Month: February 2018

The new guidance is based on recently published expert advice and will ensure the most vulnerable people get the best available protection next season.

From the clinical evidence available to GP practices and community pharmacists from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) and the Green book since October it is clear that people aged 18 to 64 and at risk should get the quadrivalent vaccine which provides protection against 2 strains of influenza A and 2 strains of influenza B for the 2018 to 2019 winter season.

This will mean that pregnant women and other people in risk groups such as those with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) will receive the quadrivalent vaccine protecting them against four strains of flu. Children, who are considered ‘super-spreaders’ and are generally more susceptible to flu B, will continue to receive the nasal spray quadrivalent vaccine.

Meanwhile, people aged 65 and over will be offered the newly-licensed adjuvanted trivalent vaccine, an enhanced form of the vaccine given to this age group in 2017 to 2018, which is designed to boost an immune response improving the effectiveness of the vaccine in this older age group. This was not available for the 2017 to 2018 season.

Given the evidence, use of these more effective vaccines in the 2018 to 2019 season is clearly in the best interests of patients, particularly given the association of flu with increased mortality.

The letter sent from NHS England and Public Health England (PHE) advises GPs and community pharmacy contractors to review all orders for the 2018 to 2019 season and ensure these are in line with suppliers who have extended the deadline for orders until the end of March.

It is estimated that flu causes around 8,000 deaths people each year. For the week ending 14 January 2018, there were a 289 reported intensive care admissions due to flu thought to be the peak of this year’s season. However, figures show over one and a half million more people got their free vaccination this year compared to last.

Dr Arvind Madan, GP and NHS England Director of Primary Care, said:

Flu can have serious health implications, particularly for the most vulnerable people, as well as having a significant impact on NHS services.

The evidence is clear so the NHS is going further to advise gold standard protection is provided. Importantly, the public ineligible groups can also play their part by getting their free vaccination again next year.

Professor Paul Cosford, PHE Medical Director said:

Vaccination is one of the best public health interventions we have available to us, saving thousands of lives every year. We already have one of the best flu vaccination programmes in the world and making these vaccines available next season should offer greater protection than ever before. We urge everyone eligible to take up the offer of flu vaccination.

Suppliers have also confirmed that there will be enough adjuvanted trivalent vaccine and quadrivalent influenza vaccine to meet demand. If GP practices and pharmacists encounter difficulties in placing or amending orders they have been advised to contact their local NHS England team.

Background

For further information please contact the NHS England media team on nhsengland.media@nhs.net or 01138 250958 / 01138 250959.

• The adjuvanted trivalent vaccine (aTIV) for all 65s and over. Given aTIV was only licensed for use in the UK in August 2017, long after orders were placed, this was not an option for the 2017 to 2018 season. However, the JCVI has now provided its advice given the receipt of its UK license
• The quadrivalent vaccine (QIV) for 18 years to under 65s at risk. In light of an independent cost-effectiveness study into QIV undertaken by PHE and considered by JCVI, the Green Book was updated in October 2017 to provide the advice that QIV is the best option for 18 to 65 at-risk groups in 2018 to 2019

About NHS England

NHS England leads the National Health Service in England – setting the priorities and direction, encouraging and informing the national debate to improve health and care.

The NHS in England deals with over 1 million patients every 36 hours and employs more than 1.5 million people, putting it in the top 5 of the world’s largest workforces. NHS England shares out more than £100 billion in funds and holds organisations to account for spending this money effectively for patients and efficiently for the taxpayer. It strongly believes in health and high quality care for all, now and for future generations.

This follows an investigation by the Insolvency Service, which found representations were made to family and friends to get money, which was used for online spread betting and to fund his lifestyle.

Mr Patel entered into a 11 year bankruptcy restrictions’ undertaking on 18 December 2017, by the restrictions set out in insolvency law that a bankrupt is subject to until they are discharged from bankruptcy (normally 12 months) until 2028.

