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• £100,000 grant to improve digital resources for artists and help market emerging acts
• Funding will help Fringe identify new talent and promote them nationally and internationally

The UK Government will provide £100,000 to this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe to help it deliver a step change in how it showcases emerging artistic talent to the world, Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright announced today.

The grant comes on the eve of this year’s festival that will run until 27 August.

The funding will be used to:

1. Invest in technology and digital resources for artists, including a streamlined accreditation and ticket request system; develop the edfringe.com website, and help create an Arts Industry app to provide centralised scheduling and ticketing information for artists and visitors.
2. Market and promote acts performing at the Fringe across the UK, particularly in areas currently underrepresented at the festival and create more networking opportunities for UK acts.
3. Help artists extend the lifespan of Fringe productions by recruiting arts industry brokers to help take shows across the UK and overseas.
4. Support the opening of the ‘Fringe Home’ – a year-round space for arts businesses and events in Edinburgh.

The plans firmly meet the UK Government’s commitment to promote Britain on the global stage, and boost the digital capability of cultural organisations across the country.

Jeremy Wright, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, said:

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is an annual showcase of creativity and a global marketplace for emerging talent.

It has launched the careers of some of the UK’s finest writers and performers and we want to ensure it continues to go from strength to strength, helping to break new acts here and across the globe.

This funding will help the Fringe increase its digital capability, making it even easier for visitors to this world-class event to enjoy everything it has to offer.

Since its launch in 1947, the Fringe has become the largest arts market in the world, with a rich history of discovering new talent – including writers, actors, directors, producers, programmers, designers and technicians who have gone on to fuel the UK’s creative industries.

In 2017, it was home to almost 3,400 shows, from 62 countries, with approximately 75% of artists and shows from the UK. It is expected to attract a similar number this year.

Shona McCarthy, Chief Executive of Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said:

Over the past 71 years, the Fringe has developed into one of the world’s leading performing arts marketplaces, a vital springboard for artists’ professional development, collaboration and co-commission.

Today’s announcement from the UK Government recognises the transformational power of the Fringe in making and shaping careers in the arts, both here in the UK and all over the world.

Thanks to the UK Government’s support, we will be able to identify the very best in emerging talent on the Fringe and showcase it on the global stage, ensuring the Fringe (and by extension, Scotland and the UK) remains at the forefront of the global arts landscape.

Scottish Secretary David Mundell said:

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the most amazing and diverse creative event in the world. It attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists and provides a huge economic boost to Scotland.

We want to support the creativity at the heart of this extraordinary cultural celebration. That’s why the UK Government is investing £100,000 to help the Fringe grow and showcase Scotland to the world.

The announcement comes ahead of the Edinburgh International Culture Summit, where the world’s Culture Ministers will gather in the Scottish Parliament to debate the importance of culture, alongside a range of international speakers. The summit will take place between 22 and 24 August, and is co-hosted by the UK and Scottish governments.

ENDS

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The 19 highly skilled framework members have been appointed to deliver a range of property services to support the construction and development of new homes.

Services will cover all areas of England and run for four years. Members will support Homes England in the marketing of sites to developers, site evaluations, estate management and acquisitions and disposals. They will also advise on local markets, viability, investment and strategic planning issues as well as help create new development models and partnering arrangements.

Stephen Kinsella, Executive Director for Land at Homes England said:

“The framework gives us speedy and easy access to a range of skilled consultants who understand our needs. It will help us create strong working relationships with a wide range of companies who can provide valuable, professional and technical advice and expertise to Homes England – helping to accelerate housing development, deliver value for money and provide great places to live.”

The successful members of the new Homes England Property Framework, valued at £150 million, are:

1. Aspinall Verdi Eddisons JV
2. BNP Paribas Real Estate (including Strutt & Parker)
3. Bradley Hall Limited
4. Carter Jonas LLP
5. CBRE Limited
6. Colliers International Property Consultants Limited
7. Cushman & Wakefield
8. Deloitte LLP
9. Gerald Eve LLP
10. GL Hearn Limited
11. GVA
12. Hartnell Taylor Cook LLP
13. Jones Lang LaSalle Limited
14. Knight Frank LLP
15. Lambert Smith Hampton
16. Montagu Evans LLP
17. Sanderson Weatherall LLP
18. Savills (UK) Limited
19. Thomas Lister

