The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act equips police with the powers and tools they need to combat crime while overhauling sentencing laws to protect the public and keep serious sexual and violent offenders behind bars for longer.

These include making whole-life orders the starting point for pre-meditated child murder, introducing mandatory life sentences for those who unlawfully kill emergency workers in the line of duty, and ending the automatic early release of offenders deemed to be a danger to the public.

Crucially, the Act delivers on the Government’s pledge to boost protection for women and girls.

Domestic abuse victims will now have more time to report incidents of common assault or battery, and taking non-consensual photographs or video recordings of breastfeeding mothers will be punishable by up to two years in prison. The most violent and sexual offenders, including rapists, will also be forced to spend longer in prison to keep the public safer.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said:

This Government is delivering on its commitment to make our streets safer.

We have changed the law so that dangerous criminals are given the sentences they deserve and kept behind bars, and we are backing the police with the powers they need to keep us safe.

We are well on our way to getting 20,000 more police officers, and we will continue to support victims seeking justice and bear down on crime so that everyone, in every town, village and city, has the security and confidence they deserve.

Deputy Prime Minister, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, Dominic Raab said:

From today our new laws will mean serious offenders spend longer in jail, including sex offenders, child abusers and those who kill emergency workers in the course of their duties.

We are also protecting breastfeeding women from being photographed without their consent and giving the victims of domestic abuse longer to report the crime to the police to help ensure they get justice.

Other sentencing reforms coming into force today include higher maximum penalties for a range of child cruelty offences, known as Tony’s Law. In addition, judges will now be able to hand down life sentences to dangerous drivers who kill on our roads, and can impose whole life orders on 18-20-year-olds who commit the worst offences – for example, acts of terrorism which cause mass loss of life.

The PCSC Act also doubles the maximum penalty from 12 months to two years for those who assault police or other emergency workers, such as prison officers, fire service personnel or frontline health workers – helping to protect those who put their lives on the line to keep communities safe. It will also bring ‘Harper’s Law’ onto the statute book, introducing mandatory life sentences for anyone convicted of killing an emergency worker whilst committing a crime.

From today, it will be a statutory offence to intentionally or recklessly cause public nuisance – ensuring that the penalties for these crimes reflect the severity of the rise in guerrilla protest tactics we have seen in recent years. The police will also be supported with new powers to tackle non-violent protests that have a significant disruptive effect on the public or on access to Parliament.

Home Secretary, Priti Patel, said:

The laws coming into force today show the Government’s Beating Crime Plan in action and will help drive down crime, better protect victims and make streets safer up and down the country.

We are delivering on the people’s priorities. Whether it’s tackling knife crime, violence against women and girls or anti-social guerilla protest tactics, these measures are all about backing the police and standing up for the law-abiding majority of the British public.

Also from today, police will be able to obtain a search warrant for evidence related to the location of human remains where it is not possible to bring about a prosecution.

The Government is also investing £477m to deliver speedier justice for victims and reduce the backlog of court cases from the pandemic. This includes lifting the cap on Crown Court sitting days for another year to ensure courts can continue working at full capacity to minimise delays.

In May, ministers published a draft Victims’ Bill to amplify their voices and make justice agencies more accountable for the service they deliver.

Notes to editors:

Measures coming into force today include:

• Mandatory life sentences for those who unlawfully kill an emergency worker in the course of their duty, known as Harper’s Law.
• Increasing the maximum penalties for child cruelty offences, including up to life imprisonment for those who cause or allow the death of a child or vulnerable adult in their household, known as Tony’s Law.
• Creation of new offences of breastfeeding voyeurism punishable with up to 2 years in custody.
• Extending the prosecution time limit for domestic abuse-related common assault and battery charges from 6 months of the offence to 6 months of it being formally reported to the police, up to a maximum of 2 years.
• Whole life orders will be the starting point for the premeditated murder of a child as well as enabling judges to hand out this maximum punishment to 18-20-year-olds in exceptional cases to reflect the gravity of a crime. For example, acts of terrorism which lead to mass loss of life.
• New powers to halt the automatic early release of offenders who pose a danger to the public.
• For children who commit murder, introducing new starting points for deciding the minimum amount of time in custody 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.
• Ending the halfway release of offenders sentenced to between 4 and 7 years in prison for serious violent and sexual offences such as rape, manslaughter and GBH with intent. Instead, they will have to spend two-thirds of their time behind bars.
• Ensuring the courts pass at least the minimum sentence for certain offences, including repeat knife possession and third strike burglary, unless there are exceptional circumstances.
• Increasing the maximum penalty to life for the offences of causing death by dangerous driving and causing death by careless driving when under the influence of drink or drugs.
• Creating a new offence of causing serious injury by careless driving.
• Tougher community sentences which double the amount of time offenders can be subject to curfew restrictions to 2 years.
• Extended ‘positions of trusts’ laws to protect teenagers from abuse by making it illegal for sports coaches and religious leaders to engage in sexual activity with 16 and 17-year-olds.
• New rules to end the need for participants to travel unnecessarily to court by allowing criminal courts to maximise the use of video and audio technology as it develops.
• For the first time enabling profoundly deaf people who need a BSL interpreter to sit on juries. Current laws ban the presence of a ‘stranger’ being in the jury deliberation room – this will be scrapped and instead allow a British Sign Language interpreter into the room.
• Removing the consideration of monetary value with respect to criminal damage to memorials and ensuring that even ‘low value’ claims can be heard by the Crown Court, with the result that the full range of sentencing powers will be available – including the ten-year maximum
• Doubling the maximum penalty for assaulting an emergency worker from 12 months to 2 years.

