Category: Gov Press Releases

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Press release: Foreign Secretary condemns attempted missile strike on Riyadh

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said:

I am appalled by another attempted missile strike on Riyadh on 19 December. This is the second such shocking incident in six weeks, which yet again deliberately targeted a populated area.

I strongly condemn the Houthis for this attack, which they have claimed. Everyone will be outraged at the Houthi spokesman boast that they were targeting the Royal Palace.

I call upon all countries in the region to do what they can to implement UN Security Council Resolutions and prevent such attacks which are increasing regional tensions. I strongly support UN investigations into the origins of these weapons and welcome the UN’s suggestion of a joint discussion of the relevant UN bodies to look into these threats and consider action against those responsible. The United Kingdom remains committed to supporting Saudi Arabia as it faces regional crises and security threats.

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Link: Press release: Foreign Secretary condemns attempted missile strike on Riyadh
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Press release: UK Minister for Africa condemns attack on aid convoy in Nigeria

Minister for Africa, Rory Stewart said:

“I condemn the attack on Saturday against a humanitarian convoy in Borno State, in which four people lost their lives. The UK continues to support the United Nations and humanitarian partners as they deliver essential food supplies to people affected by the current conflict – food that was lost in this attack.

“We call on all parties to the conflict to respect international humanitarian law and refrain from launching attacks against civilians or humanitarian operations. Life-saving assistance has been provided to 5 million people in the north east of Nigeria, this vital work to help people most in need must not be hampered.”

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Link: Press release: UK Minister for Africa condemns attack on aid convoy in Nigeria
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Press release: Government sets out further measures to support councils to deliver services

The government has today (19 December 2017) set out funding plans for councils in England so they can continue to deliver the services their residents need while also protecting Council Tax payers from excessive increases in their bills.

Confirming the local government funding arrangements for 2018 to 2019 – the third year of the £200 billion 4-year funding offer accepted by 97% of councils in 2016 – Communities Secretary Sajid Javid announced measures to give local authorities additional freedom to ensure they can protect services for some of their most vulnerable residents.

Local authorities will now see 2 years of real terms increases in resources available to local government, and from 2015 to 2020, councils in England have access to over £200 billion to deliver the high-quality services their local communities need.

Today the Communities Secretary confirmed that the referendum threshold has been set in line with inflation, and so setting the core Council Tax referendum principles at 3%.

This change, combined with the additional flexibility on the Adult Social Care precept confirmed last year, gives local authorities the independence they need to relieve pressure on local services, including adults and children’s social care, while also recognising that many households face their own pressures.

Communities Secretary Sajid Javid said:

Our historic 4-year funding settlement gave authorities the certainty to plan ahead; with over £200 billion available over the spending period.

However, I am aware of the pressures facing councils and this is why I am giving them more flexibility, so they have greater control over the money they raise to address local needs.

This strikes a balance between giving councils the ability to make decisions to meet pressures and ensure that our most vulnerable in society get the support they need while protecting residents against excessive Council Tax bill rises.

What the financial settlement includes

Additional support for adult social care

In March this year, the government announced an additional £2 billion for adult social care – in addition to more flexibility in using the social care precept – giving councils access to £9.25 billion of dedicated funding for adult social care over 3 years.

The government will continue to anticipate and respond to shifts in demographics through publication of the adult social care green paper in summer 2018.

Future of business rates retention

The Communities Secretary also confirmed the government’s aim to increase business rates retention for all local authorities in 2020 to 2021 to help meet the commitment to give local authorities more control over the money they raise locally.

The government wants local authorities to retain 75% of business rates from 2020 to 2021. This will be through incorporating existing grants into business rate retention including Revenue Support Grant and the Public Health Grant.

Councils will therefore have the levers and incentives they need to grow their local economies.

Business rates pilots

Ahead of this, to test out aspects of the system in a range of authorities across the country, the Communities Secretary announced 10 new areas that have been selected for business rates retention pilots in the 2018 to 2019 financial year.

