Tag: UK Government

White paper sets out reforms to policing in England and Wales

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has announced the largest reforms to policing since the police service was founded 2 centuries ago

The  largest reforms to policing since forces were professionalised two centuries ago were announced yesterday (26 January) by the Home Secretary.

A white paper titled ‘From local to national: a new model for policing’, outlines a radical blueprint for reform, so local forces protect their community and national policing protects us all.

Force mergers

The government will launch a review into dramatically reducing the number of police forces in England and Wales.

Consolidating the current model will make the police more cost-efficient, giving the taxpayer more value for money, while also ensuring a less fragmented system that will better serve the public and make them safer.

This is a moment to reset policing’s focus and return to its core principles – restoring neighbourhood policing and tackling local crime by delivering a structural overhaul to meet the demands of the modern world. 

National Police Service

A new nationwide police force will be established to fight the most complex and serious crimes.

The new National Police Service will attract world-class talent and use state of the art technology to fight complex and serious crimes, lifting the burden on overstretched local forces and allowing them to focus on catching local criminals.

The service will bring the capabilities of the National Crime Agency, Counter Terrorism Policing, regional organised crime units, police helicopters and national roads policing under a single organisation.

As one force, it will be better equipped to share technology, intelligence and resources to stop the growing threat from crime that has become increasingly complex, digital, online and with no respect for constabulary borders.

A national police commissioner will be appointed to lead the force and will serve as the most senior police officer in the country.

It will enable local officers to spend more time supporting victims of crime and delivering neighbourhood policing, rather than navigating the forensics system.

This will give victims confidence as their case will be supported by world‑class specialist expertise, and the latest technology, no matter where they live.

Part of the new National Police Service’s remit will be to take on responsibility for forensics from the 43 local forces with direction set centrally from the new organisation.

Demand for specialist digital forensics means there are 20,000 devices awaiting analysis at any time. The service will deal with these backlogs and help the police keep up with the ever-increasing pace of change in technology.

Frontline policing will save £350 million by scrapping outdated procurement approaches, which will instead be used to fight crime.

Under the current localised model, each of the 43 forces often procure technology, equipment and clothing themselves, meaning 43 different teams undertaking the same work.

The new National Police Service will end this inefficiency, taking on the responsibility for shared services, equipment and IT.

The National Police Service will buy equipment once on behalf of all, saving money through economies of scale and reinvesting the savings back into frontline policing to go after criminals.

Accountability and standards

Ministers will be handed new powers to intervene directly in failing forces, sending in specialist teams to turn them around so they fight crime more effectively.  

If crime solving rates or police response times are poor, the Home Secretary will be able to send in experts from the best performing forces to improve their performance, so they catch more criminals.  

The Home Secretary will restore the power to sack failing chief constables. New laws will hand ministers statutory powers to force the retirement, resignation or suspension of chief constables if they are poorly performing. 

The forces will also be directly accountable to the public, with new targets on 999 response times, victim satisfaction, public trust and confidence. These results will be published and forces graded so communities can compare. 

To further reinforce accountability, His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary Fire & Rescue Services will gain statutory powers to issue directions when forces fail to act on its recommendations. 

Alongside these force-wide measures, the government will also ensure the highest standards from individual officers. To strengthen safeguards and ensure those unfit for policing are kept out of the profession, the government will introduce laws to impose robust, mandatory vetting standards for all police forces, ensuring the public is protected.  

These new standards will enable forces to exclude those with a caution or conviction for violence against women and girls offences from policing.

Stronger requirements on forces to suspend officers who are under investigation for these crimes will also be introduced. 

Police officers will be required to hold and renew a licence throughout their career so they learn new skills as criminal techniques evolve.  

The Licence to Practise will ensure officers are best equipped with problem solving and technological skills they need to catch more criminals. 

Drawn from other professions such as lawyers and doctors, officers will have to demonstrate that they have the skills needed to fight crime. Those who fail to reach the required standard, following opportunities to try again, will be removed from the profession.

Neighbourhood policing

Under new reforms, response officers will be expected to reach the scene of the most serious incidents within 15 minutes in cities and 20 minutes in rural areas, and forces will be expected to answer 999 phone calls within 10 seconds. 

These new targets will ensure that all forces provide the same level of police response to crimes. 

Currently, data on response times is collected differently across forces, and police are not held accountable if targets are not met. Reforming the system will create more transparency and consistency across the country.

Where forces fail to deliver, the Home Secretary will send in experts from the best performing forces to improve their performance, including when unmet response‑time targets are part of broader systemic failing.

To fight everyday crime, the government will ramp up its pledge to restore visible neighbourhood policing and patrols in communities through an extension of its Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee. 

This has already placed named, contactable officers in each neighbourhood. Under the extension, every council ward in England and Wales will have its own named, contactable officers, creating more local points of contact and giving officers a deeper understanding of the issues in their area.

Police forces will also recruit the brightest and best from universities in a new recruitment drive to cut crime and catch more criminals.

Modelled on Teach First, the government is investing up to £7 million to attract top students from universities into specially trained graduate neighbourhood police officer roles in England and Wales.

Retailers across the country will see a major crackdown on organised crime gangs thanks to £7 million in new government investment aimed at dismantling criminal networks from the ground up.

This funding will supercharge intelligence-led policing to identify offenders, disrupt the tactics used to target shops, and bring more criminals to justice.

Technology

The government is making the largest investment into state-of-the-art police technology in history, with over £140 million to be invested to roll out technologies to catch more criminals and keep our communities safe

The number of live facial recognition vans will increase five-fold, with 50 vans available to every police force in England and Wales to catch violent and sexual offenders.  

