British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme
(1 week, 1 day ago)
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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business and Trade (Chris McDonald)
I can today announce to the House that the Government are taking the next step in delivering a flagship intervention of the industrial strategy, by launching a consultation to seek stakeholders’ views on the proposed approach and eligibility for the new British industrial competitiveness scheme.
In recent years, British industries have faced some of the highest industrial electricity prices in Europe. In the industrial strategy, the Government committed to bringing British industrial electricity costs more in line with other economies in Europe to level the playing field for British businesses for particular growth sectors.
The new scheme will reduce electricity costs for manufacturing frontier industries within the industrial strategy’s growth sectors—the IS-8—and foundational manufacturing industries that provide key inputs to the frontier industries which meet a certain threshold of electricity intensity. The scheme aims to reduce electricity costs for over 7,000 eligible businesses by up to £40 per MWh from April 2027.
Eligible businesses are to be exempt from paying the indirect costs of the renewables obligation, feed-in tariffs and the capacity market. The consultation seeks views on the proposed approach and how businesses eligible for the scheme should be selected.
By bearing down on costs across the energy system, we expect to deliver the BICS and ensure that the scheme is delivered in line with our wider priorities to deliver affordable power for businesses and households. For example, the proposals in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero’s recent consultations on RO/FiT indexation, if implemented, could contribute to that goal.
This is a Government who are not agnostic about the fate of British industry and British manufacturing. Given a fair business environment, our industry and our workers can out-compete any others in Europe and most across the world.
We do not believe that the industrial capability of Britain should be solely at the whim of the international market or foreign Governments. Instead, our industrial strategy is a marked departure from the hands-off approach of the past, seeing the UK Government working in close partnership with UK industry to support private sector investment and growth—just as other developed economies have done and continue to do.
This scheme is just one of these steps under our new approach to support British businesses to remain globally competitive. I encourage hon. Members contact businesses in their constituencies that stand to benefit from our British industrial competitiveness scheme and to make their views known before the consultation closes on 19 January.
[HCWS1083]
CPTPP
(1 week, 1 day ago)
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The Minister of State, Department for Business and Trade (Chris Bryant)
On 20 and 21 November, I attended the ninth meeting of the Commission of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership in Melbourne, Australia, where a number of issues were considered by CPTPP Ministers.
Please see the joint ministerial statement from CPTPP parties at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cptpp-joint-ministerial-statement-in-melbourne-21-november-2025 which outlines key outcomes including: Costa Rica accession working group, CPTPP future accessions, the launch of CPTPP-EU and CPTPP-ASEAN dialogues and the CPTPP general review.
As the trade strategy published earlier this year outlines, CPTPP is designed as a living agreement, meaning it is designed to adapt to developments in the wider global economy. It does that through regular reviews of its rules to ensure they are up to date—the CPTPP general review—and through bringing in new economies via the accessions process. More generally, CPTPP provides a platform for a diverse group of major economies to come together and discuss how to deepen and extend the reach of high-standards trade.
Costa Rica Accession Working Group
At the CPTPP Commission meeting in November 2024, CPTPP Ministers, including the UK, formally decided to begin an accession process with Costa Rica, establishing an accession working group.
As part of this, the Government launched a public engagement period that ran from 29 November 2024 until 24 January 2025 to understand business, civil society and public views and insights regarding Costa Rica’s potential membership. This is supporting the Government’s approach to negotiations.
Ministers agreed that Costa Rica’s accession negotiations are near conclusion, and the accession working group will continue discussions expeditiously and report back this December, aiming to conclude the accession process in a timely manner.
Costa Rica’s accession can bring further wins for UK businesses and exporters through further liberalisation of international markets, while also strengthening geo-political ties with key partners.
Future Accessions
The more that CPTPP expands, the greater the economic and strategic benefits to the UK. Expansion of CPTPP brings new economies into the orbit of high standards trade and enhances the opportunities available for British businesses.
To date, nine economies have applied to join CPTPP, following the UK: Costa Rica, China, Ecuador, Indonesia, Taiwan, Ukraine, Uruguay and, most recently, the Philippines and the United Arab Emirates.
CPTPP parties have identified four aspirants that are in line with the Auckland principles—namely, Uruguay, the United Arab Emirates, the Philippines and Indonesia.
Parties have decided to commence an accession process with Uruguay, and will commence with the others in 2026, if appropriate. This will not prevent the consideration and discussion of other accession requests.
