UK Government to bring home more British travellers from Central and South America

Press release

Over 400 British travellers will be able to return home from six Central and South American countries on the latest special charter flights organised by the UK Government.

Over 400 British travellers will be able to return home from six Central and South American countries on the latest special charter flights organised by the UK Government.

Two transatlantic flights, from Costa Rica and Ecuador, will leave for London Stansted on 11 June. Sweeper flights will take British travellers from Panama, Nicaragua, Guatemala and Chile to Costa Rica & Ecuador for the transatlantic flights.

The details of the charter flights are as follows:

11 June: San Jose, Costa Rica – London Stansted
11 June: Quito, Ecuador – London Stansted

This follows UK Government chartered flights from Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, Colombia and Honduras bringing back over 2100 British travellers and their families.

FCO Minister for the Americas, Wendy Morton said:

This is a complex operation with British travellers wanting to return home from across Central and South America.

We have already brought home over 2100 British travellers from the region on charter flights and these two additional flights will bring home hundreds more.

Our teams across the region are doing everything they can to get as many people as possible home to their families and will continue to provide support to British nationals who remain.

Initial priority will be given to short term British travellers who are vulnerable. This includes those over 70 and others who have medical requirements, those travelling with young children, and those located in more remote or at-risk areas.

The UK Government is working with the airline industry and host governments across the world to bring back British travellers to the UK as part of the plan announced by the Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab (30 March) – with up to £75 million available for special charter flights to priority countries, focused on helping the most vulnerable travellers.

NOTES TO EDITORS

The charter flights are for short-term British travellers who normally reside in the UK, as well as their direct dependants. Non-British citizens with appropriate residency rights will be included if there is capacity.
To register their details and interest in these flights, British travellers should check the FCO Travel Advice pages.
British travellers who have registered their interest in returning to the UK on a chartered flight will be contacted by the British mission in their country or territory explaining how to book these flights. Anyone who has not yet registered their interest should contact their local British mission using the details in the FCO’s country travel advice.
Those who are eligible to fly will be sent information on getting to airports and flight itineraries directly when their seat is confirmed.
Details regarding luggage allowance, flight costs and carriers will be available on the booking portal.
Our dedicated consular teams across Central and South America will continue to provide consular support to any British travellers seeking to return to the UK that have been unable to do so.
Guidance on how to book onto a government charter flight back to the UK can be found here

Published 1 June 2020

Civil news: transfer of court assessed claims to Legal Aid Agency

Image of Newcastle Combined Court Centre

The transfer on 17 August means civil court assessed claims will be handled by the Legal Aid Agency’s (LAA) civil finance team instead of the courts.

Why is this happening?

In recent weeks many providers have gone without payment for cases because of court closures during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bringing this work in-house will remove the need for claims to go before the courts. This will mean faster payments in both the long and short-term for your work.

When is this happening?

Following consultation with representative bodies on amendments to the Cost Assessment Guidance, the transfer of court assessed claims from HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) to the LAA will take place 17 August.

From this date all claims must be sent to the LAA for assessment. Any claims for assessment received by HMCTS from this date will be returned without being processed.

The Senior Courts Costs Office (SCCO) will reject any claims submitted via CE File on or after 17 August and refund the court fee paid in the usual way.

Claims submitted before 17 August

Any claims submitted to HMCTS before 17 August may be returned to you for submission to the LAA if the HMCTS assessment process has not started.

Claims submitted to SCCO will processed by the court with an aim to complete within 4 weeks of the date of receipt.

The LAA is already set up to receive these claims and has been processing them since 1 June.

Providers can start sending claims to the LAA before 17 August transfer date to avoid unnecessary delay with assessment of their claims.

Operational guidance for firms wishing to submit claims – see below.

Further information

Transfer of claims assessed at court to the legal aid agency ahead of consultation closing

Published 1 June 2020
Last updated 15 July 2020 + show all updates

15 July 2020
Transfer date confirmed as 17 August.
1 June 2020
First published.

New Emissions Trading System proposal would see UK go further in tackling climate change

The UK Government is increasing the country’s climate ambitions through new proposals published today showing how a new UK-wide Emissions Trading System (ETS) would work – putting a cost on carbon pollution to encourage polluters to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases they emit.

The system – designed by the UK Government jointly with the Scottish Government, Welsh Government and Northern Ireland Executive – would be a crucial step towards achieving the UK’s target for net zero carbon emissions by 2050. It includes plans to reduce the existing emissions cap by five per cent, going further than the current EU system.

The new scheme would replace the EU Emissions Trading System, which the UK will leave at the end of this year as the transition period ends. The system draws on the best of the current system that the UK helped to develop while ensuring it has greater flexibility to work in the best interests of the UK.

Once a new system is up and running the government intends to go even further by amending the cap again in line with its net zero target.

Energy Minister Kwasi Kwarteng:

The UK is a world-leader in tackling climate change, and thanks to the opportunities arising as we exit the transition period, we are now able to go even further, faster.

This new scheme will provide a smooth transition for businesses while reducing our contribution to climate change, crucial as we work towards net zero emissions by 2050.

Elements of the new Emissions Trading System will be familiar to operators and is designed to ensure a seamless transition at the end of the year.

