Thank you. It’s great to be here. Really good to hear from some of the generous host countries, Kenya and Cameroon, and I think Pakistan later on. And of course, from Vodafone. We really need more public-private sector involvement as part of the solution.

And, of course, I’d also like to thank the younger refugees we’ve heard from today amidst this unprecedented global crisis. Bahati and Mohamed inspire us and they make me optimistic that our shared future is in good hands. And it’s really vital that all of our responses are guided by their experiences and their needs.

And as we’ve heard today, the plight of refugees is exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. And refugees, as we know, are among the most vulnerable, often at higher risk of poverty and malnutrition and lack access to proper healthcare or shelter, with women and girls being disproportionately affected.

For now, the international community is rightly focussed on the impacts of COVID-19, which has affected us here in the UK and all around the world. But even before the pandemic, we were already in the midst of a global learning crisis, with refugees and displaced children making up the largest group of those out of school. And at the peak of global school closures, COVID-19 has kept 1.5 billion children and young people out of school. And as the UNHCR Special Envoy highlighted, half of all secondary age girls will not return when classrooms open. And so if we are truly to build back better, which we all want to do, education must be prioritised in the global recovery from the coronavirus.

It’s really clear from our discussions today that this epidemic is not just a health crisis, it’s an education crisis, especially for refugee children, which is why it’s essential to ensure that education systems not only recover but recover better, providing all children with the skills to survive and to thrive. And without an education, these children will be unable to rebuild their lives and achieve their full potential.

We are therefore grateful for UNESCO convening the Global Education Coalition, which has brought together multilateral partners, private sector organisations and NGOs in response to the crisis. And the UK is proud of our support to UNESCO’s Institute for Statistics, which is leading the push on education data, which is vital to ensure that the responses reach those most in need.

In the last four months, the UK has adapted and reprioritised our education programs in 18 countries we work to support education systems and help keep people safe during the pandemic. And we fully recognise the importance of including refugees in national responses in line with the Global Compact on Refugees.

And of course, we must not forget the role of teachers like Mohamed in refugee education. Refugee children and their communities rely on teachers to provide education. But in this pandemic, they’re relied on for so much more, including psychosocial support and vital health information. So I’m really delighted to announce today $6.7 million of new UK funding to UNHCR, which will enable more than 5,000 teachers to provide that vital education for children in 10 refugee hosting countries over the crucial next seven months. And this funding will ensure children can continue to benefit from education during school closures and will mean teachers can provide vital outreach to get children back to school once they reopen.

We know that supporting every child’s right to 12 years of quality education is one of the best investments we can make to end the cycle of displacement, poverty and conflict as we recover from coronavirus. This is a major development priority for us here in the UK, but it will require a global effort. The UK will be backing UNICEF’s Open Up Better campaign and many other efforts to get children back to school when it’s safe to do so. And we must place the needs of refugees and the most vulnerable children at the heart of that process.

So thank you, and I look forward to our continued work together to ensure that our efforts help those that need it most.

Friends and colleagues, the world remains in the grip of this pandemic, but it is time to look for the green shoots.

We are rightly focused on caring and curing. But in our response, we also need to consider climate. Our collective recovery needs strong roots in a greener and more resilient global economy.

The challenges, as you know, are enormous. You will also know how those challenges are multiplied for the most vulnerable communities, suffering the double burden of COVID-19 and the impacts of climate change.

So as countries recover from the pandemic this is also an opportunity; an opportunity to build back better and lay the foundations for sustainable and inclusive growth.

Collective international action is crucial. The UK will lead work on ‘recovering better for sustainability’ at the request of the UN Secretary General. With our partners Rwanda, Fiji and the EU, we will seek to boost cooperation on a recovery that aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals and Paris.

As we prepare to host COP26 in Glasgow next year, we want all countries to submit more ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions, making the transformation to modern, clean economies.

We want all countries committed to net zero, as we have here in the UK.

Ahead of COP26, we want all countries to help speed up progress, in five key areas:

In clean energy, we need to move away from our polluted past, to embrace low-cost, zero-emissions technologies. Boosting that investment could increase global jobs in the sector fourfold by 2050.

In resilience, we need to help communities adapt to the worst effects of climate change, through resilient infrastructure and agriculture. Adaptation investments can consistently deliver high returns, with benefits between 2 and 10 times the cost. In nature, we need to safeguard ecosystems and protect natural habitats. We can scale up nature-based solutions and green our supply chains.

