Crew members of Lancaster DS678, a Royal Air Force (RAF) bomber, took off on the evening of 24 March 1944 for a raid on Berlin, Germany but never returned. Sadly, nothing further was heard of their fate. A service of commemoration to honour 5 of the crew members was held yesterday, Wednesday 27 June at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) Niederzwehren war cemetery in Hessen, Germany.

The service, organised by the MOD’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC), part of Defence Business Services, was conducted by the Reverend Doctor (Squadron Leader) John Harrison, Royal Auxiliary Air Force.

Tracey Bowers, JCCC said:

It’s a great pleasure to be here today to pay tribute to these brave men who made the ultimate sacrifice for king and country. Although the location of their actual graves has been lost over the year it’s fitting that they are commemorated by name and I’m delighted that we have some of their family from the UK, Canada and the USA here with us today.

The 5 crew members remembered were:

Terri Griffin, on behalf of Sergeant Watson’s family, said:

It has been a fabulous event for the family, so well organised and a great tribute to uncle Johnnie.

Liane Benoit on behalf of Pilot Officer McCann family, said:

We are so grateful to the British Ministry of Defence for this honour. It was a beautiful ceremony in a generous and hospitable community and we know they will rest in peace.

The 5 were killed and buried in the Prisoner of War (PoW) cemetery at Ohrdruf. After the war, the Missing, Recovery and Exhumation Services (MRES) were unable to identify the graves as the cemetery was under Soviet control and remained so until 1991. Over the years, the graves had been declared as ‘lost’. Now, more than 70 years after their deaths, a special memorial for each of the five fallen crew members has been rededicated in Hessen, Germany.

It is believed that only 2 crew members of Lancaster DS678 survived but were taken as PoWs at Ohdruf.

Mel Donnelly, CWGC said:

These special memorials allow us to commemorate the 5 members of the crew of Lancaster DS678, alongside other commonwealth war casualties in the CWGC Niederzwehren war cemetery. Even though their graves in Ohrdruf cannot now be found, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission ensures that all those who served and fell are commemorated by name.

The memorials were provided by the CWGC who will now care for them in perpetuity.

Scottish Secretary David Mundell has confirmed today [28 June 2018] that his department, as well as the Office of the Advocate General, will be joining the new and innovative UK Government Hub in the New Waverley Development in Edinburgh.

The new Hub will bring together nearly 3,000 UK Government civil servants, from a range of departments, by 2020. It will improve the work of the UK Government in Scotland, enabling closer collaboration between departments, helping them deliver better services for people in Scotland. It is a key part of the UK Government’s commitment to building a strong Civil Service outside London.

Mr Mundell said:

The UK Government is delivering for Scotland. It is right that we have the right facilities to enable staff from across the whole of the UK Government to work together to deliver high quality services. The UK Government Hub demonstrates our commitment to supporting the Edinburgh economy – which we are also driving through the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal.

Across the UK it is estimated that the UK Government Hubs programme will save more than £2 billion of public money over twenty years, relocating civil servants from existing, often fragmented office locations, to modern, cross-departmental workplaces.

The Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland and the Office of the Advocate General, will be joined by other UK Government departments and bodies including HMRC, the Office for Statistics Regulation, the Information Commissioner’s Office, the Government Actuary’s Department and HM Treasury.

The Chief Secretary to the Treasury Liz Truss has heralded the East of England’s agricultural economy as figures show exports were worth more than £433 million in the first quarter of 2018 alone, up by around 5%.

Speaking during a visit to the Royal Norfolk Show today (Thursday 28 June), to meet businesses who are exporting their food and drink abroad, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Liz Truss, said:

British food and drink is desired around the world and the East of England is leading the way.

It’s important that businesses in this region have as much opportunity as possible to increase their trade and create jobs.

There are now 103,000 more businesses in the East of England since 2010, with the employment rate in the region at a record high of 78%.

Exports of food and animals to Asia, Africa and the rest of Europe from the East of England were worth £1.7 billion in 2017.

The East of England is known for its food specialities such as crabs from Cromer and turkey from Norfolk.

Today’s decision follows the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) initial Phase 1 investigation, which found that the deal could lead to higher prices and lower quality for businesses.

Rentokil, which trades as Initial for washroom services, and Cannon are 2 of the UK’s largest suppliers of washroom products and services. They install and maintain equipment such as air sanitisers, feminine hygiene units, nappy bins and soap dispensers in commercial, industrial and public buildings.

The firms did not offer measures to address the CMA’s concerns, and so it has referred the merger for a more in-depth, Phase 2 investigation.

A decision on the merger will now be made by a group of independent panel members supported by a case team of CMA staff. The deadline for the final report is 12 December 2018.

More information can be found on the Rentokil / Cannon case page.

International Trade Secretary Dr Liam Fox MP has named Natalie Black as Her Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for Asia Pacific. Ms Black joins the Department for International Trade (DIT) from 10 Downing Street, where she was Deputy Head of the Prime Minister’s Policy Unit.

International Trade Secretary Dr Liam Fox MP said:

Natalie’s experience from working at the heart of government will be a major asset as she takes on her role in this international economic department as HM Trade Commissioner for Asia Pacific. She’ll lead the government’s trade and investment promotion and policy work in a region rich with opportunity.

This appointment is a crucial step forward in building stronger trading links with exciting and diverse economies as we leave the European Union.

DIT Permanent Secretary Antonia Romeo added:

I’m delighted to welcome Natalie to DIT’s senior team. Her appointment follows a global competitive recruitment process to attract the best of Whitehall and private sector talent to HM Trade Commissioner roles.

Natalie’s experience at the heart of government working with businesses, particularly in fast growing sectors such as tech, will be a major asset for us in leading and coordinating the government’s trade and investment promotion and policy work in the important Asia Pacific region.

On her ambitions for UK trade in the region, HM Trade Commissioner for Asia Pacific Natalie Black said:

I am excited to be joining DIT in this new role as HM Trade Commissioner for Asia Pacific. Stretching from Japan to New Zealand, and covering the ASEAN economies, this is a vibrant, innovative region with immense opportunity for more collaboration and new partnerships. We have a fantastic opportunity to put the UK in prime position to benefit from the opening up of new markets, and to establish stronger trading links with trading partners such as Australia.

About Asia Pacific

The Asia Pacific region is home to the some of the world’s fast-emerging economies and established trading partners, such as Singapore, Australia and New Zealand, which have been a major focus of Dr Fox’s international economic department.

South East Asian countries – part of ASEAN – already account for more than £32 billion of trade with the UK, 2016 figures show. Total UK trade in goods and services with the Asia Pacific region in the same year was worth £88 billion.

Her Majesty’s Trade Commissioners

Black brings an excellent track-record of working with business and overseas partners, and was instrumental in developing the government’s Industrial Strategy and delivering the high-profile National Cyber Security Strategy.

The new role – one of 9 HM Trade Commissioners – will see her build on the progress already made through trade working groups with Australia, New Zealand and Japan, as the UK forges ahead with its post-Brexit trade plan.

Natalie joins:

• Emma Wade-Smith (Africa)
• Simon Penney (Middle East)
• Richard Burn (China)
• Jo Crellin (Latin America)
• Crispin Simon (South Asia)
• Judith Slater (Eastern Europe and Central Asia)
• Antony Phillipson (North America)

A Commissioner for Europe will be announced shortly, completing the appointment of DIT’s senior leadership team under the direction of Permanent Secretary Antonia Romeo.