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Category: United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Why many kidney patients are still choosing hospital dialysis – and how the NHS can help more people access care at home

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Leah McLaughlin, Research Fellow in Health Services, Bangor University

    PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock

    Every week, thousands of people with kidney disease in the UK spend long hours in hospital receiving life-saving dialysis. For many, this means travelling to a kidney unit three times a week and sitting through sessions that last four hours or more. It’s a huge commitment that affects people’s ability to work, travel and maintain a normal social life.

    But for many with kidney failure, there’s another option: dialysis at home. It’s more flexible, often less disruptive and, in the long run, more cost-effective for the NHS. So why do most people still choose hospital dialysis?

    A parliamentary summit in May reflected on how to make dialysis more accessible to patients at home. My colleagues and I published research on this topic in 2019. Working in partnership with people who have kidney disease, their families, NHS staff, dialysis providers and kidney charities, we explored the barriers to home dialysis, and how to overcome them.

    People with kidney failure need either a transplant or regular dialysis to filter waste from their blood. Despite NHS guidance that at least 20% of people on dialysis should be supported to have this treatment at home, this target isn’t being met in many parts of the UK.

    A kidney dialysis machine.
    ali.can0707/Shutterstock

    Our research team, which included people who had experienced dialysis, held discussions with 50 people from across Wales. Many told us that hospital dialysis was presented by healthcare staff as the default option. For those who had not yet come to terms with needing dialysis, or who had delayed planning due to the unpredictable nature of kidney disease, hospital treatment felt like the path of least resistance.

    Some were concerned about the disruption home dialysis might bring. This included changes to their living space or worries that partners or family members might become their carers. Others valued the routine and regular social contact of hospital dialysis.

    Healthcare professionals may unintentionally reinforce this choice. Some feel more comfortable monitoring patients in clinical settings or are unsure about how to support home dialysis effectively. In some cases, home dialysis isn’t an option because local services don’t have the infrastructure to support it.

    Rather than simply identifying problems, we worked together to develop practical solutions. In 2021, working with patients, healthcare professionals, charities, commissioners and industry, we devised a new service plan that outlines how kidney services could be redesigned to support more people to choose home dialysis.

    One important finding was the power of talking to others already doing it. It’s not just about practical advice, but reassurance that it can work.

    We also identified the need for better training for both professionals and patients. People told us they wanted to understand their options earlier, ideally a year before dialysis starts. That means tackling difficult topics, such as advance care planning, sooner and with the right support.

    Social care also has an important role to play. People with complex needs – like living alone, having mobility challenges, or experiencing financial hardship – may need home support, welfare advice or help navigating the system.

    The cost of choice

    In a linked study, published in 2022, we analysed the costs of different dialysis options. Home dialysis was found to cost between £16,000 and £23,000 per person per year.

    Hospital dialysis costs more, between £20,000 and £24,000, rising to over £30,000 when ambulance transport is needed. This suggests that encouraging more people to have dialysis at home could deliver savings for the NHS.

    In Wales, where all kidney services are coordinated through a single clinical network, home dialysis is more widely available. But in England, services are more fragmented, so access can depend on where you live.

    Even if these changes were implemented, fundamental issues may still prevent progress. Beneath the surface of patient satisfaction lies a deeper problem – the NHS dialysis service is no longer working as intended.

    Transport is one of the most frequently cited concerns among people receiving hospital dialysis, and no one seems satisfied with current arrangements. But satisfaction surveys fail to capture the complexity of the situation.

    People often begin dialysis in a unit that isn’t closest to home due to availability. Later, when given the option to move closer or switch to home dialysis, they may decline. These dialysis units begin to function as surrogate families, offering comfort, routine and social interaction, especially for people who live alone or are isolated.

    This emotional connection can obscure the bigger picture. Patients may focus on transport as the issue, rather than recognising that their own decisions – shaped by understandable human needs and system design – are part of the wider challenge.

    shutterstock.
    ali.can0707/Shutterstock

    Staff are caught in the same dynamic. They worry about losing patients they’ve built relationships with or fear someone may not cope alone. But as a result, the service ends up operating not to help people live well for longer but to preserve a sense of satisfaction with a suboptimal status quo.

    By focusing too heavily on keeping people content with the status quo, we risk obscuring what’s truly working, or not. Worse, we may end up wasting already limited resources trying to fix problems that are byproducts of a system shaped more by sentiment than strategy.

    Meanwhile, staff are caught in the middle, trying to deliver care under mounting pressure, with increasingly blurred expectations.

    What needs to change

    To break out of this cycle, different questions should be asked, and not just whether people are satisfied, but whether they are living well, maintaining independence and receiving care that truly reflects their needs and values.

    Our research shows that people already on home dialysis are a valuable and underused resource. They can offer support and insight to others who are starting their treatment.

    The collaborative approach we used could be a model for other parts of the NHS. By designing services with people, not just for them, we can move closer to a future where more people live comfortably with kidney disease, and care that truly fits around their lives and not the other way round.

    Leah McLaughlin receives funding from Health and Care Research Wales. She is affiliated with the Wales Kidney Research Unit.

    We would like to acknowledge Dr Gareth Roberts Chief Investigator of the Dialysis Options and Choices study. Dr Gareth Roberts is a Consultant Nephrologist and Associate Medical Director at Aneurin Bevan University Health Board and is clinical lead of the Welsh Renal Clinical Network.

    – ref. Why many kidney patients are still choosing hospital dialysis – and how the NHS can help more people access care at home – https://theconversation.com/why-many-kidney-patients-are-still-choosing-hospital-dialysis-and-how-the-nhs-can-help-more-people-access-care-at-home-254747

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Why many kidney patients are still choosing hospital dialysis – and how the NHS can help more people access care at home

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Leah McLaughlin, Research Fellow in Health Services, Bangor University

    PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock

    Every week, thousands of people with kidney disease in the UK spend long hours in hospital receiving life-saving dialysis. For many, this means travelling to a kidney unit three times a week and sitting through sessions that last four hours or more. It’s a huge commitment that affects people’s ability to work, travel and maintain a normal social life.

    But for many with kidney failure, there’s another option: dialysis at home. It’s more flexible, often less disruptive and, in the long run, more cost-effective for the NHS. So why do most people still choose hospital dialysis?

    A parliamentary summit in May reflected on how to make dialysis more accessible to patients at home. My colleagues and I published research on this topic in 2019. Working in partnership with people who have kidney disease, their families, NHS staff, dialysis providers and kidney charities, we explored the barriers to home dialysis, and how to overcome them.

    People with kidney failure need either a transplant or regular dialysis to filter waste from their blood. Despite NHS guidance that at least 20% of people on dialysis should be supported to have this treatment at home, this target isn’t being met in many parts of the UK.

    A kidney dialysis machine.
    ali.can0707/Shutterstock

    Our research team, which included people who had experienced dialysis, held discussions with 50 people from across Wales. Many told us that hospital dialysis was presented by healthcare staff as the default option. For those who had not yet come to terms with needing dialysis, or who had delayed planning due to the unpredictable nature of kidney disease, hospital treatment felt like the path of least resistance.

    Some were concerned about the disruption home dialysis might bring. This included changes to their living space or worries that partners or family members might become their carers. Others valued the routine and regular social contact of hospital dialysis.

    Healthcare professionals may unintentionally reinforce this choice. Some feel more comfortable monitoring patients in clinical settings or are unsure about how to support home dialysis effectively. In some cases, home dialysis isn’t an option because local services don’t have the infrastructure to support it.

    Rather than simply identifying problems, we worked together to develop practical solutions. In 2021, working with patients, healthcare professionals, charities, commissioners and industry, we devised a new service plan that outlines how kidney services could be redesigned to support more people to choose home dialysis.

    One important finding was the power of talking to others already doing it. It’s not just about practical advice, but reassurance that it can work.

    We also identified the need for better training for both professionals and patients. People told us they wanted to understand their options earlier, ideally a year before dialysis starts. That means tackling difficult topics, such as advance care planning, sooner and with the right support.

    Social care also has an important role to play. People with complex needs – like living alone, having mobility challenges, or experiencing financial hardship – may need home support, welfare advice or help navigating the system.

    The cost of choice

    In a linked study, published in 2022, we analysed the costs of different dialysis options. Home dialysis was found to cost between £16,000 and £23,000 per person per year.

    Hospital dialysis costs more, between £20,000 and £24,000, rising to over £30,000 when ambulance transport is needed. This suggests that encouraging more people to have dialysis at home could deliver savings for the NHS.

    In Wales, where all kidney services are coordinated through a single clinical network, home dialysis is more widely available. But in England, services are more fragmented, so access can depend on where you live.

    Even if these changes were implemented, fundamental issues may still prevent progress. Beneath the surface of patient satisfaction lies a deeper problem – the NHS dialysis service is no longer working as intended.

    Transport is one of the most frequently cited concerns among people receiving hospital dialysis, and no one seems satisfied with current arrangements. But satisfaction surveys fail to capture the complexity of the situation.

    People often begin dialysis in a unit that isn’t closest to home due to availability. Later, when given the option to move closer or switch to home dialysis, they may decline. These dialysis units begin to function as surrogate families, offering comfort, routine and social interaction, especially for people who live alone or are isolated.

    This emotional connection can obscure the bigger picture. Patients may focus on transport as the issue, rather than recognising that their own decisions – shaped by understandable human needs and system design – are part of the wider challenge.

    shutterstock.
    ali.can0707/Shutterstock

    Staff are caught in the same dynamic. They worry about losing patients they’ve built relationships with or fear someone may not cope alone. But as a result, the service ends up operating not to help people live well for longer but to preserve a sense of satisfaction with a suboptimal status quo.

    By focusing too heavily on keeping people content with the status quo, we risk obscuring what’s truly working, or not. Worse, we may end up wasting already limited resources trying to fix problems that are byproducts of a system shaped more by sentiment than strategy.

    Meanwhile, staff are caught in the middle, trying to deliver care under mounting pressure, with increasingly blurred expectations.

    What needs to change

    To break out of this cycle, different questions should be asked, and not just whether people are satisfied, but whether they are living well, maintaining independence and receiving care that truly reflects their needs and values.

    Our research shows that people already on home dialysis are a valuable and underused resource. They can offer support and insight to others who are starting their treatment.

    The collaborative approach we used could be a model for other parts of the NHS. By designing services with people, not just for them, we can move closer to a future where more people live comfortably with kidney disease, and care that truly fits around their lives and not the other way round.

    Leah McLaughlin receives funding from Health and Care Research Wales. She is affiliated with the Wales Kidney Research Unit.

    We would like to acknowledge Dr Gareth Roberts Chief Investigator of the Dialysis Options and Choices study. Dr Gareth Roberts is a Consultant Nephrologist and Associate Medical Director at Aneurin Bevan University Health Board and is clinical lead of the Welsh Renal Clinical Network.

    – ref. Why many kidney patients are still choosing hospital dialysis – and how the NHS can help more people access care at home – https://theconversation.com/why-many-kidney-patients-are-still-choosing-hospital-dialysis-and-how-the-nhs-can-help-more-people-access-care-at-home-254747

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK commits to international legal order with European partners

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    UK commits to international legal order with European partners

    The Attorney General Lord Hermer KC has reiterated the UK’s commitment to upholding international legal order at a flagship event with European partners held in London.

    Resetting the UK’s relationship with Europe, and proactively and unequivocally supporting the international legal order, are amongst the Government’s top priorities.

    To support this, the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) hosted a Venice Commission event on Monday 7 July in collaboration with the FCDO and the Bingham Centre for the Rule of law.

    The event was attended by key members of the Council of Europe’s Venice Commission, member states and civil society groups.

    Delegates discussed shared commitments to the rule of law, human rights and democracy, and contemporary challenges to the rules-based order, such as AI, migration and climate change.

    The event also provided an opportunity for the UK and European partners to actively support the Council of Europe’s Venice Commission’s work on updating its Rule of Law checklist.

    The event also marked the 35th anniversary of the creation of the Venice Commission (on 10 May 1990) and sought to identify ways in which the Venice Commission and the Council of Europe could give practical effect to the Principles.

    Speaking at the event the Attorney General Lord Hermer KC said:

    When I look at what you have been discussing today – protecting and promoting the rule of law and its importance to prosperity, freedom and security, I see discussions we need to have now – rooted in real world issues.

    At a time when it feels like the world is becoming ever more polarised and there is a tendency for retreat into the familiar and the insular – it is important to use what we have at our disposal to encourage cooperation and shared understanding.

    The Rule of Law Checklist is one of those rare things that does this and has intergovernmental support.

    Lord Collins of Highbury, Minister for Multilateral and Human Rights, said:

    The rule of law is not just a legal principle, but the foundation of public trust and institutional legitimacy, and only by communicating its everyday relevance can we build and sustain trust. 

    Members of The Venice Commission from across the world underscore the global desire for democracy and rights rooted in legal principles, and I hope the updated Rule of Law checklist will support efforts by governments globally to reinforce the crucial links between democracy, human rights, and the integrity of legal systems.

    Updates to this page

    Published 8 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to study looking at underlying mechanisms of the known, rare side effect, vaccine-induced immune thrombosis and thrombocytopenia (VITT), associated with adenoviral Covid vaccines

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    A study published in the NIHR’s Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation journal looks at the mechanisms of a known rare side effect, vaccine-induced immune thrombosis (VITT) and thrombocytopenia, associated with adenoviral Covid vaccines.

    Prof Adam Finn, Professor of Paediatrics, University of Bristol, said:

    “This is a summary of the findings to date of several distinct pieces of research intended to increase our understanding of VITT.  The work was extensive, took a number of different approaches, and provided some additional evidence around the potential pathogenetic mechanisms.  However, a complete understanding of the genetic and environmental factors which drive these rare reactions remains elusive, partly because of the relatively small number of individuals affected who could be studied.”

    ‘Understanding mechanisms of thrombosis and thrombocytopenia with adenoviral SARS-CoV-2 vaccines: a comprehensive synopsis’ by Phillip LR Nicolson et al. was published in the NIHR’s Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation journal.

