Manchester Crane survey from Deloitte measures the scale of developments and their impact across Manchester and Salford city centres.
Report covers residential, office, hotel, retail and leisure, student accommodation, education and research facilities and healthcare.
Salford growth being driven by residential sector.
The 2025 Manchester Crane Survey, the latest report which records the levels of development taking place across Manchester and Salford has been released. Published on 4 February, the report provides an update on ongoing activity across the construction sector from the past 12 months.
Once again there’s positivity across the sector on both sides of the Irwell, with the report highlighting that “Manchester and Salford continue to demonstrate remarkable resilience in the face of economic headwinds, solidifying their position as a thriving hub in the UK.
“This enduring strength is evident in the cities’ diversified economy, commitment to social equity, and focus on sustainability. While the construction sector faces challenges, Manchester’s skyline remains active with cranes, reflecting ongoing investment in its future.”
Paul Dennett, Salford City Mayor said: “We have clearly highlighted our strategic approach of delivering growth through regeneration and our commitment to promoting inclusive growth through our This is Our Salford Corporate Plan.
“Our goal is focused on providing all Salford residents with the opportunity to benefit from the city’s economic prosperity. A key component to this is rooted in improving the quality, range, and affordability of homes in the city, as well as increasing the number of homes across the city. Appropriate and sustainable residential growth is vital to creating a fairer, greener, healthier, and more inclusive city for all our residents.
These latest figures are positive, showing our approach and commitment in action as we continue to enable residential growth in a key and attractive area of the city.”
Produced by Deloitte, the international professional services company, the annual findings are seen as a key reflection of progress and growth for both cities. It records the volume and impact of development projects taking place across both cities. The focus is on Manchester and Salford city centres, which Deloitte classifies as the area which closely borders Manchester city centre.
The report focuses on four key themes: the resilience of Manchester and Salford’s economy; the commitment to inclusive growth, connecting residents to opportunity; the factors driving its success as a thriving city centre; and its strategic focus on innovation as a catalyst for continued prosperity.
Salford key highlights from the past year with projects either completed or under construction include:
100 affordable homes being constructed as part of a housing scheme at Peru Street, with new homes designed to Passivhaus standards
250 residential units at Berkeley Square Phase 1
376 residential units at Bridgewater Wharf
196 residential units at Merchants Wharf
178 residential units at The Dye Works
160 residential units at Silkbank Wharf
433 residential units at CityView Salford (Regent Plaza)
189 residential units at The Railings
296 residential units at Oldfield Wharf
196 residential units at Novella Phase 2
96 residential units at Greenhaus
250 residential units at Obsidian
542 residential units at Waterloo Place
300 residential units at The Embankment
444 residential units at Bankside
156 residential units at Uptown
Plus 175,000sqft of new office space at Four New Bailey – office 175,000sq ft completed 2024 and the new Maldron Hotel Chapel Street with 188 rooms.
Home » Latest News » Candidates confirmed for upcoming by-elections
Nominations have closed for the by-elections in Herne and Broomfield, St Stephen’s and Gorrell wards on Thursday 6 March and we can now confirm the candidates who are standing for election in each ward.
Gorrell:
Stuart Heaver (Green Party) Valerie Kenny (Labour Party) Janet Newcombe (Conservative Party) Nick Parry (Liberal Democrats) Babychan Thomas (Reform UK)
Herne and Broomfield:
Peter Campbell (Green Party) Lawrence Coomber (Labour Party) Derek Maslin (Liberal Democrats) Mark Mulvihill (Reform UK) Grace Paget (Conservative Party)
St Stephen’s:
Beth Forrester (Labour Party) Jessie Millner (Green Party) Christopher Palmer (Liberal Democrats) Colin Spooner (Reform UK) Arjan Taylor (Conservative Party)
The website also has all the important information voters in these wards need to know, such as key deadline dates for registering to vote if you are not already registered, postal/proxy vote applications and voter authority certificate applications.
Authorised voter identification will be required for anyone voting in person at a polling station.
Polling stations will be open between the normal hours of 7am and 10pm on Thursday 6 March.
The counts will then take place on Friday 7 March.
Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New England, today announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office has returned approximately $328,573 to the victim of a computer support scam.
A computer support scam is a type of fraud scheme where an alert appears on the victim’s computer imitating a customer support alert, tricking the victim into contacting the bad actors. When the victim contacts the scammers, the scammers then take remote control of the computer and either directly transfer money from the victim to the scammers or trick the victim into sending money to the scammers.
According to the complaint (3:24cv840), in February 2024, an elderly woman who was tricked by a computer support scheme that mimicked Microsoft customer support transferred approximately $550,000 to the scammers in two wire transfers. Within two days of the transfers, the victim and a family member reported the incident to the Simsbury Police Department, who then partnered with HSI to investigate the crime. Fortunately, one of the wire transfers, in the amount of $221,000, was reversed by the bank and returned to the victim. HSI traced the remaining money, totaling approximately $328,573, and seized it. The U.S. Attorney’s Office then filed a civil asset forfeiture action to forfeit the money to the government, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office and HSI then worked with the Department of Justice’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS) to return the money to the victim. MLARS initiated the return of the money on February 4, 2025.
Generally, the U.S. Attorney’s Office first forfeits the money, then returns it to the crime victims, so that the crime victims have clear title to the property without risk of further litigation.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to helping victims of crime, and civil asset forfeiture is a powerful tool that allows the government to return money to victims of fraud schemes,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman. “As we continue to pursue criminal prosecution of the individuals responsible for this and other computer crimes, it is equally important to ensure that the government uses all of its tools to minimize, and in this case, undo, the financial impact these crimes have on victims. This case represents the best case scenario, where nearly every dollar taken from the victim was returned to her. While it can be difficult to come forward and admit that you have been victimized by online scammers, know that federal law enforcement and our state and local partners stand ready to help you to the fullest extent possible.”
“Cyber scams run by foreign malign actors are becoming more common and more sophisticated every day,” said HSI New England Special Agent in Charge Krol. “The victim in this case contacted authorities quickly resulting in the recovery of most of her money by the bank and by HSI – a best case scenario and rare result. It is essential for victims of these kinds of cybercrimes to come forward as soon as possible. We want the public to know that help is available and to reach out immediately if they’ve been victimized by international scammers.”
If you think you have been a victim of a computer support scam, immediately contact your bank or financial institution to request a recall or reversal as well as a Hold Harmless Letter or Letter of Indemnity, and contact local law enforcement. Additionally, file a detailed complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov. The Internet Crime Complaint Center is run by the FBI and serves as the country’s hub for reporting cybercrime. Visit www.ic3.gov for updated information regarding cyber fraud schemes.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David C. Nelson.
The Lucy Letby case is the latest in a number of UK criminal medical cases that, beyond the rights and wrongs of each verdict, raise serious questions around how such cases are tried – especially when the evidence is limited, complex, and circumstantial. These cases often rely heavily on expert witnesses, whose testimony is crucial yet can be open to interpretation.
As an expert in the intersection of criminal and medical law, I am particularly concerned with how prosecution teams gather expert evidence in such cases – and how it is then communicated to juries through expert witnesses.
Generally speaking, in complex medical cases, police and prosecutors may risk becoming overly reliant on a small pool of experts when dealing with highly technical issues beyond their expertise. This dependence can inadvertently lead to “cherry-picking” – selectively presenting evidence that supports a particular narrative, while overlooking alternative perspectives that could provide a more comprehensive or balanced view.
In the Letby case, the prosecution’s selection and interpretation of evidence has now been challenged by an independent panel of 14 neonatal and paediatric experts. Letby is serving 15 whole-life prison terms after being convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to kill another seven at the Countess of Chester hospital in north-west England. The chair of the panel, retired Canadian neonatologist Dr Shoo Lee, was co-author of a 1989 academic paper on air embolism in babies that was used in the prosecution’s case, but now says this evidence was misinterpreted by the prosecution.
In complex medical cases, I’m concerned that prosecutors – who may lack the medical expertise needed to fully grasp these complexities – may gravitate toward experts whose opinions align with a prosecutorial narrative, whether consciously or not. This can result in a narrowing of expert perspectives which might tend to focus only on those that bolster the case for conviction, while alternative views that could provide a more balanced assessment are excluded or marginalised.
In trials where juries hear only a limited number of expert voices, there’s a risk they may not receive a sufficiently balanced understanding of the case. In addition, rare diagnoses may lack the robust scientific literature typically needed to validate medical opinions in court.
Medical experts, like professionals in any field, can have differing opinions, especially in cases involving judgment calls or grey areas in medical practice. Without exposure to a range of viewpoints, jurors may miss alternative interpretations of the same evidence, which could be crucial for fair deliberation.
Of course, the defence also has the opportunity to call its own experts, potentially offering counter-arguments to prosecution evidence. But decisions by a defence team not to call certain experts may be based on legal strategy, resource constraints, or concerns about how the testimony will withstand cross-examination. When this happens, it can amplify the weight of the prosecution’s selected experts, potentially skewing the jury’s understanding.
Jurors naturally place a high level of trust in experts, assuming their testimony is both accurate and confined to their area of expertise. So, when experts venture beyond their remit, jurors may accept these statements uncritically, unaware that such testimony may lack the depth required in such complex medical cases. This issue is particularly concerning in circumstantial prosecutions where the case often hinges more on expert interpretation than on direct evidence, increasing the risk of misunderstanding or misjudgment.
Expert overreach
Testimony from experts unfamiliar with the practical pressures of certain clinical settings may lead to distorted interpretations of what a “reasonable” course of action would have been under the circumstances. This can result in unfair judgments, particularly when the nuances of clinical decision-making aren’t fully explored.
Experts also sometimes “overreach” their duties in court, offering opinions that extend beyond their remit. In the case of surgeon David Sellu, who was jailed for gross negligence manslaughter in November 2013 before being freed three years later, having spent 15 months in prison, the court of appeal noted that expert witnesses had repeatedly expressed opinions on whether Sellu’s conduct amounted to gross negligence – an assessment the court said should have been left to the jury.
In that case, the experts directly addressed the “ultimate issue” of whether Sellu’s actions were grossly negligent. But that was for the jury to decide, not the experts, and I believe the trial judge should have intervened. A key change needed by the UK legal system, in my view, is to establish clearer guidelines to ensure experts do not exceed their role – whether in a complex financial fraud or criminal medical trial.
Incidentally, while the judge in the Sellu trial didn’t give the jury correct direction (this was a key finding by the court of appeal that made the conviction unsafe), I don’t think it was entirely the judge’s fault. The law surrounding gross negligence manslaughter, particularly when applied to doctors unintentionally causing a patient’s death, is fraught with ambiguity. The lack of clear guidelines on what constitutes “gross” negligence, coupled with inconsistent application of the law, has sparked widespread concerns about its fairness and appropriateness in the medical context..
Make-up of a jury
Letby’s trial also highlights the limitations of the current jury system in such complex medical cases. The original trial was one of the longest in UK legal history, lasting ten months. The idea of jury trials is you’re tried by your peers, but if you’re a healthcare professional, you’re arguably not really being tried by your peers.
In England, jury service is compulsory and jurors are chosen randomly from the electoral register, but there are some exemptions and deferrals available in specific circumstances, such as serious illness, disability, or full-time caregiving. Additionally, people can apply for deferral if serving would cause significant hardship due to work commitments, including shift work or conflicts with important public duties. This is particularly relevant for professionals who cannot easily take extended time away from their roles.
This adds to the question of whether a jury, composed of 12 lay people with no specialised medical knowledge, can effectively assess intricate, often conflicting medical evidence. As Rebecca Helm highlights in her book How Juries Work (2024), while expert testimony aims to enhance jury understanding of complex evidence, jurors often lack the necessary background knowledge to fully grasp or critically assess it. This can lead to challenges in properly weighing competing expert opinions, especially in adversarial systems where experts present differing views.
In the Letby case, the vast amount of medical evidence presented for each baby likely made it challenging for a lay jury to fully comprehend. Additionally, they may have felt intimidated or hesitant to ask the judge questions, further complicating their ability to critically engage with the evidence.
Of course, it’s important to understand the backdrop for cases like this. I’m very aware of how overstretched, understaffed and under-resourced our hospitals are. And in the Letby case, we know that severely premature babies who are born on the cusp of viability often have a lot of comorbidities. It’s vital that jurors have a clear understanding of such specific context – which is outside the normal experience of most of us – when they come to make their decisions.
The jury’s role is to assess expert evidence independently, yet this can be difficult without clear guidance. In the Sellu trial, the absence of a “route to verdict” document was another significant issue. While not always mandatory, such a document is often used in complex cases to help jurors separate medical facts from legal conclusions.
Without it, the jury was left without clear guidance, increasing the risk of confusion and misapplication of the law. While the court of appeal did not say a route to verdict was strictly required, it strongly indicated that its omission contributed to an unfair trial process.
Expert advisors for juries
In complex criminal cases, like fraud or medical trials, where a large amount of expert evidence is presented, it can be challenging for lay jurors to fully understand and assess the evidence. Elsewhere in Europe – including in Italy, Spain and France – expert judges or advisers are often involved in complex cases to help guide the jury and clarify professional standards relevant to the case.
Given the complexity of cases like Sellu and Letby, it’s worth considering whether jury reform is needed in the UK to ensure fair trials. A potential solution is the inclusion of an expert, such as a medico-legal advisor, who can assist juries in understanding and weighing medical evidence. This would provide clarity on complex issues and help jurors navigate the case more effectively. It would be a practical, cost-effective step that maintains the integrity of jury trials, while addressing challenges specific to complex medical manslaughter and murder cases.
This medico-legal expert would serve solely to assist the jury in understanding complex issues presented during the trial, and would have no role in the deliberation or decision-making process. They are separate to the judge who oversees the trial, and their precise expertise would be dependent on the particular nature of the case.
Of course, everything would have to be confidential in accordance with jury rules – their introduction would simply be to facilitate decision-making and explain complex matters to the jury.
I believe it’s in the interests of both parties, the defendant and the prosecution, that the jury fully understands the evidence presented in court. An impartial medico-legal expert could help ensure this understanding, without influencing the case’s outcome. Their role would be beneficial for clarity, helping both parties ensure the jury comprehends the complex evidence before them.
