Tag: UK Government

Chancellor calls for business-like relationship with EU

  • Rachel Reeves calls for business-like relationship with the EU to drive more trade, support businesses and boost economic growth that benefits working people
  • Chancellor to put making working people better off at the heart of economic reset with the EU
  • Reeves to be the first UK Chancellor to address EU finance ministers since the UK left the EU

Making working people better off must be the aim of our economic reset with the EU, Chancellor Rachel Reeves will tell a meeting of finance ministers in Brussels today.

Reeves becomes the first UK Chancellor to attend a meeting of EU finance ministers since the UK left the EU – a clear signal of the UK Government’s commitment to reset the relationship with the EU and realise the economic potential of our shared future.

In her speech, the Chancellor will set out that part of the government’s mission to drive economic growth and make working people better off, a central part of our Plan for Change, will be achieved through a closer relationship with the European Union.

She will talk to three key areas of the UK-EU relationship: tackling shared challenges, including the war in Ukraine; championing free trade as a driver of economic competitiveness; and strengthening bilateral economic partnerships.

She will go on to say that by taking these on together, we can have a meaningful impact on putting more money in people’s pockets through lower prices and better jobs through increased investment.

Rachel Reeves, Chancellor of the Exchequer, will say: “This is the first time a British Chancellor has addressed the Eurogroup since Brexit. And there could be no more important moment to do so, than now.

“It is a signal of the new UK Government’s commitment to resetting our country’s relationship with the European Union; and the importance I place in realising the economic potential of our shared future.”

She will add: “I know that the last few years have been fractious. Division and chaos defined the last government’s approach to Europe. It will not define ours.

“We want a relationship built on trust, mutual respect, and pragmatism. A mature, business-like relationship where we can put behind us the low ambitions of the past and move forward, focused instead on all that we have in common.

“And all that we might achieve together to keep our countries safe, secure and prosperous.”

On strengthening economic ties, she will say: “I believe that a closer economic relationship between the UK and the EU is not a zero-sum game. It’s about improving both our growth prospects.

“The reset in relations is about doing what is the best interests of our shared economies and those that depend on it.

“That means breaking down barriers to trade, creating opportunities to invest and helping our businesses sell in each other’s markets.

“That’s why I’m here today; that’s what our reset seeks to achieve.”

Ms. Reeves will also underscore the importance of the UK and EU’s unwavering support for Ukraine over 1,000 days since Russia’s invasion, delivered most recently through a G7 loan of $50bn backed by the extraordinary profits on immobilized Russian sovereign assets. She will say that Ukraine’s national security ensures the UK and Europe’s national security too.

While in Brussels, the Chancellor will also attend a series of bilateral meetings with European counterparts. International economic partnerships are a crucial part of the government’s number one mission to grow the economy and make every part of the UK better off.

There will no return to the single market, the customs union, or freedom of movement. But, following their meeting on 2 October, the Prime Minister and President of the European Commission Ursula von de Leyen agreed to strengthen the UK-EU relationship and put it on a more solid, stable footing.

The EU reset feeds directly into the government’s Plan for Change to be achieved via its five missions – one of which is growth. The reset will help contribute to the government’s ambitions to grow the economy, invest to create an NHS fit for the future and tackle irregular migration.

The UK and the EU share the world’s second largest trading relationship, facilitating over £660 billion (€750 billion) in trade each year. The UK and EU countries together also comprise 24 of NATO’s 32 allies, united in a commitment to collective security.

The government will publish a Trade Strategy in 2025, renewing the government’s commitment to free and open trade.

It will support the government’s Industrial Strategy and Net Zero ambitions and enhance economic security. As part of this, the government will work with the EU to identify areas where the government can strengthen cooperation for mutual benefit, including the economy, energy, security and resilience.

Global partnerships are crucial to the UK government, with direct benefit to the domestic economy – the International Investment Summit held in October secured a record breaking £63 billion of investment and nearly 38,000 jobs are set to be created across the UK as a result.

Today’s Eurogroup attendance comes after Reeves’ speech at Mansion House in November, where she set out that advocating free and open trade especially with economically important partners was in the UK’s national interest. Reeves’ visit to Brussels comes ahead of her next international visit, which will be to Beijing in the new year.

Shevaun Haviland, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce said: “If our economy is to grow then we must export more. That’s why we urgently need a better trading relationship with our closest and biggest market, the European Union. The current arrangement isn’t working for our members. 