    DOI: 10.3310/FFSS9010

    Declared interests

    Prof Adam Finn: “Adam Finn is a member of JCVI subcommittees relating to varicella-zoster, pneumococcal and respiratory syncytial virus vaccines and of the WHO working group on COVID19 vaccines.  He leads epidemiological research for the University of Bristol funded by Pfizer.  He undertakes paid consultancy for multiple vaccine development and manufacturing companies.  He was an investigator in trials of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID19 vaccine during the pandemic.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Sinn Fein Thumbs Its Nose at IRA Victims Again

    Source: Traditional Unionist Voice – Northern Ireland

    Statement by TUV Party Chairman, Causeway Councillor Allister Kyle:

    “Today Sinn Fein once again showed its contempt for the victims of IRA terrorism, as Mary Lou McDonald took to social media to commemorate the death of IRA gunman Joe McDonnell. She described him as ‘a beacon in the struggle for the freedom and unity of Ireland.’

    “Let’s be clear: the only thing Joe McDonnell should be remembered for is his failed attempt to bomb a furniture shop. He was rightly convicted of possession of firearms and explosives, and involvement in a bombing campaign.

    “Yet for his efforts to plant a bomb in a civilian area, the Sinn Fein leader holds him up as a role model — a “beacon” for the kind of Ireland she wants to create. That speaks volumes.

    “Without a trace of irony, Ms McDonald quotes McDonnell saying: “I am prepared to die if necessary, and I know that I may die.” But the grim reality is this: the hunger strikers chose to end their own lives. That choice was not afforded to the more than 1,700 men, women and children who were murdered by the IRA”.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Transforming the UK’s road and rail networks

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Oral statement to Parliament

    Transforming the UK’s road and rail networks

    Outlines the 5 strategic road schemes and 5 key rail upgrades that will support 42,000 jobs and pave the way for 1.5 million new UK homes.

    I’d like to make a statement on how we are reconnecting Britain. Today (8 July 2025), I am announcing one of the most transformative investments for our transport network in a generation. We’re greenlighting over 50 road and rail projects, touching every corner of the country– from more rail capacity in Oxford and better roads in Newcastle, to new stations in Devon. This is what delivering on our Plan for Change looks like.

    Browse the interactive map of road and rail investment schemes

    Read a list of road and rail investment schemes

    See the Green light for over 50 road and rail upgrades supporting over 39,000 new homes and 42,000 jobs press release, 8 July 2025

    We said we would raise living standards, so today’s announcement is taking the brakes off growth – supporting 42,000 new jobs and slashing journey times. We said we’d build 1.5 million new homes, so we’re directly supporting the construction of 39,000 new properties, showing how transport can lift up communities and improve lives. And we said we’d accelerate to net zero, so we’ll not only make our roads safer and less congested, we’ll not only continue the EV transition in a pragmatic way.

    But we’ll get more people on public transport – backing our railways with new links and more electrified track. More Jobs. New housing. Better journeys. These are the people’s priorities, Mr Speaker, and they’re mine too.

    None of this was inevitable. We’re here because this government is restoring stability to our finances and honesty to our politics. Thanks to the 10-Year Infrastructure Strategy, we’re committing at least £725 billion for infrastructure over the next decade.

    Restoring confidence, driving growth and transforming how projects are delivered. And, through phase 2 of the Spending Review, £92 billion will be spent to get Britain moving.

    Madam Deputy Speaker, we’ve already confirmed where some of this money is going. Billions of pounds for upgrades on the TransPennine Route – the backbone of our Northern cities, a commitment to build the East-West Line to Cambridge, the biggest ever investment in local transport across the Midlands and the North and over £2 billion to enable Transport for London (TfL) to continue with the purchase of new Piccadilly, Bakerloo and DLR trains. And, as the Chancellor said last month, we will be confirming plans for Northern Powerhouse Rail soon.

    However, today, I can provide more detail on how we’ll use our Spending Review settlement. Let me start with our main highways. Madam Deputy Speaker, it should be no surprise when I say the Strategic Road Network is one of our most important national assets. Carrying one third of all traffic, two thirds of our freight, generating £400 billion for our economy. These essential arteries sustain our businesses, our trade, and our very way of life. Yet with much of the network built in the 1970’s and 1980’s, not only are many routes in need of renewal. But there are pinch points where nothing short of new infrastructure will do.

    So, after careful consideration, I can announce we will fund 5 more strategic road enhancement projects. That starts with a continuous dual carriageway on the A66 across the Pennines – strengthening road safety, cutting journey times by 12 minutes, and getting more people to the region’s stunning National Parks. We’re also linking up the M54 and M6 and expanding capacity on the A38 in Derby. That means better links for thousands of workers in the Midlands, as well as supporting over 15,000 new homes across Derby. And we’ve also set aside funding for the A46 Newark Bypass scheme and the Simister Island interchange in Greater Manchester, with both schemes now awaiting the outcome of the live planning process.

    Madam Deputy Speaker, 97% of trips directly depend on our road network – from cycling to bus, walking to cars – you name it, our roads carry it. That’s why we’re investing record funding to fill an extra 7 million potholes this year and it’s why we extended the temporary cut in fuel duty at the last Budget. It’s also why this government will always be on the side of the British people who depend on our roads day in day out. Today, we’re going even further. I have approved full business cases on the Middlewich Eastern Bypass and the A382 from Drumbridges to Newton Abbot, meaning these can now enter construction. I can also announce we have secured funding to continue to take forward 28 schemes, from Somerset to Skipton and Newcastle to North Hykeham.

    Madam Deputy Speaker, I’ve spoken about the dozens of schemes that will transform road journeys across the country. Decisions we’ve made to prioritise those essential trips to work, to the shops, to see loved ones and to keep our vital freight sector moving. Now, let me turn to the railway – and the projects that will deliver more reliable journeys for passengers. We know rail investment outside London is well overdue. The Spending Review ramped up funding for the TransPennine Route Upgrade and East West Rail. And the new Midlands Rail Hub will see the region’s most ambitious rail improvement scheme to date. Thanks to government funding, huge numbers of additional trains and 20 million extra seats could be added to services in and out of Birmingham each year. But this isn’t just about delivering big-ticket projects.

    I can, today, announce new rail stations at Wellington and Cullompton in the South West, which will bring significant benefits to local communities. Following representations from Mayor David Skaith and the honourable member for York Outer, I have also decided to fund the reopening of Haxby Station on the York to Scarborough line. We’ll replace the aged signalling system on the Tyne and Wear Metro – securing the benefits of that service for the next generation. And I have listened carefully to Mayor Helen Godwin and the HM for North Somerset about the need to reopen the Portishead Line, and today, I can confirm we will do just that, connecting 50,000 additional people to the network.

    Madam Deputy Speaker, make no mistake: these, and other projects, will not just improve the passenger experience but are downpayments on future growth, better connectivity, and the new jobs and homes this government has promised.

    Now, I know honourable members will have specific schemes in their constituencies which are at the early stages, or which haven’t been funded in this SR period, or which were cancelled, but not announced, by the previous government.

    Let me reassure colleagues that many of these are worthy projects and we will keep them under review. The soon-to-be-published infrastructure pipeline will set out our longer-term outlook and give colleagues the transparency which, for years, I know they’ve sorely lacked.

    Madam Deputy Speaker, it’s important to set the context. We know critical infrastructure projects were promised. We know expectations were raised. And, sadly, we know there was no plan to pay for them. Indeed, schemes that formed part of the previous government’s major road network programme, all of which were meant to be in construction by now, have not progressed as expected. Almost half are yet to reach the outline business case stage, despite being in the programme for 6 years. Years of dither and delay wasted everyone’s time and left communities in limbo. This, I must say, is the tragic legacy of the farcical ‘Network North’ announcement made by the previous Prime Minister.

    So it falls to this government to make the difficult, but sensible, choices around future transport projects. To level with the British public. To provide much-needed certainty. And to govern with integrity. Only those projects that are fully costed, affordable and deliver a return on taxpayers’ money will be given the green light under my watch. That means no more blackholes and no more busted budgets. No more promising the public the moon on a stick. Those days are over.

    I have therefore taken the difficult decision, on the Strategic Road Network, not to progress the A12 widening scheme. This and dualing the A66 were 2 of the most expensive strategic schemes on the table, and it was impossible to continue with both. We have also decided not to progress the A47 Wansford to Sutton scheme. We are already investing over £500 million on improvements to the A47 corridor, with work to dual sections in Norfolk already underway. But it’s just not feasible to support further investment at this time. I understand some communities will feel frustrated. But by taking this decision, we’re rebalancing funds towards those areas that, for too long, haven’t had the infrastructure investment they’ve deserved. The North and Midlands will now get a higher proportion of strategic road spend than we’ve seen in the last 5 years. 

    I believe that’s the right and fair thing to do.

    Finally, Mr Speaker, the previous government spent years developing plans for large local schemes and major road network projects that were neither affordable nor got off the ground. We can’t go on like this. While I have today written to colleagues and councils about 28 schemes, which we will fund, many others now need to be reviewed. My officials will work with councils on which schemes to prioritise and I will update the House on next steps once those discussions have taken place.

    Madam Deputy Speaker, we are making a once-in-a-generation commitment to get Britain moving. Better roads and new rail links will raise living standards, increase opportunity and deliver on our Plan for Change. Throughout, we will always put the British people first. That means being honest about the inevitable trade-offs. It means understanding that financial stability remains the bedrock of economic growth. And it means ensuring we always deliver the best value for taxpayers’ money. I truly believe talent exists right across this country, yet poor connectivity is a drag on opportunity and places a ceiling on people’s aspirations. That changes now. We will reconnect Britain. And we will deliver the world class transport infrastructure this country needs. That’s my mission. And I commend this statement to the House.

    Updates to this page

    Published 8 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Record breakers! Stoke-on-Trent hosts world’s biggest tea party

    Source: City of Stoke-on-Trent

    The people of Stoke-on-Trent are officially world record holders, after the city smashed a Guinness World Record.

    Around 15,000 people came together across 194 venues today (Tuesday, 8 July), breaking the world record for the largest cream tea party held across multiple venues.

    The event was held to mark 100 years of city status as people came together across the city to share jam and cream scones and a cup of tea in a bid to make history.

    Guinness World Records adjudicators attended five venues – the Victoria Hall, Hanley; DoubleTree by Hilton, Festival Park; Jubilee Hall, Stoke Town Hall; Stoke Minster and NatWest Bank, Hanley – to formally verify the record.

    Tea and scones were enjoyed by 777 people across the five officially-verified venues – successfully breaking the previous record and making Stoke-on-Trent’s Centenary year even more unforgettable.

    Stoke-on-Trent’s twin city, Erlangen in Germany, also held a number of tea parties to celebrate the record attempt. The city’s mayor – and a number of schools – all took part to support Stoke-on-Trent.

    Councillor Steve Watkins, the Lord Mayor of Stoke-on-Trent, said: “What an incredible way to mark our centenary year, by officially breaking the record for the world’s biggest tea party and bringing thousands of people together in a true show of unity and community spirit.

    “This wasn’t just about the numbers – it was about celebrating who we are, a city built on pride, resilience and togetherness. Vis unita fortior – united strength is stronger – is our motto. And today we proved exactly that, by coming together and being record breakers.

    “Congratulations to everyone who took part, wherever you took part – you’ve made history, and you’ve done Stoke-on-Trent proud.”

    Councillor Lyn Sharpe, Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s Centenary Champion, said: “Well done, Stoke-on-Trent. You’re record breakers, ducks!

    “I’m so proud that the city I love came together to celebrate our centenary by smashing an official world record. What a way to mark 100 years of Stoke-on-Trent.

    “Families, friends, neighbours and colleagues came together proving that the simple act of sharing a cuppa can be something extraordinary when done together.”

    Nicky Twemlow from YMCA North Staffordshire, part of the event’s organising team, said: “This incredible achievement shows the world what we’ve always known here in Stoke-on-Trent, that when we come together, we can achieve great things.

    “Every cup of tea shared today was a reminder of our city’s warmth, pride and community spirit.”

    Hassan Rizvi, principal and chief executive at Stoke on Trent College, said: “Stoke on Trent College is truly honoured to play our part in a Guinness World Record, for the world’s largest cream tea party.

    “This is a fantastic way to continue the celebrations for the Centenary of Stoke-on-Trent.”      

    Lisa Healings, Chief Executive of VAST, said: “Stoke-on-Trent’s Centenary year has been a fantastic chance for the city to come together, and to remember and celebrate the amazing community spirit that exists.

    “The Big Centenary Tea Party was an opportunity for local voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations to bring together their staff, volunteers, members, and clients to say thank you, for the people of Stoke-on-Trent to be part of something memorable, and for local businesses to get involved in supporting events in their local area.

    “To have also broken a Guinness World Record just makes the event even more special for everyone involved and proves that when we put our minds to it, the people of Stoke-on-Trent can achieve great things.”

    Tom Nadin, head of project and business services at the Staffordshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “The City of Stoke-on-Trent setting the Guinness World Record for the world’s largest tea party, during our Centenary year, is more than a feel-good moment – it’s proof of our community’s warmth and togetherness.

    “For the Chamber, it shows what’s possible when local businesses and residents come together with pride and creativity. In Stoke-on-Trent, we don’t just make the tea – we make history with it.”

    Steve Adams, chief executive of Community Foundation for Staffordshire & Shropshire, said: “That’s how you win a world record attempt!

    “The true winner in this is our fantastic city, and this event demonstrated how much unity exists in Stoke-on-Trent.

    “People, charities and businesses from all walks of life, all backgrounds and all environments have come together to celebrate our city and work together for one goal.

    “It just goes to show how much we can achieve when we all pull together. That’s what makes Stoke-on-Trent great, and now we hold the record the world will know it too!”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Update on plans to safeguard heritage assets on Lower Kirkgate

    Source: City of Leeds

    Senior councillors will next week be updated on efforts to safeguard the future of key heritage assets on an historic street in Leeds city centre.

    A row of derelict privately-owned buildings on Lower Kirkgate has been cordoned off for safety reasons – and the road closed to traffic – since one of the properties suffered a partial collapse in April last year.

    Leeds City Council is intending to carry out a 16-week programme of stabilisation work on the buildings after their current owners – two linked companies called City Fusion and Kirkgate Land Residential – failed to take the necessary steps to make them safe. It will then seek, as is its legal right, to recover the cost of this work from the companies.

    The council is separately seeking to acquire the properties with a view to them being fully restored and brought back into meaningful long-term use, complementing the regeneration activity that has been successfully delivered elsewhere on Lower Kirkgate.

