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They will be joined at the National Memorial Arboretum, Staffordshire, by nearly 300 family members and friends who lost loved ones in terrorist attacks abroad.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, will lead the ceremony to dedicate the memorial, entitled Still Water, which was designed by Alison Wilding and Adam Kershaw.

The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Boris Johnson, Home Secretary Sajid Javid and Tobias Ellwood, Minister for Defence People and Veterans, who has led on the delivery of the Memorial and whose brother was killed in the 2002 Bali bombing will also attend.

Tobias Ellwood, Minister for Defence People and Veterans said:

Today is a day when we remember the lives of those who were tragically taken in terrorist attacks abroad.

I know from personal experience that in times of pain we must come together to support and help one another. This memorial stands as a symbol of our unity against violence and hatred and will be a peaceful space for families to remember their loved ones.

It is hoped that the memorial will become a place of reflection, remembrance and contemplation for anyone who has been affected by terrorism.

• Alun Cairns issues clarion call to Wales’ business community as Welsh leg of search for airport logistics hub sites begins
• Six sites across Wales in the running to play a key part in delivery of proposed third runway construction, bringing jobs and economic boost to Wales

The time has come to make opportunity happen for Wales and stake our claim on a multi-million pound supply chain for one of the most prestigious national infrastructure projects in a generation.

This will be the clarion call from the Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns during a keynote speech to an audience of Welsh business leaders vying to bring a Heathrow Logistics Hub to Wales (17 May).

Representatives from Heathrow Airport have arrived in north Wales to start the Welsh leg of the nationwide search for the final four selected locations which will pre-assemble components of the expanded airport.

Six Welsh sites are in the running to host a hub which will participate in the off-site construction of a new third runway.

The UK Government wants to ensure Wales plays a key part in the airport’s supply chain, enabling Britain’s new runway to deliver a legacy of construction excellence for the nation.

Speaking at a meeting ahead of the first site visits in Wales, Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns said:

I’m delighted that Heathrow has recognised the importance of involving the whole of the UK in its expansion plans with its effort to locate its logistics hubs across the nations.

And while the focal point of construction will be in the south east, all the pieces of this great infrastructure jigsaw will be sourced from suppliers right across the country, making this a prime example of how UK Government backing for one national project in one location can spread wealth and prosperity far and wide.

I’m determined that we showcase the very real opportunities to be had, now and in the future, by locating a hub on Welsh soil. Let’s make sure we start as we mean to go on today – that we grasp this once in a generation opportunity for Wales, and that we exploit it to the full.

Heathrow expansion is a critical national infrastructure project for the UK that will rely on talent from across the country. Wales stands to benefit significantly with the creation of up to 8,400 new skilled jobs and £6.4bn generated from construction through to increased tourism and exports for Wales.

In addition to this, SMEs across Wales will also have the opportunity to attend one of Heathrow’s Business Summits in Cardiff on 11 July 2018.

These summits offer small business across the country the opportunity to become part of the many opportunities that Heathrow expansion will bring. On the day, Welsh SMEs will have the opportunity to connect and trade face-to-face with Heathrow’s supply chain, to forge new connections and win business with some of the UK’s largest organisations.

Alun Cairns added:

I have seen first-hand the diversity and expertise of our supply chain in Wales and I know how much enthusiasm there is for this project across the industry.

Yet out of the £1 billion maintenance spend year in year out at Heathrow, only 0.2% of Heathrow’s current procurement contracts come from Wales – we can and must do better than that.

I’ll be looking forward to meeting Welsh SMEs at the next Heathrow Business Summit in Cardiff in July where they can learn of the opportunities available to them when construction begins.

To book your place at the Heathrow Business Summit in Cardiff, click here.

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS

Heathrow’s Logistics Hubs feature in the UK Government’s Industrial Strategy, listed as an example of how to develop skills across the UK and create conditions where successful businesses can emerge.

Locations in Wales longlisted for Heathrow’s Logistics Hubs:

Site Name	Site Location
ABP Port Site, Cardiff	Cardiff
ABP Port Site, Newport	Newport
Brocastle, Bridgend	Bridgend
Rhyd Y Blew, Ebbw Vale	Ebbw Vale
Llanwern, Newport	Newport
TATA Shotton, Deeside	Deeside

• Welsh Secretary to attend third Board of Trade meeting in Stirling as Bluestone confirms its aim to create a world class tourism destination on Anglesey
• UK Government launches a new drive to attract more than £30 billion of investment to 68 projects across the UK.
• Online one stop shop invest.great.gov.uk launched to help global investors find UK projects.
• High Potential Opportunities scheme to be extended across more than 20 new sectors and areas of the UK

Leading Welsh tourism destination Bluestone will look to capitalise on UK Government trade and investment support as it makes plans to extend Welsh footprint with the development of a new luxury 5-star resort on Anglesey.

