Tag: Press Release

PRESS RELEASE : Easier for Sky customers to get cheaper internet thanks to DWP scheme [January 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Work and Pensions on 16 January 2023.
- Sky is the first major connectivity provider to join DWP initiative making it easier for benefits claimants to get discounted broadband and mobile tariffs
- Automatic verification means claimants do not have to repeatedly prove their benefit claim status to access discounted social tariffs
- Switching to a social tariff could save claimants up to £180 a year
This system makes it easier than ever for low-income families to sign up to discounted broadband which could save households as much as £180 a year compared to industry average tariffs.

Introduced last summer, the government scheme lets internet service providers – with claimants’ permission – ask the DWP to automatically verify their customers’ benefit entitlement.

This means people do not need to actively prove they claim benefits whilst on a tariff designed for those on low incomes, as they did previously, often as frequently as every month.

Minister for Social Mobility, Youth and Progression Mims Davies said:

It’s positive to see a major provider, such as Sky, sign up to our scheme, making it easier for families to access cheaper broadband and mobile tariffs in difficult times, and I call on other providers to follow suit in offering this type of tariff for those in need.

Claimants who think they might be eligible for one of these tariffs, should contact their provider.

This is just one of the ways we are working to help households during these tough times as part of the government’s £37 billion support package for those most in need. Do use the DWP benefits calculator, which is a helpful tool for those looking to see if they could access wider support.

Stephen van Rooyen, Executive Vice President & Chief Executive Officer, Sky, UK & Europe, said:

We know how important connectivity is to our customers, which is why we are focussed on ways we can support them to say online. As well as support with bills, we also provide existing, eligible customers with a broadband and mobile social tariff, helping them stay connected for a significantly reduced cost. The Department for Work and Pensions eligibility tool is a useful step forward, enabling us to more easily confirm eligibility.

Sky and its subsidiary brand NOW join a growing list of providers signing up to the government initiative to help millions access cut price broadband, with WightFibre already signed up to the scheme.

Before the new system was introduced, people were regularly required to verify their entitlement to providers with Jobcentre letters or screenshots of their Universal Credit account.

The availability of social tariffs has been strengthened recently thanks to a drive by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport to encourage telecommunicators to expand their range of cheaper deals.

Broadband social tariff take-up more than doubled in 2022 to 136,000 households and the cross-government Help for Households programme, which aims to help people with the increased cost of living, recently launched a UK-wide public awareness campaign to drive awareness and uptake further.

Those in receipt of benefits interested in exploring broadband tariff options should visit Ofcom’s website to view the full list of options on offer from providers.
16/01/2023
PRESS RELEASE : First orbital satellite launch from UK [January 2023]

The press release issued by the UK Space Agency on 16 January 2023.

On 9 January 2023, the first ever orbital launch attempt from UK soil took place by Virgin Orbit from Spaceport Cornwall. Although the rocket reached space, it did not reach the orbit required to enable it to successfully deliver its payloads.

It did, however, demonstrate the UK’s growing satellite launch capability.

What happened during the first launch?

The first launch was attempted from Spaceport Cornwall in the south-west of England on the evening of 9 January 2023. It was what is known as a ‘horizontal launch’.

A specially modified Boeing 747 from Virgin Orbit called Cosmic Girl, with a rocket attached under its wing, took off from Spaceport Cornwall.

In flight, the LauncherOne rocket deployed from the wing as planned and began its journey to space.

Unfortunately the rocket was not successful in reaching the required orbit. The plane returned safely to the Spaceport.

The project succeeded in creating a horizontal launch capability at Spaceport Cornwall.

Spaceport Cornwall is situated at Newquay Airport, near the coast of Cornwall. The 747 flew out over the sea and launched its rocket far away from populated areas.

Why launch from the UK?

The UK has a growing space sector, which employs 47,000 people. UK space companies have a strong track record in satellite manufacturing, spacecraft design and data applications. In fact, Glasgow builds more satellites than anywhere outside the United States. Soon we’ll be able to launch them from the UK too.

