Tag: Press Release

PRESS RELEASE : UK strikes deal to join major free trade bloc in Asia-Pacific [March 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 31 March 2023.

Accession means lower tariffs on some exports to the UK, which are not already removed through the UK’s bilateral agreements with member countries.

The UK has today, 31 March, announced the conclusion of trade talks with member countries of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), a vast free trade area spanning the Asia-Pacific, after 21 months of negotiations.

The bloc is home to over 500 million people and will have a total GDP of £11 trillion once the UK joins.

Negotiations, which began in June 2021, concluded after an intense round of talks in Vietnam, with representatives from all CPTPP member countries agreeing to the UK’s accession.

The UK is the first new member and European country to join CPTPP, which is made up of 11 Pacific nations including Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam.

As a free trade area connecting a wide group of economies, CPTPP creates opportunities to deepen our trading links across the Americas, providing a range of different opportunities with the different countries.

CPTPP membership will complement and reinforce existing bilateral trade agreements we have already signed, including those with Chile, Mexico and Peru.

Joining the CPTPP trading bloc means that over 99% of UK goods exports to CPTPP members will be eligible for tariff-free trade, and UK membership will secure CPTPP countries greater access to the fifth largest market in the world by GDP, with 67 million consumers.

Accession means lower tariffs on some exports to the UK which are not already removed through the UK’s bilateral agreements with member countries.

UK Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch said:

Our accession to CPTPP sends a powerful signal that the UK is open for business and using our post-Brexit freedoms to reach out to new markets, including in the Asia Pacific region, and grow our economy.

Joining this influential trade bloc will help us to shape the rules of global trade with like-minded nations, and work even closer together on our shared priorities of prosperity, security and free and fair trade.

UK membership could also benefit businesses and investors in all CPTPP countries through modern rules that make it easier to establish, operate investments and do business in the UK.

It sends a powerful signal that the UK as an independent trading nation will continue to champion free and fair trade, fight protectionism and remove barriers to trade at every opportunity, helping to reinforce the rules-based international system at a critical time in our history.

Five rounds of talks with UK and CPTPP chief negotiators took place in total, with many more intersessional and bilateral negotiations alongside, and for the final round in Vietnam alone more than 150 delegates from all CPTPP member countries took part.

As one of the largest free trade areas in the world, CPTPP accounted for 12 percent of global GDP in 2021. This would rise to 15 percent with the UK’s accession, adding substantial value to this huge free trade area.

HM Trade Commissioner for Latin America and the Caribbean, Jonathan Knott said:

The UK’s strategic interests align closely with our CPTPP member countries from Latin America, Mexico, Chile and Peru. Our priorities for the region include protecting economic security, tackling climate change and defending our values and the international rules-based order. We share a vision for free, open and secure trade.

I am confident that the UK accession will consolidate CPTPP as a bedrock of a rich network of economic and strategic relationships.

The British Ambassador to Chile, Louise de Sousa, said:

CPTPP will deepen trade links between the UK and Chile, enhancing our current Free Trade Agreement by removing barriers and improving market access.

Chile is already the UK’s third largest export market in Latin America and the removal of barriers to trade will provide opportunities for businesses across numerous sectors, fostering economic growth and enhancing our bilateral relationship.

Greater alignment on cross-border trade in services and e-commerce will open opportunities in financial services, while closer alignment will support key strategic sectors such as energy and infrastructure, whilst helping bother countries implement our decarbonisation plans.

Through our bilateral Trade Dialogue with Chile, the UK government will continue to look at ways to boost trade for SMEs, innovative businesses and address the deficit of female-led companies in our trade relationship, utilising the new opportunities under CPTPP.

April 2, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Derry/Londonderry-London air route secured [March 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 31 March 2023.

Government funding to enable up to 19 return flights between City of Derry Airport and London Stansted every week for another year.
- UK government secures future of vital route, boosting trade and travel opportunities and supporting thousands of Northern Irish jobs
- up to 19 return flights every week will take off thanks to joint funding injection by UK government and the Department for the Economy
- demonstrates continued commitment to enhancing connectivity between all areas of the UK and supporting local economies
A vital air route between City of Derry Airport and London Stansted has been secured until March 2024 thanks to support from the UK Department for Transport and the Department for the Economy.

