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Tag: Press Release

  • PRESS RELEASE : Home Secretary signals ongoing commitment to Windrush generation [January 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Home Secretary signals ongoing commitment to Windrush generation [January 2023]

    The press release issued by the Home Office on 24 January 2023.

    Home Secretary Suella Braverman has reaffirmed her department’s commitment to the Windrush generation, whilst hosting her first formal meeting with the Windrush Cross-Government Working Group.

    It comes as new figures show that by the end of last year, more than £64 million in compensation had been paid or offered by the Home Office to those affected by the Windrush scandal.

    Some 15,713 people have been helped to secure documentation confirming their right to be in the UK.

    The Windrush Working Group was set up in June 2020 and brings together stakeholders and community leaders with senior representatives from several government departments.

    The meeting today (24 January), which took place at 10 Downing Street, involved discussions on the operation of the Windrush Compensation Scheme, the Home Office’s progress in responding to the recommendations of the Windrush Lessons Learned Review and planning across government to mark the 75th anniversary of the arrival of MV Empire Windrush in June.

    Home Secretary Suella Braverman said:

    A huge amount has been achieved in responding to and learning the lessons of Windrush and I’m delighted to have been able to host the Windrush Working Group – who have done so much to help shape the Home Office’s response.

    The fact we have now offered or paid more than £64 million in compensation to those affected by the scandal is due in no small part to their tenacity and expertise.

    I am committed to working with my co-chair Bishop Webley and the group’s other members to continue to drive the improvements this department must make.

    The Home Secretary reiterated her commitment to ensure those affected receive the compensation they deserve and that the department she leads learns the lessons of Windrush.

    Bishop Derek Webley, co-chair of the Windrush Working Group said:

    The Home Secretary has made clear that she’s committed to working with us on these vitally important issues.

    We will continue to ensure the voices of the community are heard and I’m confident our advice and constructive challenge will continue to have a positive and tangible impact.

    We’ve worked hard to support and serve the interests of the Windrush generation, who have contributed so much to the life of this country, and we have made very good progress but we all recognise there is more to do.

    The group has been integral to driving improvements to the Windrush Compensation Scheme, culminating in its overhaul in December 2020, when the minimum payment was raised from £250 to £10,000. This minimum award is now paid as a preliminary payment as soon as someone applying can demonstrate an impact on their life under the terms of the scheme.

    It has advised on the design and delivery of the £500,000 Windrush Schemes Community Fund, which allowed community and grassroot organisations to bid for up to £25,000 to deliver projects encouraging applications to the Home Office’s documentation and compensation schemes. It also advised the department on a communications campaign with the same objectives.

    And it has provided strategic input into the Home Office’s response to the Windrush Lessons Learned Review (WLLR), which was written by Wendy Williams and published in March 2019. In her follow-up progress report, published last March, Ms Williams concluded that 21 of her 30 recommendations had been met or partially met. The Home Office will be updating Parliament shortly on its progress in responding to all of the recommendations in the report.

    Most recently, in October 2022, the Home Office established the Office for the Independent Examiner of Complaints (recommendation 25), offering customers of the department’s immigration services an opportunity to have their case reviewed independently if they remain unhappy with the outcome of a complaint.

    Compensation Scheme Statistics

    Today’s statistics show that £53.98 million had been paid out by the end of December 2022 across 1,417 claims. A further £10.09 million has been offered, awaiting acceptance, or pending review, taking the total amount paid or offered to more than £64 million.

    The statistics also highlight a significant increase in the number of claims receiving a final decision during the calendar year 2022, at 1,485, compared to 873 in 2021.

    Payments to date include some very significant sums. More than 200 people have been paid between £50,000 and £100,000 and over a dozen have been paid more than £200,000.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Support for bereaved families to be extended [January 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Support for bereaved families to be extended [January 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Work and Pensions on 24 January 2023.

    Bereaved cohabitees with dependent children will soon be eligible for additional financial support, following a successful debate in the House of Commons today.

    The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is in its final stages of extending Bereavement Support Payment and Widowed Parent’s Allowance to working age parents who were not married or in a civil partnership with their late partner.

    Subject to final Parliamentary approval of the draft Bereavement Benefits (Remedial) Order 2022, the application window is expected to open early this year, allowing more parents to claim.

    Some people may be eligible for backdated payments if their partner died before the law was changed. The DWP will publish more details on gov.uk soon, explaining the application window and how to claim.