In transport, we need to bring forward the date when zero-emissions vehicles will be not only cleaner than petrol and diesel but also cheaper. And in finance, we need to unleash the capital that will pay for these actions.

Specifically, – We need developed countries to fulfil their commitment to $100 billion in annual climate finance from 2020. The UK has committed to double our International Climate Finance to over £11 billion between 2021 and 2025.

• We should increase the availability of finance for adaptation and resilience. At the same time, we need action to improve the effectiveness of these investments.

• More finance needs to flow into low-carbon investments.

• We need to build new public-private partnerships. We need a pipeline of projects and market structures to increase sustainable private finance to developing countries.

• And we need better reporting of climate risk, with the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures becoming the standard. Using public finance effectively is key, finding new ways to mobilise and channel capital to the countries, sectors and projects that need it.

Our shared efforts through the Green Climate Fund, alongside other partners here today, can play a key role.

The Fund is already helping much-needed projects in over one hundred countries.

Last year the Fund raised nearly $10 billion in its first replenishment, so it is well-resourced to do more.

The UK’s pledge of over £1.4bn – making us the largest contributor to the Fund – shows the value and importance we place on multilaterism and working together through our shared, global institutions. This is even more important as we face the twin global challenges of Covid and climate change.

These are extraordinary times.

We now need our resources to go even further than before. Working together, we need to mobilise more investment from the Multilateral Development Banks and from the private sector in support of our shared goals. We need this to achieve a green recovery and deliver on the commitments made in Paris.

The UK is ready to be bold and ambitious in partnership with all of you ahead of what we hope will be a pivotal COP26 in Glasgow.

• The statistics on the 5th week of NHS Test and Trace have been published today, demonstrating that anyone getting a test at a regional test site or mobile testing unit can expect their result by the next day
• 91% of in-person tests taken at regional test sites and mobile testing units were returned in less than 24 hours over the week of 25 June to 1 July, with 97.5% returned the day after the test was taken
• A new pilot to evaluate the effectiveness of asymptomatic testing for people in high-contact professions has launched today in England

The 5th set of data demonstrates a huge improvement in turnaround times of test results. Anyone getting a test at a regional test site or mobile testing unit can expect their results by the next day at the latest, with 91% of tests returned in less than 24 hours, and 97.5% of tests returned the day after the test was taken over the week of 25 June to 1 July. At the end of May, 16.6% of tests at regional test sites and 2.5% of tests at mobile testing units were returned in under 24 hours.

More than 144,000 people who may have been at risk of unknowingly spreading the virus have been reached by the service and asked to self-isolate.

The success of test turnaround times comes as work continues to improve our understanding of the prevalence of the virus within different groups. A new pilot to evaluate the effectiveness of testing for people without symptoms of the virus who work in high-contact professions will begin today. This will include a select group of staff such as taxi drivers, cleaners and retail assistants, to see if there is demand for testing amongst these kinds of workers, and how they are affected by the virus.

This targeted, asymptomatic swab testing will take place as part of a close partnership with government, local authorities and a number of employers, with tens of thousands of tests offered to selected groups.

Partners involved in the trial include Addison Lee, BT, Mitie and Boots UK, as well as testing of groups identified by local authorities in Bradford, Newham, Brent and Oldham as being more vulnerable to the virus. Each business will receive thousands of tests for staff via home test delivery or a mobile testing unit, while local authorities will use capacity by booking in specific times for asymptomatic testing at their walk-through local test sites.

Those who test positive through targeted asymptomatic testing will need to self-isolate as normal and follow national guidance. Positive results will be shared with NHS Test and Trace, in order to identify recent contacts, advise them to self-isolate and prevent further transmission of the virus.

Executive Chair of NHS Test and Trace, Dido Harding, said:

We are committed to continually improving NHS Test and Trace, to reach more people at risk of passing the virus on as quickly as possible. This week we have seen test turnaround times improve further, with the majority of positive cases reached by contact tracers in under 24 hours. Anyone with symptoms can easily book a test, expect rapid results, and will hear promptly from NHS Test and Trace if they are tested positive.

I continue to applaud all those who have played their part, got a test after experiencing symptoms, and responded to the service. I urge anyone contacted by NHS Test and Trace to follow the advice they receive to protect their families and communities.

