Tag: Press Release

PRESS RELEASE : More than £70 million to turbocharge the future of clean transport [December 2022]
The press release issued by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on 2 December 2022.
- More than £70 million in joint government and industry funding to develop clean transport technology
- projects expected to support 3,300 jobs and drive economic growth across the UK over the next decade
- innovations required for hydrogen-powered HGVs, a tractor powered by farmyard waste and more efficient methods of manufacturing electric motors among those awarded funding
A world-first heavy tractor powered by farm waste is just one of the game-changing projects benefitting from £73 million in new funding for the development of clean transport technologies announced today (Friday 2 December).

The joint government and industry investment will support projects right across the UK, from Burnaston to Bridgwater, in support of ambitions to build an end-to-end supply chain for zero-emissions vehicles (ZEVs) in the UK. The five successful projects are set to support 3,300 jobs across the UK, working on new ways to harness renewable fuels, electric motors that are both powerful and highly efficient, and new materials that’ll reduce the auto industry’s carbon footprint.

The funding has been awarded through the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) Collaborative Research and Development programme, which supports the development of innovative low and zero-carbon automotive technology, with £36.4 million coming from government. This is backed by a further £36.6 million from the automobile industry – taking today’s total to £73 million.

Business Secretary Grant Shapps said:

“Our automotive industry is a world-leader, creating jobs whether in Essex, Somerset or Glasgow. Seizing the potential from new technologies will be a key part of its future success, while also making our roads cleaner, greener and more affordable.

“Today’s multi-million-pound boost – created by government working hand-in-hand with industry – will put these firms in pole position to pioneer these innovations, staying at the cutting edge of the global race for decades to come.”

Joint government and industry funding winners are:

HVS, Glasgow
Receiving £30 million to develop a hydrogen fuel cell-powered HGV cab and tractor unit to replace the highly polluting diesel-powered vehicles currently used to transport road freight.

CNH Industrial, Essex
Receiving £15.6 million to develop the world’s first liquid fugitive methane-powered, off-road, heavy tractor. It makes use of methane gas produced by waste from farms, that would otherwise escape into the atmosphere.

Toyota, Derbyshire
Receiving £11.3 million to develop a hydrogen-fuel cell version of the Hilux pickup truck, ideal for use in isolated settings where electric vehicle charging is impractical.

Constellium, Slough
Receiving £10 million to provide new sources of recycled aluminium that could massively reduce the auto industry’s carbon footprint.

Electrified Automation, Somerset
Receiving £6 million to up-scale a market-disrupting new method for manufacturing electric motors that are more cost-effective, powerful and efficient than much of the competition.

Chief Executive at the APC Ian Constance said:

“Supporting vital research and development in the UK, now more than ever, provides an opportunity to invest in transport decarbonisation as well as boost growth in the automotive sector.

“The £73 million of funding announced today furthers world-leading innovation in net-zero technology for the automotive sector and beyond. These five fantastic projects are all collaborative by design, led by high-profile companies with innovative SME and academic partners, representing the best of UK industry.”

Today’s announcement comes on top of funding also being invested by the government through the Automotive Transformation Fund (ATF) to develop a high-value end-to-end electrified automotive supply chain in the UK.

This includes unlocking private investment in gigafactories, battery material supply chains, motors, power electronics, and fuel cell systems. The ATF is being delivered by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy in partnership with the Advanced Propulsion Centre.

The government has committed a record £211 million to battery research and innovation through the Faraday Battery Challenge, to help the sector deliver 100,000 jobs in battery gigafactories and the battery supply chain by 2040. The funding will be delivered by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) with support from the Faraday Institution, Innovate UK and the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC).

The UK Hydrogen Strategy sets out how government, working with industry, is aiming to develop 10GW of hydrogen production capacity by 2030, for use across the economy. This forms a part of the British energy security strategy for delivering secure, clean and affordable British energy for the long term.
December 2, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : New Disability Action Plan confirmed for 2023 as Minister meets Paralympians and opens pioneering lab at Olympic Park [December 2022]
The press release issued by the Department for Work and Pensions on 2 December 2022.

