Tag: Speeches

Matt Hancock – 2016 Speech on Open and Transparent Government

Matt Hancock

Below is the text of the speech made by Matt Hancock, the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, in the House of Commons on 1 March 2016.

This government is committed to making government more transparent, so taxpayers can hold the state to account both on how their money is being spent and how decisions are made which affect their lives.

The Freedom of Information Act is one of the pillars on which open government operates. We are committed to supporting the Act. Yet after more than a decade in operation, it is appropriate to review, in the whole, how it has operated in practice, and establish how its mechanisms could be improved.

Consequently, in July 2015, we established an independent, cross-party Commission on Freedom of Information. The Commission has now submitted its report. Given the keen public and media interest in the report, we are promptly publishing it alongside our preliminary views on its recommendations.

We are very grateful to the Commission for its thorough and thoughtful work in this significant and complex area. The Commission’s review has attracted considerable interest and should be commended for an even-handed approach to gathering evidence from across a very broad spectrum. This approach is reflected in the balanced set of measures put forward in the report.

The Commission makes 21 specific recommendations. It notes that whilst some of its recommendations require legislation, other improvements can be made without legislative change. The government’s views on some of the most salient recommendations are as follows:

Charging for Freedom of Information requests

The government agrees with the Commission’s view that it is not appropriate to introduce fees for requests, over and above the existing narrow circumstances in which a requestor can be currently charged for disbursement costs. We appreciate that some public authorities are concerned by the burdens imposed on them by the Act and the associated costs. However, the introduction of new fees would lead to a reduction in the ability of requesters, especially the media, to make use of the Act. We believe that transparency can help save taxpayers’ money, by driving out waste and inefficiency.

The Cabinet veto

The Commission recommends the introduction of a narrower and more limited veto provision. The government agrees with the Commission’s analysis that Parliament intended the executive to be able to have the final say as to whether information should be released under the Act. In line with the Commission’s thinking, the government will in future only deploy the veto after an Information Commissioner decision. On the basis that this approach proves effective, we will not bring forward legislation at this stage.

Updating practice guidance

The government agrees with the Commission’s recommendations to review the operation of section 45 of the Act to ensure that the range of issues on which guidance can be offered to public authorities under the code of practice is sufficient and up to date. Public authorities should have sufficient guidance and advice to properly manage information access requests and to continue the government’s mandate of being the most transparent government in the world. This does not require legislation.

Publication of Freedom of Information statistics

The Cabinet Office already publishes detailed statistics on a quarterly and annual basis on the operation of the Act within central government. It is important that other public authorities should be similarly transparent. We know that many other organisations already publish such data, but this does not happen consistently. The publication of such data not only provides accountability to the public, but allows the Information Commissioner to identify and target poorly performing public authorities more effectively. We will therefore issue guidance in the revised section 45 code of practice to set a standard that public authorities with 100 full time equivalent employees or more should publish such information.

Public interest and risk assessments

Noting that the Commission did not provide a formal recommendation regarding risk assessments, the government agrees with the Commission’s analysis that considering the public interest remains the best way to assess whether specific risk assessments should be released. This will allow the important balance between providing robust protection for sensitive information and transparency to be maintained.

Handling vexatious requests

The Commission recognises the difficulty that genuinely ‘vexatious’ requests can place on public authorities. We agree with the recommendation of improved guidance, via a revised code of practice, to allow public authorities to use section 14(1) in the rare cases where it is necessary and appropriate. The exercise by citizens of legal rights also brings with it responsibilities – and access to information rights should not be abused to cause distress or a means of harassment. Equally, the ‘vexatious’ designation is not an excuse to save public officials embarrassment from poor decisions or inappropriate spending of taxpayers’ money. This will not require legislation.

Greater transparency on pay and perks of senior staff

The Commission recognises the advances that have been made to increase transparency about senior executives’ pay and benefits. Further steps will be taken to ensure this transparency is delivered across the whole public sector. The default position should be that such information from all public bodies is published; that the public should not have to resort to making Freedom of Information requests to obtain it, and data protection rules should not be used as an excuse to hide the taxpayer-funded payments to such senior public sector executives. We will now consider what additional steps should be taken to address any gaps in published information, and in particular in relation to expenses and benefits in kind as recommended, including more broadly than at present.

The government will carefully consider the Commission’s other recommendations.

The government has already demonstrated our commitment to openness through the publication of around 23,000 datasets on data.gov.uk. We are proud of the recognition we have received as the world’s leading country on open data through the World Wide Web Foundation’s Open Data Barometer. Our next Open Government Partnership national action plan, to be published later this year, will set stretching new commitments to take UK transparency further.

A copy of the Commission’s report is being placed in the libraries of both Houses, and will be published online on GOV.UK.

March 1, 2016
Robert Goodwill – 2016 Speech on Customers with Disabilities

Below is the text of the speech made by Robert Goodwill, the Minister of State at the Department for Transport, at the Airport Operators Association annual dinner held on 1 March 2016.

Thank you.

I’m delighted to join you tonight.

And it’s a real pleasure to be back here in the magnificent setting of the Grosvenor House Great Room once again.

Not only one of the largest ballrooms in Europe. But also, one of the most historic.

Over the decades, this room has served as:

An ice rink, in fact it was here where Princess Elizabeth, the future Queen Elizabeth II, learned to skate at just 7 years of age.

A mess for US officers during World War II, when General Eisenhower and General Patton were frequent visitors.

And, in the 1960s, the venue for a Beatles concert – and many leading title fights when this was known as the home of British boxing.

This room has also become established in recent years as the home of the AOA Annual Dinner.

And a fitting backdrop for one of the best nights in the aviation calendar.

So I’m very grateful to Ed [Anderson – Chairman] and his team for inviting me this evening.

6 years of change

I’d like to start tonight by taking you back to the 2010 AOA dinner.

The guest speaker that year was Sir Tim Clark, President of Emirates.

Tim’s opening words were:

Well, what a torrid, volatile, 18 months this has been.

Multiple banking failures.

Multiple airline failures.

Multiple travel trade failures.

And all in an election year.

What a difference 6 years make.

Britain today is in a completely different place.

Record employment.

A much reduced deficit.

And a strong, growing economy.

Governments like to take credit for big achievements like these.

And I’m not going to change that tradition tonight.

But we’re only partly responsible.

The people who are actually delivering growth.

Creating jobs.

And making the country more prosperous.

Are you.

Wherever you look across Britain, airports are preparing for the future.

Building bigger terminals.

Opening new markets for British business.

Expanding into ventures like business parks.

This is one of the most entrepreneurial sectors of our economy.

Which is why UK airlines have enjoyed sustained growth.

Why passenger numbers at UK airports have reached record levels.

And why I believe this industry is going to flourish further over the next decade.

Hidden disabilities

Great businesses flourish for all sorts of reasons.

But there’s one advantage they all share.

They understand their customers.

One of the challenges for airports is the sheer diversity of the customer base.

That means you have to be increasingly sensitive to passengers’ different needs.

Take people with a disability, for example.

Airports do a good job of helping physically disabled passengers.

But what about people whose disabilities are not immediately noticeable.

Those with hidden disabilities?

For dementia sufferers, air travel can be confusing, and even frightening.

Crowded terminals. Security checks. And fear of flying itself.

All these factors can deter people from travelling.

