03/10/2016 - Live Afternoon Session Conservative Party Conference

Ladies and gentlemen, pleasd welcome the vice president of the N`tional

Conservative Convention - Tom Spiller.

APPLAUSE Good afternoon, everybody. Ly name

is Tom, I'm one of the vice presidents of the National

Convention, and it gives me great pleasure to be introducing this

session to you today. Now, ht might sound like a disparate colldction of

topics - culture, the environment, and international trade. But these

sectors, encompassing our fhlms our farms and our finances, havd

something in common. They are all great magician success storhes. They

are examples of how this grdat country punches above its wdight in

the world they great British success stories. Take the creative

industries, one of the fastest-growing sectors. Last year,

five of the world's top ten recording artist were British. Our

thorns took one quarter of the total box office. -- our films. Wd

introduced the number of TV shows that we sell around the world - we

increased. 95% of our video games businesses exported their

technologies overseas. Then there is the environment and oral economy.

Right now, all over the world, people are drinking British whiskey

and British wind and eating British salmon, cheese and lamb.

APPLAUSE --- British wine.

Our beautiful countryside, `nd thousands of miles of coastline

attract people from across the globe. All of this adds up to a

fantastic reputation for international trade and invdstment,

with our service act sports seeing an impressive increase of over a

third since 2010. Double our service exports. Helping these sectors to

thrive is vital to world future creating the jobs and growth that we

need. That is more important now than ever. We find ourselves at a

great national moment. As wd exit the European Union, there are so

many opportunities to be sehzed So many chances to get out into the

world and do what we do best - in these areas, culture, the mtrmured,

and trade, we have the ingrddients we need to succeed that likd the

environment. Ingenuity, taldnt and determination. And we have the right

people to drive that. Karen Bradley, somebody who is delivering our

vision of culture with tenacity Andrea Leadsom, the true ch`mpion of

our rural economy. And Liam Fox a passionate advocate for British

exporters. We now have a very special panel, chaired by Annie

Emerson. But before we welcome them to the stage, let's remind ourselves

of a great summer in Rio. London 2012 had been glorious, but these

were now overseas games, but time zones away in the southern

hemisphere at the other sidd of the Atlantic Ocean. Expectations had to

be tempered. What did the e`rly signs suggest? This? Geraint Thomas

crashes out of the Olympic Games. All this? What a brilliant world

record. Swimming had been a red is abundant in month. Three medals no

gold. In Rio, Adam Peaty led the way. This is utterly brilli`nt, Adam

Peaty takes Olympic gold. Oh, my goodness me, he has obliter`ted the

world record. Jazz Carlin, two silvers. The number doubled in the

pool, six medals. A rainy l`nd surrounded by the sea, written and

water, downhill water, rough water, flat water. Great Britain are the

Olympic champions, and that has a fantastic bring about it. Green

water. Come on! It is pure gold David Arnott. --- they have done it.

We were in our element of M`cBooks from the Koran and beach. The finest

triathlete we have ever --- off the Copacabana Beach. Justin

Rose avoided water to win gold. The other new sport. Progress to the

final, and there, overwhelmdd, Fiji won hearts and gold in Rio. Britain,

an outdoors nation of shoothng and horses.

Talk about winning hearts. Britain of the great indoors. A horse in the

sports hall. Great Britain has made history again. A double Olylpic

champion. Still indoors, a first medal here. A medal for the men s

doubles here. Britain, a nation of fighters. The Welsh wonder strikes

gold again. Perhaps the best scrapper of them all, who fought

himself to gold and the point of collapse. And hockey. On thd track

they lined up on super Saturday and came close. A bronze medal.

Closer... A silver medal thhs time. That left more Farrell. -- Lo Farah.

A ballet dancer turned hammdr thrower took her turn. Small part

two, Ormeau Park for. -- Moorpark two,

Medals churned out on an industrial scale. They have slashed thd world

record. A record fourth gold medal. It is a golden hat-trick in Rio for

Jason. Could this be true? China overtaken in the medal tabld? Whee

Kim to Rio with professionalism medals equal funding. It is tough

and unforgiving. Go and be rewarded. How well the great British fortnight

in Rio has gone. APPLAUSE

Rio is now ready. We have bden promised an amazing show whhch

inspires us to think what m`kes us human. He will be in the opdning

ceremony. You can hear the noise already. Welcome to the Rio

Paralympic games. She takes gold. What a performance. Brazil take

gold. The crowd go wild. It is gold for Great Britain in a world record

time. It is gold again. Gre`t Britain rule the waves in Rho.

Sera's story becomes the most successful female Paralympi`n of all

time. Coming into the last 05 now. Holly is the Paralympic chalpion

again. Sprinting up towards the line in takes the gold for Great Britain

in a new Paralympic record time Pool the trigger and hit thd shot.

He has the edge. Tonight he has the gold by the narrowest of margins. He

defends his Paralympic titld. It is great to be a Paralympic ch`mpion

again. He is delivering the performance of a lifetime hdre, to

world records and to gold mdtals. Another star is born. -- gold

medals. It is gold. He has done it now. He is the Paralympic t`ble

tennis champion. It is a world record. The record-breaker, the

history maker is the Paralylpic champion. Did that just happen? The

woman who was told that she would knowledge beyond 20 is sitthng on

top of the world. Surely shd has got it? Yes she has. A new Paralympic

record. It was absolutely spot on. It has not been bad. You ard the

best. I think we can all safely s`y after

that welcomed that we all completely understand what an incredible summer

of sport it has been for Te`m GB. I would like to welcome our guest

here and thank you for being here. I am going to start with our first

Olympian. She is the most stccessful Paralympian of modern times. Tell us

a little bit about your timd in Rio. It was a whirlwind. A race on the

first day and the last day working a lot of training in between `nd

before it. I got to immerse myself in Brazilian life. I have a little

girl so we stayed outside of the village with Brazilian families To

get there and to perform, so many British people travel to Br`zil for

us. I could see the union flags in the crowd. Beautiful weather and

incredible memories. Our next guest had us on the edge of our sdats She

is one of the members of thd GB hockey team. We all remember the

incredible final and the penalty shoot out. What an incredible final

for us as a team, but also for hockey. The Olympic Games is our

shop window as the sport. The amount of people who have said since we

came home, I watched that g`me, it was amazing, so many people watched

it. We had no idea what was going on back home. For us it was an

eight-game tournament. We stayed in the present. We took ourselves

social media, which was a good idea. When we heard the viewing fhgures

off 10 million - 11 million, we were blown away. Coming back to London

and going to the airport and seeing young children in hockey strips

like you would any football kit was something that made us realhse we

had done something special here Hopefully we have inspired some

people out there. Our next guest partnered up with her doubld Olympic

champion, the young and the old Welcome. It was a whirlwind for us.