Between 2013 and 2017, Mr Patel made false representations to family and friends to obtain loan funds of £390,000, saying that the funds were to be used as a venture investment. He used £238,451 of these funds to finance online spread betting, with the majority of the remaining funds being used to fund Mr Patel’s lifestyle. Mr Patel’s actions directly resulted in him becoming insolvent with total liabilities of £403,753.

Mr Patel was declared bankrupt on 26 July 2017 with a deficiency of £386,238. Mr Patel was interviewed at the Official Receiver’s office at which time he stated that around December 2012 he began online spread betting and initially used his savings to fund this. However once his money ran out he obtained funds from family and friends and used the money he received to continue gambling.

The loans were covered by formal agreements which stated that Mr Patel would hold the investment funds for the duration of 12 months during which time the investor would not be able to withdraw the capital invested.

Mr Patel advised family and friends that the funds were to be used as a venture investment but he was in fact using the funds to finance his online spread betting and, from June 2015 onwards, to fund his living expenses with a very small amount being used to repay a couple of the lenders.

In January 2017 when all the money had been exhausted he ceased gambling and sought advice regarding his financial situation following which in July 2017 he made his own application for bankruptcy.

Commenting on the bankruptcy restriction, Gerard O’Hare, an Official Receiver at the Insolvency Service said:

Where a bankrupt has taken undue risks with creditors’ money, he should not expect to do so without repercussions, particularly when others suffer financial loss as a result.

A bankruptcy restriction in these circumstances will serve to provide creditors with a degree of protection, and it will also act as a deterrent to the bankrupt not to act in a similar manner in the future.

Notes to editors

Mr Shared Dayaram Patel is of Leicester and his date of birth is January 1966. The Bankruptcy Order was made on his own petition

If the Official Receiver considers that the conduct of a bankrupt has been dishonest or blameworthy in some other way, he (or she) will report the facts to court and ask for a Bankruptcy Restrictions Order (BRO) to be made. The court will consider this report and any other evidence put before it, and will decide whether it should make a BRO. If it does, the bankrupt will be subject to certain restrictions for the period stated in the order. This can be from 2 to 15 years.

The bankrupt may instead agree to a Bankruptcy Restrictions Undertaking (BRU) which has the same effect as an order, but will mean that the matter does not go to court.

These are restrictions set out in insolvency law that the bankrupt is subject to until they are discharged from bankruptcy – normally 12 months and include that bankrupts:

• must disclose their status to a credit provider if they wish to get credit of more than £500;
• who carry on business in a different name from the name in which they were made bankrupt, they must disclose to those they wish to do business with the name (or trading style) under which they were made bankrupt;
• may not act as the director of a company nor take part in its promotion, formation or management unless they have a court’s permission to do so;
• may not act as an insolvency practitioner, or as the receiver or manager of the property of a company on behalf of debenture holders;

Additionally, a person subject to a Bankruptcy Restrictions Order/Undertaking or a Debt Relief Restrictions Order/Undertaking,

• may not be a Member of Parliament in England or Wales.

The Insolvency Service, an executive agency sponsored by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), administers the insolvency regime, and aims to deliver and promote a range of investigation and enforcement activities both civil and criminal in nature, to support fair and open markets. We do this by effectively enforcing the statutory company and insolvency regimes, maintaining public confidence in those regimes and reducing the harm caused to victims of fraudulent activity and to the business community, including dealing with the disqualification of directors in corporate failures.

BEIS’ mission is to build a dynamic and competitive UK economy that works for all, in particular by creating the conditions for business success and promoting an open global economy. The Criminal Investigations and Prosecutions team contributes to this aim by taking action to deter fraud and to regulate the market. They investigate and prosecute a range of offences, primarily relating to personal or company insolvencies.

The agency also authorises and regulates the insolvency profession, assesses and pays statutory entitlement to redundancy payments when an employer cannot or will not pay employees, provides banking and investment services for bankruptcy and liquidation estate funds and advises ministers and other government departments on insolvency law and practice.

Further information about the work of the Insolvency Service, and how to complain about financial misconduct, is available.

