- https://www.gov.uk/government/news/trade-secretary-announces-freeports-advisory-panel-will-ensure-uk-is-ready-to-trade-post-brexit International Trade Secretary Liz Truss will today (Friday 2 August) announce a new Freeports Advisory Panel to advise the government on the establishment of up to 10 Freeports.Expected to transform the country’s ports and airports just as freedoms transformed London’s Docklands in the 1980s, up to ten Freeports will be created after the UK leaves the EU on 31 October. More details on how ports and airports across the country will be able to bid for Freeport status will be announced soon.Freeports are hubs for business and enterprise for both manufacturing and services trade. These could be free of unnecessary checks and paperwork, and include customs and tax benefits. These zones reduce costs and bureaucracy, encouraging manufacturing businesses to set up or re-shore. The most successful Freeports globally attract businesses and create jobs for local people through liberalised planning laws.Freeports ensure Britain’s port cities and airports are ready to take full advantage of post-Brexit opportunities, including increased trade with the USA and fast-growing Asian markets as we sign our first free trade deals with global partners.
- Eight English ports are to become freeports under plans announced by the chancellor, who said his policy for the controversial low-tax zones would “exemplify the future economy” and “unlock billions” in investment, trade and jobs.Businesses located within the freeports will benefit from tax breaks including no stamp duty, full rebates for construction and machinery investment, five years of zero business rates, and lower tariffs and customs obligations.Most of the zones will be based around England’s biggest coastal cargo ports, including Felixstowe, Liverpool, Hull, Southampton and London Gateway. Plymouth, Teesside and a zone around East Midlands airport will also be designated areas.While freeports existed, without great impact, in the UK until 2012, Rishi Sunak said the plan was “on a scale we’ve never done before”, creating special economic zones that he said were long established internationally but with “a unique approach” for the UK.The chancellor said discussions were continuing with the devolved administrations for further freeports elsewhere in the UK, although Scotland is modifying the plan to introduce “green ports”, while Northern Ireland’s post-Brexit status may not allow the same model.The freeport plan has been championed by Sunak and Conservative politicians in the north of England, where it is seen as a vital tool in the “levelling up” agenda to attract money and jobs to deprived regions.Sunak told the Commons it was a policy the UK could only pursue now it was outside the EU. There are in fact about 80 freeports within the EU, but the European commission has been clamping down on the zones, which have been linked with money laundering, corruption, tax evasion and organised crime.https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/mar/03/eight-free-ports-low-tax-zones-created-england
- scmp 8mar2021 Two of Hutchinson’s three ports on England’s east coast, in Felixstowe and neighbouring Harwich, were last week named in Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s budget speech among the country’s first eight “free ports”.Free ports are low-tax, low-regulation zones where goods can enter duty-free and leave again without passing UK customs. They are a favourite project for the chancellor, who wrote a policy paper about them five years ago while still a backbench MP.Felixstowe and Harwich are part of the regional Freeport East plan, which has been promoted as a hi-tech “global free port for a global Britain” with its own 5G network. The government estimates 13,000 jobs could be created at the site.“The combination of the ports of Felixstowe and Harwich offers the UK a unique opportunity in the post-Brexit world, sitting as they do at the main junction point between the UK’s principal trade route to and from the Far East and key freight links to and from northern Europe,” said Clemence Cheng, executive director of Hutchison Ports, a subsidiary of CK Hutchison.The UK has also applied to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, a trade deal that includes Malaysia, Vietnam and Japan.Hutchison bought the Felixstowe port in 1991, its first foreign port acquisition and the first such international takeover anywhere in the world. Felixstowe is the UK’s largest container port, with about 40 per cent of market share.The company plans to lead the way in decarbonising freight transport, and the 111-acre Bathside Bay plot, which has been unused for decades, will be incorporated into a tax-free manufacturing hub for wind turbines. Freeport East is also near the Sizewell site, which hosts two French-owned nuclear reactors, where hydrogen energy will be created.China has been closely monitoring the Freeport East developments as relations with London have soured after Downing Street excluded Huawei bids from its 5G network and offered support for Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protests. The UK government will this month publish an integrated security review focusing on the threat from China.According to Communist Party membership lists leaked by the anti-Beijing Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, there are three party members employed by the state-owned Cosco shipping company based at Felixstowe.Beijing will likely be watching trade flows as well as technology, particularly given Freeport East’s plans to collaborate with Cambridge University, which has been criticised in the UK for its links with China. Huawei is building a computer chip research and development factory just outside Cambridge, a short drive from the headquarters of Japan’s Arm Holdings.The UK is CK Hutchison’s most important market, worth more in revenue than its operations in Hong Kong and mainland China combined. It is also one of the country’s largest foreign investors.It was announced last September that Hutchison Ports had hired Chris Grayling, a Conservative MP and former transport minister, as a special adviser on a salary of £100,000 (US$138,000) a year for seven hours’ work each week.Free ports have also become a source of controversy due to claims they will lead to increased organised crime and tax avoidance. However, the UK port sector, which is mostly private, has been neglected by successive governments and the increased infrastructure spending has been cautiously welcomed.Hutchison Ports in 2003 applied for planning permission to convert the Bathside Bay area, on the Harwich side of the River Stour, into a new container port. It secured planning permission after a public inquiry in 2006 but work was delayed until this year.“My concern is they will go for the quick wins,” said local councillor Ivan Henderson, a former Labour MP for Harwich, a seat now held by prominent Brexit supporter Bernard Jenkin. “I’m not prepared to raise false expectations of residents over this side of the river. They gave me guarantee of jobs but we have had promises before from Hutchison.”https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3124457/how-two-british-ports-owned-hong-kongs-ck-hutchison-will-help
export
- https://www.gov.uk/government/news/fox-launches-ambitious-new-export-strategy-to-boost-british-businesses Dr Fox, joined by Baroness Fairhead, Minister of State for Trade and Export Promotion, will today set out the government’s long-term ambition to go further and increase total exports as a proportion of GDP to 35%. Responding to a call from business, The Export Strategy outlines how the government will produce smarter and more tailored support to UK companies.
- export working capital scheme https://www.gov.uk/guidance/export-working-capital-scheme-overview-and-how-to-apply
- Companies of all sizes from across the UK will benefit from first-hand advice as the Export Champion Community will today (Thursday 28th February) be launched by International Trade Secretary Dr Liam Fox MP. Almost 1,000 businesses that have successfully entered overseas markets will encourage their fellow firms to start exporting, offering practical advice. Over 730 new Export Advocates have agreed to join businesses that are already working with the Department for International Trade (DIT) to help promote the government’s message to their industry audience and get businesses thinking globally. Together these businesses form the new Export Champion Community – a nationwide network of UK companies acting as ambassadors for exporting, sharing success stories, offering practical advice and leading by example.https://www.gov.uk/government/news/liam-fox-launches-new-export-champion-community
- https://www.gov.uk/guidance/bond-support-scheme-overview-and-how-to-apply
tax
- offshore assets
- https://www.gov.uk/guidance/requirement-to-correct-tax-due-on-offshore-assets
- tax on age
- Philip Hammond is planning a Budget raid on older workers to pay for tax breaks for younger people as he battles to save his job. The Chancellor of the Exchequer is understood to be examining ways to link tax to age to promote “intergenerational fairness” in next month’s Budget. Tax breaks would be offered to workers in their 20s and 30s, paid for by cutting reliefs for older and better off workers. One Whitehall source said the Budget, to be unveiled on Nov 22, would be a “bold” attempt to “restack the deck for the next generation”. The policy, already dubbed a "tax on age", will be controversial because it will target voters who are more likely to vote Conservative. The Tories' disastrous election result in June was blamed on a poorly-thought through "dementia tax". http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/10/15/philip-hammond-mulling-new-age-tax-raid-older-workers-budget/
tariff
- https://www.gov.uk/trade-tariff
- The UK left the European Union on 31 January 2020. The Department for International Trade is preparing the UK’s first independent tariff policy in almost fifty years. This Most Favoured Nation (MFN) tariff will enter into force on 1 January 2021.The tariffs will apply to all goods imported into the UK, unless an exception such as a preferential arrangement or tariff suspension applies. In particular, this tariff will not apply to goods coming from developing countries that benefit under the Generalised Scheme of Preferences, or to goods originating from countries with which the UK has negotiated a free trade agreement (FTA).https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/the-uk-global-tariff
- generalised system of preferences https://www.gov.uk/guidance/trading-with-developing-nations-during-and-after-the-transition-period
- 英國政府昨日宣布，該國將於明年一月一日起使用新關稅制度，以取代歐盟的共同對外關稅。在新制度下，英國仍然維持對汽車徵收百分之十關稅，但減少徵收總值數百億美元產品的進口關稅。當局表示，新關稅制度名為英國全球關稅（UKGT），比歐盟的共同對外關稅相比將更加簡單和便宜，該稅制適用於未曾與英國簽署貿易協議的國家，並取消所有低於百分之二的關稅。根據新稅制，百分之六十的貿易將按照世界貿易組織條款，或通過現有的優惠准入安排進入英國。英國亦會維持部分產品的關稅，以支持英國農業、汽車和漁業等產業，並且取消價值三百億英鎊（約二千八百二十億港元）的進口品關稅，例如螺絲、螺栓。另外，當局亦將會取消有助能源效率的產品的關稅，以及對用於新冠肺炎的商品實施臨時零關稅，例如個人防護裝備。https://orientaldaily.on.cc/cnt/china_world/20200520/00180_022.html
trade remedy
- On 6 March 2019, the UK announced the establishment of its new trade remedies system with the objective of protecting UK domestic businesses and industry against injury caused by unfair trading practices and unforeseen surges in imports. The new and now fully functioning trade remedies system of the UK has been launched so as to help to protect UK domestic businesses from injury caused by unfair trading practices – such as dumping and subsidies – or harm caused by unforeseen import surges starting from 29 March, in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.