We were not favourites to gdt a medal. If we got to the fin`l, into

the top six, that would havd been a good result, but we were thdre to go

and win. We came away with ` silver, but it is my proudest moment, and

especially our boat because he came together on the day that mattered

and everything was set for ts to perform on that date, but to do it

on the biggest age and under so much pressure, I am very proud. Ht gave

us an amazing silver medal. The next guest says he is calling it a day,

but with three Olympic gold medals, welcome. It has been an amazing

year, but you athletes all talk about how important the lottery

funding has been for all of you Without that you would not be here

or have got to where you ard now in sport. I came through a taldnt ID

search in 2007 and that was funded by lottery funding. I knew nothing

about rowing until I saw thd advert in the newspaper. My mum sahd, you

are the kind of person that they want. They picked me and sahd that I

would be able to roll and hopefully I would be an Olympian in London. I

did go to London but I did not win a medal. I would not be sitting here

if it was not for lottery ftnding. You must be five foot 11, and that

six fit for you fell within the criteria. We spoke about thd fact

that you have been on the ftnding for many years and you say xou are

from the older generations because you were one of the first to receive

it. What has meant for you `nd your time in the sport? When we came home

from a disappointing Olympic Games, the funding was started. I was at

university saw it meant that I could focus on studies and training

without having to get a part-time job like my friends at univdrsity.

It meant I could look forward to full-time training as long `s my

results were maintained. I have been on the programme since the start and

it is a testament to the fact that perhaps an eight-game is possible

for me, which would not been possible without lottery funding. If

you perform, the chances ard they want you to stay for another four

years. For me it has been everything. So many of my

colleagues, not men of us are left from 1997 -- not many of us. That is

the only reason why we have been able to continue for so long. What

does the lottery funding give you? I would not be sitting here btt that

lottery funding. I received funding since it started in 1997 and hockey

had been to the Olympic Gamds but we were not challenging for medals

Because of London, hockey m`naged to get more funding going into those

games and it allowed us as ` team sport, which has its challenges in

terms of funding cause therd are more people being funded to produce

a gold-medal winning team, to train full-time at our sports centre and

purely from doing that we wdre able to see ourselves move up thd

rankings. We are only one mddal on the medal table, but we havd 16

measureless to go out across the country to inspire people. Ht is

important to inspire young girls to get into sport because we h`ve all

seen the benefits of playing sport, there are so many, and we w`nt to

inspire younger children, particularly girls, to go ott and do

the same. You came into the sport quite late and in start unthl you

win at university, so you dhd not have a big background in rowing and

you were identified as a talent I started at university. I cale from a

background of rugby and cycling because my dad wouldn't drive me

anywhere. That gave me a good basis in sport and when I started rowing

as started because I wanted to get fit but then it took over. Then I

started to develop an ambithon to do something in sport. It wasn't until

the year before the Olympics in Athens that I figured out that I

wanted to go to the games. Ht is important to give kids the

opportunity. There is a lot of sport out there and different bodx types

and we can cater for all of it. Male or female, it is all out thdre. The

more we can do is athletes to promote the sport, the more

politicians can do to make sure that sport is a to schools, youth clubs,

and to all the kids out there. I think we will find more Olylpians

than we thought was possibld. There has been a small slump in

sales of lottery tickets. It is important to remember how the

funding gets to you. It really is the man on the street who is going

out and buying his lottery ticket to support you guys, right? Ye`h, it

is. In fact, I'm one of those players! I find it funny, I'm

playing my own wages! -- paxing my own wages. We are so grateftl to be

Beaulieu play the lottery, ,- to people who play the lottery. It is a

real in a way. Everybody in the country who plays the lottery has

contributed to the muddle. Ht is true, it is genuine. In terls of

participation, obviously thd Rio Olympics was better than anxone

could have dreamt of, you know, we went from 2012 winning 65 mddals,

and then going into 2016 and being the first nation to actuallx

increase our medal haul aftdr hosting a game is, what would you

put that down to? It was definitely down to the funding. Without a

doubt. You look at Australi` after Sydney, probably China after

Beijing, the first thing thdy do is cut funding from a government level.

I don't think sponsors really cut their funding, but it depends where

the money comes from. Because we are dependent on the lottery for our

primary source of funds, thdy committed straight after London to

maintain the funding for government and maintain the portion of money

from the lottery. Because of that we were able to build on the stccess.

Nobody got told, we haven't got money for this any more, sorry,

thank you but no thank you. The sports group and the ball kdpt

rolling, that is the key gohng forward. We've got to keep ht going.

We've got to keep the Government funding going and keep sports

investing in there own futures with sponsors making the athletes

responsible for that, bringhng it all together. You know, the more

sports that the lottery can look after, the more opportunitids they

will have. You can see the success, you can see what it delivers back to

the country, it's definitelx worth it. Moving forwards, we are perhaps

looking at a new generation of athletes for Tokyo, I think, you

know, you suggested that yot mail my not compete. And you said that you

are going to retire. It's ever more important that we get I younger

generation in the sport. Definitely. I think what you go through school,

most of us find something at school that led us into sport, we try many

different sports and we find the one that really excites us, mothvate us.

It doesn't mean that we can't change sports, I never dreamt I wotld be a

cyclist. We know that athletes who have come into sport and done very

well, maybe through a talent transfer programme they can move on.

Those funding programmes funded through the National Lotterx and UK

sport, it is really, really important that we looked to the Next

Generation. We have had sevdral generations come through since the

funding started. I'm not sure if we have any statistics on the number of

athletes we have supported the number of medals that have been won,

but it is astonishing the dhfference it makes. The confidence yot have,

not worrying about paying the bills or whether you are going to get free

training camp, because it doesn t just pay the athletes autom`tically

today costs, it pays the different facilities, coaching staff,

research, equipment, the very bling equipment that everybody saw us

competing on in the game, the UK sports Institute, that equipment

comes from them. It is not just about us being able to be ftll-time

athletes, it is about the whole structure that allows us, that goes

right down to the talent, it is not just paying for Olympic athletes it

is paying for us to identifx talent through which other pathway we want

to do that in each of the sport that brings it all the way through

to the Olympic and Paralymphc programmes, however much money you

see sports get, that funds. Chav from identifying talent in the

teenage years, cycling for dxample, right the way through to thd podium

programmes that we have -- ht funds the whole structure. In terls of

women in sport and team sport, Helen, we will turn to you for this

one. How do we increase the participation in team sports? Well,

I think, certainly for us as elite athletes at the highest levdl, we

see that as one of our roles. Unfortunately, you know, we've done

pretty well this Olympic Gales in making women in particularlx team

sports more visible --- fortunately. The more we are seen on TV, the

more, hopefully, young girls will want to take up those sports. As

Sarah was saying, there are so many different sports out there, there is

a sport for everybody. It is getting those spores seen on TV to begin

with. We need the structures in place where they can go down and go

to the clubs and play about schools and join in those sports. Vhsibility

is massive. The more the media are there can help with that thd better.

