The government is making over £130 million available to tackle serious violent crime – including murder and knife crime – in the coming year, Home Secretary Priti Patel announced today (Monday 8 March).

The funding will enable a programme of work to prevent some of the most serious types of crime and deliver safer communities for the British public.

The package includes:

• £30 million to support the police to take targeted action in parts of England and Wales most affected by serious violence*. This is new money, following over £100 million in surge funding that has been provided to police over the past two years and which has already seen over 100,000 weapons seized by police and thousands of hours of enforcement activity in hotspot areas – including increased patrols, weapons sweeps, and stop and search.

• Up to £23 million for new early intervention programmes that will help stop young people from being drawn into violence. This includes programmes which use significant moments in a young person’s life – such as when they enter police custody or Accident and Emergency – as opportunities for trained professionals to engage and divert young people away from violence.

The funding comes ahead of the introduction of a major criminal justice Bill, which will:

• give police new stop and search powers to tackle known knife and weapons carriers
• place a duty on public sector bodies – including police, education and health agencies – to take a joined-up approach to addressing serious violence
• require local agencies to review the circumstances when an adult homicide takes place involving offensive weapons, such as knives, to ensure lessons are learnt and future deaths are prevented

Home Secretary Priti Patel said:

I am determined to cut crime and make our streets safer, which is why we are recruiting 20,000 more police officers, introducing new stop and search powers, and giving the police the resources they need to go after the serious violent criminals causing misery in communities.

But when it comes to gangs and serious violence, we must also tackle underlying causes. That is why we are investing in new early intervention programmes to stop young people committing these crimes in the first place.

National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) lead for Serious Violent Crime, Assistant Chief Constable Jackie Sebire, said:

Continuing to work with partners to address serious violence and its widespread impact on individuals and communities is a key priority for forces. Even during the pandemic, we have seen serious street-based violence continue and particularly violence involving young people as both victims and perpetrators.

I have seen officers and staff facing real challenges to their own safety every day, facing unknown dangers when executing warrants, taking knives from those carrying them in public places and dealing with victims of serious violence and trauma with compassionate professionalism.

Bringing about sustained reductions in violence is incredibly complex. We welcome this renewal of funding from the Home Office, which will allow police to maintain a focus on tactics and activities that we have an evidence base on and know work in local communities.

The package is made up of funding secured at the Spending Review and through the Shared Outcomes Fund, which funds pilot projects to test innovative ways of working across the public sector.

It also includes a range of other measures to address the factors that lead to serious violent crime and stop it happening in the first place. These include:

• £10 million to expand domestic abuse perpetrator programmes, which will hold perpetrators to account by challenging their behaviours and helping to change them. This is in addition to the £19 million announced by the Chancellor in Wednesday’s Budget for domestic abuse schemes, which includes £15 million dedicated to tackling perpetrators through new behaviour change programmes to prevent abuse happening in the first place.
• £3.4 million to expand work being carried out by the Metropolitan Police’s Social Media Hub to investigate online gang related material, gather evidence for prosecutions, and make referrals to social media companies so illegal and harmful content can be taken down.
• £1 million to set up and start the pilot for new homicide reviews. These reviews will take place following deaths of adults where offensive weapons have been involved and will require local agencies and safeguarding partners to examine individual cases so future deaths are prevented. Further funding (£1.8 million) will be available next year to continue the pilot into 2022-23.
• £1.6 million towards piloting the Creating Opportunities Forum this year – a new programme to support young people who may be at risk of serious violence to access employment opportunities. Funding of £1.7 million will also be available next year to fund the pilot into 2022-23.

The funding package also includes the further £35.5 million towards Violence Reduction Units which was announced in early February. The units draw together partners in 18 areas worst affected by serious violence to deliver a full range of coordinated action needed to tackle serious violence at its root.

The remaining funding will all be spent on programmes which support the government’s ambition to drive down serious violent crime.

* Funding for targeted police action in key areas announced today for 21/22 is subject to receiving proposals from forces for their use of the funding and to these plans being agreed by the Home Office. The £30 million for targeted police action in key areas includes:

Visionary British female entrepreneurs are receiving government backing to drive forward their novel innovations and business ideas, as the UK builds back better from the COVID-19 pandemic and progresses its climate change ambitions.

Announced today (Monday 8 March 2021) by Science Minister Amanda Solloway to mark International Women’s Day, 40 of the country’s top female innovators will be awarded a cash injection of £50,000 each, as well as bespoke mentoring, to scale up and bring to market their disruptive business ideas, many of which have been borne out in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Located right across the UK, from Scotland to Salisbury, business innovations receiving government backing include a company creating sustainable green interior furniture for the airline industry, an app to make emergency services more accessible for those suffering from domestic abuse and an innovative technology to help large organisations to manage and reduce their waste.

