Tag: UK Government

UK Government introduces bill to ‘fix’ the Northern Ireland Protocol

Scottish Government: Northern Ireland Protocol legislation “reckless”

  • bill ‘ensures the delicate balance of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement is protected in all its dimensions and provides robust safeguards for the EU single market‘
  • introduces durable solutions to fix the four key issues with the Protocol
  • legislation will remove unnecessary costs and paperwork for businesses

The government has introduced legislation to fix parts of the Northern Ireland Protocol – making the changes necessary to restore stability and ensure the delicate balance of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement is protected.

The Northern Ireland Protocol Bill will allow the government to address the practical problems the Protocol has created in Northern Ireland in 4 key areas: burdensome customs processes, inflexible regulation, tax and spend discrepancies and democratic governance issues.

These problems include disruption and diversion of trade and significant costs and bureaucracy for business. They are undermining all 3 strands of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement and have led to the collapse of the power-sharing arrangements at Stormont. The UK government is committed to seeing these institutions back up and running so that they can deliver for the people of Northern Ireland.

Following 18 months of discussions with the EU, the UK’s preference remains for a negotiated solution to fix these problems which are baked into the Protocol.  But the EU must be willing to change the Protocol itself.  Ministers believe that the serious situation in Northern Ireland means they cannot afford to delay.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said: “This Bill will uphold the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement and support political stability in Northern Ireland. It will end the untenable situation where people in Northern Ireland are treated differently to the rest of the United Kingdom, protect the supremacy of our courts and our territorial integrity.

“This is a reasonable, practical solution to the problems facing Northern Ireland. It will safeguard the EU Single Market and ensure there is no hard border on the island of Ireland.

“We are ready to deliver this through talks with the EU. But we can only make progress through negotiations if the EU are willing to change the Protocol itself – at the moment they aren’t. In the meantime the serious situation in Northern Ireland means we cannot afford to allow the situation to drift.

“As the government of the whole United Kingdom, it is our duty to take the necessary steps to preserve peace and stability.”

The legislation enables the government to bring forward durable solutions in each of the 4 key areas. The solutions are:

  1. green and red channels to remove unnecessary costs and paperwork for businesses trading within the UK, while ensuring full checks are done for goods entering the EU
  2. businesses to have the choice of placing goods on the market in Northern Ireland according to either UK or EU goods rules, to ensure that Northern Ireland consumers are not prevented from buying UK standard goods, including as UK and EU regulations diverge over time
  3. ensure Northern Ireland can benefit from the same tax breaks and spending policies as the rest of the UK, including VAT cuts on energy-saving materials and Covid recovery loans
  4. normalise governance arrangements so that disputes are resolved by independent arbitration and not by the European Court of Justice

These changes are designed to protect all 3 strands of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement, including North-South cooperation, and support stability and power-sharing in Northern Ireland.

They will provide robust safeguards for the EU Single Market, underpinned by a Trusted Trader scheme and real-time data sharing to give the EU confidence that goods intended for Northern Ireland are not entering its market. The legislation also ensures goods moving between Great Britain and the EU are subject to EU checks and customs controls.

The UK’s proposals protect the elements of the Protocol that are working, such as the Common Travel Area. It also contains a provision for it to be replaced by a negotiated settlement, if one is agreed with the EU.

It is consistent with international law and further information on the government’s legal position has been published today.

The government has today also published a ‘problems and solutions’ explainer document setting out each of the proposals in detail.

The UK has engaged extensively with the EU to resolve the problems with the Northern Ireland Protocol over the past 18 months. In the recent intensive discussions between October and March, the negotiating team held more than 300 hours of official and ministerial discussions and spent hundreds more examining the EU’s non-papers in detail.

However, it has become clear the EU proposals don’t address the core problems created by the Protocol. They would be worse than the status quo, requiring more paperwork and checks than today. The EU have said they will not allow changes to the Protocol within its current negotiating mandate.

Scottish Ministers are calling on the UK Government to withdraw legislation aiming to abandon parts of the Northern Ireland Protocol negotiated with the European Union.

Following the publication of the legislation, External Affairs Secretary Angus Robertson has reiterated the danger that disregarding parts of the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement could lead to a trade war when the UK is already close to recession and in the middle of a cost of living crisis.

Mr Robertson said: “It is extremely reckless and frustrating that the UK Government has decided to bring forward this legislation. The UK Government has deliberately set itself on an entirely avoidable collision course with the EU.

“Brexit is forecast to cause more harm to the economy than COVID, and this action by the UK Government could trigger significant additional damage to our economy when we are already facing the worst cost of living crisis seen for decades.