Contact Press Office

Media enquiries for this press release – 020 7674 6910 or 020 7596 6187

You can also follow the Insolvency Service on:

• Twitter
• LinkedIn
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The disqualification order was granted at Perth Sheriff Court following an investigation by the Insolvency Service. The disqualification commenced on 20 December 2017 and is effective until 20 December 2024.

Mr McFarlane’s ban relates to his selling off company assets for his own benefit whilst creditors were left unpaid.
Gilmour McFarlane (29) was the sole director of Garden Haulage Limited. From 2009 the company hired out plant and machinery in addition to labour and carried out contractual work, primarily for farms. The company went into liquidation on 28 August 2015 with an estimated deficiency to its creditors of £38,670.

The investigation by the Insolvency Service found that at a time when the company was insolvent, Gilmour McFarlane caused it to dispose of plant and machinery to a third party for a sum of £55,000 plus VAT while on the same day Gilmour McFarlane settled a personally guaranteed loan to that party. This transaction was to the detriment of HMRC and other creditors of the company.

The investigation also found that for the period from at least 1 September 2014 to 28 August 2015,Gilmour McFarlane failed to preserve or deliver up adequate accounting records for Garden Haulage Limited as a consequence of which it has not been possible to establish the true financial position of the company, how other assets were dealt with and whether all sums due to the company were collected in.

Robert Clarke, Group Leader of Insolvent Investigations North at the Insolvency Service said:

The period of this disqualification reflects the fact that when a company fails to keep adequate financial records it is simply not possible to determine whether there has been other, more serious, impropriety in relation to the management of its affairs.

Furthermore, directors who put their own personal financial interests above those of customers and creditors damage confidence in doing business and are corrosive to the health of the local economy.

Notes to editors

Gilmour McFarlane’s date of birth is April 1988.

Gilmour McFarlane was appointed as director of Garden Haulage Limited (company number SC364384) on 21 August 2009 and remained a director throughout the company’s trading. Garden Haulage Limited had a registered office of 66 Tay Street, Perth, PH2 8RP.

A disqualification order has the effect that without specific permission of a court, a person with a disqualification cannot:

• act as a director of a company
• take part, directly or indirectly, in the promotion, formation or management of a company or limited liability partnership
• be a receiver of a company’s property

Disqualification undertakings are the administrative equivalent of a disqualification order but do not involve court proceedings.

Persons subject to a disqualification order are bound by a range of other restrictions.

The Insolvency Service, an executive agency sponsored by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), administers the insolvency regime, and aims to deliver and promote a range of investigation and enforcement activities both civil and criminal in nature, to support fair and open markets. We do this by effectively enforcing the statutory company and insolvency regimes, maintaining public confidence in those regimes and reducing the harm caused to victims of fraudulent activity and to the business community, including dealing with the disqualification of directors in corporate failures.

BEIS’ mission is to build a dynamic and competitive UK economy that works for all, in particular by creating the conditions for business success and promoting an open global economy. The Criminal Investigations and Prosecutions team contributes to this aim by taking action to deter fraud and to regulate the market. They investigate and prosecute a range of offences, primarily relating to personal or company insolvencies.

The agency also authorises and regulates the insolvency profession, assesses and pays statutory entitlement to redundancy payments when an employer cannot or will not pay employees, provides banking and investment services for bankruptcy and liquidation estate funds and advises ministers and other government departments on insolvency law and practice.

Further information about the work of the Insolvency Service, and how to complain about financial misconduct, is available.

Contact Press Office

Media enquiries for this press release – 020 7674 6910 or 020 7596 6187

You can also follow the Insolvency Service on:

• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• YouTube

Highways England has announced plans to fund three new unmarked HGV cabs after a single one used by police forces across the country was used to help catch over 4,000 dangerous drivers in its first two years.

The three new cabs will patrol motorways and main trunk roads, and have been fitted with wide-angle cameras to capture unsafe driving behaviour. They also have a derestricted speed limiter which means they can travel at speeds up to the national speed limit, and flashing lights have been installed for use by police forces in an emergency.

The cabs allow police officers to film evidence of unsafe driving behaviour by pulling up alongside vehicles. Drivers are then pulled over by police cars following behind.

