Category: 0 Archive

Rt Hon Karen Bradley MP, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland said:

Both parties have conducted discussions seriously and in good faith.

While substantive progress towards an agreement has been made, it appears that this phase of talks has reached a conclusion.

I would urge everyone to reflect on the circumstances which have led to this and their positions, both now and in the future.

The position of the UK Government remains the same: devolved government is in the best interests of everyone in Northern Ireland and is best for the Union. I believe the basis for an accommodation still exists.

As the Prime Minister said during her visit on Monday, we are ready to bring forward legislation to enable an Executive to be formed.

We will continue to work with everyone to make sure we do deliver this. We now need to consider practical steps.

In the continued absence of an Executive, other challenging decisions will have to be taken by the UK Government.

I will update Parliament when the House returns from Recess next week.

The Digital Forum, led by a US interagency task force, brings together technology experts and community leaders to improve terrorism prevention activities.

Secretary Nielsen and Home Secretary Rudd released the following joint statement:

Over the past 2 days, we have had the opportunity to meet with tech industry leaders in Silicon Valley to discuss our shared fight against terrorist use of the internet. Terrorists utilize social media to radicalise and recruit individuals around the world. We want to expand understanding of violent radicalisation and terrorist recruitment so more people can identify it—and more importantly—prevent it. At the Digital Forum on terrorism prevention, credible community voices learned directly from startups, researchers, and the technology sector how to deliver messages to disrupt terrorist narratives.

While in California, we had the opportunity to meet with the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism. This group represents the first time major companies have come together to work on research and technology solutions to combat the exploitation of the internet by terrorists. These companies have made notable progress on fighting back against the threat, and we look forward to engaging with them to continue advancing concrete action that will make it harder for terrorists to reach our people.

We believe that, by combining the talents and resources of government, community organizations, researchers, and industry, we can combat terrorist use of the internet, and make our communities more resilient against radicalisation to violence.

The disqualification means that Alan Bertram (70) and his son, Mark Bertram (36), both from Newcastle, cannot control or manage a limited company without leave of the court.

Bespoke Orangeries Limited was incorporated on 8 June 2012 and Mark Bertram was appointed as a director.

But the company, which supplied and built orangeries, went into liquidation on 25 November 2014 owing at least £101,422 to its creditors.

Following the liquidation, the Insolvency Service conducted an investigation and found that Mark Bertram had allowed his father to act as a director of Bespoke Orangeries between October 2013 and November 2014.

However, this breached the restrictions of Alan Bertram’s three and a half-year disqualification, which began in March 2013 following the failure of Orangeries.com Ltd.

Further investigations found that between 22 April 2013 and 25 November 2014, Alan and Mark Bertram failed to pay around £43,000 worth of tax to HM Revenue and Customs, despite paying more than £56,000 to other creditors.

And Mark Bertram had also failed to maintain, preserve and deliver adequate accounting records for Bespoke Orangeries.

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

While Mark Bertram was the only registered director of Bespoke Orangeries, our investigation clearly showed that his father was also acting as a director and this was in direct breach of an earlier disqualification.

These lengthy bans for father and son send a clear message that if you breach disqualification orders or allow others to do so – even if it’s a family member – then we will investigate you and you could lose the protection of limited liability.

Alan Bertram signed a disqualification undertaking preventing him from acting as a company director for a period of 11 years with effect from 9 February 2018.

Mark Bertram signed a disqualification undertaking preventing him from acting as a company director for a period of 7 years with effect from 11 April 2017.

Notes to editors

Mr Alan Bertram’s date of birth is February 1947 and he resides in Newcastle Upon Tyne.

Mr Mark Bertram’s date of birth is June 1981 and he resides in Newcastle Upon Tyne.

Bespoke Orangeries Limited (CRO No. 08097875) was incorporated on 8 June 2012 and traded from Algernon Industrial Estate, New York Road, Shiremoor, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE27 0NB

Alan Bertram was not appointed as a director but was found to have acted as a director from at least 10 October 2013 to 25 November 2014 when the company went into liquidation. The estimated deficiency at the date of Liquidation was £101,422.

Mark Bertram was appointed as a director from 8 June 2012 to 25 November 2014 when the company went into liquidation. The estimated deficiency at the date of Liquidation was £101,422.