“Scotland has direct interests at stake in the Protocol, particularly in trade and border control, and yet the UK Government has shown no willingness to engage us on these issues. It is also directly impacting other Scottish interests, such as participation in the flagship Horizon Europe research programme.  

“We have repeatedly called for the UK Government to step back from this confrontational approach and focus instead on dialogue with our European partners, who stand willing to work in partnership to find a negotiated solution. Those calls have also been ignored.

“We urge the UK Government to return to the negotiating table and withdraw this Bill. It is inconceivable to think that the Scottish Government would recommend legislative consent for a bill that would negatively impact Scotland’s economy, that could be deemed to break international law and could risk sparking a trade war with our fellow Europeans, which is in no one’s interests.”

The TUC and NIC-ICTU yesterday issued a joint statement to condemn the UK government’s “reckless” decision to unilaterally suspend its obligations under the Northern Ireland Protocol.

The union federations warn the decision will threaten the peace process in Northern Ireland and lead to a potentially damaging trade war.

Commenting on the new legislation, TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “It says everything about ministers’ warped priorities that in the middle of a cost-of-living emergency, they announce legislation that could provoke a trade war and cause prices to skyrocket further.

“Working people must not pay the price for this reckless move.

“The government must drop this bill, honour the agreement they signed up to and put practical solutions ahead of posturing.   

“Ministers need to get back around the table with the EU as soon as possible and come to an agreement that protects jobs, rights and the Good Friday Agreement.

“The government must show that it respects international agreements to repair its now-trashed reputation as a trading partner.”

ICTU Assistant General Secretary Owen Reidy said: “We all accept that there are practical issues with the protocol that must be addressed in the interests of all of the people of Northern Ireland.

However, the only credible way to do this is for the UK government to start to engage with the EU in good faith, as opposed to taking unilateral action which makes an agreement on the implementation of any protocol more challenging and difficult.”

The full joint statement from the TUC and NIC-ICTU reads:

We are deeply concerned that the UK government has stated an intention to unilaterally suspend its obligations under the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Trade unions played a critical role in the development of the Good Friday Agreement – but the government’s actions now threaten peace.

It is essential that the Good Friday Agreement is protected.

This reckless action also risks provoking a trade war with the EU.

In the middle of cost-of-living crisis, it is appalling for the UK government to suggest it will take actions that could see prices skyrocket even further.

Working people must not pay the price of the government’s reckless actions.

UK ministers must honour the international agreement they signed and put practical solutions ahead of ideological posturing.  

They need to get back around the table with the EU as soon as possible and come to an agreement that protects jobs, livelihoods and the Good Friday Agreement.

And they must act in good faith to repair the UK’s reputation as a trading partner.

GM Crops? Not for us, says Scottish Government

Environment Minister Mairi McAllan has responded to the UK Government Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Bill in a letter to Mr George Eustice MP and Mr Alister Jack MP.

Letter to UK Government on Genetic Technologies (Precision Breeding) Bill

Ms Allan’s letter reads:

Dear George and Alister,

Thank you for your letter of 24 May to the First Minister and the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands concerning the UK Government’s Genetic Technologies (Precision Breeding) Bill. I am responding as the relevant issues fall within my own portfolio responsibilities as Minister for Environment and Land Reform.

I should begin by expressing my disappointment at the timing of your letter regarding the Bill, with your invitation for Scotland to join in the legislation coming the day before the Bill was introduced in the UK Parliament. Despite repeated earlier requests from the Scottish Government and other Devolved Administrations, a draft of the Bill was provided only on the afternoon before it was introduced, after your letter inviting us to participate in the Bill had already been shared with the media. This is unacceptable.

My officials continue to scrutinise the details of this legislation. While the intended scope of the Bill may be England-only, the Bill documentation itself is clear that it will have significant impacts on areas devolved to the Scottish Parliament. I note in particular that the Impact Assessment for the Bill states that “whilst this legislative change will only take effect in England, the mutual recognition element of the United Kingdom Internal Market (UKIM) Act means that products entering the market in England would also be marketable in both Scotland and Wales.”

Such an outcome is unacceptable. The Scottish Government remains wholly opposed to the imposition of the Internal Market Act, and will not accept any constraint on the exercise of its devolved powers to set standards within devolved policy areas.

Now that the Bill has been introduced, I understand Defra officials have suggested they discuss the UK Government’s plans to diverge from the common UK-wide GM regulatory regimes, through various relevant Common Frameworks.

