Tag: communications

Minister for Human Rights, Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon said:

On World Day Against the Death Penalty, we reaffirm the UK’s long-standing policy to oppose the use of the death penalty in all circumstances as a matter of principle.

The death penalty undermines human dignity, there is no conclusive evidence of its deterrent value, and any miscarriage of justice leading to its imposition is irreparable.

With the Magna Carta Fund we work globally through our diplomatic network and with international experts to reduce use of the death penalty and to work towards its abolition.

We call on the 73rd session of the General Assembly of the United Nations to vote in favour of the Resolution calling for a worldwide moratorium on the death penalty. We will continue to work with other states, parliaments and civil society groups who share this goal.

Further information

• Follow Foreign Office Minister Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon @tariqahmadbt
• Follow the Foreign Office on Twitter @foreignoffice and Facebook
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Professor Carole Mundell becomes the third person and first woman to hold the position of Chief Scientific Adviser (CSA) at the FCO and succeeds Professor Robin Grimes. As well as being the new Chief Scientific Adviser she will also continue in her role as Professor of Extragalactic Astronomy at Bath University.

The FCO Chief Scientific Adviser represents UK science interests internationally, using science relationships to deliver the UK’s foreign policy priorities. She will work closely with the UK’s Science and Innovation Network to facilitate links between British and international scientists to drive future economic growth; tackle global challenges such as Anti-Microbial Resistance, Patient Safety, girls’ education and to support the conservation and sustainable use of the Ocean.

Speaking on her appointment, Professor Mundell said;

Science is an international endeavour and is most effective when it draws on diverse talent to push the frontier of knowledge and tackle the biggest challenges facing our planet. I am honoured to have been appointed FCO CSA and am excited to work with the UK’s Science and Innovation Network and add value to the FCO’s prosperity and security work around the world.

Professor Bernie Morley, Acting Vice-Chancellor at the University of Bath said;

We are delighted at Professor Mundell’s appointment and very proud of the work she continues to do here at the University of Bath. Carole is an outstanding scientist and a truly superb ambassador for science. She will bring considerable experience and a gift for leadership and communication to her role with the FCO.

Dr Patrick Vallance, the Government Chief Scientific Adviser said;

Professor Carole Mundell on her appointment as Chief Scientific Adviser (CSA) to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Carole brings with her a wealth of experience and will be a real asset to the FCO helping build international science cooperation to take on some of the global challenges we face such as AMR and girl’s education. I look forward to working with her and she is a valuable addition to the network of CSA’s across government.

Notes to editors

• Professor Mundell studied at the University of Glasgow where she gained a BSc in Physics before working at the Jodrell Bank Observatory, University of Manchester, where she completed a PhD in Astrophysics. She later moved to the University of Maryland before joining Liverpool John Moores University, where she received her first professorship in 2007.
• Professor Mundell sits on a number of strategic advisory panels for UK and international groups. She is a recipient of the Royal Society Wolfson Research Merit Award (2011-2016) for the study of black hole-driven explosions and the dynamic Universe and was also selected FDM Everywoman in Technology Woman of the Year (2016).
• The role of Chief Scientific Adviser (CSA) varies greatly depending on the principle function of their host Department. The CSA Network is overseen by the Government Chief Scientific Adviser Dr Patrick Vallance – www.gov.uk/government/groups/chief-scientific-advisers
• The Science and Innovation Network (SIN) comprises over 100 science attaches in over 40 countries working out of British Embassies, High Commissions and Consulates overseas. They work to deliver HMG’s global Prosperity, Security, Influence and International Development objectives. For further information on SIN visit: www.gov.uk/world/organisations/uk-science-and-innovation-network

Further information

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

Thousands of vulnerable people facing homelessness are set to benefit from the launch of a £20 million scheme to help them secure a private rented home.

The Private Rented Sector Access Fund, launching today on World Homeless Day (10 October 2018) by Communities Secretary, Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP, is a dedicated fund designed to help up to 9,000 people who are or at risk of becoming homeless to secure their own home.

A key part of the government’s expert-backed Rough Sleeping Strategy, the fund will be used to either help set up locally-led schemes or expand those currently in use. These schemes will be tailored to match the needs of each local area’s residents and landlords.

This could involve councils providing financial support to help those to access or maintain their tenancies, such as paying deposits for the tenancy or rent payments. Alternatively, some schemes may involve the council managing the property on the landlord’s behalf.

Communities Secretary, the Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP:

It is vital we give people facing homelessness a route out of it and a chance to rebuild their lives. The private rented sector has an important role in this.

This £20 million fund will allow councils to put in place vital new schemes so that those at risk will have the support to secure their own tenancy.

It is just one part of the wide-ranging work we are doing to help tackle all forms of homelessness, including our Rough Sleeping Strategy as we ensure more homes are made available for those in need.

