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A shopkeeper and his fresh produce company have been fined over £800 for displaying and selling rotten fruit and vegetables in a store in Hull.

During an investigation by Horticultural Marketing Inspectors (HMI) a number of decaying items, including rotten sweet peppers, apples, pears, red onions and radishes were found on display at Bekhal International Foods Ltd, Spring Bank, Hull.

Rural Payments Agency

Horticultural Marketing Inspectors are part of the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) and are responsible for the enforcement of the EU marketing standards for fresh fruit, vegetables, salad crops, nuts and cultivated mushroom, throughout England and Wales. These standards will continue to be enforced after we have left the European Union.

Appearing at Hull Magistrates Court on 31 May, the owner of the retail business, Mr Alaan Azadi, pleaded guilty to a quality and labelling offence related to the sweet peppers. A further four remaining offences were taken into account.

Fine

Mr Azadi was fined £250 and was ordered to pay costs of £105, a victims’ surcharge of £30 and £50 for breaking a suspended sentence. The company was fined £250 and ordered to pay costs of £105 with a £30 victims’ surcharge.

Peter Bainbridge, RPA Operations Director said:

Consumers should be confident that the produce they are buying is fresh and in good condition, if it is being sold to them on that basis.

Our inspectors work closely with the fresh produce industry so that retailers understand the role marketing standards can play in adding real value to their business.

However, that support and advice is not always heeded and when rotting goods are continuously found on display we will resort to the use of criminal sanction to bring about a required change in behaviour.

The prosecution followed a series of risk-based enforcement visits and inspections, carried out by the HMI between February 2017 and July 2017.

Concerted efforts were made by the HMI to work closely with Mr Azadi and his staff, with face-to-face meetings, verbal warnings and formal written notices, all aimed at achieving improved compliance from the business.

Pioneering UK digital firms have seen their international trade grow by more than 20 per cent, underlining the country’s reputation as a world leader in tech.

New figures published today by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) show the digital sector exported more than £39bn in services in 2016, up from £32bn in 2015, as UK firms capitalised on the rapid digitisation of the world economy. This is unprecedented growth of 21.8 per cent year on year and shows Britain is well-placed to seize the future trading opportunities linked to cutting-edge technology.

Exports of goods in the digital sector, in which figures are based on the types of products rather than business activity, were also strong. This includes products such as software and manufactured electronics and computers rather than computer programming, consultancy, and information services. Exports of goods by the digital sector were up 7.3 per cent and worth more than £15bn.

Digital Secretary Matt Hancock:

These new statistics show our tech sector is in demand from businesses and consumers around the globe, with exports up by a fifth. We are working hard to create the right environment for them to thrive and alongside the huge innovation of the private sector are determined to seize all the future opportunities technology will bring.

The Government is supporting the technology sector through its Digital and Industrial Strategies, almost £1 billion of investment in artificial intelligence, competitive tax relief, a commitment to spend 2.4 per cent of GDP on research and development, as well skills and business mentoring initiatives such as Tech Nation.

Companies highlighting the UK’s expertise in technology include cyber security firm Darktrace, which has recently been valued at more than $1bn, making it a tech unicorn, and Improbable, which last year closed a $502m investment round, the largest of its kind in Europe.

Dundee-based 4J Studios, best known for its work on global video game hit Minecraft, has a global reach and, as part of the city’s £200m tech sector, is turning over more than £11m a year.

The recent Tech Nation 2018 report also highlighted smaller firms such as Exeter’s Milkalyser which has raised more than £1 million investment and created an automated system to measure hormones in milk during milking. It has a strong international presence and an Italian distributor.

BJSS, based in Leeds, is an award-winning IT and digital consultancy working with some of the world’s largest public and private sector organisations to design, deliver and support large-scale digital transformation. Its Enterprise Agile project has been exported to the US.

Creative industries

The statistics also show strong international growth in the creative industries, which includes publishing, advertising, marketing as well as film, TV, radio and photography.

Exports of services in the creative industries by UK firms grew more than 27 per cent between 2015 and 2016, and they are worth more than £27bn.

Overall, DCMS sectors continue to outperform the rest of the economy and reaffirm the Department’s position as an economic powerhouse. Total year-on-year growth in exports of services in all DCMS sectors outstripped the growth of the UK as a whole by more than double – up 21.4 per cent versus 8.8 per cent.

Notes to editors

Media enquiries: DCMS News and Communications team on 020 7211 2210 or out of hours on 07699 751153.

Link to statistics.

Today, Monday 4 June, the Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has brought together leading technology companies together with conservationists to develop new and innovative ways to combat the illegal wildlife trade.

Experts from companies including Google, Amazon Web Services, Cisco and Dimension Data, as well as umbrella body techUK and government technology experts from Catapult centres heard what challenges the conservation sector is facing as it combats the illegal wildlife trade, which is worth up to £17 billion a year globally, and is a highly organised, sophisticated criminal industry. The Minister for the Illegal Wildlife Trade, Mark Field, co-chaired the event.

