This afternoon, the Prime Minister met Guy Verhofstadt MEP in Downing Street.
The Prime Minister gave an update on the negotiations, and on the commitment she gave on Friday to guarantee the rights of the three million EU citizens in the UK in the unlikely event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal. She thanked Guy Verhofstadt for his efforts to engage Member States on the rights of British nationals living in the EU.
They discussed the two key outstanding issues in the negotiations: the future economic partnership and the Northern Ireland backstop. The Prime Minister underlined the need to ensure frictionless trade between the EU and the UK as part of the future relationship in order to find a solution to the Northern Ireland border and maintain the constitutional integrity of the UK. They both agreed that the best solution to the Northern Ireland border would be found through the future relationship.
The Prime Minister confirmed that the government would also bring forward further proposals on the Northern Ireland backstop.
They agreed on the need to resolve these ongoing issues in a timely fashion so that the agreements could be discussed and ratified by UK and European Parliaments.
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is reminding customers that time is running out to register for Self Assessment.
Anyone submitting a Self Assessment return for the first time – including High Income Child Benefit Charge customers – will need to register for Self Assessment by 5 October so that they can complete their return by 31 January 2019.
HMRC also provides online webchats, live webinars, YouTube videos and social media support for customers which can be accessed at any time, and on any device, to help them fill in and file their returns.
People need to complete a tax return for 2017 to 2018 if they:
earned more than £2,500 from renting out property
or their partner received Child Benefit and either of them had an annual income of more than £50,000
received more than £2,500 in other untaxed income, for example from tips or commission
are self employed sole traders
are limited company directors
are shareholders
are employees claiming expenses in excess of £2,500
have an annual income over £100,000
Angela MacDonald, Director General of Customer Services, said:
January may seem a long time away, but if you’ve not done Self Assessment before and you’re now required to, you need to register.
We know that some customers don’t always realise they need to do Self Assessment, like those who earn more than £50,000 and receive Child Benefit, so please check if this applies to you. It’s really easy to do and doesn’t take long. If you’re not sure if you need to do Self Assessment or not, go to GOV.UK and all the information you need is there.
Notes for Editors
The deadline for 2017 to 2018 Self Assessment returns is 31 January 2019
Help is available from GOV.UK or from the Self Assessment helpline on 0300 200 3310
The penalties for late tax returns include: an initial £100 fixed penalty which applies even if there is no tax to pay or if the tax due is paid on time; after three months, additional daily penalties of £10 per day, up to a maximum of £900; after six months, a further penalty of 5% of the tax due or £300, whichever is greater; after 12 months, another 5% or £300 charge, whichever is greater
There are also additional penalties for paying late of 5% of the tax unpaid at 30 days, six months and 12 months
A waste management and recycling company was sentenced after an employee sustained serious injuries to his foot while adjusting a waste shredding machine.
Science Minister Sam Gyimah has visited Boston, Houston and Washington DC marking one year on from the signing of the landmark science and technology accord
following his return, he confirmed a new fact-finding mission to Texas for UK businesses and academics to open up opportunities to the UK Life Sciences sector
during the visit, the minister met with leading academic institutions, innovative businesses and tech disruptors to learn first-hand how the US supports innovation
Marking one year on from the UK signing a landmark Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement with the US, Science Minister Sam Gyimah has visited Boston, Houston and Washington DC to meet disruptive businesses, hear from innovators and announce a further research partnership in medical technology.
The minister confirmed a winter fact-finding mission with UK experts from the life sciences sector set to visit Texas to seek out opportunities for global innovation. Both the UK and Texas have a stellar reputation in the life sciences and the US state is home to America’s leading cancer hospital. During the November visit, businesses and academics will explore new access to US markets for more UK innovators.
A total of 17% of UK research and development investment is financed from abroad, and the modern Industrial Strategy commits to keeping the UK connected to other leading international sources of ideas and learn about advances being made around the world.
Science Minister Sam Gyimah said:
Science has no borders. By collaborating with our US colleagues, we are pooling our power to find the answers to the biggest science questions of today and making the most of the inventions of tomorrow.
Building on our reputation as a global force in science is at the heart of our modern Industrial Strategy and we will continue to learn with and from international innovators to push new boundaries.