“Right now, UK firms wanting to trade with Europe are struggling under huge regulatory and paperwork burdens.   

“Businesses will be encouraged to hear the Chancellor talking about a reset in our relationship with the EU which genuinely breaks down barriers to trade.  

“A better deal can’t come soon enough for UK exporters. It’s vital that talks move at pace in the coming months to make life easier for businesses to thrive.”

UK Government to tackle NHS workforce crisis with ‘refreshed plan’ – next summer

Revised Workforce Plan to be unveiled in summer

The Government and NHS will unveil a refreshed Workforce Plan in the summer with a ‘laser-focus’ on shifting care from hospitals and into the community, as we work to get the NHS back on its feet and fit for the future.

Lord Darzi’s shocking report laid bare the systemic issues which have gripped the NHS for years and led to poorer experiences for patients and staff. Too much care is being delivered in hospitals because of historic underinvestment in the community.

Recent data shows that:

  • There are almost 16% fewer fully qualified GPs in the UK than other high income countries relative to our population.
  • The number of nurses working in the community fell by at least 5%, between 2009 and 2023.
  • A reduction of nearly 20% in the number of health visitors – who can be crucial to development in the first five years of a child’s life – between 2019 and 2023. 
  • The number of mental health nurses has just returned to its 2010 level.

The original workforce plan would increase hospital consultants by 49%, but the equivalent rise in fully qualified GPs would have been just 4% between 2021/22 and 2036/37. 

Through a refreshed workforce plan, alongside reform and investment, the Government is taking the decisive action needed to ensure it has the right workforce in the right place at the right time to deliver its 10 Year Health Plan and get the NHS back on its feet to deliver world-class care.

Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: “Lord Darzi diagnosed the dire state of the NHS, including that too many people end up in hospital, because there aren’t the resources in the community to reach patients earlier.

“Our 10 Year Health Plan will deliver three big shifts in the focus of healthcare from hospital to community, analogue to digital, and sickness to prevention. We will refresh the NHS workforce plan to fit the transformed health service we will build over the next decade, so the NHS has the staff it needs to treat patients on time again.”

Through the Government’s Plan for Change, an unrelenting approach is being taken to deliver an NHS fit for the future as part of a decade of national renewal. The Chancellor’s first Budget invested almost £26 billion of funding this year and next for the health system to address critical shortages and cut waiting lists, including delivering an extra 40,000 appointments.

Since July, significant progress has already been made by the Government on its Mission to deliver an NHS fit for the future and to support the workforce, putting funding in place to employ more GPs, ending devastating resident doctor strikes within its first few months, and sending crack teams of top clinicians into hospitals with high waiting lists.

Amanda Pritchard, chief executive of NHS England, said: “The NHS is nothing without our incredible staff and having a sustainable workforce is a key building block for an NHS fit for the future – that’s why we committed to update the plan regularly so that it reflects the changing and growing needs of patients.

“While the NHS is delivering more care to patients in the community, with the expansion of virtual wards, community diagnostic centres and neighbourhood hubs, part of our longer term goal is delivering even more care out of hospitals, and we’ll work closely with the government to refresh the workforce plan, alongside the upcoming 10 Year Health Plan.”

Delivering three big shifts in health care will be at the core of the government’s wider 10 Year Health Plan, from hospital to the community, analogue to digital, and sickness to prevention. The workforce will form a central part of this plan.

Lord Darzi’s report made clear the NHS has suffered from years of underinvestment and a lack of effective reform, with far too many patients ending up in hospital. As part of our 10 Year Health Plan, care will be shifted from hospital to the community to support the NHS to free up hospital appointments, tackling waiting lists and easing the strain on the health service. 

The expansion of the hospital workforce has come at the expense of other care settings and the proportion of the total NHS budget dedicated to acute hospitals has continued to rise, while the proportion of the NHS budget going to primary care has fallen by a quarter in just over a decade – from 24% in 2009 to just 18% by 2021. Despite this significant flow of resources into hospitals, output has not risen at nearly the same rate and NHS productivity has still not recovered to pre-pandemic levels.

Because patients can’t get the care they need in the community, like GP appointments, they end up in A&E, which is worse for them and more expensive for taxpayers. At a typical A&E on a typical evening in 2009, there would have been just under 40 people waiting in the queue. By 2024, that had swelled to more than 100 people.

