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International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt thanked British aid workers and taxpayers for the role that they have played in delivering lifesaving UK aid to humanitarian emergencies around the world over the last 12 months.

These UK aid achievements include:

• supporting the first ever cholera vaccination campaign in Yemen, helping protect more than 450,000 men, women and children from the largest ever global outbreak of this deadly disease;
• remaining at the forefront of the humanitarian response in Syria, helping those in greatest need by providing life-saving food, shelter and water to millions of Syrians;
• deploying the UK’s Emergency Medical Team to help curb the outbreak of deadly diphtheria amongst Rohingya people in Cox’s Bazaar, Bangladesh;
• acting fast to tackle outbreaks of Ebola in the DRC, supplying vaccines and deploying a rapid support team of experts to contain the disease and stop it spreading further;
• responding swiftly in the Sahel to treat over 200,000 malnourished children, provide food to over 100,000 people, and water and sanitation to over 500,000 people; and
• delivered 827 tonnes of urgent humanitarian supplies – including food, water, and shelter – and deployed over 70 humanitarian and logistics experts to coordinate the relief effort in response to Hurricanes Irma and Maria in the Caribbean.

In support of the United Nations’ #NotaTarget movement, Ms Mordaunt also called for the protection of civilians and aid workers working in conflict zones around the world.

This includes those being deliberately targeted in war-torn Syria and Yemen, in a blatant breach of international humanitarian law.

International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt said:

British humanitarians and the support of UK taxpayers have this year made an incredible contribution to saving lives and alleviating suffering in some of the most horrific disaster zones around the world.

On World Humanitarian Day, we pay tribute to the heroic aid workers who continue to selflessly put the needs of the world’s poorest people ahead of their own.

Tragically 170 aid workers have already been injured, abducted or killed this year while delivering live saving assistance. Aid workers cannot be a target and the UK calls for warring parties to adhere to international humanitarian law and protect them.

Mark Field, Minister of State for Asia & the Pacific, is visiting Brunei today (19 August) on the third leg of a six-country tour of Southeast Asia.

In addition to bilateral discussions with government officials including the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Energy and Industry, Mr Field will be received for an audience with His Majesty the Sultan.

Minister Field will also host a roundtable discussion with Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, which will cover the future of UK-Brunei and UK-ASEAN relations, trade and investment and explore further opportunities for foreign policy collaboration.

The Minister will also promote UK expertise in regulating and developing the Fintech sector in meetings with officials from Brunei’s financial service sector.

Commenting, the Minister said:

The UK and Brunei enjoy a close, long-standing and unique relationship. I’m looking forward to strengthening our ties in traditional sectors such as oil and gas, and building relationships in new sectors such as financial services.

After Brunei, the Minister will travel on to Thailand for discussions with Deputy Foreign Minister Virasakdi Futrakul and representatives of political parties.

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A Downing Street spokesperson said:

The Prime Minister spoke to the Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan yesterday.

The Prime Minister congratulated him on his party’s success in Pakistan’s elections and on his new position.

They agreed to work together to build on the good relations between the UK and Pakistan in a wide range of areas, including security cooperation, anti-corruption, and bilateral trade.

Prime Minister Theresa May noted the importance of Pakistan delivering on its commitments to strengthen institutions responsible for upholding the rule of law, and to advance the rights of women and minorities.

They looked forward to meeting in person soon.

• Minister for Investment Graham Stuart visits New Zealand and Australia, the first Department for International Trade minister to do so since the opening of consultations on future trade relationships
• Minister promoted opportunities for UK firms in NZ infrastructure and launches a joint UK-Australia investment report which shows UK is now second largest destination for Australian investment
• He’ll also visit China to promote UK smart cities expertise as UK-China trade reaches all-time high of £66.5 billion

With consultations over future trade relationships with New Zealand and Australia now open, Trade Minister Graham Stuart has become the first government minister to visit the countries since the consultations began.

Earlier this week, Graham Stuart was promoting was promoting UK businesses at New Zealand’s biggest infrastructure event and today (Friday 17th August) launches a joint UK-Australian investment report alongside Steven Ciobo, Australian Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment.

The report shows that the investment relationship between the UK and Australia grew by 22 per cent from 2010 to 2017 to more than £50 billion, meaning that the UK is now the second-largest destination for Australian foreign direct investment (FDI).

Over 500 Australian companies operate in the UK, while more than 1,200 UK companies are in Australia, employing 95,000 people. This includes BAE Systems, which landed a £20 billion contract to build nine British-designed warships in Adelaide, creating 4,000 jobs.