The UK government has funded the air route since 2017, bolstering connections between Northern Ireland and England whilst supporting thousands of jobs and providing a significant boost to Northern Ireland’s economy.

The Aviation Minister Baroness Vere has today (31 March 2023) announced the Department for Transport will continue subsidising the route alongside the Department for the Economy in Northern Ireland, with both departments providing £1.1 million in 2023/24 to maintain the connection.

Today’s announcement will secure the future of the route for another year until 31 March 2024 and enable up to 19 return flights every week.

Aviation Minister Baroness Vere said:

Thousands of people and businesses depend on this crucial travel link, which is why we remain committed to securing the route.

Our funding will maintain this vital connection between Derry/Londonderry and London, with 19 services operating every week for at least another year, supporting jobs, and providing a boost to Northern Ireland’s economy.

Funding has been secured using a Public Service Obligation (PSO), which allows government to protect vital air connectivity into London, with Loganair once again being selected to operate the route.

The funding of £1.1 million from the NI Department for the Economy is a ringfenced allocation from the Northern Ireland Office specifically for this City of Derry Airport PSO and which cannot be used in any other DfE policy area.

The UK government recognises the importance of maintaining a thriving and competitive aviation sector in the UK to deliver union connectivity, while supporting our levelling up agenda.

Regional airports serve our local communities, by supporting thousands of jobs in the regions and acting as a gateway to international opportunities, alongside maintaining social and family ties and strengthening the bonds across the UK.

Welcoming the announcement, Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District, Councillor Sandra Duffy, said:

This is extremely positive news and I am pleased to see this further commitment to promoting regional connectivity which will be widely welcomed, particularly by the local business community.

Regular, reliable services to London are critical to the North West economy in terms of both business and leisure, and a key component of our strategic plans to make this region more appealing and accessible for international investors.

From 1 April 2023, a new domestic band will apply to flights between airports in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, cutting Air Passenger Duty by 50% to bolster UK connectivity and ensure passengers have access to more affordable flights.
April 2, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Kazakhstan 2023 parliamentary elections – UK statement to the OSCE [March 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 31 March 2023.

Deputy Ambassador Brown welcomes ODIHR’s report and Kazakhstan’s engagement, as the country continues its programme of reforms.

The United Kingdom welcomes the fair, balanced, and well-evidenced preliminary report issued by ODIHR on the Majilis elections, which took place on 19 March. As the report notes, these elections were the next step in the important process of political reform set out by President Tokayev after the tragic events of January 2022. We welcome this process of reform and the increased choice for voters, as well as the implementation of previous recommendations made by ODIHR. We equally support ODIHR’s recommendations for further reform, which are required if parliamentary elections in Kazakhstan are to be aligned in all areas with international standards of democratic governance.

We note ODIHR’s findings around the protection of fundamental freedoms of expression and assembly, particularly around developing a more open, analytical and investigative approach by broadcast media, and the holding of public events, both of which should aid voter awareness and understanding. We also note ODIHR’s recommendation on the importance of securing transparency in the counting and tabulation process, where observers reported incidents of procedural irregularities and a disregard for safeguards. The publication of disaggregated data for the turnout and results of individual polling stations would be a welcome step in demonstrating transparency.

The United Kingdom thanks the observation mission and encourages Kazakhstan to consider these constructive recommendations as it continues on its path of legislative, political and economic reform. As our Foreign Secretary made clear in his visit to Astana on 18 March, the United Kingdom remains committed to supporting Kazakhstan in these efforts, fundamental to further reinforcing Kazakhstan’s long-term security and prosperity and meeting the aspirations of its people. In this regard, we strongly welcome President Tokayev’s speech to the new Majilis on 29 March, where he again reinforced his commitment to working together with the Majilis to continue political and institutional reform, strengthen human rights protections, and build a diverse, open, and competitive economy.

April 2, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : New board will strengthen age assessments of small boat arrivals [March 2023]

The press release issued by the Home Office on 31 March 2023.

National Age Assessment Board will help make decisions more consistent and robust.

The Home Office has bolstered the process for checking the age of asylum seekers claiming to be children with the launch of the National Age Assessment Board today, Friday 31 March.

The National Age Assessment Board brings together a hub of specialist social workers, who will support local authorities and the Home Office to resolve age disputes by conducting age assessments.