To maintain the pace of CPTPP work, in addition to meeting this December, parties intend to meet again in the first half of 2026, with a view to taking further decisions as appropriate.
The expansion of CPTPP remains a priority for the UK, as outlined in the trade strategy, and we look forward beginning the accession process with Uruguay, expanding the reach of high-standards, rules-based trade.
EU and ASEAN dialogues
Earlier this year, CPTPP parties decided to work towards dialogues in 2025 with the European Union and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. These dialogues directly deliver on the trade strategy commitment to further strengthen the crucial relationship between major trade blocs, as well as providing a strategic platform to support an open, rules-based international trade system.
On 20 November, the inaugural dialogues took place in Melbourne, with European Commissioner for Trade Maroš Šefčovič attending in person alongside CPTPP Ministers for the EU-CPTPP dialogue. Statements outlining outcomes have been published on gov.uk.
Discussions were positive, constructive and forward looking. All participants reiterated commitments to the rules-based international system and the importance of ongoing co-operation.
The dialogues also provided an opportunity for participants to explore tangible areas for potential future joint working, including in UK priority areas of digital trade, supply chain resilience, and World Trade Organisation reform. The UK strongly supports the continuation of these collaborations at political and technical levels, delivering on the ambitions discussed in these inaugural dialogues.
CPTPP general review
The UK considers that CPTPP is already a well-functioning, high-standards agreement. None the less, we see this first CPTPP general review as a good opportunity to keep the agreement up to date in certain key areas.
As a result, the UK and CPTPP parties agreed a package of outcomes and next steps from this CPTPP general review, designed to ensure that the agreement delivers for business.
The parties will now commence negotiations from early 2026 on upgrading and enhancing the agreement in the key areas that have been identified, including on some of the UK’s industrial strategy priorities: electronic commerce and trade in services, customs administration and trade facilitation, competitiveness and business facilitation, and trade and women’s economic empowerment.
To further enhance the implementations and operations of the agreement’s high-standards provisions, we will finalise development of further initiatives identified in the general review report, including investment, state-owned enterprises, innovation, gender mainstreaming, economic coercion and market-distorting practices.
The outcomes of the Commission meeting pave the way for increased opportunities for UK businesses, supporting economic growth.
CPTPP is one of the largest free trade areas in the world, and a platform for the UK to collaborate with a diverse group of major economies to extend the reach of high-standards trade. The UK officially acceded to CPTPP almost a year ago, in December 2024, and I welcome the progress we have made with other CPTPP countries during the UK’s first year as a party.
I look forward to keeping the House updated on future CPTPP developments.
[HCWS1084]
Critical Minerals Strategy
(1 week, 1 day ago)
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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business and Trade (Chris McDonald)
Today the Government have published their new critical minerals strategy.
Growth is the No. 1 mission of this Government, and the modern industrial strategy is central to that mission. This critical minerals strategy follows on from the June publication of the industrial strategy, which confirmed critical minerals as a foundational sector for a number of growth-driving sectors, such as advanced manufacturing, clean energy industries and defence.
It sets out our long-term plan for securing critical minerals to drive economic growth and the clean energy transition, harnessing our competitive advantage in midstream processing and recycling, which builds on the UK’s distinct pockets of mineral wealth and deep mining history. The UK has Europe’s largest lithium deposit, in Cornwall, as well as one of the largest nickel refineries in Europe, which is in Clydach, Swansea. It also has one of the largest sources of tungsten globally; and the only western source of rare earth alloys used in the magnets found in wind turbines and F-35 fighter jets. Optimising domestic production and collaborating strategically with international partners will create well-paid jobs and boost UK resilience.
The strategy sets our ambition on domestic production, recycling and diversifying our sources of imports. Together they provide a clear direction that guides progress and clearly signals the UK’s ambition to realise its long-term vision for critical minerals, supporting the wider industrial strategy.
Defence is a key growth-driving sector as identified in the industrial strategy. A secure supply of critical minerals is crucial not just for economic growth, but also to national security. To ensure this, the Government will also consider establishing mechanisms to build resilience in our defence sector. This includes considering stockpiling by industry of critical mineral resources through Government procurement mechanisms—helping in this way to ensure that our supply chain is fit for the future and for our national security.
