Each council will aim to meet three times a year, twice with the Prime Minister and once with a senior cabinet minister, to provide high-level advice and policy recommendations on the critical issues affecting business. The councils will also be a forum for government to share developing policy ideas and seek the views of members.

Co-chaired by two business leaders, each council will have around ten members representing core sectors of the UK economy, as well as a representative from the UK’s key business groups.

The Prime Minister, Theresa May, said:

The UK has always been one of the best places in the world to do business and is a leader in sectors from advanced manufacturing to the creative industries.

Brexit presents a huge opportunity to build a better, stronger economy for people all over the country.

So I’ve asked these new councils to advise us on the opportunities and challenges facing business as we shape the UK for the future.

The Prime Minister will welcome the co-chairs at Downing Street for the first time on Wednesday 7 November, where she will set out their objectives and they will discuss cross-cutting issues such as productivity and international investment. Going forward, the co-chairs will be responsible for preparing agendas, ensuring all members are briefed, and driving outcomes and progress on the key enabling opportunities for the businesses represented by their council:

• Jan du Plessis (Chairman, BT Group) and Carolyn McCall (CEO, ITV) will co-chair the Telecoms, Creative, Technology and Media Council. John Allan (President, CBI) and Stephen Martin (DG, IOD) will be the business group representatives
• Roger Carr (Chairman, BAE Systems) and Ian Davis (Chairman, Rolls Royce) will co-chair the Industrial, Infrastructure and Manufacturing Council. Stephen Phipson (CEO, EEF) will be the business group representative
• James Timpson (CEO, Timpson), Brent Hoberman (Co-Founder and Chairman, Founders Forum) and Emma Jones (Founder, Enterprise Nation) will co-chair the Small Business, Scale ups and Entrepreneurs Council. Mike Cherry (National Chairman, Federation of Small Business) will be the business group representative
• Paul Manduca (Chairman, Prudential) and Shriti Vadera (Chairman, Santander UK) will co-chair the Services – Financial, Professional and Education Services Council. Carolyn Fairbairn, (DG, CBI) will be the business group representative
• Dave Lewis (CEO, Tesco) and Emma Walmsley (CEO, GSK) will co-chair the Consumer, Retail and Life Sciences Council. Adam Marshall (DG, British Chambers of Commerce) will be the business group representative

Emma Jones, Founder, Enterprise Nation said:

The overwhelming majority of businesses in the UK are small and they are the heart of our economy – so I’m pleased that their voice is formally being recognised in these councils. I’m looking forward to representing these entrepreneurs and innovators and discussing their unique perspective with the Prime Minister.

Carolyn McCall, CEO, ITV said:

Our creative industries are a £92bn sector, growing at twice the rate of the economy and setting trends around the world. The UK exported nearly £1bn of TV programmes and formats alone in 2016/17 and film and high-end TV by themselves attracted over £2bn of inward investment to the UK in 2017, creating jobs, boosting tourism and attracting global talent to the UK. I’m delighted to co-lead with Jan Du Plessis, Chairman of BT, the Telecoms, Creatives Industries, Technology and Media council to continue to nurture this for the future.

Sir Roger Carr, Chairman, BAE Systems said:

Companies in the Industrial, Manufacturing and Infrastructure sectors are the backbone of the economy and amongst our largest employers. We are a vital part of the wealth creating machinery of the country where improved training, productivity and exporting will be the cornerstones of our global success. Engaging with the Prime Minister to tackle these issues in a focused and practical manner is a welcome and important step forward in achieving our collective growth ambitions.

The launch of five business councils is a new initiative and forms part of a comprehensive, sector-focused approach, enabling the Prime Minister and government to engage directly with more businesses in the different sectors of our economy.

