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  • Greg Hands – 2023 Speech at Conservative Party Conference

    Greg Hands – 2023 Speech at Conservative Party Conference

    The speech made by Greg Hands, the Conservative Party Chairman, in Manchester on 1 October 2023.

    Ladies and gentlemen, after a unique introduction it gives me great pleasure to welcome you to Conservative Party Conference 2023, here in the dynamic city of Manchester.

    When the Prime Minister asked me to take on this role – as your Party Chairman – I couldn’t have been more excited.

    Having been a member for 37 years and a representative at every level – Chairman of my university Conservatives, an elected student union officer, a ward chairman, a councillor, a Group Leader, an MP, a government Whip and a Cabinet Minister, I can truly say there is no greater privilege than to lead our great party into the next General Election, alongside our Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak.

    But we cannot do this alone and I am incredibly lucky to have a fantastic team of Conservatives who work tirelessly behind the scenes, and whom I’d like to thank personally for their dedication to our Party:

    Right here in the front row – Peter Booth, Chairman of the National Convention.

    Pete Smallwood, the Chairman of this years Conservative Party Conference, who you’ve just met.

    Stephen Massey, CCHQ’s Chief Executive Officer, who has helped to transform the Party’s finances since a year ago.

    Douglas Ross and Andrew RT Davies, you’ll hear from them shortly for their outstanding work in exposing the hypocrisy of what life is like under the SNP in Scotland, and Labour in Wales.

    And finally, my fantastic team of Deputy and Vice Chairmen;

    Nickie Aiken, Luke Hall, Lee Anderson, Jack Lopresti, Matthew Vickers, Craig Tracey, Saqib Bhatti, Mo Ali, and PPS Dr Ben Spencer.

    So, ladies and gentlemen – we are one big Conservative family – whether you have been a member for 50 years, like Edna from Brecon and Radnorshire.

    Or a member for a little over 12 months, like Leo from Bristol.

    As Chairman, I’ve had the great pleasure of campaigning in over 50 constituencies, and if I haven’t got to you yet, you can expect a visit very soon.

    And we have seen what happens when you do great campaigning.

    Look at Uxbridge: The week before, Labour was 25-1 on favourite – think about that, if you put £100 pounds on Labour winning, you’d only get £4 back – but we had strong policies, a superb turnout at all levels of the Party, and a first-class candidate in Steve Tuckwell…

    Please stand up. Steve Tuckwell MP! And he’s already getting stuck in at the House of Commons – a fantastic Parliamentary voice for the people of Uxbridge and South Ruislip. And proof that we can come from behind to win, as we have done so often before.

    I would ask that everyone takes the energy which went into winning in Uxbridge and gets out to support our fantastic current by-election candidates in Tamworth and Mid Bedfordshire, Andy Cooper and Festus Akinbusoye.

    By-elections aside…

    We will, of course, have several elections next year.

    A full set of local elections in May, with our Conservative councillors and council candidates, battling to control town halls, and run them better than Labour or the Lib Dems.

    Police and Crime Commissioner elections, led by our fantastic group leader, Katy Bourne, where we’ll be taking our message to voters, across the country that you are safer with a Conservative PCC.

    We also have our fantastic Mayors and candidates across the country standing for election next year; in the West Midlands, we have Andy Street, the East Midlands Ben Bradley, Tees Valley Ben Houchen, North Yorkshire Keane Duncan.

    And in London, GLA and Mayoral elections, as Pete has already said, a chance to throw out a Labour Mayor who’s been an unmitigated disaster for our great capital city:

    Proof that when Labour run things, they run them badly.

    But Londoners are starting to see through it, and we have a brilliant candidate, in Susan Hall, who will, on 2nd May, prove to Sadiq Khan, that, actually, Sadiq Khan’t.

    And we will – I don’t think I’m breaking any state secrets here – also have a general election, too.

    This is likely to be a general election, that the Conservatives enter as the underdogs.

    And I know in recent years, you will have had difficult conversations with voters: I certainly have.

    But I would say three things about those conversations:

    First, every single conversation I have had on the doorstep has been improved by the mention of Rishi Sunak and the job that he does as our Prime Minister

    Second, there is no enthusiasm for Keir Starmer, and even less trust in him

    Third, wherever Labour run something in the country, they run it badly

    Let me tell you first about our great Prime Minister.

    And the message coming across, loud and clear, from the doorstep, is that people can see we’re moving in the right direction,

    that the Conservatives are getting on with the job,

    and that Rishi Sunak, is the right man to steer this country through extremely challenging times.

    They understand, also, the tough choices, and trade-offs, that true leadership entails.

    They look at our Prime Minister, and see someone, who is prepared to make the tough, long-term, decisions to get the country, on the right path for our future. Someone who is not afraid to challenge the old style Westminster politics of short-termism that we have seen so much of in the past.

    That earns respect. It wins trust. And it will be, by continuing to win that trust and respect, that we will also win nationally, next year.

    Which takes me to my second point – that there is no liking for Sir Keir. And no trust.

    Who is the real Sir Keir Starmer?

    The friend and supporter of Jeremy Corbyn? The puppet of Tony Blair? Or the mouthpiece of Just Stop Oil?

    All we do know is that he has broken every single leadership pledge and flip-flopped almost sixty times in just three years. This is a man who will literally say anything that suits him at the time.

    I always thought that the best leaders wake up each morning, and ask themselves ‘What am I going to do today?’.

    Some leaders ask themselves ‘What am I going to say today?’

    Sir Keir wakes up and asks ‘What am I going to believe today?’

    Ladies and Gentlemen, can I let you into a secret – if anyone likes the association of Sir Keir with flip flops, I have these: available for just £16.99 here at the Conservative Party shop and also online at Conservatives.com, your own pair of Sir Keir Starmer flip flops and I’d warmly recommend them to you.

    But, not once, has there been any clear plan for Britain from Sir Keir. He is not honest with people about the challenges the country faces – he has no new ideas, criticises from the side-lines, calling for yet more money to be magicked up.

    Here’s another thing we know.

    That wherever Labour run something, they run it badly.

    I’ve already mentioned London. Look at Wales. We’re going to hear from Andrew RT Davies later this afternoon and David TC Davies, the Secretary of State for Wales. Patients almost twice as likely to be on the NHS waiting list as they are in England. But, according to Sir Keir, Labour in Wales is a “blueprint for what they would do in Westminster”.

    That’s not a blue print, Ladies and Gentlemen – it’s a red flag, and it’s running Wales to a standstill.

    Look at Labour-run Birmingham City Council. Its leader handpicked by Sir Keir and his union paymasters to sort out the finances. Praised by Sir Keir just a few months ago.

    So what did they do? They voted unanimously to bump up their own pay-packets, blow millions on consultants, all paid for by hiking council tax for hard-working local people by the maximum amount – this is Europe’s largest local authority.

    …before being hit by a £760 million legal bill for – and here’s the irony – equal pay claims. £760 million for one local authority.

    A Labour council that spent more time thinking up – you might remember this from the height of the pandemic – woke street names than looking after the finances. Birmingham City Council really did have a Diversity Grove, they had Inspire Avenue. And now they’re up Bankruptcy Avenue.

    And from what we do know of Labour’s plans for the UK, the entire country would go the same way.

    Labour’s plan for energy, lovingly crafted by Just Stop Oil, would leave us gasping for energy imports from unfriendly foreign powers.

    Their plan for immigration would see the numbers coming into this country decided not by us, but by Brussels.

    And their plan for the economy has already signed the UK up to £90 billion of uncosted funding commitments.

    Because putting money on the credit card didn’t work out so well for them so well last time…

    You can probably work out where this is going!

    ‘Dear Chief Secretary. No money left’

    That reminder is why we must work to stop Labour getting back in. We cannot let them do the UK what they have done in Wales, what they have done to London and what they have done to Birmingham.

    There is a sure-fire way to stop them in their tracks. It’s through effective campaigning, ladies and gentlemen, and winning next year at all levels.

    Let me tell you something about someone who knew a thing or two about campaigning…

    … a much-loved member of our Conservative family who represented his constituents with the utmost dedication.

    Sir David Amess, Member of Parliament first for Basildon and then for Southend West.

    Many of us will remember his campaigns on issues including the honouring of Raoul Wallenberg for his amazing humanitarian works in WW2, support for those suffering from endometriosis, and of course the awarding of city status to his beloved Southend-on-Sea.

    And I know many of us remember well – I’ll never forget the day – the deeply shocking circumstances of his murder in the course of duty.

    Today, in his memory, I am proud to launch the Sir David Amess Fund, to support more dedicated local campaigning.

    The Sir David Amess Fund will be available to all Members of Parliament to apply for.

    The fund will be focused on supporting local campaigns which transcend party politics, such as campaigning to secure city status for your town.

