Today (5 December) is World Soil Day, a UN-led campaign to highlight the importance of healthy soil and the role it plays in society.

Soil holds three times as much carbon as the atmosphere, reduces the risk of flooding by absorbing water and delivers 95 per cent of our global food supplies. For World Soil Day 2018 the UN is calling on people to #StopSoilPollution, noting that one third of our global soils are already degraded.

Outside the EU and the Common Agricultural Policy, a new system of “public money for public goods” will reward farmers for environmental outcomes such as clean air and water, flood prevention, thriving plants and wildlife and the mitigation of and adaptation to climate change. Soil is an important asset that can help deliver many of these outcomes.

Environment Minister Thérèse Coffey, who has been an advocate for soil health after seeing first-hand the benefits of effective management on a farm visit in Lincolnshire, said:

Everybody has a role to play in looking after our soils and initiatives such as World Soil Day are vital in highlighting the environmental benefits that soil provides for us all.

As we leave the European Union, we have the opportunity to reward farmers for the outcomes they provide by protecting this essential global resource.

Throughout the year, farmers and land managers can take advantage of the free advice, training and events run through Catchment Sensitive Farming, which provides advice on how to improve soil health, make better use of farm resources and help protect the environment.

Earlier this week Natural England scientists visited Wheatsheaf Farming in Micheldever, Hampshire, to see some of these techniques in practice – including no-till drilling which avoids disturbing the soils and help improve organic matter.

Many farmers and land managers are already signed up to Countryside Stewardship and Environmental Stewardship schemes to deliver benefits for nature, including better management of soil. The next application window for Countryside Stewardship is expected to open in early 2019, with the simpler “wildlife offers” for arable, upland, lowland grazing and mixed farmers all available online.

An ‘Ecological Site Classification’ system has also been designed by Forest Research to help land managers to find out what trees are ecologically best suited to growing in the soil at their sites. This tool allows them to input a site’s grid reference and soil type to give a detailed description of its suitability for growing different tree species.

Thank you very much indeed Mr President and let me begin by repeating in the chamber what I said in the consultations room: our congratulations to you and your mission on assuming the Presidency. We look forward very much to working with you and supporting you. And our congratulations to our Chinese colleagues for the way they conducted the Presidency last month. And I would also like again in the chamber to repeat my condolences to the United States of America on the death of President George H.W. Bush who I had the honour of meeting in the UN some ten years ago.

Mr President turning to today, obviously I would like to thank the Special Advisor to UNITAD for what is his first briefing to the Council since their deployment on the 29th of October. I think the team has made a very good start if I may say so and we look forward to your future work and future briefings.

You said Special Advisor that we really ought to pay tribute to the suffering and the indefatigable courage of the survivors of Daesh violence and I think that’s absolutely right. Justice and accountability for the victims needs to be at the centre of our approach. And I want to commend the government of Iraq, the new government, for their commitment to support UNITAD’s work. We welcome also UNAMI’s continued support to the team. And I would like to recognise UNAMI’s efforts to facilitate the deployment of the UNITAD team to Baghdad.

It’s important that all efforts on the ground are complementary and avoid duplication. And we’re very pleased that UNITAD’s budget proposal reflects the importance of all efforts complementing each other. We’re encouraged to see not just the work of the team so far but the fact that there have been contributions from the government of Iraq, from UNAMI, from allied nations and other UN bodies in supporting UNITAD.

Mr President, I think it’s crucial that we get these early stages right, including by establishing the mechanism for cooperation between UNITAD and the government of Iraq. This is important for a swift and thorough evidence collection but it also helps ensure that evidence is in a fit state to be used before the courts. And it will, of course, rely on a cooperative and mutually respectful relationship which we are sure will be present.

We very much as the United Kingdom Mr President agree with the strategic vision in the guiding principles regarding lifting these immediate priorities. We were pleased to see a very strong focus on engagement with the government of Iraq. This is obviously going to be crucial to the success of the team’s work. And we encourage the steering committee to meet on a regular basis with UNITAD particularly during these early stages of implementation.

The Special Advisor mentioned the importance of voluntary contributions to the trust fund. And I would just want to tell you that we think this should have a voluntary contributions to the investigative team in the form of expertise and skills as well. And I would like to pay tribute to Qatar but also to our Dutch colleagues for their generous contributions. We ourselves have already donated to the trust fund and we remain committed to supporting UNITAD as it fulfils its mandate.

Mr President coming back to where I started, justice for victims remains at the heart of this resolution. It’s vital that UNITAD helps to secure accountability for the victims of Daesh’s terrible crimes to bring closure to those who still suffer. And this of course includes women and children and minority communities. Thank you very much.

Today (Tuesday 4 December), the International Trade Secretary, the Rt Hon Liam Fox MP hosted senior representatives from some of the largest domestic and international private equity investors for a question and answer session following the recent European Union Council.

The combined companies have many billions of funds under management and are owners and managers of companies essential to the UK’s future prosperity, as employers across the country and drivers of the UK’s future export growth.

Outlining the fundamental strength of the UK economy, including the UK’s position in 2017 as the third largest destination for foreign direct investment, Dr Fox provided attendees with an overview of the UK’s future trading arrangements and the parliamentary process for making progress on the UK leaving the EU.

