Tag: UK Government

Most vulnerable households will get over £1000 of help with cost of living

MORE SUPPORT NEEDED, SAYS SCOTTISH FINANCE SECRETARY

  • The most vulnerable households across Scotland will receive support of over £1,000 this year, including a new one-off £650 cost of living payment
  • Universal support increases to £400 across Great Britain, as the October discount on energy bills is doubled and the requirement to repay it over 5 years scrapped
  • This new £15 billion support package is targeted towards millions of low-income households and brings the total cost of living support to £37 billion.
  • New temporary Energy Profits Levy on oil and gas firms will raise around £5 billion over the next year to help with cost of living, with a new investment allowance to encourage firms to invest in oil and gas extraction in the UK.

Millions of households across the UK will benefit from a new £15 billion package of targeted UK government support to help with the rising cost of living, the Chancellor announced yesterday.

The significant intervention includes a new, one-off £650 payment to more than 8 million low-income households on Universal Credit, Tax Credits and legacy benefits to be made in two tranches starting in the summer, with separate one-off payments of £300 to pensioner households and £150 to individuals receiving disability benefits – groups who are most vulnerable to rising prices.

Rishi Sunak also announced that the energy bills discount due to come in from October is being doubled from £200 to £400, while the requirement to pay it back will be scrapped. This means the vast majority of households will receive a £400 discount on their energy bills from October.

The new Cost of Living Support package will mean that the most vulnerable households in Scotland will receive over £1,000 of extra support this year.

To ensure there is support for everyone who needs it, Mr Sunak also announced a £500 million increase for the Household Support Fund. This brings the total Household Support Fund to £1.5 billion.

To help pay for the extra support – which takes the total direct government cost of living support to £37 billion – Mr Sunak said a new temporary 25% Energy Profits Levy would be introduced for oil and gas companies, reflecting their extraordinary profits. At the same time, in order to increase the incentive to invest the new levy will include a generous new 80% investment allowance. This balanced approach allows the government to deliver support to families, while encouraging investment and growth.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak said: ““I know that people in Scotland are anxious about keeping up with rising energy bills, which is why today we have introduced measures which will take the support for millions of the lowest income households over £1,000.

“As a nation we have a responsibility to help the most vulnerable, which is why this support is mostly targeted at people on low incomes, pensioners and disabled people. But we understand that all households in Scotland will be concerned about the rise in energy costs this Autumn, so every household is set to get £400 off their energy bills from October, with no repayments necessary.

“It is right that companies making extraordinary windfall profits from rising energy prices should contribute, and I’m introducing a temporary energy profits levy to help pay for this support, while still encouraging the investment that generates jobs in Scotland.”

Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said: “Global issues are causing real pressures in the cost of living for UK families. We understand how tough it is at the moment for many households, which is why the Chancellor has today announced a further £15 billion support package.

“A total of £400 per household towards fuel bills will help protect families from rising energy costs. Cash payments of £650 for low-income households on means tested benefits will target support at the most vulnerable in our society at this difficult time. This comes on top of our existing £22bn support package.

“Some of these measures will be paid for by a temporary levy on oil and gas companies – one which incentivises investment in the UK’s energy security.”

There is now more certainty that households will need further support, with inflation having risen faster than forecast and Ofgem expecting a further rise in the energy price cap in October.

So as part of the UK government’s targeted support, the Chancellor announced that around eight million of the lowest income households on Universal Credit, Tax Credits, and legacy benefits will receive an automatic £650 cost of living payment in two instalments via the welfare system this year.

Yesterday’s announcement is on top of the government’s existing £22 billion cost of living support which includes February’s energy bills intervention and action taken at this year’s Spring Statement including a £330 tax cut for millions of workers through the NICs threshold increase in July and 5p cut to fuel duty.

Energy Profits Levy

Surging commodity prices, driven in part by Russia’s war on Ukraine, has meant that the oil and gas sector have been making extraordinary profits. Ministers have been clear that they want to see the sector reinvest these profits in oil and gas extraction in the UK.

In order both to fairly tax the extraordinary profits and encourage investment, the Chancellor announced a temporary new Energy Profits Levy with a generous investment allowance built in. This nearly doubles the tax relief available and means the more investment a firm makes, the less tax it will pay.

