Prime Minister Liz Truss’s statement in Downing Street: 20 October 2022

The Prime Ministers resignation statement

Prime Minister Liz Truss’s resignation statement – YouTube

I came into office at a time of great economic and international instability.

Families and businesses were worried about how to pay their bills.

Putin’s illegal war in Ukraine threatens the security of our whole continent.

And our country had been held back for too long by low economic growth.

I was elected by the Conservative Party with a mandate to change this.

We delivered on energy bills and on cutting national insurance.

And we set out a vision for a low tax, high growth economy – that would take advantage of the freedoms of Brexit.

I recognise though, given the situation, I cannot deliver the mandate on which I was elected by the Conservative Party.

I have therefore spoken to His Majesty The King to notify him that I am resigning as Leader of the Conservative Party.

This morning I met the Chair of the 1922 Committee Sir Graham Brady.

We have agreed there will be a leadership election to be completed in the next week.

This will ensure we remain on a path to deliver our fiscal plans and maintain our country’s economic stability and national security.

I will remain as Prime Minister until a successor has been chosen.

Thank you.

Published 20 October 2022
Last updated 20 October 2022 + show all updates

  1. Added video and image.

  2. First published.



Gender equality lecture in Ashgabat

World news story

British Ambassador delivers a lecture on gender equality to the youth of central Asia in Ashgabat.

His Majesty’s Ambassador Ms Lucia Wilde and Ms Jessie Kirk, Social Development Adviser at the FCDO and an expert on gender issues, delivered the interactive lecture ‘Gender in the context of conflict and peacebuilding’.

Preventive Diplomacy Academy students from the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA) attended, as well as graduates from across central Asia. Young SDG Ambassadors from Turkmenistan were also in the audience. 

The Ambassador spoke of the importance of female role models. Jessie spoke about the action governments can take to improve gender equality. Students also gave their own insightful and inspiring presentations on their work on gender around central Asia.

Published 20 October 2022



DOH, NHSC collaborate on standards development for Philippine CDC

Gearing towards the establishment of the Philippine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Department of Health (DOH), the British Embassy Manila and the United Kingdom’s National Health Service Consortium for Global Health (NHSC) – represented by the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) – met and discussed collaborative efforts on October 18-19, 2022 on the development of policies, programs, standards, guidelines, and monitoring and evaluation systems on the forecasting, prevention, and control of diseases, injuries, and disabilities of national and international concern. This is the first of the multiple learning exchanges in collaboration with the UK and the NHS Consortium this year, focusing on health systems strengthening and health policy development.

During his first State of the Nation Address (SONA), President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. revived the call for the creation of a Center for Disease Control and a Virology Institute in the country. Towards this, the DOH is working with several national and international partners, to facilitate the development of better strategies for improved evidence-based policy making once the measure is enacted into law.

The Universal Health Care Law set the stage for the CDC by mandating the DOH to ensure the quality of health services through the development of evidence-based public health and clinical care standards. The DOH established the National Practice Guidelines Program (NPGP) to oversee and manage the development, adoption, and dissemination of clinical practice guidelines, which will guide rational prioritization, service delivery, and financing of standards of care, which contribute to the overall vision of a Healthy Pilipinas.

“As the DOH continues to strengthen our National Practice Guidelines Program, we understand the value of collaboration and knowledge exchange with international partners such as NICE, which has already established itself as a world leader in evidence-based healthcare. Hence, we welcome this timely opportunity to gain a better understanding of the best practices for guideline development, implementation, and evaluation, and to foster a lasting relationship that will continue to empower evidence-informed standard setting and policy-making across the entire health sector, especially towards planning for the Philippine CDC,” said Health Officer-in-Charge Maria Rosario Singh-Vergeire.

“Chief among the lessons that the COVID-9 pandemic has taught us is the value of a prepared healthcare system that is guided by evidence-based interventions and strengthened by global relationships. With this, the DOH will continuously work with our international and national partners to strengthen the country’s public health emergency preparedness and response and expand health security capacity,” added the OIC.

Ambassador Laure Beaufils shares, “Strengthening health systems is an important part of the UK’s work here in the Philippines. We are delighted to be able to share our expertise and experience in public health. The collaboration between the Department of Health in the Philippines and NHS Consortium for Global Health, and in particular with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) supports the Philippines’ priorities in health policy development. It demonstrates the shared commitment of the UK and the Philippines to continue our collaboration in delivering stronger, universal healthcare.”

Since 2012, NICE has been collaborating and sharing technical resources with the Department of Health on methods and process guidelines for Health Technology Assessment development. Through the UK’s Better Health Programme in the Philippines from 2019 to 2022, the NHS Consortium for Global Health has enabled further system-to-system collaboration with NICE to support health systems and health policy development, broadening UK-Philippines collaboration in Health.