Any discussions of this nature should have taken place prior to the introduction of the Bill to enable consideration of potential policy divergence. The fact that they have not is deeply regrettable – and, again, unacceptable.

We have been clear that we do not presently intend to amend the GM regulatory regime in Scotland to remove categories of products which are currently regulated as GMOs

. The views of stakeholders in Scotland will be central to decision-making in this devolved area of responsibility (as is our pursuit of the highest environmental standards more generally) and this encompasses views and evidence from the scientific community, views from across the spectrum of industry interests and, crucially, the views of consumers and the public as a whole.

The use of genetic technologies is a complex and emotive area, and it is abundantly clear that there are issues that need to be addressed if their use in our food system is to have the confidence of the public in Scotland and across the UK as a whole.

As your Impact Assessment to the Bill acknowledges, the market for precision-bred products “ultimately depends on prevailing consumer attitudes to products which contain genetically engineered material”, and “the public’s acceptance of GE and similar products remains an area of uncertainty.”

Your own consultation last year rejected the changes to the regulation of GM that you are now pursuing.

Consumer information and choice is key.

I am therefore extremely concerned that the UK Government’s preferred option, as set out in the Bill documentation, will not require labelling of precision-bred products. Not only does this obstruct the enforcement of our devolved powers to regulate produce covered by the GM crops, animals and food and feed regimes in Scotland, but I am firmly of the view that the public have a right to know what they are consuming.

Furthermore, there are serious considerations around trade, including with our biggest trading partner the European Union. In Scotland, we will be taking careful note of the European Commission’s ongoing consideration of the issues involved, including the public consultation currently being conducted by the Commission.

As your Impact Assessment for the Genetic Technologies (Precision Breeding) Bill acknowledges, removing gene-edited products from England’s GM regulatory regime would mean divergence from the EU approach and as such could have implications for compliance costs and future trade.

The Impact Assessment also raises the prospect that new trade barriers could come in the form of checks and certification requirements on UK food exports entering the EU’s single market. It states that this would not only affect products exported to the EU which contain precision-bred plant material, but also those in the same product categories which do not.

The UK Government’s refusal to commit to dynamic alignment with the EU has already led to very significant trade impacts for Scottish businesses. I have written to UK Ministers on numerous occasions regarding the loss to the Scottish seed potato industry of the EU export market, and yet no progress has been made by the UK Government in re-establishing that trade.

I see no reason to create further regulatory divergence on the regulation of GMOs, when the European Commission is in the process of conducting its own consultation on the issues. That instead presents a clear opportunity for dialogue with our key partners to ensure a co-ordinated approach to GM regulation and avoid further unnecessary barriers to trade, and to properly identify and address stakeholder concerns.

If the UK Government is determined to press ahead with this legislation, it must take steps to ensure that its revisions to the definition of a GMO do not force products on Scotland which do not meet standards here without the consent of the Scottish Parliament.

We look forward to your full co-operation as we seek to uphold devolution in this regard.

I am copying this letter to my counterparts in Wales and Northern Ireland for their information.

Yours sincerely,

Mairi McAllan

Tory MSP Murdo Fraser said: “This is an incredibly stupid and short-sighted decision by the SNP Govt – not least because it potentially disrupts trading arrangements with our largest export market which is the UK.

“Bad news for Scottish farmers and food producers.”

Communities across the UK can bid for Levelling Up funds to save pubs, clubs and historic buildings

Community groups across the UK can today (11 June 2022) bid for levelling up funding to take back control of pubs, music venues, sports facilities, and historic buildings for the benefit of the public.

Groups will be able to bid for a share of the government’s £150 million Community Ownership Fund to rescue cultural buildings in their area that could otherwise be lost forever, as the second round of funding is open.

The first round of funding has already helped local people transform their communities into a more desirable place to live, work and visit, supporting 39 projects across the UK. This included £550,000 to establish a boxing gym in Oldham, £250,000 to rescue a historic spinners mill in Leigh and £1 million for Bury fans to rescue Gigg Lane stadium.

Changes to the fund announced at the end of May will ensure it is more inclusive and flexible, so that more communities can benefit and more local economies are supported.

Minister for Levelling Up, the Union and Constitution, Neil O’Brien MP said: “We want to help communities across the UK save the pubs, sports clubs and historical buildings which matter most to them, and would otherwise be at risk of being lost forever.

“This is part of our plan to spread opportunity, boost local pride and level up every corner of the UK while growing the economy to address the cost of living.”

Backed by £550,000 of government funding, a historic Victorian building in Oldham has been transformed into a boxing gym and personal development centre which provides support for vulnerable young people.