Mr Alan Bertram – specifics of disqualification undertaking

On 19 January 2018, the Secretary of State accepted a disqualification undertaking from Alan Bertram, effective from 9 February 2018, for a period of 11 years. The matters of unfitness, which Alan Bertram did not dispute in the disqualification undertaking, were that:

Alan Bertram (Mr A Bertram) contravened Section 13 of the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986 by acting as a director of Bespoke Orangeries Limited (Bespoke) from 18 March 2013 to 25 November 2014, the date of liquidation, while he remained subject to a disqualification undertaking.

Discriminatory treatment of crown creditors

That Mr A Bertram caused or allowed Bespoke to operate a policy of discriminatory treatment of HMRC in respect of PAYE and NIC from 22 April 2013 at the latest and the date of liquidation on 25 November 2014 in that Bespoke made no payments towards HMRC liabilities totalling £43,088 whilst paying at least £56,915 to trade and expense creditors. HMRC liabilities remained outstanding in full at liquidation, while trade creditors had increased from £136 in the accounts to 31 June 2013 to £2,300 at liquidation. There is no liability recorded in the Statement of Affairs at liquidation in relation to an intercompany creditor recorded as being owed £19,193 in the accounts to 31 June 2013.

HMRC has submitted an integrated claim in Bespoke’s liquidation for £48,642 comprising £43,088 PAYE/NIC; £4,310 VAT; £600 PAYE penalties and £644 accrued interest.

Bespoke submitted a P35 return for the tax year 2012/13. For tax years 2013/14 and 2014/15 information was submitted monthly via the Real Time Information system by Bespoke. During the period from incorporation on 08 June 2012 to cessation of trade on 25 November 2014 HMRC’s records show that PAYE/NIC liabilities were incurred of £43,088 (exclusive of penalties and interest totalling £1,244), although no returns were submitted for 2 months of each of the tax years 2013/14 and 2014/15.

No payments were made to HMRC in respect of PAYE/ NIC by Bespoke from incorporation on 8 June 2012 to cessation of trade on 25 November 2014.

Discriminatory treatment

The professionally prepared, unaudited accounts for year ended 30 June 2013 show that PAYE/NIC increased by £25,765 from £18,567 to £44,332 at liquidation while trade and expense creditors increased by £5,342 from £436 to £5,778 at liquidation. In the same period amounts owing to an intercompany loan decreased by £19,193 to nil at liquidation, and amounts listed to a connected creditor reduced from £2,121 to nil at liquidation.

The director, Mr M Bertram was listed in the accounts to 31 June 2013 for £10,000 and was listed on the Statement of Affairs for £25,000; an increase of £15,000. Neil Bertram, the registered director’s brother, was also listed on the Statement of Affairs for £25,000. Despite requests for confirmation by The Insolvency Service these creditors have not proved their claims in the liquidation, nor offered an explanation for how these debts were incurred by the company and the absence of records delivered to the Liquidator means that these debts have not been verified.

The available bank statements for Bespoke’s current account show that between 22 April 2013 and closure of the account on 7 April 2014 payments totalling £199,292 were paid into the account and £200,880 paid out. Of this amount, £56,915 was paid out in trade expenses and suppliers; £32,629 was paid to unknown recipients via cheque; £53,880 was withdrawn in cash; £11,870 was paid to a connected company; £40,032 was paid out in unexplained expenditure (including mortgage and finance payments) and £846 was paid in respect of bank charges and interest. No bank statements have been provided for the period of time between the closure of the account on 7 April 2014 and Liquidation.

Bank analysis shows no payments made to HMRC in the period.

Mr Mark Bertram – specifics of disqualification undertaking

On 23 March 2017, the Secretary of State accepted a disqualification undertaking from Mark Bertram, effective from 11 April 2017, for a period of 7 years. The matters of unfitness, which Mark Bertram did not dispute in the disqualification undertaking, were that:

Allowing contravention of Section 13 CDDA

Mr Mark Bertram (Mr M Bertram) allowed Mr A Bertram to act as a director of Bespoke during the period 18 March 2013 to 25 November 2014 whilst Mr A Bertram was subject to a Disqualification Undertaking for a period of three years and 6 months commencing on 18 March 2013, in contravention of section 13 CDDA.

