The UK explained why it called for a vote on the draft resolution and voted against it.

Published 11 July 2019 From: UK Mission to the United Nations Geneva

Thank you, Mr President,

We remain firmly of the view that “the right to peace” does not exist under international law, whether as a collective or individual human right, or otherwise. There is no support in international law for the existence of such a right. There is no internationally agreed definition of “peace”. There is no agreement on who would be the rights-bearers or the duty-bearers of such a right. The conceptual framework is weak, the scope is vast and unwieldy and enforcement is unfeasible. It runs counter to certain provisions of the UN Charter, in particular Articles 2(4) and 51. And the absence of peace cannot justify a failure to respect human rights.

Notwithstanding this clear position which we have expressed, together with others, since the establishment of the Working Group, we have consistently said that we are happy to discuss the linkages between peace and the enjoyment of human rights with a view to reaching consensus on a Draft Declaration. On that basis we had participated actively and constructively and with the utmost flexibility in the discussions in the Working Group. Despite these efforts, a consensus was not possible.

In June 2016, this Council sent a non-consensual draft Declaration to the UN General Assembly for adoption. We regretted this course of action.

We therefore call for a vote on draft resolution L.2 and shall vote against.

Thank you Mr. President.

In June Defra issued 3 interim general licences for those who need to take action to control wild birds.

Defra consulted Natural England, its statutory adviser on the natural environment, on the proposed licences. Natural England sent Defra these 2 pieces of science-based advice. Defra considered this advice alongside a range of other evidence before issuing the 3 interim general licences.

The UK Government is returning to the Royal Welsh Show (22 – 25 July) to give members of the public the opportunity to speak to UK Government staff about how they are delivering for people and communities in all parts of the country.

Across the four-day event in Builth Wells, a variety of UK Government departmental teams and agencies will hold a variety of events centred on stand C221 including:

Monday 22 July

AM – Delivering for you at work and at home

Join the Department for Work and Pensions, DVLA, Office for National Statistics and the Ministry of Defence to find out how the UK Government is working to support you and your family at work and at home.

Tuesday 23 July

ALL DAY – Road safety

Check your road safe with DVLA’s registration plate eye test.

AM – Food is Great panel discussion

The globally recognised UK Government ‘GREAT’ campaign will be hosting a ‘Food is Great’ panel discussion with famous Welsh food and drink suppliers.

Hear their advice on exporting and speak to UK Government staff about taking your next steps on the exporting journey.

PM – Do you have access to superfast broadband?

Openreach, Net Support UK and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport are holding a broadband advice session.

Ask questions about your broadband speed and see what the UK Government is doing to provide superfast connections right across Wales.

Wednesday 24 July

ALL DAY – Find out how the UK Government is working to end extreme poverty

The Department for International Development will be showcasing how the UK Government is tackling the global challenges of our time including poverty and disease, insecurity and conflict.

Come and see what innovative equipment the UK Government is using across the world to tackle these challenges and how the Halo Trust is working to remove land mines and protect lives.

Thursday 25 July

ALL DAY – Green Great Britain Day

Join us to find out how you and your business could benefit from the UK Government’s Industrial Strategy and find out how you can get involved in Green Great Britain week.

Northern Powerhouse Minister Jake Berry today (11 July) unveiled nearly £4 million of new investment into Grimsby as part of the next phase of its pioneering Town Deal – and hailed the town’s unprecedented regeneration strategy.

As part of the second phase of the Town Deal, North East Lincolnshire Council will work with national charity OnSide to develop a brand-new Youth Zone in Grimsby town centre. OnSide currently successfully operates a national network of 12 Youth Zones across the UK with a number of others in the development pipeline.

The additional investment confirmed today will support the development of the strategic Garth Lane site and brings the total public and private investment through the Town Deal to £88 million, including £21 million of new investment since the launch of the Town Deal in July 2018.

The Grimsby Town Deal puts skilled jobs and education at its heart, a key part of the government’s modern Industrial Strategy for the UK, driving growth, productivity and boosting earning power across the region. The next stage of the Town Deal will also look at a programme to drive up educational attainment and enhance adult skills.

Northern Powerhouse Minister Jake Berry said:

The investment we’re making through the UK’s first Town Deal will help drive forward regeneration, create new opportunities for residents, young and old, and ensure the future for Grimsby is a bright and prosperous one.

This regeneration strategy builds on our work across the Northern Powerhouse and is an essential part of our modern Industrial Strategy, creating jobs and training opportunities, while supporting businesses across the North and the rest of the UK.

