced in 2022 – which nearly 1,900 farmers already have in agreements.

The Government has also detailed what farmers will be paid to deliver through an enhanced version of the Countryside Stewardship scheme, which will see around 30 additional actions available to farmers by the end of 2024. The expansion builds on the more than 250 actions farmers can take at present with the scheme seeing a 94% increase in uptake since 2020 and is now part of thousands of farm businesses. The next round of Countryside Stewardship Higher-Tier will open in February, with Mid-Tier following in March.

Countryside Stewardship Plus will reward farmers for taking coordinated action, working with neighbouring farms and landowners to support climate and nature aims. It will deliver the same high environmental ambition previously planned for Local Nature Recovery, including managing floodplain meadows to reduce flood risk and improve biodiversity, restoring and maintaining peatland for carbon capture and storage, and enhancing and managing woodland to mitigate against drought and enhance its resilience to climate change.

The scheme will also be improved so farmers benefit from greater flexibility over when they can apply and how they manage their agreements, with improved access for tenant farmers and increased access to Higher Tier options and agreements.

Elsewhere, following high demand last year, Defra has confirmed it will open applications for the second round of the Landscape Recovery scheme in the spring to support ambitious large-scale nature recovery projects, focusing on net zero, protected sites and habitat creation. This could include projects creating and enhancing woodlands, peatland, nature reserves and protected sites such as ancient woodlands, wetlands and salt marshes.

They involve groups of land managers and tenant farmers, working together to deliver a range of environmental benefits across farmed and rural landscapes. 22 projects began last year aiming to restore nearly 700km of rivers and protect and enhance 263 species.

Today’s announcement provides clarity and certainty to farmers, allowing them to make business decisions and cover costs as direct payments are phased out whilst getting involved in Environmental Land Management schemes. The plans also deliver on the assurances provided by the Farming Minister earlier this month, during a speech at the Oxford Farming Conference announcing increased payment rates.

Further details on the new standards and payment rates being rolled for the Sustainable Farming Incentive as well as information on the future roll out of Countryside Stewardship Plus from 2024 is available on gov.uk.

Straightforward applications

The Sustainable Farming Incentive has been made as straightforward as possible to apply online for with farmers giving positive feedback over the simplicity and speed of the application.

The 2023 offer has been made as flexible and accessible as possible to enable farmers to get started in the scheme and start to deliver the outcomes for their business and the environment. These improvements are based on learnings from extensive pilots and feedback to make it simpler, clearer and more workable for farmers.

Over time, it will continue to evolve so that it supports and incentivises farmers to deliver the right combinations of actions, at the right scale, in the right places and in a joined-up way with their neighbours. This will be essential for us to make the required progress towards our environment and climate targets alongside food production.

Harry Baker Cresswell, an agent working with two arable farmers from Northumberland, said:

I work with two holdings which are part of the SFI pilot, neither of which were in existing schemes.

The application and payment experiences have been good to date, and the objectives of SFI for arable land have been clearly set out.

SFI is different to previous Environmental Stewardships models in that the option-requirements are much less prescriptive. This is welcome, but does require a little steering to ensure objectives are met – something that Defra has recognised with its SFI Management Payment.

This is a real step forward in the journey towards enthusing widespread participation in the ELM schemes.

Kitty Hamilton, a mixed farmer from East Lincolnshire, said:

The big positive of the SFI pilot is the flexibility, which we really like. We were able to retain habitats from previous schemes which we were really proud of. The pilot fits well with our current and planned farming methods, which means it’s gently nudging us towards a more regenerative system.

The fact that we can layer the standards, and use all of the land on the estate, means that we can generate a good income. Generally I’ve enjoyed engaging with the learning activities, helping us to upskill professionally and personally within our organisation.

Robin Milton, a livestock farmer from Exmoor, said:

We’ve been on three standards to give the SFI pilot a trial run because we felt it would benefit our business.

The application process was straight-forward and, although the guidance was lengthy, I learned quite a bit and we ended up doing more than we needed to – which isn’t a bad thing.

Taken together the Environmental Land Management schemes mean there is something on offer for every type of farmer.

For tenant farmers there is range of actions relevant to their holding, especially through the Sustainable Farming Incentive which has been designed with them in mind. Shorter three-year agreements have been introduced with no landlord consent required meaning the risk of entering an environmental scheme has been reduced considerably. There are also no penalties in the event a farmer leaves the scheme early.

Upland farmers can be paid for actions on moorland, grassland and upland peat with over 100 actions in all schemes applicable to them.  From this year, farmers in existing Higher Level Stewardship agreements will be able to expand their activities and increase their payments by having a Countryside Stewardship agreement as well.

The 2019 manifesto commitment maintains the annual farming budget of £2.4 billion until the end of this Parliament, with all reductions from farmers’ direct payments reinvested back into the sector. All three Environmental Land Management schemes are accessible to farmers with the budget managed flexibly so that we can achieve the best value for money and deliver the intended outcomes in ways that best suit farmers and land managers.

January 26, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : British Embassy Washington Welcomes New Defence Attaché, Rear Admiral Tim Woods [January 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 25 January 2023.

Rear Admiral Tim Woods has joined British Embassy Washington as its new Defence Attaché. He will lead the UK’s extensive military engagement and partnerships across all branches of the United States military.

Rear Admiral Woods joins the team in Washington from Kyiv, Ukraine where he was the British Defence Attaché – at the frontline of the UK’s support to the Ukrainian military. In Kyiv he also served as Head of the British Defence Staff in Eastern Europe, commanding all Defence Attaches across Belarus, Moldova, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Ukraine at a defining moment in European security.

He brings more than three decades’ experience both on land and at sea. Previous roles have included active duty in Afghanistan, deployments to the Far East, submarine patrols, secondments to NATO, the UK Ministry of Defence and the National Security Secretariat.

Rear Admiral Woods joined the Royal Navy in 1988 after training at Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth, south west England, and at sea. He is a graduate of the prestigious Royal College of Defence Studies, where he was awarded the Wellington Prize for Strategic Analysis.

Commenting on the appointment, His Majesty’s Ambassador to the United States of America Dame Karen Pierce said:

I am delighted to welcome Rear Admiral Tim Woods to the British Embassy. The UK’s military-to-military links with the US form part of the bedrock of the Special Relationship and have protected our citizens for decades. Tim’s extensive experience in Ukraine, NATO and with US forces will be a huge asset at this critical time, as we work with the US to support Ukraine.

The Rear Admiral said he was relishing his new role at the heart of the UK-US defence relationship:

I have worked closely with our American colleagues throughout my military career and have seen the strength of the relationship – the UK’s most important single bilateral partnership – at first hand.

I am thrilled to have moved to such an exciting and welcoming country, and am looking forward to meeting US decision makers to ensure our hand-in-glove relationship remains very focussed on the range of pressing defence and security threats. I also look forward to travelling throughout the various states over the next three years, and seeing our defence collaboration in action across America.

Rear Admiral Woods takes over the role of UK Defence Attaché at the British Embassy from Air Vice-Marshal Mick Smeath who will become Director of the Global Defence Network, the head of UK Defence Attachés worldwide.

January 26, 2023