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Hon. Prime Minister Charlot Salwai Tabimasmas
Honourable Speakers, Members of Parliament, Clerks, Diplomatic colleagues,
SPC Regional Rights Resource Team
Ladies and gentlemen
It is a great pleasure for me to be here this morning to add my words of welcome to this MPs’ dialogue on human rights, good governance and development. I want to extend a particularly warm welcome to those of you who have flown in from elsewhere in the region to join us this week. I know we are in for some very valuable debate.
I want to start my remarks with congratulations to the Marshall Islands who have just been elected to the UN Human Rights Council and who, along with Fiji, now make up the biggest ever representation of Pacific countries on that body.
Turning to this week’s dialogue, what is the British High Commissioner doing opening an event for Pacific Island MPs? (You will have spotted that I am neither a Pacific Islander nor a parliamentarian).
Let me explain.
Back in April 2018, you may recall that Commonwealth Heads of Government met in London for “CHOGM”. At that meeting, Heads renewed their commitment to national and international action on human rights, the 2030 sustainable development goals and climate change. They agreed in particular on the need for strong national human rights institutions as well as support for the universal periodic review mechanism – the system through which the UN reviews the performance of all members against their international human rights obligations.
The UK was – and is – a very strong supporter of these ideas and measures and we wanted to play our part in helping others to meet these new commitments. We therefore contributed £1.8 million to what became the Pacific Commonwealth Equalities Programme. And the Secretariat of the Pacific Community’s Regional Rights Resource Team were appointed as implementing partners.
We were very pleased to work with SPC on the initiative, not least because most of their staff are themselves Pacific Islanders. In addition, we like the fact that the RRRT programme is demand led – so eligible countries ask for the help they need and, if it is in scope, the RRRT do their best to deliver.
What about the role of MPs? Why are we here with you this week?
One of the threads running through the Commonwealth is the concept of parliamentary democracy. And you do not need me to tell you that, as parliamentarians, you have an essential role to play in representing your constituents’ interests and holding governments to account through the process of parliamentary scrutiny.
But you can only discharge that burden if you have timely access to reporting and data, which shows how governments are doing against their international treaty obligations and the domestic legislation that either supports or flows from that.
We know that access to timely reporting can be a challenge: over 80% of States are overdue on some of their human rights reporting. This means we hear a lot about an “Implementation Gap”, between commitments made and actions taken.
But the good news is that we are also now starting to hear about an “Implementation Agenda”, to which States, civil society groups and development partners are all contributing.
The Pacific is playing a leading role in this Implementation Agenda, including by hosting the first Regional Dialogue earlier this year on National Mechanisms for Implementation, Reporting and Follow Up (“NMIRF”) in Nadi earlier this year. So successful that the UN HRC have just agreed to fund a further five such dialogues.
There is quite a lot of jargon around “monitoring, implementation and reporting”. But perhaps the most important reason for us work together to do this better is that if we can streamline processes, we can also free up resource to get on with the business of delivering the activities and actions which will support the protection and promotion of these universal rights we all hold so dear.
So, coming back to your role as parliamentarians and what we hope to achieve this week:
As I noted earlier, parliamentarians have a critical role to play – in the development of legislation that helps to achieve aims on human rights and development and in your oversight of Government.
This dialogue aims to be a space for Pacific Parliamentarians to debate how that can best be achieved – you are the experts in that and I am encouraged to see almost 75% of the agenda time is allocated to a talanoa for you to do just that, and time allocated to explore this within the context of some of the most pressing issues facing the region today such as climate change.
The success of this dialogue relies on the insights and participation of each and every one of you. We are at a cross roads in the way that human rights are implemented and the manner in which the development agenda is to be realized; and now is the time for you to determine the role of MPs within that and set out the path for the future.
The UK is delighted to be able to sponsor this workshop through PCEP, as it is a critical part of the process in the Pacific claiming ownership of the human rights and development agenda through the work of Parliaments and Parliamentarians.
Finally, I wanted to say that you are not doing this alone. I wanted to pass on a message from your counterparts in the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association UK, who are always keen to engage with the Pacific (though of course there are always resource constraints). As an organisation, their priorities are financial oversight, elections, modern slavery, sustainable development and human rights, security, and trade. The message they ask me to convey to you is to encourage CPA branches in the Pacific to remember CPA UK are always happy to engage and would welcome any proactive approaches.