The ten-year plan is due out next Spring. Following that, the workforce plan, which is due to be revised every two years, will be refreshed next summer.

Call for UK Government support in scrapping the two-child limit

Social Justice Secretary writes to counterpart seeking early engagement

Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville has written to Liz Kendall, the UK Work and Pensions Secretary, to follow up on the commitment to scrap the two-child limit from 2026.

The Scottish Government’s plan to mitigate the limit on Universal Credit, announced as part of the 2025-26 budget, will require cooperation from the Department for Work and Pensions to enable systems development and data-sharing.

In the letter to Ms Kendall, Ms Somerville said: “Eradicating child poverty in Scotland is a national mission and we believe that this policy will be a key driver in delivering that mission.

“The Scottish Government is committing the resources required to begin the preparatory work in the coming financial year with a view to making the first mitigation payments in 2026-27.

“The Finance Secretary was careful to note that co-operation with your Department will be necessary, which I understand will primarily need to centre around systems development and data sharing.

“We will also want to work with you to ensure that any mitigation payments are disregarded as income for benefit calculations. The Scottish Government is keen to progress this work as soon as possible. I would therefore be keen to meet before Christmas to discuss our policy and how, together, we might best be kept appraised of progress as officials take forward this work.”

Two-child limit: Letter to UK Government – gov.scot

Scotland Office supports worldwide anti-violence campaign

From 25 November to 10 December, the United Nations is making a worldwide call to action during 16 Days of Activism to help end violence against women and girls.

The Scotland Office has joined other UK Government departments, the Scottish Government, local authorities and partner organisations across the country in supporting the campaign against gender-based violence.

Violence against women in all its forms, whether on the street, in the home or – increasingly – online, is unacceptable. One incident is one too many.

Here, in her own words, Scotland Office Minister Kirsty McNeill explains why she and Secretary of State for Scotland Ian Murray signed the pledge to help end these atrocious crimes, and why she’s urging everyone in Scotland to back her:

“Women have always known, because we are taught and told and trained, from very early on in our lives, that we are not safe – not on the street, not in the park, not in the club, not in the pool, not on a date.

“We learn that our own bodies can be a source of vulnerability or an object over which other people feel entitled to ownership and control. For me and for so many of my friends, that is such a fact of life we don’t even talk about it until there’s another horrific headline about a woman or girl we know could so easily have been us.

“This government won’t stand for half the population living like that.

“Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is overseeing an unprecedented Government mission to halve violence against women and girls in a decade. No government has sought to do this before, and we recognise the scale of the challenge we are facing. But the time has come for us to treat these appalling crimes like the national emergency that they are.

“In Scotland, as globally, the figures are stark and unacceptable. In the last year, 14,484 sexual crimes were recorded by Police Scotland. And during the same period, there were 63,867 incidents of domestic abuse, an increase of 3% compared to the previous year. 

“You will know some of these women. You might not know that you know them, but you do. They are in every town, every workplace, every friendship circle. 

“The trauma of survivors runs deep. So too does our commitment to ensure all women and girls across Scotland can breathe freely, sure in the knowledge their safety is a priority. “

Minister Kirsty McNeill and Secretary of State Ian Murray sign the pledge

She went on: “That’s why this past week, and until December 10, the Scotland Office has joined other government departments, the Scottish Government, our 32 local authorities and organisations across the country in supporting the United Nations’ 16 days of activism against gender-based violence, the annual campaign to raise awareness and commit to change.

“Secretary of State Ian Murray and I have signed the White Ribbon pledge and we’ve been inviting Scottish MPs into our base on Whitehall to do the same.

“By supporting the White Ribbon Scotland charity – whose emblem is the global symbol detesting gender-based violence – each one of us has pledged never to ‘commit, condone or remain silent about violence against women in all its forms’.

“Whether it’s domestic abuse behind closed doors or harassment on our streets, we’re sending a clear message: it ends now. 

“One of my earliest ministerial visits was to Edinburgh Women’s Aid, to hear from survivors about the work that had changed and, in some, cases saved their lives. There can be no doubt about the stakes. Let there be no doubt either about our determination to work together – Scottish and UK governments, Police Scotland, local authorities and more  –  to build a safe Scotland for all women and girls.”

UK bolsters humanitarian funding for Gaza

International community convene at Humanitarian Conference in Egypt to collaborate on boosting aid in Gaza

International Development Minister Anneliese Dodds will attend a humanitarian conference in Cairo today [Monday 2 December], meeting with international partners, to discuss how to urgently alleviate suffering in Gaza, as part of a three-day visit to the region.   

