Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt today spoke to Chief Minister of Gibraltar, Fabian Picardo, and Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif to discuss the recent detention of the Grace 1.

Following his conversation with Chief Minister Picardo, Mr Hunt said:

The Chief Minister and I agreed the importance of deescalating the current situation as quickly as possible, while noting the importance of Gibraltar enforcing EU sanctions against Syria through its legal processes. Mr Picardo noted that Gibraltar would be prepared to facilitate, subject to its obligations under EU law, the release of the detained assets to a rightful claimant if they were satisfied that they had received guarantees it would not be going to Syria.

The detention and investigation of the Grace 1 has been – and continues to be – a Government of Gibraltar-led operation to uphold EU sanctions on Syria. I pay tribute to the admirable leadership of the Chief Minister throughout this process, ably supported by Gibraltarian authorities.

Following his conversation with Foreign Minister Zarif, Mr Hunt said:

Today I reiterated in my conversation with Foreign Minister Zarif that Gibraltar’s decision to detain the Grace 1 related to the destination of the vessel, and not to its origin. This was about the enforcement of EU Syria sanctions: action was taken because of where the oil was going – a sanctioned Syrian entity – not because it was from Iran.

Further information

Following their landmark Global Conference for Media Freedom, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt and Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland have announced the launch of a new Media Freedom Coalition.

The Coalition will be formed by governments who sign up to a Pledge that commits them to speak out and take action together when media freedom is at risk, and to champion the cause around the world.

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said:

2018 was the deadliest year for journalists.

The fact that over 100 countries were represented at the Global Conference for Media Freedom, with over 1500 delegates from all regions of the world, demonstrates the global resonance of this issue.

I am delighted that governments are committing to firm action and to working together as an international community to create a safer environment for journalism across the globe. By shining a light on attacks against journalists, the new Coalition will aim to change political calculations and increase the costs to those who abuse media freedom.

The Conference is set to become an annual event, gathering the world’s governments, civil society and media to take stock of the state of media freedom around the world, with Canada hosting the next conference in 2020. As part of the ongoing global campaign, media freedom will be bolstered through the new Global Media Defence Fund, an international task force to help governments design better national frameworks and action plans, and an independent high-level panel of legal experts, chaired by former President of the UK Supreme Court Lord Neuberger and involving prominent international lawyers including Amal Clooney, the Foreign Secretary’s Special Envoy for Media Freedom.

The UK government is determined to set an example for the rest of the world by continuing to improve media freedom at home in the UK. The government has announced the creation of a new National Committee for the Safety of Journalists, which is expected to bring together representatives from journalism organisations and relevant government departments. The Committee will be asked to devise a National Action Plan on the Safety of Journalists and ensure that those who threaten journalists are held to account. The plan will examine current protections offered to journalists in the UK, and consider how to work together to build on existing strengths.

The government has also decided to establish an autonomous UK human rights sanctions regime once it leaves the European Union. The sanctions could be used against individuals and governments that abuse human rights, including acts against the media.

Notes to Editors

• The new Media Freedom Coalition will shine a light on violations and abuses of media freedom, bringing them to the attention of the global public and working towards accountability; stand together to intervene at the highest level with the governments of countries where media freedom is at risk and to show solidarity with countries that work to build media freedom; and consider all available measures to address violations and abuses of international human rights, including rights related to media freedom. A number of governments signed up to the Pledge and joined the Coalition while at the Conference, while others have indicated their interest to do so once Cabinet approval has been completed. The list of participating governments is expected to be announced in September at the UN General Assembly.

• The text of the Pledge is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/global-pledge-on-media-freedom/global-pledge-on-media-freedom

• More information on announcements from the Global Conference for Media Freedom can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/global-conference-for-media-freedom-london-2019

Further information

The 36 graduates of the two-year programme joined staff from the prisons in which they have been working at a reception at 10 Downing Street.

Working with experienced prison staff, the Unlocked officers were challenged to identify positive changes they could implement while also integrating as dynamic officers on the wings. Meaningful changes that the graduates have brought about range from revamping the induction process at HMP Brixton to changing how medicines are dispensed at HMP Wandsworth.

The scheme has been so successful that it will now place officers in several prisons around Manchester from September 2019, in addition to prisons in London and the south east.

The graduates are part of a wider recruitment drive across the prison estate, with more than 4,700 additional officers recruited since 2016 and staffing levels at their highest in seven years. This comes alongside an additional £70 million investment in prison safety, security and decency, with £16 million to improve conditions for prisoners and staff and £7 million on new security measures.

Justice Secretary David Gauke said:

I want to congratulate all of the Unlocked Graduates, and the prison officers who have supported them, for their tireless and innovative work. Their desire to make a difference is inspiring.

