Tag: Press Release

PRESS RELEASE : Suffolk and Norfolk devolution deals to be signed today – County Councils Network Response [December 2022]

The press release issued by the County Councils Network on 8 December 2022.

Today the Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove MP will today sign devolution deals for Suffolk and Norfolk, which include devolved powers in building, regeneration and skills.

If approved locally, the deals will include bespoke investment pots for each council area as well as devolved powers over adult education, support to build new affordable homes on brownfield sites, and more capital funding for infrastructure projects.

Both devolution deals also contain a directly-elected leader.

It means that six out of the ten county authorities that begun negotiations with government this year on devolution deals have been agreed, pending local approval.

Below, the County Councils Network responds:

Cllr Martin Hill, County Councils Network Devolution Spokesperson, said:

“Today’s signing of devolution deals in Suffolk and Norfolk, pending local agreement, is another important step in the county devolution agenda and takes the total number of deals this year to five.

“These two agreements will be transformative for these two East of England counties – featuring substantial investment pots and devolving powers to local people, giving them more of a say on transport, skills, employment and the environment. The two local authorities have shown flexibility and pragmatism to adopt a directly-elected leader of the county council, which presents a fundamentally new and more suitable model for devolution in county areas. The County Councils Network will work with both local authorities to get these deals up and running.

“The Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill becoming an Act is imperative to these devolution deals coming into existence. With the government compromising over planning reforms within the Bill, we urge county MPs to approve the legislation as soon as possible to enable these devolution deals and transfer powers from Whitehall into the hands of local people.

“Now that six of the initial ten county deal areas have agreed proposals with government, we must complete the remaining deals as soon as possible, whilst government should announce a second wave of negotiations. Counties across the country have prepared innovative proposals to help boost productivity at a time when the country needs economic growth and we urge the government to now turbocharge this agenda and agree deals with at least two-thirds of our member councils by the end of this Parliament.”

December 16, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Cornwall devolution deal – Response by the County Councils Network [December 2022]

The press release issued by the County Councils Network on 2 December 2022.

Today the government has announced it has reached an agreement with Cornwall on a new devolution deal for the county.

This deal, which builds on the devolution deal secured by the county in 2015, includes a directly-elected mayor, devolved adult education powers, and further levers in transport and housing.

It follows on from devolution agreements in North Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, and Suffolk this year.

Below, the County Councils Network responds to the announcement.

Cllr Martin Hill, County Councils Network Devolution Spokesperson said:

“Cornwall secured the first-ever county devolution deal in 2015 and today’s historic announcement bolsters the powers available to the county and builds on the excellent work carried out by the council over the last seven years. Devolved adult education powers will allow the council to effectively develop the skills of its local residents, tailoring them to local need, whilst further levers on housing and transport will make a real difference for people.

“The deal, like Suffolk, could introduce the first directly elected individual of a county authority. This is a unique form of governance, bringing together both devolved powers and existing service delivery. The County Councils Network (CCN) looks forward to continuing to work with Cornwall as they consult on the proposal and put in place these new arrangements.

“It has been a positive few weeks with this deal following on from an agreement in Suffolk, bringing the total number of county devolution deals agreed this year to five. This is an encouraging start but we need the government to go further and faster, and we’d like to see an acceleration of the county devolution agenda in 2023.”

December 16, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : New measures tackling China’s dumping of Aluminium Extrusions to come into force [December 2022]

The press release issued by the Department for International Trade on 16 December 2022.

The Secretary of State for International Trade has approved new anti-dumping measures recommended by TRA against Aluminium Extrusions from China.

The government has today [16 December 2022] agreed with the Trade Remedies Authority’s recommendation that a new anti-dumping duty be applied to imports of Aluminium Extrusions from China to the UK.

The TRA’s investigation, initiated at the request of producers of Aluminium Extrusions in the UK, found that imports are being dumped into the UK at unfair prices and causing injury to domestic producers. The investigation identified seven UK producers of Aluminium Extrusions, four of which had a combined annual turnover of £155 million and employed more than 1000 people.