The announcement comes as the Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns attends the third Board of Trade meeting in Stirling on Thursday (17 May), convened to help boost exports, attract inward investors and ensure the benefits of free trade are spread equally across the country.

At the meeting, the UK Government’s International Trade Secretary Dr Liam Fox will launch a new drive to attract foreign investment into the UK at a meeting of the Board of Trade in Stirling.

The Department for International Trade (DIT) is promoting 68 UK investment projects worth more than £30 billion to overseas investors. With more to be added over the coming months, the projects will also be promoted through a revamped online one stop shop for potential investors: invest.great.gov.uk.

One of the projects being promoted is Bluestone Holy Island Resort Ynys Mon on Anglesey. Bluestone has struck a deal with property development firm Land and Lakes to acquire 200 acres of land on the Penrhos Estate.,

The project that is expected to attract around 200,000 visitors a year, has a GDV of £105m and will create 900 jobs once operational and an estimated 600 during its construction.

Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns said:

Bluestone’s venture in North Wales is just one of the many projects being primed for international investment here in Wales. And the UK Government is wholly commitment to creating the conditions to make these deals happen.

The initiatives we are launching today show how we will continue to work on behalf of every hardworking business in the UK to drum up trade, encourage international investment and pave the way for growth which generates jobs, security and a more prosperous Wales in the future.

William McNamara, CEO of Bluestone National Park Resort said:

We are delighted to announce that Bluestone will create another unique short break destination bringing millions of pounds of investment and hundreds of jobs to Holy Island, Ynys Môn. Our outward looking ethos will prevail and that means we will be working with local contractors, suppliers and the people of north Wales to deliver another world class destination. The resort will be sensitively developed, respecting and protecting the language, culture and environment of this beautiful coastal location.

We can give hundreds of young people a start in their working lives and for older people, a new challenge or a change of career and bring success and prosperity to this special part of North Wales.

We have a wealth of experience working with local suppliers and have helped build a huge variety of businesses in Pembrokeshire over the past decade. We believe we can replicate the same in the community of Ynys Môn.

It will be a significant deal for Wales and give a huge boost to Welsh businesses. We will attract thousands of families from around the UK and Ireland to visit our beautiful country, spend their holidays here and be part of our Bluestone story.

Anglesey Council’s Economic Development and Major Projects portfolio holder, Councillor Carwyn Jones, said:

This is very welcome news. Bluestone is already an established and respected name in the leisure sector and bringing them to Anglesey would be extremely positive in terms of investment, jobs and supply chain.

Attracting the Bluestone brand to the Penrhos site would undoubtedly also provide a huge boost for the tourism sector in Holyhead, on Anglesey and in North Wales, whilst also raising the Island’s profile internationally.

I am now hopeful that through the support provide by UK Government’s Department for International Trade and the Welsh Government, a suitable financial package can be secured in order to bring Bluestone to Anglesey.

Richard Sidi, Chief Executive for Land & Lakes said:

We are delighted that Bluestone appreciates the unique setting at Penrhos and shares our vision for its sensitive development.

Penrhos is a world-class coastal landscape on an island that has been a much-loved family holiday destination for generations. We believe that the landmark nature of this development coupled with its excellent transport links to the UK mainland will drive Anglesey’s tourism economy to the next level.

Millions of pounds of investment and hundreds of new jobs with careers in hospitality will mean exciting times for the local community. We are committed to ensuring that the people of Anglesey and local businesses benefit as much as possible from this legacy driven project.

The Trade Secretary will also extend the highly successful High Potential Opportunities scheme, piloted in Doncaster’s rail industry, Telford’s agri-tech sector, and Greater Manchester’s innovative Graphene-based lightweight materials sector to new industries and parts of the UK.

Dr Liam Fox, International Trade Secretary and President of the Board of Trade said:

This is a bold and ambitious programme, building on the UK’s position as the leading destination for foreign investment in Europe through the government’s Modern Industrial Strategy, helping to build a Britain fit for the future.

The High Potential Opportunities scheme will deliver growth where it is most needed, ensuring that the benefits of global investment are felt in every part of the country.

