Page 12 - Uk Govt

UK statistics watchdog looking into Rishi Sunak's asylum backlog claim

The UK's statistics watchdog on Thursday said that it is "looking into" the government's recent announcement that it had met Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's target to clear the country's asylum backlog by the end of 2023, a claim strongly contested by the Opposition. Earlier this week, the UK Home Office said that 112,000 asylum cases were processed in the past year, which exceeded Sunak's initial target of 92,000 applications pending at the end of 2022. However, the Opposition Labour Party had contested this and accused the government of misleading the public. It has now emerged that a formal complaint is likely to have been raised with the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR), which independently monitors the use of official statistics. "The Office for Statistics Regulation confirmed it is looking into the government announcement about the asylum backlog, said a spokesperson for OSR. While the OSR can ask for additional information from the Home Office, it does not have the power

More stringent international student visa norms come into force in UK

International students, including Indians, starting courses at British universities this month will no longer be able to bring family members on all but postgraduate research courses and courses with government-funded scholarships under tougher UK visa norms effective from Monday. The UK Home Office said the changes, first announced by former home secretary Suella Braverman in May last year, are aimed at clamping down on people using the student visa as a backdoor route to work in the UK and will see an estimated 140,000 fewer people come to the UK. The tougher rules are geared towards cutting what Home Secretary James Cleverly dubbed as an unreasonable practice of overseas students bringing dependants, which official figures show have risen by more than 930 per cent since 2019. "This government is delivering on its commitment to the British public to cut migration. We have set out a tough plan to rapidly bring numbers down, control our borders and prevent people from manipulating o

Govt aims to attract investors from Germany, UK for electric vehicles

While the government is yet to firm up the timeline of the launch of policy, there have been consultations with several countries on the matter

Self-driving cars could be on British roads by 2026, says UK minister

Self-driving cars could be on British roads as early as 2026, according to UK Transport Secretary Mark Harper. In an interview with the BBC on Wednesday, the minister said he expected to see the owners of such vehicles being able to travel without having to watch where they're going by the end of that year. It came against the backdrop of the UK's Automated Vehicles Bill, which lays out a set of laws for using autonomous vehicles and was introduced in Parliament last month. The government hopes it will pass through both Houses by the end of 2024. "I think that's when companies are expecting in 2026, during that year that we'll start seeing this technology rolled out," Harper told the BBC. The transport minister said it was clear the self-driving technology works from a roll-out in California, where cars "without a safety driver, so in full, autonomous mode" are already on the roads. "This technology exists, it works and what we're doing is putting in place the proper legislation

'Right to protest' under threat in UK, undermining a pillar of democracy

For holding a sign outside a courthouse reminding jurors of their right to acquit defendants, a retiree faces up to two years in prison. For hanging a banner reading Just Stop Oil off a bridge, an engineer got a three-year sentence. Just for walking slowly down the street, scores of people have been arrested. They are among hundreds of environmental activists arrested for peaceful demonstrations in the UK, where tough new laws restrict the right to protest. The Conservative government says the laws prevent extremist activists from hurting the economy and disrupting daily life. Critics say the arrests mark a worrying departure. The government has made its intent very clear, which is basically to suppress what is legitimate, lawful protest," said Jonathon Porritt, an ecologist and former director of Friends of the Earth. A PATCHWORK DEMOCRACY Britain is one of the world's oldest democracies, home of the Magna Carta, a centuries-old Parliament and an independent judiciary. That syste

Family Visa salary threshold hike to be in incremental stages: UK govt

The UK's proposed hike in the minimum annual salary threshold for British citizens and permanent residents to be eligible to sponsor a spouse or partner on a Family Visa will take place in incremental stages, the government has told Parliament. The update came on Thursday in reply to a written parliamentary question in the House of Lords, stating that the threshold will initially rise to GBP 29,000 in early 2024 from the current level of GBP 18,600 and then be followed by two further increases. The move has been branded a rowing back by the Opposition after Home Secretary James Cleverly had told the Commons earlier this month that the threshold will jump to GBP 38,700, in line with the minimum salary requirement for the Skilled Worker visa route. Latest Home Office documents now say that while the intention remains to align both thresholds, it will be done in stages over time. The MIR (Minimum Income Requirement) will be increased in incremental stages to give predictability, said .

