Tag: Press Release

HISTORIC PRESS RELEASE : HM Treasury seeks the views of Leicestershire Businesses [January 2003]
The press release issued by HM Treasury on 21 January 2003.

Representatives from a variety of Leicestershire companies and other organisations met the Economic Secretary to the Treasury, John Healey, on Tuesday 21 January 2003 as part of a series of pre-Budget consultation visits throughout the country.

The East Midlands has benefited from a range of enterprise and productivity initiatives by the Government:
- Employment has risen by more than 98,000 and unemployment has fallen by 27,000 in the region since 1997;
- Over 54,000 young people in the region have gained new skills and experience through the New Deal, over 20,000 of whom have already moved into jobs;
- Making work pay for all, with the Working and Child Tax Credits, from 2003, will help 400,000 families in the East Midlands;
- Creating over 130 Enterprise Areas in the region, giving more people the chance to start and develop new business;
- Providing extra support to tackle barriers to business growth including the extension of the VAT flat rate scheme – the East Midlands has almost 38,000 businesses eligible to use the scheme;
- Tackling pensioner poverty and rewarding savings, with an estimated 300,000 pensioner households benefiting in the region.
- 45,800 children typically born in the region each year will benefit from further development of the new Child Trust Fund, ensuring that young people start their adult lives with a pot of savings.
John Healey commented: “The East Midlands has a strong tradition of industry and enterprise. We acknowledge the pressures that businesses are facing, and now I want to hear first-hand from local businesses how we can better support Britain’s entrepreneurs. This is a valuable discussion as we put in place preparations for the Budget.

“The Government wants to build a stronger, more enterprising economy and a fairer society. The East Midlands can make a huge contribution to that.”

The Government continues to support Regional Development Agencies as a strategic driver of economic development, regeneration and competitiveness in the regions. Through the Spending Review 2002, RDAs were granted a 4.5% real increase in resources between 2002-03 and 2005-06, taking the total single pot to £2bn by 2005-06.

Achievements of the East Midlands Development Agency include:
- The regeneration of a disused stretch of waterfront, to bring new prosperity and a better quality of life to the south east area of Nottingham City Centre;
- Championing the value of social enterprises as powerful tools against exclusion by investing £255,000 in a new multi-partner initiative to promote growth in the sector.
Local organisations involved in the visit include Wilson Bowden plc, Advanced Tapes, de Montfort University Business School, Hallam Construction, Northcliffe Publishing plc and the Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The Minister also travelled to Lutterworth to see the work of learndirect at Focus Four which provides “any time, any place, any pace” learning for individual adults and businesses through three training centres in south Leicestershire. Since becoming a learndirect centre in August 2001 and a learndirect Premier Business Centre in November 2002, more than 2,000 learners have enrolled for courses.
January 3, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Millions of low-income households to get new Cost of Living Payments from Spring 2023 [January 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Work and Pensions on 3 January 2023.

Millions of the lowest-income households across the UK will get up to £1,350 from the Government in 2023/4 to help with the cost of living.
- Millions will receive new cost of living support from Spring 2023, following up to £1,200 in support for over eight million low-income households in 2022
- £900 Cost of Living Payment for means-tested benefit claimants will go direct to bank accounts in three payments over the financial year
- Extra cash support for disabled people and pensioners will see some households receive extra cash
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has today announced more detail on the payment schedule for the next round of cost of living support unveiled in the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement, building on payments made to over eight million people in 2022.

The new £900 cash boost for over eight million eligible means-tested benefits claimants, including those on Universal Credit, Pension Credit and tax credits, starts in Spring and will go direct to bank accounts in three payments over the course of the financial year. There will also be a separate £150 for over six million disabled people and £300 for over eight million pensioners on top of their Winter Fuel Payments.

Exact payment windows will be announced closer to the time, but are spread across a longer period to ensure a consistent support offering throughout the year. They will be broadly as follows:
- £301 – First Cost of Living Payment – during Spring 2023
- £150 – Disability Payment – during Summer 2023
- £300 – Second Cost of Living Payment – during Autumn 2023
- £300 – Pensioner Payment – during Winter 2023/4
- £299 – Third Cost of Living Payment – during Spring 2024
Work and Pensions Secretary, Mel Stride said:

We are sticking by our promise to protect the most vulnerable and these payments, worth hundreds of pounds, will provide vital support next year for those on the lowest incomes.

The government’s wider support package has already helped more than eight million families as we continue to deal with the global consequences of Putin’s illegal war and the aftershocks of the pandemic.

Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt added:

I know these are tough times for families across the UK who are struggling to meet rising food and energy costs, driven by the aftershocks of Covid and Putin’s war in Ukraine.

That’s why we’re putting a further £900 into the pockets of over 8 million low income households next year. These payments are on top of above inflation increases to working-age benefits and the Energy Price Guarantee, which is insulating millions from even higher global gas prices.

Tackling inflation is this government’s number one priority and is the only way to ease the strain of high prices, drive long term economic growth and improve living standards for everyone.

If individuals are eligible they will be paid automatically, and there will be no need to apply. Claimants who are eligible for any of the Cost of Living Payments and receive tax credits, and no other means-tested benefits, will receive payment from HMRC shortly after DWP payments are issued.

These payments build on the Government’s extensive support package to help households tackle the globally rising cost of living stemming from the pandemic and the war in Ukraine.

The Government’s Energy Price Guarantee continues to cap energy costs, saving the average household around £900 this winter and a further £500 in 2023/24. Benefits, including working age benefits and the State Pension, will also rise in line with inflation from April 2023, ensuring they increase by over 10%. April will also see the biggest ever cash rise to the National Living Wage, bringing it to £10.42 an hour, and a further year-long extension of the Household Support Fund in England and associated devolved nation funding worth £1 billion in total.

This comes on top of the 2022 support package, which included:
- A £650 Cost of Living payment for means-tested benefit claimants, split into two payments, each of which supported over eight million households
- Further £300 and £150 payments, which reached over eight million pensioners and over six million disabled people respectively
- A £150 Council Tax rebate for all households in Council Tax bands A-D
- A £400 energy bill discount for all households, which will continue to run through March
January 3, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : “We must all do what we can to relieve pressure on the NHS”, as services face record demand [December 2022]

The press release issued by the Welsh Government on 30 December 2022.

As the busiest days of the year for the health service approach, the Chief Executive of the Welsh NHS, Judith Paget, has urged people to do what they can to relieve pressure on the NHS.

The New Year is usually the busiest time of year for the NHS, particularly in emergency departments. Health boards have already reported caring for more acutely unwell patients than normal this year.

Health boards have asked people not to visit people in hospital if they have flu-like symptoms, to protect patients within hospitals. The NHS has seen a sharp rise in confirmed cases of flu, COVID and other viral respiratory infections admitted to hospitals this December. Up-to-date information on visiting arrangements will be available on health board and trusts’ websites or social media.

The NHS 111 Wales helpline has also experienced unprecedented demand, with a record number of calls received in one day on Tuesday 27th December. People who are not well have been asked to visit the NHS 111 Wales website, which includes a symptom checker, before calling 111, and not attend emergency departments unless absolutely necessary.

People are asked to only call 111 if they have urgent symptoms that require treatment that day. The Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust, which runs the 111 website and helpline, has advised that callers may experience longer waiting times than normal, potentially several hours.

Patients needing repeat prescriptions are advised to visit a community pharmacy when they are next open. Pharmacies can supply up to 30 days of most repeat medication in an emergency without a prescription. Details of pharmacies open in Wales over the bank holiday are available on the NHS 111 Wales website.

Judith Paget said:

This winter our NHS is facing demand like we’ve never seen before. It’s absolutely vital therefore that we all think carefully about what we do as individuals to reduce pressure on our health service.

Our Emergency Departments especially are there to help those who need the most urgent care in the shortest possible time, so please consider whether you need to attend, or if there are alternative options, such as visiting the NHS 111 Wales website.

We can also prepare for minor illnesses or injuries by ensuring we have essential medicines available in our homes, such as paracetamol, and a first aid kit, should we need it.

Thank you also to families who have supported the discharge of their loved ones so they could be home for Christmas. The ongoing support of families in this way helps us greatly in ensuring that hospital beds are used for people who need the specialist care that only our hospitals can provide.

We all have a role in protecting our health service, so let’s all think carefully and do what we can to support our nurses, doctors and all NHS staff this winter.

January 2, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Welsh civil servants receive New Year’s Honours [December 2022]
The press release issued by the Welsh Government on 30 December 2022.

The Welsh Government’s Permanent Secretary has congratulated members of staff who have been nominated for honours in the New Year list.

Dr Andrew Goodall said they were recognition of the exceptional work of all civil servants during a challenging year.