The Minister will announce £19 million of funding for Gaza, including £12 million in funding to the United Nations’ Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and World Food Programme (WFP).

The UK has now committed £99 million to the OPTs this financial year, providing vital services to civilians in Gaza and the West Bank delivered through partner agencies. The UK’s humanitarian programme in Gaza has meant half a million people have received essential healthcare. 284,000 people have improved access to water, sanitation and hygiene services. 

To demonstrate the UK’s ongoing commitment to achieving stability in the region and to discuss how to improve economic stability for all Palestinians, Minister Dodds will then travel to the Occupied Palestinian Territories and Israel.  

The Minister will see first-hand the vital work of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) at a refugee camp in the West Bank. She will also highlight the £7m of new UK funding that will go to UNRWA’s Flash Humanitarian Appeal for Gaza. It will support the international response to deliver essential services such as food, shelter and healthcare as winter conditions add to the already dire humanitarian situation.  

To underline UK support for the Palestinian Authority and their essential political and economic reform agenda, the Minister will meet with Palestinian Prime Minister, H.E. Dr. Mohammad Mustafa, and Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, H.E. Dr. Wael Zakout.  

Development Minister Anneliese Dodds said: “The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. Gazans​ are in desperate need of food, and shelter with the onset of winter. The Cairo​ conference will be an opportunity to get leading voices in one room and put forward real-world solutions to the humanitarian​ crisis.

“The UK is committed to supporting the region’s most vulnerable communities, pledging additional funding for UNRWA, and to supporting the Palestinian Authority reforms. 

“Israel must immediately act to ensure unimpeded aid access to Gaza. I will meet counterparts both in Israel and the OPTs to discuss the need to remove these impediments, bring about a ceasefire, free the hostages and find a lasting solution to the conflict.”

The Minister will also confirm the UK has provided £6 million each to the UN World Food Programme (WFP) and the Office for Coordinated Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) pooled humanitarian fund. This has gone towards lifesaving health, food, water, sanitation and protection services for Palestinians. 

This year the UK contribution to WFP will enable it to procure 4,465 metric tons of fortified wheat flour, sufficient to cover the needs of more than 451,000 severely food insecure people across Gaza for one month.

Whilst in the OPTs, the Minister will also visit a community in Area C of the West Bank that is subject to settler violence and is at risk of demolition and displacement.

Minister Dodds will then arrive in Israel, holding meetings with Israeli representatives. She will call on Israel to remove impediments to getting aid into Gaza and discuss finding a lasting resolution to the conflict. 

The Minister will also meet the families of UK and UK-linked hostages in Israel and will reiterate that the UK continues to exercise every possible diplomatic lever to see the hostages immediately and unconditionally released. 

Concluding the visit, the Minister will highlight that it is in the long-term interests of the Israelis, Palestinians and the wider region to agree to a ceasefire deal urgently and bring this devastating conflict to an end.

Starmer set to unveil Plan for Change

Later this week the Prime Minister will set out ambitious milestones for change that will deliver ‘real, tangible improvement to the lives of working people across the country’

  • PM to galvanise action across government and beyond with radical next phase of Mission delivery
  • Measurable milestones will be set out in new Plan for Change, that will put working people’s priorities first 
  • Relentless prioritisation will ensure that the government delivers for working people this Parliament 

The Prime Minister will set out ambitious milestones for change that will deliver real, tangible improvement to the lives of working people across the country in this Parliament, later this week. 

The Plan for Change will mark the next phase of Mission-led government, as the PM continues to take an unrelenting approach to delivering on the priorities of working people.

The Missions – growing the economy, an NHS fit for the future, safer streets, secure power through clean energy and opportunity for all – are part of a decade of national renewal, built on the foundations of a stable economy, national security and secure borders.

The government has already made significant progress on its Missions since July; fixing the foundations of the country and kicking off the first steps to deliver real change. This has included stabilising the economy, establishing a new Border Security Command that will smash the gangs and tackle small boat crossings, and investing an extra £22bn building an NHS fit for the future including an extra 40,000 appointments. 

This action has all taken place having inherited the unprecedented twin challenges of crumbling public services and crippled public finances. The government has had to make difficult decisions, including reforming agricultural property relief and targeting the winter fuel allowance. 

