The agenda will include:

• using behavioural science to achieve compliance
• the Industrial Strategy and what it means for regulators
• supporting local priorities with a focus on tourism
• new opportunities for business support
• regional network showcase

The event will take place at Westminster Conference Centre, 1 Victoria Street, London SW1H 0ET, and will qualify for 5 hours CPD. It is likely to be fully subscribed, so book now to avoid disappointment.

It is suitable for all partners involved in BBfA, and a full agenda will be available closer to the day.

Book here to reserve your free place

Arts Minister Michael Ellis has placed a temporary export bar on An Academy by Lamplight by Joseph Wright to provide an opportunity to keep it in the country.

An Academy by Lamplight is one of the most ambitious and earliest paintings by Joseph Wright and is at risk of being exported from the UK unless a buyer can be found to match the asking price of £7,456,440.

Joseph Wright (1734 – 1797) was one of the most distinctive and gifted British painters of the eighteenth century. Nicknamed the ‘Painter of Light’ for the candle lit scenes he produced early in his career, Wright was a frequent contributor to the exhibitions of the Society of Artists, and to those of the Royal Academy. Wright’s works record the struggles of the development of science against traditional religious values during the age of enlightenment.

Wright’s works are most famous for his exceptional use of the chiaroscuro effect, which emphasises the contrast of light and dark. An Academy in Lamplight was probably completed in 1769 and is generally considered to be the the first of two versions of this subject. The other version of this work is now held at the Yale Centre for British Art in New Haven, USA.

Arts Minister Michael Ellis said:

Wright is one of the most preeminent painters of the Age of Enlightenment. His works help us to better understand the mix of religion and science in this period of huge industrial development. I hope that a buyer can be found to keep this extraordinary painting in the country so that it can be enjoyed by future generations.

The decision to defer the export licence follows a recommendation by the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art and Objects of Cultural Interest (RCEWA), administered by The Arts Council.

Art Historian and former RCEWA Member Philippa Glanville said:

Educating and enlightening young people was a constant theme in Wright’s paintings; in this vivid depiction of a drawing class, he has captured the varied responses of boys and youths to a female statue, typically bathed in light. Accurate observation and recording was an essential life skill, both for artisans and for privileged children, as these silk-clad youths appear to be. Wright, or his as yet unidentified patron, may have opted for this informal and youthful assemblage, in contrast to the newly formed Royal Academy, with its strict rules and age restrictions.

The RCEWA made its recommendation on the grounds of the paintings outstanding significance for the study of art education and its representation of the early history of the Society of Artists of Great Britain. The technical ability of the painter was also noted.

The decision on the export licence application for the painting will be deferred until 31 July 2018. This may be extended until 31 January 2019 if a serious intention to raise funds to purchase it is made at the recommended price of £7,456,440.

Offers from public bodies for less than the recommended price through the private treaty sale arrangements, where appropriate, may also be considered by Michael Ellis. Such purchases frequently offer substantial financial benefit to a public institution wishing to acquire the item.

Organisations or individuals interested in purchasing the painting should contact the RCEWA on 0845 300 6200.

An image of the painting can be downloaded via our flickr site.

ENDS

For media information contact:
Faye Jackson
Communications Officer
Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
Tel: 0207 211 6263
Email: faye.jackson@culture.gov.uk

Notes to editors

1. Details of the painting are as follows:
   Joseph Wright of Derby, A.R.A. (Derby, 1734-1797)
   An Academy by Lamplight
   oil on canvas, 127 x 101.5 cm
2. Provenance: Probably Sir Francis Crossley, 1st Bt of Halifax (1817–1872), Belle Vue, Halifax, West Yorkshire; probably by inheritance to his widow Martha Eliza Crossley (c. 1821–1891), who, following her husband’s death, moved the contents of Belle Vue to Somerleyton Hall, Lowestoft, Suffolk; by descent to her son, Sir Savile Crossley, 2nd Bt and 1st Lord Somerleyton (1857–1935), at Somerleyton Hall; thence by direct descent.
3. The Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art and Objects of Cultural Interest is an independent body, serviced by The Arts Council, which advises the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on whether a cultural object, intended for export, is of national importance under specified criteria.
4. The Arts Council champions, develops and invests in artistic and cultural experiences that enrich people’s lives. It supports a range of activities across the arts, museums and libraries – from theatre to digital art, reading to dance, music to literature, and crafts to collections. www.artscouncil.org.uk.

James Brokenshire has today been appointed as Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government.

James Brokenshire said:

I am honoured to have been asked by the Prime Minister to serve as Secretary of State for Housing Communities and Local Government. I am determined to get Britain building the homes our country needs so everyone can afford a place to call their own.

