Today, Ethiopian Airlines has received delivery of its first next generation Airbus A350-1000 aircraft – part manufactured by UK businesses – in a deal supported by UK Export Finance (UKEF). UKEF, in partnership with Bpifrance and Euler Hermes as reinsurers, provided a guarantee to commercial banks extending a loan to Ethiopian Airlines. The deal will supply a total of 4 A350-1000 aircraft to the airline over the coming months. The A350 is powered by the Trent XWB-97 – the world’s most efficient large aero-engine – which enables the aircraft to operate on 25% less fuel than its current closest competitor.…
Author: HM Government
World-leading reforms introduced to phase out smoking, protecting the public, NHS and economy and put us on track to a smokefree UK Government will be given powers to extend indoor smoking ban to certain outdoor settings, focused on protecting children and the most vulnerable, in addition to creating the first smokefree generation Bill will also ban vape advertising and sponsorship, as well as create new powers to restrict the flavours, display and packaging of all types of vapes Combined with on the spot fines, tougher action on enforcement and tighter regulation on vaping, the Bill will protect children and young people…
PM to outline major investments to smash criminal smuggling gangs at INTERPOL General Assembly in Glasgow New capabilities for Border Security Command from £150 million funding pot to drive down Organised Immigration Crime both at home and overseas New additional funding will cover state-of-the-art tech and information centres, boosts to enforcement and intelligence resourcing and expanding CPS capacity The Prime Minister is set to announce an additional £75 million to boost border security, bringing the investment in the Border Security Command over the next two years to £150 million. Marking the first time the INTERPOL General Assembly has been hosted…
Economic growth to underpin work in both Nigeria and South Africa, as Foreign Secretary agrees to develop a new UK-South Africa Growth Plan and a new Strategic Partnership with Nigeria. Climate continues to top the agenda of Foreign Secretary’s engagement as he visits Earthshot+ event in Cape Town. Foreign Secretary sets out “Growth is the core mission of this government and will underpin our relationships in Nigeria, South Africa and beyond.” David Lammy will begin a visit to Nigeria and South Africa today (3rd November), his first trip to the African continent as Foreign Secretary and the first to visit…
1. Major funding boost for the NHS The government is investing £22.6 billion in the NHS over the next two years. This is the biggest increase in NHS spending since 2010 (excluding COVID-19 years) and will help patients to access 40,000 more elective appointments each week as well as upgrades for GP facilities, new surgical hubs, and more diagnostic scans. 2. Protecting working people’s living standards The Chancellor confirmed that working people will see no changes to their payslips as there will be no increases to Income Tax, VAT, or employee National Insurance. From April 2025, the National Living Wage…
The UK welcomes the renewal of the mandate of EUFOR Althea today, and I join others in thanking France for its efforts as penholder on the text. EUFOR’s presence continues to play a vital role in safeguarding peace and security in Bosnia and Herzegovina. I also express my thanks to High Representative Christian Schmidt for his latest report and I welcome his excellency Mr Denis Bećirović in our meeting today. I would like to use my remarks today to make three points: First, the UK fully supports Bosnia and Herzegovina’s aspirations to make progress towards greater European integration. Pursuing a…
2024 marks the 60th anniversary of the appointment of the first Government Chief Scientific Adviser (GCSA), Sir Solly Zuckerman. After several roles in government, in 1960, Sir Solly became Chief Scientific Adviser to the Secretary of State for Defence, and in October 1964, Chief Scientific Adviser to the government. Since Solly Zuckerman, there have been 13 GCSAs, with expertise ranging from medicine to ecology, biology to metallurgy. The role has evolved considerably over the years, especially in the 1980s, when it became a full-time position. The demand for science advice has grown substantially over the decades, meaning that the GCSA is…
Let me start with a basic fact. Western support for Ukraine’s self-defence is both legal and moral. Any support for Russia’s act of aggression, whether by Iran, DPRK or anyone else, is neither. Russia calls these meetings to talk up the scale and costs of Western support for Ukraine, to try to undermine public support, and to claim the West is the aggressor. But their concerns should really be closer to home. It is clear where President Putin’s priorities lie: defence and national security will consume over 40% of Russia’s entire federal spending next year – a post-Soviet record high,…
The Environment Agency, Dorset Coast Forum and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council are raising awareness of extreme weather and flooding as they mark the 200th anniversary of the 1824 Great Gale. On the night of 22 November 1824, a devastating storm struck England’s south coast and raged for two days. Winds reached hurricane force, with gusts exceeding 100 mph, causing widespread damage. Houses were severely flooded, whole villages destroyed, ships lost at sea and nearly 100 people were tragically killed. Trail of destruction The Dorset coast was hardest hit, but the storm’s impact stretched from Land’s End to Dover.…
Professor Sir Munir Pirmohamed has been appointed chair of the Commission on Human Medicines (CHM) for another four years, from 12 February, 2025. The CHM is an advisory non-departmental public body which is sponsored by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). The CHM advises ministers on the safety, efficacy and quality of medicines. Three commissioners have been reappointed: Professor Marc Turner and Professor Christopher Weir have been reappointed to for a further four years from 5 July, 2024. Professor Poulam Patel has been reappointed for a further two years from 5 July 2024. The appointments will involve a…