MAIB’s report on a fatal accident when a timber deck cargo stack partially collapsed on the bulk carrier Graig Rotterdam on 18 December 2016, is now published.
The report contains details of what happened. subsequent actions taken and recommendations, read more.
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Thank you Mr President.
Mr President may I start by expressing the gratitude of the United Kingdom to Madam Fatou Bensouda, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, for being here today with members of her team, and for presenting to the Security Council her fourteenth report and update on the activities of her office on the situation in Libya. The United Kingdom fully supports the work of the office of the Prosecutor, and the ICC as a whole, to bring to account those responsible for serious crimes of international concern in Libya and elsewhere.
The situation in Libya remains extremely serious and a cause for grave concern. It is deeply troubling that violations and abuses of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law continue to happen with impunity on a daily basis across Libya, including against migrants and refugees. We condemn the October airstrikes in Derna. The UK, along with France, Italy and the US, are monitoring ongoing acts of conflict in Libya closely. Those suspected of committing, ordering, or failing to prevent summary executions and torture on all sides must be fully investigated, and if found guilty, held accountable for their actions.
Reports of incidents of extra-judicial killings of detained combatants, including at Brak al Shati and clashes in areas including Benghazi and Sebratah, resulting in civilian casualties, are also very disturbing. While we fully support Libya in the fight against terrorism, operations carried out by those involved must not have a detrimental humanitarian impact on the civilian population, and the relevant rules of domestic and international law must be complied with. It is also imperative that as progress is made towards a political solution, security structures are reformed to ensure accountable chains of command, and the judicial system is strengthened to ensure it is robust, impartial and independent.
The UK is grateful for the ICC’s ongoing efforts to investigate alleged crimes despite the challenges presented by the ongoing security situation and political instability in Libya. We note that the OTP is determined to resume investigative activities on the ground in Libya as soon as possible and welcome the steps that it is taking to achieve that. We note the Prosecutor’s update on the cases against Saif al-Islam Gaddafi and Al-Tuhamy Mohamed Khaled. We fully support the Court’s call for cooperation from members of the Council, Libya and other states, to provide information to facilitate the arrest and surrender of these men to the ICC to be tried for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Libya in 2011. Those responsible for war crimes and other serious crimes in Libya must not escape justice. In this regard we recall the welcome that the United Kingdom, along with two other members of this Council, publicly expressed in August this year to the apparent willingness of the LNA to investigate reports of unlawful killings in Benghazi, and to recognize the arrest warrant issued by the ICC for Mahmoud al Werfalli, a member of the LNA. We hope to see progress in this case in the very near future.
We note the Prosecutor’s office has continued to collect and analyse information and evidence relating to alleged criminal acts against migrants in Libya. We encourage all states, including neighbouring states to Libya, to cooperate with the Court and, where relevant, to provide them with reliable information on human trafficking and smuggling networks. It is important that the alleged perpetrators of these crimes, like other serious crimes of concern in Libya, are held accountable for their actions.
The lack of improvement to the situation re-enforces the need for all sides to reach a political solution. The United Kingdom fully supports the efforts of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr Ghassan Salame, in this regard, and urges all parties in Libya to engage with him constructively. The United Kingdom would also like to reaffirm its support for the Government of National Accord.
The United Kingdom commends the continued engagement of the Libyan Prosecutor-General and the Libyan Representative to the Court, and encourages States and relevant international and regional organisations to assist the Libyan authorities in their efforts to build the rule of law in Libya.
Finally, Mr President, the United Kingdom believes that the Court must have the resources necessary to do its work. But it is important that these resources are used as efficiently as possible. We welcomes the steps the Court has taken in this area, and encourages the Court to continue its drive for efficiency.
Once again, the United Kingdom would like to thank the Prosecutor of the ICC for presenting her report to the Council today.
I thank you Mr President.
The deadline for new trusts to register is now 5 January 2018.
Following feedback from agents and stakeholders we are pleased to announce the Trust Registration Service (TRS) deadline for new trusts has been extended further from 5 October 2017 to 5 January 2018.
Trusts which have incurred a liability to income tax or capital gains tax for the first time in the tax year 2016 to 2017 will need to complete registration on the TRS by no later than 5 January 2018. This extension is only for the first year of the TRS.
The deadline for existing trusts to register on the TRS will remain unchanged at 31 January 2018.
The TRS online service replaces the 41G (Trust) paper form, which was withdrawn at the end of April 2017. This is now the only way trusts and complex estates can obtain their Self-Assessment Unique Taxpayer Reference.
The service will provide a single online service for trusts to comply with their registration obligations.
Find out more about the Trust Registration Service.
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Attendees at Innovate 2017 are split down the middle on whether robots will end up taking away more jobs than they’ll create.
This came out of a panel debate involving:
The panel agreed that there were lots of areas, such as care and decision making, where there always needs to be a human element.
Hamid was of the view that lifelong learning would become compulsory to enable the take up of robotics. There will be a cycle of learn-unlearn-relearn whereby people – and their jobs – can stay relevant while still benefiting from robotic and automation technologies.
Delegates at Innovate 2017.