Emissions trading systems work by setting a cap on the total amount of greenhouse gases that can be emitted from certain sectors – in the UK’s case by energy intensive industries such as steel, the power generation sector and aviation. The cap is reduced over time so that total emissions fall.

After each year, every covered company must surrender enough carbon allowances – each representing tonnes of carbon dioxide – to cover all its emissions, or additional fines of up to £100 per allowance are imposed. Carbon allowances can be bought at auction and traded, and these markets determine their cost (the ‘carbon price’).

Around a third of UK emissions and around 1,000 UK factories and plants are currently covered by the EU ETS and will continue to be covered by the UK system.

The approach to free allocation of allowances under the new system will be consistent with what operators will expected under the EU ETS.

The UK would be open to considering a link between a UK ETS and the EU ETS, if it suits both sides’ interests. This is subject to the ongoing trade negotiations between the UK and EU. In any event, the UK has robust domestic carbon pricing options including these emissions trading system proposals, or a Carbon Emissions Tax.

Chancellor shops at outdoor market marking first step in plan to reopen economy

News story

The Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, met some of the traders returning to their market stalls today (1 June) as part of the government’s plan to gradually reopen the economy.

from today outdoor markets will be able to trade again as the government starts to lift some lockdown measures
the Chancellor shopped at Tachbrook Market in Pimlico, London to mark the first day many sellers have been able to open for business

The transmission of coronavirus is lower outdoors and it is easier to follow COVID-19 Secure guidelines in open spaces. This means we can allow outdoor markets to reopen in a safe way.

While buying lunch, the Chancellor met Mr Ratib Albudoor, owner of Falafel Rush at London’s Tachbrook Market, who had to close his stall because of the virus. Mr Albudoor is one of the many traders across England who can reopen their stalls today once they are COVID-19 secure and can show customers will be safe.

The Chancellor Rishi Sunak said:

From today, outdoor markets selling flowers, books, crafts, and fashion can start trading again, marking a major milestone in our plan to kickstart the economy.

We’re only able to take these steps because of what we have achieved together so far. If the scientific and medical advice allows, the next steps will be to reopen non-essential retail in mid-June, and then hospitality and leisure in early July, so these sectors can start trading once again.

Further information

Pictures of the Chancellor’s visit are available on our Flickr page.
In May the Prime Minister set out a timeline for the reopening of thousands of high street shops, department stores and shopping centres across England. Any business that is open must complete a risk assessment and take the necessary steps to manage those risks, as is their legal obligation.
All other non-essential retail will be able to reopen from 15 June if the scientific and medical advice allows, provided they are able to follow the COVID-19 Secure guidelines. This will provide shops and other retail branches enough time to put in place the measures to meet the necessary social distancing and hygiene standards.

Published 1 June 2020

All systems go for major upgrade that will transform Hull

It’s all systems go for A63 Castle Street scheme, which will create a much better connection between the city centre and the retail and docks area. This will support the city’s economic growth, improving journeys to and from the centre, and will help the Port of Hull to thrive.

Following the green light from the Transport Secretary, Highways England can now set up a site compound and start work on the ground.

Highways England senior project manager James Leeming said:

This is fantastic news for Hull. We are delighted that the decision has been signed off, and we can now look forward to delivering improvements that will genuinely transform the city.

These changes will make life considerably easier for road users and pedestrians. I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has supported our plans, and I’m sure they share our delight in hearing the news we’ve been waiting for.

The major Highways England project, which is a key scheme in Transport for the North’s strategic transport plan, will see the creation of a new junction by lowering the level of the A63 at the Mytongate junction.

Ferensway and Commercial Road will cross the A63, creating a split-level junction. The eastbound carriageway between Princes Dock Street and Market Place will be widened to three lanes, and a new bridge built over the A63 at Porter Street.

Meanwhile the city’s new bridge also funded by Highways England with a £4m contribution from Humber Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), which is to be named after Hull’s first female GP Dr Mary Murdoch, will be unveiled this summer. It will connect the city centre to the marina, waterfront and fruit market. The structure is to cross the dual carriageway of the A63, allowing pedestrians and cyclists to safely cross the road. It will also ease congestion on the A63.

The structure is being part funded with a £4m contribution from the Humber Local Enterprise Partnership’s local growth fund programme, secured through its growth deals with Government and part of the Government’s commitment to the Northern Powerhouse.

Councillor Daren Hale, portfolio holder for economic regeneration and planning at Hull City Council said:

We are thrilled to see this long-awaited projecting finally given the green light. Over the past twenty years the council has worked tirelessly alongside Highways England, our colleagues in the LEP and our local MPs to lobby for this essential upgrade and to ensure this scheme is high on the agenda for the Department for Transport.

We are pleased that the Government has finally recognised how crucial the upgrade to the A63 is, providing a key component of the city’s transport infrastructure improvement and wider long-term regeneration plans.

The council is also working closely with Highways England and Balfour Beatty on what we hope is just the first of many employment opportunities that will become available for local people in the city.

Now we’ve been given the full go ahead for this significant transport scheme to progress, it is time for the real work to begin.

General enquiries

Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.

Media enquiries

Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.