Failure to deliver up company records

Mr M Bertram failed to ensure that Bespoke maintained adequate accounting records, or in the alternative, he failed to preserve and/ or deliver up to the liquidator such records as were maintained. As a result it has not been possible to verify:
The total extent of sales made by Bespoke between 1 July 2013 and the date of liquidation on 25 November 2014 and whether all income has been realised and utilised for the benefit of Bespoke.

Unexplained payments from the bank account between 1 July 2013 and the date of liquidation on 25 November 2014 amounting to £87,601, notably cash withdrawals totalling £42,900; 51 cheque payments to unidentified payees totalling £19,398; payments to Cheshire Mortgages totalling £17,927; payments to Premium Credit Limited totalling £1,419 and unexplained expenditure totalling £6,590. No bank statements are available thereafter; therefore no explanations or records are available for the period from closure of the account on 7 April 2014 to Liquidation.

The movement of the director’s loan account (DLA) of Mr M Bertram and a third party loan from 1 July 2013 onwards, when professionally prepared draft accounts record Mr M Bertram as a creditor of Bespoke in the amount of £10,000, to the date of liquidation, when Mr M Bertram and the third party were listed on the signed Statement of Affairs as creditors of Bespoke in the amount of £25,000 each, and as a result verify the balance of any DLA or third party loan outstanding at that date.

The movement of monies to and from connected company Orangeries & Conservatories Limited between 1 July 2013, when professionally prepared draft accounts record the company as a creditor for £19,193 and the date of liquidation.

Bespoke’s full liability for PAYE and NIC due for years 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 inclusive. Given the absence of payroll records and the failure to make returns to HMRC, it is not possible to verify the extent to which Bespoke was indebted to HMRC at liquidation in respect of unpaid PAYE/NIC liabilities.

Bespoke’s liability for VAT in respect of quarters ending May 2014 to November 2014 inclusive. Given the absence of sales or purchase invoices, and the failure to submit returns to HMRC, it is not possible to verify the extent to which Bespoke was indebted to HMRC in respect of VAT for the period from 1 March 2014 to liquidation on 25 November 2014.

Discriminatory treatment of crown creditors

Mr M Bertram also caused discriminatory treatment of crown creditors in the same specifics as Mr A Bertram.

Additional information

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

Following an investigation by the Insolvency Service, Andrew John Lane gave a disqualification undertaking to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, preventing him from being involved, directly or indirectly, in the promotion, formation or management of a company for ten years from 26 January 2018.

FSA was incorporated in 2010 and acted as an operator of auctions of sports memorabilia.

A client would enter into an agreement with FSA to sell goods at auction on their behalf. FSA would deduct a commission, before forwarding the sale proceeds to the client.

The company went into liquidation in April 2016, owing over £214,000 to creditors.

Between 1 April 2015, when the company was already in default to clients for auction sale proceeds, and the date of liquidation, Mr Lane failed to ensure that FSA forwarded the auction sale proceeds of further goods to clients.

In auctions which took place between June 2015 and March 2016, FSA incurred further liabilities totalling at least £67,536 to at least 39 clients. At liquidation Mr Lane disclosed that FSA owed at least £104,063 to at least 45 separate clients. Relevant claims submitted by clients to the liquidator indicated that they related to failures by FSA to forward auction sale proceeds or failed to return unsold goods.

Despite escalating liabilities to clients after April 2015, Mr Lane continued to enjoy substantial earnings from FSA and items of personal expenditure paid for by FSA.

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

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.

This ban should serve as a warning to other directors tempted to help themselves first; you have a duty to your creditors and if you neglect this duty you could be investigated by The Insolvency Service and lose the privilege of limited liability trading.

Notes to editors

Mr Lane’s date of birth is February 1973 and he resides in Prenton, Wirral.

Football Sport Auctions Ltd (CRO No. 07464963) was incorporated on 9 December 2010 and traded from the director’s home address in Prenton, Wirral, organising auctions which took place in various locations in England.

Mr Lane became a director on 9 December 2010 and was the sole director when FSA entered into liquidation on 29 April 2016 with an estimated deficiency of £213,892.

The Disqualification Undertaking was accepted by the Secretary of State on 5 January 2018 and came into force on 26 January 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, 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

The High Court of Justice ordered Mr Haddow’s disqualification for the maximum period of 15 years, effective from 2 March 2018.

