The UK has today (Tuesday 8 December) signed an Economic Partnership Agreement with Kenya. The deal was signed in London by International Trade Minister Ranil Jayawardena and Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Trade, Minister Betty Maina.

This trade agreement will ensure that all companies operating in Kenya, including British businesses, can continue to benefit from duty-free access to the UK market.

It will support jobs and economic development in Kenya, as well as avoid possible disruption to UK businesses such as florists who will be able to maintain tariff-free supply routes for Kenya’s high-quality flowers.

Top goods imports to the UK from Kenya last year were in tea, coffee and spices (£121 million); vegetables (£79 million); and live trees and plants, mostly flowers (£54 million). 

The UK market accounts for 43% of total exports of vegetables from Kenya as well as at least 9% of cut flowers, and this agreement will support Kenyans working in these sectors by maintaining tariff-free market access to the UK.

It will also benefit many of the approximately 2,500 UK businesses exporting goods to Kenya each year, including many UK suppliers of machinery, electronics and technical equipment, where continued tariff-free access will be guaranteed.

As one of the largest economies in East Africa, Kenya is an important trading partner for the UK.

This deal also recognises the importance of the wider region, and the agreement is open for other members of the East African Community to join.

International Trade Minister Ranil Jayawardena said:

I am delighted that today we have signed a trade agreement with Kenya. This deal makes sure businesses have the certainty they need to continue trading as they do now, supporting jobs and livelihoods in both our countries.

Today’s agreement is also a first step towards a regional agreement with the East African Community, and I look forward to working with other members to secure an agreement to forge ever-closer trading ties.

Minister for Africa James Duddridge said:

This agreement will provide the strongest possible platform for the United Kingdom, Kenya and, ultimately, the whole EAC, to expand our trade relationship in future.

We will use this agreement as the catalyst to deepen our mutual prosperity alongside the other areas of cooperation in our Strategic Partnership with Kenya that includes security, sustainable development, climate change, and cultural pillars.

Notes to Editors

• The deal is a translation of the terms previously agreed between the EU and the East African Community (EAC) and includes clauses to allow other East African Community states to join in the future.
• The provisions of the Economic Partnership Agreement will apply from 1 January 2021
• In under two years, the UK government has signed or agreed in principle trade agreements with 55 countries. Total UK trade with these countries was worth £170 billion in 2019.
• This agreement is the sixth we have secured in Africa, covering 14 countries. Source of trade statistics: ONS UK total trade: all countries, non-seasonally adjusted April to June 2020; HMRC Overseas Trade in Goods Statistics, September 2020.

The year 2020 has been a difficult one for us all. As COVID-19 has affected almost every aspect of our lives, it has at times been hard to foresee an end. But last week, we reached an important milestone in our fight against the disease. On Wednesday, my Agency the MHRA announced the authorisation of the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for supply here, making the UK the first country in the Western hemisphere to issue an approval.

Before some 30 years at the MHRA and its predecessor, working on keeping medicines safe for the public, I was a general practitioner for 5 years. Patient safety has always been at the heart of my work. It has been no different for this vaccine, nor will it be for the others to come.

People rightly ask me how we achieved this outcome before others.

While the first batch of data from Pfizer was not submitted to the MHRA until early October, we began preparing our safety surveillance systems months before.

In early June, we set up an independent Expert Working Group to take some of the important safety work forward. In August, a second Working Group was formed with different expertise – this time to advise the MHRA on the benefits and risks of the COVID-19 vaccines in development. Formed from 48 experts from outside of the MHRA, these groups include virologists, epidemiologists, immunologists and toxicologists. It also includes lay membership.

In September, we started preparing our laboratories for ‘independent batch testing’ of this vaccine. Although the vaccine manufacturers carry out their own comprehensive testing regimes on the batches of vaccine they produce, it’s of vital importance that tests focusing on safety and quality are conducted independently, too.

In the UK, this independent testing is performed by the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC), which is part of the MHRA. Before any batch can reach the public, the NIBSC will conduct a rigorous assessment to check that it is consistent with characteristics derived from results for batches previously shown to be safe and effective in clinical trials, or routine clinical use. This work began in November.