The board will set the national standard for age assessments, acting as a centralised team for local authorities and providing expert advice and training to improve the consistency and quality of how age assessments are carried out.

Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick said:

“It’s a sad fact that there have been cases of asylum-seeking adults pretending to be children to try and game the system, which presents a serious safeguarding risk.

“It is vital we use every tool at our disposal to weed out people falsely claiming to be children so we can prevent abuse of our services and protect children in the UK.

“That is why we are introducing the National Age Assessment Board to set the national standard and ensure assessments are as robust as possible, alongside our commitment to deliver scientific methods to assess age as soon as possible.”

The board will begin a phased rollout in two regions in the UK, London and the West Midlands, before branching out regionally and nationally later this year once recruitment has concluded, which will see around 40 social workers in post.

They will begin by carrying out full Merton-compliant age assessments upon referral from local authorities or on behalf of the Home Office, and will also use scientific methods once these are brought in.

Merton assessments are holistic assessments, involving detailed background research and analysis of information, and are fundamentally different from the initial age assessments that are carried out when people arrive at the border.

Many of those arriving in the UK who claim to be children don’t have clear evidence like a passport to back this up, making it difficult to assess their age.

The introduction of the board is a key part of measures to reform age assessments under the Nationality and Borders Act, and will sit alongside wider measures like scientific methods to ensure age assessments are more robust.

This will ultimately help to prevent asylum seeking adults posing as children as a way of accessing support they are not entitled to. It will also help remove the safeguarding risks of adults being wrongly assessed and placed in the children’s care system, and those which arise if a child is inadvertently treated as an adult.

The need for stronger measures to assess age comes as statistics show that between 2016 and December 2022 there were 7,900 asylum cases where age was disputed and subsequently resolved, of which half (49% – 3,833 people) were later found to be adults.

An example includes a man who crossed the Channel and claimed to be 16 years old. Immigration officers carried out an initial age assessment and deemed him to be 21 years old. He was dispersed to a hotel and referred to a local authority by his solicito. Following a full assessment by the local authority, it transpired that he had claimed asylum and lived in another European country for five years, and was 26 years old.

More serious cases have seen adults being sent to children’s schools, or children being treated as adults, in both cases putting children at risk of harm.

April 2, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Statement on High Commissioner’s oral update on Ukraine [March 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 31 March 2023.

UN HRC52:Interactive Dialogue on High Commissioner’s oral update on the situation in Ukraine. Delivered by UK Ambassador to WTO and UN in Geneva, Simon Manley.

Thank you High Commissioner.

Last week, the Commission of Inquiry confirmed to this Council that Russia is committing numerous violations of international humanitarian law in Ukraine, many of which amount to war crimes. Your thoughtful update only reinforces the devastating impacts of Russia’s war. Impacts tragically denied by Russia this morning.

In territory under Russian control, including illegally annexed Crimea, innocent civilians bear the brunt of Russia’s aggression, subjected to unimaginable abuse and denied even the most basic rights and freedoms. Russia’s disinformation machine is in full swing, including in this room, and their statement that Ukraine is committing violations against children is farcical and insulting. Let me remind this room that the COI has found that war crimes are being committed by Russian Forces on a large scale.

This is a deliberate attempt to break the Ukrainian people’s spirit by instilling terror and maximising hardship. That it is not working does not make Putin’s disregard for their human rights or dignity any less horrifying.

We urge Russia once again to cease its senseless attacks, and withdraw its forces from Ukraine’s sovereign territory and end the lies.

High Commissioner,

What more can we do to support those living under Russian oppression, particularly those who are most vulnerable, such as children and persons with disabilities?

April 2, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Northern Ireland organisations to receive £57 million from UK government to help economically inactive people into work [March 2023]
The press release issued by the Northern Ireland Office on 31 March 2023.

Eighteen projects across Northern Ireland will receive more than £57 million through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) to help support people into work.
- Around 100 organisations across Northern Ireland will benefit from funding from April to help people into work, through 18 successful projects
- UK Government increases planned investment from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund by 15 million to grow the economy in Northern Ireland by improving economic activity
- People with disabilities, women and young people are among groups receiving significant support to improve skills and find sustainable employment
Thousands of people across Northern Ireland will be supported into work as the UK Government confirms funding for transformational projects to tackle economic inactivity, boost job opportunities and grow the local economy.