The government will also roll out new artificial intelligence (AI) tools which will help forces identify suspects from CCTV, doorbell and mobile phone footage that has been submitted as evidence by the public. 

A new national centre on AI – Police.AI – will be set up to roll out AI to all forces to free officers from paperwork, delivering up to 6 million hours back to the frontline every year – the equivalent of 3,000 police officers. This means more police on the streets fighting crime and catching criminals. 

More tech specialists will work in police forces to outsmart modern criminals and put more fraudsters and organised crime bosses behind bars.   

The move will enable police forces to uncover more vital hidden evidence on phones and laptops to secure more convictions of professional criminals and keep people safer from crimes such as child sexual abuse.   

Public order

A new senior policing role will be introduced to lead the police’s nationwide response to public disorder, and galvanise and co-ordinate responses to major incidents.

The senior national co-ordinator role for public order policing will sit within the new National Police Service. They will not be responsible for local public order responses, which remain within the remit of chief constables, and instead sit at a higher strategic level of oversight, with responsibility for decision-making over the most significant national public disorder, such as the widespread disorder seen in the summer of 2024 and the riots that started in London in 2011. 

While local policing responses will stay the responsibility of chief constables, the new role will provide national oversight and decision-making on mobilisation and resourcing, with enhanced powers to:

  • direct resources under mutual aid arrangements and require forces to contribute during major disorder
  • ensure mandatory data sharing between forces
  • set a national strategy for public order policing
  • monitor and implement relevant recommendations from His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services

Officer wellbeing

The government will expand the roll out of the dedicated Mental Health Crisis Line so all officers and staff can access mental health support, and have committed to its funding long term.  

Officers and staff in front-facing and high-risk roles will also be offered psychological risk screenings each year so officers suffering can be signposted to the best support when they need it most. 

Trauma tracker software will be made available to every force and ensure senior leaders can identify and support staff at the highest risk and intervene at an earlier stage.  

Mandatory training around resilience and mental health for new recruits and supervisors will be introduced and treated as protected learning time.  

Special constables

Experts in cybersecurity and technology are being encouraged to join the Special Constabulary, as police forces across England and Wales ramp up their efforts to tackle modern crime. 

Since 2012, the number of special constables in England and Wales has fallen year-on-year to just 5,534 as of March 2025. This is down 73% from 20,343 in 2012.  

To reverse this decline, the Home Office will work with policing to streamline the recruitment process for Specials, making it easier for people to volunteer, while maintaining consistent high standards of vetting and training. Steps will also be taken to ensure existing Specials are incentivised to remain in the role, by better integrating them into the wider police force.

UK supports global efforts to help communities save the ocean

New funding to protect the ocean and support communities most affected by climate change

Communities around the world will receive a £14 million UK funding boost to help protect the ocean and reduce poverty, Nature Minister Mary Creagh announced today (26 January).

The cash will support at least eight community-led projects under the second round of the pioneering Ocean Community Empowerment and Nature (OCEAN) Grants Programme, helping people in developing countries on the frontline of climate change.

The grants will benefit those most affected by declining ocean health and climate change, with a strong focus on women, girls and marginalised communities, as well as backing projects that protect precious marine habitats.

One awardee in Ecuador, led by the Mare Nostrum Foundation, is working in partnership with University College London to install green LED lighting in fishing nets that can be seen by turtles, sharks, rays and whales but not by many fish, to prevent accidental capture by up to 73%.

Today’s awards build on the first round of funding, which has already protected and restored more than 93,000 hectares of key ecosystems – about the size of 130,000 football pitches.

Nature Minister Mary Creagh said: “We’re leading efforts to put local people across the world at the heart of solutions to conserve the ocean they depend on for food, income and protection from extreme weather.

“These pioneering community-led projects will support the families hit hardest by climate change with lasting change, while helping to protect our global ocean for future generations.”

Jérémy Huet, conservation programme manager at Round 1 grant recipient Zoological Society of London, said: “A healthy ocean underpins our own wellbeing – so warming waters, pollution and the loss of underwater habitats put us all of risk.

“Last year we rang the alarm bells for coral reefs globally, so as we begin our second year with OCEAN working alongside communities in Mozambique, we’re delighted to see more investment into the ocean that we all rely on and the people at the frontline of protecting it.

“Community-led projects are at the heart of building a better future for people and nature, and every step we take to restore our ocean’s health matters.”

Further case studies

Saving nearly 1,000 double decker buses’ worth of plastic from the sea: Among the other awards, Eco Kolek will expand its inclusive waste recovery system to reach 12,000 households and small businesses across Puerto Princesa City and neighbouring island communities in the Philippines, diverting an estimated 1,100 tonnes of plastic away from landfill and the marine environment.

Solar powered recycling hubs: In the Philippines, Resiklo Machine Shop will roll out community-led, solar-powered recycling hubs that turn marine and household plastic waste into durable products for local use and sale, cutting pollution while creating more resilient local livelihoods.

Sustainable fishing: In Bangladesh, Badabon Sangho will support women-led fishing groups and cooperatives to restore habitats, promote sustainable fishing practices and strengthen marine protection, using proven community engagement methods alongside close work with public agencies and national-level advocacy.

Crackdown on illegal underage sunbeds use to cut teen cancer risk

UK Government plans to crackdown on illegal underage sunbeds use to cut cancer risks to teenagers

  • Unsupervised sunbed use by young people to be banned as part of National Cancer Plan
  • Consultation to launch in Spring 2026, new rules could come into force as soon as 2027
  • Drive to tackle avoidable cancer and help make the NHS Fit for the Future

More young people will be better protected from skin cancer through a proposed crackdown on sunbed harms, clamping down on rogue businesses flouting the law and putting children’s health at risk by selling sessions to under-18s.

