£3.5million funding boost to be shared by 17 NHS areas to trial innovative ways to treat musculoskeletal conditions (MSK) 646,000 people off work with MSK conditions – around 1 in 4 of the record 2.8 million people on long-term sickness benefits Funding is part of the Government’s Plan for Change to deliver growth, put more money in people’s pockets, and get the NHS back on its feet As part of the Government’s drive to tackle economic inactivity – where someone is out of work and not looking for work – 17 Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) across England will share…
Author: HM Government
With permission, Mr Speaker, I’d like to make a statement on the investigation by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman into the way changes in the State Pension age were communicated to women born in the 1950s. Introduction and scope of report Mr Speaker, the State Pension is the foundation for a secure retirement. It’s why this Government is committed to the Pension Triple Lock – which will increase the new State Pension by more than £470 a year from this April, and deliver an additional £31 billion of spending over the course of this Parliament. And it’s why Governments…
Ministers recognised the inseparable nature of the security and prosperity of the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions. They committed to working together to shape a world characterised by an adherence to rules and norms, rather than power or coercion. Ministers unequivocally condemned Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and demanded that Russia withdraw its troops from Ukraine’s internationally recognised territory. The UK and Australia are resolute in their support to Ukraine’s Armed Forces in the face of Russia’s illegal war of aggression. Ministers welcomed significant increases in support for Ukraine from both the UK and Australia, including Australia’s announcement to extend its…
Angling clubs and fisheries are to benefit from the latest round of funding from the Environment Agency’s Fisheries Improvement Programme (FIP), which has opened today (16 December). Up to £820,000 is being made available to support angling clubs, fisheries and other organisations to protect and enhance fisheries in local communities through the programme. The projects are to be delivered from April 2025. This is a marked increase from last year’s initial budget of £730,000 thanks in part to savings from phasing out of the licence card pictures, directing rod licencing income back into supporting fisheries. The programme drives investment in…
Foreign Secretary and Defence Secretary host Australian counterparts in London to address shared security challenges and deliver growth and put more money in people’s pockets Ministers will reaffirm steadfast commitment to AUKUS, one of the most strategically important collaborations for decades. Government sets out a range of major initiatives set out to boost security at home and around the world The UK and Australia will reinforce their economic and defence partnership and bolster co-operation on shared global challenges at an annual ministerial meeting – known as AUKMIN – today (16th December). The Foreign Secretary and the Defence Secretary will host…
UK today becomes first European nation to accede to CPTPP, a major trade bloc in the Indo-Pacific which includes countries like Japan, Vietnam, Peru, Chile and Malaysia UK membership grows CPTPP’s GDP to £12 trillion and creates opportunities for businesses, potentially boosting the economy by £2 billion a year in the long run This comes as an immediate step to support the Government’s Plan for Change by delivering growth and putting more money in people’s pockets The UK has today [15 December] officially joined the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) as a fully-fledged member, potentially boosting the…
The Prime Minister joined a virtual meeting of G7 Leaders this afternoon. Discussing the unfolding situation in Syria, the Prime Minister said that the fall of Assad’s brutal regime should be welcomed, but we must be mindful about what comes next. The priority should be the safety of the Syrian people while supporting a political transition which leads to credible, inclusive, and non-sectarian governance on behalf of all Syrians. All leaders agreed that Syria’s territorial integrity, independence and sovereignty must be respected throughout the transition process and in future. Turning to Ukraine, the Prime Minister said that with Putin showing…
The statement underscored the Council’s support to SRSG Abarry and the valuable work of his office in the sub-region. The United Kingdom also welcomes the SRSG’s close coordination of efforts with his counterparts in the region, namely the SRSG’s of UNOWAS, MONUSCO, MINUSCA and the Special Envoy for the Great Lakes, together that facilitates a coherent approach to common regional challenges. I will now make three points. The UK welcomes the continued progress towards Gabon’s political transition, and the SRSG’s efforts in using UNOCA’s good offices to support the recent peaceful referendum. The UK encourages UNOCA to continue its valuable…
Diplomat for a day The ‘diplomat for a day’ competition is a joint initiative by the UK, Australian, US and Canada embassies in Belgium. It aims to encourage young women and girls to become leaders and advocates for change, including through mentorship opportunities. If you win the competition you will be invited to spend a day at the 4 embassies in Brussels on 10 March, shadowing senior leaders and learning about the work of a diplomat. You will also be able to take part in a discussion with business and civil society on the importance of gender equality. The embassies…
The United Kingdom welcomes the Government of DRC and MONUSCO’s continued collaboration in tackling conflict in eastern DRC. We are working closely with Council colleagues to agree a mandate that sufficiently addresses the need for protection of civilians, facilitation of humanitarian activity and support for wider peacebuilding activities. The UK is seriously concerned by reports of GPS spoofing and jamming and the presence of surface to air missiles in North Kivu, alongside the restriction of MONUSCO’s movements by M23, preventing troop rotations and the delivery of critical supplies. We call on all parties to the conflict to cease all obstruction…