Further, it may also be worth considering specialist medical juries for certain complex criminal cases, such as the Letby trial, where the evidence is highly technical. The sheer volume of complex medical information presented for each baby in this case suggests that a jury without specialised medical knowledge could struggle to fully grasp the evidence.
Appeals process
One of the Letby appeal grounds involved an application to admit fresh evidence from Lee, challenging the conclusions reached from the 1989 study he co-authored. The court of appeal denied this, noting it did not meet the standards for fresh evidence. Refusals such as this highlights an essential aspect of public debate: the need for transparency about how the court of appeal evaluates new evidence, especially in cases that receive significant media attention.
While it remains to be seen whether the court grants a new appeal for Letby, after the criminal cases review commission reviews the latest evidence provided by Lee’s panel, the Thirlwall inquiry has been sitting since September 2023, looking at events at the Countess of Chester Hospital on the basis that Letby is guilty. It will ultimately make recommendations about different aspects of this wider medical ecosystem, but it’s got no legal authority. Inquiries can make valuable recommendations, but they are advisory in nature and cannot enforce legal changes or compel action.
There are numerous other examples where criminal trials have not led to the systemic-level changes that they highlight are urgently needed, beyond the individual verdict. During the trial of Hadiza Bawa-Garba – a junior doctor found guilty of manslaughter in November 2015 on the grounds of gross negligence manslaughter following the death of a six-year-old boy in her care – it was revealed that the Leicester NHS trust’s serious incident report had identified 93 failures, only six of which were attributable to the doctor herself.
Ultimately, while holding individuals accountable is essential, we must also shift our focus towards long-term, systemic reform. Only by addressing the root causes and strengthening oversight within healthcare institutions can we ensure that tragedies are never repeated. The criminal justice system, though necessary in cases of clear criminal conduct, should be complemented by proactive, preventative measures that foster a culture of safety, accountability and transparency in healthcare.
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Amel Alghrani does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
US Drug Enforcement Administration images accompanying a warning about the emergence of nitazenes in Washington DC, June 2022USDEA
In the early hours of September 14 2021, three men parked in a quiet car park in the southern English market town of Abingdon-on-Thames. The men, returning from a night out, had pulled over to smoke heroin.
Unknown to them, the drug had been fortified with a nitazene compound called isotonitazene, a highly potent new synthetic opioid. Two of the men, Peter Haslam and Adrian Davies, overdosed and went into cardiac arrest. The third, Michael Parsons, tried to save them and himself by injecting naloxone, an opioid overdose antidote. Despite paramedics also trying to resuscitate Haslam and Davies, both died at the scene.
Their deaths were among at least 27 fatalities linked to nitazenes that year in the UK. Since then, nitazenes – otherwise known as 2-benzylbenzimidazole opioids – have become more prevalent in the UK’s illegal drug supply, leading some experts to warn that they are a major new threat because of their extreme potency.
In June 2023, the UK’s most recent outbreak of deaths linked to synthetic opioids emerged in the West Midlands when drug dealers used nitazenes to fortify low-purity heroin. By August, there were 21 nitazene-related fatalities in Birmingham alone. In some cases, dealers also added xylazine (colloquially known as “tranq”), a non-opioid sedative used by vets.
The increasing availability of these and other synthetic drugs led the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) to warn in August 2024 that “there has never been a more dangerous time to take drugs”. Like Haslam and Davies, many heroin users are unaware they might also be consuming nitazenes, which significantly increase the risk of overdose.
Given their potency, only a small amount of nitazene is required to produce a fatal dose. While some studies have concluded that nitazenes are even more potent than the synthetic opioid fentanyl, which causes many thousands of deaths in the US, the NCA judges it a “realistic possibility” that the potency of both substances are “broadly equivalent” – making them roughly 50 times more potent than heroin.
Illicit drug use is damaging large parts of the world socially, politically and environmentally. Patterns of supply and demand are changing rapidly. In our new longform series Addicted, leading drug experts bring you the latest insights on drug use and production as we ask: is it time to declare a planetary emergency?
Officially, more than 400 deaths plus many non-fatal overdoses were linked to nitazenes in the UK between June 2023 and January 2025. But this is likely to be an underestimate because of gaps within forensic and toxicology reporting. These figures come amid record levels of drug-related deaths in England and Wales. In 2023, there were 5,448 deaths related to drug poisoning, an 11% increase on the previous year and the highest total since records began in 1993.
This is of particular concern given that the UK has the largest heroin market in Europe, comprising around 300,000 users in England alone. While nitazene-related deaths are still relatively low (although by no means insignificant) compared with those from heroin and other opioids, these new synthetic opioids are cheap and easy to buy, and offer dealers multiple advantages over traditional plant-based drugs.
Unlike opium, nitazenes and other synthetic opioids can be produced anywhere in the world using precursor chemicals that are often uncontrolled and widely available. Producer countries including China and India have not yet banned all nitazene compounds, meaning they are sold legally – mostly online. Chemical manufacturing companies in these countries can synthesise nitazenes at scale using a comparatively easy three or four-step process.
Opioid use death rates around the world:
Estimated deaths from opioid use disorders per 100,000 people in 2021. Our World In Data, CC BY
For the past 15 years, I have researched and advised on the international narcotics industry, especially the Afghan drug trade, as an academic, UK Home Office official and consultant. I’ve observed many shifts within global drug markets, and I believe the increasing availability of synthetic drugs in the UK and Europe may represent a new chapter in illicit drug use here – with the emergence of nitazenes only adding to these concerns.
A brief history of synthetic opioids
New synthetic opioids (NSOs) are one of the fastest-growing groups of new psychoactive substances around the world. The EU Drugs Agency (EUDA) currently monitors 81 NSOs – the fourth-largest group of drugs under observation.
NSOs largely fall into two broad groups: fentanyl and its analogues, and non-fentanyl-structured compounds – these include nitazenes, among many other substances.
Many of these “new” synthetic opioids have, in fact, existed for decades. Nitazenes were first synthesised in the 1950s by the Swiss pharmaceutical company, Ciba Aktiengesellschaft, as pain-relieving analgesics, although they were never approved for medical use.
Prior to 2019, there had only been limited reports of nitazenes in the illegal drug supply – including a “brownish looking powder” found in Italy in 1966; the discovery of a lab in Germany in 1987; several nitazene-related deaths in Moscow in 1998; and a US chemist illegally producing the drug for personal use in 2003. But since nitazenes re-emerged at the end of the last decade, over 20 variants have been discovered.
Paul Janssen, the Belgian chemist who first made fentanyl. Johnson & Johnson
The most common NSO in the illegal drug market, fentanyl, was first synthesised by Belgian chemist Paul Janssen in 1960. Fentanyl, which is roughly 100 times more potent than morphine, was approved in the US in 1968 for pharmaceutical use as an analgesic.
Over the next four decades, however, illegally produced fentanyl resulted in three relatively small outbreaks of deaths in the US. A fourth, larger fentanyl outbreak in Chicago, Detroit and Philadelphia resulted in about 1,000 deaths between 2005 and 2007.
The current US fentanyl crisis started in 2013, expanding to affect much of the country. Between 2014 and 2019, Chinese companies were the main manufacturers of finished fentanyl substances in the US – to combat this, both the Obama and Trump administrations lobbied Beijing to curtail the fentanyl industry.
The Chinese government responded by controlling specific fentanyl analogues. However, every time an analogue was banned, chemists there would slightly adjust the formula to produce a new compound that mirrored the banned substance.
China finally banned all fentanyl-related substances in May 2019, prompting two significant changes in the drug’s supply: a slowdown in the development of new fentanyl analogues, and a reduction in their direct sale to the US from China. Instead, Chinese companies increasingly sent fentanyl precursors to Mexican drug cartels who would synthesise fentanyl (or counterfeit medication) in clandestine labs, before smuggling it across the US border. Consequently, Mexico is now the primary source of fentanyl in the US.
But these supply changes led to another shift in the global drugs arena, as China’s chemical and pharmaceutical businesses – keen to develop new markets – adjusted their focus to producing uncontrolled synthetic substances, including nitazenes. At the same time, they expanded their geographical focus from North America to include Europe and the UK.
The nitazene supply chain
Producing nitazenes is a relatively low-cost exercise. They are largely manufactured in laboratories – both legal and illegal – in China, before being smuggled to the UK and Europe via fast parcel and post networks.
Nitazenes’ high potency means only small quantities are required, making them easier to transport and harder for border officials to detect. Some Chinese vendors have reportedly been offering to hide nitazenes in legitimate goods such as dog food and catering supplies, to circumvent custom controls. All of this decreases the risk to sellers, and lessens the price of doing business.
In March 2024, two China-based sellers operating on the dark web were selling a kilo of nitazene for between €10,000 and €17,000 (£12,000-£20,000). During roughly the same period, a kilo of heroin at the wholesale level in the UK was selling for between £23,000 and £26,000. Once bought, nitazenes are largely used to fortify low-purity heroin, although the drug can also be made into pills.
Video by The Guardian.
Nitazenes are not limited to the dark web. They are widely and openly advertised on the internet, social media and music streaming platforms. In February 2024, one China-based e-commerce site displayed 85 advertisements for nitazenes. Such sites also sell a range of other synthetic drugs, including fentanyl analogues and precursors, xylazines, cannabinoids and methamphetamine.
This means drug dealers in the UK and across the world no longer need to have established connections to underworld figures to source illegal drugs. With a click of a mouse, they can have them delivered to their home address. In this sense, the internet has democratised the drug trade by widening access beyond “traditional” criminals.
In the UK, while the supply of nitazenes is currently assessed as “low”, a number of smaller-scale organised crime groups are importing them to fortify low-purity heroin, before largely dealing it at the “county lines” level. This involves organised crime groups moving drugs – primarily heroin and crack cocaine – across towns, cities and county borders within the UK, using mobile phones or another form of “deal line” to sell to customers.
In November 2023, Leon Brown from West Bromwich was imprisoned for seven years for dealing drugs containing nitazenes – a verdict described as “a great result in our ongoing efforts to tackle county lines drug dealing” by detective sergeant Luke Papps of the South Worcestershire county lines team.
A few larger UK criminal networks have also been involved in nitazene distribution. In October 2023, the police and Border Force conducted raids across north London, arresting 11 people. They dismantled a drug processing site and seized 150,000 tablets containing nitazene – the UK’s largest ever seizure of synthetic opioids – as well as a pill-pressing machine, a firearm, more than £60,000 in cash and £8,000 in cryptocurrency. The police suspected the group had been selling the tablets on the dark web.
Anecdotal reports suggest there have been mixed reactions to the introduction of nitazenes into the illegal drug supply. Richard, a recovering heroin user from Bristol, told Vice magazine that, given their potency, some “people are scared of [nitazenes]” while others are “actively seeking” them.
As has been the case with fentanyl in the US, users build up tolerance and therefore seek stronger doses. Manny, a heroin user from Bristol, told Vice: “I smoked [heroin cut with nitazenes] and it felt like the first time I’d ever taken drugs.”
Video by Vice.
UK-based criminals also use the dark web to export nitazenes abroad. In October 2023, the Australian Border Force identified 22 nitazene discoveries in packages shipped to the country via mail cargo from the UK. British criminals have also trafficked counterfeit medicines containing nitazenes to Ireland and Norway.
Use of nitazenes is now being detected all over the world. Within Europe, Ireland experienced several nitazene outbreaks in 2023-24 while in Estonia, nitazenes now account for a large share of overdose deaths – a trend also seen (to a lesser extent) in Latvia. Preliminary data suggests at least 150 deaths were linked to nitazenes in Europe in 2023.
Nitazenes have also been discovered in fake pain medication such as benzodiazepines, oxycodone and diazepam, which widens the number of people at risk to include those with no opioid tolerance. The death in July 2023 of Alex Harpum, a 23-year-old British student who was preparing for a career as an opera singer, was a stark reminder of the danger of buying fake medicine online that may have been contaminated with nitazenes.
The nitazene ‘boom’ and the global heroin trade
For decades, Afghanistan was the world’s largest opium producer and the source of most of Europe’s heroin. Then in April 2022, the ruling Taliban announced a comprehensive prohibition on the use, trade, transport, production, import and export of all drugs. As a result, poppy cultivation has fallen to historically low levels for a second consecutive year.
While this has not, as yet, translated into a shortage of heroin on European streets, including in the UK and Germany, some indicators suggest a slowdown in heroin supplies to the UK. In the year March 2023-24, the quantity of heroin seized in the UK fell by 54%, from 950kg to 441kg. This is the lowest quantity of heroin seized since 1989, when about 350kg was intercepted.
The NCA assesses that the Taliban ban has created market “uncertainty”. The wholesale price of heroin has increased from roughly £16,000 per kilo prior to the COVID-19 pandemic to about £26,000, while anecdotal reports suggest average heroin purity for users dropped to under 30% (often to 10-20%) in 2024, compared with around 35% in 2023 and 45% in 2022.
Video by UN Story.
Even without the Taliban’s ban, heroin is not easy to produce and supply. Cultivating opium poppy is labour-intensive, taking five or six months. The static nature of opium fields means they are visible and susceptible to eradication; poppy crops can also be negatively affected by blight or drought.
Converting opium into heroin base is also a labour-intensive process that can involve (depending on the production method) at least 17 steps. Acetic anhydride, the main chemical used to convert morphine into heroin, is relatively expensive compared with synthetic precursors. Moreover, heroin is a bulky product, which means it is harder to move in large volumes.
While the relationship between events in opiate-producer countries and the introduction of synthetic opioids to consumer markets should not be overstated, this new type of drug offers economic advantages to criminals whose “sole motivation is greed”.
For decades, Turkish, Kurdish and Pakistani criminal networks have been responsible for importing heroin into the UK. Once in the UK, both Turkish and British groups largely control its wholesale supply, with some participation of Albanian gangs.
To date, there is little evidence to suggest these groups have transitioned to supplying NSOs, including nitazenes. The shifting dynamics in the global drug supply chain, however, could upend traditional markets and the gangs who profit from them.