New proposals under the soon-to-be launched National Cancer Plan will strengthen requirements around commercial sunbed use, including banning unsupervised sessions and introducing mandatory ID checks to verify users are over 18.

Recent investigations have shown that teenagers as young as 14 are gaining access to tanning salons, routinely flouting the existing ban on under-18s using sunbeds.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has classed sunbeds to be as dangerous as smoking. Using a sunbed before the age of 20 increases the risk of melanoma skin cancer by 47% compared to those who have never used one, according to the WHO.

Reducing avoidable cancer risks is a central action in the upcoming National Cancer Plan and will help make England a world leader for cancer survival.

Health Minister Karin Smyth said: “Stronger protections on sunbeds are needed so people understand risks that could have deadly consequences.

“The evidence is clear: there is no safe level of sunbed use, yet too many young people are being exposed to a known carcinogen with little understanding of the risks.

“These proposals will crack down on rogue operators and ensure the law is properly enforced. Prevention saves lives, and we will do everything we can to protect people from avoidable cancers.”

There are inherent risks associated with exposure to UV radiation emitted from sunbeds. This is why the Sunbeds (Regulation) Act 2010 bans under 18s from using commercial sunbeds and requires businesses to prevent children from using them. Despite this, there is evidence that rogue operators are continuing to sell these services to teenagers.

Louise Dodds, who is living with melanoma, said: “My melanoma was found completely by chance during a private consultation for something unrelated, a mole that had become dark and itchy was removed quickly, and within a week I was told it was stage 1B melanoma.

“Hearing the word ‘cancer’ sent me into shock. I was rushed back into the NHS system for more surgery and lymph node tests, all within weeks. The procedures and the waits for results were brutal.

“Although some results were clear, others were inconclusive, leaving me living with constant uncertainty. If I’d known earlier how dangerous UV exposure and sunbeds were, I would never have taken the risk.”

Susanna Daniels, Chief Executive Officer of Melanoma Focus, said: “We are delighted that the Government is taking real steps to tackle the use of sunbeds by those under 18, as well as planning to consult on the use of sunbeds more broadly.

“The need for action is clear, with 34% of UK 16-17 year olds using sunbeds despite them being illegal for under 18s. Additionally, the rates of melanoma in the UK have risen considerably.   

“To protect your skin and reduce your chances of being diagnosed with melanoma or other skin cancers, we strongly advise against using sunbeds. Melanoma skin cancer is the 5th most common cancer in the UK. The time to act is now and we therefore support the action the Department of Health and Social Care is proposing.”

The crackdown forms part of the government’s wider focus on prevention in the forthcoming National Cancer Plan, which will set out our ambition to reduce lives lost to cancer.

By tackling avoidable risk factors before they lead to serious illness, the government is taking a proactive approach to reducing pressure on the NHS and improving outcomes for patients. Prevention is not just good for public health—it is essential to building a sustainable health service for the future.

In 2023, there were almost a quarter of a million new skin cancer diagnoses in the UK, costing the NHS an estimated £750 million annually.

Despite these risks, public awareness remains dangerously low. Polling from Melanoma Focus shows that only 62% of adults know that sunbed use increases cancer risk, and nearly a quarter of 18-25 year olds wrongly believe sunbeds actually reduce their risk of cancer.

The consultation will also seek views from businesses, including the many small and medium-sized enterprises that operate in the tanning industry.

The government recognises the need to balance public health protections with the impact on businesses and will use the consultation to gather evidence on costs and practicalities. This will ensure that any new requirements are proportionate, enforceable, and deliver meaningful improvements to public safety.

Additionally, a call for evidence will also be launched to understand whether further action to reduce cases of melanoma is justified.

Professor Meghana Pandit, National Medical Director at NHS England, said: “A sunbed tan might only last a few weeks, but the damage can last a lifetime. 

“Sunbeds blast your skin with high levels of UV radiation raising the risk of melanoma and other skin cancers, particularly for young people.

“These proposals, as part of the National Cancer Plan, will help close dangerous loopholes, crack down on illegal sunbed use and keep people safe.”

Fast and reliable broadband with Project Gigabit

Homes and businesses across Scotland will benefit from faster broadband through Project Gigabit.

This will help some of the hardest‑to‑reach communities get a better connection. It will bring fast broadband to many more homes and businesses.

Around 12,500 homes and businesses in Dumfries & Galloway are to benefit from gigabit-capable broadband.  

The £18 million investment, funded by the UK Government and co-managed by the Scottish Government, will see premises in Dumfries & Galloway added to the existing Project Gigabit contract being delivered by Openreach.

This builds upon the 8,000 gigabit-capable connections already delivered in Dumfries & Galloway by the Scottish Government’s £600m+ R100 programme.  

The Project Gigabit contract – where build started in Autumn 2025 – will now deliver gigabit-capable broadband to over 77,000 premises in Scotland covering some of the hardest-to-reach communities in the Highlands, Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Argyll and Bute, as well as parts of Central and Southern Scotland.  

Business Minister Richard Lochhead said: “Fast, reliable broadband is essential for connecting communities and supporting economic growth across Scotland.

“This additional investment will ensure that more homes and businesses in Dumfries & Galloway can access the gigabit-capable connections they need to thrive in the digital age.

“Through our own R100 programme and the management of Project Gigabit in Scotland, we are further boosting connections across the region to ensure that even more communities will benefit from faster, reliable broadband for generations to come.” 