    Minister for Work and Pensions Viscount Younger of Leckie said:

    I am pleased to see this important change is nearing its very final steps to becoming law, so more bereaved parents can access this support.

    Claims for Bereavement Support Payment will be made on gov.uk or by calling DWP’s Bereavement Service helpline. Claims for Widowed Parent’s Allowance will be processed by paper, with applications downloadable via gov.uk.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Foreign Secretary leads calls to remember victims of the Holocaust [January 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Foreign Secretary leads calls to remember victims of the Holocaust [January 2023]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 24 January 2023.

    The Foreign Secretary James Cleverly and the Israeli Embassy host Holocaust Memorial Day event at Foreign Office.

    • James Cleverly and Israeli Embassy host Holocaust Memorial Day event at Foreign Office
    • The Foreign Secretary speaks of the importance of learning from the Holocaust and grieving for all those who died
    • Concentration camp survivor Manfred Goldberg and Israel’s Ambassador to the UK also attend the first in-person memorial event at the FCDO in three years.

    The Foreign Secretary said we all share “a solemn duty” to remember the six million victims of the Holocaust – as the UK and Israel jointly commemorated Holocaust Memorial Day (HMD) with a ceremony at the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office.

    The event, co-hosted by the FCDO and the Israeli Embassy in the UK, was part of a long-standing collaboration between the UK and Israel to mark HMD and returns in-person for the first time in three years.

    The Foreign Secretary gave a speech to attendees reflecting on his own visit, last year, to Radegast station in Lodz in Poland where 200,000 Jewish men, women and children were transported to Nazi death camps.

    In his speech, the Foreign Secretary spoke of the “solemn duty to remember” that “every one of us shares.”

    Stutthof Concentration Camp survivor, Manfred Goldberg BEM, also shared his testimony with guests at the ceremony, including representatives from the Jewish community, diplomatic community, civil society, Parliamentarians, and other communal leaders.

    UK Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly, said:

    Every one of us shares a solemn duty to remember that six million men, women and children were killed during the Holocaust.

    When we say the words “never again”, we must mean it, heart and soul.

    We owe it to all who were not saved to reflect, to learn, to grieve, and above all, to remember.

    Israel’s Ambassador to the UK, Tzipi Hotovely, said:

    Today, we remember the six million Jewish people murdered in the Holocaust, as well as the millions of other lives who perished at the hands of Nazism. We reflect on the systematic murder of ordinary people and the immense pain and suffering needlessly inflicted on so many. “We also consider the terrible consequences of when other ordinary people stand idly by and allow the initial roots of hatred to take hold. We, therefore, renew our promise to forever challenge prejudice in all its forms wherever it occurs, so that the horrors of the Holocaust are never repeated.

    The Rt Hon. the Lord Pickles, the UK’s Special Envoy for post-Holocaust issues and Co-Chair of the UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation, said:

    Sadly, the number of direct witnesses to the Holocaust are dwindling and that is why we must ensure that what they endured, what they witnessed is never forgotten. We should make it our mission to ensure that no one questions the basic facts of the Holocaust.

    The Holocaust was the systematic, state-sponsored persecution and murder of six million European Jews by the Nazi German regime and its allies and collaborators.

    We owe it to the six million Jewish men, women and children who were murdered during the Holocaust, survivors, and refugees to reclaim their rights, their history, their cultural heritage and traditions, and their dignity.

    Both the Embassy of Israel and the FCDO will mark Holocaust Memorial Day on Friday 27th January 2023, by lighting up their respective buildings in purple, in honour of all victims of genocide.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Government announces crackdown against organised criminal gangs [January 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Government announces crackdown against organised criminal gangs [January 2023]

    The press release issued by the Home Office on 24 January 2023.

    Police to adopt new ‘Clear, Hold, Build’ tactic, as Home Secretary launches consultation on new offences to frustrate criminal enterprises.

    Efforts to clamp down on organised criminal gangs and drive illegal drugs and violent crime from our communities, are being stepped up by the government today.

    All police forces across England and Wales will adopt a new approach for tackling serious and organised crime, after early signs of success have been seen by forces already piloting the strategy – with West Yorkshire police reporting a significant drop in burglaries, drug offences and antisocial behaviour in its pilot area.

    ‘Clear, Hold, Build’ is a multi-agency partnership tactic, designed by the Home Office and endorsed by the Policing Inspectorate, to rescue areas of the country most blighted by organised crime.