According to CAA research, as many as 7% of all people could be avoiding air travel because of a hidden disability.

That’s a sobering statistic.

And when the CAA did a review of airports’ and airlines’ current arrangements, they found a wide variation in standards and practices.

Some airports were described as ‘significantly under-prepared’ for this type of traveller.

However, there were some impressive examples of good practice too.

At Gatwick, for instance, more than 80% of front line staff have received Dementia Champions and Dementia Friends training.

On top of this, the airport’s introduced its own NVQ Level 2 Certificate in dementia care.

Manchester Airport has a range of measures to help autistic children.

Including a downloadable autistic awareness pack on its website which provides a virtual journey through the airport.

Recently I met with members of the Prime Minister’s Dementia Taskforce.

They told me about how they’ve been working with the aviation industry on this issue.

I was particularly impressed by the feedback they received from someone who cares for a dementia patient.

Who praised the outstanding door-to-door service they’d received from EasyJet on a recent trip.

So there’s lots of great work going on.

We just need to see more of it across the industry.

So the CAA is now working with the taskforce and other disability organisations to develop tailored guidance for the industry.

The airports guidance is expected to be launched in the summer.

This is a great opportunity for the industry to move forward as a whole.

First – to ensure every airport and airline is meeting minimum EC standards of compliance.

But then to deliver over and above.

There is real scope here for airports to learn from each other.

And follow the lead of Gatwick and Manchester.

Which I know some of you are already doing.

But this isn’t about ‘one size fits all.’

Each airport will find its own solutions.

So I urge you all to consult with dementia passengers and organisations.

To really understand and respond to their needs.

So more people who currently avoid air travel can enjoy the huge benefits of flying that the rest of us take for granted.

South-east runway

I understand why many in the industry were disappointed that we delayed the decision on location of the additional runway we need in the south-east.

But opponents of expansion.

Who hailed the delay as some sort of victory.

Could not have been more wrong.

The decision was delayed because it was the right thing to do.

The responsible thing to do.

To make sure we’re fully prepared.

So we know we will get the job finished.

You understand better than most.

That Britain’s infrastructure-averse culture.

Has a history of derailing transport schemes.

This government is changing that culture.

But to risk any chance of failure at this stage would be unacceptable.

It’s why we’ve been so thorough with HS2, the new high speed railway.

Six years of intense planning.

The biggest consultation in government history.

Building the case, town by town, region by region.

Making sure HS2 is the very best it can be.

And that’s what we’re doing with aviation capacity.

Sir Howard Davies’ report gave us a wealth of data and analysis but you can never have too much evidence, particularly in the light of our emerging understanding of air quality issues and diesel cars.

We’re using this time to make the case for new capacity even more watertight.

Additional work to get the best possible outcome.

So we can deliver it by 2030.

Conclusion

As I said earlier, aviation is one of the UK’s success stories.

And we need that success to continue.

Alongside the decision on south-east capacity, there are a host of other important issues we are continuing to work on.

For example, we’re working with the industry to improve airport access.

Including up to £1.75 billion of investment in roads around Gatwick, Manchester, East Midlands, Birmingham, Heathrow and Stansted.

We’re making improvements to airport rail links – from Crossrail to HS2 to the Northern Hub.

We’re working to develop a skilled aviation workforce.

Support regional connectivity.

Manage airspace.

And reduce climate change, noise and other local environmental impacts.

I know that the issue of Air Passenger Duty (APD) is never far from your hearts.

Today is when the exemption in APD for under-16 year olds comes into effect.

Which will save a family with two children £142 on a typical holiday to Florida.

These are all national issues.

And they deserve a national conversation.

And it goes without saying that airports need to be at the heart of that conversation.

Since the 2013 Aviation policy framework the industry has moved on.

And Britain has moved on.

So we will be asking you this year to help us design the next Framework.

We want you to tell us about the past 3 years.

What have we done that’s helped you?

What haven’t we done to help you?

And how can we work together more effectively?

The AOA has always been very clear about where it agrees and disagrees with government.

I welcome that.

Just as I welcome all the feedback I get when I visit airports around the UK.

It’s a privilege for me to work with you as Aviation Minister.

And I very much value the close dialogue I have with the AOA.

It works, above all, because we share the same fundamental aspiration.

To support a growing airports industry.

That delivers for customers.

That delivers growth and jobs.

And that delivers for Britain.

Thank you.

March 1, 2016
David Gauke – 2016 Speech on Digital Tax

Below is the text of the speech made by David Gauke, the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, in Carlisle on 18 February 2016.

Good afternoon – it’s very good to be up here in Carlisle with you.

I am very grateful to Karen Thomson for inviting me to this event. Karen has been an influential voice on payroll matters for many years: a real expert, and one who I know is highly respected and widely listened to in the industry and beyond.

I’d also like to thank John Stevenson for hosting me in Carlisle. John has been a highly effective voice for Carlisle, particularly for small businesses, highlighted by the excellent work he has done for the community following the recent floods. And later on today, I’m looking forward to meeting some of Carlisle’s small businesses and residents.

This is now my 6th year as minister responsible for tax. It’s been quite a ride!

I occasionally cast my eye back to 2010 – when the economy really was in a bad way, when the global markets were beginning to doubt us, and when we were spending too much and earning too little.

It’s been a long journey back from the brink. Plenty of tough decisions along the way. And plenty of real achievements too.

Every decision we have made in the Treasury has had one goal: to secure the UK’s long term economic prosperity.

That means finding efficiencies in what we spend; modernising how we run the country; helping the private sector create jobs and deliver economic growth, all over the country; opening ourselves up to the world’s fastest-expanding economies, and making sure that we are as internationally competitive as we can be.

Tax lies at the heart of that.

There are a lot of ways in which the tax system can help support growth – and a lot of ways in which, applied in the wrong way, it can do enormous damage to a nation’s economy.

And I could talk at quite some length about what we have done since 2010 – our cuts to the corporation tax rate, for instance, or our increases to the investment allowance, or the work we’ve put in to make the international tax system fit for the 21st century. I’m of course very happy to answer questions on those topics!

But today, I’d like to focus on an aspect of tax which is perhaps closer to home: about how we are modernising the system by which taxes are paid.

I’m sure that the memory of filling in this January’s tax return will be fresh in your minds. You’ve almost certainly had more pleasurable experiences! Nobody enjoys paying tax; that’s one of the things I don’t think any government can change.

But what we can do is make it easier.

The system now has, quite simply, not kept up with the march of technology.

You have taxpayers taking out 18-month old records, staring at them for a while as they try to figure out what they were doing back then, and then tentatively use them to fill in a lengthy HMRC form.

Or they can go to their accountants, drop a large carrier bag of records on their desks, and get them to work it all out. Then they pay their final tax bill on money made up to 21 months previously.

It’s a system designed for a world of paper, ledgers: book-keeping in a literal sense.

Now compare that to the way we carry out other activities.

Shopping for groceries online … making a GP appointment online … sorting out your road tax from the DVLA website in just minutes … paying your invoices off a smartphone at 4am if you want to!

Business are harnessing the opportunities of the digital age too, fundamentally transforming their operations and the services they provide. It’s the customers that reap the benefits.

That is the context of our reforms to HMRC.

It is only right that the government keeps pace with the world around us. That is why we are seeking to transform HMRC into one of the most digitally advanced tax administrations in the world. Making tax digital is at the heart of these plans.