COVID-19 vaccines, including this one, are being developed in a coordinated way that allows some stages of the assessment process to happen in parallel, allowing us to condense the time needed. The expected high standards of safety, quality and effectiveness are not compromised in any way. This ‘rolling review’ – a regulatory tool that allows us to review the data as they become available from ongoing studies, rather than waiting for it to be submitted as a full package– has been key.

There have been several submissions of data sent us to us by Pfizer/BioNTech since October. This means that we had already made good progress on our review by the time the final clinical submission was sent to us on the 23 November. This is why I like to think of it as climbing a mountain – months of careful planning and preparation; ready at the base camp when the interim data arrive; and when the final package arrives, we are ready to scale the peak.

As the data came in, our scientific and clinical experts robustly and thoroughly reviewed it with great scientific rigour. We pored over pages of information and data, looking at all aspects – from the laboratory studies to the clinical trials, and more. We looked at how the vaccine protects people from COVID-19, the level of protection it provides and how long for. We analysed the data on safety, its stability and how it needs to be stored. The list goes on. Our assessors have worked around the clock, reviewing hundreds of pages of data.

On top of this, we also have a range of experts inspecting the sites used across the whole lifecycle of the vaccine, from its initial development in a lab to its manufacture and distribution, once approved. Our inspectors work to legislation that incorporates internationally recognised quality standards.

Of course, no stone should be left unturned. And that’s why it’s important that we don’t just rely on our own analysis. So, once we have reviewed the data, we seek advice from the Government’s independent advisory body, the Commission on Human Medicines. They critically assess the data too before advising the UK government on the safety, quality and effectiveness of any vaccine.

On 1 December we received a letter from the Department of Health and Social Care asking us to authorise the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine under Regulation 174, an EU provision introduced in national law that allows for the authorisation of a medicine in response to a public health need.

This means that, instead of having to go through the centralised licensing route of the European Medicines Agency (as most vaccines do until the end of the transition period), we were able to authorise the supply of the vaccine based on public health need, provided the batches meet specific conditions laid out by us. For those concerned about this, I can assure you without reservation that the standards we have worked to are equivalent to those around the world – no corners have been cut.

But our work doesn’t end there. As with any medicine, COVID-19 vaccines require continuous safety monitoring to ensure the benefits in protecting people outweigh any side effects or potential risks. The MHRA has responsibility in law to continuously evaluate all medicinal products on the UK market and this vaccine is no exception.

While this battle is in no way over, I hope that this decision, underpinned by months of scientific rigour and analysis, will bring hope to those who have seen some of their darker days during this pandemic. I also owe a huge debt of thanks to all those whose expertise, dedication and inspiring work have brought us this far on our journey.

The original article can be found on The Times’ website.

• New Construction Playbook details how government and industry can better work together to deliver public sector works in a more modern and efficient way
• It also outlines green initiatives for the construction industry to minimise greenhouse gas emissions of projects
• The new guidance has been developed in consultation with construction industry

New plans on how government will work with the construction sector to make sure public sector works are delivered faster, better and greener have been launched today.

In 2018, public sector works contributed some £117 billion to the UK economy, as well as supporting over two million jobs.

The Construction Playbook, launched today, outlines what government expects from these works, from new roads and railway lines to schools, hospitals and prisons.

The Playbook also outlines the key role the construction sector will play in both the UK’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic and work to bring greenhouse gas emissions down to net zero by 2050. Green initiatives in the Playbook include promoting the use of carbon assessments to understand and minimise the greenhouse emissions of projects.

Other specific measures include:

• Providing greater certainty to industry through long term plans for key programmes. This will include longer term contracting across a range of areas which will give industry the certainty required to invest in new technologies, delivering improved productivity and efficiency savings
• Incentivising industry to innovate by focusing on the output of what we want a project to achieve, rather than micromanaging how it is done
• Modernising construction by standardising designs and parts, as well as embedding digital technologies including the UK Building Information Management Framework
• Greater focus on building positive relationships with robust contract management between project leads and industry
• Investing more in training and apprenticeships, driving forward innovation in construction, boost productivity and focus on value for money in public sector developments

Learning lessons from the Grenfell Tower tragedy, the Construction Playbook also makes it clear that the construction sector must put safety at the heart of everything it does.

