Category: Gov Press Releases

Scottish Secretary David Mundell will today [Thursday 2 November 2017] urge the Scottish Government and Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) to engage fully with the Brexit process, so together we can deliver the best possible deal for Scotland and the whole of the UK as we leave the EU.

Mr Mundell will give evidence this morning [Thursday 2 November 2017] to the Scottish Parliament’s Culture, Tourism, Europe and External Relations Committee.

The following week [Wednesday 8 November] Mr Mundell and DExEU Minister Robin Walker will give evidence to the Scottish Parliament’s Finance and Constitution Committee. Mr Walker and Cabinet Office Minister Chris Skidmore will also give evidence that day [Wednesday 8 November] to the Scottish Parliament’s Delegated Powers Committee.

Speaking ahead of his appearance before the Committee today [Thursday 2 November 2017] Mr Mundell said:

“There is a huge task ahead of us as the UK Government negotiates our exit from the EU. It is crucial that the Scottish Government and the Scottish Parliament are fully and constructively engaged with the Brexit process, so we can together deliver the best possible deal for Scotland and the whole of the UK as we leave the EU.”

“The Scottish Parliament has a job of work to do, including preparing for new powers which will come to Holyrood as a result of Brexit, and working with the UK Government to determine where we will need common frameworks.

“People in Scotland, rightly, expect their two governments to work together and we want to work collaboratively with the Scottish Government and MSPs on this challenge.”

The number of households moving off the cap and into work is continuing to rise since the cap’s introduction in 2013.

The benefit cap incentivises work, including part-time work, as anyone eligible for Working Tax Credit (or the equivalent under Universal Credit) is exempt.

Work and Pensions Secretary, David Gauke said:

It is fair that people out of work face the same choices as those in work, and putting a cap on how much someone can receive in benefits restores that balance.

Behind today’s figures are thousands of success stories as people start new jobs, and benefit from a regular wage for their families.

They are part of the 3 million people who have moved into work since 2010 and show our commitment to supporting even more people across the country into employment and on the right path to improving their lives.

The benefit cap limits the amount that most people aged 16 to 64 can receive in benefits to £20,000 a year outside London, and £23,000 in Greater London.

Since the introduction of the cap in April 2013, 160,000 households have had their benefits capped. Around 94,000 of these are no longer capped, with 39,000 households having moved into work.

More information

The benefit cap is set at £20,000 a year outside London and £23,000 in Greater London to reflect higher rent costs. This is the equivalent salary of £25,000, or £29,000 in London.

Anyone working and receiving Working Tax Credit is exempt from the cap, as are households where someone receives Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Personal Independence Payment (PIP), or the support component of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). Those claiming Carer’s Allowance or Guardian’s Allowance are exempt from the cap.

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Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has today (Thursday) committed UK support for freedom of expression projects in countries where press freedom is curtailed.

Today, on the International Day to end impunity for crimes against journalists, Mr Johnson has committed to spending £1m over the next financial year on projects that will enable journalists and media professionals to promote their own free press and uphold human rights. Funding will be available for press freedom projects in countries where media freedom is under significant pressure.

Boris Johnson on media freedom

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said:

Freedom of expression is a universal human right and a free press underpins that right.

As a former journalist I am alarmed that worldwide attacks on journalists are rife and increasing.

Civil society is all about free people. Where governments fear freedom of expression they often try to shut down media and civil society, or clip their wings. This both violates human rights and crushes creativity.

A free media is vital to creating a vibrant, informed and engaged population and helps to support a safer, more prosperous and progressive world.

The Foreign Secretary met trainee journalists at UAL’s London College of Communication, as well as Chevening Scholars from Malaysia and participants from Syria, Eritrea and Bahrain on the Refugee Journalism Project – a project based at UAL’s London College of Communication which supports exiled journalists to restart their careers in the UK.

Nigel Carrington, Vice-Chancellor of University of the Arts London, said:

As the world’s largest creative university, freedom of speech and expression is at the heart of everything we teach.

The Refugee Journalism Project based at our London College of Communication is a great example of our commitment to these values.

The Foreign Secretary discussed the importance of a free press with the group, his own experiences as a journalist and the student’s responsibility to do their part to create an active and free media in their home countries.

Over the past 11 years, more than 900 journalists globally have been killed for simply doing their jobs. Many countries are increasingly turning to restrictive measures to control their media with journalists being subjected to or threatened with arrest, detention and prosecution on a daily basis.

