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Lord Justice Fulford has today started a new role in overseeing the police, law enforcement and intelligence agencies’ use of investigatory powers.

This marks a major milestone in establishing the powerful oversight regime set out in the Investigatory Powers Act, which was given Royal Assent last year.

The role replaces the oversight roles previously undertaken by the Chief Surveillance, Interception of Communications, and Intelligence Services Commissioners, by establishing inspection and oversight functions in a single independent body.

The Home Secretary Amber Rudd said:

The Investigatory Powers Act offers a world-leading oversight regime to ensure the powers the security and intelligence agencies and law enforcement use to investigate crimes and protect the public are used responsibly and proportionately.

In commencing his oversight responsibility, Lord Justice Fulford is playing a vital role in providing the enhanced safeguards we set out in the act.

I would also like to thank the outgoing commissioners Lord Judge, Sir Stanley Burnton and Sir John Goldring for their hard work and dedication to their respective roles.

From today, the Investigatory Powers Commissioner’s Office (IPCO) takes over the inspection and oversight functions carried out by the previous commissioners’ offices, and takes on responsibility for the pre-approval of certain police activities authorised under the Police Act 1997.

The commissioner’s further powers including the judicial ‘double-lock’, which will require warrants issued by the Secretary of State to also be approved by a Judicial Commissioner will be introduced in due course.

Lord Judge, formerly the Chief Surveillance Commissioner, and Sir Stanley Burnton, formerly the Interception of Communications Commissioner, are standing down.

Sir John Goldring, formerly the Intelligence Services Commissioner, will take on a new role as Deputy Investigatory Powers Commissioner.

More information is available on the Investigatory Powers Commissioner’s website.

The Prime Minister has announced today in Tokyo that a UK Season of Culture will take place in Japan between 2019 and 2020, bringing together British and Japanese artists, technology experts, researchers and business, to spur on modernisation and inspire a new generation of innovators.

The season, run by the British Council, will provide UK artists and their Japanese partners with opportunities to share state-of-the-art digital technology, including virtual reality and robotics, and will showcase the best of UK and Japanese creativity in the run-up to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics.

In parallel with the UK Season of Culture, Japan will hold a series of cultural events in the UK.

The Prime Minister has also warmly welcomed the proposal by the Japan-Britain Society to plant cherry blossom trees in the UK as a symbol of the friendship between Japan and the UK. In 1912, the Japanese government gifted 3000 cherry blossoms to Washington DC, and the rash of pink blossoms along the Tidal Basin is now a significant feature of Washington’s springtime, and a permanent reminder of US ties with Japan. The aim is for the UK-Japan relationship to be similarly celebrated, and the UK and Japan will now work closely together to develop the proposal.

Tomorrow in Tokyo, as the Prime Minister concludes her visit to Japan, she will attend a reception at the British Ambassador’s Residence to celebrate the close connections between the UK and Japan in the fields of culture and the arts, sport and innovation.

The Prime Minister said:

Next year, we will celebrate 160 years of diplomatic relations between the UK and Japan. This important anniversary is a chance to forge new creative partnerships for the future.

And so I am delighted that 2018 will see the opening of a new Japan House in London, to promote Japanese culture in the UK even more widely, and that in 2019 as the Rugby World Cup begins, the British Council will begin a season promoting British culture here in Japan – bringing together artists, technologists, researchers and businesses.

Our two great countries have a natural cultural and artistic affinity, and I look forward to our partnership in these creative areas continuing to blossom.

44 additional Royal Engineers will deploy to Al Asad Airbase in August, increasing the UK footprint there to over 300 and bringing the total number of British troops in Iraq to over 600. The additional personnel will construct a camp of 80 housing units, a squadron headquarters and offices, freeing up coalition personnel to support counter-Daesh operations in the wider region.

Defence Secretary, Sir Michael Fallon, said:

We are stepping up our contribution to the fight against Daesh and fulfilling Britain’s role as a key player in the global coalition.

Daesh is being defeated. Iraqi forces, backed by coalition airstrikes, have now liberated 70% of the territory Daesh held and the victims of its barbarism are being helped by our humanitarian support. These extra troops will help support operations to bring the defeat of Daesh a step closer.

The troops from 5 Armoured Engineer Squadron, 22 Engineer Regiment in Tidworth, are held at readiness for just such a task. They will be deployed to Iraq for around six months and have been tasked with constructing infrastructure including accommodation and offices in the coalition camp.

The deployment will increase the number of UK personnel currently supporting the multinational effort against Daesh to over 600. They are primarily involved in training Iraqi security forces in battle winning infantry, counter-IED, engineering and combat medical skills, with over 58,000 Iraqis trained so far. In addition to personnel on the ground in Iraq, RAF aircraft have carried out around 1400 strikes against Daesh from their base in Akrotiri, Cyprus.