Tag: Press Release

PRESS RELEASE : Grave concern for the increasing instability in the West Bank and Jerusalem – UK statement at UN [November 2022]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 28 November 2022.

Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward at the Security Council meeting on the Situation in the Middle East.

Thank you President, and thank you Special Coordinator Wennesland for your thoughtful briefing.

The UK is gravely concerned by increasing instability in the West Bank and Jerusalem. Since 14 November, four Israelis have lost their lives in terror attacks in the city of Ariel and in Jerusalem, including a 16 year old. There is no justification for this violence. During this time, two Palestinian minors have also been killed in the West Bank, including a 15 year-old. 141 Palestinians have now been killed by Israeli Security Forces since 1 January – the most in a single year since UN records began in 2005. In the same period, 31 Israelis have also lost their lives. Each life lost is a tragedy for all communities, particularly the families affected. So this ongoing conflict needs to be resolved for the sake of all Israelis and Palestinians alike.

The UK stands ready to support the new Israeli administration and the Palestinian Authority to deescalate and address the root drivers of conflict. The UK remains fully supportive of Israel’s right to self-defence. But Israeli Security Forces should show maximum restraint in the use of force, and investigate all Palestinian deaths.

We urge both parties to engage in meaningful dialogue, refrain from escalatory actions, and work to restore trust and a pathway towards peace and a resolution of this conflict. The UK shares the concern of others at scenes of settler violence perpetrated against Palestinians in Hebron in recent days. Settler violence must end, and we call upon Israel to hold those responsible to account.

We condemn the demolition by Israel of a primary school in Masafer Yatta. Mr. President, all children have a basic right to access education safely, and we call on the Government of Israel to uphold these rights.

Finally, I urge Israel and the Palestinian Authority to accelerate efforts to improve the economic and humanitarian conditions in the West Bank and Gaza. I welcome ongoing dialogue to address PA Clearance Revenues and call for the parties to honour their recent AHLC commitments.

The UK remains a firm supporter of a two state solution, based on 1967 lines, with Jerusalem as a shared capital, as the only way to ensure a lasting peace between the parties.

Thank you President.

November 29, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : New measures to improve access to dental care [November 2022]
The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 28 November 2022.

A new package of measures to improve patient access to dental care has been introduced by the government.
All NHS dentists to receive fairer payments for providing more complex dental care to those who need it most

Dentists will be required to update NHS website regularly to make it clear which practices are taking on new patients and the services available, improving access

This will ensure the system better supports all dentists and their teams while also providing better value for money dental care for patients.

A new package of measures to improve patient access to dental care has been introduced by the government.

From today, NHS dentists will receive fairer payments for delivering complex dental care to incentivise practices to take on high needs patients who require treatment the most.

Previously dentists would receive the same payments for all treatments delivered within band two, which includes fillings and tooth extractions, regardless of the amount of time taken to deliver the work. For example, they would receive the same payment for one filling as three fillings.

This meant dentists may not have been able to afford to take on patients who had not seen a dentist for an extended period who require more extensive treatment as a result.

The contract changes, which come into force today, will provide fairer payments to dentists by taking into account the time taken to do the work, incentivising practices to provide the care needed for patients with complex and high needs.

Health Minster Neil O’Brien said:

I am determined to make sure everybody seeking NHS dental care can receive it when they need it.

Our new contract rewards dentists more fairly for taking on high needs patients and delivering treatments to those who need it most.

It will not solve all the problems overnight, but it will help improve access and ensure the system supports dentists and their teams.

The new contract will also require dental practices to regularly update information on the ‘Find a Dentist’ tool on the NHS website, ensuring it accurately reflects available services. This will help patients to locate practices taking on new patients and access the treatments they need quickly.

This government is also introducing legislation which will provide the General Dental Council (GDC) with greater flexibility to amend its international registration processes for overseas qualified dentists. This will pave the way for additional exams places and enable the GDC to recognise and accept more qualifications for dentists and dental care professionals who want to work in the UK and support a reduction in unnecessary delays.