    This sees police ruthlessly pursue gang members to clear an area; maintain grip and hold the location, so another gang can’t take control in the vacuum; and then work to build the community into a more prosperous area, less susceptible to the draw of crime groups.

    The government has also launched a consultation on potential new laws to criminalise the making, supply and possession of items strongly suspected to facilitate serious crime – such as digital templates for 3D-printing firearms components, pill presses and sophisticated encrypted communication devices.

    The consultation will also look at strengthening serious crime prevention orders to make it easier for police and other law enforcement agencies to place restrictions on suspected offenders and stop them from participating in further crime.

    Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, said:

    Enough is enough. We cannot allow depraved criminals to operate under the radar, inciting fear in our communities and profiting from the devastation they cause.

    Clear, Hold, Build is a common-sense policing approach. Taking out these gangs will prevent violence, stem the flow of harmful drugs poisoning our communities and cut down on antisocial behaviour. That will, in turn, create a brighter future for young people in those areas.

    Gun crime in this country is thankfully still rare, but the recent spate of tragic shootings are a stark reminder of what is at stake when gang violence spills onto our streets and I’ve recently written to affected families to pass on my condolences and deep concern.

    If stronger laws are also necessary to protect the public, I will not hesitate to act.

    Around £2 million will be invested to support the roll-out of ‘Clear, Hold, Build’ in the highest-harm hot-spot areas in England and Wales to include new organised crime co-ordinators to work with regional organised crime units and forces.

    The programme has already been piloted by seven police forces since 2020 to positive effect, improving community resilience to serious and organised crime but also showing the potential to impact wider crime reduction.

    According to Merseyside Police, between August and October last year, the programme yielded a significant increase in operational outcomes in high-harm areas including 420 arrests, 11 firearms and 90 vehicle seizures and 78 warrants executed.

    After 9-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel was killed last year, the Home Office provided Merseyside Police with £350,000 to expand the roll-out of ‘Clear, Hold, Build’ which was already being trialled in the region, to more hot-spot sites.

    There were also several crime reductions within the pilot site in West Yorkshire including a 57% reduction in burglary, 27% reduction in drug offences and 38% reduction in antisocial behaviour.

    On ‘Clear, Hold, Build’, National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Serious and Organised Crime, Chief Constable Steve Jupp, said:

    The rollout of Clear, Hold, Build across policing is an important step in tackling and preventing serious and organised crime.

    This approach will see police forces and regional organised crime units (ROCUs) work more closely with local partners to build resilience in communities and prevent those at risk from being drawn into crime.

    The support for this system-wide approach, alongside significant investment into ROCUs, has enabled us to maximise our efforts and effectiveness against high harm offenders alongside our law enforcement partners. Extending and maintaining this support across the country will help to ensure a strong response across the entirety of policing.

    Under the consultation published today, the government is considering new ways to strengthen the law enforcement agencies response to serious and organised crime and ability to frustrate criminal operations. The public will be asked to review two new legislative measures which would:

    • create a new offence which criminalises the making, modification, supply, offer to supply and possession of articles where there is strong suspicion they are being use for serious crime, such as:
      • sophisticated and bespoke encrypted communication devices used to facilitate organised crime
      • vehicle concealments used to conceal and transport illicit goods
      • digital templates that can be used for 3D-printed firearm components; and
      • pill presses used in the supply of illegal drugs
    • strengthen the functioning of serious crime prevention orders by:
      • expanding the list of enforcement agencies that can apply for an order in the absence of a conviction to include police forces (currently only able to do so in terrorism-related cases), the National Crime Agency and British Transport Police
      • enabling the Crown Court to grant an order on acquittal, where this may still be appropriate for the protection of the public; and
      • improving the ongoing monitoring and enforcement of the orders to enable closer management of those known to have been involved in serious crime

    National Crime Agency Director General, Graeme Biggar, said:

    Serious and organised crime is a corrosive threat to the UK’s people and economy.

    The NCA works relentlessly to protect the public from the most harmful criminals, but as the challenge posed by our adversaries grows and evolves, the UK’s response must also advance.

    It is vital that we can disrupt the criminals seeking to use specialist technology and other customised products to manufacture and conceal drugs and firearms, share child abuse images or plan people smuggling activity.

    UK law enforcement bodies must also be able to use the full range of legislative tools to prevent serious and organised crime, and deter the perpetrators.

    The NCA welcomes this consultation, and encourages our partners to contribute their views.