    Now a new report – due to be considered at a meeting of the council’s executive board next Wednesday, July 16 – has set out how these parallel courses of action are proceeding.

    The report confirms that the council is in continuing negotiations with City Fusion and Kirkgate Land Residential over its proposed purchase of the properties.

    It also confirms that a market value offer – based on an independent valuation undertaken in line with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors’ Red Book Global Standards framework – for the buildings has been made by the council but to date this has not been accepted.

    As a result, next week’s executive board meeting will be asked to approve the development by the council of a case for the potential compulsory purchase of the buildings.

    A compulsory purchase would only be pursued as a tool of last resort if a negotiated sale cannot be agreed and no other options remain available that would enable the full restoration of the properties.

    Any formal decision – or resolution – on the use of compulsory purchase powers would be reserved until a future and as-yet unspecified meeting of executive board.

    The report also confirms that the council hopes to be in a position to complete its 16-week programme of stabilisation work on the buildings by the end of 2025.

    With detailed designs for this work close to being finalised, it is anticipated that a start on site should be possible during August.

    An update on plans for the reopening of the road after the work has been completed will be provided in due course.

    Councillor Jonathan Pryor, Leeds City Council’s deputy leader and executive member for economy, transport and sustainable development, said:

    “The situation on Lower Kirkgate is a complex one and clearly remains a major source of frustration and concern for local residents and businesses.

    “We are determined to find a solution to the issues affecting this historic street, where important heritage assets have been allowed to fall into a serious state of disrepair.

    “It should be stressed that, at the current moment in time, the at-risk buildings are not owned by the council.

    “We are, however, acutely aware of the need to protect the 18th and 19th-century fabric of Lower Kirkgate.

    “It is against this backdrop that we are continuing to pursue the separate but parallel courses of action outlined in the report to next week’s executive board meeting.”

    The report also sets out how the council attempted – for more than a decade – to facilitate improvements to the buildings.

    Key to these improvements would have been the award of grant support from a council-backed regeneration scheme called the Lower Kirkgate Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI).

    Despite its best efforts, however, the council was unable to formally agree terms for this award of THI funding before the scheme came to an end last year.

    THI grants helped drive the restoration of a number of other buildings on Lower Kirkgate, including the Grade II-listed First White Cloth Hall, as well as a fundamental redesign of the local street-scene.

    The report that will be considered at next week’s executive board meeting can be found in full at item number 16 here.

    Notes to editors:

    City Fusion and Kirkgate Land Residential were served with an urgent works notice by Leeds City Council in February this year.

    This legal document gave the companies 28 days to start a programme of stabilisation work on a number of at-risk buildings owned by them on Lower Kirkgate.

    Their failure to meet the deadline for compliance means the council – using statutory powers granted to local authorities by the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 – has the right to carry out the work itself. The drawing up of detailed designs for this work began in March.

    Planning regulations required the council to secure permission from the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport before the urgent works notice could be issued.

    Approval was granted by the Secretary of State in December following an application made by the council in August 2024.

    The buildings currently pose no threat to public safety, with protective hoardings being placed in front of them following last April’s partial collapse. The ‘buffer zone’ created by the hoardings means that Lower Kirkgate is currently closed to traffic.

    ENDS

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Approval set to be a blur as Leeds council chiefs all go hand in hand to back £23.9m new Parklife sports hubs

    Source: City of Leeds

    New sports facilities set for Woodhall in Calverley and Green Park in Temple Newsam

    Senior councillors in Leeds are set to give a final green light next week to a £23.9million investment in two new sports hubs in the city.

    At the meeting of the council’s executive board at Civic Hall on Wednesday 16 July, councillors are expected to approve work starting on new sports pitches and supporting pavilion facilities at Woodhall in Calverley and Green Park in Temple Newsam.

    The plans for the sites have been developed by Leeds City Council in partnership with the Football Foundation as part of their national Parklife (Sports Hubs) programme, which aims to increase the number of third generation artificial grass pitches in the country.  

    At each site, three new full-sized pitches with floodlighting will be created for football and rugby use along with other play areas, biodiversity habitats, landscaping and parking. The Green Park site will also include a large multi-use hard court space that can be used for accessible or wheelchair sports or those sports needing a hard surface such as hockey or basketball. It will also offer walking and running routes in a park setting to encourage active lifestyles.

    Both sites will also feature a new sports pavilion building providing a café and meeting space together with ancillary features such as toilets and changing rooms, including Changing Places toilet facilities.

    The plans have been refined and developed following consultation with the public, local sports clubs, disability groups and local councillors, with changes made to accommodate feedback received.

    The new hubs are to be funded by Leeds City Council, the Football Foundation, Section 106 developer contributions and private sector funding. Proposals are also being developed for a possible third site at the former Matthew Murray High School in Holbeck, with further details on those plans to follow.

    If approved, work would begin at Woodhall in August to be completed in a year with the new facilities open the end of August 2026. At Green Park initial ecological works would begin in August before construction starting in October, with the new pitches ready for play in August 2026 and the new sports pavilion opening the following month.

    Once opened the hubs will be managed by the National Football Trust, a not-for-profit organisation, with all surplus income generated to be reinvested in outdoor sports facilities across Leeds.

    Leeds City Council executive member for adult social care, active lifestyles and culture Councillor Salma Arif said:

    “These new facilities look fantastic and this project represents a significant investment in helping encourage people of all ages to live active and healthy lifestyles. Not only will they offer superb new sports facilities, these hubs will become focal points for entire communities to make use of and enjoy, so we look forward to seeing them created and open next year. We are delighted to be working with the Football Foundation, National Football Trust and all partners and stakeholders in making this wonderful project a reality.”

    To see the report being considered by the executive board visit Council and democracy (agenda item 6).

     

    ENDS

     

    For media enquiries please contact:

    Leeds City Council communications and marketing,

    Email: communicationsteam@leeds.gov.uk

    Tel: 0113 378 6007

     

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK approach to freedom of religion or belief: Lord Collins’ speech, July 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

    Speech

    UK approach to freedom of religion or belief: Lord Collins’ speech, July 2025

    Minister responsible for human rights, Lord Collins of Highbury, gave a speech at an event outlining the UK’s approach to freedom of religion or belief.

    Welcome everyone. It’s great to see you all this morning.

    It was here in this magnificent room last year that the Foreign Secretary and I set out the United Kingdom’s approach to human rights and governance.  

    A few days later, the Prime Minister appointed David Smith MP as the UK’s Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief – or FoRB.

    Thank you to David for the energy and commitment he has brought to the role over the last 7 months.

    Before I hand over to him to outline our approach to freedom of religion or belief, I want to reflect on why it matters so deeply to the UK and how we’re making a difference.

    Many of you will know that this is a cause I have championed for a long time. As the Foreign Secretary has said, the rights and freedoms of individuals must be front and centre of all our work.

    We promote human rights, including FoRB, not just because it is in our national interest but also because it is the right thing to do. Human rights, the rule of law and good governance are not just ideals we aspire to. They are the foundations that drive this government’s missions.  

    The evidence is clear. Countries that uphold rights and the rule of law tend to be more stable, more prosperous and more resilient. That’s why I wrote to all Heads of Mission last month, underlining the importance of embedding our human rights priorities into every aspect of our work.

    Doing so supports our partners, strengthens our alliances, and helps us tackle shared challenges, whether that’s conflict, climate, growth or migration. And I encouraged our diplomats to draw on the expertise of our dedicated Special Envoys, including David.

    As you know, the right to freedom of religion or belief sits at the heart of our human rights approach and is central to the UK’s foreign policy. Because championing FoRB is about championing equal rights for all.  

    We know that where this freedom is under threat, other rights are often at risk too. And we know that violations disproportionately affect women and minorities.

    So this is about standing up for people who face discrimination, harassment, or even violence, simply for what they do, or do not, believe. 

    Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights affirms that everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion.

    But these rights still remain out of reach for too many people. From Uyghurs in China, to Church members in Nicaragua, to religious and ethnic minorities caught up in Sudan’s civil war, and Ukrainians under siege by Russia, persecution and repression are a daily reality.

    We know this work is complex. There is no one size fits all. In that context, we must prioritise approaches that deliver results on the ground. Sometimes that requires speaking out publicly. Sometimes it means engaging privately. We have and will continue to do both.

    We are not afraid to raise issues and we do so regularly. But we also know that real progress comes through partnership. That’s why we work with others across governments, civil society, and multilateral institutions, to find common ground and deliver change.  

    Earlier this year, I was relieved to hear of the release of Mubarak Bala, a Nigerian atheist and president of the Humanist Association of Nigeria. He had been imprisoned for sharing posts on Facebook which allegedly insulted the prophet Muhammad. His release was the result of a long running campaign by Humanists International, which the UK was pleased to support, along with many of you here today.  

    Similarly, I know many of you were actively seeking the release of Pastor Lorenzo Rosales Fajardo in Cuba, jailed for peaceful protest. Our Foreign Secretary wrote an open letter to him in December to express solidarity and publicly call on the Cuban authorities to release him. And we were delighted to hear of his release in January.  

    These are powerful reminders that our collective efforts can have real impact. And we must also learn from the past to meet the challenges of the present. That’s why the UK was proud to hold the presidency of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance over the last year.

    We used our initiative to lead international efforts to promote Holocaust remembrance, tackle distortion, strengthen the fight against antisemitism, and ensure that future generations remember the lessons of the past. This is exactly the kind of collaboration essential for making FoRB a reality for all.

    So let me end by reaffirming this government’s commitment. We will use the strength of our global network to protect and promote freedom of religion or belief. We will work with all of you, across sectors and borders, to turn principles into progress.

    Because only by working together can we build a world where everyone, everywhere, can live with dignity, free to believe – or not believe – without fear.

    Thank you.

    Updates to this page

    Published 8 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK approach to freedom of religion or belief: UK Special Envoy on Freedom of Religion or Belief speech, July 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Speech

    UK approach to freedom of religion or belief: UK Special Envoy on Freedom of Religion or Belief speech, July 2025

    The UK Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief, David Smith MP, gave a speech outlining the UK’s approach to freedom of religion or belief at a recent event held at the FCDO

    Welcome

    Thank you, Lord Collins.

    My Lords, Ladies and Gentlemen, Your Excellencies, fellow Parliamentarians, Foreign Office colleagues, and representatives of civil society, welcome to the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, and the heart of the UK’s relationship with the rest of the world.

    As Lord Collins has said, collaboration and partnerships are critical to making Freedom of Religion or Belief for all a reality.  So, what does that look like?  Today I am pleased to be here to set out the UK’s approach to achieving this goal.

    I would like to suggest that our place on the international stage must continue to revolve around our values as a country, values which we aim to humbly share with the rest of the world.

    It’s easy to talk about principles like ‘freedom’, ‘human rights’, ‘respect’, ‘tolerance’ or ‘justice’ – and far harder to live up to their meaning in our actions.

    And yet the history of this country is one in which we have worked hard to create a plural society based on these values. We don’t always get it right, but I am proud that in the UK today you are free to practice your religion or belief, without fear of persecution.

    I am also proud of the UK’s history of championing these values within the international rules-based order, not least as an original supporter of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948, and of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights in 1966.

    The foundation for the right to Freedom of Religion or Belief for all is clearly set out in Article 18 of both documents.

    And our shared commitment to upholding the rights enshrined in these documents is a phenomenal strength.  When we look around the world today and see growing evidence of persecution based on religion or belief, we know we must act.

    The challenge

    Most of you in this room are well aware of the challenge we face. But some facts bear repeating.

    You will know that, according to the Pew Research Centre, the number of countries with “high” or “very high” levels of government restrictions on FoRB, is at its highest level since 2007. At the community level, social hostilities involving religion (including violence and harassment by private individuals, organisations, or groups) are also on the rise, further reducing respect for human rights in general and FoRB in particular.

    You will know that, according to the charity Open Doors, 380 million Christians alone are persecuted worldwide because of their faith.

    Persecution on the basis of religion or belief, enacted by States themselves and social groups, is taking place on every continent in the world.

    It includes social ostracism, police harassment, arbitrary detention, denial of citizenship, assault, destruction of sites of religious worship, torture, and killings.

    In Pakistan, Ahmadiyya Muslims are not recognised as Muslims by the State, and their mosques have repeatedly been desecrated by extremist groups.

    In Iran, the Baha’i are acutely vulnerable to scapegoating, incitement and threats of violence from authorities.

    In North Korea, those seeking to exercise their right to freedom of religion or belief face surveillance and arbitrary detention, with Christians and others treated as political criminals if their faith is discovered.

    Lord Collins has mentioned Mubarak Bala. Humanists International’s Freedom of Thought Report underlines the risks humanists and atheists face globally.

    As their latest edition states, “blasphemy” laws exist in 89 countries across the globe.  7 countries have the death penalty for blasphemy, and a further 63 countries have prison sentences for related “offences”.

    So what is to be done?

    These are not niche issues. FoRB is central to the problems of the world today and to our efforts to build a better world at peace with itself.

    Horrific acts such as the murder of worshippers in a church in Damacus last month are not only attacks on people for what they believe in, but also attempts to destabilise societies and spread division.

    FoRB demonstrates the core principle that human rights are interdependent and mutually reinforcing.

    If you have no freedom to worship, you have no freedom of assembly.

    If you have no freedom of belief, you have no freedom of conscience.

    If you have no freedom to share your faith, you have no freedom of speech.

    If you have no freedom to practice your faith or belief you are not equal in dignity and rights.

    And so, today, the UK makes a new commitment to the centrality of FoRB in our foreign policy.

    Countries that respect FoRB and in which all constituent communities can flourish are more stable, more secure and more prosperous.

    And respect for FoRB internationally is good for the UK domestically. Shared values of FoRB with other countries promotes secure, stable and prosperous partners that can contribute to UK security, growth, development, and management of migration.

    I was honoured to take on the role of UK Special Envoy for FoRB in December last year. Since then, I have met with a wide range of experts, activists and international partners; as well as UK officials and the FCDO ministerial team to listen and build my understanding of the opportunities we have to make a difference.

    This engagement, and close collaboration with Lord Collins has resulted in the framework I will set out today. As Lord Collins has underlined, our approach to FoRB is situated clearly within the FCDO’s wider human rights approach.