Science Minister Amanda Solloway said:

As we build back better from COVID, it is a priority of mine to continue equipping our brightest female innovators with the tools they need to succeed, while encouraging a new generation of women to come forward and pursue their ambitions.

Today we are supporting 40 of our most trailblazing female entrepreneurs, helping them to turn their innovative ideas and aspirations into a reality, creating the products and services that will help improve our lives and boost our economy.

Among the entrepreneurs being backed today are:

• Joan D’Arcy, founder of Plastic@Bay in Durness, North West Scotland, who aims to help protect the UK’s environment by developing Local Ocean Plastic Recycling Facilities (LOPRF) in coastal communities up and down the UK. These facilities will be capable of recycling ocean plastic quickly onsite and at a low cost, converting plastic waste into construction materials. As well as tapping into a local source of material, these facilities will also provide local employment and training opportunities for young people, with each recycling facility employing at least 3 people to use and maintain the low tech recycling machines
• Samantha Bunyan co-founder of Cecence in Salisbury, who is decarbonising the aerospace industry by providing eco-friendly alternatives to the current interior products of UK aeroplanes. Cecence will use the funding to develop a range of furniture for economy and business class aerospace interiors – all of which will be made with sustainable composite materials, including recycled materials and natural fibres. The funding will also enable the business to develop sustainable aerospace in-flight carry-on items, such as amenity kits, expanding their customer base for clean products beyond businesses to consumers
• Lise Pape, founder of Walk with Path in London who is being backed to develop a first of its kind medical device – Path Feel – a smart insole which aims to improve mobility for older people suffering from chronic conditions such as Parkinson’s. The insole responds directly to pressure applied and vibrates to help the user feel the floor and balance, removing the reliance on canes and frames

Today’s funding is part of the government’s flagship Women in Innovation Awards, delivered by Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), which seeks to boost the number of UK female entrepreneurs, which could deliver £180 billion to the economy. Each winner will receive a £50,000 cash boost and a bespoke package of mentoring and business support to help drive forward their pioneering products and services.

Emily Nott, Head of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at Innovate UK said:

With 2020 proving to be an incredibly difficult year for everyone, and particularly women, continuing to support female entrepreneurs in 2021 has been a real priority for Innovate UK. We have had an enormous response and we can see some positives from the pandemic, with some of our shortlist inspired to start up a business in response to some of the challenges it has brought.

Working alongside the winners, Innovate UK will help them grow further. We can’t wait to see what else these inspiring women achieve and how they can be an example to inspire the next generation and to encourage more women-led businesses in this country as we rebuild and recover. It forms a key part of the government’s ambitious R&D Roadmap, published in July 2020, which committed to supporting the UK’s innovators and risk-takers by backing entrepreneurs and start-ups with the funding needed to scale up their innovations.

Emma Shaw, co-founder of Library of Things said:

Everyone should have access to quality products that improve their homes, lives and environment, without it costing the earth – whether it’s a drill for a DIY job, a tent for a camping adventure or tools for the garden. LoT has been overwhelmed with demand from communities across the UK wanting to bring the scheme to their neighbourhoods – and from local governments and businesses wanting to commission LoT’s service to stimulate their local circular economy.

Notes to editors

Other recipients of this year’s Women in Innovation awards include:

• Becca Hume, from Belfast, Northern Ireland, founder of TapSOS: Becca is being backed to develop her technology which aims to ensure emergency services are more accessible and inclusive. The TapSOS app provides a non-verbal tool to create alerts to Police, Fire & Rescue, Ambulance and Coastguard. Initially designed for the deaf and those hard of hearing, this investment will enable Becca to expand its services to victims of domestic abuse for discreet reporting when calling 999 isn’t safe – particularly in response to the significant rise of domestic abuse as a result of COVID-19

• Sophie Walker from Derbyshire, co-founder of DSPOSAL: Sophie set up her clean technology company, DSPOSAL, to empower people to make better decisions with their resources and waste, to help the clean up our environment. She will use the funding to develop new digital software which will enable waste managers at large organisations, such as the NHS, to better manage their waste supply chain, and tackle waste crime, which costs the UK economy £1 billion a year. The software will be piloted at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, one of the largest NHS Trusts in the country.

• Emma Shaw from London, co- founder of Library of Things: Emma aims to scale up her business Library of Things, the first and only household product rental kiosk operator in the world, helping people to save money and reduce waste by affordably renting over 50 quality DIY products including drills, hedge trimmers and gazebos. The business aims to unlock a new, ‘circular’ model of consumerism in cities across the UK, where borrowing is better than buying – more affordable/convenient for individuals, more rewarding for communities and kinder to the planet. They plan to have established over 100 kiosks across the UK by 2025.