Overall the data from the 5th week of operation (25 June to 1 July) of NHS Test and Trace shows that:

• 77.4% (3,366) of the people who had tested positive for coronavirus and were transferred to NHS Test and Trace were reached by our contact tracers and asked to share details of their close contacts. This compares to 77.9% in the previous week
• 70.8% (10,547) of close contacts were reached and advised to self-isolate. This compares to 74.2% in the previous week

In total, since 28 May 2020:

• 30,797 people have tested positive for coronavirus in England during this period, with 31,421 transferred for contact tracing to include those that tested positive before contact tracing began
• 75.7% (23,769) of the people who tested positive for coronavirus and were transferred to NHS Test and Trace were reached by our contact tracers and asked to share details of their close contacts
• 85.1% (144,501) of close contacts were reached and advised to self-isolate

In the new network of diagnostic testing infrastructure between 25 June and 1 July:

• 98.1% of tests results from the 70 regional test sites were returned the day after the test was taken, with 91.8% in under 24 hours
• 96.7% of test results from the 182 mobile testing units were returned the day after the test was taken, with 89.6% in under 24 hours
• 83.9% of satellite test results were returned the day after the test was taken, with 65.2% in under 24 hours
• home tests take time to be posted to a person and be couriered back to the lab. Because of this a low proportion of test results will be available within 24 hours of the test being taken. 68.9% of home test results were received within 48 hours of the test being taken

This week’s statistics have also informed understanding of how the virus is potentially being transmitted across England, as despite an increase in tests processed, fewer people have tested positive, and there have been fewer outbreaks or complex cases. Overall, this has meant that fewer people have had to be escalated through the 3-tiered contact-tracing system. But contact tracers dealing with non-complex cases have found that as social distancing has been eased, people who test positive are then identifying a higher number of close contacts.

Further improvements to the NHS Test and Trace service have been effective, demonstrated by consistent reductions in the time it takes for test results to be delivered. Test turnaround times have been increased for home testing kits, satellite test delivery, regional testing sites and mobile testing units. The majority of people testing positive transferred into the contact-tracing system have been contacted within 24 hours.

These extensive efforts to stop the spread of coronavirus will continue over the coming months, to further improve the service and the speed at which positive cases and contacts are informed.

NHS Test and Trace is working closely with local authorities across the country to help them respond to cases in their area, sharing postcode-level data from the service to inform action to stop the spread of the virus in local communities.

The data published includes test turnaround times, as well as further information on positive test results, those who have shared contacts, and the contacts reached and asked to self-isolate.

The trial of asymptomatic testing for high-contact professions and high-risk groups will begin from 10 July, in partnership with 4 local authorities in Bradford, Brent, Newham and Oldham, as well as businesses representing high-contact professions (Addison Lee, Boots UK, Mitie and BT. Co-op Funeralcare added on 13 July 2020).

The approach to the publication of NHS Test and Trace data is supported by the Office for National Statistics and UK Statistics Authority who are working closely with NHS Test and Trace on the development of this weekly release and the wider granular approach to data in the programme.

This is the 5th set of data on NHS Test and Trace to be published. Over the coming weeks, this data will be integrated with those from other parts of NHS Test and Trace to provide an end-to-end view of the service that follows the journey taken by people accessing NHS Test and Trace. This includes both the numbers of people engaged and the speed of the journey through the service, including data on test turnaround times.

Please note that previous figures released on NHS Test and Trace have been revised. The figures presented are based on a data cut a number of days after the end of the reporting period, to give time for cases reported at the end of the 7-day period to have an outcome. Some cases may continue to be in progress after this period, and therefore data may need to be revised over time.

We are working towards aligning the NHS and Public Health England reporting methodologies in order to add testing turnaround times for pillar 1 into the publication. Pillar 1 methodologies differ from pillar 2 methodology as the majority of tests are provided to hospital patients. Pillar 1 is calculated as the number of test results available within and after 24 hours of the test being received by the laboratory. The NHS website publishes data on turnaround times for NHS labs.

With your permission, Mr Speaker, I would like to make a statement on our preparations for the end of the transition period.

On 31 January this year, Mr Speaker, the United Kingdom left the European Union.

And last month we confirmed to our European Union partners there would be no extension of the transition period beyond 31 December. My counterpart as co-chair of the Joint Committee confirmed that this marked a ‘definite conclusion’ to the matter and the deadline for extension has now passed.