UK Government Telecoms Minister Liz Lloyd said:   “Whether it’s a farmer managing their business, or people video-calling loved ones, fast and reliable broadband makes everyday life easier.

“This investment will bring those opportunities to thousands more across Dumfries & Galloway.” 

Openreach Partnership Director for Scotland Robert Thorburn said: “We’ve already started connecting some of Scotland’s most rural homes and businesses to Full Fibre through the Project Gigabit contracts, and we’re delighted to continue that progress in Dumfries & Galloway. 

“We’re committed to making sure that people living and working across the country can access faster, more reliable broadband. With more than 1.7 million properties already able to benefit from Full Fibre, this latest investment will help even more communities thrive in the digital age.” 

Half a a billion investment to upgrade RAF Typhoons and secure 1,500 jobs

DEFENCE SECRETARY VISITS LEONARDO at CREWE TOLL

  • More than half a billion in funding committed this week to upgrade Britain’s Typhoons – including advanced radar upgrades – securing over 1,500 UK jobs.
  • Defence Secretary John Healey visits Leonardo UK in Edinburgh, where hundreds of millions will be invested in cutting-edge radars manufactured in Scotland.
  • Investment delivers on Strategic Defence Review commitment to continue upgrading Typhoon as the backbone of Britain’s air defence.

More than 1,500 skilled jobs across the UK will be sustained into the next decade as the government commits over half a billion pounds this week to strengthen and upgrade the RAF’s Typhoon fighter jet fleet, showing how defence is an engine for growth.

Defence Secretary John Healey will visit Leonardo UK’s Edinburgh site to confirm the award of a £453 million contract to UK industry for the manufacture of state-of-the-art Typhoon radar systems, and which will secure hundreds of highly skilled jobs in Scotland over the next decade and up to 1,300 jobs across the UK.  

Under the new contract, BAE Systems, Leonardo UK and Parker Meggitt will equip Royal Air Force Typhoons with the new radar systems over the coming years. In addition to the 300 skilled roles in Edinburgh, the work secures 120 jobs in Lancashire and more than 100 in Luton. The full Typhoon programme supports more than 20,000 jobs across 330 UK companies.

The radar investment follows a £205 million contract announced earlier this week for the long-term provision of specialist Typhoon engineering support by QinetiQ (sustaining up to 250 UK jobs) to help upgrade the Typhoon weapon system and keep the aircraft safe and airworthy for years to come.

This week’s combined investment of over £650 million demonstrates how defence is as an engine for growth, creating good jobs and growing businesses while strengthening national security. Apprentices and workers in Scotland will benefit from the contract, with more than half of Leonardo UK’s almost 3,000 Edinburgh employees working in highly skilled professions, such as hardware, software, electronics and systems engineering.

The UK is committed to the largest sustained increase in defence spending since the end of the Cold War – hitting 2.6% of GDP from 2027.

Defence Secretary John Healey MP said:  “Our Typhoon fleet is the backbone of UK and NATO air defence, operated across Europe by the Royal Air Force and our allies to protect our skies and security.

As the threats we face increase, and as Russian drones continue to strike Ukraine and violate NATO airspace, this cutting-edge radar capability will keep Britain secure at home and strong abroad for many years to come.

“In Edinburgh and across the UK, we’re backing more than 20,000 skilled workers on the Typhoon programme who ensure our RAF remains ready to protect Britain. Our government has backed their high-skilled work with more than £650 million of investment this week alone, securing British jobs and making defence an engine for growth in Scotland and beyond.

“This massive workforce will be sustained for years following the biggest fighter jet exports deal in a generation, worth £8 billion which we secured with Türkiye in October.”

Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander said: “This £453 million contract award to build state-of-the-art radar systems for Typhoon fighter jets shows just how vital Scottish expertise is to the UK’s national security and why Scotland is globally recognised as a centre of defence excellence.

“This upgrade to the RAF fleet – sustaining 300 jobs at Leonardo in Edinburgh and many more in the supply chain – is the latest in an impressive line of defence dividend wins for Scotland.

“The UK Government is transforming our defence sector into an even more powerful engine for growth because when we back our service personnel and Scottish industry, we keep ourselves and our allies secure whilst delivering skilled jobs and growth for communities and workers.”

The investment will deliver an additional 40 advanced European Common Radar System (ECRS) Mk2 radars for RAF Typhoons, including 38 new systems and modifications to two test systems, ensuring radars will be fitted to 40 aircraft. These radars will simultaneously detect, identify and track multiple targets in the air and on the ground. 

The ECRS Mk2 radar will ensure the RAF maintains its operational advantage in contested environments. It provides high-powered jamming capability whilst engaging targets beyond the reach of threats.

Typhoon remains the backbone of UK combat air capability and will continue protecting British skies until at least the 2040s. Continuing to upgrade Typhoons was a commitment in the Strategic Defence Review, forming part of the next-generation Royal Air Force.

The announcement supports the government’s Plan for Change by investing in working people through high-value employment whilst strengthening national security.

Mark Hamilton, Managing Director Electronics UK, Leonardo, said: “ECRS Mk2 isn’t just an exceptional radar – it’s equipped with advanced electronic surveillance and electronic attack capabilities which will make RAF’s Typhoons more potent against their adversaries, adapting to new and unpredictable threats.

“This contract secures 300 highly skilled jobs at Leonardo’s Edinburgh site, and 100 at our Luton site. As well as supporting over 71 UK-based suppliers, we hope ECRS Mk2 will see wider adoption by other Typhoon export users given its advanced capabilities against current and future threats.”

Richard Hamilton, BAE Systems Managing Director – Europe & International said: “The Typhoon programme is a fundamental pillar of the UK’s national defence and security.

