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Category: UK News

NHS to invest in tech to boost cancer detection

This could unleash a raft of new medical tech products onto the global market, including more flexible medical scanners and an AI tool to help spot lung cancer sooner….reports Asian Lite News

A raft of new UK-created therapies for cancer will be trialled in the UK – furthering the nation’s life sciences industry as one of the great drivers of economic growth.

New partnerships backed by public and private sector investment will trial new ways to tackle cancer and other life-threatening diseases with faster diagnoses and better treatments, deploying innovative technologies and approaches .

This could unleash a raft of new medical tech products onto the global market, including more flexible medical scanners and an AI tool to help spot lung cancer sooner. The potential of these breakthrough technologies to give new hope to patients, and to become commercial successes, is a demonstration of this government’s ambitions for the UK’s R&D base and the NHS to work hand-in-hand with the private sector, to bring the latest high-tech innovations into daily use across the health service as part of the government’s wider mission to reform the NHS.

Medical technologies like these not only offer the hope of longer, healthier lives to people living with diseases like cancer, but also drive economic growth through the UK’s world leading life sciences industry. Their adoption is also critical to building an NHS that is match-fit for the future, as emphasised in the findings of the recent Darzi Review. This independent report laid bare the current problems facing the NHS, including the fact that the cancer survival rates in England are lagging far behind other countries. Today’s package of investment will play a crucial role in the government’s plans to address these challenges and rebuild and reform the NHS, which will prioritise the adoption of innovative technologies and approaches and identify ways to do things differently across the health service in order to provide a better service for patients.

It comes as UK Research and Innovation announces a £118 million fund that will create five new hubs across the country, from Glasgow to Bristol, to help develop new health technologies. The funding will be split between government funding and partner support – inviting business to help the mission to kickstart the economy and build an NHS fit for the future. The Hubs will work in intimate partnership with the private sector – with experts at UCL developing scanners to improve cancer surgery, delivering their research together with both large MedTech multinationals and British start-ups, for example.

The International Investment Summit, taking place in a matter of days, will see government form a new partnership with business to grow our economy through more high quality, long-term investment and innovation.

Science and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said, “Cancer is a disease that has brought pain, misery and heartbreak to every family in the country, including my own. But through government working in partnership with the NHS, researchers, and business, we can harness science and innovation to bring the detection and treatment of this horrendous disease firmly in to the 21st century, keeping more families together for longer. The UK’s scientists, researchers and captains of industry have brilliant ideas that aren’t just going to boost our health – they’ll boost our economy too, helping to build a virtuous circle for more investment in both health and research which will ultimately drive up living standards.”

Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, said, “As a cancer survivor, I know how vital an early cancer diagnosis and the latest treatments are. This investment will not only save lives, but also secure Britain’s status as a powerhouse for life sciences and medical technology.

When we combine the care of the NHS and the genius of our country’s leading scientific minds, we can develop life changing treatments for patients and help get Britain’s economy booming.”

The Science Secretary will be speaking to business leaders across the life sciences sector, encouraging a raft of investment into the UK for drug development, clinical trials and MedTech production.

Already contributing £108 billion to the UK economy, the life sciences industry drove £800 million in foreign direct investment into the UK in 2023, and supports around 300,000 jobs up and down the country.

Today’s announcements showcase the impact that could potentially be made to cancer, as well as other diseases, through ensuring the government and NHS works hand in hand with life sciences research institutions and industry, to drive the development of new treatments and diagnostics.

The MedTech sector specifically is also booming, supporting more than 138,000 jobs and exporting more than £5.6 billion in products annually. And there are life sciences clusters right across the UK that provide high-skill, high-wage jobs from Merseyside to the North East.

Mandatory safety training for NHS maternity staff

NHS maternity staff will take part in a mandatory training programme to improve patient safety after a damning report by the health regulator said that poor care and harm in childbirth was in danger of becoming “normalised”.

Obstetricians, midwives and obstetric anaesthetists at nine maternity units across England will all have to do extra training from Monday under government plans to raise care standards for women and babies. The scheme will be rolled out to every maternity unit in the country if the pilots are successful.

The move comes just weeks after a Care Quality Commission (CQC) report based on inspections of 131 maternity units exposed a slew of problems, adding to the sense of crisis that has engulfed a service responsible for the 600,000 women a year who give birth and their babies.

The programme will teach maternity staff how to better identify signs a baby is showing distress during labour so they can act more quickly. It will also help staff deal with obstetric emergencies that occur when a baby’s head is lodged deep in the mother’s pelvis during a caesarean section.

Gillian Merron, the minister for patient safety, women’s health and mental health, said: “This government is working with the NHS to urgently improve maternity care, giving staff the support they need to improve safety and ensure women’s voices are properly heard.

“This is a critical step toward avoiding preventable brain injuries in babies, as we work to make sure all women and babies receive safe, personalised and compassionate care.”

The training will focus particularly on improving the skills and ability of maternity staff to reduce the number of avoidable brain injuries of babies during childbirth. The NHS has spent £4.1bn over the last 11 years settling lawsuits involving babies who suffered brain damage when being born, amid claims that maternity units were not learning from mistakes.

Six maternity units are taking part in pilots focused on impacted foetal head during caesarean birth. They are the Countess of Chester hospital NHS foundation trust, East Lancashire hospitals NHS trust, Lancashire teaching hospitals NHS trust, Liverpool Women’s NHS foundation trust, Warrington and Halton teaching hospitals NHS foundation trust, and Wirral university teaching hospital NHS foundation trust.

Three sites are participating in pilots aimed at bolstering the detection of and response to babies deteriorating while under NHS care. They are Croydon Health Services NHS trust, Epsom and St Helier university hospitals NHS trust, and St George’s university hospitals NHS foundation trust.

Last month Nicola Wise, the CQC’s director of secondary and specialist care, said the regulator could not allow an acceptance of shortfalls in maternity that were not tolerated in other services.

Wes Streeting, the health secretary, has previously described NHS maternity care as “one of the biggest issues that keeps me awake at night”. He worried about “the quality of care being delivered today” and “the risk of disaster greeting women in labour tomorrow”, he said.

ALSO READ: 1,000 UK troops show commitment in NATO exercise

8 October 2024
Reeves not to raise tax on pension contributions

The chancellor is understood to have decided against the move, which had been considered as one of a number of tax rises designed to repair the hole in the public finances….reports Asian Lite News

Rachel Reeves has decided not to raise tax on pensions contributions in this month’s budget, after public sector unions warned that doing so would hurt their members.

The chancellor is understood to have decided against the move, which had been considered as one of a number of tax rises designed to repair the hole in the public finances.

Reeves had been considering reducing the 40% rate of tax relief that higher earners enjoy on pension contributions, in a move that could have raised £10bn a year. Public sector unions warned, however, that doing so would hit almost 1 million of their members, erasing much of the pay increases that the government has just agreed.

One government official told the Times, which first reported the decision, that it would have been “madness” to increase taxes on public sector workers in this way. The Treasury refused to comment on the budget.

Reeves has been weighing up a number of revenue-raising measures as she looks to avoid sharp cuts to public services, which had been assumed under the previous government’s spending plans.

One of them had been to cut the higher rate of tax relief on pension savings, which is currently enjoyed by those earning more than £50,270 a year.

A paper earlier this year by the left-of-centre Fabian Society recommended creating a single rate of tax relief for all earners, which could have been set between 20% and 30% instead.

Such a move would have disproportionately hit public sector workers, however, who often have more generous pension arrangements than those in the private sector.

Vishal Sharma, chair of the pensions committee at the British Medical Association, said: “Attacking our pensions in this way would completely reverse this progress [on public sector pay deals] by once again taking money away from doctors in a different way. Not only would this negate the recent hard-won pay rises but it would probably reignite the recent pay disputes that have been seen across the NHS.”

Other tax-raising options remain available to the chancellor, however, including reducing the amount that people can take out of their pension pots tax-free when they retire.

Reeves is also considering making changes to capital gains tax and inheritance tax. One option proposed by the Fabian Society is to levy inheritance tax on unspent pension pots, which can currently be passed on untaxed.

Treasury officials will continue to work on the main budget measures for the next few weeks until they finalise their decisions in the week before the announcement on 30 October.

This week, however, Reeves will have to give the Office for Budget Responsibility an indication of what she intends to do in order for its forecasters to create their first “post-measures” analysis, which will be presented to the chancellor next Monday.

One major decision still to be finalised is whether Reeves will change the official definition of government debt to allow her to borrow more without violating her own promise to have debt falling by the fifth year of the forecast period.

Britain’s defense sector vies for stretched finances

British defense officials are vying to secure more funding as Finance Minister Rachel Reeves’ upcoming Autumn budget risks exacerbating already beleaguered efforts to boost military investment.

Maria Eagle, the U.K.’s minister of defense procurement, joined a chorus of voices that called on the sector to prove that it could be more efficient under the new government, as the Treasury grapples with allocating its stretched finances.

“We’ve got to make sure that there is an understanding across government — and especially in the Treasury — that spending money on defense is a good way to spend it,” Eagle told a packed room of delegates at the Labour Party conference over Sept.22-25.

“Let’s try and make sure that we can persuade the Treasury that we’re good enough custodians of the 2.5% that we’re aiming at,” said Eagle, who assumed the post in July. “If we show we can spend the money better, we cut the waste, and we have a common understanding of what we need and how to get it.”

Prime Minister Keir Starmer in July reiterated his commitment to increase U.K. defense spending to 2.5% of gross domestic product (GDP) — a goal mirrored by many fellow NATO members — but he has not yet set a time frame for that objective.

Meanwhile, the war in Ukraine has cast a spotlight on deep inefficiencies within Britain’s defense sectors, provoking calls for reform.

A 72-page House of Lords report published Thursday last week warned of “burdensome bureaucracy” in military recruitment and “cumbersome” procurement processes. Unless “laser-sharp priorities” are set, even 2.5% might not be enough to meet the country’s defense needs, it said, adding that the government must acknowledge the essential need for higher defense spending and communicate that to the public.

The industry is now awaiting Reeves’ Oct.30 budget statement, during which she will provide an update on spending plans for the Ministry of Defense (MoD) and other departments over the coming years.

The chancellor has already made clear that there will be cross-department budget cuts and few, if any, giveaways, after saying her party discovered a £22 billion ($29 billion) “black hole” in the public finances and with national debt now running at 100% of GDP. Reeves’ predecessor Jeremy Hunt from the rival Conservative Party has denied the claims as “fictitious.”

The measures are expected to pile the pressure on already stretched military spending. The U.K.’s National Audit Office last year warned that the armed forces face the largest deficit since records began in 2012 — an issue exacerbated by inflation. As such, the MoD last month reportedly asked industry suppliers to identify areas for immediate budget cuts.

“The MoD already is in a budgetary crisis this year,” Malcolm Chalmers, deputy director general at defense and security think tank RUSI, said last week.

“The budget for this year is substantially overcommitted because of its significant pay rises for the armed forces, because of the rising cost of the nuclear program, and because there are a number of other programs which are unfunded,” Chalmers said.

A strategic defense review is now underway to identify shortcomings in the U.K.’s military capabilities, with Starmer saying in July that the overhaul should ensure the armed forces can counter rising geopolitical threats and that defence spending is “responsibly increased.”

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8 October 2024
Britain withdraws kin of embassy staff from Israel

The decision comes in the wake of Israel sending troops into southern Lebanon, the killing of Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, and an Iranian missile attack on Israel…reports Asian Lite News

Britain has withdrawn the families of its embassy staff working in Israel due to the escalation in fighting between Israel and Hezbollah and the risk of a wider regional conflict.

The decision comes in the wake of Israel sending troops into southern Lebanon, the killing of Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, and an Iranian missile attack on Israel.

“As a precautionary measure following escalation in the region, family members of British Embassy staff have been temporarily withdrawn,” the Foreign Office travel advice web page for Israel read. “Our staff members remain.”

Hezbollah rockets hit Israel’s third-largest city Haifa early on Monday as the country looked poised to expand its ground incursions into Lebanon.

Britain advises citizens against all travel to the area close to the border with Gaza and “all but essential travel” to other parts of Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories due to the yearlong conflict between Israel and Hamas.

But British citizens living in Israel are not being told to leave. Instead, they are being advised that consular assistance is “severely limited.”

“We recognize this is a fast-moving situation that poses significant risks,” the advice reads. “We strongly encourage you to check you and your dependents have the required documentation to travel at short notice.”

Advises against non-essential travel

Meanwhile, Britain has advised its citizens against non-essential travel to Israel due to a heightened state of tension and violent clashes in the region. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office also advises against all travel in parts of northern and southern Israel, most of the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip.

“FCDO advises against all travel to the area close to the border with Gaza and all but essential travel to the rest of Israel and the OPTs,” it says in a statement.

Its website offers more specifics on areas in northern and southern Israel where it advises against all travel. The UK has advised its citizens against all travel to Lebanon since last week.

Earlier, Prime Minister Keir Starmer called on all sides in the Middle East conflict to “find the courage of restraint.”

Speaking in parliament, the UK leader emphasised that the region “cannot endure another year of this” and that “civilians on all sides have suffered too much.”

“All sides must now step back from the brink and find the courage of restraint. There is no military solution to these challenges,” AFP quoted Starmer as saying to MPs in a sombre House of Commons.

His remarks came after an earlier statement on Monday in which he honored the victims of last year’s attacks, saying: “We stand together to remember the lives so cruelly taken.” Starmer, who assumed office in early July, said that Britain “must unequivocally stand with the Jewish community and unite as a country,” in light of the recent rise in anti-Semitism across the UK.

“On this day of pain and sorrow, we honour those we lost, and continue in our determination to return those still held hostage, help those who are suffering, and secure a better future for the Middle East,” he was quoted as saying.

In his brief speech in parliament, Starmer said 15 British citizens were killed on October 7 in the attacks, and that another died while being held in captivity. The Hamas onslaught left 1,205 dead on the Israeli side, mostly civilians. Some 251 people were captured and taken as hostages to the Gaza Strip. Of those 97 are still held captive including 34 the Israeli military says are dead.

Starmer also noted that more than 41,000 Palestinians had also been killed in Israel’s military response, reiterating his calls for immediate ceasefires in Lebanon and Gaza, and more aid to be allowed into the latter.

Peter Kyle, a UK cabinet minister, did not rule out the possibility of the UK military helping Israel attack Iran, but noted any “operational decision to be taken” would be based on “delicate negotiations”.

Kyle also noted the prime minister had spoken to the UK’s allies in the last few days, including Joe Biden, Emmanuel Macron and Olaf Scholz, resulting in “unanimous” advice that Israel “must exercise restraint” in the region. However, Kyle said the UK government “can’t instruct Israel, as a sovereign state to do anything”.

Speaking on the BBC One’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme, Kyle said: “We do understand deeply what Israel has suffered in this year, but the only way forward is restraint, a ceasefire to create the space for a political solution, because this is getting more complicated. The war is deepening and it is not moving towards the peace that we need, so we are urging the steps that will take us towards that peaceful settlement”.

The prime minister, in an article for the Sunday Times, called out the “vile hatred” that had been directed towards Jews and Muslims since the 7 October attacks.

ALSO READ: 1,000 UK troops show commitment in NATO exercise

8 October 2024
British climber stranded in Himalayas saved in daring rescue op

The pair became stranded for three days at an altitude of more than 6,000m (19,000ft)…reports Asian Lite News

A British climber who was missing for three days in the Himalayas confirmed she is “back down and safe” after being rescued. Fay Manners, 37, and her friend from the US Michelle Dvorak, 31, were trekking up India’s Chaukhamba mountain when they became unaccounted for on Thursday.

The pair became stranded for three days at an altitude of more than 6,000m (19,000ft). They were airlifted down on Sunday after an 80-hour search conducted by the Indian Air Force, army and local authorities.

Manners shared a message on an Instagram story which read: “We’re back down and safe.” Speaking to reporters after her rescue, Manners said the pair had lost their equipment when a rockfall crashed into it.

“We were pulling up my bag and she had her bag on her,” she said. “And the rockfall came, cut the rope with the other bag, and it just went down the entire mountain.”

She added: “We sent a message to our friends and they knew. I live in France and that team is also coming from France… and so they had told [the rescuers], ‘Oh they are stuck on the mountain, they have no equipment. So then this other team [of mountaineers] came to help us.”

In a statement on X, the Indian Air Force said: “The rescue of two foreign (US & UK) mountaineers from Chaukhamba III trek in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli is a testament to the resilience and skill of the Indian Air Force, along with the collaborative efforts of SDRF, NIM, and French mountaineers.

“After battling two days of bad weather, the IAF’s Cheetah helicopter airlifted the climbers from 17,400 feet, showcasing remarkable coordination in extreme conditions.”

A French climbing party played a key role in rescuing the duo after the group helped them descend to the altitude where they were eventually airlifted from, according to the force.

Manners, from Bedford, left the UK to move to the Alps to pursue her passion for climbing and became a professional alpinist sponsored by brands including The North Face and Petzl. She recently charted an adventure across the Alps where she would climb and then ski down before cycling to another range.

“My ambition is to inspire women to pursue their interest in alpinism,” her website reads. A FCDO spokesperson said: “We have been supporting the family of a British woman reported missing in India who has since been safely rescued.”

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7 October 2024
Man arrested for ‘incorrectly’ boarding easyJet flight

There has been no suggestion that the incident was terror-related and nothing suspicious was found onboard the aircraft…reports Asian Lite News

A man was arrested after boarding an easyJet flight without the correct documents at Manchester airport. The man, in his 20s, was discovered on an aircraft due to depart for Milan, at 7pm on Friday and was detained by Greater Manchester police officers.

He was arrested on suspicion of hiding himself “for the purpose of being carried in an aircraft without consent and intentionally or recklessly causing public nuisance” after he returned to the terminal, the force said.

There has been no suggestion that the incident was terror-related and nothing suspicious was found onboard the aircraft, the police added. The man remains in custody for questioning while inquiries continue.

In a statement, easyJet said its EZY2127 flight was subject to additional security checks per standard procedure “due to a passenger incorrectly boarding the flight”. All passengers had to disembark from the plane as extra security checks were carried out in line with procedure.

The airline said: “Safety and security is our highest priority and so we will now work with our ground partner at Manchester airport to understand how he was able to board the flight.”

Manchester airport told the PA Media news agency that the passenger was “properly screened” by its security “so passenger safety was never an issue”, and that it was working with the police and airline to look into what happened.

In December last year, a six-year-old boy boarded the wrong plane, making a holiday trip look more like a Home Alone sequel in Philadelphia. His grandmother was expecting him to arrive in Fort Myers, Florida, but instead he landed in Orlando.

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7 October 2024
UK trade mission visits Kyiv to deepen industry ties

It is the latest step in the growing relationship between the UK’s defence industrial sector and Ukraine’s…reports Asian Lite News

A UK trade mission, formed of representatives from the Ministry of Defence, Department for Business and Trade, and the defence trade association ADS, visited Ukraine to hold meetings with Ukrainian Government and industry representatives.

It is the latest step in the growing relationship between the UK’s defence industrial sector and Ukraine’s, following the signing of a major agreement in July which will enable Ukraine to harness the power of UK industry by drawing on £3.5 billion worth of export finance to purchase further military capabilities.

The cross-government group, led by the Minister for the Armed Forces, travelled to Kyiv, where the trade mission visited the Ukraine Defence Industrial Forum to take part in a series of meetings and forum discussions.

Whilst there the minister discussed the UK’s steadfast support for Ukraine as long as it takes, the ever-growing relationship between the UK and Ukraine’s defence industry and the government’s pledge to continue to boost investment into our own industry which will in turn support Ukraine’s fight.

Agreements were made with Ukrainian officials on their requirements for complex weapons and land systems support during the event, which provides a signal to UK industry as to the types of equipment they most need and for which the MOD will now contract with UK industry on Ukraine’s behalf.

Minister for the Armed Forces, Luke Pollard MP said, “The UK’s support for Ukraine is ironclad. We continue to lead the way in providing military aid, but our support is much broader than simply providing equipment. Our flourishing defence industrial relationship symbolises the work happening across Government and the private sector to ramp up and speed up our support. By deepening our ties with Ukraine’s defence industry, we are expanding own industrial capacity, while boosting Ukraine’s own capabilities. We stand shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine, and we will provide support for as long as it takes.”

The MOD already placed contracts with Thales for air defence missiles and Sheffield Forgemasters for artillery gun barrels forgings, in order to warm up industry in preparation for further orders. Future orders are in the pipeline and will be funded by Ukraine, drawing on their own reserves and the £3.5 billion of United Kingdom export finance made available by the UK to support Ukraine’s war effort.

Task Force HIRST is the UK cross-government team incorporating MOD, DBT and UK Export Finance to stimulate UK industrial production and international collaboration in support of Ukraine, including collaboration with Ukrainian companies.

Last week, the Defence Secretary confirmed the Government is delivering on its commitment to speed up and ramp up deliveries of support for Ukraine, surpassing its pledge to deliver 12 AS90 artillery guns within 100 days of taking office.

A total of 16 units are now on course to be delivered, with 10 already provided, and six more to follow in the coming weeks.

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7 October 2024
1,000 UK troops show commitment in NATO exercise

The training will develop the UK’s ability to operate alongside NATO allies and underlines Britain’s commitment to eastern Europe….reports Asian Lite News

More than 1,000 British troops have begun one of the largest exercises this year in the Balkans, showing the UK’s commitment to the region’s security.

The training will develop the UK’s ability to operate alongside NATO allies and underlines Britain’s commitment to eastern Europe.

With 18 activities taking place across three months, one of the standout training exercises under Operation Chelonia involves the UK’s deployment of troops to Kosovo. These troops arrived via amphibious landing on a beach with no established infrastructure, via a world-leading motorised floating platform.

This training exercise takes place close to Pasha Liman Naval Base in Southern Albania.

Minister for the Armed Forces Luke Pollard said, “These exercises show our unwavering commitment to standing united with our allies and working hand in hand to boost our collective security. The UK has always had a major presence in the Western Balkans, and it’s important we demonstrate a united front to ensure regional security. Working closely with our NATO partners, we are demonstrating our combined efforts to safeguard peace, stability, and security in the region.”

The landing was led by the Strategic Reserve Force (SRF), a group of 600 Army personnel held at readiness to deploy at two weeks’ notice should pressures in the region escalate. In 2024, the SRF is led by the 1st Battalion of the Royal Yorkshire Regiment.

The scenario required the services of the Mexeflote, a world-leading modular motorised floating platform that can dock on the stern ramp of a ship, load with heavy military hardware (including trucks and main battle tanks if required), ferry the cargo to the beach and enable the cargo to be unloaded.

To put into context the scale of the operation, 26,000 linear metres of vehicles and equipment were landed on the beach. All equipment was brought to Albania from the UK aboard the 13,500 tonne Ro-Ro vessel, Hartland Point.

The Royal Air Force have also undertaken training in the region to ensure all personnel have the training they need to keep us secure at home and strong abroad.

The British Army have previously deployed at pace in Kosovo, with 200 personnel from the (1st battalion) of the Princess of Wales’ Royal Regiment (PWRR) sent to the country last year under NATO command, following an increase in tensions in the north of the country.

Other nations involved in these key exercises with the UK include Serbia, Romania, Kosovo, Georgia, Croatia, and Moldova.

This exercise reaffirms the UK’s commitment to our allies in the region. Whilst Putin continues his illegal and reckless invasion of Ukraine and aggressive posturing, it is vital that the UK works consistently alongside our NATO allies to display a united front of our collective strength.

From our continued presence in Kosovo, to our counter-disinformation support in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the UK remains completely committed to upholding democracy and supporting our allies in the Western Balkans.

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7 October 2024
UK private schools suffer 10,000 pupil drop

The government has pledged to impose the 20 per cent tax from January, making the UK the only western country, apart from New Zealand, which taxes education…reports Asian Lite News

Independent schools across Britain reported a drop of more than 10,000 pupils starting in September, with the starkest fall at the start of secondary school, ahead of the introduction of the Labour government’s VAT on tuition.

The government has pledged to impose the 20 per cent tax from January, making the UK the only western country, apart from New Zealand, which taxes education.

Boarding schools saw the highest drop overall, at 2.4 per cent on average, according to new figures from the Independent Schools Council (ISC). For day schools, there was a 1.7 per cent fall. But in Year 7, it was as much as 4.6 per cent.

Schools in Wales have been hit the hardest, followed by those in Yorkshire and the South West. Smaller schools, with fewer than 300 pupils, and those charging the lowest fees saw the greatest drop.

But even medium-sized schools have suffered badly, with one telling The National that it experienced a 10 per cent fall in the number of pupils in Year 7, the first year of secondary school. Several parents have already pulled their children out of Stafford Grammar School, in central England, according to the head teacher, with more having given notice for January, and some planning to see the year out before doing so to minimise the disruption for their children. The school has about 380 pupils.

“In some instances, those who made the very immediate response to do that at the beginning of September said that they didn’t actually have a school place for their child,” said the school’s head teacher, Nick Pietrek. “For those parents who knew immediately that they wouldn’t be able to afford it come January and were already being pushed to the limits, they’d rather pay the fees in lieu and go in the hope they get their child into another school as quickly as possible. But none of those schools were open at the time because it was the summer holiday, so up to the beginning of September, they still had no school for their child. They were literally having to go to the schools directly. The local authority wasn’t able to help.”

Their decision was motivated by the fact that the school informed parents it faced no choice but to pass on the full 20 per cent rise in January when the policy comes into force. “We had already budgeted and we’ve always worked on smaller margins in our fees. Nearly all of our revenue, almost 85 per cent, goes on salaries,” said Pietrek.

“The only way it can be absorbed is by school lowering is fees. And unfortunately, being mid-year, we just can’t do that,” he said. The school hopes to be able to identify some efficiencies to prevent fees rising in September 2025, and possibly even reduce them, he said.

Pietrek said the policy is a repeat of what took place in Greece in 2015, when it briefly imposed a 23 per cent tax on school fees. It was later forced to roll the policy back by the EU and following the closure of smaller schools, with pressure building up on the state sector. A comment was left on an article shared on his LinkedIn account from a Greek resident, who compared the policy’s failure with Labour’s push to introduce the charge. “And I think those same words apply here, really, it feels like a mix of incompetence and political obsession,” he said.

About 600,000 children – or 6 per cent of UK pupils – are currently educated privately. Almost a fifth receive some form of SEND support, and more than a third receive help with their fees through scholarships or bursaries.

The Independent Schools Council, which represents 1,4000 independent schools across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, is calling on the government to modify its plans and delay the implementation of the policy, in particular looking at the impact it will have on small schools, faith schools, and pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

“This data couldn’t be clearer – parents are already removing their children from independent schools as a result of the government’s plans to charge parents VAT. This is just the tip of the iceberg and the knock-on effect on schools is significant, with many small schools already at risk of closure,” said Julie Robinson, chief executive at ISC.

“We want to work with the government to mitigate some of the biggest challenges of this policy, including looking at delaying the implementation of VAT, and seriously reviewing its impact on young people with special educational needs and disabilities.”

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7 October 2024
Reeves urged to end panic over pension tax raid

It comes as the Chancellor faces calls to limit the amount of tax-free cash that savers can withdraw from their pensions, a move which could raise £2bn for the Treasury….reports Asian Lite News

“Petrified” savers are pulling money out of their pensions early amid fears of Rachel Reeves’s possible tax raid, wealth advisers have warned.

Steven Levin, chief executive of wealth manager Quilter, has sent a letter to the Treasury claiming panic over this month’s Budget had prompted clients to take “knee-jerk decisions” that could jeopardise their financial security.

He said: “We are witnessing more clients considering whether to withdraw their pension tax-free cash prematurely. The knock-on uncertainty around changes to pension tax reliefs, tax-free cash and possible amendments to pension contributions is causing anxiety and confusion for those trying to plan their financial futures.”

The letter added: “A prompt statement from the Treasury, advising against changes to pension arrangements pre-Budget, would be highly beneficial.”

It comes as the Chancellor faces calls to limit the amount of tax-free cash that savers can withdraw from their pensions, a move which could raise £2bn for the Treasury.

Current rules allow savers aged 55 and over to withdraw 25pc of any pension in a tax-free lump sum, up to a maximum of £286,275.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) this month urged Ms Reeves to reduce the maximum to £100,000, which would affect about one in five retirees.

Wealth managers have warned that changes to tax-free withdrawals would be destabilising for those in their late 50s and early 60s who have already earmarked funds in their retirement plans, such as paying off their mortgage.

Many are advising pension savers to avoid making hasty withdrawals, especially if they are planning to redirect the tax-free cash to a bank account with lower returns.

Jason Hollands, of wealth manager Evelyn Partner, said: “More customers are getting in touch to ask about withdrawing money early. This has been fuelled by think tanks, such as the IFS, saying the lump sum should be slashed to £100,000.

“This has petrified some people who might have been banking on tax-free cash to clear mortgages or reduce debt in the next few years. The Treasury says it can’t comment on fiscal plans ahead of the Budget, which is understandable. But it’s common for ‘sources close to Treasury’ to dampen down worries if it’s having an adverse impact. The sooner they set out the direction of travel the better. People need more clarity.”

Tom Selby, of wealth manager AJ Bell, said: “When we commit money to a pension the deal is that we sacrifice spending power today in order to provide for ourselves in the future, with certain tax breaks on offer to sweeten the deal. Even the perception that the Government might renege on the terms of the deal risks people taking actions which may not be in their best interest.”

He added that cutting tax-free cash was an “extremely unlikely” move, but the Chancellor needed to confirm that speculation is unfounded to “nip the issue in the bud”.

ALSO READ: Migrant arrivals hit highest daily total this year

7 October 2024
Migrant arrivals hit highest daily total this year

The crossings came the same day French authorities said four people, including a two-year-old boy, had died while trying to cross the Channel to reach the UK…reports Asian Lite News

More than 900 people crossed the English Channel in small boats on Saturday – the highest daily total so far this year. According to the Home Office, 973 migrants arrived in 17 boats, bringing the total number for the year to 26,612 people in 503 boats.

The crossings came the same day French authorities said four people, including a two-year-old boy, had died while trying to cross the Channel to reach the UK. The Home Office has said previously it was making progress in its bid to end dangerous small boat crossings, “which threaten lives and undermine our border security”.

The previous highest daily total of arrivals in 2024 was 882 people on 18 June. While there were no recorded crossings in the first three days of October, on Friday, 395 migrants arrived in the UK after making the journey.

The total number of arrivals in 2024 so far is now higher than at the same point last year, when 25,330 migrants had reached the UK. But it is still far lower than at the same point in the year in 2022, when 33,586 people had made the crossing.

On Saturday, French authorities said the four people who died while attempting to cross the Channel were likely “trampled to death” in two separate boats that had engine failures. French interior minister Bruno Retailleau said the deaths were a “terrible tragedy”, adding that people smugglers “have the blood of these people on their hands”.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said the deaths were “appalling”, and that “criminal smuggler gangs continue to organise these dangerous boat crossings”. Prime Minister Keir Starmer previously said he was “absolutely determined” to tackle the smuggling gangs facilitating the crossings but would not commit to a timeframe for doing that.

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7 October 2024