Funding, but also we need sponsorship the kind of get involved

and put more money into womdn's sports. I think our team has shown,

you know, what team sports can do and achieve. And how inspirhng we

can be. And we just need more support on those fronts as well By

all accounts, participation in hockey has increased twofold since

Rio, right? Yeah, we've heard really small clubs have had 100 people

extra people, join over the summer. 30 here, 200 there. They might seem

like small numbers, but the small clubs they are massive numbdrs.

Spread that across the whold country, participation levels are

rising. I know England hockdy and Great Britain hockey doing ` lot of

programmes like back to hockey, there is a programme for wolen all

out there who may have playdd at some point many years ago at school

but life gets in the way, whth having children and working. We ve

had loads of women say to us as well, oh, I'm going to go down to my

club and play again, or pick up a stick for the first time. That is

so, so great to hear, that we have potentially inspired those people to

do that. Absolutely. The kex, you touched on earlier the fact that you

may or may not go for a fourth year. I say, come on, you are 28. You

might have another three Olxmpics in you. But it is tough, it is not an

easy game, to be a professional athlete? It's not easy, but equally

it is amazing to be able to play sport, practice a sport that you

love, as effectively as a ftll-time job. But you have to think ` little

bit about your future, four years is a long time. If I did go to Tokyo, I

would be into my 30s. If I'l thinking about a career aftdr that

before potentially having a family, these are things as a woman we have

to think about. I have to consider that a little bit. But equally, I'm

in a position where I have the ability to go on and do another four

years and explore another g`mes and hopefully improve on a silvdr medal.

There is a big pull to do that, absolutely. But I have to think a

little bit beyond the sport as well and potentially having to gdt a job

afterwards as well. And you can t just retire and more earnings?

Unfortunately not. You are going to go out and work, Andrew. Yot've also

got some thoughts on how we can increase participation withhn

schools and what we need to do to get the younger generation picking

up sport. Participation is ` double sided coin. You've got to gdt the

kids involved, get them in Fewster to do it, but equally uniqud people

to run those organisations, the clubs, to promote sport in schools

-- you need people. I think as an athlete I take it on my shotlders to

make sure that are trying to be part of that process. Being a governor to

a school to make sure that they are prioritising sport, I am thd

director of another girl school to make sure they have a progr`mmer to

catering within that school. -- a programme catering to sport with at

school. It is a great advertising and, Rio. If you provide thd

impetus, there is a lot of dnergy and money for sport out there. And I

think the more people we can enthuse, especially the mord women

we can enthuse, to lead those sports, the lead clubs, the lead

sports within schools, the lore we will get, we will give the

opportunities for the kids of the future. And that's the bottom line,

you know, the great critic of the London was that not enough clubs

were ready flat boost. We'vd got to make sure that that never h`ppens

again. You know, we've got to have all the clubs up and ready, running

for the volunteers to help out, parents, you know, people who are

retired to fancy doing something, they are all valuable assets to make

sure that we can cater for `ll these kids in the future, otherwise it is

kind of just hollow words, because the kids may turn up, but a few

weeks later they will just leave again because the groups ard too big

or there wasn't enough facilities. Surely after 2016 though, that must

have changed? I mean, if thd nominal success, on our TVs, all thd

children were watching and stuff -- a phenomenal success. That lust have

boosted interest? It does, but unless the infrastructure is there,

the investment and passion has conduits to maintain that

enthusiasm, you know, for ydars is a long time to go between Olylpics. It

is what makes it so special, but equally it makes it harder to push

the gap. That is like that hs why we need people on the ground, giving

the kids of opportunity. Sarah, you have phenomenal experience `s an

athlete. Some people don't know that you started off as a swimmer and won

five Olympic gold medals as its woman. What has it done for you as a

Paralympian to have achieved the success that you have had as a

person with yellow well, I started my first games as a 14-year,old and

Mike home from that to start my GCSE courses. It teaches you abott

structure, discipline, about being organised, all of the things that

you need to be able to balance school work and training, and it's

interesting now that I feel very fortunate when I get parents coming

up and asking me, is it possible to train and do sport, my daughter

really wants to do sport but she's feeling really down about hdr

results, and being able to dxplain that it is possible, you have to be

organised but it is possibld and we can work through that. For le,

having to be able to tell pdople how it is possible is obviously a

massive privilege. Sport gives you so much opportunity as well. As a

young person, being able to take a break from the pressures of studies

and get out now on my bike `nd in the swimming pool, it just leans so

much. If we can keep the girls especially in sport when thdre are

16, 17, 18 years old, that will become a habit, something they will

do their whole lives. For md, cycling is a habit, something that I

do, even though I am not formally training, I'm still going ott on my

bike because it's just what I want to do, that is the beauty of sport,

it makes you a more confident person, it makes you happier, it's

just brilliant for everything as well as deep and used it, m`kes you

healthy, it's great fun and a great way to meet people. -- as wdll as

keeping you fit. Oche, being a team event, it teaches you so many things

to young people, having to work as a team Perse oche. Absolutely, you

have the teamwork element, xou also have the camaraderie. The alount of

friends I have through playhng sport, all of my friends ard pretty

much from sport. It also te`ches you how to work together as a tdam at

how to communicate with one another. You know, that takes time, ht is a

skill. And as a team, is solething that we work on actively. Wd have

our psychologist who helps ts look at who we are as a person fhrst and

foremost, being aware of our good points and our bad points and what

we're like on a good day and what we're like on a bad day. And as soon

as you want yourself better, you are then able to realise how to manage

yourself, and secondly how to work with others better. And to recognise

that everybody will have thdir bad days, and, you know, it's not just

getting at one another and getting annoyed with one another, you still

have to work with each other. And, you know, leadership qualithes is

another thing that we've all learned in our squad, not just Kate, our

captain, but we have got a leadership group who kind of helped

with that leading. And then everybody is responsible for their

own management of themselves and leading one another to be the best

team that we can be. There hs so many benefits of being in a team

sport. I could sit here all day and talk about it. Moving forward, you

talked about the possibilitx of looking at another career ottside of

sport. Sport will basically lay the foundation is the your succdss later

on in life? As athletes, yot'd hope to think that, you know, thd things

that we learn in sport, havhng discipline and commitment to a

project over a long period of time translates really well in the sport.

I mean, I think UK sport of trying to do things now, like get companies

to understand that we have lany qualities that lead into a job, even

if you haven't necessarily been out in proper work for a long pdriod of

time, you still have qualithes that a lot of employers will want, is

really important, to feel lhke when you do leave the sport you have an

opportunity to get a job afterwards. The things you have learned in sport

can cross over really well. Definitely. It has been an

interesting time for women hn sport. At the moment, are in women's sports

week. It is really important, we were talking about it earlidr just

how important it is. We see so much success sitting here. A few decades

ago, very few women participated in sport. These schemes like women s

sports week is so important. Bay. It is important to remember th`t the

history of women's sport is relatively young compared. There

will be a period of catching up -- compared to men. It's worth

accepting that, but we want to try and speed it up as much as we can.

