I am delighted to welcome you all to this special celebration for the Jewish New Year.

Here today, we have people from all parts of our Jewish community and all parts of our society – from business to the arts, from politics to our public services.

We also have some of our country’s greatest philanthropists, leading charities and some of our most outstanding volunteers.

People like the Jewish Volunteering Network Volunteer of the Year Marsha Gladstone; and today’s Point of Light, Avi Dubiner, whose Shabbat Walks have inspired 22,000 visits to hospitals and care homes as Jewish people give their time on the Sabbath to help others in need.

So the first thing I want to say to all of you is: thank you.

And as Prime Minister I want to use the opportunity of this reception to show my personal support and appreciation for everything that you contribute to our country.

Speaking of recognising contributions, I am also pleased that we have now managed to ensure that, within clear guidelines, state schools will be able to claim gift aid on voluntary contributions.

This is something that can benefit not only Jewish State Schools – but all State schools.

And I am grateful to the work of the Partnership for Jewish Schools in helping to resolve this issue.

Balfour

As we look to the New Year, we look forward to the Centenary of the Balfour declaration in November. Born of that letter, the pen of Balfour, and of the efforts of so many people, is a remarkable country. Of course, there are great challenges in the region – and we will do everything we can to support efforts towards building a two-state solution – and the lasting peace that we all want to see.

But as Prime Minister, I am proud to say that I support Israel.

And it is absolutely right that we should mark the vital role that Britain played a century ago in helping to create a homeland for the Jewish people.

Security

Rosh Hashanah is, of course, a time for reflection – and it is impossible not to think at this time of the threats to our security and the shocking levels of anti-Semitism that we have seen in the last year.

I want you to know that I will always do whatever it takes to keep our Jewish community safe.

Just last week I sat around the Cabinet table with representatives from the Jewish community – and security was the first item on the agenda.

I am proud that this government has given £13.4 million this year alone to support the vital and brilliant work of CST.

But that is not enough on its own.

So it is right we are reviewing our counter-terrorism strategy to ensure the police and security services have all the powers they need – and to ensure that the length of custodial sentences for terrorism-related offences are sufficient to keep people safe.

It is why we are working to reach international agreements that regulate cyberspace to prevent the spread of extremism and terrorist planning – and to get internet companies to do more to remove harmful content from their networks.

And we are establishing a new Commission for Countering Extremism as a statutory body to help fight hatred and extremism in the same way as we have fought racism – because this extremism is every bit as insidious and destructive to our values and we will stop at nothing to defeat it.

Anti-Semitism

We will also continue to fight anti-Semitism wherever we find it.

Through our new definition of anti-Semitism we will call out anyone guilty of any language or behaviour that displays hatred towards Jews because they are Jews.

And we will actively encourage the use of this definition by the police, the legal profession, universities and other public bodies.

But the ultimate way of defeating anti-Semitism is to create an environment that prevents it happening in the first place.

That is one of the reasons why it is so important that we create a proper National Memorial to the Holocaust, together with an accompanying educational centre to teach future generations to fight hatred and prejudice in all its forms.

I want to thank the Chief Rabbi, Sir Peter Bazalgette and all the members of the cross-party UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation – and its partners like the Holocaust Educational Trust – for the work they have been doing to take this forward.

Through the exhibition at the V&A this Summer – as well as wider events across the country – we have now seen over 11,000 responses to the public consultation on the short-listed designs.

And we await with interest the deliberations of the independent Jury that meets this weekend.

Whichever design team is chosen, this national Memorial and Educational Centre will stand next to our Parliament as a permanent reminder of what can happen when a civilised, democratic society allows hatred to go unchecked.

It will say to the world: we will never forget. And it will bring our country together in a national mission to fight hatred for generations to come.

Conclusion

So as you gather together for prayer and celebration at this special time of year, I encourage you to do so with confidence.

Confidence, that together we will keep Jewish people in our country safe and defeat the scourge of anti-Semitism.

And confidence that it is the values that we share – Jewish values, British values – that will in the end prevail.

With that, let me wish you and all your families a sweet New Year.

And as I hand over to the Chief Rabbi to say a few words: let me say to you all: Shana Tova.

On Thursday 14 September Minister for Europe and the Americas, Sir Alan Duncan, will visit Azerbaijan.

The Minister will attend the signing ceremony to celebrate the renewal of a BP led consortium’s contract with the Azerbaijan State Oil Company, SOCAR. Since the original contract was signed, the resulting investments of tens of billions of dollars have brought more than 3 billion barrels of oil to world markets. This new contract will create thousands of jobs for both countries.

The Minister will meet President Ilham Aliyev and Deputy Foreign Minister Khalaf Khalafov for discussions on mutual foreign policy interests and democratic and economic reform.

The Minister will also meet civil society representatives as part of the UK’s support for human rights and democracy.

Ahead of his visit, the Minister said:

The UK’s relationship with Azerbaijan goes far beyond our 25 years of diplomatic relations. From the Azerbaijani students studying in the UK, to British business investing in Baku, to our cooperation against international terrorism, our relationship is going from strength to strength.