    There will be two successful applicants each year, with funding made available to support them campaign on and better promote their local worthy cause.

    And I’m delighted to confirm that Anna Firth MP, Sir David’s successor in Southend West who’s watching this now on the train up to Manchester, will work with me to pick those successful applicants.

    So today I make one other announcement: to help get local campaigns up and running.

    As Chairman, I know the value of being well organised locally and the importance of CCHQ having a strong network of Campaign Managers has in helping make that happen.

    That is why since the start of the year we have more than doubled the number of Campaign Managers that CCHQ employs.

    And for the first time ever, we have also started to hire Digital Campaign Managers aswell.

    They are helping to build our social media presence, collecting more emails and filming engaging local content.

    We saw just how important our Digital Campaign Managers were in Uxbridge where we campaigned relentlessly on social media and email against the ULEZ.

    And Conference: I want to ensure you know; we will be expanding the number of Campaign Managers we have in advance of the General Election to support you on the ground.

    Whilst we will be growing the number in the period up to the next General Election, I have also challenged my colleagues in CCHQ to find sensible and creative solutions for the long-term, to ensure the feast and famine of Campaign Managers we’ve seen in recent years ends.

    I want to ensure that we are looking forward and growing a sustainable, well trained, and experienced campaigning organisation.

    Conference, I will leave you with one final thought.

    As we go out and campaign…

    As we make our arguments…

    We shouldn’t be apologetic about what a Conservative government led by Rishi Sunak means. It means strong and decisive long-term action on the things that matter most to people, action that the country needs to put us on the best footing for the future.

    When I look back at the achievements of this country under the Conservatives, I take great pride. I have been a Minister in this government almost continually for 12 years.

    Pride that, back in 2010, we made the tough choices to get the country’s finances back under control. That has made us more able to withstand the headwinds that have come our way since.

    Pride that we kept our great Union together in 2014 – and thank you, Nicola, for your help cementing that this year as well.

    Pride that when the British people asked us to deliver on the result of the EU Referendum, we kept true to our word and got it done.

    Pride that we used those new freedoms to deliver a world-leading vaccination programme and help beat Coronavirus, and provide the financial support that British families and businesses needed.

    And pride that, just a year and a half ago, it was the UK that stood tall, and galvanised the rest of the world in support of Ukraine.

    So, Ladies and Gentlemen, conference, the United Kingdom is a great country.

    It faces profound and complex challenges like the whole of the Western world world.

    But our best days in Britain are still to come.

    This country is best served by strong decisive leadership that is focused on delivering a brighter future for everyone.

    The leadership of our Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and this great Conservative Party,

    And by working together, as a great Conservative family, we can ensure victory in 2024, economic renewal, and a stronger, happier United Kingdom.

    Thank you very much.

  • John Whittingdale – 2023 Speech at Connected Britain 2023

    John Whittingdale – 2023 Speech at Connected Britain 2023

    The speech made by John Whittingdale, the Minister for Digital Infrastructure, in London on 20 September 2023.

    Good afternoon and thank you to Connected Britain for inviting me to speak and for convening an event that is more interesting and important than ever.

    I’m delighted to be here in the Docklands today – there are few better places to celebrate the things which keep us connected.

    Because for centuries, it was the Docklands around us that brought Britain to the world – and the world to Britain, bringing growth, prosperity and opportunity for millions.

    Today, connectivity matters just as much – the economy of the future won’t be powered by sail or coal, boat or barge – it will be powered by digital infrastructure.

    Because it is only with connectivity that we can deliver on our ambition to build the most innovative economy in the world.

    Embedding innovation in our economy must deliver real benefits for each and every British person. For that very reason, this government is on a mission to ensure that communities and businesses up and down the country have the secure, reliable and high-quality connectivity they need.

    That connectivity is, and will continue to be, an engine of economic growth – creating jobs, and delivering the kind of bold new discoveries which will put the UK right at the cutting edge of science and technology.

    Our plan to make that mission a success is clear, comprehensive, and unapologetically ambitious.

    First and foremost, we remain relentlessly focused on working with the telecoms industry to drive the deployment of fixed and wireless broadband, to deliver the connectivity which British people need today.

    But even as we do that, we’re looking ahead to tomorrow, by investing in the technologies that will transform the telecoms industry and the global economy.

    And finally, we’re ensuring at every stage that our telecoms networks are secure and resilient.

    So I want to take today as an opportunity to talk through this 3-step plan for success, and what it means for you.

    Extending fixed and wireless coverage

    Driving the deployment of fixed and wireless broadband is a centrepiece of the government’s work.

    We have set an ambitious goal to ensure future proof and resilient gigabit broadband to 85% of the UK by 2025 and to over 99% by 2030 and we continue to make progress towards meeting this ambition. Working in partnership with industry and Ofcom, our policies have helped us collectively increase gigabit broadband to 77% up from just 6% in 2018, largely driven by competition.

    We remain firmly committed to wholesale competition in the broadband market being the best strategy to meet our strategic objectives.

    And so we continue to establish an environment which encourages competition and investment by removing practical barriers to deployment and reducing regulatory barriers to investment and innovation where necessary.

    The Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act, passed last year, sets out a number of measures that will make a real difference in the pace at which apparatus can be installed, upgraded and shared.

    A number of the provisions have already come into play and we are firmly committed to implementing all provisions in the Act before the end of 2024.

    We are funding a further trial of a more flexible permitting system for street works in England, giving fixed line operators more freedom when installing fibre in the ground. Launching in early 2024, these new ‘flexi-permits’ could significantly accelerate broadband rollout.

    Through the government’s Geospatial Commission, we are also working with asset owners, to build a digital map of the pipes and cables beneath our feet.

    The National Underground Asset Register is revolutionising the way we install, maintain, operate and repair our buried infrastructure and will deliver at least £350 million per year of economic growth, whilst also improving worker safety.

    The emerging service has been launched in parts of England with plans to extend it to the rest of England this autumn, and to Northern Ireland in spring. If you’re not yet taking part – I’d urge you to join others like CityFibre, Virgin Media O2, COLT, Gigaclear and Nynet by getting involved as soon as possible.

    We continue to deliver on our mission to bring fast and reliable connectivity to hard-to-reach places across the UK. Under the £5 billion Project Gigabit, we already have 39 procurements and contracts underway, making over £2 billion of funding available to improve broadband connections for up to 1.1 million premises.

    In addition, our voucher scheme has already benefited communities across the country; with the help of our partners, we recently passed a major milestone: 100,000 vouchers have now been used to fund gigabit broadband connections for people in rural places from the Scottish Highlands to the Jurassic Coast.

    We are trialling satellite connectivity and other innovative technologies to provide faster and reliable connectivity to the most remote areas of the UK.

    Earlier this year the government announced an £8 million fund to provide capital grants to further promote new satellite connectivity to the most remote 35,000 premises.

    On the deployment of mobile connectivity – through the Shared Rural Network, the government and industry are jointly investing over £1 billion to increase 4G mobile coverage to 95% of the UK’s landmass by the end of the programme, up from 93% today and 91% when the SRN deal was signed back in March 2020.

    We also want to ensure that all parts of the UK benefit from 5G. Basic non-standalone 5G has been made available to outside 85% of premises.

    But this is only the start of the UK’s 5G future. Widespread adoption of 5G could see up to £159 billion in productivity benefits by 2035.

    We recognise that the deployment of basic, non-standalone 5G, will not be enough to unlock these benefits.

    Our Wireless Infrastructure Strategy, published in April this year, announced an ambition – backed by the industry – to deliver high-quality, standalone 5G to all populated areas by 2030.

    But we recognise that operators will continue to face challenges when investing in 5G. Through the Strategy, we have set out how we will improve the investment climate for 5G by reducing costs, increasing revenues, and making sure that regulation is not a barrier to innovation.

    To support this, we have asked Ofcom to review its approach to setting spectrum licence fees to ensure they continue to promote the efficient use of spectrum and support a strong investment environment. We are also working closely with Ofcom as it updates the net neutrality guidelines to provide clear and up to date guidance for industry.

    We will also continue with our work through the Barrier Busting Task Force to tackle the barriers preventing the fast, efficient and cost-effective deployment of gigabit-capable and 5G networks.

    Supporting rural communities and businesses to access high quality connectivity is a [personal] priority for both myself and the Secretary of State.

    Our 10 point plan for rural connectivity restated our commitment to ensuring that rural economies benefit from the opportunities that come with better connectivity.

    To support this plan, is the appointment of Simon Fell MP as Rural Connectivity Champion. I know Simon has already met many of you here today. He will report to DSIT and Defra Secretaries of State next year on how government can continue to support rural communities to access and adopt advanced wireless connectivity.

    Earlier this year, we launched our 5G Innovation Regions programme, which will invest up to £40 million to help local and regional authorities realise the benefits of 5G and advanced wireless connectivity. Each 5G Innovation Region will develop a framework to stimulate the adoption of 5G-enabled technologies and services. I am looking forward to announcing the successful regions later in the autumn.

