Thank you very much. I’m really going to echo what Sigmar Gabriel and Jean-Yves Le Drian have already said. This was a very important meeting. It’s very important that as Europeans we come together to express a common view. That is, number one, that we greatly value the JCPoA, the nuclear deal with Iran, we think it is a considerable diplomatic accomplishment. It’s a way of stopping Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. As my colleagues have said, Iran is in compliance with this agreement according to the International Atomic Energy Authority, and that is very, very important to us. But it is also clearly important to build worldwide support for this deal and that Iran should be able to show, as my colleagues have said, that it is a good neighbour in the region. That’s why it’s legitimate and right that we should, in parallel, not connected with the JCPoA, but in parallel, focus on what Iran can do to resolve the appalling crisis in Yemen, to help push forward a peace in Syria and to help resolve other questions in the region. I want to stress, just in conclusion, that I don’t think anybody has so far produced a better alternative to the JCPoA as a way of preventing the Iranians from going ahead with their acquisition of a nuclear capability. I don’t think anybody has come up with a better idea. And I think it is incumbent on those who oppose the JCPoA to come up with that better solution, because we haven’t seen it so far. I also think that if we can keep the deal going, which I very much hope that we can, that the Iranian people should see the economic benefits that will flow from the JCPoA. And that’s why the UK Government together with our friends and partners in France and Germany, and of course other EU countries and [EU High Representative] Federica Mogherini, will continue to work for the continuation of the JCPoA.

Published 11 January 2018

Updated: The date to submit comments by has been extended to 15 February 2018.

Updated: Detail updated

The latest Public health England (PHE) statistics published at 14.00 today show that seasonal flu levels have continued to increase in the last week across the UK.

The statistics show over the last week there has been a 78% increase in the GP consultation rate with flu like illness, a 50% increase in the flu hospitalisation rate, and a 65% increase in the flu intensive care admission rate. The main strains circulating continue to be flu A(H3N2), A(H1N1) and Flu B.

PHE and the Department for Health this morning launched the ‘Catch It, Bin It, Kill It’ campaign. The campaign includes radio, press and digital advertising to inform the public about the steps they can take to protect themselves and reduce spread of the virus by practising good respiratory hand hygiene. Dr Paul Cosford, Medical Director of PHE, Sir Bruce Keogh, Medical Director of NHS England and the Chief Medical Officer Dame Sally Davies have also written to all frontline healthcare workers to encourage them to take up the offer of the vaccine if they haven’t already.

The flu virus can live for many hours on hard surfaces and therefore practising good hand hygiene can limit the spread of germs and transmission of flu. People are advised to catch coughs and sneezes in a tissue, bin it, and then wash their hands afterwards to kill the germs. Practising good hand hygiene and giving eligible people the flu vaccine is the best defence against the virus.

Professor Paul Cosford, Medical Director, Public Health England said:

Our data shows that more people are visiting GPs with flu symptoms and we are seeing more people admitted to hospital with flu.

We are currently seeing a mix of flu types, including the A(H3N2) strain that circulated last winter in the UK and then in Australia. The A(H3N2) strain particularly affects older, more vulnerable age groups.

We encourage anyone who is eligible to take up their offer of the flu vaccine – it is not too late. People suffering with flu-like symptoms should catch coughs or sneezes in tissues and bin them immediately, wash their hands regularly with soap and warm water and frequently clean regularly used surfaces to stop the spread of flu. Avoid having unnecessary contact with other people if you or they have symptoms of flu.

Seasonal flu usually circulates for several weeks each year. The intensity of circulation depends upon the underlying population immunity, the circulating viruses and external factors such as the weather. It is an unpredictable virus and it is not possible to anticipate how flu levels will progress.

Amongst other diseases like norovirus that normally increase during winter, seasonal flu puts extra pressure on the NHS every year.

The latest data is available online. Currently, 71.3% of adults over 65, 46.9% of adults with a long-term health condition, 45.5% of pregnant women, 40.8% of 3-year-olds and 42% of 2-year-olds have received the vaccine.

Overseas buyers of UK exports can now access UK government-backed finance in 62 pre-approved local currencies, Minister for Investment Graham Stuart MP announced today.

The support is available through UK Export Finance (UKEF), the UK’s export credit agency, and will help UK exporters compete for major overseas contracts, by allowing overseas buyers to access long-term finance in their local currency when they buy from the UK.

Graham Stuart MP said:

By giving UK exporters the flexibility to offer government-backed finance to their international customers in the currency of their choice, we are increasing the appeal of sourcing from the UK.

This world-leading offer from UK Export Finance gives buyers all over the world – from Bulgaria to Vietnam – the ability to ‘buy British, pay local.

The announcement builds on the expansion of UKEF’s local currency offering to 43 currencies in the Autumn Statement 2016, compared to fewer than 15 available in 2010.

Being able to access long-term finance is particularly beneficial for overseas buyers whose revenue and accounts are in their local currency, thereby helping to increase the competitiveness of a UK exporter’s offering.

UKEF can now offer pre-approved local currency financing in:

• Bulgarian Lev
• Colombian Peso*
• Croatian Kuna*
• Dominican Peso*
• Ghanaian Cedi*
• Jordanian Dinar*
• Kazakhstani Tenge*
• Mongolian Togrog*
• Moroccan Dirham*
• Nigerian Naira
• Pakistani Rupee*
• Panamanian Balboa
• Philippine Peso
• Romanian Leu
• Serbian Dinar*
• Sri Lankan Rupee*
• New Taiwan Dollar
• Trinidad & Tobago Dollar
• Vietnamese Dong

*Support will be approved on a case-by-case basis

Image credit: UK Parliament/CC 3.0