Plan to build on Government’s leading work improving the lives of disabled people in areas such as technology, sport and global leadership.
- Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work opens new Disability Innovation Hub ahead of International Day of Persons with Disabilities
- Minister met with GB Paralympians as Government sets out plans to boost the participation of disabled people in sport and physical activity
A new Disability Action Plan will be consulted on and published in 2023, the Government confirmed today (02 December 2022).

The announcement follows the Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work, Tom Pursglove MP, officially opening the brand-new Global Disability Innovation Hub (GDI Hub) research lab at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park to mark the UN International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD).

The new Disability Action Plan will set out the practical action Ministers across Government will take over the next two years to improve disabled people’s lives.

The policies in the Disability Action Plan will be further developed in the New Year, with a consultation expected in 2023, so that disabled people, disabled people’s organisations and other interested parties can have their say.

Announcing the Government’s intention to develop and consult on a new Disability Action Plan at the event, the Minister detailed why he thought a new Disability Action Plan was needed.

Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work, Tom Pursglove MP, said:

“Over one in five people in the UK are disabled. It’s vital we continue to take concerted action across Government to improve disabled people’s lives.

“I’ll be bringing forward our Disability Action Plan in 2023 to build on Government reform of the disability agenda, underlining our global leadership on disability rights and leading the way in areas such as assistive tech and accessibility.

“It was inspiring to visit the GDI’s new research lab where this type of innovation is in action – unlocking opportunities so that more disabled people can reach their potential.”

The United Nations is marking this year’s IDPD by focusing on innovation and transformative solutions to create accessibility and equality, with London’s GDI Hub – the world’s first centre on assistive technology to collaborate with the World Health Organisation – forging the path internationally to improve disabled people’s lives.

The GDI Hub will be researching and creating a new generation of advanced technologies, ranging from Artificial Intelligence-powered navigation aids for visually impaired people, to using mobile communication to strengthen disabled communities.

While at the Olympic Park the Minister was also welcomed to the Aquatics Centre by Paralympians, including Susannah Rodgers and Grace Harvey, to tour the state-of-the-art infrastructure and accessibility features. They spoke of their experiences competing at last year’s Paralympics and what it meant to them, as well as the impact of the London Olympics 2012 legacy work by the British Paralympic Association.
December 2, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Rishi Sunak call with Prime Minister Edi Rama of Albania [December 2022]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 1 December 2022.

The Prime Minister spoke to Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama this afternoon.

The leaders welcomed the longstanding close partnership between the UK and Albania and committed to strengthening collaboration on trade, investment and defence, including cyber security.

The Prime Minister acknowledged the positive contribution of the Albanian community to life in the UK, but both leaders agreed that more needed to be done to address illegal migration and tackle organised crime together.

They discussed plans to step up cooperation to address shared challenges, including closing loopholes that are preventing the rapid return of failed asylum seekers.

The Prime Minister and Prime Minister Rama looked forward to working together to deal with those issues and deepen the broader UK-Albania relationship.

December 1, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Paedophile Paul Cartwright duped by police sentenced to immediate imprisonment after referral to the Court of Appeal [December 2022]

The press release issued by the Attorney General on 1 December 2022.

A man who planned to sexually abuse a child has been sentenced to an immediate prison term after the case was referred to the Court of Appeal for being unduly lenient.

Paul Cartwright, 56, believed he had been messaging the child’s aunt ‘Liv’ over a four-week period in which he persistently and graphically discussed sexual abuse of 11-year-old ‘Demi’. He arranged to meet ‘Liv’ with a view to carrying out the abuse but was instead met by an undercover police officer.

On 15 September 2022, he was sentenced to a 24-month jail sentence suspended for 2 years, ordered to carry out 200 hours unpaid work, attend 35 rehabilitation days and abstain from alcohol for 3 months. Cartwright was also ordered to register as a sex offender and be subject to the terms of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 10 years.

Following the sentencing at St Alban’s Crown Court, it was referred to the Court of Appeal under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme for being too low.