Louise Ansari, national director of Healthwatch England said:

Thousands of people have spoken up about their struggles accessing an NHS dentist over the last few years, telling us about dental practices in many regions either closing down or not accepting new NHS patients. This announcement shows the power of their voices, with government listening and taking action.

The changes should help people find clear and up to date information on dentists taking on new NHS patients. While people with more complex dental problems will find it easier to access care because of the shift in how the NHS pays dentists. Ultimately, we hope these combined measures will help to reduce long waiting times, the extended periods of pain many people suffer and prevent the extreme cases of DIY dentistry we have seen.

These changes are a good start and when put into practice can help ensure dental care that is accessible and affordable to everyone who needs it.
November 28, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Thousands of survivors to be protected from prison abusers [November 2022]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 28 November 2022.

Under a new scheme, survivors will be better protected from domestic abusers who attempt to continue their campaign of terror from behind bars.
- new scheme to thwart domestic abuse campaigns from behind bars by blocking unwanted calls and letters from prisoners
- delivers on the government’s Domestic Abuse Plan
Under the scheme, police forces, prison governors and victims’ services will work hand-in-glove to automatically block offenders from calling or sending threatening letters to their victims.

The new Unwanted Prisoner Contact Service – trialled at Kent and Thames Valley earlier this year – will act immediately on any intelligence to contact jails and block offenders from sending further communications.

In practice, this will mean offenders will be physically unable to dial their victim’s number from the prison landings or send out letters to the victim’s address as these contact detail will automatically be barred.

Crucially, the new scheme means survivors will not have to ask for help themselves, with other agencies and support services able to contact the service on their behalf – protecting them from further trauma.

By creating a single hub for police victims and support agencies, the new service will ensure a speedier response with dedicated case handlers quickly locating offenders and blocking contact. It will also prevent abusers from using other offenders to torment their victims by barring victims’ contact details from all prison phones.

Minister for Prisons and Probation, Damian Hinds, said:

We will never tolerate domestic abusers who seek to continue their campaign of abuse from behind bars and will always take tough action against the prisoners responsible.

This new service delivers on our commitments in the national Domestic Abuse Plan and will better protect victims once their cowardly abusers are jailed.

During successful pilots, hundreds of victims came forward to request contact was blocked – showing the new model is more accessible and effective in identifying and protecting victims.

Diana Fawcett, Chief Executive of Victim Support, said:

Unwanted contact from offenders is frightening and stressful. It can stop victims from moving on with their lives and, particularly in cases of domestic abuse, is often used to intimidate victims and continue campaigns of abuse.

We welcome steps to make it easier and quicker to take action and hope that this will make a real difference for victims.

The move delivers on the cross-government Domestic Abuse Plan which sets out investment of £140 million to support victims and £81 million to tackle perpetrators.

The government also continues to implement the Domestic Abuse Act which recognises all forms of abuse beyond physical violence, introduces new offences for non-fatal strangulation and so-called revenge porn, as well as preventing abusers from being able to directly cross-examine their victims in family and civil courts. The vast majority of measures are now in force.
November 28, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Preferred candidate for Chair of the Judicial Appointments Commission [November 2022]

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 28 November 2022.

Helen Pitcher OBE announced as preferred candidate for next Chair of the Judicial Appointments Commission.

The Lord Chancellor, Rt Hon. Dominic Raab MP, confirmed today (28 November 2022) that the preferred candidate to be the next Chair of the Judicial Appointments Commission is Helen Pitcher OBE.

The Judicial Appointments Commission is the statutory independent selection body for judicial appointments in the courts and tribunals of England and Wales, and for some UK-wide tribunals.

Helen Pitcher has been selected following a rigorous assessment process conducted in accordance with Schedule 12 of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005. The Chair is appointed by His Majesty the King on the recommendation of the Lord Chancellor.

The role is subject to pre-appointment hearing by the Justice Select Committee. Pre-appointment scrutiny is an important part of the appointment process for some of the most significant public appointments made by Ministers. It is designed to provide an added level of scrutiny to the appointment process. Pre-appointment hearings are held in public and allow a Select Committee to take evidence before a candidate is appointed. Ministers consider the Committee’s views before deciding whether to proceed with the appointment.