Cllr Philip Jackson, Leader of North East Lincolnshire Council said:

These projects are the first physical elements of the Town Deal being progressed in the short-term. However, the Town Deal is acting as a catalyst to unlock a much wider regeneration programme for Grimsby Town Centre and the Port of Grimsby. It has the potential to realise new commercial, cultural, leisure and residential opportunities on the port and on under-used land around Alexandra Dock.

Delivering the Town Deal has been a major part of our work, and it’s the dedication of people and organisations involved that we’ve reached this point. I’m delighted to be working with colleagues from across these organisations to bring about major changes for North East Lincolnshire and help to deliver a brighter future for our residents and businesses.

Tom Shutes, of Clato Legacy Ltd, one of the private sector partners, said:

My work with Grimsby is founded in the strong belief that there are 3 key elements to successful urban regeneration: young people – creating a positive, energetic environment that will make the youth not only stay in the area, but give them a sense that they can evolve here and contribute to their area’s ongoing development; skills and training; culture and leisure.

The next phase of our development plans will bring Grimsby’s heritage buildings back to life with exciting, new public uses to engage locals and visitors, the young and old; and crucially skills and training – let’s make Grimsby a centre of excellence where there are real opportunities for the future.

The ground-breaking Greater Grimsby Town Deal was launched on 5 July 2018 beginning a stronger relationship between central government and local partners.

Local Work across the UK to illustrate the modern Industrial Strategy in action can be viewed in an interactive map, developed by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

• Plans to enshrine protection of employees from third party harassment in Equality Act

• GEO launches consultation to ensure laws on sexual harassment are properly protecting victims

• Victims of sexual harassment asked to weigh in on what action should be taken

Minister for Women and Equalities, Penny Mordaunt, will today (11 July) set out new plans to protect employees across the UK from sexual harassment.

Following scandals such as the Presidents Club dinner, the plans involve provisions to strengthen the law, giving explicit protections to workers against harassment from third parties.

Minister for Women and Equalities, Penny Mordaunt, said:

“Everyone has the right to be treated with respect and dignity, and that includes their time at work.

“The vast majority of employers take their responsibilities towards their staff in this regard seriously, however we know that some employees have not been protected from vile and degrading behaviour towards them.

“I’m determined government makes a lasting change on this issue, clamping down on the individuals that think they can treat people in this way, and empowering the UK workforce to come forward and get the justice they deserve.”

The wider consultation will consider:

• strengthening and clarifying the law to give explicit protections against third party harassment in the Equality Act 2010

• how best to ensure that employers take all steps they can to prevent harassment from happening, including considering if a new legal duty is needed

• the evidence for extending Equality Act 2010 workplace protections to volunteers and interns;

• whether the three-month time limit for employment tribunal claims under the Equality Act 2010 should be extended.

Matthew Percival, CBI Head of Employment, said:

“Businesses are ready to play their part in tackling sexual harassment at work. They will welcome clarity that employees have rights to protection against harassment by third parties. They can also support a new duty that requires reasonable and proportionate steps to minimise the risk of sexual harassment at work.

“Firms with international operations want to see safe workplaces in all parts of the world. The CBI calls on the Government to ratify the first global convention on violence & harassment at work and encourage others to follow.”

As part of the consultation, the GEO would particularly like to hear from individuals who have experienced sexual harassment at work – so employees are better protected in future.

Sexual harassment has been against the law for decades and strong, clear laws against it are set out in the Equality Act 2010.

Even though these laws are in place, recent reports, including those of the #metoo movement, have shown there is still a real, worrying problem with sexual harassment.

The Consultation will look to identify the best approaches to ending this abhorrent behaviour.

Background:

• Three months is the standard time limit for bringing a claim to an Employment Tribunal for workplace claims under the Equality Act 2010, although there are some exceptions e.g. for equal pay cases. The three months starts from the date of the act complained of.

• Until 2018 it was thought that the Equality Act 2010 provided protection in cases of third party harassment, under section 26. However, in May 2018 the Court of Appeal ruled that the Equality Act could no longer be considered to provide protection in cases of third party harassment, establishing key case law in this area.

• Our consultation proposes to strengthen explicit protections against third party harassment, through the Equality Act 2010. This will allow victims of third party harassment at work i.e. harassment by people like customers or clients, to hold their employer to account if they fail to appropriately protect and support them.

Further Information

The consultation comes a week after the GEO launched ‘Gender equality at all stages: A roadmap for change’. This included commitments to consult on carers rights, an updated online divorce system and piloting different approaches to education about gender roles.