Author: Pulse Assent

Euro Contracts Services Limited was incorporated in 2004 by Shakil Ahmed, 61 from Slough, providing manual labourers to a farm in Hertfordshire.

The company operated much like a recruitment service, where the farm paid a fee for the supply of workers before Euro Contracts Services paid the labourers while taking a percentage for administrative costs.

The first investigation by HMRC into Euro Contracts Services took place in 2009 and they found that the farm labourers had not been paid the national minimum wage, losing out on close to £69,000.

In this instance, Euro Contracts Services paid the correct remuneration to the farm labourers but then deducted the costs of transporting the workers to the farm. This meant their pay packets were below the national minimum wage.

Shakil Ahmed corrected this underpayment but it was not the last time he would cheat his workers as two years later, HMRC carried out another investigation.

This time, HMRC found that between August 2010 and January 2011 Euro Contracts Services had paid 246 employees below the minimum wage to the tune of more than £110,000.

Shakil Ahmed launched an appeal against HMRC’s findings but this was dismissed in the courts. However, unlike last time when Shakil Ahmed corrected the underpayment, the money owed to the workers was not paid, leading HMRC in December 2015 to lodge a claim against Euro Contracts Services to recover the money owed.

Unfortunately, the money remained unpaid and a month before a full hearing had been set for September 2016, Euro Contracts Services entered Creditors Voluntary Liquidation meaning money owed to the employees was not paid.

The Secretary of State has since accepted a disqualification undertaking from Shakil Ahmed after he admitted that he had failed to ensure that Euro Contracts Services Limited complied with its obligations to pay the National Minimum Wage Act. His ban is effective from 22 May 2018 and lasts for seven years.

Dave Elliott, Head of Insolvent Investigations (Midlands & West) for the Insolvency Service said:

The fact that Shakil Ahmed was investigated on two separate occasions, shows that this was not the case of administrative error but a wilful act on his behalf.

Shakil Ahmed fully deserves his ban after cheating his workers out of what was rightfully theirs and this should serve as a warning to other directors that they have a duty to comply with regulations or else be banned from running companies for a long time.

Notes to editors

Director Shakil Ahmed is of Slough and his date of birth is 26/07/1956.

Company Euro Contracts Services Limited (Company Reg no.05192572).

Shakil Ahmed offered an undertaking to the Secretary of State which was accepted on 01 May 2018.

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 administers the insolvency regime, investigating all compulsory liquidations and individual insolvencies (bankruptcies) through the Official Receiver to establish why they became insolvent. It may also use powers under the Companies Act 1985 to conduct confidential fact-finding investigations into the activities of live limited companies in the UK. In addition, the agency authorises and regulates the insolvency profession, deals with disqualification of directors in corporate failures, 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

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The Code of Conduct for MPs should be changed to state that outside interests, whether paid or unpaid, should not compromise their principal role as an MP, according to a new report published today by the independent Committee on Standards in Public Life.

Launching the report, Chair of the Committee, Lord (Paul) Bew said:

The evidence we received for this review demonstrates that there is a wide spectrum of views, both amongst the public and MPs, as well as those who regulate standards for MPs. We also heard convincing arguments about the importance of individual MPs retaining the flexibility to perform their roles in the way they choose, and of Parliament being open to a wide a range of people from different backgrounds and professions.

When we last looked at this issue in our report on MPs’ expenses in 2009 (link), the Committee recommended a balance: that MPs should be able to undertake paid employment, providing that these activities remain within reasonable limits, and that there was transparency. At that time, there was consensus between the parties on this settlement but it is regrettable that the recommendations made then have not been fully implemented by Parliament, MPs and Government.

A majority of MPs do not hold remunerated outside interests, and a number of MPs hold outside interests which would be considered within ‘reasonable limits’. However, where a small number of individuals have taken up outside interests beyond what might be considered reasonable, it risks undermining trust in Parliament and Parliamentarians. We are therefore recommending a package of important reforms to address issues concerning MPs’ capacity to fulfil their Parliamentary duties and responsibilities to their constituents and to mitigate the potential for undue influence on our political system.