Helen Pitcher Biography

Helen Pitcher OBE is currently chair of the: Criminal Case Review Commission: the Public Chairs Forum and; Advanced Boardroom Excellence Ltd. Ms Pitcher holds two Non-Executive roles: C and C Group and; UB UK. Prior to this Ms Pitcher was: Chairman of Pladis Global between 2015-19; the Queen’s Counsel Selection Panel between 2009-17 and; Director at Saville Group PLC between 2008-13.

November 28, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Funding boost for country’s woodlands and timber industry [November 2022]

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 28 November 2022.

£20 million funding will improve tree planting stocks, woodland resilience, domestic timber production and accelerate tree planting across England.

Projects that tackle some of the greatest threats to our trees and forests will get a boost from government funding, it has been announced today (Monday 28 November). This is alongside additional investment announced for local authority tree planting initiatives which will see hundreds of thousands of trees planted in communities across England.

The funding will drive long-term woodland creation efforts, create jobs, boost biodiversity and support innovative approaches to tree health and resilience, in the face of climate change and the mounting threat of pests and diseases.

Successful applicants include:

the University of Lincoln’s ISILDUR project, which will work with tree nurseries to address labour shortages in the forest nursery sector by developing an intelligent robotics solution for plant processing;
the University of Cambridge’s TIMBER project, which is designing and creating prototypes for new building materials to drive home-grown, low-carbon and long-lasting construction nationwide;
Red Squirrel South West, which will be given funding to develop a management programme for invasive grey squirrels across a 35-mile stretch of native North Exmoor coastal woodland, helping to regenerate woodlands and supporting the reintroduction of native species like red squirrels.
The United Kingdom consumes 53 million tonnes of wood and wood products each year; however, 81% is imported from abroad. The major investment announced today will support projects developing new technologies and working practices to help homegrown timber production meet a greater proportion of domestic demand. This will help to improve timber security and grow the United Kingdom’s forestry and primary wood processing sectors, which support 30,000 jobs and contribute over £2 billion to our economy every year.

Alongside this, 57 local authorities across England have received nearly £10 million in funding through the Woodland Creation Accelerator Fund to kickstart tree planting activity, create new green jobs and boost access to nature, such as by employing new staff to access the professional expertise needed to drive tree planting and woodland creation activity at a local level. Planting will take place across the country in areas with lower tree cover, as well as through ambitious schemes expanding existing woodlands in rural settings. It is expected that more than 100 new green jobs will be created across the country as a result, with an emphasis on upskilling professionals from outside the forestry sector. This will help to expand the industry’s workforce, address skills shortages and help to grow the economy.

Trudy Harrison, Forestry Minister, said:
Our trees, forests and woodlands are the nation’s lungs – filtering our air, capturing carbon, providing habitats and serving as a powerful weapon in the fight against climate change. At a local level, trees are the lifeblood of communities, essential to supporting wellbeing, beautifying our streets and improving people’s quality of life while providing a safe haven for wildlife.

Protecting and restoring our precious natural world can work hand-in-hand with building a stronger, healthier economy. Using new technologies through these funds will build a bigger, better and more resilient forestry industry for the future, as we strive to deliver on our commitment to leave the environment in a better state than we found it.

Sir William Worsley, Chair of the Forestry Commission, said:
These funds will unleash the potential of the forestry sector by championing nurseries, charities and businesses operating at the forefront of technological innovation. They will help more people across society get trees in the ground at an unprecedented pace and scale, whilst ensuring their resilience for future generations.

Through the Woodland Creation Accelerator Fund, local authorities have set out a range of inspiring and ambitious plans which equate to more than 10 million trees being planted on public land across England by 2025. The funding will turn these aspirations into results, marking a significant step forward in our collective efforts to increase tree planting rates in England.

The urgent environmental and economic challenges of the day demand innovative solutions and the projects supported through the innovation funds will underpin our collective efforts to build larger, more diverse and more resilient treescapes across the country, whilst opening up new markets for timber and creating opportunities for growth.

