Following the latest review of COVID-19 support provided to areas in England, the government is deploying additional support to the seven local authorities across Tyne and Wear, Northumberland and County Durham, and five local authorities in the Tees Valley.

The decision is based on the latest data and local insights and will provide targeted additional support to try and slow the growth of COVID-19 variants in the region, whilst also carefully monitoring NHS pressures and the number of cases and deaths. This support package will be in place for five weeks from Monday (26 July) to allow for targeted local action.

The support package includes the option to deliver extra testing in these targeted areas, the provision of logistical support to maximise vaccine and testing uptake, and further help for local public health campaigns.

Local residents are urged to remain cautious and follow the national guidance; including to wear face coverings in crowded areas such as public transport; meet outdoors where possible; let fresh air into homes or other enclosed spaces, and consider minimising the number, proximity and duration of social contacts.

This package of additional support has been in place in Bedford, and across most of the North West for between six and ten weeks, and there has been a great deal of exceptional work locally to drive up testing and vaccine uptake. Whilst the short-term measure of additional support will end in these areas, the government will continue to work closely with local authorities in Bedford, Blackburn with Darwen, Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Liverpool City Region to help them manage COVID-19 growth rates in their areas.

Public Health Minister Jo Churchill, said:

As the data changes it is vital that our public health response continues to change with it.

By working in lockstep with local authorities and directors of public health, this additional support should help turn the tide on these growing case numbers and extend the wall of protection that vaccines is creating across the country.

We all have a part to play in the continued fight against this virus and our message is a clear one: the best thing we can all do to protect ourselves and our loved ones is getting jabbed. If you haven’t had your first or second doses, I’d urge you to book your vaccination at the first opportunity.

The vaccines have already helped to prevent over 8 million infections and have saved thousands of lives in England. The vaccination programme has substantially weakened the link between cases, hospitalisations and deaths. Vaccinated people are far less likely to get COVID-19 with symptoms and even more unlikely to get serious COVID-19, to be admitted to hospital, or to die from it and there is growing evidence that they are less likely to pass the virus to others.

The full list of areas in the North East where additional support will be offered is:

• The North East LA7 (Durham, Gateshead, South Tyneside, Sunderland, Newcastle Upon Tyne, North Tyneside and Northumberland)
• Tees Valley (Darlington, Hartlepool, Middlesborough, Redcar & Cleveland and Stockton on Tees)

The full list of areas where additional support will be scaled back is:

• Bedford Borough Council
• Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council
• Blackpool Council
• Cheshire East Council
• Cheshire West and Chester Council
• Greater Manchester Combined Authority (Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan)
• Lancashire County Council (Burnley, Chorley, Fylde, Hyndburn, Lancaster, Pendle, Preston, Ribble Valley, Rossendale, South Ribble, West Lancashire, Wyre)
• Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (Halton, Knowsley Liverpool, Sefton, St Helens, Wirral)
• Warrington Borough Council

The Court of Appeal and Crown Court have quashed the convictions of a number of former postmasters who were prosecuted using evidence from Post Office’s Horizon IT system, which is now known to have been unreliable.

The Post Office has contacted postmasters it has previously prosecuted to assist them in potentially appealing their convictions, should they wish.

We are also aware that in some instances, postmasters were made bankrupt by the Post Office Limited, which have may have been as a result of the financial discrepancies reported, incorrectly, by the Horizon IT system.

Furthermore, due to the financial impact of the situation, some postmasters may have petitioned for their own bankruptcy or made a bankruptcy application to Office of the Adjudicator.

The Official Receiver, acting as the Trustee/Trustee ex-officio in bankruptcy, is now undertaking enquiries to identify these cases, in order to investigate whether these bankruptcy orders should be reviewed.

If you have been subject to a bankruptcy / adjudicator or sequestration order since 2000, resided in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, and believe you were impacted by the Horizon discrepancies, please contact the Insolvency Service via Horizoncases@insolvency.gov.uk.

Please ensure you provide the following information:

• full name;
• date of birth;
• contact details;
• court / bankruptcy reference number relating to your bankruptcy (if available);
• where your bankruptcy / adjudicator or sequestration order was made, i.e. England/Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland; and
• a brief overview of how you were affected.

Please note if an Insolvency Practitioner has been appointed as your Trustee in bankruptcy or you were subject to an Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA) then please direct any queries to the Insolvency Practitioner appointed.

If you are currently subject to a Debt Relief Order and within the 12-month moratorium period, please contact the Official Receiver dealing with your case.

If you were subject to a bankruptcy / sequestration order in Scotland or Northern Ireland, we will forward your details to the appropriate bodies in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

If you have previously contacted us on this matter via the inbox referenced above, please note we are currently working through the enquiries received and you will receive a response in due course.

Commitments to tackle climate change and halt biodiversity loss by 2030 were reaffirmed by the UK Government yesterday (Thursday 22 July) at the G20 Environment Ministerial held in Naples, Italy.

Under Italy’s Presidency, members of the G20 and guest countries met in a combined in-person and virtual event and agreed the G20 Communique, committing to increase efforts to address the interconnected challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution.

In this crucial year for global action on the environment and climate, the G20 set out their determination to step up efforts to end illicit threats to nature, including the illegal wildlife trade and illegal logging.

The group called for action on habitat loss, land degradation, marine plastic litter, sustainable water management and ocean health. As part of this, G20 members who support “30×30” – ensuring that at least 30% of land and at least 30% of the global ocean are conserved or protected – and the Leaders’ Pledge for Nature encouraged others to make similarly ambitious commitments.

Lord Goldsmith called on all countries to support efforts to increase the global protection of land and ocean, and to agree ambitious outcomes at the CBD COP15 on the post-2020 global biodiversity framework, including supporting “30×30”.

The Minister also highlighted the importance of taking action to tackle zoonotic disease risks, particularly in light of Covid-19 and in line with a ‘One Health’ approach to emerging diseases, including by tackling biodiversity and habitat loss.

International Environment Minister Lord Goldsmith said:

We must ensure that the decisions we take as we rebuild our economies post- pandemic are completely aligned with our stated commitments to tackle climate change and reverse biodiversity loss.

I am pleased the G20 reached agreement in Naples to take further action against some of the greatest environmental challenges, but that agreement must not be the limit of our ambition, but rather a step towards addressing these interlinked crises.

I am proud of the leadership the UK is providing – through our G7 and COP26 presidency, in partnership with Italy, and beyond. Ahead of COP26 and CBD COP15 we will continue to press countries to join us in ramping up efforts to protect and restore nature.

Yesterday’s G20 Environment Ministerial came ahead of the Energy and Climate Ministerial taking place today, Friday 23 July.