Month: August 2018

UK’s commitment to back Britain’s world class aid organisations in the event of a “no deal”

The International Development Secretary, Penny Mordaunt, has today (Thursday 23 August) made a commitment
to stand by and protect Britain’s world class aid organisations in the unlikely event that we reach March 2019 without agreeing a deal with the EU.

The European Commission (EC) currently requires UK aid organisations to prove at application stage that they are able to fund the delivery of humanitarian contracts should there be a no deal scenario. The vast majority of organisations are unable to make such a financial commitment up front, and so are being discouraged from applying.

British organisations play a leading role in life-saving aid programmes across the world.

To ensure this continues post March 2019, DFID will fund the cost of any new programme led by a UK aid organisation currently funded from the core budget of the EU’s humanitarian and civil protection agency (ECHO).

International Development Secretary, Penny Mordaunt said:

“I am pleased to give our world class British NGOs a firm commitment that the UK Government will help them overcome the difficulties that they have been facing.

“Aid delivered well has the power to change lives; this is what the UK does best and I will do all that I can to ensure that British aid organisations continue to play a leading role in helping some of the world’s most disadvantaged people.

“It is in everyone’s best interests that we reach an agreement going forward on our future relationship with the EU on development. An effective partnership will enable the UK and EU to jointly help the poorest and most vulnerable people.”

Today’s commitment from DFID will provide reassurance to UK aid organisations that they can bid for EC funding without potentially incurring additional financial risk. Support will be provided from funding that would otherwise have been channelled through the EU

Ms Mordaunt has written to UK NGOs to confirm her funding commitment.

The letter states: “I am pleased to announce the Government’s commitment to support UK aid organisations from additional financial liabilities as a result of “no deal’ planning currently being undertaken by ECHO. This contingency plan would apply in the event that ECHO terminates funding to UK organisations when we leave the EU.

“I understand the difficulties you and your colleagues have experienced over recent months in applying for EU funding – funding for which you remain legally entitled to bid – and the frustrations you have faced in delivering the high-quality programming for which British development organisations are renowned. It is in neither the EU’s nor the UK’s interest that organisations which are best-placed are prevented from delivering our programmes.

“The UK wants to be a good development partner to the EU, now and in the future. We share a common goal of delivering excellent development outcomes for the world’s poorest. I am clear in my personal commitment to support UK organisations – the best in the world – to deliver on this common goal.”

Last month, the UK separately received important reassurances from the EU that UK aid organisations would not be discriminated against when bidding for contracts to deliver aid to refugees in Turkey.

Ms Mordaunt said she was pleased at these “reassurances” which relate to funding from the Facility for Refugees in Turkey.

At last month’s International Development Committee Ms Mordaunt highlighted the unfair contracts saying: “We are clear that the European Commission must remove these disclaimers it is using to hinder British aid organisations from delivering the common goal of alleviating poverty which would hit the world’s poorest people hardest.”

A man who drunkenly robbed a victim in his home, threatening him with a kitchen knife, has had his sentence increased after it was referred to the Court of Appeal for being too low.

On 8 May 2017, Daniel Rushworth, 45, threatened to stab and ‘slice up’ the victim in his home with a large kitchen knife, holding it to his throat and hitting him over the head with its handle, breaking it.

Rushworth and another man, who were drunk at the time, stole the victim’s mobile phone and tablet computer before demanding he give them money. The victim agreed to take them to the bank and, on the way, fortunately managed to escape and report the offence at the police station.

In June, Rushworth was sentenced at Norwich Crown Court, where he received 2 years imprisonment suspended for 2 years. He was also required to undertake alcohol treatment and drug rehabilitation, as well as supervision. Today, after the hearing, the Court of Appeal sentenced him to 4 years 5 months immediate imprisonment.

Speaking after the hearing, Attorney General Geoffrey Cox QC MP said:

“Rushworth’s threatening and aggressive actions caused his victim both physical and emotional harm. I am satisfied that justice has now been done and seen to be done by those who have suffered at his hands.”

The patient was initially admitted to a hospital in Leeds and was transferred to Royal Liverpool Hospital, an expert respiratory infectious disease centre, where they are stable and receiving appropriate treatment.

The patient is a resident of the Middle East, where they are believed to have contracted the infection, before travelling to the UK.

While this is a serious infection for the individual, the risk of transmission to the general population from this case is very low.

MERS-CoV (the virus that causes MERS) can be spread when someone is in close contact with a patient for a sustained period of time. This means there is a very low risk to the general population of becoming ill.

This is the fifth case of MERS diagnosed in England, with previous cases diagnosed in 2012 to 2013.