As the largest foreign investor in Azerbaijan, the UK is uniquely placed to support Azerbaijan’s development. I’m proud that the extension of BP’s contract means that UK technology and expertise will help Azerbaijan’s prosperity and security for many years to come.

Reform, transparency and human rights are essential to a successful and prosperous society. I look forward to my conversations with the Azerbaijani government and civil society, to understand how the UK can support Azerbaijan further.

Further information

The Secretary of State spoke at the Celebrating Partnerships event hosted by the Independent Schools Council (13 September) to showcase the success of the existing partnerships between the independent and state school sectors.

The Department for Education is working in collaboration with the Independent Schools Council to support more joint working between the independent and state school sectors. Support will include drawing on the experience and the expertise of independent schools in leadership, teacher training, curriculum support, school improvement and sponsorship, or setting up a free school.

Ms Greening reiterated the importance of sharing knowledge and spreading expertise so that every child, regardless of their background or circumstances, could go on to fulfil their potential.

Education Secretary Justine Greening said:

We want every child, regardless of their background or where they live, to have access to a good school place.

Many independent schools are already undertaking partnership activities with state schools, helping raise attainment across the wider school system.

We want to continue to harness the resources and expertise of leading independent schools through more partnership activities, sponsorships or setting up new free schools, so more young people have the opportunity to gain the knowledge and skills to fulfil their potential.

The Independent Schools Council highlighted thousands of existing partnerships including academic, sporting or musical support, which are estimated to benefit around 10,000 state schools and 175,000 pupils.

Truro Prep School, in Cornwall, is already supporting the state sector with music and sport partnerships, with 29 independent and state schools involved in the music partnerships and 18 schools involved in the sports partnerships.

New Hall School, in Essex, was the first independent school to sponsor a primary school. It set up an academy trust to sponsor Messing Primary School, which was in special measures at the time. Since the partnership was formed, performance at the primary school has improved and Ofsted has rated its leadership and management ‘Outstanding’.

Speaking at the event, National Schools Commissioner Sir David Carter commended the positive work being done by independent schools and echoed the Secretary of State’s comments about continuing these efforts. He spoke about the Department for Education’s newly formed System Partnership Unit that is working to support the independent schools sector to broker partnerships and relationships with the state sector. The department also launched a leaflet to offer further guidance in setting up or expanding existing partnerships.

The Celebrating Partnerships event was attended by independent school headteachers, stakeholders and teaching union representatives, all sharing the common goal of breaking down barriers to social mobility so that every child has access to a good education.

Thank you, it’s great to be here to welcome our American friends to Somerset House.

And this is an appropriate setting for today’s (13 September 2017) conference.

Because Somerset House has had a unique, formative influence on modern America.

230 years ago, this building was visited by the American architect, Charles Bulfinch.

And it was this building — with its classical dome and columns — that inspired Charles Bulfinch’s subsequent architectural style.

It was a style that Bulfinch carried with him back to America.

And which informed his designs for many of America’s great public buildings.

Such as Massachusetts State House, the Old Connecticut State House, and Harvard’s University Hall.

And when Bulfinch was appointed by President James Monroe as Architect of the Capitol building in Washington, he gave that building its first dome and neoclassical wings.

Which means that there’s direct lineage from the dome that sits on this building, and the columns of its façade to the iconic architecture of American democracy, expressed in so many public buildings in the United States.

And that lineage is representative of the relationship that this country enjoys with the United States.

Yes, there’s our shared culture and values.

But also our joint commitment to commerce and trade.

Today, the USA is the UK’s largest export market and second largest import market.

Last year, trade between the UK and the USA amounted to 227 billion dollars.

The stock of investment we hold in each other’s economies currently stands at 1 trillion dollars.

We’re 2 low tax, low regulation economies.

And so much of our trade is made possible by the unceasing passage of ships moving across the Atlantic Ocean.

Liverpool to New York.

Southampton to Baltimore.

Portsmouth to Charleston.

Belfast to Boston.

And many others.

Famous ports, whose names ring out with history, proclaiming hope, opportunity and prosperity from shore to Atlantic shore.

And we meet today at a special moment in our country’s history.

A point at which we are about to step away from the European Union.

I have long argued that Britain’s future lies not in federal union within the EU.

But as a global, trading nation, like America able to write all its own laws and sign its own trade deals.

This has always been an internationalist country.

London is the most diverse city in Europe.

And Britain has always looked beyond Europe to the wider world, especially to the English-speaking nations with which we share so many ideas, values and customs

Brexit is an opportunity for us to build those international links.

So I am delighted that the US and the UK governments have established a joint Trade and Investment Working Group, dedicated to strengthening our relationship.

The working group is laying the groundwork for a comprehensive free trade agreement between our 2 nations.

That can only be good news for ports on both sides of the Atlantic.

And so I am delighted to open today’s conference, and look forward to hearing your ideas, of how our ports can continue to support our mutual prosperity.

Thank you.

Air, Rail and Marine Accident Investigation Branches at the Emergency Services Show, 20-21 September