Thomas Hughes, Executive Director for Article 19 said:

In the last decade a thousand journalists and media workers have been killed worldwide.

Whilst today we mark the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists, the reality is that the impunity rate for these crimes remains staggeringly high, with ninety percent unresolved.

For each journalist killed, attacked, threatened or detained, countless others are intimidated to self-censor, eroding press freedoms and resulting in entire societies being deprived of important information.

Funds will be allocated to projects that:

• help journalists build their international support networks to drive up journalistic standards;
• build the capacity of local journalists to help support and safeguard press freedom;
• lobby governments to change laws that put pressure on journalists, such as anti-defamation laws;
• monitor human rights violations, trial monitoring and long-term advocacy on targeted impunity cases.

A Downing Street spokesperson said:

The Prime Minister spoke to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar on the phone last night.

They discussed the political situation in Northern Ireland and their shared endeavour to see the restoration of devolved Government.

Both leaders discussed the responsibility of the parties to overcome their differences and the need for them to compromise on the outstanding issues that remained – for the benefit of all communities in Northern Ireland.

The Prime Minister thanked the Taoiseach and the contribution of the Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney, who has been working with the Northern Ireland Secretary, on supporting the parties to reach agreement.

This Prime Minister explained how it was the UK Government’s strong wish for an Executive to take forward their own Budget, and while this could still happen, the Government would be taking the necessary steps to protect the delivery of public services in Northern Ireland.

Both were clear about the priority to form an Executive and they agreed to maintain close contact and continue working with the parties to achieve this.

The completed reports were sent to the Home Secretary in May and June 2017.

Mr Bolt said:

In June 2016, I was asked by the Home Secretary to consider bringing forward some work that I had included in my inspection plan for 2018/19 under the theme of ‘Compliance Management and Enforcement’. The two inspection reports published today are the result of that work.

The first examines the efficiency and effectiveness of the Home Office’s Reporting and Offender Management (ROM) system, focusing on its understanding and management of the reporting population (those individuals notified of their liability for detention and removal from the UK). It also looks at the implementation of policy and guidance relating to absconders (individuals who have failed to report and whose whereabouts are unknown).

The second examines the Home Office’s management of non-detained Foreign National Offenders (FNOs) towards their removal from the UK. This second report looks in particular at the actions taken by the Home Office since 2016, following the creation of an improvement plan to address identified failings.

In both cases, I found people and processes under strain. The numbers required to report routinely mean that it is extremely difficult for staff at Reporting Centres to ensure that reporting events are ‘meaningful’, in terms of encouraging voluntary departures or resolving barriers to removal. Meanwhile, the removal of FNOs is regularly frustrated, often by last minute legal challenges, and monitoring non-detained FNOs effectively is a challenge and one that raises obvious public protection concerns.

The ROM system is hampered by poor communication and coordination within the Home Office. The inspection found that recording and treatment of non-compliance with reporting restrictions was inconsistent, and there was little evidence of effective action to locate absconders. The ROM report makes 6 recommendations grouped under 3 headings: achieving the stated purpose of the ROM system; concluding cases; and, managing non-compliance.

The FNO inspection makes 8 recommendations, including completion of the improvement work begun in 2016. While these will not change some of the underlying issues and risks, they are important in ensuring that processes are as efficient and effective as they can be.

I have read with interest the Home Office’s responses to my recommendations, which I saw shortly before the reports were laid in Parliament. All but two of the recommendations have been accepted in full. I look forward to re-inspecting both areas of work in 2018, when I hope to be able to confirm that the necessary improvements have been made and sustained. In the case of the partially accepted and rejected recommendations, I will be looking to test that the measures to monitor and manage the risks associated with FNOs referred to in the responses are indeed effective.

• An inspection of the Home Office’s management of non-detained Foreign National Offenders, December 2016 – March 2017
• An inspection of the Home Office’s Reporting and Offender Management processes December 2016 – March 2017

This change will lead to approximately 10,000 claimants receiving an extra £70 to £90 a week by 2022/2023.

Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work, Penny Mordaunt, said:

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) contributes to the additional costs which disabled people face and provides greater opportunities for them to lead full, active and independent lives. Twenty nine per cent of people on PIP receive the highest level of support, compared to 15 per cent under Disability Living Allowance.