“Operating at the heart of NATO operations, Typhoon aircraft provide air policing along Europe’s eastern flank. The continued investment in Typhoon capability is crucial and ensures we’re able to maximise the UK’s investment in the aircraft and accelerate combat air technologies critical for defence capabilities.”

UK Government initiative to accelerate investment in Scotland

Cities and regions initiative to ‘enhance capability, attract investment, and accelerate growth for the benefit of all of Scotland’

Business leaders joined representatives from the UK Government and Scottish local authorities yesterday [Tuesday 20 January] at the launch of a new initiative to boost investment in Scotland’s eight cities and its regions. 

As part of Scottish Cities Week 2026, Scotland Office Minister Kirsty McNeill launched the Scotland Investment Acceleration Programme at an event bringing together Scottish city leaders, investors, finance sector stakeholders, and officials from the Scotland Office, Department for Business and Trade and the Office for Investment.

A collaborative initiative between the UK Government, TheCityUK and the Scottish Cities Alliance (SCA), the Scotland Investment Acceleration Programme will provide structured support, technical guidance and market intelligence to enable local authorities and cities attract inward investment from around the globe.

Scotland Office Minister Kirsty McNeill said: “Scotland’s cities and regions hold immense potential for inward investment: We have the talent, the ingenuity, and the resources.

“This is about building a competitive advantage for Scotland, ensuring our regions and communities are ready to secure the vital capital that drives growth and creates jobs. Together, we will enhance capability, attract investment, and accelerate growth for the benefit of all of Scotland.”

Cllr Raymond Bremner, Chair, Scottish Cities Alliance and Leader, Highland Council said: “Scottish Cities Alliance is proud to support the Scotland Investment Acceleration Programme. Building capability and fostering collaboration between governments, investors, and our Scottish city partners is essential to unlocking transformative investment. 

“Through initiatives like Scottish Cities Week London, we champion inclusive, sustainable growth and showcase Scotland’s strengths to ensure our cities thrive in a competitive global economy.”

Miles Celic OBE, Chief Executive Officer, TheCityUK, said: “Scotland’s world-class financial and professional services are key drivers of growth and innovation and a core element of the wider British industry.

“We are excited to team up with our public sector partners to boost investment and enhance collaboration between industry and government. This partnership will unlock new opportunities, create high-value jobs, and ensure Scotland remains at the forefront of the UK’s international competitiveness.”

The Programme will run throughout 2026, starting with the inaugural Scottish Cities Week Round Table in London, and continuing through events in Scotland.

It will include teach-ins, workshops and webinars to build local authority leaders’ knowledge and capacity, technical sessions on investor expectations and project assessment criteria, guidance to help strengthen investment propositions, networking and peer learning forums to foster collaboration and share best practices, and support for showcasing opportunities and major investment events.

At the Whitehall launch event today, Minister McNeill highlighted The UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy – a 10-year plan geared towards making it quicker and easier for businesses to invest in growth-driving sectors. 

Recent UK Government initiatives and funding streams that benefit Scotland were also highlighted to attendees, such as the £140 million Local Growth Fund and £280 million Pride in Place Programme to support improvements in Scotland’s most deprived areas.

Participants heard expert insights on Scotland’s appeal to institutional capital, explored innovative financing approaches for local development, and engaged in open discussions to address current challenges and share practical experiences.

Scottish Cities Week is the Scottish Cities Alliance’s annual flagship event targeting London-based investors, developers, and partners to showcase growth opportunities in Scotland’s cities.

Events lay the foundation for collaboration between Scottish cities and the UK and Scottish governments to boost investor confidence.

The roundtable was attended by stakeholders from Barclays, The CityUK, Scottish Cities Alliance, City of London Corporation, Phoenix Group, Scottish Cities Alliance, Aviva, Blackrock.

Acas seeks views on updates to its Trade Union time off code

Workplace expert, Acas, has today launched a consultation on updates to its Code of Practice on time off for trade union duties and activities.

The Government introduced a new Employment Rights Bill in October 2024 as part of its Make Work Pay plan to reform UK employment law. The Bill became the Employment Rights Act on 18 December 2025.

The Employment Rights Act 2025 introduces new statutory rights to time off for union equality reps that mirrors the existing rights for union learning reps and requires employers to provide ‘accommodation and other facilities’ to union reps for their time off duties.

Niall Mackenzie, Acas Chief Executive, said: “Effective relationships between trade union representatives and employers can help build trust, prevent disputes and contribute to healthy productive organisations.

“Our new draft Code of Practice has been updated to reflect new legal rights in the Employment Rights Act 2025 that cover time off for carrying out trade union duties.

“The Code provides good practice advice to help understand these new rights and we are keen to get views to ensure it is clear, practical and promotes good employment relations between employers and trade unions.”

The Code of Practice on time off for trade union duties and activities was last updated in 2010.

The purpose of the new draft Code is to set out guidance on good practice that will aid and improve the effectiveness of relationships between employers and trade unions. This guidance will be taken into account by employment tribunals in relevant cases.

Employment Rights Minister, Kate Dearden, said: “Strong workplace relationships help to raise living standards and productivity as well as being vital to lasting business success.

“I encourage all employers, workers, and trade union representatives to take the opportunity to shape this guidance. An updated Code of Practice will provide clarity to make these new rights work in practice and support productive workplaces across the country.”

Trade union reps are currently entitled to paid time off for union duties and relevant training provided it is reasonable. Equality representatives do not currently have a statutory right to time off or training.

The Employment Rights Act 2025 introduces a new statutory right to time off for union equality reps that mirrors the existing rights for union learning reps.