The role of each business council will be to provide the Prime Minister and her ministerial team with regular, high-level advice and policy recommendations on critical issues affecting business that will enable companies to invest, grow and succeed in the UK once it leaves the European Union. The councils are to be formed as follows:

Services – Financial, Professional and Education Services:

• financial services
• professional and business services
• education and research

Industrial, Infrastructure and Manufacturing:

• materials
• aerospace
• defence
• advanced manufacturing
• automotive, aviation, ports and rail
• infrastructure, construction and housing
• energy
• environmental services

Consumer, Retail and Life Sciences:

• life sciences
• agriculture, food and drink
• consumer goods and retail
• tourism

Telecoms, Creative Industries, Technology and Media:

• digital and telecoms
• media and broadcasting
• creative industries

Small Business, Scale ups and Entrepreneurs

The business councils will be advisory, will hold no decision making powers and will report to the Prime Minister.

Thank you Mr President. And thank you very much to ASG Zuev, to these commissioners present here today, and to Ms Reitano for your briefings.

I would like to begin by asking all the Blue Berets to pass on to their colleagues the UK’s thanks and admiration for their service and bravery. Their work and sacrifice in fragile and post-conflict states is a vital part of peacekeeping operations. In countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan and Haiti, the men and women of UN policing put their lives on the line to protect the most vulnerable as their communities emerge from conflicts. Their presence allows people to rebuild their lives, their communities and their livelihoods. They also help to embed longer-term stability by promoting the rule of law, human rights and by helping build capable and accountable national security institutions. In light of the important role played by UN policing in peacekeeping and maintenance of international peace and security, it is vital that the Security Council has the opportunity to hear first-hand from police commissioners about what the Council can do to support them and their officers.

Mr President, if UN policing is to remain effective, then we – whether Council members, police-contributing countries, or police commanders – need to listen to the experiences of police on the ground and consider how reform can make a practical difference. That is why the UK was a strong supporter of Resolution 2382 and the 2016 External Review. We look forward to the full implementation of the resolution and those recommendations of the external review that remain outstanding. We believe that the forthcoming report on policing by the Secretary-General will provide an opportunity to take stock of the various strands of reform and set out a clear plan for the future.

There are two particular areas I would like to highlight. Firstly, the United Kingdom would like to underline the full integration of policing advice into mission planning processes, ensuring that policing expertise is included in decision-making through the life of the mission. This needs to be underpinned by a strong analytical capability that can undertake the continuous assessment necessary to ensure that policing activity remains appropriate to the needs on the ground.

Secondly, it is vital that UN missions continue to support the development of law enforcement in host states and to do this based on assessment of the host state needs and capacity. The United Kingdom believes that to maximise impact, UN police need to be in a position to deploy sufficient numbers of specialists in those specific disciplines which are relevant to a particular mission. The United Kingdom would like to encourage the police division to improve efficiency in recruitment and subsequent deployment into police components so that the relevant expertise is available when needed most.

Mr President, UN police are present throughout the continuum of conflict. The Blue Berets are usually the first and the last members of the United Nations family that a local population meet during any intervention or response to a crisis. So to succeed in their mission across the duration of their deployment, officers need to establish a relationship with the population and this must be one that is founded on trust. That trust is more readily formed if UN police officers reflect the diversity of the world that they are sent to protect.

Allow me therefore to close by expressing my support for the police-contributing countries that are addressing the obstacles preventing more women from entering the UN police. I also wish to encourage even greater efforts within UN police components to consult with communities including women and ensure that their views and needs are fully part of their day to day work and are reflected in their reporting to the Council.

Thank you.

Thank you very much indeed Mr President and thank you to the High Representative for your briefing today and for the work of your office to maintain peace and stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Bosnia and Herzegovina has long been a very important issue for this Council. Almost a totemic issue, if one goes back to the start of the conflict in the early 1990s. For the United Kingdom’s part, we remain committed to the continuing role the High Representative and your office. The OHR as it’s known remains the final authority regarding the civilian implementation of the peace agreement, and this includes our support for the use of the Bonn Powers if the situation requires.

We welcome the unanimous adoption of the resolution today, which authorizes EUFOR Althea or a further 12 months. This resolution demonstrates the United Kingdom and the international community’s commitment to security in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The OHR, Mr President, and also EUFOR Althea, are crucial vehicles to allow the international community to support the maintenance of Bosnia and Herzegovina‘s security, stability and territorial integrity, which are vital to the country’s future as a modern, democratic European state.