Without this funding, the centre would have been forced to move and local young people would have missed out on the opportunity to flourish in their local community.

Eric Noi, head coach at Oldham Boxing and Personal Development Centre said: “The gym is already a major part of the community, and this funding will help us improve our facilities and allow us to continue supporting people of all ages, including some of the most vulnerable in society.

“For organisations such as ours, funding like this is a vital lifeline – without it we would not be able to help people improve their lives, fitness and futures.”

In Leigh, locals stepped up to take ownership of the historic Spinners Mill, which has been vacant for many years and was at risk of being lost to deterioration.

With £250,000 from the Fund, the building will now be restored and used to create new sports and leisure facilities alongside an area for creative arts whilst protecting wider access to the heritage-rich building.

Director of Leigh Building Preservation Trust, Peter Rowlinson, said:  “Leigh Building Preservation Trust is delighted at the support from government to allow the further development of Leigh Spinners Mill.

“We believe this project is a true example of Levelling Up by being a community partnership restoring the heritage of the town of Leigh whilst also creating new jobs and community facilities.

“The restoration of Leigh Spinners Mill would not have been possible without the Community Ownership Fund assistance.”

The fund has been updated to widen eligibility criteria, including removing the requirement that assets have had a use within the last 5 years and will now consider any asset which has had a previous community use, massively expanding the projects eligible to apply.

Applicants who have a minimum of a 15-year lease on an asset would now also be considered for funding. Previously, leases were restricted to a minimum of 25 years.

Today’s announcement is part of the UK Government’s ambition to level up local communities across the country, create more local jobs, boost local businesses and build up local economies as a result.

‘Turning benefits into bricks’: Boris Johnson to extend Right to Buy

The Prime Minister has announced 2.5 million tenants renting their homes from housing associations in England will be given the right to buy them outright.

  • Right to Buy scheme extended to housing association tenants, with government pledging to build a new social home for every one sold
  • Universal Credit reform will incentivise more hard-working people to save for a house deposit
  • Review of mortgage lending market will aim to turn more of ‘Generation Rent’ into ‘Generation Buy’

Two and a half million tenants renting their homes from housing associations will be given the right to buy them outright, the Prime Minister has announced.

In a speech today, he has confirmed an extension of the popular Right to Buy scheme, which has made home ownership a reality for two million households since the 1980s.

Currently, tenants in council homes are eligible to buy their homes at a discounted price, up to 70% off the market value dependent on how long they have lived there. However, the scheme is less generous for those in homes owned by housing associations.

Extending the scheme could benefit up to 2.5 million tenants who would gain the right to buy, freeing them up to become homeowners, and add value and make improvements to their home as they wish. The Government will work closely with the housing association sector on the design of the scheme.

Social housing will always play an important role in our society, so the Prime Minister will also commit to the building of replacement social homes for each one sold.

The Prime Minister said: “Just as no generation should be locked out of home ownership because of when they were born, so nobody should be barred from that same dream simply because of where they live now.

“For four decades it has been possible for council home tenants to use a discount to buy the property they live in. Over that time almost two million people have been helped into home ownership.

“They have switched identities and psychology, from being dependent on the state for every repair – from damp-proofing to a new front door – to being in charge of their own family home, able to make improvements and add value as they please.”

In order to turn more members of ‘Generation Rent’ into ‘Generation Buy’ the government will also launch an independent review of access to mortgage finance for first-time buyers, with the aim of making it easier for this group by widening access to low-cost, low-deposit finance such as 95% mortgages.

Currently, soaring house prices, stringent mortgage lending restrictions and high deposit requirements are hampering the ambition of many young people who want to own their own home. Over 50% of today’s renters could afford the monthly cost of a mortgage but various constraints mean only 6% could immediately access a typical first-time buyer mortgage.

This will be the first comprehensive review of the mortgage market for a decade, seeking bold and innovative steps that Government and industry can take to support more first-time buyers into home ownership.

As the Prime Minister set out: “We have a ludicrous situation whereby plenty of younger people could afford to make monthly mortgage payments – they’re earning enough to cover astronomical rent bills – but the ever-spiralling price of a house or flat has so inflated deposit requirements that saving even just 10 per cent is a wholly unrealistic proposition for them.

“First-time buyers are trying to hit a continually moving target.

“And of course the global rise in the cost of living is only making life harder for savers. So we want it to be easier to get a mortgage.

“Reporting back this Autumn [the review] will look at how we can give our nation of aspiring homeowners better access to low-deposit mortgages.”