Thank you, President

Thank you Under-Secretary-General DiCarlo for your briefing. I also thank Ms Al Hodiri for reminding us of the importance of womens’ participation in matters of peace and security. And, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser, Stephanie Williams, for all her work on Libya over the last few years, and to welcome the Secretary-General’s efforts to appoint a Special Representative. We look forward to a prompt appointment.

I will make four points today.

First, the UN has been clear that, as the December elections did not go ahead, the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum roadmap has not expired. We acknowledge the focus by some stakeholders on the perceived deadline of the roadmap, but parallel governments and parallel institutions are not in the interests of the Libyan people, and neither is unconstrained spending. We urge all parties to recognise that Libya’s resources must be managed in a transparent, responsible and accountable manner throughout the country, for the benefit of the Libyan people.

Second, we welcome the progress made during the talks in Cairo between the Joint Committee of the House of Representatives and High State Council, facilitated by Special Adviser Williams. The onus is now on the leaders of the two chambers to finalise urgently the legal basis for elections and to deliver on the Libyan people’s desire to choose their leaders. We therefore welcome plans for a meeting in Geneva in the coming days. Both leaders must now put the interests of Libya first. Stability in Libya can only be achieved through an inclusive political process that includes credible, transparent and inclusive parliamentary and presidential elections as soon as possible.

Third, it is more important than ever that we secure the withdrawal of all foreign forces and mercenaries from Libya, including the Wagner Group. Their continued presence is detrimental to peace and security in Libya and the broader region. All foreign forces and mercenaries should leave Libya without delay. We support the work of the 5+5 Joint Military Commission to implement the October 2020 Ceasefire Agreement and urge further progress on implementation. All parties involved should engage with the UN and 5+5 to honour the commitments made.

Finally, President, the UK reaffirms its readiness to work with Libya and all international partners to build a more peaceful, stable future for the country and for the Libyan people. We will be in touch with Council members in the coming days on the upcoming renewals of the Panel of Experts and UNSMIL mandates. As you all know, we have faced difficulties over the past nine months in agreeing a substantive mandate — I hope all Council members are now ready to engage in a constructive discussion on the future of the Mission, and agree a longer mandate to provide UNSMIL with the stability it needs.

Thank you.

• Customers who can no longer afford their bills will be offered help to stay connected
• Digital Secretary urges anyone struggling to speak to their provider following No 10 summit co-chaired by cost-of-living tsar David Buttress

The UK’s biggest broadband and mobile operators have agreed to a raft of new commitments to further help customers with the rising cost of living following a government-led summit at No 10 Downing Street.

These include measures such as allowing customers struggling with bills to move to cheaper packages without charge or penalty, or agreeing manageable payment plans, and options to improve existing low cost offers and increasing promotion of existing deals.

The measures, put forward by the government in consultation with the industry, will ensure people struggling with bills due to the economic aftermath of the pandemic and war in Ukraine can continue to make calls, send texts and get online.

Bosses representing the vast majority of the UK telecoms market – including BT Group, Openreach, Virgin Media O2, Vodafone, Three, TalkTalk and Sky – signed up to the pledges at an event chaired by Digital Secretary Nadine Dorries and Cost of Living Business Tsar David Buttress today.