    Today’s announcements are part of a wider body of ongoing work to tackle serious and organised crime. The government plans to publish a new strategy later this year to update the Serious and Organised Crime Strategy published in 2018.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Government cracks down on ‘fire and rehire’ practices [January 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Government cracks down on ‘fire and rehire’ practices [January 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on 24 January 2023.

    Government launches crackdown on controversial dismissal tactics through a planned statutory code of practice.

    • Plans for a new statutory code will crack down on unscrupulous employers that use controversial dismissal tactics
    • courts to be given power to apply a 25% uplift to an employee’s compensation in certain circumstances if an employer doesn’t follow the new Code
    • Business Secretary Grant Shapps: “Our new code will crack down on firms mistreating employees and set out how they should behave when changing an employee’s contract.”

    The government is taking strong action against unscrupulous employers that use the controversial practice of ‘fire and rehire’, it has announced today (Tuesday 24 January).

    Last year P&O Ferries deliberately sought to evade the law by sacking 786 seafarers without due consultation. Having made no efforts to inform the Business Secretary at the time, they failed to follow best practice or do the right thing for their employees. As a result, Grant Shapps, as Transport Secretary at the time, introduced a 9-point plan including primary legislation to tackle these issues.

    Through a planned statutory code of practice, the government is protecting employees and cracking down on employers that use controversial dismissal tactics. The code, subject to a consultation first, will make it explicitly clear to employers that they must not use threats of dismissal to pressurise employees into accepting new terms, and that they should have honest and open-minded discussions with their employees and representatives.

    ‘Fire and rehire’ refers to when an employer fires an employee and offers them a new contract on new, often less-favourable terms. The government has been clear on its opposition to this practice being used as a negotiating tactic and is now making it clear how it expects employers to behave.

    This new statutory code of practice will set out employers’ responsibilities when seeking to change contractual terms and conditions of employment, including that businesses must consult with employees in a fair and transparent way when proposing changes to their employment terms.

    Once in force, Courts and Employment Tribunals will be able to take the code into account when considering relevant cases, including unfair dismissal. They will have the power to apply a 25% uplift to an employee’s compensation in certain circumstances if an employer is found to not comply with the statutory code.

    Business Secretary Grant Shapps said:

    Using fire and rehire as a negotiation tactic is a quick-fire way to damage your reputation as a business. Our new code will crack down on firms mistreating employees and set out how they should behave when changing an employee’s contract.

    We are determined to do all we can to protect and enhance workers’ rights across the country.

    Maritime Minister Baroness Vere said:

    We remain committed to protecting seafarers and championing the importance of their welfare. This new code goes one step further to doing just that, helping us ensure employees are treated fairly and employers hold meaningful consultations on any proposed changes to employment terms.

    This forms part of our 9-point plan to reform and improve seafarer welfare and close down any legal loopholes that allow employers to avoid paying them – irrespective of flag or nationality.

    Employers should be deterred from using this controversial tactic and must ensure they do not mistreat employees. If they do, they risk poor relations with their employees, and will open themselves up to the risk of legal claims.

    The government asked the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service to produce guidance for employers, which was published in 2021. This new Code of Practice shows the government is going a step further to protect workers across the country, while balancing that with the flexibility that businesses require.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Minister pledges UK support at Africa summit to fight food insecurity [January 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Minister pledges UK support at Africa summit to fight food insecurity [January 2023]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 24 January 2023.

    The Minister for Development and Africa emphasises the importance of the UK working with African countries on a two-day visit to Senegal.

    • Minister for Development and Africa will hold discussions with African leaders this week on rising food insecurity.
    • Andrew Mitchell will explore opportunities to expand British Investment into African countries to tackle this challenge.
    • He will meet Senegalese President and current African Union Chair Macky Sall during his visit, which will celebrate the UK’s growing partnership with a fast-growing, democratic, and stable regional power.

    The UK Minister for Development and Africa will emphasise the importance of the UK working with African countries to grow economies and boost food security – on a two-day visit to Senegal, starting today (Tuesday 24 January).

    Arriving in Dakar, Andrew Mitchell will hail the important relationship between the UK and Senegal, a country, with huge economic potential.

    He will meet key Senegalese government figures on his visit, including current African Union Chair and Senegal President Macky Sall. He will also set out the UK’s vision of a stronger partnership between the UK and Senegal that delivers mutual prosperity and security, and tackles global issues such as health and climate change. He will sign the first ever Memorandum of Understanding between the UK and Senegal, a symbol of our growing partnership.