    Our overarching goal is a reduction in the number of countries in which the right to FoRB is significantly curtailed, and to promote internationally the right to FoRB as fundamental to human flourishing.

    There are 5 core strands to our work

    As I have said, the international standards for FoRB and the system that supports them are central to defending the rights of individuals. That is why the first strand of our approach is to uphold and maintain support for this framework within multilateral fora.

    This means working through, and with, institutions such as the UN and OSCE to promote FoRB for all. I have been to the Human Rights Council twice, including last week where I spoke alongside the UN Special Rapporteur for FoRB about FoRB in Tibet. And I am delighted to have Eleanor Sanders, the UK Human Rights Ambassador, here with us today. 

    We will continue to work with international partners to take country-specific action where appropriate, for example through the UN’s Universal Periodic Review Process in which the UK regularly raises FoRB, and on promoting and protecting FoRB in multilateral resolutions.  

    Secondly, we will work to achieve better outcomes on FoRB through targeted bilateral relationships. FoRB matters everywhere and we will deploy our extensive diplomatic presence around the world to encourage partners towards behaviour, legislation and policies that enable individuals to exercise their right to FoRB, and encourage more inclusive and tolerant societies.

    As I’m sure Eleanor agrees, even Special Envoys can’t be everywhere, all the time. So, working with the teams here, I will be focussing on countries where the need is greatest; where opportunities exist to make positive change; and where the UK, specifically, has the relationships and partnerships to help achieve this.

    Our approach here is about partnership and shared learning. This is demonstrated with a broad range of countries including Vietnam, where there are concerns, but also an opportunity to work together on Vietnam’s constructive response to their Universal Periodic Review recommendations. We stand ready to support them, and other partners such as Algeria, another focus country, in realising our objectives on FoRB.

    The UK is privileged to have diverse diaspora communities including from India, Nigeria and Pakistan where we have much to share on FoRB and I look forward to strengthening my relationships on FoRB in these countries too.

    Our approach to FoRB is inextricably interwoven with our wider human rights efforts. For example in China, we raise our concerns at the highest levels. I will support these efforts, encouraging China to meet its international obligations on FoRB.

    And as I have said, respect for FoRB is vital to peaceful, strong societies. Religious intolerance and persecution can fuel instability and conflict. So it is right that our approach works to support those countries navigating the impact of conflict – past and present – to protect FoRB for all. This is why we will also focus on Syria,  Ukraine,  Afghanistan and Iraq.

    Our focus in seeking to journey with these 10 countries is an important stepping stone towards our overarching goal of a reduction in the number of countries in which the right to FoRB is significantly curtailed.

    However, it is important to say that a more targeted approach does not limit us. Situations such as that in Eritrea and in Yemen are also on my mind, and I will be championing FoRB for all wherever and whenever I can. As Lord Collins has said, we will continue to do so, including through public and private advocacy for prisoners of conscience.

    We know that we cannot deliver change alone. This is why the third strand of our approach is to strengthen international coalitions for collective action. The UK is proud to be a member of the Article 18 Alliance and the International Contact Group on FoRB and it’s great to see many of our fellow members represented here today. The UK is committed to working with you to continue increasing the impact of these important groupings.

    Where FoRB is under attack, other rights are threatened too and vice versa. The fourth strand of our approach is, therefore, ensuring that FoRB considerations are mainstreamed throughout the FCDO’s work and the need for a holistic human rights approach understood. This means bolstering our efforts to increase awareness and understanding of FoRB within the organisation – today’s event, open to all staff, being a case in point.

    As well as ensuring that tools, training and research are available to staff, I will report annually on our work, including at the highest levels of government. By the end of tomorrow, I will have met with every FCDO Minister to discuss how we can collaborate to promote FoRB in their respective areas of responsibility.

    Finally, and I must confess a slight bias given my life before politics, perhaps most importantly, the fifth strand of our approach is stronger and wider engagement with civil society and human rights champions.

    From sharing information to fostering understanding and respect between different religion or belief communities on the ground, your engagement is central to the protection and promotion of FoRB.

    And I know that this can come at personal cost. I want to take this opportunity to underline that the UK stands with you in your work to defend FoRB for all.

    In closing I would like to refer to the Hebrew scriptures – what Christians call the Old Testament – which contain a book of wisdom called Proverbs.

    In Proverbs 31, we find an injunction which is a challenge to us all – wherever we call home, and whatever we believe – when it comes to championing Freedom of Religion or Belief for all, one which I will leave us with today:

    Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and  judge fairly: defend the rights of the poor and needy.

    Thank you.

    Updates to this page

    Published 8 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Minister Peacock speech at the Giving and Impact Summit

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech

    Minister Peacock speech at the Giving and Impact Summit

    Minister Peacock delivered a speech at the Giving and Impact Summit held at the London Stock Exchange.

    Good morning everyone. Thank you for that kind introduction.  It is great to be here with you this morning at the Giving and Impact summit. Thank you to Integra for organising this forum, to the London Stock Exchange for hosting us, and to everyone here today. Your presence here demonstrates your shared interest and belief in the power of philanthropy and impact investment to achieve social good. This Government shares this passion and recognises the vital role the Impact Economy can play in helping to drive stronger economic growth across the country, alongside our ambitious Plan for Change.  I intend to set out briefly today how we can work in partnership to achieve this. 

    A remarkable 15 billion pounds was donated to charities last year; of course we can go further.  I have seen this first hand in my own constituency of Barnsley South, quite a deprived area. Whether that be Barnsley Hospice that raises £3.6 million per year and relies on donations to care for people and their families at the most difficult time of their lives or Barnsley Youth Choir which receives donations of over £300,000 annually, they focus on advancing musical education for young people in Barnsley and surrounding areas, and in their short existence have become one of the world’s leading youth choirs.

    Charitable giving and philanthropic investment builds on the British spirit of generosity that was outlined in the intro. Extending to our impact investment market, which has grown significantly over the past decade and leads the way in Europe. This growing market is worth over 76 billion pounds, demonstrates people’s strong desire for a connection between their investments and tangible social impact.  Now as the Minister responsible for philanthropy and the Impact Economy, I have seen first-hand the remarkable work being done in this area and the vast potential for increasing funds invested in public good. It was a real pleasure and a real eye opener to visit Made-in-Stoke last year for Giving Tuesday, an initiative focused on building a community of individuals eager to give back to Stoke. 

    That brings me onto government, and the important role we play in creating an ecosystem that stimulates increased investment and delivers for communities up and down the country. The most pressing social and environmental challenges facing the nation require us to work together, with different forms of capital, to achieve lasting change. We want to work more closely with all of you here today, to tackle these challenges and boost inclusive  growth. That is why we established the Social Impact Investment Advisory Group earlier this year. Both myself and the Chief Secretary to the Treasury were really pleased to attend its first meeting. This group of experts brings together individuals from across the impact investment, philanthropy and civil society sectors, and will provide recommendations later this year on how the government can effectively mobilise more social impact capital. The group has also been advising on the Social Impact Investment Vehicle announced at the Autumn Budget, to support delivery of the Government’s top priorities and to tackle those complex social problems. The advisory group is the first step in our commitment to establishing a stronger, and more ambitious, partnership with Impact Economy. We will continue to build on this, as our recently published Industrial Strategy demonstrates. This sets out our clear intention to deepen collaboration with the Impact Economy to deliver inclusive and sustainable growth, and in particular partner with the philanthropy sector. 

    I have heard from many of you that more can be done to grow philanthropic investment in this country. That is why, earlier this year, I outlined my three priorities to support this: 

    Firstly, the Government wants to connect philanthropic investment with the places that need it most – through place-based philanthropy. The Secretary of State has committed to the development of a place-based philanthropy strategy. This will set out a vision for how we can harness philanthropy to drive economic growth and regenerate  our communities. 

    Second,  we want to unlock extra philanthropic investment by making it as easy as possible for philanthropists to give more, and for would-be philanthropists to give for the first time.

    And finally, we want to partner with civil society, communities, donors and businesses to celebrate a culture of giving. 

    Let me end today by saying that this Government acknowledges the immense contribution social investors, philanthropists, and businesses make, and we want to see this go further.  Thank you all once again for inviting me to join you today, and I hope the rest of the summit is a success.

    Updates to this page

    Published 8 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Nearly two-thirds of voters think Starmer doesn’t respect them – new poll

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Marc Stears, Director of UCL Policy Lab and Professor of Political Science, UCL

    Simon Dawson/Number 10/Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND

    Exhausted from a long campaign but buoyed by an extraordinary victory, Keir Starmer stood on the steps of Downing Street just over one year ago to deliver his victory speech. “Your government,” the new prime minister said, “should treat every single person in this country with respect.”

    This message of respect resonated strongly in the year leading up to the campaign, coming as close as anything to providing a central argument to Labour’s case for government. And, according to polling and focus groups that my team at UCL Policy Lab designed along with polling company More in Common, it seemed to work.

    As our research at the time showed, voters felt that “respecting ordinary people” was the most important attribute that any politician could have, more important than having ideas for the future, managing effectively or having real experience. And they thought Starmer was the leader who displayed that respect most.

    A year later, the picture looks quite different. In new polling, we asked a representative sample of over 7,000 people to evaluate the government one year on. On respect, the judgement has not been good.

    Want more politics coverage from academic experts? Every week, we bring you informed analysis of developments in government and fact check the claims being made.

    Sign up for our weekly politics newsletter, delivered every Friday.

    During the general election campaign, 41% of the electorate said that they believed that Starmer “respected people like them”. One year on, that stands at only 24%. At the same time, the number who say that he does not respect them has risen from 32% to 63%. Starmer is now outstripped on that question by Nigel Farage – 33% say the Reform UK leader respects people like them.

    Losing support

    This view has had crucial political consequences. Of those who voted for Labour in the general election, only 60% of our respondents say they would vote for the party in an election held tomorrow.

    And that is not because some other political party is suddenly swooping in for their supporters. Labour’s voters are defecting in a host of different directions: 11% say they would vote Reform; 8% would vote Liberal Democrat; 4% would vote Green and 4% would vote Conservative. A further one in ten say they simply don’t know how they would vote.

    Labour’s losses have been most dramatic among their first-time voters. Of those who voted for Labour in 2024 but not in any other general election since 2010, barely a third still support the party, while a fifth would vote for Reform UK.

    These political failures, our report contends, are directly related to the declining sense of respect. The top reason voters gave for turning away from Labour are the broken promises and U-turns made by Labour in government, followed by the party’s failure to reduce the cost of living and changes to the winter fuel payment.

    The idea of “respect” being key to the public’s sense of whether a government is on their side or not has been growing for many years now, both in academia and in politics itself. Since at least the 2007/8 financial crisis there has been a sense that large swathes of the public feel neglected, overlooked and even disdained by those who govern them.

    When people talk about wanting to see “change” in Britain, this is often what they mean. It was a theme I touched on recently in two books, Out of the Ordinary and, with my co-author Tom Baldwin, England.

    Just over a year ago, a happier Starmer delivers his victory speech.
    Shutterstock

    But respect is not just an abstract idea. People appear to judge whether they are respected by those who govern them or not primarily on the basis of whether the government stands up for them against powerful vested interests.

    Our earlier research demonstrated that there is a widespread sense among the British public that certain groups have had it too easy for too long. This is either because they have been able to intimidate the government, or because government ministers and advisers have themselves been recruited from among these groups.

    In our new report, therefore, we see that the new government’s most popular act was their willingness to raise the minimum wage by £1,400 in April, against the objections of some in business who suggested that such a move was too burdensome on them.

    Changes to the winter fuel allowance and proposed changes to the disability benefits system, on the other hand, registered poorly. They suggest that the interests of ordinary and vulnerable people count for too little in decision-making.

    These judgements currently shape the mood of the country and probably top the list of issues that the government now needs to address. There is still time for the government to rebuild its appeal, of course. Indeed, our respondents who said they would vote for Labour said they would do so because the party needs more time to fix the problems they inherited.

    But as it seeks to do so, voters will want to know who this government stands for. Whose interests does it put first? What kind of people does it respect?

    Much of the electorate thought they knew the answer to these questions one year ago. Now they’re not so sure.

    Marc Stears directs the UCL Policy Lab, a non-partisan think tank based at University College London. He was previously chief speechwriter to the UK Labour Party.

    – ref. Nearly two-thirds of voters think Starmer doesn’t respect them – new poll – https://theconversation.com/nearly-two-thirds-of-voters-think-starmer-doesnt-respect-them-new-poll-260606

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Bayeux Tapestry to go on display at the British Museum in 2026

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    Bayeux Tapestry to go on display at the British Museum in 2026

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer and President Macron agree a loan of the Bayeux Tapestry to the UK

    • Tapestry will go on display at the British Museum in London with Sutton Hoo treasures and the Lewis chessmen loaned to France in return
    • Loan marks the first time the work will have been in the UK for more than 900 years

    UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron are expected to announce that the Bayeux Tapestry will come to the UK in 2026, opening access and providing education opportunities for millions of people.

    The loan, which will mark the first time the Bayeux Tapestry has been in the UK in nearly 1,000 years, will be displayed in the The Sainsbury Exhibitions Gallery of the British Museum in London between September 2026 and July 2027.

    It is expected that the blockbuster exhibition, which will offer the chance to see the Tapestry up close for the first time on UK soil since its creation, will also boost London’s visitor economy.

    The 70-metre work, which is more than 900-year-old, depicts the 1066 Norman invasion and Battle of Hastings. The battle saw William the Conquerer take the English throne from Harald Godwinson and become the first Norman King of England. It is widely accepted to have been made in England during the 11th century and was likely to have been commissioned by Bishop Odo of Bayeux. The Tapestry has been on display in various locations in France throughout its history, including most recently at the Bayeux Museum.

    In addition to the loan of the Bayeux Tapestry, the British Museum will loan the Sutton Hoo collection, the Lewis Chessmen and other treasures to France. The Sutton Hoo treasures, discovered as part of a seventh century Anglo-Saxon ship burial in Suffolk in 1939, provide remarkable insights into England from a time before the Norman Conquest. Museums in Normandy will host the Sutton Hoo treasures while they are in France.

    The British Museum is home to two million years of human history and culture and is one of the most-visited attractions in the world, attracting more than 6 million visitors in 2024.