The UK is also located relatively far north, which means it’s perfect for launching satellites into polar and Sun-synchronous orbits, which go over the north and south poles. These orbits are ideal for satellites that monitor the Earth and provide telecommunications.

With a long coastline and many islands, the UK offers a range of suitable locations for launching rockets safely out over the sea – away from settlements and people.

What benefits will it bring?

Launch services are worth a potential £3.8 billion to the UK economy over the next decade.

UK spaceports will need new skills, supply chains and supporting services, creating high-skilled jobs and opportunities across the country. For example, Spaceport Cornwall and the Centre for Space Technologies expect to create 150 jobs.

Through initiatives such as our LogoLiftOff! and Nanosat Design competitions, the UK Space Agency is also harnessing launch as a platform to encourage young people to pursue STEM subjects in order to help grow the UK’s future space talent pipeline.

Safety and the environment

Safety, security and protection of the environment are top priorities for the UK government.

We have progressive regulations for launch which make it safe for the public and protect the environment, while allowing new technologies to be used as they are developed.

The government is very careful about the impact launches have on the environment and won’t allow launches to happen before a detailed assessment of their environmental effects has been done.

Rocket launches do release some CO2 and other by-products, but they take place infrequently and the satellites being launched bring significant benefits.

Half of the data we need to monitor climate change can only come from satellites – so it’s vital to get them into space.

UK rocket manufacturers are also working to make rocket launches better for the environment, including turning unrecyclable plastic waste and even beeswax into rocket fuel.

Future launches

The UK has made significant steps forward towards achieving our launch ambitions and further our position as Europe’s most attractive destination for commercial launch activities.

Through the 2021 Space Industry Regulations, our outcome-focused regulatory framework is the most modern space legislation in the world, with a focus on safety and the flexibility to support the pace of innovation.

We have used our strong global partnerships to work with international partners to secure the agreements we need to enable UK launch including with Ireland, Iceland, Portugal, the Faroe Islands and Norway to secure their support for UK launch activities.

The UK remains committed to becoming the leading provider of commercial small satellite launch in Europe by 2030.

There are several other spaceports currently planned or under construction in the UK. These are in England, Scotland and Wales.

16/01/2023
PRESS RELEASE : Execution of Alireza Akbari – Statement by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs [January 2023]

The press release issued by the French Government on 15 January 2023.

France condemns in the strongest terms the execution in Iran of Alireza Akbari, an Iranian-British national.

It expresses its full solidarity with the British authorities and extends its condolences to Mr Akbari’s family.

At the Minister’s request, the chargé d’affaires of the Iranian Embassy in Paris was summoned once again this morning so that we could express our outrage. A warning was also issued to him: Iran’s repeated violations of international law cannot go unanswered, especially when it comes to the treatment of the foreign nationals the country arbitrarily detains.

France reiterates its steadfast opposition to the death penalty everywhere and in all circumstances, and condemns its political use in Iran.

16/01/2023
PRESS RELEASE : Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the EU on the execution of Mr Alireza Akbari [January 2023]

The press release issued by the Council of the European Union on 15 January 2023.

The European Union condemns in the strongest terms the execution in Iran of Iranian-British national Alireza Akbari and recalls yet again its strong opposition against the application of capital punishment in any circumstance.

The European Union offers its condolences to Mr Akbari’s family and expresses its full solidarity with the United Kingdom. The execution of a European citizen is an appalling precedent that will be followed closely by the EU.

The death penalty violates the inalienable right to life enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and is the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment.

The European Union calls on Iran to refrain from any future executions and to pursue a consistent policy towards the abolition of capital punishment.

16/01/2023
PRESS RELEASE : Households across Northern Ireland to start receiving £600 UK Government energy support [January 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on 16 January 2023.

Support for energy bills coming to Northern Ireland, with vouchers beginning to reach people today, and delivery continuing over the next few weeks.
Customers who pay for their energy using prepayment meters (keypads) or quarterly standard credit will receive £600 vouchers from today, with delivery continuing throughout January and February

Vulnerable customers eligible for vouchers will receive support first, with the UK Government urging people to redeem them at Post Office branches as soon as possible

Customers who pay via Direct Debit will receive £600 directly into their bank account via their supplier from this month

From today, households across Northern Ireland will start to receive £600 worth of support with their energy bills under the UK government’s energy support schemes, with help already reaching a number of vulnerable households last week.

