Category: Gov Press Releases

A new Director General for housing will be appointed to oversee important work to help deliver the homes our country needs, the Ministry of Housing confirmed today (7 June 2018).

Jeremy Pocklington, currently Director General, Energy and Security in the department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, has accepted a new position in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

He will take over in September and will replace Helen MacNamara who has been appointed to the role of Director General of Propriety and Ethics in the Cabinet Office.

Jeremy Pocklington said:

I am delighted to take up this exciting challenge as the government builds the homes our country needs, ensuring safe and decent homes in a market that’s fit for the future.

Jeremy Pocklington has been Director General, Energy and Security at the Department of Business, Enterprise and Industrial Strategy – previously the Department of Energy and Climate Change – since February 2015.

Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson said:

I welcome the announcement by the National Unity Government of a ceasefire for Eid al-Fitr. This is an opportunity to reduce levels of violence and create space for talks to begin. Recent international conferences in Kabul and Tashkent have shown that the regional community and regional states are united on the need for a peaceful resolution in Afghanistan. We call on the Taliban to join the ceasefire and seize the opportunity to advance the cause of peace which the people of Afghanistan so deserve.

It is also right that the ceasefire does not apply to affiliates of the so-called Islamic State, and other terrorist groups. I am certain that the Afghan government will remain resolute in defending the Afghan state and its people. The UK stands firmly with the Afghan government against terrorism and supports its efforts to build peace.

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

Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns visited One Team Logic in Talbot Green today (Thursday 7 June) to recognise the safeguarding firm’s achievement in winning The Queen’s Award for Enterprise in the Innovation category for their ground-breaking safeguarding software, MyConcern®, a trusted and secure software solution for protecting children and vulnerable young people from harm.

Now in its 52nd year, the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise are the UK’s most prestigious business awards, recognising and celebrating business excellence across the UK in fields including innovation, international trade, sustainable development and promoting opportunity through social mobility.

The MyConcern software was developed to assist people responsible for the wellbeing of the young and vulnerable (such as teachers) to be able to easily report and record concerns. With over 3000 children in Wales being identified as needing protection from abuse and an increase of 25% in recorded sexual offences against children aged under sixteen in Wales these are issues that schools and colleges are often the first to be made aware of.*

The system can also cater for spotting signs of young people experiencing complex mental health issues, including self-harm. It enables schools, colleges and other organisations to record and manage safeguarding issues such as bullying, drug and alcohol abuse, domestic, abuse and gender-based violence relating to children, young people and vulnerable adults.

One Team Logic was founded in 2014 and has since created almost 50 jobs in South Wales, as well as 14 others across Wales and England. Two of the founding directors, Martin Baker QPM and Darryl Morton, will be attending an official reception for award winners being held by HRH The Prince of Wales at Buckingham Palace later this month.

Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns said:

The Queen’s Awards highlight the best of innovative British business – recognising their entrepreneurial spirit and ambitions to succeed both at home and around the world.

One Team Logic should be proud of their achievements in providing a ground-breaking digital solution which meets the ever-changing nature of issues affecting our children and young people. I hope their story will inspire other Welsh businesses to strive for this prestigious award in the future.

The UK Government is doing all it can to nurture the ambitions and talent of businesses in Wales by creating the right conditions for economic growth and facilitating greater trade and investment opportunities between Wales, the United Kingdom and around the world.

Mike Glanville, Director of Safeguarding for One Team Logic said:

We are honoured that the work of our whole team has been recognised by Her Majesty the Queen through the conferring of The Queen’s Award for Enterprise. For the innovation that we have brought to safeguarding and child protection to be recognised in this very public way is both humbling and extremely gratifying.

Given the challenges facing schools and colleges we believe that the use of MyConcern is not only transforming the way safeguarding is being managed but is also helping to support school leaders and other members of staff in their vital role as safeguarding practitioners. As a Welsh safeguarding company, we are proud to work alongside so many schools and colleges across Wales supporting them in keeping children safe from harm.

We are delighted that the Secretary for State for Wales was able to visit our offices in Talbot Green in recognition of the Queen’s Award and to spend some time with our dedicated and talented work-force.

ENDS

References

• NSPCC -Child Protection in Wales Statistics

The UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) hosted an event last week in celebration of World Hydrography Day 2018, organised in partnership with the Museum of Somerset. The event was free to attend and was aimed at showing the local community the importance of hydrography and the vital role it plays in our lives.

The event offered a range of maritime-themed activities for both children and adults – from guessing marine mammal sounds to navigating around obstacles by calculating depths. Elsewhere on display was an augmented reality sandbox showing hydrography in action, with responsive contours projected onto the sand that moved in real-time as it was moved and sculpted by guests.

