Culture Minister steps in to prevent Nainsukh of Guler’s ‘Trumpeters’, valued at £550,000, from export

It’s a pleasure to be here in Bristol for Export Week.

Being Secretary of State for International Trade is a job that takes you to every corner of the world, and I often find myself spending the weekend on a long-haul flight between distant markets.

So it is a real treat to be spending Friday at an event held less than five miles from my own front door! Earlier this week my Department held a joint event with Facebook, exploring the impact that technological advances have had, and will continue to have, on UK international trade.

The focus was not on new products and markets that have developed alongside advanced technology – although the UK is a genuine world-leader in these fields.

Rather, it was about the way that communication and distribution technology has allowed small companies, and even individuals, unprecedented access to global markets.

The effect has been truly transformational. The internet allows the smallest producer to find a market for their product, no matter how niche or specialist.

We are living in an age where commerce is shrugging off geographical constraints. The term ‘multinational’ has long been shorthand for the largest global companies. But today it is something of a misnomer.

With platforms such as Amazon and eBay now giving even the most modest SMEs a reach that rivals that of the largest international giants, we are fast approaching a point where every producer, no matter the size, has the potential to become a ‘multinational’.

Clearly, there is a vast amount of commercial potential waiting to be unlocked.

This matters to the UK more than most countries. This country is home to some 5.7 million businesses, 99.9% of which are classified as SMEs.

According to the Federation of Small Businesses, these companies have a combined annual turnover of £1.9 trillion, and support around 16.1 million jobs – 60% of all private sector employment in the UK.

It is no exaggeration to say that small businesses are the backbone of our domestic economy. And they have the potential to be the driver of our international prosperity as well.

One thing that I have learned in this job is the sheer level of demand that exists across the globe for UK products, and the high esteem in which British goods and services are held.

Arriving on an overseas trade mission, I am often greeted by an iconic British product that has beaten me to my destination, whether it is a red London bus on the streets of Mexico City, or a bottle of English ale in my hotel minibar in Singapore.

Such stories will come as no surprise to anyone here today who has sold their product overseas.

Research published by Barclays earlier this year indicated that more than 60% of consumers in the key markets of India and China perceive products that are ‘made in Britain’ as being of higher quality – and are willing to pay a premium for them.

This is a story repeated across the world. And if we are to deliver a prosperous, economically secure future for the UK and its people, then it is vitally important that businesses of every size are able to realise these international opportunities.

One of the greatest qualities of this country’s SMEs is their profusion outside the capital, and the way that they create and sustain world-leading industries in the United Kingdom’s regional economic centres.

Take the South West as just one example.

North Somerset has been my home for more than 25 years – so of course I’m not yet classed as a local, but I’m getting there!

In that time, the regional economy has transformed. Agriculture, food and drink are still important – my annual invitation to the North Somerset Agricultural Show would be rescinded if I said otherwise – but traditional industries now rub shoulders with digital technology, advanced engineering and professional services.

Last year, the South West recorded an impressive 12.3% increase in the value of its overseas goods exports, and local businesses vastly extended their global footprint.

These have included firms such as Rockit, a manufacturer of baby-rockers based in Portishead, who have worked with DIT to secure a major new contract, expanding their sales to South Africa, Namibia and Mozambique.

Coming on top of robust sales to Canada, Australia and Hong Kong, this means that exports now account for more than 60% of their turnover.

I believe that Rockit’s founders are here with us today.

Such stories of exporting success are repeated not only across the South West, but in every region of the United Kingdom.

Take Retrogenix – a Derbyshire-based biotechnology firm that increased its revenue from overseas sales by 80% in the last year,

…or Trylife, a Newcastle-based educational film production company, who are working with DIT to bring their films to the North American market.

These collaborations between SMEs and my Department show that, while quality of the product will always speak for itself, government also has a vital role to play in helping SMEs to reach their exporting potential.

To that end, in August the Department for International Trade launched our Export Strategy.

In preparation, we held a nationwide business consultation, asking what we the government could do to help exporters.

You told us that we should inform connect, encourage and finance exporting opportunities. So, we have appointed nine new Her Majesty’s Trade Commissioners, to deploy their expertise and shape our interaction with key markets.

We have launched a National Trade Academy Programme, to teach the next generation of business leaders about the fundamentals of exporting.

We have imbedded UK Export Finance experts in our overseas missions, helping to identify those commercial opportunities that qualify for financial support. In conjunction, we have also organised Supplier Fairs here in the UK, allowing British businesses to win international contracts in UKEF-backed projects.

We have established extensive online communities of exporters and customers, and have re-launched the Export Opportunities Service, newly integrated into our online platform at great.gov.uk.

As we speak, there are over 23,000 export opportunities live on the site, representing almost every market and industry in the world.

Examples range from a Dutch education body that wants to source touch screen computers from the UK, to a Hong Kong distributor who want British cheese for hotels, airlines and supermarkets in East Asia.