For further media information please contact: Patsy Cusworth in the Homes England press office Tel: 0207 393 2201/0796772328 Email: patsy.cusworth@homesengland.gov.uk

Notes to Editors:

• The increased number on the new Framework demonstrates Homes England’s expanded role in bringing together land and expertise to speed up the building of new homes.
• Homes England makes the new Framework made available free for use by a very wide range of public sector bodies.
• A summary of the Framework can be found on Gov.uk
• At any one time, around 300 public bodies are signed up to use our various Frameworks (DPP3, Multidisciplinary and Property Frameworks) and over 100 Public Bodies made use of our previous Property Framework, including local authorities, Central Government Departments, Registered Providers and a whole range of others.
• Our Frameworks are the only National Frameworks that are focused on house building and so offer a key resource to support the speed at which we can get new homes.

About Homes England:

Homes England is the new housing delivery organisation that has been created to adopt a more commercial approach to respond to the long term housing challenges facing this country. The new, expanded agency will play a far bigger role in investing in supply and intervening in the market to help deliver 300,000 homes a year by the middle of the next decade.

Homes England will act differently from its predecessor, bringing together money, land, expertise and planning and compulsory purchase powers to accelerate the supply of new homes and address affordability issues in areas of highest demand.

For more information visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/homes-england or follow us on Twitter

International Trade Minister, George Hollingbery, travels to Panama and Costa Rica this week (Monday 30 July to Wednesday 1 August), where he will look to build on progress made in securing continuity in the UK’s existing trade agreement with the Central American nations. Minister Hollingbery will also announce that the UK government has doubled the support available from UK Export Finance for UK-Costa Rica trade to up to £1.25 billion.

The minister will then travel to the US states of Georgia and Indiana (Wednesday 1 August to Friday 3 August) where he will build on the UK’s already strong trade and investment relationship, updating businesses on the UK’s plans for an independent trade policy as the 2 countries look ahead to a future free trade agreement.

Central America

While in Panama, the International Trade Minister will meet with the Panamanian Minister of Trade and Investment, Augusto Arosemena, where the 2 will reconfirm their commitment to continuity of the EU-Central America Association Agreement (EUCAAA). The meeting follows the successful visit of Panamanian President Varela to the UK in May this year, where he expressed his country’s firm support for the swift ratification of a continuity agreement.

The minister will also visit the iconic Panama Canal to explore opportunities around the canal’s diversification strategy, followed by a discussion with the Minister for Finance, Eyda Varela de Chinchilla and financial services regulators to learn how Panama is advancing its financial services sector.

Going on to Costa Rica, the Minister will meet with Vice-President and Foreign Affairs Minister, Epsy Campbell and Foreign Trade Minister, Dyalá Jiménez to make clear the UK’s commitment to continued trade with Costa Rica and to discuss the smooth transition of the EU-CAAA as the UK leaves the EU.

The 2 Central American nations are crucial to the UK’s ties with the region. Panama, the fastest growing country in Latin America, had total trade with the UK worth £242 million in 2016. Meanwhile, trade between the UK and Costa Rica was worth £311 million in 2017, a 13% increase on the previous year.

The USA

Minister Hollingbery’s visit to the USA follows the recent launch by International Trade Secretary, Liam Fox, of the first public consultations on a future free trade agreement with the UK’s largest single trading partner.

The minister will travel to Atlanta, Georgia and Indianapolis, Indiana where he will update key local businesses and decision makers on the UK’s independent trade policy. In Atlanta, these will include Coca-Cola and UPS as well as leading fintech firms, while in Indianapolis key meetings include Rolls-Royce, Congressman André Carson and Governor of Indiana, Eric Holcomb.

At the heart of these meetings will be the UK’s unwavering commitment to a mutually beneficial trade agreement with the US post-Brexit, ensuring free and fair trade continues to flow between our 2 nations.

The UK already has a large investment presence in the US. For example, online clothing retailer ASOS plans a brand new e-commerce fulfilment centre in Georgia, a state where the UK is currently the seventh largest trading partner. The UK also supports around 10,000 jobs in Indiana, and is the second largest foreign investor in the state.

Trade between the UK and USA was worth £182.7 billion in Q1 this year, up 4% on the same quarter in 2017. UK exports to the US were up 4.9% to £113 billion in the same year.