From the UKHO’s archive were a number of historical items on display and a film with old footage of chart printing. A re-enactment of an 18th century sailor firing a musket was also conducted in front of audiences, and members of the Royal Navy displayed two autonomous marine robotic systems.

Alia Weir, Head of Corporate Marketing Communications at the UKHO, commented:

“World Hydrography Day provides a valuable opportunity to show the importance of hydrography and why it is essential for almost all activity in the marine environment – from safe navigation to managing marine resources.

“We are proud to demonstrate to the local community some of the world-leading work we do here from the heart of Taunton, whether it’s the nautical charts that we have produced for over 200 years, or the cutting edge marine geospatial data that we handle today.”

First established in 2005 by the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO), ‘World Hydrography Day’ is celebrated annually to increase public awareness of hydrography and the work of hydrographers around the globe. The theme for 2018 is “Bathymetry – the foundation for sustainable seas, oceans and waterways”.

The UKHO will hold a national event in October, held in London. This evening reception will be attended by senior Government officials and key stakeholders in marine, science, academic and cultural industries.

The sell-out ticket-only event, which this year celebrates 100 years of the RAF, takes place at Cosford on the Staffordshire and Shropshire border, on Sunday (10 June 2018).

Around 60,000 people are expected to attend with 14,000 vehicles booked into the event car parks.

Highways England is advising motorists to leave plenty of extra time to travel as the local area is expected to start getting busy from as early as 7.30am with the peak period from 8am onwards and again from 4.30pm to 8.30pm.

Frank Bird, West Midlands emergency planning officer for Highways England, said:

We’re reminding road users to plan ahead and allow extra time for their journeys with roads leading to the event likely to be very busy, particularly the M54 westbound and the M6.

We’d also advise people to check our traffic and travel information channels before setting off.

Motorists travelling from Birmingham are advised to use the M54 to junction 3 and follow the signs.

Those travelling from Shrewsbury before 10.30am should use M54 junction 4 and follow signs, after which people should follow the event signing.

Highways England provides live traffic information via its website, local and national radio travel bulletins, electronic road signs and mobile platforms, such as Android and iPhone apps.

General enquiries

Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.

Media enquiries

Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.

The Lord Ferrers Awards recognise the commitment and dedication shown by special constables, police support volunteers, volunteer police cadets and volunteers within offices of police and crime commissioners.

There are individual and team awards across 10 categories. Last year, over 600 nominations were submitted and 42 outstanding candidates shortlisted.

Last year’s winners included:

• a puppy breeding scheme for police dogs in West Midlands, run by police support volunteers
• a special constable who set up a joint response unit in South Wales to co-ordinate police and ambulance response to incidents
• a group of volunteer police cadets from Kensington and Chelsea who organised a residential camp in the Isle of Wight for young people affected by the Grenfell Tower fire

Minister for Policing and the Fire Service Nick Hurd said:

The Lord Ferrers Awards is an important occasion where we can recognise the selfless commitment demonstrated by volunteers in policing.

British policing is the envy of the world, and volunteers play a crucial role in keeping it that way by strengthening links with communities.

I hope police officers and staff will put forward volunteers they work alongside, and that members of the public will take this opportunity to nominate volunteers in policing who have had an impact on their lives.

The awards were previously known as the Special Constable and Police Support Volunteer Awards. They were created in 1993 by former Home Office Minister Lord Ferrers and were renamed in his memory in 2013.

An awards ceremony for winners will take place in October 2018. Awards have previously been presented by Home Office ministers, chief constables and other senior policing figures.

Nominations open on Thursday 7 June and close at midnight on Sunday 22 July.

Nominations can be submitted via an online form.

• Department for International Trade (DIT) appoints Citigroup banking vice-chairman Mark Slaughter as Director General for Investment to lead drive attracting more investment into the UK
• the UK is the top destination for foreign investment in Europe, attracting companies such as Nestle and New Balance
• Mark Slaughter is the latest in a series of high-profile appointments from the private sector to the top team at DIT, including to senior HM Trade Commissioner roles leading trade and investment overseas

International Trade Secretary Dr Liam Fox MP, Minister for Investment Graham Stuart MP and DIT Permanent Secretary Antonia Romeo today (Thursday 7 June) appoint Mark Slaughter as Director General for Investment. Slaughter is currently Citigroup’s global corporate and investment banking vice-chairman, having built a career in banking focusing on international finance, trade and investment.