At the Spending Review, the Chancellor announced a £1.3 billion investment in HMRC to make this vision a reality. This will see the end of the annual tax return, and, in its place, will introduce simple, secure and personalised digital tax accounts for businesses and individuals.

Importantly, these changes deliver what businesses and individuals have told us they need.

In particular, many businesses have said they want more certainty over their tax bill, and don’t want to wait until the end of the year, often longer, to find out how much they have to pay.

Businesses have also said they want tax to be more integrated into the way they run their business, rather than something done separately, and many months later.

The use of digital tools – accounting software or smartphone apps – will, for the first time, create this desired integration.

Importantly, taxpayers would have 24/7 access to digital accounts, as well as having a complete view of all their tax liabilities and entitlements, allowing them to send HMRC information and payments simply and efficiently.

Businesses will be able to see in their digital account what each update means for their tax position as the year goes by.

This will also make it easier for business to understand how much tax they owe, giving them far more certainty over their tax position, helping them budget, invest and grow.

Unnecessarily bureaucratic form-filling will be eradicated – taxpayers will not have to tell HMRC information it already knows.

And unnecessary time delays will also be eliminated, because the tax system will be operating much more closely to ‘real time’. This will keep everyone up to date, removing the risk of missed deadlines, unnecessary penalties, debts arising and errors in the tax system being carried forward from one year to the next.

Beyond helping businesses get their taxes right, making tax digital will also help them improve and develop their business. Targeted guidance and alerts will make them aware of relevant entitlements and reliefs, or wider government services to support business growth.

Apart from the modernisation of business practices, there is another important prize – one we cannot ignore. Each year around £6.5 billion of tax goes unpaid because of mistakes made by small businesses when preparing and filling in their tax returns.

These reforms will improve the quality of record keeping, reducing the likelihood of mistakes and contributing £920 million to the Exchequer in additional revenue by 2020, then £600 million a year thereafter.

This is good news for businesses – and good news for the Exchequer too.

But with big changes come challenges and concerns. So I would like to take this opportunity to address some of these concerns; because I do not underestimate the scale of these changes, and it is important that we get this change right.

First of all, this transformation does not – repeat, not – mean four tax returns a year.

What it means is that by 2020, most businesses will be keeping track of their tax affairs digitally, updating HMRC at least quarterly via their digital tax account.

Importantly, these quarterly updates will not involve the complexity of a full tax return, where the business, or their agent, has to gather together and manually input data onto an electronic or paper form, and then perform various calculations.

Instead, updates will be generated from digital records and in most cases, little or no further entry of information will be needed. It will be much quicker, easier and far less burdensome than the current process. The agony of the annual tax return will be a thing of the past.

Second, I make no apologies for the scale of our digital ambition.

With the government and local authorities investing £1.7 billion to bring superfast broadband to over 95% of the UK by 2017, this is possible.

And the Prime Minister announced at the end of last year that we are looking to implement an updated broadband Universal Service Obligation for those not covered by the superfast plans.

Some have said that it is overly ambitious to rely on digital as the primary channel. The fact is that we are going with the grain of the way small businesses are already moving. The benefits of digitisation are readily accepted by the majority of small- and medium-sized organisations.

And whilst there has been plenty of debate on the challenges – a lot of that online – I am heartened see that many businesses, and their agents, are already forging ahead. Already, 2 million small and medium-sized businesses are using software for their payroll and their VAT.

We’ve also seen the rise of companies providing digital accounting services, using exactly the sort of technology and processes that will be needed when we make tax fully digital.

Just last week, I met FreeAgent, one such company, whose software is already being used by 45,000 customers. And we are working with other innovative firms, such as Intuit and Xero. That is where the market is heading.

HMRC, too, stands ready to deliver the digital agenda.

The HMRC performance figures for this year bear repeating.

This year saw a reduction of almost a quarter in the number of people submitting a paper tax return – that’s over 340,000 fewer people doing things the old way.

Meanwhile, the percentage of people using online filing has increased once more – from 85% to 89%.

More than 825,000 customers accessed their Personal Tax Account as they completed their tax returns.

Over a quarter of a million customers used HMRC’s virtual assistant in the last 3 weeks of January.

Over that period, HMRC staff assisted in more than 114,000 webchats.

And because of these digital advances, the number of phone calls to HMRC in January from people seeking assistance to complete a Self-Assessment return has fallen by over 50% in the last two years.

As our society increasingly looks for new, more convenient, ways of doing things, HMRC is well placed to meet – and to manage – these demands.

Third, I acknowledge the concerns raised about the pace of these reforms. There were similar concerns around online filing and real-time information. However, HMRC’s impressive track record in implementing those changes speaks for itself – working with interested parties we can match this success.

Fourth, I have heard concerns about these reforms being mandatory, rather than on a voluntary basis.

We examined this proposal very carefully at the start of the process.

We concluded that a voluntary approach would cost the same, but deliver only a fraction of the benefits for business and the Exchequer.

In the current fiscal environment, without the additional revenue generated by closing the tax gap, we couldn’t have provided the £1.3 billion investment required to transform services for all taxpayers.

Fifth, there have also been concerns raised about the fact that we risk leaving some customers behind.

So let me be clear. It is vital that support is there for those who need it, and that is what we have committed to do.

For instance, we have already said we will ensure that free software products will be available to businesses with the most straightforward tax affairs.

We accept that some – a very small minority – will be unable to adopt digital tools due to geography, personal disability or other circumstances. In those cases, help will be provided. There is absolutely no question of forcing those who cannot go digital to do so.

We will consult business and representative bodies to fully understand who cannot get online and what support they need; and we will ensure we provide alternatives – over the phone, through face-to-face visits or through partners in the voluntary and community sector.

Implementation will, of course, be vital. It is important we get this right – so that, as well as transforming the way millions of people pay tax, these reforms can provide the maximum benefit for business and the UK.

We are already talking to a wide range of business, agents, software developers and professional bodies.

There will be a wide-ranging consultation exercise starting in the spring, in which I would urge you all to get involved.

We are introducing these reforms gradually – not phasing them in fully until 2020, because we know how important it will be to give taxpayers time to adapt.

We are using volunteers to stress-test new services, so we can be confident these new services work before we roll them out.

Because the benefits – if we get this right – are considerable. We will reduce burdens on business, reduce the tax gap, and bringing tax administration well and truly into the digital age.

These reforms are an important part of our wider tax policy:

Taxes which are internationally competitive, so that our country continues to attract the brightest and the best;

Taxes which are paid in full and on time, helping provide the public services we all depend on;

And taxes which are simple to pay and manage. Because the less time businesses spend working out what to pay, the more time they have to do what it is they do so well:

Innovate … expand … create jobs … create growth … create profits … and contribute to Britain’s economic recovery.

That’s the system that, with your help, we are creating.

Thank you – and I’ll be delighted to take some questions.

March 1, 2016
Lord Freud – 2016 Speech on Welfare Reform

Below is the text of the statement made by Lord Freud in the House of Lords on 29 February 2016.