The Prime Minister has also pledged to turn ‘benefits to bricks’ – changing welfare rules so that the 1.5 million people who are in work but also on housing benefit will be given the choice to use their benefit towards a mortgage, rather than automatically going directly to private landlords and housing associations.

The welfare system exists as a safety net to help the poorest people, but the government also wants to incentivise people to find work and take steps to better their lives.

So if a hard-working family saves a deposit to buy a home, the government will back them with the same housing support that they would have used on their rent, to pay towards their mortgage instead.

Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove MP said: Today we are extending the opportunity of homeownership to millions more hardworking people across the country.

“By extending Right to Buy and bringing forward the most comprehensive review of the mortgage market in decades, we are backing first-time buyers, breaking down barriers to homeownership and delivering on the people’s priorities.

“At the same time, we will continue to deliver much-needed new, good quality social homes by replacing each and every property sold.”

The government will also change the rules to incentivise those who are claiming Universal Credit to save for a deposit. Currently, welfare rules taper the amount of Universal Credit received when the claimant’s savings exceed £6,000, and it stops entirely when savings exceed £16,000.

We will commit to exempting Lifetime ISA savings from these rules – meaning hard-working people can save a little each month specifically for a deposit without impacting their Universal Credit payments, until they have enough for a deposit for a first home.

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Thérèse Coffey said: “For too many people the aspiration to own their home has been taken away. By turning benefits to bricks, we are opening the door to home ownership for those on the lowest incomes.

“By removing barriers and allowing people on benefits to save into a Lifetime ISA, they will be incentivised to put aside a deposit to buy their home.

“And we are also giving people the choice to use their benefit towards their mortgage rather than on rent that pays a buy-to-let landlord.”

To support existing homeowners, the government will also improve support for mortgage interest (SMI) – a loan which helps claimants pay interest on their mortgages and stay in their homes if they lose their jobs.

Currently, this only kicks in after nine months of unemployment so the government will bring this forward to three months, to incentivise people to find work again and bring government into line with what lenders offer in these circumstances.

The Levelling Up Secretary will push forward our commitment to deliver 1 million new homes by the end of this parliament. Working with local communities to build the right homes in the right places, more publicly owned brownfield land will be used and small sites unlocked, with priority given to key workers and first time buyers.

The Prime Minister has today also reaffirmed his commitment to end the scourge of unfair leasehold terms to give leaseholders better control over their homes and lives. The government will drive forward leasehold reform, including the ability for a leaseholder to buy their freehold – helping 4.6 million households genuinely own their own home. This will include discounts of up to 90% for those trapped with egregious, escalating ground rents.

Extending right to buy will worsen rural affordable homes crisis, says CPRE

Commenting on plans to extend the right to buy scheme announced by the government, Tom Fyans, director of campaigns and policy at CPRE, the countryside charity, said:  ‘Unfortunately, this is another example of a government rapidly losing touch with the realities of rural life.

“Extending right to buy will do nothing to address the rural affordable homes crisis because the problem is a lack of homes in the first place. There are 176,000 families in rural areas on social housing waiting lists. These are families that could be even further disadvantaged by housing associations being forced to sell their limited homes on the cheap. 

‘The number one lesson of right to buy in a rural context is that it decimated rural social housing stocks. What low-income families need is hundreds of thousands more truly affordable homes to live in. Those living in the countryside are hampered by low wages and high house prices. That’s why the government needs to commit to building 145,000 social homes a year to fill the gap between supply and demand. 

‘The demand for social housing is growing nearly six times faster than the rate of supply in rural areas. At current rates, the backlog of low-income families needing accommodation would take 121 years to clear. This is an utterly unsustainable situation and potentially selling off the few remaining housing association properties we do have will make a bad situation immeasurably worse.’ 

People smugglers jailed for 14 years

Two people have been sentenced for recruiting drivers to smuggle migrants in vans

Two men who dangerously smuggled 31 illegal migrants into the UK, including seven children and a pregnant woman, have been sentenced to a combined 14 years in prison.

Akan Brayan, of Nottingham, and Dylan Shwani, of Lincoln, were found guilty of recruiting drivers to hide migrants in hired vans containing various goods before smuggling them into the UK.

The defendants, both aged 37, were sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court yesterday (7 June, 2022) following a five-year investigation by the Home Office’s Criminal and Financial Investigations (CFI) unit.

They were each sentenced to seven years in prison.

Between 2016 and 2018, Brayan and Shwani, paid six drivers from the Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire areas to bring 31 Iraqi migrants, on six separate occasions, into the country.

