Thank you Mr President and may I join others in thanking the briefers for their very informative presentations, and welcome Under-Secretary-General Voronkov, Mr Billingslea and Ms Buku to the Council this morning.

As I said yesterday in this chamber, the United Kingdom welcomes the territorial defeat of Daesh. However, as Daesh transforms from a territorial entity into a covert network, it remains capable of directing or enabling attacks and perpetuating violent extremist ideologies. It is as important as ever that we work together collectively to deny them access to resources, just as we must tackle the phenomenon of far-right extremism and terrorism – an issue which my country has warned about for some years and has been acting against domestically. And we again pay tribute to the victims of the Christchurch attacks.

Across the globe and across a range of groups, we have seen that terrorists can perpetrate horrific attacks with small amounts of money, use new payment technologies and move funds through different channels, including legitimate enterprises.

That is why the United Kingdom supported and co-sponsored the landmark Security Council resolution adopted just now and we thank France for its leadership on this initiative following last year’s conference.

The Security Council remains key to international efforts to counter terrorism, which includes the financing of terrorist acts.

Mr President, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has the essential role in setting global standards in preventing and combatting money laundering, terrorist financing and proliferation financing. To this end, the United Kingdom strongly urges all states to implement the comprehensive international standards embodied in the revised Forty Recommendations on Combating Money Laundering, and the Financing of Terrorism and Proliferation and its interpretive notes.

I particularly highlight Mr Billingslea’s words on effective information sharing, well beyond financial and banking sectors alone and the vital importance of implementation and prosecution.

In that regard, Ms Buku’s comments on the importance of balancing both financial inclusion and financial integrity, I thought were very well judged.

Mr President, the United Kingdom has taken a number of measures to strengthen efforts to counter the financing of terrorism. An important feature of our system is the strong public/private partnership on terrorist financing matters. We set up the Joint Money Laundering Intelligence Taskforce (JMLIT) in 2015 to create an environment in which the financial sector, government and law enforcement can exchange and analyse information and intelligence to better detect the movement of terrorist funds. Increasing collaboration between government and the private sector is a key part of the UK’S protection.

Allow me to share a case study which illustrates this. The London Bridge attack took place on 23 June 2017. The Financial Intelligence Unit of the national crime agency initiated an immediate response and the case was brought to JMLIT within 12 hours of the attack. A few hours after that briefing, financial institutions were able to provide assistance to identify the payments for van hire and established other spending patterns which allowed further investigative strategies to be identified. This assistance was crucial in allowing investigators to conclude early on that the attack involved only three attackers with no broader network.

A robust legislative framework to give law enforcement powers the tools they need to tackle the threats we face is the cornerstone of any effective terrorist finance regime. This was enhanced in the United Kingdom by the Criminal Finances Act (CFA) which adds to the ability of UK law enforcement to identify, investigate and disrupt terrorist finance activity and to work effectively with private sector partners.

The United Kingdom welcomed the FATF Mutual Evaluation visit of December 2018 and the positive report we received.

Mr. President, as we strengthen our measures to counter terrorism and ensure that terrorist groups cannot exploit vulnerabilities in various sectors, we must also recognise the vital role played by humanitarian actors and the roles they play in meeting urgent needs under some of the most challenging circumstances. The United Kingdom welcomes that we have addressed these issues, for the first time, in a Chapter VII counterterrorism resolution.

The effectiveness of counterterrorism sanctions also depends on their implementation, across the globe. The UK will continue to be an active and global supporter of CT sanctions, as a key tool to combat terrorism from Daesh, Al-Qaeda and their affiliates, within the high legal evidence thresholds set by our courts.

Mr. President, soon after the attacks of September 11, this Council came together to adopt Resolution 1373 and decided that Member States should prevent and suppress the financing of terrorist acts. Eighteen years later, we have seen a dramatically evolving terrorist landscape against an evolving financial and technologic context. We know that prevention, rehabilitation, whole-of-society approaches are key to ensuring credible and sustainable responses. But while we have adapted our responses, so, too, have terrorist groups.

We therefore commend France for this initiative and thank Council Members for their constructive and proactive engagement throughout this process, demonstrating once again the strength of our collective resolve to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

We have today agreed an excellent resolution under Chapter VII of the UN Charter. We must not sit back and admire it. We now need to see effective implementation by all Member States. CTED must support Member States in identifying how they can strengthen their own response and UNOCT then needs to support Member States in filling the gaps identified. But above all, it requires all of us to stick to our task and to press for continuous improvement. Our task never stops.

Thank you Mr President.

