At their meeting they launched the necessary processes ahead of negotiating a free trade agreement between the two countries, after the UK leaves the EU on 31 October.

They signed an exchange of letters to ensure continuity of effect of the EU-Japan Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) and Ms Truss launched an the online ‘call for input’ to prepare for trade negotiations with Japan after Brexit.

Speaking at her meeting with Mr Motegi, Liz Truss said:

First of all it is great to be here in Japan Minister Motegi on the day of the opening of the Rugby World Cup. I’ve made it an early priority to visit Japan as Trade Secretary because this is a very important economic relationship for our two countries. We are both island nations and we both have a free market democracy and a strong belief in free trade and the importance of an international rules-based order.

It’s good that today we have been able to exchange letters to make sure that we have mutual recognition continuing and that our businesses have continuity as the UK leaves the EU which we will do by the 31 October. But what we are also doing today is we are launching the start of our process for the agreement of a separate free trade arrangement with Japan and we are launching our call for input for businesses to be able to tell us where they think the biggest opportunities are in a future trading arrangement.

We want to have an ambitious, comprehensive arrangement with Japan that covers many modern industries – for example artificial intelligence, financial services – and helps build the links between our two economies. We are also very interested in the prospect of acceding to CPTPP as well. We are keen to move forward to the future where the UK plays a full part in the WTO, is part of trade agreements that help set standards for the future and keep a free trade world.

Businesses, interest groups and members of the public across the whole of the UK will have the opportunity to tell the government what their priorities are for our future trade relationship with Japan. The call for input will be open for six weeks, until the 4th November 2019 and anyone can take part online.

The exchange of letters, which covers more than £2 billion worth of trade, ensures that UK certificates and inspections of technical regulations can continue to be recognised by Japan, saving businesses time, money and resources. Japan exporters to the UK benefit in the same way.

The exchange of letters ensures continuity of effect for almost all relevant aspects of the current EU-Japan MRA and will help facilitate trade flows between the two countries.

The UK and Japan have already committed to seeking an economic partnership which is just as ambitious, high standard and mutually beneficial as the existing EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA). We expect a new partnership would go even further in areas of shared interest.

[unable to retrieve full-text content]FCO and DFID hosts donor meeting with partners to discuss future opportunities to support peace in Afghanistan.

The Committee has published an open letter to all public office holders on the importance of maintaining high standards and implementing the Nolan Principles.

OPEN LETTER FROM JONATHAN EVANS, CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON STANDARDS IN PUBLIC LIFE, TO ALL PUBLIC OFFICE HOLDERS

Standards in public life have rarely been more in the spotlight than they are today. Both as a Committee and as individual members we are frequently asked what can be done to maintain high standards and implement the Nolan Principles in the current political situation, which is causing real concern to many people who care about how our public life is conducted.

At one level, the key institutions of our democracy are doing their job providing important constitutional checks and balances. The long running and fierce dispute over Brexit is being played out largely in Parliament, the courts and the media, including social media. Such openness is itself a key principle in our public life.

But behaviour matters as much as formal structures. Leadership of standards needs to come from the top: from Government and from Parliament. In the current political situation, it is the view of our Committee that it is even more important that high standards are not only consistently observed but also demonstrably valued.

It is also vital that the tone of public debate should avoid abuse and intimidation, which have become increasingly widespread. Parliamentary democracy is under threat if those in public life and public office cannot express their views freely and without fear.

These long-established principles of selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership are a personal responsibility and set the tone for leadership across the whole of public service. They are what the public expect of us.

Lord (Jonathan) Evans of Weardale Chair, Committee on Standards in Public Life

[unable to retrieve full-text content]This circular describes the effect of the Firearms (Fees) Regulations 2019.

Over the last 10 years, 46 people have died on fishing vessels of less than 15m, so the MAIB have made several recommendations to improve safety and make the water a safer place for all fishermen.

To address some of these recommendations, the MCA have been developing a new code of practice for small fishing vessels.

The code proposes new requirements for all vessels in:

• Construction, watertight and weathertight integrity
• Stability
• Machinery
• Electrical installations
• Crew protection
• Man overboard recovery
• In and out of water inspections

Published 20 September 2019