We regularly review the guidance that case managers use to make decisions about someone’s eligibility for PIP. These updates will help us continue to ensure people with the highest costs associated with their disability or health condition are receiving the most support.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will be going through all existing cases to identify anyone who may be entitled to a higher rate of PIP as a result of the judgment, which was handed down on 9 March 2017. Anyone who is affected will be contacted by DWP, and their payments will be backdated to the judgment.

In addition, a number of affected individuals will benefit from the following:

• clarifications to the assessment criteria for activities 7 (communicating verbally) and 9 (engaging with people face to face) under the daily living component of PIP so that claimants can score points for both activities
• changes to the criteria for activity 1 under the mobility component of PIP to reflect the challenges that may be faced by people with sensory difficulties if they experience disruptions to a journey

The Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work has made a written ministerial statement on the PIP changes.

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Operating at speeds of up to 225mph (360kph), the new fleet will deliver unparalleled levels of reliability, speed and comfort as well as providing much-needed extra capacity between the UK’s major cities and giving a boost to high tech skills and expertise in the UK.

The shortlisted bidders are: Alstom Transport; Bombardier Transportation UK Ltd; Hitachi Rail Europe; Patentes Talgo S.L.U and Siemens PLC. They will all be invited to tender for the contracts, which will cover the design, build and maintenance of at least 54 trains coming into service from 2026.

Following on from the opening of the new National College for High Speed Rail in Birmingham and Doncaster, this is the latest milestone passed as High Speed Two (HS2) becomes a reality. In total, HS2 will create around 25,000 jobs and 2,000 apprenticeships both directly in construction and also across the UK-wide supply chain.

The first trains will begin to roll off the production line in the early 2020s. The investment is expected to create hundreds of jobs and boost Britain’s skills and expertise in the high speed rail sector.

Welcoming the shortlist, HS2 Minister Paul Maynard said:

Thousands of skilled British jobs and apprenticeships will be created by HS2, which gets a step closer as we reveal the companies shortlisted to build the high speed trains.

HS2 will see some of the world’s fastest trains connecting our great cities across the north and Midlands, creating an economy that works for everyone. But announcements like this show how the benefits of HS2 will resonate far beyond the opening of the new railway. HS2’s legacy of jobs and skills is already being created.

Chris Rayner, HS2 Ltd Managing Director – Railway Operations, said:

It’s great to see such a strong line up of experienced high-tech manufacturing and design talent. Together with the successful bidder, HS2 will deliver some of the world’s most advanced rolling stock, engineered to provide seamless, accessible, fast and reliable journeys.

Starting from 2026, our trains will be used by tens of thousands of people every day, transforming links across the Midlands and the North and providing much-needed extra capacity between Britain’s major cities.

Providing a world class passenger experience is at the heart of the requirements for the £2.75 billion contract. The new trains will also serve destinations beyond the core HS2 network, including York, Newcastle, Liverpool, the North West, Glasgow and Edinburgh.

The new trains will be required to meet HS2’s design and performance needs and the highest standards internationally for passenger experience, noise reduction, and environmental sustainability, while maximising skills, employment and growth opportunities.

All 5 bidders will be invited to tender in spring 2018, with contracts awarded in 2019.

The successful bidder will also maintain the fleet from the dedicated rolling stock depot planned for Washwood Heath in Birmingham. The area will also be home to the HS2 Network Control Centre, which will together create hundreds of skilled jobs.

Today the UK Government and the Sierra Leone Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MoHS) will formally open a newly refurbished diagnostic laboratory at Connaught hospital in Freetown.

This is the third and final laboratory built with UK Aid that will be handed over to ministry leadership alongside 2 additional facilities in Makeni and Bo. A cohort of 15 Sierra-Leonean hospital staff has also been fully trained as technicians to work in the laboratories.

Funded by UK Aid and implemented by Public Health England (PHE) in partnership with MoHS, the project supports the country’s public health capacity to detect and control the spread of high consequence infectious diseases like Ebola and Yellow Fever, using the latest diagnostic techniques.

In the same week, the newly trained technicians will graduate following completion of a PHE-led molecular virology training programme. Sierra Leone has a very limited number of doctors and nurses, and Ebola had a tragic impact on that already stretched capacity. The process of training new staff is an essential part of efforts to rebuild that capacity.

Several of the graduates have also undergone additional training which will allow them to train future cohorts in molecular diagnostic techniques to ensure this knowledge and skill-set is passed on, helping to sustain this critical capability for the long-term.

