Scottish Secretary David Mundell has confirmed today [28 June 2018] that his department, as well as the Office of the Advocate General, will be joining the new and innovative UK Government Hub in the New Waverley Development in Edinburgh.

The new Hub will bring together nearly 3,000 UK Government civil servants, from a range of departments, by 2020. It will improve the work of the UK Government in Scotland, enabling closer collaboration between departments, helping them deliver better services for people in Scotland. It is a key part of the UK Government’s commitment to building a strong Civil Service outside London.

Mr Mundell said:

The UK Government is delivering for Scotland. It is right that we have the right facilities to enable staff from across the whole of the UK Government to work together to deliver high quality services. The UK Government Hub demonstrates our commitment to supporting the Edinburgh economy – which we are also driving through the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal.

Across the UK it is estimated that the UK Government Hubs programme will save more than £2 billion of public money over twenty years, relocating civil servants from existing, often fragmented office locations, to modern, cross-departmental workplaces.

The Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland and the Office of the Advocate General, will be joined by other UK Government departments and bodies including HMRC, the Office for Statistics Regulation, the Information Commissioner’s Office, the Government Actuary’s Department and HM Treasury.

The Chief Secretary to the Treasury Liz Truss has heralded the East of England’s agricultural economy as figures show exports were worth more than £433 million in the first quarter of 2018 alone, up by around 5%.

Speaking during a visit to the Royal Norfolk Show today (Thursday 28 June), to meet businesses who are exporting their food and drink abroad, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Liz Truss, said:

British food and drink is desired around the world and the East of England is leading the way.

It’s important that businesses in this region have as much opportunity as possible to increase their trade and create jobs.

There are now 103,000 more businesses in the East of England since 2010, with the employment rate in the region at a record high of 78%.

Exports of food and animals to Asia, Africa and the rest of Europe from the East of England were worth £1.7 billion in 2017.

The East of England is known for its food specialities such as crabs from Cromer and turkey from Norfolk.

Today’s decision follows the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) initial Phase 1 investigation, which found that the deal could lead to higher prices and lower quality for businesses.

Rentokil, which trades as Initial for washroom services, and Cannon are 2 of the UK’s largest suppliers of washroom products and services. They install and maintain equipment such as air sanitisers, feminine hygiene units, nappy bins and soap dispensers in commercial, industrial and public buildings.

The firms did not offer measures to address the CMA’s concerns, and so it has referred the merger for a more in-depth, Phase 2 investigation.

A decision on the merger will now be made by a group of independent panel members supported by a case team of CMA staff. The deadline for the final report is 12 December 2018.

More information can be found on the Rentokil / Cannon case page.

International Trade Secretary Dr Liam Fox MP has named Natalie Black as Her Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for Asia Pacific. Ms Black joins the Department for International Trade (DIT) from 10 Downing Street, where she was Deputy Head of the Prime Minister’s Policy Unit.

International Trade Secretary Dr Liam Fox MP said:

Natalie’s experience from working at the heart of government will be a major asset as she takes on her role in this international economic department as HM Trade Commissioner for Asia Pacific. She’ll lead the government’s trade and investment promotion and policy work in a region rich with opportunity.

This appointment is a crucial step forward in building stronger trading links with exciting and diverse economies as we leave the European Union.

DIT Permanent Secretary Antonia Romeo added:

I’m delighted to welcome Natalie to DIT’s senior team. Her appointment follows a global competitive recruitment process to attract the best of Whitehall and private sector talent to HM Trade Commissioner roles.

Natalie’s experience at the heart of government working with businesses, particularly in fast growing sectors such as tech, will be a major asset for us in leading and coordinating the government’s trade and investment promotion and policy work in the important Asia Pacific region.

On her ambitions for UK trade in the region, HM Trade Commissioner for Asia Pacific Natalie Black said:

I am excited to be joining DIT in this new role as HM Trade Commissioner for Asia Pacific. Stretching from Japan to New Zealand, and covering the ASEAN economies, this is a vibrant, innovative region with immense opportunity for more collaboration and new partnerships. We have a fantastic opportunity to put the UK in prime position to benefit from the opening up of new markets, and to establish stronger trading links with trading partners such as Australia.

About Asia Pacific

The Asia Pacific region is home to the some of the world’s fast-emerging economies and established trading partners, such as Singapore, Australia and New Zealand, which have been a major focus of Dr Fox’s international economic department.