The TRA’s interim report, the Statement of Essential Facts, published in May invited interested parties to comment. The TRA considered these comments and submitted a final recommendation to the Secretary of State for International Trade who agreed that the new trade remedy measure should be put in place on these imports in the form of a tariff at the border. This tariff will come into effect from 17 December 2022.

TRA Chief Executive Oliver Griffiths said:

The Secretary of State has today upheld our recommendation in the first case instigated by the TRA at the request of UK industry. The decision to impose targeted tariffs will shield producers of aluminium extrusions in the UK from dumped products from China.

Measures to provide protection to UK producers

During its investigation, the TRA determined that damage to the UK industry was occurring, having found clear evidence of price undercutting, indicating that UK businesses were struggling to compete with the dumped imports.

The Secretary of State’s final decision has recognised imports should not be subject to the measure for Aluminium Extrusions that the UK does not produce. A Notice of Final Negative Determination has been published to reflect this.

Case initiated in response to calls from UK industry

The TRA initiated an investigation into imports of Aluminium Extrusions from the People’s Republic of China to the UK in June 2021 in response to a request from the domestic industry. There are a number of manufacturers based across the UK making these products, which are mainly aluminium bars, tubes and pipes. They are used in heating, ventilation and air-conditioning, building and construction, transport and car manufacture.

December 16, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Urgent action to overhaul Exeter prison [December 2022]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 16 December 2022.
new blueprint to improve safety

extra staff and training to bolster support for vulnerable prisoners

new collaboration with the Shannon Trust to boost education on offer for offenders

Prisons Minister Damian Hinds has outlined a package of urgent measures to rapidly improve safety at HMP Exeter – including extra frontline staff to support prisoners struggling with poor mental health.

Today’s (16 December 2022) news forms part of the government’s response to His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) inspection last month, which identified serious failings at the jail resulting in an Urgent Notification – the lowest possible rating for a prison.

As part of the Urgent Notification process, Ministers have 28 days to respond to the notice and set out how they will make the rapid change needed.

In just 4 weeks, significant improvements to the running of the prison have been made, including:

Extra frontline staff transferred to support the supervision of offenders struggling with mental health issues

New training for all staff to better spot the signs of poor mental health and ensure vulnerable offenders are getting the help they need

Improved information and support for those arriving at the prison from the courts for the first time – a period where prisoners are often at their most vulnerable

Extra teaching staff joining the prison and a new collaboration with the Shannon Trust to boost education and learning activities key to rehabilitation

A new CCTV system in the works to improve safety on the wings

The action plan published today also details how Ministers will continue to build upon these improvements and hold the prison to account over the coming weeks and months.

Prisons Minister Damian Hinds said:

Last month’s inspection found unacceptable failings at HMP Exeter, and today I am setting out how we plan on rectifying this serious situation without delay.

Extra frontline staff and improved mental health training for all officers will ensure vulnerable offenders get the help they need when they need it, while renewed education and work opportunities will rehabilitate prisoners and cut crime.

The government introduced the Urgent Notification process in 2017 to ensure immediate, urgent action was taken when necessary to address serious concerns identified by inspectors.
December 16, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : British military to receive 60 All-Terrain Vehicles under international agreement [December 2022]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 16 December 2022.

UK troops will receive 60 amphibious all-terrain armoured vehicles to support operations in the harshest environments, as part of a trilateral agreement.
£140 million contract to bolster ability to operate in harsh environments

60 new amphibious vehicles to be in service for 30 years

Purchase alongside key allies bolsters European interoperability

Under the international Collaborative All-Terrain Vehicle (CATV) programme – including Sweden and Germany – the UK Commando Force will receive 60 Future All-Terrain Vehicles (FATV) starting from February 2025, under a £140 million contract.