This follows the UK government’s announcement on Monday 19 December that all households across Northern Ireland will receive a single £600 payment, made up of £400 through the Energy Bills Support Scheme Northern Ireland (EBSS NI) and the £200 Alternative Fuel Payment (AFP). The £200 AFP is being provided to all households given the high proportion of households who use alternative fuels to heat their homes. A further update on 30 December set out how and when households would receive support in January. The one-off £600 payment means households are due to receive the full amount of energy bills support from the UK Government before households in Great Britain.

Starting from today, with delivery phases continuing throughout January and February, customers who use a prepayment meter (keypad) or who pay their bills quarterly via standard credit will receive a voucher worth £600. People due to receive support in the form of a voucher are encouraged to look out for them arriving in the post, and to redeem the voucher as soon as possible once they receive them. This will help make sure support is delivered to all households as promptly as possible.

The voucher will come in the form of a letter, will carry the badge of the relevant electricity supplier and the UK government, and will contain a barcode. Customers will not be asked to go online or to provide any details, with ministers urging the public to stay vigilant of scams. For customers who pay by standard credit, vouchers will be addressed to the account holder, while customers who pay via a keypad meter will receive a voucher addressed to “the occupier” of their property.

All customers who are classed as vulnerable by their supplier have been prioritised to receive support first. This includes people who are of pensionable age, disabled or chronically sick, and are already listed on their supplier’s Customer Care Register.

The easiest way for people to redeem their voucher is by paying the money directly into their bank account. To do this, customers need to take the following items with them to the Post Office:

their voucher (addressed to the account holder or occupier of their home)

the letter from their supplier

proof of address (dated between 1 January 2022 and 1 January 2023)

photo ID

bank card

Customers who use a keypad will also need to take their keypad card or app to the Post Office to redeem the voucher.

People who do not have a bank or credit union account will also be able to redeem their vouchers for cash at the Post Office, subject to the branch having the cash available. Householders are strongly advised to open an account as this is the safest way to receive the £600.

Customers with a Direct Debit arrangement with their energy supplier will automatically receive the £600 payment directly to their bank account, without any action required, and will not be provided with vouchers.

Regulations were recently introduced to make sure support is passed on to households who pay for their energy via an intermediary, such as a landlord.

Energy and Climate Minister, Graham Stuart, said:

We’ve been working flat out to make sure households across Northern Ireland get the support they’ve been promised this winter, so it’s great to see this landing where it’s needed, with vulnerable customers first in line. The coming weeks will see each household in Northern Ireland receive £600 to help with their energy bills, so they can keep safe and warm this winter without worrying about the cost.

I urge all customers due to receive vouchers to look out for them and redeem them as soon as possible, so they can benefit from this support worth hundreds of pounds. This is the latest step we’re taking to help households in the face of global strains on the energy market.

Northern Ireland Secretary of State Chris Heaton-Harris said:

This is much needed and welcome support for Northern Ireland households, with vouchers beginning to reach people today, and delivery continuing over the next number of weeks. If you’re a customer that pays by direct debit, you will receive the £600 payment directly to your bank account.

I’m grateful to all those who have been working hard to deliver this support for Northern Ireland but it is disappointing that this was not able to be delivered sooner by the Northern Ireland Executive.

Peter McClenaghan, Director of Infrastructure and Sustainability at the Consumer Council, said:

It is very welcome news that the first of the £600 payments are now being made to consumers in Northern Ireland. While it may take a few weeks for consumers to receive the vouchers, the important thing to know is that you don’t need to do anything to receive the voucher, it will be posted to you directly. There is no need to contact your energy supplier, Post Office, or the Consumer Council as direct debit customers will have the money paid into their bank account and everyone else will be sent a voucher letter in the post.