    The announcement will be made by the UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy and French Culture Minister Rachida Dati later today as part of the State visit to the UK by President Macron and Madame Macron.

    Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said:

    The Bayeux Tapestry is one of the most iconic pieces of art ever produced in the UK and I am delighted that we will be able to welcome it here in 2026. This loan is a symbol of our shared history with our friends in France, a relationship built over centuries and one that continues to endure.

    The British Museum is one of the world’s most visited museums and is a fitting place to host this most treasured piece of our nation’s history.

    Director of the British Museum Nicholas Cullinan said:

    The Bayeux Tapestry is one of the most important and unique cultural artefacts in the world, which illustrates the deep ties between Britain and France and has fascinated people across geographies and generations. It is hard to overstate the significance of this extraordinary opportunity of displaying it at the British Museum and we are profoundly grateful to everyone involved. This will be the first time the Bayeux Tapestry has been in the UK since it was made, almost 1000 years ago. We are also delighted to send the Lewis chessmen, and some of our treasures from Sutton Hoo – the greatest archaeological discovery in Britain – to France in return.

    This is exactly the kind of international partnership that I want us to champion and take part in: sharing the best of our collection as widely as possible – and in return displaying global treasures never seen here before.

    Further details of the exhibition will be announced by the British Museum in due course.

    The loan will form part of a bilateral season of culture in 2027 that will celebrate the 1000th anniversary of the birth of William the Conquerer and the Grand Départ of the 2027 Tour de France from the UK.

    Lord Peter Ricketts has been appointed by the government to act as the UK Government’s Envoy for the Bayeux Tapestry Loan. Further details on the loan of the Bayeux Tapestry, the loan of the Sutton Hoo Treasure will be made in due course.

    In addition, three UK cultural organisations will also be signing Memoranda of Understanding with French counterparts: the British Film Institute and the Centre National du Cinema; the National Trust and the Centre des Monuments Nationaux; and Sadler’s Wells and the Chaillot Théâtre National de la Danse. These partnerships between some of our flagship cultural organisations will ensure that creative partnerships and projects can continue to thrive between our two nations for years to come.

    Updates to this page

    Published 8 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Touchstone 2025 award winners announced

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    News story

    Touchstone 2025 award winners announced

    Winners of the Touchstone Award 2025 for hallmarking enforcement and education announced.

    The British Hallmarking Council (BHC) has awarded the Touchstone Award 2025 to London Trading Standards (LTS) for its role in ‘Operation Stamping it Out’, at the recent Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) annual conference in Blackpool.

    The Touchstone Award, launched by the BHC in 2012, sponsored by the National Association of Jewellers and supported by the CTSI, recognises the most effective initiative relating to hallmarking enforcement or education delivered by a local authority.

    Launched in 2023, ‘Operation Stamping It Out’ is a pioneering hallmarking education and enforcement project, established and funded by the London Assay Office and delivered in conjunction with the WRi Group. It aims to ensure retailers of silver, gold, platinum and palladium jewellery and artworks in London and the Southeast are compliant with the Hallmarking Act (1973), and is delivered through a programme of education, awareness and enforcement.

    Across the 8 LTS teams involved in the operation:

    • 132 intelligence reports were generated
    • 311 retailers were visited
    • more than 200 verbal or written warnings were issued for hallmarking non-compliance
    • over £250,000 worth of silver and gold jewellery without hallmarks has been seized
    • 4 active criminal prosecutions are underway

    The Chair of the BHC, Noel Hunter, said:

    The British Hallmarking Council congratulates London Trading Standards on winning the Touchstone Award. It was an incredible team effort which has produced, and continues to produce, unprecedented results. It will undoubtedly provide an enforcement model that can be used elsewhere across the UK. The BHC looks forward to supporting that development.

    The Chief Executive of the National Association of Jewellers, Ben Massey, said:

    Operation Stamping It Out has laid bare the serious threat that the illicit trade in un-hallmarked precious metals poses to consumers and to the UK jewellery industry – an industry worth £10 billion annually and supporting over 60,000 jobs.

    The outstanding results achieved by London Trading Standards are a testament to what can be accomplished with focused enforcement, and the 2025 Touchstone Award is richly deserved. However, this must not remain a localised effort. It is imperative that Trading Standards teams and related agencies come together to adopt and implement a similar programme nationally, ensuring a consistent and robust response across traditional retail and digital marketplaces.

    The Director of the London Assay Office, Will Evans, said:

    For more than 700 years, the London Assay Office has protected consumers and the trade by ensuring the quality of precious metals. We are incredibly proud to support Operation Stamping It Out, and thrilled that the collaboration between WRi Group and London Trading Standards – which has seen more than £250,000 of illegal items removed from the streets so far – has been recognised with the 2025 Touchstone Award.

    The dedication and professionalism shown by the teams from the London boroughs of Tower Hamlets, Camden, Westminster, Hackney, Ealing, Waltham Forest, and Newham, and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, to protecting consumers and businesses, shows how much can be achieved when we work together towards a common goal.

    Updates to this page

    Published 8 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New phonics-inspired framework to boost standards for children

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    New phonics-inspired framework to boost standards for children

    New writing framework published to build a nation of confident writers as part of the government’s Plan for Change.

    A focus on handwriting, encouraging children to speak out loud and a renewed focus on reception are part of a first-of-its-kind writing framework, as the Education Secretary says the next generation should be as good at putting pen to paper as they are posting on TikTok.

    The new framework, published today (8 July), will give teachers practical tools and guidance to plan high quality lessons and teach writing from reception and throughout primary school, so that thousands more pupils can build strong foundations in language, spelling and handwriting.

    This includes integrating writing tasks across all subjects, as well as encouraging children to speak out loud words and sentences before writing them down, and similarly using dictation where children write down words, phrases and sentences a teacher has said out loud.

    Even in a digital age, strong writing skills are a vital tool for everyday life and work, helping children explore their thoughts, share their ideas, and make sense of the world around them. Evidence also shows good writing skills can unlock future success and are directly linked to progress in education as well as future earnings.

    Building on the success of the government’s reading framework and its focus on phonics teaching, which has seen 100,000 more children every year build strong foundations in reading, the new writing framework is a first step towards transforming how writing is taught, with those with lower attainment set to benefit most, so no child is left behind.

    The launch comes as Key Stage 2 assessment (SATs) results were published this morning (Tuesday) showing the percentage of children meeting the expected standard in writing remains below pre-pandemic levels.

    In 2024, just over half (55%) of white working-class children left primary school meeting the expected standard in writing, compared to 78% among non-disadvantaged children.

    Similarly, only 30% of children with special educational needs met the expected standard in writing, compared to 83% of children without. 

    The scale of these divides is why, alongside support like the writing framework, the government will in the autumn publish an ambitious schools white paper to reform the SEND system and raise outcomes for disadvantaged children – supporting the Plan for Change to give every child the best start in life. 

    Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson said:

    Far too many children are leaving school unable to write well, holding them back from future success.

    Writing remains a crucial skill for young people to achieve and thrive in school and later in life. We want them to be as confident putting pen to paper as they are posting on TikTok.

    Our new writing framework is a first step towards transforming how writing is taught in primary schools, as we work to boost outcomes for disadvantaged children and those with SEND, and deliver on our Plan for Change.

    This forms part of the government’s mission to break the link between a child’s background and success, building on plans to ensure every child gets the best possible start in life including by boosting early literacy skills through the expansion of the government’s network of English Hubs. 

    The framework has been drafted with expert guidance from a range of sector experts including academics, leading practitioners and organisations.

    STEP Academy Trust, Executive Director of Primary Education, Dr Tim Mills MBE said:

    Writing is notoriously difficult: the cognitive equivalent of ‘digging ditches’ according to psychologist Ronald Kellogg.  Learning to write is one of the most challenging undertakings facing children, and so one of the most difficult to teach. 

    However, it is extremely susceptible to teaching.  As with the reading framework, we have sought to distil the growing research and evidence around learning to write into useful knowledge, guidance and practical advice.  The aim is to support primary schools teach this vital academic, social and creative life skill by providing them with a coherent understanding of the demanding, sometimes messy progression to becoming a competent and motivated writer.

    Deputy Headteacher, Stanley Road Primary School, Andrew Percival, said:

    As writing is one of the most cognitively demanding tasks that we expect children to master, it is essential that teachers have the support they need to ensure all pupils can flourish as writers.

    The writing framework provides schools with evidence-informed guidance that will help them set pupils on the path to becoming confident and proficient writers.

    Headteacher and Director St Matthew’s Research School, Sonia Thompson, said: 

    The Writing Framework is designed to provide teachers and leaders with evidence informed tools and reflection points. It is not a checklist but a guide for improving confidence and practice, which will lead to improved pupil writing outcomes.

    The announcement today builds on the action already underway to drive high and rising standards in literacy including a National Year of Reading, investing £27.7 million to support the teaching of reading and writing in primary school as well as the ongoing Curriculum and Assessment Review.

    The English Hubs programme provides expert advice and support to schools to improve the teaching of reading driving high and rising standards in English across the country.

    The National Year of Reading, set to start in January 2026, will unite parents, schools, libraries and businesses to get people reading and help reverse the decline in reading for pleasure and boost children’s literacy skills.

    DfE media enquiries

    Central newsdesk – for journalists 020 7783 8300

    Updates to this page

    Published 8 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Top regional award for Broadland Gardens

    Source: City of Plymouth

    Councillor Penberthy at Broadland Gardens

    One of Plymouth’s newest and best energy-efficient housing developments has been honoured at a prestigious regional award ceremony.

    Broadland Gardens, built on the site of the former Morley Youth Centre in Plymstock, is a sustainable, new community of two, three and four bedroomed homes.

    Heated with modern, energy-efficient technology, to help achieve low carbon living, particular attention has been paid to their design, so that they are adaptable and sustainable and mark the first direct delivery of new homes by the council this century.

    These impressive credentials led to Broadland Gardens picking up the Residential Project of the Year (35 homes and under) honour at last week’s Michelmores Property Awards.

    The Michelmores Property Awards celebrates the best property, development and construction projects in the South West, bringing together all those who contribute to the region’s exciting property, real estate and construction sectors.

    It celebrates buildings, developments and projects based in Devon, Cornwall, Somerset, Dorset, Bristol, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire and place quality and design, social, environmental, sustainable and economic values at the heart of its judging criteria.

    Councillor Chris Penberthy, Cabinet Member for Housing, Communities and Cooperative Development, said: “I’m honoured that Broadland Gardens has been recognised in such a way – it really has been an incredible development.

    “We were clear from the outset that we wanted these to be homes that are liveable, adaptable and sustainable. We have delivered on that vision.

    “The direct delivery of these homes, with the surplus invested back into Plan for Homes 4 to support the delivery of affordable housing elsewhere in the city, has been a triumph.

    “We have demonstrated that it is possible to create quality, well-designed homes in an urban environment and set a standard for the market.”

    Broadland Gardens was funded through the Council’s Plan for Homes Investment Fund, designed by local architects Clifton Emery Design and built by Plymouth-based Classic Builders.

    A single unit remains on the market with Lang, Town and Country: www.langtownandcountry.com/new-homes-for-sale/broadland-gardens

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: High altitude training leads to breathtaking results for our swimmers Faye Rogers broke her own European, British and Scottish Record on the final day of the Scottish Swimming Championships with scores of other Aberdeen student swimmers picking up medals.

    Source: University of Aberdeen

    The UOAPS team during their high-altitude training in Andorra

    Faye Rogers broke her own European, British and Scottish Record on the final day of the Scottish Swimming Championships with scores of other Aberdeen student swimmers picking up medals.
    The haul came hot on the heels of the University of Aberdeen Performance Swimming Team’s (UOAPS) two-week training camp at altitude in Andorra.
    Paralympic and world champion Faye bettered her previous 100m butterfly S10 European Record time of 1:04.17 that she swum at the Aquatics GB World Championship Trial in London in April – winning in a time of 1:04.04 at Edinburgh’s Royal Commonwealth Pool.
    Meanwhile there were also golds for Tom Beeley (200m fly), Jamie Ferguson (100m backstroke) and Jack Milne (S14 100 Breaststroke) while Aiden Anderson picked up three (Junior Champion – 1500m freestyle, 800m freestyle, 400m freestyle) with Faye Rogers collecting another gold for the 400m freestyle.
    Overall UOAPS came 3rd in the Team points Table for The Scottish National Open Championships which was held on 27-29th June.
    UOAPS were represented in 80 Final swims throughout the meet resulting in nine golds, three silvers and five bronze medals.
    Gold medals

    Tom Beeley – 200m fly

    Faye Rogers – Para 100m freestyle (British Record)

    Jamie Ferguson – 100m backstroke

    Aiden Anderson – Junior Champion 1500m freestyle

    Faye Rogers – Para 400m freestyle

    Aiden Anderson – Junior Champion 800m freestyle

    Aiden Anderson – Junior Champion 400m freestyle

    Silver medals

    Jack Milne Para – 100m Breaststroke

    Faye Rogers – Para 200m Individual medley

    Jamie Ferguson 50 Backstroke

    Bronze medals

    Emily Riach – 1500m freestyle

    Jack Milne – 200m individual medley

    Faye Rogers- Para 200m fly (World Record / European Record /British Record)

    UOAPS 4 x 100m freestyle relay – (Mary Mischenko, Cameron Travis, Kieran Lennox, Amelia Mardel)

    UOAPS mixed 4 x 50m medley relay – (Mary Mischenko, Micha Van Blerk, Maree Wood, Kieran Lennox)

    The Team competed shortly after returning from a two-week performance training camp at altitude in Pas de la Casa, Andorra. Located in the Pyrenees mountains, Pas de la Casa is a ski resort town and the highest point in Andorra, sitting at an elevation of 2,080 meters (6,800 feet) above sea level.
    Training at altitude offers significant physiological benefits, including increased red blood cell production and improved oxygen-carrying capacity, which can enhance endurance and overall aerobic performance once athletes return to sea level.
    Reduced oxygen and structured training together help the body produce energy more efficiently and strengthen the cardiovascular system
    With excellent swim and gym facilities at their disposal, the Team was able to complete a focused and demanding training block designed to maximise these adaptations. The camp provided an ideal environment for building fitness, reinforcing technique, and fostering team cohesion in preparation for upcoming competitions.