    Mr Mitchell will see first-hand the impact of British investment in Senegal, including how UK-funded projects are supporting women and girls, and helping to build Senegal’s vaccine production facilities to tackle the next pandemic.

    Representing the UK at the Dakar 2 Feed Africa Summit, an African-led initiative, the Minister will listen to African leaders talk about the causes of rising food insecurity and hear their vision for accelerating agricultural transformation, with the aim of maximising the UK’s impact in alleviating food shortages across the continent. The UK is working with regional organisations like AGRA, Regional Economic Communities and the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to help strengthen food trade in Africa.

    Minister for Africa, Andrew Mitchell, said:

    Many Brits know Senegal for its world-class football team. They may not know that our partnership with Senegal reaps benefits for people in both our countries, delivering economic growth and tackling common security and health threats. We hope to deepen this partnership over the long-term.

    As a leading supporter of the African Development Bank I am delighted to participate in the Dakar 2: Feed Africa Summit on an issue that we all need to work together on.

    With Russia’s war in Ukraine exacerbating the already drastic impacts of regional conflict in Africa and climate change on food security, I also want to hear directly from Macky Sall and other African leaders about the issues the continent is facing and understand how the UK can further support African countries as we face those challenges, together.

    Senegal is a leading stable and democratic country in the region, growing in significance and influence, and the UK hopes to build a closer partnership and greater trade and investment ties over the long-term.

    Economic development is crucial to tackling challenges like food insecurity and climate change and on his visit Mr Mitchell will explore opportunities to expand UK investment into the country to make a real and lasting positive impact. The UK-Africa Investment Summit in 2020 announced 27 deals worth over £6.5bn from across Africa. It also announced £9bn worth of investment decisions.

    During his visit, he will see the impact of such investment to date, including a $1.7bn partnership between British International Investment and DP World which features a new container port at Ndayane, Senegal’s largest onshore investment. The port will enable the creation of over 20,000 new jobs and help unblock barriers to greater economic growth.

    He will see the British Council’s landmark English Connects programme and visit the Women’s Integrated Sexual Health Programme (WISH) clinic where our delivery partner Marie Stopes International is increasing access to voluntary family planning, reaching those most in need.

    Andrew Mitchell will also visit Institut Pasteur de Dakar to hear about their plans to develop vaccines for Covid and other deadly diseases.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Rishi Sunak call with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar [January 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Rishi Sunak call with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar [January 2023]

    The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 23 January 2023.

    The Prime Minister spoke to the Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar this afternoon.

    The leaders reflected on the close relationship between the UK and Ireland, and the Prime Minister said it was clear both nations were highly aligned when it came to shared values and challenges. He pointed to cooperation on areas like research and development and offshore wind.

    The leaders discussed the invasion of Ukraine, and the Prime Minister updated on the UK’s plans to accelerate its support to help the country secure a lasting peace.

    They also discussed the Northern Ireland Protocol, and the need to find solutions to the problems being faced by communities in Northern Ireland.

    Both leaders reflected on the need for Northern Ireland to have a power-sharing government up and running as soon as possible.

    The leaders agreed to stay in close touch.

  • PRESS RELEASE : United Kingdom commences membership on the United Nation’s Committee on NGOs [January 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : United Kingdom commences membership on the United Nation’s Committee on NGOs [January 2023]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 23 January 2023.

    Statement delivered by Richard Croker, UK Ambassador to the General Assembly.

    Thank you Mr Co-Chair,

    The United Kingdom is proud to commence our membership on the United Nation’s Committee on NGOs. The value of this Committee cannot be overstated. Its existence reflects that the UN recognises the essential contribution of civil society to our work. Civil society enriches the evidence base at our disposal, making our meetings more effective and more substantial. All this helps ensure that what we do here has impact on the ground. Therefore we begin our membership with the understanding of the responsibility that comes with it.

    As demonstrated through our actions here at the UN, the UK is committed to championing civil society engagement. Regrettably, we do this in the face of opposition. A small group of Member States oppose civil society engagement with the UN, and seek to stifle their voices, fearing the scrutiny that civil society provides. We intend to seek approval of all applications from all legitimate NGOs. Therefore our scrutiny of NGOs will be only on the following categories in line with 1996/31.

    The NGO must exist and be currently active.

    The NGO is independent of government, with a majority of positions filled by individuals without government connection.