This move builds on previous pilots originally launched in Liverpool, Greater Manchester, West Midlands, West of England, Cornwall and Greater London in April 2017, which will also continue into next year.

As announced at the Autumn Budget, the London pilot will also be able to keep 100% of its business rates growth from April 2018. The new areas selected to retain 100% of business rates ensure a good geographic spread with a strong representation of rural areas.

The pilots will provide useful information ahead of bringing in increased business rates retention for all local authorities and future reforms, with piloting confirmed to continue to 2019 to 2020. Further details will be available in due course.

Alongside the 2018 to 2019 pilots, the government will continue to work with local authorities, the Local Government Association, and others on reform options that give local authorities more control over the money they raise and are sustainable in the long term.

New Homes Bonus

The Communities Secretary confirmed that there would not be any new changes to the New Homes Bonus in the year ahead, following feedback from councils to the summer technical consultation.

This means that the 0.4% threshold for payments will remain and payments for homes approved after appeal will not be withheld.

In a bid to sharpen the incentive for councils to deliver more new homes, councils that fail to achieve housing growth above this baseline will not receive any bonus payments.

Almost £7 billion in New Home Bonus payments has already been paid, to reward the 1.4 million homes that have been built or brought back into use. Over £946 million will be allocated in 2018 to 2019, with councils free to spend those funds as they see fit to meet local priorities, rewarding them for their work in fixing the broken housing market.

Dealing with Negative Revenue Support Grant

Having considered responses to the technical consultation in the summer around the issue of ‘negative RSG’ in 2018 to 2019, following the delay in implementing full business rates retention after the election, Mr Javid confirmed that the government will be looking at fair and affordable options for dealing with this ahead of consulting on proposals before next year’s settlement.

Rural support

The Communities Secretary has also confirmed an increase to the Rural Services Delivery Grant by £15 million in 2018 to 2019. This means the overall additional funding for rural authorities will remain at £65 million for the remainder of the 4-year settlement.

Review of relative needs and resources

The Communities Secretary has also published a consultation on the fair funding review today, that aims to implement a new system based on its findings in 2020 to 2021.

Alongside this, a summary of the responses to last year’s call for evidence on needs and redistribution has also been published.

Capital receipts

Local government operates in a society that is constantly changing. To meet the challenges of the future, the Communities Secretary confirmed that the flexibility to use capital receipts to help meet the revenue costs of transformation will be extended for a further 3 years to April 2022.

Further information

This relates to England only.

See the local government finance consultation. The deadline for responses is 16 January 2018.

See the fair funding review consultation. The deadline for consultation responses is 12 March 2018.

The areas selected for the business rates pilots are:

  • Berkshire
  • Derbyshire
  • Devon
  • Gloucestershire
  • Kent and Medway
  • Leeds
  • Lincolnshire
  • Solent
  • Suffolk
  • Surrey

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Link: Press release: Government sets out further measures to support councils to deliver services
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Press release: Thames Estuary 2050 Growth Commission priorities confirmed

The priorities of the Thames Estuary 2050 Growth Commission, which include equipping people with the right skills and providing high quality housing, have been announced during a visit by the new Chair and Deputy Chair.

Sir John Armitt, who was announced as the new Chair at the Budget, visited Bexley to outline the Commission’s areas of focus for the coming months. The Commission’s final report, which will lay out recommendations to government, will be published in spring 2018.

Sir John, who is former Chair of the Olympic Delivery Authority, replaces the former Government Advisor on Local Growth, Lord Heseltine, who stepped down from the Commission in March 2017. He is joined by Deputy Chair, Professor Sadie Morgan, co-founding director at the award-winning practice, dRMM Architects.

Sajid Javid, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, said:

It’s long been known that the Thames Estuary has vast economic potential and, as a government, we’re determined to capitalise on this for the benefit of local communities and national growth.