Hugh McGuire, senior scientific adviser, NICE International, adds, “It has been an invaluable opportunity to build on our already strong relationships between the Philippines Department of Health and National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, and the support of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Better Health Programme, the NHS Consortium for Global health and the British Embassy in Manila.”

Judith Richardson, director of health and social care, NICE, adds, “The last 2 days have been a fantastic opportunity for peer to peer interaction where both the UK and Philippines are learning from each other’s experiences in HTA and guidelines development.”



Crime news: extension of fee rises after MOJ and CBA deal

News story

Crime fee increases now being applied to most current cases following agreement between the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) and the Criminal Bar Association (CBA).

Statue of Recording Angel flanked by Fortitude and Truth above main entrance to the Old Bailey.

Crime fee increases introduced from 30 September 2022 apply to new cases claimable by litigators and advocates. They will now apply to the vast majority of existing Crown Court cases as well.

How do I claim the new fees?

Increases will automatically be applied to ongoing cases where the following both apply:

  • representation orders were granted between 17 September 2020 and 29 September 2022
  • main hearing takes place on or after 31 October 2022

This applies to schedules 1 and 2 of the Criminal Legal Aid (Remuneration) (Amendment) (Amendment) (No.2) Regulations 2022. So, it will only affect claims made under the Litigators’ and Advocates’ Graduated Fee Schemes.

Processing new fee claims

These changes will put more pressure on our operational processes in the short-term. We are recruiting additional staff to deal with the extra work that will be generated. This is likely to cause delays while the new starters are trained to deal with the revised processes.

Why is this happening now?

The increases to existing cases follow the agreement between the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) and the Criminal Bar Association (CBA) in response to the Bar’s strike action. Members of the CBA have accepted the government’s proposals and have returned to work.

The fee increases introduced on 30 September reflected the government’s interim response to recommendations by Sir Christopher Bellamy following the Independent Review of Criminal Legal Aid.

Where can I find out more?

Details of the revised fees and hourly rates are set out in the Criminal Legal Aid (Remuneration) (Amendment) Regulations 2022.

In addition to updated regulations, you can view revised Crown Court guidance on GOV.UK. There is also a table of fee claim scenarios.

Further information

Crown Court fee guidance

Criminal Legal Aid (Remuneration) (Amendment) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2022 – for changes applying the increase to current cases.

Criminal Legal Aid (Remuneration) (Amendment) Regulations 2022 – for revised fees and hourly rates

Written ministerial statement from the Lord Chancellor

Published 20 October 2022



GRAVES OF SIX GREAT WAR SOLDIERS REDEDICATED

News story

The final resting place of six soldiers killed in World War One have been identified and now been honoured in Services of Rededication at their graves around Ypres in Belgium on 18 and 19 October.

The service, of Cpl Pearce led by Rev Andy Nicolls, CF, is attended by members of the Mercian Regiment and representatives on behalf of the British Embassy – Crown copyright

The services were organised by the MOD’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC), also known as the ‘MOD War Detectives’, and were held at various Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) cemeteries. The services were conducted by The Reverend Andy Nicolls, CF and attended by representatives from the current day equivalents of these casualties’ regiments (Royal Fusiliers, the Mercian Regiment, Royal Logistics Corps and the Royal Regiment of Scotland).

Details of the six soldiers who have been identified:

Name Place of Birth Regiment Age at time of death
Second Lieutenant Frank Wood Royton, Oldham, Lancashire 1st Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers 19
Private Thomas Parry Tyldesley, Leigh, Lancashire Kings Own Scottish Borderers 19
Private David Christie Graham Angus, Scotland 8th Battalion, Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) 20
Second Lieutenant Herbert Ernest Martin Peterborough, Cambridgeshire 16th (attached 1st/8th) Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) 22
Corporal Gilbert (Bert) Willcocks Taunton, Somerset Army Service Corps 24
Corporal Herbert Pearce Kent 4th Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment 26

Louise Dorr, MOD JCCC case worker said:

“Our thanks go to several of our regular researchers, who have investigated these six graves and been able to prove who is buried in each of them. Thanks to their efforts we have been able to confirm their findings and return these soldiers’ names to them.

“I’m so honoured to have been able to be here to rededicate their final resting places.”

Stephen Gore, great nephew of Pte Parry is pictured with his wife Julie at the grave – Crown copyright

Although some of soldiers’ families live overseas or have been unable to attend, family members for Second Lieutenant Wood and Private Parry were in attendance. Each of these soldiers has also been well represented by their military family on behalf of a grateful nation.

The headstones over their graves will be replaced by CWGC as part of the rededication.

Wreaths are laid in tribute to Pte Graham – Crown copyright

Director for the Central and Southern European Area at the CWGC, Geert Bekaert, said:

“We are privileged to be able to honour these six brave men, who all paid the ultimate sacrifice fighting in the Great War. Thanks to the research and work of many, we are able to renew our commitment to care for these soldiers’ graves, in perpetuity”

Published 20 October 2022