    Accelerating 5G adoption will be key to unlocking additional growth and productivity gains.

    I am pleased to say that today we are announcing the winners of our Smart Infrastructure Pilots Programme. The winning local authorities are Cambridgeshire County Council, Oxfordshire County Council, North Ayrshire Council, Westminster City Council Tees Valley Combined Authority, and the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames.

    The 6 winning pilots authorities will share £1.3 million of funding to procure and test smart multi-purpose street columns for wireless coverage and other uses, such as electric vehicle charging and environmental monitoring. – We are thoroughly looking forward to seeing how the successful local authorities can make a difference.

    Looking ahead, we know that upgrades are a critical element of modernising our telecoms networks. We are working closely with Ofcom and the industry to ensure consumers and sectors are protected and prepared for the Public Switched Telephone Network switch off and the sunsetting of 2G and 3G mobile services.

    Connectivity is essential for full participation in society and we know that the recent rise in the cost of living has been difficult for many households across the country.

    I want to recognise the great work of the industry in ensuring that households, including low income families are able to get and stay online. There are now 27 providers of social tariffs and government continues to work in partnership with Ofcom and industry to support those who are struggling to pay.

    Connectivity for the future

    As well as delivering connectivity today we are also looking ahead to focus on the opportunities that telecoms will bring to the UK tomorrow.

    The government has identified future telecoms as one of the 5 critical technologies that will underpin the transformation of modern British society and our economy.

    The next generation of telecoms, including 6G, should see a huge leap in digital transformation. From the expansion of satellite communications to provide near universal coverage and reducing the rural connectivity divide – to the use of drones in networks to provide energy efficient and flexible deployment.

    We will build our existing strengths in foundational research and early-stage innovation to ensure that new discoveries benefit the British public and put us at the heart of the global telecoms market, delivering our ambition to be a science and tech superpower.

    Earlier this year, we announced our plans to initially invest up to £100 million to support innovators and ensure the UK is a pioneer in future telecoms and 6G research and development. We expect competitions to launch in early October and welcome the robust enthusiasm from the sector to-date! I’m excited to see the pioneering work the winners will be working on over the next few years.

    We also continue to ensure the UK has a leading voice on the global stage and the opportunity to work closely with international partners to shape the rules and standards that govern global telecoms networks.

    We are already delivering on our 6G strategy, most recently at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in June, by ensuring that national priorities such as coverage, sustainability, security and interoperability are recognised internationally as a minimum expectation for 6G.

    And at the heart of all of this work to ensure advanced connectivity is the effective management of Spectrum which we set out in our Spectrum Statement earlier this year which sets out our plans to ensure that spectrum supports growth while protecting critical services and that we will also continue to advocate for the UK at key international fora, including this year’s World Radio Congress.

    A key element of this work is to develop and enhance spectrum sharing in the UK. Ofcom’s 2019 spectrum sharing framework was a ground-breaking step, but industry let us know that more can be done to improve the framework and help us to get more out of this finite resource. We’re working closely with Ofcom on options for spectrum sandboxes and we’re looking forward to the introduction of automation across shared spectrum bands early next year.

    Security and resilience

    As connectivity becomes more central to our lives and to the economy, so does the importance of secure and resilient digital infrastructure.

    I am pleased that, thanks to new laws, we now have one of the strongest telecoms security regimes in the world. We have introduced a robust new telecoms security framework, through the Telecommunications Security Act and subsequent regulations. The Act placed new obligations on telecoms operators and also created new national security powers, which we have used to issue directions to telecoms operators to control their use of Huawei’s goods and services within the UK’s telecoms networks.

    As technologies grow and evolve, we are firmly committed to protecting our networks, shielding our critical national infrastructure and understanding how we should ensure new telecoms networks are designed, built and managed securely.

    Following the government’s decision to remove Huawei from UK 5G networks and the need to mitigate the risks of long-term consolidation in the telecoms equipment market, our 5G Supply Chain Diversification Strategy sets out a plan to ensure the UK has a healthy and competitive telecoms supply chain market.

    The strategy is backed by the £250 million Open Networks R&D Fund which will accelerate the adoption of OpenRAN technology, allowing more suppliers to provide equipment and help diversify the market.

    I was delighted to announce last week 19 new projects which will be recipients of funding through the Open Networks R&D Fund. These projects were successful in applying for the Open Network Ecosystem (ONE) competition. With £88 million of funding, the ONE projects will help boost the technical capabilities of the UK’s open telecoms ecosystem. The UK will see trials of new mobile tech designed to increase the resilience of the UK mobile network.

    To further strengthen our network resilience, we have set an ambition, jointly with the mobile operators, for 35% traffic to be carried over OpenRAN by 2030.

    We are strengthening our collaboration with international partners to shape and stimulate the global market, putting the UK at the forefront of the global debate.

    I was pleased to open the UK’s first International Telecoms Conference in June, where we announced a new Memorandum of Understanding to deepen our cooperation with Australia. We are also working closely with partners in industry and academia to help ensure the standards shaping our networks are fit for purpose and enable the open and interoperable technologies that we need.

    So as the government creates the right policy framework for digital connectivity across the UK, we need to work together to use this as a springboard to drive investment, adoption and innovation, to really level up and boost our economy across the union.

    We can only build an economy that delivers for communities across the country together.

    With this 3-step plan, I am confident that we will.

    Thank you.

  • Helen Whately – 2023 Speech at the NHS Confederation Conference

    Helen Whately – 2023 Speech at the NHS Confederation Conference

    The speech made by Helen Whately, the Health Minister, on 27 September 2023.

    Thank you, Layla [Dr Layla McCay] and thank you all for being here.

    I wanted to be here, even with this broken ankle, because the NHS Confederation is a very important organisation and it is a great opportunity to meet lots of you here today.

    But the topic of today’s conference – health beyond the hospital – to me, that is the clincher.

    It’s something I have been wanting to talk about since the Prime Minister appointed me. But I rarely get the chance, in public, because it’s not what most people ask me about.

    For instance, if I’ve got the joy of the notorious morning media round, notorious among ministers that is, I’ll likely be asked about acute hospital performance, A&E waits, and possibly discharge into social care, because of how that affects hospitals.

    It often feels like the acute hospital is like the sun in the NHS solar system with everything else spinning round it. But it doesn’t have to be that way, and I suspect many of you are here because you don’t believe it should be that way.

    I scarcely need to remind you of the context for this conversation. Firstly, the fact that more people are living longer with multiple health conditions. Over half of people over 55 have at least one long term condition, and that goes up to 80% of people aged over 80. And more people are living to a much greater age when they are also likely to be frail.

    There are a bit under 2 million people aged over 85. And over half of people over 85 are affected by frailty. In a couple of decades that number – people over 85 – will double.

    I don’t need to tell this audience about the challenges of an ageing population for our health system. But, as the Prime Minister said last week, governments must reckon with reality.

    This reality means we need to do healthcare differently, for the sake of individuals and for the sake of the system as a whole.

    We should start with what people want. If any of you have heard me speaking about hospital visiting, you will know that my mum has been pretty unwell this year. Even so, my mum doesn’t want to go in and out of hospital. In fact, she has to be practically dead before she agrees to going. She’s not alone in that.

    We probably all know someone who is, or has been, through this – bouncing in and out of hospital. We know that it is miserable.

    What most people want is to be able to stay at home, and have their healthcare on hand, from clinicians who understand them and what they need. Giving them control over what’s going on, and without being wheeled into an emergency department time after time.

    Then looking at our health system, we know our emergency departments are struggling with the number of people turning up. They’ve got really good at triage and developing new models like having GPs on site and same day emergency care. But it’s really hard to get care right in an emergency department for someone who’s frail with really complex care needs – and for those people, once they are in hospital, it can be so much harder for them to get home.

    Now here there is some good news: what people want and what would help our stretched acute hospitals is the same.

    Now I won’t be simplistic – ministers are always looking for the silver bullet, but I have been in this job long enough to know that there is no such thing. There is no one magic thing, but what there is, is a cluster of things that make a difference.

    Several of these were brought together in the Urgent and Emergency Care Recovery Plan, and are already well on their way to being offered in every area – like consistent urgent community response services, which do a great job of keeping people out of hospital when there’s a crisis.

    Like virtual wards, or hospitals at home, which mean people can get the hospital-level care they need in their own home, avoiding admission or allowing earlier discharge. Like the ‘Enhanced Health in Care Homes’ model.

    And scaling up intermediate care for patients following hospital discharge, to which end NHS England has just published the intermediate care framework. Among other things, this guides systems on demand and capacity planning to make sure that the amount of step-down care commissioned in each area will be enough to meet the needs of patients, particularly as demand increases during the winter months.