The commitments, which take effect immediately, are:

• All providers commit to supporting their customers who may be struggling with the cost-of-living and to treat them with compassion, understanding and as individuals.

• All providers commit to supporting customers struggling with their bills and to offer ways to keep them connected, such as allowing them to move to cheaper packages without charge or penalty, or agreeing manageable payment plans.

• All operators commit to continue to protect the connectivity of their customers known to be vulnerable as a priority.

• Providers – supported by Government – commit to take steps to raise awareness of low cost products to those claiming Universal Credit.

• Mobile providers commit to considering more ways to help their customers, including exploring tariffs, options to improve existing low cost offers, and increasing promotion of existing deals.

The government has already taken action to help those on benefits access cheaper deals by negotiating social tariffs for those on Universal Credit which are now available across 99 per cent of the UK, but this latest intervention means anyone struggling to pay their broadband or mobile bill as a result of global price rises can expect support from their provider if they ask for it.

Digital Secretary Nadine Dorries said:

Families across the country face increased anxiety about keeping up with bills, so today I agreed with broadband and mobile industry bosses what more can be done to support people during this difficult time.

I’m pleased to report the industry is listening and has signed up to new commitments offering customers struggling with the cost of living help to stay connected. Those who need support should contact their supplier to see what is available.

Commenting on the meeting, Chief Executive at Mobile UK, Hamish MacLeod, said:

Mobile operators welcome the commitments agreed upon today with the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport, which build on offers already in place to help the most vulnerable. We welcomed the chance to discuss with the Government not only how to raise awareness of such schemes but also to set out the further steps being taken to support those struggling with their bills.

Andrew Glover, Chair of the Internet Service Providers’ Association, said:

The telecoms sector knows that people are facing real challenges with the cost-of-living crisis. Our members are determined to do what they can to help their customers through this period and, together with government, we will work to raise greater awareness of the support available.

These commitments, along with the social tariffs that are available from many members, will hopefully help people in need at this challenging time. We encourage customers who are struggling with their bills to reach out to their broadband provider to get help.

The Digital Secretary has been calling on all providers yet to offer social tariffs – discounted broadband and mobile deals for people on Universal Credit and other benefits – to step up and support their customers. She has called on broadband providers that do offer social tariffs to do more to raise awareness of them, after Ofcom data showed less than two per cent of eligible people are taking up these discounted offers.

In a letter sent in April to the bosses of BT Group, Virgin Media O2, Hyperoptic, KCom, G.Network and Community Fibre, she asked for an outline of their plans to promote social tariffs and for estimates of take-up over the coming twelve months. These companies all offer social tariff products to low-income households, with some providers offering deals from as low as £10 per month. Vodafone – via its Voxi brand – recently launched the first mobile social tariff.

Social tariff offers are available to eligible people in 99 per cent of the country and could represent a saving of more than 50 per cent (around £180 per year) against the average cost of broadband.

Landline and broadband social tariffs have been offered by BT, Virgin Media O2 and KCom for several years, but since 2021 there has been a threefold rise in companies voluntarily offering their own social tariffs – with Sky, Now Broadband, County Broadband and others coming forward – after the government stepped in to negotiate the low-cost deals.

Meeting attendees:

• Nadine Dorries, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and sport

• David Buttress, Cost of Living Business Tsar

• Sabine Chalmers, BT Group – Director of Regulatory Affairs and Company Secretary

• Marc Allera, Chief Executive, BT Consumer

• Jeff Dodds, Virgin Media O2 – Chief Operating Officer

• Stephen Van Rooyen, Sky – Chief Executive Officer

• Tristia Harrison, TalkTalk – Chief Executive Officer

• Dana Tobak, Hyperoptic – Chief Executive Officer

• Graeme Oxby, CommunityFibre – Chief Executive

• David Sangster, G.Network – Chief Executive Officer

• Clive Selley, Openreach – Chief Executive Officer

• Ahmed Essam, Vodafone UK, Chief Executive

• Tony Keeling, Shell Energy – Chief Executive Officer

• Greg Mesch, CityFibre – Chief Executive Officer

• Gareth Williams, Gigaclear – Chief Executive Officer

• Malcolm Corbett, Independent Networks Cooperative Association (INCA) – Chief Executive Officer

• Tim Shaw, Kcom – Chief Executive

• Andrew Glovers, Internet Service Providers Association, Chair

• Lindsey Fussell, Ofcom – Group Director

• Elaine Carey, Three – Chief Commercial Officer

• Hamish MacLeod, Mobile UK – Chief Executive