Tag: 2026

Peter Kyle – 2026 Speech at UK-China Export Event

The speech made by Peter Kyle, the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, on 1 July 2026.

Thank you for your very kind and warm words. It is great to see you all here today. It is great to see your whole team come over Minister Wang.

The JETCO tomorrow is the third major meeting between our governments in less than one year. And that is a cause for real, genuine celebration.

There was our JETCO in Beijing last September, and of course the Prime Minister’s historic visit back in January – the first such visit in eight years.

And I know many of the attendees of that meeting are joining us here today as part of the delegation. And I have to say, thanks to you, it was a huge success.

It unlocked £2.2 billion in new export deals and a further £2.3 billion in market access wins over the next five years.

As a result of that visit we now enjoy visa free travel, making it easier for professionals to travel and do business across China. This is something businesses have repeatedly told us that they are keen to do.

But we also made real progress in breaking down the barriers to trade. That includes China cutting tariffs on UK whisky exports from 10 per cent to 5 per cent – a vital boost to an iconic British sector.

Minister Wang and I were present when the Prime Minister and President Xi were discussing that and it was a real win I think for both of our countries.

But even more important than that, these meetings have been rebuilding a relationship that has been dormant for far too long.

The fact is, in an unstable geopolitical climate, the most important thing we can do now is to talk to each other.

Because talking to each other, even when we have differences, means that we can understand each other.

And by understanding each other, it means that we can work together.

And by working together, we can build stability between us as countries and governments but also for and on behalf of business.

Tomorrow, those talks, and that work, will continue as we discuss how to implement the MOUs that we signed back in January.

And as we discuss how to step up our trading relationship even further.

We have already come to a strong understanding between us.

Our Industrial Strategy, and the Chinese five-year-plan, well I think that they are very well aligned. Some of our sectors overlap. And that creates opportunity for both of our countries.

We’ve already seen some of that opportunity become reality.

British firms across the Industrial Strategy sectors are showing just what they can offer.

Silverstream Technologies has worked with 13 major Chinese shipyards to install their net-zero lubrication technology to new builds and also to retrofits.

Meanwhile Anemoi Marine Technologies has secured £28 million in export value through sales of its Flettnor Rotor Sails.

We’re working together in sport also, with World Snooker agreeing a £15 million five‑year deal in China, including new major events in Chinese cities.

And in life sciences companies like Cultech have partnered with China resources to deliver £90 million in exports and create jobs in Port Talbot in Wales.

But where I’m hoping we can make some real headway is on services.

Services make up 59% of our exports to the world, but only 42% of what we export to China.

That’s an area where we are a genuine global leader, and where we have lots to offer, especially to Chinese businesses looking to grow and export around the world.

I know hundreds of British businesses are champing at the bit to get their presence in China.

That’s what I want to see as our next steps: To get British services on Chinese business’s speed dial.

To bring China to the top of our companies’ minds for expansion. To ensure that as Chinese companies go global, UK professional service companies are their first phone call.

To build a services superhighway between London and Beijing.

Of course, neither Rome, nor London or Beijing was built in a day.

It will take time and it will take hard work to create a relationship that works well for both countries.

That’s why after the Prime Minister’s trip in January, we agreed a new Bilateral Services Partnership.

A structured channel to take forward practical issues affecting UK services, sector by sector, building on the access and political mandate that that visit created.

Under the Partnership, we are working directly with the Ministry of Commerce to address challenges that businesses face in areas where the UK has clear strengths and firms are already active – like financial services, professional and business services and also in education.

As part of that partnership, both the UK and China have committed to establish a Professional and Business Services Matchmaking platform. It will give Chinese companies looking to go global access to UK expert companies that can make that dream a reality.

And work is happening fast on the Joint Feasibility Study on a bilateral Trade Services Agreement.

The sector keeps chasing me on when they can expect to see some more progress on all of these initiatives, so I’m hoping to make some real steps forward in our discussions – if only for the sake of reducing my inbox!

And we are looking forward to hosting our next Economic and Financial Dialogue in London later this year, from which we will announce the next actions and the next steps that we will take together.

And looking further ahead, because we want to keep momentum going, strengthening our work together in the areas that will benefit us both, and opening up new ways for our businesses to work together, to grow together and to learn from each other.

