Pulse.Assent

Minister for the Armed Forces Mark Lancaster visited Microsoft’s UK Headquarters in Reading for the signing, where he met with staff currently serving in the reserves.

The Armed Forces Covenant is a promise from the nation that those who serve or have served, and their families, are treated fairly.

Minister for the Armed Forces Mark Lancaster said:

The fact that such a leading multinational company has signed up to the Armed Forces Covenant demonstrates the support businesses have for our military personnel.

We are continuously building on our cyber capabilities to ensure we are countering ever intensifying threats. And it is companies like Microsoft that we look to support and develop our Reservists to ensure we remain at the cutting edge.

At today’s signing, Microsoft made a number of pledges, including:

• A commitment to develop the digital skills of veterans, preparing them for a career in technology
• Encouraging managers to interview every veteran application they receive, if they are qualified for the role
• Supporting the MOD’s Career Transition Partnership, to give them insight into the skills required to pursue a career in technology
• Matching funds collected by Microsoft staff for military charities and collecting every year for the Royal British Legion Poppy Day
• All military personnel will receive a 10% discount on Microsoft products

Microsoft will also offer greater flexibility to employees who are serving in the reserves, allowing them two weeks paid leave so they can undertake annual reserve training.

Minister for Defence People and Veterans Tobias Ellwood said:

Veterans have so much to give to civilian life, so I’m delighted that a world-leading company like Microsoft recognises this and wants them in their workforce.

The pledges they have committed to will make a real difference for veterans looking to develop their skills tech skills.

By signing the Armed Forces Covenant, Microsoft joins over 2500 businesses and organisations across the country who are supporting veteran and reserve personnel.

Public views on a proposed permanent solution to avoid the need for Operation Stack will be invited during a six-week listening exercise being launched on Monday 11 June, Highways England confirmed today (Wednesday 6 June).

A series of public information events across Kent will be the start of a longer-term consultation process aimed at identifying permanent improvements to how freight traffic is managed when there is disruption to cross channel services in future.

People will be asked whether they would prefer to have an on-road or off-road lorry holding area; or a combination of both on either single or multiple sites. No sites have yet been selected. The public information exercise will also seek views about whether everyday 24-hour lorry parking should be considered as part of a lorry holding area solution. Approximately 900 lorries park illegally or inappropriately across Kent each day.

Highways England project director John Kerner said:

The disruption that people in Kent experienced in the summer of 2015 underlined the need for improvements to how traffic is managed when services across the English Channel are interupted. We now have an opportunity to take a completely fresh look at what a permanent solution to Operation Stack could be, and understanding people’s views will be vital in making sure we can identify the most appropriate outcome. I encourage anyone with an interest to get involved.

Public information events will be held over the six-week period, and information will be published on Highways England’s website as well as being available at any of 27 public information points across the county.

Details of the events are available on the scheme website.

The project team will also visit Motorway Service Areas and truck stops across the area to speak to drivers and seek their views.

The public information exercise follows an announcement by the Department for Transport last month.

General enquiries

Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.

Media enquiries

Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.

The 2017 report of the Commissioner for the Retention and Use of Biometric Material (‘the Biometrics Commissioner’) was submitted to the Home Secretary on 26 March 2018 and published on 5 June 2018.

The role of the Biometrics Commissioner was established by the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 (PoFA) and Paul Wiles was appointed as the second commissioner on 1 June 2016. His role is to provide independent oversight of the regime which was established by PoFA – and which came into force on 31 October 2013 – to govern the retention and use by the police in England and Wales of DNA samples, DNA profiles and fingerprints.

In addition to various casework responsibilities in relation to DNA and fingerprints, he also has a UK-wide oversight function as regards their retention and use by the police on national security grounds.

This 2017 report deals primarily with developments since the publication of the commissioner’s 2016 report. It covers his casework activities, the general operation of the PoFA regime and a variety of issues that have arisen in connection with its operation in both the normal policing and national security spheres.

Any queries in relation to this press release should be made to Justin Hawkins on 07792 551301.

The British public have had their own charitable donations doubled through the government’s UK Aid match scheme, the Prime Minister will announce later today (Wednesday 6 June) at a reception in Downing Street.

25 charities across the UK will have their charitable appeals for 2017/18 boosted, raising a total of £66 million, for life-changing projects in 20 different countries around the world. Government funding of more than £30 million by UK Aid Match is the largest annual contribution by the programme since 2013.

Prime Minister Theresa May made the announcement at a reception for Soccer Aid for Unicef which has raised £24 million in the last 12 years to support vulnerable children around the world since it started. She welcomed charities, school children and celebrities to celebrate contributions of British charity givers and the power of British aid to change the lives of some of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people.

Through UK Aid Match for every £1 donated, the government will contribute £1, giving the British public a say in how aid is spent, helping these projects to go even further.

The programme has helped save lives and create new opportunities for thousands of people across some of the poorest parts of the world. It has helped vaccinate children against preventable killer diseases, given people clean drinking water and food, stopped infectious diseases from reaching our shores and helped to create jobs so people can earn a living.

Prime Minister Theresa May said:

These charities do vital work improving the lives of some of the world’s poorest people and so I am pleased that the Government is able to double the impact they can have, bringing the total raised to more than £60 million.

We could not have done this without the extraordinary generosity of people in the UK and their determination to support others in need.

Today’s reception is a chance to celebrate charity workers and the kindness of those who help raise money including the Unicef, Soccer Aid participants who have previously raised £24 million to support vulnerable children around the world.

Secretary of State for International Development Penny Mordaunt said:

UK aid will continue to work to make the world – and ultimately the UK – a better, safer and more prosperous place and through UK Aid Match we are giving the British public a say in how the aid budget is spent. We will be matching all UK public donations to Soccer Aid for Unicef pound-for-pound up to £5 million.

I want to say a huge thank you to the British public whose fundraising efforts are helping save lives around the world. Today’s reception is about them.

Unicef UK Executive Director Mike Penrose said:

We are incredibly grateful to the Prime Minister for hosting this important celebration of UK aid and the huge impact it has for children around the world.

Soccer Aid for Unicef is a prime example of the power of the British public – digging deep and showing their generosity time and time again. And with the UK government matching public donations for Soccer Aid for Unicef pound-for-pound this year, together we can make double the difference for children.

The UK government is currently matching public donations to Soccer Aid for Unicef. The appeal culminates in a charity football match, taking place this Sunday (10 June) at Old Trafford in Manchester.

Donations to Soccer Aid for Unicef matched by UK Aid Match will go towards ending preventable diseases in children, saving the lives of new born babies and helping to end child hunger in Eswatini (formerly known as Swaziland) and Lesotho.