Thank you, Chair.

Chair, this Organization has been facing a number of difficult challenges for a number of years. The pandemic has hit us hard, as individuals, and as a group. The United Kingdom commends you and the Secretariat for the early steps you took to keep staff and delegates safe, and then to build platforms which have allowed our work to continue in an inclusive way, in virtual then in hybrid format. This has moved us a long way from the standstill we experienced in the spring.

The United Kingdom would like to reiterate the importance of forging ahead with ongoing work at the WTO, reinstating a fully functioning dispute resolution system, and aiming for ambitious outcomes in ongoing negotiations.

The fisheries subsidies negotiations, as well as the initiatives on e-commerce, domestic regulation on services, investment facilitation for development and MSMEs offer the WTO a dynamic, new and constructive framework for addressing the key trade issues of our time.

On fisheries subsidies, we welcome the draft consolidated text circulated by Ambassador Wills, the Chair of the Rules Negotiating Group, as an important step toward meeting our collective commitment to agree on disciplines to harmful fisheries subsidies this year.

The United Kingdom has long advocated for ambitious outcomes on e-commerce, and this remains a top priority for our industry stakeholders. The pandemic has shown how dependent the global economy is, and will continue to be, on digital trade. We are pleased, therefore, that the joint initiative on e-commerce has continued its work, in small groups and in plenary, to streamline text around specific issues. We commend the co-convenors and the facilitators for their efforts to maintain the pace of negotiations, and we urge all Members to work together to ensure as broad a participation as possible, so the outcomes benefit developed, developing and least-developed Members.

The United Kingdom is also committed to the success of the Joint Initiatives on Services Domestic Regulation and Investment Facilitation for Development. The goals of liberalising global services trade, and ensuring transparency and predictability for services suppliers and investors, have become all the more important in the context of the current crisis. We welcome the good progress made on outstanding issues in the domestic regulation reference paper in informal consultations and hybrid meetings, thanks to the dedicated efforts of members and of the Chair, and we are keen to continue working with others to reach a finalised text well before a rescheduled MC12. We are pleased to support language on non-discrimination between men and women, which will increase women’s ability to access the benefits of trade, and support a sustainable and equitable recovery from the current economic crisis.

Thank you, Chair.

The report, which is part of a programme of monitoring and evaluation for Agri-environment evidence, has highlighted that the funding has facilitated a more engaged, collaborative and environmentally aware farming community.

Chief Executive of Rural Payments Agency, Paul Caldwell, said:

These Facilitation Fund groups are a valuable aid in maximising the benefits of the Countryside Stewardship schemes, as well as providing a support base for group members looking to enter into new agreements to unlock the potential of their land.

A total of 98 groups have been supported by the Countryside Stewardship Facilitation Fund between 2015 and 2017, which build on the principles of partnership-working to deliver environmental benefits.

Although it is too early to comment on environmental outcomes, there are initial signs of positive results to come from the work of these groups thanks to trust and collaboration.

With the deadline to submit an application for a Countryside Stewardship mid-tier agreement fast approaching on 31 July, farmers now have just over a week to apply for an agreement starting next year.

Victoria Prentis, Defra Farming Minister, said:

By getting involved in Countryside Stewardship, participants will put themselves in good stead to springboard into the new Environmental Land Management scheme when it is rolled out in late 2024, which will introduce new ways of working together with farmers to deliver better environmental outcomes and create cleaner, greener landscapes.

Since 2015, £10.3 million of funding has been committed to 136 facilitation groups across England through four national rounds and one flood-focused round of the fund.

Tony Juniper, Chair of natural England said:

We already know that farmers and landowners can achieve much greater environmental outcomes by working together on a landscape scale.

This report has shown that by sharing knowledge and expertise, farmers and landowners benefit from the creation of a stronger community in their local area. At the same time, they also gain the vital skills that will be needed under future schemes that will reward farmers for the public goods they work hard to produce.

The national conversation around the future Environmental Land Management scheme is still open, with farmers warmly invited share their views on a policy discussion document.

PCCs are directly elected to be the voice of the people and deliver an effective and efficient police force in their area. They are responsible for the budget and performance of their force, including cutting crime.

The review delivers on the manifesto commitment to strengthen and expand the role of PCCs. The public wants to see a reduction in crime and PCCs are elected to deliver on the people’s priorities.

Measures to be considered in the review include:

• raising the profile of PCCs
• giving the public better access to information about the performance of their PCC
• sharing best practice so that PCCs are delivering consistently across the country
• reviewing the relationship between PCCs and Chief Constables

Eight years on from their introduction in 2012, it is right that we look at ways to ensure the public can better hold PCCs to account for bringing crime down and protecting citizens in their area.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said:

The British people want to know the police will uphold the law and then be held to account on that basis.

This review will help to improve accountability, scrutiny and transparency, ensuring Police and Crime Commissioners always put the law-abiding silent majority who voted for them at the centre of their decision-making.

Minister for Crime and Policing Kit Malthouse said:

We are committed to giving the police the powers and resources they need – it’s why we’re recruiting an additional 20,000 officers and are giving the biggest funding increase to policing in a decade.

This review will help PCCs to deliver effective police forces who can cut crime and protect their communities.

It will also ensure voters can hold PCCs accountable for performance – giving the public a stronger voice in matters of crime and justice.

The review will take place in two parts. The first stage, to be conducted over the summer, will look at raising standards and improving accountability, so that all members of the public are getting a good service from their PCCs.

It will also consider ways to strengthen the accountability of fire and rescue services in line with the Government’s long-term ambitions on fire governance reform.

The review’s second stage will take place following the PCC elections in May 2021 and will focus on longer-term reform. This will include looking at what extra powers PCCs need to better fight crime in their areas.

Longer-term plans, including increasing the number of mayors with responsibility for policing, will be detailed in the Local Recovery and Devolution White Paper, which we intend to publish in the autumn.

The review will not consider scrapping the PCC model nor will it review the 43 police force model.

The last PCC elections took place in May 2016. Every police force in England and Wales is represented by a PCC, except in Greater Manchester and London, where the Mayors and City of London Corporation are responsible for police and crime.

The Policing and Crime Act 2017 enabled PCCs to take on responsibility for governance of their local fire service. There are currently four Police, Fire and Crime Commissioners (PFCCs) in England and Wales.