Serious engagement is back. By working together, and talking together, both of our nations will prosper.

Thank you.

02/07/2026
PRESS RELEASE : Green Book changes to drive investment in all parts of UK [July 2026]

The press release issued by HM Treasury on 1 July 2026.

Communities that have been under-invested in and overlooked for decades are now getting a fair hearing as the Chancellor pushes forward with her overhaul of how investment decisions are made by government.

Rachel Reeves has written to mayors today [30 June] to update on new action being taken one year on from the review of the Green Book to ensure projects in all parts of the country get the backing they deserve and strengthen confidence in how government invests where they live.

The Green Book – the government’s guidance on value for money of investments – was updated in February to ensure decisions are no longer based solely on single metrics such as benefit-cost ratios but take into account the full range of economic and social impacts that matter for growth. That could include how favourable the business environment is or where there are higher levels of innovation.

Findings of an independent review into the discount rate have also been published, ensuring the government is taking a fair view of long-term investment decisions. Business case guidance has also been streamlined and cut by more than half, cutting through government ‘sludge’ and reducing unnecessary red tape.

The government is working in lockstep with regional leaders in Plymouth, Birmingham, Liverpool and Port Talbot to progress place-based business cases – putting local priorities and local expertise at the centre of appraisal.

In Plymouth work on the place-based business case is ongoing to maximise the impact of the government’s defence investments, in Birmingham, on coordinated investments in health, housing and skills, in Liverpool, on unlocking investment in infrastructure to drive growth and ramp up housebuilding, and in Port Talbot, to break down barriers in the system to growth.

For the first time, business cases for major projects and programmes are being published consistently, strengthening transparency so the public can see how decisions are made and ensure they have confidence that every pound is delivering maximum value.

These reforms will shape decisions on the likes of Northern Powerhouse Rail, ensuring wider considerations like the impact on local growth, jobs and prosperity are taken into account. It will also support mayors with investing £900 million of local growth funding more effectively over the next four years.

In her letter, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, told mayors:

This work sits at the heart of the government’s commitment to drive growth and increase living standards in every region. I am grateful for the continued partnership between central government and mayors in shaping and delivering this crucial agenda.

While there is more to do to fully embed these changes, we are on the path to building a system that supports better decisions, strengthens confidence in how investment is allocated, and helps deliver the long-term growth that communities across the UK both need and deserve.

This follows the Chancellor’s Mais lecture – where she identified regional growth as one of her three economic priorities.

02/07/2026
PRESS RELEASE : Welfare reforms saving taxpayer £1 billion come into force [July 2026]
The press release issued by the Department for Work and Pensions on 1 July 2026.

Reforms to the Motability scheme come into force today saving taxpayers £1 billion by 2030 while protecting disabled people’s access to cars, scooters and powered wheelchairs.
- Reforms to the Motability scheme to ensure fairness for taxpayer, whilst still supporting disabled people’s mobility, come into force today.
- New tax rules on Motability car leases due to save taxpayers £1 billion by 2030.
- Follows removal of luxury vehicles – including BMW and Mercedes – from the scheme after the Budget.
VAT will now apply to advance payments – the optional one-off top-up paid by customers who choose a more expensive vehicle – and Insurance Premium Tax will apply to new leases.

Both changes were announced at the Autumn Budget and are part of a wider package of welfare reforms set to save nearly £2 billion by the end of the decade.

The scheme was set up to help disabled people stay mobile and independent, and these changes ensure it continues to do exactly that, while delivering genuine value for taxpayers.

Disabled people on enhanced mobility benefits will continue to receive their full award of £77.05 per week and remain eligible for the scheme, with vehicles still available that require no advance payment, meaning people can access a car using their benefit alone.

Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden MP said:

Today’s changes are driven by the fairness that underpins this Government – fairness for the taxpayer, fairness for disabled people, and fairness for the country.

We’re saving £1 billion of taxpayer money by removing VAT relief from some new Motability leases, whilst ensuring the scheme still supports disabled people’s mobility and independence.

We’re building a fair welfare system and an economy that works for everyone.

