Good afternoon. It’s a great pleasure to be with you all today. Go raibh míle maith agaibh. I would like to extend my thanks to John McGrane and Paul Lynam for your very kind invitation and sharing my congratulations to Marie Doyle on her recent appointment as President of this wonderful organisation. Now, many people in Britain might assume that the British-Irish Chamber of Commerce has a long and distinguished history. It is certainly distinguished but it’s not very long, having been founded only in 2011. But it feels to me and I’m sure to you much older, such is…
Author: HM Government
The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) would like to invite any interested parties, including academia, manufacturers of cosmetic products, producers of the substances concerned and consumer associations to submit any scientific information relevant to the safety assessment of the following cosmetic ingredients. Any scientific data submitted for the safety assessment must include all relevant elements as prescribed in the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety Notes of Guidance for the Testing of Cosmetic Ingredients and Their Safety Evaluation. Note: The Scientific Advisory Group on Chemical Safety (SAG-CS) will use 70 kg as their default bodyweight assumption for adults in…
This is a significant day for UK relations and for both our countries. Less than 100 days since I first visited Berlin in July to kick off these negotiations together, we have today signed a landmark defence agreement here at Trinity House in London. First, I want to thank our negotiating teams, they worked at pace, and they have helped us secure a deal which forges closer cooperation between our militaries and our industries, which contains immediate actions and longer term ambitions. Today’s agreement strengthens our security, it will grow our economies. And you know, when I was Shadow Defence…
World’s finance and development ministers gather in Washington D.C. to discuss pressing international development issues at Annual Meetings of the World Bank Group and IMF. UK Development Minister to announce funding to boost women’s economic and social empowerment in speech on priorities for gender equality. UK to send two female governors to the World Bank Group and IMF Annual Meetings for the first time. The UK’s Development Minister Anneliese Dodds will arrive at the World Bank Group and IMF Annual Meetings in Washington D.C. today [23 October] for a series of engagements focused on advancing gender equality. It will mark…
The Isle of Man Treasury has published ‘The Manx National Insurance Fund – Addressing the long-term sustainability of the Island’s Social Security Benefits and National Insurance Scheme’. This report includes analysis carried out by the Government Actuary’s Department (GAD). Background GAD carries out a review of the Manx National Insurance Fund every 5 years for the Isle of Man Treasury. These reviews assess the financial position of the Fund and project how it is expected to change over the next 60 years. The most recent review was carried out in 2022 and showed that, without any additional financing, the Fund…
biggest shake up to airspace design in 70 years could see quicker, quieter, cleaner flights consultation launched on how to deliver plans to cut flight delays, reduce carbon emissions and deliver growth delivers on manifesto commitment to support airspace modernisation and secure the long-term future of the aviation sector Fewer delays and reduced bottlenecks could help millions of passengers each year and deliver economic growth as the Department for Transport (DfT) today (22 October 2024) unveils new plans to modernise UK airspace design. In a critical step towards delivering a manifesto pledge to support airspace modernisation, a consultation launched…
The UK government has appointed Ruth Davis OBE as the first Special Representative for Nature. This landmark announcement is being is made as the UN Convention on Biological Diversity COP16 meeting in Colombia marks its first formal day. Ruth Davis is one of the country’s leading environmental policy experts, with over twenty-five years’ experience working on issues of nature recovery and climate change. Ms Davis previously advised the government when it hosted COP26, including helping secure an international pledge to end deforestation, which was signed by 145 countries. She played a leading role supporting negotiators and ministers and has previously…
Air protection laser defeats 100% of targets in live firing trial. Equipment being fitted to UK military aircraft to defeat missile threats. Collaboration between Dstl scientists and UK industry partners help support 1950 jobs across Scotland. RAF pilots are one step closer to being equipped with a cutting-edge laser self-protection system, following 100% successful live-fire trials. The laser is being designed to be fitted to a range of RAF aircraft including the intelligence gathering Shadow R2 and A400M transporter, ready to rapidly detect and defeat threats such as missiles. During the trial at the Vidsel Test Range in Sweden, the…
I’ve just had a very productive meeting with President Biden, Chancellor Scholz, and President Macron. We focused on two issues. Firstly, the situation in the Middle East. Let me start by saying that no one should mourn the death of the Hamas Leader Sinwar. On his hands is the blood of innocent Israelis. Killed on the 7th of October and over years of terror. And also the blood of the Palestinian people. Who suffered in the chaos and violence that he sought and celebrated. We continue to support Israel’s right to self-defence. Particularly in the face of the attacks by the Iranian…
The Prime Minister met President Emmanuel Macron of France, Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany, and President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. of the United States today in Berlin, Germany. The leaders condemned Russia’s continued war of aggression against Ukraine, discussed their plans to provide Ukraine with additional security, economic, and humanitarian assistance, including leveraging the extraordinary revenues of immobilized Russian sovereign assets – as decided at the G7 Summit, discussed President Zelenskyy’s Victory Plan, and reiterated their resolve to continue supporting Ukraine in its efforts to secure a just and lasting peace, based on international law, including the United Nations Charter,…