As a consequence, from 1 January 2021 we will embark on the next chapter in our history as a fully independent United Kingdom.

With control of our economy, we can continue to put in place the right measures for Covid recovery.

With control over the money that we send to Brussels, we can spend it on our priorities; investing in the NHS, spreading opportunity more equally across the UK and strengthening our Union.

And we are also able to build a trading relationship with our neighbours in Europe that serves all our interests while also developing new economic partnerships across the world, including opportunities for new and better trade deals with the US, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, and many other nations.

The deal the Prime Minister struck last year, which the country backed in the general election, means that we can look forward with confidence to the end of the transition period on December 31.

But of course there is still work to do to prepare.

Regardless of the outcome of negotiations with the EU over our future relationship, whether or not we have a Canada-style deal or an Australian model, we will be leaving the Single Market and the Customs Union.

This will herald changes, and significant opportunities, for which we all need to prepare – government, business and individual citizens.

So Mr Speaker, I am announcing today two significant new initiatives that will bring financial support, further clarity and also reassurance for business and citizens.

We are launching a major new public information campaign to make sure that everyone has the facts they need about the actions we all need to take in order to be ready.

And we are also releasing, for the first time, an operating model for the border that will benefit importers and exporters, and provide information to hauliers, shippers, freight companies and our customs intermediaries. This comprehensive guidance covers every process and system used across all government departments and has been developed after extensive consultation with industry partners, operators and of course the Devolved Administrations.

Together with the additional £705 million package of funding for border infrastructure, extra jobs and better technology, this will help ensure our new borders will be ready when the UK takes back control on January 1. It will assist the smooth movement of goods, and it will also help us to lay the foundations for the world’s most effective border by 2025, making our country more secure and our citizens safer.

Turning to the detail of these initiatives, Mr Speaker, the public information campaign, ‘The UK’s new start: let’s get going’, will run in the four home nations and internationally, encouraging us all to play our part in preparing for change.

The campaign will be supplemented by the deployment of experts in the field giving one-to-one support to business and their supply chains, to ensure they have made arrangements that will help keep their operations running efficiently.

From January 2021 – in order to fulfill the import process – traders will need to have:

• A GB Economic Operator Registration and Identification – or EORI number before moving their goods.

• They’ll also need to have the commodity Code of their goods – which will be needed to make a customs declaration and of course to calculate duties on an import.

• They’ll need to know the customs value of their goods – the rules for which are based on the WTO valuation agreement.

• And they will also need to have considered whether they are able to, and would benefit from, using any of the available simplifications or facilitations, including deferring customs declarations for standard goods.

Traders who choose not to defer their customs declarations will also need to ensure they have considered how they will make those declarations to HMRC systems, and of course whether or not they will use an intermediary.

And from January 2021, traders who are exporting goods to the EU will need to make export declarations and ensure they have the right certificates and licences required for entry.

While there is still work to do, substantial progress has been made to ensure that we all fulfil our promise to the British people – and take back control.

The freedom to control our own borders of course brings many benefits.

Our plans mean we can introduce a migration policy which ensures we’re open to the world’s best talent: and my Rt Hon Friend the Home Secretary has set out further details of this today.

A new points-based immigration system will ensure that we can attract the scientists, innovators and entrepreneurs who can power future economic growth. It will also help us to ensure that our NHS attracts the very best professionals from across the world to our hospitals.

And the new technology that we’re introducing will allow us to monitor with far greater precision exactly who, and what, is coming in and out of our country, enabling us to deal more effectively with organised crime and other threats.

And control of our borders also means that we can choose the right trade and commercial policies for this country. The Border Operating Model that we published today provides clarity about the end-to-end journeys of goods on the move between Great Britain and the EU, including of course information about controlled goods and the new government systems that will support future trade.

And I would like to place on record the Government’s gratitude to the border sector for the practical knowledge, enthusiasm and expertise they have brought to the development of the operating model, the result of extensive consultation and collaboration.

It is important to note that, as the document makes clear, the Border Operating Model does not cover matters relating specifically to the Northern Ireland Protocol. Let me reassure the House that guidance specific to Northern Ireland will be published in the coming weeks, and on an ongoing basis throughout the transition period.

With autonomy of course comes the freedom to be practical and pragmatic in implementation, which is why – in the light of coronavirus, and in order to give business and industry more time to adjust – we announced last month that border controls would be introduced in three stages up to 1 July 2021.