To demonstrate high standards, Parliament needs to be more transparent with the public about the registration and declaration of interests. The Register of Members’ Financial Interests must be more accessible, searchable and usable. Voters should know what outside interests Parliamentary candidates intend to hold if they are elected. The Code of Conduct for MPs should be clarified to state that any MP’s interests outside the House should not compromise their principal role as MPs. We also recommend that MPs should not undertake outside employment as Parliamentary strategists, advisers or consultants and that the rules on lobbying need to be clearer.

Foremost, MPs themselves should continually demonstrate leadership and integrity, considering how any outside interests might impact on their work in the legislature and be prepared to be fully open and honest with the public about any outside interests they choose to hold.

In line with the Committee’s Code of Practice, the three members of the Committee nominated by the political parties did not take part in formulating the recommendations made in this report. Indeed, they may not necessarily agree with every aspect. We are, however, grateful to our political colleagues for sharing their knowledge and advice on Parliamentary life.

My first report as Chair of this Committee recommended strengthening transparency around lobbying; my final report demonstrates that this continues to be an issue of public concern. As I complete my 5-year term, it is clear that Lord Nolan’s principles remain the cornerstone of ethical standards in public life..

Notes to Editors
1. Interview requests and media enquiries should go to Maggie O’Boyle on 07880 740627.

1. The independent Committee on Standards in Public Life advises the Prime Minister on ethical standards across the whole of public life in the UK. It monitors and reports on issues relating to the standards of conduct of all public office holders.
2. Lord Bew wrote to the Prime Minister on 23 March 2017 outlining the terms of reference for this review. The Committee published a consultation and invited submissions from anyone with an interest in these issues. The Committee held a roundtable discussion, focus groups and commissioned research as part of its evidence-gathering process. Summaries of the roundtable and correspondence received are available online.
3. The current members of the Committee are: Lord (Paul) Bew, Chairman, Rt Hon Dame Margaret Beckett DBE MP (Labour), Simon Hart MP (Conservative), Dr Jane Martin CBE, Dame Shirley Pearce DBE, Jane Ramsey, Monisha Shah and Rt Hon Lord (Andrew) Stunell OBE (Liberal Democrat). In line with the Committee’s Code of Practice the three political members did not take part in the conclusions or recommendations made in this report.
4. You can follow the Committee on twitter @PublicStandards.

• action plan responds to the largest national survey of LGBT people in the world
• government to end conversion therapy as survey shows 2% of respondents have undergone conversion therapy, and a further 5% have been offered it
• plan includes over 70 commitments, including appointing a national adviser to reduce inequality for LGBT people
• government pledges £4.5million of funding to deliver the plan

The Government will eradicate the abhorrent practice of conversion therapy in the UK as part of a new 75-point action plan, published today (Tuesday 3 July), to tackle discrimination and improve the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in the UK.

The LGBT Action Plan will be published alongside the results of the largest national survey of LGBT people ever undertaken. The survey, which had over 108,000 respondents, shows LGBT people are experiencing prejudice on a daily basis.

More than two in three of those who participated in the survey said they avoided holding hands with a same-sex partner in public for fear of a negative reaction, while 23% said people at work had reacted negatively to them being LGBT and over half of those who accessed or tried to access mental health services said they had to wait too long.

Prime Minister Theresa May said:

We can be proud that the UK is a world leader in advancing LGBT rights, but the overwhelming response to our survey has shone a light on the many areas where we can improve the lives of LGBT people.

was struck by just how many respondents said they cannot be open about their sexual orientation or avoid holding hands with their partner in public for fear of a negative reaction. No one should ever have to hide who they are or who they love.

This LGBT action plan will set out concrete steps to deliver real and lasting change across society, from health and education to tackling discrimination and addressing the burning injustices that LGBT people face.