America’s synthetic drug crisis
The synthetic opioid fentanyl has devastated the US, having been linked to about 75,000 deaths in 2023 alone. It is the primary cause of death for Americans aged 18-49. Canada, too, has experienced a wave of deaths: between January 2016 and June 2024, there were 49,105 apparent opioid deaths there, with fentanyl implicated in a large proportion.
More than 4,300 reports of nitazenes have reached the US National Forensic Laboratory Information System since 2019. They are typically used to fortify fentanyl and other opioids, which can produce a fatal concoction.
Efforts to stem the flow of NSOs, including nitazenes, from China to the US and elsewhere will prove challenging. And even if China does implement stricter controls, other countries could step in to fill the void. According to the Commission on Combating Synthetic Opioid Trafficking:
The overall sizes of these industries, limited oversight efforts and political incentives contribute to an atmosphere of impunity among firms and individuals associated with those industries.
While US and Chinese counter-narcotics cooperation ended in 2022 amid increasing geopolitical tensions, the following November’s summit in Woodside, California, between presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping saw them agree to recommence collaboration.
As a result, China recently closed several chemical companies that were shipping fentanyl precursors and nitazenes to the US. These vendors used encrypted platforms and cryptocurrency to conduct the deals, and mislabelled the consignments to try to ensure the substances evaded border controls. China has also outlawed more chemicals and substances, including several nitazene variants.
But President Trump’s imposition of tariffs on imports from China – which sit alongside proposed taxes on imports from Canada and Mexico, in part for supposedly not doing enough to curb the trafficking of fentanyl and its precursors to the US – threatens this counter-narcotics cooperation.
While nitazenes are not yet widely available in the US, their presence within some fentanyl batches is complicating the US opioid crisis – and according to some experts, has the potential to further increase the already shocking number of synthetic opioid-related deaths.
The UK response to nitazenes
Successive UK governments have made tackling NSOs a high priority. Shortly after the most recent nitazene-related deaths were discovered in the UK in summer 2023, the NCA launched Project Housebuilder to lead and coordinate the law enforcement and public health response.
This was soon followed by the establishment of a government-wide Synthetic Opioids Taskforce “to improve…understanding, preparedness and mitigation against this evolving threat”. Chris Philp, then the UK’s combatting drugs minister, stated that “synthetic opioids are at the top of [this government’s] list because of the harm they cause”.
The taskforce has taken a range of measures, such as controlling more NSOs as class A drugs, conducting more intelligence operations at UK borders, widening access to naloxone, and enhancing the UK’s real-time, multi-source drug surveillance system. The government also worked with the US and Canada to learn from their experiences.
Recently, the current UK government banned a further six synthetic opioids and introduced a generic definition of nitazenes as class A drugs. And the UK’s current government, unlike its Conservative predecessor, has also indicated its willingness to consider evidence from the UK’s first drug consumption facility, which recently opened in Glasgow.
Other policy measures worthy of consideration include expanding drug checking services whereby drug users submit drugs to a lab to test what is in them, then are provided with information about the sample. These services offer vital information to the public and authorities about current drug trends.
While there is high uncertainty about what is going to happen next in the UK regarding illicit drug trends, the evolution of the US drug landscape over generations provides some important lessons.
Lessons from the US
The US fentanyl crisis shows drug markets can change quickly with long-lasting consequences. Most heroin on US streets contains – or has been replaced by – fentanyl. According to DEA seizure data, US heroin seizures declined by nearly 70% between 2019 and 2023, whereas fentanyl seizures have increased by 451%.
However, illegal drug markets evolve in different ways and at different paces. In May 1989, Douglas Hogg, a UK Home Office minister, travelled to the US and the Bahamas on a fact-finding mission about crack cocaine, a drug that was predicted to spread from the US to the UK. Upon his return, Hogg noted:
The ethnic, social and economic characters of many of our big cities are very similar to those in the US. If they have a crack problem, why should not we? … The use of crack in Great Britain is likely to develop very substantially over the next few years.
But this “crack invasion”, as some called it, did not materialise in the UK to the extent it had in the US – and the same was true about a predicted wave of methamphetamine use in the UK, which remains low compared with the US.
It is also unlikely the UK and Europe will experience a synthetic opioid crisis on the same scale as the US. The first wave of the US crisis was driven by extensive overprescription of opioids for pain relief. This increased the number of people addicted to opioids, some of whom later turned to heroin, before transitioning to fentanyl. In contrast, large-scale opioid prescriptions have not been a major issue in the UK or Europe, although there is some diversion of legal fentanyl into the illegal drug market in Europe.
Video by The Brookings Institution.
According to Alex Stevens, professor of criminology at the University of Sheffield, another factor differentiating the US and Europe is the provision of drug treatment and harm reduction programmes. Opioid users in Europe, and to a lesser extent in the UK, are much more likely to be in medication-assisted treatment than their US counterparts, thus reducing the number of people at risk. These interventions are reinforced by different socioeconomic factors in much of Europe, such as lower economic inequality, stronger social protections, and better healthcare systems.
None of this, though, means the nitazene threat in the UK and Europe should be underestimated, nor that use and supply of these drugs (and other NSOs) will not increase from its current relatively low base. As the NCA recently warned:
While a zero-tolerance approach from law enforcement, plus advice to users on the heightened dangers, may contain or slow the current uptake, we must prepare for these substances to become widely available, both unadvertised in fortified mixes and in response to user demand as a more potent high.
The future of new synthetic opioids
Predicting the future of NSO use and trafficking is a challenging task. Projections for Europe range from existing opiate stockpiles ensuring that heroin consumer markets remain serviced (assuming the Taliban ban is short-lived), to a heroin shortage which results in more drug dealers turning to NSOs to plug the shortfall, which in turn could lead to lasting changes in European drug markets (as happened in a few countries following the Taliban’s first opium ban in 2000-01).
In such a scenario, it is possible that Turkish criminal networks may exploit their links with Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel to source NSOs. Mexican criminal gangs also operate in Europe, which may increase the likelihood of them trying to open a new NSO market on the continent.
There is also evidence that some Italian criminal organisations have entered the NSO marketplace. In November 2023, Italian authorities announced the seizure of 100,000 doses of synthetic drugs, including fentanyl, as part of operation Painkiller, a joint Italian-American initiative.
Given the many advantages for criminal groups of NSOs, it seems likely they are here to stay. A key question is whether nitazenes (or other NSOs) will supplant traditional heroin as the opioid of choice, as they have done in the US, or remain at relatively low levels in Europe, co-existing with or mixed into the heroin supply.
In December 2023, Paul Griffiths, the EUDA’s scientific director, told Vice: “We’re not seeing much new initiation of heroin use in Europe. So in five to ten years … as heroin users get older and more vulnerable, we’re not going to have much of an opiate problem left.”
But he warned that if heroin use does dry up: “You might then see opioids appearing in other forms and preparations, such as pills, that could potentially become popular among younger age groups who currently do not appear attracted to injecting heroin.”
While previous NSO outbreaks in the UK were relatively short-lived and limited in scale, the most recent nitazene outbreak, which started in summer of 2023, has been more sustained, covered more parts of the UK, and involved more fatalities. The broader trend in Europe also suggests the prevalence and variations of NSOs are increasing at a faster pace than in previous years.
Notwithstanding, nitazene use and supply in the UK currently remains relatively low. In fact, the rate of nitazene-linked deaths – at least those officially reported – decreased between spring 2024 and the end of the year.
In the short term, then, it seems unlikely there will be a nitazene “explosion”. Rather, criminal groups will probably try to increasingly embed nitazenes into the UK drug market at a similar pace to the last 18 months.
However, this situation could change rapidly in future, especially if larger criminal networks involved in heroin importation switch to smuggling NSOs, and there is a genuine shortage of Afghan heroin. This problem would be compounded if drug users start seeking nitazenes, thus creating demand for them.
Either way, the UK government, along with its European partners, should continue to reinforce the whole drug system, to prepare for the worst-case scenario.
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Philip A. Berry does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Scientists comment on the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report on Carbon Capture, Usage and Storage (CCUS) technologies.
Prof Hannah Chalmers, Personal Chair of Sustainable Energy Systems, Institute for Energy Systems, School of Engineering, University of Edinburgh, said:
“CCUS technologies can play a unique role in tackling carbon dioxide emissions. They can be used at large industrial sites to ensure that most of the carbon dioxide produced by activities like iron and steel production is not emitted to the atmosphere. Instead, the carbon dioxide is permanently stored in geological formations (rocks). In the UK, CCUS projects are developing plans to store carbon dioxide in layers of rock that are deep underneath the sea.
“There is also ongoing work to develop and deploy cost-effective approaches to remove carbon dioxide directly from the air. This provides an important option to respond to the widely reported increases in carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere that are causing significant concern.
“There is significant evidence that including CCUS in a mix of technologies to reduce carbon dioxide emissions will be the most cost-effective way to address climate change. Several large-scale projects have been operating in other countries for many years. Experience from these projects is being used to ensure that the CCUS projects that are being developed in the UK are designed to be reliable and cost-effective.”
Dr Stuart Gilfillan, Reader in Geochemistry, University of Edinburgh, said:
What is CCUS technology, how does it work, does it have limitations?
“CCUS stands for Carbon Capture, Utilisation, and Storage, which is a developing technology which reduces the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) released into the atmosphere. It works by capturing CO2 at the point source, transporting it and then burying it for safe storage in rocks over a kilometre below the ground surface. Like any technology, it has pros and cons, and costs more than simply releasing the CO2 directly to the atmosphere, which is currently free. CCUS is the only currently available technology that can directly reduce CO2 emissions from sources like power plants and industrial processes. Given that global temperature records are now being broken on an almost daily basis and yesterday’s announcement of the hottest January on record, it is essential tool in the urgent fight against runaway climate change.
What is the existing evidence around the efficacy of CCUS?
“CO2 capture technology has proven successful in capturing up to 90-95% of CO2 emissions from point of sources from power stations and industrial facilities. Successful examples include the Boundary Dam power station in Saskatchewan, Canada, where a large-scale CCUS unit has been operational since 2014, capturing about 1 million tonnes of CO2 per year.
“The long-term storage of CO2 is proven by natural CO2 reservoirs around the world and engineered projects like Sleipner in the North Sea, which have been injecting CO2 beneath the seabed since 1996 without significant issues. Research over the past two decades has developed monitoring technologies that can detect and mitigate potential leakage and to ensure that CO2 remains securely buried in rocks deep underground.
What more evidence may be needed to be confident in its applications?
“No more evidence is required, as exemplified by the UK’s Climate Change Committee (CCC), which is an independent body established under the Climate Change Act who advise the government on emissions targets and report to Parliament on progress made in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The CCC is clear that CCUS is a critical technology for the decarbonisation of the UK economy, particularly in sectors that are hard to decarbonize directly, such as heavy industry (steel, cement, chemicals) and power generation.
“CCUS is not only as a standalone technology but is an essential part of a broader strategy to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. It compliments energy efficiency, renewable energy deployment, and electrification. CCUS is a clear driver for regional economic development, particularly in regions with suitable geological storage sites and industrial bases, such as the East Coast of Scotland, the Humber region, and North East England, areas that have been ‘left behind’ in recent times.”
Dr Tim Dixon, IEA Greenhouse Gas, Director and General Manager, said:
“Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is a necessary technology for the UK and other countries to achieve net-zero, and we need all low-carbon energy technologies. The science case for the role of CCS is provided by the UK’s Climate Change Committee, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the International Energy Agency (IEA) and cannot be disputed if climate change is to be taken seriously. The key aspect of CCS is the secure long-term retention of CO2 in deep geological formations, and we have decades of experience in this from around the world. With over 40 large scale projects in operation injecting millions of tonnes every year and many pilot-scale projects, this has allowed us to test the science, the monitoring and the practicalities of geological storage of CO2. Hence CO2 geological storage is a proven technology and the regulations to enable and to ensure that it is safe and secure are based upon this sound science and experience. ”
Professor Paul Fennell FIchemE, Professor of Clean Energy, Imperial College London, said:
“The idea that Carbon Capture and Storage is an unproven technology is simply untrue. There are projects ongoing around the world, and millions of tonnes of CO2 have been safely stored over the last couple of decades. This has not happened in the U.K. because of our sclerotic inability to develop public infrastructure, not because the technology is unproven.”
Dr Greg Mutch, Researcher in Carbon Capture and Storage, Newcastle University, said:
“Carbon capture and storage is a technology that prevents carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere, by capturing it and storing it underground in ‘empty’ oil & gas reservoirs or saline aquifers. According to the world’s foremost experts on the subject, gathered to contribute the International Panel on Climate Change, carbon capture and storage processes are necessary to achieve climate change mitigation goals at lowest cost. Without scalable CCS technologies by the end of the century, climate change mitigation will cost between 29 and 297% (mean value 138%) more.[1] Moreover, CCS is predicted to provide tens of thousands of jobs in the UK, add several billion pounds in terms of gross value added per year by 2050,[2] and enable other important technologies (hydrogen production etc) that will come with further jobs and economic value.”
[1] IPCC, 2018: Global Warming of 1.5 °C. An IPCC Special Report on the impacts of global warming of 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels and related global greenhouse gas emission pathways, in the context of strengthening the global response to the threat of climate change, sustainable development, and efforts to eradicate poverty, ed. V. Masson-Delmotte, P. Zhai, H.-O. Portner, D. Roberts, J. Skea, P. R. Shukla, A. Pirani, W. Moufouma-Okia, C. Pean, R. Pidcock, S. Connors, J. B. R. Matthews, Y. Chen, X. Zhou, M. I. Gomis, E. Lonnoy, T. Maycock, M. Tignor and T. Waterfield, Cambridge University Press, 2018.
[2] Energy Innovation Needs Assessment Sub-theme report: Carbon capture, utilisation, and storage, Vivid Economics, Carbon Trust, E4tech, Imperial College London, Frazer-Nash Consultancy, Energy Systems Catapult. Commissioned by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, 2019.
Professor Peter Styring, Director of the UK Centre for Carbon Dioxide Utilization, Professor of Chemical Engineering & Chemistry, University of Sheffield, said:
What is CCUS technology, how does it work, does it have limitations?