On 1 December 2022, the Court found Cartwright’s original sentence to be unduly lenient, and he was sentenced to an immediate prison term of 2 years and 6 months.

Speaking after the hearing, Solicitor General Michael Tomlinson MP said:

Thanks to police intervention no harm was caused to a child, but this tougher sentence is a better reflection of Cartwright’s clear intent to sexually abuse a child which will not be tolerated.

December 1, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : OSCE Ministerial Council Plenary 2022 – UK statement by the Foreign Secretary [December 2022]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 1 December 2022.

UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverley says the disaster in Ukraine will only end when Russia halts its barbaric war and withdraws fully and unconditionally.

Thank you, Foreign Minister Rau.

The tragic events of this year have shown the enduring value of the OSCE as a forum for dialogue, transparency, and confidence-building. Everything the OSCE does is based on the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity and the non-use of force. These are the foundation stones of peace in our continent.

Last year in Stockholm, the UK and many other countries warned Russia that any attack on Ukraine would be a ‘strategic mistake’. And yet, on 24 February, Russia – with the support of Belarus – invaded Ukraine.

Our Ukrainian friends fought back with courage and tenacity, defeating Russian forces at the gates of Kyiv, repelling them from Kharkiv, and now expelling the aggressor from Kherson. Is there anyone anywhere – even in the abodes of the guilty – who would still doubt that Russia’s aggression was a strategic mistake as well as a crime?

The reports of the Moscow Mechanism have detailed the atrocities of Russia’s armed forces in Ukraine, including torture, executing civilians, unlawful detention and enforced disappearances, and countless other breaches of international humanitarian law.

No wonder that Russia tried to conceal these outrages, including by blocking the mandate renewal of the OSCE’s Border Observer Mission and the Special Monitoring Mission, by frustrating the work of OSCE human rights institutions, and stopping civil society meetings with all 57 states. The UK supports the continued OSCE presence in Ukraine and welcomes the efforts to ensure this continues. We commend the work of OSCE staff throughout the whole OSCE region who have been working in challenging circumstances this past year.

This disaster will only end when Russia halts its barbaric war and withdraws its forces fully and unconditionally from the territory of Ukraine. Until that day comes, the UK will stand with Ukraine and provide humanitarian, economic, diplomatic and military support until our friends prevail – as they inevitably will – and their brave country is free once more.

December 1, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Increased prison sentence for Jamie Hardman who committed sexual assault [November 2022]

The press release issued by the Attorney General on 1 December 2022.

A man who sexually assaulted a woman in her flat has been ordered to spend longer in prison after his sentence was referred to the Court of Appeal under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme.

After entering the flat of the victim, Jamie Hardman, 33, went into her bedroom and got into her bed. The victim was unwell and had her back to Hardman and thought it was her partner who just got into the bed with her.

Hardman then carried out the assault which caused the victim to run and lock herself in the bathroom. Hardman then left the flat.

On 31 August 2022 at Inner London Crown Court, Hardman was sentenced to 3 years and 4 months’ imprisonment for assault by penetration.

His sentence was then referred to the Court of Appeal for being too low.

On 01 December 2022, the Court ruled that Hardman’s original sentence was unduly lenient and handed down a new sentence of 4 years and nine months’ imprisonment.

Speaking after the hearing, the Solicitor General Michael Tomlinson MP said:

“Jamie Hardman demonstrated shocking predatory behaviour and put the victim of this crime through a terrifying ordeal. I welcome the decision to increase his sentence and hope that this ruling sends the message that crimes of sexual violence will never be tolerated.”

December 1, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Training for thousands to take advantage of green job opportunities [December 2022]
The press release issued by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on 1 December 2022.