• In the first phase, from January 2021, traders importing standard goods will need to prepare for basic customs requirements. Full Customs Declarations will be needed for controlled and excise goods such as alcohol and tobacco products. But people importing standard goods will have up to six months to make their declaration and to pay tariffs. Traders moving goods using the Common Transit Convention will need to follow all of the transit procedures.

• In the second phase, from April 2021, we’ll require all products of animal origin, regulated plants and plant products to have pre-notification and the relevant health documentation. Any physical checks will continue to be conducted at the point of destination.

• And in the third and final phase, from July 2021, traders moving all goods will have to make full customs declarations at the point of importation and of course pay relevant tariffs. Checks for animals, plants and their products will take place at Border Control Posts in Great Britain.

When we announced our approach to controls last month, we also confirmed that we would be building new border facilities in Great Britain for carrying out the required checks, as well as providing targeted support to ports to build new infrastructure.

And the £705 million funding injection we announced yesterday, Mr Speaker, is on top of an £84 million grant already announced to ensure sufficient capacity in the customs intermediary sector. And that money will be used to do just that, preparing our border infrastructure for these changes by improving and developing IT systems, recruiting more personnel and building new border posts.

The actions Mr Speaker that we are taking today are an important step towards readiness for the new opportunities Brexit can bring. It is time for our new start, time for us to embrace a new, global, destiny – and therefore Mr Speaker, I commend this statement to the House.

The helpline, which will go live in September, will be staffed 24/7 by trained bullying, harassment and discrimination advisers and qualified counsellors, who will provide emotional support, information and guidance to callers.

Individuals will be able to report incidents anonymously to independent advisers and seek help on how to take issues forward, including through local support networks or the service complaints system, where necessary.

Establishing the bullying and harassment helpline was one of the key recommendations of Air Chief Marshal Wigston’s review into behaviour across defence that was published last year. The report found that while the majority of personnel behave appropriately, there is still an unacceptable level of inappropriate behaviour in the military. Thirty-six recommendations were made as part of the report, all of which have been accepted by the Ministry of Defence.

To evaluate the success of current measures and ensure progress continues to be made at speed, an independent review of Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) anti-bullying work will be led by Danuta Gray, a Non-Executive Board Member and Chair of the People Committee at the MOD. In this role she has overseen processes for managing the careers of senior military officers and senior civil servants, with a specific focus on behaviour and incentives across Defence. The review will commence on the first anniversary of the Wigston review (Wednesday 15 July 2020) and will run for approximately 3 months.

Secretary of State for Defence Ben Wallace said:

Our personnel selflessly serve our nation day in and day out, and they deserve to be treated equally, with dignity and respect, both on and off duty. I want everyone to feel proud to be part of this team.

There is simply no place for bullying or harassment in our armed forces and I’m determined to stamp this out. Our anti-bullying helpline is an important next step and I will continue to seek the change in behaviour we need to see across defence.

Minister for Defence People and Veterans Johnny Mercer said:

This new anti-bullying helpline gets to the heart of the support I want for the men and women in our armed forces. Inappropriate behaviour will not be tolerated and this new helpline will allow personnel to report incidents in a safe and secure environment. By staffing the helpline with trained advisors and counsellors outside of the chain of command, we will ensure concerns are dealt with quickly and professionally.

Since the publication of the Wigston Review, a dedicated team has been established to oversee progress against the recommendations with an initial focus on updating policies and infrastructure for serving personnel to identify and report unacceptable behaviour at an earlier stage.

New ‘active bystander’ training will also now be made available to all personnel, from those in the lower ranks to those at the top, to ensure everyone has the skills and confidence to recognise and call out inappropriate behaviour. Developed by the Defence Academy, the training will encourage those witnessing unacceptable comments or actions to take a more active role in intervening, reporting or addressing it.

Updated guidance on sexual harassment will also be circulated around the forces, providing information to help personnel understand what sexual harassment can look like and what they can do if they are experiencing or witnessing it.

Each service has also taken decisive action since the review’s publication to further promote an inclusive culture. The British Army has trained personnel as ‘Allies’ to the perspectives of minority groups, who’re encouraged to stand up for others and call out unacceptable conduct. The Royal Navy has introduced new mandatory behaviour training, while the RAF has organised special mentoring programmes. Each service has also appointed a Senior responsible Officer to closely track progress.