• Sarah Henley, founder of NextUp, a comedy organisation in London will use the funding to champion and support live UK comedy, which like many industries, has been severely impacted by COVID-19. As lockdown restrictions begin to ease, NextUp will develop an innovative streaming technology that will allow for an in-person and live-streamed ‘Hybrid Audience’ – all of whom can interact with the comic and enjoy the ‘live’ experience. Not only will this open up an additional revenue stream for venues and performers, but it will also make live music more accessible for those unable to make the performance in person – for example due to health conditions, or COVID restrictions.

About Women in Innovation

Innovate UK launched Women in Innovation in 2016, after research revealed that just 1 in 7 applications for Innovate UK support came from women. Boosting the number of female entrepreneurs could deliver £180 billion to the economy.

The aim was to get more women with excellent ideas innovating within UK businesses. Women in Innovation is part of Innovate UK’s commitment to promote greater diversity and inclusion in business innovation.

The programme seeks to find women with exciting, innovative ideas and ambitious plans that will inspire others. The awards are for female founders, co-founders or senior decision makers working in businesses that have been operating for at least one year. The programme support includes a £50,000 grant for each individual, as well as a bespoke package of mentoring, coaching and business support.

The campaign and awards programme in 2016 and 2018 have had a huge impact so far. The number of women applying to Innovate UK’s funding and support has increased by 70%. The Women in Innovation Awards 2020/21 will build on this success.

For more details see: ktn-uk.org/programme/women-in-innovation/

About Innovate UK

Innovate UK drives productivity and economic growth by supporting businesses to develop and realise the potential of new ideas, including those from the UK’s world-class research base. They connect businesses to the partners, customers and investors that can help them turn these ideas into commercially successful products and services, and business growth.

• Liz Truss appointed Ministerial lead, with Sarah Sands as Chair

• Council will make recommendations to the G7 on policy to drive women’s empowerment, with a particular focus on science and technology.

• Members will include Prof Sarah Gilbert – who led work on the AZ/Oxford vaccine – and other high-profile women from the world of tech, science and engineering.

The government has today announced the creation of a new advisory council – led by Liz Truss at ministerial level – to lead the UK’s gender equality work at the G7.

The Gender Equality Advisory Council will produce recommendations to drive women’s empowerment across the world to ensure women are at the heart of the build back better agenda as we recover from COVID-19.

Distinguished journalist and author, Sarah Sands, has been appointed as the Chair of the GEAC, with further members set to be announced in the coming weeks. Sands’ career has showcased an ability to drive forward the UK’s news agenda and hold politicians to account, both of which will support the work of the Council.

The Prime Minister has asked Truss to lead the work of the Council at ministerial level, which he sees as a crucial part of the UK’s broader work as G7 president this year. With the role of women in science, tech and engineering amplified by the UK’s vaccine development and rollout, Ministers will also use the G7 to encourage more women and girls to take up STEM based careers or education opportunities.

Building on the foundations laid by the Canadian and French G7 presidencies, the GEAC will champion the core principles of freedom, opportunity, individual humanity and dignity for women and girls around the world. They will produce an independent report and set out recommendations as to how the G7 should work together so that women across the globe drive and benefit from the pandemic recovery.

International Trade Secretary and Minister for Women & Equalities, Liz Truss, said:

“The UK has long been a leading champion of women and girl’s rights at home and around the globe.

“We have today announced a fantastic Chair of the GEAC and will assemble a council of world leaders in fields from science and health to economics, education and technology.

“Women are at the forefront of our recovery from COVID-19 and the work of GEAC will advance these efforts on a global scale, helping women build back better everywhere.”

Chair of the Gender Equality Advisory Council, Sarah Sands, said:

“The G7 is an opportunity to tear down the hurdles that hold women back.

“Across the world we share common objectives: protection from violence, the liberating force of education and economic empowerment.

“I am honoured to chair the GEAC council and delighted that women are placed at the centre of the UK’s global vision.”

Against the backdrop of recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 GEAC will focus on supporting action on education, economic empowerment and ending violence against women. This will build on the government’s commitment to build back better, ensuring everyone has the opportunity to succeed.

The UK is determined that gender equality is viewed as vitally important throughout this year’s presidency, which is why GEAC members will report to G7 Leaders, whilst being invited to support each G7 ministerial group in integrating gender equality across all of their actions.

On International Women’s Day, the UK will unite to recognise the role of women in combating the pandemic, whether that is on the front line in healthcare and retail roles, providing unpaid care work or playing a crucial part in developing vaccines. The GEAC will build on this, putting gender equality at the heart of the recovery effort across the world.