Alongside support from the National Wealth Fund and UK Export Finance, following the spending review 2025 we have up to £50 million to support critical mineral projects pioneer research and scale up innovation, which in turn will strengthen our supply chains. Further details will be announced in 2026.
The Government have engaged widely through the development of this strategy, working in partnership with industry, experts and the devolved Governments across the UK.
I am placing a copy of the strategy in the Libraries of both Houses.
[HCWS1085]
Telegraph Media Group: Anticipated Acquisition
(1 week, 1 day ago)
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The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Lisa Nandy)
I wish to update the House on the sale of the Telegraph Media Group, following the recent withdrawal of the RedBird Capital Partners-led bid to acquire the title, and the news announced on Saturday 22 November that RedBird IMI has signed an agreement with Daily Mail and General Trust, entering into a period of exclusivity to finalise the terms of the transaction.
The Telegraph has been in limbo for a long time. Until now, I have sought to afford the parties selling the call option to own The Telegraph sufficient time to independently manage the process. The 19 months have passed since RedBird IMI announced its intention to sell. A sale has still not happened and the situation has become unsustainable. My particular concerns are that the protracted uncertainty has been detrimental to the stability of The Telegraph and its staff and to the investment appeal of the sector as a whole.
Under the terms of the order made in January 2024, transfer of the ownership of the Telegraph Media Group is only permitted with the prior written consent of the Secretary of State. RedBird IMI and DMGT have said they will use their exclusivity period to prepare the necessary request for securing that consent, which they say they expect to happen quickly. Given how much time has already elapsed in this case and the need for the period of uncertainty to be ended, I expect the submission of that request to take no longer than three weeks. My intention is to build a constructive path toward a timely sale, without further delay, that is in the public interest. In this context I will review any new acquisition of the Telegraph, guided by the following principles in the exercise of my powers:
Upholding the public interest: the media public interest considerations set out in the Enterprise Act 2002 must be properly investigated and appropriately upheld under any new ownership of the Telegraph Media Group.
Exclusion of foreign state funding: any future owner of the Telegraph Media Group, and their controlling entities, must be completely free from any prohibited foreign state influence.
Protecting The Telegraph: until the future ownership of the Telegraph Media Group is resolved and any regulatory scrutiny is completed, the editorial independence of The Telegraph business must be suitably protected.
I reserve my right to intervene under my powers and duties as set out in the Enterprise Act 2002.
I will continue to monitor developments very closely and will update Parliament on this matter as appropriate at the earliest opportunity.
[HCWS1090]
Iraq Fatality Investigations: Report
(1 week, 1 day ago)
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The Minister for Veterans and People (Louise Sandher-Jones)
I wish to inform the House of publication of the latest report of the Iraq fatalities inspector, Dame Anne Rafferty, which I have laid before the House of Commons Library today. I am grateful to Dame Anne and her team for the rigour and commitment they have shown in this work.
This report represents the culmination of a lengthy legal process in the aftermath of operations in Iraq during Operation Telic—2003-09. As part of this, the UK High Court [1] determined that publicly accountable investigations into the deaths of individuals were required to meet the UK’s obligations under article 2 of the European convention on human rights. The Iraq Fatality Investigations were established in 2014 to conduct “quasi-inquests", with the involvement of the families of the deceased. This was one of a number of measures, including the creation of special investigative functions—the Iraq Historic Allegations Team and subsequently the Service Police Legacy Investigation—which reviewed around 3,500 allegations of misconduct by UK forces in Iraq. Many of these were deemed to be unfounded or malicious, with proven malpractice by one of the prominent lawyers involved in bringing these claims.
This work has inevitably been complex and time-consuming. The sad death of the first inspector, Sir George Newman, in 2016, and his successor, Baroness Hallett’s, appointment to chair the covid 19 Inquiry in April 2021, have further delayed completion of the work.
This final report by Dame Anne covers the deaths of three Iraqi civilians in the custody of UK forces, dating back to 2003. Mr Radhi Nama and Mr Mousa Ali died on 8 and 13 May respectively, while in the custody of UK forces at Camp Stephen in Basra, southern Iraq. The report also covers a further investigation into the circumstances of the death of Mr Ahmed Jabbar Kareem Ali, who Sir George Newman had previously found was left to drown in a waterway by UK forces.