We want our prison officers to come from the broadest possible range of backgrounds in order to reflect the society they serve, and I am delighted to see that the scheme will soon be expanding to Manchester.

Officer numbers are at their highest level since 2012 which is vital to ensuring our prisons can fulfil their purpose of protecting the public, reducing reoffending and rehabilitating offenders.

Natasha Porter, founder and CEO of Unlocked Graduates said:

Our pioneer officers have achieved amazing things in their two years. They have literally saved lives and made a thousand tiny differences in the prisons where they have worked.

Their achievements have only been possible thanks to the support and experience of the prison officers they have worked alongside and learned from.

Jack, one of the first generation of Unlocked Graduates and currently a prison officer at a central London prison said:

I can’t quite believe this amazing two years are over but I’m so proud of what the first generation of Unlocked Graduates has achieved. Our work would not have been possible without the support of amazing colleagues in the prison service, as well as our brilliant mentors.

I’m looking forward to seeing what my fellow Unlocked officers do next. I know many of us will carry on working as prison officers continuing to play a crucial role on the frontline of the prison service, some will progress even further up the ranks of the prison service and others will go on to give prison officers a voice in government, civil society and charities.

Unlocked is a two-year leadership programme specifically aimed at encouraging the brightest and best graduates and career changers to become prison officers. The programme is aimed at raising the status of the profession by attracting a different kind of leader to work in prisons and help identify ways to reform the prison system, reduce reoffending and improve rehabilitation.

While working as full-time frontline prison officers in HMPs Brixton, Coldingley, Downview, High Down, Isis and Wandsworth, the graduates were also required to undertake a rigorous programme of study to complete a Master’s degree focused on system reform in prisons.

More information about the scheme can be found at https://unlockedgrads.org.uk

Councils across England are set to receive a further £28 million to help ease pressures on local services resulting from recent migration. This brings total funding from the government’s Controlling Migration Fund to over £100 million.

From tackling rogue landlords, helping alleviate rough sleeping or boosting community integration through English language lessons, the fund has helped deliver rapid results for communities.

The latest funding, announced by Communities Minister Lord Bourne, will be allocated to 123 projects across England.

Communities Minister Lord Bourne said:

Whether its tackling rogue landlords who exploit vulnerable migrants, helping new arrivals learn English or supporting care leavers to access education, the Controlling Migration Fund is delivering results across the country and providing services for the benefit of all.

Each community is unique in the challenges it faces, but the projects we’ve funded have shown that positive change is possible when people come together and think innovatively about how to support the whole community.

Case Studies

Stockport

Stockport council used funding to develop a bilingual teaching assistant programme to support children in early years who start school or nursery with little or no English. These assistants provide these young children with the support they need to have a successful start. The initiative has delivered impressive results; and in 2017/18 after providing bilingual support to 201 children with English as an additional language, only 26 (13%) required support the following year while only three of the 65 nursery children benefiting from the intervention needed ongoing support.

Manchester Strangeways

Manchester city council, a recipient of today’s additional funding, has already shown great results from its joint work with other agencies, including immigration enforcement, to disrupt and dismantle counterfeit trade in the Strangeways area. The project has removed over 100 counterfeit traders from the area using the council’s corporate landlord powers as well as achieving significant seizures of counterfeit goods, illicit tobacco and arrests for various offences including immigration offences.

Fenland

Fenland council is receiving ongoing funding to support the continued operation of Wisbech Emergency Night Shelter which helps people to find more settled housing, employment and training and to access medical services more efficiently. The Fund has already supported an additional four beds at the shelter. This has reduced pressures on local services and community tension in the area with 84% of the clients not returning to the streets in 2016/17, rising to 86.4% in 2017/18.

Enfield

Enfield has secured funding to extend its ‘Operation Rogue Landlord’ project. The project will focus on targeted inspections and enforcement in areas where more vulnerable residents in the community are most likely to be affected by poor housing conditions, overcrowding and exploitation.

The project’s interventions have yielded positive outcomes so far including 1,950 property inspections and 1,014 enforcement notices.

Further information

The Controlling Migration Fund was first announced in November 2016 and is designed to support local areas facing pressures linked to recent immigration.

View a summary of funding for projects announced today, which will run over 2018 to 2020:

The Fund delivers on many of the priorities set out in the Integrated Communities Strategy published on 14 March 2018.

• International Development Secretary Rory Stewart announces package to help Africa deal with climate change and move away from fossil fuels.
• During Kenya visit, he sees communities hit by drought and the world’s last two remaining northern white rhinos.
• African nations are among the worst hit by climate change.

A UK aid package to tackle climate change across Africa has been announced by the International Development Secretary Rory Stewart during a two day visit to Kenya.