My Lords, the other House has now considered Lords Amendment 1, which was proposed by the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Durham, the noble Baroness, Lady Sherlock, and the noble Earl, Lord Listowel. The intention behind that amendment was to insert a new clause into the Bill, which would have increased the measures on which the Secretary of State was required to report annually to include income-based measures. As I have said previously, that amendment has technical faults and would require redrafting to make it work as noble Lords intend but, moving quickly beyond the technical defects in that amendment, I have repeatedly tried to shine a light on the fundamental flaws of the income-based measure.

The “poverty plus a pound” approach that results from measures of this kind led to billions of pounds being invested under the previous Government, with little or no transformational impetus in the life chances of young people. It is widely recognised that the low-income measures can give a misleading picture. For example in a recession, when average income falls, poverty can appear to be falling too even if living standards have not improved for those at the bottom.

I stress again that low-income measures drive the wrong action, as I have sought to explain throughout the passage of the Bill through this House. Such measures simply focus on treating the symptoms of child poverty, whereas the Government are intent on tackling the root causes such as worklessness and educational failure. It is in these areas where we believe that the right action can make the biggest difference to the lives of disadvantaged children, both now and in the future.

Moving on, it is clear that substantial concerns remain that publication of the statistics on children in low-income families through the Department for Work and Pensions annual HBAI—households below average income—may not continue. This is despite the very clear commitments that the Government have given in both Houses and the protections already in place to safeguard HBAI as a national statistics product.

As I have said previously, I believe that the only difference on this issue between us is the word “statutory”. Given the doubts and concerns that remain about the continued publication of this low-income data, I am able to say that we have listened, we have heard and we are willing to provide further guarantees. Three of the four income measures—including relative low income, combined low income and material deprivation, and absolute low income—are already routinely published in the HBAI publication.

Through the government amendment we are putting forward today, we propose to place a statutory duty on the Secretary of State to publish this information annually. This provision will give the data the additional statutory protection that noble Lords sought. The amendment also places a statutory duty on the Secretary of State to publish new data on children living in persistent low-income households annually. The information will be based on a new data source, and the first figures will be published before the end of the 2016-17 financial year.

However, let me be clear that although we have given full statutory guarantees that this data will be published annually, we will not commit ourselves to laying a report before Parliament on it. This amendment is about providing a further guarantee that information on low income is made available for all to see, every year. Reporting to Parliament on income measures would incentivise government to take the wrong action and would simply continue to incentivise actions, such as direct income transfers, that will not tackle underlying factors.

We need to move on from this unhelpful approach. Resources are finite and it is crucial that the Government prioritise the actions that will make the biggest difference to children. The evidence is clear that this means tackling worklessness and low educational attainment, as set out clearly in our life-chances measures and approach. Any move to report on these low-income measures would divide government’s efforts and undermine this new life-chances strategy. I firmly believe it would not help to bring about the transformative change that we all wish to see.

It is worth talking briefly on one technical point in our amendment. Subsection (3) provides for the absolute low-income measure to be rebased in the data publication. This is vital because over time an absolute low-income measure using a 2010-11 baseline, such as that proposed in Lords Amendment 1, would be likely to become increasingly meaningless due to growth in the economy. As a national statistics product, the data publication already has significant statutory protections, guaranteeing that any rebaselining would be carried out by statisticians following best practice and free of any political influence. I reassure colleagues on this point.

I hope that these proposals will be welcomed in this Chamber. I urge noble Lords not to insist on their amendment and beg to move the Motion on the government amendments in lieu.

March 1, 2016
Dominic Raab – 2016 Speech on Offender Management

Below is the text of the speech made by Dominic Raab, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Justice, in the House of Commons on 25 February 2016.

I would like to provide the House with an update on the progress of our electronic monitoring programme which will introduce new satellite tracking technology to improve the supervision and management of offenders and suspects.

This is a huge opportunity to reduce reoffending, cut costs for taxpayers and keep the public safe.

That is why we are committed to delivering a new generation of tags through contracts designed to encourage innovation, deliver an end-to-end system for monitoring offenders and provide for future technological developments.

With this new technology we can be creative and look at how we can use satellite tags to devise new sentencing options for the courts. We want to use technology to make sure we not only deliver the punishments that society rightly expects but also improve supervision in the community and support offenders to change their lives.

My colleague Andrew Selous announced to the House on 13 July last year that there had been significant problems with this programme, leading to considerable delays. As a result, we initiated a review into the programme, looking at how to get the programme back on track. This review examined progress made on the programme to date and how best electronic monitoring technology can meet our ambitions for the future, and considered the experience of other jurisdictions around the world who have developed GPS tagging schemes.

Developing bespoke tags has been challenging and it is now clear that it will be more appropriate to pursue our goals using off-the-shelf technology which is already available. That is why the Ministry of Justice will be terminating our contract to develop a bespoke tagging product with Steatite Limited and will shortly begin a new procurement process for proven tags already on the market.

This decision will mean we can proceed with wider changes to the way we manage the programme. We will simplify our approach in order to meet the challenges of technical and business integration and continue to drive and monitor delivery from the other suppliers.

This remains a challenging programme, which we will continue to keep under review.

As the Prime Minister announced during his speech on prison reform on 8 February, we will begin pilots later this year which will inform how we use GPS tracking technologies to best effect in the future. These pilots will be run in a variety of settings in conjunction with criminal justice partners and will be designed to test how GPS technology is used and how it affects behaviour. The pilots will be independently evaluated and the results will inform policy decisions on the future use of this important tool.

Furthermore, following the conclusion of the pilot in South London of sobriety tags as part of an Alcohol Abstinence Monitoring Requirement, the Justice Secretary has approved the expansion of the scheme to the whole of London to give courts in the capital the means to tackle the damaging effects of crime committed whilst under the influence of alcohol. An evaluation of sobriety tagging in London will inform our decisions about wider national roll-out.

February 29, 2016
Baroness Anelay – 2016 Speech on Women’s Rights in Afghanistan

Below is the text of the speech made by Baroness Anelay, the Minister of State at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, in the House of Lords on 25 February 2016.

Thank you Brita for that kind introduction. Thank you also to Women for Women International, for making this event possible, and for their excellent work to promote women’s rights around the world.

It is a pleasure to see so many of you here today. We are all people who care passionately about the rights of women in Afghanistan. People who hope, as I do, that the situation for women there will continue to improve.

I would like to take this opportunity to talk to you today about what has already been achieved for women’s rights in Afghanistan, and what work I believe there is still to be done.

Human rights are an integral part of the work of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Indeed, as the Foreign Secretary has said, human rights are the day to day work of every British diplomat. The promotion and protection of women’s rights is at the forefront of that work.

These are rights enshrined in international law. They are vital to ensure stable and prosperous societies. I personally believe in the full participation of women in all aspects of society.

Afghanistan’s future depends on it: the country cannot expect to fulfil its potential if half the population is excluded.

Of course the country has seen significant progress on human rights, particularly women’s rights – but the gains it has made are fragile and significant challenges remain.

These are challenges presented by a fragile security situation, in a country where the Government is fighting to ensure the safety of its entire people. These are also challenges that arise out of a society where traditional tribal values are valued above formal legal structures.

Across Afghanistan, women continue to suffer disproportionately. Women and women’s groups are more likely to be victims of the insurgency and victims of sexual violence. Women have fewer economic and social opportunities and their access to the justice system is limited, in some cases non-existent.

The appalling murder last year of Farkhunda Malikzada falsely accused of burning the Koran, highlights the personal risks faced by Afghan women who dare to speak out.