The report makes for sobering reading. In the case of Mr Mousa Ali, the inspector finds that he was forced to carry out strenuous circuit-type exercises as well as holding a “stress position” in temperatures of over 30°C, and that these exercises were causally significant to his death. The report allocates blame to two soldiers—neither of them still serving—directly involved in this mistreatment, but found no evidence of the involvement of others or of a cover-up at Camp Stephen. The report further considers whether there was evidence of a concerted policy of “wetting” of detainees, following the death of Mr Ahmed Ali. Dame Anne concludes that “there was no concerted policy of wetting by troops in 1st Battalion the Black Watch” and that senior commanders did not condone any such practice. Nevertheless, the report highlights multiple examples of “wetting” and differences of opinions among witnesses as to the level of senior officers’ knowledge. Finally, the report notes that stress positions were deployed in the case of Mr Radhi Nama, who was forced to spend some time squatting with his hands on his head, though this was not a causal factor in his death. The report criticises the way in which information relating to Radhi Nama’s death was relayed to his family, though Dame Anne notes that policy and procedure have since been improved such that this would be unlikely to happen again.
In total, five members of the armed forces were referred to the Director of Service Prosecutions for offences connected to the deaths of Mr Radhi Nama and Mr Mousa Ali, including unlawful killing, threats to kill, commission of an outrage upon personal dignity and failure to exercise command responsibility. However, in all five cases, prosecutors considered that the evidential sufficiency test had not been met and no prosecutions were brought.
While no prosecutions followed these investigations, we cannot underestimate what these episodes have meant for the standing of our armed forces. The misconduct of a small number of service personnel has detracted from the reputation of the thousands who served bravely and loyally through some of the most challenging operational circumstances we have encountered since the end of the second world war. It has generated a protracted and expensive legal process. While we know that many of the allegations directed at the armed forces were fraudulent and malicious, we must also recognise the damage that this process has inflicted and resolve never to allow a repeat. The reforms we are pursuing aim to do that.
I am reassured that Dame Anne found that the changes since implemented to policy and doctrine on handling of detainees, if fully implemented, would reduce the risk of a repeat of these events. Joint Doctrine Publication 1-10, “Captured Persons”, updated in 2020, sets out clear guidance for the detention of personnel, setting out the circumstances and arrangements for handling military and civilian detainees. It makes provision for vulnerable persons including women and children, incorporates clear direction on the questioning of detainees, and emphasises the importance of command responsibility.
However, we cannot be complacent. Doctrine is effective only in so far as it is understood by personnel at all levels, and implemented in practice. With this in mind, the Army is carrying out a root-and-branch review of operational law training. This review, which I expect to report in the very near future, will make recommendations to the Chief of the General Staff to improve understanding of and training in the legal framework governing operations, to ensure legally compliant behaviours from the most junior, to the most senior, rank.
I also note and agree with Dame Anne’s concern regarding the “crucial importance of ensuring that soldiers are aware of their obligations to report violations of law by their British Forces colleagues and that they feel protected when making such reports.” We have already announced a review, to be led by the Minister for Veterans and Personnel, into whistleblowing in Defence. The review will produce initial findings by the end of this year and a final report and recommendations by spring 2026.
The “Raising Our Standards” initiative introduced in 2024 aims to accelerate, expand and maximise behavioural improvements taking place across the whole of Defence. ROS aims to improve culture and tackle all unacceptable behaviours. Initial work is focused on initiatives under five pillars—data and analytics, tackling unacceptable behaviours, behaviour change through communications, leadership and careers, and education and training. ROS is an opportunity to make lasting improvements for the people of Defence and for all those whom they deal with in a professional and operational context.
This report completes our investigative duties stemming from allegations relating to Iraq, in line with the mandate from the High Court. In addition to considering this report, the MOD has separately reviewed the final caseload of service police investigations relating to Iraq. We have concluded that all reasonable and proportionate lines of inquiry have been pursued, that these cases reveal no additional systemic concerns and that we have discharged our obligations under articles 2 and 3 of ECHR. As such, we have concluded that there is no requirement for further referrals to the IFI.
Finally, we should all reflect upon the personal tragedies which these deaths represent, and the impacts on the families and communities involved. I would like to offer my deepest regret and condolences, not just for the deaths themselves but for the lengthy process which has led to this conclusion more than two decades later.
Attachments can be viewed online at: http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2025-11-24/HCWS1089
[1] R(Ali Zaki Mousa and others) v Secretary of State for Defence (No. 2) [2013] EWHC 1412 (Admin)
[HCWS1089]
Cass Review Implementation
(1 week, 1 day ago)
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The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Wes Streeting)
I am today updating the House on the Government’s efforts to provide better outcomes for children and young people with gender incongruence, in line with the recommendations of the Cass review.