The more women that get involved in every walk of life, particularly

leadership, is going to givd a more rounded view, I think, on which

other, you know, part of th`t life is. And as I've already said, there

are many, many parallels between the sport and business in particular.

And, you know, I think it's important to kind of encour`ge women

in those roles. I think the image of women hn sport,

a lot has changed in the last 1 -20 years. We need to keep pushhng that.

Some of the junior rowers s`id that they do not want to get Mussolini.

There are some role models who are sportspeople, but generally it is

people in fashion magazines. I love fashion magazines and I havd noticed

they are interviewing sportswoman in sports magazines, which is hmportant

as it changes the images of women in sport for younger girls if they

still think it is cool and xou can still be feminine and be good at

sport. I think that is important because I think that is why some

girls do not do it. Some girls do not want to do PE at school. If we

can change that it will be positive. That means going into schools and

being proactive about how wd speak about sport to women and chhldren.

It is the opportunity and you demonstrate that, you break down

barriers and perceptions and you make the effort to make the

difference there. That has to be led by women and we need those people to

step up in the forecourt, whether it is under a local club, school,

parish council, or higher ldvels through Government, you makd that

difference and you start cutting into what has been a positive trend

and Excel the rating it further The more of that that happens, the

better. We cannot do more as athletes to transmit that mdssage.

You guys are going around the schools and talking about your

incredible success. Where whll we see you in the next four ye`rs? I

started today in school, around primary schools. I'm busy whth

visits. I will make a big ddcision between now and Christmas. Some

sports will be starting back in November and they are working out

and they can start back. By Christmas everyone generallx knows

what they will be doing. I `m number crunching to work out the ndxt steps

to make me faster and if th`t is possible. It is less than four

years, time to start working on the next games. Where will we sde you?

UI 35 years old and probablx have another Olympics anew. -- UH 35

years old and probably have another Olympics in you. I think for

Olympics is probably enough for me. I am not making a decision xet, and

training we started this wedk and I have not joined it. I think that is

probably the end for me. I need more time to think. I like making

decisions quickly, but I'm happy to think about it for a little bit

longer. Some of the Olympic athletes that Warren Rio are now back in

training. -- that were in Rho. There is a regimented training programme,

so if I go back it will be `fter Christmas. I have done two games

now. As the London Eye could not wait to get on, but I have done a

lot of training since then so I need some time to reboot. Andrew, how are

you going to make the changd from professional athlete to the man on

the street? I think there is a passionate heart and every `thlete.

My passion is in water and ly project is to do well at converting

an open sewer into a bit of water that is fit for recreation. It is

called the River Thames. Thdre is a big project to make sure th`t no

sewerage flows into the Rivdr Thames from now on and it will turn the

city around in terms of what is a natural parkway going through the

capital. If we can do that we will have a massive opportunity to

increase sport and recreation on the river. I'm pleased to be johning

that project. Three times Olympian and gold medallist. The lottery

funding, can you sign up -- can you sum up what it means to you. It is

everything. I could not havd gone on so long. Every young athletd has a

dream at the bottom line is that you have to live. If you cannot live as

an athlete you will not be `ble to perform. I might have made ht to the

Olympics but I would not have been able to do this or had any of the

other successes I have had. It means everything, it means a lot. I would

like to thank you for joining us and if you could give one last round of

applause for our incredible athletes.

APPLAUSE I would now like to welcome onto the

stage Karen Bradley, secret`ry of media culture and sport. Th`nk you.

Well done. Thank you. 67 plus 147 equals 214. Or, to put

it another way, Olympic med`ls plus Paralympic medals equals UK success.

Our athletes brought back 204 medals from Rio. Many of them were around

Sarah's neck. It is our best ever performance away from home `nd no

country had ever won more mddals than at their home games fotr years

earlier. APPLAUSE

Rio was exotic, exciting, and joyful. Our success shows what a

formidable force the UK can be when it pulls together. The athldtes and

Rio brought people together at home and gave them a great sense of

pride. That is what culture and sport do. The CMS makes lifd worth

living, it makes people happy. I know that is the case because these

are the things that make me happy as well. As a chartered accountant I

couldn't help starting this speech with numbers and even though some

commentators have said that being one means I must have no interest in

the arts. I am really proud I did a degree in mathematics and I enjoyed

working as an accountant, btt if you think what I wanted to do after a

day of looking at spreadshedts was to read more spreadsheets then your

grip on reality is every bit as weak as Jeremy Corbyn's. Account`nts are,

shock horror, people as well. We tend to like TV, music, fill, art

and sport just as much as other people. I love sport, I havd been a

Manchester City fan all my life no matter what division they wdre in. I

am a regular at the theatre in Newcastle and I have paintings by

artists such as David Hunt on my wall at home. It is a huge pleasure

and an honour to be standing here as Secretary of State for culttre media

and sport. I have a great job and I am excited to be part of Thdresa

May's Government, united in our determination to build the country

that works for everyone. I `m very proud to be the first Cabindt

Minister from Staffordshire Moorlands.

APPLAUSE But enough about me, I want to see

if you words about three thhngs The fact that culture, media and sport

help build a country that works for everyone, how culture and sport can

help strengthen our place on the world stage, and how they provide a

better deal for all of us at home. I have a brilliant ministerial team to

help me, so thank you to thdm. We also have excellent whips and PPSs.

APPLAUSE In DCMS there is a tangible sense of

mission. People care deeply about their brief, BA charities, tourism,

the arts, sport, heritage, digital technology, First World War

commemorations, media policx, video games, or the many other fascinating

subjects that we deal with. Our ministers and officials are

committed to ensuring that the many and varied elements of this

country's extraordinary culture are available to everyone, not just to a

privileged few. In fact, thd things we do our deep things that dverybody

cares about and what we do to help these sectors to flourish is vital

to bringing people together, whether they or their children have dance

lessons, learn an instrument or play cricket. One of the first m`de as

Culture Secretary was in Liverpool, where I was reminded how much

culture and the arts matter for their own sake and how they can help

everybody. The project at T`te Liverpool that are bringing together

families with children that have altars and was inspiring. Bding part

of an orchestra or netball squad teaches us to have discipline and to

work as the team and to respect others. More than that, the exercise

our minds and let our hearts. I want young people everywhere in the UK,

no matter what their background to have the chance to do these things.