The Commission, benefitting from refreshed leadership, will now build on its vision to unleash growth and boost productivity.

Sir John Armitt, Chair of the Thames Estuary 2050 Growth Commission, said:

I welcome the opportunity to lead this vital piece of work. I look forward to engaging with all stakeholders to produce a compelling vision and delivery plan for this exciting area, which I believe can help drive the UK’s economic growth.

Professor Sadie Morgan, Deputy Chair of the Thames Estuary 2050 Growth Commission, said:

With a combined population of over three million and no shortage of great ideas, the Thames Estuary is brimming with opportunities. I am delighted to be supporting Sir John in helping all stakeholders to realise the exceptional potential of this region.

The Commission will draw together and develop existing plans into a vision to stimulate future growth for decades to come. I have a strong affinity with the Thames Estuary, having lived in the area all my life, and so look forward to being a part of this exciting journey.

The Commission will now focus on the following priorities:

  • Sectors – creating internationally-competitive centres of excellence that build on the corridor’s sector strengths, for example in ports and logistics, and making the most of growth sectors such as the creative industries
  • Connectivity – making the most of planned investments such as the Lower Thames Crossing, and assessing the case for other investments that have been proposed, such as further river crossings and extending the Elizabeth Line to Ebbsfleet
  • Communities – ensuring that people right across the corridor benefit from expected growth, including equipping them with the right skills, making sure high-quality housing is available, promoting use of the river, and enhancing the Thames Estuary’s natural environment
  • Delivery – working closely with organisations and communities to develop a plan for delivering the vision, aligning with the Government’s intention to explore ambitious housing deals in the area.

Since it was established in March 2016, The Thames Estuary 2050 Growth Commission has been working to develop an ambitious vision and delivery plan for North Kent, South Essex and East London up to 2050.
Home to 3.8 million people, the Thames Estuary is on the doorstep of both London and continental Europe, and has the potential to support growth right across the country. It also faces some real challenges, including significant pockets of deprivation.

Further information

The Commission ran a call for ideas from July to September 2016. There were over 100 respondents, including public, private and third sector organisations, and members of the public. The Commission has also held visits to the Thames Estuary, including along the river itself. Both the Commission and the government are grateful to all those who have provided input, and are committed to delivering a compelling vision and delivery plan in close collaboration with a wide range of partners.

Sir John Armitt is Chair of the National Express Group and the City & Guilds Group, Deputy Chair of the Berkeley Group and the National Infrastructure Commission, and a member of the Board of Transport for London. He is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, the Institution of Civil Engineers and City & Guilds of London Institute. He was awarded the CBE in 1996 for his contribution to the rail industry and a knighthood in 2012 for services to engineering and construction.

Professor Sadie Morgan is a co-founding director at the award-winning practice, dRMM Architects. She became the youngest and only third ever-female President of the Architectural Association in 2013. In March 2015, Sadie was appointed as Design Chair for High Speed Two (HS2) reporting directly to the Secretary of State. She is also a member of the National Infrastructure Commission.

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Press release: Police funding increases by £450 million in 2018

Home Secretary Amber Rudd has today (19 December) announced a substantial £450 million increase in police funding across England and Wales as part of a comprehensive settlement for forces and counter terrorism policing.

Home Secretary Amber Rudd said:

Whether it is your local forces, the national picture or counter terrorism capabilities, this is a strong settlement that ensures forces have the resources they need to keep us safe.

Taxpayers will invest more money in forces because the work our officers do to protect us is absolutely vital, and we recognise demand is changing.

However, my message to police forces is that this increased investment must mean we raise the pace of reform.

For too long embracing digital and increasing productivity have been tomorrow’s policing problems – now they are today’s necessities. The government is committed to meeting this challenge and we want policing to do the same.