Details of how households in Northern Ireland can expect to receive the support are set out below:

Customers who pay by Direct Debit

Direct Debit customers will receive the payment directly to their bank account or if suppliers have been unable to complete a direct payment for a Direct Debit customer into their bank account, then they will receive a voucher from the Post Office in the name of the electricity account holder.

These payments will be made from 16 January onwards.

Direct Debit customers do not need to contact their supplier to receive this payment – it will be credited to their bank account automatically.

Only the account holder can access the £600 payment. There should be no need to contact your supplier to receive this payment.

Customers who pay by Cash, Cheque or Bank transfer (standard credit)

Customers who pay for their electricity by cash, cheque or bank transfer will receive a voucher from the Post Office in the name of the electricity account holder.

Deliveries of vouchers will begin on 16th January, with delivery phases continuing throughout January and February.

Customers do not need to contact their supplier to receive this voucher – it will be sent to homes automatically.

Customers who pay via a keypad meter

Customers who pay for their electricity via a keypad meter will receive a voucher in the mail from the Post Office addressed to “the Occupier”.

Deliveries of these vouchers will begin on 16th January, with delivery phases continuing throughout January and February.

Customers do not need to contact their supplier to receive this voucher – it will be sent to homes automatically

Equivalent payments will be made through the EBSS Alternative Funding scheme at a later date to households without a domestic electricity contract, such as residents of park homes, care homes, tenants in certain types of private and social rented homes, and residents of caravans and houseboats on registered sites. Further details will be set out in coming weeks, ahead of the scheme’s launch in February.

In addition to the discounts provided through EBSS NI and Alternative Fuel Payments, the UK Government’s Energy Price Guarantee (EPG) is expected to save the average UK family £900 over this winter.

Further support in direct payments is being provided to vulnerable households this year, including cost of living payments for pensioners, people receiving disability-related allowances and those on means-tested benefits. The Household Support Fund provides additional assistance for those most in need and £26 billion worth of targeted support will help protect the most vulnerable over the next financial year.
16/01/2023
PRESS RELEASE : Rishi Sunak takes action to stop disruptive protests [January 2023]
The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 16 January 2023.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is backing the police to clamp down on highly disruptive and dangerous protests, under plans announced today.
Through an amendment tabled to the Public Order Bill, the Government will broaden the legal definition of ‘serious disruption’, giving police greater flexibility and clarity over when to intervene to stop the disruptive minority who use tactics such as blocking roads and slow marching to inflict misery on the public.

While the Government has already given police additional powers to prevent protesters using guerrilla tactics, police chiefs have told the Prime Minister that there is some uncertainty over what reaches the threshold of ‘serious disruption’.

The changes introduced today will give police officers absolute clarity over when they should step in. In practice, this will mean:

police will not need to wait for disruption to take place and can shut protests down before chaos erupts

police will not need to treat a series of protests by the same group as standalone incidents but will be able to consider their total impact

police will be able to consider long-running campaigns designed to cause repeat disruption over a period of days or weeks

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:

“The right to protest is a fundamental principle of our democracy, but this is not absolute. A balance must be struck between the rights of individuals and the rights of the hard-working majority to go about their day-to-day business.

“We cannot have protests conducted by a small minority disrupting the lives of the ordinary public. It’s not acceptable and we’re going to bring it to an end.

“The police asked us for more clarity to crack down on these guerrilla tactics, and we have listened.”

Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service, Sir Mark Rowley said:

“The Met has a long history of policing protests, responding quickly and effectively to incidents involving crime and where serious disruption is caused, often in challenging situations. We have specialist officers trained to deal with a range of tactics, but this is complex, time-consuming work.

“It is clearly understood that everybody has the right to protest. Increasingly however police are getting drawn into complex legal arguments about the balance between that right to protest and the rights of others to go about their daily lives free from serious disruption. The lack of clarity in the legislation and the increasing complexity of the case law is making this more difficult and more contested.

“It is for Parliament to decide the law, and along with other police chiefs, I made the case for a clearer legal framework in relation to protest, obstruction and public nuisance laws. We have not sought any new powers to curtail or constrain protest, but have asked for legal clarity about where the balance of rights should be struck.

