Drivers up and down the country can explore making the switch to an electric vehicle this World EV day with a new government-backed app the Transport Secretary has set out today (9 September 2021). As the UK prepares to host the COP26 climate summit this November, government is working with industry to provide the tools and practical advice drivers need to go electric.

A free app called EV8 Switch – backed by £2.7 million of UK Space Agency funding – launches today. It calculates how much money UK drivers could save by switching to an EV compared to their current petrol or diesel vehicle, along with details on the carbon dioxide (CO2) savings and air quality improvements they could achieve.

Drivers can also see which electric vehicles would be the most suitable for them based on their current vehicle and how switching to electric could fit in with their current lifestyle. Those with the app can also see how close their nearest chargepoints are, and which journeys can be completed without the need to top-up en-route.

The zero emission car market in the UK is accelerating quickly with more models coming onto the market and one in 7 cars sold this year having a plug.

The government is also helping drivers across the country with an extension to the £50 million government fund to install electric vehicle chargepoints.

The move will see small businesses such as B&Bs gain access to the Workplace Charging Scheme, supporting the UK tourism industry and improving access to rural areas. It will also see those in leasehold and rented accommodation enjoy the benefits of the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme, encouraging people to make the switch in areas where charging provision is currently more limited and potentially more challenging to secure. ​

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said:

This World EV Day, I want to not only provide easy access to the tools that people need to feel confident about making the switch, but also to make sure that chargepoints are accessible, affordable and recognisable.

That’s why we have already committed £1.3 billion to accelerate the rollout of charging infrastructure up and down the country. And as we look forward to COP26 and beyond, our vision is that the UK is at the forefront of the zero emission transport future, creating thousands of green jobs in the process.

Together with Electrifying.com, the Department for Transport has also produced a Beginners’ Guide to Going Electric (PDF, 2MB), to help drivers understand what’s involved in switching to an electric car. The guide provides practical advice and top tips as we accelerate towards a zero emission transport future.

With just months to go until COP26, the government is also announcing that Minnie Moll, Chief Executive of the Design Council, and Duncan Wilson OBE, Chief Executive of Historic England, will sit on the steering board to support our chargepoint design project, alongside architects Sowmya Parthasarathy, experienced masterplanner, and Professor Alan Penn, Chief Scientific Advisor at the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government. They will provide expertise to shape a design that could see our chargepoints become as recognisable as the red post box, London bus or black cab.

The resulting design will be unveiled at COP26 in Glasgow this November.

Science Minister Amanda Solloway said:

As we get ready to host the major UN climate summit, COP26, in Glasgow later this year, the UK is leading the way in using space to help us build back greener.

With innovative government-backed projects such as this harnessing the power of space, making the switch to an electric vehicle will be easier than ever before, helping us take a giant leap towards our net zero ambitions.

Founder of Electrifying.com Ginny Buckley said:

We know that switching to an electric car can be a daunting prospect with a host of new information to absorb and jargon to cut through. But it’s not as complicated as it may seem and our research shows that once you’ve gone electric you won’t want to go back to a petrol or diesel car.

We’re delighted to have teamed up with the government to help clear the air for drivers with a straightforward, unbiased and jargon-free guide for World EV Day.

Accelerating the transition to electric vehicles – along with investing in clean energy and halting deforestation – are crucial to cutting emissions and keeping global warming to 1.5°C. The UK is calling on all countries around the world to make bold commitments in these areas at COP26.

A ‘new deal’ between faith groups and government to capitalise on efforts to help communities during lockdown is being forged today (9 September 2021) thanks to a new £1 million fund.

From delivering food to front line workers and vulnerable members of society, supporting those who were lonely or isolated and helping vital information get to those who needed it most, faith groups have been instrumental in supporting communities throughout the pandemic.

Now faith groups will be able to apply for a share of the £1 million Faith New Deal Pilot Fund for projects providing innovative solutions to issues such as food poverty and poor mental health.

Projects combating loneliness and isolation, providing debt advice and helping those who were unemployed during the pandemic get back to work are set to benefit from the new pilot.

Faith groups have used their trusted position at the heart of the communities they serve, innovating to overcome challenges quickly and utilising their already well-established volunteer networks.

The funded projects will build on this good work, strengthening relationships between public bodies and faith groups by supporting faith-based initiatives to tackle social issues and boost COVID-19 recovery.

Faith Minister Lord Stephen Greenhalgh said:

Over the last 18 months, I have seen first-hand the outstanding work faith groups are doing to serve their communities.

Their vital work has helped the most vulnerable members of society during the pandemic with crucial support and services.

This new fund will draw on that wealth of experience and energy, for the benefit of all.

The Faith New Deal pilot fund is a response to recommendations made in Danny Kruger’s report for government, ‘Levelling up our communities: proposals for a new social covenant‘ and the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Faith and Society’s report, ‘Keeping the Faith – Partnerships between faith groups and local authorities during and beyond the pandemic’. Both set out the ability of faith groups to provide innovative solutions to complex problems and make valuable contributions to all parts of society.