And with more than £30 billion worth of new opportunities, my international economic department’s overseas network is working hard to attract top investors to the UK.

DIT works directly with companies in 177 cities in 108 countries around the world. Last year, DIT helped attract 2,265 investment projects which created or safeguarded 108,000 jobs in the UK.

The extended High Potential Opportunities scheme is now taking applications from business organisations, Local Enterprise Partnerships and councils from across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. In the first phase, more than 20 new sectors and areas of the UK will benefit from a boost in investment – creating new jobs and securing the UK’s prosperity.

Through the modern Industrial Strategy, the Government is setting out a long-term plan to boost the productivity and earning power of people throughout the UK. It sets out how the Government is building a Britain fit for the future – helping businesses create better, higher-paying jobs in every part of the UK with investment in skills, industries and infrastructure.

Whilst in Scotland, Dr Fox will also announce the winners of the BOFTAs – Board of Trade Awards. Six Scottish companies are being recognised for their excellence in international trade, demonstrating innovation, creativity and entrepreneurialism.

ENDS

For further information

• Contact the DIT Media Team on 020 7215 2000 or email baylee.turner@trade.gov.uk
• Follow us: @tradegovuk : gov.uk/dit

Notes to editors

1) The Department for International Trade (DIT) secures UK and global prosperity by promoting and financing international trade and investment, and championing free trade. We are an international economic department, responsible for:

• Bringing together policy, promotion and financial expertise to break down barriers to trade and investment, and help businesses succeed
• Delivering a new trade policy framework for the UK as we leave the EU
• Promoting British trade and investment across the world
• Building the global appetite for British goods and services

2) Details of the 68 projects being promoted by DIT, by location and value:

East Midlands

• Loughborough University Science & Enterprise Park, Loughborough, £625m
• Island Site, Nottingham, £500m
• Ashton Green, Leicester, £480m
• Drakelow Park, Derbyshire, £360m
• Waterside, Nottingham, £340m
• Grantham Southern Quadrant, Lincolnshire, £200m
• Tudor Cross, Bolsover, £175m
• Heart of the City, Derby, £165m
• Space Park Leicester, Leicester, £100m
• Boots Enterprise Zone, Nottingham, £100m

East of England

• Wisbech Garden Town, Cambridgeshire, £2,500m
• CAMRO, Ely, £800m
• Nelson Quay, King’s Lynn, £120m

Northern Ireland

• Sirocco Quays, Belfast, £465m
• Titanic Quarter, Belfast, £365m
• Weavers Cross, Belfast, £250m
• McAleer & Rushe, Belfast, £175m
• One Bankmore Square, Belfast, £100m
• 21–29 Corporation St, Belfast, £92m
• Norwich Union House, Belfast, £54m
• Baptist Church, Belfast, £30m

Northern Powerhouse

• Wirral Waters, Wirral, Merseyside, £4,000m
• Trafford Waters, Manchester, £1,000m
• Kirkstall Forge, Leeds, £400m
• Protos, Cheshire, £300m
• MediaCityUK, Manchester, £300m
• Property Alliance Group Portfolio, Manchester, £300m
• Pall Mall Exchange, Liverpool, £150m
• Stockport Exchange, Stockport, £140m
• Future Carrington, Manchester, £100m
• Liverpool Waters, Liverpool, £100m

West Midlands

• UK Central Hub and HS2 Interchange, Solihull, £2,000m
• Birmingham International Station, Birmingham, £1,400m
• Birmingham Curzon, Birmingham, £1,000m
• Friargate Coventry, Coventry, £700m
• i54 Western Extension, Wolverhampton, £600m
• Paradise, Birmingham, £550m
• Stafford Gateway North, Stafford, £381m
• Stoke-on-Trent City Centre, Stoke-on-Trent, £310m
• Worcester Growth Corridor, Worcester, £300m
• MIRA Technology Park Southern Manufacturing Sector, Nuneaton, £150m
• Interchange Commercial District, Wolverhampton, £150m
• Skylon Park, Hereford, £105m
• Telford Investment Cluster, Telford, £105m
• Redditch Gateway, Redditch, £100m

Scotland

• Dundee Waterfront, Dundee, £500m
• Buchanan Wharf, Glasgow, £350m
• Magenta, Glasgow, £280m
• AMIDS, Renfrewshire, £244m
• Edinburgh International Business Gateway, Edinburgh, £185m
• Queen’s Square, Aberdeen, £150m
• Bothwell Street, Glasgow, £140m
• George Street Complex, Glasgow, £100m
• Perth West, Perth, £100m