“I welcome the government’s proposal to introduce a legal definition of “serious disruption” and “reasonable excuse”. In practical terms, Parliament providing such clarity will create a clearer line for the police to enforce when protests impact upon others who simply wish to go about their lawful business.”

National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Public Order and Public Safety, Chief Constable BJ Harrington, said:

“We welcome the constructive conversations with government over more clearly defining serious disruption. This will support officers in confidently and quickly taking action and making arrests where appropriate.

“Policing is not anti-protest, but there is a difference between protest and criminal activism, and we are committed to responding quickly and effectively to activists who deliberately disrupt people’s lives through dangerous, reckless, and criminal acts.

“Police have a responsibility to appropriately balance the rights of the public who are going about their daily business lawfully and the rights of those protesting.”

The College of Policing have confirmed today that they will produce guidance outlining the additional powers given to officers over the last year.

National Highways is also reviewing its guidance, taking learnings from previous protests to ensure that roads are reopened as quickly as it is safe to do so.

Today’s announcement is the latest step in the Government’s continued commitment to tackle the highly disruptive protests that the British public have been increasingly subjected to over the last few years.

Through the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act, the Government introduced a statutory offence of public nuisance and created powers for the police to place conditions on unjustifiably noisy protests and increased the sentences for obstructing the highway. Measures already announced in the Public Order Bill include creating a new criminal offence for interfering with key national infrastructure and for ‘locking-on’.

The Prime Minister also sat down with the Home Secretary and police chiefs in December to give a clear message that the Government expects protesters who disrupt the lives of others to be swiftly removed and arrested.

Further supportive quotes

Matthew Scott, Kent’s Police and Crime Commissioner said:

“When Police Leaders were summoned to No. 10 last month, the Prime Minister made it absolutely clear that the law-abiding public must be protected from disruptive illegal protests. The Prime Minister promised to give policing the powers needed to end disruptive protests faster.

“Today, the Prime Minister has delivered on his promise to PCCs and Police Leaders to aid police forces by clarifying the law governing disruptive protests. This is in addition to the steps the Government has already taken to give policing more powers in the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act.

“Kent Police was robust in dealing with these activists during last year’s disruption. This new clarity is welcome and should mean no more excuses from any agency for not clearing up disruption effectively.”

Nick Harris, National Highways’ Chief Executive, said:

“The strategic road network is the backbone of the country, supporting the movement of trade, the daily commute and connecting friends and families, so people have a right to expect it to operate efficiently.

“We’ve already obtained civil injunctions to deter reckless and dangerous protests on these busy roads. When they do occur, our guidance will help keep disruption to a minimum by ensuring that the carriageway is opened as quickly as it is safe to do so.”
16/01/2023
PRESS RELEASE : UK trade deal with Australia will create opportunities for the legal profession [December 2021]

The press release issued by the Law Society on 17 December 2021.

A free trade agreement (FTA) was reached last night between the UK and Australia that reflects the importance of market access for services for both economies, as the UK continues to forge new trade relationships after Brexit.

“The UK-Australia FTA provides certainty and creates opportunities for our legal professions to work together towards smoother trade in legal services, which will make doing business easier for clients,” said Law Society of England and Wales president I. Stephanie Boyce.

“We believe that legal and other professional services should be at the forefront of the UK’s forthcoming trade discussions. Services, and in particular legal services, play an important role in facilitating the globalised market directly and indirectly.

“We are delighted to see this reflected in the articles on legal services and welcome the opportunities this agreement creates for both countries’ legal professionals.

“However, ensuring these opportunities are fully realised will take time. We look forward to continuing to work together with our counterparts for the benefit of both our professions.”

Latest figures show the legal sector contributed £29.6bn to the UK in 2019, equivalent to 1.5% of gross value added (GVA), and posted a trade surplus of £5.6bn in 2020.*

This makes the UK the largest legal services market in Europe – valued at £36.8bn in 2019 – and second only to the US globally.