The new Levy will be charged on oil and gas company profits at a rate of 25% and is expected to raise around £5 billion in its first 12 months, which will go towards easing the burden on families. It will be temporary, and if oil and gas prices return to historically more normal levels, will be phased out.

The new Investment Allowance, similar in style to the super-deduction, incentivises companies to invest through saving them 91p for every £1 they invest. This nearly doubles the tax relief available and means the more a company invests, the less tax they will pay.

The government expects the combination of the Levy and the new investment allowance to lead to an overall increase in investment, and the OBR will take account of this policy in their next forecast.

The Levy does not apply to the electricity generation sector – where extraordinary profits are also being made due to the impact that rising gas prices have on the price paid for electricity in the UK market, which has also been making extraordinary profits partly due to record gas prices but also due to how the market works.

As set out in the Energy Security Strategy the government is consulting with the power generation sector and investors to drive forward energy market reforms and ensure that the price paid for electricity is more reflective of the costs of production.

The Chancellor announced yesterday that the Treasury will urgently evaluate the scale of these extraordinary profits and the appropriate steps to take.

During the announcement, the Chancellor also set out the government’s strategy to control inflation through independent monetary policy, fiscal responsibility, and supply side activism – a plan he said that should see inflation come down and returning to its target over time.

Finance Secretary Kate Forbes has welcomed the short term action announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, but warned more support is needed for households and businesses as the cost of living crisis worsens.

Following calls from the Scottish Government, the UK Government has taken steps to ensure that cash grants, rather than loans, are provided to those on lowest incomes. Ms Forbes has also cautiously welcomed the decision to introduce a Windfall Tax on energy companies benefiting from significant profits but commented that it means Scottish industry is disproportionately funding interventions across the UK.    

Responding to the Chancellor’s statement, Ms Forbes has said UK Ministers should have acted earlier and gone further to provide more support that would make a real long term impact, including following the Scottish Government’s lead by doubling the Scottish Child Payment to £20 per week – which is due to increase to £25 from late 2022 helping lift an estimated 50,000 children out of poverty in 2023-24.

Ms Forbes said: “Many households will be relieved to see the support belatedly announced today, but we still need a long term solution to the cost of living crisis and reassurance that the UK Government is going to tackle long term inequalities rather than provide one-off bursts of crisis support.

“Rather than listen to our plea for a comprehensive funding package that fully addresses the unprecedented rise in the cost of living and uses the full £30 billion of fiscal headroom, this piecemeal approach makes it highly likely that more support will be needed later when energy prices rise significantly in the autumn.

“There is also a severe lack of support for businesses – many of them are still struggling to recover from the pandemic and now face crippling increases in energy costs and the damaging impacts of Brexit on supply chains and the labour market. Without urgent economic support there is a real risk that the UK economy is heading for a recession.

“Inflation is at its highest levels in 40 years and the UK Government’s failure to fully invest in increasing incomes, tackling inequality and boosting economic competitiveness will only risk pushing households into further debt and poverty

“The UK Government has almost £30 billion of fiscal headroom, spending only half of this during a cost of living crisis does not go far enough, especially when a further £5 billion from the Windfall Tax will be raised.

“The introduction of a windfall tax is a start, but as a stand-alone measure this means Scottish industry is carrying the weight of UK-wide interventions.  

“The removal of the £20 Universal Credit uplift last year was a hammer blow to hard pressed families and the Chancellor’s failure to restore it and increase it to £25 only places a disproportionate burden on the shoulders of those who need help most. The statement was also worryingly silent on public-sector pay with no related consequential funding, when the lowest paid need urgent assurance in the face of rising inflation.

“The refusal to reverse the National Insurance increase implemented in April and temporarily suspend VAT on household energy bills will also cost families hundreds of pounds annually at a time when their budgets have never been more squeezed.

“The Scottish Government has already taken action to support people, communities and businesses as much as possible, with almost £770 million per year invested in cost of living support. We have increased eight Scottish benefits by 6%, closer to the rate of inflation, and introduced a range of family benefits not available elsewhere in the UK.”

Commenting on the government’s cost of living support package announced today (Thursday), TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “Unions have repeatedly called for an Emergency Budget to help families, and a windfall tax on energy companies.  

“The Chancellor should have acted far sooner after his inadequate Spring Statement. His dither and delay has caused unnecessary hardship and worry for millions.  