There is currently no statutory requirement for employers to provide trade union representatives with facilities to carry out their duties except for certain circumstances such as collective redundancies.   

The Act also introduces a new right that requires employers to provide ‘accommodation and other facilities’ to union representatives for their time off duties if it is requested and is reasonable.

TUC General Secretary, Paul Nowak, said “These new rights are a welcome step forward to modernising industrial relations in the UK. Equality reps, with paid facility time, will play a vital role in tackling workplace discrimination and making workplaces more inclusive and productive.

“Facility time saves employers money by helping to nip issues in the bud before they spiral into costly disputes.

“And it improves communication, supports wider staff wellbeing and helps resolve problems early and constructively. That’s good for workers, employers and the wider economy.”  

The draft Code aims to help employers and unions ensure that they have agreed working arrangements that cover how the practicalities of reasonable time off for union activities and the provision of accommodation and other facilities will work.

The consultation on the draft Code closes on 17 March 2026.

To respond please see: www.acas.org.uk/trade-union-duties-code-consultation

UK Government to drive action to ‘improve children’s relationship’ with mobile phones and social media

Government launches consultation on children’s social media use and bans phones in schools to protect young people’s wellbeing and ensure safer online experiences

  • Restrictions on addictive features, a ban on social media access for children and better age checks among measures to be considered
  • Ofsted inspectors tasked with checking mobile phone bans are being properly enforced in schools as stronger and clearer guidance given to headteachers
  • Ministers to kickstart national conversation with parents on impact of technology on children’s wellbeing with nationwide events to hear views

A consultation will identify the next steps in the government’s plan to boost children’s wellbeing online, ensuring they have a healthy relationship with mobile phones and social media. 

The proposals will build on the government’s broader action to ensure every child gets the best start in life, including a revised curriculum and better skills training. 

Immediate action will include Ofsted checking school mobile phone policy on every inspection, with schools expected to be phone-free by default thanks to today’s announcement.

Amid concerns that young people’s lives are dominated by too much time in front of devices, the government will support families by producing evidence-based screen time guidance for parents of children aged 5 to 16. This is in addition to guidance for parents of under-fives that will be published in April. 

Ministers will examine the most effective ways to go further to ensure children have healthy online experiences, building on the world-leading Online Safety Act.

A consultation on children’s use of technology – backed by a national conversation – will seek views from parents, young people and civil society – with the first events in a nationwide tour to be held in the days ahead. The government will respond to the consultation in the summer.  

Evidence from around the world will be examined on a wide range of suggested proposals, including looking at whether a social media ban for children would be effective and if one was introduced how best to make it work. Ministers will visit Australia to learn first-hand from their approach.  

The consultation will look at options including raising the digital age of consent, implementing phone curfews to avoid excessive use, and restricting potentially addictive design features such as ‘streaks’ and ‘infinite scrolling’.  

Tougher guidance for schools on mobile phones will make it even clearer that schools need to be phone-free environments and that pupils should not have access to their devices during lessons, break times, lunch times, or between lessons. 

Ofsted will examine both schools’ mobile phone policies and how effectively they are implemented when judging behaviour during inspections. Schools that are struggling will get one-to-one support from Attendance and Behaviour Hub schools that are already effectively implementing phone bans.  

Nearly all schools already have mobile phone policies in place – 99.9% of primary schools and 90% of secondary schools. However, 58%**of secondary school pupils reported mobile phones being used without permission in at least some lessons, rising to 65% for key stage 4 pupils.(note)

The guidance will be implemented through behaviour management in schools, and by setting out clear expectations for teachers and school staff – including that staff should not use their own mobile phones for personal reasons in front of pupils, setting an example that mobile phones are not necessary in the classroom. 

The social media consultation will seek views on a range of measures, including: 

  • determining the right minimum age for children to access social media, including exploring a ban for children under a certain age
  • exploring ways to improve the accuracy of age assurance for children to support the enforcement of minimum age limits so children have age-appropriate experiences and see age-appropriate content
  • assessing whether the current digital age of consent is too low
  • removing or limiting functionalities which drive addictive or compulsive use of social media, such as ‘infinite scrolling’
  • exploring further interventions to support parents in helping their children navigate the digital landscape, for example further guidance or simpler parental controls

Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said: “Through the Online Safety Act, this government has already taken clear, concrete steps to deliver a safer online world for our children and young people. 

“These laws were never meant to be the end point, and we know parents still have serious concerns. That is why I am prepared to take further action.

“Technology has huge potential – to create jobs, transform public services, and improve lives. But we will only seize on that potential if people know they and their children are safe online.

“We are determined to ensure technology enriches children’s lives, not harms them – and to give every child the childhood they deserve.”

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: “We have been clear that mobile phones have no place in our schools but now we’re going further through tougher guidance and stronger enforcement. Mobile phones have no place in schools. No ifs, no buts.

“Our Attendance and Behaviour Hubs will support schools that are struggling to effectively implement phone bans so all our children can learn in phone-free environments.  

“This comes alongside our world-leading curriculum reforms which will ensure children build the media and digital literacy skills needed to thrive at work and throughout life.”

His Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills, Sir Martyn Oliver, said: “My message to headteachers is you now have all the backing – and the backing of my inspectors – to ban mobile phones in schools immediately.

“They chip away at children’s attention span, distract from learning and can be detrimental to children’s wellbeing.”

The government this week unveiled new world-leading safety standards at the first government-led Global AI in Education Summit. These will inform tech companies to ensure that AI tools in education cannot use addictive or exploitative patterns, or any features which harm children’s social development and learning. Shaped by the feedback from thousands of pupils across the country, these standards will aim to protect children’s learning and wellbeing from over-reliance on AI. 