The nominations reflect the commitment given to protect public health and public services. The people receiving honours are:
- Andrea Street OBE, for services to Health and Social Care in Wales
- Jo-Anne Daniels OBE, for services to Public Health and Education in Wales
- Felicity Bennee OBE, for Public Service
- Stephen Barry MBE, for services to Public Health in Wales
Dr Andrew Goodall, the Welsh Government’s Permanent Secretary, said:

My warmest congratulations go to all members of staff who have been nominated in the New Year’s honours list. The awards are testament to the hard work and commitment from them and their colleagues this year. It has been a challenging and eventful year, but I am proud that the Welsh Government civil service has responded professionally and with real commitment as always.
January 2, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Save money, improve health and help the environment [December 2022]

The press release issued by the Welsh Government on 30 December 2022.

Whether you’re looking to swap from the car to a healthier and more cost-effective commute, thinking of taking a weekend stroll, or simply planning a bike ride with friends and family, there’s likely to be an opportunity nearby with more than 2000km of high-quality local walking and cycling routes already available across Wales.

Following months of public consultation and working closely with the Welsh Government, local authorities have published their Active Travel Network Maps, which include a comprehensive list of fully approved and accessible active travel routes, which can be accessed on Data Map Wales.

The maps bring together both existing routes as well as plans to deliver new and improved routes over both the short and long term with funding from the Welsh Government’s Active Travel Fund.

The 2023-24 funding round is now open for applications and the Welsh Government is encouraging local authorities to apply for funding from the £55m pot to help them realise their ambitions for active travel in their community.

Deputy Minister for Climate Change, with a responsibility for Transport, Lee Waters said:

Getting people out of cars for short journeys and encouraging them to walk or cycle instead is a huge challenge for us, but one that has to be met if we are to reach our net zero carbon emission target by 2050.

We need to create the right infrastructure and have the right routes in place so that people have the choice of walking and cycling for their everyday journeys – we need to make the right thing to do, the easy thing to do.

There is still a long way to go, but I’m pleased to see we’re moving in the right direction.”

January 2, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Community facilities across Wales benefit from ‘crucial’ additional funds to meet rising costs [December 2022]

The press release issued by the Welsh Government on 28 December 2022.

Community facilities across Wales are set to benefit from ‘crucial’ additional Welsh Government funding enabling them to complete refurbishment works.

The projects had struggled to stay within their original budgets due to rising costs of building supplies.

More than £303,000 will go towards additional funding for 5 larger projects.

In total 15 projects are receiving funding totalling £467,000 in this round of the Community Facilities Programme. This included £164,000 towards ten smaller projects, all receiving under £25,000 grants.

Small amounts of grant funding can provide a big change for community facilities.

The programme funds the purchase and improvement of facilities which provide opportunities for local people to improve their day to day lives.

The smaller projects include £13,000 towards making a woodland space at Bluegreen Cymru in Glanteifi Woods, Pembrokeshire more accessible all year round through new paths, a log burner and a covered area; £20,000 towards urgent repairs to the roof to prevent water ingress at St Thomas Church Hall in Clydach Vale, RCT; £11,000 towards upgrading the kitchen and the play space to create a warm hub during the winter months at Victory Church in Cwmbran; and £17,870 towards an extension to the workshop and energy saving improvements at Brighter Futures in Rhyl, Denbighshire.

The larger projects include £50,000 towards new windows to make the building more sustainable for energy costs at New Life Church in Cardigan, Ceredigion; £50,000 towards improving sound insulation and renovating an outbuilding into a flexible space for music, dance and arts workshops at Tabernacl Bethesda in Gwynedd; and £87,100 towards refurbishing a community hub and installing new windows to make it more energy efficient at Hirwaun YMCA in RCT.

Minister for Social Justice Jane Hutt said:

This additional funding is crucial to allow these larger projects to be completed so they can benefit communities across Wales.

Due to rising costs for materials they have seen their budgets squeezed as they neared completion. They wouldn’t have been able to carry out essential works like roof repairs, new windows and energy saving improvements if it wasn’t for our Community Facilities Programme.

I hope everyone gets to enjoy these community facilities once they are finished and look forward to hearing about their progress.

Stephen Johnson, sustainability co-ordinator at Brighter Futures in Rhyl, said the funding had made a massive difference to them.

Thanks to this funding we have been able to extend the workshop and can get more people into it,” he said.

We have been planning this for a long time, but now we are able to do it. It’s perfect timing as the numbers of people wanting to come are getting higher and higher.

He added:

The energy saving improvements have also saved us so much money with our bills. People don’t want to stay in their houses, so they are able to come here and keep warm. We have started staying open 6 days a week now.