Cabinet Office Minister Lord Agnew, said:

As the largest construction sector customer, government is in an ideal position to ensure that the industry is productive, professional and delivers value for money for taxpayers.

By adopting the new Construction Playbook, developed with industry partners, we will help ensure that the sector becomes greener and more innovative.

Andy Mitchell, the CEO of Tideway and Co-Chair of Construction Leadership Council:

The Government can influence the whole direction that our sector takes with the way it buys new public buildings and infrastructure.

The Construction Leadership Council is delighted that Government is showing real leadership in this regard. The Construction Playbook commits us all to drive positive change with better, long-term relationships and more efficient ways of working. The CLC will give its support to engage the industry to play its part in embedding the Playbook recommendations across our sector.

Michael Graham, the Chairman of the Graham Group said:

This is a fantastic opportunity for industry and the Government to come together and change the face of UK construction to deliver sustained value for money and a more stable, productive industry.

The launch of the Construction Playbook is only the start of the journey and we look forward to playing our role to help deliver these better outcomes.

The Construction Playbook has been created following months of detailed talks between the government and the construction sector. The measures launched today have been backed by construction firms and business associations from across the industry.

The document also outlines how the Government will strengthen the financial assessment of all the suppliers it works with to make sure projects are delivered on time and to budget.

For more details of the Construction Playbook visit here

The Lord Chancellor, the Rt Hon Robert Buckland QC, has appointed Sir Ashley Fox to be the first chair of the Independent Monitoring Authority for the Citizens’ Rights Agreements (IMA) for a tenure of 4 years. His appointment commenced on 8 December 2020 and run until 7 December 2024.

Sir Ashley’s appointment follows a Justice Select Committee pre-appointment hearing on 24 November and the publication of the Committee’s report into the same on 3 December. The Lord Chancellor and Sir Ashley have noted the report’s contents and recommendations.

The Lord Chancellor has also made the following Non-Executive Member Appointments.

• Punam Birly has been appointed as non-executive member of the IMA for a 2 year tenure;
• Marcus Killick has been appointed as non-executive member with knowledge about conditions in Gibraltar relating to citizens’ rights for a 3 year tenure; and
• Leo O’Reilly has been appointed as non-executive member with knowledge about conditions in Northern Ireland relating to citizens’ rights for a 3 year tenure.

The appointees all commenced their tenure on 8 December 2020.

Non-executive appointments to the IMA are not currently regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

However, the Chair and Members have been appointed following fair and open competitions run in line with the process set out in the Governance Code on Public Appointments.

Further campaigns are currently underway to appoint a member with knowledge of the conditions in Scotland relating to the rights of citizens under the EU Withdrawal Agreement and EEA EFTA Separation Agreement, and a member with knowledge of the conditions in Wales relating to those rights, with the appointments expected to be announced by the end of January and the end of February 2021, respectively.

Independent Monitoring Authority for the Citizens’ Rights Agreements

The IMA is a brand-new public body, which has been established under the EU (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020 (EUWAA). The IMA needs to be operational by the end of 2020. The chair of the IMA will play a crucial role in establishing the IMA’s early direction and effectiveness, and in winning the confidence of its stakeholders.

Under the provisions set out in EUWAA, the IMA will have the power to receive complaints, launch inquiries and initiate legal proceedings. The IMA will also have a role in reviewing the effectiveness of the citizens’ rights legislative framework, for instance by reviewing draft legislation. The legislation also provides that it is important for the IMA to focus on general or systemic failures in the implementation of the citizens’ rights agreements, as well as receiving and investigating individual complaints. The IMA will have to publish guidance on how it will exercise its functions.

Biographies

Sir Ashley Fox – Chair of the IMA:

Sir Ashley is a business consultant providing strategic advice on the European Union. Since 2015 he has been the lay member on the Leadership Nomination Committee of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. Sir Ashley served as MEP for the South West of England and Gibraltar from 2009 to 2019. He was Leader of the Conservative MEPs from 2014 to 2019. Prior to being elected Sir Ashley practised as a solicitor in Bristol.

Punam Birly – Member:

Punam was a Partner at KPMG LLP (UK) from 2008 – 2020. She was Head of Employment and Immigration within the Tax and Legal Services Practice and the lead on People related Brexit issues. She is an EU/international social security specialist. She is a Solicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales and previously worked at Andersen, Deloitte and PwC.