The Trade Remedies Investigations Directorate (“TRID”) has been established as part of the Department for International Trade, with a schedule to commence its activities on 6 March 2019. The TRID will conduct the necessary preparatory works to ensure that the UK is ready to commence its trade remedy investigations as soon as Brexit occurs. It should be noted that the TRID has been established as a temporary institution. The TRID will administer trade remedy functions until the Trade Remedies Authority (“TRA”) is legally established as an independent body. The establishment of the TRA is contingent upon the enacting of the Trade Bill in the UK Parliament. The UK Government is setting as a priority the achievement of parliamentary support in order to achieve a “deal” scenario, under which UK businesses will continue to benefit from current EU trade remedy measures during the Implementation Period (a transition period of 21 months from 29 March 2019 to 31 December 2020). However, the establishment of the TRID as a temporary institution will aim to ensure that UK businesses will also be protected from unfair trading practices in the event Brexit occurs under a “no-deal” scenario. https://hkmb.hktdc.com/en/1x0agsj5/hktdc-research/uk-launches-new-trade-remedies-system?utm_source=enews&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=hkmb-edm
duties
- alcohol
“Recognising the pressure on household budgets, and backing our Great British pubs, duties and others taxes on ciders, wine, spirits and on beer will be frozen,” announced Philip Hammond in his Autumn Statement.http://www.vinexpo-newsroom.com/uk-chancellor-freezes-alcohol-duty/
- https://www.economist.com/news/britain/21731865-practice-almost-no-countries-trade-eu-wto-terms-alone-brexiteers-claim-trade reverting to WTO rules is not simple. Britain was a founder of the organisation but now belongs as an EU member. To resume WTO membership independently will require a division of EU import quotas, notably for beef, lamb and butter. A first effort was roundly rejected by big food exporters like Brazil, Argentina and America. The WTO proceeds by consensus among its 164 members. Were Britain to leave the EU on acrimonious terms, negotiating its resumption of full WTO membership could be difficult.
- gpa
- On November 27, the UK will seek admission to the 46-nation Government Procurement Agreement (GPA) in Geneva. Failure to rejoin the pact could prevent UK companies from bidding on government contracts in member nations, including the $837-billion US market. Each member has the power to block admittance. “Going through an accession does mean in theory a country—any country—can veto,” the UK Ambassador to the World Trade Organization Julian Braithwaite told lawmakers in London this month. “If we don’t get their agreement we don’t become a member of the GPA.” Half dozen nations including the US and Japan blocked a UK application last month, with some saying the British offer was based on a set of outdated and incomplete commitments. While all members want to retain access to the UK’s £67-billion ($76-billion) marketplace, they’re still willing to use the opportunity to squeeze some concessions, with some eyeing projects such as Britain’s high-speed railways or a Heathrow airport expansion.https://businessmirror.com.ph/after-brexit-gpa-nations-may-bar-uk-from-1-7-t-wto-deal/
Eu membership
- http://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2016/07/03/government-faces-worldwide-hunt-for-trade-negotiators-experts-wa/ The Government may have to look far and wide to find the legions of staff it needs for post-Brexit trade talks, as the civil service faces its greatest manpower crisis since the Second World War, experts have warned. Locating the necessary expertise will be critical to the UK’s success, after the country’s unexpected decision to leave the European Union. No-one was more shocked by that decision than those tasked with taking us out of the political bloc. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/7ccfd858-41e0-11e6-b22f-79eb4891c97d.html The civil service is badly underpowered in some areas, notably in trade. Britain has not negotiated its own trade deal since 1973 when it handed over responsibility to the European Commission. Sir Simon Fraser, former permanent secretary at the Foreign Office, said last month that Britain had 20 “active hands-on” trade negotiators, and would be up against 600 experienced trade specialists in Brussels. The government is believed to have estimated that it needs between 700 and 750 extra staff to negotiate not just with the EU but with the other countries with which the bloc has trade deals. “The government is going to struggle to gear up to have the bandwidth to properly negotiate the detailed cross-EU and wider bilateral trade deals across the globe,” said Iain Anderson, executive chairman of communications company Cicero. One leading lawyer said staff were not willing to be seconded to government for the task and that the government’s hopes of recruiting enough people from the private sector for the task ahead was “dreaming”. http://www.economist.com/news/britain/21702229-bureaucratic-marathon-lies-ahead-does-britain-have-enough-pen-pushers-building-brexit The wiliest strategy might be to poach trade negotiators from the European Commission itself. Some 32 Britons work within its Directorate General for Trade. Recruiting them may be easier for the fact that Brexit is likely to stall Britons’ progress up the Commission’s career ladder. Yet Eurocrats enjoy reduced-tax salaries and have put down roots in Brussels. Still, says Miriam Gonazález Durántez, a lawyer and former EU trade negotiator, it is their doors that Britain should be knocking on. Next it could approach Britons working in the WTO. If Britain is to leave the negotiating chamber with its pockets unpicked, their ilk is sorely needed.
- post brexit trade deal
- Theresa May’s vision of Britain’s trading relationship with the EU has left trade officials and business executives scratching their heads about how it could work in practice.
https://www.ft.com/content/0d48300a-de3b-11e6-86ac-f253db7791c6 The British prime minister has confirmed the UK will leave the EU single market but seek market access for certain industries such as cars and aerospace. She also confirmed that Britain would pull out of the EU customs union, but retain a “customs agreement” to remove tariffs and have “frictionless trade”. Trade experts suggested that it will be very difficult for a sector-specific customs union to be technically, legally and politically achievable. - Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said when it comes to trade with the EU after Brexit: "We want a comprehensive free trade agreement, similar to Canada's".The EU's agreement with Canada is called the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, or Ceta for short.The EU began negotiating with Canada in 2009, and Ceta provisionally came into force in 2017, although it has not yet been signed off by all the EU member states. https://www.bbc.com/news/business-45633592
- trade bill
- MPs will debate the customs bill, officially known as the taxation (cross-border trade) bill, and the trade bill. Both seek to lay the regulatory framework for post-Brexit international trade by setting out powers to collect tariffs and other customs charges, and relating to the implementation of international trade deals.Amendments to both bills have been tabled by the leave and remain sides of the Conservative party.
On the customs bill, one of the amendments seeks to make it illegal for the UK to collect duties for the EU without reciprocal arrangements, which would scupper May’s proposed customs plan. It has been signed by 11 MPs from the hard Brexit end of the party, including Jacob Rees-Mogg, Priti Patel and Iain Duncan Smith. Another amendment to the customs bill calls for no customs border between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK, which is government policy anyway. Amendments have been put forward to both the customs and trade bill seeking to keep the UK in the customs union. This has been signed by the Tory remainers Anna Soubry and Ken Clarke as well as Labour, Liberal Democrat and SNP MPs.https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/jul/16/brexit-what-are-the-customs-and-trade-bills-and-could-may-face-defeat
- customs bill
- The government has narrowly avoided a defeat on its Customs Bill after agreeing to Brexiteers' demands to change its wording. It twice survived by just three votes after a backlash from pro-EU Tories who accused Theresa May of "caving in" to the party's Eurosceptic MPs. Defence Minister Guto Bebb resigned so he could vote against the government. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-44854597
tpp
- https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/jan/03/britain-in-talks-to-join-the-tpp-to-boost-trade-after-brexit Britain is in talks to join a trans-Pacific trade group to boost exports after the UK leaves the European Union according to reports. The government is exploring becoming a member of the Trans-Pacific Partnership to stimulate exports after Brexit next March and has held informal discussions with the group. If the proposals go ahead Britain would be the first member of the trade agreement which does not have borders on the Pacific Ocean or the South China Sea.
- The UK is considering seeking accession to the agreement and the Department for International Trade is currently analysing responses to its 14-week public consultation on potential accession to CPTPP.DIT’s consultation on CPTPP included 12 events throughout the UK, which confirmed that there is demand from businesses to join CPTPP. It also revealed that there are many businesses that are unaware of the opportunities on offer but would benefit with support from DIT trade advisers. DIT has already engaged with all 11 members of CPTPP and there is support for UK membership. In October the Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said that the UK would be welcomed into the agreement ‘with open arms’ and the Australian PM has said ‘the British would be pushing at an open door’.https://www.gov.uk/government/news/cptpp-will-be-a-force-for-good-in-promoting-free-trade
- The UK intends to pursue accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) as a key part of our trade negotiations programme.https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-approach-to-joining-the-cptpp-trade-agreement/an-update-on-the-uks-position-on-accession-to-the-comprehensive-and-progressive-agreement-for-trans-pacific-partnership-cptpp
-The UK will apply to join a free trade area with 11 Asia and Pacific nations on Monday, a year after it officially left the EU.https://www.bbc.com/news/business-55871373
Fta
- http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-36818055 Australia has called for a free trade deal with Britain following its exit from the European Union. Theresa May described the move as "very encouraging" and insisted it showed Brexit could work for Britain. In a phone call to the new PM, her Australian counterpart Malcolm Turnbull said he urgently wanted to open up trading between the two countries. Liam Fox, the new international trade secretary, said he was already "scoping about a dozen free trade deals". But the UK cannot sign any deals while it is still an EU member - and experts warned trade deals take a long time to negotiate.
- https://www.ft.com/content/6d00353c-2616-11e8-b27e-cc62a39d57a0 In just a few weeks, Britain will begin what could be the country’s most momentous negotiations since joining the EU in the 1970s: talks on how it will trade with Europe for decades to come. Both sides agree that the outcome is likely to be very different from Britain’s current EU membership, which will be replaced by some kind of free-trade agreement — unless the UK changes course and opts to stay in the customs union.
- https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-public-consultations-announced-for-future-trade-agreements In a speech to business and civil society leaders hosted by the FSB today (18 July 2018), International Trade Secretary Dr Liam Fox is set to announce 4 public consultations ahead of post-Brexit trade negotiations. The consultations demonstrate the UK’s intention to seek free trade agreements with the US, Australia and New Zealand, as well as the UK potentially seeking accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). The consultations, which will be released to the public shortly, will cover these prospective new trade agreements signalling the UK’s immediate negotiating priorities as soon as it leaves the EU, in line with the terms of the draft Withdrawal Agreement and in light of the government’s White Paper on the future relationship between the UK and EU
Fta
- http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-36818055 Australia has called for a free trade deal with Britain following its exit from the European Union. Theresa May described the move as "very encouraging" and insisted it showed Brexit could work for Britain. In a phone call to the new PM, her Australian counterpart Malcolm Turnbull said he urgently wanted to open up trading between the two countries. Liam Fox, the new international trade secretary, said he was already "scoping about a dozen free trade deals". But the UK cannot sign any deals while it is still an EU member - and experts warned trade deals take a long time to negotiate.
- https://www.ft.com/content/6d00353c-2616-11e8-b27e-cc62a39d57a0 In just a few weeks, Britain will begin what could be the country’s most momentous negotiations since joining the EU in the 1970s: talks on how it will trade with Europe for decades to come. Both sides agree that the outcome is likely to be very different from Britain’s current EU membership, which will be replaced by some kind of free-trade agreement — unless the UK changes course and opts to stay in the customs union.