The consultation forms part of a broader government effort to support children and young people, including through the National Youth Strategy, which is looking at ways to enrich children’s lives in the real world.   

The Online Safety Act has already given the UK some of the most robust online safety laws in the world, keeping children safer and illegal content off people’s screens. 8 million people now access adult sites with age checks every day, and the number of visitors to pornography sites has reduced by a third since the rules came into force in July 2025, meaning children are less likely to stumble across material they should never see. 

Children encountering age checks online has risen from 30% to 47% since the new rules took effect, and 58% of parents believe the measures are already improving children’s safety online. Ofcom is holding platforms to account, with investigations opened into over 80 pornography websites in 2025 and fines issued to companies that fail to protect young people. (note)

The government has gone further still. Cyberflashing is now a priority offence, so people are better protected from receiving unsolicited nude images. Content encouraging serious self-harm must be actively removed before it can cause harm. And the government has announced plans to ban AI ‘nudification’ tools outright, while working to stop children being able to take, share or view nude images on their devices.  

These new proposals would build on this progress, specifically addressing features that can lead to excessive use, regardless of what children are viewing.

Record renewables auction supports 7,000 jobs and £3bn investment

Workers across UK will benefit from billions of pounds of private sector investment in ports and supply chains

  • Record offshore wind auction crowds in £3.4 billion of private investment to build factories, ports and domestic supply chains across the country, with up to £1.1 billion for Scotland alone, boosting ports like Nigg and Aberdeen and Scottish factories
  • Every £1 of public money invested through the government’s new Clean Industry Bonus leverages £17 from industry in an unprecedented vote of confidence in UK’s industrial strategy and clean energy mission
  • Investment means factories, ports and supply chains built in Britain, supporting up to 7,000 jobs in the country’s industrial heartlands and most deprived regions, as part of 400,000 new clean energy jobs by 2030

Workers across Britain will benefit from billions of pounds of private sector investment in ports and supply chains, thanks to the government’s record renewables auction combined for the first time with its Clean Industry Bonus (CIB).

The UK government yesterday (Thursday 15 January) announced that, as a result of the record renewables auction AR7, £204 million of public investment to incentivise domestic jobs and supply chains has leveraged £3.4 billion of private investment, which will flow into British manufacturing, factories and ports.

This means successful offshore wind projects will procure the infrastructure for their projects from right across Britain’s industrial heartlands.

Backed by record government and private sector investment in clean energy such as renewables and nuclear, the clean energy economy is sparking a boom in demand for good industrial jobs in all regions and nations of the UK. 

The results mean for every £1 of public money spent, £17 of private money is invested in developing supply chains in some of the most deprived areas of the country. This supports up to 7,000 jobs according to industry estimates, including good, skilled jobs like electricians, welders and engineers. The government expects the offshore wind industry to support 100,000 jobs by 2030, with access to trade unions and fair wages. 

The results will bring huge benefits to the industrial base of Scotland in particular, with an up to £1.1 billion supply chain investment boom and up to 2,400 clean energy jobs. This will help revitalise and reindustrialise hardworking towns and cities that have powered Britain for decades. Investment will flow to Scottish ports like Nigg and Aberdeen, and manufacturers of offshore wind equipment in Scotland. Delivering on the government’s energy mission will create up to 40,000 extra jobs in Scotland by 2030.  

The record renewables auction announced yesterday secured the biggest single procurement of offshore wind energy in European history – confounding the global challenges facing the industry and securing a major vote of confidence in the UK’s new era of energy sovereignty and abundance. 

This auction, known as Contracts for Difference AR7, secured a record capacity of 8.4 GW of offshore wind which will generate enough clean electricity to power the equivalent of over 12 million homes.  

The new jobs come on top of the 400,000 new jobs that the government’s Clean Energy Mission is delivering by 2030. Backed by record government and private sector investment in clean energy such as renewables and nuclear, the clean energy economy is sparking a boom in demand for good industrial jobs in all regions and nations of the UK – with 31 priority occupations such as plumbers, electricians, and welders particularly in demand. 

This includes jobs sparked by the decision to give Sizewell C the green light, which will support an average of 10,000 jobs per year during construction and the 4,800 jobs already set to be created in the CCUS projects in North West England, North Wales and Teesside.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “We promised to take back control of our energy with clean, homegrown power – and today we’re delivering in a way that brings good industrial jobs for Scotland and the rest of the country.  

“Billions in investment will flow into hardworking industrial communities to build clean energy supply chains in Britain. This is how we revitalise our proud industrial heartlands and secure our energy future and bring bills down for the long term.”

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said: “Our clean energy mission is creating thousands of good jobs for working people in their hometown, bringing transformational opportunities for Britain and reversing decades of industrial decline. 

“This investment in clean, homegrown power will be felt for decades, powering Scotland’s future and backing the proud industrial base of our country.”

As part of this auction, the government introduced a ’Clean Industry Bonus’ – a financial incentive to support developers who invest in UK supply chains, and in cleaner factories. This was announced by the Prime Minister ahead of COP29, delivering on a manifesto pledge and illustrating the government’s commitment to build it in Britain and create good jobs through the drive for clean, homegrown power. 

The bonus is a first-of-a-kind initiative for the country, and delivers an unprecedented investment into Britain’s industrial base.   

This is a significant vote in confidence for Britain’s Industrial Strategy, with many of the critical components for clean, homegrown energy – such as foundations, blades, port infrastructure and cables – to be built in Britain. 