Having taken action to fix the foundations and kick off the First Steps, the Plan for Change will set out ambitious but achievable milestones on the Missions that will be reached by the end of the Parliament, driving real improvements in the lives of working people. 

Achieving them will demand that the attention and resources of government are relentlessly focused on making sure the Missions are delivering on what matters most to working people in every corner of the UK. 

The milestones are part of the Prime Minister’s drive to do government radically differently, and will reflect the priorities of working people, allowing them to hold government to account on its progress.

Work to deliver them will be underpinned by innovation and reform, alongside close working with partners across business, civil society, and local government.  

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “This Plan for Change is the most ambitious yet honest programme for government in a generation.

“Mission-led government does not mean picking milestones because they are easy or will happen anyway. It means relentlessly driving real improvements in the lives of working people.

“We are already fixing the foundations and have kicked-started our first steps for change, stabilising the economy, setting up a new Border Security Command, and investing £22bn in an NHS that is fit for the future. 

“Our Plan for Change is the next phase of delivering this government’s mission. Some may oppose what we are doing and no doubt there will be obstacles along the way, but this government was elected on mandate of change and our plan reflects the priorities of working people. 

“Given the unprecedented challenges we have inherited we will not achieved this by simply doing more of the same which is why investment comes alongside a programme of innovation and reform.”

The relentless prioritisation will be at the heart of the choices made in the next Spending Review – which will look at every pound the government spends, line by line, taking a zero-based approach to how departments are funded. 

The milestones will be underpinned by an ‘ambitious programme of public sector reform’, building on the reform work already started on planning, national infrastructure, pensions, industrial strategy, and the labour market.  

As part of this work, the Prime Minister will also charge the new Cabinet Secretary and all Cabinet Ministers to reform Whitehall so that it is geared to Mission delivery rather than working in the traditional silos that focus on fiefdoms not outcomes.

Asylum seekers: Minister calls for right to work pilot in Scotland

Equalities Minister Kaukab Stewart has called for the UK Government to consider a pilot proposal in Scotland which would give people seeking asylum the right to work in some parts of Scotland.

The Scottish Right to Work Pilot Proposal proposes a number of changes to current UK policy, including enabling the right to work from six months instead of twelve months, and removing restrictions on the types of work they can undertake. Additionally, those on the pilot would have access to support around key topics such as employability and language learning.

A report from the Scottish Government’s independent Expert Advisory Group on Migration and Population, published in December 2023, shows that granting people who are seeking asylum the right to work at an earlier stage could improve their wellbeing and integration, reduce their risk of exploitation, and have longer-term benefits to our economy and public service delivery.

Ms Stewart said: “Scotland has a long history of welcoming refugees and people seeking asylum. We believe that giving people seeking asylum the right to work from an earlier point can have a positive impact on them, their families and our communities.

“This means that following a positive decision they will be better equipped to support themselves and their families. 

“These measures would also enable asylum seekers to integrate more quickly, making a positive contribution to our workforce and economy by reducing the cost and demand on our public services.

“We ask that the Home Office engages with us to take forward this pilot proposal, in collaboration with our partners.”

Scottish Asylum Right to Work Proposal – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Asylum seeker rights: Letter to UK Government – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

In December 2023, the Scottish Government’s independent Expert Advisory Group on Migration and Population published the report Asylum Seekers – extending the right to work: evaluation, analysis, and policy options.

Statutory levy and online slot stake limits to be introduced to tackle gambling harm

UK Government to bring forward statutory levy on gambling operators to generate £100 million for the research, prevention and treatment of gambling harms

  • Government to bring forward statutory levy as first step to strengthening harmful gambling protections
  • Mandated levy to generate £100 million for the research, prevention and treatment of gambling harms, with half of funding to directly benefit NHS-led gambling treatment system
  • Government also confirms online slot stake limits of £5 for over 25s and £2 for young adults aged 18 to 24

The Westminster government has taken its first steps towards strengthening gambling harm legislation today, confirming plans to implement a statutory levy on gambling profits and online slot stake limits to help tackle the issue of gambling addiction. 

Gambling Minister Baroness Twycross has outlined how a levy on gambling operators will be designed and implemented as the government moves forward on its manifesto commitment to reduce gambling harm. 

The landmark levy will be charged to all licensed operators and will guarantee increased, ringfenced and consistent funding to prevent and tackle gambling harm. 