The support would help sub-Saharan African countries build resilience to climate change and develop low carbon economies.

Increasing temperatures and extreme weather across the continent are having a profound impact on the lives and livelihoods of communities.

During his visit, the Secretary of State saw first-hand what happens when we do not protect the planet, including damaged natural flood defences; arid, drought-stricken land; and wildlife, the environment and jobs put at risk. He highlighted how tackling climate change is a global problem, and taking on an issue which affects us all will also ultimately benefit the UK.

Over the next five years, the new £250 million UK aid package would ensure UK expertise and experience can help developing countries become more climate resilient and move away from fossil fuels onto cleaner energy sources.

Working in partnership with African governments, organisations and communities, this funding would be the Department for International Development’s (DFID’s) largest single direct climate investment ever in the continent.

The Secretary of State said during his visit to a drought-affected village in Marsabit (July 12):

We are facing a global climate emergency. Polluted air, rising sea levels and increasing temperatures are felt by everyone in the world.

We must all play our part to protect the environment, wildlife, vulnerable families and communities – and this includes investing in renewable energy.

I am today announcing DFID’s biggest ever single direct aid investment in climate and the environment across Africa. This builds on my ambition to double DFID’s efforts on this issue globally. Tackling climate change is of direct benefit to everyone living on this planet, including of course in the UK.

African nations are responsible for just 2 to 3% of global emissions, but the continent is set to be the worst affected by the devastating impacts of climate change. Kenya is getting warmer and its rainfall becoming more uncertain.

In the coastal town of Lamu, in southern Kenya, the International Development Secretary heard on Thursday (July 11) about the importance of mangrove conservation. These trees act as a vital natural flood defence protecting communities from storms.

However, they are among the world’s most threatened vegetation and nearly 40% of Lamu’s mangroves have already been destroyed.

The International Development Secretary also visited the UNESCO World Heritage site Lamu Old Town where he heard how UK aid will support sustainable development of the town. While there he announced an additional £10 million towards DFID’s Sustainable Urban Economic Development programme to support urban economic growth in Kenya, which is resilient to climate-related shocks and disasters.

On Friday (July 12), the International Development Secretary met with communities in northern Kenya whose lives have been hit by drought. He announced an extra £4 million UK aid commitment to help prevent malnutrition and the threat of starvation for those living off arid lands in Kenya.

The effects of a changing climate and damage to the environment can already be seen in the village of Loiyangalani, near Marsabit. In 2017 villagers experienced the worst drought for over five years, with people and livestock threatened by death, disease and starvation.

Wildlife and biodiversity is also under threat. Globally, one million animal and plant species are threatened with extinction. During a visit to Ol Pejeta conservancy in central Kenya, he saw the last two Northern White Rhino on the planet; a sub-species on the edge of extinction. The combination of cattle herders searching for food for their livestock and human conflict is having an impact on the habitats of rhinos – making them more vulnerable to extinction.

UK aid is helping to preserve the environment where wildlife like rhinos live. It does this in part, by helping cattle herders in Kenya fatten up their cows to earn more from their livestock while helping to manage the land where they graze, so they are not competing so intensely for grassland with such rhinos and other endangered species.

The UK is also working with African nations to deliver an ambitious move to efficient, low carbon technologies. An estimated 600 million Africans currently do not have access to electricity, but UK aid – through its development finance arm CDC and UK private sector investment is helping to support Kenya’s renewable energy sector, by funding the development of the largest onshore wind farm in sub-Saharan Africa at Lake Turkana.

Notes to editors:

• The UK is one of Kenya’s largest bilateral donors. Through UK aid, we are helping those living in poverty in Kenya to build institutions, create jobs, reduce the risks of poverty among marginalised people, increase climate resilience, and solve social challenges through the private sector.

• The £250 million climate programme will work across Sub-Saharan Africa, in partnership with African governments and institutions, to increase resilience and support the transition of countries to low carbon economies. The funding will also help build technical expertise across a range of sectors to support the continent to deal with the devasting impacts of climate change and help it move to clean energy sources.

• Sustainable Urban Economic Development (SUED) announcement – The SUED programme which runs for five years supports 10 fast growing towns across Kenya to develop sustainable urban economic plans and attract investment at a town level. The additional £10 million will extend this support to two additional municipalities in Kenya.

• Lake Turkana Windfarm: 365 wind turbines spread out over 40,000 acres of land, are providing approximately 17% of Kenya’s installed power capacity. This reliable low-cost energy which goes straight into the national grid, is helping light homes and power businesses.

• Drought response: £4 million of UK aid has been committed to help avert deaths arising from the latest drought to affect Kenya. UK aid will support 26,000 children under the age of five with acute malnutrition and 2,700 pregnant and breast-feeding women to access nutrition screening and treatment.