Organisations have been awarded funding to deliver accredited training programmes to boost numbers of skilled retrofit, energy efficiency and heat pump installers.
- Almost 9,000 training courses will be run across England for heat pump and energy efficiency installers thanks to £9.2 million government funding
- courses will be free or heavily subsidised and provide retraining opportunities for people already working in or looking to start roles in the green energy sector
- funding will let thousands take advantage of growth and jobs potential created by clean heating and push to reduce bills by improving energy efficiency of buildings
Thousands of training courses will be rolled out across England to grow a skilled workforce of heat pump and energy efficiency installers, as the government announces winners of the Home Decarbonisation Skills Training competition.

Shining a light on the huge scope for economic growth and job creation in the green energy sector, the £9.2 million funding will offer free and heavily subsidised training opportunities for installers of clean heating and energy efficiency measures.

The funding will see training providers deliver 8,900 courses at accredited centres across England for prospective heat pump and energy efficiency installers.

This will add to the rapidly growing number already saving households hundreds of pounds on their energy bills each year by delivering energy efficiency solutions, while helping the UK meet its ambitious carbon emissions commitments.

Business and Energy Minister Lord Callanan said:

The green energy sector is driving growth and creating jobs right across the country, and this funding will make sure we have enough tradespeople trained up and able to take advantage of these opportunities.

We are making homes greener and cheaper to keep warm and training thousands more skilled installers will ensure we keep accelerating the pace of creating cleaner and more energy efficient buildings.

The government is accelerating the pace of upgrading the energy efficiency of housing with £6 billion funding committed to 2028, in addition to £6.6 billion in this parliament. A further £4 billion has been committed through the ECO4 scheme, which is delivering home insulation measures to low income and more vulnerable households, and the £1 billion ECO+ scheme, which will install measures in households who have previously not been able to access support through the Energy Company Obligation scheme.

Improving the energy efficiency of homes is the best long-term method of cutting household energy use and bringing down bills and this funding will be crucial in helping ensure there are enough trained installers to deliver upgrades across the country.

The funding will provide training for people already working in the heating and plumbing sector who are looking to retrain or grow their existing skills, as well as for those looking to enter and work in the energy efficiency, building retrofit and low carbon heating sectors, building both the overall number and skill levels of trained installers across England.

Training through the latest round of the Home Decarbonisation Skills Training competition will be delivered until 31 March 2023 and follows the success of the previous round of funding in 2021 when the government invested £6 million, resulting in almost 7,000 training opportunities.

Organisations that have been successful in the latest funding round will provide appropriate installer training that leads to a recognised NVQ qualification or equivalent and Continuing Professional Development-style short courses.

Training opportunities will be provided across England with courses being run at centres in towns and cities from Truro to Newcastle and the Isle of Wight to Cumbria.
December 1, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : New appointment made to the Animal Health and Welfare Board England [December 2022]
The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 1 December 2022.

Defra Minister Lord Benyon has confirmed the appointment of Julia Wrathall as Non-Executive Director of the Animal Health & Welfare Board for England (AHWBE).

Julia Wrathall has been appointed for three years from 1 December 2022 and will replace Emma Slawinski as a Non-Executive Director.

The appointment has been made in accordance with the Ministerial Governance Code on Public Appointments. There is a requirement for appointees’ political activity (if significant) to be declared. Julia has declared that she has not taken part in any significant political activity in the past five years.

The Animal Health & Welfare Board for England (AHWBE) is principal adviser to Defra on all strategic health and welfare matters relating to all kept animals in England. The Board’s role is to set the strategic policy framework, with responsibilities including developing and implementing animal health and welfare policy and ensuring value for money, assessing of the risk of animal disease threats and establishing surveillance and research priorities, monitoring the regulatory framework, approving the operational plans of the Animal and Plant Health Agency and other bodies, and reviewing contingency plans for dealing with new disease outbreaks.

Biographical details

Julia Wrathall
- Julia is an independent animal welfare consultant with a background in applied welfare science and policy development across many species and areas of human-animal interaction.
- She worked for the RSPCA for many years, where her roles included Chief Scientific Officer leading the work of the Society’s Science & Policy team, the development of the RSPCA’s farm animal welfare standards, and the Assurewel on-farm welfare outcome assessment programme.
- She has served on a number of committees in the animal welfare, farming and academic sectors, including the Farm Animal Welfare Forum, Pig Health and Welfare Council, RUMA and Beak Trimming Action Group.
December 1, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : £15.4 million contract for first cutting-edge Navy crewless submarine [December 2022]

The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 1 December 2022.