Although the majority of the migrants were men, children as young as one and a pregnant woman were also found in the vans.

People were crammed into the vehicles among stacks of tyres, second-hand furniture and household goods being transported to the UK. Photos show in one of the vans a woman cradling a small child, with other children sat around her in the tightly enclosed space.

CFI teams found boxes of goods deliberately placed to hide people as well as paprika on the floor of one of the vans in an attempt to confuse sniffer dogs from detecting the migrants’ scents.

Minister for Justice and Tackling Illegal Migration, Tom Pursglove MP said: “These brazen attempts to smuggle illegal migrants, including very young children, into the UK in tiny, air-tight spaces with room to barely move, are despicable.

“Our expertly trained officers continue to work round the clock to prevent this illegal activity, which puts lives in extreme danger.

“The Nationality and Borders Act will make it easier to prosecute people smugglers and, by making it a criminal offence to arrive in the UK illegally, we can truly break the business models of these callous criminals.”

Ben Thomas, Deputy Director for Immigration Enforcement’s Criminal and Financial Investigations, said: “My team work tirelessly to bring to justice anyone attempting to smuggle people unlawfully into the country.

“These two evil men endangered the lives of people, including children, to line their pockets without a care in the world for their safety. I hope these sentencings send a powerful message that breaking the law and putting individuals’ lives at risk will not go unpunished.”

Civil service cuts will be deeper than under George Osborne’s austerity

New analysis by the TUC reveals that plans by Boris Johnson’s government to cut 91,000 civil service jobs will be deeper than deepest point of George Osborne’s programme of cuts in the last decade.

The analysis looks at civil service staffing levels relative to the UK population. And it finds that if the proposed cuts go ahead the number of civil servants relative to UK people will fall below the lowest point while David Cameron was Prime Minster and Osborne Chancellor.

YearCivil servants per 10,000 people
2010 (actual)76
201659
202170
2025 (projected)56

`

The reduction from 76 civil servants per 10,000 people in 2010 to 59 in 2016 was a 22% cut to civil service staff.

The reduction now being planned from 70 civil servants per 10,000 to 56 will be a 20% cut, but starting from a lower level, and therefore reaching a lower point.

The cuts under George Osborne set a record for the smallest civil service since the Second World War. If these cuts go ahead, they will break that record.

What do civil service staff do?

The UK has just over 475,000 full-time equivalent civil servants. They work in government departments and many government agencies. This includes:

  • 56,000 staff in the Ministry of Defence, whose work has been intensified by Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine and the need to protect the UK from new security threats such as cyber sabotage.
  • 64,000 staff in HMRC who administered the furlough scheme and who protect honest taxpayers and public services by preventing and detecting tax fraud.
  • 96,000 staff in justice services, including courts, prisons, legal aid, fraud detection organised crime prevention, and victim support who protect the nation, bring criminals to justice and support victims.
  • 84,000 work and pensions staff who make sure that low-income households, disabled people and pensioners get the essential support they need to be fed, housed, warm and safe.
  • 33,000 home office staff who process passport claims, give safe haven to refugees from wars such as the conflict in Ukraine, and make sure businesses and services like the NHS have visas for the skilled workers they need.
  • Agencies that employ smaller numbers of civil servants, but that do vital work protecting the safety and interests of the public, including the Health and Safety Executive, Ofgem, Ofwat, Food Standards Agency and the Coastguard Agency.

Where will the cuts be made?

The government has not yet said where the cuts will be made, but ministers have been instructed to start identifying staff cuts of up to 40% in some departments immediately.

The TUC says that there are no easy places to make cuts without consequences that will harm UK families and businesses, and that some services may have to be stopped altogether.

There could be less resilience if a future pandemic takes place and less security against attacks on our allies or cyber-attacks on the UK by hostile countries like Russia.

There could be less safety for UK families from fraud and crime, unsafe public places and workplaces, and dangerous ingredients or hygiene standards in food production and services.

And there could be backlogs and delays to essential support like disability benefits and universal credit, or the issuing of vital documents like passports, driving licences and work visas.

TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “They said we would build back better. But the Conservative government has changed its tune. Now it’s cut back harder – with cuts that go even deeper than George Osborne’s.

“It’s like Russian roulette. We don’t know which central government services will take the hit. But if these damaging plans don’t change, we know there will be harm to families and businesses that depend on services.

“Osborne’s cuts made the nation less resilient when we were hit by the pandemic, because he scrapped staff responsible for emergency planning and public health. The price was too high. We cannot make the same mistake again.”