Ladies and gentlemen, good morning! I was looking for something to fill the spare minutes today, so you know, when Adam’s invitation came through, I thought, well, what better way than to come to the BCC Conference.

I want to thank you sincerely for the invitation to speak today. For more than 150 years, the Chambers have sat at the heart of the United Kingdom’s business community.

Today, there are tens of thousands of businesses represented in this room, and the network of Chambers, include the employers of nearly six million people in every part of the UK.

So I want to start by recognising the huge contribution that you and Chamber members make to creating wealth and providing jobs and livelihoods in communities right across this country.

I want to say thank you for something else, as well. I was listening, early this morning, to Adam’s dulcet tones on the Today Programme. And every time I’ve worked with Adam, we go back a few years now, from my various ministerial capacities, what I know is that he and the Chambers, in general, will give it to you straight.

Just as I’ve always said to my officials, in every job I’ve held, that no one will be penalised for giving me advice that is honest, but perhaps unwelcome – I think that is of equal importance in terms of a dialogue between government and outside organisations.

It may mean that, at times, there is friction and disagreements, but actually, it’s part of a healthy, free society, that there should be that candour in relationships between us.

My starting point this morning is to acknowledge the fact that we are living through a time of turbulence. There are the global shifts in economic power, geopolitical trends and technological change, that we have respond to so we can ensure that this country remains a successful and open trading nation.

Over the next decade the world economy will be dominated by the EU, the US, and China.

UK trade with those blocs is valued at £637bn, £184bn, and £66bn respectively.

And by the middle of this century, the US, China and India will make up something like half of total global GDP.

And according to a report by PWC the combined economies of China, India, Indonesia, Brazil, Russia, Turkey and Mexico will be double that of the G7.

The population of Africa will double to almost 2 billion people.

Now, the expansion of these emerging markets offers opportunity for business in the UK as we seek to grow exports from 30% to 35% of our GDP.

New technology, and our international relationships, also offer opportunities to enhance UK prosperity. But digital technology also creates profound long-term changes in our economy and in assumptions about work and careers.

Because you don’t need me to tell you that the impact of digital technology is going to shake up established ways of doing white collar and professional work, and not just alter the working environment and expectations on the factory floor.

So we face risk as well as opportunity.

The World Bank’s recent forecast predicts that global growth will slow to 2.9 percent this year. International investment and trade are moderating, trade tensions are elevated, and protectionism around the world is increasing.

These times, and I suspect this will be a view shared by many here, these times are more unpredictable than we would like them to be.

And that is certainly true of the process of EU exit.

I recognise the real frustration that uncertainty around this process has caused in the business community.

I am acutely aware that for you, and the businesses you represent, this is about the practicality of doing business, about having predictable relationships with both customers and suppliers.

This is a message I have heard repeatedly from businesses across the United Kingdom, from salmon processors in Rosyth to ice cream makers in Coleraine.

You want to know the terms of trade so you can focus on running your business – with certainty about the people you can hire, the regulations that apply, the tariffs on imports and exports. I get it that you don’t want to spend time poring over the latest parliamentary developments and scanning the pages of Hansard.

So I want to assure you that, from the Prime Minister down, the government is doing all it can to secure a Brexit that does honour the result of the 2016 referendum, but does so in a way that protects jobs and economic growth.

I also understand, in part taking up a point that I heard Adam make this morning, that a chaotic, disorganised exit, without an agreed deal, is something that we should not be seeking to have.

This is, unavoidably, the legal default position. But as far as the Government is concerned, this is a matter of necessary contingency planning. It is not the destination or objective of government policy.

Such a No Deal Brexit will undoubtedly mean disruption to businesses in every part of the UK, and I believe, would be a threat to the integrity of the union of the UK itself.

Despite the political uncertainty, it is a tribute to the strength of UK business that the British economy remains robust.

It has grown for nine consecutive years. It has the longest unbroken quarterly growth run of any G7 economy.

As the Chancellor set out in the Spring Statement, both the IMF and the OECD are forecasting the UK to grow faster than Germany this year.

And, crucially, our economy is forecast to continue growing in each of the next five years.

UK businesses and UK workers with, I would argue, support from government policy, have built an economy that has created more than 3.5 million net new jobs.

And we need to keep repeating the message, that despite what some of the media reports would suggest, 96% of those new jobs created last year were full time.

The female employment rate in this country is the highest on record, with 1.2 million women-led businesses in the UK.

And wages are now growing at their fastest rate for over a decade.