Essar onboards Topsoe as partner for UK industrial carbon capture facility

Essar Oil UK on Friday announced the selection of a second key licensor technology provider, Denmark-based Topsoe, for setting up an industrial carbon capture facility as part of its planned energy transition project at Stanlow, UK. Topsoe will provide its sustainable flue-gas treatment technology SNOXTM, the company said in a statement. "This is a pivotal step towards Essar Oil UK's USD 1.2 billion investment in decarbonising the refinery by reducing about 2 million tons of CO2 emissions, making it the world's first low carbon refinery and a producer of low carbon fuels," it said. Essar had earlier this year created a new entity to drive low carbon projects in the UK and India over the next five years. Essar Energy Transition (EET), the new unit, would invest across its site at Stanlow, between Liverpool and Manchester and in India for developing low carbon energy transition projects. Deepak Maheshwari, CEO of Essar Oil UK, said, "We are ready to move into the next phase of Essar

EU, UK approve 3-year postponement of tariffs on electric vehicles

The European Union and the UK approved a three-year postponement of tariffs on electric vehicles, giving carmakers more time to make necessary changes to comply with local content requirements

Australia and New Zealand leaders considering closer defence ties

Australia and New Zealand leaders agreed on Wednesday to seek closer defence ties as the latter considers sharing advanced military technologies with the United States and Britain through the so-called AUKUS partnership. New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon made Australia the destination of his first overseas visit since forming a coalition government following his election in October. Luxon said he and his Australian counterpart, Anthony Albanese, agreed at their meeting in Sydney the two countries' defence and foreign ministers would meet in early 2024 to ensure their plans were aligned and coordinated. We know we're facing a more challenging and complex world. Close security and defence relationships we have with our only ally, Australia, is very foundational for New Zealand, Luxon told reporters. New Zealand is committed to doing our share of the heavy lifting in the alliance and I'm determined that New Zealand will continue to be alongside Australia as we seek to advan

UK plans to implement carbon tax on imported goods like steel from 2027

The British government announced plans Monday to charge a carbon levy on imported raw materials such as aluminum, iron, steel and cement from 2027, in an attempt to prevent firms being undercut by overseas producers. However, the plan has come under criticism from the body representing British steel as being too sluggish, as it will come into effect one year after similar proposals from the European Union (EU) are implemented. Announcing its plan, Britain's Treasury said the proposed new tax will level the playing field, helping greener domestic producers compete against higher carbon, but cheaper, foreign rivals. For years, fears have been expressed that efforts to cut greenhouse gases in the UK are not being matched overseas, meaning that emissions are just being displaced to other countries without ambitious net-zero targets, leading to little global benefit. This levy will make sure carbon-intensive products from overseas like steel and ceramics face a comparable carbon price

Japan, UK and Italy join forces to develop new advanced fighter jet

The defence ministers of Japan, Britain and Italy on Thursday signed an agreement to establish a joint organisation to develop a new advanced jet fighter, as the countries push to bolster their cooperation in the face of growing threats from China, Russia and North Korea. The three countries had agreed last year to merge earlier individual plans for Japan's Mitsubishi F-X to succeed the retiring F-2s developed with the United States and Britain's Tempest to produce the new combat aircraft for deployment in 2035. Japan, which is rapidly building up its military, hopes to have greater capability to counter China's rising assertiveness and allow Britain a bigger presence in the Indo-Pacific region. Defense Minister Minoru Kihara at a joint news conference with his British and Italian counterparts, Grant Shapps and Guido Crosett, said that co-developing a high performance fighter aircraft is indispensable to securing air superiority and enabling effective deterrence at a time Japan ..

Microsoft, OpenAI partnership draws UK antitrust regulator scrutiny

Brad Smith, Microsoft's president, said as recently as last month he doesn't "see a future where Microsoft takes control of OpenAI"

Prince Harry challenges UK govt on removal of security when he moved to US

Prince Harry is challenging on Tuesday the British government's decision to strip him of his security detail after he gave up his status as a working member of the royal family and moved to the United States. The Duke of Sussex said he wants protection when he visits home and claimed it's partly because an aggressive press jeopardizes his safety and that of his family. The three-day hearing scheduled to begin in London's High Court is the latest in a string of Harry's legal cases that have kept London judges busy as he takes on the UK government and the British tabloid media. It was not clear if he would attend Tuesday's hearing. Harry failed to persuade a different judge earlier this year that he should be able to privately pay for London's police force to guard him when he comes to town. A judge denied that offer after a government lawyer argued that officers shouldn't be used as private bodyguards for the wealthy. Harry, the youngest son of King Charles III, said he did not feel

UK to start Gaza surveillance flights to locate captives held by Hamas

The report stated that Britain did not reveal when its military surveillance flights over the territory would start but stressed they would be unarmed and focused only on the captive recovery efforts