Hannah Bartram, Chief Executive Officer, Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport, said:
The Woodland Creation Accelerator Fund is set to make a real difference, supporting local authorities to accelerate their tree and woodland planting plans and helping to tackle the climate change and biodiversity crises.

The fund has been well received and demand has been high – it will support local authorities across the country, equipping them with the new staff, skills, and expertise needed to drive tree planting and woodland creation commitments.

Trees make our towns and cities healthier and more pleasant places to be, helping to moderate temperatures, reduce pollution, decrease flood risk and improve quality of life for people from all socio-economic backgrounds.

Also announced today, the Local Authority Treescapes Fund (LATF) and the Urban Tree Challenge Fund (UTCF) will reopen for new applications early in 2023, with some significant improvements to the funds based on stakeholder feedback. Now in their third and fifth rounds respectively, the reopening of both funds will see trees planted in rural areas (for LATF), as well as in towns and cities nationwide. It represents another step forward in the Government’s drive to treble tree planting rates across England by the end of this Parliament.

This announcement forms part of wider government action to recover and restore nature, as part of the 25 Year Environment Plan and commitments to reach net zero by 2050.

November 28, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : UK leads global action to tackle sexual violence in conflict [November 2022]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 28 November 2022.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly is hosting an international conference in London to strengthen urgent action against the use of sexual violence in conflict.
- the Foreign Secretary will announce new support to prevent sexual violence in conflict today (November 28) as he hosts an international conference in London
- James Cleverly will also launch a new 3-year strategy putting survivors at the centre of tackling this abhorrent crime around the world
- attendees will include Nadia Murad, a survivor of sexual violence in conflict, her fellow Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Dr Denis Mukwege, and HRH The Countess of Wessex
- Angelina Jolie will deliver a video message at the conference
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly is bringing representatives of around 70 countries together today, to drive forward urgent action to tackle the scourge of sexual violence in conflict – including in Ukraine, Ethiopia and Colombia.

New evidence has shown that an estimated 20 to 30% of women and girls in conflict-affected settings experience sexual violence.

The 2-day conference in London this week (28 to 29 November) will put survivors of this abhorrent crime at the centre of the global response.

Nadia Murad and Dr Denis Mukwege – who won a joint Nobel Peace Prize for their work to combat sexual violence – will be in attendance alongside the Countess of Wessex and International Criminal Court prosecutor Karim Khan. Other survivors, government ministers and representatives of NGOs will also be there to share what they have learned and agree a united response to prevent atrocities from taking place in future.

This week’s conference marks 10 years of the UK government’s landmark Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI).

When opening the conference, the Foreign Secretary will announce a 3-year strategy to tackle sexual violence in conflict which will be backed by up to £12.5 million of new funding.

Developed with survivors, experts in the field, parliamentarians, academics, and NGOs, the strategy focuses on tackling these crimes in 7 key countries: Ukraine, Bosnia, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Iraq and South Sudan.

Addressing the conference, Foreign Secretary James Cleverly is expected to say:

The very threat of rape and sexual violence as a weapon of war should bring immediate international condemnation, and swift action to stop those attacks before they start.

So today, we stand in solidarity, to support survivors and to bring justice. But also to send an unequivocal message to those who order, allow or perpetrate sexual violence: we will not tolerate it and we will push for perpetrators to be prosecuted.

Along with the strategy, the Foreign Secretary will also launch:
- a new partnership between the UK Government and the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, which could use virtual reality technology to make survivors’ experience in court less traumatic
- a new Accountability Commission and Task Force (ACT) for Survivors initiative, developed by the UK to increase successful prosecutions and strengthen other forms of justice. It will provide support for countries with high levels of sexual violence in conflict, to strengthen their national justice systems so they are fit for purpose. This could include mentoring for prosecutors, setting up rapid response mechanisms in crises, and training and support from the UN Team of Experts
- a new ‘What Works To Prevent Violence’ report which lays out the scale of the issue and puts forward methods, based on evidence, to prevent them. The first phase of the UK’s ‘What Works to Prevent Violence’ programme has shown reductions in violence of around 50%, even in the most challenging circumstances
- work to translate commitments into action to promote the rights and wellbeing of children born as a result of conflict-related sexual violence. This could include improving national laws, policies and practices
The UK has been at the vanguard of efforts to combat conflict-related sexual violence for the past decade, ever since former Foreign Secretary William Hague and Angelina Jolie jointly launched PSVI in 2012. Angelina Jolie will deliver a video message at the conference, and Lord Hague will speak in person on 29 November.

