UK public affairs and policy newsletter July/August 2018 Policy Matters Chequers proposal and Irish border

Helen Brand available Separately, the professional and here, welcoming the business services council (PBSC) commitment to mobility accountancy sub-group have also of talent and the desire submitted further evidence to the for mutual recognition of department for business energy and professional qualifications industrial strategy in their contingency but cautioning against planning for a no-deal scenario and the move for financial ACCA attended a meeting of the MMA services away from accountancy group with BEIS officials mutual recognition on 30 august to discuss this evidence in standards towards a detail. common agreement as risky and potentially Anthony also featured in a news story detrimental to jobs in the on Bloomberg’s accounting policy sector. and practise report on 27 August where he did a stellar job highlighting In early July, before summer recess On 23 July, Anthony Walters (head of the difficulties facing the accounting commenced, the government public affairs) and John Kavanagh (UK profession from a no-deal scenario, published a long-awaited white paper: public affairs manager) visited Dublin for such as the ability to recruit talent, offer the future relationship between the a meeting with the chief executive of the fly-in-fly-out services and the regulatory United Kingdom and the European Irish auditing and accounting supervisory environment. You can read the full piece Union, available here. It covered trade, authority (IAASA) facilitated by Aidan on Bloomberg here. customs, tax, regulation, the role of the Clifford (advisory services manager, European Court of Justice and mobility ACCA Ireland), where we discussed the among other areas. ACCA were quick future of the Irish border as it relates to to react putting out a statement from the profession in the UK and EU.

Brexit no-deal papers

Shailesh Vara MP, Parliamentary under-secretary of state, (left), at roundtable on and the Irish border, 9 July Stewart Jackson (second from right) speaking at breakfast roundtable on the Chequers proposals and Brexit, 10 August Separately on 9 July, John Kavanagh represented ACCA at a business roundtable with Shailesh Vara MP, Parliamentary On 23 August, the government released the first batch of a under-secretary of state for Northern Ireland where he raised series of documents on the preparations for a no-deal Brexit the need for mutual recognition of professional qualifications broken down by economic sector. One of these estimated and the effect of a hard border on ACCA members on either 80+ papers was on ‘money and tax’ and the preparations side of the Irish border. Also, on Friday 10 August, John for a no-deal brexit with regard to the VAT regime in the UK. attended a breakfast discussion with Stewart Jackson, former Chas Roy-Chowdhury (head of taxation) provided comment MP for and former adviser to David Davis until on the practical impacts of the measures in the paper on UK his resignation from Cabinet following the Chequers meeting businesses available here. in July. International trade and investment

On 11 July, Vikas Aggarwal (head of our 208,000 strong network of members We have also written to the other policy, emerging markets) coordinated in 181 countries. We agreed to find ways new HM trade commissioners, most a visit by 15 heads of trade and to connect our members in market with recently a letter to Simon Penney, the investment from the UK’s department British companies looking for business new HMTC for Middle-East from Lindsay for international trade from around the opportunities. Degouve De Nuncques (Head of Middle world to the Adelphi for a short briefing East) highlighting ACCA’s breadth of on the professional services sector as As secretariat to the APPG for partnerships and expertise across the part of their visit to the UK. Maggie international trade and investment, United Arab Emirates and wider region. McGhee (director of professional ACCA have also been invited to a Through our ongoing engagement insights), Claire Bennison (head of UK) private meeting with the new HM trade with DIT and other partners, such as Anthony Walters and John Kavanagh commissioner for Europe, Andrew the Commonwealth Enterprise and attended and spoke to the visitors Mitchell, with Claire Bennison (Head of Investment Council, we have also been about ACCA’s global thought leadership UK) representing ACCA. invited to participate in trade missions and our role as connectors between in the Middle-East and China (more to governments and business throughout follow on this in the autumn!).

Through our ongoing engagement with DIT and other partners, such as the Commonwealth“ Enterprise and Investment Council, we have also been invited to participate in trade missions in the Middle-East and China ”

Member tour of Parliament

On Friday 27 July, John Kavanagh coordinated a tour of the houses of Parliament in partnership with the Industry and Parliament Trust for a group of ACCA UK members and colleagues. The day began with a tour of the palace before then settling in to a parliamentary meeting room to learn about the passage of a bill and the process of select committee scrutiny of legislation. The tour was a great opportunity to give back to some of our engaged and active members who were very grateful for the opportunity. Morlai Kargbo FCCA, Managing Director of Moracle Solutions attended the tour and said: John Kavanagh and ACCA members outside Westminster Hall on IPT tour of Parliament, 27 July

