The Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns has welcomed the latest job statistics which highlight that the employment rate in Wales is now at a record high of 74.0%

• The employment level in Wales is up 5,000 on the quarter and up 12,000 on the year. The employment rate is now at a record high at 74.0%, beating the previous record high of 73.5%.
• The unemployment level in Wales is down 1,000 on the quarter and down 1,000 on the year. The unemployment rate is now 4.5%, above the UK average (which is 4.2%).
• Total employment for the UK is up 137,000 on the quarter and up 388,000 on the year. The employment rate is now at a record high of 75.7%, beating the previous record high of 75.6%.
• Total UK unemployment is down 12,000 on the quarter and down 84,000 on the year. The unemployment rate remains at 4.2%.

Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns said:

The record high Welsh employment figures released today are a testament to the UK Government’s commitment to creating the right conditions for economic growth and jobs in Wales.

The decision to scrap the Severn tolls and the UK Government’s commitment to increasing Welsh export opportunities for example, have not only promoted job growth but have also created sustainable employment levels that rise each year.

However, we must not forget there is still more to be done to bring down levels of unemployment. I will continue to do everything I can to demonstrate the strength of the Welsh economy to businesses worldwide, promoting inward investment and stimulating further job creation across Wales.

International Trade Secretary, Dr Liam Fox, today set out major new proposals ensuring that MPs, the Devolved Administrations, businesses and the public can influence Britain’s post-Brexit trade, designed to ensure future agreements create prosperity across the whole of the UK.

International Trade Secretary Dr Liam Fox said:

For the first time in over 40 years the UK will have the chance to decide who we trade with and on what terms. Those decisions must work of the whole of the UK, and that is why we are making this unprecedented commitment to transparency and inclusiveness for our MPs, the Devolved Administrations, businesses, civil society groups, trade unions and the public.

As an international economic department, we have the chance to deliver trade agreements that work for consumers and businesses across the UK. The more input we get on these, the better they will be.

Public consultations:

Dr Fox announced the government’s intention that a 14-week consultation will run ahead of any new negotiation, allowing any individual or organisation across the UK to give their view. These will be easily accessible on online to ensure as many people get to feed into the government’s work as possible.

This is longer than other government consultation periods and longer than the EU runs its own trade consultations for, giving the British public more say over Britain’s trading future.

As part of the consultations, the Department for International Trade (DIT) will run events in all regions and nations of the UK to seek their views on how prospective trade agreements could support prosperity and growth.

Expert advice:

A new Strategic Trade Advisory Group will also be created, advising DIT ministers and trade negotiators on trade policy and negotiations.

The Group will be made up of 14 experts drawn from different groups such as business, civil society and unions, with an interest in our future trading relationships and their impact on the UK – from the workplace to consumer choice and the environment.

Individuals will be invited to apply by 17th August 2018 to join the group which will meet quarterly, providing direct advice to ministers and UK negotiators.

Providing evidence:

MPs will be given the opportunity to consider the Government’s approach to negotiations and the potential implications of any agreements.

As negotiations progress, the Government will keep Parliament closely involved with regular Ministerial statements and updates to the International Trade Committee. The Government will – before entering formal negotiations – publish an ‘Outline Approach’ to each negotiation, setting out the high-level objectives and scope of that negotiation. This document will be accompanied by a scoping assessment.

Devolved Administrations:

We will work closely with the Devolved Administrations on an ongoing basis to deliver an approach that works for the whole of the UK. As part of this, we are conducting a series of collaborative policy roundtables with Devolved Administrations recognising the close interaction between trade policy and devolved policy areas.
Parliamentary approval:
Once a free trade agreement is finalised, if it changes existing UK laws, and where necessary legislation doesn’t already exist, then new primary legislation will be introduced. Parliament will also be provided with comprehensive analysis of its effects.
Importantly, Parliament will be able to scrutinise any new legislation in the usual way, as well as the ratification of all agreements through the usual procedures.

Communities Minister Lord Bourne has announced £250,000 to give more young people from diverse backgrounds across the country the opportunity to join national youth groups like the Scouts, Police Cadets and Guiding.

This will give more youngsters the confidence, skills and experience they need to realise their potential.
Youth United Foundation, a charity established to support a coalition of 11 uniformed youth volunteering organisations has already offered over 1.5 million young people the opportunity to develop teamwork, leadership, self-confidence and communication skills through a series of activities.

Government funding to date has helped train thousands of new volunteers with their member organisations including the Scout Association, Girlguiding, and St John’s Ambulance.

The new funding will be used to promote integration through building a national network of youth integration champions and rolling out long-term approaches to developing lasting relationships between young people from different backgrounds.

This complements the government’s ongoing work to improve integration including the recent launch of the Integrated Communities Innovation Fund, announced by Communities Secretary the Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP. Working in partnership with Sport England, the Innovation Fund will support projects that encourage integration including sport.

Communities Minister Lord Bourne said:

This government is determined to ensure young people from all backgrounds have the opportunity to go as far as their talents take them.

Organisations such as the Scouts Cadets and Girls Brigade give young people unique and challenging experiences that help them unlock their full potential.

With this funding, Youth United Foundation will be able to ensure that more young people have the opportunity to gain the skills and confidence to become great citizens of the future.

