Tag Archives: HM Government

Leaders from 11 British Overseas Territories will meet in Downing Street on Tuesday 28 November at the start of their annual Joint Ministerial Council meeting where Prime Minister Theresa May will confirm a new £70 million package of recovery and reconstruction support for British islands hit by recent, devastating hurricanes.

This new, long-term support will add to the UK’s continued efforts to help the region recover and rebuild in the wake of hurricanes Irma and Maria, which affected more than two million people. It will be supplemented by up to £300 million of UK loan guarantees, for territories that need support to access finance.

At today’s meeting, the Prime Minister will invite Territory leaders to speak of their experiences in the hurricanes and to discuss progress already made. Leaders of Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands and Turks and Caicos, the worst impacted British territories, will be among those in attendance.

While substantial progress has been made already in the region, the UK is committed to supporting long-term reconstruction efforts so that each overseas territory can continue its important work of recovering essential services such as schools, medical facilities and ports, as well as power and water supplies.

Speaking ahead of the meeting, the Prime Minister said:

I am pleased to welcome leaders of the Overseas Territories to Downing Street today, as they begin regular consultations with their counterparts in the UK Government. I see this as a mark of the strong and enduring partnership that exists between us.

This set of meetings is not only a chance to work together on our shared priorities, but also to hear directly from those territories who suffered from Hurricanes Irma and Maria.

This new £70 million package of support demonstrates the UK’s ongoing commitment to help its Overseas Territories as they get on with the difficult work of recovery.

When the first hurricane struck, the UK responded immediately, supplying humanitarian aid and disaster response expertise to the area. We have continued to provide support since then, having already committed £92 million to the region-wide relief effort to date.

The Prime Minister will also take the opportunity today to update leaders on the progress of our discussions with the European Union as we prepare to leave, and to invite leaders to express their views so we can ensure they are properly reflected in our strategy for Brexit negotiations.

Good afternoon everybody and it’s a great pleasure to welcome you all here to Downing Street today. And, as you have heard, we are all here to recognise and celebrate the work that DrugFam has done over the last 11 years – years of real achievement and I’ve not only seen the charity grow over those years but also the impact the charity has made. But, I think we can say that the past year has been exceptional even for DrugFam.

This year:

• you have received the Queen Award for Voluntary Service – the highest honour a charity can receive
• you held a major service of celebration and hope at Westminster Abbey – which I am very sorry I was not able to attend,
• and of course Elizabeth received her MBE from Her Majesty the Queen – an honour which was richly deserved

As you’ve just heard, I have known Elizabeth for well over a decade and she is, of course, a constituent of mine. I remember coming to your home, Elizabeth, and hearing you tell the story of Simon and Nicholas and, sadly, the loss of Nicholas. I think I had tears in my eyes as well as you, as you were telling that story. I’ve heard Elizabeth speak at events subsequently and I’ve seen the impact it has on people, when they hear that story, that tragic story, that brings home to people so clearly the impact that drugs can have not just on the individuals but on their whole family as well. What you’ve built here following the loss of Nick is something of huge value, improving the day to day life of others.

I was proud to serve as a patron of DrugFam before I was appointed Home Secretary. The work you do makes a huge difference. You ensure that families, friends and partners affected by a loved one’s addiction get the support they need.

Because when families have to face addiction, they really do need that support. And I think that was one of the elements is that, often for families, it is very difficult to know where to turn, to know what to do for the best. Sometimes, through love, families take steps that they think are the right ones but sadly sometimes are not. And it is for those feelings of helplessness, of shame, of isolation and fear that DrugFam exists today to show people there is someone to help, there is someone there to turn to.

And what has really enabled DrugFam to do that has been the dedication and commitment of all its volunteers, and I am delighted that so many of you are here tonight. Without your generosity and the gift of time which you give to DugFam nothing it has achieved would have been possible.

So I want to say a huge thank you to all of the staff, trustees, volunteers, patrons, ambassadors, donors, friends and supporters of DrugFam for everything you do. Including Sarah Cooper and her team, who I just met, who fundraise and deliver the fantastic Summer Ball on an annual basis.

DrugFam volunteers gave over 7,000 hours of their time last year – manning the helpline, volunteering in support groups, and helping with fundraising and governance.

But what is particularly striking is that half of the volunteers have previously accessed DrugFam support themselves – so DrugFam was there for you, and now you are there for other people. You are doing wonderful work and it is hugely appreciated.

We know that we face a huge challenge as a country in overcoming addiction. The Government’s Drugs Strategy seeks to protect the most vulnerable, and I’m pleased to say the Home Office minister Victoria Atkins is here at the reception tonight, and to help those with drug dependency to recover and turn their lives around. But no one knows better than the people in this room just how difficult that can be.

There are no quick solutions or easy answers. And for those affected by the addiction of a loved one, the impact can be immense and can last a lifetime. That’s why DrugFam’s work is so essential – providing long-term support and advice at every stage.

So, Elizabeth, you can be justifiably proud of what you established all those years ago. From your personal tragedy has come a strong charity that is doing so much good in helping the lives of others. But thank you to all those that have joined Elizabeth along the way, some of you who through your own personal tragedy have come to give DrugFam the support it needs to be able to help others. You have achieved a tremendous amount in these last eleven years – and there is so much to celebrate and I am very pleased we have been able to invite you here today to do just that. With the support of everyone here in this room, and many who are not, I am sure that you will go on to achieve even more and help even more people in the future. Thank you.

The Prime Minister welcomed Prime Minister Yildirim of Turkey to Downing Street for a bilateral meeting earlier today. The leaders agreed on the importance of the UK-Turkey relationship and continuing efforts to deepen our cooperation. They discussed … read more

Transport Secretary, Chris Grayling, has appointed Ian Baulch-Jones as a new non-executive director to the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA).

The Secretary of State for International Trade, Dr Liam Fox, has this week announced that the Department for International Trade (DIT) will recruit for a new team of Her Britannic Majesty’s Trade Commissioners (HMTCs) to represent the UK in key markets across the world.

The HM Trade Commissioners, one of the government’s manifesto commitments, will play a vital role as the UK leaves the European Union and takes its place as a global champion of free trade in charge of its own independent trade policy. The HM Trade Commissioners will head the global operations of DIT, leading on export promotion, inward and outward direct investment, and trade policy overseas on behalf of the UK government.

The 9 geographical areas that the HM Trade Commissioners will cover are:

• Africa
• Asia-Pacific
• China
• Eastern Europe and Central Asia Network (EECAN)
• Europe
• Latin America
• Middle East
• North America
• South America

The HM Trade Commissioners will be senior Civil Service appointments. It is anticipated that appointments will be confirmed during the first half of 2018.

International Trade Secretary, Dr Liam Fox, said:

This is an exciting and challenging opportunity to represent the UK in key markets around the world. We will be seeking the brightest and the best, from both the public and private sectors to use their extensive regional and in-country knowledge, together with their business and government expertise to help build a global Britain.

The new HM Trade Commissioners will be providing a clear vision and direction to my Department’s global operations. That will require providing intelligence on the ground, deciding what tailored action is required in their region, and playing a vital role in our future global trading relationships.