I would like to warmly congratulate Michelle Bachelet on her appointment as United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

The UK strongly supports the Office of the High Commissioner in its efforts to promote and protect human rights throughout the world, and to strengthen the ability of the UN system as a whole to respond to human rights situations of concern.

Michelle Bachelet has extensive experience of the UN, and a long history of working to promote human rights, including as the founding Executive Director of UN Women. We wish her every success and look forward to working with her.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Zeid Ra’ad Al-Hussein for the invaluable contributions he has made in his role as High Commissioner, speaking up tirelessly for the victims of human rights abuses, and holding nations that commit serious and systematic violations against their citizens to account.

The business, which was founded just last year, already sells 12% of its goods overseas and now exports to 6 countries including the US and Singapore. The latest deal in Australia will quadruple the volume of its exporting sales.

The firm has worked with the Department for International Trade (DIT) to gain insight into potential new markets.

Peter Harrison, Business Development Manager at Ocean Footprint, said:

British engineering and manufacturing is globally regarded for its high quality in the marine industry, which is why exporting was always at the heart of our growth plans.

We’ve seen great international success and exporting is now expected to outperform our sales in the UK. However, there are many things to consider before taking the plunge. The differing tax, legislation and regulatory landscape are the main things to consider for a business like ours, which is why we got in touch with DIT in the first instance to help us overcome any potential pitfalls.

All the trade advisers we dealt with have a background in business and fully understand what we were trying to achieve. They also put us in touch with other companies that had already found overseas success, so we could learn from them too. If we can do it, so can many other local firms.

Paul Shand, DIT Head of South West, said:

What Ocean Footprint has already achieved on the world stage as a young business is very impressive. The firm has clearly capitalised on the huge demand for British products overseas.

We know the challenges faced by businesses when trading overseas but it is important that they understand the benefits that exporting can bring, such as greater resilience and profitability.

DIT can offer a range of support through our network of International Trade Advisers based across the region, export finance managers, sector specialists and colleagues in over 108 markets I would encourage anyone thinking about exporting for the first time, or considering their next international market, to get in touch.

The members of the Troika (the United Kingdom, United States, and Norway) support the engagement of the region in the recent Khartoum-based negotiations on outstanding governance and security issues. We acknowledge the role of Sudan in hosting these negotiations. Considerable challenges lie ahead, and we are concerned that the arrangements agreed to date are not realistic or sustainable. Given their past leadership failures, South Sudanese leaders will need to behave differently and demonstrate commitment to peace and good governance.

Above all, we support the people of South Sudan’s aspirations to lead lives unburdened by fear, and to experience peace, pluralism, and prosperity. We remain steadfast that the best hope for sustainable peace is a process inclusive of ordinary men and women, civil society, religious leaders, ethnic minorities, and other excluded groups. We urge mediators to ensure the open and free participation of these groups and other participants in the negotiations, to ensure their interests are fully protected. Moreover, the process should culminate in free, fair, and credible elections, and allow for a peaceful transition in leadership in the most expeditious and responsible manner.

During the next stage of the talks, parties must bring in a wider range of stakeholders, and develop clear plans for the transition period, including how resources will be used in a transparent and accountable way for the benefit of all South Sudanese. Critical questions remain, such as how security will be provided in Juba during the transition period and how meaningful checks will be placed on executive power.

We call on the parties to develop clear and realistic governance and security timelines and plans for the transition period; and on the Intergovernmental Authority on Development member states and the African Union (AU) to continue and intensify their involvement in the implementation phase of any agreement.

We note that there has been some reduction in fighting, the most serious confidence-building measure of all. Sustained peace is a necessary condition for the legitimacy of a transitional arrangement. In furtherance of this, we call on our regional partners to uphold the United Nations Security Council arms embargo, and on their financial institutions to ensure that the proceeds from corrupt and war-making activities do not flow through their jurisdictions. We now expect to see a change in the situation on the ground, beginning with a further significant reduction in violence, and all parties taking measures to allow full humanitarian access.

The Crab Fair is one of England’s oldest events – this September will mark the 751st – and our donation will help safeguard their future.

The donation has been used to fund ground protection mats, which will enable vehicles and displays to access the sports field whatever the weather. The mats will last for many years, meaning the benefit of our donation will be felt for decades to come.

Donation to Crab Fair

They’ll also become a valuable asset for other community organisations, as the Crab Fair Committee has linked up with the organisers of Distington Vintage Rally and Eskdale, Gosforth, Wasdale and Ennerdale County Shows to make the funding bid – they’ll loan out the mats to those other events.

Tracey West, from the Sellafield Ltd Social Impact Team, said:

This is a really great project because it links a number of community groups and our donation is providing a community asset which will be of use for a long time. It helps make those events, each one an important part of the fabric in West Cumbria, more sustainable.

Daniel Shutt, of Egremont Crab Fair Committee, said:

We’re really please with Sellafield Ltd’s support. It will make our lives so much easier because we know that the field will be accessible. All of these events are run by teams of volunteers, and the weather here in this part of the world is really unpredictable, so accessing our sports field can be tricky. This move helps to secure our future. Thank you Sellafield Ltd.

• £51m of extra funding for high-tech hub in Wales
• Backing for British expertise at 40-year high
• Latest GDP figures confirm economy continues to grow

Britain’s world-leading researchers and entrepreneurs in Wales will benefit from an additional £51 million to create the technologies of tomorrow, the Chancellor announced today.

Philip Hammond will expand successful ‘catapult centres’ which are fuelling innovation across the country, including in Wales, as part of the UK’s ambitious, modern Industrial Strategy. This new funding backs Britain’s brightest talent – supporting work in high-tech labs, cutting-edge factories and advanced training centres.

So far this has helped create hundreds of new products, services and inventions, including a portable pollution sensor that parents can attach to a child’s buggy, cellular therapies to fight cancer and improve recovery of stroke victims, LED treatment for blindness, and more-efficient wings for aeroplanes.

The Chancellor made the announcement on the day GDP figures showed the UK economy has grown by 0.4%.

The funding will go to the Compound Semiconductor Catapult in Cardiff, which will open its Innovation Centre in early 2019.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond, said:

We are backing innovative British companies to grow and create jobs, as we build an economy fit for the future.

Today’s £51 million investment for Wales will support innovators across the country to create the technologies of the future and the better, highly-paid jobs we all want to see.

Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns said:

This investment in the Compound Semiconductor Applications Catapult cements Wales’ reputation as a leader in advanced electronics. Bringing together academics and businesses to develop new technologies will support areas of our daily lives from the next generation 5G mobile network to improving scanning at airport security.

Our investment in this technology will help Welsh businesses exploit a hugely lucrative global market and ensure that Wales continues to lead the world in science and innovation, creating vital new jobs along the way.

The UK has a reputation for innovation and is building on this strength with the largest investment in research and development in 40 years. This is part of our balanced approach, getting debt falling while investing to create more opportunities for the high-skilled, well-paid jobs of the future.

The catapult network supports sectors and technologies that are going to be in high demand in the years ahead. It brings together the best of UK business, science and engineering to work side by side in research and development to ‘catapult’ products from ideas to market. It helps remove barriers to growth, which often can include access to finance, inadequate facilities or skills shortages.

ENDS