The FTA responds to the Law Society’s key asks for legal services in trade agreements: greater recognition of qualifications, availability of a larger range of business structures – namely the UK LLP – and eased mobility options.

The agreement confirms the existing right for UK and Australian lawyers to advise clients and to provide arbitration, mediation and conciliation services in the other country’s territory, using their original (home) qualifications and title.

I. Stephanie Boyce added: “Enshrining the right to advise on home-country laws and public and private international law where they’re entitled to practise in their home jurisdiction in the FTA is an important achievement as it recognises the specificities of home title practice in international legal practice, without the need for mutual recognition procedures and/or requalification in the host country.

“Many barriers facing legal services providers are ‘behind the border’ and not suitable for an FTA, such as permitted business structures for law firms.

“However, provisions of the agreement establish and drive collaboration between relevant bodies – including the Law Society of England and Wales and the Law Council of Australia – through a bespoke legal services regulatory dialogue, and will help address some of the barriers that can’t be dealt with in the FTA.

“The FTA also creates new opportunities by providing UK law firms with legally guaranteed access to Australian government contracts for legal services that are covered by the agreement.”

The new agreement will also help legal professionals hoping to provide cross-border services, by making it easier for lawyers to train in Australia.

“Mobility is one of the biggest issues facing our firms. We are pleased to see the agreement comes with several eased mobility options for legal service providers. Companies will be able to sponsor visas committed in the FTA without an economic needs test and there will be no limitations on the number of visas granted to business persons.

“Junior lawyers will also be given greater mobility through unprecedented changes to the UK and Australia’s Youth Mobility Schemes – now available to nationals up to 35 years of age for a stay of up to three years, without having to undertake specified regional work in Australia.

“We will also discuss with the UK government what opportunities may be available for the legal sector in the pilot new visa scheme for UK citizens that allows early career workplace exchanges for graduates.”

The FTA also commits to increasing opportunities for digital trade across all sectors of the economy, while ensuring standards for personal data protection and for legitimate public policy objectives.

Digitisation is already one of the most important factors in the evolution of the legal profession and legal services and will continue to become more so, as reflected in how the profession moved online during the COVID-19 pandemic.

I. Stephanie Boyce added: “Currently, lawyers, law firms and workplaces operating internationally must deal with a regulatory patchwork of data and digital provisions.

“Therefore, provisions – such as those guaranteeing the validity of electronic transactions and contracts – that provide greater clarity and certainty for businesses operating internationally in the digital sector are a welcome development.

“We look forward to continuing to work with government and our counterparts to realise the benefits of the agreement and help our members make use of the new opportunities in the New Year.”

15/01/2023
PRESS RELEASE : Australia and the United Kingdom Announce Signed Free Trade Agreement [December 2021]

The press release issued by the Australia-United Kingdom Chamber of Commerce on 17 December 2021.

The Australia-United Kingdom Chamber of Commerce applauded today’s announcement from both Australian Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, the Hon Dan Tehan MP and Secretary of State for International Trade of United Kingdom, the Rt Hon Anne-Marie Trevelyan MP on the signing of the completed Free Trade Agreement between our two countries.

The Australia – United Kingdom Chamber celebrates today’s historic and remarkable deal which will drive a new era of high-quality, inclusive and expanded trade between Australia and the UK. As the first trade agreement Britain has negotiated from scratch following the announcement of Brexit, today’s signing symbolises the close and trusted relationship between our two countries providing a solid foundation in which businesses and organisations can benefit from the multiplying bi-lateral trade and investment opportunities.

Our Chamber has been highly engaged with both Governments for several years on the deliverance of an Australia – UK FTA. Now that the deal has been finalised, we will continue to work closely on the implementation of the deal with our Members and across our network.

Commenting on the FTA signing, our Chamber Executive Director Joanne Holland said,

“The signing of the free trade agreement is excellent news. The next few months will be devoted to working with our members on how we can effectively implement this historical agreement. We always value your feedback so please do get in touch with suggestions and comments.

We are eager to welcome new businesses to the Chamber network as trade and investment between both nations becomes easier.”