Of course progress has been made over the last 15 years. The UK Government has helped more than 2.8 million girls enter formal education. The first women officers are being trained in the security forces. There are now more women in the Afghan Parliament than ever before, and more and more women are taking part in elections.

The country is beginning to recognise the important role women can play in its stability, as well as its economic development.

For many families, it is now a matter of pure economic necessity for women to have a job. With more women in employment there has been a growing recognition of the value of education, and of the valuable role women can play in public life.

As many of you know, 2015 was a year of significant change in Afghanistan. The National Unity Government set out its agenda for its ‘Transformation Decade’. The country saw a significant reduction in the international military presence.

It was also a year that saw the National Unity Government make substantial commitments in the Afghan National Action Plan for Women, Peace and Security.

In October, senior officials introduced the Self Reliance for Mutual Accountability Framework. It is through this framework that the government of Afghanistan have committed to improve women’s access to justice, to increase their participation in government, and to prepare and implement laws on anti-harassment and the elimination of violence.

The difficult part for the government now is ensuring that those commitments can be delivered, and that the progress made over the last fifteen years is not lost.

Despite the low baseline for women’s welfare and livelihoods in Afghanistan, conditions have improved for hundreds of thousands. These gains have been hard won and must be consolidated and built upon.

While the government of Afghanistan is working to make a difference to the lives of Afghan women, crucial work is also being undertaken by the international community to improve their access to rights.

Commitments at international conferences are an important first step, but words must be translated into action to create lasting change. Again, making it happen is what matters.

Real progress can only be made where there is collaboration between the international community and an active and influential civil society that can support brave human rights defenders.

As Hillary Clinton said, women’s rights are human rights. We need to change social attitudes across the spectrum of society if we are to be successful in our aim to of delivering a better future for the women of Afghanistan. Much of the successful work being done now in Afghanistan is only succeeding by influencing men. Not just in Kabul’s political classes, but at the local level too, in provinces and districts throughout the country.

2016 will be another significant year in defining the future for women in Afghanistan. Both the follow up to the Oslo Symposium on Women’s Rights and Empowerment in Afghanistan, hosted in Kabul, and the development conference hosted in Brussels in October, will be important milestones. We know the will is there.

These events will provide opportunities for the international community to send strong messages of support for women’s rights and empowerment in Afghanistan. They will allow for an in-depth exchange of ideas on key women’s rights reforms.

Most significantly of all, they will provide a platform for the government of Afghanistan to demonstrate their achievements and to explain the challenges they face, but also to be held to account by the international community on the commitments they have made so far. A key part of any post-conflict stabilisation is addressing the needs of those who have experienced sexual and gender-based violence. Not doing so holds back community reconciliation and social and economic development. Tragically, Afghanistan and its people will undoubtedly continue to face challenges from active insurgent groups in 2016. As an international community, we must continue to work together to put a stop to sexual violence in conflict afflicted regions.

Where it does occur, perpetrators must be held to account. Survivors must receive support from local communities, civil society and governments, so that they have the tools they need to rebuild their lives.

We hope that 2016 will be a year in which major steps are taken forward on Afghan women’s rights. A year when traditional attitudes are robustly challenged, women are economically and socially empowered, and justice is delivered for all Afghan women.

Our own experience teaches us that women’s rights take hold when they were forged from within, not imposed from outside. This is why I believe that change in Afghanistan must be internally led, and that all Afghan people have a role to play in helping women to realise their full potential.

The UK Government remains committed to helping the government of Afghanistan realise its constitutional and international human rights obligations.

We will continue to support and work with them, together with local and international NGOs, civil society organisations and international partners.

We aspire to give every woman, in every country, every right that we enjoy ourselves under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Afghanistan is no exception and we look forward to working with you to realise that goal.

February 29, 2016
Greg Hands – 2016 Speech at the London Stock Exchange

Greg Hands

Below is the text of the speech made by Greg Hands, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, at the London Stock Exchange on 29 February 2016.

Good morning – it’s great to be here with you at today’s market opening; thank you, Xavier Rolet for your invitation.

For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Greg Hands, Chief Secretary to the Treasury.

I myself used to work at the cutting edge of finance: designing models for financial derivatives, back in the early 1990s. Some of my former derivatives colleagues have now become fintech entrepreneurs themselves.

So, in me, you find someone absolutely convinced of the boost that technology can give to competitiveness.

My Ministerial role is largely to manage the UK’s £700-odd billion portfolio of public spending – because a significant part of this government’s long-term plan for securing Britain’s economy is about being sensible on public spending.

But that is merely one side of the coin; the other is, of course, going for growth.

I am a big believer that one of the best ways you secure long-term growth is by making yourself home to exciting, fast-growing industries.

Financial technology firms – Fintechs for short – are precisely one such industry.

I am delighted that this week, an independent EY report has ranked Britain first amongst the world’s seven leading Fintech hubs, from Silicon Valley to Hong Kong.

Our ambition is to maintain, and to consolidate, that position.

Because Fintech is good news; and the economic case for supporting UK Fintechs is nothing if not compelling.

Britain’s Fintech market generated over £6.5bn in revenue last year. Our Fintechs attract significant global investment, with around £550m in capital invested in 2015. Our Fintech industry employs over 60,000 people. Indeed – and this gives me some pleasure to say – more people work in UK Fintech than in US Fintech, or in Singapore, Hong Kong and Australia Fintech combined.

And aside from the positive economic effects, Fintech also promotes greater competition in financial services. That means better products, better services, a more efficient market – and, of course, it makes people’s lives easier too.

In the early days of eBay, you had to send people cheques in the post before they sent you the item you’d won. Now we have Paypal.

Ten years ago, the Guardian was saying that this new-fangled idea of music on a mobile phone would never catch on. Now every high street bank has mobile banking; Barclays has even developed Pingit to transfer money instantly.

While firms such as Funding Circle offer Britain’s businesses a smarter way to access alternative sources of finance.

What we have seen in recent years is a mixture of new market entrants, and established, more traditional companies, both developing Fintechs, and in many cases joining forces to do so.

I believe there are two ways in which the UK Fintech industry can continue to go from strength to strength.

The first is great regulation: that is, regulation which, while protecting the customer, helps new technology to start and grow and succeed.

The second is great collaboration: between Government, regulators, academia, investors, start-up firms, and established businesses.

There’s lots that the Government, working with partners such as the Financial Conduct Authority has done on the “great regulation” front.

The FCA’s Project Innovate Innovation Hub do excellent work in helping innovative businesses understand the regulatory framework and apply for authorisation.

The “regulatory sandbox” – a wonderful piece of jargon there – is helping innovative firms test new ideas at an early stage with real customers.

And our work on the creation of an open banking standard could revolutionise the way people manage their financial information.

“Great collaboration” is equally important. And the events which have taken place all over London this week – Fintech Week – have forged some excellent relationships.

I hope that today’s Fintech Investor Forum brings yet more people together, to throw around ideas, discuss new opportunities, and hopefully create some productive partnerships.

There is palpable excitement about what Fintech can achieve here in the UK.

Our ambition is simple: to consolidate our position as the global Fintech hub, and to keep ourselves at the cutting edge of financial innovation.

It’s win-win: for our businesses, for our consumers, and for our economy.