“CCUS is carbon capture and storage. This has been primarily focused on CCS as the main driver. It aims to capture carbon dioxide from emitters such as power stations and industries. The current technology temperature swing absorption (TSA) using a chemical reaction with an aqueous amine solvent to capture the CO2 from the mixed waste gas and then to release it in a purified form by increased temperature chemical desorption and then further drying and purification to get a gas that can be in theory transported to a site where the gas can be stored underground. It works but at a high energy cost and the production of amine decomposition products that need to be removed and more amine added. It costs a lot!
“Limitations are the energy and financial costs, permitting regulations on solvent disclosure and the large physical footprint. Full system lifecycle analysis is required but this is not always reported.”
What is the existing evidence around the efficacy of CCUS?
“This is not proven using current technologies. The problem is that the current government funded projects use old technologies to achieve CCS and what is actually needed is a step change to new, lower cost more efficient processes such as solid based pressure swing adsorption (PSA). The whole system tends to be simpler and the energy costs and land use is significantly reduced.”
What more evidence may be needed to be confident in its applications?
“Full evaluation of new technologies and rapid acceleration from proof of concept to capture at scale. The Innovate UK funded Flue2Chem project is a good example of how this is being addressed using mid-TRL technologies. The UK also needs to move away from a single minded storage approach to adding value through the use of CO2 in the production of chemicals that would otherwise be sourced from virgin fossil carbon. SUSTAIN project is making synthetic fuels from captured CO2 and Flue2Chem is making FMCG components, including surfactants and precursors from the CO2.”
Dr Stuart Jenkins, Net Zero Fossil Fuel Fellow, University of Oxford, said:
“The Public Accounts Committee are wrong to have labelled CCUS as ‘unproven’, there are many commercial scale projects around the world, but they are right to question the current model for funding it. We need to make sure the CCUS industry becomes self-sustaining, without the need for major taxpayer funding. One option — asking fossil fuel suppliers to contribute to these costs via a carbon storage mandate — is a fair and responsible approach going forward.
In a recent report we published working with researchers at the University of Oxford and Carbon Balance Initiative [1] we looked at the use of Carbon Storage Mandates, which place an obligation on fossil fuel producers to capture and store a rising fraction of the CO2 they produce, to support the UK’s CCUS industry.
Carbon storage mandates, in tandem with carbon pricing and other mechanisms, could deliver subsidy-free CCUS to the UK and provide investment certainty for companies.”
Dr Stuart Jenkins Our report was funded by the Carbon Capture and Storage Association, and consulted regulators, fossil fuel companies, capture and storage entities, UK Government, and academics on models for CCUS sector support packages.
Professor Paul Fennell: No conflicts other than being involved in CCs research.
Dr Tim Dixon: “Tim is a Director of IEA Environmental Projects Ltd (UK), a Non-Executive Director on the Board for The International CCS Knowledge Centre (Canada). He is also proud to be an Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the Bureau of Economic Geology, University of Texas in Austin, and an Honorary Lecturer at the School of Geosciences at University of Edinburgh. He was an original Board Member of the UK CCS Research Centre. Previously he worked in CCS, emissions trading, clean energy technologies and related areas for AEA Technology (ETSU), for the UK Government‘s Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and for the Global CCS Institute. He was the EU’s Lead Negotiator for getting CCS in the CDM in UNFCCC in 2011, and a UK negotiator for getting CCS in the London Convention 2004-7, in OSPAR 2006-7, in the EU Emission Trading Scheme 2004-8, and inputting to the EU CCS Directive 2007-8. He gives talks on climate and CCS to schools and public organisations and supported the start of Oxford Climate Society at the University of Oxford. He is a Fellow of the UK Energy Institute, and member of the UK Institute of Physics and the UK Environmental Law Association.”
Dr Stuart Gilfillan “I have received funding from TotalEnergies in the past, for research related to CO2 origins in the subsurface and reservoir connectivity and Equinor on CO2 dissolution in natural CO2 reservoirs. I currently receive funding from the Natural Environment Research Council and Carbfix on CO2 mineralisation.”
Prof Hannah Chalmers “I work collaboratively with industrial partners who are developing CCUS projects in the UK (e.g. as a member of the Advisory Board for the Industrial Decarbonisation Research and Innovation Centre). I currently receive no funding from industry, but have received funding from industrial partners who are actively developing CCUS projects in the UK in the past (e.g. SSE plc).”
Professor Peter Styring: Peter is Professor of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry at the University of Sheffield (an investigator on Flue2Chem and SUSTAIN) and a Co-founder and Director of CCU International.
For all other experts, no response to our request for DOIs was received.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Minister Dodds gave opening remarks at a reception to reaffirm the importance of gender equality and comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights to individuals, families and society.
Welcome, everyone and thank you, Plan International UK, for helping to bring us together.
I am grateful for this opportunity to share some reflections, because, as the UK’s Minister for Development, Women and Equalities, sexual and reproductive health and rights are a priority for me.
We must keep working together to make sure everyone has power over their own bodies. That includes the choice of whether to have sex – if at all. That includes whether to continue with a pregnancy – and when to have children. And that includes the LGBTQ+ community.
This is fundamentally the right thing to do, and the smart thing to do. Over the last 6 months, from South Sudan to Indonesia to Malawi, my conversations with those affected have underlined this powerfully.
We know that when women, girls, and other marginalised groups are empowered, they lift up whole families, communities and economies.
Yet, there is a great deal of work ahead of us, to close the gap between where we are and where we need to be.
As hard-won rights are being rolled back, with more than a quarter of a million people lacking access to information and services and complications from pregnancy and childbirth remain the leading cause of death for around 12 million girls in lower-income countries.
Not to mention the fact that women and girls are bearing the brunt of conflicts and humanitarian disasters around the world. Sadly, on every continent, including here in Europe, groups that are hell-bent on rolling back rights and denying women and girls choice, are sowing the seeds of division.
In the face of such challenges, it is only by standing strong and working together that we can hope to turn things around.
For our part, the UK reaches many millions of people every year, making sure that the poorest and most marginalised have access to life saving services, are heard, and have greater choice and control.
This government is keeping that work at the top of the global political agenda – where it belongs. Be that the Prime Minister’s commitment to supporting local, national and global efforts on World Aids Day.
Or the Foreign Secretary’s recent visit to Chad where he announced further support for women and girls – including refugees from Sudan – to access sexual and reproductive health services.
Next month, I look forward to leading the UK’s delegation to the Commission on the Status of Women at the United Nations, in New York, where once again, we will push to keep this vital work firmly in the international spotlight.
In April, today’s panellist, Neisha will join the UK delegation at the Commission on Population and Development in New York, to make sure we hear from the next generation very directly.
And today, I am proud to announce my role as a She Decides champion – part of a global movement advocating for every woman and girl’s right to choose what to do with her own body. I am very glad to add my voice to these efforts.
Let me end by repeating that each and every one of us here has our own powerful part to play, and together, we can make a difference by listening to those affected, amplifying their voices, and taking action by challenging harmful practices and discrimination, calling out attempts to erode rights and breaking down barriers and sharing our knowledge, experience and expertise.
That is why I am so glad we are here today to discuss all this – and galvanise our efforts. So, thank you, once again, for joining us and for your dedication to this important work. I look forward to all that we can achieve together.
A massive programme of investment in fighting anti-social behaviour and providing more Council owned temporary accommodation during the cost of living crisis is at the heart of Westminster City Council’s proposed budget published today.
The theme of safety on the streets and the security of a home are supported by one of the largest investments ever – doubling the number of CCTV cameras on the streets to 200 (including up to 40 new cameras in the West End as part of the Council’s upcoming Westminster After Dark initiative), action on targeting ASB hot spots and tackling the housing crisis with a £140 million investment. At the same time, the Council is proposing to invest a massive £2.6m into cushioning the cost of adult social care – meaning hundreds of adult social care users will now not pay for care while hard working care assistants will earn more.
Despite the scale of new investment, the Council Tax rise equals just 48p a week for a Band D* property, which means Westminster still has one of the lowest Council Tax rates in the country. The Westminster City Council part of the Council Tax rises by 4.99 per cent overall – 2.99 per cent for council services and 2 per cent for the portion set aside for adult social care.
Headline announcements in the proposed budget include:
£2m for anti-social and city management measures – including doubling the number of CCTV cameras to 200, creating a new team to combat ASB and recruiting extra officers to fight noise nuisance. The installation of up to 40 new cameras in the West End – focusing on Soho and Leicester square – is the most significant council security investment in the area in nearly a decade.
A new investment of £140m in Council owned temporary accommodation properties to curb the reliance on expensive hotels and provide a more secure home for those waiting for permanent social housing.
An extra £1.2m to tackle rough sleeping and help people off the pavements and into safety
An additional £1.4m to increase the pay of the personal care assistants (over 400 staff) who provide care for Westminster residents through direct payments. This will help more people who use adult social care to employ the carer they want as they will now be able to pay a competitive salary.
An additional £1.2m to level up the threshold at which people start to pay for their social care costs so that it is the same for everyone regardless of age. This will help over 460 residents aged under 65 to keep more of their income before paying care bills.
An extra £1m on cost of living support – for example free school meals during school holidays, supermarket food vouchers, a hardship fund and supporting specialist advice centres.
Investing in new Community hubs such as Ernest Harris House opening this Spring and the Pimlico Community hub at site of the Old Pimlico Library opening in 2026
The Council will also deliver new savings of nearly £30m by 2028 through measures including greater efficiencies in contracts and the switch to an electric cleaning and waste fleet.
The proposed budget will go to the City Council’s cabinet before being voted on at full Council on March 5th.
Cllr Adam Hug, leader of Westminster City Council, said:
“Safety and assurance for our residents – whether on the streets, keeping a roof over their heads or with help for the less well-off – is at the very heart of this Budget.
“Like all London councils, we are facing unprecedented demands on our services with spiralling costs for housing and care. I am proud that we have been able through careful management and savings to target money to those who need it most while keeping a rise in Council tax to the bare minimum.
“We all know everything is more expensive these days – food, rent, and looking after elderly family members. We are keeping bills down for those who can least afford it, but I am also pleased we can increase the hourly pay of those care assistants who do such a vital job but are often on the lower end of the pay scale.
“Wherever you live in Westminster, you should be able to enjoy your surroundings without fear of groups hanging around on corners, dealing drugs or other anti-social behaviour and making a noise. Our mobile cameras are already helping in court prosecutions and we will deploy them wherever residents need them most.”
The Wolves legend said he was “honoured and a little overwhelmed” after being presented with a scroll, badge and casket when he met the Mayor of Wolverhampton, Councillor Linda Leach, at a special lunch today (Friday 7 February, 2025).
Freedom of the City is the highest honour the council can bestow and recognises those that represent the city with distinction.
The former striker was given the honour in recognition of his services to Wolves FC, the Former Wolves Players Association, and his community work.
John said: “I am very honoured and a little overwhelmed but it is a real privilege. I am aware of some of the people who have received this in the past so I am in esteemed company.
“I am a Lancastrian by birth but an adopted Wulfrunian. I’ve been connected with the city for a long time – more than half a century, having come here as an 18 year old almost 56 years ago.
“I’m so proud to be part of this community in Wolverhampton and representing the city and all of the positive things that are happening here right now.”
Mayor of Wolverhampton Councillor Leach said: “The word legend is banded about all too easily these days, but ‘King’ John Richards certainly fits the bill.
“He won 2 League Cups, scored an amazing 194 goals for Wolves in a career played entirely in the top flight of English football and remains the club’s second highest goalscorer of all time.
“Off the pitch he is a superb ambassador for our city, supports former players and their families, raises money for charity and continues to live locally.
“He is truly deserving of this distinguished honour and on behalf of the people of Wolverhampton, I wish to thank him for all that he has done and continues to do for our city.”
John, who dedicated almost his entire career to Wolverhampton Wanderers, joined the club in 1969 moving to the Midlands from Warrington and has never left.
Beloved by Wolves fans, he gained the nickname ‘King John’ and will forever be remembered for scoring the winning goal in the 1974 League Cup Final against Manchester City.
He has been on the board at Molineux and served a spell as Managing Director. He is now a Vice President.
As a passionate advocate for Wolves Foundation, the club’s charitable arm, John has actively participated in events such as Molineux Memories, the Molineux Sleepout and Walking Football. Last year he even abseiled down the Billy Wright Stand at Molineux to raise funds for the foundation, despite being in his 70s. His dedication to the Foundation has directly benefitted the residents of Wolverhampton.
John has joined the ranks of such luminaries as Sir Jack Hayward, Baroness Rachel Heyhoe Flint, Dame Denise Lewis, Beverley Knight MBE, Steve Bull MBE and Hugh Porter MBE in being granted Freedom of the City of Wolverhampton.
Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council has launched a public consultation process aimed at gathering views on its proposed Performance Improvement Objectives for 2025-26.
From Thursday 06 February to Thursday 03 April 2025, members of the public are invited to complete a short online survey to share their thoughts and opinions on the following proposed objectives:
We will reduce the average number of days’ sickness absence lost per employee.
We will reduce council’s environmental impact through the development and implementation of a Climate and Sustainability Action Plan.
We will improve our waste management services through the implementation of technological solutions and continued communication.
We will improve communications with our customers on council services and responsibilities.
Commenting on the public consultation, Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon, Councillor Sarah Duffy, said:
“Each year our council is required to set objectives for improving how it carries out its functions and to put in place arrangements to helppromote sustainable and continuous improvements in its service delivery.To help us achieve this, we are welcoming comments on our proposed Performance Improvement Objectives for 2025-26.
“For our council to be effective, it is important that as many members of the local community offer feedback on these proposed objectives to ensure they reflect those views and address the needs of customers, residents and communities across the entire borough.”
UK Government Scotland Office Minister Kirsty McNeill in conversation at the The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO), the Gathering event.
I can’t tell you how happy I am to be here, back among friends devoting their lives to a social purpose.
As some of you might know, I spent much of my life in the voluntary and community sector, both on staff and as a volunteer.
And I’m still a proud member and supporter of a lot of organisations I was involved with before I became an MP.
As a minister too I’ve had the chance to visit organisations like Greener Kirkcaldy, Bairn’s Hoose in Dundee, Macaulay College in the Western Isles, Barnardos Nurture Service Inverclyde and Bravehound to name but a few.