Combined trade between the UK and both New Zealand and Australia was worth £18.8 billion in 2018 (£2.8 billion and £16 billion respectively).

Graham Stuart, UK Minister for Investment, said:

We’ve taken a major step towards building our bilateral trading relationships with Australia and New Zealand – 2 of our closest international partners – by opening consultations on our potential future agreements. Combined, their investment into the UK delivered 95 new projects last year, creating almost 2,500 British jobs. These consultations will examine new possibilities for British exporters in the region, especially in technology and infrastructure.

The Department for international Trade is determined to help UK businesses take advantage of opportunities these, and maintain the UK’s position as Europe’s top destination for FDI.

Steven Ciobo, Australian Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment said:

Across diverse industries ranging from defence to education, technology and infrastructure, Australia and the UK continue to invest in ways that increase prosperity and create jobs in both countries.

Both countries offer large, open and flexible economies as well as an ideal location from which to access other regional opportunities, be it in Europe or Asia.

Following his visits to New Zealand and Australia, the Minister will head to the Chinese city of Shenzhen next week, where he will promote the UK’s smart cities capability at the China Smart City Expo.

Non-EU countries make up the bulk of the UK’s services exports (60.6% as of May 2018), with demand for world-class British expertise in countries such as China expected to propel this proportion higher in the years to come.

He will also visit telecommunications giant Huawei, who recently committed £3 billion of investment to the UK over the next 5 years, with a UK workforce already of 1,500 people.

UK trade with China is now at an all-time high of £66.5 billion as of the first quarter of 2018.

More information

The visit comes after the fourth meeting of the UK-Australia trade working group in July, with Prime Ministers Theresa May and Malcolm Turnbull reiterating the shared goal of a free trade agreement once the UK leaves the EU.

The Department for International Trade offers a range of export and investment support including through its new global network of HM Trade Commissioners.

• Minister to visit Peru weeks after largest-ever UK investment into the country, which could reach $5 billion
• Colombian projects in Bogota, Medellin and Cartagena offer exciting opportunities for British companies
• Legacy of London 2012 having a positive impact as UK is a key partner in delivering Lima 2019 Pan Am Games

Minister of State for the Department of International Trade, Baroness Fairhead, will this week be aiming to place British companies at the front of the queue for contracts as she meets senior ministers in Peru and Colombia.

The visit comes just weeks after a record-breaking project was announced by a UK company in Peru. Anglo American’s Quellaveco project will see state of the art technology used to mine copper in the Moquegua region, with investment potentially reaching $5 billion, creating 9000 local jobs driving growth in the Peruvian economy while also meeting commitments on water usage and sustainability in local communities.

For Colombia, this will be the first UK’s ministerial visit after the possession of President Duque, which will seek to approach the new Colombian government on trade and exports.

In both countries, the Minister will meet with high-ranking politicians such as the Peruvian Prime Minister, Cesar Villanueva, Colombian Minister of Trade, Tourism and Industry, José Manuel Restrepo, and the Mayor of Bogota, Enrique Peñalosa, to whom she will make the case that British companies have the innovation, experience and expertise to support critical infrastructure projects in some of Latin America’s most important cities.

More widely, Peru is looking to build an additional £120 billion infrastructure in the period to 2025, with British businesses well-placed to support on a range of these infrastructure projects in both countries. These include the installation of an integrated metro system in Lima. Opportunities are also available in Colombia as the new administration takes steps to improve the country’s infrastructure, with projects such as the expansion of the Bogota Metro, Cartagena Naval Base and Bogota Airport high on the agenda.

Minister of State for the Department of International Trade, Baroness Fairhead, said:

Both Peru and Colombia offer exciting opportunities for our innovative British businesses. New and exciting projects are springing up, including in the creative industries and infrastructure sectors, which we believe UK companies are best placed to meet with their vast knowledge and experience.

DIT stands ready to support businesses that want to make the most of these opportunities, with a range of export support available. DIT offers anything from financial assistance from our world leading export credit agency, UK Export Finance, to the expertise of our overseas network.

The UK’s total trade with Colombia and Peru currently totals at £1.5 billion with the appointment of a new HM Trade Commissioner for Latin America, Joanna Crellin, aiming to drive up that number by providing a knowledgeable point of contact in the market.