The settlement follows a period of engagement, with Minister for Policing and Fire Nick Hurd speaking to every force in the country about the demands they face. It is clear that with more victims of serious, hidden crimes such as domestic abuse, modern slavery and child sexual exploitation coming forward, this has placed greater demand on policing.

To help meet the needs of each area, government is protecting its grant to forces in cash terms and empowering locally elected police and crime commissioners to raise precept contributions by up to £1 a month for a typical household. Together, this will mean force budgets will increase by up to £270 million nationally.

Counter terrorism police funding will also increase by around £50 million to £757 million, a rise of 7%. This is in recognition of the changing threat from terrorism and to ensure counter terrorism policing has the resources needed to respond and keep the public safe.

At a national level, £130 million extra will be provided for priorities such as special grants to help forces meet unexpected costs, for example, the £9.8 million given to Greater Manchester Police after the Manchester Arena attack, and national technology programmes designed to deliver greater productivity and mobile working.

Police forces will also be able to access the £175 million police transformation fund. Led by the police themselves, the fund gives individual forces money to invest in reform and digitisation projects to benefit the whole policing system.

Minister for Policing and the Fire Service Nick Hurd said:

Public safety is our number one priority and we have responded swiftly to evidence of a shift in demand on forces.

This new comprehensive settlement will mean local forces can be more effective in their critical work to fight crime and protect the public.

I have seen for myself the exceptional, can-do attitude of police officers and staff around the country. The government remains very committed to helping police improve efficiency by investing in the technology and skills that modern policing will need to be fit for the future.

The Home Office agrees with the findings of Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and the Fire Service, who last month said forces can be more ambitious in driving efficiency.

The Home Office, working with the police, has also identified around £100 million of potential savings to be made through smarter procurement of everything from cars to uniforms.

If all forces delivered the level of productivity from mobile working as the best forces, the average officer could spend an hour a day extra on the frontline – this has the potential to free up the equivalent of 11,000 extra officers across England and Wales.

In addition, plans are also in place to increase transparency around police reserves, which range from 7% to 42% of forces’ annual funding. In March 2017 police forces held usable reserves of over £1.6 billion, which compares to £1.4 billion in 2011. The Home Office intends to publish data on all PCCs’ reserves and introduce guidance to require PCCs to publish clearer information in a bid to make force funding more comparable for the public.

To help forces plan their finances more effectively for the future and in response to the view of PCCs and Chief Constables, the Home Office has signalled its intention to repeat the same settlement for 2019 to 2020 provided there is substantial progress from policing in delivering productivity and efficiency improvements.

You can read the provisional police grant report for 2018 to 2019 which sets out the amount of grants proposed for the police in England and Wales.

Link: Press release: Police funding increases by £450 million in 2018
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Press release: Foreign Office Minister condemns North Korean actor for WannaCry attacks

The Foreign Office Minister Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon has attributed the WannaCry ransomware incident to North Korean actors the Lazarus Group. The decision to publicly attribute this incident sends a clear message that the UK and its allies will not tolerate malicious cyber activity.

The WannaCry ransomware incident impacted 300,000 computers in 150 countries including 48 NHS trusts.

Minister for Cyber, Lord Ahmad said:

The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre assesses it is highly likely that North Korean actors known as the Lazarus Group were behind the WannaCry ransomware campaign – one of the most significant to hit the UK in terms of scale and disruption.

We condemn these actions and commit ourselves to working with all responsible states to combat destructive criminal use of cyber space. The indiscriminate use of the WannaCry ransomware demonstrates North Korean actors using their cyber programme to circumvent sanctions.

International law applies online as it does offline. The United Kingdom is determined to identify, pursue and respond to malicious cyber activity regardless of where it originates, imposing costs on those who wish to attack us in cyberspace. We are committed to strengthening coordinated international efforts to uphold a free, open, peaceful and secure cyberspace.

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Press release: Review your charity’s safeguarding and governance arrangements, Charity Commission advises

The Charity Commission is alerting all charities to the importance of providing a safe and trusted environment for anyone who comes into contact with them, including staff and volunteers.