As I said Mr President, there was once a time when this Council dealt with Bosnia every day of its existence. I have had the privilege of working on and off on the Balkans file for over 20 years. I feel some depression at what the High Representative tells us about how some issues are still not resolved and how they repeat themselves. But I also want to point out that the hard-won peace and stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina is fragile and it shouldn’t be taken for granted. While the current situation remains calm, threats to security remain alongside new challenges, such as an increase in migration, as the High Representative mentioned.

It’s a very important issue for the EU and for Europe. It’s our regional crisis, if you like; it’s something in which the EU has invested a huge amount of time and effort, money and coaching and patience, and we will hear later from the EU ambassador who will be able to set this out more clearly. But I just wanted, Mr President if I may, to address briefly what the Russian ambassador said, speaking before the vote. Russia is a member of the contact group and a member of the steering group for Bosnia and Herzegovina. We would much rather see Russia trying to do everything it can to consolidate Bosnia and Herzegovina as a state to help modernize and to help it make progress towards those Euro-Atlantic institutions that have been, since Dayton, the foundation of its existence as a modern state in its region, Europe. And I think that would be the best service that we could all do Bosnia.

I’d like to turn to the elections. The UK welcomes the calm and orderly conduct during these elections which were genuinely competitive, but we continue to be concerned by the level of ethnic division in politics and by report irregularities and the inability to resolve key issues of election reform prior to the elections was disappointing and it’s an ongoing concern. And the divisive and nationalist political rhetoric that was especially loud out in the run-up to the elections is dangerous and it creates an environment where real long-term security and stability will be difficult to achieve. It’s also backwards-looking, Mr President; what Bosnia needs most of all is to move forwards. Other countries in the Balkans regions are moving forward. They’re making progress on their EU accession arrangements. Where they wish to, they are making progress on getting closer to NATO. This is benefiting regional security and stability and once again Bosnia and Herzegovina risk being left behind from this regional modernization and progress. In particular, those in positions of responsibility should act in the interests of all citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina rather than spread divisive sentiment. I want to echo what the High Representative said about waiting until these leaders have taken office before we properly hold them to account, but I also want to set out that we will hold them to account. Political leaders need to show leadership. They need to sow tolerance. They need to help modernize their country. As a crucial time post-elections, political leaders must work together in a cooperative manner to form governments quickly so progress can be made on key reforms and on Euro-Atlantic integration and the 5+2 agenda. These reforms are important because they will bring improvements to the day-to-day lives of Bosnian citizens – all of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s citizens. They are also important, Mr President, because they help embed national and regional security and stability, an issue that as I said at the beginning has long occupied this Council.

Those in positions of responsibility should act in the interests of all citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina and it is especially concerning this rhetoric and a reluctance to compromise is indicative of the wider political environment. We will be watching these developments closely.

It’s also important that political leaders in Bosnia and Herzegovina urgently address all judgements around elections to ensure all citizens have the ability to participate fully in the democratic process as they all deserve. And it’s regrettable that many of these issues have remained unresolved over several election cycles – a significant amount of time. Any resolution to these issues needs to meet international standards and uphold the principle of equality for all citizens, and this includes the ability to elect officials and to be elected.

Conversely Mr President, we welcome the progress made by Bosnia and Herzegovina on certain aspects of reform. For example the adoption of agricultural and energy strategies and the eventual adoption of the criminal procedure code. Although the delay in doing so was regrettable, we also welcome the continued cooperation on women, peace and security, and encourage this to continue.

Finally Mr President I want to echo what the High Representative said about reconciliation. Srebrenica remains the worst massacre in Europe since the Second World War. Nine thousand Muslim men and boys were taken from their homes and they were murdered. It is absolutely vital Mr President that reconciliation efforts are made in genuine earnest and that they are accelerated.

Thank you very much.