The fund will be open to faith-based organisations to deliver projects to provide community wide services open to all the local population. Additionally, the funded projects will aim to have a positive impact in fostering good relations between people of faith and those of other faiths or none within local communities.

For more information see the Faith New Deal Pilot Fund prospectus

Clare Wade QC – who was lead counsel in the high-profile case of Sally Challen – will examine the need to reform the law before presenting her findings and recommendations to the Lord Chancellor, Robert Buckland QC MP. She will consider whether the law could better protect the public and ensure sentences reflect the severity of these crimes.

It follows an initial review carried out by the MOJ which looked in detail at more than 100 cases, including analysis of the sentences imposed, sentencing remarks, as well as information on the gender of perpetrators and victims and the method of killing. This was in response to a number of cases in which concerns were raised about the minimum term for murders committed with a weapon.

Ms Wade QC will now provide further analysis of this data and produce a report for Ministers to consider later this year.

Lord Chancellor, Robert Buckland QC MP, said:

We want to take a closer look at how the law is working to ensure the public is protected and that sentences reflect the severity of these heinous crimes.

I am delighted Clare Wade QC can bring her unparalleled expertise to this complex piece of work before we consider any future proposals.

Ms Wade QC has decades of experience working on both murder and manslaughter cases and, in recent years, has specialised in domestic homicide. Ms Challen’s murder conviction for killing her husband was quashed on the grounds that she had been subjected to coercive control for many years.

The Domestic Abuse Commissioner, Nicole Jacobs, said:

I strongly welcome the review into domestic homicide sentencing, and the appointment of Clare Wade QC to lead this vital piece of work. It is time that we ensured that sentencing for domestic homicides truly reflect the reality and gravity of domestic abuse, which so often follows prolonged periods of abuse. Victims and their families deserve no less.

The Victims’ Commissioner for England & Wales, Dame Vera Baird QC, said:

I’m pleased the Lord Chancellor has reflected on the Domestic Abuse Commissioner’s and my concerns and committed to this review and I’m delighted at the appointment of Clare Wade QC, an incredibly effective and well-respected individual and a former professional colleague.

Evidence shows that women are more likely than men to use a weapon to defend themselves against an abusive partner, but this attracts a longer sentence than violence without a weapon. The fear is women – who are themselves victims – are serving lengthy jail sentences for simply choosing to survive.

Today’s (9 September 2021) announcement builds on the government’s recent action to ensure that sentences reflect the severity of crimes whilst protecting the most vulnerable and better supporting victims. The landmark Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill will see the most serious offenders locked up for longer and includes measures to introduce a sliding scale for youth offenders who commit murder which would set new minimum terms based on age and seriousness of offence, and reducing the opportunities for over 18s who committed murder as a child to have their minimum term reviewed.

Notes for editors

• Ms Wade also has prior experience of working with the Law Commission on reform of the law of homicide
• Any recommendations from the review will need to be brought forward through an appropriate legislative vehicle.

Madam President, thank you for convening today’s debate. My thanks also go to our distinguished briefers – the Secretary-General, Her Excellency Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Ms Adam.   

I also want to thank you, Madam President, for leading us today in paying tribute to those killed or injured in the service of the UN. Our peacekeepers serve in some of the most challenging circumstances, supporting peace processes, protecting civilians, and securing the conditions for transitions to lasting peace.   Many pay the ultimate sacrifice.

We must ensure all peacekeepers have the necessary training, equipment and support, including the right medical capabilities, to perform at their best. They should be assured that we have done our utmost to enable their efforts and are committed to building upon their achievements. 

Madam President, last year the UK deployed peacekeepers to MINUSMA, delivering a capability that directly improves the reach, agility and responsiveness of the mission, particularly in protecting civilians.   

Working alongside Bangladeshi, Swedish, Nigerien, Irish and German partners, among others, UK forces have engaged with Malian communities who had never before met UN peacekeepers, to understand their needs and concerns.  They have gathered intelligence to support mission planning, improve overall mission performance and responsiveness to threats.  UK peacekeepers working closely with mission planners have helped Malian government officials and civilian human rights colleagues in MINUSMA to increase their reach – a powerful example of the military supporting the broader UN system and promoting local governance. 

Madam President, UK troops and their partners are fulfilling our expectations of peacekeepers: preventing violence, building host state capacities, and laying foundations for long-term peace and a sustainable mission transition. 

However, no matter how effective our operations, long-term peace and successful transitions in Mali and elsewhere rely on finding sustainable political solutions. This requires our collective, coherent and consistent response, at all levels: multilateral, bilateral and regional. I welcome the Secretary-General’s focus on this through the Action for Peacekeeping agenda and his A4P+ priorities.   