Meanwhile, we are on track to meet our fiscal targets, our national debt is falling sustainably, and taxes at the corporate level remain low, to attract talent and spur investment.

That is coupled with this government’s commitment to helping business thrive – thanks to our Industrial Strategy, the British Business Bank is now supporting more than 78,000 smaller businesses with more than £5.5 billion of finance. And we will also provide management training to 10,000 small business leaders by 2025 through the Small Business Leadership Programme.

But to seize the opportunities in the global economy, we need to ensure we are doing all we can here at home to improve our productivity and competitiveness.

A key focus of my role, as Minister for Cabinet Office, is to drive forward implementation of the government’s policy reforms. I’m pleased to say that despite everything else that’s going on, we’ve made significant strides in domestic reform.

Since 2010, we have invested more than a quarter of a trillion pounds of investment in infrastructure, including the biggest rail programme since Victorian times.

But there is still much more to do to improve productivity, to boost our infrastructure, and invest in the people that we need.

Take housing. We need to fix the housing market in this country for two reasons: first, so that there is a workforce which can be mobile and respond to the changing needs of British business.

But also, because frankly, as a matter of social justice, we cannot be content with a situation in which younger people, who are working hard and earning decent salaries cannot afford to get even the first foot on the housing ladder in parts of our country.

So we are working to build more homes and backing home ownership, delivering over 222,000 additional homes in the last year, cutting the Stamp Duty tax for 95 percent of first time homeowners, and increasing our affordable homes programme to £9 billion.

We are also investing £400 million through the Digital Infrastructure Investment Fund – to ensure that businesses and homes across the country benefit from faster and more reliable broadband.

And we are building the technical skills our workforce needs, something that in pretty much all my meetings with business, whether at the local or a national level, I’m told is something this country really needs to do. And developing new policies in partnership with employers themselves.

So beginning in 2020, we’ll be introducing T Levels, which will offer 25 high quality courses that give a clear line of sight to actual job roles.

And we are also focussed on harnessing the power of apprenticeships. In the Spring Statement, Philip Hammond responded to the concerns that the BCC and others have raised and announced a £700 million reform package to help small businesses take on more apprentices.

But for all we are doing to build a strong environment for business, we also face a paradox where there is less faith in capitalism, in terms of UK public opinion. Government and business need to work together to restore the reputation of free markets by demonstrating that they can and should work for everyone.

As the Prime Minister has said, offering someone a job – and creating opportunity for other people – is one of the most socially-responsible things that you can do.

I believe that companies acting more responsibly and markets working more competitively are the twin pillars of restoring trust in those free markets.

For our part, the government is doing more to build a diversified marketplace that puts small and medium sized businesses and strong social values at the heart of public services delivery.

I have committed to using the government’s £49bn annual buying power to drive social value and provide a more diverse and competitive market. So for the first time, all major procurements will explicitly evaluate social value. And because we know that smaller businesses tend to be closest to the communities they serve, we’re aiming to further open up the procurement process to SMEs.

This is all part of a government-wide initiative to level the playing field for small businesses bidding for government contracts by cracking down on suppliers who don’t pay on time, and breaking down contracts into smaller lots to make them more accessible.

And the Prime Minister has appointed ministers from every government department to help us meet our aspiration of spending one pound in three with SMEs by 2022.

So we should recognise the fundamental strength of our economy and the progress we’ve made in domestic reform, especially through our industrial strategy.

But we need a smooth and orderly departure from the EU which delivers on the results of the referendum and is managed in a way to protect jobs, living standards, and investment.

And I’m grateful that the BCC has been out there, stating your support for getting a deal over the line. Your voices are incredibly important, as those who have been creating jobs, driving exports, and investing in our economy.

In recent days, both the Prime Minister and I have been engaging constructively with Leaders and Member of Parliament from across the House of Commons. Between us, we have met leaders of all the other parties in the Commons as well as other senior Parliamentarians, and we will continue to do so.

In last night’s votes, the House of Commons considered a wide variety of options as a way forward. None of them attracted a majority. And I think what those results demonstrated is that there are no easy, simple options.

The deal that the government has negotiated is itself a compromise, both with the EU and with political opinion at home. We haven’t secured everything we want – neither has the EU. Businesses understand compromise is the essence of any complex negotiations.

I remain of the view that the deal the Government have negotiated is the best option available. And I think that every Member of Parliament, regardless of which political party he or she represents, regardless of which part of the country they serve, has to face up to the fact that any deal, any aspiration for the nature of the future economic relationship between the UK and the EU, must include as a starting point, the Withdrawal Agreement that has been negotiated with the EU.