The reforms are part of a wider government drive to fix the broken welfare system it inherited, including:
- Introducing a Right to Try Work Guarantee to give everyone who can work the chance to do so.
- Investing £3.5 billion in tailored employment support for sick or disabled people.
- Increasing face-to-face assessments for health benefits
- Tackling fraud and error in the benefit system, saving £14.6 billion over this parliament
- Rebalancing Universal Credit to tackle the perverse incentives which push people away from work.
Today’s changes follow action taken immediately after the Budget to remove luxury vehicles – including BMW and Mercedes – from the scheme, returning Motability to its original purpose of giving disabled people access to a practical vehicles, and not subsidising premium extras that go beyond what most people in this country can afford.

Additional information
- These changes do not apply to Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles.
- The core Motability package remains in place: eligible disabled people continue to access a vehicle, scooter or powered wheelchair, with insurance for up to three drivers, UK breakdown cover and maintenance.
- There is no change to existing leases and no change to eligibility for PIP or the Motability scheme.
- The Motability Foundation continues to offer means-tested grants to support people who would otherwise struggle to afford an advance payment, adaptations or a wheelchair-accessible vehicle.
02/07/2026
PRESS RELEASE : UK targets services exports in China trade talks [June 2026]
The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 30 June 2026.

UK targets services exports in China trade talks.
- Cooperation with China to increase exports already showing results as iconic British brands like Barclays and Formula E expanding in the Chinese market
- 200 UK and Chinese businesses to meet and deepen trade ties
- New ‘Trade Booster’ will increase routes for UK SMEs to export to China
UK exporters are set for a major boost as the country welcomes a delegation of Chinese business leaders to open new markets and deepen commercial ties.

Government and business leaders from both nations will come together to strengthen ties and increase growth as UK Trade Secretary Peter Kyle and China’s Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao chair the 15th UK–China Joint Economic and Trade Commission (JETCO) tomorrow (July 2), at Mansion House.

Building on the success of the Prime Minister’s visit to China earlier this year, the JETCO will support UK firms in high-value sectors from life sciences to professional and business services to increase trade with China.

The UK will continue to engage with China where there are clear opportunities to co-operate and increase trade and investment ties, whilst continuing to challenge where needed to protect the UK’s national security.

Despite the UK being the second-largest exporter of services in the world, China ranks as our 9th largest service export destination, showing the massive untapped potential for our world-leading service sector.

Trade Secretary Peter Kyle said:

The UK is a services superpower, and I want us to turbocharge our services exports and get more British engineers, architects, and accountants exporting their skills to China.

We need to be even more ambitious to promote secure and resilient growth for the next generation amidst a backdrop of global uncertainty.

Ahead of the JETCO, around 200 UK and Chinese businesses representing some of the most innovative brands in the world will showcase the strong appetite for deeper commercial links as part of a landmark new Export to China event. Ranging from Brompton Bikes and HSBC to Clifford Chance on the UK side and big Chinese names JD.com and ICBC.

New commercial wins between both countries have also been delivered including:
- Formula E increasing commercial partnerships in China
- Barclays’ Panda Bond issuances mark the first entry by a UK-incorporated bank into China’s domestic bond market.
- The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) working with the Chinese government to advance the mutual recognition of its qualifications.
- The Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS) are partnering with multiple healthcare institutions in China to boost surgical, educational, and training standards.
- Life Sciences and textile company Intelligent Fabric Technologies establishing operations in Hong Kong and Shanghai to commercialise its patented DreamSkin technology in clothing for sensitive and ageing skin.
The visit also marks the launch of “Trade Booster”, an initiative led by the China-Britain Business Council (CBBC), HSBC, ICBC and JD.com to help UK businesses expand exports to China by providing practical and targeted support to succeed in the world’s second-largest consumer market.

There are vast opportunities for UK goods exporters in China and this booster gives SMEs a new mechanism to scale up.

Meanwhile, the UK-China Professional and Business Services Matchmaking platform has been established to connect major Chinese companies to leading UK services companies to support them in raising capital and investing overseas.

Stuart Tait, Head of Commercial Banking, HSBC UK said:

UK exporters are a vital engine of growth, jobs and innovation. Today’s announcement is a welcome step, building on the Prime Minister’s visit to China in January, to help more businesses take their products and services to customers in new markets.