“While today’s intervention is badly needed, we should have never been here in the first place. 

“Years of attacks on wages and universal credit have left many households on the brink.  

“The government still doesn’t have a plan for giving families long-term financial security. 

“With energy bills rising 23 times faster than wages we urgently need to get pay packets rising and to pay universal credit at a permanently higher rate – not just a one-off boost. 

“That’s the best way to protect livelihoods and to support the economy.” 

Sue Gray report: Shameless Johnson to carry on regardless

Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s response to Sue Gray’s scathing report into multiple parties in Downing Street during lockdown

Earlier today Sue Gray published her final report, which I commissioned to get to the bottom of things and set the record straight, and I’m grateful to her for her work.

She has identified a number of failings, some official, some political, – and some that I accept are entirely my own, for which I take full responsibility.

I want to start by saying that I am humbled by what happened, and I renew my wholehearted apology for the gathering in the Cabinet Room on the 19th June 2020 – my birthday, for which I received a Fixed Penalty Notice.

Now that Sue Gray has completed her inquiry and everyone can read her report, I want in all humility and without mitigating what has happened to offer a few points of context.

10 Downing Street is not just my official residence but the headquarters of the Government, where hundreds of people work, and because they directly support the Prime Minister, the regulations allowed them to continue attending their offices for work purposes throughout the lockdowns.

Sue Gray describes them as “tight knit groups of officials and advisers” who “worked long hours under difficult conditions”.

These were the public servants who secured the PPE that saved many lives, established the biggest testing programme in Europe, and enabled the development and distribution of the vaccines that succeeded in protecting so many people.

When some of these officials and advisers were leaving their jobs, I briefly attended gatherings to thank them for everything they had done because I believe that recognising achievement and preserving morale are essential duties of leadership.

The police did not find my attendance at these occasions to be in breach of the rules, but they found otherwise in respect of some of those gatherings after I had left, or when I was not in the building.

Downing Street and the Cabinet Office together have hundreds of rooms, and again I say this not in any way to extenuate my personal responsibility, but to give the context of these events.

And I was appalled to learn that there have been “multiple examples” in Sue Gray’s phrase of disrespectful and poor treatment of cleaning and security personnel, and this afternoon, I personally apologised to those dedicated members of staff for what happened. and I expect anyone who behaved in that way to do the same.

As Sue Gray acknowledges, I have acted on her recommendations to make a series of changes.

10 Downing Street now has its own Permanent Secretary charged with upholding the highest standards.

I have appointed a new leadership team, including a new Chief of Staff and a new Principal Private Secretary and I have made it easier for any member of staff to voice any worries they may have and Sue Gray writes that she is “reassured” by this reform.

And it is precisely because I have learned this lesson that I feel an even greater weight of responsibility to deliver on the priorities of the British people, and lead our country through some of the most challenging times in recent history.

I will work every hour to ease the hardship caused by the rising cost of living, To protect our nation from the aftershocks of Covid, stand firm against Putin’s aggression, and to unite and level up across our United Kingdom, that is the mission that drives this government and that is the mission that I will continue to pursue.

THE SUE GRAY REPORT IN FULL:

2022-05-25_FINAL_FINDINGS_OF_SECOND_PERMANENT_SECRETARY_INTO_ALLEGED_GATHERINGSDownload

You’ve got a friend … PM ‘gets on with the job’ on eve of damning report

PM hails £10 billion Qatari ‘vote of confidence’ in the UK

  • The PM hosted the Amir of Qatar yesterday to develop our historic partnership and agree new joint work on trade, energy and defence
  • Strategic Investment Partnership will see Qatar invest up to £10 billion in key industries across the UK, creating jobs and growth
  • UK and Qatar agreed to work together improve the stability of energy supply chains and support security at the 2022 World Cup

It was all smiles when The Prime Minister welcomed the Amir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani, to Downing Street yesterday for discussions on driving economic growth and addressing global challenges together.

The meeting was surely a welcome distraction from the latest Partygate revelations and the imminent publication of the Sue Gray report into Downing Street lockdown parties, which is expected to be extremely critical of Boris Johnson’s conduct.