Project Cetus will deliver the largest and most complex crewless submarine operated by a European Navy.

A £15.4 million contract for a cutting-edge crewless submarine has been awarded to Plymouth firm MSubs by the Royal Navy. The vessel will be delivered to the Navy in two years’ time and will further advance the UK’s ability to protect our critical national infrastructure and monitor sub-sea activity.

Project Cetus – named after a mythological sea monster – enhances the Royal Navy’s experimentation with autonomous underwater systems. It is the first step in developing an operational autonomous submarine that will work side-by-side with crewed submarines – including the Astute-class hunter-killers and their successors – or independently.

Its maximum operational depth will exceed that of the current submarine fleet, meaning Cetus will equip the Royal Navy with even greater reach into the oceans in support of UK defence. It will be able to cover up to 1,000 miles in a single mission.

Cetus will be 12 metres long – the length of a double decker bus – 2.2 metres in diameter and weigh 17 tonnes. It will be the largest and most complex crewless submersible operated by a European navy. The bespoke vessel is being designed and built for the Royal Navy by Plymouth-based tech firm MSubs. This contract will create 10 and support 70 specialist jobs in the city.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said:

In order to meet the growing threats to our underwater infrastructure, the Royal Navy needs to be ahead of the competition with cutting edge capabilities. Project Cetus, alongside bringing forward the MROS ships, will help ensure we have the right equipment to protect the security of the UK and our Allies.

Having the skills base and specialist knowledge to develop and build this vessel in the UK, is testament to the UKs leading reputation in building surface and sub-surface ships.

The vessel’s size means that it will fit inside a shipping container and can therefore be transported around the world to wherever it is needed. It will be designed to operate with all of the ships from the Royal Navy fleet as well as those of our allies.

Cetus will be a platform for the Royal Navy on which to experiment and build cutting edge technologies and capabilities around, encouraging innovation and developing best practice. The unarmed vessel is battery powered, meaning its effective range can be increased by installing additional batteries.

It has also been designed to be modular, with an optional section that can be added to double the capacity of the vessel.

The crewless submarine is the latest step taken by the Royal Navy into autonomous systems, and have been for over a decade. Crewless minehunting systems are already operating in Scotland, and driverless Pacific 24 sea boats are undergoing testing. Various aerial drones are used by ships for reconnaissance and intelligence gathering.

The Navy has invested in a dedicated tech trials ship, XV Patrick Blackett, to assess and test new equipment and determine how it could be used or integrated into the fleet. Cetus is the equivalent for sub-sea experimentation.

First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Ben Key said:

This is a hugely exciting moment for Project Cetus as the Royal Navy surges ahead with the development of autonomous technology.

This Extra Large Autonomous Underwater Vehicle is a capability step-change in our mission to dominate the underwater battlespace. And I am delighted that the project is able to support a small, innovative UK company which is at the cutting edge of this sector.

The contract is funded by the Anti-Submarine Warfare Spearhead programme, run by the Royal Navy’s Develop Directorate, headquartered in Portsmouth. The vessel will be delivered through the Submarine Delivery Agency in Bristol and is the latest in a series of novel underwater technologies being brought to life to deal with the threats of the next decade.

Brett Phaneuf, Chief Executive Officer at MSubs said:

The faith the Royal Navy has shown in our small business is humbling and we look forward to working closely together in the future, as we have in the recent past, to develop and deploy Cetus, in the national interest.

December 1, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : The Chancellor of the Exchequer has this day appointed Rosemary Elizabeth Cooper to be Steward and Bailiff of the Three Hundreds of Chiltern [December 2022]

The press release issued by the Treasury on 1 December 2022.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer has this day appointed Rosemary Elizabeth Cooper to be Steward and Bailiff of the Three Hundreds of Chiltern.

December 1, 2022