The UK’s new fully functioning trade remedies system has been established and will help to protect UK businesses from injury caused by unfair trading practices, such as dumping and subsidies, or injury caused by unforeseen surges in imports from 29 March if we leave the EU without a deal.

The Trade Remedies Investigations Directorate (TRID) has been established within the Department for International Trade and will start work from today. TRID will conduct the necessary preparatory work to ensure that we are ready to commence investigations as soon as we leave the EU.

This temporary directorate will administer trade remedies functions until the Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) is legally established as an independent body with the passing of the Trade Bill.

Our priority is to secure Parliamentary support for the deal we have negotiated with the EU, under which UK businesses will continue to benefit from current protections during the Implementation Period. However, establishing the TRID today ensures that British businesses will also be protected from unfair trading practices if we leave without a deal.

Trade remedies allow World Trade Organization (WTO) members to protect domestic industry from injury caused by unfair trading practices, such as dumped or subsidised imports, or from injury caused by unforeseen surges in imports.

Today’s announcement will ensure continued protection for key UK domestic industries in the event of a no deal scenario.

International Trade Secretary, Dr Liam Fox said:

Our own independent trade remedies system will create a level playing field for British industries so they can compete with overseas producers that benefit from unfair trading practices.

This underlines our commitment to ensuring the integrity of the global rules-based trading system as we take control of our independent trade policy for the first time in more than 40 years.

UK businesses can contact TRID if they have evidence of unfair trading practices. Further information on who can submit cases and how they will be considered will be available shortly.

TRID Chief Executive, Claire Bassett said:

The Trade Remedies Investigations Directorate will be at the forefront of ensuring that the UK has the ability to protect UK industry and this is another step forward for us and our readiness to do this important work.

Director General of UK Steel, Gareth Stace, said:

Today’s announcement launching the UK’s trade remedies system is a hugely positive announcement, ensuring the UK has the tools available to protect UK industry from unfair trading practises from day one of Brexit. I cannot overstate the importance of this milestone for the steel sector.

We look forward to working with the new directorate and ultimately the Trade Remedies Authority, once it is up and running. There is much work to do.

Steve Elliott, Chief Executive of the Chemical Industries Association said:

Trade remedies are absolutely critical to defend domestic chemical producers against unfairly priced or subsidised imports. Industry needs the Trade Remedies Investigation Directorate to be fully functional from day 1 after the UK leaves the EU. While our industry still hopes that a deal with the EU will be agreed we must be ready for the circumstance of our leaving with no deal.

Trade Remedy investigations are lengthy, expensive and can be a significant drain on company resources but you have to get them right or chemical companies and their downstream customers will suffer. We welcome the secondary legislation that provides some authority to the TRID carrying out initial activity and we continue to offer support as the team learn their new roles.

The UK’s system will be fully compliant with WTO rules and will put in place robust protections where they are needed, restoring a fair playing field for businesses without imposing unnecessary costs on supply chains or consumers.

The new Directorate is based in Reading and will be responsible for investigating cases of unfair trading practices and unforeseen surges in imports that injure UK businesses. Over 80% of trade remedies staff have now been appointed.

Last week the government published the full list of EU trade remedies measures that will be continued after the UK leaves the EU and takes control of its own trade policy. Trade remedies measures have only been continued in cases where UK business supported the measure and where British businesses produce more than a 1% market share of those particular products sold in the UK.

UK businesses can contact TRID if they suspect a company of dumping goods at below market value, think a government is unfairly subsidising exports or want a temporary tariff to be applied because of an unforeseen surge in imports.

Businesses can find out more information on who can submit cases for review and how they will be considered on GOV.UK.

Roger Lowe has been re-appointed as a non-executive director to the Board. Roger worked for UK Government Investment (UKGI) until February 2019 and was until then the shareholder appointed non-executive director and senior director.

He now works with communications firm Capstar Advisers. He has previously worked in industry as Group Director of Corporate Finance at leading international engineering company, TI Group plc. Roger started his career in Investment Banking at Lazard where he spent eleven years in corporate finance.

Roger has been re-appointed to the Board as a non-executive director for a period of two years with an option to extend for one further year and will serve as the Senior Director to the Board.

Highways England has also announced the appointment of Carolyn Battersby as the shareholder appointed non-executive director for a three-year period. Carolyn has worked for UKGI since 2011. Prior to this, she held business development and investment roles with a number of private companies.

Highways England is responsible for operating, maintaining and modernising more than 4,300 miles of motorways and major trunk roads in England, and is delivering the Government’s £15 billion road investment programme.

General enquiries

Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.

Media enquiries

Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.

While children enjoyed their half term break, the workers gave up their spare time to swoop on Tillington Manor Primary School in Stafford and give the main hall a makeover.

The refurbishment was undertaken by the team carrying out work on behalf of Highways England to upgrade the M6 between junctions 13 (Stafford) and 15 (Stoke-on-Trent) into a smart motorway.

The work will improve journeys in the area by adding extra capacity and technology to the motorway.

