Month: May 2018

The Crown Court is the first in the country to pilot new software that will streamline and speed up hearings, helping to avoid unnecessary delays in the courtroom. The new system is key to delivering a more effective, efficient and high performing courts service as part of the government’s reform agenda which allows Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS), the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and police files to be shared between agencies in one easy to access database.

In Liverpool, the pilot was established with the close co-operation of Merseyside Police, Mersey Cheshire CPS and HMCTS and lessons learnt during user testing will play a vital part in its wider adoption.

Justice minister Lucy Frazer said:

Liverpool courts have been at the forefront of cutting edge technology to improve efficiency, speed up justice and provide value for money for the taxpayer.

I was delighted to see for myself the progress being made towards the modernisation of our justice system, which will make our courts fit for the digital age.

Minister Frazer spent the day at Liverpool Magistrates and Crown Court, as well as the Civil and Family court where she met court staff and the judiciary, and, in addition to the Common Operating Platform, was able to see a live demonstration of a second digital system designed to record sentences in real time.

Results of 18,000 cases a week are uploaded using the Digital Mark Up, which went live at every magistrates’ court across England and Wales in May, and allows a legal advisor to immediately record the outcome of a hearing, ensuring swift justice. This eliminates the need for a lengthy paper process, and means results can be shared immediately with the CPS and police, therefore freeing up staff to concentrate on the most important matters.

The minister also spent time in the Merseyside Centralised Domestic Violence Court – a dedicated court dealing with all cases of domestic abuse at their first hearing in the magistrates’ court as swiftly and sensitively as possible, lessening the impact on the victim.

Today’s digital demonstrations follow earlier advances in 2015 which saw Liverpool Magistrates’ and Crown Courts integrated into a single centre for crime – the first of its scale in England and Wales, and the early adoption of the Digital Case System in the Crown Court. This system enables the judiciary and other parties in Liverpool to prepare, present and share case papers in a digital format, thereby reducing delays.

The Government is investing £1 billion in reforming and modernising courts, which has already delivered:

• A fully paperless system in conjunction with Transport for London – which means thousands of cases involving fare evasion are dealt with more swiftly and effectively.
• An online system which enables court staff to prepare case files and access them digitally in a courtroom during a hearing – saving 68 million pages of paper.
• The ability for those convicted of minor motoring offences to make their initial plea online. 1500 pleas are dealt with online every week. Court staff and the police automatically receive the completed online plea form as soon as the defendant has submitted it, reducing delays.

In the civil courts people can now:

• Make a small money claim online – with over 3,000 claims issued in the first month, cases moving through more quickly, and user satisfaction over 80% during the pre-launch pilot.
• Apply for a divorce online – which has cut errors in application forms from 40% to less than 1%, saving people time and trouble during a traumatic time.
• Apply for probate online – which has also cut errors, speeds up the process, and has a satisfaction rate of more than 90%.

The Department for Work and Pensions has announced that Sir Hector Sants has been appointed as chair of the Single Financial Guidance Body. He will take up the post from 3 October 2018 for a 5 year term.

Work and Pensions Secretary, Esther McVey, said:

Consistent with the Public Appointments Code and following a fair and open competition, I welcome Sir Hector Sants as the first chair of the Single Financial Guidance Body. He will play a pivotal role and lead on improving financial capability across Great Britain.

Sir Hector brings with him vast experience and knowledge from across a range of private and third sector organisations, including how best to support people with problem debt and build wider financial capability. I and my department look forward to working with him.

Sir Hector Sants said:

I am delighted to be appointed chair of the Single Financial Guidance Body. This is an important leadership role with 2 key challenges. In the short-term the dissolution of the 3 existing government sponsored guidance providers and the transition to a single financial guidance body, longer term the new organisation has the opportunity to materially help people better manage their money and in consequence enhance their wellbeing. I look forward to working with the new Board and the executive team to take forward this exciting and important mandate.

More information

Since retiring from full-time work Sir Hector Sants’ focus has been on working to help people manage their money as well as circumstances allow, and promoting a fairer financial system which works for everyone. This reflects his belief that being able to manage money well is an essential life skill.

He is currently chairman of StepChange Debt Charity, the UK’s biggest debt advice charity. He is also a trustee of Just Finance, a charity which collaborates with the Church of England to promote a fairer financial system, and a member of the UK’s Financial Capability Board.

Between 1977 and 2014 he had an executive career in financial services and regulation, which included serving as the CEO of the Financial Services Authority from 2007 to 2012, European CEO of Credit Suisse and a partner of stockbrokers Phillips & Drew.

Remuneration during the set-up phase is £80,000 for a minimum of 21 hours a week. Time commitment will be reviewed once the organisation is in a steady state.

Sir Hector’s appointment follows an open and competitive process which was overseen by The Office for the Commissioner of Public Appointments.

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A bank holiday weekend blitz to check anglers were fishing legally saw bailiffs net 14 people for offences on rivers and stillwaters across the North East.

A total of 14 anglers out of 389 checked were found to be in breach of rod licence and close season legislation and were reported for it.

Environment Agency Fisheries Enforcement Officers visited 80 waters across the North East from the Borders in the north down to North Yorkshire in the south.

It brings the total number of first time rod licence checks to 650 during May, with 37 offence reports issued.
Kevin Summerson, Environment Agency Fisheries Technical Specialist, said:

Our officers were out in force this weekend patrolling our rivers and stillwaters ensuring people were fishing legally and taking action against those flouting the law.

People who don’t buy a licence are not only cheating other anglers and the future of the sport but they are running the risk of a criminal conviction and a fine. There is no excuse.

Intelligence-led patrols

The Environment Agency acts on information received to target their patrols to areas where its suspected illegal fishing is taking place. They work with partners at the police and local angling clubs, supported by the Angling Trust, to gather intelligence.

Just last week, Three men were ordered to pay fines and costs totalling more than £1,300 for poaching with illegal fishing nets in the River Derwent in Gateshead. Kevin added:

We track criminal activity on an intelligence led basis using information gathered by ourselves, partner organisations and reports from the public.

Anyone fishing illegally can expect to be prosecuted and face a fine. I’d urge people to report illegal fishing to us so we can investigate.

All income from rod licence sales is used to fund Environment Agency work to protect and improve fish stocks and fisheries, including improving habitats for fish and facilities for anglers, tackling illegal fishing and working with partners to encourage people to give fishing a go.

Buying a rod licence is quick and easy – they start from just £30 for the year and are free for 13-16 year olds. Under 13s do not need a licence. You can buy them online

A Downing Street spokesperson said:

Prime Minister Theresa May spoke with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on the phone this morning. She congratulated him on his recent appointment and said that the UK firmly supported his reform and reconciliation efforts.

The Prime Minister thanked Prime Minister Ahmed for the release of prisoners including British national Andargachew Tsege.

They discussed the importance of development assistance, including the support the UK provides to bolster education, economic reform, industrialisation, anti-corruption and job creation in Ethiopia.

They also discussed how the two countries could deepen their trade links, and touched on how the UK’s expertise in infrastructure and financing could support Ethiopia’s economic development agenda.

Today I briefed a number of Ambassadors from State Parties to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

We recognised that the global norm against chemical weapons use is being threatened. The United Kingdom is working alongside our partner states to strengthen the OPCW’s existing mechanisms.

We welcome strong initial support from the international community in response to our request for a Conference of State Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention in June. We are confident that states will recognise this threat – that respects no borders – and act in defence of human dignity.

I look forward to further close cooperation with our international partners. We can prevent impunity for the use of chemical weapons, but only by acting together.