The deal will see a total of 463 of the vehicles delivered by BAE Systems across the three European partners, with the engines for all FATVs produced by Cummins in Darlington.

The vehicles will be used by the Navy’s Littoral Response Groups – bespoke, highly-mobile amphibious task groups designed to react to crises in regions strategically important to the UK.

Capable of operating in the harshest weather conditions and most remote environments, the amphibious, multi-role, armoured vehicle will include variants of vehicles for troop transport, logistics, medical evacuation, recovery, and command and control.

Defence Procurement Minister, Alex Chalk said:

We continue to equip our Armed Forces with the most mobile and resilient capabilities, to support them in operations around the world and Future All-Terrain Vehicles for the Royal Navy are another example of this.

This tri-lateral agreement with Sweden and Germany serves to strengthen key alliances and improve interoperability.

Working alongside our European and Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) Arctic partners in the High North, FATVs will be in-service until 2058, replacing the BV206 tracked and older BvS 10 ‘Viking’ models. Their articulated mobility systems provide optimal manoeuvrability across varying terrains so they can traverse snow, ice, rock, sand, mud or swamps, as well as steep mountain environments. The vehicles’ amphibious feature also allows them to swim in flooded areas or coastal waters, and a logistics variant can carry 6 tonnes of equipment.

Brigadier Mark Totten, Navy Deputy Director Acquisition, said:

The signing of the CATV contract is great news for UK Defence and for Commando Forces. This is a unique capability – fundamental for Commando Forces that are expert in operating in the extreme cold weather and across the littoral. The vehicle boasts a number of characteristics that make it perfect for the Future Commando Force: it is adept over snow, has amphibious swimming capability and protects its occupants from several threats.

Progressing to contract is a clear statement of the UK’s strong commitment to High North and to working alongside our NATO and JEF partners.

The FATV has a front cabin to accommodate the driver with three fully equipped marines, and a rear cabin which can carry eight fully equipped marines or be fitted for a variety of different purposes including short range air defence.
December 16, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Appointment of Suffragan Bishop of Kingston [December 2022]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 16 December 2022.

The King has approved the nomination of The Reverend Canon Dr Jonathan Martin Gainsborough, to the Suffragan See of Kingston, in the Diocese of Southwark.

The King has approved the nomination of The Reverend Canon Dr Jonathan Martin Gainsborough, Chaplain to the Bishop of Bristol, in the Diocese of Bristol, to the Suffragan See of Kingston, in the Diocese of Southwark, in succession to The Right Reverend Dr Richard Cheetham following his retirement.

Background

Martin was educated at the University of Bristol and The School of Oriental and African Studies and trained for ministry on the Southern Theological Education and Training Scheme. He served his title at St Luke’s, Barton Hill, in the Diocese of Bristol and was ordained Priest in 2011.

In 2013, Martin was appointed Priest-in-Charge at St Luke’s and in 2016 he became Canon Theologian at Bristol Cathedral. During this time, Martin was also Professor of Development Politics at the University of Bristol.

Martin took up his current role as Chaplain to the Bishop of Bristol in 2019.

December 16, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : New figures provide latest data on veterans suicide [December 2022]
The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 16 December 2022.
New study by the University of Manchester finds that suicide risk amongst veterans overall is similar to the general population

Serving in the military for longer periods of time, and serving on operational tours were associated with reduced suicide risk; while younger veterans and those who left after a short career were more at risk

Study is one part of improving data and understanding of the causes and rates of suicide in veterans

A new study from the University of Manchester has found that veterans are at no greater risk of suicide than the general population, although some cohorts need additional support.

The study, which linked data between NHS and military records, also found that veterans over the age of 35 were at a lower risk of suicide than the general population, although younger veterans were at increased risk.

The new data was funded by the Ministry of Defence and NHS England. It looked at data for over 458,000 veterans between 1996 and 2018. During this period 1,086 (0.2%) veterans sadly took their own lives, which is similar to the overall rate in the general population.

