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News story: UK’s global role reinforced in new International Defence Engagement Strategy

Launching an ambitious framework for the UK’s defence engagement overseas, Sir Michael Fallon and Boris Johnson committed to increasing cooperation with partners across the globe to keep Britain safe.

For the first time, defence engagement was made a core defence task in the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015. As a result, Britain is now stepping up its global commitments and leadership in international organisations, including NATO and the UN, as well as with bilateral partners.

Britain’s defence policy is becoming more ‘International by Design’, ensuring that we make our alliances and partnerships central to all that we do.

Defence engagement helps build the robust relationships on which our influence, prosperity and security depend. It enables us to respond to threats and crises when they emerge and strengthens our position as the world’s leading soft power.

Our commitment to international Defence Engagement includes:

  • Establishing three new regional British Defence Staffs for defence engagement in Gulf, Asia Pacific and West Africa.
  • New Defence Sections in Albania and Finland and new Attaché posts in Latvia, Lithuania, Georgia (for the South Caucasus),Qatar, Japan, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
  • New Defence Section for the Sahel, covering Senegal, The Gambia, Mali and Niger.
  • Increased military exercises with NATO partners and allies including in Ukraine, Poland and Estonia.
  • Leading development of the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) with Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands and Norway.
  • Exercising and training with partners in the Five Power Defence Arrangements such as Exercise Eastern Venture.

Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon said:

Our increased ambition for Defence Engagement abroad demonstrates the UK’s global role.

Whether it’s by increasing our military expertise in the Middle East, training Nigerian forces in maritime security, or RAF Typhoons exercising over South Korea, Britain is committed to working internationally to protect our people and interests.

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said:

The International Defence Engagement Strategy ensures we get the best value from our brilliant and brave Armed Forces and world-class Diplomatic Service, enabling them to deliver security and prosperity for the British people. This is about sending a clear signal of the UK’s intent as a dynamic, agile, cutting-edge global power.

Ahead of the annual Munich Security Conference, which started today, the Foreign and Defence Secretaries reaffirmed the UK’s commitment to European security. The Minister for Europe, Sir Alan Duncan, is also attending the conference. As Britain leaves the European Union, the UK is stepping up its global role and leadership in European security.

This year Britain is:

  • Leading NATO’s Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF), a Brigade size force ready to respond to any threat.
  • Leading NATO’s Enhanced Forward Presence (EFP) in Estonia, where 1000 British troops will deploy alongside other NATO Allies to deter threats.
  • Deploying a company size force to Poland, as part of the US’ EFP battle group.
  • Sending Typhoons to police NATO skies over Bulgaria and Romania.
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HM Government • • •

New innovation fund launched

The Innovate to Save fund is a unique partnership between the Welsh Government and Y Lab – itself a partnership between Cardiff University and the innovation charity Nesta – and will work closely with the Wales Council for Voluntary Action.

The new fund will provide repayable and non-repayable funding and non-financial support to Welsh public services and the third sector. Non-repayable funding will support organisations to prototype, test and develop complex and innovative changes to the way services are delivered. 

All areas of the Welsh public and third sectors will be able to apply for Innovate to Save funding. Organisations submitting proposals will also be able to draw on the resources and experience of Nesta and Cardiff University to expand the scope of projects.

The new fund will operate alongside the successful Invest to Save fund, which has been operating since 2009 and has supported 160 projects. In addition to the £5m Innovate to Save fund, £15m will be available through Invest to Save in 2017-18.

Professor Drakeford said:  

“At a time of reducing budgets, change is a necessity not a choice. More scarce resources and growing demand means all public services must think and work differently, if we are to continue to provide the level of services people need.

“Our new £5m Innovate to Save fund has been developed in partnership with Y Lab and we hope to see a range of projects coming forward from across the Welsh public and third sectors. The savings generated will not only be re-invested in services but will improve outcomes for people and will be able to be rolled out more widely.”

Professor Adam Fletcher, Y Lab academic director, said: 

“Public services staff in Wales are best placed to solve the biggest challenges facing their own services. This new Welsh Government initiative means Y Lab will be able to work with teams from across Wales to help them to develop solutions to persistent problems, put those ideas into practice and trial them.

“Universities have typically been very good at researching public services and recommending what they should do differently but not so good at working with public services teams to help them to innovate.

“By working in partnership with Nesta, Cardiff University is leading the way in the UK by designing, delivering and evaluating major new innovation funds such as this.”

Helen Goulden, executive director, Innovation Lab, Nesta, said: 

“Motivation for governments to rethink and re-shape the way that they engage citizens or deliver services is currently riding high, with examples of governments from across the world choosing to finance public sector innovation.

“Our partnership with the Welsh Government is ambitious, seeking to tackle some of the most complex issues currently facing our public services – and generate cashable savings. The Innovate to Save model is new, blending different kinds of finance and intensive support to achieve this goal.

“Over the next two years it will, I hope, provide the evidence to justify it’s replication in many other areas.” 

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Welsh Government • •

Paul Nuttall does not stand up for working people – Lavery

Ian Lavery, Labour’s Elections and National Campaign Co-ordinator, responding to Paul Nuttall’s speech to UKIP Spring Conference, said:

“You cannot trust a word Paul Nuttall says, he’ll say anything to try and get elected. His speech today is simply more empty rhetoric from the leader of a failing party that has no answers to the challenges we face.

“Paul Nuttall does not stand up for working people, just as he does not stand up for the people of Stoke. All he wants is to get to Westminster to back the Tories and privatise our NHS.  A vote for him is a vote to break up the health service as we know it.”

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Labour • • •