“I’m grateful to have been invited to the recent ACCA/IPT tour but the UK’s political history as conversations among the of Parliament as a part of the chair of ACCA North-London group moved on to topics such as the suffragettes and network with my respectable counterparts. Together, we had the early feminist movement. I aspire to create this type of the chance to have a personal tour of the historic building; exposure for my young trainee accounting staff who continue viewing both Houses of Parliament, as we were informed on to come through Moracle’s training, particularly the ACCA each chamber’s significance by our well-versed tour guide. apprenticeship programme. This is not common for many I have always been intrigued by UK politics and so being young practising accountants but I believe it is necessary as it able to be part of the tour was a special experience for me. I helps to build their confidence, professionalism and sense of specifically noted how small the house of commons looked, history which will benefit them in years to come”. along with the aged furniture. It looks a lot bigger on the TV screen!! I watch a lot of BBC Parliament TV. There are up to two more tours to be scheduled for the remainder of 2018 and John will be working to ensure we get “With a background of being born and raised in Sierra Leone, equal representation from each of our member forums, panels West Africa and not emigrating to the UK until my early 30s, and working groups. Please get in touch with John direct for being exposed to the Houses of Parliament during the tour further details or to nominate members to attend the next meant more for me than most. It was a great experience to session in the autumn. be educated first-hand about, not only the UK’s Parliament, The Future of Infrastructure UK market ET visit Delivery with Robert Jenrick MP presentation

In July we were invited to attend On August 1, the executive team came a roundtable on the future of to visit to the UK market. The policy infrastructure delivery with Robert team were able to showcase some of Jenrick MP, Exchequer Secretary to ACCA’s best achievements over the the Treasury, hosted at the Institution past year including our lobbying for of Civil Engineers. Anthony Walters changes to the trade bill and hosting attended and raised the work ACCA international delegations to highlight is leading in respect to the Belt and ACCA UK’s commitment to the Road Initiative and the role of our trailblazer apprenticeships as well as members in supporting the delivery some of the government departments of associated infrastructure projects. we will be developing closer Our input was well received and it was relationships with in the coming year. noted that financial management skills in both the private and public sectors Earlier this month, the UK technical would need to be bolstered in order to advisory team convened several teams support sound and effective delivery of from across ACCA including policy, infrastructure projects of all shapes and regulation & standards, marketing and sizes. professional courses to discuss a new targeted campaign for practitioner satisfaction. The plan will bring together teams to make sure practitioners have easy access to the support they need and that teams are able to

Robert Jenrick MP, Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury (left), signpost members to the right support at ‘ future of infrastructure delivery’ panel event, July mechanisms.

ACCA UK regional engagement at the Party conferences 2018

In July and August, Craig Vickery Lloyd Powell (Head of ACCA Wales) This autumn, ACCA will be (head of ACCA Scotland) continued has also been continuing to fly the flag participating at the labour and work with skills development Scotland for ACCA in Wales. In July he attended conferences in (SDS) and the Scottish government a meeting of commerce Cymru, the Liverpool and Birmingham respectively. to shape the future landscape for umbrella organisation for member We have a range of activities planned Scottish apprenticeships. This has organisations in Wales, including including sponsorship of the local been undertaken through supporting CBI, IoD, FSB, FMB, ICAEW. The government lounge and a reception SDS in their work and through Craig group provides an interface between with John McDonnell (Shadow serving as a member of the Scottish businesses and the Welsh government Chancellor) at Labour and a reception apprenticeships advisory board – and Lloyd discussed a range of issues, with the Chancellor Rt Hon Philip frameworks and standards group. In including fair work and the implications Hammond MP at conservative. We July, Craig also met with Dr Philippa of a ‘no-deal Brexit’. In August, Lloyd also have fringe events planned with Whitford MP, Scottish national party also attended a lecture by the cabinet prospect magazine and the finance member of parliament for central secretary for finance, Mark Drakeford and leasing association which will Ayrshire to discuss a variety of topics AM on the future of public services be attended by some of the leading including ACCA’s work in encouraging funding in Wales. cabinet and shadow cabinet members access to the profession and building from either party. Check the September diversity and social mobility. and October newsletter for more. Meeting with Rt Hon MP, Chief Secretary to the Treasury

On July 11, John Kavanagh represented ACCA at roundtable meeting with Rt Hon Liz Truss MP, chief secretary to the Treasury, hosted on 11 July where the discussion focussed on the UK’s lagging productivity and the role of a competitive tax regime in addressing that. We are writing a follow up letter to Ms Truss from Jason Piper (senior manager – tax and business law) following up on some of the points raised.

Rt Hon Liz Truss MP, Chief Secretary to the Treasury at roundtable meeting on growth and productivity, 11 July

GCS External Affairs reception

In July, Anthony Walters was invited stakeholders is more important than it’s Alex Aiken, director of government communication (far left), to attend the official launch of the ever been. The event marked the start at the GCS external affairs reception, July government communications service of on-going dialogue on how to improve external affairs profession, hosted by communications channels between Alex Aiken (pictured), executive director government and their key stakeholders, for government communications. such as ACCA and other professional External affairs (or public affairs as we bodies. The event was a great refer to it across ACCA) has come a long opportunity to network and connect way in a short time. In the ever changing with senior communications leads from world of communications, building key government departments. strong relationships with our key For any further information please contact John Kavanagh, UK public affairs manager • [email protected] • 07753 242 440