Mike Clancy, General Secretary of Prospect, said: “Areas of the civil service and its agencies are already struggling with increased duties following Brexit and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“We have seen imports going unchecked because of a lack of capacity and an increasing mismatch between the size of the armed forces and the vital civilian support staff who help them to operate effectively.

“Cuts of this magnitude will have a huge impact on institutional knowledge, the balance of experience within the workforce, overall capability in vital areas and ultimately will leave the country less secure. The government must think again.

“It is also unclear whether existing funded vacancies will be filled, further reducing capacity.”

FDA Assistant General Secretary Steven Littlewood: “We are still dealing with the consequences of the cuts leading up to 2016 in areas like the justice system, where there remains a historically large backlog of cases.

“It’s clear from the TUC’s research that in terms of providing services to the population, the government proposals actual go beyond where we were in 2016 and will lead to the lowest number of civil servants per head since World War Two.

“Given the new responsibilities the government has post-Brexit for areas like borders, customs and agriculture it is impossible to see how it can provide the services it currently is with the proposed job losses. The government needs to be honest about what services it would cut if it reduces numbers.”

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: “Making cuts will only make things worse, make waiting lists longer for those seeking passports and driving licences, make telephone queues longer for those with tax enquiries.

“We shall fight for every job in the civil service. Not just on behalf of our members, but on behalf of every member of the public who relies on the services they provide.”

Carry On Regardless!

Prime Minister vows to ‘continue delivering on what matters to the British public’

Prime Minister Boris Johnson will bring together his Cabinet today and pledge to continue delivering on what matters to the British people – despite a significant revolt that saw 148 Tory MPs vote against him in a vote of confidence at Westminster last night.

He will call on Ministers to drive forward progress on the government’s priorities – easing financial pressures on families, making access to NHS care quicker and easier, making the streets safer and levelling up and uniting the country.

Speaking at Cabinet, he will set out his vision for the coming weeks, which will see government deliver new policy commitments that will continue to make a real difference to people’s lives. This will include measures to reduce childcare costs for parents and a renewed drive to get more people onto the housing ladder.

The Prime Minister will also thank dedicated NHS staff as he highlights the progress made by the biggest catch-up programme in the health service’s history.

The Health and Social Care Levy, announced by the government last year, promised £39 billion of investment over the next three years so the NHS has the funding it needs to recover from the pandemic, treat patients quickly and end spiralling social care costs.

This represents more funding for health and social care than any government has ever invested before.

This money is already making a difference, with the NHS confirming yesterday that 90 Community Diagnostic Centres (CDCs) are now open across the country and have delivered 1 million checks and tests on patients so far.

These centres are vital to clearing the Covid backlogs because by identifying and diagnosing problems as early as possible, patients can progress to treatment and care more quickly, which will reduce waiting lists.

Speaking ahead of Cabinet, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “This is a government that delivers on what the people of this country care about most.

“We have pledged £37 billion to support households with their finances, made our communities safer through hiring 13,500 more police officers, and tackled the Covid backlogs in the NHS by opening nearly 100 Community Diagnostic Centres so people can access care closer to home.

“Today, I pledge to continue delivering on these priorities. We are on the side of hard-working British people, and we are going to get on with the job.”

Trade in ivory to be illegal from today

UK Ivory Act enforces a ‘near total’ ban on elephant ivory sales

  • UK’s Ivory Act comes into force to ensure protection for world’s elephants
  • The near total ban on elephant ivory sales is one of the toughest of its kind
  • Key manifesto commitment as part of a wider UK drive on international conservation

A near total ban on the import, export and dealing of items containing elephant ivory comes into force today (6th June), putting the UK at the forefront of global conservation efforts.

Elephants are commonly targeted for their ivory tusks and the demand for ivory is known to contribute to poaching, driving a decline in elephant populations. The ban will ensure vital protection for the world’s elephants by putting a stop to the UK trade in ivory.

The ban covers ivory items of all ages, not only those produced after a certain date, allowing only a narrowly defined set of exemptions. As a result, it will now be illegal to deal in ivory items unless they have been registered or have an exemption certificate.

The number of elephants free in the wild has declined by almost a third, with the savanna elephant population plummeting by around 30 percent – equal to 144,000 elephants – across 15 African countries between 2007 and 2014. It’s estimated around 20,000 are also still being slaughtered annually because of the global demand for ivory.

The UK’s world-leading Ivory Act is one of the toughest bans on elephant ivory sales in the world, with some of the strongest enforcement measures. Those found guilty of breaching the ban will face tough new penalties including an unlimited fine or up to five years in jail.