Ruth McKernan, Innovate UK Chief Executive, kicked off the day with the official launch of innovation loans. A £50 million pilot programme will be run over the next 2 years.
This is a patient, flexible loan scheme for innovations that are near to market, where there is less risk involved. It is complementary to grant funding.
The first loans competition, which is now open, will be infrastructure systems deployments. It is for single, small or medium-sized enterprises, who can get up to £1 milion to work on late-stage research and development projects.
We also welcomed Minister of State for Climate Change and Industry, Claire Perry, who gave a keynote speech singing the praises for UK innovators in robotics and artificial intelligence (AI).
The Minister set out how UK experts and innovators are leading the world in this new sector, and how the nation is nurturing these new technologies.
She went on to share details of the £68 million from the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund that will go to robotics and AI projects aimed at improving safety in extreme environments. This includes systems that take on jobs in the freezing oceans, nuclear energy, deep mining and space.
During her speech the Minister also committed to £16 million funding for smart energy systems. This will go towards 2 energy innovation competitions to reduce demand on the electricity grid at peak periods and to increase demand at other times.
It will build on government’s Clean Growth Strategy to fund over £2.5 billion in clean technology innovation.
Also at the event there were a number of exhibitors showing their innovations for the first time. Among the new products launched were:
Zelter Shelter’s wearable tent.
Topping off the day was Innovate UK’s Design in Innovation award, which was presented to Pae Natwilai, CEO and Founder of Gettrik.
Now in its third year, the Design in Innovation Award recognise the Innovate 2017 showcase exhibitor whose project best demonstrates human-centred design processes that deliver for people. On the judging panel were representatives of the Design Council and leading designer, Sebastian Conran.
Gettrik won the award for ‘Trik’, its automated drone control and real-time inspection system for buildings and infrastructure. The judges recommended it for being intuitive and easy to use.
Pae is one of our women in innovation award holders. This was our female-only funding competition designed to get more women innovating in business and create new role models for the next generation.
Day 2 of Innovate 2017 continues tomorrow (9 November 2017). You can catch the action by:
In 1941, Lady MacRobert lost two sons who flew with the RAF within six weeks of each other: Roderic (25) was killed when leading a Hurricane aircraft attack on German positons in Iraq; Ian (24) was declared missing in action after his Blenheim aircraft failed to return from a search and rescue mission flown from Shetland – his body was never found. Their older brother Alasdair had also been killed in a civil aviation accident in 1938.
The indomitable response of Lady MacRobert’s to these tragedies was to buy a £25,000 Stirling bomber aircraft for the RAF that same year, stipulating that it be called MacRobert’s Reply, and which flew 12 operational missions.
In 1942, Lady MacRobert donated a further £20,000 to purchase four Hurricane fighters, which were sent to RAF operations in the Middle East, with three named after her sons and the fourth after her.
A succession of RAF aircraft have carried the MacRobert’s name ever since. The MacRobert Trust has donated millions of pounds to charitable organisations, created a variety of prizes, awards, traineeships and endowments, and paid for building works across the country.
In this season of remembrance, the MacRobert’s legacy epitomises the contribution made by Scotland and the Scots to the defence and national security of the United Kingdom, both historically and today.
The new Sir Roderic belongs to 6 Squadron which maintains the Quick Reaction Alert (Interceptor) mission, alongside sister aircraft from RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire. Together they protect UK airspace from rogue aircraft and other threats by providing crews and aircraft at high states of readiness 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
It is fantastic that 6 Squadron are taking on the mantle as our affiliated Squadron, strengthening the bond that we are lucky enough to have with the RAF and RAF Lossiemouth.
We look forward with huge enthusiasm to getting to know the new members of the MacRobert ‘family’ – the men and women of 6 Squadron and to seeing Sir Roderic in the skies above Douneside.
As one of three RAF fast jet bases, RAF Lossiemouth’s three frontline Typhoon squadrons make a significant operational contribution to UK Defence. In addition to QRA, these Typhoons have regularly deployed on operations over Iraq and Syria, and on training and defence engagement activity in Oman and the Far East.
RAF Lossiemouth is home to 5 Force Protection Wing, which has deployed regularly to deliver Airfield Force Protection Training to Nigerian Forces. Moray-based personnel and aircraft have also deployed on training and defence engagement activity in Oman and the Far East over the past year.
From 2020 RAF Lossiemouth will begin to be the home of the new £3bn fleet of Poseidon P8-A Maritime Patrol Aircraft, which will add to the UK’s surveillance capabilities and are designed to conduct anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare, search and rescue and intelligence gathering. They can carry torpedoes and anti-shipping missiles and will be used to protect the two new UK aircraft carriers and the nuclear deterrent.
Poseidon will increase the Lossiemouth workforce to over 2,000 personnel bring wider economic benefits, with £400m being invested in new support infrastructure for the nine Poseidon aircraft. Full Operating Capability is expected by 2024, and will include nine aircraft and 18 crews.
As a leading members of NATO, the UK Ministry of Defence has already signed agreements with the US and Norwegian militaries to cooperate closely on operating their P-8A aircraft across the North Atlantic.