- https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-public-consultations-announced-for-future-trade-agreements In a speech to business and civil society leaders hosted by the FSB today (18 July 2018), International Trade Secretary Dr Liam Fox is set to announce 4 public consultations ahead of post-Brexit trade negotiations. The consultations demonstrate the UK’s intention to seek free trade agreements with the US, Australia and New Zealand, as well as the UK potentially seeking accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). The consultations, which will be released to the public shortly, will cover these prospective new trade agreements signalling the UK’s immediate negotiating priorities as soon as it leaves the EU, in line with the terms of the draft Withdrawal Agreement and in light of the government’s White Paper on the future relationship between the UK and EU
- 英國在脫歐過渡期間，頻頻與主要國家展開貿易談判，除了歐盟外，至今已經成功與62個國家簽訂脫歐後自由貿易協議，總值近9,000億英鎊（約9.49萬億港元）。不過英國與美國及中國仍然未達成任何協議，其中與美國的貿易談判更因為特朗普政府倒台，可能要推倒重來。目前與英國簽訂自貿協議的國家，包括日本、加拿大、瑞士、挪威、新加坡、韓國、越南及土耳其等，除加拿大外所有協議將於元旦日起生效。英國亦與澳洲、新西蘭及美國簽訂互相認可協議，可以在脫歐後繼續沿用歐盟與這些國家的貿易條款來往，直至兩地達成新的貿易協議。 http://pdf.wenweipo.com/2020/12/31/a20-1231.pdf
- usa
- ft 26apr19 "even US anglophiles warn the uk on trade deals"
- 英國首相約翰遜成功帶領英國脫歐後，展開對歐美的貿易談判。他前日揚言，將以強硬態度應對英美貿談，爭取有利英國工業的貿易協議，但會考慮取消向美國科技巨企徵收數碼稅。https://orientaldaily.on.cc/cnt/china_world/20200304/00180_026.html
- Talks between the UK and the US on a post-Brexit trade agreement are to get under way on Tuesday. The early negotiations will take place by videoconference, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with the first round of talks expected to last two weeks and further sessions approximately every six weeks. Ministers say they will drive a "hard bargain" as they seek to lower tariffs on exports and boost trade in services. But Labour warn food standards and workers' rights could be "sacrificed". Although US President Donald Trump has said he hopes to negotiate a quick deal, international trade agreements typically take many years to complete. The UK government has estimated that eliminating tariffs and reducing other trade barriers with the US could boost the economy by between 0.07% and 0.16% over the next five years, depending on the exact terms. But critics of Brexit say improved terms with the US cannot compensate for a more economically distant relationship with the EU, with whom the UK is negotiating a new trading relationship after its exit on 31 January. Each side will have about 100 negotiators working on their teams. The UK delegation is being led by Oliver Griffiths, a senior official at the Department of International Trade. The first round of discussions, which have been delayed for several weeks due to the coronavirus outbreak, will cover trade in goods and services, digital trade, two-way investment and support for small and medium-sized businesses. Asked how long the overall process would take, Downing Street said both sides wanted to make progress as quickly as possible. In an 180-page document setting out the UK's objectives in March, ministers said they hoped to lower trade barriers faced by British car manufacturers, ceramics makers and producers of products such as cheddar cheese.https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-52528821
- https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-uks-approach-to-trade-negotiations-with-the-us
- The United Kingdom has today (Wednesday 15 May) signed the UK-Andean Countries Trade Agreement in Quito, Ecuador. Government Ministers from the three Andean countries were present at the signing, including: President Moreno of Ecuador; Colombian Vice Minister of Trade, Laura Valdivieso; Ecuadorian Minister of Commerce, Pablo Campana and Minister of Foreign Trade and Peru’s Minister of Tourism, Edgar Manuel Vásquez Vela. Once in force, the agreement will help to protect a trade flow of £2.1 billion and bring continuity for both businesses and consumers, safeguarding British jobs. In 2017, there were 1,500 British businesses exporting goods to Colombia, 600 exporting goods to Ecuador and 1,300 exporting goods to Peru. Between 2008 and 2018, UK exports of goods and services to the region grew by 58% and imports from the region grew by 24%. This trade continuity agreement has been agreed in preparation for the UK’s departure from the EU. The agreement will allow businesses to trade as freely as they do now, without any additional barriers or tariffs.https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-signs-trade-continuity-agreement-with-colombia-ecuador-and-peru
- australia and new zealand
- https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/jun/17/uk-begins-talks-with-australia-and-new-zealand-on-free-trade-deal-for-post-brexit-era Australia and New Zealand are about to begin negotiations on a free trade agreement with the UK in what the Australian trade minister said was “a strong signal of our mutual support for free trade” in a post-Covid-19 world. Simon Birmingham said Australia was “ready to help the UK find new beginnings post-Brexit and in doing so, open up new doors for our farmers, businesses and investors”.“We’ve been preparing for this deal since the UK decided to leave the EU and welcome their agreement to commence negotiations,” Birmingham said in a statement issued on Wednesday.
- japan
trade / trade and political continuity agreement- https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uks-approach-to-negotiating-a-free-trade-agreement-with-japan/uk-japan-free-trade-agreement-the-uks-strategic-approach
- Britain and Japan on Friday reached agreement on “major elements” of a post-Brexit trade deal but failed to wrap up negotiations as foreign minister Toshimitsu Motegi ended his three-day trip to London. The two parties reached agreement in areas such as digital, data and financial services, with British media reporting that some aspects of the agriculture sector were still up for debate. “Negotiations have been positive and productive, and we have reached consensus on the major elements of a deal,” said British trade minister Liz Truss in a statement. “Our shared aim is to reach a formal agreement in principle by the end of August.”Motegi told reporters that “we substantially agreed” on most issues and that the partnership will include investment services and e-commerce. The Japan-UK economic partnership will further expand investment in trade between the two countries,” he added.Britain left the European Union in January but agreed a standstill transition until the end of the year – and is racing to strike both replica and new trade agreements before that date.https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3096567/japan-and-britain-make-headway-trade-seek-post-brexit-deal-end
- 英國昨日首次以獨立貿易國家身份獲得首份重大貿易協議，與日本達成自由貿易協議，兩國貿易額將增加一百五十二億英鎊（約一千五百一十二億港元）。這對英方加入跨太平洋夥伴全面及進步協定（CPTPP）是重要一步，成為英企進入亞太市場的途徑，提升供應鏈的彈性及多元化。https://orientaldaily.on.cc/cnt/china_world/20200912/00180_025.html至於受惠的英國行業包括製造業、食品及飲品生產商、科技業，英企的品牌及創新將受保護，不再只針對網上侵權行為。日本在英國的主要投資商例如日產及日立從日本出口至英國的零組件將能享有零關稅，預料將從中獲益、提高產值。http://hk.hkcd.com/pdf/202009/0912/HA09912CGBA_HKCD.pdf
- 英國與歐盟就貿易協議的談判陷入僵局之際，英國國際貿易大臣卓慧思與日本外相茂木敏充周五在東京簽署《經濟夥伴關係協定》，經兩國國會通過後，明年一月一日生效。卓慧思表示，這為英國未來加入《跨太平洋夥伴全面及進步協定》鋪路；茂木敏充指這反映兩國政府加重力度推動自由貿易。https://orientaldaily.on.cc/cnt/china_world/20201024/00180_039.html
- australia
- new zealand- https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/uk-trade-agreement-continuity-statistics-and-analysis
- https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-47213842 The European Union (EU) has about 40 free trade deals, covering more than 70 countries. That means the UK, as a member of the EU, can currently trade with countries like Canada without having to pay taxes on imports (tariffs) on most goods. In the event of a no-deal Brexit, the UK would suddenly lose tariff-free access to these markets and it would have to trade under World Trade Organization (WTO) rules.To avoid this, the UK government is in the process of rolling over the EU's existing free trade deals with other countries - worth about 11% of total UK trade. The UK says it wants to replicate the EU's trade agreements "as far as possible" and have them ready to go in the event of a no-deal Brexit.If Brexit happens on 31 October, the UK will be free to negotiate and sign trade deals with countries where the EU has no trade agreement - such the US. However, the UK will also need to negotiate a free trade deal with the EU to ensure continued tariff-free access to its market.So far, the UK has signed 17 "continuity" deals covering 47 countries or territories. All together, these deals represent about 8% of total UK trade.
efta
- The EEA EFTA States – Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway – and the United Kingdom have reached an agreement on protecting citizens’ rights and resolving separation issues as the UK exits the EU. This agreement largely mirrors the Withdrawal Agreement agreed with the EU in areas relevant under the EEA Agreement. The EEA EFTA States and the UK have agreed to continue the rights of EEA EFTA citizens living in the UK and UK citizens living in any of the EEA EFTA States as the UK exits the European Union. The agreement is primarily concerning the rights of EEA EFTA and UK citizens who have made a home in each other’s countries as a result of the right of free movement under the EEA Agreement.The agreement between the EEA EFTA States and the UK covers issues such as rights related to residence, mutual recognition of professional qualifications and coordination of social security systems. It also contains arrangements on separation issues such as arrangements on goods placed on the EEA EFTA or UK markets, intellectual property, data protection, public procurement, and ongoing police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters. https://www.efta.int/EEA/news/EEA-EFTA-Separation-Agreement-UK-reached-511351
customs agents and fast parcel operators who can help submit customs declarations from 1 January 2021 https://www.gov.uk/guidance/list-of-customs-agents-and-fast-parcel-operators
Privatisation
- lord marlesford's letter to ft editir on 11aug15 on lord howell as inventer of term privatisation in 1979 and his proposals, not nigel lawson as mentioned in article on 4aug15
- ft article "public service, private again" 23jan18
- https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/political-parties/labour-party/jeremy-corbyn/news/92095/jeremy-corbyn-carillion-collapse The Labour leader said the firm's liquidation is "a watershed moment" which should usher in a new way of delivering public services. Carillion - which was awarded around 450 government contracts worth billions of pounds - went bust this morning after failing to secure emergency cash from its lenders.Among the public projects the company was involved in was the HS2 rail line, the maintenance of 50,000 Ministry of Defence homes, the provision of school dinners and the cleaning of hospitals. In a video message, Mr Corbyn linked Carillion's liquidation with the NHS winter crisis as proof that privatisation had not worked. He said: "In the wake of the collapse of the contractor Carillion, it is time to put an end to the rip-off privatisation policies that have done serious damage to our public services and fleeced the public of billions of pounds. "This is a watershed moment. Across the public sector, the outsource-first dogma has wreaked havoc. Often it is the same companies that have gone from service to service, creaming off profits and failing to deliver the quality of service our people deserve. "The evidence is clear and it is everywhere. Look at the up £2 billion public bailout of Richard Branson's Virgin and Stagecoach for their own failure to run East Coast rail properly - or the scandal of the NHS being sued by private companies like Virgin after losing a contract bid. "Staff and patients in our NHS are facing shocking conditions this winter. Tory underfunding has caused the crisis, but privatisation, outsourced contracts and profiteering has made it worse. "Our public services - health, rail, prisons, even our Armed Forces' housing - are struggling after years of austerity and private contractors siphoning off profits from the public purse.