Since then, the UK has supported nearly 100 projects across 29 countries – from safe shelters in Bosnia, to judicial support in Iraq and Colombia, and training for peacekeepers in East Africa.

The current situation in Ukraine, as well as recent events in Afghanistan and Ethiopia, demonstrate that work to combat conflict-related sexual violence is still as important as ever.

Last week the Foreign Secretary announced on a visit to Ukraine an additional £3.45 million towards projects in the country and the wider region, much of which will go towards addressing sexual and reproductive health.

FCDO Minister of State, Lord (Tariq) of Wimbledon, the Prime Minister’s Special Representative for the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) and co-host of the conference:

Hearing from survivors of sexual violence in conflict inspires us, as they show incredible courage, in providing chilling testimonies of why we must all stand up for survivors, with survivors. Sexual violence is something no person should face in any circumstance. Yet we know that in 2021, tragically, it was perpetrated in at least 18 countries. This must stop.

Thanks to the guidance of survivors, working with many allies over the 10 years since we launched the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative, we have made some good progress, but we all must recognise that more needs to be done to prevent this abhorrent crime, including its use as weapon of war. We know that support and justice is vital for survivors and that perpetrators of these crimes must be fully held to account. We will accelerate this work globally by strengthening our response, so that we put survivors at the heart of everything we do.

In a message to the conference Angelina Jolie will say:

When human beings are physically assaulted in this way, and in some countries for decades, there has to be a decisive global response. When there isn’t, it sends a message to both the victim and the perpetrator that we don’t truly regard this as a significant crime that needs to be punished and prevented. So this conference should in my view, take a hard look at what has succeeded and what has not.

Dr. Mukwege, Medical Director at Panzi Hospital and 2018 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, said:

The PSVI Conference is organised so that all of us attending in London can listen to survivors’ voices. This is not the first conference where survivors have spoken up demanding justice, but I hope it will be one of the last – we need to attend as we count down to end wartime sexual violence.

We are all here today because of survivors. All of them attending this conference represent thousands of others awaiting care, justice and reparations. Very few survivors have received the holistic care – including justice – that they deserve. As the survivors are sharing their recommendations, requests, and opinions, I ask everyone not only to listen to them but also pledge a commitment to act and support their demands.

Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Nadia Murad said:

It’s time to use every tool we have: sanctions, international trials, and universal jurisdiction to show that sexual violence in conflict will not be tolerated.

We must make state and non-state actors think twice about the consequences of these crimes. Ending the status quo of impunity is essential for preventing people around the world from being subjected to experiences like mine.
November 28, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : It’s time to give smaller companies a bigger slice of the procurement pie [November 2022]

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 28 November 2022.

Op-ed from Minister Neville-Rolfe, originally published in The Times on Monday 28 November.

Before entering politics, I had a front-row seat in the world of business in an FTSE 100 boardroom as an executive and main board director at Tesco — a high street name, one of Britain’s ’s biggest companies and an employer of thousands that every day relied on the work and products of smaller businesses in its supply chains. I also have worked at much smaller companies, including Dobbies, Red Tractor and Crown Agents. So I know, very well, the challenges faced by small and medium-sized enterprises and the opportunities that we can unlock in government by making the right changes. And now that I’m in government, I’m in the right place to make it happen.

Complex procurement regulations, for example, have long been the bane of small companies. The government, likewise, wants to make it easier for such businesses to work with the public sector by ripping up unnecessary rules.

This week, as the Procurement Bill goes into its report stage in the House of Lords, I intend to make real progress. The bill will slash through red tape, replacing 350 European Union regulations with one simple and flexible framework for the five million UK SMEs that could compete for public sector contracts. It also will tackle late payment in the supply chain.