So, in addition to sharing your own ideas with one another, other parts of the Commonwealth family are also thinking about you and willing to help.
I wish you all the best for a fruitful three days of dialogue.
Nominated for the Best Apprenticeship Programme award, the cyber scheme – run by Energus – enables talented young people to train and learn vital cyber security skills for careers in the nuclear industry.
Its nomination comes as the programme welcomed its third cohort of cyber apprentices and second cohort of graduates.
With the aim of increasing skills in the sector, the programme sees learners take up rotating placements in the NDA group, supply chain, local and national government and regulators.
The drive to increase cyber skills in the industry comes as part of a wider cyber resilience programme – aimed at ensuring the sector is sufficiently protected from current and future threats to national infrastructure.
Since the NDA launched the cyber scheme in 2017, 22 apprentices and 6 graduates have been recruited.
The scheme has opened a state-of-the-art cyber lab located at Energus in Cumbria in January 2018; providing the latest cyber training technology.
Dominique Betley-Makinson, 23, is a second year cyber security graduate. Her first placement was at Magnox and she is currently based at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), where she is helping to organise a training exercise.
Dominique said:
Time spent at Magnox has given me a good understanding of the nuclear sector. It’s helped me immensely in my work at BEIS – where I’ve been able to bring my insight on how the nuclear industry works at a site level.
You might think cyber graduates need to be good at the technical stuff, but that’s not always the case. In my role, here at BEIS, I’m involved in writing policies and procedures to make sure the right plans are in place to protect against cyber threats.
All of the apprentices and graduates have been recruited in partnership with the Department of Culture, Media and Sport as part of a wider Government initiative to create a pipeline of talent.
David Peattie, the NDA’s CEO, is also co-chair of the Joint Cyber Security Oversight Group with Helen Shirley-Quirk, of BEIS. The group aims to build on the BEIS Cyber Security Strategy and its work across the nuclear sector, including decommissioning, power generation and nuclear new build.
David said:
We need a skilled workforce that is ready to meet the future demands of the UK’s nuclear industry and one of the crucial skills needs is in cyber security and resilience. Working alongside BEIS, we’re fully committed to supporting cyber apprentices and graduates in creating a pipeline of talent that will benefit multiple sectors.
In a bid to inspire the next generation, the NDA’s graduates also run a ‘CyberFirst summer school’ for students aged 13 to 17.
Frank Rainford, the NDA’s Security and Corporate Services Director, visited the facility to watch one of the sessions and was extremely impressed with the commitment shown by the students – even studying during the holidays.
Adrienne Easterbrook, of Energus, added:
Energus is proud to work as a strategic partner with the NDA, to support young people developing a career in cyber security – a rapidly growing sector.
Working with National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) on CyberFirst is inspiring school children, as young as 13, to learn more about the industry.
All apprentices and graduates are using their skills, knowledge and behaviours to enthuse the next generation of cyber professionals.
We’re delighted to be shortlisted for an Investors in People award for the Best Apprenticeship Programme 2019. This is testament to the hard work of the apprentices and the programme team at Energus.
Sara Khan has written to Boris Johnson, Jeremy Corbyn and Jo Swinson.
The letter, which follow the recent release of the Commission for Countering Extremism’s report Challenging Hateful Extremism, argues:
Our country’s response to hateful extremism is weak, insufficient and often ineffective. In the interests of our country, we need to do better.
In October, Sara Khan published landmark findings and recommendations following 18 months of extensive engagement and evidence gathering.
The report lifted the lid on the deep harm to individuals, communities and society caused by those who incite or amplify hatred, engage in persistent hatred or who make the moral case for violence.
Sara Khan describes this as hateful extremism, and argues that we need to be quicker to identify hateful extremism, get better at protecting victims and do more to challenge hateful extremists themselves.
Polling conducted by the Commission last year shows that 73% of people want to see more done to challenge extremism.
The letter (published on Tuesday 5 November) explains that the “current Counter Extremism Strategy expires in April 2020”. It calls on the main parties to prepare plans for tackling hateful extremism in order “to protect our democratic values and the rights of everyone in this country”.
In the letter Sara Khan sets out the threat of hateful extremism:
Hateful extremism is undermining the social fabric of our country and is having a devastating impact on the lives of individuals, communities and the country as a whole. Having gathered extensive research from across the country over the last 18 months, my report “Challenging Hateful Extremism” makes clear inaction is quite simply not an option. My independent Commission has put forward recommendations for how to do more to tackle it that your party should adopt in Government.