Sue Lewis, the leading project officer on Aberporth Village Hall in Ceredigion, where work includes rebuilding 1 property and modernising and refurbishing an adjoining building, said they were hoping to be finished in time for Christmas next year.

This funding has basically made the difference between the project happening or not,” she said.

It’s going to completely transform our community. When it’s finished we will have this focal point in the village. It will be a warm and welcoming community hub that everyone can use.

Clyde Thomas, Lead Pastor at Victory Church in Cwmbran, said:

The funding provided will allow us to upgrade our front of house space, creating a great place to work, play and keep warm and fed.

With times becoming increasingly more challenging for many local families, the church seeks to be a valuable communal connection point offering hope and help to all.”

January 2, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : That’s a wrap on another busy year for film and TV in Wales [December 2022]

The press release issued by the Welsh Government on 27 December 2022.

The Welsh Government’s creative agency, Creative Wales reports £14.2m of production funding has been successfully awarded to 22 projects since its inception in January 2020, and spend from brands such as Lucasfilm, Netflix and Bad Wolf has generated over £155.6m of production spend into the Welsh Economy.

With shooting for big-budget films like Havoc which recently wrapped and Wales-made series like Willow, His Dark Materials 3 and the fourth season of Sex Education poised to hit screens, the local creative economy is growing proportionally year-on-year.

In the last two years alone, Wales Screen, Creative Wales’ location service, has received over 900 production enquiries from film and TV crews wanting to take advantage of the country’s world-class facilities.

In 2021, the Welsh screen sector saw a turnover of £575 million, a 36% increase from the year before. The 2021 British Film Institute’s Screen Report showed that investment in filmmaking from organisations like Creative Wales has resulted in a nine-fold increase in the country’s economic output.

Wales is being tipped to compete on the world stage by international production and film houses due to its vast choice of filming locations, a combined 822,705 sq feet of shooting space split across the country’s seven studios, and a skilled workforce.

A memorandum of understanding with BBC Wales and S4C is seeing an increased partnership working in Wales to tell uniquely Welsh stories and supporting independent production companies. The partnerships have resulted in many positive developments in content development and actions on the skills agenda which all aim to build on contribution of the creative sector to economic growth.

Hitting our screens next year will be Wolf (Hartswood / BBC) a prime-time thriller rooted in Wales and Steeltown Murders (Severn Screen) which centres on the hunt to catch the killer of three young women in the Port Talbot area.

Following the announcement of the Ffilm Cymru Fund earlier this year, a collaboration between Creative Wales and Ffilm Cymru Wales – five independent film productions have been recently approved – with work on the first project ‘Timestalker’ underway.

A funding boost of £180,000 has also been made available to support the development of Welsh Language film and provide financial support to develop talent and ideas. The commitment is part of the Co-operation Agreement between the Welsh Government and Plaid Cymru.

Looking to the wider creative economy, Creative Wales also offers support through development, skills and music funds. Figures from 2019 show an annual turnover of more than £2.2 billion, employing more than 56,000 Welsh citizens, growing and supporting the creative economy is a top priority of the Welsh Government.

In 2022 Creative Wales relaunched production funding, and for the first time included support for the games industry. This will allow us to compete internationally for a larger share of this high growth sector, offering financial support for companies choosing to produce games in Wales or for indigenous businesses to develop new Intellectual Property. This new funding stream was launched at Games Development Conference in March as part of our annual mission to the San Francisco event at the heart of the industry.

A highlight for the Music sector was hosting the BBC Radio 6 Music Festival – with Creative Wales managing the fringe festival which showcased 150 artists at 29 events in 12 venues around the city of Cardiff.

Deputy Minister for Arts and Sport, Dawn Bowden, said:

We’ve seen unprecedented growth in the creative sectors over recent years and it’s been wonderful to see Wales’ unique locations on screen – and also to demonstrate the excellence of our world-class talent, crews and facilities. Our focus on skills will continue in the new year – to ensure that we can deliver the demand for skills and talent for this growing sector.

January 2, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : North East Devolution Deal – CCN Response [December 2022]

The press release issued by the County Councils Network on 28 December 2022.

Today the Secretary of State, Michael Gove announced a historic devolution deal for North East that will see a new elected mayor given fresh money and powers to level up region with a £1.4 billion investment fund. You can read more on the deal here.

In response to the announcement, Simon Edwards, CCN Chief Executive said;

“CCN welcomes today’s announcement of a new North-East Mayoral Combined Authority, to come into force in 2024, and covering the unitary County Councils of Durham and Northumberland alongside the local authorities in City of Newcastle, North Tyneside, Gateshead, Sunderland and South Tyneside.

