The announcement comes during his visit to the United States for St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. The Secretary of State will meet with IFI Chair, Paddy Harte, and participants on the IFI’s AMBIT capacity building programme, as part of his programme of wider engagement with key US stakeholders who share an interest in Northern Ireland’s peace and prosperity.

Along with other international partners, the United States has been a strong supporter of the IFI since its establishment by the Irish Government and the UK Government in 1986.

The UK contribution will assist the Fund in its work to tackle the causes of division in Northern Ireland, support dialogue, and promote reconciliation, and will help communities as they continue to emerge from the challenges created by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The contribution is part of a wider UK Government commitment of over £3.5 billion through the New Deal for NI, City Deals, PEACE Plus and the financial package laid out in the New Decade, New Approach agreement, in addition to funding schemes to drive forward the economy and offer new opportunities for further investment in people, communities and infrastructure.

Announcing the funding contribution, The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Rt Hon Brandon Lewis CBE MP said:

“I’m proud that we will continue to support the work of the International Fund for Ireland, which works tirelessly to promote reconciliation and integration between and within communities across Northern Ireland and in the border areas of Ireland.

“It is a clear demonstration of the UK Government’s commitment to supporting community and reconciliation initiatives that bring people together to build a safer, more secure and more prosperous society.”

En conmemoración del Jubileo de Platino de Su Majestad la Reina Isabel II, la Embajada Británica en Montevideo y Tienda Inglesa lanzan una iniciativa para incluir a la comunidad uruguaya en esta celebración especial.

Se trata del concurso nombrado como “El Postre de la Reina”, que invita a niños, jóvenes y adultos aficionados a la cocina y la repostería a enviar una receta de un postre para homenajear a la monarca británica, que este año alcanza un gran hito al cumplir 70 años de reinado.

La propuesta consiste en crear un postre que sea el acompañamiento perfecto para el té de la tarde o para servir luego de un plato principal. Además de enviar una receta de su autoría y una foto, los participantes deberán justificar por qué su creación es apropiada para esta celebración. El plazo de inscripción vence el 6 de abril.

Las postulaciones serán evaluadas por los reconocidos profesionales del rubro gastronómico Sergio Puglia, Hugo Soca, Lucía Soria y el chef de la Residencia Británica en Montevideo, Marco Silva, además de la embajadora británica, Faye O’Connor.

Los cinco finalistas participarán de una prueba presencial ante los integrantes del jurado, en la que se elegirá el postre ganador. El plato seleccionado será servido en la celebración del Jubileo de Platino de la Embajada Británica y será fabricado por Tienda Inglesa para que quienes así lo deseen puedan degustarlo y de esta forma unirse a esta celebración. Las ganancias obtenidas por su venta se donarán a las organizaciones benéficas Fundación Corazoncitos y Fundappas.

El ganador será el invitado de honor del evento de la Embajada, se llevará como premio un ejemplar de “The Platinum Jubilee Cookbook”, un libro de recetas y anécdotas de embajadas británicas alrededor del mundo, y una gift card de Tienda Inglesa por valor de $15.000. Los cuatro finalistas también serán premiados con gift cards de Tienda Inglesa de $5.000 cada uno.

Para conocer más detalles acerca de las bases y condiciones de esta iniciativa o inscribirse en ella se debe ingresar al sitio web de Tienda Inglesa.

Under the Defence Reform Act, the Single Source Regulations Office (SSRO) is required to make a recommendation to the Secretary of State on the Baseline Profit Rate (BPR). The three rates are used to calculate the capital servicing rates, and the adjustment to the BPR required to fund the SSRO to be used for all contracts that fall under the Single Source Contract Regulations. The Secretary of State usually makes his decision and publishes the rate for each financial year by 15 March.

This rate will apply to new contracts and amendments to existing contracts placed after 1 April that year. In making his decision, the Secretary of State has to have regard to the recommendations made by the independent SSRO.

The Secretary of State has received from the Single Source Regulations Office a recommendation on the 2022-23 base line profit rates. He is closely considering this, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 impacts, and an announcement will be made in due course.

The Prime Minister met the Prime Minister of Sweden, Magdalena Andersson, following the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) summit in London today.

Speaking in Downing Street, the Prime Minister told the Swedish leader that the UK stood in solidarity with our Nordic partners in the face of rising Russian aggression. The leaders said that Putin’s abhorrent assault on Ukraine had shifted European thinking.

The pair agreed that their two nations should further strengthen their work together on disinformation, and said they looked forward to British and Swedish forces exercising together as part of JEF in the coming months.

Both agreed on the need to reduce dependency on Russian hydrocarbons, and the Prime Minister said renewables were a key part of the UK’s energy security strategy.

The Prime Minister said the UK and Sweden’s relationship was going from strength to strength and he hoped that the two nations would continue to work closely to increase defence ties, combat climate change and ensure Putin fails.

The Prime Minister hosted the President of Finland, Sauli Ninistö, at Downing Street today to discuss the ruthless attack by Russia on innocent Ukrainian people.

Both leaders discussed the concerning developments in Ukraine, and said Putin’s invasion had dramatically changed the landscape of European security.

The Prime Minister reiterated that sovereign countries should be able to choose their own future, without fear or threat from Russia.

He also set out the UK’s longstanding and steadfast support of Finland and its security, and said he looked forward to deepening defence and cultural ties between our two nations.

The leaders agreed to stay in close touch in coming weeks.