Google pushes for antitrust action against Microsoft in UK cloud market

In a letter submitted to the CMA, Google said Microsoft's licensing practices unfairly discouraged customers from using competitor services, even as a secondary provider alongside Azure

UK govt intervenes in potential Telegraph takeover by Abu Dhabi-backed fund

Britain's government said on Thursday it has asked media and market competition officials to look into a potential Abu Dhabi-backed takeover of The Telegraph newspaper. Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer said she issued a public interest intervention notice after considering the possible impact of the offer by the investment fund RedBird IMI to the previous owners of The Telegraph and The Spectator magazine to repay debts owed by them. RedBird IMI a joint venture between RedBird Capital and Abu Dhabi's International Media Investments, and led by former CNN chief Jeff Zucker said earlier this month it agreed to provide loans to Britain's Barclay family and ensure the family's debts, worth some 1 billion pounds ($1.25 billion), are paid. The Barclay family owned the right-leaning newspaper and magazine before they were put into receivership. The family also previously owned London's luxurious Ritz Hotel before selling it in 2020. RedBird IMI has said it would provide a loan of up to 600

Rishi Sunak gets small bump in opinion polls after crowd-pleasing tax cuts

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and the governing Conservatives are enjoying a small bump in the opinion polls after some crowd-pleasing tax cuts were announced in the Autumn Statement budget this week, it emerged on Friday. According to a YouGov survey for The Times' conducted after the budget was tabled by UK Chancellor Jeremy Hunt in Parliament on Wednesday, the popularity rating for the Sunak-led Tories rose to 25 per cent which is four points up from the previous week, the party's highest rating in recent weeks. The Opposition Labour continues to hold on to their firm lead, with no change to their 44 per cent rating. It is the highest rating since mid-September and only three points below Sunak's highest-ever rating last April, the newspaper analysis notes. "Labour still holds a commanding 19-point lead over the government, however, with the poll suggesting that most voters do not believe the measures announced by Hunt will make either themselves or the country materially

HSBC India, UK Export Finance tie up for 100 mn pound financing programme

HSBC India and UK Export Finance (UKEF), the UK's export credit agency, have intended to establish a financing programme of up to 100 million pound to support Indian Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and corporates for financing their imports from Britain. This partnership will enhance the availability of credit for Indian MSMEs and boost trade ties between the two countries, HSBC India said in a statement on Thursday. HSBC India and UKEF on Thursday signed a Letter of Intent (LoI), which enables them to work together on opportunities relating to UKEF's guarantee-backed structures. India was the UK's 12th largest trading partner in the four quarters to the end of Q2 2023, accounting for 2.1 per cent of total UK trade. In 2021, around 7,500 UK SMEs, with around 3,17,300 employees, exported goods worth 1.2 billion pound to India, accounting for 85 per cent of all UK businesses exporting goods to India. Providing enhanced financial access and developing an ecosystem that ..

'Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham': UK Opposition leader Starmer on FTA with India

The UK's Opposition Leader Keir Starmer has described the ups and downs of the government's negotiations towards a free trade agreement (FTA) with India as Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham' and committed the Labour Party to pursuing an "always happy" bilateral relationship. During his speech at a Diwali celebration in the Houses of Parliament complex in London organised by the British Indian think tank 1928 Institute last week, Starmer referenced the Bollywood box-office hit which translates as sometimes happy, sometimes sad. India and the UK are currently in the 14th round of FTA negotiations to enhance the GBP 36-billion bilateral trading partnership, with several expected completion points having passed. We will be rebuilding Britain's reputation on the international stage and that means a new strategic partnership with India, said Starmer. The Tories are working on a free trade agreement, I think. It's all a bit stop-and-start. In fact, you could almost call the negotiations Khabi Kushi

UK PM Rishi Sunak addresses new look Cabinet with pledge for change

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak addressed a weekly meeting on Tuesday with a pledge to drive change with his new look Cabinet, a day after sacking Home Secretary Suella Braverman and parachuting in former prime minister David Cameron as the new Foreign Secretary. In his opening remarks, Sunak said to his Cabinet that they all should build a better future for the citizens of the country. "Our purpose is nothing less than to make the long-term decisions that are going to change our country for the better. I know that this strong and united team is going to deliver that change for everybody, said Sunak in his opening remarks to the new Cabinet, which sees former foreign secretary James Cleverly shifted to the role of Home Secretary. I am confident that we can demonstrate to the country that we're making progress on the priorities that I set out at the beginning of the year. But you all know that is not the limit of our ambitions. We want to build a better future for our children and