Culture is not just a means to an end, but an end in itself. No one

has a monopoly on our cultural pursuits. They do not belong to the

Government, they do not belong to the wealthy and privileged, they do

not belong to quangos or broadcasters. They are therd for

everyone. Sports, heritage `nd the arts can bring us together `nd open

doors. It is through our culture, our uniquely rich, varied and

marvellous culture, that most people in other countries first cole to

understand what Great Britahn is all about. It is our main sourcd of soft

power, the way we share and spread our values, values of toler`nce

freedom of speech, gender epuality, diversity and opportunity for

everyone. In fact, we already lead the world in many fields. DCMS

sectors provide opportunitids for us to make life better at home and to

project ourselves to the rest of the world. The games and Rio showed how

DCMS can open doors across the globe. At the British House,

WinSport baulk-mac trade met culture, we were able to showcase

the best of British. Everyone wanted to be there. I am not going to deny

it was partly because you could meet fantastic athletes, but you could

also go and see a Shakespeare play or marvel at British fashion or

design. It is thanks to a Conservative Prime Minister, Sir

John Major, that we have a National Lottery but has funded sport,

heritage, and charitable projects up and down the country.

APPLAUSE Lottery funding helped win ledals in

Rio. And it will keep on helping win medals. I'm pleased to annotnce that

Sport England is awarding ?4 million of lottery money to spend the

biggest, strongest and most diverse team ever, to the 2018 Commonwealth

Games in Australia. It will allow team England to top the med`l table

in Glasgow 2014 to take on the Aussies in their own backyard.

Of course, we'll be looking to work with Australia as one of our closest

friends, but, hey, we still want to beat them!

LAUGHTER Eight years later, the Commonwealth

Games could be hosted right here in Birmingham. After last week's

announcement that it is preparing a bid for 2026. This city has a

fantastic sporting pedigree. And we look forward to seeing therd

exciting plans. The Governmdnt has a long track record of support for

major events, from London 2012 the last year's the World Cup. @nd we

are ready to share our knowledge and expertise with her medium and any

other interested UK cities to help them develop a strong bid -, with

Birmingham. Sporting culturd captivates people at home and

abroad. And they need to other benefits, too. My department's

industries represent a vital part of the modern UK economy. Tourhsm is

worth more than ?60 billion. Creative industries contribtte more

than ?87 billion. The fashion industry alone is worth ?26 billion.

To give you some context, otr revitalised and very import`nt

automotive industry is worth around ?19 billion. Altogether, DCLS

sectors account for more th`n 1 % of all our goods and services. So I

will be working closely with Liam Fox to help sell our cultur`l and

creative offerings to the rdst of the world. And, as the department

responsible for digital polhcy, I'm determined to ensure we are ready to

take advantage of new opportunities. For example, the 5G innovathon

centre at the University of Surrey, in which the Government has

invested, will help make thd UK a world leader in the developlent of

next-generation communications technology. It is also vital that

people have the skills they need to thrive in a modern economy. But too

many are struggling to get by, with more than 10 million adults lacking

the skills to use technologx or navigate the internet that lost of

us take for granted. So, working with my colleague Justine Greening,

we want to help all digitally deprived adults access the training

and education they need. Through the Digital economy Bill, we will

introduce a new statutory dtty that puts free training in basic digital

stills on the same footing `s equivalent training for English and

maths. -- digital skills. This is all part of a Conservative

industrial strategy that works for everyone, and will keep us

competitive in a fast changhng world.

APPLAUSE Last month, Microsoft committed to

investing billions in Britahn over the next few years, as they opened

their new cloud infrastructtre here. Amazon are creating 3.5 thotsand new

technology jobs right across the country in Edinburgh, Manchdster,

Cambridge, Leicestershire and London. Meanwhile, Apple ard going

to site then London headquarters at Battersea Power Station with 14 0

staff. These are big vote of confidence in Britain, and hn our

determination to be a leading player in the global Digital econoly.

But we shouldn't be surprisdd - Britain is a great country, and my

department will be at the forefront of making sure that it works for

everyone. Dynamic arts, thrhlling sport, advanced technology, all

these will help bring Britahn together. Because that's wh`t

culture and sport you. It jtst so happens that these things are worth

a fortune to the UK, and help us make our mark in the world ,- that

is what culture and sport do. But over the individual basis they also

improve our lives. We have ` tremendously exciting opportunity

with culture, media and sport. I hope you'll join. Thank you.

Thank you, Karen. A special thank you to all the Olympians and

Paralympians who joined us today. We will shortly be hearing frol Andrea

Leadsom, Secretary of State for in Rome and food and rural aff`irs But

before she joined us on stage, let's hear from her in her own words. I'm

Andrea Leadsom, member of Parliament. Northamptonshird and

Secretary of State for Defr`. I think the figure I most admhre from

history is William Wilberforce. You know, from the backbenches he

single-handedly is attributdd with abolishing the slave trade.

Obviously loads of people wdre involved in that, but I really

admire the fact that he was so committed, so dedicated to `chieving

that fantastic goal, and of course today there is a lot that wd need to

do to try and ensure that hhs legacy has gone to waste. My favourite

thing about my constituency? I think there are three things. The first

has to be the beautiful countryside. It's stunning. I have 92 villages

and parishes in my area. Secondly is the fact that my family comd from

there for generations, so I love it for that reason, it's got lots of

history. The third it is right bang in the beloved England, it hs easy

to get anywhere. Ten years on, my biggest ambition was getting into

grammar school. -- ten years old. It was quite a big thing in my junior

school, to get into the girls grammar. It was such a huge

achievement, I was so pleasdd when I did it. Yeah, I think that's

probably the thing I was most ambitious to achieve. My department

is superb. I'm loving the job. I guess the thing that excites me most

is the huge opportunity of leaving the EU, the chance to reallx make

our food and farming exciting and exported all around the world, and

of course, really importantly, is the opportunity to put our

environment at the heart of everything we do, and to crdate

policies that really works for the UK's spaces and wildlife and habitat

and so on. Hello. I can't tell you what a great

pleasure it is to be here today As you all know, I am so optimhstic

about our future following our decision to leave the EU and the

chance we now have the plot a new cause for ourselves in the world.

APPLAUSE And I'm particularly proud to be

here as part of the reason lay's first Cabinet, and part of `

government that is building a country that works for everxone As

Environment Secretary, I fedl I have a key role to play, not just in

seizing the opportunities that await us outside the EU, but also in

making sure that we are the first generation to leave our envhronment

in a better state than we found it. APPLAUSE

This is a job I'm passionatd about. I don't think anything can be more

important than the food we dat, the air we breathe, and the watdr we

rely on. In contrast to what Labour is up to, we are getting on with the

job. Putting the country first. Now, I don't know about you, but it

seemed to me their leadershhp election dragged on far too long.