One of my top priorities is going to be ensuring everyone affected by the Grenfell Tower fire gets the support they need and we learn lessons from the tragedy so something like this can never happen again.

As the son of a former chief executive of a council local government is in the blood for me. So I look forward to working with councils across the country by supporting them to deliver quality public services and build strong integrated communities.

International Trade Secretary and President of the Board of Trade, Dr Liam Fox MP will today call on people across the country to be bold and optimistic in promoting the benefits of free trade.

In a lecture at the Speaker’s House today (Monday 30 April), he will say that people need to stand up and challenge the myths about free trade.

Making a specific address to colleagues at the event in Parliament, he will ask them to show leadership because they have a responsibility to future generations to make the case for a liberalised, global trading system.

The speech marks the beginning of a long-term drive that will speak to the British public, consumers, businesses and global investors over the coming months. This is a debate that Liam Fox wants to take place in households across the country.

He will say that for too long the argument has been focused on misleading claims about food standards. Instead he wants to shift the focus of the debate onto the opportunities the global market can bring: for example increased UK exports of pharmaceutical drugs to poverty ridden countries.

Dr Liam Fox MP, International Trade Secretary is expected to say:

It would be a major political mistake to assume that the case for free trade is so self-evident that it does not require champions today. We have seen the way in which trade agreements such as the EU’s proposed agreement with United States (TTIP) produced violent reactions, however carefully orchestrated, in traditionally free-trade countries such as Germany.

We need to distinguish between the violent anti-capitalists and the legitimate concerns of those worried about the effects that free trade and the development of new technologies may have on their own jobs and communities.

We need people – to confront the myths and wilful distortions perpetuated by the anti-trade lobby.

It is not only our democratic duty but our responsibility for the generations to come to build the case for free trade by making coherent arguments that are attractive across the political spectrum.

On increasing consumer choice, he is expected to say:

If we’re not willing to take head-on the deceptions of the anti-trade lobby then we will deny to future generations, including those in developing countries, the benefits of free trade that we ourselves have enjoyed with improved living standards, improved safety and reliability of goods and improve choice for consumers.

We can all see the benefits of greater choice, greater competition and lower prices in the vast array of goods in our shops and supermarkets where traditional seasonal provision has given way to year-round availability of an increasingly wide selection of produce – from quality Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand or coffee from South America. We are also seeing increasing demand for global goods with the growth of world food aisles and the popularity of superstores like Whole Foods and Aldi.

He is also expected to say:

…I believe that trade is one of the means by which we can spread prosperity. That prosperity underpins social cohesion and that in turn underpins political stability. That political stability in its turn provides the building blocks of our collective security. It is a continuum that cannot be broken in one part without affecting the rest.

This is why we must take head-on the destructive arguments of the anti-trade lobby whose narrative is that free trade is nothing more than a global corporate conspiracy, a front for their wider ideological anti-capitalist agenda.

They peddle the irresponsible myths that agreements such as the new EU trade agreement with Canada, CETA, will result in reduced protection for workers, a degradation of food and environmental standards and the forced privatisation of organisations like our NHS. Such false claims are as dangerous as they are pernicious.

Further information

• contact the DIT Media and Digital Team on 020 7008 3333 / 0207 215 2000 (out of hours)
• follow us: @tradegovuk, gov.uk/dit

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Karen Bradley MP today announced the appointment of Deirdre Blakely Toner as the new Chair of the Civil Service Commissioners for Northern Ireland.

The appointment will take effect on 1 June 2018.

Notes to Editors

The Civil Service Commissioners for Northern Ireland

The Civil Service Commissioners for Northern Ireland are independent of Government and the Northern Ireland Civil Service, and have a statutory responsibility to uphold selection on merit for appointments to the Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS). The Commissioners also hear appeals under the NICS Code of Ethics. Commissioners work in partnership with the NICS and other stakeholders to uphold the merit principle and promote public confidence in recruitment.

Biography of Appointee

Deirdre Blakely Toner is currently Chief Executive Officer of Samaritans Ireland and serves as an independent member on the Northern Ireland Policing Board.

Deirdre has over 30 years’ experience in governance, performance and risk management from working across the voluntary, community and public sectors in Northern Ireland and further afield. She is a graduate of Public Administration and Management, and Human Rights law with the University of Ulster and Transitional Justice Institute.

Terms of Appointment

Deidre Blakely Toner will take up appointment from 1 June 2018. Her appointment is for a five year term.

She will receive remuneration of £16,000 per annum for Chairing Civil Service Commissioner meetings and participating in Commissioner’s business as required by the Civil Service Commissioners (NI) Order.

This is a Crown Appointment.

Political Activity

All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity in defined categories within the last five years to be made public.

The appointee has declared no such political activity in the past five years.