The UK and Qatar signed a new Strategic Investment Partnership (SIP) which will see Qatar invest up to £10 billion over the next five years in key sectors of the UK economy, including fintech, zero emissions vehicles, life sciences and cyber security. The investment is expected to create high-quality jobs in new industries across the country.

The Prime Minister and the Amir also had a wide-ranging discussion on geopolitical issues. They were united in their condemnation of Russia’s aggression in Ukraine and discussed issues of regional security, including relations with Iran.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “Today’s announcement of up to £10bn in new investment from our Qatari friends is another vote of confidence in the UK’s brilliant businesses and cutting-edge industry.

“The new UK-Qatar Strategic Investment Partnership will create quality job opportunities across the country in key sectors, delivering on our vision of economic growth through trade and investment.

“Qatar is a valued partner for the UK, supported by Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad’s leadership.  We had a rich discussion on the issues that matter to both of our countries, including boosting the economy, ensuring regional stability and improving energy security following Russia’s appalling invasion of Ukraine.”

UK-Qatar trade was worth £4.8 billion last year and Qatari investment in the UK economy is already estimated to be worth over £40 billion, supporting jobs and growth across the country.

Minister for Investment Lord Grimstone said: “It is excellent news that Qatar is targeting up to £10 billion investment into the UK through our new Strategic Investment Partnership.

“Not only will it boost local economies and support jobs, but it supports our green economy and decarbonisation – crucial in meeting our Net Zero targets. It also strengthens our relationship with Qatar ahead of our UK-Gulf Cooperation Council trade negotiations.”

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng also signed an MoU on energy cooperation with Qatar’s Minister of State for Energy Affairs at Downing Street. Qatar is a major energy supplier for the UK, providing 40% of our liquefied natural gas – the new MoU commits us to work together to boost innovation and collaboration, supporting the security of global energy supplies.

UK Secretary of State for Business and Energy, Kwasi Kwarteng, said: “I am delighted to further the UK’s energy cooperation with the State of Qatar as we work to stabilise international energy markets and boost energy security in the context of Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.

“Qatar is already a valued trading partner, recently investing in the future of British low-carbon nuclear technology through the Rolls Royce consortium developing small modular reactors. Today’s meeting will deepen our relationship even further, reinforcing the UK’s energy security and delivering cleaner and affordable energy in the years ahead.”

The Prime Minister and Amir discussed the upcoming 2022 Qatar World Cup this winter, and the UK committed significant new military and counter-terrorism support for the safe running of the event.

A joint UK-Qatar Typhoon Squadron will provide additional air security, and the Ministry of Defence with advanced venue search training and operational planning support.

The Prime Minister also confirmed that the UK will ensure Qatari nationals can access the UK’s new Electronic Travel Authorisation system from early 2023, facilitating easier travel for business visitors and tourists.

Afghanistan: Systemic failures of leadership, planning and preparation

MPs slam Government role in UK withdrawal from Afghanistan

  • Fundamental lack of planning, grip or leadership at a time of national emergency
  • No clear line of command within political leadership of Government; untraceable and unaccountable political interventions
  • Total absence of plans to evacuate Afghans who supported the UK mission without being directly employed, put lives at risk
  • Committee loses confidence in Foreign Office’s top civil servant and urges him to consider his position

In a damning report from the Foreign Affairs Committee, MPs say the Foreign Office, the National Security Advisor and Ministers must accept responsibility for the failure to prepare or respond, abandoning the UK’s allies and damaging the UK’s interests.

Missing in action: UK leadership and the withdrawal from Afghanistan is the result of the Foreign Affairs Committee’s inquiry into government policy towards the country. The Committee considered the role of the Foreign Office in the run up to withdrawal, during the evacuation effort, and in leading engagement with the new regime in the following months.

They heard from senior officials; met with Afghans who were evacuated; surveyed MPs’ offices on their efforts to help Afghans; and received written, often sensitive, evidence from a wide range of stakeholders including two Foreign Office whistleblowers. 

The MPs’ inquiry found that important policy decisions were made through informal, unaccountable means. Senior officials believed that the Prime Minister played a greater role in some decisions than has been admitted.

The Committee was not offered a plausible alternative explanation.

More seriously, the FCDO provided answers that were intentionally evasive and often deliberately misleading. Government officials should not be expected to obscure the facts to shield others from political accountability.

