In his first international visit of the year, International Trade Secretary Dr Liam Fox MP will lead the biggest ever UK delegation to the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.

Over 100 British companies will showcase Britain’s world class technology sector and cutting-edge innovation to the world. They are expected to sign millions of pounds worth of deals during the week.

Providing a global stage for next-generation technological innovation, the event takes place over 11 locations with nearly 200,000 attendees and 4,400 exhibitors.

The UK Pavilion is at Eureka Park, CES’ start-up stage, and will host 15 companies whose attendance the Department for International Trade (DIT) is supporting through the Tradeshow Access Programme.

International Trade Secretary Dr Liam Fox said:

The UK’s tech and automotive sectors are truly world-class – contributing billions to the British economy and employing millions of people – and this year we have brought the biggest ever British delegation in the history of the show.

This week will see our firms launch new products, sign major export deals and secure investment – all of which drives growth and job creation back in the UK.

We’ve always had a reputation as a nation of innovators and this year at CES we are reminding the rest of the world why.

For many British start-ups, attending CES for the first time offers them their first taste of the international market and an opportunity to begin their exporting journey.

James Griffith, Co-Founder of Mous, said:

DIT funded my first trip to CES 2 years ago and since that visit we have grown our exports to £12 million. We are proud to represent British innovation on the world stage and pleased to see that the UK government is ramping up the British presence at the world’s biggest show.

This year 8 UK companies were announced winners of the CES 2019 Innovation Awards, celebrating outstanding design and engineering in consumer technology products.

They include:

• Cosmo Communicator – a reinvented palm-sized keyboard from Bromley-based Planet Computers that allows users to benefit from the productivity of a keyboard without needed to carry a secondary device.

• Elvie Pump – a wearable handsfree and cordless breast bump that fits under clothes, created in London. The company has just gained clearance to market its product in the United States.

• Hive Link – debuting at CES 2019, Hive Link from Centrica Hive is a new smart home service designed to allow caregivers to check their loved one is getting on with their day as usual, while providing reassurance someone is there if needed.

• Mymanu CLIK – the world’s smartest truly wireless earbuds with live voice translation, created in Manchester.

Notes to editors:

To find out more about CES, visit the CES website.

The full list of CES Innovation Awards, selecting the best examples of engineering, design and innovation for CES 2019, can be viewed here.

UK tech leads European success in 2018.

Education Secretary Damian Hinds has today (8 January) announced plans to fund 900 places on the Frontline children’s social work training programme up to 2021.

The social work charity, which has cross-party support, has secured £45 million in funding as it recruits growing numbers of trainees to the social work profession, helping to transform the lives of vulnerable children and families.

The announcement of additional funding comes as new Frontline-commissioned research, undertaken by ComRes, reveals that 44% of adults aged 18 – 34 are considering a change of career this year. The research also shows that a quarter of millennials would prioritise purpose over pay (25%).

Frontline, a top graduate recruiter, has already brought over 1,000 people onto its programme since 2013. Frontline is currently recruiting for its largest ever cohort of 452 trainees, with over 40 vacancies in the South West for the first time, and all trainees will benefit from generous bursaries of up to £20,000.

Education Secretary Damian Hinds said:

Social workers are heroes, often unsung, of our society – working on the frontline to offer care and support to some of the most vulnerable children and families in the country.

Children’s social care is only as good as the people who deliver it, which is why we want to recruit, retain and develop the best social workers, so they can continue to offer the much needed lifeline to those who need it most.

That’s why the Government is supporting Frontline with £45 million to continue their work in attracting and training bright graduates and career changers, who aspire for a rewarding career as a social worker.

Josh MacAlister, Frontline’s Chief Executive:

Every child deserves a safe and stable home. Today’s announcement means that Frontline can develop even more outstanding social workers to stand alongside those children and families who need them the most.

This year there has never been a better time to get into social work, with applications still open to join the Frontline programme for 2019.