Eighteen projects across Northern Ireland will now receive more than £57 million through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) to help support people into work, compared to the £42 million competition value announced in December. Delivered in partnership with approximately 80 joint bidders or community partners, this means around 100 organisations in total will receive support.

The successful bids will support over 25,000 economically inactive people in Northern Ireland – offering them support to find high quality jobs. Charities, voluntary and community organisations, businesses and colleges will all play a vital role in supporting people into employment as the UK Government takes back control of funding previously run by the European Union.

Decisions taken by UK Ministers mean that additional funding has been allocated from the Northern Ireland UKSPF funding pot to enable projects to reach more people while also continuing their vital work and allowing for a greater range of delivery across all parts of Northern Ireland. The UK Government has confirmed that all organisations can start planning to use the funding from April when current money from the European Social Fund ends.

Announcing the new UK Government funding, Levelling Up Minister Dehenna Davison said:

We are making the most of opportunities outside the European Union to deliver for people in Northern Ireland.

It is fantastic that organisations have come together in new partnerships to deliver creative solutions to economic inactivity through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. In recognition of the huge impact charities, businesses and colleges are having on the ground, I’m delighted to announce that we are boosting the original funding pot for this competition by an additional £15 million to help them support even more people into fulfilling jobs.

This is an important milestone in the investment we are making to level up Northern Ireland and the whole of the UK.

The successful projects were allocated following a fair and open competition that organisations across Northern Ireland bid into for a share of the cash.

The new funding has been allocated from the £127 million UK Shared Prosperity Fund for Northern Ireland, which succeeds EU structural funds. The UK Government has been working closely with local partners to direct funding where it is most needed.

Successful projects being announced today include:
- Action Mental Health and six partners including Mencap, NOW Group and the Royal National Institute of Blind People will receive around £12 million to deliver an innovative programme of specialist employment preparation and training for over 4,500 people across Northern Ireland with significant disabilities or health conditions who face multiple barriers in accessing employment.
- Triangle Housing Association and its partners will provide intensive wrap-around support for economically inactive people, including women, those with disabilities, neurodiversity, autism and/or mental health issues to move towards sustained employment. The project will benefit from almost £4.8 million to support each person with holistic, wrap-around support through ongoing assessment and a personal development plan.
- Network Personnel Limited, along with its partners, will receive around £2 million for a partnership targeting economically inactive people through holistic interventions to increase their skills levels, move closer to mainstream provision, and take steps to secure sustainable employment or self-employment. Delivering across Mid Ulster, Mid and East Antrim, Antrim and Newtownabbey, Fermanagh and Omagh, Causeway Coast and Glens and Derry City and Strabane council areas, it plans to support over 1,300 people over the next two years.
- NIACRO will receive over £1.5 million towards a project to support over 1,500 people across Northern Ireland with convictions in prison and the community to find sustainable employment over the next two years. Services will include one-to-one mentoring, employability support, advice and training.
- Women’s TEC and its partners will support women across Belfast and the rural Newry, Mourne and Down region, through their £872,000 ‘Building Futures’ project. The aim of the programme is to support women furthest from the labour market to feel confident, motivated and empowered to find and sustain employment, improving their confidence, self-efficacy, and life and work skills.
- Extern Northern Ireland’s ‘Moving Forward Moving On’ project will receive £648,000 to provide intensive mentoring and employability support to young people in Belfast and Antrim and Newtownabbey who are furthest from the job market. It will include accredited courses in employability skills, life skills and personal development, as well as mentoring support and soft skills training
Northern Ireland Secretary, Chris Heaton-Harris said:

The £57 million funding will support the vital work of community and voluntary organisations, enabling them to support people in Northern Ireland into secure and sustainable employment.

Through its People and Skills strand, the UK Shared Prosperity Fund will invest in skills training and interventions to support economically inactive people in Northern Ireland. This is key to boosting productivity and harnessing Northern Ireland’s growth potential.

Each organisation will today receive a notification setting out any project conditions that they need to meet before funding will be released.

The money confirmed by UK Government to improve economic activity represents 45% of the total UKSPF allocation for Northern Ireland, in recognition of the need to tackle the high levels of economic inactivity across Northern Ireland compared with the UK average.