Today’s report refers to the ‘appalling mismanagement of the crisis’ and the misleading statements to Parliament which followed.

Those who lead the Foreign Office should be ashamed that civil servants of great integrity felt compelled to risk their careers to bring the situation to light, says the report. It is the responsibility of the Permanent Under-Secretary to ensure the system operates effectively, leading the Committee to conclude that he no longer has their confidence and should consider his position.

The UK Government must commit to a serious strategy for future engagement with Afghanistan. The failure to do so would abandon women and girls in the single biggest reversal of rights in a generation.

Today’s report calls on the Government to re-establish a diplomatic presence in Afghanistan as soon as it is safe to do so, and to work with those on the ground who can support civil society.

Attempts to isolate the new regime entirely may only hurt the Afghan people and leave a vacuum to be filled by China. The report argues that humanitarian aid alone will not be enough to avert catastrophe and that the UK should aim to resume development aid when possible, placing Afghan women at the heart of its policy towards the country. 

The Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Tom Tugendhat MP, said: ““The UK’s part in this tragedy exposes a lack of seriousness in achieving co-ordination, a lack of clear decision-making, a lack of leadership and a lack of accountability.

“At a time when we face critical foreign policy challenges, and the risks to our lives and economy are so serious, including from the current energy and inflation pressures, our diplomacy and security cannot be so confused and unstructured. Unity of purpose, clarity and coordination require serious intent and consistent political leadership. 

“The timeline of misery exposed by this report reveals serious systemic failures at the heart of the UK’s foreign policy. The absence of the FCDO’s top leadership – ministerial and official – when Kabul fell is a grave indictment on those supposedly in charge.

“While junior officials demonstrated courage and integrity, chaotic and arbitrary decision-making runs through this inquiry. Sadly, it may have cost many people the chance to leave Afghanistan, putting lives in danger.  The integrity of the Civil Service depends on those leading these organisations showing the courage to tell the truth to the British people.

“There are many heroes in this story who worked under enormous pressures. The military and civilian personnel on the ground in Afghanistan, and many in the FCDO itself, during the evacuation and those who helped from afar deserve our thanks.

“Now, Afghanistan faces a terrible humanitarian crisis with 23 million people at risk of starvation and the rights of women and girls have faced their greatest reversal in a generation. All this while the threat from extremism has grown.

“We need a serious rethink in the heart of the UK Government to combine diplomacy, aid and trade in a concerted and strategic approach to future policy towards Afghanistan.”

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Evading scrutiny?

Government blocks evidence session with Cabinet Secretary

The Government have blocked the Cabinet Secretary, Simon Case, and Government ethics chief, Darren Tierney, from appearing before the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee on Tuesday 24 May.

The session was confirmed several weeks ago as part of the Committee’s inquiry into the propriety of governance in light of Greensill. It was due to discuss the management of conflicts of interest and unregulated appointments in the Civil Service, the Downing Street parties and the recent announcement on the Government’s intention to reduce the size of the Civil Service by almost 100,000 jobs.

The Committee has been told by officials that ministerial approval for the Cabinet Secretary to give evidence on Tuesday has been pulled. The session will not take place on 24 May and has been rescheduled for the 28 June.

Chair of PACAC William Wragg MP said: “The session with the Cabinet Secretary was an important one considering the number of propriety and ethics issues on the agenda. We had also hoped to get clarity on the Government’s plans for civil service reform, public scrutiny of which was much needed after they were briefed to the press last weekend.

“The intervention to pull the session at such short notice evades timely parliamentary scrutiny of these plans and puts government transparency in a poor light.”

UK medical aid donations to Ukraine reaches 11 million items

  • latest aid deliveries will double number of medical items donated by the UK
  • supplies including antibiotics, painkillers, dressings, and specialist medicines will help those injured by Russian attacks
  • specialist brain and spinal injury equipment will treat severely injured, with further deliveries of ambulances in the coming weeks

Medical aid donations from the UK to Ukraine will reach more than 11 million items in the coming days, helping save tens of thousands of lives.

A fourth tranche of aid left from across the UK during the last week, carrying:

  • 4.2 million doses of medicines – including painkillers and antibiotics that are critical for treating infections caused by battlefield trauma and limited hygiene facilities
  • 1.5 million items of other supplies – including PPE and respirators

The 5.78 million items in the latest deliveries more than double the 5.29 million items donated in the first 3 tranches, taking the total to 11.07 million.

