Other UK News In Brief

Radical Reform Underway Says Immigration Minister

Damian Green has responded to a House of Commons report, saying it highlights exactly why the government is making radical changes to the immigration system. The report into the government's points based system by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) looked at how the UK Border Agency kept track of migrants, and whether the different visa routes into the UK worked sufficiently. It also examined the intra-company transfer (ICT) visa route which gives multi-national businesses the chance to bring their existing foreign staff to the UK to fill temporary skills gaps. Since the committee's investigation last year, the new government has overhauled the system – with tough enforcement against those who break the rules, and a shake up of the work and student routes into the country. Acknowledging that these changes were necessary, the minister said he was determined to make it as difficult as possible for people to live or work in the UK illegally.

Vince Cable Comments On WTO Findings

In response to the findings of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Appellate Body, Business Secretary Vince Cable, said: "I greatly welcome today’s findings from the WTO Appellate Body. The WTO has finally rejected the US’ main allegations of illegal EU support to Airbus, and has endorsed the principle of European Governments providing repayable loans to companies to contribute towards the development of new aircraft.” He added: “I am pleased the report also reverses a number of the other findings made by the original panel, and concludes that any adverse impact on Boeing is far lower than has been alleged. The findings that remain against Europe are now much more limited in scope but we will, of course, work to address them. The WTO's conclusions confirm that this has been an unproductive and costly process, which has not served the interests of taxpayers or industry in either Europe or the US."

Broadband Should Be Superfast, Says Hunt

Speaking at Google Big Tent conference the Culture Secretary said that broadband should be both superfast and super-flexible. Jeremy Hunt said there is a sense that Britain hasn’t quite bridged the digital gap between Europe and the pace setters of the Far East. Citing the UK’s advanced manufacturing capabilities, strong trading links and aptitude for creating digital content, he argued that the key ingredients of success in the digital age are already in place. He said: “I believe we cannot be a global force in the digital age with the connection speeds we currently achieve. That’s why one of the first ambitions I set out when I entered government was for this country to have the best superfast broadband network in Europe. The faster we can roll-out superfast broadband across the UK, the sooner the next generation of applications will spring up to meet the new commercial opportunities.” The Government is investing £530m over four years to drive forward the provision of superfast broadband, particularly in rural communities most likely to be on the wrong side of the digital divide.

(BMcN/GK)