HSBC UK is pleased therefore to partner with the UK-to-China Export Booster, helping more businesses to trade with the world’s second-largest economy. We are committed to supporting ongoing work to strengthen services trade, which will bring significant opportunities to both economies.

Will Butler-Adams FREng, OBE, CEO of Brompton Bikes said:

Brompton has been exporting to China for nearly twenty years, beginning with a small team but a big belief that Brompton was relevant to cities across China and that we could help transform cities to become cleaner, healthier and happier.

We now have over sixty stores selling our bikes across China, and a wonderful community encouraging an active lifestyle. From the first days we have had fun, and have built great friendships, learnt about the rich Chinese culture and enjoyed wonderful regional food! We have worked hard but enjoyed every step of the way.

Sir Sebastian Wood KCMG, Chair of the China-Britain Business Council said:

The China-Britain Business Council welcomes the visit of Chinese Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao to the United Kingdom for the 2026 Joint Economic and Trade Commission. We have been honoured to support the visit, including the co-organisation of the Export to China: Big Market for All event on July 1, to take place alongside JETCO.

China, including Hong Kong, is equivalent to the UK’s third largest trading partner, and with total trade reaching £135 billion in 2025, an increase of 5.6% from the previous year. Across the same period, our services exports reached £21 billion, indicating the strong momentum that exists in our trade relationship. We look forward to building on the visit to demystify the China opportunity and support UK businesses in tapping the vast opportunities available through deepened trade with China.

Officials this week also met for discussions on a Joint Feasibility Study to explore a bilateral Trade in Services Agreement which would open up the Chinese market further to the UK’s world-leading services sector.

This underlines the Government’s commitment to a pragmatic, business-focused relationship with China which supports jobs, drives growth, and promotes the UK as a leading destination for investment.
02/07/2026
PRESS RELEASE : UNRWA remains indispensable to the delivery of essential services to millions of Palestinian refugees across Gaza and the Middle East – UK statement at the UNRWA Pledging Conference [June 2026]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 30 June 2026.

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Chargé d’Affaires to the UN, at the UNRWA Pledging Conference 2026.

Let me start by paying tribute to the 392 UNRWA staff who have been killed since October 2023, and to those who continue to serve in the most challenging conditions.

UNRWA remains indispensable to the delivery of essential services to millions of Palestinian refugees across Gaza, the West Bank, Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan.

In Gaza, UNRWA has delivered over 18.7 million health consultations since October 2023. It is also reaching around 860,000 people each day with clean water. This is essential public health work.

In Lebanon, UNRWA has been operating two emergency shelters, supporting 1,900 people displaced by the conflict, and providing more than 200,000 medical consultations through its clinics.

Across the region, UNRWA anchors stability and, through its mandate, supports Palestine refugee rights pending a just and lasting political solution.

But the extensive challenges facing the agency are undermining its ability to operate.

The United Kingdom condemns actions taken by the Israeli Government including Knesset legislation aimed at restricting its operations in Palestine and the demolition of UNRWA’s headquarters in East Jerusalem. Israel must comply with its obligations to respect the inviolability of UN premises.

UN Security Council Resolution 2803 is clear. Humanitarian assistance must reach civilians in Gaza at scale, in coordination with the United Nations and its agencies. UNRWA remains indispensable to that effort.

So we must work together to protect its vital mandate, both politically and through adequate and sustained financing.

To this end, I am pleased to announce that the United Kingdom will provide $30.7 million to UNRWA this year, including $1.3 million to support implementation of the Colonna Report.

We welcome progress on implementation to date and urge UNRWA to continue this effort. Through our role as co-chair of the Neutrality Working Group, we will continue to support reforms to strengthen neutrality, governance, and oversight.

Chair, the United Kingdom stands ready to work with partners here today to support and safeguard UNRWA’s important role, ensuring it can continue to provide stability, dignity, and hope across the region.

02/07/2026
PRESS RELEASE : New Civil Service Commissioners Appointed [June 2026]

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 30 June 2026.

Four new Commissioners appointed as part of the Civil Service Commission.