Whatever you’re selling, there is someone out there who is keen to buy.

The Export Strategy represents one of the most comprehensive export packages offered to businesses anywhere in the world. I know that many companies here today are already working with DIT to take advantage of all that’s on offer.

I would strongly encourage the rest of you to do so. Even if you are already a tried and tested exporter, we are ready to help expand your businesses. DIT has a presence in over 100 countries worldwide, offering unparalleled access to opportunities and local expertise.

Everything we do is designed to encourage, inform, connect and finance exports across the public and private sectors, and to transform Britain into a 21st century exporting superpower.

The strategy is only the most recent development in the work that DIT has been doing to increase this country’s exports. And already, the hard work of government and industry is paying off.

In the 12 months to September, the value of UK exports grew by some 4.4%, including strong growth in the manufacturing sector. Indeed, HMRC figures confirm that exports of goods have shown robust growth in every single region of the UK.

In the same period, the growth in exports continued to outstrip the growth in imports, almost halving the UK’s trade deficit from £23.4bn to £15.8bn.

And since the referendum we have increased our exports by £111Bn to £610Bn.

Such figures show that the UK continues to buck the global trend, with export growth consistently ahead of the general expansion in global trade. It is an irrefutable fact that, globally, more people wat to ‘buy British’ than ever before.

We have set ourselves the ambitious target of raising exports as a proportion of the UK’s GDP from 30 to 35 percent, putting us towards the top of the G7.

This cannot be achieved, however, unless thousands more SMEs choose to begin their exporting journey

Because all of our success belongs to you, our exporting SMEs. As I have often said, while we are concerned solely with international trade, my department is not itself an exporter. We sell nothing overseas ourselves.

Instead, our sole aim is to create the most favourable conditions that allow businesses like yours to retain a competitive edge and thrive in the global economy.

The final thought that I would like to leave you with, is that your success is Britain’s success.

This may sound like a soundbite. But I am referring to the wider societal good that comes from a growth in exports.

Recent research published by the Institute for Economic Affairs indicated that, through an increased tax take, job creation and other factors, a 10% increase in the value of the UK’s exports could potentially raise £20 billion for the Exchequer, funding the NHS, our armed forces, and the vital public services on which we all rely.

I must stress that this is not government analysis. And there is much work to do if we are to expand our exports by 10%. But it gives an idea of the importance of exporting to the social and economic health of our country.

So, as you begin your exporting journey remember – you are not only building a safe, secure and prosperous future for your own company, but for every person in the United Kingdom.

There is no greater reward than that.

The UK government is taking the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative to the big screen for the first time. The ‘Fighting Stigma Through Film’ festival will take place on the 23 and 24 November 2018 at the British Film Institute (BFI) in London.

The festival aims to harness the power of film and cinema to help fight the discrimination so often faced by survivors of sexual violence in conflict. Over 2 days there will be screenings of 38 films and documentaries from around the world – sharing stories of survivors and the inspiring people working alongside them. Among the titles, the festival will host the world premiere for Leslie Thomas’ film ‘The Prosecutors’ which explores the battle for justice survivors face.

The event is supported by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, the Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict, Pramila Patten, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, and Angelina Jolie, UNHCR Special Envoy.

Alongside screenings, the PSVI film festival will display thought-provoking art installations and showcase the work of organisations striving to end of the horror of sexual violence in conflict. Workshops will be running throughout, led by prominent experts on various PSVI topics, offering the chance to learn more about these important issues and ask questions.

Register to attend

Admission is free and all are welcome to come along and watch a film, join a workshop, or explore the exhibition.

Doors are open on Friday 23 November from 10am to 2pm and Saturday 24 November from 9am to 9pm.

Film festival programme

Read about the films that are being played at the festival.

Find out about the thematic workshops.

Why is the PSVI campaign so important?

Sexual violence as a weapon of war continues to destroy, destabilise, and demoralise individuals, communities and societies across the world.

As well as leaving a physical wound, sexual violence leaves a social stigma – which becomes a global problem crossing generations. Ending the cycle of sexual violence in conflict and its associated stigma is vital for upholding international peace and security.

The UK remains highly committed to preventing and responding to conflict-related sexual violence, following the launch of the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) by former Foreign Secretary, Lord Hague, and UNHCR Special Envoy Angelina Jolie, in 2012.

The PSVI has 3 objectives:

• tackle stigma
• secure justice and accountability
• prevent sexual violence in conflict

The film festival marks the one year countdown to a PSVI international conference, which the UK will host in 2019 5 years on from the 2014 Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict. The event will celebrate progress, address remaining challenges, and secure further commitments to action.

Find out more about the UK government’s work to help survivors in this video:

Preventing sexual violence in conflict

Facebook has joined the government’s Year of Engineering campaign, with a pledge to encourage more bright talent in the UK to consider engineering or technology-related careers. The announcement was made at an open day at its London offices for 100 schoolchildren with Primary Engineer Programmes, and follows Facebook’s commitment to hiring hundreds more engineers in the UK over the next year.