The UK is now the top destination for inward investment in Europe, with foreign investment creating and safeguarding 108,000 jobs last year alone. Some of the companies investing in the UK include Nestle, who have invested over £600 million in the UK since 2010, and New Balance, whose West Cumbria factory has created 270 skilled jobs.

Slaughter’s is the latest in a series of high-profile appointments at DIT and comes just weeks after former Barclays head of corporate banking John Mahon was appointed to lead the department’s exporting function.

After a long career at some of the world’s top financial institutions, working in the City, on Wall Street and in Hong Kong, the Harvard-educated lawyer will join the department next week. He will lead cross-government efforts to attract more investment into the UK as the country prepares to leave the European Union.

On the appointment, International Trade Secretary Dr Liam Fox MP said:

Last year was a record breaker for foreign direct investment – creating and safeguarding 108,000 jobs across the UK. As we increase trade and investment with partners outside of the European Union, someone of Mark’s calibre, with extensive experience in Asia and the US, will be an invaluable asset to my international economic department.

Mark Slaughter will be responsible for delivering the government’s foreign direct investment strategy, overseen by Minister for Investment Graham Stuart, who said:

DIT is building relationships with the world’s biggest investors, from sovereign wealth and pension funds, to global real estate developers. As Director General for Investment, Mark will ensure that this work is accelerated and our foreign direct investment offer strengthened, benefitting people in every part of the UK.

DIT Permanent Secretary Antonia Romeo, who is leading DIT’s capability building programme by recruiting international-calibre professionals, commented:

Following a global recruitment process, we appointed Mark as our first Director General for Investment from an incredibly strong field of candidates. Mark was chosen because of his wealth of experience and stellar links with the global investment community – this will be essential expertise as we continue to build on the UK’s strong foreign direct investment record.

Explaining why he decided to leave the private sector for public service, Mark Slaughter said:

I felt now was the time to take on a new challenge – a challenge that will have an impact on the UK and the global economy for decades to come. Attracting more foreign investment is fundamental to creating jobs and increasing prosperity across the whole of the UK

Background

The Department for International Trade (DIT) secures UK and global prosperity by promoting and financing international trade and investment, and championing free trade. We are an international economic department, responsible for:

• bringing together policy, promotion and financial expertise to break down barriers to trade and investment, and help businesses succeed
• delivering a new trade policy framework for the UK as we leave the EU
• promoting British trade and investment across the world
• building the global appetite for British goods and services

For further information

• contact the DIT Media and Digital Team on 020 7215 2000
• follow us: @tradegovuk or gov.uk/dit

A Downing Street Spokesperson said:

This afternoon the Prime Minister hosted Prime Minister Erna Solberg for talks at Downing Street.

The Prime Minister welcomed the strong and warm relationship between the UK and Norway. She noted the close partnership between the UK and Norway on defence issues and looked forward to the Joint Expeditionary Force reaching full capability at the end of this month.

The Prime Minister outlined the UK’s vision for an ambitious future partnership between the UK and the EU. She and Prime Minister Solberg agreed that we should seek a similar close partnership between the UK and EEA countries and underlined the importance of securing the rights of Norwegian citizens in the UK and UK citizens in Norway following the UK’s departure from the EU.

The leaders discussed their shared disappointment at the introduction of US tariffs on steel and aluminium and support for free and fair trade.

On security, they discussed a number of threats to the international rules-based system, including on nuclear non-proliferation and chemical weapons, and agreed on the importance of standing together in the face of these threats. The Prime Minister thanked Prime Minister Solberg for Norway’s support following the attack in Salisbury.

Finally, the Prime Ministers discussed work on oceans, including plastics and the sustainable use of marine resources. They looked forward to discussing this further in the context of the G7 meeting in Canada and to continuing close cooperation in this area.

A Downing Street spokesperson said:

The Prime Minister held a bilateral meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Downing Street earlier today.

They discussed Iran, where the Prime Minister reiterated our firm commitment to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA) as the best way of preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.

They agreed on the need to counter Iran’s destabilising activity in the region, including in Syria, and Iran’s proliferation of ballistic missiles.

On Syria, they agreed on the importance of seeing the conflict and deep humanitarian suffering brought to an end, and of preserving stability in other countries in the region.

The Prime Minister told Prime Minister Netanyahu that she was deeply concerned by recent rocket attacks from Gaza and, as a friend of Israel, reiterated the UK’s support for Israel’s right to self-defence. She said the Palestinians had a right to protest but it was important that these protests be peaceful.

She said there was, however, concern about the scale of casualties in Gaza in recent weeks, and around Israel’s use of live fire.

The Prime Minister noted the importance of seeing the situation in Gaza swiftly alleviated and parties moving back towards direct negotiations for a two-state solution.