Nearly 16 million people are reported to be in need of humanitarian assistance within Ukraine, with access to care badly needed for those in cities worst hit by Russian attacks like Mariupol and Irpin.

The latest supplies are being sent in direct response to a request from the government of Ukraine. They will provide treatment for people injured in the brutal and intentional Russian attacks on civilians across Ukraine, as well as help the government prepare for potential future threats.

The UK government will continue to work closely with Ukrainian government officials to tailor our support and target supplies to reach those most in need. This will include further donations of both new and NHS ambulances in the coming weeks to bolster frontline life-saving efforts in Ukraine.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said: “The UK stands shoulder to shoulder with our Ukrainian friends. As the medical emergency inflicted by Russia escalates, we have responded with life-saving medical supplies where they are needed most.

“As one of the largest humanitarian donors, Britain will continue to help care for those bravely resisting Putin’s vile aggression until Ukraine succeeds.”

Health and Social Care Secretary, Sajid Javid, said: “Russia’s unprovoked and illegal attacks on Ukraine have created a medical emergency, with Putin targeting healthcare facilities like maternity units, hospitals, and ambulances.

“The UK’s support for our friends in Ukraine is unwavering, giving medicines and equipment they desperately need, which has saved tens of thousands of lives.

“Thank you to the NHS in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland for stepping up and donating vital medical supplies.

From the outset of the crisis the UK has helped Ukraine deal with its intensifying medical emergency. Earlier tranches of aid included items such as medical equipment, drugs for surgery, wound care packs and bandages.

The UK is also donating specialist equipment to treat spinal cord and brain injuries and help provide rehabilitation. This is donated from the UK Emergency Medical Team, which is on standby to deliver medical aid in global emergencies. It will help boost the capacity of a national rehabilitation centre in Ukraine, freeing up bed space in hospitals to accommodate other critical cases.

The additional shipments of medical aid have been drawn from donations from across the UK, including NHS England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, with NHS Wales contributing more than 1 million items to the latest tranche of aid.

Health and Social Services Minister, Eluned Morgan for the Welsh government said: “Wales stands in solidarity with the Ukrainian people and we will continue to offer any practical support and humanitarian assistance that we can.

“In addition to the funding we have given to the Disaster Emergency Committee and medical supplies we previously sent to Ukraine, this latest tranche of medical supplies includes a further 49 pallets from Wales of respirators, gloves and dressings to directly help the medical response and life-saving efforts in Ukraine.”

Chancellor sets out further economic support for Ukraine at G7 meeting

  • Chancellor confirms that the UK stands ready to guarantee up to $50 million for further financing to Ukraine to continue electricity provision during latest G7 meeting in Germany.
  • Rishi Sunak also discussed how global partners can continue to work together to soften the war’s impact on the global economy
  • He will also urge G7 counterparts to maintain momentum behind and deliver the historic agreement on global tax reform – ensuring companies pay their fair share of tax in the countries in which they operate.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak has confirmed that the UK stands ready to guarantee up to $50 million for further financing to Ukraine, to help ensure the continued provision of electricity to its citizens.

The Chancellor attended meetings with G7 partners yesterday and will continue to do so today, alongside the Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey.

They discussed efforts to support Ukraine and the ways in which the war is adding to pressures on the global economy, including impacts on the cost of living in the UK.

Yesterday Rishi Sunak announced the UK’s commitment to guarantee $50million, of further financing to Ukraine from the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development, which is headquartered in London.

This comes on top of the $950m in loan guarantees that the UK has already committed to significantly scale up World Bank lending to the Government of Ukraine to help meet urgent fiscal needs.

This guarantee will be used by the EBRD to provide further financing to the Ukrainian electricity grid operator, Ukrenergo to support continued provision of electricity to the brave Ukrainian people, subject to approval by Parliament.

This funding forms part of the significant economic, humanitarian and military support the UK has committed to Ukraine, totalling well over $3 billion.

The Chancellor also discussed the shared challenges facing the global economy, including the rising cost of living globally, and the acute challenges faced by developing economies including heightened food insecurity.

He pushed his partners in the G7 to ensure that the sanctions announced so far are being urgently implemented and strongly enforced to exert maximum cost on Putin and his regime.