This builds on the UKSPF Investment Plan published last year, which was developed in close collaboration with partners in Northern Ireland including representatives from the voluntary sector, local councils, businesses and higher education. The investment is designed to improve pride in place, increase life chances and support growth by investing in key priorities for Northern Ireland.
April 2, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Review of relationships, sex and health education to protect children to conclude by end of year [March 2023]

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 31 March 2023.

Review to be informed by expert panel, in response to concerning reports of inappropriate content being taught.

New Relationships, Sex, Health and Education (RSHE) statutory guidance will be completed by the end of the year, in response to disturbing reports that inappropriate material is being taught in some schools.

The review is needed to make sure all children are protected from inappropriate content in all cases, even if many schools already teach RSHE and engage parents in a positive way.

The review, which was recently accelerated by the Prime Minister and Education Secretary, will be informed by an independent panel to be appointed over the coming weeks to provide external expertise. The panel will bring together input from health, children’s development, curriculum and safeguarding. The review will also draw on close work with Ofsted, to understand what material is currently used in the classroom, and consider what improvements might need to be made.

The panel will advise on how to put in place clear safeguards to stop pupils from being taught contested and potentially damaging concepts, including introducing age ratings setting out what is appropriate to be taught at what age, to prevent children being taught concepts they are too young to understand.

Oak National Academy, the independent provider of freely available online curriculum and lesson resources, will develop curriculum materials to make sure every school can access high-quality, compliant resources which will build on what is already available for schools. This will help support teachers as they develop their curriculum and lesson planning in this sensitive area.

The Education Secretary has also today written to schools to remind them they are required by law to publish a relationships or a relationships and sex education policy and consult parents on it, and should also provide all curriculum materials to parents and stop entering into contracts that seek to prevent parents from seeing materials.

Education Secretary, Gillian Keegan said:

I am deeply concerned about reports of inappropriate lessons being taught in schools.

This urgent review will get to the heart of how RSHE is currently taught and should be taught in the future. This will leave no room for any disturbing content, restore parents’ confidence, and make sure children are even better protected.

The letter makes clear that parents should be able to view all curriculum materials, and that parents can ask to see material if it has not already been shared, especially in relation to sensitive topics.

The review will also consider how to make sure all RSHE teaching is factual and does not present contested views on sensitive topics as fact.

It will also engage widely with those working with children across the education and health sectors.

The government is determined to make sure RSHE teaching leaves children equipped to make informed decisions about their health, wellbeing and relationships, in a sensitive way that reflects their stage of development.

The government expects new statutory guidance to be released in the coming months. It will then be subject to public consultation to conclude by the end of the year, coming into statutory force as soon as possible after that.

Separately, the Education Secretary, working with the Minister for Women and Equalities, will publish guidance for schools for the summer term on how to respond to children who are questioning their gender identity.

April 2, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Boost for Scottish businesses with biggest post-Brexit trade deal [March 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 31 March 2023.

Prime Minister announces deal to join CPTPP – a huge trade bloc in the Indo-Pacific which will now have a total GDP of £11 trillion.
UK announces deal to join CPTPP – a major trade bloc in the Indo-Pacific which will have a total GDP of £11 trillion once the UK joins

More than 800 businesses in Scotland exported to CPTPP countries in 2021 and could benefit after today’s announcement

Joining the Trans-Pacific partnership, which contains some of the world’s fastest growing economies, gives Scottish companies, start-ups and farmers access to the world’s emerging middle class

The Scottish economy is expected to benefit after the UK Government today (31 March) announced the conclusion of trade talks with the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), a vast free trade area spanning the Indo-Pacific.

The bloc is home to over 500 million people and will have a total GDP of £11 trillion once the UK joins. Joining the bloc could boost the Scottish economy by improving businesses’ access to some of the world’s largest markets.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:

We are at our heart an open and free-trading nation, and this deal demonstrates the real economic benefits of our post-Brexit freedoms. As part of CPTPP, the UK is now in a prime position in the global economy to seize opportunities for new jobs, growth and innovation.

Joining the CPTPP trade bloc puts the UK at the centre of a dynamic and growing group of Pacific economies, as the first new nation and first European country to join. British businesses will now enjoy unparalleled access to markets from Europe to the south Pacific.