South East

• Otterpool Park, Folkestone, £2,000m
• Fawley Waterside, Hampshire, £1,000m
• Hickstead Science & Technology Park, Sussex, £350m
• Bexhill Enterprise Park, Sussex, £150m
• Bargate Quarter, Southampton, £150m

South West

• UK Cyber Park, Cheltenham, £600m
• West Carclaze, Cornwall, £400m
• Gateway Development, Plymouth, £100m

Yorkshire & Humber

• Sirius Minerals Polyhalite Project, North Yorkshire & Teeside, £2,900m
• York Central, York, £750m
• Axiom Regional Shopping Centre, Wakefield, £400m
• Aero Centre Yorkshire, Doncaster, £100m
• Unity Doncaster, Doncaster, £100m

Wales

• Penrhos Coastal Holiday Resort, Anglesey, North Wales, £105m

68 projects worth £33,791,000,000

3) The Government’s Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Strategy consists of operational changes which will:

• Improve the effectiveness of our work and help teams to focus on the projects which contribute most to the UK economy.
• Clearly define DIT’s priorities for promoting investment opportunities.
• DIT has been working closely with colleagues across government to ensure the closest possible alignment of activity to support the Industrial Strategy’s initiatives around supporting the business environment, growing clusters and sectors, and the promotion of FDI through DIT’s FDI strategy.
• This will deliver a more targeted approach to promotion and investor support, and better address market failures to maximise wealth creation across the UK.
• From next financial year, we will change our measure of performance from the volume of projects landed to a comprehensive measure of economic impact.
• Alongside this, we will work with local partners to build a portfolio of ‘High Potential Opportunities’ across the UK to promote investment opportunities showcasing UK sector strengths, skills bases, cost bases and infrastructure programmes that are not readily referenced by current market information and have a high potential to deliver economic benefits.
• This will enable us to be more responsive to the needs of foreign investors and better match investor requirements with opportunities across the UK that have the capacity to drive high value growth and jobs.

Details of the existing High Potential Opportunities (HPO) pilot schemes:

HPO commercialising new technologies for high productivity food production (Telford)

• High productivity food production is set to disrupt agriculture markets due to growing demand for food and scarce land resource. Innovation breakthroughs in satellite imaging, remote sensing and precision farming are ready for commercialisation.
• Telford is home to Harper Adams University, a world-leader in agri-tech research and home of the National Centre for Precision Farming – developing automation, drones, autonomous systems, with strong links to and appetite to work with business. The area has an advanced engineering cluster with crossover technologies, e.g. remote sensors, and availability of development-ready land with pro-active planning and landing support from council.

HPO rail rolling stock supply chain (Doncaster)

• An ageing fleet with passenger and freight numbers that are increasing, the size of UK rolling stock growing faster than at any time in decades, combined with government commitments on rail projects, the arrival of HS2, and a significant level of imports ripe for substitution, creates a pipeline of UK demand offering a multitude of supply chain opportunities in procurement.
• Rail has been a major part of Doncaster’s economy for over 150 years: strong infrastructure includes iPortrail, at the heart of the UK’s intermodal transport network. The region offers a rail cluster of 50 companies and 8,000 rail employees, and a pool of talent to provide the employees of today. This is future proofed by the National College for High Speed Rail, developing a pipeline of work ready talent for tomorrow.

HPO lightweight and specialist materials for the transport sector (Greater Manchester: Rochdale, Bury, Oldham)

There is a global opportunity in lightweight materials for transport applications:

• Light alloys
• Technical textiles
• Coatings
• Graphene & 2D materials
• Materials for demanding environments

Greater Manchester offers a gateway to opportunities in lightweight structures throughout the North West, the rest of the UK, and across Europe. The unique ecosystem offers the ability to move from research and testing, to commencing small scale production, and includes scaling up in the UK (rather than abroad) with the benefits of retaining your people, networks and importantly links to world class research.

Prime Minister Theresa May will underline the UK’s unconditional commitment to maintaining Europe’s security and upholding European values on her visit to Macedonia today (17 May 2018) – the first visit to the Western Balkans by a serving UK Prime Minister for almost 20 years.

The PM will begin the day in Sofia at the EU’s Western Balkans Summit, where she will restate the UK’s desire to work with European allies to promote greater stability, security and prosperity across the region.