February 29, 2016
Greg Hands – 2016 Speech on Plans for London

Below is the text of the speech made by Greg Hands, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, in London on 25 February 2016.

Good morning – it’s great to be with you today.

I’m Greg Hands; Chief Secretary to the Treasury.

A bit about me: I was born in the States – my first political memory being Richard Nixon’s election – but my family moved back to the UK when I was very young.

After studying history at university, I worked in financial services, in London and New York; was elected Member of Parliament in 2005; became a Whip after the 2010 election; and last year the Prime Minister asked me to become Chief Secretary to the Treasury.

One of the big aspects of being Chief Secretary is the job of portfolio manager.

The sums are quite something. 4 trillion pounds of assets and liabilities; over 700 billion pounds of expenditure a year.

Some people I speak to in the City get quite jealous of those numbers.

But the big difference, of course, is that making those numbers larger isn’t an indicator of success!

The Chief Secretary to the Treasury has to rein in public spending, and make sure that taxpayers’ money is spent wisely.

The caricature of the Treasury is as the department always saying “no, we can’t afford this”.

That’s not entirely unjustified: we were elected by British voters to eliminate the deficit, and made it clear that this would largely be through fiscal consolidation.

We set a very clear path at last year’s Autumn Statement and Spending Review; but navigating it over the coming years has its challenges.

It’s certainly a significant part of my job description to make sure we stick to that path, and that involves being tough; or, being an “economist” in the 19th century definition of the word – i.e. someone who believes in making economies in public spending wherever possible.

This is compounded by the economic landscape we’re currently experiencing.

The Chinese slowdown, the fall in oil prices, continued instability in the Middle East – all are economic risks to a greater or lesser extent.

And because we are an open, trading economy, and rightly so, all these threats will have some sort of impact on us.

The best way to insulate ourselves from these threats is to get our own house in order.

So what I have been saying to the civil servants looking after public spending is: “Now is not the time to take our foot off the pedal”.

Our long-term economic recovery depends on us continuing to seek ways to be more efficient, more effective, smarter in the way we use our resources – and that’s one of the things I’ll be concentrating on over the coming years.

But there is another part of the narrative. Spending cuts – though necessary – by themselves won’t deliver the economic results we need for long-term economic security.

It is equally important that we pull out the stops for enabling growth.

So the sorts of conversations taking place in the Treasury aren’t simply “take this off the shopping list”.

They will be along the lines of: “How can we do this in the most cost-effective way? Could we be more innovative about how we fund it, or design it? Is there a cheaper way of achieving the same outcome?”

Because we know that in order to achieve optimum economic growth, government investment is vitally important. The trick is to do it wisely.

That is why in a large number of areas, we have maintained, and even increased, spending.

Some of these areas are services which improve our quality of life; the NHS, our life chances; schools, our national security, or our commitment to help the world’s poorest people.

And some of those are areas which can be real drivers of economic growth in the future – science, research, broadband, housing, regional growth, and infrastructure, to name a few.

We know that it is businesses – such as the ones you represent – who generate growth in this country. And our programme of spending is directly calibrated to make it easier for you to do that – wherever you are in the UK.

Because although the Northern Powerhouse is a highly exciting programme for regional rebalancing through growth, the Chancellor is in the same place as I am: you don’t make the weak stronger by making the strong weaker.

This is the greatest city in the world, and we’ll keep it that way.

So what are our plans for helping London go from strength to strength? Four things:

Transport is one of the things my constituents are the most exercised about – rightly so. Inadequate transport is bad for productivity and bad for quality of life.

At the Spending Review last year, we committed to £11 billion support for London.

This funding will enable TfL to invest in the network in projects including Crossrail, due for completion in 2018; major underground upgrades, including new trains and increased capacity; 1,700 hybrid-electric buses this year; and new cycle superhighways to open by the end of this year.

Aside from this, we’ll see HS2 construction beginning next year, with the line from London to Birmingham to be completed in 2027, and extended to Leeds and Manchester by 2033.

As HS2 is built, places connected to it – for instance, Old Oak Common – will also receive funding for redevelopment.

And we’ve also pledged £55 million to extend the London Overground to Barking Riverside.

And of course, one of the most important investments we can make is in our people: making sure that we have world-class skills is at the heart of our long-term plan.

That’s why we have protected funding for the core adult skills participation budgets in cash terms, at £1.5 billion.

This will help around 1.7 million learners each year to develop the skills that employers need.

It is also why we are giving local areas more say in setting up skills systems that are responsive to local economic priorities.

We will vastly expand further education loans, to help those seeking to move their skills to a new level; and we will also consult on introducing maintenance loans for people who attend specialist, higher-level providers.

We’re funding five National Colleges and a new network of Institutes of Technology. Given London’s particular strengths in the digital sector, I’m delighted that the National College for Digital Skills – opening this September – will be based in Tottenham.

And there is our apprenticeship system – which is at the heart of our commitment to a world class skills system.

By 2020, spending will be double the level of spending in 2010-11 in cash terms.

We’re also putting control of funding in the hands of the employers through the apprenticeship levy, so that the system delivers the skills they want and need.

We’re committed to creating 3 million new apprenticeships by 2020, and I am delighted that employers across the capital are playing a key part in this, including in the design and development of new degree apprenticeships.

It is also vital that our world-class workforce has good places to live.

Being MP for an area where house prices set new records practically every month, I’m acutely aware of the pressures – particularly when it involves getting onto the property ladder.

Essentially, we need to build more.

Our manifesto committed to delivering 200,000 Starter Homes – homes for sale at a 20% discount, available to younger first time buyers, who plan to live in them.

In the Spending Review, we announced £2.3 billion to help deliver up to 60,000 of these.

We also committed to developing 135,000 Help to Buy: Shared Ownership homes in London, which will allow more people to buy a share in their home and buy more shares over time, as they can afford to.

The scheme will be open to all households earning less than £90,000 in London, and will relax and remove previous restrictions, such as local authorities’ rights to set additional eligibility criteria.

And our London Help to Buy scheme launched last month. The scheme will offer buyers with a 5% deposit on a loan of up to up to 40% of the value of a new build home, interest-free for 5 years.

Finally, we’re supporting specific developments. The Barking Riverside extension, which I mentioned, a few moments ago, will provide 10,000 new homes.

And the £97 million we’re providing to support redevelopment at Brent Cross will support 7,500 homes.

The fourth plank of our strategy for keeping London world-class is to help develop our financial services sector.

That means opening ourselves up to new and emerging markets – particularly in Asia and the Middle East, which still provide enviable levels of growth.

It means priding ourselves on exceptional standards of regulation, conduct – and therefore trust.

It means harnessing new technology, and fostering competition in the market.

And it means maintaining excellence, not merely in financial markets, but in all the range of associated professional services that come with the territory.

The hard work we’ve put in since 2010 has meant that London now enjoys the accolade of the world’s most dynamic financial centre, according to the Global Financial Centres Index.

Maintaining this competitiveness while keeping the highest standards of conduct is a major area of Treasury focus, and one on which my Ministerial colleague Harriett Baldwin is working tirelessly.

Underpinning all this activity is our core belief that the best way to ensure Britain’s continued prosperity is a thriving private sector, one that adds value and creates jobs and growth.

It’s fair to say that many of the old consensuses about the economy have disappeared.