And I want to reassure people who do the mail outs to MPs that yes, there really is someone who reads every single bit of bumpf they are sent or handed and that’s me! That’s how I know stuff like the people in the War Memorial Trust diligently cleaning and protecting these sacred places, or about the 850 people involved in Scottish Mountain Rescue who go out in all weathers to save the lives of perfect strangers.
So I will always want to hear from and spend time with you.
Because we are pals. But because we are pals I want us to have a really honest conversation today. You are busy people – nobody here has time to beat around the bush.
So I wanted to come here today to say I think we are both punching below our weight right now – both civil society and government – because we haven’t yet found the right way to work together.
When we do, we are going to be unstoppable. But right now, we are still finding our way.
Let me give you some examples. The UK Government’s budget delivered nearly £5 billion extra for Scotland’s public services – money which, if well spent, could take pressure off of everyone here who works in health, education, transport, poverty or community development. We should be talking to each other and the Scottish Government about how to make that money have the maximum impact for Scots.
Instead almost all of our conversation has been about the changes to employer national insurance contributions. I get that this decision is unpopular in this room and we need to get into it in the Q and A. I’m not trying to shy away from the fact that we had to make tough choices and that has in turn created tough choices in your board rooms and senior management meetings. Let’s talk about it.
But I hope you can also see that we are missing out on a major chance to transform Scotland together if we aren’t collaborating on how this truly game-changing amount of money should be spent.
Or here is another example – the New Deal for Working People. Now I am a proud trade unionist and the UK Ggovernment is indebted to the trade union movement for all of their support on the development of this package. But why are the only people lobbying for it in the trade union movement itself? Because if people are better paid and better protected at work then the missions of every organisation in this room becomes easier to achieve.
The Child Poverty Taskforce on which I am proud to sit has received a lot of input and evidence on welfare questions and rightly so, but we are at risk of having lots of narrow, disjointed conversations about individual policy areas when nobody lives their lives in policy silos. No policy tweak is a substitute for creating an economy that works for working people and that’s the biggest prize on offer. Let’s all keep our eyes on it.
So I do think there are some areas where we could have worked together better in these first few months of a new government. There are national conversations you should be not just a part of but leading.
And I know what some of you will be thinking. That you don’t want to be co-opted or politicised and I understand that risk.
So I want to be really clear about this: the UK Government will never compromise your independence.
Not just because it would be improper, but because it would make you less effective, because one of your most important roles is to challenge us.
And I want to stress how much I really mean this. Not in a mealy-mouthed way to say of course there is a ‘right’ to protest and to speak out in this country.
No, I’m saying something bigger than that – that you have not just the right but the duty to challenge us when you think we’re getting it wrong.
It’s not an accident that the members of charity boards are called ‘trustees’, because they are indeed entrusted with something very important. It is their job to steward an institution on behalf of all society at large but in particular on behalf of the beneficiaries the organisation exists to support. Those beneficiaries need you to bring their perspective right to the heart of the national debate – even if, especially if, they are marginalised or traditionally shut out of power.
In my old life I often used to say to the teams I worked with that ‘campaigners make things possible, politicians make things happen’.
Civil society’s job is to inform conversations, challenge assumptions, pioneer new practice and give support that the state is unable, unwilling or not best placed to give.
Government’s job is to pass laws, devise budgets, enact policies and, above all, to reconcile competing interests for the common good. In the end, we make decisions about how best to get things done and it’s our jobs on the line if we get things wrong.
These roles in our democracy are distinct, but mutually reinforcing. Both sides need each other.
But if we are to each play our parts well then we need to have a proper dialogue. Yes you should tell us when you think we’re getting it wrong. But you should also let us know when you think we’re getting it right and, crucially, when we are not focusing on something that really matters.
Because there are some things that civil society is simply best placed to know.
One of the great privileges of my job as a minister is getting to spend so much time with civil society. From a farm supporting children with disabilities to an arts project helping people to walk the long hard road to recovery after addiction, from an organisation helping women get smart clothes for job interviews after seeking asylum or fleeing domestic abuse to community allotments that give people in mental health crisis a safe place to go, I have seen Scottish civil society at its very best when the times people face are at their very worst.
And because of this special role you have, deep in the heart of communities, you see things we in government just can’t see from where we are sitting. As you know, 36% of Scottish voluntary organisations are based in remote or rural locations. You know every nook and cranny of Scotland and wrestle with questions about how to change lives every day.
What is the best way to provide food for hungry folk, without compromising their dignity? How can we best fight loneliness so everyone feels that they matter and that they belong? Just what kind of Christmas support might make the biggest difference for the care experienced kid, not sure whether they’ll be in the same placement this time next year?
This is your expertise and we need to hear it.
Now I said earlier that we’ve both been punching below our weight. On your side I think that’s because you’ve shied away from the biggest debates about how to rewire our economy, on our side I think it’s because we’ve not yet been able to rewire government to become more open to outside expertise like yours.
You’ll have heard the Prime Minister talk about mission based government.
I am such a nerd for this, because it’s a completely different way of thinking about how this change can happen – one where the job of government is to coordinate and collaborate, not direct and dictate – and one where you have the power to make the difference for the people and places you love.
That’s why the UK Government is creating a new Civil Society Covenant, based on four principles: recognition for your contribution, partnership rooted in respect, participation so you can be heard and transparency, so that both civil society and government have the information we need to come to shared diagnosis and prescriptions.
We are doing that to unleash your extraordinary potential. There are more than 46 thousand organisations in the Scottish sector, employing 5% of Scotland’s workers and mobilising 300 million hours of volunteering every year.
Those are enormous figures.
Just imagine if those efforts could be aligned with investment from the private sector, policy ambition from UK Government and proper support from the Scottish Government.
Implementing the Covenant is where we will start, but it won’t be where we will end.
I want to see a new deal for the third sector in Scotland. That should start with multi-year funding for the sector.
Too many of you face the annual anguish of issuing redundancy notices to your own staff because there are question marks over whether your funding will be renewed and the money delivered on time.
I know many of you face significant bureaucracy and feel like you are jumping through hoops and getting tangled in red tape to access funding.
That places unfair stress on you and your staff when you want to be laser focused on helping others.
I know you’ll have a lot of questions about how the UK Government can make your lives easier and I know we will get into them in the discussion. So just let me underline that today is just the next stage in our discussions – with SCVO and its members.
As long as I am there, you will always have an open door to the Scotland Office. And when you walk through it we will sit around the table as equals and have a proper debate about how we all can play a part in creating the better Scotland we both – civil society and politicians alike – come to work every day to build.
In collaboration with Government of Ukraine, UNICEF and the World Bank, £25m of UK funding will support an inclusive and sustainable social recovery in Ukraine.
The SPIRIT programme (Social Protection for Inclusion, Resilience, Innovation and Transformation) will support Ukraine to strengthen more inclusive and efficient social protection systems and revitalise community and family-based services.
SPIRIT will support the Foreign Secretary’s priority to ensure a safe and loving family for every child, improving social care services for 10,000 families across 10 regions
The programme will help Ukraine lay foundations for a recovery that meets the needs of citizens in all their diversity including people with disabilities, veterans and other war-impacted groups.
The UK will invest £25 million to strengthen Ukraine’s social protection system and services to support an inclusive and barrier-free recovery. The funding announced during the visit of the Foreign Secretary, David Lammy to Kyiv will catalyse Ukraine’s ambition for reform of the social sphere. This support will help Ukraine to meet the varied needs of the population and accelerate Ukraine’s Euro-Atlantic pathway. The UK will partner with UNICEF Ukraine and the World Bank to deliver SPIRIT, working closely with the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine, the European Union and key partners in the social sector.
The SPIRIT programme recognises that investing in people – and the support and services they need – will be critical for Ukraine’s long-term recovery and socio-economic future.
Russia’s full-scale invasion has had an immense and devastating human impact in Ukraine. This has been disproportionately felt by the most vulnerable and war-impacted groups, including women, children and families, people with disabilities, older people, veterans, and those in frontline areas.
The programme will support Government of Ukraine in their social reform agenda, bringing together Ministries and local government, international financial organisations, donors, civil society, academia, and private sector.
Following the signing of the ‘Social Recovery and Inclusion Partnership for Ukraine’ by the UK, the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine, the European Union, UNICEF and the World Bank at the Berlin Ukraine Recovery Conference 2024, SPIRIT demonstrates commitment of the UK government and partners to support Ukraine’s socio-economic future and further our collaboration.
The SPIRIT programme has three main priorities:
Improving access to high-quality community and family-based social services for at least 10,000 families with children across 10 regions. In cooperation with the Ministry of Social Policy, we will deliver small grants and capacity-building to 100 civil society and local community actors to enable them to provide social services, while building a local marketplace of accessible service providers and empowering local actors to meet the growing demand for social protection support.
Establishing a Social Recovery Office with the Ministry of Social Policy to drive reforms, improve coordination in the sector, and enhance collaboration with international financial institutions and development partners. The Social Recovery Office will help Ukraine respond to pressing demographic challenges, meet the needs of the most vulnerable, and support development of a more robust and inclusive social protection framework.
Launching a range of cross-sectoral initiatives that support social recovery and inclusion priorities in Ukraine. Projects will work across health, economic and social sectors, piloting new models of support and services to cater for the most vulnerable and war-impacted groups. This includes women, families with children, people with disabilities, older people, and veterans. These initiatives will foster human capital, enable inclusive reforms and build the institutional capacity needed for Ukraine to address the demographic, economic, and societal changes driven by the war.
The SPIRIT programme will support the Foreign Secretary’s campaign to realize family-based care for every child. Ukraine is a key partner in the Foreign Secretary’s new global alliance to progress sustainable, lasting reform of children’s social care around the world. Working with the Government of Ukraine and UNICEF, SPIRIT includes a specific focus on accelerating ‘Better Care Reform’ to strengthen families, prevent separation, and ensure a safe and loving family environment for all Ukrainian children.
The British Ambassador to Ukraine, Martin Harris said:
I am proud that the UK is announcing critical funding for Ukraine’s social recovery. The £25m contribution will strengthen Ukraine’s social systems and services that are under overwhelming pressure from Russia’s brutal invasion. Investing in Ukraine’s social systems is an investment in Ukraine’s people – and we know that Ukraine’s people are its greatest resource.
SPIRIT is a testament to 100 Year Partnership and shared values between our two countries, including our commitment to meet the needs of women, children, people with disabilities, older people, veterans, and marginalised groups.
In the very worst of circumstances, Ukraine is pursuing an ambitious reform agenda to build a brighter, fairer and ‘barrier-free’ society. In partnership with the Government of Ukraine, UNICEF and the World Bank, the SPIRIT programme will drive forward this vision and lay the foundations for a future where the well-being, dignity and potential of every Ukrainian is ensured.
Oksana Zholnovych, Minister of Social Policy of Ukraine outlined:
Human capital development is at the centre of Ukraine’s recovery. The SPIRIT programme represents a crucial step in building institutional capacity, strengthening the social protection system and supporting critical reforms to improve efficiency, effectiveness, and inclusion. We are grateful to our partners, the FCDO, World Bank, and UNICEF, for their support and shared commitment to fostering social cohesion, leaving no one behind.
Munir Mammadzade, UNICEF Representative to Ukraine indicates:
The SPIRIT programme is a critical investment in protecting and improving the lives of the most vulnerable, especially children and families in need across Ukraine. This initiative will further strengthen national systems and community-based services to nurture and maximize the country’s most important resource, its human capital, to drive inclusive and prosperous growth.
Bob Saum, World Bank Regional Country Director for Eastern Europe added:
Addressing social cohesion and inclusion, including meeting the needs of vulnerable populations will contribute to maximizing benefits of Ukraine’s post-war recovery economic growth. The SPIRIT program will help build institutional capacity to support veterans, people with disabilities, and other at-risk groups while advancing Ukraine’s EU integration goals.
EVERETT, Mass. — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement apprehended an illegally present 41-year-old Salvadoran fugitive wanted in his home country for aggravated homicide when officers arrested the fugitive Jan. 22 in Everett, Massachusetts. ICE is withholding the fugitive’s name and likeness due to privacy issues.
“This Salvadoran fugitive attempted to flee justice in his home country by trying to hide out in Massachusetts,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston acting Field Office Director Patricia H. Hyde. “Our ICE officers are the best in the business at finding foreign fugitives who don’t want to be found. Now this alien will have his day in court. ICE ERO Boston will continue our mission to prioritize public safety by arresting and removing alien offenders from our New England communities.”
The Salvadoran national illegally entered the United States on an unknown date, at an unknown location, without being admitted, inspected, or paroled by a U.S. immigration official.
Salvadoran authorities issued an arrest warrant for the fugitive for the offense of aggravated homicide Aug. 22, 2016.
ICE served him with a notice to appear before a Department of Justice immigration judge following his arrest.
Members of the public can report crimes or suspicious activity by dialing the ICE Tip Line at 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.
Learn more about the ICE mission to increase public safety in our communities on X at @EROBoston.
Green MP and party co-leader Adrian Ramsay has urged the government to divert planned new subsidies for the privately owned wood-burning Drax power station to a national home insulation scheme.
Adrian Ramsay said:
“Drax is a green energy scam, burning trees – some imported from ancient forests from as far away as Canada – subsidised by the taxpayer.
“The billions of pounds worth of subsidies run out in 2027, but the government is expected to try to renew them next week, turning taxpayer money into profits for a private company, instead of using the money to fuel a green energy revolution.
“Drax has benefitted from over £6 billion in subsidies since 2012 and neither taxpayers nor the environment can afford a penny more.
“The money should be used to help fund a national scheme of home insulation that would cut people’s energy bills and help to reduce energy use.
“Green MPs and Peers will be pressing the government to end this subsidy scandal and invest people’s money where it will make a real difference to them.”
We are pleased to advise that the section of road on the A926 from Rattray to Alyth at Pictfield which was closed for emergency gas repairs has now reopened to traffic.
Temporary traffic signals will be in operation while SGN repair works are ongoing, so some delays should be expected.
Stagecoach East Scotland have confirmed that with the road reopening, they will resume normal operation of their bus services from 2pm today. School transport contracts will also revert to their normal arrangements.