The findings come as Veterans’ Affairs Minister Johnny Mercer calls for greater awareness of the support available, particularly as we head towards the Christmas period, where some may struggle with their mental health.

Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Johnny Mercer said:

This is an important study which will help us ensure we have targeted veterans care and support.

While it’s important to note that suicide rates amongst veterans are similar to the general population, any death is a tragedy and we must help those who need support.

I would strongly urge anyone who is struggling to reach out and help is available, including through Op COURAGE in England, dedicated NHS services in Scotland and Wales, and the Veterans’ Support Office in Northern Ireland.

Whilst overall suicide risk is similar to the general population, the study found suicide rates were 2-4 times higher for veterans under the age of 25, when compared with the general population of the same age group. However, suicide rates were lower than the general population for veterans over 35 years old.

Contrary to popular perceptions, the study also found that those who have served in a conflict had a reduced risk of suicide.

The study also found that being male, being discharged from the forces before the age of 34 years, being untrained, and having served for less than 10 years were risk factors for suicide. The research also showed that a quarter of veterans who had died by suicide had been in contact with specialist mental health services in the 12 months prior to their death.

Levels of unemployment, alcohol and drug misuse, and self-harm samples were also found to be similar to patients who had not served in the Armed Forces.

Cathryn Rodway, Lead Study Author and Programme Manager at the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety (NCISH) said:

In this study we linked national databases of those who had left the Armed Forces and those who had died by suicide and compared the risk of suicide in nearly half a million veterans with the general population.

While public perception and some previous studies suggest combat-related experiences are associated with suicide, our findings paint a slightly different picture. We found suicide was no more common than it is in the general population although risk did appear to be higher in the youngest age groups and those with short lengths of service. Deployment to a conflict actually appeared to reduce suicide risk.

Professor Nav Kapur, Professor of Psychiatry and Population Health at The University of Manchester and senior author of the study said:

Young veterans with short lengths of service had higher rates of suicide than young people in the wider population and this might be the group with the most pressing needs. These findings are consistent with a much smaller study we carried out over a decade ago.

While some factors are specific to veterans, other aspects of the prevention challenge are similar to the general population.

We need to ensure we tackle mental health problems and alcohol misuse, have high quality services for self-harm, and address the other health and social factors which may contribute to suicide in both veterans and non-veterans.

The study is part of a wider body of research examining suicide in veterans. Veterans and families bereaved by suicide contributed to the study design. A forthcoming study by the same authors will explore the role of pre-service vulnerabilities, or factors that may have influenced later suicide risk by undertaking an in-depth examination of coroner records.

Other studies are involving veterans and their families in coproduction events to develop an integrated model of safety for the veteran community (“One is Too Many”), and conducting in-depth interviews with veterans’ families bereaved by suicide to develop an Armed Forces Suicide Bereavement pack.
December 16, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Human rights in Russia – Joint statement to the OSCE [December 2022]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 16 December 2022.

Slovak Ambassador to the OSCE, Peter Mišik, highlights that Russia has systematically clamped down on its own people over the last two decades.

I am delivering this statement on behalf of the following 39 participating States, inter alia those that invoked the Moscow (Human Dimension) Mechanism on 28 July: Albania, Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, the Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, the United States and my own country Slovakia.

Human Rights Day is an occasion to celebrate the inalienable rights that everyone is entitled to as a human being. But Human Rights Day also reminds us to address the deficits.

The report under the Moscow Mechanism that our countries initiated concluded that the Russian Federation has systematically clamped down on its own people over the last two decades. In addition, with its internal clampdown on human rights and fundamental freedoms, the Russian Federation has helped prepare the ground for its war of aggression against Ukraine.