Travelling on to Macedonia, Theresa May will be the first British Prime Minister to set foot in the Western Balkans since Tony Blair visited in 1999. Here she will meet with Prime Minister Zaev to discuss the programme of reforms his government is undertaking to strengthen democracy, uphold the rule of law, and reach out to its neighbours, as well as progress on negotiations with Greece on the Name Issue.

On International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, the Prime Minister will also meet with LGBT activists to discuss their experiences and the shifting culture in Macedonia.

The Prime Minister will end her trip by speaking at a reception in Parliament, which will be attended by politicians, officials, military personnel and future leaders from across Macedonian society.

Prime Minister, Theresa May said:

This year, as we mark the 25th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between Macedonia and the UK, the ties between our countries are stronger than ever.

Next year the UK is leaving the European Union, but we are not leaving Europe – and we will continue to work with our allies to protect our collective security and champion the European values that so many in Macedonia and the wider Western Balkans share.

I’m looking forward to hearing from Prime Minister Zaev and others about the progress the country is making towards a more progressive, prosperous and democratic Macedonia.

At the EU’s Western Balkans summit in Sofia, the 28 leaders in the EU and the 6 leaders in the Western Balkans will discuss the next steps in helping the Western Balkans continue on its path to stability, free from conflict and malign influence, and able to tackle its own problems.

The UK will host a Western Balkans Summit on 10 July in London, focussing on strengthening regional security cooperation; increasing economic stability; and fostering greater political cooperation. This will be the fifth annual Summit as part of the Berlin Process that Chancellor Merkel launched in 2014.

Political heavyweights Boris Johnson and Gordon Brown today (Wed 16th) joined forces to discuss improving education for the world’s most marginalised girls.

The Foreign Secretary met the former Prime Minister as part of his campaign to deliver 12 years of quality education for women and girls around the world.

The meeting with Mr Brown – now the UN’s Global Education envoy – is the latest in a series of high profile engagements Mr Johnson has held as part of his #LeaveNoGirlBehind campaign.

In recent weeks, Mr Johnson has discussed his campaign with girls’ education activist and Nobel Prize Laureate Malala Yousafzai, senior adviser to President Trump, Ivanka Trump and philanthropist Melinda Gates.

The Foreign Secretary has also spoken to HRH Prince Harry and Ms Meghan Markle about his campaign during a star-studded launch at last month’s Commonwealth Summit.

Mr Johnson hopes that his drive will build a coalition of political heavyweights and cultural icons that will lobby the world’s leaders to prioritise girls’ education.

Speaking after the meeting the Foreign Secretary said:

Girls’ education is manifestly in the global interest. It is the Swiss Army knife, the Rosetta Stone, the Black and Decker toolkit that solves a multitude of the world’s problems.

If we fail to educate girls, we store up huge problems for the future and wilfully miss out on boosting economic growth, managing population pressures and creating stable, prosperous societies – and most importantly, it is the right thing to do.

Gordon understands this, which is why he is a passionate advocate of improving education for women and girls around the world.

It was a pleasure to listen to his ideas and exchange views on the ways which the UK can become the global leader in ending the gross sexism behind attitudes which shut 130 million girls out of the classroom.

Appallingly 90 per cent of world’s poorest children leave school unable to read and write. Mr Johnson believes that one of the root causes of girls’ illiteracy and poor schooling is sexism masquerading as ‘tradition’, which is holding millions of the world’s poorest girls back. Britain is leading by example by providing £212 million through the Department for International Development to ensure one million vulnerable girls across the Commonwealth get 12 years of quality education by 2030.

The Foreign Secretary believes that the single biggest thing that can be done to improve stability and reduce conflict in the world is to make sure that every girl gets 12 years of quality education.

During last month’s Commonwealth Summit, Mr Johnson pushed for firm commitments from Foreign Ministers to make girls’ education a priority. He will also use the UK’s Presidency of the UN Security Council in August, to influence General Assembly members on the need to remove barriers to education.

Further information

• Follow the Foreign Secretary on Twitter @BorisJohnson and Facebook
• Follow the Foreign Office on Twitter @foreignoffice and Facebook
• Follow the Foreign Office on Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn

I welcome the publication of the Big Brother Watch report as in my view it adds value to a much needed debate on a matter of growing public interest, the public interest which demands clear legislation, transparency in governance and approach and a coherent and effective regulatory framework in which they can derive confidence whenever and wherever their civil liberties are at risk from the state. I shall consider the report carefully.

The effective regulation of use of face identification technology (commonly referred to as Automated Face Recognition or AFR) by the police is a priority of the National Surveillance Camera Strategy and a matter which I have been addressing as a priority for some time now, engaging with the National Police Chief’s Council, the Home Office, fellow regulators and Ministers alike.