Those of us who believe in things like the free market, and private-sector driven growth, and the benefits of wealth creation, need to continue making that case.

The very best thing we can do is to prove the naysayers wrong, through our actions as well as through our arguments.

Time and again throughout history, a dynamic, innovative private sector has proven the biggest spur to increasing our standard of living.

I look forward to working with you so that this continues over the coming years.

February 29, 2016
Baroness Verma – 2016 Speech on Agenda 2030

Below is the text of the speech made by Baroness Verma, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for International Development, at the UN in New York on 23 February 2016.

Thank you Mr President, I’m delighted to be here to talk to you today.

Today’s discussion comes at an opportune moment. There are real reasons to be optimistic – 2015 saw agreement of a series of ambitious universal deals – financing, climate and the Global Goals. The UK takes these universal commitments seriously, domestically and internationally and is committed to playing its part to make sure these are achieved.

Against that optimism, we are faced with so many protracted crises; in Syria, in Yemen, in South Sudan. At their heart are conflict and instability. So it’s clear that if we’re to achieve Agenda 2030, and live up to our promise to leave no one behind, we need to do more to prevent conflict and build, resilient, peaceful societies.

It is so often the poorest people who are most vulnerable to crises and who are further impoverished when stability and security breaks down. The statistics back this up; conflict-affected states were the most off-track in achieving the MDGs.

Approximately half of the global poor live in countries affected by conflict and violence. So it’s clear that we can’t look at peace, development and humanitarian issues in isolation. The 3 are inherently interlinked. To fail on one, is to undermine progress on the others.

The United Kingdom has made it a priority to improve our efforts on these three strands.

In addition to our commitment to 0.7%, we are one of the few Council Members to believe that the Security Council has a role to play in preventing future conflicts, and not just ending those that are ongoing. That’s why our Secretary of State for Development chaired the Council last November; the first time a Development Minister has done so. It’s also why we co-hosted the London Conference for Syria and the Region earlier this month, where we and others worked hard to better integrate these three issues through the Conference outcomes.

The UN’s mandate means it operates at the nexus between peace, development and humanitarian. And if we are to succeed, whether in Syria or elsewhere, the UN should be at the centre of our efforts.

When I talk about integrating humanitarian, peace and development work it of course includes the UN’s work on security, human rights and international law too.

The Secretary-General’s response to Agenda 2030, the Human Rights Up Front Initiative, the ECOSOC dialogue and yesterday’s meetings, have all firmly acknowledged the need for strong progress by the UN in this area.

This year, we have a real opportunity to make that progress. The World Humanitarian Summit, the Secretary-General and World Bank’s Migration and Refugees Summits, the ECOSOC dialogue and negotiation of the Quadrennial Comprehensive Policy Review can all help ensure the UN is ready to play this central role.

I believe there are 3 issues that need to be addressed as part of this process.

First, the UN needs to manage protracted crises more effectively. The UN’s engagement in peacekeeping and political negotiation in many of the world’s more difficult conflicts is strongly valued. But the UN has to overcome operational and funding silos to be able to achieve lasting political solutions, longer term peacebuilding and development. The humanitarian and development parts of the UN need to work more effectively together.

Second, the UN needs to act earlier to prevent conflict and to balance a better approach to crises with action to address the underlying causes of fragility and conflict. This means being a smoke alarm as well as a fire extinguisher; and really prioritising conflict prevention as much as resolution. It also means investing in support to help build institutions, improve governance and the rule of law – the golden thread that will support economies to thrive and grow.

Thirdly, the UN needs a much more variable, flexible footprint, focusing where help is most needed, on the most vulnerable and marginalised including women and girls, and where the UN’s unique legitimacy as a universal body most equips it to make a difference, with the ability to surge to meet a sudden need or respond quickly to an emerging crisis.

It’s very easy to talk in generalities, so I’d also like to set out some thoughts on what is needed in practical terms. I think it requires change in 3 areas: fully implementing Delivering as One; leadership; and funding.

Delivering as One has made progress, as I have seen for myself in the countries I’ve visited, but not yet enough. There is strong and growing demand for Delivering as One and it is proving it can enable a more effective UN voice. We need to see its full implementation, by all entities, including the Standard Operating Procedures and the Management and Accountability Framework. We’d also like to explore ways to ensure more coordinated planning, budgeting and risk assessment, between the UN’s development, humanitarian and peacebuilding support.

Delivering as One goes hand in hand with effective leadership: resident and humanitarian coordinators, often the heads of the UN in country, must be individuals that can deliver strong leadership that responds to both short and longer-term needs. They also require better support from the UN system: clearer authority to draw on all assets of the UN system in support of national priorities, sustained funding through contributions of all entities and more dedicated advisory support, building on the success of the peace and development advisers.

Let me now turn to my third point; funding. I have already spoken about the need focus on long-term conflict and crisis prevention and bring all the sources of funding onto the same page to ensure the most strategic allocation. There is a need to increase flexibility between allocations to humanitarian, peace and development funds. And there is a need to attract new forms of finance into the system, including potential private sector investment, becomes ever more acute.

Mr Vice President, through these steps and more, we have the chance to use the links among peace, development and humanitarian issues to our advantage. Instead of instability hampering development, let us build on stability to advance it.

The real test will be delivery at country level, and improvements to the quality of lives for people on the frontline – so the focus on Delivering as One, strengthening the Resident Coordinator system and underpinning frameworks is absolutely critical. But this will also require working back up the chain to headquarters with effective leadership from the executive and Member States to change procedures and incentives to support joint working, better delivery and better outcomes.

We have some ideas, but don’t have all the answers – I hope today’s discussions can help us start to formulate some of them.

Once again, thank you for the opportunity to speak and thank you for listening Mr President and distinguished delegates.

February 29, 2016
Matt Hancock – 2016 Speech on Digital Technology in Wales

Below is the text of the speech made by Matt Hancock, the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, on 25 February 2016.

It’s good to be in Newport.

Though I have to say I’m glad I’m not visiting Wales in a few weeks’ time. If the Rugby World Cup was anything to go by it might be quite painful for an Englishman to visit Wales after 12 March.

The rugby team’s obviously one centre of Welsh excellence. But later today I’ll be visiting several other local innovation centres, and I’ve already been hugely impressed by what you’ve shown me here at the ONS, which has underlined your commitment to technological modernisation and the honing of talent.

Seventy-five years ago, Winston Churchill created the Central Statistical Office (CSO) to improve on the coherence and availability of national statistics.

Plenty has changed since 1941 – not just the year the CSO was brought into this world, but also the first functional British jet, tupperware, velcro and, of course, the slinky.

But the two challenges Churchill was trying to tackle – coherence and openness – remain the same, even as the world has become more complex and diverse.

As technology marches on, we have unparalleled opportunities to use data to transform the services we provide and improve how the country is run. It’s more essential today than ever before that government is built on a foundation of high-quality, comprehensive and coherent statistics.

It’s said that 90% of all the data ever produced in history was generated in the past 2 years. The different kinds of data are also multiplying, from purchasing transactions to sensors, the Internet of Things and social networking sites.

New open data sets of unprecedented scale and variety are springing up, often in real time. This presents us in government with an opportunity like nothing we’ve ever seen before.