The new alert follows a number of recent reports to the Commission of serious incidents involving concerns about the welfare of charity volunteers and beneficiaries, and media reports of safeguarding incidents in charities.

The alert reminds charities that, if something goes wrong in a charity, trustees are accountable and responsible for putting things right. The Commission says trustees should therefore assure themselves that their safeguarding practices are robust.

It is specifically advising trustees to:

  • review their charity’s safeguarding governance and management arrangements and performance if they have not done so within the last 12 months.
  • contact the Commission about safeguarding issues, or serious safeguarding incidents, complaints or allegations which have not previously been disclosed to the regulator or the appropriate authorities.

The Commission’s recently revised safeguarding strategy makes clear that safeguarding should be a key governance priority for all charities, not just those working with groups traditionally considered at risk.

Harvey Grenville, Head of Investigations and Enforcement at the Charity Commission, says:

The public rightly expects charities to be safe and trusted environments where people are protected from harm, including the charity’s own staff and volunteers. So all charities need to be alert to the importance of safeguarding those who come into contact with them. What that means in practice will of course depend on the nature and circumstances of a charity’s work.
Trustees of charities in which, for whatever reason, individuals may potentially hold significant authority or power or over others, including their colleagues, must take account of that in setting and implementing safeguarding policies. This includes environments in which individuals, by virtue of their formal position or their experience or personality, are held in high regard and respect by those around them.

The regulator has also published a report of a case involving Oxfam; the Commission engaged with the charity over its handling of a number of concerning allegations about recent and non-recent safeguarding incidents involving senior staff, including allegations of sexual harassment.

The report concludes that the charity demonstrates elements of good practice in its safeguarding management and how it responds to allegations, but that there is further work for the charity to do around HR culture, and the overall governance and management of safeguarding in the charity. As result of the Commission’s involvement, the charity has committed to a number of significant steps, including an externally led review of its HR culture. The full report is published on gov.uk.

Ends

Notes to Editors

Press office

  1. The Charity Commission is the independent regulator of charities in England and Wales. To find out more about our work, see our annual report.
  2. The Commission takes a risk-based approach to safeguarding matters and its role is to ensure that trustees of charities work with or provide services to vulnerable beneficiaries comply with their legal duties, and take reasonable steps to protect them and other persons that come into contact with the charity from harm and minimise the risk of abuse.
  3. The Commission is not responsible for dealing with incidents of actual abuse and does not administer safeguarding legislation. It cannot prosecute or bring criminal proceedings, although it can and does refer any concerns to the police, local authorities and the Disclosure and Barring Service (‘DBS’) each of which has particular statutory functions.

Link: Press release: Review your charity’s safeguarding and governance arrangements, Charity Commission advises
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Press release: The next steps towards the 5G Future

The positioning of the UK as a world leader in the development and deployment of 5G technology has received another boost as the government sets out the next steps of its ambitious plans.

Government has today published an update to its 5G strategy, first published at Spring Budget 2017, which outlines our progress to date in delivering against the recommendations of the strategy. It also details the next phase of work aimed at preparing the UK for a 5G future including the steps that the government will take to support investment, and the ongoing programme of 5G Testbeds and Trials.

In October, the 5G Testbeds and Trials Programme launched a £25 million competition to fund an initial series of testbeds and trials. This “Phase 1” competition is focusing on new and innovative use cases for 5G in order to help identify new revenue streams and business models for all parts of the supply chain. At Budget in November, we announced specific funding for 5G projects, and government has today announced that “Phase 2” programme activity will include funding for the first large scale projects.

As part of this, the government has launched a call for views on the appropriate scale and scope of deployment pilots that will help to establish the conditions under which 5G can be deployed in a timely way and help foster the development of 5G in the UK. This includes the timescales over which they should be delivered, the amount of funding contribution which would be appropriate, and the method by which funding should be allocated.