The action plan – announced today in response to the survey results – will include a £4.5m fund to address inequality and support the delivery of actions in the plan in areas including health, education, personal safety and the workplace. It says the Government will, among other actions:

• bring forward proposals to eradicate conversion therapy, as 2% of respondents had undergone and 5% had been offered conversion therapy. We will consider all legislative and non-legislative options to prohibit promoting, offering or conducting conversion therapy
• appoint a national LGBT health adviser, as one in five trans respondents said that their specific needs had been ignored or not taken into account. The adviser will focus on reducing the heath inequalities that LGBT people face, and ways to improve the care LGBT people receive when accessing the NHS and public health services
• work with the police to improve the response to LGBT hate incidents, as two in five respondents had experienced them, with more than nine in 10 of the most serious incidents going unreported. A refreshed Hate Crime Action Plan will include measures to improve the awareness and skills of police officers and staff to respond to the needs of hate crime victims – including LGBT victims
• support LGBT students and teachers to improve diversity and tolerance in educational settings, as 19% of respondents had experienced verbal harassment, insults or other hurtful comments in education. We will invest in programmes that tackle homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying in schools, and ensure that the new subjects of Relationships Education, and Relationships and Sex Education will support all pupils, whatever their developing sexual orientation or gender identity.

Minister for Women and Equalities Penny Mordaunt said:

Everyone in this country should feel safe and happy to be who they are, and to love who they love, without judgement or fear.

I am incredibly proud of the UK’s global leadership on LGBT equality and the fact that this is the largest survey of its kind, but many of the results are very disturbing.

It’s unacceptable that people feel they cannot hold hands with their partner in public, and that they are unable to walk down the street without fear of abuse. It is also deeply worrying that LGBT people experience difficulty accessing public services such as healthcare, and that so many are being offered the abhorrent practise of conversion therapy.

This Government has done much to promote a diverse, tolerant society and supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people – but it is clear we have more to do.

Our Action Plan is a step towards everyone – regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity or sex characteristics – being able to live safe, happy and healthy lives where they can be themselves without fear of discrimination. It will mark a culture change to allow LGBT people to feel respected at every level of society.

The ground-breaking new plan will tackle some of the biggest issues facing LGBT people of different ages in the UK today, including: understanding the scale of LGBT abuse online; improving mental healthcare for LGBT people with a focus on suicide prevention; combating homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying in schools, and increasing awareness of the services available for LGBT victims of sexual assault and domestic abuse.

Ruth Hunt, Chief Executive of Stonewall, said:

These findings reflect what many LGBT people already know, that there’s still a long way to go until we reach full equality.

The simple act of holding hands is something all same-sex couples do with a high degree of caution. Attitudes have changed but there are still pockets of society where we’re far from safe.

We’re really pleased that the Government is listening to the thousands upon thousands of LGBT people who responded to this survey and are investing funds in areas where LGBT people face some of the harsher inequalities, such as health care.

We now need people in all of Britain’s communities to also come out for LGBT equality and to stand up against the hate and abuse we face daily. Our recent research has shown that LGBT people who are also discriminated against due to their faith, race or disability experience alarming levels of abuse, from across all sectors of society, including within LGBT communities. We all have a part to play in creating a society where every lesbian, gay, bi and trans person is accepted without exception.

In addition to dealing with the issues facing LGBT people in the UK, the action plan has an international element to help defend the rights of LGBT people globally. The UK continues to be recognised as one of the best countries in Europe for LGBT rights by the International Lesbian, Gay Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) Europe, and the action plan will further cement that reputation. The Government has promised to deliver an international conference with governments and civil society groups focusing on how to progress LGBT equality, and to provide funding to promote LGBT equality worldwide.

Paul Martin OBE, Chief Executive at LGBT Foundation, said:

We worked closely with the Government Equalities Office to help develop the National LGBT Survey and we encouraged as many LGBT people as possible to respond.

We are delighted that the Government has listened. The proposed Action Plan outlines the concrete steps it will take to address some of the challenges still facing LGBT communities in this country.

LGBT people continue to face significant health inequalities and we welcome the Government’s commitment to tackling these through the appointment of an LGBT Health Adviser.

We hope that today’s plan is a clear statement of the Government’s commitment to work in partnership with the LGBT charity sector to achieve a fair and equal society where all lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people can achieve their full potential.

Notes to editors

• statistics relating to workplace, health, incidents and education typically refer to respondents’ experiences in the 12 months preceding the survey.
• the LGBT survey was launched in July 2017