Thank you for your patience while the repairs continue.
A new welfare facility has been opened at the Army Training Centre (ATC) Pirbright to support recruits undertaking their initial military training.
One of the communal areas in the new Soldiers’ Centre. (Crown Copyright)
Significant investment in Alexander Barracks, Pirbright, has provided a modern, sustainable facility that supports the welfare of recruits.
The new Soldiers’ Centre offers centralised welfare support for recruits who are completing the 13-week basic training course. Spread over 2 storeys, the £11 million purpose-built facility comprises retail and food outlets, a cinema and social areas. It also functions as a gathering space for families attending passing out parades.
The investment was joint-funded by the British Army and the Army Central Fund (ACF) which provided a £7 million grant – the single biggest donation ever made by the ACF. The project was delivered by the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) contracting to Henry Brothers and WSP.
At the official opening of The Soldiers’ Centre on 31 January, Major General Richard Clements CBE, Director of Basing and Infrastructure, said:
The Soldiers’ Centre is an outstanding facility that will promote wellbeing and foster a sense of community among recruits at ATC Pirbright as they start their life journey with the army. This project also demonstrates our extensive investment in modernising our estate, supporting future capability, and enhancing the environments where our soldiers live, work and train.
The ACF Chair, Major General Sam Humphris MBE, said:
The Army Central Fund provides grant funding to improve the physical, mental and social wellbeing of serving British Army personnel and their immediate families. We are extremely proud of the leadership gift we made to enable delivery of this modern, high-quality welfare facility, which will support the morale of recruits and provide enduring benefit to them and their families.
In addition to supporting the recruits, The Soldiers’ Centre will contribute to local efforts to reduce the army’s carbon footprint. Modern methods of construction were used for the Glulam structural frame, while photovoltaic panels have been installed to enable generation of on-site renewable energy.
I am delighted to see this hugely impressive welfare facility being used by army recruits. We’ve focused on providing a building that has been designed with sustainability at its heart to meet the needs of soldiers and their families. We look forward to many cohorts of recruits passing through on the way to the rest of their army careers.
Exterior of the new Soldiers’ Centre in Pirbright. (Copyright Henry Brothers)
David Henry, Managing Director of Henry Brothers, said:
We are delighted to have completed The Soldiers’ Centre – a facility that reflects our commitment to delivering exceptional builds for our clients and which will make a positive contribution to the experience of recruits as they embark on their army careers.
Ray Lovegrove, Public Sector Portfolio Lead, WSP, said:
It has been a privilege for WSP to be engaged on this project from the earliest concept through to completion of this fantastic facility. It is great to see the vision, input and expertise of many people from different organisations come together this way, and I hope that The Soldiers’ Centre will be at the heart of the Pirbright community for many years to come.
Following completion of The Soldiers’ Centre, the army is making further significant investment to support consolidation of basic training at Pirbright under the Defence Estate Optimisation (Army) Programme. The Alexander Barracks Project will provide enhanced living, working and training accommodation, including modern recruit accommodation, a swimming pool and gymnasium. Construction is due to start in 2026 with completion scheduled for 2032.
Lt Col Bysshe COLDM GDS, Commanding Officer, ATC (Pirbright), said:
The Soldiers’ Centre provides a 21st century welfare facility for ATC (Pirbright). Serving recruits, permanent staff and families, it significantly enhances the lived experience for all. As the first new building within wider plans to overhaul a sizeable proportion of the Pirbright estate, it provides a tangible example of high-quality modernised infrastructure and sets the standard moving forward.
Long-lost Iron Age artefacts discovered by Military personnel and veterans have been declared as treasure.
Parts of a Celtic chariot, thought to be around 2000 years old, were discovered underneath the airfield at RAF Valley in Anglesey during an excavation by military personnel and veterans.
The Senior Coroner for North Wales (West) has now declared these discoveries as treasure. They will be gifted to Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales.
The archaeological excavations took place in April 2024 and were led by the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO). The investigation also included personnel and veterans from Operation Nightingale, a DIO initiative which supports the health and wellbeing of military personnel and veterans.
“Operation Nightingale is an innovative and award-winning programme that consistently shows the benefits that archaeology can offer to military personnel and veterans.
Congratulations to those who carried out the excavation and made this exciting discovery. Through their hard work, we are uncovering and preserving our history for future generations.”
Alistair Carns DSO OBE MC MP Minister for Veterans and People
The award-winning scheme sees wounded, injured, and sick personnel and veterans taking part in archaeological investigations across the Defence estate, providing unique experiences within the field.
The finds are believed to form part of the famed Llyn Cerrig Bach hoard, originally uncovered in the 1940s during work to extend the airfield at RAF Valley for American bombers during the Allied war effort. The hoard is one of the most important collections of Iron Age artefacts discovered in the UK, comprising over 150 bronze and iron objects deposited between 300BC and 100AD.
Among the new finds was a terret ring which would have been used to guide the reins of a Celtic chariot, featuring a red decorative inlay. The ring, found by retired RAF Squadron Leader David Ulke, is one of just three found with this particular decoration in Wales.
A second discovery, a horse bridle-bit thought to date to c. 60AD, was found by serving RAF Flight Sergeant Moore. Similar to those from the Polden Hill hoard found in Somerset, the bridle-bit would have been worn by horses pulling Iron Age chariots.
“These finds at RAF Valley are extremely exciting for all involved; the Llyn Cerrig Bach hoard is of national importance for Wales, and the United Kingdom as a whole. These new discoveries have confirmed the suspicions of earlier archaeologists that there was more to be found from this particular hoard.”
Richard Osgood DIO’s Senior Archaeologist
Richard Osgood continued: “It’s great that the personnel and veterans who take part in Operation Nightingale continue to be rewarded with finds of such historical importance. I am proud that the initiative plays a part in supporting personnel and veterans in their recovery and it’s fantastic to see the wonderful impact of this project.”
The Operation Nightingale team was given special permissions to carry out the excavation by RAF Valley, ahead of refurbishment works on the site’s airfield. Construction for these improvements began in September 2024.
“We’d been briefed on the sort of things we could expect to find, so when I uncovered the piece, I was pretty sure it was an Iron Age terret ring. To say I was the over the moon is probably an understatement! I’ve been involved in archaeology for many years and this was by far the most significant recovery I have ever made.
The fact that Operation Nightingale can bring together service personnel through archaeological digs shows how healing and helpful archaeology can be. It’s by no means a silver bullet, but many have benefitted, and I for one am one of those grateful beneficiaries.”
Squadron Leader (Retired) David Ulke Finder of the terret ring
“The search for the lost hoard was hard work and we had a huge area to cover. It wasn’t until the final day – with just 10 minutes to go – that I discovered the horse bridle-bit. At first the team thought I was joking, but quickly realised I’d found something special. Words could not explain how I felt in that moment, but it was a wonderful experience.
I’ve been involved in lots of Operation Nightingale digs now, and the experience truly is priceless for the veterans and service personnel taking part.”
Group Captain Gez Currie OBE, said: “It is incredible that we are again reminded of the significance of the site on the doorstep of RAF Valley and the importance it has in Welsh history. It was the preparation of RAF Valley in the 1940s to help prevent invasion, that brought to light the significance of this location and its links to an earlier invasion by the Romans.”
“The importance of RAF Valley to UK Defence today is beyond question, but this is a reminder that we are part of a continuum spanning over 2,000 years and we must be responsible stewards of this land. We are immensely proud to be part of efforts to discover and conserve these important artefacts from Welsh history and equally delighted that our own service personnel have been so intimately involved in these efforts.”
Group Captain Gez Currie OBE Station Commander at RAF Valley
The finds will now be gifted to the National Museum of Wales, which is home to several items from the initial Llyn Cerrig Bach hoard.
Senior Curator of Prehistory at Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales, Adam Gwilt, said: “It is amazing to think that these 2,000 year old artefacts have remained so complete and well-preserved within a shallow peat deposit, previously moved and dragged onto the airfield over 80 years ago from a nearby ancient lake!
The bridle-bit and terret are both of styles which are not represented amongst the original collection. They add important new information on the religious gifting of prized objects into the lake at the end of the Iron Age, a little before, or at around the time when the Roman Army invaded Anglesey.”
“It is great that these artefacts will be made accessible for display and public benefit at Oriel Môn. I look forward to working collaboratively in coming years with the museum, the heritage centre at RAF Valley and the Operation Nightingale team, so this great story can be celebrated and shared by all.”
Individual parts from retired fighter jets have been ground down and 3D printed into new components suitable for the UK’s next generation of military aircraft – a first of its kind initiative for the Royal Air Force.
The innovative recycling project has seen parts from old Tornado aircraft turned into powered metal and used to 3D print new components suitable for Tempest jets. This is a great example of UK-developed technology of the future, and demonstrates UK defence industry as an engine for growth and a key part of the Government’s Plan for Change.
The development could save taxpayer money, reduce the UK’s reliance on global supply chains of critical and high value metals and produce components that are lighter, stronger, and longer lasting than those made through traditional forging techniques.
Many of the Ministry of Defence’s surplus assets contain strategic metals, including high quality steel, aluminium, and titanium, and the Tornado 2 Tempest project team have been identifying whether some of these components could be atomised into powders – known as “feedstock” – for additive manufacturing to make new parts.
Tornado parts containing titanium, including jet engine compressor blades from a low-pressure air compressor, were selected. They were cleaned, successfully atomised and recycled into a 3D printed nose cone and compressor blades by Additive Manufacturing Solutions Limited (AMS) for Orpheus – Rolls-Royce’s small engine concept that is part of the MOD’s Future Combat Air System (FCAS) programme delivering Tempest.
The nose cone was fitted onto an Orpheus test engine and passed suitability and safety checks – demonstrating the technique has potential use in the sixth-generation jet.
“The Tornado 2 Tempest project highlights the creativity, ingenuity and innovation defence employs in our approach to national security.
By working with key industry partners, we can deliver savings, reduce reliance on global supply chains and ensure our Armed Forces have the very best kit to keep our country safe.
Not only does this initiative have a positive impact on the environment and national security, it supports the domestic defence industry acting as an engine for growth, which is at the heart of Plan for Change.”
Maria Eagle Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry
The project was led by Defence Equipment and Support’s (DE&S) Defence Recycling & Disposals Team (DRDT) in partnership with the MOD FCAS team, Rolls-Royce and AMS based in Burscough, Lancashire.
The initiative also led to the creation of three jobs and sustained two at Small Medium-Sized Enterprise (SME), AMS. The business now expects to create 25 new jobs by offering the innovation to other suppliers.
A team of more than 80 people participated in the project, including DRDT’s commercial graduates and Rolls-Royce graduate apprentices, combining current skills and innovative technologies to deliver and maintain future capabilities.
Funded by UK Strategic Command’s Defence Support Organisation in relation to its Circular Economics for Defence Concept Note, the feat shows that turning old parts into new is viable and could bring huge benefits to the MOD and wider Defence, especially through increasing the accessibility of strategic metals to the UK Defence industry and suppliers.
The MOD’s Chief of Defence Logistics and Support (CDLS) recently awarded the Tornado 2 Tempest Rolls-Royce Team a CDLS Commendation in recognition of their commitment and dedication to the delivery and improvement of support to the front line.
The team also demonstrated a Digital Product Passport (DPP) by capturing and recording material provenance and lifecycle data. This can potentially enable more informed decisions around material allocation and protect against the use of counterfeit materials.
“The Tornado 2 Tempest project exemplifies the forward-thinking sustainability principles embedded in the FCAS Sustainability Strategy and MoD Defence Support Strategy.
This project is bold, exciting and innovative, and a demonstration of exemplary collaboration between the MoD, industry and SME, furthering the drive for circular economy practices and innovative digital enablers in Defence.”
Andrew Eady Rolls-Royce
“At AMS our tagline is ‘Innovative Solutions for a Sustainable Future’ and we were confident our innovations and ideas would have a great bearing on the future of a resilient supply.
This project turned our proposed solutions into a reality, and we have been very humbled and grateful to the MOD and Rolls Royce, for allowing us to showcase our capability to deliver game-changing circular economy processes and parts in Defence.”
Royal Air Force aviators have joined counterparts from the United States, Canada and Australia on Exercise Red Flag Nellis 25-1, considered one of the world’s toughest air combat training environments, to hone their war-fighting skills.
RAF personnel, including Rivet Joint aircrew from 51 Squadron, Air Operations Controllers from 19 Squadron and 20 Squadron, along with eight Typhoons and a Voyager aircraft are participating in the exercise, running 27th January to 14th February at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada, United States.
Exercise Red Flag was established by United States Air Force in 1975, after the Vietnam War revealed the first 10 combat missions to be the most dangerous for aircrews. The first 10 missions of a modern air campaign are recreated in Red Flag to provide an invaluable experience for all participants.
Generations of RAF aviators have attended this exercise, and it continues to evolve and reflect the threats and challenges faced on modern operations. Missions are conducted to the nearby Nevada Test and Training Range, and further to the southwest of the United States where there is integration with maritime units.
This year’s exercise involves approximately 3,000 personnel and up to 150 aircraft over 15 different locations, conducting large force employment missions in a range of scenarios.
The exercise is renowned for its use of ‘aggressor’ forces including simulated enemy fighter aircraft, ground-based radars and simulated surface-to-air missiles – and even cyber and space-based elements that simulate threats for each mission.
The Tactical Command and Control team’s role is to manage and control all of those aircraft, alongside other elements and units working in the ground, maritime, cyber and space-based domains, to accomplish the mission. The scale and complexity of Exercise Red Flag Nellis cannot be replicated elsewhere, which makes it an outstanding place to build experience and reinforce a close working relationship with the United States, Australia and Canada.
Acquiring new platforms, upgrading current platforms so they remain relevant, and ensuring the support solutions, supplies and spares are in place. This is the unsung role of Defence Equipment and Support.
Squadron Leader Lisney talks with DE&S’s Director Fixed Wing and Director Rotary Wing, UAS and Air Enablers, to find out how they deliver warfighting capability to the RAF, and hears what to look out for in the coming years.
InsideAIR is produced for the Royal Air Force by RAF Media Reserves. Theme music by RAF Music Services.