- health
- water
- tech
govt fund
- new business basic fund https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-launches-new-fund-to-support-small-business-growth
- https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/nov/05/uk-tech-fund-industry-emissions-energy-bills
m&a
- https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-merger-and-takeover-rules-come-into-force Today (Monday 11 June 2018) the government made changes to the UK’s merger regime to recognise the growing importance of small British businesses in developing cutting edge technology products with national security applications. In order to address changes in the market, the government amended the threshold tests for businesses in the military, dual-use, computing hardware and quantum technology sectors that are most likely to have implications for our security. Today’s changes allow ministers to intervene on certain grounds when the target business’s UK turnover is more than £1 million, down from £70 million under the previous rules. They also remove the requirement that a merger or takeover in these sectors lead to an increase in the parties’ combined share of supply of relevant goods or services before the government is able to intervene.
- https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/national-security-and-investment-proposed-reforms White paper consultation seeking views on proposed reforms to government's powers for scrutinising investment for the purposes of protecting national security.
http://hk.apple.nextmedia.com/international/art/20150708/19211900 英國政府昨天宣佈，財相歐思邦（George Osborne）將於今日公佈的財政預算案，容許商店延長周日營業時間，放寬只可營業6小時的限制，預料明年春天實行，以迎戰大行其道的網上購物，及力拼法國巴黎和美國紐約等旅遊勝地。根據現時法例，商店面積逾3,000平方呎，只可以在周日早上10時至下午6時期間，營業最多6小時；而少逾3,000平方呎的商店，大部份是便利店或獨立經營的小商店就可以營業逾6小時。http://hk.apple.nextmedia.com/international/art/20150708/19211903限制大型商店周日的營業時間於1994年實施，英國當局曾在2006年提出類似的改革，但因面對工會和教會壓力而擱置。在1994年前，只有園藝中心、街角小商店和藥店獲准在周日營業，時任首相戴卓爾夫人（圖）曾在1986年提出放寬，但遭保守黨反對，最後胎死腹中。當局在2006年亦提出改革，但工會和教會擔心影響工人家庭及社區生活而發動大規模示威，再一次失敗收場。
不過當局在2012年倫敦奧運會，就成功放寬商店的營業時間，歐思邦認為當時成效顯著，零售業營業額有大幅增長，「證明巿民周日外出購物的需求增加」。但零售業業界就指，現時法例保障小商店的生存機會，「小商店周日短時間營業，而大企業關門，這對小商店有絕對優勢」。
industrialisation
- https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/586626/building-our-industrial-strategy-green-paper.pdf
- Senior individuals from business, academia and civil society complete the line-up of the Industrial Strategy Council, led by the Chief Economist of the Bank of England Andy Haldane, Business Secretary Greg Clark announced today. A full meeting of the independent Industrial Strategy Council took place this afternoon (1 November 2018) in Number 10 where the group agreed how it will assess the government’s progress on the commitments made in the modern Industrial Strategy. The Council was joined for this inaugural meeting by the Prime Minister, the Chancellor and the Business Secretary.https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-industrial-strategy-council-meets-as-membership-announced
food enterprise zones
- Food Enterprise Zones (FEZs) that will unleash the entrepreneurial spirit of the countryside and food producers are to be created, the government announced today. The new zones will free up food and farming businesses, making it simpler and easier for them to grow, and will attract new businesses. Local communities will benefit from new jobs and the opportunity to develop local produce, boosting their economies. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/food-enterprise-zones-created-to-drive-growth
surveillance
- http://www.chinadailyasia.com/news/2016-11/26/content_15532474.htmlAfter months of wrangling, Parliament has passed a contentious new snooping law that gives authorities — from police and spies to food regulators, fire officials and tax inspectors — powers to look at the internet browsing records of everyone in the country. The law requires telecoms companies to keep records of all users' web activity for a year, creating databases of personal information that the firms worry could be vulnerable to leaks and hackers.
Immigrants
- UK plans to crack down on foreign workers have prompted dismay around the world, with a backlash spreading across continental Europe and as far as Asia. https://www.ft.com/content/6555b1f4-8ba8-11e6-8aa5-f79f5696c731
- Resolving mistakes made when new rules come into force to freeze or close the bank accounts of illegal immigrants could be an "absolute nightmare", a former board member of TSB has warned. Banks and building societies will carry out checks from January to see if account holders are legally in the UK. MPs backed the move in 2016, but Philip Augar said mistakes would be made and "poor individuals" would suffer. The Home Office said the system was "fair" but "firm". Financial institutions will be provided with a list from anti-fraud organisation Cifas on people who are liable for removal or deportation from the UK or who have absconded from immigration control.http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-41357048
- https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-start-up-visa-route-announced-by-the-home-secretary The new route, announced during London Tech Week, will widen the applicant pool of talented entrepreneurs and make the visa process faster and smoother for entrepreneurs coming to the UK. It will replace a visa route which was exclusively for graduates, opening it up to a wider pool of talented business founders. It will require applicants to have acquired an endorsement from a university or approved business sponsor, including accelerators.
- golden visa
regional development
- Ten UK cities have been shortlisted for a share of £1.7bn government funding in a bid to improve transport links, Theresa May has said. In order to "help spread growth beyond London," the prime minister said the funding will form part of her administration's "transforming cities" fund announced last year. Six authorities, including the West Midlands, Greater Manchester, Cambridge and Peterborough, Liverpool, the West of England and Tees Valley, have already received £840m, the government said. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/uk-cities-shortlisted-improve-transport-theresa-may-chris-grayling-a8558596.html
- https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/towns-fund-prospectus On 6 September 2019 the government invited 100 places to develop proposals for a Town Deal, as part of the £3.6 billion Towns Fund. In the prospectus we explain how towns can prepare for a Town Deal, as part of a 2 stage process. We want to see Town Deal Boards established, with investment priorities and project proposals then set out in a locally-owned Town Investment Plan. Proposals should drive long term economic and productivity growth through investment in connectivity, land use, economic assets including cultural assets, skills and enterprise infrastructure.
Home building
-http://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/07/10/uk-britain-economy-productivity-idUKKCN0PK0FB20150710 Britain's government said on Friday it would remove obstacles to building new houses as it tries to tackle a chronic shortage of homes and put its economy on a sounder footing. At the centre of a new programme to boost Britain's poor productivity record are powers for the government to step in and draw up housing plans if local authorities fail to do so. Town halls that drag their feet on planning decisions may be fined, the government said as it moved to reduce the delays for housing projects that are often caused by local objections. The plan follows the first government budget since Prime Minister David Cameron's Conservative Party won national elections in May.
property
- the government is planning to extend the “PSC” (persons with significant control) rules (under which UK corporates must disclose certain details of individuals who own and control them) to cover offshore vehicles holding UK real estate. Very simply put, the existing PSC rules require UK companies and LLPs to gather, maintain and provide the UK company registrar (Companies House) with certain personal details, including the name, service address and nature and level of control over the company or LLP, of any natural person who either directly or indirectly holds (or controls) more than 25% of the company or LLP (“PSC details”). The proposals now under discussion would apply a very similar regime to foreign entities, where they either already hold or are attempting to purchase UK real estate (in both cases directly). Non-UK entities already holding UK real estate would have one year to register their PSC details at Companies House, whilst an overseas corporate entity buying UK real estate would not be allowed to register its legal ownership of the land with the relevant UK Land Registry without first obtaining a registration number, which it could only obtain by providing its PSC details to Companies House. So far it is unclear exactly how this enforcement mechanism would work, but the end result of a failure to comply would likely be a failed transaction.http://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=c9f86e84-ce2b-47ed-98cb-482a62f0d586
- 在英國買樓，一般可分為永久業權(Freehold)及租賃產權(Leasehold)兩種，前者顧名思義，後者則是向業權人買入物業使用權，亦即香港的批地模式。不過近年愈來愈多英國發展商只採用租賃產權方式賣樓，藉向買家收取高昂地租斂財，令小業主百上加斤。有鑑及此，英國政府計劃全面禁止在英格蘭以租賃產權方式出售獨立屋，並打算將地租水平限制在接近零，業主團體表示歡迎。英國不少小業主買樓前，都不知道永久業權與租賃產權的分別，容易墮入發展商的陷阱。社區大臣賈偉德公佈消息時舉出一個案例，指一幢獨立屋由於發展商制訂不合理的地租加幅，到2060年每年可能要繳1萬英鎊(約10萬港元)，嚇跑所有潛在買家，令現業主根本無法轉手。類似案例在英國俯拾皆是，不少小業主的物業因此變得一文不值，還要每年「硬食」發展商徵收的大小雜費。http://pdf.wenweipo.com/2017/07/26/a19-0726.pdf
employment law
- http://hsfnotes.com/employment/category/employment-law-reforms/
minimum wage
- Britain’s skills minister in a recent speech, as he prepares to preside over the fastest rise in the minimum wage in the country’s history. The new policy, which starts on Friday, will see the wages for low-paid workers rise four times faster than average earnings this year. The world will be watching. Governments in many developed countries are turning to minimum wage policies as they try to deal with inequality and anaemic wage growth. The stagnation in wages in recent years has been blamed on the rise of global competition, the decline in collective bargaining, a slowdown in productivity growth and the way in which technology has “hollowed out” some middle-skilled jobs. In response, Germany introduced its first ever minimum wage last year; Japan’s prime minister Shinzo Abe has called for minimum wage increases of 3 per cent a year for the foreseeable future; and some US cities such as Seattle are raising their wage floors to $15 an hour. Developing countries such as Malaysia are also using minimum wages to try to redistribute growth more fairly and encourage employers to move up the value chain.https://next.ft.com/content/2ae61f24-f2a9-11e5-aff5-19b4e253664
- 英國昨日實施強制「全國生活工資」 （NLW）新制度，規定25歲或以上僱員的最低時薪為7.2英鎊（約80港元），較舊制的最低工資多7.4%，24歲或以下勞工最低工資則維持不變。新制實施後，預料180萬人將即時受惠，惟較年輕的勞工工資未有提升，可能加劇不同年齡間的收入差距。英國財相歐思邦去年在預算案中，提出在原有的最低工資制度上，增設NLW制度，藉此減少福利開支，期望25歲以上勞工最低時薪在2020年時增至9英鎊（約100港元）。不過，薪金上調將加重僱主營運成本，預算責任辦公室（OBR）估計，屆時市場將流失6萬個職位。http://pdf.wenweipo.com/2016/04/02/a15-0402.pdf
- Not a single firm 'named and shamed' by the government for paying below minimum wage has been prosecuted, a Tory minister has said. Ministers have humiliated nearly 700 employers since 2013 in a scheme they launched to "crack down on those who ignore the law".