Sally Hodges, Director of Children’s Services, Solihull:

We are proud to be working in partnership with Frontline to train the next generation of social workers. Social work is one of the country’s most important professions, and can make a life changing difference to those most in need.

Frontline’s participants, and the passion and talent they bring, have been an invaluable addition to our team at Solihull. We welcome today’s news and look forward to continuing our work together to deliver the best services for vulnerable children and their families.

New legislation will give police officers the power to land drones, search premises and seize drones and will require users to produce the proper documentation.

The government is moving forward with plans to give police new powers to tackle drones misuse and abuse, with the publication of their response to the drones consultation today (7 January 2019).

Following over 5,000 responses to the consultation, new legislation will give police officers the additional power to land drones and require users to produce the proper documentation. The police will have the power to search premises and seize drones — including electronic data stored within the device — where a serious offence has been committed and a warrant is secured.

Drones video

The Home Office will also begin to test and evaluate the safe use of a range of counter-drone technology in the UK. This crucial technology will detect drones from flying around sensitive sites, including airports and prisons, and develop a range of options to respond to drones, helping to prevent a repeat of incidents such as that recently experienced at Gatwick.

Important safety proposals being taken forward include better protection for our airports by significantly extending the area around airports and runways in which drones are banned from being flown. This builds on the government’s changes to the law last year which made it illegal to fly a drone above 400 feet or within 1 kilometre of an airport.

The Transport Secretary Chris Grayling made a statement in the House of Commons this evening.

Aviation Minister, Liz Sugg said:

Drones have the potential to bring significant benefits and opportunities, but with the speed of technological advancement comes risk, and safety and security must be our top priorities.

That’s why we are giving the police powers to deal with those using drones irresponsibly. Along with additional safety measures these will help ensure the potential of this technology is harnessed in a responsible and safe way.

The police will also be able to issue fixed-penalty notices for minor drone offences to ensure immediate and effective enforcement of vital rules. Fines of up to £100 could be given for offences such as failing to comply with a police officer when instructed to land a drone, or not showing their registration to operate a drone

With permission Mr Speaker, I would like to make a statement about the number of migrants trying to cross the English Channel in small boats and what the government is doing in response.

But before that, I know the whole House will want to join me in sending our thoughts and prayers to those injured in the attack at Manchester’s Victoria station on New Year’s Eve and to all those affected by this cruel and senseless act.

I would also like to thank the emergency services for their courageous response.

Thankfully Mr Speaker there were no fatalities.

And I am pleased to say that all three victims have now been discharged from hospital.

Mr Speaker, let me now turn to the issue of English Channel migrant crossings.

Over recent weeks, we saw a sharp increase in the number of migrants attempting to cross the Channel to the UK in small boats.

Over 500 migrants – mostly Iranian – attempted to travel to the UK on small vessels in 2018.

80% of them attempted this in the last three months of the year.

Around 40% of the attempts were either disrupted by French law enforcement or returned to France via French agencies.

Since 1 January, a further 25 have attempted to cross the Channel but they were disrupted.

In addition, just this morning, a dinghy was discovered along the Kent coast.

A number of individuals are now going through UK immigration procedures and 1 person has been arrested.

Mr Deputy Speaker, I’m sure the House will want to join me in thanking all the law enforcement agencies and all those involved in the response for their tireless efforts over Christmas and the new year.

This includes: Border Force, Immigration Enforcement, the Coastguard, the National Crime Agency, and the RNLI many of whom I met in Dover last week.

I would also like to thank our French law enforcement partners for their efforts to date which have been collaborative, swift and thorough.

The English Channel contains some of the busiest shipping lanes in the world the weather conditions are often treacherous and the inflatable boats that are being used are woefully ill-equipped to make such dangerous journeys.

The migrants who choose to make the trip are putting their lives in grave danger and can, at times, also create dangerous situations for our rescue services.