    But there’s a particular approach which I want to focus on today, which to me is the next big thing we have to do. That is to put in place really good, proactive, community-based, multidisciplinary, proactive, anticipatory care.

    Many of you will have heard of the Jean Bishop Centre in Hull, but for those of you who haven’t, I’ll give you a whistle-stop introduction.

    It’s named after, obviously, Jean Bishop. For 30 years Jean paced the streets of Hull, rattling her tin, and urging passers-by to donate to charity. She borrowed a stripy outfit from Age UK and quickly became known as Hull’s ‘bee lady’ – a local legend.

    She went out in all seasons – sunshine or rain, for anyone who knows Hull. This remarkable woman raised more than £125,000 for charity. She passed away 2 years ago, but her legacy lives on: Hull’s Jean Bishop Integrated Care Centre opened in 2018.

    Now people talk a lot about integrated care. This is it in action. The centre’s team includes geriatricians, advanced nurse practitioners, GPs, pharmacists, therapists and social workers, all under one roof.

    GPs across Hull identify patients at risk of severe frailty and refer them for a comprehensive assessment. They’ll see whoever they need to see in that multidisciplinary team. And they’ll get a tailored care plan shared with them, their GP and the hospital. A plan that reflects what they want – to help them manage their own care and stay healthy.

    The centre offers the same service to care home residents too. And it works. Between 2019 and 2022, for patients aged over 80, emergency hospital admissions fell by more than 13% and A&E attendance for patients in care homes fell by almost a fifth.

    And they are not the only ones doing this. For example, the ‘Age Well Team’ in Northamptonshire, with a proactive care model and a multi-disciplinary team, have seen a 5% drop in unplanned hospital admissions.

    Another example – one that means a lot to me because it’s just on my doorstep in Kent – is the proactive integrated care provided by the Estuary View practice in Whitstable, which was one of the vanguards that informed the inclusion of integrated community health services and expanded neighbourhood teams in the NHS Long Term Plan.

    I imagine those of you here today also have some great examples in your areas, which I’d like to learn about.

    So what now? Well, I meet with James Sanderson, who you heard from just before the break, every couple of weeks, and pretty much every time we meet, I ask him about this.

    Over the last few months, James and colleagues at NHS England – working with organisations like Age UK and the British Geriatrics Society, drawing from best practice across the country and the world – have been developing the proactive care framework, focused on frailty. Which will set out the combination of things that good proactive care involves – the effective use of data, holistic assessments, personalised care, multidisciplinary working, co-ordinated care and targeted support for individual patients and their carers.

    The framework is coming soon to help systems put this into practice, and then the job will be to make it happen.

    Now, making stuff happen can’t just be by ministerial decree – me saying it is not enough. Making things happen involves thousands of people who work in the NHS thinking, and doing, something differently. And in my experience, just telling people to do something doesn’t work – at least, not very well. We need people across the NHS to believe in this, to want to do it, and then to have the support to be able to do it.

    And what I would love from you, and I recognise I am preaching to the converted here today, is to do what you can to make this happen. Because if I know anything, the answers to the problems are out there, not up here.

    Before I sit down and take your questions, on my part, I can give you this assurance. People often talk about the NHS like it’s the National Hospital Service, not the National Health Service. And when the chips are down, the focus tends to be the hospitals and what’s going on in them. But I don’t let that happen on my watch.

    I’m always the one who says, ‘Hold on – what about the rest of the system?’

    If I go back to my solar system analogy earlier, the sun at the centre actually should be the person, the individual, whose health this is all about. Hospitals, community health services, mental health services, social care providers and so on – these are all important parts of the system.

    And the future of healthcare is as much about what happens out of the hospital, as what happens in it.

  • Tom Tugendhat – 2023 Speech at the International Security Expo

    Tom Tugendhat – 2023 Speech at the International Security Expo

    The speech made by Tom Tugendhat, the Security Minister, on 26 September 2023.

    Thank you very much indeed for the invitation and opportunity to address you  again. This is my second time speaking here. It was a year ago that I was able to immerse myself among some of the most fantastic and innovative companies that the UK and indeed countries around the world are bringing together here.

    It’s fantastic as well to see such innovation even in the last twelve months. While many of us have been focused on other security challenges, and in my case of course the death of her late majesty, the Queen, and the coronation of our new King, have dominated many of the security issues I have been particularly focused on.

    We’ve also been sadly witnessing Russia’s brutal, illegal, vile and unprovoked attack on Ukraine.

    It saddens me that a year on, that war has not only continued  but it has cost many many more lives The UK remains absolutely steadfast in our commitment to the defence of a free and democratic people in Ukraine and their ability to determine their own future, free from Russian aggression.

    Russia’s actions have provided us all with a very clear and stark reminder of the delicate nature of global peace and stability. And once again we are being challenged to stand up for those values.

    That challenge is one we must meet head on because, although the world is changing some core elements are not. We still have a very fundamental choice between us, the decision to defend our freedom and our democracy, and we are very clear on what side we stand.

    But that also means standing with friends and partners. Because our security, the bedrock on which all our freedoms is built doesn’t stand alone and is not set apart from those of NATO, Europe, Five Eyes and indeed many partners around the world.

    The defence of our nation, the defence of our national security and of our citizens has been the guiding light of my working life. As many people know I have been a public servant in uniform and out of it for many years focusing entirely on the security of our people and our friends.

    So I pay tribute to everyone across government, but particularly those in law enforcement, security and the intelligence community and of course in defence for everything they do in support of our nation.

    As you know better than anyone, that mission goes beyond the state. It goes into industry, the private sectors, into academia and into individual ideas and innovations that are happening across the world and across the United Kingdom. So I pay huge tribute to all those in private sector who contribute to our security as well.

    The relentless focus on the security of our people, our institutions, our economy and our values does not change.

    That is not to say, however, that we can simply continue doing what we have always done.

    In fact, that would be a mistake. The threats we face now, not only to life, but to our way of life, are as varied as they have ever been and are continuing to get more so.

    The reality is that our adversaries are no longer as easily identifiable as the days when I was training at Sandhurst..

    They don’t wear uniforms, they don’t carry flags, they don’t walk around in the open..

    The reality is that today’s enemies, sadly are lurking on the internet and in the shadows.

    They are using non-state actors, criminal groups and indeed private companies to undermine our security.

    That danger comes from entire states and also from lone actors alike.

    Now I don’t say this to sound alarmist indeed, what I have seen over the last year has filled me with enormous confidence that the response that many companies here have made against these target, against these threats, and to protect ourselves.

    But it is also important we underline a new era of warfare and security we live in.

    So, what have we done about it? What have the last 12 months looked like? Well we’ve taken some very significant steps.

    I’ve mentioned Russia and Ukraine, and all of the activity to support Ukraine and how we’ve manage security implications for the UK over that time. How we’ve learnt from what we’ve seen there, and made sure that those lessons are embedded.

    Closer at home, well, I’ve been working to make sure our apparatus for fighting terrorism is as strong, precise and agile as it needs to be to keep the public safe.

    Our counter-terrorism strategy, which many people know, CONTEST, has been in place now for over 20 years.

    Over that time, it has been established as, let’s face it, the best approach that we’ve seen around the world. It’s based on the four pillars which many of you will be able to recite by heart: prevent, pursue, protect and prepare. I normally forget one of them.

    There is no change to that core framework, but as the public would expect, we are constantly asking ourselves what we need to do to modernise it.

    That culminated in the publication this summer of a refreshed version of CONTEST which many of you will have seen, to make sure the UK remains ahead of the enduring and evolving threat we face from terrorism, both here in the UK and to our interests abroad.

    This updated strategy describes a need to respond to a domestic terrorist threat which is less predictable and harder to detect and investigate, a persistent and evolving threat from Islamist groups overseas, and an operating environment in which technological advances present both opportunities and risks.

    CONTEST sets out how the UK’s counter-terrorism response will remain agile in the face of an evolving threat, integrated so that we can bring the right interventions to bear at the right time to reduce risk, and aligned with our international allies to ensure that we can continue to deliver together.

    And I will add that our partnerships with academia, the private sector and industry are critical in this endeavour, not only in supporting our counter-terrorism efforts with technological achievements, but also by injecting a drive for continuous improvement throughout our approach.

    Now I mentioned earlier that we have to contend with threats not only to life but to our way of life, and that has perhaps been the most significant element of my work as Security Minister

    Over the last 10 or 20 years, terrorism was quite rightly been the focus of my predecessors, the emergence of what we call state actors has now opened up a whole new dimension.

    State threats are growing and diversifying as systematic competition intensifies. This can manifest itself in many forms, including espionage; interference; sabotage; physical threats to individuals; and attempts to undermine the rules based international system. Essentially, we are talking about is activity that seeks to undermine our security, our prosperity and our democracy.