After discussions with Peruvian Prime Minister, Cesar Villanueva, the Minister will also visit the La Videna Multisports complex which will play host to some of the action in next Summer’s Lima 2019 Pan Am Games. Under an innovative government to government partnership between the UK and Peru, a world class team of British companies have been influential in the development of the games providing technical support and best practice from London 2012.

Trade Missions such as this are just one of the ways which DIT can support British exports, with our award-winning credit agency UK Export Finance on hand to provide financial backing for projects and our newly appointed network of HM Trade Commissioners available to offer specialist market information to businesses.

In 2014, Mr Ilgar Mammadov, leader of the Azerbaijan opposition political party ‘REAL’, was convicted and sentenced to a lengthy prison term, which the European Court of Human Rights ruled was politically motivated. Mr Mammadov has now been released by the Azerbaijani authorities, and is to be placed under probation.

An FCO spokesperson said:

The release of Ilgar Mammadov on 13 August represents a positive step forward. However, we are concerned that some conditions have been attached to Mr Mammadov’s release by the Azerbaijani authorities. The UK urges Azerbaijan to abide by the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights on the unconditional release of Mr Mammadov, as repeatedly demanded by the Council of Europe.

We encourage Azerbaijan’s modernisation efforts which are vital if Azerbaijan is to make progress as a prosperous, tolerant and democratic society. This includes taking positive steps on other cases of human rights concern. We will continue to support Azerbaijan in fulfilling their international obligations.

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The Commission is today giving [public notice] of its intention to issue an order to direct the winding up of Support the Heroes (registered charity number 1155853.

In November 2016 the Commission opened a statutory inquiry into the charity and appointed Brian Johnson of HW Fisher & Company as interim manager to take over the running of the charity.

Section 84B of the Charities Act 2011 gives the Commission the power to issue an order to direct the winding up of a charity if it is satisfied that a charity does not operate, or its purposes can be promoted more effectively if it ceases to operate; and exercising the power is expedient in the public interest. The Commission’s summary of reasons is set out in the
Public Notice of Intention to Exercise Powers: Support the Heroes
(PDF, 154KB, 1 page)

.

In accordance with section 84B(4) of the Act the Commission is inviting representations to be made in relation to its intention to make the Order. Representations must be made to the Commission within 30 days of the date of this notice.

Further information is available at http://apps.charitycommission.gov.uk/schemesdefault.aspx.

Representations can be emailed to IAEInvestigationsCRM@charitycommission.gsi.gov.uk marking it ‘Representations to the Public Notice – Support the Heroes, registered number 1155853’.

The Commission will consider any representations received within 30 days of this notice. The Commission may (without further public notice) issue the order (with or without modifications) on 16 October 2018, 60 days after the 1st day of this notice.

Ends.

The project will focus on challenging violent and disruptive behaviour and includes £10 million funding to fight drugs, improve security and, crucially, boost leadership capabilities through new training. The 10 will serve as models of excellence for the rest of the estate to follow.

Specifically, these 10 prisons have struggled with acute problems, including high drug use, violence and building issues. While the governors and staff at the prisons – Hull, Humber, Leeds, Lindholme, Moorland, Wealstun, Nottingham, Ranby, Isis and Wormwood Scrubs – have dealt with these challenges, this project will provide them with the resources and support to make decisive, lasting progress. It will be up and running in all 10 prisons by the end of the year – and tangible results will be expected within the following 12 months.

Under the programme, governors at each prison will be provided with new scanners capable of detecting packages inside bodies, and sniffer dogs trained to detect new psychoactive substances. Further investment will go into repairing basic infrastructure such as broken windows.

Management will train and support staff to set the highest expectations for prisoners and challenge disruptive and violent behaviour fairly, consistently and firmly to restore order and control.
This investment is in addition to the £30 million package announced by the Justice Secretary, David Gauke, in July. That included £16 million to tackle acute maintenance needs in the estate, plus £7 million for safety and security measures and the same amount again for securely monitored in-cell telephones.

The new £10 million package of investment will:

• Curb the flow of drugs and phones into prisons – £6 million has been designated to tackle drug supply by enhancing physical security at the jails; with investment in drug-detection dogs, body scanners, and improved perimeter defences.
• Improve safety and decency – there will be a focus on standardising residential areas inside the prisons. £3 million will support this through targeted improvements to the fabric of each establishment, ensuring that living conditions meet new standards of decency and cleanliness that are to be drawn up as part of the plan.
• Develop new standards of leadership – £1 million will fund bespoke training programmes and interventions to give governors the support they need to drive improvement at their prisons. They will have the opportunity to call on former officers and governors who will share best practice from their years of experience. A staff college model, inspired by the military, will be developed for Governors. More junior uniformed staff will be given the support and confidence to challenge disruptive behaviour.