There are numerous opportunities for Scottish businesses to benefit from joining CPTPP, with more than 800 businesses in Scotland exporting £2.1 billion worth of goods to CPTPP countries in 2021.

Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch said:

This is an important moment for the UK. Our accession to CPTPP sends a powerful signal that the UK is open for business and using our post-Brexit freedoms to reach out to new markets around the world and grow our economy.

Joining CPTPP will support jobs and create opportunities for companies of all sizes and in all parts of the UK. It is also about giving Scottish businesses improved access to the countries that will be gateway to the wider Indo-Pacific region which is projected to make up the majority of global growth in the future.

Joining the trade bloc will also mean more than 99 percent of UK goods exports to CPTPP will be eligible for zero tariffs. In the long run, it could boost the UK economy by £1.8 billion and lead to a £1.7 billion increase in UK exports to CPTPP countries as result of the reduction of barriers across goods and services according to the UK Government’s published scoping assessment.

UK Government minister for Scotland Malcolm Offord said:

Finalising this trade deal is great news for Scottish business – CPTPP countries already represent a large part of the Scottish export market. It lifts the red tape for items from whisky to textiles and produce, opening new markets and increasing the global appetite for Scottish goods and services.

Key Scottish exports such as whisky could also benefit from the removal of tariffs as a result of the agreement, with the UK having exported over £1.1bn worth of whisky to CPTPP countries in 2022 in current prices. Tariffs of around 80% will be eliminated on UK exports of whisky to Malaysia over 16 years, improving market access for Scottish exporters.

Anishka Jelicich, Director of Public Affairs at Pernod Ricard UK said:

CPTPP is a big opportunity for our Scotch whisky business. Five of our top 20 export markets are CPTPP members.

We expect tariff cuts and smoother access to some of the world’s fastest growing economies to increase exports and secure jobs and investment in the UK, with sales doubling in some markets.

Edinburgh-based Cyacomb provides digital forensics software to help law enforcement, social media and cloud companies find and block harmful content many times faster than before, doing in minutes what can currently take days. Cyacomb are currently growing their exports to CPTPP member Canada, and actively working on expanding into Australia and Singapore – and the UK joining the trading bloc will help these efforts.

Ian Stevenson, CEO of Cyacomb, said:

As a growing business offering disruptive technology, time spent navigating the complexities of international trade is time not spent on delivering value to customers or advancing our mission.

CPTPP will simplify doing business and remove economic barriers in working with our customers in Canada, and in other markets we’re working to enter including Australia and Singapore.

CessCon Decom are based in Livingston and have an office in Brunei, where they carry out full turnkey decommissioning, dismantlement, reuse and recycling of offshore oil & gas infrastructure.

This work now contributes a significant amount to their turnover, and the UK joining the CPTPP will help them further their work there once Brunei and the UK have both ratified CPTPP, in addition to opening up new markets.

Lee Hanlon, the CEO of CessCon Decom commented:

Accession to CPTPP will create further opportunities for CessCon that were not available as part of the EU and will further extend our existing relationships with Brunei that are important to our business.

Along with the other fast developing world markets that this opens up to us, we’re excited to see the possibilities that being a member of the CPTPP opens up to our business.

Membership is a gateway to the wider Indo-Pacific region, which has 60% of the world’s population and is set to account for the majority (54%) of global economic growth and around half of the world’s billion middle-class consumers in the decades ahead.

As a member of CPTPP, the UK will help influence and shape global rules for industries of the future like digital, data and services, and secure our place as a global leader in a network of countries committed to free trade.

The UK and CPTPP members will now take the final steps required for the UK to formally sign in 2023.

Background:

The UK is the first new member and European country to join CPTPP, which is made up of 11 Pacific nations including Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam.

Five rounds of talks with UK and CPTPP chief negotiators took place in total, with many more negotiations alongside. More than 150 delegates from all CPTPP member countries attended for the final round in Vietnam alone.

The UK will sign our CPTPP accession letter following legal review, in due course. This will take place on terms that are right for the UK.

Membership will improve trade opportunities with all countries in the bloc, including the nine countries with which we already have a bilateral FTA.

The Government has been clear that the NHS and the price it pays for drugs is not for sale in any trade negotiations – including CPTPP – and that it will not sign trade deals that compromise the UK’s high environmental protections, animal welfare and food standards.