    So, I’ve placed a huge amount of emphasis on the need to bolster our response to state threats. One of the most important questions we have to ask ourselves when confronting emerging dangers like this is ‘do we have the powers we need’ ‘are our laws up to date’, ‘do we have the tools for the task?’

    The truth is we didn’t. And that’s why we brought forward the National Security Act which was made law and the King signed only a few months ago. The Act brings together vital new measures to protect our national security. It overhauls and updates our outdated espionage laws, and creates a whole suite of measures designed to enable our law enforcement and intelligence agencies to deter, detect and disrupt the full range of modern-day state threats.

    This is a genuine operational change in our ability to protect ourselves, the state and you as companies from the threat you may be facing to your intellectual property and your ability to provide essential defence.

    Fraud is another area where we have sharpened up our response. These crimes pose a significant threat not just to individuals, but also to our collective prosperity and security. Earlier this year, we unveiled a new Fraud Strategy to stop scams at source, to boost protections for the public and strengthen the enforcement.

    So that’s a small flavour of the progress we’ve made over the last year. But, as I made clear at the beginning, we cannot afford to be complacent.

    That need to be indefatigable in our thirst to learn, to improve our response and to bolster our capabilities was brought home in the starkest possible fashion by the heinous attack at the Manchester Arena only a few years ago.

    That atrocity that occurred that night was an act of – call it what it is – an act of absolute, pure evil. While we cannot bring back those whose lives were so brutally cut short, we can do everything possible to prevent more families suffering in the way that the victims and their  loved ones suffered that night.

    A huge amount of work has already been undertaken since the attack, not least the Manchester Arena Inquiry itself, which ended in August.

    But we must never stop To ensure we learn the lessons, the Home Office has established the Manchester Arena Inquiry Assurance Programme. The assurance programme will work closely with our emergency service partners to oversee the continued delivery of the Manchester Arena Inquiry recommendations now that the Inquiry has closed.

    As with all Home Office work, it will be accountable to the Home Affairs Select Committee for its progress, and, crucially, it will also provide a range of engagement events for victims of the Manchester Arena attack. In so doing, the assurance programme will provide updates on recommendation delivery to those most affected by their work.

    In May, we published the Terrorism  (Protection of Premises) Draft Bill.

    This bill is truly known, correctly, as ‘Martyn’s Law’ because we named it after Martyn Hett, who was killed in the Manchester Arena attack. I’m very pleased to see Figen, Martyn’s mother, here today.

    As many of you will know, Figen Murray has campaigned tirelessly for this change in the law. I pay enormous tribute to the work that she has done to make people aware of the changes, some of them incredibly small that we can make to make our communities safer and better prepared. It is no exaggeration to say that without her I would not be discussing this draft legislation today.  She has been a tireless campaigner.

    Martyn’s Law will ensure that  there is better preparedness for terrorist attacks in public venues.

    Our expert security partners assess that individuals are more likely to take action that can mitigate harm and save lives if they have considered what they would do, and how, before an attack occurring.

    Throughout the development of the legislation, I have been extremely conscious of the need for proportionality, balancing the requirements with other pressures facing venues and owners.

    That’s why for larger venues and events, we are asking more than in those smaller venues because not only are they more likely to be targets and sadly they are more likely to have more people in. That means that larger venues will need to implement security measures, develop a security plan and provide terrorism protection training to workers.

    The duty is not entirely dissimilar to consideration venues will already be giving to health and safety and fire safety.  A suite of guidance, good practice examples and templates will be available to support owners and operators. High quality advice is already available through the online platform ProtectUK, which I know many of you already use and I would advise those who aren’t, please do.

    We are also making progress in our mission to tackle state threats. Let me tell you a little bit about some of the other work we’re doing. We passed the National Security Act but that is only just the beginning.

    Always a major area of interest to me is the Defending Democracy Taskforce, which I have been asked to lead on behalf of the government.

    Through the Taskforce, we are embedding a whole-system approach to protect the UK’s democratic processes, institutions and society and deliver a secure and resilient UK, free from threats of foreign interference.

    Looking ahead, we must also continue working to understand the risks and opportunities flowing from technological advancements.

    The pace of change has been so rapid and rampant that it can be difficult to keep track. But we must.

    I believe the UK should lead the world in shaping the future. Many of you already do that with technology and the ways your companies prepare security.

    That’s why I’m also delighted that we will be hosting the AI Safety Summit at Bletchley Park in November.

    The Summit will focus on promoting our wider vision for AI and on safety risks in ‘frontier AI’ to drive coordinated international action.

    The United Kingdom government’s overall objective is to ensure the safe and reliable development and use of frontier AI globally.

    We recognise that AI presents both a generational challenge and  generational opportunities, and will have lasting impact on humankind in terms of how we live and work, and our security, domestically and internationally.

    To keep the UK safe, secure, and prosperous, we must ensure that as the technology evolves, it does so in a safe, responsible, and fair way.

    Many organisations outside of national governments, in particular private companies, have been pivotal to the most recent advances in AI. It will therefore be absolutely critical to work with private companies around the world to make sure the safety measures we need are embedded not just government-to-government basis.

    It has been my absolute pleasure to join you again today.

    Security in 2023, as you all know very well, is about so much more than government, the police and security services.

    It’s about all of you, it’s about making sure the entire mission   and buy-in from right across society and that people understand what we’re trying to do to keep our whole community safe. I am really grateful to all of you who, who day in day out, continue to prepare the United Kingdom and our friends and allies to respond.

    Thank you very much indeed for your time today. I am very confident that the work you are doing, that we are doing together, is going to keep us safe for many years into the future. The work that you do will also build into our economy a level of resilience and that level of control that means you are able to succeed.

    Thank you very much indeed for being here today, it is very nice to see some old friends and indeed many new ones. Thank you very much for inviting me.

  • James Cleverly – 2023 Statement at the OSCE Reinforced Permanent Council

    James Cleverly – 2023 Statement at the OSCE Reinforced Permanent Council

    The statement made by James Cleverly, the Foreign Secretary, on 26 September 2023.

    Thank you for convening this reinforced Permanent Council and for the strength of your leadership in these difficult circumstances. I welcome this discussion. The Euro-Atlantic region faces its greatest security challenge since 1945. The importance of the OSCE therefore cannot be overstated – not least as a forum to hold Russia to account and help Ukraine prevail. But it currently faces its greatest ever threat.

    Like any organisation, the OSCE needs strong leadership and adequate resources to function. You and your team along with Secretary General Helga Schmid and the institution heads have provided leadership. And our flexible approach has so far provided the resources. But Russia’s insistence on blocking progress on institutional matters puts all of those things at risk. If Russia feels isolated, it is because it has isolated itself through its illegal war and through its blatant disregard for civilized norms of behaviour.

    There is of course a way to fix this – Russia can change its approach, and we call on Russia to do so. Not to do so will imperil the existence of an organisation that has helped ensure peace and security for five decades. The organisation needs a budget, it needs effective leadership, and it needs a Chair.

    The UK is grateful for Estonia’s offer to Chair in 2024. Estonia should know that it has our full support, as well as the support of most other members. We are also grateful to the Chair and the staff for providing options for managing the budget. But our ultimate aim is a properly functioning OSCE, no matter by which means. If Estonia’s candidacy does not secure consensus, we will support another state willing to Chair in line with the Helsinki principles. These are not normal times so we are willing to consider unorthodox options. If no alternative exists, the UK will support North Macedonia’s serving again or continuing as Chair. We applaud the exemplary leadership shown by the current four leaders in the OSCE under extremely difficult circumstances. The chances of us finding a consensus on replacements at this moment frankly are minimal. Let them then continue their work into 2024.

    We should be here preparing for a Ministerial Council and discussing the important work the OSCE does for all our citizens. Instead, sadly, we are forced to focus on these procedural matters. So I ask those who would block progress, if you oppose Estonia’s candidacy, if you would block colleagues from remaining in post, if you would prevent agreement of an adequate budget – what then do you propose in its place? History will not judge those kindly those who undermine the important work of this organisation and its just causes.

    Thank you.

  • Will Quince – 2023 Statement at the UN Universal Health Coverage High-level Meeting

    Will Quince – 2023 Statement at the UN Universal Health Coverage High-level Meeting

    The statement made by Will Quince, the Foreign Office Minister, on 25 September 2023.

    No matter where in the world they’re born, everyone has a right to affordable, quality health care.

    But every year, seeking health care pushes hundreds of millions of people into poverty. And millions more can’t get the care they deserve.

    We cannot let this continue. We can do better.

    That’s why today, we must reinvigorate our mission to achieve universal health coverage.

    The UK proposes three key priorities.

    First, we must focus our efforts on a primary health care approach.

    The UK is committed to doing this by building global partnerships.

    This includes working with like minded nations to champion sexual and reproductive health and rights as part of universal health coverage. And rolling out life-changing vaccines, medicines, and technology in communities.