On a recent visit to the UK, US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Theresa May made clear their ongoing commitment to a close and prosperous future trading relationship.

International Trade Minister George Hollingbery said:

I’m delighted to be travelling across the US and Central America this week, building on our already strong trade and investment relationship with the US as well as ensuring continuity in our existing agreement with the Central America Association.

Our trade with Panama was worth £242 million in 2016, and with Costa Rica, £311 million last year. Meanwhile, trade with the USA was worth more than £182 billion at the start of this year.

As the UK leaves the EU, we have the perfect opportunity to work more closely with partners across the globe and I look forward to meeting with counterparts in Panama, Costa Rica and the United States to set out what that bright trading future might look like.

Minister for Asia and the Pacific Mark Field said:

The Cambodian national election was undermined by the authorities well before campaigning started and resulted in an election that was neither fair nor credible.

The potential for a legitimate, free and fair election was stymied when the main opposition party – the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), was dissolved in November 2017. This was particularly disappointing following the more open Commune elections in June 2017.

The Cambodian authorities have demonstrated clear disregard for the key tenets of a functioning multi-party democracy. As well as the dissolution of the CNRP, examples include the imprisonment of CNRP President Kem Sokha, the banning of 118 CNRP members from politics for five years, and a crackdown on independent media.

There was no credible opposition party with the opportunity to challenge the Government. In a democracy, no government has the right to choose its opposition.

The UK will continue to urge the Cambodian Government to demonstrate its commitment to its citizens by lifting restrictions on political debate and media freedom and by creating the conditions for proper functioning democracy.

Further information

• Follow Foreign Office Minister Mark Field @MarkFieldUK
• Follow the Foreign Office on Twitter @foreignoffice and Facebook
• Follow the Foreign Office on Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn

Today the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Esther McVey, has announced increased funding to support businesses that provide extra employment support for disabled people with the greatest barriers to work.

When the Work Choice employment programme ends in March 2019, ongoing support will be offered to individuals working in “supported businesses” through specially designed new elements of the government’s Access to Work scheme.

For 2 years from April 2019, supported businesses will receive increased funding of £5,000 a year from Access to Work for each individual in a Work Choice Protected Place.

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Esther McVey, said:

Supported businesses can provide employment opportunities for those disabled people who want to work but may otherwise find it difficult to secure a suitable role.

That’s why we’re increasing the funding for each person working in a supported business, ensuring that disabled people who want to work have the opportunity to enjoy the benefits that work can bring.

Minister for Disabled People, Work and Health, Sarah Newton, said:

We’re committed to ensuring that disabled people have the necessary support to thrive in the workplace and Protected Places plays a big part in helping thousands to reach their full potential.

Access to Work already provides tailored, personalised support to people up and down the country and this announcement will ensure that many more will benefit in the years to come.

The increased payment will not only be available for existing employees but also for businesses to employ more disabled people, enabling a total of over 2,000 disabled people across England, Scotland and Wales to access support.

Disabled employees working for supported businesses can currently benefit from a mix of holistic support, including:

• adapted working practices
• additional HR support
• job coaches
• aides and adaptations
• extra supervision through the existing Work Choice Protected Places scheme

In parallel, the government will work with the Supported Business Alliance (SBA) and The British Association for Supported Employment (BASE) to:

• help them develop a new quality mark for supported businesses
• to develop a new long term element of Access to Work to continue support for those already working for a supported business, and help more disabled people to join them

Martin Davies, Supported Business Alliance, Chair of the Supported Business Steering Group, said:

I welcome today’s announcement which will secure the future of thousands of job for disabled employees.

We have been working alongside the DWP for over 12 months on this and will continue to collaborate with them to develop a quality assurance ‘mark’ for supported employers and a long-term funding model.

We’re committed to supporting the government getting more disabled people into sustainable employment and ensuring the supported business sector can flourish.

Huw Davies, Chief executive of the British Association for Supported Employment, said:

BASE welcomes the announcement on future funding for individuals working in supported businesses.

Along with the Supported Business Alliance, we welcome this increased certainty around funding so that these businesses can plan more sustainably for the future and continue to develop employment opportunities for people who have a disability.

We look forward to working with DWP to ensure a long-term future for the businesses and their thousands of employees.

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