The minister used the opportunity to learn how leading academic and business partnerships between the UK and the US are commercialising technology. One example being the partnership between the University of Cambridge and Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston, which is developing research programmes to generate new ideas and encourage entrepreneurship that improve productivity and competitiveness.
During the trip the minister met:
LearnLaunch and its member community to learn about the emerging Education Technology in Boston
aerospace start-ups in Houston and NASA’s senior leaders at the Johnson Space Centre and in DC to promote UK investment in aerospace and to highlight our ambitions for the UK space sector
the Challenger Education Centre about how we can work together to use space to inspire and challenge more young people to take up stem subjects
National Institutes for Standards and Technology (NIST) where he discussed the vital role that science and technological standards play in supporting US innovation
Our inspectors will be visiting construction sites across Great Britain to see if businesses have measures in place to protect their workers’ lungs from the likes of asbestos, silica and wood dust. We will specifically be looking for evidence of construction workers knowing the risk, planning their work and using the right controls.
We welcome the announcement about the coordination of efforts from international partners in enforcing sanctions on North Korea. The UK stands shoulder to shoulder with the United States as well as Australia, Canada, France, Japan, and New Zealand in our commitment to ensuring UN Security Council Resolutions are fully enforced.
Until we see North Korea take tangible steps towards complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearisation the UK will remain steadfast in our support of international efforts, particularly those focused on disrupting maritime sanctions evasion. It is incumbent on all UN member states to be vigilant and proactive in their enforcement of sanctions on North Korea.
Trade Policy Minister George Hollingbery is in Taipei for 21st meeting of annual trade talks
Recent meeting saw Taiwan allow its first imports of quality British pork
Minister Hollingbery agrees joint commitment to further fintech sectors
While in Taipei, the Minister will meet with President Tsai Ing-Wen, the Minister of Economic Affairs Shen Jong-Chin and the Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu to discuss UK-Taiwan trade relations and opportunities for growth, including financial services.
The annual UK-Taiwan trade talks, chaired by Minister Hollingbery and Taiwan’s Vice Minister of Economic Affairs, Wang Mei-Hua, will focus on building stronger trade and investment links and resolving market access issues, and celebrating the recent introduction of British pork products to the Taiwanese market.
The visit will be marked by further development of the already close co-operation between the UK and Taiwan finance sectors, as Minister Hollingbery witnesses the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the British Office in Taipei and the Taiwan Financial Services Roundtable committing to close co-operation and promotion of our fintech sectors.
The Minister will also meet UK businesses in Taiwan including the offshore wind, financial services and pharmaceutical sectors.
Trade Policy Minister, George Hollingbery, said:
“I am delighted to be in Taipei at the 21st annual trade talks with Taiwan, building ever closer links in the world’s fastest growing region. Our trade with Taiwan is worth £5.5 billion, supporting jobs and prosperity in both our economies, so it is vital that we ease barriers to trade wherever we can, even before we leave the EU.
“It is my pleasure to witness the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding committing to even closer co-operation in our finance sectors, building on an already productive trading relationship.”
Trade with Taiwan
UK-Taiwan bilateral trade rose to £5.5 billion in 2017, making Taiwan the UK’s 8th largest trading partner in the Asia Pacific region. The UK is the most popular destination for Taiwanese investors in Europe accounting for 21% of Taiwan’s Foreign Direct Investment in the region in 2017. Around 300 UK firms are present in Taiwan and there are over 180 Taiwanese firms in the UK.
The minister is joined by Her Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for Asia Pacific, Natalie Black, who leads DIT across the region to coordinate the UK government’s trade and investment promotion and policy works closely with the wider diplomatic network.
The UK’s Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer has urged farmers to remain vigilant for bluetongue virus after the disease was successfully picked up in two cattle imported from France through our routine post-import testing regime.
The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) and the Pirbright Institute identified the disease in the animals when they were brought to North Yorkshire in England from an assembly centre in Central France, where bluetongue continues to slowly spread.
Bluetongue does not affect people or food safety. The virus is transmitted by midge bites and affects cows, goats, sheep and other camelids such as llamas. It can reduce milk yield and cause infertility and in the most severe cases is fatal for infected animals. The midges are most active between May and October and not all susceptible animals show immediate signs of contracting the virus.
Action is being taken to ensure the risk of spread of the disease is reduced, with movement restrictions at the affected premises. The two cattle were isolated and have been humanely culled.