In the past year, SMEs have won a record £19.3 billion in government procurement spending. It is great to see the graph heading in the right direction, but we all want to see a steeper line.

With the overall procurement pie worth £300 billion, I know from hosting many round tables and from speaking to entrepreneurs and business people that the bill can do more to help SMEs across the country to get a bigger slice. From those conversations, I believe we should use the bill to strengthen three areas.

First, to put contracting authorities in the frame for reducing the challenges for small businesses. Procurement teams will have to make sure there are no unnecessary barriers that might hinder smaller companies in the contract; that bidding timelines are realistic; and that there is a clear timeline so that SMEs can plan accordingly.

Second: accounting. Another burden on smaller suppliers is having to provide audited accounts as a test of their financial standing. We will require contracting authorities to accept alternative evidence where audited accounts are unavailable: this will prevent some businesses being excluded from bidding.

And finally: insurance. A part of the procurement process unfairly penalises businesses that lack the war chests of big corporations. We will make it explicitly clear that contracting authorities must accept evidence that required insurance cover will be in place when a contract is awarded, rather than at the point of bidding. This will save SMEs from having to incur unnecessary upfront costs, a burden they shoulder at present.

With an estimated turnover of £2.1 trillion, SMEs make up 99 per cent of UK businesses and I am delighted to be playing my part in taking full advantage of our restored powers and sovereignty to help our domestic businesses to grow.

November 28, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Airlines, airports, and passengers to have their say on independent aviation regulator [November 2022]
The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 28 November 2022.

A call for evidence launches today as part of a review of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
- government launches call for evidence as part of Civil Aviation Authority review
- public, industry and other stakeholders will have the opportunity to share feedback on performance and strategy
- insight will be used to help ensure the provision of world-leading civil aviation regulation and public services for decades to come
The government has today (28 November 2022) launched a call for evidence as part of its review of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the UK’s independent aviation regulator.

Open to all interested parties, it will provide an opportunity for anybody who uses the CAA or is affected by its work – including airlines, airports, pilots and passengers – to provide insight and evidence to inform the government review, on everything from the CAA’s strategy, to its organisation and performance.

The call for evidence will close on 22nd January 2023. It will ask questions such as whether the CAA has the right powers to effectively regulate the aviation market, whether its charges are good value for money, and whether it is effectively structured.

The wider CAA Review began in August this year and forms part of the Cabinet Office’s Public Bodies Review Programme, which aims to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of public bodies. Led by an independent reviewer, Jeremy Newman, also a member of the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority, the review will run until spring 2023.

The CAA has a number of functions, including ensuring the highest standards of aviation safety and security, the efficient use of airspace and space operations and protecting consumer rights. The review aims to help the organisation build on its success in tackling the unprecedented challenges of recent years.
November 28, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Reading app to help prison leavers turn new page [November 2022]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 28 November 2022.

A new app to boost prison leavers’ literacy is the latest part of a £20 million government plan to reduce reoffending through innovation.
- new app to boost prison leavers’ literacy and employability
- part of £20 million drive to cut reoffending through innovation
- prisoners in education are nine percentage points less likely to reoffend
It will be trialled with 300 offenders in Kent, Surrey and Sussex, starting this month, encouraging them to improve their reading skills and turn their backs on crime.

Prisoners who engage in education behind bars are 9 percentage points less likely to reoffend, but with more than half of them having the reading ability of a primary school child they can continue to struggle after release.

The app gives offenders who have left the prison gates the ability to improve their literacy with additional help from trained mentors – filling a skills gap and boosting their chances of getting a job.

Prisons and Probation Minister, Damian Hinds MP, said:

Literacy is the key to so many routes away from crime and we know that prisoners engaging in education are significantly less likely to reoffend.

That’s why we’re investing £20 million in fantastic ideas like this literacy app, as we look at innovative ways to make our communities safer.

The app – Turning Pages Digital – launches a year after the government challenged the tech sector to come up with new ways to keep offenders on the straight and narrow.

The £20 million Prison Leavers Project is tackling the drivers of crime – including poor educational standards, unemployment and substance misuse – to help cut the £18 billion cost of reoffending.