Marcus Killick – Member with knowledge about conditions in Gibraltar relating to citizens’ rights:

Marcus qualified as a Barrister at Law (England and Wales), an Attorney at Law (New York), and a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Securities and Investment. His current role is Chief Executive Officer of ISOLAS LLP, one of Gibraltar’s leading law firms.

Leo O’Reilly – Member with knowledge about conditions in Northern Ireland relating to citizens’ rights:

Leo is a Non-Executive Audit and Risk Committee Member of the Office of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland. He was a former civil servant in the Northern Ireland Civil Service with over 27 years’ experience as a senior civil servant covering a diverse range of functions and activities across government in both NI and GB. These include over 11 years as the Permanent Secretary of three Northern Ireland departments.

The National Data Guardian for Health and Social Care (NDG) Dame Fiona Caldicott has today published the outcomes from a public consultation that she ran to seek views on her intention to:

• revise the existing 7 Caldicott Principles
• introduce a new principle about ensuring there are no surprises for patients and service users about the use of their confidential information
• issue guidance about the role of Caldicott Guardians using her statutory powers

The consultation response contains a revised – and expanded – set of 8 Caldicott Principles and includes a commitment to issue guidance about Caldicott Guardians in 2021.

The Caldicott Principles, first introduced in 1997 and previously amended in 2013, are guidelines applied widely across the field of health and social care information governance to ensure that people’s data is kept safe and used appropriately. Caldicott Guardians support the upholding of these principles at an organisational level.

The new principle’s purpose is to make clear that patient and service user expectations must be considered and informed when confidential information is used, to ensure ‘no surprises’ about the handling or sharing of their data. Following feedback from the consultation, the wording of this new, eighth principle is:

Principle 8: Inform patients and service users about how their confidential information is used

A range of steps should be taken to ensure no surprises for patients and service users, so they can have clear expectations about how and why their confidential information is used, and what choices they have about this. These steps will vary depending on the use: as a minimum, this should include providing accessible, relevant and appropriate information – in some cases, greater engagement will be required.

Its introduction was prompted by a careful consideration of the role that the legal concept of ‘reasonable expectations’ should play in shaping the circumstances under which health and care data may be legitimately shared. The NDG does not envisage that this principle will establish reasonable expectations as a legal basis in its own right to meet the duty of confidence. However, given the influence of the Caldicott Principles, she does believe it will helpfully emphasise the perspective of patients and service users in decisions to use and share confidential information.

The consultation response also confirms the NDG’s intention to issue guidance using her statutory powers in 2021 about the appointment of Caldicott Guardians for all public bodies within the health and adult social care sector in England, and all organisations which contract with such public bodies to deliver health or adult social care services. The guidance will define the roles and responsibilities of Caldicott Guardians and how they should be supported by their organisations. The guidance will provide flexibility for organisations for which it is not proportionate to appoint a dedicated Caldicott Guardian and will suggest options/models to ensure those organisations can still have a Caldicott function.

Supporting resources will be made available for those who need to appoint a Caldicott Guardian or establish a Caldicott function within their organisations.

This will be the first time that the National Data Guardian has issued statutory guidance using her powers under the Health and Social Care (National Data Guardian) Act 2018.

Notes to editors

The consultation was conducted via a written survey, which received 194 responses, and eight online focus groups involving 88 patients, social care service users and members of the public. These activities were supplemented by engagement with key individuals and organisations from across the health and care system, before and during the consultation period.

A set of six principles was first published as part of The Caldicott Committee’s Report on the Review of Patient-Identifiable Information published in 1997 to serve as good practice guidelines to be applied to the use of confidential information within the NHS. A further principle was added in 2013 as part of The Information Governance Review.

The 1997 review also recommended that a senior person, preferably a health professional, should be nominated in each health organisation to act as a guardian, responsible for safeguarding the confidentiality of patient information. These became known as Caldicott Guardians. Local authorities with adult social care responsibilities have been required to have one since 2002. There are over 18,000 Caldicott Guardians in post today.

The National Data Guardian has published a blog post on this topic.

For further information contact Jenny Westaway, Head of the Office of the National Data Guardian on j.westaway@nhs.net or 07827 955 604