Repressive legislation and administrative practices are being used to restrict the exercise of human rights and fundamental freedoms of people in Russia, most notably through the so-called “foreign agents” and “undesirable organisations” laws. The report found that “Russian legislation in this area is clearly incompatible with the rule of law.” Particularly, the foreign agents law, the report went on, “can be understood as one of the major tools for curbing civil society activities both of associations and individuals and for bringing them under control of the authorities.”

We need to bring this legislation to the attention of this council again because the Russian Federation has further toughened the foreign agents law through a legislative amendment of 14 July. Despite the clear guidance provided in the report, this legislative amendment entered into force on 1 December. Under this new legislation, it even constitutes criminal behaviour to “receive support and/or otherwise be under foreign influence”. The report explains the “very broad margin for interpretation” that this legislation provides, and the chilling effect it will have on participation in State affairs and public life.

The law thereby expands the definition of a so-called “foreign agent” to a point where almost any person or entity, regardless of nationality or location, could be designated as such. This makes it even easier for Russian Federation authorities to threaten critics, impose harsh restrictions on legitimate public activities and even ban them. It makes thoughtful public discourse about Russia’s past, present and future harder – yet not impossible, as also evidenced by the recent OSCE Parallel Civil Society Conference 2022 in Łódź.

The public discourse the Russian authorities are most desperately trying to suppress is the one on Russia’s unprovoked, unjustified and illegal war against Ukraine. In that regard, the Moscow Mechanism report identified the use of legislation on state secrets and treason as a “growing concern”. In October, the opposition activist and long-time champion of OSCE principles Vladimir Kara-Murza was charged with high treason. Investigators claim that Mr Kara-Murza committed high treason when he spoke against the war in Ukraine at public events in Lisbon, Oslo and Washington. Apparently, the crude logic goes, Mr Kara-Murza is deemed to have cooperated with NATO simply for expressing an anti-war stance in NATO countries. We reiterate our call to the Russian authorities to release Mr Kara-Murza and all political prisoners, and to stop their relentless attacks on dissidents and ordinary citizens who dare to express their opinions.

The rapporteur further notes that recently adopted legislation prohibiting the sharing of so-called fake news about the Russian military, statements “discrediting” the Russian Armed Forces, and calls for sanctions against Russia are politically motivated and instrumentalized by the Russian authorities to silence dissenting voices, leading to a “total information blackout on the war.” On 8 July, municipal deputy Aleksei Gorinov was sentenced to seven years for disseminating so-called “knowingly false information” for speaking out against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. On December 9, Russian opposition politician Ilya Yashin was sentenced to 8.5 years in prison for allegedly “spreading false information” about the Russian military by speaking the truth about atrocities committed by Russia’s forces in Bucha.

In the Moscow Mechanism report, the rapporteur noted with great concern the developments in Russia regarding the human rights of LGBTI individuals, particularly a new draft law of 18 July prohibiting the dissemination of information denying family values and propagating so-called non-traditional relationships, inter alia on the internet and in the cinema. Only last week, President Putin enacted the law with his signature after the State Duma had adopted the law on 24 November and the Federation Council had approved it. The law reinforces stigma and prejudice against LGBTI persons despite our OSCE commitments to combat intolerance and discrimination and to promote mutual respect and understanding.

The Russian Federation has failed to reverse its policy contrary to OSCE commitments in the field of human rights and fundamental freedoms.

The Moscow Mechanism report reminded us that internal repression and external aggression are “connected to each other as if in a communicating tube”. The two OSCE Moscow Mechanism reports circulated on 13 April and 14 July 2022 documented violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law. Therefore, the exercise of human rights and fundamental freedoms in Russia needs to remain under close international scrutiny. We are pleased that the UN Human Rights Council decided to implement the recommendation of the Moscow Mechanism report to appoint a special rapporteur on the human rights situation in the Russian Federation.

Russia cannot dispense with its international obligations by violating them. Our OSCE commitments stand and they will withstand the challenge by Russia’s government. We will continue to remind the Russian Federation of its OSCE commitments.