As a ‘thank-you’ for the support of the community during this exciting new motorway upgrade, construction firm Kier, which is working on the M6 project, runs a Smart Giving scheme offering practical help to local charities, projects, educational establishments or vulnerable groups.

Tillington Manor was highlighted as in need of a spruce-up and workers from the smart motorway project took up the challenge.

From the red gloss skirting boards to the top of the newly-painted walls, and after removing hundreds of staples, the hall has been given a complete facelift. As well as the decorating, the team went ‘above and beyond’ with a few extra chores including clearing out the guttering.

Highways England smart motorways project sponsor Peter Smith said:

We were delighted to be able to give a little something back to the local community and are grateful to the workers for volunteering their time.

Highways England is grateful for the patience of communities living near the motorway while this important upgrade is carried out.

Chairman of the governors and borough and county councillor Jonathan Price dropped in on the workers to personally say thank you for the work they had done. Councillor Price said:

I cannot express how grateful the school, pupils and myself as chairman of the governors are for the work that has been done. And what a great bunch of guys they were.

The hall was looking very tired, it needed work doing. I am so impressed with the work that has been done, it has given the school a new lease of life. The children were really chuffed when they saw it.

For these guys to volunteer their own time to do this, it is just phenomenal.

Richard French, Kier highways project director, said:

As a project we will be working in the area for several years, we’re keen to be a good neighbour and to help support the local communities around us. This painting project is an ideal example of one where we can contribute by volunteering time to improve a local amenity, we are delighted that this one will benefit school children from the community.

Smart Giving commits time and resource from the smart motorway project to benefit the communities where it is based and where some of the resulting construction activities may cause disruption.

Making use of a wide range of skills, expertise and the personal commitment of the project team, the scheme aims to provide long-lasting benefits and a legacy for the community.

There is no offer of financial support, the scheme is very much geared to committing time to the group and matching the skills available to the benefit of local people.

General enquiries

Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.

Media enquiries

Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.

David Green (56), from Liverpool, signed a disqualification undertaking following an investigation by the Insolvency Service. The ban prevents him from directly or indirectly becoming involved, without the permission of the court, in the promotion, formation or management of a company.

Bilt Group Limited was incorporated in February 2016 as the vehicle to carry out significant construction projects in Liverpool, particularly in the Chinatown area.

Just 10 months later, however, in December 2016 Bilt Groups’s principle customer decided to terminate the company’s contract as they weren’t satisfied with the standard of work delivered.

Without revenue coming into the company from the principle funder, Bilt Group was unable to pay its debts and entered into liquidation, owing £590,000 to creditors.

Insolvency practitioners were appointed to wind-up the company when they reported to the Insolvency Service that payments worth in excess of £1 million had been paid by Bilt Group to third parties and were not necessarily legitimate business expenditure.

Investigators discovered that David Green caused Bilt Group to move around £375,000 to a separate company which was also under David Green’s control, while payments in excess of £660,000 were made to third parties not clearly linked to the company’s trading activities.

Further investigations found that there was no evidence within Bilt Group’s records that these payments were genuine company expenditure.

On 6 December 2018 the Secretary of State accepted a 7-year disqualification undertaking from David Green and his ban was effective from 27 December 2018

Signing the undertaking has meant David Green did not dispute that he failed to supply adequate books and records to liquidator that would have explained the nature of the company’s transactions.

Martin Gitner, Deputy Head of Insolvent Investigations for the Insolvency Service, said:

David Green was trusted with funds to carry out important redevelopment projects in Liverpool. But he blatantly disregarded his responsibilities when he paid significant sums to third parties totally unconnected to the building works.

Seven years is a significant ban and should serve as a warning to other directors that there are serious consequences if you are found misusing company funds.

The Serious Fraud Office announced on 17 January 2019 that it had opened a criminal investigation into a suspected fraud relating to the Liverpool Chinatown redevelopment. The Serious Fraud Office encourages members of the public who have invested in this redevelopment to complete an online questionnaire.

David Green is from Liverpool and his date of birth is April 1962.

Bilt Group Limited (Company number 09981687 ).

A disqualification order has the effect that without specific permission of a court, a person with a disqualification cannot:

• act as a director of a company
• take part, directly or indirectly, in the promotion, formation or management of a company or limited liability partnership
• be a receiver of a company’s property

Disqualification undertakings are the administrative equivalent of a disqualification order but do not involve court proceedings. Persons subject to a disqualification order are bound by a range of other restrictions.

Further information about the work of the Insolvency Service, and how to complain about financial misconduct, is available.

You can also follow the Insolvency Service on:

This will provide you with the opportunity to apply and develop your skills while ensuring that the RAIB continues to capture and analyse electronic data evidence effectively as the railway moves further into the digital age. This will support the RAIB’s core purpose of improving railway safety into the future.

Working closely with RAIB investigators in the office and in the field, you will be responsible for analysing evidence from data recorders (sometimes known as the ‘black box’), CCTV systems, mobile devices and specialist railway systems. Over time, you will become the focal point for all electronic data gathering, storage, handling, analysis and presentation within the RAIB.

You can find out more about the role on Civil Service Jobs