    This week, we pledged up to £295 million for global research partnerships.

    These partnerships will help forge the tools and evidence we need to make universal health coverage a reality. As well as addressing other key priorities like ending the preventable deaths of mothers, babies and children, strengthening global health security, and tackling antimicrobial resistance.

    Second, we must combat financial hardship.

    This means Governments protecting the poorest in our societies from devastating health care fees.

    We recognise many countries face serious financial challenges, limiting their ability to do this.

    That’s why the UK is championing reforms to the international financial system to help developing countries access more finance to address their priorities. And achieving universal coverage must be at the heart of this work.

    Third, we must strengthen the global workforce, the lifeblood of our health systems.

    By 2030, there could be a global shortfall of ten million health workers. So, we must join forces to train, recruit, and retain more of these vital public servants.

    That’s why this year, we launched the first-ever long-term workforce plan for the NHS. And announced a £15 million international investment package, working with our partners Ghana, Nigeria, and Kenya to bolster their health workforces.

    But this is just the beginning.

    All our nations need to work together in a truly global partnership. We are stronger together than alone.

    Only then can we deliver universal health coverage, and build a fairer, brighter, and healthier world.

    So today, let’s roll up our sleeves and get on with the job.

    Thank you.

  • Andrew Mitchell – 2023 Statement at the UN Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response High-level Meeting

    Andrew Mitchell – 2023 Statement at the UN Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response High-level Meeting

    The statement made by Andrew Mitchell, the Foreign Office Minister, on 20 September 2023.

    The COVID-19 pandemic was the biggest challenge of our lifetime.

    The international response was punctuated with many high points of cooperation, and some low points of isolationism. We need to do better so that we are prepared for the next crisis.

    That means two things.

    First, we must provide help to lower and middle income countries so they’re better able to withstand health threats.

    The UK is committed to doing what it can to help strengthen health systems — they are the bedrock of effective pandemic prevention, preparedness and response.

    To boost collaboration on research and development, including clinical trials and data sharing.

    To help to improve coordination across the human, animal and environmental health sectors.

    And to work with partners to ensure that safe and effective vaccines, medicines and tests are available during pandemics to all who need them, when they need them.

    Today, the UK is announcing over £370 million to strengthen global health security.

    This will help tackle deadly diseases in Africa, expand the UK Vaccine Network programme, and establish research and technical partnerships in Africa and the Indo-Pacific.

    Second, we must improve multilateral co-operation. Central to this are the negotiations in Geneva on a new Pandemic Accord and agreeing measures to improve pandemic prevention, preparedness and response whilst respecting national sovereignty.

    We must also reform the international financial institutions to release more finance to lower- and middle-income countries — an agenda the UK is championing. And it means investing in the Pandemic Fund and other funds to strengthen preparedness. As well as ensuring that when the next pandemic strikes, faster funding is available.

    We face an important moment. We must reflect on the lessons learnt from COVID-19 and work together to protect future generations from the catastrophic impacts of pandemics. They will rightly not forgive us should we fail.

    Thank you.

  • Oliver Dowden – 2023 Statement at the UN Sustainable Development Goals Summit

    Oliver Dowden – 2023 Statement at the UN Sustainable Development Goals Summit

    The statement made by Oliver Dowden, the Deputy Prime Minister, on 19 September 2023.

    Your Excellencies. It is half time on the SDGs, and our collective promise is in peril.

    The UK was instrumental in developing Agenda 2030 and its SDGs.

    Today we recommit to them – and to reforming the international financial system that will play such a big role in helping us deliver them.

    We are driving reforms of the Multilateral Development Banks including stretching their balance sheets to release over $200bn of additional finance over the next ten years.

    To support this, the UK is announcing two innovative guarantees to scale up MDB lending one to unlock $1 billion in education financing and one to unlock up to $1.8 billion of climate finance for Asia-Pacific countries.

    I also reiterate our support for a bigger and better World Bank, which increases voice and

    representation of the poorest and most vulnerable.

    We support reforms to make the MDBs more agile, more shock responsive and better able to mobilise more private investment.

    We encourage MDBs and all other creditors to offer Climate Resilient Debt Clauses – pioneered by the UK – to pause debt repayments when disaster strikes.

    We will continue to mobilise billions through British Investment Partnerships for energy transitions and infrastructure –$40 billion by 2027 and we will support countries to collect taxes owed to them to invest in their development, with a new £17 million package of support.

    We must of course meet our global climate finance goals which is why at the G20, the Prime Minister announced $2 billion for the Green Climate Fund the biggest single commitment the UK has made to help the world tackle climate change.

    We must maintain the spirit of partnership that created the SDGs as we ensure the financing and investment to deliver them.

    We will do that through UK-hosted Summits on Food Security, AI, and Investment in Africa keeping up momentum through the autumn, into 2024, and all the way to 2030.

    Thank you.

  • Oliver Dowden – 2023 Speech to the UN General Assembly

    Oliver Dowden – 2023 Speech to the UN General Assembly

    The speech made by Oliver Dowden, the Deputy Prime Minister, on 23 September 2023.

    Mr President,

    As we meet here this evening millions of people in Morocco and Libya continue to struggle with the aftermath of a devastating earthquake and catastrophic flood.

    Let me extend the sympathy of the British people to all those who have lost loved ones.

    Our search and rescue teams have been deployed in Morocco and we have increased our humanitarian support for Libya.

    We will continue our support – alongside many other nations represented here in the weeks and months to come.

    This week, nations have gathered here to recommit to addressing the biggest challenges we face.

    Climate change, with catastrophic weather events telling us to act, now.

    The Sustainable Development Goals… and how to get them back on track after Covid.

    Migration, with millions crossing borders and dangerous seas, at the mercy of human traffickers.

    And Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine… an attack on a sovereign member of the United Nations by a Permanent Member of its Security Council.

    The most heinous assault imaginable on everything this organisation stands for, and was founded to prevent.

    With consequences felt not just by the brave people of Ukraine, but by millions more across the globe.

    Those hit by food shortages – particularly in developing countries – are Putin’s victims too.

    Russia could end this war tomorrow. Putin could end this war tomorrow. That is what the world demands.

    But until that happens, the United Kingdom will stand alongside Ukraine.

    Whatever it takes.

    For weeks, for months – if necessary, for years.

    Because if these United Nations – in which the United Kingdom believes, and helped to found – are to count for anything, it is surely for the cardinal principle that aggression cannot, and must not pay.

    These are the issues of the moment.

    But I want to focus on another challenge.

    A challenge that is already with us today, and which is changing – right now – all of our tomorrows.

    It is going to change everything we do – education, business, healthcare, defence – the way we live.

    And it is going to change government – and relations between nations – fundamentally.

    It is going to change this United Nations, fundamentally.

    Artificial Intelligence – the biggest transformation the world has known.

    Our task as governments is to understand it, grasp it, and seek to govern it.

    And we must do so at speed.

    Think how much has changed in a few short months.

    And then think how different this world will look in five years or ten years’ time.

    We are fast becoming familiar with the AI of today, but we need to prepare for the AI of tomorrow.

    At this frontier, we need to accept that we simply do not know the bounds of possibilities.

    We are as Edison before the light came on, or as Tim Berners-Lee before the first email was sent.

    They could not – surely – have respectively envisaged the illumination of the New York skyline at night, or the wonders of the modern internet.

    But they suspected the transformative power of their inventions.

    Frontier AI, with the capacity to process the entirety of human knowledge in

    Seconds, has the potential not just to transform our lives, but to reimagine our understanding of science.

    If – like me – you believe that humans are on the path to decoding the mysteries of the smallest particles, or the farthest reaches of our universe, if you think that the Millenium Prize Problems are ultimately solvable, or that we will eventually fully understand viruses, then you will surely agree that by adding to the sum total of our intelligence at potentially dizzying scales.

    Frontier AI will unlock at least some of those answers on an expedited timetable in our lifetimes.

    Because in AI time, years are days even hours.

    The “frontier” is not as far as we might assume.

    That brings with it great opportunities.

    The AI models being developed today could deliver the energy efficiency needed to beat climate change, stimulate the crop yields required to feed the world, detect signs of chronic diseases or pandemics, better manage supply chains so everyone has access to the materials and goods they need, and enhance productivity in both business and governments.

    In fact, every single challenge discussed at this year’s General Assembly – and more – could be improved or even solved by AI.

    Perhaps the most exciting thing is that AI can be a democratising tool, open to everyone.

    Just as we have seen digital adoption sweep across the developing world, AI has the potential to empower millions of people in every part of our planet, giving everyone, wherever they are, the ability to be part of this revolution.

    AI can and should be a tool for all.

    Yet any technology that can be used by all can also be used for ill.