Minister for Digital, Matt Hancock said:

We want the UK to be a global leader in 5G so that we can take early advantage of the benefits that this new technology offers. The steps we are taking now are all part of our commitment to realising the potential of 5G ,and will help to create a world-leading digital economy that works for everyone.

And while the Phase 1 and Phase 2 projects will shortly be underway, it’s important for the government to create the right environment for long-term investment in 5G and other technologies like full fibre broadband .

DCMS is therefore also launching a call for evidence to understand what makes investing in fibre and 5G attractive, and what government could do to support this. The responses will inform the Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review which was announced last month as part of the Industrial Strategy, which set out the need to do more to increase our productivity and to make the most of our untapped potential right across the nation.

Our aim is to be the world’s most innovative economy, and as part of this, the UK needs an integrated, long-term strategy for fixed and mobile networks and this review will determine what conditions will encourage the long term investment needed to secure world-class digital connectivity, that is seamless, reliable, long-lasting and also widely available and affordable to UK businesses and consumers.

Also announced today are the chosen partners for running the 5G innovation Network. A consortium led by CW, in partnership with the Knowledge Transfer Network and TM Forum, have been selected to provide a significant boost to the development of the UK’s 5G ecosystem, whilst contributing to increased inward investment and UK leadership. The Network will:

  • Facilitate the coordination and engagement of organisations working on 5G activities in the UK
  • Create and maintain an accessible and up to date source of information about 5G activities for industry and
  • Establish a global marketing brand as part of a strategy to encourage inward investment and participation in 5G activities in the UK.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

  1. The Terms of Reference for the Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review (FTIR) are available online. The FTIR call for evidence outlines a number of different market and policy models, and we are particularly keen to hear how these could generate effective outcomes for consumers in the next decade and beyond, and the pros and cons of these models.
  2. The government has committed over £1 billion from the National Productivity Investment Fund to support the next generation of digital infrastructure in the UK including through the delivery of two programmes: the Local Full Fibre Networks (“LFFN”) Programme and the 5G Testbeds and Trials Programme. These programmes aim to stimulate investment in next generation fibre and wireless networks.
  3. 5G has the potential to transform communications and is likely to lead to new business models and innovation in service provision. Given the potential size of the global 5G prize – a recent report estimated 5G will enable USD$12.3 trillion of global economic output in 2035 – we need to ensure that the UK is at the forefront of 5G developments, so that we can maximise the potential benefits to our economy and citizens.
  4. The business case for 5G is not just about the technology. It’s about discovering new business models. With 4G, the primary use case is consumer mobile services. 5G will be the first network with multiple use cases, serving multiple needs. The Phase 1 competition will focus on new and innovative use cases for 5G in order to help identify new revenue streams and business models for all parts of the supply chain.

Link: Press release: The next steps towards the 5G Future
Source: Gov Press Releases

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Press release: Justice Secretary pledges commitment to tackling racial inequality in the Criminal Justice System

The Lammy review, published in October, found evidence that people from black and minority ethnic backgrounds have a worse experience of the CJS. David Lammy’s findings included striking statistics which show starkly the work that will be required to address this deep-rooted problem – this includes the fact that BAME men and women represent 25% of prisoners, despite making up just 14% of the population.

David Lammy made a range of recommendations, including that data should be published and analysed regularly on ethnicity and the CJS, and that deferred prosecution models should be explored further.

The Justice Secretary today pledged to take forward work around each of the 35 recommendations – making clear that action had been taken on several already – and went even further by challenging all parts of the criminal justice system to seek out further opportunities to challenge race bias.

While some of the changes will take longer to achieve than others, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has already made progress on several recommendations. For example, prison governors have been asked to immediately implement the recommendation to establish a diverse forum in prisons to review the use of force. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Justice has met several recommendations by publishing data that has never been compiled or released before on race bias in the CJS. This includes a breakdown by ethnicity of parole board hearing outcomes and the educational background of offenders, linking with data held by the Department for Education – and the MoJ will take every opportunity to keep adding new data.