For our peacekeepers’ efforts to be worthwhile, we must continue reinforcing our support for such solutions long after peacekeeping missions draw down. In Sudan, the establishment of UNITAMS following the drawdown of UNAMID has enabled the continuation of international support to the Government of Sudan’s efforts to build lasting peace and security in Darfur.  

Sustainable transitions require UN peacebuilding structures, peace and security architecture, and the development system to work together. I welcome the Secretary-General’s directive to UN missions, country teams and HQ entities on early joint planning and financing, operational support and staffing.  Sustaining peace relies on robust national ownership – host states building their own capacities, with the right international support, and making plans for transitioning responsibilities, with clear benchmarks for a desired end state, not an end date. 

As we’ve heard today the voices of women, youth and civil society are essential if transitions are to be sustainable. In Mali, UK bilateral funding is helping to increase the participation of women in the peace process, and helps strengthen civilian coordination in order to facilitate humanitarian access. More broadly, the UK is a strong supporter of the Peacebuilding Fund, having contributed more $300,000 million since its inception. The combination of peacekeeping efforts, and wider support from the international community, are key to creating the conditions for a sustained peace.  

Madam President, effective transitions require all actors, across and beyond the UN system, to plan together to consolidate peace and to follow through in support of political solutions. In doing so, we can safeguard the legacy of all our peacekeepers and ensure their sacrifices are not in vain. 

Thank you, Madam President. 

Home Secretary Priti Patel will today (8 September) tell social media companies that they must take our children’s safety as seriously as they do their bottom line at a meeting of the G7 interior ministers.

She will also call on G7 partners to back the UK approach in holding the internet technology giants to account if harmful content continues to be posted across their platforms and if they neglect public safety when designing their products.

Her call to action comes as she launches a new fund aimed at tackling child sexual abuse online.

Innovators and tech experts will be given government funding to show the internet technology giants how they can better design their products and not increase the risk of their platform’s being a safe haven for child sexual abusers.

The UK’s new Safety Tech Challenge Fund will award five organisations from across the world up to £85,000 each to develop innovative technologies to keep children safe when using end-to-end encrypted messaging services.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said:

The UK is a world leader in tackling child sexual abuse online, and it is vital that the G7 and technology companies alike step up to protect children and victims from sick perpetrators and crack down on this abhorrent crime.

The technology giants have a responsibility to protect their users online, and must take our children’s safety and security as seriously as they do their bottom line when designing new products.

This new fund will bring together global experts to show the technology companies how they can responsibly implement end-to-end encryption without putting our children’s safety at greater risk.

Minister for Digital and Culture Caroline Dinenage said:

We are bringing in world-leading laws to make the internet safer for everyone in the UK, especially children. But we also want to see tech firms innovating to make their platforms safer too.

Through this fund, we are supporting them to create practical solutions to the challenges around end-to-end encryption which balance privacy with the pressing need to end safe spaces for child abuse online.

Companies awarded Tech Challenge funding will develop innovative solutions to show the silicon valley giants how they could continue to detect images or videos showing sexual abuse of children while ensuring end-to-end encryption is not compromised.

The fund, which will run for five months from November 2021, is part of the government’s wider effort to tackle harmful behaviours taking place on social media and other online platforms.

The announcement comes as the Home Secretary meets with her G7 counterparts over the next two days, with tackling child sexual exploitation, and internet safety and security, dominating the agenda on day one.

Interior ministers will look at how the G7 can work together to keep their citizens safe online and the bring the sick perpetrators of child sexual abuse and exploitation to justice.

John Clark, National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) President & CEO:

The NCMEC applauds the launch of the UK’s Safety Tech Challenge Fund. Last year we received more than 21 million reports relating to child sexual exploitation, and the numbers of reports this year are likely to be even higher.

The Safety Tech Challenge will be crucial to enabling the tech industry, academic experts, non-profits, and government agencies to collaborate together on global solutions to keep children safer online without compromising consumer privacy.

Time is of the essence to develop safety measures that can operate in encrypted environments to protect children, whose images are being circulated online.

Julie Inman Grant, Australian e-safety Commissioner:

As a global community we must strive to take every step we can to combat the scourge of online child sexual exploitation and abuse, wherever it is found.

Encryption is a many-layered, complex issue that requires detailed consideration and thoughtful review in order to minimise the potential for harm and ensure that a suitable balance is struck between security, privacy and safety.

There are promising technological breakthroughs that can surface illegal content in E2EE environments without sacrificing user privacy, and we must harness the possibilities that they offer in a unified and integrated way.

We look forward to seeing the outcomes of the UK’s safety tech challenge investment fund and working in collaboration with our partners to ensure that effective solutions are able to be implemented and adopted globally.

Technologies developed will be evaluated by independent academic experts to measure effectiveness and privacy safeguards.

Applications for funding will open to applicants globally from 8 September 2021, and close on 6 October 2021.

For more information on the fund, please visit: www.safetytechnetwork.org.uk/innovation-challenges