    Related Content

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: CONGRESSWOMAN PLASKETT EXPRESSES SOLIDARITY WITH TEXAS COMMUNITIES AFFECTED BY SEVERE FLOODING

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett (USVI)

    For Immediate Release                             Contact: Tionee Scotland
    July 8, 2025                                                    202-808-6129

    PRESS RELEASE

    CONGRESSWOMAN PLASKETT EXPRESSES SOLIDARITY WITH TEXAS COMMUNITIES AFFECTED BY SEVERE FLOODING

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett (D-VI) issued the following statement regarding the severe flooding impacting communities across Texas:

    “My heart goes out to the families and communities across Texas who are facing the devastating impacts of severe flooding. As someone who represents a territory that knows all too well the destructive power of extreme weather events, I stand in solidarity with our fellow Americans during this difficult time.

    “The images and reports coming from Texas are heartbreaking – families displaced from their homes, businesses underwater, and communities struggling to recover. We must ensure that federal resources and support are made available quickly to help with immediate rescue and recovery efforts.

    “No American community should face natural disasters alone, and we must come together to support our neighbors in Texas as they work to rebuild and recover. I extend my support and solidarity to my colleagues in the Texas delegation, especially those whose districts are impacted.

    “I encourage anyone who can safely do so to support relief efforts through established disaster relief organizations. Our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by this tragic flooding.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Post Office Minister responds to Horizon IT Inquiry report

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Oral statement to Parliament

    Post Office Minister responds to Horizon IT Inquiry report

    Gareth Thomas spoke to Parliament after report outlined scandal’s human impact and looking at the redress schemes which have been put in place in response. 

    Madam Deputy Speaker, Sir Wyn Williams has today released the first volume of his report into the Horizon scandal, which caused so much harm to so many innocent people. 

    The fearless and diligent work of his Inquiry has, I believe, won the trust and admiration of postmasters. The Inquiry has asked penetrating questions of a large number of witnesses and has scrutinised more than two million pages of evidence. 

    The whole House I know recognises the bravery of the postmasters who fought against enormous odds to see their cause recognised. Sir Wyn’s report reminds us that blameless people were impoverished. Bankrupted. Stressed beyond belief. Lost their jobs, their marriages, their reputations, their mental health. In some cases, lost their lives. 

    I am sure that the whole House will share my gratitude to Sir Wyn and his team for their work so far. This is only the first volume of their final report, spelling out the scandal’s human impact and looking at the redress schemes which have been put in place in response. 

    A second volume will in due course deal with the causes of the scandal, and how repetition can be avoided. 

    To be clear, I am very sympathetic to Sir Wyn’s 19 recommendations today. Clearly, a number of them require careful consideration. We will respond to them promptly as some concern the ongoing delivery of Horizon redress schemes. Sir Wyn has set us a deadline of 10 October, and we will meet it. 

    The House will see that Sir Wyn has accepted that “the Post Office, the Department and Ministers continue to adhere to the aims of providing financial redress, which is full, fair and prompt”. He also concludes that the majority of people who have accepted offers under the GLO scheme “will have done so because, for them, the offer was full and fair”. That said, Sir Wyn makes some understandable criticisms – especially of the Horizon Shortfall Scheme – which we will need to study closely and address. 

    We inherited a compensation process which was widely seen as too slow, adversarial and legalistic. Well over four years after the first High Court case exposed the scandal, only 2,500 postmasters had had final settlements. 

    There were clearly significant gaps in the compensation process and many victims had not come forward. Indeed, there was no compensation scheme in place for those postmasters whose convictions had been overturned by Parliament. 

    A year ago, Government had paid £236 million in redress. We have now quadrupled that to nearly £1.1 billion. We have launched a compensation scheme for postmasters who have had their convictions overturned; the Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme and have merged Post Office’s compensation arrangements for overturned convictions into it. And through the Post Office, we have delivered a £75,000 fixed sum offer to over 4,200 postmasters who opted for it. 

    We have also launched an independent process to allow people to appeal their HSS settlements or offers. This should provide – as Sir Wyn says in his report – an “opportunity to put right any failures to deliver redress which is full and fair” for HSS victims; and begun discussions with Fujitsu on their contribution to the costs of the scandal. 

    As the House knows and as Sir Wyn’s report underlines further today, there is still a lot more to do. I know that those postmasters who have yet to agree final compensation are frustrated with the delay: so am I. 

    We have been consulting regularly with the Horizon Compensation Advisory Board and others on what more we can do to improve redress. Sir Wyn’s recommendations are very helpful in that regard. Two of his recommendations address issues which we have been already working on across government and with the Advisory Board. 

    And I can confirm that we accept Sir Wyn’s recommendation that claimants should be able to bank the best offer they get from the GLO process and should not put it at risk if they choose to go to the independent panel. 

    Secondly, we will provide redress for family members of postmasters who suffered because of the scandal. I have met the group Lost Chances for Postmaster Children who have campaigned with considerable courage on this issue. 

    Sir Wyn rightly recognises that designing a suitable compensation scheme for family members raises some very difficult issues. Nonetheless, we want to look after those family members who suffered most – meeting Sir Wyn’s recommendation that we should give – and I quote – “redress to close family members of those most adversely affected by Horizon”. 

    Given these challenges, we will now discuss the details of how a scheme should be run with claimants’ lawyers, the independent Advisory Board and the Lost Chances group. It will be open to close family members of existing Horizon claimants who themselves suffered personal injury – including psychological distress – because of their relative’s suffering. Other than in exceptional circumstances, we will need contemporaneous written evidence of that personal injury. 

    There are some fundamental lessons to be learned which Sir Wyn points to, about how compensation following wrongdoing on this scale should be delivered in future. 

    In particular, the Post Office should never have been allowed to run it. Decisions on funding should have been made much more quickly. And it should not have needed the ITV drama to stimulate action to overturn hundreds of unjust convictions. 

    We cannot now turn back the clock to fix those fundamental mistakes. We must instead address two challenges. The first is to make sure that if there is ever another terrible scandal like this one, and all of us will sincerely hope that there isn’t, that the victims do not need to bring a traumatic court case to expose it. 

    The second challenge if such another scandal happens, Government is set up to offer trusted redress from the very start. Sir Wyn argues that there should be a standing public body to deliver redress in any further scandal. I have a considerable amount of sympathy with that argument, but clearly we shall need to analyse the options fully before we commit to it. 

    We will reflect on how to address those twin challenges and will bring our conclusions back to the House. 

    Madam Deputy Speaker, we can never recompense a person properly for their freedom wrongly bring denied them. The humiliation of being wrongly accused. Of seeing your loved ones in profound distress or worse. Or recompense someone for their good reputation being taken from them. 

    I cannot assuage the anger of the victims. Nor will the anger I feel on their behalf ever be assuaged. 

    But we are determined to do more on redress and beyond and to do it quickly to give more of the victims of this appalling scandal at least a measure of the peace they so rightly deserve. 

    And I commend Sir Wyn’s report to the House.

    Updates to this page

    Published 8 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: KingsRock Advisors Announces Advisory Board, Additional Senior Hires and Senior Advisors, and Inaugural Capital Raise

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK and LONDON and STOCKHOLM and DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, July 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — KingsRock Advisors, LLC (“KingsRock”), an independent global advisory firm, announced today the formation of a new Advisory Board, a series of new Senior Hires, additional Senior Advisors joining us, and an inaugural Capital Raise. This expansion aims to accelerate the growth of KingsRock’s capital solutions and corporate finance business, across industries, geographies, and capital structures.

    We are pleased to welcome the following Senior Banking Executives who have agreed to serve as Members of our new KingsRock Advisory Board:

    Dr. Josef Ackermann   Zurich, former Chairman of the Management Board, Deutsche Bank
    Fred Brettschneider   New York, former Head of Deutsche Bank Global Markets Americas
    Yassine Bouhara   Dubai, CEO Tell Group, former Global Head of Deutsche Bank Global Equities
    Kevin Parker   New York, CEO SICM, former CEO of Deutsche Asset Management
    Bernardo Parnes   Sao Paolo, CEO of One Partners, former CEO of Deutsche Bank Latin America
    Jon Vaccaro   Darien, Founder V20 Group, former Global Head of Deutsche Bank CRE
    Seth Waugh   Palm Beach, former CEO of Deutsche Bank Americas, former Chairman of PGA
         

    We are pleased to welcome the following Senior Investment Bankers who have joined KingsRock recently in the US and EMEA as Managing Directors, with further expansion planned:

    David Barcus   New York, former BNP and Raymond James
    John Doyamis   New York, former EBG, and Bear Stearns
    Leo-Hendrik Greve   Amsterdam, former ING, Citi and MS
    Rony Jawhar   Dubai, former Arqaam and Deutsche Bank
    Bray Kelly   New York, former JBK Capital and UBS
    Joe Lovrics   Madrid, former Societe General, Citi, and BNP
    Bill Miller   New York, Commerce Street, TPG Sixth Street, Citi
    Hans Narberhaus   Madrid, former Deutsche Bank
    Laurent Quelin   London, former Chenavari, and CS
    Francois-Louise Ricard   Paris, former Groupe Caisse des Depots, MS and SG
    Jorge de los Rios   Madrid, former Santander, S&P and Lehman
    Mike Turnbull   London, former StormHarbour, BAML and MS
    Andrew Whittaker   New York, Lazard, GSAM and Lehman

    In Q2 we were also joined by Gregor Bates, Associate, London, and Analysts Matt Farrell, Nikita Spivakov, and Tim O’Callaghan in New York.

    We also welcome George Parker, New York, as Senior Advisor for Operations.

    This team’s decades of investment banking experience across Origination, Advisory, Capital Markets, Structuring, and Leveraged Finance should help propel our growth and strategy to originate, structure, and distribute private capital markets transactions and provide strategic advisory services. Our goal is to further strengthen KingsRock’s ability to serve issuer clients and the private credit, special situations and private equity investor universe with ever more tailor-made capital solutions and investment opportunities.

    Expansion of our Global Network of Senior Advisors

    We are also pleased to announce that we now have 120 (one hundred and twenty) Senior Advisors from approximately 50 countries around the world. Each is a truly Independent Advisor with his or her own interest and focus, some with companies that we have partnered with, etc. Many of these advisors comprised the most senior leadership of Deutsche Bank and oversaw a wide range of functions, from CEO and six other former Management Board Members, to Country Heads and Divisional Heads of M&A, Capital Markets, and Heads of Sales, Coverage, Industry Groups, Economists, Operations, etc.

    This unique Global Network of former colleagues and friends as our Senior Advisors allows KingsRock access to key decision makers nearly anywhere in the world, spanning companies, institutional investors, financial institutions, and the public sector. It also offers mutual benefits in deal making through origination, execution, and distribution, be it a cross-border M&A transaction or bespoke institutional capital raising deal.

    We are also pleased to Announce a successful close of our inaugural third-party capital raise for KingsRock Advisors LLC, to support our expansion and elevate our investment banking boutique, with further strategic growth planned. We thank all of our investors for their strong support.

    “We are excited to welcome our new Senior Advisory Board Members, our new Managing Directors, Associate and Analyst colleagues, and our Senior Advisors network to KingsRock as we continue to expand the global reach of our capital solutions business. Together with our inaugural capital raise to boost and increase the visibility of our platform, successfully concluded in Q2, we are truly thrilled with the progress our young firm is making to serve our clients and support our ambitious growth. In the near term, we will share more details about our expansion across our financial services offering,” said Håkan Wohlin, Founder & Managing Partner, and Louis Jaffe, Co-Founder & Managing Partner.

    KingsRock has already announced and closed several significant transactions in 2025. Angel Oak’s recently announced sale to Brookfield, where KingsRock Advisors served as the Exclusive Financial Advisor to Angel Oak, is indeed a landmark transaction. On April 1st, 2025, Brookfield Asset Management and Angel Oak to Entered into Strategic Partnership. KingsRock Securities LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of KingsRock Advisors LLC, acted as Exclusive Financial Advisor to Angel Oak Companies.

    About KingsRock:

    KingsRock Advisors, LLC headquartered at 900 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10022, is an independent global advisory firm, with securities offered by KingsRock Securities LLC, a FINRA member firm and SIPC, as well as KingsRock Advisors UK Ltd and KingsRock Advisors Europe AB, both wholly owned subsidiaries of KingsRock Advisors LLC.

    Founded in 2020, KingsRock comprises a team of approximately 40 full time professionals who advise on a wide range of private capital markets transactions including debt, hybrid, equity and M&A covering structures from vanilla to highly structured. The team collectively has worked on thousands of transactions across various industry sectors worldwide. Clients include private equity and private credit firms, corporations, financial institutions, government-related entities, and institutional investors.

    KingsRock Advisors offers the experience and global reach of a large firm, combined with the structural agility and creativity of a boutique. An independent advisory firm with a global network that provides unconflicted strategic and financial advisory services, along with innovative capital solutions and special situations. The firms’ bankers excel in complex transactions and deliver swift results often where large banks and traditional sources of financing do not have the ability to engage. KingsRock advisors operates across all major industry sectors and is supported by a global network of 120 independent Senior Advisors across 50 countries, who bring decades of deal making experience.

    Disclaimer:

    Securities offered by KingsRock Securities LLC, a FINRA member firm and a member of SIPC., a wholly owned subsidiary of KingsRock Advisors LLC. • 900 Third Avenue, 10th Floor • New York, NY 10022.

    KingsRock Advisors UK Ltd is a private limited company registered in England and Wales with registration number 15240371. KingsRock Advisors UK Ltd (FRN 1006329) is an Appointed Representative under Bluegrove Capital Management Ltd (FRN: 960363), which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

    KingsRock Advisors Europe AB is incorporated in Sweden (EU), with registered office at Grev Turegatan 14, 114 46 Stockholm, Sweden, and is a tied agent of Svensk Värdepappersservice i Stockholm AB, a Swedish investment firm authorized and regulated by the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority (Sw. Finansinspektionen) under the Swedish Securities Market Act (Sw. lag (2007:528) om värdepappersmarknaden).