The Chamber has also worked in partnership with our Australian counterpart, the Australian British Chamber of Commerce to ensure the success of the FTA on behalf of our business Members.

Australian British Chamber of Commerce CEO David McCredie OBE said,

“The potential impact is huge. This Free Trade Agreement is one of the most partnerial and ambitious agreements signed by Australia and reflects the strength of historical and ongoing trading ties between the two nations. While we have all heard of the impact on agriculture and trade, our members and I are hugely encouraged by the provisions which address issues of skilled and experienced workers, the growing need to address digital aspects and the potential for cross-border investment.”

15/01/2023
PRESS RELEASE : UK agrees historic trade deal with Australia [June 2021]
The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 15 June 2021.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson agrees UK-Australia free trade deal in meeting with Australian PM Scott Morrison in London.
Prime Minister agrees UK-Australia free trade deal in meeting with Australian PM Scott Morrison in London

British cars, Scotch whisky and confectionery will be cheaper to sell in the tariff-free agreement, boosting industries that employ 3.5 million people in the UK

The deal also offers young people the opportunity to live and work in Australia and removes barriers for businesses

PM hails ‘new dawn’ in the UK’s relationship with Australia as leaders also agree to intensify cooperation on security, climate change and science and tech

The UK has secured a trade deal with Australia eliminating tariffs on all UK goods and boosting jobs and businesses across the country, in the first major trade deal negotiated from scratch by the Government since we left the EU.

The main elements of the deal were agreed by Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison at a meeting in Downing Street last night [Monday 14 June]. A final Agreement in Principle will be published in the coming days.

The leaders reaffirmed the enduring partnership between the UK and Australia during their discussion and agreed to work closely together on defence, technology collaboration and tackling climate change – including through a future Clean Tech Partnership.

The new Free Trade Agreement means iconic British products like cars, Scotch whisky, biscuits and ceramics will be cheaper to sell into Australia, boosting UK industries that employ 3.5 million people across the country. The UK-Australia trade relationship was worth £13.9 billion last year and is set to grow under the deal, creating opportunities for businesses and producers in every part of the UK.

British farmers will be protected by a cap on tariff-free imports for 15 years, using tariff rate quotas and other safeguards. We are also supporting agricultural producers to increase their exports overseas, including to new markets in the Indo-Pacific.

Under the agreement, Brits under the age of 35 will be able to travel and work in Australia more freely, opening exciting opportunities for young people.

The Prime Minister Boris Johnson said:

Today marks a new dawn in the UK’s relationship with Australia, underpinned by our shared history and common values.

Our new free-trade agreement opens fantastic opportunities for British businesses and consumers, as well as young people wanting the chance to work and live on the other side of the world.

This is global Britain at its best – looking outwards and striking deals that deepen our alliances and help ensure every part of the country builds back better from the pandemic.

The free trade deal will eliminate tariffs on Australian favourites like Jacob’s Creek and Hardys wines, swimwear and confectionery, boosting choice for British consumers and saving households up to £34 million a year.

It will provide benefits across the whole of the United Kingdom, including:

Scotland exported £126m of beverages to Australia in 2020 – this deal will help distillers by removing tariffs of up to 5% on Scotch Whisky.

More than 450 businesses in Wales exported to Australia last year, and life science companies and chemicals manufacturers are set to benefit in particular.

90% of all exports from Northern Ireland to Australia are machinery and manufacturing goods – used extensively in Australia’s mining, quarrying and recycling sectors. Under the new FTA tariffs will be removed and customs procedures will be simplified.

Car manufacturers in the midlands and north of England will see tariffs of up to 5% cut, boosting demand for their exports.

An FTA with Australia is also a gateway into the fast-growing Indo-Pacific region and will boost our bid to join CPTPP, one of the largest free trade areas in the world, covering £9 trillion of GDP and 11 Pacific nations from Australia to Mexico.

Secretary of State for International Trade, Liz Truss, said:

This deal delivers for Britain and shows what we can achieve as a sovereign trading nation. It is a fundamentally liberalising agreement that removes tariffs on all British goods, opens new opportunities for our services providers and tech firms, and makes it easier for our people to travel and work together.