Attendees stressed the importance of certainty of process and outcome to ensuring continued investment in to the UK on new and existing projects.

Business representatives expressed their appreciation for the opportunity for constructive dialogue with the government, and agreed on the importance of providing clarity and certainty for people and businesses.

List of attendees

• William Jackson, Bridgepoint
• Steven Batchelor, Hg Capital
• Stephen Robertson, TDR Capital
• Lionel Giacomotto, Charterhouse
• Stuart McAlpine, Cinven
• James Brocklebank, Advent
• Nikos Stathoupolos, BC Partners
• Gregor Boehm, Carlyle
• Christian Rochat, CD&R
• Andrew Silitoe, Apax
• Rob Lucas, CVC
• Rob Seminara, Apollo
• Tim Franks, KKR
• Daniel Zilberman, Warburg Pincus International LLC

Published 4 December 2018

1. The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty has been crucial in upholding NATO’s security for over 30 years.

2. Allies have concluded that Russia has developed and fielded a missile system, the 9M729, which violates the INF Treaty and poses significant risks to Euro-Atlantic security. We strongly support the finding of the United States that Russia is in material breach of its obligations under the INF Treaty.

3. For over five years, Allies and the United States in particular, have repeatedly raised their concerns with the Russian Federation, both bilaterally and multilaterally. As we stated in the Brussels Summit Declaration in July, Russia has responded to our concerns with denials and obfuscation. Russia only recently acknowledged the existence of the missile system, but without providing the necessary transparency or explanation.

4. The United States has remained in full compliance with its obligations under the INF Treaty since it entered into force. Allies have emphasized that the situation whereby the United States and other parties fully abide by the Treaty and Russia does not, is not sustainable.

5. Russia’s violation of the INF Treaty erodes the foundations of effective arms control and undermines Allied security. This is part of Russia’s broader pattern of behaviour that is intended to weaken the overall Euro-Atlantic security architecture.

6. Allies are committed to preserving strategic stability and Euro-Atlantic security. NATO will continue to ensure the credibility and effectiveness of the Alliance’s overall deterrence and defence posture.

7. We will continue to consult each other regularly with a view to ensuring our collective security. We will continue to keep the fielding of Russian intermediate-range missiles under close review.

8. Allies are firmly committed to the preservation of effective international arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation. Therefore, we will continue to uphold, support, and further strengthen arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation, as a key element of Euro-Atlantic security, taking into account the prevailing security environment.

9. We continue to aspire to a constructive relationship with Russia, when Russia’s actions make that possible. As most recently confirmed at the Brussels Summit, we remain open to dialogue with Russia, including in the NATO-Russia Council.

10. We call on Russia to return urgently to full and verifiable compliance. It is now up to Russia to preserve the INF Treaty.

Published 4 December 2018

Latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show stocks from across Asia have increased by more than 33% in 2017 to £128 billion and stocks from Japan increased by 71% to £78 billion. The greatest growth from any country has come from Indian investors, rising 321% to £8 billion.

The figures show that investors have maintained confidence in the UK as an investment destination, with the value of the UK’s FDI stocks as a whole increasing by £12.6% to £1,337 billion in 2017 when compared with the previous year. The UK’s world-leading financial services sector attracted more FDI than any other industry, accounting for 28.8% of total inward investment, accumulating over £385 billion by the end of 2017.

And the UK’s largest investor, the US, also showed a significant increase in FDI stocks, increasing by 19.5% to £351 billion.

International Trade Secretary and President of the Board of Trade, Dr Liam Fox MP, said:

As we prepare to leave the European Union, foreign investors from around the globe are as confident as ever investing in the UK. The significant rise in the amount of investment from Asia is evidence that the growing economies are important partners for the UK, relationships which I am committed to developing and deepening.

Foreign Direct Investment has an overwhelmingly positive and transformative effect on the UK economy, bringing jobs, prosperity and growth. My international economic department is focused on ensuring that the effects are felt in every part of the country.

Today’s figures also show that the UK’s world-leading financial services sector attracted more FDI than any other industry, accounting for 28.8% of total inward investment, accumulating over £385 billion by the end of 2017.

Supported by the Department for International Trade’s network of overseas staff, popular restaurant chain Din Tai Fung is one Asian company that has looked to the UK for its investment potential, opening the doors to its first European restaurant in London this week (Wednesday 5 December).

The business plans to create hundreds of jobs over the next year, with further expansion planned in the years to come as it opens further branches. Plans are already in place to open a second branch in Centre Point Tower, London, next year.

Further information

• Figures regarding fastest growing countries only include countries with inwards FDI investment over £10 million.
• Read the full Foreign direct investment involving UK companies: 2017
• The invest.great.gov.uk site already provides a range of information to help international businesses invest in the UK. This includes details on:
  • how DIT can helps companies to build connections with businesses across their sectors in the UK
  • advice on hiring staff from recruitment through to salary benchmarking
  • unique insights into specific markets in the UK based on companies’ needs
  • information on grants and incentives to help businesses grow in the UK
  • assistance with visa applications and other immigration issues