Day: November 27, 2017

Leaders from 11 British Overseas Territories will meet in Downing Street on Tuesday 28 November at the start of their annual Joint Ministerial Council meeting where Prime Minister Theresa May will confirm a new £70 million package of recovery and reconstruction support for British islands hit by recent, devastating hurricanes.

This new, long-term support will add to the UK’s continued efforts to help the region recover and rebuild in the wake of hurricanes Irma and Maria, which affected more than two million people. It will be supplemented by up to £300 million of UK loan guarantees, for territories that need support to access finance.

At today’s meeting, the Prime Minister will invite Territory leaders to speak of their experiences in the hurricanes and to discuss progress already made. Leaders of Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands and Turks and Caicos, the worst impacted British territories, will be among those in attendance.

While substantial progress has been made already in the region, the UK is committed to supporting long-term reconstruction efforts so that each overseas territory can continue its important work of recovering essential services such as schools, medical facilities and ports, as well as power and water supplies.

Speaking ahead of the meeting, the Prime Minister said:

I am pleased to welcome leaders of the Overseas Territories to Downing Street today, as they begin regular consultations with their counterparts in the UK Government. I see this as a mark of the strong and enduring partnership that exists between us.

This set of meetings is not only a chance to work together on our shared priorities, but also to hear directly from those territories who suffered from Hurricanes Irma and Maria.

This new £70 million package of support demonstrates the UK’s ongoing commitment to help its Overseas Territories as they get on with the difficult work of recovery.

When the first hurricane struck, the UK responded immediately, supplying humanitarian aid and disaster response expertise to the area. We have continued to provide support since then, having already committed £92 million to the region-wide relief effort to date.

The Prime Minister will also take the opportunity today to update leaders on the progress of our discussions with the European Union as we prepare to leave, and to invite leaders to express their views so we can ensure they are properly reflected in our strategy for Brexit negotiations.

The Secretary of State for International Trade, Dr Liam Fox, has this week announced that the Department for International Trade (DIT) will recruit for a new team of Her Britannic Majesty’s Trade Commissioners (HMTCs) to represent the UK in key markets across the world.

The HM Trade Commissioners, one of the government’s manifesto commitments, will play a vital role as the UK leaves the European Union and takes its place as a global champion of free trade in charge of its own independent trade policy. The HM Trade Commissioners will head the global operations of DIT, leading on export promotion, inward and outward direct investment, and trade policy overseas on behalf of the UK government.

The 9 geographical areas that the HM Trade Commissioners will cover are:

• Africa
• Asia-Pacific
• China
• Eastern Europe and Central Asia Network (EECAN)
• Europe
• Latin America
• Middle East
• North America
• South America

The HM Trade Commissioners will be senior Civil Service appointments. It is anticipated that appointments will be confirmed during the first half of 2018.

International Trade Secretary, Dr Liam Fox, said:

This is an exciting and challenging opportunity to represent the UK in key markets around the world. We will be seeking the brightest and the best, from both the public and private sectors to use their extensive regional and in-country knowledge, together with their business and government expertise to help build a global Britain.

The new HM Trade Commissioners will be providing a clear vision and direction to my Department’s global operations. That will require providing intelligence on the ground, deciding what tailored action is required in their region, and playing a vital role in our future global trading relationships.

Further information

Karen is the first woman appointed to this role, and is uniquely suited for the position having previously served as Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN in New York, and more recently as the Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva.

The current Ambassador and Permanent Representative, Matthew Rycroft, has been in the post since 2015 and will handover in January 2018 when he returns to London to take up his new role as Permanent Secretary at the Department for International Development.

On being announced as the new Ambassador to the United Nations, Karen Pierce said:

The UK has long been a strong supporter of the UN and its role at the heart of the global rules-based international system at a time when it is coming under challenge. Through our role as a permanent member of the Security Council and position as the UN’s third largest donor, the UK will continue to work with others to tackle the pressing security, stability, development and prosperity challenges of today.

Our security and economic interests depend to a large extent on a strong and effective United Nations. I am honoured to be appointed as the UK’s Ambassador and to head the UK cross-government effort at the UN. I undertake to ensure we are an active force in New York for progress and partnership.

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said:

Britain has a proud history of working for positive change through the United Nations, not least in addressing the problems in Libya and Syria. I know Karen has the diplomatic skills, energy and patience to continue this vital work, and I congratulate her on her appointment.

Notes to editors

Karen Pierce’s full career history can be found here.

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The Queen has been pleased to approve that the honour of Knighthood be conferred upon Antony James Zacaroli QC on his appointment as a Justice of the High Court.

Background:

Antony James Zacaroli was called to the Bar in 1987 and took Silk in 2006.

Over the last 12 months the Environment Agency has seen an increase in illegal waste activity across Bristol, Dorset, Somerset and Wiltshire.

The first of these events took place on Tuesday 21 November 2017. Environment Officers visited 15 locations in the Bristol, Dorset, Somerset and Wiltshire area. They confirmed 6 illegal waste sites and found a number of unauthorised waste disposal activities, including waste being burnt.

Tackling waste crime is a top priority for the Environment Agency. Waste stored or disposed of without the proper environmental controls can have a huge impact on the environment, polluting watercourses, land and underground aquifers, and in some cases contributing to flooding. It is often an eyesore that attracts further dumping, while creating issues for neighbours such as smells and pests. The Environment Agency is determined to make life hard for criminals and to support legitimate businesses by disrupting the criminal element and taking tough enforcement action.

Andy Hicklin, Environment Agency Area Environment Manager for Wessex area, said:

Waste crime is a blight on communities and the environment and undermines legitimate business. Acting on reports from members of the public, days of action are just the first step in tackling waste crime. We will work with our partners in local authorities and use all of the tools at our disposal to disrupt, prevent and stop illegal waste activity.

The Environment Agency is asking members of the public to be vigilant; to contact them with information on anything suspicious. Illegal treatment and disposal of waste is a crime that blights lives and communities and damages the environment. Individuals involved in this type of illegal activity can be hostile and we would urge members of the public to avoid any direct contact with the culprits.

If you see or suspect illegal waste activities, report it anonymously to Crimestoppers or call 0800 555 111 or via the Environment Agency incident hotline on 0800 80 70 60.