Richard Leonard, Highways England’s Head of Road Safety, said:

Highways England has been funding a single cab for the past couple of years and we’ve been impressed with the impact it’s had on improving safety. Over 4,000 dangerous drivers have been pulled over, with police action ranging from verbal warnings to prosecutions.

We’ve found that the vast majority of drivers are sensible behind the wheel but a few have got into bad habits, or are simply ignoring the law and putting themselves and others at risk.

We’ve therefore decided to fund two extra unmarked HGV cabs to continue to target dangerous driving on England’s motorways and major A roads, improving safety for everyone.

In total, 28 police forces have taken part in the HGV cab safety initiative since it began in April 2015, pulling over 4,176 drivers in relation to 5,039 offences in its first two years.

Nearly two thirds of the drivers who were stopped were illegally using a mobile phone while driving, despite the latest statistics showing that mobile phone use is a factor in an average of two deaths on the roads every month.

Offences have included a driver being pulled over by Devon and Cornwall Police who was found to have sent 10 replies to 10 texts within one hour; a driver in Surrey who was seen trying to put toothpaste on a toothbrush; and a driver in the East Midlands who was spotted steering with his knees while he ate his lunch and used his mobile phone.

The three new unmarked HGV cabs are being supplied as part of a three-year contract with Dawsonrentals, which will also be responsible for maintaining the vehicles.

Last year, the government doubled the penalty for drivers caught using their phones at the wheel. Motorists now receive 6 points on their licence and a £200 fine – up from the previous 3 points and £100 fine.

More details about the law on mobile phone use are available on this guidance page.

General enquiries

Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.

Media enquiries

Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.

The United Kingdom is concerned at developments over Israel’s border with Syria this weekend. We support Israel’s right to defend itself against any incursions into its territory.

We are concerned at the Iranian actions, which detract from efforts to get a genuine peace process underway.

We encourage Russia to use its influence to press the regime and its backers to avoid provocative actions and to support de-escalation in pursuit of a broader political settlement.

Further information

• Follow the Foreign Secretary on Twitter @BorisJohnson and Facebook
• Follow the Foreign Office on Twitter @foreignoffice and Facebook
• Follow the Foreign Office on Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn

The disqualification order was made against Mr Cowan following an investigation by the Insolvency Service which also commenced the winding up of Warlord Productions Ltd in the public interest.

Mr Cowan was the sole director of Warlord Productions Ltd a company which raised money from members of the public, who believed they were investing in a feature film, claiming it would have an A list cast. The film was never made.

The official receiver’s investigation uncovered that the company set out to raise £2.5 million for the film Henry 5. Despite raising over £5 million from private investors, little if any of the money was used for film production. Instead, over £3.4 million, went in sales commissions, and of the remaining £1.6 million, £1.15 million was paid to two of Mr Cowan’s other companies and £200,000 towards the purchase of a house without any security being taken.

To make matters worse, for almost half of its investors by value, the company did not keep records who the investers were, or how much they had invested. Consequently, if the film had been made, and had generated profits records weren’t held that would have allowed returns to be made. When it became clear that the film would not be made, the company was not in any position to repay monies raised.

Anthony Hannon, Official Receiver in the Public Interest Unit, said:

Little if any of the large sums raised from the public were used for the stated purposes, and there has been detriment both to the investing members of the public and to the reputation of investment in the UK film industry.

The Insolvency Service will look closely at any evidence of misconduct and take appropriate action where directors have used investor monies for other purposes.

Notes to editors

Mr Cowan is of Peacehaven, Sussex. His date of birth is February 1965.

Warlord Productions Ltd (Company No. 08379786) was incorporated on 29 January 2013 and was wound up in the public interest by the High Court on 1 July 2015.

The disqualification order was pronounced by Chief Registrar Briggs on 22 November 2017, with the deputy official receiver appearing on behalf of the Secretary of State.

Mr Cowan did not attend and was not represented.