Turning Pages Digital is the brainchild of tech company Yalla Cooperative and the Shannon Trust, a charity dedicated to supporting disadvantaged people to learn to read. The Trust already works in around 80 prisons and is now using the app to support offenders in the community.

Pank Sethi, a Shannon Trust board member, was a reading mentor during his time in prison for drugs-related offences. He said:

I helped a learner read his five-year-old daughter’s note saying ‘I love you daddy’ for the first time and have supported another who is now at university.

It’s not just about education or getting a job, it’s about the positive impact that literacy has on an individual’s whole life and wider family – that’s why the app matters.

The new app is based on the Shannon Trust’s ‘Turning Pages’ educational support book, which mentors use to teach offenders to read in prison. The charity also trains prisoners to become reading mentors so they can help others to progress.

Another app, My Journey, has been developed by Swansea University, tech firm Legal Innovation Lab Wales, and Welsh reducing reoffending charity Include UK.

It links offenders with community-based support services that are vital to keeping them on the straight and narrow and is being tested with 300 prison leavers from HMP Swansea and HMP Parc.

Both pilots are part of the government’s Prison Leavers Innovation Challenge, a £1.45 million fund aimed at developing tech solutions to reduce reoffending which is part of the wider Prison Leavers Project.

The government is also investing £550 million over the next 3 years to reduce reoffending by getting offenders off drugs and into training, work and stable accommodation.
November 28, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Energy storage backed with over £32 million government funding [November 2022]
The press release issued by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on 28 November 2022.

Five energy storage projects across the UK will benefit from a share of over £32 million government funding.
- £32.9 million government funding awarded to projects across the UK to develop new energy storage technologies, such as thermal batteries and liquid flow batteries
- energy storage will be crucial as the UK scales up secure, clean and affordable renewable energy, with cutting-edge projects led by innovators across the UK
- developing energy storage will further strengthen the UK’s energy security by helping unlock the full potential of home-grown renewables
Over £32 million government funding has been awarded to UK projects developing cutting-edge innovative energy storage technologies that can help increase the resilience of the UK’s electricity grid while also maximising value for money.

Five projects based across the UK will benefit from a share of over £32 million in the second phase of the Longer Duration Energy Storage (LODES) competition, to develop technologies that can store energy as heat, electricity or as a low-carbon energy carrier like hydrogen.

The variable nature of renewables like solar and wind power means that energy can be produced when it is not needed, such as during extended periods of high wind. However, new energy storage technologies can store excess energy to be used at a later point, so the energy can be used rather than wasted – meaning we can rely even more on renewable generation rather than fossil fuels, helping boost the UK’s long-term energy resilience.

This builds on the aims set out in the Energy Security Strategy earlier this year, to ensure a more flexible, efficient system by encouraging flexibility with large-scale, long-duration electricity storage to balance the overall system.

Minister for Climate Graham Stuart said:

Accelerating renewables is key to boosting our energy resilience. Energy storage helps us get the full benefit of these renewables, improving efficiency and helping drive down costs in the long term.

This £32.9 million government backing will enable green innovators across the UK to develop this technology, helping create new jobs and encouraging private investment, while also safeguarding the UK’s energy security.

The funding announced today follows the first phase of the LODES competition, which saw £2.7 million awarded to 19 projects. This second phase provides further funding to the most promising projects from Phase 1, enabling them to build prototypes and demonstrators to bring their projects to life.

The LODES competition provides government backing to accelerate the development and commercialisation of innovative energy storage technologies, in turn supporting the UK’s transition to relying on renewables, while also encouraging private investment and new green jobs – with an estimated 100 jobs supported through these projects.

Energy storage projects which received funding

StorTera Ltd, based in Edinburgh, will receive £5.02 million to build a prototype demonstrator of their sustainable, efficient, and highly energy dense single liquid flow battery (SLIQ) technology. SLIQ will offer flexibility to the grid by storing electricity which can then be released when weather dependent technologies such as wind turbines and solar panels have periods of decreased energy generation.