    This message is provided for information purposes and does not constitute an invitation, solicitation or offer to buy or sell any securities or investment. Neither KingsRock Securities, LLC nor its affiliates provide accounting, tax or legal advice; such matters should be discussed with your advisors and/or counsel.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: KingsRock Advisors Announces Advisory Board, Additional Senior Hires and Senior Advisors, and Inaugural Capital Raise

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK and LONDON and STOCKHOLM and DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, July 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — KingsRock Advisors, LLC (“KingsRock”), an independent global advisory firm, announced today the formation of a new Advisory Board, a series of new Senior Hires, additional Senior Advisors joining us, and an inaugural Capital Raise. This expansion aims to accelerate the growth of KingsRock’s capital solutions and corporate finance business, across industries, geographies, and capital structures.

    We are pleased to welcome the following Senior Banking Executives who have agreed to serve as Members of our new KingsRock Advisory Board:

    Dr. Josef Ackermann   Zurich, former Chairman of the Management Board, Deutsche Bank
    Fred Brettschneider   New York, former Head of Deutsche Bank Global Markets Americas
    Yassine Bouhara   Dubai, CEO Tell Group, former Global Head of Deutsche Bank Global Equities
    Kevin Parker   New York, CEO SICM, former CEO of Deutsche Asset Management
    Bernardo Parnes   Sao Paolo, CEO of One Partners, former CEO of Deutsche Bank Latin America
    Jon Vaccaro   Darien, Founder V20 Group, former Global Head of Deutsche Bank CRE
    Seth Waugh   Palm Beach, former CEO of Deutsche Bank Americas, former Chairman of PGA
         

    We are pleased to welcome the following Senior Investment Bankers who have joined KingsRock recently in the US and EMEA as Managing Directors, with further expansion planned:

    David Barcus   New York, former BNP and Raymond James
    John Doyamis   New York, former EBG, and Bear Stearns
    Leo-Hendrik Greve   Amsterdam, former ING, Citi and MS
    Rony Jawhar   Dubai, former Arqaam and Deutsche Bank
    Bray Kelly   New York, former JBK Capital and UBS
    Joe Lovrics   Madrid, former Societe General, Citi, and BNP
    Bill Miller   New York, Commerce Street, TPG Sixth Street, Citi
    Hans Narberhaus   Madrid, former Deutsche Bank
    Laurent Quelin   London, former Chenavari, and CS
    Francois-Louise Ricard   Paris, former Groupe Caisse des Depots, MS and SG
    Jorge de los Rios   Madrid, former Santander, S&P and Lehman
    Mike Turnbull   London, former StormHarbour, BAML and MS
    Andrew Whittaker   New York, Lazard, GSAM and Lehman

    In Q2 we were also joined by Gregor Bates, Associate, London, and Analysts Matt Farrell, Nikita Spivakov, and Tim O’Callaghan in New York.

    We also welcome George Parker, New York, as Senior Advisor for Operations.

    This team’s decades of investment banking experience across Origination, Advisory, Capital Markets, Structuring, and Leveraged Finance should help propel our growth and strategy to originate, structure, and distribute private capital markets transactions and provide strategic advisory services. Our goal is to further strengthen KingsRock’s ability to serve issuer clients and the private credit, special situations and private equity investor universe with ever more tailor-made capital solutions and investment opportunities.

    Expansion of our Global Network of Senior Advisors

    We are also pleased to announce that we now have 120 (one hundred and twenty) Senior Advisors from approximately 50 countries around the world. Each is a truly Independent Advisor with his or her own interest and focus, some with companies that we have partnered with, etc. Many of these advisors comprised the most senior leadership of Deutsche Bank and oversaw a wide range of functions, from CEO and six other former Management Board Members, to Country Heads and Divisional Heads of M&A, Capital Markets, and Heads of Sales, Coverage, Industry Groups, Economists, Operations, etc.

    This unique Global Network of former colleagues and friends as our Senior Advisors allows KingsRock access to key decision makers nearly anywhere in the world, spanning companies, institutional investors, financial institutions, and the public sector. It also offers mutual benefits in deal making through origination, execution, and distribution, be it a cross-border M&A transaction or bespoke institutional capital raising deal.

    We are also pleased to Announce a successful close of our inaugural third-party capital raise for KingsRock Advisors LLC, to support our expansion and elevate our investment banking boutique, with further strategic growth planned. We thank all of our investors for their strong support.

    “We are excited to welcome our new Senior Advisory Board Members, our new Managing Directors, Associate and Analyst colleagues, and our Senior Advisors network to KingsRock as we continue to expand the global reach of our capital solutions business. Together with our inaugural capital raise to boost and increase the visibility of our platform, successfully concluded in Q2, we are truly thrilled with the progress our young firm is making to serve our clients and support our ambitious growth. In the near term, we will share more details about our expansion across our financial services offering,” said Håkan Wohlin, Founder & Managing Partner, and Louis Jaffe, Co-Founder & Managing Partner.

    KingsRock has already announced and closed several significant transactions in 2025. Angel Oak’s recently announced sale to Brookfield, where KingsRock Advisors served as the Exclusive Financial Advisor to Angel Oak, is indeed a landmark transaction. On April 1st, 2025, Brookfield Asset Management and Angel Oak to Entered into Strategic Partnership. KingsRock Securities LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of KingsRock Advisors LLC, acted as Exclusive Financial Advisor to Angel Oak Companies.

    About KingsRock:

    KingsRock Advisors, LLC headquartered at 900 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10022, is an independent global advisory firm, with securities offered by KingsRock Securities LLC, a FINRA member firm and SIPC, as well as KingsRock Advisors UK Ltd and KingsRock Advisors Europe AB, both wholly owned subsidiaries of KingsRock Advisors LLC.

    Founded in 2020, KingsRock comprises a team of approximately 40 full time professionals who advise on a wide range of private capital markets transactions including debt, hybrid, equity and M&A covering structures from vanilla to highly structured. The team collectively has worked on thousands of transactions across various industry sectors worldwide. Clients include private equity and private credit firms, corporations, financial institutions, government-related entities, and institutional investors.

    KingsRock Advisors offers the experience and global reach of a large firm, combined with the structural agility and creativity of a boutique. An independent advisory firm with a global network that provides unconflicted strategic and financial advisory services, along with innovative capital solutions and special situations. The firms’ bankers excel in complex transactions and deliver swift results often where large banks and traditional sources of financing do not have the ability to engage. KingsRock advisors operates across all major industry sectors and is supported by a global network of 120 independent Senior Advisors across 50 countries, who bring decades of deal making experience.

    Disclaimer:

    Securities offered by KingsRock Securities LLC, a FINRA member firm and a member of SIPC., a wholly owned subsidiary of KingsRock Advisors LLC. • 900 Third Avenue, 10th Floor • New York, NY 10022.

    KingsRock Advisors UK Ltd is a private limited company registered in England and Wales with registration number 15240371. KingsRock Advisors UK Ltd (FRN 1006329) is an Appointed Representative under Bluegrove Capital Management Ltd (FRN: 960363), which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

    KingsRock Advisors Europe AB is incorporated in Sweden (EU), with registered office at Grev Turegatan 14, 114 46 Stockholm, Sweden, and is a tied agent of Svensk Värdepappersservice i Stockholm AB, a Swedish investment firm authorized and regulated by the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority (Sw. Finansinspektionen) under the Swedish Securities Market Act (Sw. lag (2007:528) om värdepappersmarknaden).

    This message is provided for information purposes and does not constitute an invitation, solicitation or offer to buy or sell any securities or investment. Neither KingsRock Securities, LLC nor its affiliates provide accounting, tax or legal advice; such matters should be discussed with your advisors and/or counsel.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Cameroon celebrates forest hero and Chevening scholars

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    World news story

    Cameroon celebrates forest hero and Chevening scholars

    The British High Commission in Yaoundé honoured Dr Cécile Ndjebet, the first-ever Kew International Medalist and a trailblazing forest and climate activist.

    Dr Ndjebet receiving her Award from the High Commissioner, Matt Woods.

    The British High Commission in Yaoundé hosted a special ceremony to honour Dr Cécile Ndjebet, the first-ever recipient of the Kew International Medal. A renowned forest and environmental activist, Dr Ndjebet was celebrated for her groundbreaking work in forest conservation and women’s empowerment across 20 African countries.

    Her recognition marks a historic moment, highlighting Cameroon’s leadership in global environmental advocacy.

    As the 17th recipient of this globally respected award, Dr. Ndjebet was commended by UK Minister for Africa, Lord Collins, and High Commissioner Matt Woods for her tireless efforts in promoting inclusive forest governance.

    A co-founder of the African Women’s Network for Community Management of Forests and a member of the African Forest Forum, Dr Ndjebet has been instrumental in advancing sustainable environmental practices while ensuring that women have a voice in managing Africa’s natural resources.

    A royal recognition

    Just days after the ceremony in Cameroon, Dr Ndjebet was received by His Majesty King Charles III in the United Kingdom. During her visit, she delivered a powerful keynote address on “Nature Action: Mobilising Frameworks and Finance” highlighting the urgent need for global collaboration in financing nature-based solutions and empowering local communities, especially women, to lead in environmental stewardship.

    Her address underscored the importance of integrating traditional knowledge, gender equity, and sustainable finance into global climate strategies.

    Celebrating academic excellence

    The event also celebrated the return of eight Chevening Scholars who recently completed their master’s degrees at top UK universities. These scholars specialized in critical fields such as climate policy, engineering, disaster management, and artificial intelligence, bringing back valuable knowledge and skills to contribute to national development.

    Strengthening UK-Cameroon ties through education

    Since its inception in 1983, the Chevening Scholarship programme has played a vital role in fostering educational and diplomatic ties between the UK and Cameroon. By investing in future leaders, the programme continues to build bridges of collaboration, innovation, and mutual growth.

    Updates to this page

    Published 8 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Sweeper Hire and Hoses boss Philip Liley gets suspended sentence

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    Sweeper Hire and Hoses boss Philip Liley gets suspended sentence

    Exeter man tried to hide tons of illegal waste kept on leased land by pushing it into the trees and spreading it across the ground.

    Liley and his firm Sweeper Hire and Hoses admitted running a waste site without a permit

    • Philip Liley attempted to disguise the 15,000 tonnes of waste stored illegally at the site
    • Environment Agency investigations began when the nearby River Bovey was polluted
    • Liley, then trading as Sweeper Hire and Hoses Limited, had no environmental permits and ignored all attempts to make his business operate legally.

    Philip Liley, of Sidmouth Road, Exeter, was director of the then Sweeper Hire and Hoses Limited business based at Higher Brocks Plantation, Heathfield, Newton Abbot, Devon. He pleaded guilty at Exeter Crown Court on Thursday 3 July.

    Liley was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment, suspended for 2 years – and 300 hours of unpaid work. 

    Chris Lawson of the Environment Agency, said: 

    Environmental permits are in place to protect the public and the environment.

    Illegal waste activity such as this undermines legitimate businesses that work hard to operate within the regulations, as well as putting the local environment at risk and impacting on the local community. 

    I hope today’s verdict sends a clear message to illegal waste operators that we are committed to tackling the blight of waste crime and will use all powers available to us to catch offenders.

    Leaking pipe leads to Liley’s site

    In March 2023, following a report of a pollution into a tributary of the River Bovey, Environment Agency officers found a pipe discharging a grey/brown liquid into the watercourse.

    The source of the discharge was found to be Liley’s site that he leased at Newton Abbot. The ground at the site was churned up and with heavy plant machinery operating on it, causing the runoff to enter the river.

    The Environment Agency was informed by a sub-contractor working on the site that approximately 15,000 tonnes of inert waste had been imported onto the premises. Groundworks at the site were stopped immediately to limit harm to the local environment. 

    Trees used to hide waste

    Investigations revealed the site was being leased by a company called Sweeper Hire and Hoses Limited. There were no environmental permits or exemptions covering the waste activities ongoing at the site. Neither were there any outstanding planning permission applications.

    During an Environment Agency site inspection, a substantial amount of waste material was present onsite. It appeared that it was being hidden by being pushed and deposited into the trees both at the sides of the premises and in the middle. Work also appeared to be ongoing to level the waste across the site.  

    The same day, the Environment Agency served a notice requiring the company to produce waste transfer notes for waste imported to the site over the previous 2 years. Liley had originally leased the land for 5 years from September 2021, trading as Sweepers and Hoses Limited.  

    Liley refuses to explain himself

    However, due to issues with the various waste issues at the premises, Liley had been given notice to leave the site by the landowner he leased it from. 

    From the waste transfer notes provided, a minimum of 2,960 tonnes in total had been imported to the site between 18 May 2022 and 3 February 2023.

    Liley resigned as director of the business on 1 March 2023 and refused all attempts by the Environment Agency to be interviewed to explain his actions and the legitimacy of his waste business.  

    Illegal waste activity can be reported in confidence to the Environment Agency on its 24-hour incident line on 0800 807060 or to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. 

    Background

    Sweeper Hire and Hoses and Philip Liley were charged with the following offences: 

    • Between 29 September 2021 and 1 March 2023 you, Sweeper Hire and Hoses Limited, on land at Higher Brocks Plantation, Heathfield, Newton Abbot, Devon,  did operate a regulated facility, except under and to the extent authorised by an environmental permit, namely a waste depositing operation for which no environmental permit was in force.  Contrary to Regulations 12(1)(a) and 38(1)(a) of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016. 

    • Between 29 September 2021 and 1 March 2023 you, Phillip Liley on land at Higher Brocks Plantation, Heathfield, Newton Abbot, Devon as Director of  Sweeper Higher and Hoses Limited, did by consent or connivance,  operate a regulated facility, except under and to the extent authorised by an environmental permit, namely a waste depositing operation for which no environmental permit was in force. Contrary to Regulations 12(1)(a), 38(1)(a) and 41(1)(a) of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016 

    • Between 2 March 2023 and 15 September 2023 you, Phillip Liley on land at Higher Brocks Plantation, Heathfield, Newton Abbot, Devon,  did operate a regulated facility, except under and to the extent authorised by an environmental permit, namely a waste depositing operation for which no environmental permit was in force. Contrary to Regulations 12(1)(a) and 38(1)(a) of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016.

    Updates to this page

    Published 8 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New study provides major boost for mine water heat revolution

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    New study provides major boost for mine water heat revolution

    New study shows 87% of coalfield boreholes succeed, busting myths around drilling risks and boosting confidence in mine water heat for green energy.

    Borehole drilling in County Durham.