UK Armed Forces personnel and veterans are joining counterparts from 20 nations to compete in adaptive sports at the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025.
Team UK comprises 62 competitors – all wounded, injured and sick serving personnel and veterans, who have experienced a range of challenging physical and mental injuries sustained while serving in the UK Armed Forces either at home or abroad.
Team UK departing for the Invictus Games 2025 in Vancouver.
Some of Team UK, who serve or served in the RAF, have shared their inspiring recovery journeys in this short documentary, ‘I AM INVICTUS: Finding me again’.
This video contains emotional discussions around mental and physical health that some viewers may find upsetting. If you are affected by any of the issues raised, please see the link below for support.
What the competitors want to share with those listening, is how powerful the Invictus Games can be in your recovery.
“A big thing for me is I really want to keep promoting the programme. Because for me it’s been so powerful. If that can just reach one person that felt the way I did, and help them to realise, you may think you’ve tried everything but there are other things out there. I really hope that my contribution to the Invictus Games and my part of the programme and the journey isn’t about what we achieve this time round, it’s about getting other people involved for the legacy of the games. So that they get involved next time round and it helps them.”
Corporal Matthew ‘Twitch’ Wickens
The Invictus Games uses the power of sport to inspire recovery, offering a recovery pathway that helps wounded, injured or sick servicemen and women reclaim their purpose, identity and future, beyond their injury. The Ministry of Defence and the Royal British Legion are supporting Team UK to compete at the seventh Invictus Games, which features winter sports for the first time. Selection for the Games is based on the recovery benefit to each individual, rather than solely on expected performance.
Access to adaptive sports and the opportunity to participate in the Invictus Games is just one way the Royal British Legion & MOD supports the wounded, injured and sick Armed Forces community. There are also adventurous training and theatre and art programmes available for personnel, veterans and families which are delivered by partners via the RAF Recovery and Support Team.
In recent months, Team UK have been preparing for the Games at the Royal British Legion’s Battle Back Centre in Lilleshall, which promotes the use of adaptive sport and adventure activities to help improve confidence and positively impact mental health and wellbeing. These activities are designed to help each individual achieve their best possible recovery and either return to Service duty or make a smooth transition to civilian life.
The Invictus Games will be broadcast in the UK between 8-16 February on ITV in the UK. Nine daily highlight shows will be available on ITVX across the duration of the Games, which will include the Opening Ceremony.
If you or a friend needs help or support, visit the Health and Wellbeing page for links to resources and partners who can help.
In 1981, American physicist and Nobel Laureate, Richard Feynman, gave a lecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) near Boston, in which he outlined a revolutionary idea. Feynman suggested that the strange physics of quantum mechanics could be used to perform calculations.
The field of quantum computing was born. In the 40-plus years since, it has become an intensive area of research in computer science. Despite years of frantic development, physicists have not yet built practical quantum computers that are well suited for everyday use and normal conditions (for example, many quantum computers operate at very low temperatures). Questions and uncertainties still remain about the best ways to reach this milestone.
What exactly is quantum computing, and how close are we to seeing them enter wide use? Let’s first look at classical computing, the type of computing we rely on today, like the laptop I am using to write this piece.
Classical computers process information using combinations of “bits”, their smallest units of data. These bits have values of either 0 or 1. Everything you do on your computer, from writing emails to browsing the web, is made possible by processing combinations of these bits in strings of zeroes and ones.
Quantum computers, on the other hand, use quantum bits, or qubits. Unlike classical bits, qubits don’t just represent 0 or 1. Thanks to a property called quantum superposition, qubits can be in multiple states simultaneously. This means a qubit can be 0, 1, or both at the same time. This is what gives quantum computers the ability to process massive amounts of data and information simultaneously.
Imagine being able to explore every possible solution to a problem all at once, instead of once at a time. It would allow you to navigate your way through a maze by simultaneously trying all possible paths at the same time to find the right one. Quantum computers are therefore incredibly fast at finding optimal solutions, such as identifying the shortest path, the quickest way.
Think about the extremely complex problem of rescheduling airline flights after a delay or an unexpected incident. This happens with regularity in the real world, but the solutions applied may not be the best or optimal ones. In order to work out the optimal responses, standard computers would need to consider, one by one, all possible combinations of moving, rerouting, delaying, cancelling or grouping, flights.
Every day there are more than 45,000 flights in the United States alone, and worldwide there are thousands of airlines connecting tens of thousands of airports. This problem would take years to solve for a classical computer.
On the other hand, a quantum computer would be able to try all these possibilities at once and let the best configuration organically emerge. Qubits also have a physical property known as entanglement. When qubits are entangled, the state of one qubit can depend on the state of another, no matter how far apart they are.
This is something that, again, has no counterpart in classical computing. Entanglement allows quantum computers to solve certain problems exponentially faster than traditional computers can.
A common question is whether quantum computers will completely replace classical computers or not. The short answer is no, at least not in the foreseeable future. Quantum computers are incredibly powerful for solving specific problems – such as simulating the interactions between different molecules, finding the best solution from many options or dealing with encryption and decryption. However, they are not suited to every type of task.
Classical computers process one calculation at a time in a linear sequence, and they follow algorithms (sets of mathematical rules for carrying out particular computing tasks) designed for use with classical bits that are either 0 or 1. This makes them extremely predictable, robust and less prone to errors than quantum machines. For everyday computing needs such as word processing or browsing the internet, classical computers will continue to play a dominant role.
There are at least two reasons for that. The first one is practical. Building a quantum computer that can run reliable calculations is extremely difficult. The quantum world is incredibly volatile, and qubits are easily disturbed by things in their environment, such as interference from electromagnetic radiation, which makes them prone to errors.
The second reason lies in the inherent uncertainty in dealing with qubits. Because qubits are in superposition (are neither a 0 or 1) they are not as predictable as the bits used in classical computing. Physicists therefore describe qubits and their calculations in terms of probabilities. This means that the same problem, using the same quantum algorithm, run multiple times on the same quantum computer might return a different solution each time.
To address this uncertainty, quantum algorithms are typically run multiple times. The results are then analysed statistically to determine the most likely solution. This approach allows researchers to extract meaningful information from the inherently probabilistic quantum computations.
From a commercial point of view, the development of quantum computing is still in its early stages, but the landscape is very diverse with lots of new companies appearing every year. It is fascinating to see that in addition to big, established companies like IBM and Google, new ones are joining, such as IQM, Pasqal and startups such as Alice and Bob. They are all working on making quantum computers more reliable, scalable and accessible.
In the past, manufacturers have drawn attention to the number of qubits in their quantum computers, as a measure of how powerful the machine is. Manufacturers are increasingly prioritising ways to correct the errors that quantum computers are prone to. This shift is crucial for developing large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computers, as these techniques are essential for improving their usability.
Google’s latest quantum chip, Willow, recently demonstrated remarkable progress in this area. The more qubits Google used in Willow, the more it reduced the errors. This achievement marks a significant step towards building commercially relevant quantum computers that can revolutionise fields like medicine, energy and AI.
After more than 40 years, quantum computing is still in its infancy, but significant progress is expected in the next decade. The probabilistic nature of these machines represents a fundamental difference between quantum and classical computing. It is what makes them fragile and hard to develop and scale.
At the same time, it is what makes them a very powerful tool to solve optimisation problems, exploring multiple solutions at the same time, faster and more efficiently than classical computers can.
Domenico Vicinanza, Associate Professor of Intelligent Systems and Data Science, Anglia Ruskin University
Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) students have raised over £110,000 for the British Heart Foundation through a scheme that sees them donate their unwanted household items.
The Green Move Out initiative began in 2015, encouraging students moving out of university accommodation to donate household items that they no longer need. Donation points are located around ARU’s campuses in Chelmsford and Cambridge, as well as some off-site student residences.
In 2024, students donated 6,784kg of items, the equivalent weight of about 60 baby elephants. The goods donated are estimated to have a value of £12,720, taking the total value of goods donated to the BHF to £111,280 in just 10 years.
Among the most commonly donated items are books, clothes and cookware. Although the scheme is primarily targeted at students living in ARU accommodation, any student or staff can donate items and donations can be made at any time of year.
“2024 was another fantastic year for our Green Move Out scheme, which has been hugely successful both in reusing items that may otherwise have been thrown away, and in contributing to a charity that does such wonderful work.
“I thank all our students and staff who have donated items, and I am sure 2025 will be another strong year for donations.”
James Rolfe, Chief Operating Officer at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU)
“Anglia Ruskin University has been raising money for the British Heart Foundation since 2015. The students generously donate items to us through our Pack for Good campaign and we couldn’t be more grateful for their continued support.
“Every year, using these donations, BHF shops and stores raise millions of pounds to help the BHF fund lifesaving research into heart and circulatory diseases. We couldn’t do this without the continued support of students, like those at Anglia Ruskin.”
Natasha Feltham, university account executive at the British Heart Foundation
Shera McAloran, who is the founder of Karri Kitchens pictured with Chris Leach from ABC Community Food Hub.
A Craigavon-based food business has been praised for their generous donation to the ABC Community Food Hub.
Karri Kitchen have kindly given 360 prepared meals to be redistributed through the social supermarkets which are part of the ABC Community Food Hub set up to help those people experiencing food insecurity.
With support from Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon (ABC) Borough Council, the Community Food Hub was co-designed to provide a centralised location for food donations to be distributed to food banks and social supermarkets within the ABC Borough.
Shera McAloran who is the founder of Karri Kitchen, said: “It is our pleasure to be able to donate some of our healthy and nutritious meals to the ABC Food Hub. As a business based in the ABC Council area, we are keen to support local organisations who are providing much-needed help to people in crisis.
“Food is a passion for our business, and we are happy to share that experience with people at a time of need. Knowing that our donations are being distributed through the hub to social supermarkets who journey alongside clients gives us confidence that what we give, makes a difference to those who need it the most.”
Chris Leech from the ABC Community Food Hub said the donation by Karri Kitchen would make an important impact. “Our primary goal is to coordinate food donations from our amazing local food sector and channel these donations to organisations who are supporting people in crisis. We are impressed by the generosity of companies like Karri Kitchen, who want to share their award-winning meals with our social supermarket and food bank network,” said Chris.
“Our strategy in 2025 is to develop this partnership between business and the community sector, ensuring that the generosity of local businesses is met with the best practice support of our local poverty relief charities.
“Appropriate food support at a time of crisis, coupled with wrap-around support, can both meet an immediate poverty need and deliver ongoing empowering support. This wrap-around support helps to tackle some of the more complex issues that many people in our community face. Businesses are happy to meet their corporate social responsibility status and know that their community benefits.”
For those seeking help from the ABC Community Food Hub, social supermarkets and wraparound services are available in seven locations, ABC Community Food Hub, Craigavon; Stepping Stones Pantry, Armagh; The Pantry, Banbridge; Freedom Foods Pantry, Lurgan; Freedom Foods Pantry, Portadown; Via Wings Larder, Dromore and the Salvation Army, Lurgan.
Workers and the community of Grangemouth deserve support for their future.
Workers and the community in Grangemouth will not forget it if they are abandoned by their governments, says Scottish Green MSP Gillian Mackay.
Ms Mackay, who represents Grangemouth and who grew up and still lives in the shadow of the refinery, was responding to news that the site could close as early as May.
Ms Mackay said:
“This is a further devastating blow to hundreds of workers and to a community that feels like it has been abandoned and left to the will of a detached billionaire.
“All of us in the town know somebody who is employed at the site, and we all know the businesses who rely on it. Three months is no time at all, and a lot of people will be extremely worried and angry about what is happening.
“The Labour government was elected on a promise to step in and save the jobs, but those words are looking extremely hollow today. With only months to go, it is clear that they have no plan to protect workers or to provide jobs for the future.
“The workers in Grangemouth could have a crucial role to play in our green future. But warm words alone about a just transition won’t pay the bills, it needs investment and it needs a proper plan.
“The workers and the community will not forget it if they are abandoned by their governments at a time when they need them the most.
“We can’t let Grangemouth go the same way as so many other communities and towns where big businesses have cut and run while jobs have been lost and people have suffered.
“Workers should not be in this position. I implore the Scottish and UK governments to pull out all stops and work with the trade unions and the community to protect workers.”
HM Treasury announces that Dame Sue Owen will serve a second three-year term as Non-Executive Chair (NEC) of the UK Debt Management Office (DMO) Advisory Board.
Dame Sue was previously a civil servant for 30 years, including serving as the Permanent Secretary at the Department for Culture, Media & Sport from 2013 to 2019. She also worked on fiscal policy and debt management policy at HM Treasury.
She was first appointed to the role, which involves chairing Advisory Board meetings and providing support and challenge to the Debt Management Office (DMO) executive team, in 2022.
The Economic Secretary to the Treasury, Emma Reynolds MP, said:
I am delighted that Dame Sue Owen will be serving a second term at the Debt Management Office.
Her expertise and experience has been, and will continue to be, incredibly valuable to the organisation as it continues its vital mission of delivering government financing.
Dame Sue Owen said:
The DMO has an exceptionally important role and I am very happy to have this further opportunity to provide continuity and support to the CEO, her team, and Treasury colleagues.
Jessica Pulay, Chief Executive of the DMO, said:
Dame Sue Owen’s reappointment as Non-Executive Chair of the DMO’s Advisory Board is greatly welcomed by myself, the DMO’s executive team and wider DMO colleagues. We look forward to working with her over the years ahead, as we continue to deliver the DMO’s remit to finance the UK government.
Further information:
The DMO is an Executive Agency of HM Treasury and is responsible for delivering HM Government’s debt management and cash management requirements, lending to local authorities, and managing certain public sector funds.
Dame Sue Owen is the first Non-Executive Chair (NEC) of the Advisory Board. The appointment of a NEC was a recommendation included in the Tailored Review of the DMO, published in June 2021.