A disqualification order has the effect that without specific permission of a court, a person with a disqualification cannot:

• act as a director of a company
• take part, directly or indirectly, in the promotion, formation or management of a company or limited liability partnership
• be a receiver of a company’s property

Disqualification undertakings are the administrative equivalent of a disqualification order but do not involve court proceedings.

Persons subject to a disqualification order are bound by a range of other restrictions.

The Insolvency Service, an executive agency sponsored by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), administers the insolvency regime, and aims to deliver and promote a range of investigation and enforcement activities both civil and criminal in nature, to support fair and open markets. We do this by effectively enforcing the statutory company and insolvency regimes, maintaining public confidence in those regimes and reducing the harm caused to victims of fraudulent activity and to the business community, including dealing with the disqualification of directors in corporate failures.

BEIS’ mission is to build a dynamic and competitive UK economy that works for all, in particular by creating the conditions for business success and promoting an open global economy. The Criminal Investigations and Prosecutions team contributes to this aim by taking action to deter fraud and to regulate the market. They investigate and prosecute a range of offences, primarily relating to personal or company insolvencies.

The agency also authorises and regulates the insolvency profession, assesses and pays statutory entitlement to redundancy payments when an employer cannot or will not pay employees, provides banking and investment services for bankruptcy and liquidation estate funds and advises ministers and other government departments on insolvency law and practice.

Further information about the work of the Insolvency Service, and how to complain about financial misconduct, is available.

Further information about the work of the Criminal Investigations and Prosecutions team is [available](https://www.gov.uk/government/case-studies/bis-criminal-prosecutions

Contact Press Office

Media enquiries for this press release – 020 7674 6910 or 020 7596 6187

You can also follow the Insolvency Service on:

• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• YouTube

The proposed upgrade of a 2.5 mile section of the A1 between Birtley (junction 65) and Coal House (junction 67) will provide additional capacity, and improve journey times and safety while supporting economic growth in the region.

Extra lanes will be constructed and Allerdene Railway Bridge, which carries the A1 over the East Coast railway line, will also be replaced as part of this major project which is due to start late 2020.

The consultation started on 8 February 2018 and will close on Thursday 22 March. Seven public consultation events will take place over two weeks. Information about these events can be found on the consultation page.

This is one of 4 major scheme milestones which are taking place in Yorkshire and the North East in the first six months of 2018.

The upgrades are funded by the Government’s £15bn investment in motorways and major A roads, and being delivered by Highways England.

Highways England chief executive Jim O’Sullivan said:

These upgrades in Yorkshire and the North East, will improve millions of journeys. Each of these milestones in this region is evidence of Highways England delivering major infrastructure upgrades for the whole country.

In the six months to June two major schemes in Yorkshire and the North East will be completed: the improvements to the M1 junction 45 roundabout near Leeds and the upgrade of the A1 between Leeming to Barton, will improve journeys for drivers across the region. The preferred option for the improvements of the M621 key junctions in Leeds is also due to be announced.

Nationwide, almost 40 projects will hit milestones over the same period, including seven schemes starting construction and four improvements opening to traffic, adding much needed extra capacity to some of the country’s busiest roads and improving journeys for millions of drivers. Others will hit crucial points – including public consultations that will help shape the proposals, and route announcements.

April will mark three years since Highways England embarked on delivering the Government’s Road Investment Strategy, the biggest investment in the country’s major roads since the 1970s.

The schemes reaching milestones in the first half of this year will join the 18 major projects that have already opened to traffic since April 2015. A further 16 are presently in construction. Those which have already opened in Yorkshire and the North East region include the A160/A180 Port of Immingham improvement and the A1 Coal House to Metro Centre improvement in Gateshead which helped reduce congestion and provide opportunities for development in the region. Three smart motorway schemes on the M1 in west and south Yorkshire are also fully operational.

There will be consultation forms and brochures available online and at locations open to the public from 8 February 2018. These can be handed in at the events or sent to the freepost address provided on the form.

Further information about the proposals and full details of the consultation brochure deposit locations are available from the scheme webpage.

General enquiries

Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.

Media enquiries

Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.