The reasons behind the increased crossings are diverse – and in many cases, are outside of our control.

First, instability in the regions such as the Middle East and North Africa are driving people out of their homes in search of better lives in Europe.

Second, organised crime groups are preying on and profiting from these vulnerable and often desperate people.

They are falsely promising them safe crossings to the UK – even though the journey is one of the most hazardous and the most dangerous possible.

Third, strengthened security at the French / UK border has meant it has become increasingly difficult for stowaways to illegally enter the UK in trucks and cars leading to more reckless attempts by boat.

I have been very clear that robust action is needed to protect people, our borders and to deter illegal migration.

Over the festive period, I took the decision to declare the situation a ‘Major Incident’.

I appointed a dedicated Gold Command and I stepped up the UK’s response.

As part of joint action agreed with the French, I have ordered two UK Border Force boats to be redeployed from overseas to patrol the Channel.

This is in addition to the two already undertaking enhanced patrols in these waters.

This will mean 4 Border Force Cutters in total.

And this is in addition to the 2 Coastal Patrol Vessels currently operating and aerial surveillance of the area.

Last week, I also requested additional help from the Ministry of Defence while we await the return of the 2 boats currently overseas.

I am grateful that the Royal Navy has kindly offered the use of HMS Mersey which started patrols on Friday.

I am also continuing to discuss with the French, what more they can do to stop people from attempting to make these crossings from France in the first place.

I welcome the action plan that the French have outlined just this Friday which includes a commitment to increased surveillance and security in maritime areas prevention campaigns in French coastal areas to stop people from setting off in the boats in the first place and a reinforced fight against smuggling gangs.

I’m also pleased to say that The National Crime Agency has also redoubled its efforts.

Last week, two men were arrested on suspicion of the illegal movement of migrants.

In addition, we’re doing important work in the home countries of the would be migrants to reduce factors which compel them to make these dangerous journeys in the first place.

For example, we’re helping to create jobs, to build infrastructure, tackling modern slavery, providing education and delivering life-saving humanitarian assistance in response to conflicts and natural disasters.

We’re also doing important work to undermine organised crime groups and we’ve committed £2.7 billion to the humanitarian response in Syria making us the second biggest unilateral donor to the region.

We are also on track to resettle 20,000 refugees fleeing the conflict in Syria by 2020 as well as up to 3,000 of the most vulnerable people from the Middle East and North Africa, including children at risk of exploitation and abuse.

In 2017, the UK resettled more refugees under national resettlement programmes than any other EU state.

Let me reassure the House that I am continuing to monitor the issue of Channel crossings daily.

Rt Hon and Hon Members will know that these crossings have also provoked a debate.

But I’m not afraid to say that I think there are some legitimate questions that need to be asked.

Why, for instance, are so many people choosing to cross the Channel from France to the UK when France itself is a safe country?

The widely accepted international principle is that those seeking asylum should claim it in the first safe country that they reach – be that France or elsewhere.

Indeed, many asylum seekers do just this.

Domestic legislation from 2004 clearly states that if an individual travels through a safe third country and fails to claim asylum, it will be taken into account in assessing the credibility of their claim.

Following these recent events, I have instructed my officials to look at how we can tighten this further and ensure these provisions are working effectively.

Mr Deputy Speaker, Britain has a proud tradition of welcoming and protecting asylum seekers.

We also have a long history of accepting economic migrants too – people like my very own parents.

But all these routes need to be safe and they need to be controlled.

Getting in a rubber dinghy is not.

That is why I will not accept these Channel crossings as just a matter of a fact of life.

Safeguarding lives and protecting the UK border are crucial Home Office priorities.

And while we have obligations to genuine asylum seekers and we will uphold we will not standby and allow reckless criminals to take advantage of vulnerable people.

Encouraging people to dangerously cross the Channel to come here is not an act of compassion.

So I will continue to do all I can to stop these dangerous crossings.

I commend this statement to the House.