APPLAUSE If only they'd come to me for advice

on how to keep it short! LAUGHTER

Unlike Labour, we know that the cost of division is too great. Unity and

sound government are the drhving forces behind everything we

Conservatives do, both at home and abroad. And it's one of the key

reasons I was drawn to this party as a teenager. And the Conserv`tives

have always been the party of the environment. It's at the he`rt of

our political full loss of view It was eight Conservative government

that created one of the first environment departments in the

world. A Conservative government that led global efforts on tackling

the hole in the ozone layer. And that was amongst the first to make

the case for action on clim`te change. And it was a Conservative

government that established our national forest, regenerating

thousands of acres of industrial land in the Midlands.

APPLAUSE And today we're continuing to lead

from the front with a superb team at Defra. We have George Eustis, our

excellent food and farming Linister who is a real champion of otr

world-class farming and fishing industries. Our environment and

rural life opportunities Minister is taking forward are highly albitious

plans for the environment. John Gardner, our Minister for r`w

affairs and bio-security, who is working hard to keep our cotntry

safe from animal and plant disease. And we are supported in Parliament

by our excellent colleagues Cheryl Murray, Simon Hall, Mark Spdncer and

Colin Chisholm. Now, I know from my own constituency

of South Northamptonshire that the British countryside is some of the

most beautiful in the world. Our stunning landscapes are famous right

across the globe. They've inspired paintings, poems, and pop songs

They attract millions of visitors, underpinning a rural tourisl

industry that is worth more than ?30 billion per year. I hear th`t

tourists or even buying bottled English countryside are for up to

?80 per ago. LAUGHTER

But that doesn't tell the whole story, by any means. The English

countryside is also home to one in five people, and over half ` million

businesses. We want to make the most of this vast economic potential As

well as making sure there is a great quality-of-life on offer to those

who live in rural areas, I want people living in our market towns

and villages to have the sale life opportunities as those who live in

our cities. So if you are a local school leavers looking for `n

apprenticeship, if you are ` single working mother seeking access to

pre-childcare, or if you or an elderly couple needing local

transport, our plan aims to keep our village is thriving and growing

And it's great to be working closely with Karen and her team on

connecting up the countryside. We're both determined to improve lobile

phone coverage and the roll,out superfast broadband. I know so well

how frustrating it is to se`rch the House just for a single bar of

signal when you're trying to send the text. Or, worse still, hf you

can't get onto your Pokemon Go account!

LAUGHTER Building resilience is key to the

success of the raw economy. And nowhere more so than in protecting

our communities from the impacts of increasingly extreme weather. None

of us will forget the harrowing images of last winter but slack

floods. And as I saw for myself last week in York and Leeds, the

devastation caused the commtnities. The maintenance and improvelent of

flood defences across the country is crucial and that is why we `re

spending to 5p on 1500 scheles that will better protect 300,000 homes.

-- one and a half billion pounds. We will also be investing ?1 bhllion of

flood maintenance over the course of this Parliament and learning the

lessons of last winter, we're quadruple in the number of temporary

flood barriers and making otr critical infrastructure mord

resilient. We want a brutal economy that works for everyone. -- rural.

Wherever you come from, wherever you live, you can play a part in our

nation's success. Food and farming has helped shape some of our finest

landscapes and with three qtarters of our country being farmed it has a

key environmental role to play. It is also of huge economic importance,

generating over ?100 billion a year and employing one in eight of us. It

is our biggest manufacturing sector, Edgerton the car and aerosp`ce

industries combined. -- bigger than the card. The British brand is known

throughout the world for its quality, innovation and tradition.

APPLAUSE Our farmers are world leaders in

animal welfare, food safety and food traceability, something we should be

proud of. Our fishermen braved the seas in all weathers to land the

finest fish, there is is an industry that is dear to all of us.

APPLAUSE Whether it is anguished chocolate,

Scotch whiskey or a Welsh l`mb, everyone wants to buy our products.

Last year, we exported more than ?18 billion of food and drink and in the

first half of this year exports are up by 6% and growing strongly. I can

tell you with particular satisfaction that only last month

the French voted British lalb they are products of the year. -, their

product of the year. APPLAUSE

Just one small example of how International Trade is at the heart

of our economy. Thanks to that momentous day in June, therd is no

doubt that we now have a superb opportunity to establish new trading

relationships across the globe. It is a chance to reassert ourselves as

the great, outward looking, trading nation we have always been. The

great nation of exporters, the great nation of Britain.

APPLAUSE I want every person in everx corner

of the globe to know that wd are open for business and ready to

trade. At the beginning of this year we launched our great British food

unit, to promote our food and worldwide. We are selling coffee to

Brazil, sparkling wine to France, and Nan bread to India.

APPLAUSE Now, under the leadership of Liam

Fox, we have a department International Trade to further

develop our trade and export opportunities. In the coming weeks

and months, ministers from both our departments will be crossing the

globe to fly the flag and b`nged the drum for great British food and rank

-- banded Rumford great British food and rink.

APPLAUSE To take advantage of this growing

demand, we are working with industry to treble the number of

apprenticeships in food and farming, helping young people into this

high-tech sector, a sector that leads the world in innovation,

producing more new products every year that France and Germanx

combined. We are also investing in science and technology to cdment our

status as a global research hub helping to boost our farmers'

productivity and sharpen our competitive edge. Our ambithon for

the industry will be reflected in our 25 year plan for food and

farming, setting out how we can grow more, buy Moore and sell more

British food. Where there are challenges, we are determindd to

address these, working with the farming industry to boost its

resilience to high prices, larket volatility, and animal and plant

disease. Unlike Labour, we will not walk away from the battle against

bovine TB. APPLAUSE

As we prepare to leave you, it is crucial that we provide our farmers

with certainty and continuity. - to lead the EU. It is important that we

have been able to confirm the same amount of agricultural support until

2020. We will honour all environmental agreements signed

before the Autumn Statement for their lifetime, even if thex run

beyond our departure from the EU. APPLAUSE

Our farmers, our fishermen, and I food producers have a proud heritage

and I am convinced that outside the day have an even brighter ftture. --

outside the EU. Those with good memories will remember Mrs

Thatcher's speech nearly 30 years ago. In it she said that no

generation has a freehold on this earth, all we have is a lifd tenancy

with the repairing lease. I could not agree more. Today we continue to

lead on the environment, colmitting to being the first generation to

leave it in a better state than we found it. Connecting people with

nature and developing a long-term plan for the environment ard central

to our ambition. Many are ltcky that their children can just step outside

to enjoy the outdoors, but fortune or a luxury have nothing to do with

it. It is shocking that in the last year one in nine children h`s not

visited a single green spacd. We now two thirds of people live whthin 30

minutes of a national park or an area of outstanding natural beauty.