Under the current voluntary system not all gambling companies contribute equally, with some operators paying as little as £1 a year towards research, prevention and treatment. The new mandatory levy will ensure all operators contribute a fair share. 

The Gambling Minister has also confirmed that the government will introduce stake limits for online slots, a higher-risk gambling product associated with large losses, long sessions, and binge play. 

Stake limits will be set at £5 per spin for adults aged 25 and over and £2 per spin for 18-24 year olds. 

Evidence from the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities and the Gambling Survey for Great Britain shows young adults can be particularly vulnerable to gambling related harm with under 25s having one of the highest proportion of respondents scoring 8 or more on the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) of any age group.

Minister for Gambling, Baroness Twycross said: “Gambling harm can ruin people’s finances, relationships, and ultimately lives. We are absolutely committed to implementing strengthened measures for those at risk, as well as providing effective support for those affected. 

“The introduction of the first legally mandated levy will be instrumental in supporting research, raising awareness and reducing the stigma around gambling-related harm. 

“We are also helping to protect those at risk, with a particular focus on young adults, by introducing stake limits for online slots. 

“These measures will help build an NHS fit for our future and strengthen protections whilst also allowing people to continue to gamble safely.”

From October 2023 to January 2024, the government sought views from clinicians, academics, the industry and the wider public on how the levy should be designed and implemented. 

In its response to this consultation, the government has confirmed 50% of all funding generated will be directed to NHS England and appropriate bodies in Scotland and Wales to develop a comprehensive support and treatment system. This will include referrals and triage, through to recovery and aftercare.

Prevention is a crucial part of the government’s efforts to tackle gambling harm. 30% of levy funding will go towards investment in this area, which could include measures such as national public health campaigns and training for frontline staff. The government is taking the time to get the important decision on the future of prevention right and will publish next steps in the coming months.

The remaining 20% of funding will be directed to UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the Gambling Commission to develop bespoke Research Programmes on Gambling, undertaking vital research to inform future policy and regulation.

Claire Murdoch, NHS national director for mental health, said: “Problem gambling can completely ruin lives and the issue has skyrocketed, with NHS services treating record numbers and our latest data showing a staggering 129% increase in service referrals compared with the same period last year.

“I am delighted to welcome this commitment to a mandatory gambling levy which the NHS, bereaved families and the voluntary sector have been calling for so we can treat this growing problem – and we will continue to work with government to do all we can to protect problem gamblers from this billion-pound industry.”

Professor Henrietta Bowden-Jones, National Clinical Advisor on Gambling Harms at NHS England, said: “Gambling harms have a devastating effect on people’s lives. We know that 2.5% of the population are gambling in a severe and harmful way but many more are affected, whether family members or gamblers already experiencing negative consequences but below the clinical threshold. 

“We recognise the need for more action, which is why I am thrilled to support the Government’s new levy, which will help us address the negative impact of gambling harms on communities using treatment, prevention and research through an independent evidence-based strategy at last.”

Funding from the levy will be distributed to the NHS and UKRI, the umbrella body for research councils, by the Gambling Commission under the strategic direction of the government. The gambling industry will have no say over how money for research, prevention and treatment is spent. 

The levy will be charged to all licensed gambling activity at varying levels depending on the sector and nature of the gambling activity to ensure impacts are proportionate. Rates take into account the difference in operating costs and the levels of harmful gambling associated with different gambling activities. 

Minister for Health Andrew Gwynne said: “Tackling gambling harm is a crucial part of our commitment to support people to live longer, healthier lives.

“This levy will provide an important funding boost for the NHS, whilst also enabling independent research and more effective prevention initiatives.

“By making NHS England responsible for all treatment and support services for those experiencing gambling-related harms in England, we will ensure people are getting the most effective care possible.”

Technological developments in recent years have paved the way for a dramatic shift in the ways people gamble. Gambling has moved away from betting shops and casinos to people being able to play anywhere, anytime, on their phones, leading to a significant increase in online gambling behaviour. 

The levy and online slot stake limits announced today complements a raft of major changes the government and the Gambling Commission is delivering to make gambling safer in an age of technological advances. This includes including financial risk checks to better alert operators to risky behaviours and tighter controls on marketing. 

