Author Archives: HM Government

Securing an ambitious EU exit deal that works for every part of the UK is the Government’s priority, Minister Steve Baker reaffirmed today as he concluded a tour of Cornwall.

Over the course of two days, the Minister took the opportunity to engage with businesses from a variety of sectors across the region – including, fishing, aerospace, manufacturing and pharmaceuticals. He attended business roundtables at Falmouth University and Tremough Innovation Centre, and visited Newquay AeroHub Enterprise Zone and Newlyn Fish Market.

Speaking to business leaders and organisation representatives, the Minister used the visit to hear about the opportunities and challenges that the UK’s exit from the EU could pose to the region and how they are preparing.

Minister for Exiting the EU, Steve Baker said:

My visit to Cornwall has been hugely productive and given me a great opportunity to hear about various businesses’ priorities for our EU exit.

We are absolutely committed to achieving a deal which works for every region in the UK which is why it is vital that we continue to speak with businesses and organisations from across the country to ensure their views are fully represented as we move through the negotiations.

With the fourth round of negotiations underway, the visit comes as the UK Government steps up its engagement with businesses across the UK to ensure the voices of British businesses are heard and reflected throughout the exit process.

It is the second regional visit that the Minister has done in two weeks, following his trip to the North East last week.

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The UK Government is today launching a new ‘trade dialogue’ with emerging markets in South America to strengthen bilateral trade and investment relationships and to seek continuity in our trade relationships post Brexit.

The dialogue will focus on our strong trade links with 3 Andean countries: Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.

Trade Policy Minister, Greg Hands, is in Lima, Peru today, Wednesday 27th September to meet with his Ministerial counterpart Eduardo Ferreyros whilst Minister for Investment, Mark Garnier met Ecuador’s Minister Pablo Campana in London, Monday 25th September.

Greg Hands also announced that the government’s export credit agency, UK Export Finance, will double financial support for UK-Peru trade, offering up to £4 billion of financing available to UK exporters and buyers of UK goods and services in Peru.

Minister for Trade Policy, Greg Hands, said:

As we leave the EU, we need to look outwards and be a beacon for free trade by forging independent trading arrangements with growing economies around the world.

That is why, as an international economic department, we are activating new trade dialogues to provide continuity with emerging markets in Latin America. We want continuing access for export opportunities for British businesses.

Minister for Investment, Mark Garnier, said:

The economies of Latin America have already seen steady growth. We want UK companies to take advantage of the opportunities.

The Peruvian Minister for Trade and Tourism, Eduardo Ferreyros, said:

Minister Hands’ visit to Peru marks the beginning of what will be a very fruitful dialogue in order to ensure continuity in our preferential trade relationship. The UK is a very important partner for Peru in Europe, and we look forward to boosting our trade and investment ties as new opportunities arise for our businesses.

Background

Total trade in goods and services between UK and all South American countries totalled £12.4 billion in 2015. The UK’s biggest exports to the region include spirits, cars and medical equipment, with the biggest imports including coffee, nuts and fruit.

International Trade Secretary Liam Fox visited Colombia last month, during which he met Trade Minister María Lorena Gutiérrez and announced that support available from UK Export Finance for trade with the country is doubling to £4.5 billion.

UK-Andean Trade ties

The UK supports the current EU – Andean agreement.

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The Institute was established to uphold the quality of apprenticeship standards in England. To support its efforts, it is seeking to bring clarity by defining what an apprenticeship is, what a high quality apprenticeship looks like and how that should be judged. The Institute has today published a draft ‘Quality Statement’ which will act as a core reference point for its work and will help shape the wider apprenticeship landscape. Employers, training providers, assessors and members of the public now have the opportunity to offer feedback on the draft statement and suggest any changes.

Antony Jenkins, Chair of the Institute for Apprenticeships said:

Apprenticeships can be fantastic for businesses and learners, but only if they are high quality. It is our duty to make that happen but in order to do it effectively we need to make sure we are all working towards the same goal.

We all have a stake in the delivery of quality apprenticeships, which help to address skills gaps and boost our nation’s workforce. So it is right that everyone has the chance to have their say when we think about what that should mean in practice.”

The survey period will last three weeks, closing on 18 October. A period of assessment will follow, after which a final statement will be published.

Find the draft Quality Statement survey

The short document has been drafted in conjunction with groups collectively monitoring quality and outcomes in the apprenticeship sector – The Quality Alliance. This group brings together the various government bodies whose roles together ensure the quality of apprenticeships. Its membership includes the ESFA (National Apprenticeship Service), Ofsted, Ofqual, HEFCE (The Office for Students), The Quality Assurance Agency and DfE, with the Association of Employment and Learning Providers, the Association of Colleges and Universities UK attending as advisors. The Quality Alliance’s role is to monitor quality across the sector and build effective coordination to improve quality where appropriate.

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