If you believe in delivering the referendum result by leaving the EU with a deal, then it is necessary to back the Withdrawal Agreement. For whether a particular MP wants the final destination to look like Norway, or look like Canada, or look like the proposals in the Chequers White Paper, the starting point is the Withdrawal Agreement itself. And that would apply even in the event that the UK reverted simply to WTO terms.

For the EU has made it clear that any negotiation about a future preferential or free trade agreement will need to start with agreement on the key elements of the Withdrawal Agreement. In particular, citizens rights, a financial settlement, and arrangements to secure an open border on the island of Ireland.

So the government remains committed to an Agreement that ensures our smooth and orderly departure from the EU and delivers on a time-limited Implementation Period during which trade will continue on current terms that protects the rights of EU citizens living in the UK and UK citizens living in the EU, meaning no disruption to your existing workforces.

And in a way that ensures that there is no hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland, and no customs border in the Irish Sea. And earlier this month, we secured legally-binding assurances that guarantee that the EU cannot act with the intent of applying the so-called backstop indefinitely.

By leaving the EU with a deal and an orderly transition to a future economic partnership, as the Chancellor has said, we will see an economic boost from improved business confidence and investment; as well as a boost from the fiscal headroom once a no deal Brexit is definitively off the table.

So the responsible course is to back this deal, and deliver on the vote of the referendum, and bring an end to the uncertainty.

But if Parliament comes together and backs the deal, then in just under two months, we could be out of the EU and into the implementation period.

As somebody who campaigned very strongly for Remain in 2016, I think that is the best choice available to us that both respects that democratic verdict and which safeguards the economic interests of this country.

The alternative is more division and more uncertainty, with all the risks that will entail. And I think now, politicians of all political parties have a duty to put the national interest first, so that we can put this controversy behind us and move on to a brighter future for the British people.

Thank you very much indeed.

A number of animal species in Great Britain will be better protected from today as new international humane trapping standards regulations come into force.

The Agreement on International Humane Trapping Standards (AIHTS) seeks to improve the welfare of fur-bearing animals trapped for their pelts as well as for conservation and pest control purposes.

It sets out clearly-defined minimum trap humaneness standards and trap testing procedures, creating an internationally recognised benchmark for trap welfare.

The government supports this objective and shares the British public’s high regard for animal welfare.

Since the consultation closed in July 2018 the government has moved to implement the AIHTS via the Humane Trapping Standards Regulations 2019 and from Thursday 28 March a number of species will be protected from any trap or snare under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

A licence will now be required to trap any of the below species:

• otter
• badger
• beaver
• pine marten

Any trap used under the authority of a licence must be certified as meeting the international trap humaneness standards and suitable for the humane live capture of the above species.

However, if you want to use a live capture trap which has not yet been considered for certification in England, the use of the trap may be permitted under individual licence, subject to a trap humaneness assessment being undertaken, recorded and reported to Natural England.

If you need a licence to use a trap in Scotland or Wales, you must contact the relevant licensing authority in that country. Northern Ireland will implement the changes at a later date.

The government has listened to the concerns of stoat trap manufacturers and users and agreed to delay implementation for stoat for a further year – until 01 April 2020.

This sends a clear signal to manufacturers and traps users that they must transition to compliant traps, whilst recognising they will need time to do so.

In England, further information including how to apply for a licence and information on suitability of traps is available from Natural England.

If you need a licence to use a trap in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, you must contact the relevant licensing authority in that country:

As I said during my speech at the Council on 25 February, in an ideal world, states and non-state actors would not violate and abuse human rights. Sadly, we do not live in that ideal world, and that is why the Human Rights Council is such a vitally important part of the rules based international system. The UK continues to be one of the Council’s strongest supporters and we are underlining that commitment by standing for election to the Council next year, for the 2021-2023 term.

I welcome the UN’s continuing advocacy on media freedom, including commitments made by the Secretary General. A free media is essential for democracy, economic prosperity and the protection of human rights. All states must come together to remove impediments to a free media and ensure justice for those who commit violence against journalists. We hope ministers from around the world will join us, and our Canadian co-hosts, in London on 10-11 July for our international conference to agree a meaningful way forward.

This has been an important Council in terms of country resolutions and issues of topical concern. On China, we supported a side event that focused on the situation in Xinjiang and we continue to call on China to implement the recommendations made by the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. On Venezuela, we co-sponsored a US-led side event that highlighted the human rights situation there, and also supported a joint statement to the Council.

