A Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokesperson said:
Iran’s plan to suspend limits on nuclear research and development is deeply concerning.
This third step away from its commitments under the nuclear deal is particularly disappointing at a time when we and our European and international partners are working hard to de-escalate tensions with Iran.
Published 5 September 2019
UK exports show no sign of slowing down as latest HMRC data shows every nation has broken its record for goods exports.
In the 12 months to Q2 2019, goods exports in:
The data shows that the benefits of global trade is being shared amongst all parts of the UK, with businesses opening themselves up to new markets around the world. In the last year, demand for Scottish goods in China increased by 213.8% to £3.4bn while exporters in Northern Ireland saw overseas sales in the U.S. increase by 12.9% to £1.1bn.
At the same time, London and the East Midlands helped drive export growth in England, as exports grew by 10.1% to £40.5bn and 9.3% to £23.5bn respectively.
Since the EU referendum, overseas demand for goods has significantly increased in each UK nation when compared to the same three-year period before the Brexit vote. Since July 2016, exports from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland increased by £104.8bn, £9.8bn, £7.6bn, £4.8bn, respectively.
Opening up new markets for British businesses across the country is a top priority of mine, and todays statistics show businesses are benefiting more than ever from global trade.
Having today launched a new online market access tool to helps business voice barriers to international trade, my Department is committed to ensuring businesses are able to fully grasp the opportunities from global trade as we leave the EU.
The new online market access service launched today, will make it easier for British businesses to trade globally, opening new markets for UK goods and services.
The online service will allow British businesses to report issues preventing them from trading around the world. These barriers include unnecessary, legal, regulatory or administrative requirements. This includes labelling restrictions, out-of-date regulations and licensing requirements.
The tool will ensure British businesses can flag these issues and the government’s trade experts can work with countries around the world to resolve them, opening new markets globally.
British businesses can now directly report barriers preventing them from trading online at great.gov.uk.
[unable to retrieve full-text content]The Royal Navy Wildcat deployed with RFA Mounts Bay in the Caribbean has rescued a British citizen who had been trapped beneath rubble for several days on Great Abaco Island.
A Downing Street spokesperson said:
The Prime Minister met US Vice President Mike Pence in Downing Street today.
They discussed their two countries’ close working relationship and the Vice President’s visit to Ireland this week, with the Prime Minister reaffirming the UK’s commitment to the Good Friday Agreement.
Both reiterated their commitment to negotiating an ambitious free trade deal after the UK leaves the EU. They agreed that setting up the UK-US Special Relationship Economic Working Group was a positive step.
They also had a discussion on international issues including Hong Kong and Iran.
Published 5 September 2019
Two men who helped more than 1,000 UK visa applicants to fraudulently pass English language tests will be jailed for longer after Solicitor General Michael Ellis QC MP referred their sentences to the Court of Appeal.
Muhammad Bilal, 36, Mehboob Jilani, 33, and 3 other men ran 3 colleges in Manchester where non-EEA nationals could take an English language test to prove their proficiency when making UK visa applications.
In these colleges, candidates would turn up to have their photograph taken for identification purposes, but Bilal and Jilani would have arranged for an English-speaker to take the test for them. On average, candidates were charged £500 to take part in this scheme, and at least 1,134 tests were considered invalid as a result of cheating at these colleges.
Bilal and Jilani were originally sentenced for conspiracy to defraud to 2 and 4 years’ imprisonment respectively at Burnley Crown Court in June 2019 in a case led by Immigration Enforcement Criminal and Financial Investigations. Today, the Court of Appeal increased Bilal’s sentence to 4 years’ imprisonment and Jilani’s to 6 years. They were also disqualified from being company directors for 4 and 5 years respectively.
Commenting on the increase, the Solicitor General said:
English language requirements help to promote integration, remove cultural barriers and protect public services. Bilal and Jilani helped hundreds of people to flaunt these requirements, justifying more significant custodial sentences.
Anthony Hilton, from Immigration Enforcement Criminal and Financial Investigations, said:
This ruling recognises the seriousness of the offences and sends a strong deterrent message to those who attempt to commit immigration crimes.
In committing these crimes, Bilal and Jilani were enabling individuals to cheat their way to a qualification – and potentially a visa – to which they were not entitled.