The laboratories are part of a broader UK programme of support which is helping to strengthen the Government of Sierra Leone’s own capacity to better deal with serious future health outbreaks following the devastation caused by Ebola in 2014.

The premises include a fully equipped molecular facility which will allow the MoHS to test for a range of high consequence pathogens, with Ebola testing being specifically supported by the UK Aid-funded Resilient Zero programme.

A ceremony is being held at the Connaught Hospital in Freetown to mark the handing over of the completed building works from the UK Government to the ministry. The laboratories will be opened by HE Dr Abu Bakarr Fofanah, Minister of Health and Sanitation, Dr Brima Kargbo, Sierra Leone’s Chief Medical Officer and HE Guy Warrington, British High Commissioner in Sierra Leone and Duncan Selbie, Chief Executive of PHE.

The refurbishment will create an environment where high-risk samples (such as those from suspected Ebola cases) can be tested safely, and will also allow the Government of Sierra Leone to further expand diagnostic capacity in other areas for both infectious and non-infectious diseases, and thereby strengthening the public health system in Sierra Leone in the long-term.

Chief Medical Officer of Sierra Leone, Dr Brima Kargbo said:

The recognition of diseases through the laboratory system is the foundation of disease control and prevention. Therefore, accurate and timely laboratory services has become the bedrock upon which current disease treatment, prevention and control programmes are based. The reliance on laboratory-derived information has, for several years, been in line with the development of modern medicine and public health. At this stage we are grateful to the UK Government for their invaluable support in this direction.

British High Commissioner, Guy Warrington, who spoke at the launch, said:

I want to congratulate the Ministry of Health and Sanitation for the progress that has been made to renovate these facilities under their leadership. I also want to recognise the newly trained molecular lab technicians for their vital work in running these labs. On behalf of the UK Government I am proud that we were able to support this important work through UK Aid funding and with the valuable expertise provided by our colleagues at Public Health England. I look forward to these labs continuing to serve the people of Sierra Leone and helping keep them safe from infectious diseases for many years to come.

Duncan Selbie, Chief Executive of Public Health England said:

The people of Sierra Leone are hugely resilient and have coped with a huge amount of destruction and disease in recent years. I am proud of the part that PHE has played in working with the Sierra Leone government to help strengthen Sierra Leone’s health system and grow the country’s ability to protect itself against potentially devastating diseases.

In Sierra Leone alone, the Ebola outbreak killed around 4,000 people, with more than 8,700 cases confirmed. The recovery costs for the country have been estimated at $844 million. Recently the country has also been tragically hit by mudslides, which killed over 500 people. The UK Public Health Rapid Support Team was deployed to tackle the prevention of potential cholera outbreaks following the mudslides.

The new public health capability, as well as the establishment of a national public health institute in Sierra Leone itself, are both positive results of the national and international learnings from the Ebola outbreak.

From January 2018 PHE begins a two-year ODA funded programme of supporting MoHS in developing public health infrastructure to meet International Health Regulations (IHR). The focus of the Sierra Leone element of the programme will be on long term sustainability of laboratories, and IHR capacity building integrated within health system strengthening.

Background

• in Sierra Leone, the average lifespan is roughly half that of western nations and malnutrition ranks among the world’s highest – poverty remains pervasive, particularly in the Eastern and Northern regions with more than 6 out of 10 people living on less than a euro a day
• in recent years, although Sierra Leone had a population of 7 million, there were only around 100 doctors and between 200 to 300 nurses in employment to respond to illness and disease
• as part of the Resilient Zero programme, over 300 local staff have been trained in emergency planning
• since the beginning of the year, 15 Sierra Leone MoHS laboratory technicians have been trained in molecular diagnostics at Bo and Makeni – all have completed a 6-week molecular virology practical courses which was followed by supervised working at PHE operated molecular laboratories.
• introduction into concepts of virology was provided through a short course held early 2017, and tutorials on broader concepts of infections accompanied the practical training
• PHE has had a presence in Sierra Leone since 2012, initially to assist with a cholera outbreak, but also played a vital role in working with DfID, WHO and the Sierra Leone MOHS to manage the Ebola outbreak; the UK Public Health Rapid Support team has also recently been deployed to Sierra Leone to assist with disease surveillance and help prevent outbreaks of infection following the tragic mudslides
• the UK has committed a £427 million package of support to help contain, control, treat, and ultimately prevent Ebola.