The UK Government will today outline its commitment to protecting the future of Wales’ farming, fishing and environment industries at the first joint Brexit roundtable meeting with the Welsh Government in Cardiff (7 June).

Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns MP and the Welsh Government’s Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths AM will jointly host a meeting of fishermen, farmers and business in the capital as part of ongoing Government engagement on EU exit.

The 90-minute session in Cardiff will examine issues including how powers returning from the EU should be exercised in future; how such frameworks could best operate in practice and how stakeholders are preparing for Brexit to ensure our food, farming and fishing industries continue to thrive in Wales beyond EU Exit.

Speaking ahead of the meeting, Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns said:

Farming, fisheries and the environment industries are fundamental components of our rural economy and we want to engage with and listen to the industry’s experts as we continue on the journey of exiting the EU.

With negotiations well underway, this is a time when the nation needs to come together to secure the best deal for every part of the UK. Today’s important meeting is a steadfast sign that both the UK and Welsh Governments are wholly committed to backing these important sectors in Wales which contribute so much to the prosperity of our communities right across the country.

The Ministers will be joined at the meeting by Emily Miles, EU Exit Domestic and Constitutional Affairs Director at the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

The Secretary of State for Wales has also established an Expert Panel to work with him to deliver a smooth and orderly exit from the EU in Wales.

The meeting today builds on the constructive conversations they have already had with UK Government Ministers including the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster David Lidington, Environment Secretary Michael Gove, International Trade Secretary Liam Fox and Minister at the Department for Exiting the EU, Robin Walker.

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.

Today, Wednesday 6 June, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in London to discuss the UK Government’s commitment to the Iran nuclear deal and its concerns over the deteriorating situation in Gaza.

The Foreign Secretary condemned incitement and rocket fire against Israel. He reiterated the need for Israel to carry out a transparent, independent inquiry into the loss of more than 120 Palestinian lives during the recent Gaza protests, as well as over 10,000 injuries, with approximately 4,000 of these as a result of live gun fire.

He stressed the UK’s firm commitment to a two-state solution as the best way to bring about stability and peace in the region.

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said:

The UK, alongside France and Germany, firmly believes that the Iran nuclear deal is the best way to ensure a safe, secure future for the region.

We are committed to making sure Iran continues to abide by its obligations under the deal and are in full agreement with Israel that we must prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

We are also very concerned by the deaths of over 120 Palestinians in recent weeks and the deteriorating situation in Gaza. The people of Israel and Gaza have the right to live safely in peace, without constant fear for their security.

We continue to press both Israel and the Palestinian Authority on the need to refrain from actions which make peace more difficult. Settlement construction is a significant barrier to achieving this goal, as are terrorism, incitement to violence, and the refusal by some to acknowledge Israel’s right to exist.

The UK has an unwavering commitment to Israel’s security and stability and we look forward to continuing to work together to achieve our common goals.

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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.

The review will be led by Lord Holmes of Richmond MBE and is expected to report in, later in 2018.

The review will explore why the proportion of applicants for public appointments who declare a disability, is low compared to the UK population as a whole. It will also explore how the process could be improved, to encourage more applications from disabled people.

It is part of the Government’s Diversity Action Plan which also includes an ambition that by 2022, half of all public appointees should be female and 14% should be from ethnic minorities, bringing representation on public boards in line with the wider population of England and Wales.

Public appointments are high profile and influential positions on boards of public bodies which run, regulate and advise our public service. These can include Chairs and other senior non-executive positions and range from Court Visitors to Commissioners and Ombudsmen.

Minister for Implementation, Oliver Dowden said:

It is essential that public appointees are truly representative of the society they serve. Diverse public boards are more effective, benefiting from fresh perspectives, new ideas, vigorous challenge and broad experiences. It is both morally right to ensure greater participation from disabled people but I also believe it will lead to better decision-making.

I’m thrilled to announce that Lord Holmes will be leading the review. He combines expertise in accessibility, diversity and inclusion, as well as a wealth of personal experience on public boards.

The Lord Holmes of Richmond MBE said:

I’m delighted that the government is looking seriously at this issue. Public appointments play a fundamental role in shaping society as well as within the organisations themselves. I look forward to working with the government to better understand and improve the recruitment process so that we can address the reality that whilst talent is everywhere, opportunity is not.

Today’s announcement was made at the Public Chairs’ Forum Diversity, Inclusion and Equality for Boards event, where the Minister spoke to Chairs of Public Bodies about his ambition for diversity in public appointments. It follows a commitment made in the Government’s Diversity Action Plan, launched in December 2017, to commission a review into the barriers facing those with visible and non-visible disabilities when considering public appointments.