Spending watchdog disclaims UK Government’s accounts for the first time

  • The disclaimed audit opinion from the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG), Gareth Davies, on the Whole of Government Accounts (WGA) 2022-23 is the first ever.
  • The cause is the severe backlogs in English local authority audits, with the consequence that there is inadequate assurance over material amounts throughout the WGA.
  • The WGA is a vital tool in the management and scrutiny of public spending, as it brings together all public sector assets and liabilities. It is essential that the steps being taken by Government to restore timely and robust local authority audited accounts are effective.  
  • The PAC Chair’s statement can be found here PAC Chair’s statement – WGA.pdf. The link to the WGA 22/23 can be found in the notes to editors. 

Backlogs in firms’ audits of England’s 426 local authorities have led to the National Audit Office (NAO) disclaiming the 2022-23 WGA for the first time.

As well as local authority accounts, the WGA combines the accounts of over 10,000 public bodies, such as central government departments, devolved administrations, the NHS, academy schools and public corporations.

Within his audit report, the NAO’s head, Gareth Davies, said he had been “unable to obtain sufficient, appropriate evidence upon which to form an opinion”.

Just over 10% (43) of England’s 426 local authorities submitted reliable data to the WGA.

Of the near 90% of local authorities that failed to submit reliable data, 46% (196) submitted information that hasn’t been audited, and 44% (187) did not submit any data at all.

The Government is taking steps to address the backlog in audited accounts for English local authorities, including the use of fixed dates by which each year’s audits must be completed.

This process is unlikely to allow the disclaimer on WGA to be removed for 2023-24, but it does offer a medium-term solution to the problem.

The WGA is a vital tool in the management and scrutiny of public spending, as it brings together all public sector assets, liabilities, income and expenditure. This means that long-term costs to the public purse such as clinical negligence and nuclear decommissioning are visible to policy makers and Parliamentarians.

Gareth Davies, head of the NAO said: “It is clearly not acceptable that delays in audited accounts for English local authorities have made it impossible for me to provide assurance on the Whole of Government Accounts for 2022-23.

“It is essential that the steps being taken by Government to restore timely and robust local authority audited accounts are effective”.

  • The disclaiming of the WGA is in relation to local authority audit omissions and unaudited returns. The impact of this impact is so large and pervasive that the Comptroller and Auditor General is unable to give any opinion on the WGA at all. The C&AG continues to provide assurance over all central government departments via their statutory departmental accounts on an annual basis, and the disclaimer of the WGA does not impact upon the opinions he gives on those accounts.
  • The 22/23 accounts can be found here: WGA_2022-23_final_accounts.pdf 
  • Page 279 includes the audit certificate from the Comptroller and Auditor General. 

MPs to vote on landmark smoking ban

Votes on the world-leading Tobacco and Vapes Bill will move the UK one step closer to becoming smoke-free

  • Vote will move the UK one step closer to becoming smoke-free, shielding the next generation from the harms of smoking.
  • Ambitious plans to protect children from vaping, including ban on vape advertising and sale of vapes in vending machines, in addition to restricting vape flavours, packaging and shop display.
  • Bill bolstered by additional £10m of support for enforcement and £70m for stop smoking services.

MPs will today (26 November) vote on the world-leading Tobacco and Vapes Bill, moving the UK one step closer to protecting future generations from the harms of smoking and vaping.

The ambitious Bill includes plans to clamp down on youth vaping with many of the measures specifically aimed at protecting children.   

Subject to consultation, the sale of vape flavours that overtly appeal to children – such as bubble gum, gummy bear and cotton candy – could be brought to an end, alongside restrictions on vape packaging that is designed to appeal to young people.  

The Bill will bring in a total ban on vape advertising and sponsorship which will include displays that will likely be seen by children and young people such as on buses, in cinemas, and in shop windows, bringing this in line with current tobacco restrictions.  

All vaping and nicotine products will be banned from being sold to under 18s – closing loopholes on non-nicotine vapes and nicotine pouches. Vapes will also be banned in vending machines, where they can be easily accessed by children. The free distribution of these products will also be banned.  

If passed, the Bill will progress to the next parliamentary stage, bringing the UK one step closer to creating the first smoke-free generation. 

The Bill will help achieve one of the three key shifts in the government’s 10 Year Health Plan, to move from sickness to prevention. 

Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting, said:  “The number of children vaping is growing at an alarming rate and without urgent intervention, we’re going to have a generation of children with long-term addiction. 

“It is unacceptable that these harmful products are being deliberately targeted at children with brightly coloured packaging and flavours like ‘gummy bear’ and ‘rainbow burst’.  