- an amendment to the Employment Rights Act 1996 brought before the Parliament on 8th February 2018 - where an employee’s pay varies by reference to time worked, employers must include the number of hours for which the employee is being paid on his or her itemised pay statement. The New legislation comes into force from April 2019 and requires all employers to: Provide payslips to all workers, and Show hours on payslips where the pay varies by the amount of time worked. This change was made to make it easier for employees to read their payslips, ensure that they are paid correctly and to make it easier to resolve any under or overpayments to an employee’s pay. This law applies to all types of workers including permanent, casual and zero hours employees.
salary
- https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/aug/07/payment-in-gold-bullion-banned-under-new-law-to-combat-tax-evasion Companies will no longer be able to pay employees their salaries in gold bullion in the first use of a new law designed to combat “morally repugnant” tax avoidance schemes. An expert tax avoidance panel has ruled that paying employees in gold is a “contrived” tax avoidance scheme designed to “frustrate the intent of parliament” in cracking down on such practices. It is the first application of the general anti-abuse rule (GAAR) panel since it was introduced by former chancellor George Osborne in 2013 as part of a package of measures to tackle tax evasion. The ruling means HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) will be able to take action against both companies and employees seeking to take advantage of the “artificial and abusive” gold bullion schemes.
agriculture
- The Centres for Agricultural Innovation are a new collaborative model between the agri-tech sector and government. Agrimetrics, the first of the centres, opened in October 2015. It is focused on agricultural informatics and metrics of sustainability. Agrimetrics uses data science and modelling to build a more productive, sustainable and efficient food system. It underpins growth in UK businesses who offer modern agri-focused products and services in both the UK and global markets.https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/centres-for-agricultural-innovation/centres-for-agricultural-innovation
agricultural produce
- https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/may/01/iceberg-lettuce-uk-supermarkets-cut-prices-salad-leaves-early-harvest British-grown iceberg lettuces and other salad ingredients will reappear on supermarket shelves this week – many at bargain prices – ending the vegetable “crisis” triggered by the washout Spanish weather. Tesco and Morrisons are among retailers to offer UK icebergs for just 50p – down from a typical supermarket range of between 70p and 75p for US- and Spanish-imported products. The price peaked at £1.19 among some retailers at the height of winter shortages. The UK salad season usually kicks off in mid-May but, thanks to a mild winter and recent warm weather, crops are being harvested earlier than usual. Shoppers can look forward to an early bounty of UK-grown salad leaves and radishes in addition to English-grown asparagus and Jersey royal potatoes. UK shoppers faced shortages of courgettes in January when a continental cold and wet snap hit supplies at a time of peak demand from consumers keen to pursue their new year resolutions to eat more greens. Other produce, including aubergines, celery, green beans, lettuces and tomatoes were also affected, and as prices rocketed some supermarkets were forced to impose rationing to even out supply. Spanish-grown courgettes are still on supermarket shelves but will gradually be replaced by British ones towards the end of the month, followed by homegrown celery.
transport
- Transport-Technology Research Innovation Grants (T-TRIG) funds early-stage research projects into innovative ideas or concepts to help create a better transport system. It is part of the Department for Transport’s Innovation Grant funding.https://www.dft.gov.uk/innovation-grants/innovation-grants/t-trig/
automobile
- http://orientaldaily.on.cc/cnt/china_world/20170727/00180_011.html 英國政府計劃於二○四○年起，全面禁止使用新出產的柴油及汽油私家車或輕型貨車，以改善由一氧化氮造成的空氣污染問題。當局將撥出二億五千五百萬英鎊（約二十五億港元）予地方政府，加快採取措施處理來自柴油車的污染，同時投入三十億英鎊（約三百零六億港元）改善空氣質素。
electric vehicle
- https://www.gov.uk/government/news/funding-for-on-street-chargepoints-doubled-to-help-charge-up-electric-vehicle-revolution The Transport Secretary today (21 January 2020) announced that government funding will be doubled to £10 million for the installation of chargepoints on residential streets next year. This could fund up to another 3,600 chargepoints across the country and make charging at home and overnight easier for those without an off-street parking space. The government is also looking at how to make information about all public chargepoints including locations and power ratings openly available in a standard format for the first time. The Department for Transport will look at how real-time information could be published, showing whether chargepoints are in working order and currently in use, which could then be used by developers and incorporated into sat navs and route mapping apps.
energy
- in the Upgrading our energy system: smart systems and flexibility planpublished in July 2017, the government committed up to £70 million to smart energy system innovation. Across government, Innovate UK, Research Councils, and BEIS expect to invest around £265 million in smart systems research, development, and demonstration. As part of this commitment, within the BEIS Energy Innovation Programme, BEIS expects to invest up to £70 million in the smart energy systems innovation theme.https://www.gov.uk/guidance/funding-for-innovative-smart-energy-systems
- https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-47213842 The European Union (EU) has about 40 free trade deals, covering more than 70 countries. That means the UK, as a member of the EU, can currently trade with countries like Canada without having to pay taxes on imports (tariffs) on most goods. In the event of a no-deal Brexit, the UK would suddenly lose tariff-free access to these markets and it would have to trade under World Trade Organization (WTO) rules.To avoid this, the UK government is in the process of rolling over the EU's existing free trade deals with other countries - worth about 11% of total UK trade. The UK says it wants to replicate the EU's trade agreements "as far as possible" and have them ready to go in the event of a no-deal Brexit.If Brexit happens on 31 October, the UK will be free to negotiate and sign trade deals with countries where the EU has no trade agreement - such the US. However, the UK will also need to negotiate a free trade deal with the EU to ensure continued tariff-free access to its market.So far, the UK has signed 17 "continuity" deals covering 47 countries or territories. All together, these deals represent about 8% of total UK trade.
efta
- The EEA EFTA States – Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway – and the United Kingdom have reached an agreement on protecting citizens’ rights and resolving separation issues as the UK exits the EU. This agreement largely mirrors the Withdrawal Agreement agreed with the EU in areas relevant under the EEA Agreement. The EEA EFTA States and the UK have agreed to continue the rights of EEA EFTA citizens living in the UK and UK citizens living in any of the EEA EFTA States as the UK exits the European Union. The agreement is primarily concerning the rights of EEA EFTA and UK citizens who have made a home in each other’s countries as a result of the right of free movement under the EEA Agreement.The agreement between the EEA EFTA States and the UK covers issues such as rights related to residence, mutual recognition of professional qualifications and coordination of social security systems. It also contains arrangements on separation issues such as arrangements on goods placed on the EEA EFTA or UK markets, intellectual property, data protection, public procurement, and ongoing police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters. https://www.efta.int/EEA/news/EEA-EFTA-Separation-Agreement-UK-reached-511351
customs agents and fast parcel operators who can help submit customs declarations from 1 January 2021 https://www.gov.uk/guidance/list-of-customs-agents-and-fast-parcel-operators
Privatisation
- lord marlesford's letter to ft editir on 11aug15 on lord howell as inventer of term privatisation in 1979 and his proposals, not nigel lawson as mentioned in article on 4aug15
- ft article "public service, private again" 23jan18
- https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/political-parties/labour-party/jeremy-corbyn/news/92095/jeremy-corbyn-carillion-collapse The Labour leader said the firm's liquidation is "a watershed moment" which should usher in a new way of delivering public services. Carillion - which was awarded around 450 government contracts worth billions of pounds - went bust this morning after failing to secure emergency cash from its lenders.Among the public projects the company was involved in was the HS2 rail line, the maintenance of 50,000 Ministry of Defence homes, the provision of school dinners and the cleaning of hospitals. In a video message, Mr Corbyn linked Carillion's liquidation with the NHS winter crisis as proof that privatisation had not worked. He said: "In the wake of the collapse of the contractor Carillion, it is time to put an end to the rip-off privatisation policies that have done serious damage to our public services and fleeced the public of billions of pounds. "This is a watershed moment. Across the public sector, the outsource-first dogma has wreaked havoc. Often it is the same companies that have gone from service to service, creaming off profits and failing to deliver the quality of service our people deserve. "The evidence is clear and it is everywhere. Look at the up £2 billion public bailout of Richard Branson's Virgin and Stagecoach for their own failure to run East Coast rail properly - or the scandal of the NHS being sued by private companies like Virgin after losing a contract bid. "Staff and patients in our NHS are facing shocking conditions this winter. Tory underfunding has caused the crisis, but privatisation, outsourced contracts and profiteering has made it worse. "Our public services - health, rail, prisons, even our Armed Forces' housing - are struggling after years of austerity and private contractors siphoning off profits from the public purse.
- health
- http://www.politics.co.uk/comment-analysis/2018/01/15/hunt-s-secret-nhs-plan-opens-the-door-to-further-privatisati Jeremy Hunt and NHS England's latest big idea is Accountable Care Organisations (ACOs). These bodies would be allowed to make most decisions about how to allocate resources and design care for people in certain areas. At the moment, that's done by public bodies whose governance is regulated by statute, set up by parliament after wide consultation and sometimes fierce debate. ACOs, by contrast, can be private and for-profit bodies. They are not mentioned in any current legislation and would have no statutory functions. They are not subject to the statutory duties imposed on other parts of the NHS. Although NHS England plan to get several ACOs up and running this year, no detailed policy proposals have been presented to parliament or the public. Indeed, details are so sparse that the House of Commons library briefing is forced to use definitions provided by the King's Fund, a health think tank. Hunt is planning to lay a raft of secondary legislation - which doesn't require a full parliamentary vote - in February, so that the first ones can be up and running by April 1st. The ACOs are going to be given long-term commercial contracts of between ten and 15 years. We know these are difficult to get right and expensive to get out of.