    We have already seen the dangers AI can pose: teens hacking individuals’ bank details; terrorists targeting government systems; cyber criminals duping voters with deep-fakes and bots; even states suppressing their peoples.

    But our focus on the risks has to include the potential of agentic frontier AI, which at once surpasses our collective intelligence, and defies our understanding.

    Indeed, many argue that this technology is like no other, in the sense that its creators themselves don’t even know how it works.

    They can’t explain why it does what it does, they cannot predict what it will – or will not – do.

    The principal risks of frontier AI will therefore come from misuse, misadventure, or misalignment with human objectives.

    Our efforts need to preempt all of these possibilities – and to come together to agree a shared understanding of those risks.

    This is what the AI Safety Summit that the United Kingdom is hosting in November will seek to achieve.

    Despite the entreaties we saw from some experts earlier in the year, I do not believe we can hold back the tide.

    There is no future in which this technology does not develop at an extraordinary pace.

    And although I applaud leading companies’ efforts to put safety at the heart of their development, and for their voluntary commitments that provide guardrails against unsafe deployment, the starting gun has been fired on a globally competitive race in which individual companies as well as countries will strive to push the boundaries as far and fast as possible.

    Indeed, the stated aim of these companies is to build superintelligence.

    AI that strives to surpass human intelligence in every possible way.

    Some of the people working on this think it is just a few years away.

    The question for governments is how we respond to that.

    The speed and scale demands leaders are clear-eyed about the implications and potential.

    We cannot afford to become trapped in debates about whether AI is a tool for good or a tool for ill; it will be a tool for both.

    We must prepare for both and insure against the latter.

    The international community must devote its response equally to the opportunities and the risks – and do so with both vigour and enthusiasm.

    In the past, leaders have responded to scientific and technological developments with retrospective regulation.

    But in this instance the necessary guardrails, regulation and governance must be developed in a parallel process with the technological progress.

    Yet, at the moment, global regulation is falling behind current advances.

    Lawmakers must draw in everyone – developers, experts, academics – to understand in advance the sort of opportunities and risks that might be presented.

    We must be frontier governments alongside the frontier innovators.

    The United Kingdom is determined to be in the vanguard, working with like-minded allies in the United Nations and through the Hiroshima G7 process, the Global Partnership on AI, and the OECD.

    Ours is a country which is uniquely placed.

    We have the frontier technology companies.

    We have world-leading universities.

    And we have some of the highest investment in generative AI.

    And, of course, we have the heritage of the Industrial Revolution and the computing revolution.

    This hinterland gives us the grounding to make AI a success, and make it safe.

    They are two sides of the same coin, and our Prime Minister has put AI safety at the forefront of his ambitions.

    We recognise that while, of course, every nation will want to protect its own interests and strategic advantage, the most important actions we will take will be international.

    In fact, because tech companies and non-state actors often have country-sized influence and prominence in AI, this challenge requires a new form of multilateralism.

    Because it is only by working together that we will make AI safe for everyone.

    Our first ever AI Safety Summit in November will kick-start this process with a focus on frontier technology.

    In particular, we want to look at the most serious possible risks such as the potential to undermine biosecurity, or increase the ability of people to carry out cyber attacks, as well as the danger of losing control of the machines themselves.

    For those that would say that these warnings are sensationalist, or belong in the realm of science-fiction, I simply point to the words of hundreds of AI developers, experts and academics, who have said – and I quote:

    “Mitigating the risk of extinction from AI should be a global priority alongside other societal-scale risks such as pandemics and nuclear war.”

    I do not stand here claiming to be an expert on AI, but I do believe that policy-makers and Governments ignore this expert consensus at the peril of all of our citizens.

    Our Summit will aim to reach a common understanding of these most extreme risks, and how the world should confront them. And at the same time, focus on how safe AI can be used for public good.

    The speed of this progress demands this is not a one-off, or even an annual gathering.

    New breakthroughs are happening daily, and we need to convene more regularly.

    Moreover, it is essential that we bring governments together with the best academics and researchers to be able to evaluate the technologies.

    Tech companies must not mark their own homework, just as governments and citizens must have confidence that risks are properly mitigated.

    Indeed, a large part of this work should be about ensuring faith in the system, and it is only nation states that can provide the most significant national security concern reassurance that has been allayed.

    That is why I am so proud that the United Kingdom’s world-leading Frontier AI Taskforce has brought together pioneering experts like Yoshua Bengio and Paul Christiano, with the head of GCHQ and our National Security Advisers.

    It is the first body of its kind in the world that is developing the capacity to conduct the safe external red-teaming that will be critical to building confidence in frontier models.

    And our ambition is for the Taskforce to evolve to become a permanent institutional structure, with an international offer.

    Building this capacity in liberal, democratic countries is important.

    Many world-beating technologies were developed in nations where expression flows openly and ideas are exchanged freely.

    A culture of rules and transparency is essential to creativity and innovation, and it is just as essential to making AI safe.

    So that, ladies and gentlemen, is the task that confronts us.

    It is – in its speed, and its scale, and its potential – unlike anything we – or our predecessors – have known before.

    Exciting.

    Daunting.

    Inexorable.

    So now we must work – alongside its pioneers – to understand it, to govern it, to harness its potential, and to contain its risks.

    We will have to be pioneers too.

    We may not know where the risks lie, how we might contain them, or even the fora in which we must determine them.

    What we do know, however, is that the most powerful action will come when nations work together.

    The AI revolution will be a bracing test for the multilateral system, to show that it can work together on a question that will help to define the fate of humanity.

    Our future – humanity’s future – our entire planet’s future, depends on our ability to do so.

    That is our challenge, and this is our opportunity.

    To be – truly – the United Nations.

     

  • Lucy Frazer – 2023 Speech to the Royal Television Society

    Lucy Frazer – 2023 Speech to the Royal Television Society

    The speech made by Lucy Frazer, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, in Cambridge on 20 September 2023.

    Good afternoon, thank you for the introduction Alex.

    I thought today, I might share a secret from my past.

    When I was about 7 I used to dream about creating and presenting my own TV show.

    After school I watched Tony Hart transform Morph on my screen and imagined my future on the TV.

    The fact that I was absolutely hopeless at art never appeared to me to be a barrier to my prospective career.

    And then, one day, I nearly got my breakthrough.

    When I was about 8 I attended a dance class (and i was just as bad at dance as I was art) and the whole class auditioned to be in a TV advert.

    Unbelievably I reached the final round.

    And my glamorous future flashed in front of me.

    But that inevitable tap on the shoulder asking me to leave the stage quickly ended my not yet burgeoning career.

    And my dreams of the starry world of film and TV came to a crashing end when I started my law degree.

    And I know that millions of people across the country, young and old, share that dream about being involved in what is one of our most exciting and glamorous industries.

    And where better a place to have that ambition?

    Here in the UK, our TV is genuinely world leading.

    And it has been world-leading for years – from the days of four to five channels, to the current all-you-can-eat world of television we’re in now.

    Today, in 2023, we produce the best of the best.

    Many of the most celebrated shows of this golden era have been made here in the UK, written here in the UK, and shot here in the UK.

    Shows like Sex Education, The Crown and Luther that have become huge hits not just in this country, but all over the world.

    And with imitation being the sincerest form of flattery, many of our great TV shows and formats have spawned remakes all over the world – from Love Island and The Office to Bake Off and Ghosts.

    You have created a great environment for our TV excellence.

    One which discovers and nurtures outstanding talent.

    One where creativity is given licence to flourish, every day.

    Everyone should take a quick look at IMDb’s top 100 TV shows voted for by users, 26 were first shown on British screens.

    British-produced shows like Peaky Blinders, Chernobyl and David Attenborough’s nature documentaries all featured in the top 10.

    Our PSBs have been able to bring the same levels of creativity to their programming as streaming services backed by some of the biggest businesses in the world.

    You see in countless programmes from Happy Valley and Unforgotten to Taskmaster and Derry Girls.

    Meanwhile companies like Netflix continue to underline the dominance of our TV and film industry in Europe.

    Spending $6 billion making TV shows and films in Britain over the past 4 years.

    Investment that has given us zeitgeist-defining shows from The Crown and Top Boy to The Tinder Swindler

    But despite all this excellence, it would be foolish to ignore the enormous challenges that you all face in remaining competitive.

    I know that the ongoing strikes in the US are having a significant impact on many working in the industry in the UK.

    The government is committed to our film and high-end TV sector, and we want to ensure that it’s in the best possible position to bounce back once the US strikes are resolved.

    At the same time, we know that new technologies are, and will continue to drive changes in users’ habits and impact the market landscape.

    You only need to look at a handful of Ofcom’s figures to appreciate the seismic scale of change.

    They show the number of TV programmes pulling in 4 million or more viewers has halved since 2014.

    They show live programmes, like news shows or soaps, are seeing steep declines in viewer numbers across the board.