It’s a revolution we need to grasp with both hands. That means 3 things – it means recognising the potential of the rich national resource that data presents, it means being curious about new ideas and ways of doing absolutely everything, and it means opening ourselves up to the public and towards each other across government. There is massive potential in data, we need the curiosity and openness. Let us take these 3 in turn.

In the public and private sector, data is fuelling improvements unimaginable a few short years ago. It’s transforming how we travel and shop, the way we go out and the way we interact with each other.

And it’s changing how we deliver government.

We can deliver services that are cheaper, faster, more accessible and more secure. Services that respond with targeted solutions to specific problems. Services driven not by Whitehall but by the needs of citizens.

The potential of data as a national asset

To do this we must recognise the raw potential of the data at our fingertips.

Newport has long been a world-leading centre of industry – it was a crucial coal port and a focal point for the South Wales Valleys throughout the industrial era.

200 years ago this city was a hotbed of the industrial revolution. It is no stranger to leading industry, to innovation and to the tide of technological change.

Today we live in an entirely different world. Today, instead of coal, data is the most valuable raw material of our age. The way I see it, statistics are its refined product, and this is the refinery.

And to fulfil the potential of the ONS in the 21st century we still need to be the best and the most imaginative country in the world when it comes to using our resources.

We’re in the foothills of a data revolution. Data is no longer just a record of something that happened. It’s a mineable commodity from which we can extract value. It’s the unseen infrastructure of the digital economy, as important as any road or railway.

It’s not just the ONS. In South Wales we have a big data cluster: DVLA, Companies House, ONS and the IPO.

So there is increasing potential for a South Wales big data cluster and build the ecosystem-public, private and academic that can deliver the capability we need.

The ONS’ role in harnessing this resource

To harness our data resources, statistics will be crucial. Statistics are taking on ever greater importance in a world underpinned by increasingly evidence-based decisions. And that goes far beyond working out the odds at Cheltenham.

The ONS is crucial in the production of the statistics government relies on to make good policy, and its statistics are held in high regard throughout government, business and the wider public.

The 2021 census is a valuable opportunity to re-assert that reputation and consolidate our data resources.

When the first census of population took place back in 1801, the population of England and Wales was given as 9 million.

Our next census will be the largest peacetime operation ever undertaken in the UK. It will be digital-by-default, and we are aiming for the highest online response target of any census in the world, at 75%.

In the census each decade and the work that you do in Newport and Titchfield each year, you take raw data and turn it into life-changing improvements, everywhere from the classroom to the hospital bed. In doing so you change lives up and down the country.

So my point is the potential of technology. My second is about our response: curiosity. It’s crucial that we engage with curiosity towards change.

You’re pioneering the data science agenda, leading analytical professions in building the right infrastructure and developing the specialist skills we need to make the most of the data revolution.

Through the recently initiated Data Science Learning Academy, you’re spreading that leadership.

And you’re pushing the agenda across government through programmes like the Data Science Accelerator.

You’re expanding your horizons beyond government. The Big Data Team’s efforts on web scraping show how we can harness alternative data sources – in this case real-time supermarket data – to deliver more accurate, cost-effective outputs.

The same spirit of curiosity is at the heart of your innovation lab, which uses state-of-the-art technology to find new data sources and techniques. And it’s why I’ve asked the Open Data Institute to help us connect with the start-ups leading the data field.

Next I’m visiting the Alacrity Foundation. The ONS’ partnership with this unique organisation is a great example of how we can partner with outside bodies to nurture the brightest and best young talent.

To succeed and thrive in this new world, where knowledge is so dispersed, we need to be as curious as possible and embrace not just our own ideas, but also those at the cutting edge of the data revolution. And I urge you to be part of that revolution.

Openness

That brings me to my third point. I want the spirit of curiosity you’re showing here to be embedded in everything government is doing. The best ideas can come from absolutely anywhere. And that’s why we need to open ourselves up to ideas like never before.

The opportunities for innovation are a function of how much raw information is out there, and how many people can access and harness that information.

I’m delighted to see you continuing to open up your website, taking in huge levels of feedback and making your gateway to the public more agile, in a more cost-efficient way. I’m thrilled to see the new website go live.

It’s part of our radical open data policy: we’ve now published 23,000 datasets, covering £200 billion of public spending.

And part of being open is being open about the challenges we face. The ONS’ work is going to become even more crucial in the coming years. So it’s imperative that we keep up with how the world is changing.

Yes, the digital world is a maelstrom right now, but if we work together we can do more than just keep our heads above water – we can ride the waves to unimaginable places.

Yes, under John Pullinger’s impressive leadership the team will have to be adaptable in its size, shape, and skill-set.

But I want to underline this message you’ve heard before. Newport is Britain’s home of economic statistics, and that is not a resource we are going to squander. The ONS will stay in Newport.

And more than that, we’re going to invest to build our long-term capacity here, working with others in the region to create a hub and a centre of excellence for data handling and economic analysis. We’re going to double-down on Newport.

Of course, the digital world means roles will change, and some old ways of doing things will cease to exist. But we’re committed to working with you in that transition.

Through the Learning Academy and other initiatives, everyone will have the chance to gain new skills and continue to make a massively valuable contribution.

Change is a challenge, but also an opportunity – an opportunity for all of us to gain new skills, and for you to re-assert the crucial contribution the ONS makes to our country.

Your programme of change and Charlie Bean’s review will give the ONS a foundation to plan for the future, and to stay ahead of the curve of digital change with a strong, positive vision.

As the report highlights, we need an ONS that is less reactive and more proactive; more curious, open and self-critical.

These are just some of the challenges you’ll face in the years ahead, but I’m confident through the changes you’re making you’ll be more than capable of overcoming them.

Cabinet Office support and reform package

We are here to support you as we work together to reform government and unleash human ingenuity at all levels of the public sector.

Finally let me set out some of the most important projects this change will feed into. One big step we must take across government is to build single, canonical data registers kept up-to-date by one responsible authority and used across government. We don’t need 7 lists of countries of the world. We need 1, and it probably should be maintained by the Foreign Office.

We are also working together on how we share data within government. We’ll do this while maintaining the appropriate safeguards, but the prize is extremely valuable – more efficient and high-quality statistics, and huge potential for improvements to public services.

We will shortly bring forward proposals to improve the legal framework around research and statistics, tackling fraud and debt, and improving public services.

We’ve consulted widely over 2 years of collaboration, to build modern rules to govern the use of data in public services.

We want to give public authorities much greater clarity about what data can be shared, cutting delays so research with economic and social benefits can be conducted in a timely fashion.

We will put in place specific safeguards to ensure any information that could be used to identify individuals is protected, enhancing privacy.

These changes to legislation will not only ensure you have the tools to produce world-class statistics, they will let government feed the most up-to-date and relevant data into policy decisions, helping us deliver reforms from the Troubled Families programme to better targeted fuel poverty payments. They will better equip us to tackle fraud and debt.

Through them we can enhance social mobility, crime prevention and improve services for the citizens we serve.

Conclusion

So, these are times of change. We can – and must – tap into that same spirit in the data revolution. That’s what it will take for us to turn our rich data assets into world-leading innovation.

If we do this right the prizes are huge, and will change the very fabric of how the country is run.

Let us tackle these challenges head on and turn them into opportunities. You’ve already shown you’re willing and able to do this. We are backing you to deliver. I can’t wait to see what you come up with next.

Thank you.

February 29, 2016