As a precautionary measure, PHE experts are working closely with NHS colleagues to advise them on infection control measures. They will be contacting people who might have been in close contact with the individual to monitor their symptoms and provide health advice. This will include contacting a number of passengers who travelled in close proximity to the patient on the same flight to the UK.

People without symptoms are not considered infectious but, as a precaution, those who have been in close proximity will be contacted and monitored to ensure that if they do become unwell they can be treated quickly.

If people show symptoms of MERS after travelling to the Middle East, our advice remains unchanged and they should contact health services through the usual routes – by calling their GP or NHS 111.

Typically MERS symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath.

Healthcare professionals are advised to remain vigilant for severe unexplained respiratory illness occurring in anyone who has recently travelled into the UK from the Middle East, particularly in light of increased travel associated with the Hajj.

Dr Jenny Harries, Deputy Medical Director at PHE, said:

A patient in hospital in Liverpool is being treated for Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (Mers-CoV) infection. The patient is thought to have contracted the infection whilst in the Middle East before travelling to the UK.

Public Health England is following up those who have had close and sustained contact with the patient to offer advice and to monitor them as necessary.

It is important to emphasise that although a case has been identified, the overall risk of disease transmission to the public is very low.

As we’ve seen in previous cases, we have well established and robust infection control procedures for dealing with cases of imported infectious disease and these will be strictly followed to minimise the risk of transmission.

Background

1. No further details about the patient will be provided due to patient confidentiality.
2. The patient was first assessed, diagnosed and treated at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust before being transferred to the specialist unit in Liverpool. The NHS will not issue daily condition checks. An update will only be provided if there is a significant change to the patient’s condition.
3. The patient travelled on Saudi Arabian Airlines flight (number SV123) on 16 August 2018. Aircraft recycle and filter the air in the cabin and this is why contact tracing is usually restricted to 3 rows in front and 3 behind the case. If you have not been contacted then you are not considered at risk.
4. The total number of laboratory confirmed cases detected in the UK is now 5: the current case, 2 imported from the Middle East in 2012 to 13 and 2 as a result of onward transmission from one of the cases whilst in the UK. General travel health advice for travellers going to the Middle East is available from NaTHNaC’s website TravelHealthPro.
5. MERS guidance issued by PHE for clinicians can be accessed from the: Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV): clinical management and guidance.
6. Health advice posters are available here on the PHE website.
7. Typically MERS symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath. Pneumonia is common, but not always present. Gastrointestinal symptoms, including diarrhoea, have also been reported.

Since the announcement of the merger on 30 April, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has been gathering the information needed to start its formal investigation. It will now begin the first phase (known as Phase 1) of its detailed assessment into how the deal could affect competition for UK shoppers.

The CMA’s investigation will consider whether the deal could lead to less choice, and therefore higher prices or worse quality services, across the range of products sold by both businesses. As well as being major retailers of groceries, both in-store and online, Sainsbury’s and Asda also compete to sell goods such as fuel, electricals, toys and clothing.

The CMA will also look at whether the merged company could use its increased buyer power to squeeze suppliers and whether this could have potential knock-on effects for shoppers – for example, through suppliers being less able to innovate or having to charge higher prices to stores that compete with the merged company.

Andrea Coscelli, chief executive of the CMA, said:

About £190 billion is spent each year on food and groceries in the UK so it’s vital to find out if the millions of people who shop in supermarkets could lose out as a result of this deal.

We will carry out a thorough investigation to find out if this merger could lead to higher prices or a worse quality of service for shoppers and will not allow it to go ahead unless any concerns we find are fully dealt with.

Sainsbury’s and Asda have asked the CMA to move more quickly to the in-depth (Phase 2) part of the inquiry through a ‘fast-track’ process.

In most merger cases, a full Phase 1 investigation is needed to determine whether a deal can be cleared or whether further scrutiny is required. However, merging companies can ask for the CMA’s review of the deal to be moved more quickly to Phase 2 where it is clear from an early stage that the deal requires an in-depth investigation.

The CMA expects to accept this request unless it receives any valid objections to the use of the fast-track process.

The CMA is now inviting views by 31 August on how the merger could affect competition. This follows the preliminary invitation to comment launched at the start of the information gathering period. Further opportunities to submit views will also be provided during the Phase 2 investigation.

All information relating to the investigation is available on the Sainsbury’s / Asda page.