Animal Welfare Minister Lord Goldsmith said: “The world-leading Ivory Act coming into force represents a landmark moment in securing the survival of elephants across the globe for future generations.

“Thousands of elephants are unnecessarily and cruelly targeted for their ivory every year for financial gain. As one of the toughest bans of its kind, we are sending a clear message the commercial trade of elephant ivory is totally unacceptable.

“The UK has long led the way in conservation and our ban shows continued global leadership in doing all we can to protect the world’s most endangered species.”

Dr Mark Jones, Head of Policy at Born Free: “Born Free has long campaigned for an end to all trade in ivory, so we are pleased to finally welcome the UK’s Ivory Act.

“Its implementation must now be sufficiently robust to ensure only items that genuinely meet the exemption criteria can be traded in future, and that any transgressions are dealt with promptly and severely”.

International Fund for Animal Welfare UK director James Sawyer said: “Today is a good day for elephants. With as many as 20,000 elephants a year poached for ivory, this ban could not have come a moment too soon. IFAW believes ivory should only be valued on a live elephant and the overwhelming public support for banning the trade shows the majority of people feel the same.

“Legal ivory markets have long provided a smokescreen for illegal trade, putting endangered elephants in further jeopardy. Ivory trading in the UK has now rightly been consigned to the history books and everyone who has played a part in this important conservation victory should be proud.”

The ban coming into force will now close domestic ivory markets, representing a step forward in leading global efforts to protect the elephants after delays due unsuccessful legal challenges.

The UK Government is pushing for a global species abundance target to be agreed at this year’s Conference on Biological Diversity and has contributed £3.98 million through the Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund to projects around the world that protect elephants from poaching and illegal trade to benefit wildlife, local communities, the economy and protect global security.

The Government launched the digital ivory service earlier this year allowing those who own ivory to register or apply for an exemption certificate. People will only need to register or certify items for the purposes of dealing in exempt items containing ivory. Those who own but are not planning to sell their ivory items do not need to register or certify them.

The Government is also considering extending the Ivory Act to other ivory-bearing species and will publish the response to the consultation later this year.

Crowning Glory? Crown symbol pint glasses making a comeback

The UK Government announces new guidance to help businesses apply the Crown symbol to pint glasses, alongside a new consultation on units of measurement

  • Businesses helped to display the Crown symbol on pint glasses
  • Consultation launched on scrapping the EU ban on imperial measurements, benefitting businesses with greater choice when serving shoppers
  • Plans will restore “common sense” to the statute book and ditch ‘overbearing’ EU rules

Post-Brexit plans to return the Crown symbol to pint glasses and to remove the EU ban on imperial measures have been set out yesterday (Friday 3 June).

In a tribute to Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, new government guidance published today will help businesses apply the Crown symbol to pint glasses.

As long ago as 1698, British pint glasses intended for measuring and serving beer were marked with a crown stamp as a declaration that the glass, when filled to the brim or to a line measure, accurately measured a pint of beer.

The Crown stamp gave customers confidence that they were not being sold a short measure of beer. But the symbol was replaced by the EU-wide ‘CE’ marking’ in 2006 in order to conform with EU rules in the UK.

Alongside the Crown symbol guidance, a consultation has been published today on how to implement a change to the law on weights and measures, so that shoppers and business have greater choice over the way they buy and sell products.

The consultation will help the government consider, for example, allowing vegetables to be sold in pounds only, or in pounds with a less prominent metric equivalent, should businesses wish to do so. This will help inform the Government’s plans to legislate to give businesses greater choice in the units they use. There is no intention to require businesses to change their existing practices and so this will not place greater costs on businesses.

Today’s announcement is not just about pounds and ounces, but about where the UK’s laws are made. The ‘metric martyrs’ was a totemic case in establishing the supremacy of EU law. Now we have left the EU, the UK can take decisions in the best interests of British businesses and consumers.

Business Minister Paul Scully said: “This Platinum Jubilee weekend we’re raising a toast to Her Majesty The Queen’s health and service to this country. It’s a fitting tribute that we’re now helping businesses to restore the Crown symbol to pint glasses.

“While we think of our fruit and veg by the pound, the legacy of EU rules means we legally have to sell them by the kilo. Our consultation today will help shops to serve customers in the way their customers want.

“UK law currently requires metric units to be used, as the primary indication, for all trade purposes with only limited exceptions, reflecting rules from our time in the EU. Currently, imperial units are only authorised for use on their own in a small number of cases such sales of draught beer and cider. Now we have left the EU, the UK can act in the best interests of its businesses and consumers.”

Have you been drinking, sir? – Ed.