    The NGO does not cause harm to people, property, or the environment.

    The NGO and its staff are in adherence to the UN Charter, in that it does not engage in politically motivated attacks against member states, nor verifiably benefit from proceeds of criminal activity.

    In recent years, this Committee has witnessed ever-increasing politicised deferrals – part of a wider trend of increasing reprisals against civil society actors who seek to engage with the UN. We encourage all Committee Members to use a fair and objective review process, and avoid blocking NGO applications for political reasons.

    Such a commitment will foster deeper civil society engagement at the UN, while helping to reduce the backlog in applications. As Members, we all have an interest in making this Committee as effective and efficient as possible. That is why the UK is supportive of any effort designed to improve the working methods of the Committee.

    In order to help deliver the Secretary-General’s Commitment to inclusive multilateralism, we urge all Committee Members to facilitate a safe and welcoming space for civil society participation at the UN.

    Thank you.

  • PRESS RELEASE : New fire safety regulations come into force in England [January 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : New fire safety regulations come into force in England [January 2023]

    The press release issued by the Home Office on 23 January 2023.

    The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, which implement the majority of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry recommendations, come into force today (23 January 2023).

    These are new requirements for ‘responsible persons’ of mid and high-rise blocks of flats to provide information to fire and rescue services to assist them with operational planning and provide additional safety measures. In all multi-occupied residential buildings, residents should now be provided with fire safety instructions and information on fire doors.

    The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 are now law from today and form part of a package of sensible, risk mitigating fire safety measures that the government is delivering following the Grenfell Tower fire to keep the public safe.

    In high-rise residential buildings, responsible persons will be required to:

    • provide their local fire and rescue service with up-to-date electronic building plans and information on the design and materials of their external wall
    • undertake monthly checks of firefighting lifts, evacuation lifts and other key pieces of firefighting equipment
    • install a secure information box and wayfinding signage

    In mid-rise residential buildings (over 11 metres), responsible persons will be required to undertake annual checks of flat entrance doors and quarterly checks of all fire doors in the common part.

    Minister for Crime, Policing and Fire, Chris Philp, said:

    I am very pleased that measures to improve fire safety in blocks of flats are now law following recommendations made by the Grenfell Tower Inquiry.

    Keeping the public safe is our utmost priority and we are committed to ensuring that the Grenfell tragedy must never happen again.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Emergency pesticide authorisation approved to protect national sugar beet crop [January 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Emergency pesticide authorisation approved to protect national sugar beet crop [January 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 23 January 2023.

    National sugar beet crop could face serious losses due to risk from aphids – more than 50% of UK sugar comes from domestic production.

    Defra has approved an emergency temporary authorisation for the use of a neonicotinoid pesticide treatment on this year’s sugar beet crop due to the risk to the crop from yellows viruses.

    Emerging sugar beet seedlings are vulnerable to predation from aphids that have the potential to spread beet yellows virus, which can severely affect sugar beet yield and quality.  In 2020, 25% of the national sugar beet crop was lost, costing £67m of total economic loss across an industry that creates nearly 10,000 jobs.

    Defra has attached strict conditions to the emergency authorisation including only allowing for application if independent modelling predicts a virus incidence of 63% or above. If the virus threshold is not met, then the neonicotinoid treated seed will not be used.

    If the threshold is met and limited use is allowed, then further strict conditions will be applied to minimise risks to the environment. This includes a maximum number of seeds planted per hectare and restrictions on farmers planting flowering crops in subsequent years in any field where treated seed has been used.  This is to allow time for the chemical to break down.

    Emergency authorisations for pesticides are only granted for a short period of time,  in special circumstances where it is necessary because of a danger that cannot be contained by any other reasonable means, and the use is limited and controlled.  Other pesticide and organic treatments are not sufficiently effective in controlling  the virus

    The overall ban on the use of neonicotinoid pesticides remains in place.

    Farming Minister Mark Spencer said:

    We recognise the potential danger of an outbreak of the beet yellows virus on the nation’s sugar beet crop and the impact it could have on the production of UK sugar.  Therefore after careful consideration, we regard issuing an emergency authorisation as a necessary measure to protect the industry.

    The product can only be used if a strict threshold is met and on a single non-flowering crop. This decision has not been taken lightly and is based on extensive and rigorous scientific assessment.

    The Farming Minister considered advice on this application from the Health and Safety Executive, the independent UK Expert Committee on Pesticides and Defra’s Chief Scientific Adviser.