Youth United Foundation Chief Executive, Samantha Hyde said:

The Youth United Foundation are delighted that funding of £250,000 has been awarded to support the work of the Integrated Communities Strategy in targeted areas of England.

It will allow us to continue our work setting up new units and groups to which will contribute to the achievement of the government’s vision for building strong, integrated communities.

We look forward to working closely with our Network and Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to build on this success.

Further information

Youth United Foundation is a charity established to support the Youth United Network, founded by HRH The Prince of Wales. The Network is a coalition of 11 uniformed youth volunteering organisations, including Girlguiding, the Scout Association, the Volunteer Police Cadets, and St John’s Ambulance.

This announcement comes in the same week as the launch of new research from Youth United, “Social Integration: the role of uniformed youth groups”, which provides powerful evidence of that participation in uniformed youth groups increases integration.

Funding for Youth United Foundation will support the objectives identified in the government’s Integrated Communities Strategy Green Paper, which closed on 5 June 2018. This includes encouraging social mixing amongst different groups and increasing opportunities for all young people to boost their talents.

MHCLG provided £10 million for the Youth United Foundation’s Supporting Inclusion Programme which ran from April 2012 to September 2014 to increase the number of places in youth organisations in deprived areas, and £400,000 to the Youth United Foundation in 2017 to 2018 to support the Foundation’s core costs and test approaches to social mixing for young people.

The Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC), in partnership with CMAC Business Continuity Transport, were the proud winners of the Strategy in Partnership award at the CIR Magazine 20th Anniversary Business Continuity Awards in London.

The annual award ceremony recognises the resilience achievements of individuals and organisations from across the world and the CNC were nominated in the ‘Strategy in Partnership’ Award, which recognises where two organisations have worked together to overcome a challenge.

In the face of strong competition from five other nominees, the Civil Nuclear Constabulary and CMAC were announced as the standout winners, with the judges focusing on the changing landscape in the resilience sector and the increased threat from terrorism in the UK, along with the challenges that have been faced in responding to and defeating planned attacks.

Mike Griffiths, Chief Constable and Joseph Shearer-Rust, Resilience Officer, accepted the award on the behalf of the CNC.

Chief Constable Mike Griffiths said:

“It was an honour for the CNC to receive this national award and is recognition of the hard work, dedication and commitment of all our officers and staff. With the intimate support of CMAC we deployed at very short notice over 800 officers across two deployments to 23 different Home Office force areas in a matter of hours.

“The critical element in the success of this deployment was the hard work and detailed planning which went into this contingency plan and the close working relationship we have with CMAC. They understood our needs and delivered our people to the locations from which they were able to conduct their armed policing tasks. This was truly a joint endeavour.”

The North Shields-based business, founded in 2013, will use the Quilt Market Houston trade show to unveil its new ‘Tessepatch’ range to the US market.

Craft Yourself Silly found early success through its use of a traditional North East craft method known as ’proggy rag rugging’, where scraps of material are pushed through holes in a woven fabric.

Today, it manufactures DIY kits that allow crafters to use the traditional ’proggy‘ technique to make soft toy animals, fabric accessories and decorations, selling its products online and in stores like Hobbycraft, as well as in a major US craft retail chain.

In 2014, the firm won a £300,000 contract from JOANN, one of the largest chains of craft and hobby stores in the US, after receiving support from the Department for International Trade (DIT) to showcase its products at the Creativation trade show in Phoenix, Arizona.

The firm’s products are now stocked in 865 JOANN stores across 49 US states. Last year, exporting accounted for almost a third of the company’s total revenue.

Founder and Managing Director Hayley Smith said:

In the UK, the craft and hobby market is worth around £4 billion every year, while in the US, the value of the market is 10 times that size.

We’ve managed to tap into that demand with great success. But the process hasn’t been without its hurdles. After securing our contract with JOANN, we found ourselves needing to fill shipping containers instead of pallet crates and had to very quickly get to grips with US customs processes, labelling requirements, and safety standards. We also needed to learn about variations in laws and regulations, which can differ from state to state.

DIT was on-hand to help us at every step of the way, offering expertise and guidance to make everything as smooth as possible, in addition to introductions to new suppliers.

My advice to anyone thinking about exporting for the first time is to get in touch with DIT at the earliest opportunity – the team knows what opportunities exist in different markets, and what support is available to help you get there. After that, give it your best shot. If we can do it, you can too.

David Coppock, Head of Exports for the North East at the Department for International Trade, said:

Craft Yourself Silly has managed to turn a traditional North East art form into an international bestseller through ambition and drive.

We know that 2 of the main barriers preventing companies across the region from exporting are the perceived difficulties with legal and tax requirements and finding suitable buyers or trading partners. We can assist firms with both of these, and far more besides.

To help companies make the most of demand overseas, we have 19 International Trade Advisers based on the ground across the North East. These advisers are ready to provide specialist guidance to firms looking to export for the first time, or to increase their exporting activity. I would urge anyone interested to get in touch as the support is out there.

DIT’s Exporting is GREAT campaign aims to help more businesses explore new markets overseas. The campaign is currently showcasing 30+ UK businesses – from a range of sectors and regions – to inspire and support firms up and down the country to export.