Throughout 2018 the Year of Engineering has seen government join forces with over 1,400 partners to tackle a lack of diversity in engineering and show young people the opportunities of careers in the industry.

So far the campaign has given young people more than 750,000 direct experiences of engineering, from behind the scenes tours to challenges linked to the engineering behind football, robotics and the environment.

Facebook’s announcement was marked with a special open day on Friday 16 November 2018, where secondary school children heard from Facebook’s product teams about their career paths. The children also had the chance to work on engineering challenges, coming up with ideas for using technology to help solve problems in their school or community.

The open day saw Facebook team up with Year of Engineering partner Primary Engineer Programmes, who run the ‘If you were an engineer, what would you do?’ competition. In 2017-2018 over 37,000 pupils across the UK have entered the competition, which gives young people the chance to meet engineering role models and design their own inventions, some of which are brought to life by engineers.

On the same day, Facebook engineers joined the Year of Engineering at careers show World Skills UK Live in Birmingham, showing thousands of young people how engineers are using ground-breaking technology to tackle global challenges.

To mark its support for the campaign, Facebook is also launching a mentorship programme to unlock engineering talent beyond 2018. Working with educational programme JUMP, the scheme will give young people from disadvantaged backgrounds one to one mentoring with Facebook engineers. Facebook has recently set out its commitment to investing in UK engineering, with cutting-edge facilities and a pledge to increase its UK engineering recruits.

HM Government Envoy for the Year of Engineering Stephen Metcalfe MP said:

Engineering is a creative, trailblazing career that shapes the world around us, yet too many young people are in the dark about the opportunities it offers.

Leading technology companies like Facebook play a vital role in inspiring the next generation of engineers and innovators, and it is wonderful to see so many young people given the opportunity to discover first-hand what an engineering career could look like

Dr. Susan Scurlock, founder of Primary Engineer Programmes said:

It’s been fantastic to see the students interviewing the Facebook product teams as part of the “If you were an engineer what would you do?” competition. It’s really important for students to understand the breadth of opportunities in engineering and we have heard about some amazing roles here at Facebook today. We need to allow all young people to identify opportunities for themselves within engineering if we are to increase diversity in the profession. We look forward to seeing the designs from today as part of the competition where some will be selected to be made by engineering teams from partner universities

Kyle McGinn, Director of Product at Facebook, said:

Supporting emerging STEM talent is something we are really committed to, which is why we’re pleased to welcome hundreds of aspiring young engineers at our offices today and launch our mentoring programme. Facebook’s largest engineering hub outside of the US is based right here in London and our teams have worked on some of our biggest global innovations including Oculus and Workplace. We’re proud to say we’ll be hiring hundreds more engineers in the next year as part of our wider investment to the UK and as we expand, we want to encourage the UK’s next generation of talent as part of our support for Year of Engineering and through our new mentorship program.

Engineering makes a major contribution to the UK economy, but the sector faces a major skills gap and lack of diversity – there is annual shortage of 20,000 engineering graduates each year, only 12% of the engineering workforce is female, and less than 8% comes from a black, Asian or ethnic minority background.

• £1 million to expand training programmes for charities to improve digital skills
• Fund follows a commitment in the Civil Society Strategy to support charities to build their digital confidence
• Training to enable charities to develop an understanding of how technology can make it easier for them to achieve their goals

Charities across England will have the opportunity to improve their digital skills through a new £1 million digital training fund for the sector, Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright announced today.

The Digital Leadership Fund will give industry leaders’ free access to training or heavily subsidised courses to boost their digital skills and develop a wider understanding of how technology can help them fulfil their mission.

Training available for charity bosses will include learning how to maximise online fundraising tools, build a social media presence or modernise their operational delivery by embedding updated IT systems.

Training may also include learning how to harness emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, to achieve their charitable objectives.

The fund supports the government’s recently published Civil Society Strategy, which outlined plans to help charities build their digital capabilities to benefit service-users and wider society.

Jeremy Wright, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, said:

We want charitable organisations to thrive in the digital age and are committed to helping them get the most out of technology, which can act as an enormous force for good.

Through this programme, charity leaders will have more opportunities to enhance skills and boost employee confidence while creating a greater and more positive impact on people and their communities.

This programme is in addition to the £400,000 Digital Inclusion Fund which was launched in August to help older and disabled people acquire digital skills. Projects are expected to include the teaching of basic skills such as booking GP appointments online, using apps to communicate with friends and family, and making the most of search engines.

It will also harness the power of tech to get people online and support the Digital Strategy, which sets out Government’s ambition to create a world-leading digital economy that works for everyone.

The Digital Leadership Fund is to organisations that are currently providing training to improve charities’ digital skills.

Applications close on Friday December 7th.