The letter puts forward recommendations for a whole society response to hateful extremism:
Sara Khan will on Tuesday 5 November will make the case for urgent action on hateful extremism in a speech at the Bridging Northern Communities conference organised by Leeds Council.
Speaking to an audience of those working hard on the ground to challenge extremism, she will argue that hateful extremists seek to exploit local tensions to spread hatred, will praise the tireless work of those challenging extremism on the ground and set out her vision for a new approach to challenging hateful extremism.
A copy of the letter can be found below.
All 2,250 patients with learning disabilities and autism who are inpatients in a mental health hospital will have their care reviewed over the next 12 months, the Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock has announced today.
As part of the review, the government will commit to providing each patient with a date for discharge, or where this is not appropriate, a clear explanation of why and a plan to move them closer towards being ready for discharge into the community.
This announcement builds on recent statistics which show that there has already been a 22% reduction of inpatient numbers since March 2015. The government is also committing today to a further reduction of up to 400 inpatients to be discharged by the end of March 2020.
For those in long-term segregation, an independent panel, chaired by Baroness Sheila Hollins, will be established to oversee their case reviews to further improve their care and support them to be discharged back to the community as quickly as possible.
The panel will include independent experts who will monitor, challenge and advise on the progress of case reviews of those in the most restrictive settings, with the aim of supporting more people to be discharged. The panel will expect a clear plan towards a discharge date or an explanation for how providers are making progress towards discharging the individual.
This is a direct response to the recommendation of the Care Quality Commission’s review of restrictive practices. In addition, the government will ensure that all inpatients have a case review focused on how to discharge them into the community.
A further measure will see the government commit to greater transparency in this area, by agreeing to publish data on inpatients in mental health settings who have a learning disability or are autistic. This will take the form of an information dashboard, which will include data on inpatient rates in different regions, so areas can learn and share good practice.
The government is also confirming today that every NHS and social care worker will receive mandatory training relevant to their role.
The new training is backed by £1.4 million of government funding and will focus on:
As part of this, the government will run a series of trials next year to inform a wider roll-out of the training, which aims to improve quality of care and life expectancy.
Work is already underway to deliver the training and testing will take place in a variety of health and social care settings to help shape how it will be rolled out and delivered in future.
The specially designed training will be named in memory of Oliver McGowan, in recognition of his family’s tireless campaigning for better training for staff. It will draw on case studies to demonstrate why it is so important.
Today’s announcement follows a consultation process that listened to the views of over 5,000 people, including charities, patient groups, professional bodies and the public. The responses overwhelmingly backed the principle of mandatory training.
Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock said:
For those living with learning disabilities and autistic people, the current system can leave them in isolation for long periods of time, with no prospect of release into the community.
I am determined to put this right and today we are committing to reviewing the care of every patient with learning disability and autism over the next 12 months – alongside a clear plan to get them discharged back into their homes and communities. I have also asked for advice on separating out the law regarding those with learning disabilities and autism from the law regarding mental health.
This will start with those in the most restrictive settings. I am delighted Baroness Hollins has agreed to chair our new independent panel to make sure that they are supported to discharge as quickly as possible. Baroness Hollins brings a wealth of experience and will provide the right level of scrutiny and challenge to ensure that everything possible is done to improve care on the ground.
Baroness Sheila Hollins said:
I don’t think it can ever be right to segregate someone as a form of care, and even more so when there is no planned end date.
The oversight panel will actively review progress of an action learning project designed to identify existing barriers, and implement solutions that will transform people’s lives. Our focus will be on each person’s humanity, and entitlement to live an ordinary and safe life in a place where their own concerns and needs will be understood and met by supporters who treat them with respect and have the right skills and supervision.
Minister for Care Caroline Dinenage said:
It is unacceptable that the lives of autistic people or those with a learning disability could be cut short because of barriers in accessing healthcare that most of us take for granted.
I want to ensure this training provides NHS staff and social care workers with the confidence and skills to understand the needs of those with learning disabilities and autistic people.
Paula McGowan has been instrumental in campaigning on this issue, giving a voice to many people who aren’t always able to speak up for themselves. I hope this training and the wider measures announced today will go far in ensuring all autistic people and those with a learning disability are listened to and receive the high-quality care they deserve.