- water
- Water privatisation looks little more than an organised rip-off Bills are rising to fund massive shareholder payouts https://www.ft.com/content/2beee56a-9616-11e7-b83c-9588e51488a0
- tech
- announced today, is our new Future Tech Trade Strategy, and this is all about attracting more investment from around the world into UK tech, but also promoting UK tech around the world and working with partners across the globe to really boost our presence in overseas markets where we know there’s a hugely growing demand for British products.https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/future-tech-trade-strategy-launch
govt fund
- new business basic fund https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-launches-new-fund-to-support-small-business-growth
- https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/nov/05/uk-tech-fund-industry-emissions-energy-bills
m&a
- https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-merger-and-takeover-rules-come-into-force Today (Monday 11 June 2018) the government made changes to the UK’s merger regime to recognise the growing importance of small British businesses in developing cutting edge technology products with national security applications. In order to address changes in the market, the government amended the threshold tests for businesses in the military, dual-use, computing hardware and quantum technology sectors that are most likely to have implications for our security. Today’s changes allow ministers to intervene on certain grounds when the target business’s UK turnover is more than £1 million, down from £70 million under the previous rules. They also remove the requirement that a merger or takeover in these sectors lead to an increase in the parties’ combined share of supply of relevant goods or services before the government is able to intervene.
- https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/national-security-and-investment-proposed-reforms White paper consultation seeking views on proposed reforms to government's powers for scrutinising investment for the purposes of protecting national security.
http://hk.apple.nextmedia.com/international/art/20150708/19211900 英國政府昨天宣佈，財相歐思邦（George Osborne）將於今日公佈的財政預算案，容許商店延長周日營業時間，放寬只可營業6小時的限制，預料明年春天實行，以迎戰大行其道的網上購物，及力拼法國巴黎和美國紐約等旅遊勝地。根據現時法例，商店面積逾3,000平方呎，只可以在周日早上10時至下午6時期間，營業最多6小時；而少逾3,000平方呎的商店，大部份是便利店或獨立經營的小商店就可以營業逾6小時。http://hk.apple.nextmedia.com/international/art/20150708/19211903限制大型商店周日的營業時間於1994年實施，英國當局曾在2006年提出類似的改革，但因面對工會和教會壓力而擱置。在1994年前，只有園藝中心、街角小商店和藥店獲准在周日營業，時任首相戴卓爾夫人（圖）曾在1986年提出放寬，但遭保守黨反對，最後胎死腹中。當局在2006年亦提出改革，但工會和教會擔心影響工人家庭及社區生活而發動大規模示威，再一次失敗收場。
不過當局在2012年倫敦奧運會，就成功放寬商店的營業時間，歐思邦認為當時成效顯著，零售業營業額有大幅增長，「證明巿民周日外出購物的需求增加」。但零售業業界就指，現時法例保障小商店的生存機會，「小商店周日短時間營業，而大企業關門，這對小商店有絕對優勢」。
industrialisation
- https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/586626/building-our-industrial-strategy-green-paper.pdf
- Senior individuals from business, academia and civil society complete the line-up of the Industrial Strategy Council, led by the Chief Economist of the Bank of England Andy Haldane, Business Secretary Greg Clark announced today. A full meeting of the independent Industrial Strategy Council took place this afternoon (1 November 2018) in Number 10 where the group agreed how it will assess the government’s progress on the commitments made in the modern Industrial Strategy. The Council was joined for this inaugural meeting by the Prime Minister, the Chancellor and the Business Secretary.https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-industrial-strategy-council-meets-as-membership-announced
food enterprise zones
- Food Enterprise Zones (FEZs) that will unleash the entrepreneurial spirit of the countryside and food producers are to be created, the government announced today. The new zones will free up food and farming businesses, making it simpler and easier for them to grow, and will attract new businesses. Local communities will benefit from new jobs and the opportunity to develop local produce, boosting their economies. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/food-enterprise-zones-created-to-drive-growth
surveillance
- http://www.chinadailyasia.com/news/2016-11/26/content_15532474.htmlAfter months of wrangling, Parliament has passed a contentious new snooping law that gives authorities — from police and spies to food regulators, fire officials and tax inspectors — powers to look at the internet browsing records of everyone in the country. The law requires telecoms companies to keep records of all users' web activity for a year, creating databases of personal information that the firms worry could be vulnerable to leaks and hackers.
Immigrants
- UK plans to crack down on foreign workers have prompted dismay around the world, with a backlash spreading across continental Europe and as far as Asia. https://www.ft.com/content/6555b1f4-8ba8-11e6-8aa5-f79f5696c731
- Resolving mistakes made when new rules come into force to freeze or close the bank accounts of illegal immigrants could be an "absolute nightmare", a former board member of TSB has warned. Banks and building societies will carry out checks from January to see if account holders are legally in the UK. MPs backed the move in 2016, but Philip Augar said mistakes would be made and "poor individuals" would suffer. The Home Office said the system was "fair" but "firm". Financial institutions will be provided with a list from anti-fraud organisation Cifas on people who are liable for removal or deportation from the UK or who have absconded from immigration control.http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-41357048
- https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-start-up-visa-route-announced-by-the-home-secretary The new route, announced during London Tech Week, will widen the applicant pool of talented entrepreneurs and make the visa process faster and smoother for entrepreneurs coming to the UK. It will replace a visa route which was exclusively for graduates, opening it up to a wider pool of talented business founders. It will require applicants to have acquired an endorsement from a university or approved business sponsor, including accelerators.
- golden visa
- https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/dec/06/restrictions-for-2m-golden-visa-to-be-reformed The global super-rich hoping to live and invest in the UK will face new visa restrictions as part of Home Office reforms designed to tackle organised crime and money laundering.The tier 1 visa, which provides a fast track route to settlement for people willing to invest millions in the UK, will be suspended from Friday until new rules are put in place in 2019.The reformed visa will require applicants to provide comprehensive audits of their financial and business interests, and show they have had control of the £2m of investment funds required to obtain the tier 1 visa for at least two years. Applicants will no longer be able to invest in government bonds as part of the reforms, and must invest in active and trading UK companies.
regional development
- Ten UK cities have been shortlisted for a share of £1.7bn government funding in a bid to improve transport links, Theresa May has said. In order to "help spread growth beyond London," the prime minister said the funding will form part of her administration's "transforming cities" fund announced last year. Six authorities, including the West Midlands, Greater Manchester, Cambridge and Peterborough, Liverpool, the West of England and Tees Valley, have already received £840m, the government said. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/uk-cities-shortlisted-improve-transport-theresa-may-chris-grayling-a8558596.html
- https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/towns-fund-prospectus On 6 September 2019 the government invited 100 places to develop proposals for a Town Deal, as part of the £3.6 billion Towns Fund. In the prospectus we explain how towns can prepare for a Town Deal, as part of a 2 stage process. We want to see Town Deal Boards established, with investment priorities and project proposals then set out in a locally-owned Town Investment Plan. Proposals should drive long term economic and productivity growth through investment in connectivity, land use, economic assets including cultural assets, skills and enterprise infrastructure.
Home building
-http://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/07/10/uk-britain-economy-productivity-idUKKCN0PK0FB20150710 Britain's government said on Friday it would remove obstacles to building new houses as it tries to tackle a chronic shortage of homes and put its economy on a sounder footing. At the centre of a new programme to boost Britain's poor productivity record are powers for the government to step in and draw up housing plans if local authorities fail to do so. Town halls that drag their feet on planning decisions may be fined, the government said as it moved to reduce the delays for housing projects that are often caused by local objections. The plan follows the first government budget since Prime Minister David Cameron's Conservative Party won national elections in May.
property
- the government is planning to extend the “PSC” (persons with significant control) rules (under which UK corporates must disclose certain details of individuals who own and control them) to cover offshore vehicles holding UK real estate. Very simply put, the existing PSC rules require UK companies and LLPs to gather, maintain and provide the UK company registrar (Companies House) with certain personal details, including the name, service address and nature and level of control over the company or LLP, of any natural person who either directly or indirectly holds (or controls) more than 25% of the company or LLP (“PSC details”). The proposals now under discussion would apply a very similar regime to foreign entities, where they either already hold or are attempting to purchase UK real estate (in both cases directly). Non-UK entities already holding UK real estate would have one year to register their PSC details at Companies House, whilst an overseas corporate entity buying UK real estate would not be allowed to register its legal ownership of the land with the relevant UK Land Registry without first obtaining a registration number, which it could only obtain by providing its PSC details to Companies House. So far it is unclear exactly how this enforcement mechanism would work, but the end result of a failure to comply would likely be a failed transaction.http://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=c9f86e84-ce2b-47ed-98cb-482a62f0d586
- 在英國買樓，一般可分為永久業權(Freehold)及租賃產權(Leasehold)兩種，前者顧名思義，後者則是向業權人買入物業使用權，亦即香港的批地模式。不過近年愈來愈多英國發展商只採用租賃產權方式賣樓，藉向買家收取高昂地租斂財，令小業主百上加斤。有鑑及此，英國政府計劃全面禁止在英格蘭以租賃產權方式出售獨立屋，並打算將地租水平限制在接近零，業主團體表示歡迎。英國不少小業主買樓前，都不知道永久業權與租賃產權的分別，容易墮入發展商的陷阱。社區大臣賈偉德公佈消息時舉出一個案例，指一幢獨立屋由於發展商制訂不合理的地租加幅，到2060年每年可能要繳1萬英鎊(約10萬港元)，嚇跑所有潛在買家，令現業主根本無法轉手。類似案例在英國俯拾皆是，不少小業主的物業因此變得一文不值，還要每年「硬食」發展商徵收的大小雜費。http://pdf.wenweipo.com/2017/07/26/a19-0726.pdf
- Communities Secretary Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP will tomorrow (15 October 2018) launch a consultationon plans to improve the leaseholder sector for would-be home owners, which will bring an end to the unjustified selling of new houses as leasehold. The consultation will also propose that ground rents for new leases will be capped at just £10. On average leaseholders pay over £300 ground rent each year, with some paying as much as £700. These measures will build upon comprehensive action by the government to make the housing market fairer for everyone. This includes cracking down on rogue landlords so tenants have the quality of home they deserve, helping existing leaseholders who want to buy their freehold by working with the Law Commission to make this process faster, fairer and cheaper, and ensuring tenants are not hit by unfair rental costs. http://orientaldaily.on.cc/cnt/china_world/20181017/00180_032.html
employment law
- http://hsfnotes.com/employment/category/employment-law-reforms/
minimum wage
- Britain’s skills minister in a recent speech, as he prepares to preside over the fastest rise in the minimum wage in the country’s history. The new policy, which starts on Friday, will see the wages for low-paid workers rise four times faster than average earnings this year. The world will be watching. Governments in many developed countries are turning to minimum wage policies as they try to deal with inequality and anaemic wage growth. The stagnation in wages in recent years has been blamed on the rise of global competition, the decline in collective bargaining, a slowdown in productivity growth and the way in which technology has “hollowed out” some middle-skilled jobs. In response, Germany introduced its first ever minimum wage last year; Japan’s prime minister Shinzo Abe has called for minimum wage increases of 3 per cent a year for the foreseeable future; and some US cities such as Seattle are raising their wage floors to $15 an hour. Developing countries such as Malaysia are also using minimum wages to try to redistribute growth more fairly and encourage employers to move up the value chain.https://next.ft.com/content/2ae61f24-f2a9-11e5-aff5-19b4e253664
- 英國昨日實施強制「全國生活工資」 （NLW）新制度，規定25歲或以上僱員的最低時薪為7.2英鎊（約80港元），較舊制的最低工資多7.4%，24歲或以下勞工最低工資則維持不變。新制實施後，預料180萬人將即時受惠，惟較年輕的勞工工資未有提升，可能加劇不同年齡間的收入差距。英國財相歐思邦去年在預算案中，提出在原有的最低工資制度上，增設NLW制度，藉此減少福利開支，期望25歲以上勞工最低時薪在2020年時增至9英鎊（約100港元）。不過，薪金上調將加重僱主營運成本，預算責任辦公室（OBR）估計，屆時市場將流失6萬個職位。http://pdf.wenweipo.com/2016/04/02/a15-0402.pdf
- Not a single firm 'named and shamed' by the government for paying below minimum wage has been prosecuted, a Tory minister has said. Ministers have humiliated nearly 700 employers since 2013 in a scheme they launched to "crack down on those who ignore the law".