As Britain races to meet rising energy demand, expected to more than double by 2050, and cut energy bills, the question is not whether to build, but what to build to meet that demand most cheaply. The auction results and new analysis from the government shows offshore wind, alongside solar and onshore wind remain cheaper to build and operate than new gas.

The government’s mission for clean power by 2030 will also help make the UK energy secure again, getting households and businesses off the fossil fuel rollercoaster, controlled by petrostates and dictators, which caused the worst cost of living crisis in memory.

Secretary of State Liz Kendal’s statement after concerns over Grok AI

STATEMENT TO PARLIAMENT – 12 JANUARY 2026

With permission Madam Deputy Speaker, I would like to make a statement on AI, social media and online safety.  

No woman or child should live in fear of having their image sexually manipulated by technology.  

Yet in recent days, the Grok AI tool on the social media platform X has been used to create and share degrading, non-consensual intimate deepfakes.     

The content which has circulated on X is vile. It is not just an affront to decent society – it is illegal.   

The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) reports “criminal imagery” of children as young as 11, including girls sexualised and topless.  

This is Child Sexual Abuse.  

We’ve seen reports of photos being shared of women in bikinis, tied up and gagged, with bruises, covered in blood. And much, much more. 

Lives can and have been devastated by this content, which is designed to harass, torment, and violate people’s dignity.   

They are not harmless images – they are weapons of abuse, disproportionately aimed at women and girls.  

And they are illegal.  

Last week, X limited the image creation function to paid subscribers.  

This does not go anywhere near far enough.  

It is insulting to victims to say you can still have this service if you are willing to pay.

And it is monetising abuse.  

So let me be crystal clear: sharing, or threatening to share, a deepfake intimate image without consent – including images of people in their underwear – is a criminal offence.    

Under the Online Safety Act, sharing images – or threatening to share them – is a criminal offence. For individuals, and for platforms.  

My predecessor – the Right Honourable Member for Hove and Portslade – made this a ‘priority offence’, so services have to take proactive action to stop this content from appearing in the first place.  

The Data Act, passed last year, made it a criminal offence to create – or request the creation of – non-consensual intimate images.  

And today, I can announce to the House that this offence will be brought into force this week and that I will make it a priority offence in the Online Safety Act too.  

This means individuals are committing a criminal offence if they create – or seek to create – such content – including on X – and anyone who does this should expect to face the full extent of the law.   

But the responsibilities do not just lie with individuals for their own behaviour.  

The platforms that host such material must be held accountable – including X.  

Madam Deputy Speaker, Ofcom this morning confirmed that they have opened a formal investigation into X and will assess their compliance with the Online Safety Act.     

The government expects Ofcom to set out a timeline for the investigation as soon as possible.  

The public – and most importantly, the victims of Grok’s activities – expect swift and decisive action. So this must not take months and months.  

But X doesn’t have to wait for the Ofcom investigation to conclude. They can choose to act sooner to ensure this abhorrent and illegal material cannot be shared on their platform.    

If they do not, Ofcom will have the backing of this government to use the full powers which Parliament has given them.  

And I would remind X – and all other platforms – that this includes the power to issue fines worth millions of dollars, or 10% of a company’s qualifying worldwide revenue.   

And in the most serious cases, Ofcom can apply for a court order to stop UK users accessing the site.  

Madam Deputy Speaker, this government will do everything in our power to keep women and especially children safe online.  

So I can today confirm that we will build on all the measures I have already outlined and legislate in the Crime and Policing Bill – which is currently going through Parliament – to criminalise nudification apps.  

This new criminal offence will make it illegal for companies to supply tools designed to create non-consensual intimate images, targeting the problem at its source.      

And in addition to all of these actions, we expect technology companies to introduce the steps recommended by Ofcom’s guidance on how to make platforms safer for women and girls without delay.  

And if they do not, I am prepared to go further.  

Because this government believes tackling violence against women and girls is as important online as it is in the real world.  

Madam Deputy Speaker, this is not – as some would claim – about restricting freedom of speech, something I and the whole government hold very dear.  

It is about tackling violence against women and girls.  

It’s about upholding basic British values of decency and respect, and ensuring the standards we expect offline are upheld online.  

And it is about exercising our sovereign power and responsibility to uphold the laws of the land.  

I hope this is a time when MPs on all sides of the House will stand up for British laws and British values and call out the platforms that allow explicit, degrading and illegal content.   

It is time to choose a side.  

If I may Madam Deputy Speaker, I would also like to address calls from MPs on all sides of this House for the government to end its participation on X.  

I understand why many colleagues have come to this conclusion when X seems so unwilling to clean up its act. The government will of course keep our participation under review.  

But our job is to protect women and girls from illegal and harmful content wherever it is found.  

It is also worth bearing in mind, with 19 million people on X in this country, and more than a quarter using it as their primary source of news, that our views – and often simply the facts – need to be heard.  

Madam Deputy Speaker, let me conclude by saying this.  

AI is a transformative technology which has the potential to bring about extraordinary and welcome change.  

Creating jobs and growth. Diagnosing and treating diseases. Helping children learn at school. Tackling climate change. And so much more besides.  

But in order to seize these opportunities, people must feel confident that they and their children are safe online and that AI is not used for destructive and abusive ends.  

Many tech companies want to and are acting responsibly. But when they do not, we must and we will act.  

Innovation should serve humanity; not degrade it.   

So we will leave no stone unturned in our determination to stamp out these demeaning, degrading and illegal images.   

If that means strengthening the existing laws, we are prepared to do so.   

Because this government stands on the side of decency.  

We stand on the side of the law.   

We stand for basic British values supported by the vast majority of people in this country.  

And I commend this statement to the House.