This reappointment was made by HM Treasury ministers, in line with the requirements of the Governance Code for Public Appointments
Dame Sue Owen DCB is an experienced and respected economist. She spent 10 years as an academic and 30 years in the civil service, including 14 years at HM Treasury, where she worked with the DMO as a non-executive member of its Managing Board from 2002-06. She also held senior roles at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), Department for International Development (DfID), and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), before retiring as Permanent Secretary of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport in April 2019. Dame Sue is now a specialist partner at Flint-Global, a non-executive Director at Pool Re, Pantheon International plc, Methera Global Communications and Serco plc, a trustee for Opera Holland Park and she chairs the Royal Ballet Governors.
GAD’s inaugural Investment Conference attracted a packed house of professionals across investment, pensions and government.
Credit: Unsplash
The role of the Government Actuary’s Department (GAD) in investment issues in the public sector were among the topics discussed in our inaugural Investment Conference. The event attracted more than 140 people from almost 60 different organisations.
GAD’s Investment Lead Chris Ward introduced the theme of the conference – ‘productive investment to maximise value’ and delegates heard from a wide range of speakers including:
Ireland Strategic Investment Fund
Border to Coast Pensions Partnership (a Local Government Pension Scheme Pool)
Investment management firms:
Baillie Gifford
First Eagle
Novum Investment Management
Partners Group
Credit: GAD
Topics and discussions
Delegates heard from experts who spoke to various topics such as:
alternative approaches to generating returns while having a wider economic and societal impact
the impact of scale and the scale of impact when it comes to pensions investing
how you can invest to grow your assets and create a positive impact
why now is the time for investing in growth and how volatility of asset pricing is different to investment risk
Unique role
In closing remarks, the Government Actuary Fiona Dunsire emphasised the role of those working in the public sector, and supporting the public sector, to contribute towards the government’s number one mission of kickstarting the UK’s economic growth.
Commenting on the event Fiona said: “GAD has a unique role in connecting institutional investors with policy and opportunities, allowing barriers to be aired and addressed.”
Meet north Wales’s newest resident: the Aesculapian snake (_Zamenis longissimus_).Nathan Rusli
All animals live in or seek a set of climate conditions they find tolerable. This “climate envelope” partially determines where animals are found, but the continued existence of many species now rests on the outcome of human-driven climate change.
Rising temperatures are moving the available climate niches of many species into areas which were previously too cool. While their ranges shift poleward or to higher elevations, their habitat downslope or closer to the equator shrinks, as it becomes too hot to live in.
Flying and marine animals are relatively free to follow these shifting niches. Birds and butterflies are two examples. New species arrive regularly in the UK with the warming climate and are generally met with excitement by enthusiasts and scientists alike, given that they are a natural effort by a species to make the best of a difficult situation.
However, many grounded species, including reptiles and mammals, cannot disperse through habitats split apart by roads and other human-made obstacles, or cross natural barriers like the Channel. This limits their ability to find suitable conditions and makes them vulnerable to extinction.
Nowhere to go?
Here is the dilemma for conservationists like us.
We normally focus on preserving species within their modern ranges, and have traditionally viewed species that end up outside theirs as a problem. But retaining the status quo is increasingly untenable in the face of unchecked climate change.
Should we consider conserving species that have moved, or been moved, outside of the native ranges that existed before industrial society and its greenhouse effect? Should we even consider deliberately moving species to conserve them? Introduced species that have established just outside of their native ranges, in slightly cooler climates, offer a glimpse of the likely consequences.
Our new study in north Wales focused on one such migrant. Aesculapian snakes (Zamenis longissimus) are nonvenomous reptiles that mostly eat rodents and are native to central and southern Europe, reaching almost to the Channel coast in northern France.
Two accidental introductions, one in Colwyn Bay, north Wales, and another along the Regent’s Canal in London, have allowed this species to thrive in Britain. It is not actually novel to our shores, but it disappeared during a previous ice age and has probably been absent for about 300,000 years.
While the introduced UK populations appear to be thriving, recent surveys of this snake in the southern parts of its range have discovered a rapid decline, potentially due in part to climate change.
A good neighbour
Given their status as a non-native species, we were keen to find out how Aesculapian snakes are surviving in chilly north Wales, further north than anywhere they currently occur naturally. To do this, we implanted 21 snakes with radio transmitters and spent two summers tracking them around the countryside.
Aesculapian snakes are elusive and wary of humans. Tom Major
Our results surprised us. The snakes had a trump card which seemed to help them weather the cool climate. They were frequently entering buildings – relatively warm refuges – while they were digesting food or preparing to shed their skin. They also used garden compost bins for shelter and to incubate their eggs.
Even more surprisingly, most residents did not mind the snakes. In fact, many had no idea they had snakes as neighbours because they kept such a low profile, typically hiding in attic corners. The snakes appear to coexist with normal suburban wildlife, and there are no indications that their presence is affecting native species.
Should successfully established, innocuous immigrants be proscribed and potentially eradicated, as is currently the case? Or should they be valued and conserved in the face of current and impending climate change?
Protecting and conserving the maximum possible diversity of species and ecosystems is the heart of the conservation agenda. However, the rapid pace of change forced upon our planet requires us to rethink what is practical and desirable to achieve.
Conservation within the silos of national boundaries is an increasingly outdated way of trying to maintain the diversity underlying global ecosystems. Instead, conservationists may need to accept that the rapidly changing environment necessitate shifts in the ranges of species. And perhaps, even assist those species incapable of moving on their own.
Introductions have allowed this snake to flourish on an island it would never naturally reach. Antonio Gandini
Unlicensed “guerrilla” releases are obviously unacceptable due to biosecurity risks (for example, the potential to introduce devastating diseases such as the amphibian-killing Bsal fungus) and other unforeseen consequences. Even legitimate reintroductions often fail, due to there being too few individual specimens, pollution or predation from invasive species.
Aesculapian snakes will be considered by the government for addition to the list of alien species of special concern, which would be grounds for eradication. It would be tragic if species such as this became extinct in parts of their natural range, while thriving introduced populations just to the north of their pre-industrial distribution are treated as undesirable aliens that must be removed.
Instead, we argue that this innocuous species should be the figurehead for new thinking in conservation biology, that incorporates the reality of impending further climate change and dispenses with the narrow constraints of national boundaries and adherence to pre-industrial distributions.
Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?
Wolfgang Wüster receives funding from the Leverhulme Trust.
Tom Major does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Joseph N. Cooper, Endowed Chair of Sport Leadership and Administration, UMass Boston
On the day after the New England Patriots ended their NFL season with a miserable 4-13 record, team owner Robert Kraft fired Jerod Mayo, the team’s first Black head coach. In a press conference following his decision, Kraft explained that he put Mayo in “an untenable situation” by hiring him to lead an underperforming team.
Kraft’s assessment reflects an all-too-familiar reality for Black coaches in the NFL. Though Black players account for 53% of all NFL players, only 19% of head coaches are Black men.
At the beginning of the 2024 season, the NFL set its own league record with nine of its 32 head coaching jobs held by minorities. In addition to Mayo, Las Vegas’ Antonio Pierce, Pittsburgh’s Mike Tomlin, Tampa Bay’s Todd Bowles, Atlanta’s Raheem Morris and Houston’s DeMeco Ryans are Black. They were joined by Carolina’s Dave Canales, who is Mexican American, Miami’s biracial Mike McDaniel and the New York Jets’ Robert Saleh, who is of Lebanese descent.
By season’s end, three of those coaches were gone, including the Raiders’ Pierce. Pierce, like Mayo, was given one season to turn around a team with a losing record. Saleh was fired during the season.
In my view as a scholar of race and professional sports, the firings revealed the NFL’s double standard for Black head coaches and suggest that Black men are still valued more for their athletic prowess than their leadership skills.
During a Fox NFL Sunday show shortly after Mayo’s firing, former Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski called Mayo’s firing shocking, disappointing and “unfair.”
ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith was quick to blame the race of Mayo as a factor. “They call it Black Monday for a reason,” Smith said. “Jerod Mayo was clearly not given a lengthy enough opportunity.”
A checkered history
In 1921, a year after the NFL’s inaugural season, Fritz Pollard became the first Black head coach when he was hired to lead the Akron Pros. It would take nearly 70 years before the NFL had its second Black head coach – Art Shell of the Oakland Raiders in 1989.
Since then, Black coaches have had few chances in the NFL. Even fewer have succeeded. Only two Black head coaches have won Super Bowl titles: Tony Dungy of the Indianapolis Colts in 2007 and Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2008.
To address the lack of Black head coaches, the NFL enacted in 2003 what is known as the Rooney Rule, a hiring practice named after Dan Rooney, the former owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers who sat on the NFL’s diversity committee. The rule requires teams to include two minority candidate during the interview process for head coaching jobs and was later applied to general managers, senior executives and assistant coaches.
But even with the rule, the percentage of Black coaches has consistently been lower than the percentage of Black players. Research has shown that Black coaches are both less likely to be promoted to head coaching jobs than their white counterparts and less likely to receive a second chance after a losing season.
In fact, since the Rooney Rule was instituted in 2003, nonwhite coaches have been more than three times as likely to be fired after one season than white coaches, according to data collected by the USA Today NFL Coaches Project.
Their data did not include the scores of Black assistant coaches who are routinely overlooked for their first head coaching jobs.
Eric Bieniemy, for example, shared two Super Bowl championships as offensive coordinator with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2019 and 2022. Given his experience, he was widely expected by NFL analysts to earn a head coaching job.
In order to pursue that goal, Bieniemy left the Chiefs in 2023 to join the Washington Commanders and was a favorite to become the team’s next head coach. But the Commanders were sold at the end of the 2023 season, and the new owners promptly fired him.
Bieniemy is back in the NFL after being hired in February 2025 by the Chicago Bears as their running backs coach, a lower rank than his prior position as offensive coordinator.
The benefit of the doubt
In 2020, the NFL expressed its support for the Black Lives Matter movement by promoting social justice messages on end zones and players’ helmets. The NFL also hired Roc Nation, Hip-Hop mogul Jay-Z’s company, to manage its music and entertainment.
A year later, the NFL formally ended their decades-long practice of race norming in which the league routinely gave Black players lower baseline cognitive ratings than white players in legal actions related to concussions and subsequent dementia.
But those measures, much like the Rooney Rule, have not closed the racial disparities among NFL head coaches and have not stopped white coaches from appearing to be more likely to receive the benefit of the doubt.
Still unresolved is a 2022 lawsuit filed by Black head coach Brian Flores. Despite posting two winning seasons during his three-year tenure, he was fired by the Miami Dolphins. Flores filed a suit against the NFL, the Miami Dolphins and two other NFL teams alleging widespread racial discrimination and hiring practices.
During an interview with reporters before the 2025 Super Bowl, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell defended the league’s diversity initiatives, saying, “We’ve proven to ourselves that it does make the NFL better.”
Goodell was quick to point out that the NFL’s diversity efforts do not mean a “quota system” in which a certain number of candidates of each race are hired.
“There’s no requirement to hire a particular individual on the basis of race or gender,” Goodell said. “This is about opening that funnel and bringing the best talent into the NFL.”
Joseph N. Cooper does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
The UK will host Western Balkans leaders for the Berlin Process Summit in Autumn 2025.
UK to host major summit with Western Balkans leaders in Autumn 2025.
Summit will boost cooperation with Western Balkans partners to tackle irregular migration along key transit routes, delivering on the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change.
Diplomat Karen Pierce appointed as the UK’s Special Envoy to the Western Balkans.
The UK will host leaders of the six Western Balkans countries and other European leaders later this year for a crucial international Summit to support stability, security and economic co-operation in the region.
It will also focus on how to work together to combat the region being used as a transit route for irregular migration, with the Government focussed on using every tool at its disposal to control the UK’s borders.
Known formally as the Berlin Process, the Summit will strengthen cooperation with European partners to help deliver on the UK Government’s strategy to strengthen borders, smash the gangs, and get those with no right to be here returned to their countries.
As one of the UK’s most experienced diplomats, Dame Karen Pierce DCMG has been appointed the UK Special Envoy to the Western Balkans, charged with driving forward the UK’s strategic objectives across the region, including preparations for the Summit.
The summit comes as the UK develops a world first sanctions regime to snare people smugglers upstream.
Foreign Secretary, David Lammy said:
The Western Balkans is of long-standing importance to the UK, and our partnerships in the region are central to our efforts to tackle irregular migration and bear down on the evil trade in human lives. Hosting the Berlin Process in the UK demonstrates our commitment to European Security, and to delivering on the Government’s Plan for Change.
With her experience and expertise, Dame Karen Pierce is the ideal person to drive this important work forward. I would like to thank Lord Peach for his personal dedication and service in advancing UK interests in the Western Balkans over the past 3 years.
Minister for Border Security and Asylum, Angela Eagle said:
Co-operation is key if we want to stop people making dangerous journeys to the UK. Which is why, through the Border Security Command, we are rebuilding strong relationships across Europe and beyond to address the common challenge of irregular migration and secure our borders.
This government has already agreed new deals to increase operational co-operation on organised immigration crime with countries including North Macedonia, Serbia, and Kosovo. Our international work, alongside a stronger immigration enforcement approach being taken in the UK, will ensure we are breaking the business model of the people-smuggling gangs at every level.
The UK’s hosting of the Summit in partnership with Germany underlines this government’s commitment to resetting its relationships with Europe, and the latest step in the government’s strategy to build enduring partnerships to bear down on criminal groups facilitating irregular migration.
The announcement follows the Prime Minister hosting German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at the weekend.
Last month, the Foreign Secretary visited Tunisia to boost support for projects to tackle the drivers of small boat arrivals in Europe and the UK.
In January, the UK also announced plans for the world’s first sanctions regime to take down people smuggling rings and starve them of illicit finance fuelling their operations.
With three NATO allies present in the region, the Western Balkans is of critical importance for UK and European security. The risk of instability increasing: regional tensions are aided by malign
Russian influence and there is an urgent need to crack down on criminal gangs who have made the region into a major transit route for irregular migration across Europe.
The UK’s Special Envoy will also contribute to wider missions of the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change, including working to disrupt organised crime groups to make Britain’s streets safer and promote opportunities for British businesses to deliver economic growth.
Before serving as British Ambassador to the United States, Dame Karen Pierce was the UK’s Permanent Representative to the UN in New York – the first female officer to hold each position.
She will take up her new position in the Spring, taking over from Air Chief Marshal The Lord Peach KG GBE KCB DL.