Joining CPTPP is a critical part of the government’s wider trade strategy, which aims to deepen links with faster-growing parts of the world beyond Europe, partnering with countries who believe in free and fair trade.

Additional benefits of UK accession to CPTPP include:

Boosting services: The UK is the world’s second largest services provider and services accounted for 43% of our trade with CPTPP members last year. Joining the bloc will slash red tape – UK firms will not be required to establish a local office or be resident to supply a service and will be able to operate on a par with local firms.

Increased flexibility: Modern ‘rules of origin’ could make British businesses more competitive by allowing them to trade more freely across the bloc. For example, UK car manufacturers could sell car engines tariff-free to a car maker in the bloc who could then sell those cars tariff-free to any member country. This is currently not possible under all the bilateral trade agreements the UK has in place with CPTPP members and will help exporters diversify their supply chains and create new export opportunities.

Pro-investment: Investment between the UK and CPTPP countries is expected to increase as the agreement contains provisions to limit barriers and encourage more inward investment. Inward investment stocks to the UK from CPTPP countries were worth £182 billion in 2021.

Cutting-edge: Remotely delivered services from the UK to CPTPP were worth £20.5 billion in 2020. CPTPP sets modern rules for digital trade across all sectors of the economy and will support UK businesses of all sizes to seek new opportunities in CPTPP markets.

New markets: Joining means we will have a Free Trade Agreement with Malaysia for the first time, giving businesses far more access to an economy worth £271 billion in GDP in 2021.  Tariffs of around 80% will be eliminated on UK exports of whisky and 30% on UK exports of cars, helping the UK get a larger share of the market.
April 2, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Victims fleeing domestic abuse given lifeline payments [March 2023]

The press release issued by the Home Office on 31 March 2023.

Domestic abuse victims will receive direct payments to help them to leave abusive relationships, Home Secretary Suella Braverman has announced.

This announcement comes 1 year after the publication of the government’s Tackling Domestic Abuse Plan.

In a trial of an innovative new approach to supporting victims, the Home Office is working closely with Women’s Aid to provide £300,000 for one-off payments of £250 to victims of domestic abuse, rising to £500 where a victim has children.

The funding is being granted to support victims to leave abusive relationships, following Women’s Aid research which found that almost three-quarters of women living with their abuser are finding it harder to leave as a result of the rising cost of living. Two-thirds of survivors also said that abusers are using the cost of living increase as a tool for coercive control, including to justify further restricting their access to money.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman said:

It is heart-breaking that vulnerable people find themselves trapped with their abusers without the financial means to leave and find safety.

We’re absolutely committed to supporting victims in the way that best meets their needs and provides them with the opportunity to rebuild their lives after their trauma.

I am proud to be working closely with Women’s Aid to deliver these payments, which could change, and potentially save, the lives of hundreds of victims.

The money is being allocated to Women’s Aid, given their national reach, expertise and existing infrastructure to provide this urgent financial support to victims of domestic abuse who need it most. It will help victims to pay for essentials such as groceries, nappies, sanitary products and rent on their previous property whilst they are in a refuge, or it could be put towards a deposit on new accommodation when they leave a refuge.

Women’s Aid will then provide further assistance for victims to set themselves up sustainably, for example by accessing benefits or finding employment.

Minister for Safeguarding Sarah Dines said:

Domestic abuse is a harrowing crime that comes in many forms, and it is unfortunately true that financial hardship can make victims even more vulnerable.

I’m committed to ensuring victims get the support they need, and am pleased that we are working with Women’s Aid to offer these lifeline payments which will help empower victims to take a vital step forward to safety.

Farah Nazeer, chief executive of Women’s Aid, said:

This fund is an excellent start in supporting survivors who desperately need emergency funds to leave their abuser, and an important breakthrough moment. This fund really could be the difference between life and death for the most vulnerable. This fund is thanks to the survivors of domestic abuse who have campaigned for this with us and other organisations, and we thank the government for listening to their voices.

Through our work with women, we constantly hear about the economic barriers preventing them from fleeing their abusers. That’s why we’ve campaigned since last summer for a fund to meet survivors’ financial needs during this challenging time where many costs have risen, and practically, leaving has become much more difficult.