Ahead of the meetings, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak said: “I remain steadfast with my G7 partners in standing with Ukraine. I am pleased to confirm up to $50million in UK guarantees for EBRD critical support in Ukraine. This will help Ukraine continue to provide electricity to its citizens as they fight for their freedom.

“It’s clear that Putin’s barbaric and illegal invasion of Ukraine has not only had a devastating humanitarian impact on Ukraine; it is also causing significant disruption to the global economy, the impacts of which are being felt across the G7, including here at home in the UK.”

“I am determined to work with my G7 partners to confront these shared challenges.”

Today, the Chancellor will also call for progress on the implementation of the international tax agreement that was struck last year during the UK’s presidency of the G7.

This historic global tax reform will ensure companies pay their fair share of tax in the countries in which they operate. In Bonn, the Chancellor will encourage his partners to maintain momentum and collaborate to deliver on the agreement as swiftly as possible.

JCVI provides interim advice on an autumn COVID-19 booster programme

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has provided interim advice to the UK government regarding coronavirus (COVID-19) booster doses this autumn.

The boosters would be for more vulnerable adults, alongside frontline social care and health workers, in order to maintain their protection over the winter against severe COVID-19.

The advice should be considered as interim and for the purposes of operational planning for the autumn for the NHS, care homes and wider health community.

The committee recognises that there is considerable uncertainty with regards to the likelihood, timing and severity of any potential future wave of COVID-19 in the UK in the year ahead.

Despite these uncertainties, winter will remain the season when the threat from COVID-19 is greatest for individuals and for health communities.

As in autumn 2021, the primary objective of the 2022 autumn booster programme will be to increase population immunity and protection against severe COVID-19 disease, specifically hospitalisation and death, over the winter period.

The JCVI’s current view is that in autumn 2022, a COVID-19 vaccine should be offered to:

  • residents in a care home for older adults and staff
  • frontline health and social care workers
  • all those 65 years of age and over
  • adults aged 16 to 64 years who are in a clinical risk group

Professor Wei Shen Lim, Chair of COVID-19 vaccination on the JCVI, said: “Last year’s autumn booster vaccination programme provided excellent protection against severe COVID-19, including against the Omicron variant.

“We have provided interim advice on an autumn booster programme for 2022 so that the NHS and care homes are able to start the necessary operational planning, to enable high levels of protection for more vulnerable individuals and frontline healthcare staff over next winter.

“As we continue to review the scientific data, further updates to this advice will follow.”

Throughout the pandemic, evidence has clearly shown that COVID-19 has disproportionately affected those in older age groups, residents in care homes for older adults, and those with certain underlying health conditions, particularly those who are severely immunosuppressed.

It is important that those who are eligible for the spring booster currently being rolled out – specifically adults aged 75 years and over, residents in a care home for older adults, and individuals aged 12 years and over who are immunosuppressed – still come forward to ensure they are protected.

The JCVI will continue its on-going review of the vaccination programme and the epidemiological situation, particularly in relation to the timing and value of doses for less vulnerable older adults and those in clinical risk groups ahead of autumn 2022.

The committee will announce its final plans for the autumn programme, including further detail on the definitions of clinical risk groups, in due course.

New powers to protect access to cash

  • Millions of people in communities across the UK will see their ability to access cash protected in new powers set out by the government today (Thursday 19th May).
  • For the first time, the UK’s largest banks and building societies will be subject to new Financial Conduct Authority powers to ensure the continued availability of withdrawal and deposit facilities in local communities across the UK.
  • Measures will be legislated for in the upcoming Financial Services and Markets Bill which will protect consumers and enhance the UK’s position as a global leader in financial services.

MILLIONS of people across the UK will benefit from new legislation to protect access to cash, helping to level up opportunity and ensure financial inclusion across the UK, the government announced today (Thursday 19 May).

Under the new rules, the financial regulator – the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) – will be granted new powers over the UK’s largest banks and building societies, to ensure that cash withdrawal and deposit facilities are available in communities across the country.

The FCA’s new powers will allow it to address cash access issues at both a national and local level. To support the FCA, the government will in due course set out its expectations for a reasonable distance for people to travel when depositing and withdrawing cash. This will reflect the existing spread of cash withdrawal and deposit facilities in the UK.