Yet this week, they said no criminal prosecutions have been launched in relation to firms that were named in the programme. Labour peer Lord Beecham, who obtained the answer, branded the failure "deeply unimpressive". He told the Mirror: "What a contrast between the approach to employers breaking the law and exploiting their workers and the sanctions regime applied ruthlessly to benefit claimants.https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/not-one-firm-named-shamed-9558344
pay slip- an amendment to the Employment Rights Act 1996 brought before the Parliament on 8th February 2018 - where an employee’s pay varies by reference to time worked, employers must include the number of hours for which the employee is being paid on his or her itemised pay statement. The New legislation comes into force from April 2019 and requires all employers to: Provide payslips to all workers, and Show hours on payslips where the pay varies by the amount of time worked. This change was made to make it easier for employees to read their payslips, ensure that they are paid correctly and to make it easier to resolve any under or overpayments to an employee’s pay. This law applies to all types of workers including permanent, casual and zero hours employees.
These changes to the law will commence from 6th April 2019 and all employers should ensure that employee payslips created after this date show details of the number of hours correctly.
salary
- https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/aug/07/payment-in-gold-bullion-banned-under-new-law-to-combat-tax-evasion Companies will no longer be able to pay employees their salaries in gold bullion in the first use of a new law designed to combat “morally repugnant” tax avoidance schemes. An expert tax avoidance panel has ruled that paying employees in gold is a “contrived” tax avoidance scheme designed to “frustrate the intent of parliament” in cracking down on such practices. It is the first application of the general anti-abuse rule (GAAR) panel since it was introduced by former chancellor George Osborne in 2013 as part of a package of measures to tackle tax evasion. The ruling means HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) will be able to take action against both companies and employees seeking to take advantage of the “artificial and abusive” gold bullion schemes.
agriculture
- The Centres for Agricultural Innovation are a new collaborative model between the agri-tech sector and government. Agrimetrics, the first of the centres, opened in October 2015. It is focused on agricultural informatics and metrics of sustainability. Agrimetrics uses data science and modelling to build a more productive, sustainable and efficient food system. It underpins growth in UK businesses who offer modern agri-focused products and services in both the UK and global markets.https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/centres-for-agricultural-innovation/centres-for-agricultural-innovation
agricultural produce
- https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/may/01/iceberg-lettuce-uk-supermarkets-cut-prices-salad-leaves-early-harvest British-grown iceberg lettuces and other salad ingredients will reappear on supermarket shelves this week – many at bargain prices – ending the vegetable “crisis” triggered by the washout Spanish weather. Tesco and Morrisons are among retailers to offer UK icebergs for just 50p – down from a typical supermarket range of between 70p and 75p for US- and Spanish-imported products. The price peaked at £1.19 among some retailers at the height of winter shortages. The UK salad season usually kicks off in mid-May but, thanks to a mild winter and recent warm weather, crops are being harvested earlier than usual. Shoppers can look forward to an early bounty of UK-grown salad leaves and radishes in addition to English-grown asparagus and Jersey royal potatoes. UK shoppers faced shortages of courgettes in January when a continental cold and wet snap hit supplies at a time of peak demand from consumers keen to pursue their new year resolutions to eat more greens. Other produce, including aubergines, celery, green beans, lettuces and tomatoes were also affected, and as prices rocketed some supermarkets were forced to impose rationing to even out supply. Spanish-grown courgettes are still on supermarket shelves but will gradually be replaced by British ones towards the end of the month, followed by homegrown celery.
transport
- Transport-Technology Research Innovation Grants (T-TRIG) funds early-stage research projects into innovative ideas or concepts to help create a better transport system. It is part of the Department for Transport’s Innovation Grant funding.https://www.dft.gov.uk/innovation-grants/innovation-grants/t-trig/
automobile
- http://orientaldaily.on.cc/cnt/china_world/20170727/00180_011.html 英國政府計劃於二○四○年起，全面禁止使用新出產的柴油及汽油私家車或輕型貨車，以改善由一氧化氮造成的空氣污染問題。當局將撥出二億五千五百萬英鎊（約二十五億港元）予地方政府，加快採取措施處理來自柴油車的污染，同時投入三十億英鎊（約三百零六億港元）改善空氣質素。
electric vehicle
- https://www.gov.uk/government/news/funding-for-on-street-chargepoints-doubled-to-help-charge-up-electric-vehicle-revolution The Transport Secretary today (21 January 2020) announced that government funding will be doubled to £10 million for the installation of chargepoints on residential streets next year. This could fund up to another 3,600 chargepoints across the country and make charging at home and overnight easier for those without an off-street parking space. The government is also looking at how to make information about all public chargepoints including locations and power ratings openly available in a standard format for the first time. The Department for Transport will look at how real-time information could be published, showing whether chargepoints are in working order and currently in use, which could then be used by developers and incorporated into sat navs and route mapping apps.
energy
- in the Upgrading our energy system: smart systems and flexibility planpublished in July 2017, the government committed up to £70 million to smart energy system innovation. Across government, Innovate UK, Research Councils, and BEIS expect to invest around £265 million in smart systems research, development, and demonstration. As part of this commitment, within the BEIS Energy Innovation Programme, BEIS expects to invest up to £70 million in the smart energy systems innovation theme.https://www.gov.uk/guidance/funding-for-innovative-smart-energy-systems
aerospace
- The SatelLife Competition, now in its fourth year, is looking for innovative proposals that could use data collected from space to benefit daily life, such as growing new businesses, improving health services or tackling climate change. Winning ideas from last year’s competition included tracking abandoned shopping trolleys, fighting crime with drones and designing a mobile app to locate public toilets.The competition, which is open to those aged 11 to 22 and split into three age groups, aims to support the development of science, data handling and technological skills.https://www.gov.uk/government/news/search-is-on-for-young-space-entrepreneurs-across-the-uk
science and tech
- https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-to-lead-international-hunt-for-life-changing-innovations Science Minister Sam Gyimah last night launched the UK chairmanship of the international innovation network EUREKA, addressing the global challenge to hunt for world-changing products and services needing support to reach the market. He attended the event celebrating the UK taking on the chairmanship of EUREKA - a global network which has invested nearly £35 billion in projects in 40 countries worldwide- for the third time. EUREKA, brings together more than 40 nations to collaborate on research and development and supports the ambitions of the government’s modern Industrial Strategy.
- the Future of Mobility was one of 4 Grand Challenges established in the Industrial Strategy to improve people’s lives, increase the country’s productivity and put the UK at the forefront of the industries of the future. All the Grand Challenges are closely linked; achieving our ambitions for the Future of Mobility will help us meet the needs of an ageing society, capitalise on UK strengths in artificial intelligence and data and support clean growth.
- consultation https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/future-of-mobility-call-for-evidence/future-of-mobility-call-for-evidence
ict infrastructure
- ITIL, formerly an acronym for Information Technology Infrastructure Library, is a set of detailed practices for IT service management (ITSM) that focuses on aligning IT services with the needs of business. ITIL describes processes, procedures, tasks, and checklists which are not organization-specific nor technology-specific, but can be applied by an organization for establishing integration with the organization's strategy, delivering value, and maintaining a minimum level of competency. It allows the organization to establish a baseline from which it can plan, implement, and measure. It is used to demonstrate compliance and to measure improvement. There is no formal independent third party compliance assessment available for ITIL compliance in an organisation. Certification in ITIL is only available to individuals. Since July 2013, ITIL has been owned by AXELOS, a joint venture between Capita and the UK Cabinet Office[2]. AXELOS licenses organisations to use the ITIL intellectual property, accredits licensed examination institutes, and manages updates to the framework. Organizations that wish to implement ITIL internally do not require this license. The ITIL 4 Foundation Book was released February 18th 2019[3]. In its former version (known as ITIL 2011), ITIL is published as a series of five core volumes, each of which covers a different ITSM lifecycle stage. Although ITIL underpins ISO/IEC 20000 (previously BS 15000), the International Service Management Standard for IT service management, there are some differences between the ISO 20000 standard, ICT Standard by IFGICT and the ITIL framework.