Notes to Editors

1. The CMA is the UK’s primary competition and consumer authority. It is an independent non-ministerial government department with responsibility for carrying out investigations into mergers, markets and the regulated industries and enforcing competition and consumer law. For CMA updates, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
2. Under the Enterprise Act 2002 (the Act) the CMA has a duty to make a reference to Phase 2 if the CMA believes that it is or may be the case that a relevant merger situation has been created, or arrangements are in progress or in contemplation which, if carried into effect, will result in the creation of a relevant merger situation; and the creation of that situation has resulted, or may be expected to result, in a substantial lessening of competition within any market or markets in the United Kingdom for goods or services.
3. Media enquiries to the CMA should be directed to press@cma.gov.uk or 020 3738 6460.

Yesterday’s announcement of plans to construct over 1,000 units on the West Bank, and last week’s tendering for 1,100 more, continues policies that are rightly condemned internationally. The UK echoes this condemnation today.

Settlements are illegal under international law and remain one of the obstacles to a viable two state solution.

I call on Israel to halt such counterproductive action, and for all parties to commit to further efforts to de-escalate current tensions and create the right environment for a just and lasting peace.

Three people from Teesside have been fined a total of almost £1,500 after Environment Agency officers on Bank Holiday boat patrol with Cleveland Police caught them fishing illegally.

Maria Blyth, 30, and Adam Wakefield, 33, of Newtown Avenue in Stockton, were both fined a total of £270 and ordered to pay costs of £127.47 and a victim surcharge of £30 for fishing without a licence, fishing during the coarse fishing close season, and using bait prohibited during the close season.

In a separate case Thomas Stocker, 25, of Laurel Road in Stockton, was fined £440 and ordered to pay costs of £127.47 and a victim surcharge of £30 for fishing during the coarse fishing close season, and using bait prohibited during the close season.

Their cases were proved in their absence at Hull Magistrates’ Court on 9 August.

On Bank Holiday weekend, Saturday 5 May, Environment Agency Fisheries Enforcement Officers were on boat patrol with Cleveland Police on the River Tees, upstream of the Tees Barrage, when they saw Blyth and Wakefield fishing at Bowesfield.

They saw Stocker fishing separately on the same stretch of river.

The fishing close season prevents fishing for coarse fish for 3 months to give the fish a chance to breed. It runs from 15 March to 15 June inclusive.

Regular partnership work

David Shears, from the Environment Agency’s Fisheries Enforcement Team in the North East, said:

These boat patrols are part of the regular partnership work we do with the police to combat both rural and urban fisheries and other environmental crime.

Combining forces in this way allows us to target crime effectively and efficiently in locations where land-based patrols don’t allow for easy access.

The majority of anglers, who fish legally, rightly demand that we take action to catch offenders. This is another example of how working with our partners results in successful court action.

The Environment Agency urges people to report illegal fishing as quickly as possible by calling the incident hotline on 0800 80 70 60.

Anyone who wants to go fishing needs to buy a fishing licence. A full annual licence costs from just £30 (short term and some concessionary licences are also available) and are available online

The Charity Commission has announced that it has appointed an Interim Manager to the Essex Islamic Academy, also known as Ripple Road Mosque.

The Commission has been investigating the charity since October 2017. The inquiry was announced in March of this year, after the conviction of Umar Ahmed Haque for preparing terrorist acts whilst employed at the charity; Mr Haque had previously pleaded guilty to disseminating terrorist material to children who attended the charity’s madrassah.

As part of its inquiry, the Commission is considering how Mr Haque was able to attempt to radicalise children, and what the trustees and others at the charity knew about this. The inquiry is also examining the level of supervision, due diligence and oversight the charity had over Mr Haque, and its adherence to safeguarding policies and procedures.

The Commission appointed Mr Jonathan Burchfield of Stone King LLP as Interim Manager (IM) on 8 June 2018 under section 76(3)(g) of the Charities Act 2011. The IM’s role is to implement safeguarding procedures, ensure all current trustees, relevant staff and relevant volunteers have understood safeguarding procedures and completed relevant training, and review the charity’s government document, and its financial controls and policies.

The IM assumes these duties at the exclusion of the charity’s trustees; however the latter retain control over the day-to-day running of the charity.

The Commission’s investigation continues.

It is the Commission’s intention, in accordance with its policy, to publish a report after it has concluded the inquiry, detailing what issues the inquiry looked at, what actions were undertaken and what the outcome was.

Reports of previous inquiries by the Commission are available on GOV.UK.

Notes to Editors

1. The Charity Commission is the regulator of charities in England and Wales.
2. The IM appointment is a temporary and protective power that will be reviewed at regular intervals. It will continue until the Commission makes a further Order for its variation or discharge.