Strict rules on the movement of livestock from regions affected by bluetongue are already in place and farmers are reminded that animals imported from these regions must be accompanied by the relevant paperwork to clearly show they meet certain conditions designed to reduce disease risk, such as correct vaccination.
Following the successful interception of the infected animals, the UK remains officially bluetongue-free, the risk of the disease remains low and exports are not affected.
Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer for the UK, Graeme Cooke, said:
Bluetongue does not pose a threat to human health or food safety, but the disease impacts farming, causing reduced milk yield in cows and infertility in sheep.
This detection is an example of our robust disease surveillance procedures in action but must highlight to farmers the risks which come with bringing animals from disease-affected areas into their herds. Regulations and systems are in place for the benefit of our UK livestock industry.
It is also a clear reminder for farmers that the disease remains a threat, despite coming towards the end of the season when midges are active.
Farmers must remain vigilant and report any suspicions to APHA. Farmers should work with their importer to make sure effective vaccination needs are complied with, source animals responsibly and consider the health status of their own herd if they are not protected
Movement restrictions will remain in place on the premises for at least several weeks until testing rules out spread via local midges.
Farmers have the option to send animals without fully compliant paperwork back to France or to cull them as a measure to reduce the risk of disease spreading to susceptible UK livestock.
The UK Government has worked closely with a number of groups to raise awareness of the threat of bluetongue through the Joint campaign Against Bluetongue (JAB). The most recent case of the disease in the UK came in 2007. The UK has been officially free from the disease since July 2011.
35,000 drivers a day are benefiting from the major upgrade on the A21 linking Hastings and London, between Tonbridge and Pembury in Kent, which was officially opened on 21 September last year.
The upgrade to this busy section introduced a new dual carriageway to speed up journeys, improve safety, reduce congestion and boost the economy. Two new junctions were built, as well as better, safer, access to the A21 for the homes and businesses along it, with dedicated new facilities for pedestrians, cyclists and equestrians.
And residents are delighted with how much of a difference the new bypass has made. Melvyn, who has lived in the area for 34 years, said that the new bypass is his “favourite bit of road – it was terrible before but now it is absolutely brilliant!”.
Jade, who has lived in the area for four years, said:
It was dreadful before. But now, a journey that used to take me forty minutes now takes four.
And Siobhan who has lived locally all her life, said:
the road was awful before. It has massively improved the flow of the traffic and it has made my commute a lot nicer.
Local businessman Mark Chapman of Gillman Car Services, said:
From a business transport perspective it’s made life an awful lot better, it really has improved things… It’s easier, it’s quicker and frankly it’s prettier.
Local people have been making use of the shared use path which runs the full length of the scheme. This is also suitable for cyclists, horse riders and pedestrians. Working with Kent County Council, Highways England extended it to tie in with Tonbridge railway station at the north end of the scheme and Pembury hospital at the south, making it even more useful to residents, commuters and the local community.
The new A21 Tonbridge to Pembury bypass
New areas of woodland starting to develop
It’s not just the improvements to the A21 which have benefitted the communities and road users this past year. 18 hectares of new woodland have been created as part of the project – twice that needed for construction – with cutting edge translocation techniques, to preserve its ecological make up. New areas of heathland have been created and an ancient barn has been carefully taken down, restored and reconstructed at a heritage museum.
Putting the May Day Barn back at the heart of the community
One of the South East’s few surviving timber framed barns, built originally in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, has been restored as part of a multi-million conservation project thanks to funding from Highways England.
The buildings were in the path of the widening scheme of the Tonbridge to Pembury section of the A21 in Kent, so were painstakingly moved and rebuilt at the Weald and Downland Museum.
Simon Elliott, Highways England construction programme manager said:
I am delighted that these much-needed improvements to the A21 are delivering such a wide rage of benefits, significantly improving journeys on this busy road and making life easier for cyclists, pedestrians and horse riders while simultaneously respecting the environment and our cultural heritage. We will look to take the same approach with the other road upgrades we are delivering in Kent and across the country.
One of the timber framed barns, originally in the path of the new Tonbridge to Pembury bypass, which has been moved to the Weald and Downland Living museum
Work started on the Tonbridge to Pembury bypass in spring 2015. The new road opened in phases, starting with the new flyover at Longfield Road, which partially opened in July 2017. The road layout has also been improved for properties along the A21 with a new junction to provide safer access.
General enquiries
Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.
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Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.