Children’s healthcare must always be led by evidence, and medicines prescribed to young people should be proven to be safe and effective.
The Cass review was clear that there is not enough evidence about the long-term effects of using puberty-suppressing hormones to treat gender incongruence to know whether they are safe or beneficial. It is a scandal that medicine was given to vulnerable young children without proof that it was safe or effective, and outside the rigorous safeguards of a clinical trial.
The review recommended that a clinical trial be commissioned within a full programme of research, which is being taken forward. This is the safest and most effective way of building an evidence base and charting a course through this challenging issue, where there are understandable concerns around safety, efficacy and consent. The Commission on Human Medicines —a statutory, expert body made up of clinicians and academics that provides independent advice to Ministers on the safety, efficacy and quality of medicines—considered information on the proposed trial and made recommendations, which have been adopted
On Saturday, following the receipt of full ethical approvals from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and the Health Research Authority, King’s College London launched two new studies funded by NHS England to provide better evidence for how the NHS can support and treat young people with gender incongruence.
This includes the pathways trial—a carefully designed, randomised controlled clinical trial of puberty suppressing hormones for gender incongruence. This trial will involve young people being treated in NHS children and young people’s gender services with a formal diagnosis of gender incongruence. It will measure the impacts of these hormones on their cognitive, physical, social and emotional wellbeing. For their own wellbeing, there are strict eligibility criteria in place, including clinical review and parental consent. Young people will undergo comprehensive physical and mental health checks before and during the study, and will continue to receive psychosocial and other non-medical care while participating. If a young person meets the eligibility criteria, they will then be offered the opportunity to participate in the trial. The study team are now working to open sites for recruitment.
The trial has received comprehensive scientific, ethical and regulatory approval from the MHRA and from the Health Research Authority, including review by an independent research ethics committee. It follows the initiation of the observational pathways horizon study, and has been approved alongside the pathways connect study. The health and wellbeing of the children involved will always be our primary consideration.
NHS England has significantly increased both capacity and investment since April last year, with the opening of three new children and young people’s gender services in London, the north-west and the south-west. I am pleased to say a fourth service will open in the new year, with the ambition of service provision in every region of England by 2026-27.
Last year, NHS England reformed the referral pathway in these services. A referral can only be made by an NHS-commissioned, secondary care level paediatric service or a children and young people’s mental health service. This will ensure that healthcare professionals with the relevant expertise conduct the assessment and help to determine any co-existing mental health or other health needs of these children and their onward care.
I am determined to improve the quality of, and access to, care for all trans people. The full implementation of the Cass review will deliver material improvements in the wellbeing, safety and dignity of trans people of all ages. I will continue to work to help trans people to live freely, equally, and with the dignity that everyone in our country deserves.
[HCWS1088]
NHS Prescription Charges
(1 week, 1 day ago)
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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Dr Zubir Ahmed)
The Prime Minister has announced that NHS prescription charges in England will be frozen for a second successive year.
This builds on wider Government action as part of the plan for change to tackle the cost of living pressures and will save patients around £12 million in 2026-27.
The single charge for prescriptions in England will remain at £9.90. The cost of prescription prepayment certificates will also remain the same, with three-month PPCs staying at £32.05, 12-month PPCs at £114.50, and the hormone replacement therapy PPC staying at £19.80.
The charges freeze will also apply to NHS wigs and fabric supports. These prices will remain at current levels:
Surgical brassiere—£32.50
Abdominal or spinal support—£49.05
Stock modacrylic wig—£80.15
Partial human hair wig—£212.35
Full bespoke human hair wig—£310.55
Around 89% of prescription items in England are already dispensed free of charge to children, the over-60s, pregnant women, and those with certain medical conditions. This freeze will not impact current exemptions. All working-age adults who would normally pay for their prescriptions, which is estimated to be around 40% of the population, could benefit from the freeze.
In addition to the freeze on charges, the NHS low-income scheme continues to offer help to those on low incomes who otherwise need to pay for prescriptions, while prescriptions are free for eligible people in certain groups such as pensioners, students aged under 19 in qualifying full-time education, and those who receive certain qualifying state benefits or live in care homes.
