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Press release: Commonwealth countries unite to tackle ocean plastic pollution

Four more countries have signed up to UK and Vanuatu-led efforts to tackle ocean plastic, announced Environment Minister Thérèse Coffey today as she hosted the first meeting of the Commonwealth Clean Oceans Alliance (CCOA).

The Alliance, which was announced by the Prime Minister during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London (16-18 April), aims to unite countries around the Commonwealth so they can work together to turn the tide on plastic entering the marine environment. It sees each country pledging to take action – be this by a ban on microbeads, a commitment to cutting down on single use plastic bags, or other steps to eliminate avoidable plastic waste.

Three months on, Australia, Fiji, Kenya and St Lucia have now formally joined the Alliance and will sit alongside New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Ghana to create a nine-strong coalition in the fight against plastic pollution.

High Commissioners from over 30 Commonwealth countries, including Tanzania and Nigeria who have not formally signed up to the Alliance, met in London today to share the ambitions and expertise they have and reiterate their commitment to healthy oceans.

The meeting was chaired by Environment Minister Thérèse Coffey where she highlighted the UK’s global leadership on ocean conservation and updated on action taken under our 25 Year Environment Plan.

Environment Minister Thérèse Coffey said:

Marine plastics pollution is one of the greatest environmental challenges facing the world today, requiring a truly global approach to developing a solution.

By joining together the expertise and ambitions of the Commonwealth countries, we can make huge strides towards eliminating all single use plastic from our oceans. I thoroughly enjoyed hearing from other countries on how they are approaching this challenge, and look forward to seeing what difference we can make together.

Minster Coffey also outlined the assistance available from the UK to support Commonwealth countries through the £61.4million Commonwealth Oceans Plastic Package, as announced by the Prime Minister at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London earlier this year.

Included in the package is a £25million Marine Plastics Research and Innovation Framework, to help researchers approach the scourge of marine plastic waste from a scientific, technical, economic and social perspective.

More details were also revealed about the Global Plastics Action Partnership, a Defra-funded £2.4million project linked to CCOA to tackle global plastic pollution in rivers, deltas and oceans. Three initial projects will be launched as part of the public-private project in hotspots around the world; in Southeast Asia, West Africa and a Small Island Developing State.

The UK Government continues to lead the way in tackling plastic, with one of the world’s strongest bans on microbeads introduced last month and 9 billion fewer bags distributed thanks to the 5p plastic bag charge. Environment Secretary Michael Gove has also outlined ambitious plans to end the sale of plastic straws, stirrers and cotton buds and introduce a deposit return scheme, subject to consultation.

Link: Press release: Commonwealth countries unite to tackle ocean plastic pollution
Source: Gov Press Releases

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Press release: New Charity Investigation: Darul Uloom School London

The Charity Commission, the independent regulator of charities in England and Wales, has opened a statutory inquiry into Darul Uloom School London over concerns about potential misconduct and mismanagement at the charity. The inquiry was opened on 15 June 2018.

The charity’s object is for the advancement of education and religion in accordance with the tenets and doctrines of Islam. The charity provides Islamic and national curriculum education to children and young people.

The Commission received a serious incident report from the charity after police arrested one of the charity’s trustees, and seized weapons and cash held at the charity’s premises. The individual was also a teacher and designated safeguarding lead at the school. The Commission therefore, immediately after opening the inquiry, exercised its powers under section 76(3)(a), suspending the individual as trustee, officer and agent of the charity. A second individual, also a trustee and headteacher at the school, was also arrested.

On 13 June the Secretary of State submitted a complaint to Westminster Magistrates Court under section 120(1)(b) of the Education and Skills Act 2008 for an order that the school be removed from the register of independent schools – the consequence of which is that it would no longer be able to operate. A hearing took place on 15 June and was adjourned until 22 June where a settlement between the Department for Education and the charity was reached.

The scope of the inquiry will include:

  • the management and oversight of the charity by the trustees – including the financial management of the charity and whether conflicts of interest are being properly identified and managed by the trustees
  • the conduct of the arrested individuals

The Commission continues to work with the Metropolitan Police, the DfE and Bromley Council in whose authority the independent school, operated by the charity, resides. It is the Commission’s policy, after it has concluded an inquiry, to publish a report detailing what issues the inquiry looked at, what actions were undertaken as part of the inquiry and what the outcomes were.

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. To find out more about our work see the about us page on GOV.UK.
  2. Search for charities on our check charity tool.
  3. Section 46 of the Charities Act 2011 gives the Commission the power to institute inquiries. The opening of an inquiry gives the commission access to a range of investigative, protective and remedial legal powers.

Press office

Link: Press release: New Charity Investigation: Darul Uloom School London
Source: Gov Press Releases

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Press release: Click to accept jury service in an instant

Potential jurors can now confirm their availability, request a different date, or authorise someone else to respond for them online, meaning they no longer have to fill out and post cumbersome paper forms.

The new “Juror Digital” system marks another step forward in the modernisation of our courts system. And we already know it works – results of a pilot scheme showed almost a fifth (19%) of the 12,000 jurors who tested the system responded within seven days, compared to a mere one per cent when using the old paper form.

Justice Minister Lucy Frazer said:

It makes complete sense to move more of our court processes online to fit around our busy modern lives.

This impressive new system is a great example of how we are making it quicker and easier for people to exercise their democratic duty.

We’ve already made it possible for people to apply for a divorce, appeal a tax bill and make a small money claim online and this is the next common sense step to continue modernising our justice system.

As well as making the process easier for jurors, forms accepting a summons will be automatically uploaded to online court systems to save staff valuable time.

For those who struggle with technology the paper form is still available, and there is telephone support for anyone who needs help using the new system.

The Juror Digital scheme is the latest step in the government’s £1bn reform programme is designed to modernise the courts system and ensure it is fit for the 21st century.

Other examples of the government’s court reforms which are making access to justice easier for everyone include:

  • The roll out across England and Wales of a service which allows people to apply for a divorce online.
  • A new paperless system, in operation at Lavender Hill Magistrates’ Court, which means thousands of offenders caught dodging fares or using fraudulent tickets can now be punished more swiftly and effectively.
  • The launch of a new digital service which allows people to submit appeals over their tax bill entirely online.

Link: Press release: Click to accept jury service in an instant
Source: Gov Press Releases