December 16, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Statement on final verdict in murder case of “Becky” Dykes [December 2022]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 16 December 2022.

Lebanon’s Court of Cassation has rejected the appeal by Tariq Houshieh, and affirmed his guilt for the brutal murder in 2017 of our dear colleague Rebecca “Becky” Dykes. We are grateful to all of those who have contributed to the final resolution of this case after many months of delay.

The British Embassy in Beirut, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and her family and friends, are committed to continuing to honour her legacy, including through efforts to combat the scourge of violence against women and girls, and to promote community cohesion and stability.

We hope this verdict will bring some closure for Becky’s family, for the many around the world who loved Becky, and for all those whose lives she touched through her humanitarian work in Lebanon and elsewhere.

December 16, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : World’s first net zero transatlantic flight to fly from London in 2023 [December 2022]
The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 16 December 2022.
- World first as Virgin Atlantic wins UK government funding to operate historic net zero London to New York flight
- Rolls-Royce, Boeing, Pratt & Whitney Canada, Imperial College London, University of Sheffield, Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) and ICF also form part of an iconic British-led consortium
- Heralds future of low carbon aviation, with the wider sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) industry potentially creating thousands of UK jobs while supporting delivery of net zero aviation emissions by 2050
The first ever net zero transatlantic flight will take off from the UK next year, with Virgin Atlantic receiving government funding to fly across the pond using solely sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

In 2023, one of Virgin Atlantic’s flagship Boeing 787s, powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines, will take off from London Heathrow and make the journey to New York’s John F Kennedy Airport – a journey made by thousands of people for business, family and leisure every week. But this will be no ordinary journey.

When fully replacing kerosene, SAF can slash lifecycle carbon emissions by over 70% compared to conventional fossil jet fuel. This flight is expected to be fuelled by SAF made primarily from waste oils and fats, such as used cooking oil. The use of 100% SAF on the flight, combined with carbon removal through biochar credits – a material which traps and stores carbon taken from the atmosphere – will make the net zero flight.

Not only will SAF be key in decarbonising aviation, but it could create a UK industry with an annual turnover of £2.4 billion by 2040, and which supports up to 5,200 UK jobs by 2035.

Transport Secretary Mark Harper said:

For decades, flying from London to New York has symbolised aviation’s ability to connect people and drive international progress. It’s now going to be at the forefront of cutting carbon emissions from flying.

Not only will this flight pave the way for future generations, but it will demonstrate just how much we can achieve when we work together on a shared goal – bringing together some of the best businesses and academics in the world and led by a British airline.

Shai Weiss, Virgin Atlantic CEO said:

As an airline founded on and committed to innovation, we’re proud to lead a cross-industry consortium of partners to make aviation history by operating the first ever 100% SAF flight across the Atlantic. Virgin Atlantic’s inaugural flight in 1984 was to New York and today it continues to be one of our most popular routes. It will be an honour to pave the way for this important business and leisure route to become even more sustainable.

This challenge recognises the critical role that SAF has to play in decarbonising aviation and the urgent collective action needed to scale production and use of SAF globally. The research and results will be a huge step in fast-tracking SAF use across the aviation industry and supporting the investment, collaboration and urgency needed to produce SAF at scale. Our collective ambition of net zero by 2050 depends on it.

Aviation is one of the hardest sectors to decarbonise and without urgent collaborative action it could be one of the highest-emitting sectors for greenhouse gases by 2050. To tackle this, the government published the Jet Zero strategy in July 2022 which sets out our approach for decarbonising the sector and champions SAF as one of the main tools for achieving Jet Zero.

Challenges remain, however, including the need to scale up SAF production and the existing limit on how much SAF is permitted in jet engines by current fuel specifications. Today, a maximum of 50% SAF blended with kerosene can be used in commercial jet engines. By using 100% SAF, the consortium will demonstrate the potential to decarbonise long-haul routes and bring us a step closer to net zero aviation.