[HCWS1091]
Palliative Care and End-of-life Care
(1 week, 1 day ago)
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The Minister for Care (Stephen Kinnock)
I am delighted to announce to the House today that the Government are developing a palliative care and end-of-life care modern service framework for England, with a planned publication date of spring 2026. This will be aligned with the ambitions set out in the recently published 10-year health plan, which prioritises shifting care out of hospitals and into community settings to ensure personalised, compassionate support for individuals of all ages and their families.
This Government recognise that there are increasing numbers of people living with multiple complex conditions, that we have an increasing ageing population, and that there are tens of thousands of children and young people with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions.
We acknowledge the significant challenges currently facing the sector, including:
Delays in early identification of individuals approaching the end of life;
Inconsistencies in commissioning practices across integrated care boards;
Workforce challenges in both universal and specialist services;
Gaps in 24-7 palliative care provision; and
Limited uptake and integration of personalised care and support planning, including advance care planning.
In recognition of these challenges, we are prioritising this cohort, as referenced in NHS England’s medium-term planning framework, which commits to an immediate focus on reducing unnecessary non-elective admissions and bed days from high-priority cohorts, including those at the end of life.
A palliative care and end-of-life care modern service framework will drive improvements and enable ICBs to address these challenges through the delivery of high-quality, high-value, personalised and equitable care.
Consequently, the modern service framework will put in place a clear and effective mechanism to deliver a fundamental improvement to the care provided. This will enable adoption of evidence-based interventions that are proven to make a difference to patients and their families. Examples include earlier identification of need, care delivered closer to home by integrated generalist and specialist teams and strengthened out-of-hours community health support, including dedicated telephone advice.
We have already begun to engage with sector stakeholders on how to improve access, quality and sustainability in palliative care and end-of-life care and will continue to engage with them to shape and deliver this vision. We want a society where every person receives high-quality, compassionate care from diagnosis through to the end of life, and we recognise that access to high-quality, personalised palliative care and end-of-life care can make all the difference to patients and their loved ones.
[HCWS1087]
National Day for Victims and Survivors of Terrorism
(1 week, 1 day ago)
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The Minister for Security (Dan Jarvis)
The impact of terrorism is deep and enduring, changing the lives of victims and their loved ones in a moment. Families and communities have suffered immeasurable loss, grief, and physical and emotional harm from terrorist acts. It is crucial that they receive the national recognition they deserve.
Last month we were reminded all too starkly of the devastating impact of terrorism when the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue in Manchester was abhorrently attacked. Two people were tragically killed, and three others were injured. Today, and always, we stand with the survivors, their loved ones and all those affected by terrorism everywhere.
On 19 March this year, the Government launched a public consultation on the proposal to introduce a national day for victims and survivors of terrorism. This followed a review into the current support provision, which identified the importance of national recognition and acknowledgment of the lived experiences of those affected by terrorism. In my previous written statement to the House, I set out the Government commitment to improving support and recognition for those impacted by terrorism.
Today I am publishing the findings of the consultation, which received 351 responses. I would like to personally thank every single person who took the time to respond—your voice has been heard, and your contribution will make a difference. The consultation demonstrated overwhelming support for the introduction of a national day, with 91% of respondents in favour and 84% strongly supporting the proposal. Respondents highlighted that they would like to use the national day to remember and recognise those impacted by terrorism, help encourage victims and survivors to access support, educate the public and amplify victims’ and survivors’ stories.
The most popular date for the national day was 21 August, with 35% of respondents supporting, aligning with the UN International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism. While there was no single preferred name, “National Day of Remembrance” and “National Day of Recognition” were the most selected options. Respondents also supported commemorating the day through an annual event held in rotating locations across the UK, and the creation of a dedicated symbol to represent the day.
Although support was strong, some respondents raised concerns, including the potential for triggering trauma, and the safety of victims and the public at events. These concerns will be carefully considered as we develop plans for the national day, to ensure that it is inclusive, respectful and sensitive to the needs of victims and survivors.
As a result of these findings, today I am announcing the introduction of a UK national day for victims and survivors of terrorism on 21 August. An annual commemorative event will be held in a different location each year to reflect the widespread impact of terrorism across the UK, and a dedicated symbol will be developed in consultation with victims and survivors.
The first national day will take place in 2026, and will be observed by an intimate commemoration, supported by engagement with victims and survivors throughout the year to allow them to shape the format of this initial event and future years. This reflects our understanding that victims and survivors not only wish to, but must, play a central role in shaping how the day is commemorated.