Patricia Gallan QPM, Thomas Goldsmith, Susan Lapworth and Baroness Hunt of Bethnal Green have been appointed as Commissioners as part of the Civil Service Commission with their terms to commence from 1 July 2026 (Thomas Goldsmith’s term will commence from 1 November 2026). Together they bring valuable skills and experience from a range of sectors.

Patricia Gallan has also been appointed as the Commission’s Link Commissioner for Scotland.

The Civil Service Commission is an independent statutory body, which oversees appointments to the Civil Service, ensuring that they are made on merit on the basis of fair and open competition. Commissioners also promote and hear appeals brought under the Civil Service Code.

Following an open competition, the new Civil Service Commissioners have been recommended by the Prime Minister and subsequently approved by HM The King.

Baroness Gisela Stuart, the First Civil Service Commissioner, said:

Patricia, Ruth, Susan, and Tom bring a wealth of leadership experience from a range of sectors to our work as the independent regulator for Civil Service recruitment.

Their experience and expertise will benefit our work across the entire civil service career lifecycle; from ensuring fair, merit based entry, to providing assurance that exit maintains the integrity of government via the Business Appointment Rules.

I look forward to them joining our board of Commissioners. Together, we will work to maintain a Civil Service appointed on merit, with the skills needed to deliver public services across the country.

The new Commissioners announced today have joined the Commission for a 5 year, non-renewable term. Commissioners work part-time, typically between 4 and 8 days a month.

02/07/2026
Shabana Mahmood – 2026 Comments on Asylum Seekers Paying for Their Accommodation

The comments made by Shabana Mahmood on 30 June 2026.

The cost of asylum accommodation on the British taxpayer is too high.

We have already reduced asylum costs by £1 billion, but it is also right that we ask those who can contribute to do so.

Receiving asylum support is a right, but it is also a responsibility. Once people can contribute and repay the generosity of the British people, we expect them to do so.

02/07/2026
PRESS RELEASE : Asylum seekers will pay towards costs of accommodation [June 2026]

The press release issued by the Home Office on 30 June 2026.

Asylum seekers who can afford to will be required to repay a flat-rate contribution towards the cost of their accommodation and support.

Asylum seekers who are able to pay back the cost of support and accommodation will now be required to, under new laws.

The Immigration and Asylum Bill, which will be introduced to Parliament today, sets out new powers for the Home Office to recover costs from adults who have received asylum support such as subsistence or accommodation, provided they have access to sufficient funds.

The payment will take the form of a flat-rate charge, with eligible adults paying off an amount each month above a set threshold.

There will be various methods for those individuals to pay. The primary mechanism for this is expected to be through direct payments to the Home Office with options also being explored to use the tax and benefits systems.

Migrants will be required to pay off the full amount before being eligible for settlement. Anyone who leaves the UK will be required to make their payments if they wish to return at a future date.

The Home Secretary will have the power to adjust the charge and the thresholds, ensuring they are both fair to the taxpayer and will not force any migrant into destitution. Under plans, migrants are expected to have to pay a total sum of around £10,000. This figure will be a contribution to the overall cost of their asylum support.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, said:

The cost of asylum accommodation on the British taxpayer is too high.

We have already reduced asylum costs by £1 billion, but it is also right that we ask those who can contribute to do so.

Receiving asylum support is a right, but it is also a responsibility. Once people can contribute and repay the generosity of the British people, we expect them to do so.

Currently, asylum seekers in the UK receive a package of support which has become a financial burden on the taxpayer, with annual costs of £4 billion across accommodation and support last year.

The government has already cut these costs by nearly a billion pounds since taking office and is going further by ending the use of asylum hotels, with 31 closed since April and hundreds of asylum seekers moved into basic accommodation including ex-military sites.

Requiring individuals to pay towards the cost of their support will allow those on a pathway to settlement to make a contribution to UK society and repay some of our generosity. For those without a right to remain it will ensure they take responsibility for the financial impact of their presence in this country.

The Home Office estimates the average cost per person per night of accommodating asylum seekers is £23.25 in dispersal accommodation and £144 in hotels, while subsistence payment range from £9.95 to £49.18 per person per week.

This legislation will now also ensure that recipients of asylum support contribute to their own costs, once they are able to do so.

A quarter of 16 to 64-year-olds granted asylum refugees between 2015 and 2023 were in employment within the same calendar year they were granted status, with that number rising to 50% 2 years after refugee status was granted.

