HM Government

International Trade Minister Mark Garnier visits 2 fast-growing Asian markets in a bid to boost trade and investment opportunities post-Brexit on his first trip to Malaysia and South Korea this week (6 to 11 August).

He will start his trip in Malaysia, where he will meet key figures from the Ministry of International Trade and Industry to strengthen bilateral relations and discuss burgeoning trade in the technology and education sectors. Technology is one of top 5 UK exports to the country and represents an opportunity to promote British goods and services.

He will also promote UK education expertise and position the country as the overseas investment destination of choice for Malaysian companies and investors.

He will end his trip in South Korea, where trade relations with the country have traditionally been strong, with trade worth in excess of £10 billion and a trade surplus in place since 2010. He is expected to focus on increasing collaboration in the automotive sector as the number of cars exported to South Korea has increased 5-fold, making it the UK’s eighth largest export market outside of Europe.

He will also meet officials at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Senior Economic Secretary to the President to discuss future trade and investment opportunities, and the benefits of free trade.

Ahead of the visit, International Trade Minister, Mark Garnier said:

As we look towards our future outside the EU, it’s important to strengthen existing trading links with thriving economies like Malaysia and South Korea and build new and mutually beneficial partnerships.

We know there is a wealth of opportunities out there and as an international economic department we are determined to help UK businesses seize these and make clear that the country is open for business.

Recent trade wins in Malaysia and South Korea

In December 2016, DIT signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation, a move that has led to significant interest from the UK technology and research sector in the huge opportunities available here.

Last year, UK mobile banking company, Monese, secured a major investment from the largest Korean venture capitalist company, Korea Investment Partners. Monese launched the first 100% mobile current account in the UK in September 2015 and is one of the leading Fintech players in the market.

UK-Malaysia and UK-South Korea trade relations

Key facts are:

• Malaysia is one of the world’s top locations for offshore manufacturing and service based operations
• multinational corporations from more than 40 countries have invested in over 5,000 Malaysian companies
• the top 5 UK exports to Malaysia are infrastructure, defence, education and technology
• overall bilateral trade totalled £4.4 billion in 2015, as it is our second largest export market in ASEAN
• foreign direct investment into Malaysia from the UK rose 6% from 2011 to over £3.4 billion in 2016
• UK-South Korea trade is worth in excess of £10 billion and since 2010, the UK has run a trade surplus with South Korea
• the top 5 UK exports to South Korea are crude oil, mechanical appliances, road vehicles and parts, aircraft and spacecraft and ,optical, photographic, cinematographic, medical equipment instruments

Further information

Contact the DIT Media and Digital Team on 0207 215 2000.

Follow us: @tradegovuk or on gov.uk/dit.

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Robin Walker,Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Exiting the European Union, has completed a three day tour of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man this week, to discuss the implications of Brexit for the Crown Dependencies.

During the visits, the first official tour of the Crown Dependencies by a DExEU Minister, Robin Walker heard directly from people and stakeholders in each Crown Dependency to better understand their specific priorities.This included meetings with a range of ministers from various departments and law offices.

Mr Walker updated the Crown Dependencies on the UK Government’s progress on EU exit, and provided reassurance that the UK will continue to engage with the Crown Dependencies through negotiations with the EU and beyond.

Minister Walker arrived in the Isle of Man on Thursday (3 August), where he held talks with Chief Minister Howard Quayle about the specific interests of the island. He also met representatives from the financial services sector, toured Isle of Man Creamery, which exports Manx cheese across the world, and visited high-tech manufacturer Swageloc, where he discussed international trade and market access.

On Monday (7 August) the Minister travelled to Jersey, where he had discussions with Chief Minister Ian Gorst and met with representatives from some of the island’s key sectors, including financial services. He also took a tour of Jersey Dairy, which supplies luxury dairy products both to the local market and overseas.

The Minister arrived in Guernsey on Tuesday (8 August) to discuss the Bailiwick’s priorities for Brexit with Chief Minister Gavin St Pier and leaders from the fisheries, maritime and financial services sectors. He also met representatives from Sark’s Chief Pleas and the States of Alderney.

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Exiting the European Union, Robin Walker, said:

The UK’s relationship with Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man is a valued, historical and special one.

On my first visit to the Crown Dependencies since becoming a Minister at the Department for Exiting the EU, I was able to visit a number of businesses to hear the priorities and interests of each island. This builds upon a well established process of quarterly meetings with the chief ministers of the Crown Dependencies and I am grateful to them and their officials for the excellent communication we have established and built upon throughout this process.

Understanding the key issues of the Bailiwick of Jersey, the Bailiwick of Guernsey and the Isle of Man is a crucial part of our work. As we continue our negotiations with the EU we will make sure the interests of the Crown Dependencies are understood and taken into account.

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To support you using the Client and Cost Management System (CCMS) there are now almost 100 quick guides available on the CCMS training website, broken down between those relevant to advocates and providers, and covering:

• navigation in CCMS
• making an initial application
• managing live cases
• closing cases and submitting bills
• technical tips for using CCMS

Around 3,500 users each month access the website, and over the last year there have been at least 50,000 page views and around 20,000 downloads of quick guides and interactive training modules.

One provider told us:

(I) used the (quick)guides all the time when we first used CCMS until I was confident… without the guides. I found them to be invaluable (and) easy to follow. Overall I found them clear and precise and still use them as a good reference guide should the need arise.

New guides are added in response to feedback we receive – through phone calls and other contact with us – on areas where you have asked for help in using the system. The following guides have been uploaded in the last 2 months:

• Navigation in CCMS – remittance advice
• Making an initial application – linking cases
• Making an initial application – Special Children’s Act
• Managing live cases – amendments
• Managing live cases – high cost case registration/query
• Managing live cases – means review
• Managing live cases – legal appeal review
• Managing live cases – submit a case enquiry
• Closing cases and submitting bills – resubmitting a rejected bill
• Closing cases and submitting bills – appeal bill
• Closing cases and submitting bills – court assessed bills
• Closing cases and submitting bills – high cost billing
• Closing cases and submitting bills – submitting outcomes and discharge

Moving forward, we will update the ‘What’s New’ section of the CCMS training website when guides are added or updated so you can see at a glance when changes have been made.

We welcome feedback on any new guides providers would find valuable, so please let us know.

Further information

CCMS training – Quick Guides – to see the quick guides available

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Introduction The River Thames between Datchet and Teddington has the largest area of undefended, developed floodplain in England. Over 15,000 homes and businesses within the area are at risk from flooding. The River Thames Scheme will reduce the risk … read more

Introduction The River Thames between Datchet and Teddington has the largest area of undefended floodplain in England. Over 15,000 homes and businesses within the area are at risk from flooding. The River Thames Scheme will reduce the risk of flooding… read more