The agreement paves the way for us to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a £9 trillion free trade area home to some of the biggest consumer markets of the present and future.

Membership will create unheralded opportunities for our farmers, makers, innovators and investors to do business in the future of engine room of the global economy.

The deal’s ambitious commitments on market access for services professionals, cutting-edge digital provisions and reduced barriers to investment will benefit the UK’s service sector.

The UK exported £5.4 billion worth of services, including £1.4bn of insurance and pension services and £780m of financial services, to Australia in 2020. Red tape and bureaucracy will be torn down for more than 13,000 small and medium sized businesses across the UK who already export goods to Australia, with quicker export times.

Parliament will have the opportunity to scrutinise the agreement in detail once the text is published, along with an impact assessment and explanatory memorandum.

National Chair of the Federation of Small Businesses, Mike Cherry, said:

A trade deal with Australia will come as great news for many of our members who have long been exporting there as well as those who are hoping to expand their trade ambitions.

As we look beyond the pandemic and enjoy the benefits of post-Brexit growth, deals like this will reap vast rewards to small firms right across the UK. Around 40 per cent of UK small firms who trade internationally do so already with Australia, and a trade deal that could be worth up to £900 million will only increase those numbers.

The inclusion of a small business chapter in this agreement will also ensure that the needs of smaller businesses are fully catered for in the years to come.

CEO of techUK, Julian David, said:

Australia is a key market for the UK technology sector and an important gateway to the wider Indo-Pacific region. The free trade agreement announced today has the most advanced digital trade provisions of all the deals the UK has signed so far, opening up opportunities for our innovative businesses operating in emerging technologies, such as AI and cleantech.

The free flow of data provisions and the ban on data localisation will allow our SMEs in particular to explore the market without the cost of having to set up servers. We are looking forward to working with our industry and the government to make sure the sector takes full advantage of these state-of-the-art digital trade provisions.
15/01/2023
PRESS RELEASE : Improved prison security captures record level of contraband [January 2023]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 15 January 2023.
- even more jails deploy cutting-edge baggage scanners for prison visitors
- measures part of £125 million strategy to clamp down on prison rule breakers and cut crime
Game-changing X-ray body scanners have foiled more than 28,000 attempts to smuggle drugs, phones and weapons behind bars as the war on prison rule breakers picks up speed.

Over the last 2 years, more than 90 new advanced scanners have been installed in all closed male jails, producing high-resolution images of concealed contraband so staff can stop more dangerous items from getting in and causing havoc on prison landings.

This tough new security has captured and confiscated illegal contraband concealed on prisoners including mobile phones, vapes and improvised weapons.

Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary, Dominic Raab, said:

Our tough new security measures in prisons are putting prisoners back on the straight and narrow. Allied to our renewed drive to get prisoners off drugs for good, we are cutting crime and keeping the public safe.

This new development comes just days after the government announced plans to roll out cutting-edge baggage scanners to 45 prisons across England and Wales. These will check bags brought in by the thousands of staff and visitors who enter prisons every day – cutting off another route of smuggling. Together these measures have kept mobile phones, drugs and improvised weapons out of the hands of prisoners where they would fuel violence and disorder.

The government’s investment of up to £125 million in next-generation prison security measures has also seen the most challenging prisons kitted out with new handheld and archway metal detectors, and more than 150 specially trained drug sniffer dogs.

This investment has created a new team of specialist investigators to clamp down on the small minority of corrupt staff who have no place in the Prison Service.

And to clamp down on the pernicious smuggling of drugs via prison mail, jails have installed over 135 drug trace detection machines that can detect microscopic smears of new psychoactive substances such as ‘spice’ on letters and items of clothing.

These advances deliver on the government’s commitments outlined in the Prisons Strategy White Paper. This will also see the rollout of abstinence-based treatment for prisoners addicted to drugs or alcohol and tougher sentences for terrorist prisoners who break the rules behind bars.
15/01/2023