Of those who were in employment 8 years after the grant, 37% were in full-time work with median earnings of £23,000, with 40% earning more than minimum wage.

The Immigration and Asylum Bill will bring into force the most significant policy proposals in a generation to create a firm but fair asylum system that works for Britain, restoring order and control to the immigration system and reducing the pull factors driving illegal migration.

02/07/2026
Shabana Mahmood – 2026 Comments on Migration Appeals Tribunal

The comments made by Shabana Mahmood, the Home Secretary, on 30 June 2026.

Today, our appeals tribunal is overwhelmed. As a result, people are gaming the system, lodging vexatious appeals to frustrate their removal.

Our new appeals body will ensure claims are heard swiftly and fairly. Those with a legitimate claim will get their hearing. Those who have no right to remain in this country, and are abusing the system, will be swiftly removed.

02/07/2026
PRESS RELEASE : New independent appeals body to speed up removals [June 2026]

The press release issued by the Home Office on 30 June 2026.

New independent appeals body to speed up removals of foreign criminals and failed asylum seekers.

A once-in-a-generation overhaul of asylum and immigration appeals will create a single route and end the merry-go-round of repeated appeals. This will lead to faster, fairer decisions, and speed up the removals of foreign criminals and failed asylum seekers.

The average time taken to clear cases stands at 61 weeks, leaving more than 150,000 immigration and asylum appeals waiting to be heard.

To tackle this, the government will, through the Immigration and Asylum Bill that was confirmed in the King’s Speech, set up a new independent body, which will establish a new framework for appeals to be heard.

The Independent Immigration Appeals Authority (IIAA) will be able to prioritise cases in the public interest more easily, including high-harm foreign offenders and human rights claims that are clearly without merit, leading to faster removals.

New laws will also ensure that those who are abusing the system to delay or prevent their return are no longer able to do so. Currently, migrants can appeal a rejected claim and then bring further claims about new matters before their removal – a duplication that clogs the system. Requiring all claims to be brought together and creating a single appeal route will allow for faster outcomes.

The new authority is set to start hearing appeals from late 2027, to be phased in stages. It will have the flexibility to dynamically scale up and down the number of adjudicators based on demand within the appeals system.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said:

Today, our appeals tribunal is overwhelmed. As a result, people are gaming the system, lodging vexatious appeals to frustrate their removal.

Our new appeals body will ensure claims are heard swiftly and fairly. Those with a legitimate claim will get their hearing. Those who have no right to remain in this country, and are abusing the system, will be swiftly removed.

The IIAA will be staffed by professionally trained and independently appointed adjudicators – much like a magistrate – who will have a broad range of skills and backgrounds, with safeguards to ensure high standards.

Broadening the eligibility criteria for people to apply to become adjudicators will result in a significant increase in capacity within the authority, leading to more decisions being made.

While decisions will be fully independent, the new body will be integrated into the immigration system to ensure cases flow through quickly to removal where appeals are unsuccessful, to scale up removals of those with no right to be here.

Nearly 70,000 illegal migrants and foreign criminals have been returned or deported since this government came to power.

The Immigration and Asylum Bill will also save taxpayers money by overhauling how asylum claims are processed, with one single decision to be made on asylum and humanitarian protection claims to slash delays.

Significant progress has already been made in tackling the asylum backlog, with the number of people waiting for an initial decision falling by 72% since June 2023.

In total, 128,000 initial decisions were made in the last year, a 32% increase on the previous year and more than 4 times the annual average in the decade to 2020.

The government is also increasing capacity in the existing appeals system. This year sitting days are due to increase by 19% in the First-tier Tribunal Immigration and Asylum Chamber compared with 2024/25, so more cases can be heard and decisions made faster.

But the scale of the current caseload cannot be sustainably managed within the existing system. Despite the dedicated work of the tribunal and the judiciary, fundamental reform is now needed to stop the appeals system becoming a barrier to removal.

The Immigration and Asylum Bill will bring into force the most significant policy proposals in a generation to create a firm but fair asylum system that works for Britain, restoring order and control to the immigration system and reducing the pull factors driving illegal migration.

02/07/2026