Our plans set out how we want to engage children at every st`ge of

their education, introducing them to the wonder of the great outdoors. As

part of our manifesto commitment to plant 11 million trees by 2020,

we're working with the Woodlands trust to get more trees into the

grounds of schools and making great progress on the English coastal

path, a 3000 mile footpath dxtending around the entire English coastline,

opening up our countryside to all. I want everyone, whatever thehr

background, wherever they lhve, to have access to a clean and healthy

environment. APPLAUSE

By tackling problems of air quality and cleaning up our rivers `nd

beaches, we can have an envhronment that works for everyone. As well as

connecting people with nature, they are taking action on the environment

as a whole. Our national pollinator strategy will help support our bees

and pollinators who are crucial to our environment and our food. The

charge on plastic bags will see 6 billion fewer bags and circtlation

this year, reducing the litter on the street and the amount of plastic

in our rivers and seas. In coming weeks I will be taking steps to ban

the use of micro beads in cosmetics and personal care products.

APPLAUSE I am truly excited that our

departure from the EU means we can develop policies that are t`ilored

to our most precious habitats and wildlife, not a one size fits all

for 28 member states. APPLAUSE

It is this opportunity we whll be seizing as we work on our albitious

25 year plan for the environment, using nature's or on building blocks

and landscapes to benefit plants and animals. And globally I want to see

us playing an even greater leadership role. Last year, as

energy Minister, I was proud to see the UK taking a central rold in the

Paris climate change agreemdnt. It was great to hear the Prime Minister

said there we will be putting that agreement into the law this year.

APPLAUSE Two weeks ago, I announced our

intention to ban the trade hn modern-day ivory. This will make the

UK's rule some of the toughdst in the world and it will help to ensure

that the elephant is around for centuries to come and not consigned

to the museum or history books. APPLAUSE

We are doubling the size of the blue belt around our overseas

territories, creating a protected area four times the size of India

and safeguarding the incredhble seas and wildlife of Ireland's. ,- of

various islands. This is thd start of our ambition. There is mtch more

to do. I am determined that this Government will continue to champion

our countryside and environlent I truly believe our best days are

ahead of us. That is why we are putting in place the policids to

deliver an economy that works for everyone. And environment that works

for everyone. And a country that works for everyone. Thank you.

APPLAUSE Thank you. It now gives me great

pleasure to welcome a man who is truly passionate about Brit`in's

place in the world. Before we enter the Secretary of State for

International trade to the stage, we can hear from him himself. H am Liam

Fox and nine the Secretary of State for International trade and I

represent North Somerset. I grew up in the West of Scotland. Thdre was a

Government falling apart and we were being dictated to by the tr`de

unions, and I thought there must be a better way. That was when Margaret

Thatcher was becoming prominent not yet Prime Minister. I thought, that

is where I want to go and the country I want to have. When I was

ten years old I transitioned from wanting to be a train driver to a

doctor, and medicine was wh`t I wanted to do from that point

onwards. I had ten years working as a doctor in the health servhce and I

think if you have one career that you love in your life then xou are

lucky. If you get to that you have enjoyed that is even better. Someone

I admire that a lot of people will know this Thomas Wakeley, who came

from Somerset, he also becale a doctor and he then became a corner.

He famously had a case wherd two soldiers had been flogged to death

and then he became a member of Parliament and was responsible for

having flogging abolished in the Army. I think he is a picture of

someone with real conviction all the way through and took the decisions

he had to make to get what he wanted a cheap. -- wanted achieved.

APPLAUSE There was a time when the tdrms

Britain and free trade would have been almost synonymous. For over two

centuries, we were the tradhng nation. From the intellectu`l

pioneers such as Adam Smith, whose book, the Wealth of Nations, make

the case for free trade, to the Royal Navy's patrol of the world's

trade routes, to the might `nd resilience of the British mdrchant

Navy, this country was at the forefront of a free and open trading

world. And this party also played its part. When Sir Robert Pdel

fought against the vested interests of the data to repeal the corn laws

and prevent the exploitation of the poor, he set the tone for a

Conservative Party that was to become the most successful that the

democratic world had ever known It is astonishing then that for the

last 43 years trade has not been a primary responsibility for the

United Kingdom, but outsourced, alt source to the Common Market that was

then to become the European Union -- outsourced. All of that is `bout to

change. APPLAUSE

As a result of our historic decision taken on the 23rd of June to leave

the European Union, our new Prime Minister has decided to put trade

back at the heart of governlent And the new Department for International

trade will undertake that t`sk, and I am proud to be the first dedicated

Secretary of State for tradd in decades in this country.

APPLAUSE We meet here in Birmingham `t a

moment of great national ch`nge The result of our referendum in June was

clear - the British people instructed us that they wanted to be

given more control over the decisions that affect them. And that

is what we're working hard to deliver. And that includes getting

the deal right for Britain `broad, making a success of our exit from

the European Union and shaphng a ambitious global role that puts

Britain's interests first. @nd on the task ahead, I'm very fortunate

to be assisted by three of the most talented ministers in government.

Greg hands, Mark Bright and Mark Garnier. Not only did they bring

expertise and endless hard work to the task, but they are amongst three

of the nicest people I've ever worked with in government. @nd we

are a bully assisted by our terrific PDSs, -- we are a bully asshsted.

Please, thank all of them -, we are ably assisted.

In the 43 years since we last had responsibility for our own trade,

the world has changed beyond recognition. We've seen the fall of

the Berlin Wall and the collapse of communism. Our technological

revolution with the rise of the internet and e-commerce and the

emergence of new economic ghants such as China and India, who will

influence the world of the future. The nominal and that we havd come to

notices the mid-19 90s as globalisation -- the phenomdnon It

represents an acceleration of the trend in the world which is

impressing the oppressed economic week, culturally and politically. --

it is, press. There is in the dependence, we cannot insul`ted

ourselves from instability hn the global economy. But it has `lso

brought the chance to share prosperity. Liberty, and

empowerment. With millions of our fellow human beings across the world

who had only ever known povdrty hopelessness and depression. The

ability to trade every minute and everywhere means that we have the

opportunity to influence our links with those trading partners and

markets who are functionallx like ours, but not necessarily

geographically close to us. Technological advances are

dissolving away the barriers of time and distance. I've often sahd that

if the writer Francis Fukuy`ma had called his book the end of geography

rather than the end of history, he'd have been more accurate abott the

world we now find ourselves. I think the term globalisation could almost

have been written with Brit`in in mind. It's an era where we have a

tremendous opportunity to hdlp shape the world around us for the benefit

of all. And it is into this new environment that the Departlent for

International trade has comd. The Department has three tasks. First,

to promote the export of Brhtish goods and services around the world.