Today’s response builds on the work already announced by the Prime Minister earlier this year when she published the Race Disparity Audit. The Prime Minister challenged society to “explain or change” the disparities which were uncovered.

Academics, campaigners and think-tanks will have an open invitation to scrutinise data on race bias. Where the MoJ cannot explain discrepancies in the way different groups are treated – it will make reforms to address them.

Where a recommendation in the Lammy review cannot be implemented in full or exactly as recommended, further work will be carried out and an alternative approach will be found that achieves the same aim.

The Ministry of Justice also committed to doing everything possible to encourage and support other organisations to take action to meet their specific recommendations.

Justice Secretary David Lidington said:

This Government is committed to exposing injustice wherever it exists. Where we cannot explain differences in outcomes for different groups, we will reform.

Effective justice simply cannot be delivered unless everyone has full confidence in our Criminal Justice System.

This is the very first step in a change of attitude towards race disparity that will touch on every part of the criminal justice system for years to come.

Ministers have also started discussions with the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime about piloting a deferred prosecution scheme in the capital.

Work will be driven forward by a new Race and Ethnicity Board, made up of the key partners in the CJS responsible for implementing the Lammy recommendations. The Board will work with external stakeholders to inform and encourage challenge on its progress. Extensive publication of data will ensure the Ministry of Justice and partners across the CJS are held to account for reducing race bias.

Notes to Editors:

  • The Government’s response to David Lammy will be published on the Ministry of Justice web page on Gov.UK at 9.30am on Tuesday 19 December.
  • The Government’s ‘Ethnicity Facts and Figures’ website can be found at http://www.ethnicity-facts-figures.service.gov.uk

Link: Press release: Justice Secretary pledges commitment to tackling racial inequality in the Criminal Justice System
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Press release: Government launches plan to increase participation in democracy

The government has launched the first ever Democratic Engagement Plan today (19 December 2017) to tackle democratic exclusion and outline how it will increase participation among under registered groups.

The Minister for the Constitution Chris Skidmore launched the Plan today at the first meeting of the National Democracy Week Council, made up of organisations from across the civil society sector, working in partnership with government.

The Council has been established to plan activities for a week of unified national action that will take place between 2 to 6 July next year in celebration of two significant anniversaries – 100 years since women won the right to vote and 90 years since women won equal voting rights to men.

The Democratic Engagement Plan, launched today, follows the ‘Every Voice Matters’ tour, which over the last year has visited every region and nation in Great Britain. The Minister met over 100 organisations that represent people who are underrepresented on the electoral register, gathering insight on the barriers these groups face engaging with the democratic process.

The Plan sets out our approach to creating an inclusive democracy by:

  • building on record levels of voter registration and identifying where there is more to do
  • further encouraging participation to make our democracy more inclusive than ever
  • launching National Democracy Week to promote democratic engagement
  • identifying the barriers faced by specific groups that are currently under-represented on the electoral register

Also, today is the next stage of the government’s plans to make changes to anonymous registration, making it more accessible for those who need it most. The draft legislation will be laid in Parliament, if it is approved we anticipate the changes will come into force in time for the May local elections in England.

Minister for the Constitution, Chris Skidmore said:

I am pleased to publish the first Democratic Engagement Plan which sets out our longer-term approach to encouraging democratic participation.

We now have a better understanding of how participation differs between different groups and areas and this plan sets out how best we can engage with those who are under-registered so ours is a democracy that works for everyone.

We want to ensure that everyone eligible who wishes to register to vote and participate in our democracy is given the opportunity to do so. There are still millions of people who are not enrolled on the electoral register or choose not to vote. But as this Plan shows, in our democracy, every voice matters.

Link: Press release: Government launches plan to increase participation in democracy
Source: Gov Press Releases