It comes hot on the heels of the world’s first sustainable fuel military transporter flight using 100% SAF, completed by the RAF last month using the iconic Voyager aircraft.

Other challenges preventing a higher uptake of SAF include high fuel production costs, technology risk at commercial scale and feedstock availability. To address these, the government is working to set the UK up to be a global leader in the development, production and use of SAF, allowing us to progress towards net zero flying, and creating thousands of green jobs.

The government will introduce a SAF mandate requiring at least 10% of jet fuel to be made from sustainable sources by 2030 to create secure and growing demand, continue to invest in a domestic SAF industry through the £165 million advanced fuels fund, and work with the industry and investors to understand how to secure long-term investment into the sector. Along with this ground-breaking flight, these measures will support a growing role for SAF within the future of everyday flying.

Rachael Everard, Head of Sustainability, Rolls-Royce said:

Congratulations to Virgin for winning the net zero transatlantic flight fund competition. This represents an incredible milestone for the entire aviation industry in its journey towards net zero carbon emissions.

We are incredibly proud that our Trent 1000 engines will power the first ever flight using 100% SAF across the Atlantic. SAF will play such an important role in decarbonising long-haul flight in particular and is a key element of our sustainability strategy.

The Trent 1000 can already be flown with a 50% blend of SAF on commercial flights and by the end of 2023 we will have proven that our whole family of Trent engines and business aviation engines are compatible with 100% SAF.

Sheila Remes, Vice President, Environmental Sustainability, Boeing said:

Boeing is proud to support the Department for Transport and Virgin Atlantic in this endeavour. Our longstanding sustainability partnership with Virgin dates back to the historic 2008 commercial SAF test flight on a Boeing 747.

Together, as we add another SAF ‘first’ to our partnership and to the benefit of the industry, we know we are one step closer to a sustainable future of flight that will have zero climate impact.

As well as delivering cleaner skies, the development of a domestic industry for the production of SAF has the potential to improve fuel security and support thousands of green jobs. In 2020, it was estimated that a UK SAF industry could generate a gross value added (GVA) of up to £742 million annually and support up to 5,200 UK jobs by 2035. A further 13,600 jobs could be generated from the growing market for SAF through global exports – helping to level up the UK and boost the economy.

Delivering the transatlantic flight will help to gather the data needed to support ongoing and future work to test and certify higher blends of SAF while exploring how operational efficiency improvements, flight optimisation and carbon removals can contribute to achieving net-zero flights – not just in the UK, but for the global aviation industry.

Dr Marc Stettler, Imperial College London said:

We’re delighted to be part of this project to advance understanding the non-CO2 effects of flying. As we adopt sustainable aviation fuels to decarbonise aviation, it’s essential that we also evaluate these non-CO2 climate impacts and demonstrate ways to reduce them.

Professor Mohamed Pourkashanian, Head of the University of Sheffield Energy Institute, said:

We are delighted to be working on this prestigious and timely project to deliver the first transatlantic net-zero flight. Through this partnership of world-leading aviation experts from industrial and academic backgrounds, we’re going to help make sustainable aviation fuels a reality for long-haul flights.

The facilities at the University of Sheffield – including the Sustainable Aviation Fuels Innovation Centre (SAF-IC) – are at the cutting edge of SAF development, characterisation and testing, and we’re excited to join this project to deliver the fuel which will drive the decarbonisation of the aviation sector, and secure greener, cleaner flights for the future.

Alastair Blanshard, ICF Sustainable Aviation Lead said:

Flying over an ocean at nearly the speed of sound without producing any net climate impact will be an inspiring step towards a net zero aviation industry. ICF is delighted to partner with Virgin Atlantic to make this milestone a reality in 2023.

We will draw on our decades of experience in sustainable aviation to develop, apply and critically assess methods to estimate and measure the life-cycle climate impact of transatlantic operations, and apply these to achieve a net zero flight.
December 16, 2022