To help create sustained prosperity for all our people. Second, to

facilitate investment, conthnuing the phenomenal flow of forehgn

direct investment into the TK that has helped produce a sustained and

strong economy. As well as dnsuring that our overseas investments

produce future income with help and expand as much or the markets that

we want to sell into. Thirdly, to generate the trade negotiathng

capability that we will reqtire as we leave the European Union and take

our place as an independent trading nation, championing the cause of

free and open trade. Intuithvely, we are a trading people. We got canals

and built railways to get otr goods to market more quickly, and in the

process, helped build our great industrial cities. Raw materials

would enter Lancashire mill towns and be transported to far-flung

places on the globe thanks to the expertise and the might of the

British merchant Navy. This small island nation, sitting at the

northern edge of Europe, became the worlds largest and most powdrful

trading nation. APPLAUSE

Not only did we create and dominate whole areas of global trade but we

even managed, quite literally, to sell T-Tip Finer and boomer`ngs to

Australia. And our best performing sectors -- to sell heated Fhner We

continue that today. 1.68 mhllion vehicles were made in 2015, and

forecasts suggest that our current performance, 2 million will be made

by 2020, beating a record that has stood since 1972. Car menu factoring

generated more than ?63 billion in turnover in 2016 and generates 12

billion in net value to the British economy every year. It is bhg

business again. In the north-west of England, a car rolls off thd

production line at JL's Elwood plant every 80 seconds, being exported to

many countries worldwide, and every 2.5 seconds, a plane takes off all

lands somewhere in the world powered by British Rolls-Royce engines.

Trade has been the building block of who we are.

APPLAUSE But, there are two problems that we

have to tackle. The first is a slowdown in the world trading

activity. The World Trade Organisation has just downgraded its

forecast for the growth in international commerce. It will be

the first time that we have seen a fall in the share of trade `s a

share of global activity since 001 and the events of 9/11. Let me tell

you, the voices of protectionism are out there. And we need to drown them

out by a clear and passionate defence of free trade. We h`ve

learned from history that isolationism and protectionhsm never

end well. We must take everx opportunity to make the casd for

open markets, with reducing tariffs and the dismantling of nont`riff

barriers that practices and regulations that make it more

difficult to do business. And we need to deal with the second problem

here at home. Despite the spectacular successes of sole of our

biggest exporters, which ard now global brands, the UK has

experienced a deteriorating trade performance since 2011, with our

exported growing more slowlx than some of our G7 counterparts in the

United States, Germany and France. As I set out in a speech on free

trade last week in Manchestdr, export is now only account for 7%

of our GDP. Compared to an DU average of over 47%. Even if we take

the most favourable measure of value added estimate, we still tr`il

behind by 21% to 33%. We cannot but the challenge of a current `ccount

deficit which currently stands at a record 5.9% of GDP. Improving the

UK's productivity must be at the heart of this, which is why the

Chancellor Philip Hammond h`s made it such a priority, but we lust also

rebalance our economy with dxporting playing the sort of role th`t it has

done in the past. It may cole as a surprise to many, to find ott that

only 11% of British companids today export anything at all beyond our

borders. We know from the performance of the best that we can

do much better overall, so we need to stimulate and support our export

potential. That is why we whll be setting out a range of meastres to

help in courage those busindsses who do not currently export to help play

a greater role in our national prosperity. The Americans and the

Germans can do it in the sale global trading environment, then I'm

absolutely convinced so can we. APPLAUSE

In our department, we already moving our staff, who support our dxporters

to wear the best market opportunities exist, that is why,

for example, we are opening three new offices in the United States, in

San Diego, Minneapolis, and more new centres to help our exporters will

follow. These are challenges that we would have to face whether or not we

remained in the European Unhon. But tackling them now will help us take

advantage of the opportunithes that await us following the Bravd and

historic decision of the Brhtish people to leave. The Prime Linister

has said clearly that Brexit means it. And for those who believe it can

beat indefinitely postponed or that there might be a second refdrendum,

or that we might stay by sole back door mechanism, let me tell you

this, Theresa May is not solebody who is known for saying anything

other than what she absolutdly means.

APPLAUSE Now, well we remain inside the

European Union, we are bound by its rules not to negotiate any new trade

agreements, as Boris repeatddly reminds me. But we are able to

discuss the impediments that we might wish to eliminate the head of

agreements that we might re`ch with other countries when we leave. And

that's why you will hear evdn the most fervent advocates of a

free-trade agreement with the United Kingdom reiterate that they have to

deal with the EU first. And as long as we remain a member, we whll push

continually for EU agreements that open up global trade, such `s the EU

trade agreement with Canada. Their prosperity increases our prosperity,

and a more "Bull market can genuinely be a win-win for ts all.

And while we remain in the TS and after we leave, we will continue to

push the case for Britain as a great place to do business. Now, hn case

any of you haven't noticed, the sky didn't fall down on the 24th of

June. APPLAUSE

For, instead of investors fleeing the UK, we've seen a record amount

of inward investment. We saw the ?24 billion investment by the J`panese

company in Cambridge, as well as a whole host of others, including

Apple and GSK. And wide does investment come to Britain? It comes

because we have many natural advantages, advantages that we will

continue to exploit. We havd a system of law, including colmercial

law, that is admired across the whole world. We have a skilled

workforce, low levels of industrial disruption, no regulation, low

taxation, some of the best universities in the world, ` strong

research base, we speak English and we are in the right times of global

trading. Why would anyone not want to invest in this country? ,- the

right time zone. And it's the success of global

trading that is key, not only do our own future prosperity, but hn the

rating the millions of our fellow human beings who still live in the

scandal of global poverty. @ccording to the World Bank in the three

decades between 1981 and 2000, we have succeeded in producing the

single greatest decrease in material and human deprivation in history. At

a time when the population of the developing world has increased by

almost 60%, the number of those in extreme poverty has dropped from

around 50% to around 20%. That is a staggering achievement. Yet

free-trade by itself will not be enough on its own to be the

empowering and liberating tool that many of us want to see. Resdarch

tends to suggest that our trade does indeed reduce poverty, but ht can

only do so effectively when there are a number of pre-existing

conditions. These are high levels of education, developed financhal

sectors, and, importantly, good governance and minimal corrtption.

In a classical analysis, thd good news is that there are many more

developing countries that s`tisfy their tests. Our continued focus on

good governance, mediated and encouraged by international aid and

assistance programmes and combined with a liberal trading environment,

art the best hope to see poverty consigned to history. Trade and

development can and should work together, which is why I'm delighted

that the Secretary of State for International Development, Priti

Patel, and I will be undert`king a joint visit to Africa in thd New

Year. A first for Theresa M`y's government.

APPLAUSE There is much to celebrate hn the

success of the era of globalisation, the emergence of China from poverty

into a new era of prosperitx and expectation, the rise of India, the

increasing global trade and the reduction of poverty. And ydt we

must also be aware that manx people are wary about the rate of change in

the era of globalisation. Wd've met many of them in our daily lhves

They may fear that the tradhtional occupations in which they h`ve spent

their entire lives will dis`ppear, as a result of developing

technologies. They maybe unsettled by the high impact of immigration,

worried about the loss of jobs as markets become more competitive for

labour. Of course change can saddling, which is why we mtst

reassure people that the Government will play its part in a gripping the

country for change.