    A new study from the Mining Remediation Authority busts myths around the risks of drilling into abandoned coal mines for mine water heat schemes. The research provides the strongest evidence yet that this low-carbon technology is technically achievable, cost-effective and ready to scale, offering a major boost to the UK’s ambitions for clean, secure, and locally sourced energy.

    The open-access research, “Drilling into Coal Mine Workings: Overview and Experience from Britain’s Coalfields”, analysed 564 boreholes drilled across Great Britain. It found that 87% of boreholes successfully delivered on their intended purpose, including monitoring, gas venting and water abstraction. More than 75% of those targeting mine voids successfully reached their target, confirming the predictability and feasibility of accessing mine water heat.

    This work directly addresses any concerns about the technical and financial risks of drilling into former coal mines for low-carbon heating, cooling, and thermal storage. It provides a robust evidence base to support the rollout of mine water heat networks, a reliable source of green energy beneath many former coalfield communities, which is currently underused.

    Mine water heat: Busting myths with new drilling study

    Lee Wyatt, lead author and Senior Hydrogeologist at the Mining Remediation Authority, said:

    This study shows that drilling into coal mine workings is not the high-risk activity it’s often perceived to be. With the right planning, design, and expertise, success rates are high, and this opens the door for more confident investment in mine water heat networks. This has the ability to decarbonise heat, reduce energy bills, and regenerate former coalfield communities.

    Key findings:

    • 87% of boreholes were suitable for their original purpose.
    • More than 75% success rate for hitting targeted mine voids.
    • 97% success rate for deeper boreholes (over 300m), where mine plans are more accurate.
    • Boreholes targeting roadways had a 77% success rate in hitting voids and 85% suitability for their intended use.

    The study supports our mission to unlock the potential of Britain’s coalfields for sustainable development and energy transition. It gives developers, local authorities and infrastructure planners greater confidence in mine water heat as a dependable, scalable energy source.

    It also complements research from initiatives like the UK Geoenergy Observatories, which continue to improve geological understanding of mine heat systems and their role in the energy transition.

    Further information:

    Paper link: https://www.lyellcollection.org/doi/full/10.1144/qjegh2025-016

    Mine Water Thematic link: https://www.lyellcollection.org/topic/collections/mine-water-energy

    QJEGH Volume 58 August 2025: https://www.lyellcollection.org/journal/qjegh

    For media enquiries contact the community response team

    Email communityresponse@miningremediation.gov.uk

    Telephone 0800 288 4211

    For emergency media enquiries (out of hours) call: 0800 288 4242.
    Only urgent media calls will be attended to.

    Updates to this page

    Published 8 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: UPDATE — Intermex Launches a new Remittance-as-a-Service (RaaS) Platform to Help Businesses Simplify Cross-Border Payments

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MIAMI, July 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — International Money Express, Inc. (NASDAQ: IMXI) (“Intermex” or the “Company”), a leading money remittance provider to Latin America and the Caribbean, today announced the launch of its fully redesigned Remittance-as-a-Service (RaaS) platform. The upgraded service gives businesses a straightforward way to embed fast, secure cross-border money transfers into their own customer experiences.

    A growing number of companies – from innovative U.S. fintechs to well-established payment providers – are already harnessing Intermex’s Remittance-as-a-Service platform to unlock new cross-border revenue streams.

    Through Intermex’s RaaS platform, companies can introduce their own branded person-to-person and business-to-person payment services to eligible markets including Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, the Dominican Republic, and El Salvador, as well as select countries in Southeast Asia, the European Union, and Africa.

    “Businesses want to innovate and expand quickly, but hurdles like technology development, licensing, and regulatory compliance often slow them down,” said Marcelo Theodoro, Chief Digital, Product & Marketing Officer at Intermex. “Our RaaS platform helps remove those barriers, giving partners a turnkey solution built on decades of experience and one of the strongest payout networks in Latin America.”

    The enhanced platform offers a customizable system that lets businesses create branded customer experiences across WhatsApp, mobile apps, and the web. The service is supported by appropriate licensing across U.S. jurisdictions, incorporating required know your customers and anti-money laundering compliance measures. Companies gain access to one of the largest payout networks in Latin America, supporting cash pickups, home deliveries, and direct bank deposits. The solution also provides integrated payment services, merchant account management, chargeback support, and advanced anti-fraud tools. Additionally, partners benefit from 24/7 bilingual customer support, business insights, and ongoing strategic guidance.

    “Our partners don’t have to build everything from scratch,” Theodoro added. “Through a simple API, we provide the infrastructure, licenses, payout networks, and even the support teams they need. Whether you’re a fintech, an employer, or a loyalty platform, we’re ready to help businesses move money across borders.”

    Companies interested in partnering with Intermex can learn more at www.intermexonline.com/partner-with-us#/.

    About Intermex
    Founded in 1994, Intermex applies proprietary technology to facilitate money transfers from select locations including the United States, Canada, Spain, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Germany to more than 60 countries, where available and subject to applicable regulations. The company facilitates digital money movement through its website and mobile app, as well as through a vast network of retail agents and company-operated stores. Headquartered in Miami, Florida, Intermex also operates international offices in Puebla, Mexico; Guatemala City, Guatemala; London, England; and Madrid, Spain. Learn more at www.intermexonline.com.

    Investor Relations Contact:
    Alex Sadowski
    Investor Relations Coordinator
    ir@intermexusa.com
    305-671-8000

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: UPDATE — Intermex Launches a new Remittance-as-a-Service (RaaS) Platform to Help Businesses Simplify Cross-Border Payments

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MIAMI, July 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — International Money Express, Inc. (NASDAQ: IMXI) (“Intermex” or the “Company”), a leading money remittance provider to Latin America and the Caribbean, today announced the launch of its fully redesigned Remittance-as-a-Service (RaaS) platform. The upgraded service gives businesses a straightforward way to embed fast, secure cross-border money transfers into their own customer experiences.

    A growing number of companies – from innovative U.S. fintechs to well-established payment providers – are already harnessing Intermex’s Remittance-as-a-Service platform to unlock new cross-border revenue streams.

    Through Intermex’s RaaS platform, companies can introduce their own branded person-to-person and business-to-person payment services to eligible markets including Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, the Dominican Republic, and El Salvador, as well as select countries in Southeast Asia, the European Union, and Africa.

    “Businesses want to innovate and expand quickly, but hurdles like technology development, licensing, and regulatory compliance often slow them down,” said Marcelo Theodoro, Chief Digital, Product & Marketing Officer at Intermex. “Our RaaS platform helps remove those barriers, giving partners a turnkey solution built on decades of experience and one of the strongest payout networks in Latin America.”

    The enhanced platform offers a customizable system that lets businesses create branded customer experiences across WhatsApp, mobile apps, and the web. The service is supported by appropriate licensing across U.S. jurisdictions, incorporating required know your customers and anti-money laundering compliance measures. Companies gain access to one of the largest payout networks in Latin America, supporting cash pickups, home deliveries, and direct bank deposits. The solution also provides integrated payment services, merchant account management, chargeback support, and advanced anti-fraud tools. Additionally, partners benefit from 24/7 bilingual customer support, business insights, and ongoing strategic guidance.

    “Our partners don’t have to build everything from scratch,” Theodoro added. “Through a simple API, we provide the infrastructure, licenses, payout networks, and even the support teams they need. Whether you’re a fintech, an employer, or a loyalty platform, we’re ready to help businesses move money across borders.”

    Companies interested in partnering with Intermex can learn more at www.intermexonline.com/partner-with-us#/.

    About Intermex
    Founded in 1994, Intermex applies proprietary technology to facilitate money transfers from select locations including the United States, Canada, Spain, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Germany to more than 60 countries, where available and subject to applicable regulations. The company facilitates digital money movement through its website and mobile app, as well as through a vast network of retail agents and company-operated stores. Headquartered in Miami, Florida, Intermex also operates international offices in Puebla, Mexico; Guatemala City, Guatemala; London, England; and Madrid, Spain. Learn more at www.intermexonline.com.

    Investor Relations Contact:
    Alex Sadowski
    Investor Relations Coordinator
    ir@intermexusa.com
    305-671-8000

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Recovered appeal: land to the south of Longfield Avenue, Fareham (ref: 3347627 – 8 July 2025)

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Correspondence

    Recovered appeal: land to the south of Longfield Avenue, Fareham (ref: 3347627 – 8 July 2025)

    Decision letter and Inspector’s Report for a recovered appeal.

    Applies to England

    Documents

    Recovered appeal: land to the south of Longfield Avenue, Fareham (ref: 3347627 – 8 July 2025)

    PDF, 1.99 MB, 161 pages

    This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

    Request an accessible format.
    If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email alternativeformats@communities.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

    Details

    Decision letter and Inspector’s Report for a recovered appeal for outline planning permission for:

    • up to 1,200 new homes (C3)
    • 80 bed care homes (C2)
    • a new 2 form entry primary school (D1)
    • a local centre to comprise flexible commercial floorspace (A1, A2, A3 and A5 up to 800 square metres), and Community Centre and Health Care Facility (D1 use up to 700 square metres)
    • the formation of new means of access onto Longfield Avenue and Peak Lane
    • new open space including the laying out of a new country park and sports facilities
    • drainage infrastructure
    • walking and cycling infrastructure and other associated infrastructure works

    Updates to this page

    Published 8 July 2025

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    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Mini-exhibition aiming to create buzz around value of meadows

    Source: Scotland – City of Perth

    Through funding from the UK Government Prosperity Fund, Tayside Biodiversity Partnership commissioned Edinburgh-based environmental artist Natalie Taylor to create a new work raising awareness about the importance of nurturing wildflower meadows.  

    Workwear for Pollinators is a small but striking collection of re-imagined workwear designed to be worn while tending meadows and inspired by the pollinators who depend on them. This collection reimagines garments as tools for ecological care—functional pieces created for those restoring biodiversity one wildflower at a time. Drawing direct inspiration from nature’s own palette, the designs bloom with vibrant wildflowers, soft grasses, and the delicate shapes of rarely seen insect species. 

    The apron and boilersuit were created in collaboration with Auchterarder Churches Together Craft Group, Parkdale Care Home, New Rannoch Day Centre and participants at The Workshop in Perth, and feature contact prints of Scottish wildflowers gathered in Summer 2024, and lifesize handmade pollinators – knitted bees and printed butterflies, dragonflies and moths. 

    The exhibition launched at Auchterarder Library on Saturday 5 July (UK National Meadows Day) and is on display there until Wednesday 9 July, then touring to the AK Bell Library in Perth between Thursday 10 and Friday 18 July, and Blairgowrie Library from 18 July to Friday 1 August. The AK Bell Library will also host a free Pollinator Patch drop-in workshop on 10 July from 1pm to 3pm where participants can create their own pollinator critters. For more information, visit the Culture Perth and Kinross website at: https://www.culturepk.org.uk/event/mini-craft-session-woolly-meadow-critters/. 

    Climate Change & Sustainability Convener, Councillor Richard Watters said: “Appropriately opened on UK National Meadows Day, this exhibition reflects the importance of redeveloping our native meadows for the local environment and biodiversity.  

    “The project has been a real community effort with local groups working alongside the artist Natalie Taylor to create the workwear and I hope it and the allied events will encourage increased awareness of habitat loss and how we can all play our part to change this.” 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Partners welcome Haxby Station announcement

    Source: City of York

    Work to build a new station at Haxby has taken a major step forward after funding was confirmed by the Department for Transport.

    Working in partnership with Network Rail and the Department for Transport (DfT), City of York Council have been striving to fulfil a decades-long ambition to bring a railway station back to Haxby.

    The original Haxby Station closed in 1930 and project partners are progressing plans to bring a station back to the area, reconnecting neighbourhoods in the north of York to the rail network, increasing sustainable travel options and improving connections to towns and cities across the country.

    The scheme was included in Yorkshire’s Plan for Rail – submitted to the Government in May – after the Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, David Skaith, identified it as a key priority for the region’s rail network in order to improve journeys and drive growth.

    A planning application was submitted in 2024, with images showing what the station could look like in the future, with a fully accessible footbridge with lifts and steps connecting the two platforms, bike shelters, a 154-space car park (including EV charging), taxi rank and a bus stop. Shared-use paths will connect the station to residential areas of Haxby for those travelling to the station as pedestrians or by cycle.

    Partners on the project have welcomed the news:

    Cllr Claire Douglas, Leader of City of York Council said:

    “We welcome today’s significant investment in York and our wider region.

    We’ve been working hard to secure the funding for Haxby Station that will allow this important project to get started. We’ve been working with Network Rail and a range of other partners, the council itself has committed £4m to the project to help make the ambition of the new station a reality.

    “Haxby hasn’t had a station since the 1930’s and bringing one back has the potential to be an economic game changer for the north of our city and other places on this important line, like Scarborough. The new station will help people commute to work and school or have a day out in one of the many places on the TransPennine route and beyond. All while travelling sustainably.

    “With more homes being built across the city, this station is needed more than ever. It will take some pressure off the Outer Ring Road and reduce car journeys from the area into the city centre, helping to ease congestion on our roads, making it easier for everyone to get around.

    “The project still needs planning approval and we are following that process through, but this funding certainty is a welcome step forward for a project long in the making.”

    Chris Wright, senior sponsor for Network Rail, said:

    This is an important milestone for the Haxby station project, which will reconnect the local community to the rail network for the first time in almost a century.

    “The new station will provide better connections across the region and beyond, supporting sustainable travel options for local residents and visitors alike. We look forward to continuing our close partnership with all stakeholders as we progress through the planning process and work towards making this long-awaited station a reality.”

    The Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, David Skaith, said:

    Not only will residents benefit from a new station, faster journeys and better connections, Haxby Station will unlock opportunities for new homes and economic growth along the entire York to Scarborough corridor.

    “The scheme was one of our key priorities in the Yorkshire Plan for Rail we submitted to Government in May. This investment is clear recognition of the potential of the new station to drive growth and ease congestion by offering a new option for travel.

    “Once complete, 20,000 people will live within 3km of the station, benefiting from better access to jobs and opportunities.

    “I’m looking forward to working with the Government, City of York Council and Network Rail to ensure Haxby Station becomes part of an accessible, connected transport network serving York and North Yorkshire.”

    The planning application is in the planning process and is subject to a planning decision.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –