# United Kingdom daily digest — 23 Oct 2026

HM Treasury led the UK day on 23 October with measures it says will save businesses almost £800 million a year in administrative and tariff costs ahead of next week's Budget. The Ministry of Defence reported RAF Typhoons joining a French nuclear air exercise for the first time, and the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office joined 31 partners in warning of famine risk in Sudan. Other releases covered a £9.4 million youth mental health pilot in Greater Manchester and a record magistrate recruitment drive.

Source-local date: Friday 23 October 2026 (Europe/London). 5 release(s). Canonical: https://mediarelease.co/digests/uk/2026-10-23/

## Releases

### [New mental health pilot for young people supported by social care](https://mediarelease.co/uk/mr02255-new-mental-health-pilot-for-young-people-supported-by-social-23102026.html)

Issued by: Department of Health and Social Care · Original source: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-mental-health-pilot-for-young-people-supported-by-social-care

A three-year, £9.4 million government pilot called Care Together will place NHS mental health staff inside children's social care teams in Greater Manchester. Run by the area's Integrated Care Board with Stockport, Tameside and Rochdale councils, it could reach up to 7,000 children and young people in social care, along with their families. The model responds to Professor Fonagy's independent review, which called for better integrated mental health support.

### [Thousands step forward in record magistrate recruitment drive](https://mediarelease.co/uk/mr02254-thousands-step-forward-in-record-magistrate-recruitment-23102026.html)

Issued by: Ministry of Justice · Original source: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/thousands-step-forward-in-record-magistrate-recruitment-drive

More than 3,800 new magistrates have been recruited under the current government, including almost 1,500 appointed in the first six months of 2026, nearly double the same period a year earlier. Women made up 55% of new appointments, and more than a third of recruits were under 50. The Ministry of Justice has launched a £4 million recruitment campaign aiming for a 21,000-strong magistracy in 2028/29, alongside an audio recording pilot across seven magistrates' courtrooms.

### [Joint ministerial statement on the risk of famine in Sudan](https://mediarelease.co/uk/mr02253-joint-ministerial-statement-on-the-risk-of-famine-in-sudan-23102026.html)

Issued by: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office · Original source: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/joint-ministerial-statement-on-the-risk-of-famine-in-sudan

The UK and 31 other partners have issued a joint ministerial statement warning of a risk of famine in Sudan in the coming months. An estimated 19.5 million people, 41% of the population, face high levels of acute food insecurity, including 5 million at emergency levels, and severe acute malnutrition among children could exceed the projected 825,000. The signatories urge the parties to the conflict to lift impediments to humanitarian access, including air access into Darfur, and call for more international funding.

### [UK-France deepen nuclear defence ties in first joint exercise](https://mediarelease.co/uk/mr02252-uk-france-deepen-nuclear-defence-ties-in-first-joint-23102026.html)

Issued by: Ministry of Defence · Original source: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-france-deepen-nuclear-defence-ties-in-first-joint-exercise

RAF Typhoon fighters have taken part in a French nuclear air exercise for the first time, escorting French Rafale jets on a simulated nuclear strike mission over the Mediterranean. Exercise Rummy launched from Saint-Dizier Air Base in France, did not involve nuclear weapons, and forms part of cooperation agreed under the Northwood Declaration. Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said it marked a new chapter in the UK-France defence nuclear relationship, as the UK invests £63 billion over four years in its nuclear deterrent.

### [Government slashes red tape and tariffs to give businesses breathing space](https://mediarelease.co/uk/mr02213-government-slashes-red-tape-and-tariffs-to-give-businesses-23102026.html)

Issued by: HM Treasury · Original source: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-slashes-red-tape-and-tariffs-to-give-businesses-breathing-space

Businesses across Britain are set to save almost £800 million a year in administrative and tariff costs under measures announced by Chancellor John Healey ahead of next week's Budget. The package includes over £600 million a year in regulatory admin savings, including streamlined company reporting worth up to £290 million, and extended import tariff suspensions on more than 250 products, saving up to £155 million. Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds are meeting small business leaders at Number 10 North.

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