    They show that TikTok, for the second year in a row, was the fastest-growing source of news in the UK.

    We know that Artificial Intelligence is already beginning to transform the way we create and consume media and content.

    The Government has an interest in this – because your success is success for our economy, with the jobs and growth you support – and your success is also success for our society, because the content you create helps to entertain, challenge, console, educate.

    So it is our job, in Government, to support you to ensure in this changing landscape, we protect, preserve and enhance the existing ecosystem that you have all created here in the UK.

    And so I see my role as three fold.

    First, Maximising the potential of the creative industries including TV, helping you to grow your revenues, invest and spur growth across the UK.

    Secondly, giving you the support you need to navigate this changing world,

    And thirdly, ensuring that at all times that we champion media freedoms.

    Today’s theme in this conference is about choice.

    I see choice as opportunity.

    I want to talk about these three priorities within this context, to enable you seize the opportunities that are available.

    And I want to expand on those three roles.

    So first, potential.

    Since I was appointed as your Culture Secretary 7 months ago I have sought to maximise the potential of the creative industries, which includes TV.

    In February I worked with the Chancellor to ensure we not only continue the High-End TV tax relief and other creative tax reliefs, but actually increase them, in the form of the new Audio-Visual Expenditure Credit (AVEC).

    And, in June, I published our Sector Vision – which is a collaboration with the industry – in particular the Creative Industries Council.

    This vision set out our ambition for the creative industries as a whole.

    An ambition to grow the sector by £50 billion, create a million new jobs and a pipeline of talent, all by 2030.

    And I am now working with the industry to deliver on that commitment.

    Through the funding of Creative Industries Clusters across the country like TV in Leeds, gaming in Dundee and Bristol.

    Backing innovation in the TV industry – with funding for collaborations like the one between we’ve just announced between the National Television and Film School, Royal Holloway University of London and Pinewood for the development of green screens.

    And investing in developing the pipeline of talent, with approval for BRIT School North in Bradford in August, to help us bring through the next Tom Holland or the next Amy Winehouse.

    These are just three examples of how we are investing over £300 million since the last Spending Review.

    And they build on years of support by the Government.

    Building on the tax reliefs that support and incentivise culturally British production, like the high end TV tax relief and the audio visual and cultural reliefs.

    Direct funding through initiatives like the Global Screen Fund.

    As well as the significant support we gave throughout Covid through the £1.5 billion Culture Recovery Fund and the hugely successful Film and TV Restart Scheme that supported more than 100,000 jobs for cast and crew on more than 1,000 productions.

    I am proud that the Government has, for years, recognised the importance of our TV industry.

    Secondly as I highlighted we need to make sure you have the framework in which to remain globally competitive in this changing world.

    That is why we’re bringing forward the Media Bill, which we have already drafted and consulted on.

    This Bill updates the system in which public service broadcasters operate, future proofs it and levels the playing field.

    It ensures that we sustain both public service broadcasters and the radio sector.

    It does this by making sure public service broadcasters’ apps like BBC iPlayer and ITV X, as well as STV Player in Scotland, the Channel 4 app, My5 and S4C’s Clic in Wales are always easy to find and watch, whether you’re on a smart TV or using a streaming stick.

    The way we’ve approached this Bill has been in a consultative fashion, but I do recognise some concerns remain, including about extending content regulation to video on demand services.

    But what we are saying is this – is that when you are watching TV, the same rules that apply to a new Channel 4 series or a new Sky documentary should be the ones applied across the board.

    The Bill is about ensuring we have the right playing field in place for all parts of the TV ecosystem to thrive.

    This is part of our work to help bring TV into the digital age but we recognise there is more to do.

    Because we recognise that internet provided TV is growing,

    74% of homes now have a smart TV connected to the internet.

    And this has spawned hundreds of new, mostly internet-based TV channels which have created yet another innovative way for audiences to enjoy their favourite shows.

    But while this shift is an exciting one, it’s our job to look at those channels that fall outside our existing regulations and to make sure people are not left behind by this move to digital.

    That’s why we are going to consult on whether we need to extend regulation to these unregulated channels and Electronic Programme Guides. And if so, how?

    And, my starting point in looking at this will always be that any change to regulations must strike a balance between protecting people – particularly the young and vulnerable while protecting freedom of speech, and not unduly burdening the TV industry.

    I know that this challenge of the move to internet TV is something that you are thinking about with the announcement of Freely earlier this week.

    As we focus on the future, our attention must also be on making sure people are not left behind.

    Because new ways of consuming TV should not come at the expense of those who still enjoy terrestrial television.

    Free to view television is a vitally important part of our television landscape, and this Government wants to encourage the sector to keep embracing innovation and technological development, but we’re not going to pull the rug from under the devoted audiences of Freeview channels.

    We want terrestrial television to remain accessible for the foreseeable future.

    At the same time, we really want to build a clear picture of what the future of TV looks like.

    So today I can confirm that we’re launching a new programme of work on the Future of TV distribution, alongside a call for evidence from Ofcom – which it will publish later in the autumn.

    My department will undertake a six-month research project, looking at changing viewing habits and technologies that will impact how shows are brought to our screen, both now, and in the decades to come – acknowledging always the importance of access.

    I recognise that the future of TV is not just about pipes and wires, the way it appears on our screens, and how people access it.

    We are also working within my department, with industry and with Ofcom to consider the impact of specific new technologies like AI and to shape an evidence base that can guide future policymaking.

    It is our job to ensure we strike the right balance between supporting innovation and protecting rights holders.

    As part of that, we’re engaging closely with the Intellectual Property Office and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology to ensure we strike that right balance.

    While it’s clear that AI is a rapidly developing technology, I want to assure you all that one of my priorities is to make sure we protect and maintain the integrity of our high quality news output.

    In the coming weeks, we’ll be growing that evidence base with a number of roundtables on AI to discuss what it means for our media and for our creative industries.

    And finally, why this is all so important, and that’s because your work retains and enhances our media freedom.

    TV is an enormous industry. Together with film it brings in more than £18 billion for the UK economy and supports almost 300,000 jobs across the UK.

    It’s an industry that is there to entertain and inform.

    But it is also so much more than that.

    A television industry which is able to broadcast, to produce and distribute fearless truth telling in its news, uncomfortable issues in its documentaries, or produce dramas that highlight challenging real life issues.

    Is one that reveals behind it a strong democracy that is the mark of a free country.

    We all know the playbook in countries that are not free.

    The first thing a dictator does is take control of the airwaves.

    Because these leaders know that if you succeed in stifling universal debate, you can control the narrative.

    That is why you’re all so important to our present, and to our future.

    Media freedom is central to our values as a country, and to mine as your Culture Secretary.

    And that is partly why I’ve always enjoyed watching the political dramas that you make – whether that is House of Cards, the Politicians Wife, Road Kill, The Diplomat – A Very British Scandal.

    They are all so brilliant.

    And I don’t even mind that all these programmes often have as their theme a Tory politician, always unscrupulous, who inevitably ends up booted out of office, in prison or dead.

    Because that is one of the things that makes our country great.

    The freedom you have to make programmes.

    I should say that I have noticed in most of these there is a female heroine, often political (sometimes a lawyer), who always outwits the men.

    Which is probably the real reason I have enjoyed them all.

    Now, before I close, I do want to address the serious allegations that came to light over the weekend concerning Russell Brand.

    Those allegations are deeply shocking and it’s right that the police are encouraging anyone who believes they may have been a victim of a sexual offence to come forward.

    It’s also right that organisations involved in his employment conduct transparent investigations into whether complaints were made or concerns raised – and what action, if any, was taken.

    The nature of these allegations means it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage, but I do want to briefly touch on the wider culture within our film and TV industry.

    This is an industry that young people – like 7 year old me – grow up dreaming of working in.

    One where the sky’s the limit for talent.

    It is incumbent on all of us to make sure that this industry is synonymous with talent, opportunity and inclusivity – not the scandals of MeToo.

    TV studios, production facilities and offices need to be places where people feel safe.

    Places where working cultures are responsible and accountable, and do not allow for possible abuses of power.

    Places where everyone feels able to speak up, no matter how junior, and where leaders never turn a blind eye.

    I would urge all of you, as leaders in your industry, to look hard at the cultures and processes in your own organisations and lead change, if change is needed.

    But I’d like to finish properly by thanking you all for the work you’ve done, to build not just a world class TV industry, but a world-leading one.

    It is a testament to your talent, your ingenuity, and your commitment.

    The Prime Minister and Chancellor have identified the creative industries as one of the 5 priority sectors of growth which we will focus on as a government.

    And you’re an essential part of that.

    We want to work with you not just to retain our position but to build on it.

    And I as your Culture Secretary promise to be your champion in Government to support you to maximise your potential and thrive in this changing landscape.

    And I look forward to doing that with you in the months and years ahead.

    Thank you.