The fund is modelled on evidence provided from the successful programme run by leading homelessness charity Crisis which supported schemes to help homeless people into thousands of private rental tenancies.

The new fund’s launch comes as patients, prisoners and jobseekers at risk of homelessness must now be referred to their local housing authority under key legislation. The duty to refer, a core part of the Homelessness Reduction Act, came into force this month.

It places new responsibilities on key public bodies such as prisons, Job centres and NHS Trusts to ensure those at risk get the help they need.

Further information

The Rough Sleeping Strategy was launch in August this year and set out a number of schemes designed to support those sleeping on Britain’s streets rapidly into accommodation.

The minimum tenancy or existing tenancy supported by the schemes will be a period of 12 months.

Bidding for the schemes is open to all local councils, who are permitted to submit separate bids.

The competition for bids runs for 6 weeks from 10 October.

Up to £5 million in funding is available for bids for the 2018 to 2019 financial year with £15 million available for the 2019 to 2020 financial year.

The Crisis Private Rented Sector Access Programme ran from 2010 until 2014, backed by £11 million in funding from the government. The programme supported over 153 schemes across the sector, creating 8,000 tenancies over 4 years. A total of 90% of these schemes created lasted beyond 6 months.

The duty to refer

The duty to refer came into place on 1 October 2018. It is an element of the Homelessness Reduction Act which became legislation in April 2018, placing new duties on councils to prevent and relieve homelessness.

See the full list of public authorities covered under the duty to refer.

Referrals under the duty to refer cannot be made without the service user’s consent which should be informed and made in writing or given orally.

The decision comes after a provisional clearance from the inquiry group of independent Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) panel members, who investigated how the merger would affect householders. The group specifically examined competition concerns around how the deal would impact ‘standard variable tariff’ prices.

Following a period of consultation, the CMA has decided to clear the merger after finding that SSE and Npower are not close rivals for customers on these tariffs.

Anne Lambert, Chair of the Inquiry Group, said:

With many energy companies out there, people switching away from expensive standard variable tariffs will still have plenty of choice when they shop around after this merger.

But we know that the energy market still isn’t working well for many people who don’t switch, so we looked carefully at how the merger would affect SVT prices. Following a thorough investigation and consultation, we are confident that SSE and Npower are not close rivals for these customers and so the deal will not change how they set SVT prices.

The CMA found that the number of people switching energy provider is the highest in a decade and the proportion on SVTs has fallen, with customers usually switching to a cheaper, non-SVT, tariff.

However, as those who do not switch are usually on one of the large energy suppliers’ already expensive SVTs, the CMA carefully examined whether the merger would change how larger suppliers set these prices.

It found that SVT prices are mainly driven by changing wholesale costs, but the large energy suppliers take account of each other’s tariff changes when choosing the size and timing of their own. Bad publicity from being the first to increase charges or make bigger increases means more of their customers switch away. The CMA therefore carefully considered whether a reduction in the number of large suppliers would encourage larger or earlier tariff changes.

It found that in this case SSE and Npower do not pay special attention to each other, consistent with the evidence that they are not close rivals for SVT customers, who instead prefer to move to other suppliers. Therefore, the merger is not expected to have a significant impact on SVT pricing.

Looking ahead, Ofgem’s price cap is also expected to protect people on standard variable tariffs.

As part of its assessment, the inquiry group examined evidence from the six large energy suppliers; smaller suppliers; customer groups; and regulators, before going on to consult on its provisional clearance. It received no evidence during the consultation that altered the provisional decision.

Further details are available on the investigation case page.

Notes to editor

1. This merger investigation is into the proposed deal between SSE Retail and Npower. Any future energy mergers – if they qualify for CMA investigation – will be scrutinised in relation to the specifics of the case.
2. The proposed merger primarily relates to SSE Retail and Npower’s energy supply activities to domestic customers in GB. SSE plc’s other interests (for example in generation and distribution, and supply to business customers) are not included in the proposed merger.
3. The CMA investigated the energy market in 2014-2016 and found many consumers and microbusinesses were paying more than they needed to. The CMA made recommendations to modernise and reform the market. These recommendations are being taken forward by Ofgem and will support consumers’ increasing engagement with the market.
4. The decision-maker on CMA Phase 2 inquiries like this one is the Inquiry Group. The appointed Inquiry Group is chosen from the CMA’s independent panel members who come from a variety of backgrounds, including economics, law, accountancy, business, and public/consumer policy. The membership of an inquiry group reflects a mix of expertise and experience.
5. The CMA is the UK’s primary competition and consumer authority. It is an independent non-ministerial government department with responsibility for carrying out investigations into mergers, markets and the regulated industries and enforcing competition and consumer law.
6. Media enquiries to the CMA should be directed to press@cma.gov.uk or 020 3738 6460.