- Responding to growing dependence on IT, the UK Government's Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency (CCTA) in the 1980s developed a set of recommendations. It recognized that, without standard practices, government agencies and private sector contracts had started independently creating their own IT management practices. The IT Infrastructure Library originated as a collection of books, each covering a specific practice within IT service management. ITIL was built around a process model-based view of controlling and managing operations often credited to W. Edwards Deming and his plan-do-check-act (PDCA) cycle.
iot
- ft 27jan2020 UK government introduces security rules for ‘internet of things’
- https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-to-strengthen-security-of-internet-connected-products
artificial intelligence
- http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/uk-government-investment-research-development-industries-of-future-artificial-intelligence-billions-a8064611.html
- The next generation of UK scientists have been backed by government today (Thursday 24 October) to develop the latest Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies that will transform how people live and work and help tackle some of the world’s most pressing challenges. A combined government and industry investment of £370 million will deliver 2,700 new PhD places in biosciences and AI.Of this, £200 million will fund 1,000 new PhD places over the next 5 years to study AI which could help diagnose diseases like cancer earlier and make industries, including aviation and automotive, more sustainable. The first 200 students will be studying at 14 universities across the country, working closely with 300 leading businesses, including AstraZeneca, Google, Rolls-Royce and NHS Trusts.https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-backs-next-generation-of-scientists-to-transform-healthcare-and-tackle-climate-change
pension consultant
- https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-funds-competition/uks-pension-investment-advisers-to-face-full-competition-probe-idUKKCN1BP0MX Britain’s competition regulator has launched an investigation into investment consultants following concerns about conflicts of interest in an industry advising on the management of over 1.6 trillion pounds of pension and other funds.The Financial Conduct Authority said on Thursday it has referred its concerns to the Competition and Markets Authority for a full investigation, the first time it has referred a case to the CMA as part of a broader effort to improve value for money and transparency in the asset management industry. also ft 15sep17
bonds
- retail
- https://www.gov.uk/government/news/sir-amyas-morse-to-lead-independent-review-of-the-loan-charge Sir Amyas Morse, the former Comptroller and Auditor General and Chief Executive of the National Audit Office (NAO), will lead an independent review of the Loan Charge, the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, Jesse Norman, announced today (11 September 2019). The review, commissioned by the Chancellor, Sajid Javid, will consider whether the policy is an appropriate way of dealing with disguised remuneration loan schemes used by individuals who entered directly into these schemes to avoid paying tax. The disguised remuneration Loan Charge was introduced to tackle contrived schemes where a person’s income is paid as a loan which does not have to be repaid. Disguised remuneration loan schemes were used by tens of thousands of people, and concerns have been raised about the use of the Loan Charge as a way of drawing a line under these schemes. The government is clear that disguised remuneration schemes do not work and that their use is unfair to the 99.8 per cent of taxpayers who do not use them.
biochem
- https://www.gov.uk/government/news/industrial-strategy-boost-for-uk-medicines-with-70-million-of-funding-to-help-develop-new-treatments New Science Minister Sam Gyimah will announce £70 million of funding to create new manufacturing centres to help speed up the development of new medicines during a visit to Imperial College London today (Monday 22 January).
medical
- nurses
steel
- https://www.gov.uk/government/news/operational-note-for-uk-industry-us-steel-and-aluminium-tariffs
creative industries
- https://www.gov.uk/government/news/creative-industries-sector-deal-launched Britain’s world-leading creative industries are set to consolidate the country’s position as a global creative powerhouse, following a groundbreaking new Industrial Strategy deal agreed between government and the Creative Industries Council (CIC) on behalf of the sector. As part of a Creative Industries Sector Deal, to be announced today by the Digital and Culture Secretary Matt Hancock, Business Secretary Greg Clark and Co-Chair of the CIC, Nicola Mendelsohn, more than £150 million is being jointly invested by government and industry to help cultural and creative businesses across Britain thrive. A Cultural Development Fund will also be launched for cities and towns to bid for a share of £20 million to invest in creative and cultural initiatives. The power of culture and creative industries to boost economic growth is evident across the country. In Hull nearly 800 jobs have been created and almost £220 million invested in Hull’s tourism and cultural sectors since the city was named UK City of Culture 2017. And in Bristol creative hubs like the Bristol Temple Quarter are delivering thousands of jobs in design, media and music businesses. The Sector Deal aims to double Britain’s share of the global creative immersive content market by 2025, which is expected to be worth over £30 billion by 2025. To seize on the opportunity of this expanding market, government is investing over £33 million in immersive technologies such as virtual reality video games, interactive art shows and augmented reality experiences in tourism.
environment
bonds
- retail
- https://www.ft.com/content/4331b368-cd70-11e9-99a4-b5ded7a7fe3f The UK government has withdrawn some of its most popular retail savings bonds, saying the record-breaking rally in debt markets this year has made it impossible to continue offering the products to the public. National Savings & Investments, the state-backed savings provider, said on Monday that its one- and three-year Guaranteed Growth Bonds and Guaranteed Income Bonds, which it recently described as “extremely popular”, were no longer on general sale. It blamed “exceptionally low gilt yields” for the move, saying it was cheaper for the government to raise money in wholesale markets than through individual investors. The changes are the latest demonstration of the challenges facing savers in search of safe but juicy returns in a world of rock-bottom bond yields. Andrew Hagger, personal finance expert and founder of consumer website MoneyComms, said scrapping the bonds was “another body blow for UK savers . . . who will soon be looking for a new home for their savings pots”.
- https://www.gov.uk/government/news/sir-amyas-morse-to-lead-independent-review-of-the-loan-charge Sir Amyas Morse, the former Comptroller and Auditor General and Chief Executive of the National Audit Office (NAO), will lead an independent review of the Loan Charge, the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, Jesse Norman, announced today (11 September 2019). The review, commissioned by the Chancellor, Sajid Javid, will consider whether the policy is an appropriate way of dealing with disguised remuneration loan schemes used by individuals who entered directly into these schemes to avoid paying tax. The disguised remuneration Loan Charge was introduced to tackle contrived schemes where a person’s income is paid as a loan which does not have to be repaid. Disguised remuneration loan schemes were used by tens of thousands of people, and concerns have been raised about the use of the Loan Charge as a way of drawing a line under these schemes. The government is clear that disguised remuneration schemes do not work and that their use is unfair to the 99.8 per cent of taxpayers who do not use them.
biochem
- https://www.gov.uk/government/news/industrial-strategy-boost-for-uk-medicines-with-70-million-of-funding-to-help-develop-new-treatments New Science Minister Sam Gyimah will announce £70 million of funding to create new manufacturing centres to help speed up the development of new medicines during a visit to Imperial College London today (Monday 22 January).
medical
- nurses
- 據最新數字顯示，英格蘭地區的醫院目前欠缺十萬名醫護人手，以護士及家庭醫生短缺最嚴重。但政府為控制移民人數，否決國家衞生事務局（NHS）的招聘海外護士計劃。資深醫療人員批評政府，特別指摘前財相歐思邦的緊縮政策，導致出現護士荒。https://orientaldaily.on.cc/cnt/china_world/20190616/00180_022.html
steel
- https://www.gov.uk/government/news/operational-note-for-uk-industry-us-steel-and-aluminium-tariffs
creative industries
- https://www.gov.uk/government/news/creative-industries-sector-deal-launched Britain’s world-leading creative industries are set to consolidate the country’s position as a global creative powerhouse, following a groundbreaking new Industrial Strategy deal agreed between government and the Creative Industries Council (CIC) on behalf of the sector. As part of a Creative Industries Sector Deal, to be announced today by the Digital and Culture Secretary Matt Hancock, Business Secretary Greg Clark and Co-Chair of the CIC, Nicola Mendelsohn, more than £150 million is being jointly invested by government and industry to help cultural and creative businesses across Britain thrive. A Cultural Development Fund will also be launched for cities and towns to bid for a share of £20 million to invest in creative and cultural initiatives. The power of culture and creative industries to boost economic growth is evident across the country. In Hull nearly 800 jobs have been created and almost £220 million invested in Hull’s tourism and cultural sectors since the city was named UK City of Culture 2017. And in Bristol creative hubs like the Bristol Temple Quarter are delivering thousands of jobs in design, media and music businesses. The Sector Deal aims to double Britain’s share of the global creative immersive content market by 2025, which is expected to be worth over £30 billion by 2025. To seize on the opportunity of this expanding market, government is investing over £33 million in immersive technologies such as virtual reality video games, interactive art shows and augmented reality experiences in tourism.
environment
- https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-ten-point-plan-for-a-green-industrial-revolution
corporate governance
- https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-crackdown-on-reckless-directors
Directors who dissolve companies to avoid paying workers or pensions could face hefty fines or be disqualified from running a business for the first time. The government is to press ahead with new plans to safeguard workers, pensions and small suppliers when a company goes bust. Under the shake-up, bosses will face investigation if they try to escape paying a dissolved company’s debts to their own staff and creditors. While the vast majority of UK companies are run responsibly, there are a minority of directors who deliberately dodge debts by dissolving companies then starting up a near identical business, with a new name. The practice is known as ‘phoenixing’ or ‘bumping companies’.
company credit datacorporate governance
- https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-crackdown-on-reckless-directors
Directors who dissolve companies to avoid paying workers or pensions could face hefty fines or be disqualified from running a business for the first time. The government is to press ahead with new plans to safeguard workers, pensions and small suppliers when a company goes bust. Under the shake-up, bosses will face investigation if they try to escape paying a dissolved company’s debts to their own staff and creditors. While the vast majority of UK companies are run responsibly, there are a minority of directors who deliberately dodge debts by dissolving companies then starting up a near identical business, with a new name. The practice is known as ‘phoenixing’ or ‘bumping companies’.
- http://www.ukdata.com
smes
- In recent years government has taken steps to tackle the problem of late payment, introducing measures such as the Small Business Commissioner and the Payment Practices Reporting Regulations.https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/creating-a-responsible-payment-culture-a-call-for-evidence-on-tackling-late-payment
relief measures relating to large corporation closure
- https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-plans-to-set-up-exceptional-thomas-cook-compensation-scheme
legal instrument
- The Trade Bill was introduced on 19 March 2020. The legislation is an important element of the UK’s independent trade policy now we have left the EU. It contains key measures that will deliver for UK businesses and consumers across the UK https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/trade-bill/trade-bill
statistics, data
- https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/trade-and-investment-core-statistics-book
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