South East Asian countries – part of ASEAN – already account for more than £32 billion of trade with the UK, 2016 figures show. Total UK trade in goods and services with the Asia Pacific region in the same year was worth £88 billion.

Her Majesty’s Trade Commissioners

Black brings an excellent track-record of working with business and overseas partners, and was instrumental in developing the government’s Industrial Strategy and delivering the high-profile National Cyber Security Strategy.

The new role – one of 9 HM Trade Commissioners – will see her build on the progress already made through trade working groups with Australia, New Zealand and Japan, as the UK forges ahead with its post-Brexit trade plan.

Natalie joins:

• Emma Wade-Smith (Africa)
• Simon Penney (Middle East)
• Richard Burn (China)
• Jo Crellin (Latin America)
• Crispin Simon (South Asia)
• Judith Slater (Eastern Europe and Central Asia)
• Antony Phillipson (North America)

A Commissioner for Europe will be announced shortly, completing the appointment of DIT’s senior leadership team under the direction of Permanent Secretary Antonia Romeo.

• government acts to improve services for grieving families
• coroner services and information will be easier to access for all
• changes will make sure those grieving are at heart of the system

Senior Coroner Claire Bailey has already overseen significant improvements in Teesside, drastically reducing waiting times for families finding out the cause of death of a loved one. The average time taken to complete an inquest at Teesside has been cut from circa 50 weeks in 2013 to circa 11 weeks in 2017. The national average time to complete an inquest is 21 weeks.

The merger of Teesside and Hartlepool coroner services will build on this work, ensuring local families benefit from a more efficient inquest process and greater accessibility to services right across the region. Claire Bailey, who has also been the acting Senior Coroner for Hartlepool, will be permanently appointed the position for the combined area. No courts or inquest venues will close as a result of the merger.

Justice Minister Edward Argar said:

We are reforming the coroner system to ensure those who are grieving do not face the additional stress of poor service and lengthy inquest delays.

As a result of this merger, bereaved families across Teesside and Hartlepool will now benefit from a higher standard of service during their time of need.

I look forward to seeing Claire drive through these improvements, while ensuring the needs of grieving people are at the heart of the system.

The government is committed to raising the standards of coroner services across England and Wales. The Ministry of Justice has carried out a number of reforms to improve coroner services, including the creation of a new national code of practice, and the appointment of the first ever Chief Coroner of England and Wales to oversee the system.

Teesside has already taken steps to improve performance, including by introducing a new website to improve access to services. However, this amalgamation will ensure best practice is shared across the region.

Notes to editors

• The merger of the Teesside and Hartlepool coroner areas was first consulted on in 2015, following the retirement in April 2013 of the then Senior Coroner for Teesside, Michael Sheffield. Following the consultation, the MOJ, in agreement with the Chief Coroner, decided not to proceed until the selection of a Senior Coroner for the area had been agreed.
• All relevant local authorities agree with the proposal to appoint Clare Bailey as Senior Coroner for the combined area.
• A wide range of stakeholders have been consulted on this merger, including local MPs and councillors, coronial office holders including coroners in neighbouring coroner areas, coroner’s officers and administrative staff, police, hospital trusts, prisons, funeral directors and faith communities as well as the Chief Coroner.
• Hartlepool had the lowest number of deaths in England and Wales in 2017 (246 deaths, and 12 inquests opened). Average time taken to complete an inquest at Hartlepool was 15 weeks in 2017.
• The newly merged coroner area of Teesside and Hartlepool is due to come into force on 1 August.
• MOJ has carried out considerable reforms to improve coroner services across England and Wales and increase consistency of practice between coroner areas. These include:
  • creation of a new national code of practice – setting out what service and standards bereaved people can expect from coroners
  • creation of a Chief Coroner of England and Wales to oversee the coroner system
  • requiring inquests to be completed within 6 months of the date on which the coroner is made aware of the death, unless there are good reasons not to
  • requiring coroners to notify those who are bereaved within a week of setting the date for the inquest
  • requiring coroners to notify those who are bereaved of the date of the inquest within a week of setting the date
  • providing greater access to documents and evidence, such as post-mortem reports, before the inquest takes place, to enable bereaved families to prepare for the hearing
  • permitting less invasive post-mortem examinations
  • speeding up the release of bodies after post-mortem examination, and requiring coroners to notify the deceased’s next of kin or personal representative if the body cannot be released within 28 days.
• For more information contact the MOJ press office on 0203 334 2892.