This commitment not only provides life-saving support, it also sends a strong message that the government is committed to helping bring about the day when domestic abuse is not tolerated anywhere in our society.

Allocating this money to Women’s Aid puts into action the ‘flexible funding’ model outlined in the government’s wide-ranging Tackling Domestic Abuse Plan, published 1 year ago, on 30 March 2022.

The plan transforms the whole of society’s response to domestic abuse, in order to prevent offending, support victims and pursue perpetrators, as well as to strengthen the systems and processes in place needed to deliver these goals. It invests over £230 million of cross-government funding into tackling this heinous crime, including over £140 million for supporting victims and over £81 million for tackling perpetrators.

Additionally, last month, the Home Secretary unveiled a range of further measures to crack down on domestic abusers. This includes requiring police forces to treat violence against women and girls as a national threat, as set out in a new strategic policing requirement. The move means these crimes will be as important as tackling threats like terrorism, serious and organised crime, and child sexual abuse.

The government is taking action to ensure the most dangerous abusers are recorded on the Violent and Sex Offender Register, including those convicted of controlling or coercive behaviour where they are sentenced to 12 months or more. The government will also be pursuing legislation to ensure these offenders are actively managed by the police, prison and probation services under multi-agency public protection arrangements which will put controlling or coercive behaviour on par with physical violence.

The government also announced its successful ‘Ask for ANI’ codeword scheme, which allows those at risk of, or suffering from, domestic abuse to discreetly receive emergency help, is being piloted in 18 jobcentres and Jobs and Benefits offices across the UK, complementing the more than 5,000 UK pharmacies who already offer this vital service. A new ‘postcode checker’ tool now makes it easier for people to find their nearest location.

Our Domestic Abuse Act became law in April 2021. This is a game-changing piece of legislation which helps millions affected by these awful crimes by strengthening the response across all agencies, from the police and courts to local authorities and service providers.

April 2, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Teesside first area to benefit from new scheme to unlock development and drive nature recovery [March 2023]

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 31 March 2023.

Developers in the River Tees area will be first to be apply for credits to unlock new housing.

Efforts to reduce nutrient pollution in our waterways and unlock housebuilding have been stepped up today with the launch of Natural England’s Nutrient Mitigation Scheme.

Opening today (31st March), developers in the Tees and Cleveland Coast catchment will be able to apply for credits to offset the small impact of development and create new wildlife habitats, such as wetlands. Natural England has already invested in land which will provide the first credits in the Tees catchment to unlock up to 1,600 homes this year.

Polluting nitrate and phosphate nutrients come from a wide range of sources including sewage treatment works, septic tanks, livestock, arable farming and industrial processes and causes serious damage to waterways and wetlands, affecting the quality of life for people who live nearby.

Extra wastewater from residents in new housing developments can put additional pressures on these waterbodies, particularly ones that are already in a fragile or failing condition, but when development is designed alongside suitable mitigation measures, that additional damage caused by new residents can be avoided.

Marian Spain, Chief Executive of Natural England, said:

Our wetlands and estuaries provide huge benefits to people as places for recreation and to enjoy wildlife. But these precious places are being seriously damaged by pollution.

If we are to see nature recovery in action, we must first protect these internationally renowned places. Our new mitigation scheme will help improve our natural environment and allow the houses we need to be built.

Environment Minister Rebecca Pow said:

Nutrient pollution can harm wildlife in our waterways and poses a real threat to our protected sites for nature.

This scheme will facilitate the delivery of hundreds of new homes in the Tees area and more across the country – and promote access to green space, and make a major contribution to nature recovery.

The Nutrient Mitigation Scheme, first announced in July 2022, is led by Natural England in partnership with Defra and DHLUC. The scheme is being supported by up to £30 million investment from the government to speed up delivery. With the Teesside scheme now live, work is continuing to identify the next sites suitable for mitigation projects with efforts focussed on areas with the highest housing needs. This will unlock development of new housing in other parts of the country and help to drive nature recovery in areas where there are high levels of nitrate and phosphate pollution.

In the Spring Budget 2023, the government announced it will soon publish a call for evidence from affected local authorities on local mitigation project opportunities. The government remains committed to providing investment to accelerate the delivery of high-quality credit schemes when they are presented.

April 2, 2023