“The Deal, which will see a directly elected mayor for the North-East, comes with a multi-million, multi-year investment fund of £1.4bn – £48m every year for 30 years – alongside new powers and funding for skills, transport, housing and regeneration.

“CCN has long called for the Government to go faster and further to bring forward and deepen the benefits of devolution. The scale of the economic challenges facing the nation – inflation, the cost-of-living crisis, and a looming recession – means that we must pull out all the stops to boost the economy, with an unrelenting focus on productivity and facilitating private sector growth. And to achieve those aims the solutions will need to be local, bespoke and led by local government.

“Today’s announcement follows devolution deals agreed with Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, North Yorkshire, Norfolk, Suffolk and Cornwall earlier this year – historic and landmark developments, not just for counties, but the sector as a whole.

“And as we begin a New Year, CCN will be working closely with those other County and Unitary Authorities aiming to conclude their devolution deals, as well continuing to work with our members and Government to identify and support a second wave of such deals.

“Ultimately, we want to see at least two-thirds of our member councils agree deals with Government by the end of the Parliament. This is an ambitious target, but one that will bring benefits to millions of residents and businesses, if we are – collectively – successful.”

January 2, 2023
HISTORIC PRESS RELEASE : Doubling Aid to Halve Poverty [January 2003]

The press release issued by HM Treasury on 23 January 2003.

A proposal for an International Finance Facility which could double the amount of development aid provided by the richest countries to the poorest was published today by Chancellor Gordon Brown and International Development Secretary Clare Short.

The Facility is designed to provide additional financing to help meet the internationally agreed Millennium Development Goals so that by 2015 every child is in education, infant mortality is reduced by two thirds and maternal mortality by three quarters, and poverty is halved.

The founding principle of the new International Finance Facility (IFF) is long-term, but conditional, funding guaranteed to the poorest countries by the richest countries. On the basis of these long-term donor commitments, the Facility would leverage in additional money from the international capital markets. It would seek to raise the amount of development aid from just over $50 billion a year today, to $100 billion per year in the years to 2015.

The Facility will ensure not only additional money, but also value for money. It will do this by providing, for the first time, a predictable and stable flow of aid, allowing developing countries to plan long-term investment effectively and efficiently.

It would thus build on existing agreements, between developed and developing countries, with each country:

pursuing anti-corruption, pro-stability policies and agreeing the necessary transparency in economic and corporate policies to achieve this;
committing to the Doha development agenda – a sequenced opening up of markets to global trade;
improving the environment for investment and private sector-led growth; and
as part of country-owned poverty reduction strategies, agreeing clear and costed plans for building education, health and economic capacity.
Chancellor Gordon Brown said:

“The IFF will provide developing countries that reform with the means to invest in schools and healthcare, roads and legal systems, helping to create the environment businesses need as well as create the conditions that will enable countries to participate in, and benefit from, global trade. And as families in those countries are lifted out of poverty, new and dynamic markets will be created.”

Clare Short said:

“The Facility could double the aid currently available, which would provide sufficient investment to enable every country committed to reform to make progress towards the Millennium Development Goals. This would help create a more just and safer world.”

January 2, 2023
HISTORIC PRESS RELEASE : Appointment of new Chairman of the Financial Services Authority [February 2003]
The press release issued by HM Treasury on 10 February 2003.

The Chancellor announced to Parliament today that the Treasury is advertising this week for a new Chairman of the Financial Services Authority to succeed Sir Howard Davies. The post will be advertised in national newspapers and through the Treasury website.

The Treasury will be looking for an individual of the highest calibre to lead the FSA in delivering a strong and effective financial services regulatory regime.

As the single regulator for financial services in the UK, the FSA has one of the widest remits of any international financial services regulator. The scope of FSA regulation will increase further when the FSA takes on responsibility for conduct of business regulation for mortgages and general insurance in 2004/5. In light of this, it has been decided that the Chairman should be supported by a separate Chief Executive.

NOTES TO EDITORS
1. The Chairman and Board of the FSA are appointed by the Treasury in accordance with the rules of the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments.
2. Board members are appointed in a personal capacity and do not serve as representatives of particular interests or associations.
3. Sir Howard Davies will continue as Chairman of the FSA until his successor is appointed and takes up his post. This will happen before October 2003 when Sir Howard will move to the LSE.
4. The FSA became the statutory single financial services regulator at midnight on 30 November 2001, when the Financial Services and Markets Act commenced.
January 2, 2023