Geographical clusters of prisons in Yorkshire, the north Midlands and London have been selected for the project, to ensure a targeted approach to tackling the supply of drugs from organised crime in those areas.

These measures are part of a much wider strategy to tackle the most pressing threats to security in prisons. At the heart of this is a £100 million investment in the frontline which has seen more than 3,500 additional prison officers recruited so far, with the majority already on the landings.

Prisons Minister Rory Stewart said:

With more than 20,000 prison officers, 84,000 prisoners, and over 100 prisons, it is vital we set challenging standards so prisons are places where offenders can turn their lives around.

With the right leadership on the ground, and support from the centre, these 10 prisons will pave the way for a new approach, a new ethos and a new direction. We need to make these prisons calmer, more orderly places and in the end that comes down to challenging and managing prisoners consistently, firmly and fairly. And we will put our support and training behind our prison officers to make that happen.

“No-one can hope to change an entire system overnight. But through these vital improvements to 10 prisons, we can set a course for the rest of the estate to follow – leading us to a system that truly rehabilitates, cuts reoffending and ultimately keeps the public safer.

Notes to editors

• The £30 million package announced in July included an overall £7 million investment in safety and security. This will fund a range of new security measures, including airport-security style scanners, improved searching techniques and phone-blocking technology, along with a new digital tool will enable prisons to build a more detailed picture of the kind of risk an offender is likely to present – including the likelihood of involvement in organised crime.
• It included £16 million to improve the fabric of prisons, targeting establishments with the most pressing maintenance issues and ensuring that they are brought back up to acceptable standards. This is on top of the existing maintenance budget.
• Also £7 million on in-cell telephones for more prisons. Currently most prisoners queue for public phones on the landings, which can be the trigger for violence or fuel demand for illicit mobile phones. Some of our modern prisons have in-cell phones with strict security measures, meaning calls to family can take place in private. Prisoners will continue to pay to make these calls.

The UK government will help protect and assist civilians in North West Syria amid warnings that more than 2.9 million people in Idlib and surrounding areas are at risk of deadly attacks by the Asad regime and its backers.

The support announced today (Friday 17 August) by Minister for the Middle East Alistair Burt will provide emergency assistance and vital medical support for people sheltering in Idlib. This includes support for four health centres and two mobile health teams, which will travel around the area treating the most vulnerable people.

The Minister also announced that UK aid is backing an innovative new technology which provides civilians with early warnings to save lives in communities bombarded by airstrikes.
The technology, which has been developed by civilian technology company Hala Systems, works by detecting aircraft using remote sensors and machine-learning algorithms, before sending early warnings to civilians through air raid sirens and social media alerts. Thanks to UK support, it has already warned more than 2 million people and is estimated to have reduced casualties by up to 27% in areas under heavy bombardment.

The Minister added that the UK is supporting the UN and other partners on an emergency response plan ahead of an anticipated escalation in the conflict.

Speaking today, Minister for the Middle East Alistair Burt said:

The UK is extremely concerned about escalating military action by Asad and his backers on almost 3 million civilians who have sought shelter in Idlib and surrounding areas. These are people who have suffered through more than 7 years of fighting; many have already been displaced multiple times.

Today’s UK aid package will make sure the most vulnerable can get the medical treatment, food, water and support they so desperately need. But this is not enough. That’s why we’re also funding an innovative early warning system that is proven to reduce civilian casualties from airstrikes.

A humanitarian catastrophe in Idlib is avoidable. The UK supports the urgent diplomatic efforts being made by Turkey and the UN. We call on the Syrian regime and its backers, Russia and Iran, to uphold the ceasefire they have agreed, and to respect international humanitarian law. They should also be clear: we will respond appropriately if the Asad regime repeats its appalling use of chemical weapons.

The North West of Syria has become a refuge for around 1.9 million displaced people that have fled fighting throughout the country, bringing the region’s total population to around 4 million, 2.9 million of whom are living in Idlib and surrounding areas.

There have already been at least 37 attacks on health facilities in the Idlib region so far this year and civilians, aid workers and medical staff fear for their safety.

The influx of civilians has stretched scarce resources in the region and tens of thousands are living in tents in crowded camps, with demand for humanitarian assistance being greater than ever before.