This meeting is the first in a series that will take place throughout the summer in the run up to the London 2018 Illegal Wildlife Trade Conference in October. Further workshops will bring experts and conservationists together to deliver technological solutions to combat poaching, make it easier to identify illegal wildlife products at borders or to spot animals in danger in the field.

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said:

I’ve just come back from the Amazon, one of Earth’s natural wonders, where both animals and people are suffering at the hands of criminals who are committing horrible wildlife crimes. What I saw has only sharpened my determination to combat the blight of the illegal wildlife trade.

I want to make sure we’re using all the great talent we have available to us to fight this problem, so I’m calling on our finest technological brains to help us in the battle to save some of the world’s most endangered species.

techUK’s CEO Julian David said:

Whether it is blockchain to support supply chain transparency and assurance or drones, satellites and the internet of things-enabled solutions to monitor activity in national parks and areas of high scientific interest, new tech is revolutionising conservation across the world. techUK and its members are excited to work with the FCO on a sector led approach to combating illegal wildlife crime.

Last month, the government published its Ivory Bill which, when passed, will be one of the toughest bans on ivory sales in the world.

Notes to editors:

Full list of attendees:

• Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson
• Minister of State, Mark Field
• techUK
• Google
• Amazon Web Services
• Cisco Alliance Dimension Data
• Satellite Applications Catapult
• Digital Catapult
• The Royal Foundation
• Zoological Society of London

Further information

• Follow the Foreign Secretary on Twitter @BorisJohnson and Facebook
• Follow the Foreign Office on Twitter @foreignoffice and Facebook
• Follow the Foreign Office on Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn

Welsh manufacturing has the power to transform the prospects of the British economy and the lives of future generations, the Secretary of State for Wales said today as he addressed an audience of leading manufacturing companies in south Wales (4 June).

The annual Barclays and SPTS Technologies Ltd “Voice of Welsh Manufacturing” event brings business leaders from Wales’ manufacturing sector to discuss with Ministers the upcoming challenges and next steps for the sector as the UK Government continues to put manufacturing at the heart of its programme for a more prosperous future.

At today’s meeting at SPTS Technologies in Newport, Alun Cairns outlined how the UK Government’s Modern Industrial Strategy will help keep the UK at the forefront of crucial areas of comparative advantage, such as artificial intelligence and the automotive industry.

From compound semi-conductors in Cardiff, agri-tech in Aberystwyth, and life sciences in Wrexham, Wales is already embracing the opportunities provided by artificial intelligence and innovation to revolutionise many areas of manufacturing work.

Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns said:

Building on Wales’ strengths, we want to work closely with businesses to support and grow the UK’s manufacturing capabilities, encourage innovation and promote exports.

That is why we are working with business to put into practice a modern Industrial Strategy for modern British manufacturing.

From encouraging cross-border growth following the abolition of the Severn Crossing tolls, to ensuring Welsh companies get their share of funding available, this meeting provided another perfect platform for us to further strengthen our relationship with the industry in Wales.

More importantly, it enabled me to hear what its leaders have to say to ensure that we sustain a manufacturing sector that is not only investing and exporting, but is a confident and key player in building a more prosperous future for Wales.

The Secretary of State also outlined how the Industrial Strategy isn’t the only area in which the government and manufacturers need to work in partnership.

He discussed the importance of protecting the interests of British manufacturing at a time where Britain is seeing a new relationship with the EU and seeking to protect the Welsh steel sector amid ongoing discussions with the USA over import tariffs.

He also underlined the importance of Welsh businesses maintain their access to markets across Europe, and beyond and of ensuring that the UK continues to attract the best and brightest talent from across the world.

Alun Cairns added:

Employment across Wales in on the rise and, based on the conversations I’ve had with people in the room today, it would rise even further if they could lay their hands on enough people with the skills they need.

So let’s tell them how on Deeside, Toyota produce a new engine every 57 seconds. How in St Athan, we’ll see more than 7,000 Aston Martin DBX vehicles roll off the production line when fully up to speed, and how in Pontyclun, Concrete Canvas are revolutionising construction processes by manufacturing concrete on a roll.

Simon Vittle, Head of Manufacturing for Barclays in Wales said:

The aim of this series of executive round table events is to bring together a select group of management representatives from a range of leading regional manufacturing companies across industries, local government, ministers and business experts to discuss pressing issues facing manufacturing in Wales today.

Skills shortages was a topic of conversation as usual, with the shift from vocational qualifications to university degrees and the misperceptions regarding the well paid and rewarding roles, engineering and manufacturing careers offer. Inspiring the next generation of designers, engineers and makers is of paramount importance, but we need to place greater emphasis on upskilling, retraining and lifelong learning.

Against a challenging back drop, UK manufacturers are surprisingly upbeat. Output is rising, order books are strong, capital investments are on the increase and “Made in Britain” is once again seen as a badge of quality.