We will continue to engage with victims and survivors to finalise the name of the national day and to shape the commemorative activities. These measures form part of the Government’s broader commitment to ensuring that victims and survivors are appropriately recognised, remembered and supported.
Finally, I would like to pay tribute to the victims and survivors whose tireless campaigning has brought us to this pivotal moment. Their strength and determination have driven this progress. They have my sincere thanks, along with all those who contributed to the consultation.
A copy of the consultation response will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses and will also be published on gov.uk.
[HCWS1082]
Harnessing AI to Deliver Growth
(1 week, 1 day ago)
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The Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology (Liz Kendall)
This Government are announcing thousands more jobs and billions of pounds of inward investment, in a huge vote of confidence in the UK.
We are committed to making the UK a world-leading destination for developing and deploying AI as part of our No. 1 mission to grow the UK economy. Our ambition is to harness the power of AI to deliver for British people: creating great jobs and growth right across the country, improving our public services, giving people skills and putting money in people’s pockets. We are announcing a major package of new reforms and investment, putting AI at heart of the Government’s mission to drive growth, create jobs and spread prosperity across the country. These plans will ensure that new international investment boosts jobs and growth, giving British businesses the opportunity to scale and compete internationally. International companies are also hosting new bases in the UK and British companies are increasing investment—with £24.25 billion in private investment committed in this last month alone—a huge vote of confidence in the UK.
The Government are joining forces with companies like Vantage Data Centres and Microsoft, to create another new AI growth zone in south Wales—delivering more than 5,000 new jobs over the next decade, and £10 billion of planned inward investment, including in industrial heartlands such as the former Ford Bridgend engine plant. These zones will help transform local economies and ensure that no community is left behind, with £5 million of UK Government support committed to give local people the skills required for new, high-quality jobs and ensure that our children and young people have the best possible future. This is the second AI growth zone announced in Wales in as many weeks, with the UK and Welsh Governments working together for national economic renewal and driving UK growth. This has the potential to be truly transformative for communities across south Wales, meaning an area that led the industrial revolution will now be leading the technological revolution.
Alongside this, we are ensuring that British businesses and researchers stay at the forefront of the AI revolution, backing firms and scientists with the right tools to succeed and to seize the opportunity for British workers and growth.
The Government will act as a “first customer” for promising UK AI start-ups building high-quality AI hardware products but who currently struggle to get off the ground without investment. The new “advance market commitment”, subject to due diligence, is backed up by up to £100 million of Government support to buy their products for public supercomputers once they reach a high performance benchmark. This gives UK start-ups the opportunity to secure a competitive edge and win customers in a multibillion-dollar global market. AI growth zone data centres will house billions of pounds of hardware. Our goal is to see British chips deployed alongside established vendors.
Alongside this, venture capitalist James Wise will chair the sovereign AI unit, backed by almost £500 million in investment to help build and scale AI capabilities on British shores. The unit will bring together Government, industry and investors to become the go-to fund for high-potential start-ups and scale-ups in the UK.
New AI ambassadors will help maximise the benefits of AI for Britain. Monzo co-founder and Y Combinator general partner Tom Blomfield will champion British start-ups to scale up and attract talent and investment. Nobel prize-winning British MIT economist and former chief economist of the International Monetary Fund Simon Johnson will act as a standard bearer with public services and businesses to help them take up this brilliant technology to boost productivity. And Google DeepMind VP of research Raia Hadsell will champion the UK’s place at the forefront of AI innovation and security.
The Government will also offer more free compute to British researchers and British start-ups by expanding access to the AI research resource, a network of super-computers, so that researchers can train new AI models and deliver scientific breakthroughs. We are launching a process to spend up to £250 million on compute.
We are also publishing the new AI for science strategy to make sure that AI supercharges scientific discovery such as disease cure and prevention, backed by up to £137 million in Government support. This will support British researchers and start-ups to drive new innovations and discoveries, making sure the UK remains at the forefront of scientific discovery. Its first mission will be focused on harnessing AI to speed up the research of new drugs and treatments, giving patients a new lease of life and fresh hope that their conditions can be better managed.
Together, these announcements demonstrate a Government determined to harness the technologies of the future to deliver for our people here in the UK—supporting regional and national economic growth, great new jobs, and opportunity for communities across the UK.
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