Sunamp Ltd, based in East Lothian, will receive £9.25 million for a project that will trial their advanced thermal storage system in 100 homes across the UK. They will extend their existing heat battery to provide increased storage duration and capacity and pair it with household energy systems to tackle periods of low renewables generation on the grid.

The University of Sheffield will receive £2.60 million to develop a prototype modular thermal energy storage system, enabling optimised, flexible storage of heat within homes, providing benefits for both the occupant and the grid. The protype energy systems will be manufactured by Loughborough University and deployed at the Creative Energy Homes campus at the University of Nottingham, demonstrating the technology within lived-in homes.

RheEnergise Ltd will receive £8.24 million to build a demonstrator near Plymouth of their ‘High-Density Hydro®’ pumped energy storage system. The system uses an environmentally safe mineral-rich fluid more than two and half times denser than water, to create electricity from gentle slopes, without requiring steep dam walls or high mountains like traditional hydropower. The project will use surplus electricity to pump the fluid uphill, then later when electricity is needed by the grid, the fluid will be released back down the hill through turbines to generate electricity.

EDF UK R&D, in partnership with the University of Bristol, Urenco and the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), will receive £7.73 million to develop a hydrogen storage demonstrator utilising depleted uranium at UKAEA’s Culham Science Centre in Abingdon, Oxfordshire. Electricity will be converted to hydrogen via electrolysis and stored for future use – either directly as hydrogen, or converted back to electricity via a fuel cell when required.

Stakeholder reaction

Dr. Gavin Park, CEO, StorTera Ltd said:

Long duration energy storage is key to a more sustainable future and better utilisation of renewable energy. This competition to accelerate the commercialisation of the most innovative technologies is a great initiative and StorTera are thrilled to have been selected to demonstrate the potential of our single liquid flow battery.

Patrick Dupeyrat, Director EDF R&D UK said:

Hydrogen is an exciting and provable future solution for the UK’s energy industry. Following the launch of this project, our demonstration technology will be a world first, allowing us to utilise depleted uranium to store hydrogen and provide grid flexibility. The UK’s net zero future needs hydrogen and nuclear in the mix, and HyDUS, which innovatively combines the two, makes perfect sense. We have every confidence that HyDUS will succeed and are delighted that the government has backed the project with critical research funding.

Stephen Crosher, Chief Executive of RheEnergise Ltd said:

Over the next decade, Long Duration Energy Storage can make an important contribution to the UK energy market, and indeed globally. Long Duration Energy Storage is a key to delivering the energy transition and will help strengthen the resilience and security of the UK’s energy system. It will be essential to the effective operation of the grid as it balances intermittent renewable generation, it helps to create effective base-load power from renewables, whilst at the same time keeping costs low. Our storage system offers a solution.

BEIS’s contract is incredibly welcome and will enable us to accelerate the commercial deployment of our High-Density Hydro® storage system in the UK and overseas. With the BEIS contract in place, we will be seeking planning consent for our Devon project before the end of the year.

We are also pursuing a number of project opportunities elsewhere in the UK, continental Europe and Canada. Drawing upon our work in Devon and the government’s welcome support, we expect to have our first 5MW grid-scale project in operation in 2026.

Andrew Bissell, CEO, Sunamp said:

We are thrilled to have received this very significant funding award, which is the result of outstanding work from our own and our partners’ product, materials and engineering teams. The money will be used to develop and test in 100 homes a first-of-a-kind thermal energy storage technology aimed at replacing fossil fuels and bringing forward the electrification of heat.

EXTEND systems in homes will help the UK ride out lulls in renewable energy generation and will allow homeowners to cut their carbon emissions and benefit from lower cost tariffs for flexible demand and participation in grid-supporting measures.

Dr Rob Barthorpe from the University of Sheffield said:

Our focus now is to make this happen. We intend to successfully demonstrate these technologies within lived-in homes, and to work with our industrial partners on scale up and commercialisation activities to bring them to market as soon as possible. We believe these technologies have the potential to play a significant role in maximising usage of renewable sources, and could provide real help to consumers during events such as the current energy crisis.
November 28, 2022