“The Tobacco and Vapes Bill provides the protection that children and young people need to avoid a life imprisoned by addiction. That’s why it’s so incredibly important it is voted through.”  

To support current smokers to quit smoking, the government will provide £70 million for stop smoking services. This is in addition to all hospitals integrating ‘opt-out’ smoking cessation interventions into routine care, making every clinical consultation count.  

To bolster enforcement, the government will provide an additional £10 million for Trading Standards to crack down on illicit trade. This comes off the back of new data from National Trading Standards (NTS) that show over 1 million illicit vapes were seized inland by Trading Standards in 2023-24, a 59% increase compared to the previous year.  

In a separate programme coordinated by NTS, 19 million illicit cigarettes and 5.2 tonnes of illicit hand-rolled tobacco were seized by Trading Standards in 2023-24. This is on top of the over 1 billion illicit cigarettes and 92.4 tonnes of illicit hand-rolled tobacco seized by HMRC and Border Force. 

The Bill will also include powers to introduce a licensing scheme for retailers to sell tobacco, vape and nicotine products in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and will introduce on the spot fines of £200 to retailers found to be selling these products to people underage. 

Expanding the use of highly effective standardised packaging to all tobacco products will also be explored. 

Chief Medical Officer for England, Professor Chris Whitty, said: “If this major piece of legislation is passed, it will accelerate a smokefree generation and lead to children never being trapped by addiction to cigarettes with lifelong harms to their health.

“The rising number of children vaping is a significant concern, and the Tobacco and Vapes Bill will help prevent marketing vapes to children, which is utterly unacceptable. Smoking results in direct harm across a person’s life course but also causes harms to others around them, including children, pregnant women and the medically vulnerable.

“Reducing the number of vulnerable people exposed to second-hand smoke, as well as preventing non-smokers taking up vaping is important and will improve the health of the nation.”

The NHS also recently announced the rollout of a once-a-day pill that could help tens of thousands of people give up cigarettes. It also follows the government laying new legislation in October banning the sale of single-use vapes from 1 June 2025. 

NHS national medical director, Professor Sir Stephen Powis, said: “Vaping among young people is a significant and growing concern and we wholeheartedly welcome the Government’s commitment to tackle this as part of the measures outlined in this bill.

“Smoking also remains the leading cause of preventable deaths and has a huge impact on the NHS, costing billions every year and we look forward to working with the government and partners to ensure the next generation grow up smoke and vape free.”

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill will give government the powers to extend the indoor smoking ban to specific outdoor spaces: with children’s playgrounds, outside schools and hospitals all being considered in England, subject to consultation. These powers will also allow places that are currently smoke-free to be made vape-free, subject to consultation.  

Sarah Sleet, chief executive at Asthma + Lung UK, said: “The announcement of additional funding for smoking cessations services is desperately needed to help the tens of thousands of existing smokers who want to quit, which is incredibly difficult to do without support.

“Stop smoking services have suffered drastic cuts in recent years, but when they are appropriately funded they do a fantastic job of supporting people to stop smoking for good.

“Today’s vote on the Tobacco and Vapes Bill is the crucial next step towards protecting younger generations from the harms of smoking, by stopping them from ever taking up cigarettes.

“However, it’s only by tackling the whole problem that we can truly begin to put a stop to the devasting effects this deadly addiction has on the health of the nation, and the huge burden it places on the NHS.”

Hazel Cheeseman, chief executive of Action on Smoking and Health said: “Every day around 350 young people start smoking, and two thirds of long-term smokers will die due to smoking.

“Passing this Bill is a vital way the Government can start to end the unprecedented harm caused by tobacco, protecting the health of the next generation by ensuring they won’t become addicted to smoking.

“Alongside the legislation funding is necessary to help the millions who currently smoke to quit and accelerate the creation of a smokefree country and the announcement today is welcome.”

Dr Ian Walker, executive director of policy at Cancer Research UK, said: “Tobacco still causes around 160 cancer cases every day in the UK. But with strong political will and bold action, these staggering numbers can be turned around. 

“By voting in favour of this historic legislation, MPs have the power to help save lives and make the UK a world leader in tobacco control.

“Raising the age of sale of tobacco products and funding cessation support will save people from a deadly and costly addiction. I urge politicians to prioritise the health of the nation and help end cancers caused by smoking for good.” 

In England, the Health and Social Care Secretary launched Change.NHS.UK to encourage the biggest conversation ever about the NHS to help inform the plan.