The police have to abide by the Surveillance Camera Code of Practice which I regulate under the terms of Section 33(1) Protection of Freedoms Act 2012. Those familiar with the content of the code will know that it is explicit in that face identification technologies used by the police in England and Wales will be regulated by it. That is not to say that I consider existing or indeed anticipated legislation as being wholly sufficient in these matters. I do not. My fellow regulators, the Biometrics Commissioner and in recent times the Information Commissioner have added welcome contributions to the debate.

I do think that the police are genuinely doing their best with AFR and to work within the current and anticipated legal regulatory framework governing overt surveillance. That framework is far less robust than that which governs covert surveillance, yet arguably the evolving technological capabilities of overt surveillance is the equal in terms of intrusion, to that which is conducted covertly. It is inescapable that AFR capabilities can be an aid to public safety particularly from terrorist threats in crowded or highly populated places. Andrew Parker, the DG of the Security Service rather eloquently set out the threat context to our society only recently. It is understandable that there is an appetite within law enforcement agencies to exploit face identification capabilities, an appetite which is doubtlessly borne out of a duty and determination to keep us safe. This technology already exist in society for our convenience and therefore it is arguable that the public will have something of an expectation that those technologies are so used by agents of the state to keep us safe from serious threats, but only in justifiable circumstances where their use is lawful, ethical, proportionate and transparent.

In the context of safety, the public also need to be safe from unlawful, disproportionate and illegitimate state intrusion, and they must have confidence that those technologies have integrity. In my view, the challenge is arriving at a balance and for that to happen there need to be a clear framework of legitimacy and transparency which guides the state, holds it to account and delivers confidence and security amongst the public. I have yet to have confidence that government has a satisfactory approach to the issue in delivering a framework upon which the police and others can rely and upon and which the public can have confidence, but I do believe that we are on a journey to that destination and a journey is fuelled by constructive and challenging debate.

The commissioner is available for media interview and contactable at scc@sccommissioner.gsi.gov.uk

The government will fully fund the removal and replacement of unsafe cladding by councils and housing associations, estimated at £400 million, it was announced today (16 May 2018).

Local authorities and housing associations, which are non-profit making, will be given access to the money to help with reasonable costs of removing and replacing unsafe cladding from buildings which they own to ensure people are safe in their homes.

In the wake of the Grenfell Tower tragedy, the government quickly established a comprehensive building safety programme. It made clear that aluminium composite material (ACM) cladding on buildings over 18 metres which was not compliant with building regulations guidance should be remediated by the building owners.

The fund follows the government’s offer last year of financial flexibilities to assist local authorities with essential fire safety work. From conversations with social sector landlords, it has become apparent that they are having to take decisions about how to prioritise important services, repairs and maintenance work and investment in new homes.

The government has listened to their concerns, discussed the issue in Cabinet, and decided that, although social landlords have made good progress on replacing unsafe cladding, it is right to provide further support. It is therefore today announcing additional funding for the social sector. It recognises the tough decisions that are being made to carry out fire safety work as well as the potential impact on other services.

The government will also continue to provide financial flexibilities to councils for other essential fire safety measures and is directing local authorities to take cladding-related issues into account when carrying out reviews of housing conditions in their areas.

Social landlords have been working hard to replace unsafe cladding. Interim safety measures are in place in all affected buildings and latest figures from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government show that over 65% (104 out of 158) of social housing buildings with unsafe cladding are currently going through the process of remediation.

The additional money will enable social housing providers to focus on providing safe properties for people to live in.

Housing Secretary Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP said:

People must always feel safe in their own home.

Since the tragic events at Grenfell Tower, we have taken steps to ensure the immediate safety of all high rise buildings.

This money will ensure local authorities and housing associations are being given the support they need to get this work done now as well as removing the uncertainty around funding.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond said:

We have always been clear that unsafe cladding must be removed from tower blocks so that people are safe in their own homes.

But we do not want vital safety work to put at risk our high priority house-building programmes. So we have decided to provide funding to ensure that housing associations and councils can carry out this vital work.

The government is clear that building owners in the private sector must ensure private sector homes are made safe.

The Secretary of State, Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP, will meet industry representatives to ensure that remediation work is completed as soon as possible.

The industry roundtable will take place shortly.

Further information

The government will set out further details shortly about how councils and housing associations can apply for funding, including conditions attached to the grant.