Turning to Syria, I welcome the resolution adopted by the Council. The liberation of the last territory held by Daesh is a historic moment, but Syria is far from returning to normal. The international community must continue to highlight ongoing violations and abuses by all sides, and support UN-led efforts for a political resolution. The Commission of Inquiry’s work is vital, and I welcome the renewal of its mandate for another year.

I am pleased that the Council renewed the mandate of the UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan, with South Sudan’s agreement. This enables the Commission to continue its vital work in monitoring human rights and tackling impunity. The Commission plays an important role in supporting implementation of South Sudan’s peace deal and I urge South Sudan’s continued cooperation.

We welcome the adoption of the resolution on the human rights situation in Nicaragua, which highlights restrictions on civil society and the independent press. I am alarmed by the police’s arbitrary use of force against, and arrest of, peaceful protestors last weekend. If Nicaragua is to move forward, the Government must end the repression of its citizens, create the right climate for inclusive political dialogue and participate with genuine intent to reach a peaceful negotiated solution.

I welcome the renewal of the mandate for the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran. This provides an important signal that the international community remains concerned with unfair judicial processes that fall significantly below international standards, the arbitrary detention of dual nationals and others, and deterioration in the protection of freedoms of expression and of religion or belief. Iran should grant the Special Rapporteur immediate access so that he can properly fulfil his mandate.

Turning to Libya, the resolution underlines the need for all parties, including the Government of National Accord and the UN, to continue to improve the human rights situation. Full support for the UN-led Action Plan will be crucial to address human rights violations and abuses as it provides the best route to a sustainable political settlement, with greater security and stability.

I am encouraged by Sri Lanka’s agreement to co-sponsor a further resolution continuing the commitments made to the Human Rights Council in October 2015 and March 2017. The UK will continue to support Sri Lanka as it implements its commitments.

Elsewhere, I welcome the renewal of the mandates of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, the Independent Expert for Mali and the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the DPRK. I also welcome the adoption of the resolution on Human Rights monitoring in the Georgian regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia

For the reasons the Foreign Secretary set out in his article, the UK voted against four resolutions on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, tabled under agenda item 7. While we welcome the decision to table a fifth resolution, on accountability, under agenda item 2 in response to the High Commissioner’s report, the UK abstained our explanation of vote because it did not address the actions of non-state actors such as Hamas. I want to stress that these votes should not be misconstrued in any way as a vote against either Palestinian self-determination, or against appropriate and proportionate scrutiny of human rights abuses or illegal settlement activity in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. We remain committed to a two state solution and support justified scrutiny of Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories under appropriate agenda items.

Finally, I welcome the support for the joint UK and Austrian led statement made in response to the deteriorating human rights situation in Cameroon. This demonstrates widespread concern and strengthens our call for the Government to establish a credible dialogue and accept offers of technical assistance to address the worsening human rights situation.

The Human Rights Council has an essential role in bringing states together to address the world’s most pressing human rights issues. The UK will continue to play an active role on the Council and to support its efforts to hold those who violate and abuse human rights to account.

Lt Gen Radford, who has previously served as the Deputy Commander of NATO’s Op Resolute Support in Afghanistan and Commander of the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps in Gloucester, takes over from fellow Brit, General Sir James Everard, in Spring 2020.

Speaking about his appointment Lt Gen Tim Radford said:

It’s a great honour to have been selected to serve as the next Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe at a time of significant transformation within NATO.

Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson added:

In NATO’s 70th year, the alliance retains all its relevance as the cornerstone of European security and I commend the work General Everard has done in maintaining that. The appointment of Lt Gen Radford embodies the role the UK plays in NATO – one of leadership and commitment.

The UK currently has thousands of troops stationed across the globe standing shoulder-to-shoulder with NATO allies. In the Baltics, the UK has over 1,000 troops, Challenger II tanks, and Wildcat and Apache helicopters deployed as part of NATO’s Enhanced Forward Presence, the largest commitment of any nation.

Later this year, four RAF Typhoons will return to Estonia, where they conducted Air Policing in 2016, and, for the first time will patrol Icelandic skies. This will allow the UK to work closely with allies to deter aerial threats to Euro-Atlantic security.

In Afghanistan, there are over 900 UK troops mentoring the next generation of Afghan military leaders and leading the Kabul Security Force, providing vital protection to over 8,000 NATO mentors and advisors working within the city.

NATO is the bedrock of Euro-Atlantic security and later this year the Prime Minister will welcome NATO Leaders to the UK to strengthen the bonds that have maintained peace for the last 70 years and will do so well in to the future.