Further Information:

Council members will be selected based on the wide-ranging experiences and perspectives on gender equality they can bring to the G7 Summit themes: COVID-19 response and recovery, prosperity and trade, climate and environment, and global values. The GEAC will include members from each G7 country.

Full membership of the Council will be announced in the coming weeks.

The Prime Minister has today hailed the collective efforts of the public to bring infection rates down so we can start Step One of the roadmap, with pupils across England returning to school and college from tomorrow.

Throughout the pandemic, the Prime Minister and Chief Medical Officer have been clear of the benefits that being in school brings to the physical and mental health of children and young people. Getting children back to face to face education has remained the national priority throughout lockdown.

The sacrifices that have been made by each and every member of the public by staying at home whilst the most vulnerable in our society have been vaccinated, has meant that we can now begin the cautious easing of restrictions. Millions of children and young people will be reunited with their friends and teachers, with schools returning from tomorrow.

Many secondary schools and colleges have already started inviting students for their first rapid lateral flow test, with schools and colleges having discretion on how to stagger the return of their students over the next week to facilitate testing and their safe return to the classroom. After three initial tests on-site students will be provided with two rapid tests to use each week at home.

Nearly 57 million lateral flow tests have already been delivered to schools and colleges across the country. Over 5 million lateral flow tests have been conducted across education settings during lockdown, with nearly one million last week alone.

Prime Minister, Boris Johnson said:

The reopening of schools marks a truly national effort to beat this virus. It is because of the determination of every person in this country that we can start moving closer to a sense of normality – and it is right that getting our young people back into the classroom is the first step.

We are being cautious in our approach so that we do not undo the progress we have made so far and I urge you all not to give up on your efforts to keep your families and others safe. Get the vaccine, get tested, and remember that we are all in this together.

The government has confirmed twice-weekly testing using lateral flow tests will be given for free to all adults in households with primary, secondary school and college-aged children and young people, including childcare and support bubbles, to help find more Covid-19 cases and break chains of transmission. One in three people who have coronavirus have no symptoms and will be spreading it without realising it, so rapid regular testing offers a reliable and effective additional tool to help keep schools safe. Twice-weekly testing will also be offered to adults working in the wider school community, including bus drivers and after school club leaders.

As we move towards a more normal way of life, testing will be a key part of continuing to protect loved ones and the community. As the Health Secretary set out earlier this week, our roadmap is built on the principle of replacing the protection that comes from lockdown with the protection that comes from vaccines and regular testing.

Lateral flow testing detects cases quickly – in under 30 minutes – meaning positive cases can isolate immediately. This could be the difference between finding and isolating cases and their close contacts, or a whole school being sent home due to an outbreak. It could also be the difference between a workplace having to close for a period, or being able to stay open and running.

Secondary school and college students are also being asked to wear face coverings wherever social distancing cannot be maintained as an additional safety measure through to Easter.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said:

Tomorrow will mark a moment of joy for millions of people across the country – from the students going back to class to the teachers who can’t wait to get them back – as young people walk through their school and college gates and are reunited with their friends.

I do not underestimate how challenging the last few months have been with some children in class and most at home, but I do know how important it is for all children to be back in school, not only for their education but for their mental health and wellbeing.

Over the last few days I’ve been visiting schools and speaking to staff who have been preparing for the full return and their sheer dedication and selflessness has shone through.

I’d also like to thank children, young people, their families and carers for their patience and resilience in the face of the challenges the pandemic has posed.

Existing safety measures also remain in place, including maintaining distance between staff and students where possible, good ventilation and regular hand washing.

Dr Susan Hopkins Covid-19 Strategic Response Director to Public Health England and Chief Medical Adviser to NHS Test and Trace said:

Schools re-opening for all students is important for children’s wellbeing and mental health as well as their learning.

Scientific studies show that rates of COVID-19 infection in schools reflect rates in the community and schools have reduced the risk of transmission. With extra precautionary measures and twice-weekly testing in place and the lowest rate of infection since September 2020 it’s better that students are now back in the classroom.

Outside of schools, it remains crucial that current restrictions are followed.

The return to face to face education has been supported with a £1.7 billion package, focusing on an expansion of one-to-one and small group tutoring programmes across all age groups, summer provision for those pupils who need it the most, and flexible additional one-off funding for schools to use in the best interests of their most disadvantaged pupils.

The National Tutoring Programme that was set up to reach the most disadvantaged young people with one-to-one or small-group tutoring has already reached over 125,000 young people this academic year, and will continue to expand thanks to the extended funding package. This targeted intervention is proven to boost progress by up to three to five months from just a single block of tutoring.