Cash is the second most frequently used method of payment in the UK, and around 5.4 million adults rely on cash to a very great or great extent in their daily lives – further emphasising the importance of this legislation and new FCA powers.

Economic Secretary John Glen, who will be visiting Scotland today, said: “Millions of people across the UK still rely on cash, particularly those in vulnerable groups, and today we are delivering on our promise to ensure that access to cash is protected in communities across the country.

“I want to make sure that people are still able to use cash as part of their daily lives, and it’s crucial to ensure that no person nor community across the UK is left behind as we embrace a more digital world.”

The Chancellor set out in his Mansion House Speech in 2021 that the UK must remain at the forefront of innovation and technology, and the government recognises the need to embrace the transition to a more digital world and realise the opportunities this brings individuals and businesses.

But as we transition to a digital payments system, it is critical to acknowledge that cash access remains vital to millions of people in communities across the UK, particularly those in vulnerable groups, and no one should be left behind.

The government passed legislation to enable the widespread adoption of cashback without a purchase as part of the Financial Services Act 2021, which was possible as a result of the UK’s departure from the European Union.

And last month the government announced its intention to legislate to provide the Bank of England with the powers necessary to ensure the UK’s wholesale cash infrastructure – which includes the network of cash centres integral to the sorting, storing and distribution of notes and coin – remains effective, resilient, and sustainable, and continues to support access to cash across the UK.

Taken together, these measures will ensure that the UK’s cash infrastructure is viable for the long term.

These powers will be legislated for in the upcoming Financial Services and Markets Bill, which will protect consumers and enhance the UK’s position as a global leader in financial services.

Northern Ireland: addressing the legacy of the Troubles

The UK Government will introduce legislation today (Tuesday 17 May) that seeks to address the legacy of the Troubles in Northern Ireland.

The Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill will put in place an effective investigations and information recovery process, underpinned by robust and independent investigations, to provide answers for families, deliver on commitments to those who served in Northern Ireland, and help society to look forward.

Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Rt Hon Brandon Lewis MP said: ““The years of the Troubles were an awful period in our history with tragic loss of life across communities. After the signing of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement, challenging compromises were rightly made in support of the peace process – addressing the legacy of the Troubles comprehensively and fairly is another such step forward.

“The current system is failing; it is delivering neither truth nor justice for the vast majority of families. It is letting down victims and veterans alike.

“Every family who lost a loved one, no matter who they were, will be provided with more information than ever before about the circumstances of their death.

“A robust and independent investigations process will be at the heart of this approach, supported by an ambitious and comprehensive oral history programme that will allow people to tell their stories and share their experiences.

“And there will not be any automatic access to immunity; it is right that those involved in an investigation cannot obtain ‘something for nothing.’ Immunity will be provided to individuals who cooperate, which provides the best route to give victims and their families answers they have sought for years as well as giving our veterans the certainty they deserve.”

Following an extensive period of engagement, the Government has amended previous proposals set out in a Command Paper last year to ensure they better meet the needs of those most impacted by the Troubles.

The legislation will ensure that legacy issues are addressed comprehensively and fairly, and in a way that supports information recovery and reconciliation, complies fully with international human rights obligations and responds to the needs of victims and survivors, and society as a whole.

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has also announced the UK Government’s intention to commission an Official History relating to the Troubles.

Conducted by independent historians, and underpinned by unprecedented access to the UK documentary record, this will provide an authoritative and in-depth examination of the UK Government’s policy towards Northern Ireland during the conflict.

The Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill will include the following provisions:

  • For victims and survivors, a new independent body – the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR) – will conduct investigations, consistent with our international obligations, to provide answers for those who want them, in a process supported by full state disclosure and with the power to compel witnesses.
  • The ICRIR will grant immunity from prosecution, based on an individual’s cooperation with the body’s inquiries. Those who do not cooperate with the independent body will not be granted immunity, and will remain liable to prosecution should sufficient evidence exist, or come to light.
  • Alongside producing reports on cases it has investigated, the body will also produce a historical record of what is known in relation to all other deaths that occurred during the Troubles.
  • A package of memorialisation measures centred on an ambitious, expert-led oral history initiative that will encourage people from all backgrounds to share their experiences and perspectives of the Troubles, and to listen to those of others.