Today’s UK aid package will also:

• support four health centres and two mobile health clinics in Idlib by providing doctors, nurses, midwives, medicine and medical equipment to treat people fleeing fighting;
• provide psychological support to protect women and children suffering from trauma, distress and other mental health conditions;
• provide 3200 dignity kits for women and 5000 kits for children in Idlib;
• provide support staff to ensure the most vulnerable people can access essential services and are legally protected, including by helping them access civil documents such as birth and marriage certificates; and
• provide one-off cash transfers to the most vulnerable families fleeing into Idlib so that they can essentials such as food, water and fuel for heat.

The brutal Syrian civil war, now in its eighth year, has already cost an estimated 400,000 lives, with over 11 million people displaced by conflict and causing a severe shortage of food, clean water and healthcare.

Britain has been at the forefront of the response to the Syria crisis and already we have delivered 27 million monthly food rations, 10 million relief packages, 10 million vaccines against deadly diseases and 12 million medical consultations for those in need in Syria.

Notes to editors

• Today’s package of UK aid support for North West Syria is part of a wider £10 million new allocation for the UK’s response to the Syria crisis. For security reasons, we cannot name all of our partners delivering aid in Syria.
• Through the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund, alongside our international partners, the UK has supported Hala Systems, a social enterprise focused on developing innovative technical solutions aimed at helping protect civilian communities caught in conflict, including in Syria.
• The UK is a leading donor in the humanitarian response. To date we have committed over £2.71 billion in humanitarian funding to the region.
• For more information on the UK’s humanitarian response to the Syria crisis, visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/factsheet-the-uks-humanitarian-aid-response-to-the-syria-crisis
• Alistair Burt is a Minister of State at both the Department for International Development (DFID) and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO).

• the government’s substantial EU Exit white paper stresses the importance of reaching an agreement that benefits the UK and the EU
• latest discussions by Business Secretary with ministers and businesses across Europe underlines need for positive response from the EU

The EU Commission must respond positively to the Chequers white paper to ensure our continued strong economic ties and avoid sustained economic damage.

This was the message from Business Secretary Greg Clark when he met his ministerial counterparts, businesses and investors in Austria and Finland to discuss how the Chequers white paper sets the foundations for a positive future trade relationship with the EU compared to the negative impact of ‘No Deal’ on both member states and the UK.

Speaking after his latest discussions in Austria and Finland Business Secretary Greg Clark said:

Since the publication of the white paper I have travelled to 5 EU capitals to discuss our proposals with ministers and businesses. I am confident the UK and the EU now have the foundations and opportunity to come to a pragmatic and mutually beneficial deal.

My discussions across Europe have demonstrated how clearly it is in everyone’s interest that an agreement is reached quickly and ‘No Deal’ is avoided. The Commission has a responsibility to all the people of Europe to respond positively and constructively, if not, the disruption and impact on our continent’s businesses, economies, and millions of hard working families across the UK and EU will be significant and lasting.

In Austria (14 August), Greg Clark met Ministers from both of Austria’s coalition partners, the People’s Party (ÖVP) and the Freedom Party (FPÖ), including the Minister for Economy and Digitalisation Margarete Schramböck (ÖVP) and Vice Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache (FPÖ), as well as leading Austrian businesses with investments in the U.K. and U.K. companies with interests in Austria.

Visiting Finland on Wednesday (15 August), Greg Clark met Mika Lintilä, the Economy Minister and also with Finance Minister Petteri Orpo, as well as Finnish companies with interests in the UK.

The Business Secretary also discussed the challenge and opportunities all countries are facing in preparing our economies for the industrial revolution that is taking place across almost every sector. Ensuring the UK through its Industrial Strategy builds on its strengths to take advantage of the opportunities that lay ahead and provide the high skilled, well paying jobs in the industries of tomorrow.

Notes to editors

Business Secretary has met to discuss the white paper with ministers and businesses in:

• France – Minister for Economy and Finance Delphine Geny, 24 July
• Portugal – Cabinet Minister Pedro Siza Vieira and Economy Minister Dr. Manuel Caldeira, 25 July
• Italy – Foreign Minister Enzo Moavero Milanesi and Europe Minister Paolo Savona, 26 July
• Austria – Minister for Economy Margarete Schramboch and Vice Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache, 14 August
• Finland – Minister of Economic Affairs Mika Lintila and Minister of Finance Petteri Orpo, 15 August