Deputy Registrar Baister stated in his judgment of 9 February 2018, that:

Misleading marketing material was disseminated to investors which seriously misrepresented to lay people the value of the investments,…duping lay people into parting with their money

This is fraudulent conduct of the nastiest kind

I regret that Parliament has restricted me to 15 years

The allegations made out in court were that he:

• had acted as a director of the company, in breach of a previous director ban
• had failed to keep, preserve, or deliver up Agri Firma’s records and that
• he had caused the company to mislead its investors

This follows disqualifications for the company’s two registered directors, Robert Ross White (8 years) and Richard John Lyon Henstock (9 years) in 2016 to 2017.

Agri Firma Capital Ltd offered investment in wheat-producing agricultural land in Western Australia and Lithuania.

The company misled its investors, to believe that a legitimate and valuable lease had been purchased for them for farmland in either Lithuania or Australia. However, there is no evidence that any land was purchased in Lithuania and the land purchase in Australia was never completed.

Assurances regarding the Australian wheat investment of 9% farming income and 11-15% capital gain were given, despite both professional advice being received that such was unachievable and investor capital being reduced by undisclosed 65% up-front marketing and other fees.

The disqualifications prevent all three from directly or indirectly becoming involved (without the permission of the court) in the promotion, formation or management of a company for the duration of their bans.

Deputy Registrar Baister added that:

• Mr Haddow pulled the strings, and was ultimately in charge, of the company
• Mr Henstock and Mr White had limited knowledge of and involvement in Agri Firma’s affairs; and, to the extent that they did have any involvement, only did so under Mr Haddow’s direction and instruction
• Mr Haddow was the ultimate beneficial owner of the Capital Alternatives group of companies associated with Agri Firma and he, his family, and companies under his ownership and control, were the principal beneficiaries of Agri Firma’s activities

Commenting on the disqualification, Mark Bruce, Chief Investigator at The Insolvency Service, said:

I can only echo the words of the Deputy Registrar in this case, the evidence showed both that this entire investment was a fraud and that it was controlled by Mr Haddow.

This case particularly illustrates, not only the excellent day-to-day relationship the Insolvency Service has with the Financial Conduct Authority, but also the vital assistance of The Malta Financial Services Authority and Australian Securities and Investments Commission. With such International co-operation, the tracing of investor monies across the world, in cases such as this, is made possible.

Notes to editors

Renwick Robert Haddow’s date of birth is in July 1968 and he has resided in recent years in Morocco, New York, Hong Kong, London and Suffolk.

Agri Firma Capital Ltd (CRO No. 07692576) was incorporated on 4 July 2011 and traded from Mayfair House, 124 Bond St, London W1S 1DX.

The Company went into liquidation on 9 July 2014 with an estimated deficiency of at least £538,667 and AUD$661,500.

Mr Haddow was subject to a bankruptcy order on 27 July 2016 and his discharge from bankruptcy was suspended indefinitely on 14 July 2017.

On 9 February 2018, The High Court of Justice ordered the disqualification of Renwick Robert Haddow for 15 years from 2 March 2018. The disqualification order was pronounced by Deputy Registrar Baister, with the Nicholas Trompeter appearing on behalf of the Secretary of State.

The allegations made out in court were:

• Renwick Haddow acted as a director of Agri Firma Capital Limited (Agri Firma) from 4 July 2011 to 9 July 2014, without the leave of the court, whilst subject to a disqualification undertaking, contrary to section 13 of the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986
• he failed to keep, preserve, or deliver up Agri Firma’s records. As a consequence, it is not possible to:
  • identify all company assets. For example; a loan of AUD$94,318 was made from Agri Firma to an offshore company on 15 July 2013. Without any company records, it is not possible to test whether the loan was ever repaid
  • ascertain the full scale of its liabilities, identify all investors, or trace the disposal of unidentified investor monie.
  • trace the disposal of estimated investor monies, put aside for product purchase, of at least £126,582.23 and AUD$93,471.08
  • ascertain the causes of its failure
• he caused Agri Firma to mislead investors from 4 July 2011 to 9 July 2014, contributing to their losses estimated at £508,667 and AUD$661,500:
  • marketing material, as well as a lease document issued to investors, led them to believe that a legitimate and valuable lease had been purchased for them for farmland in either Lithuania or Australia. However, there is no evidence that any land was purchased in respect of Lithuanian investment and the land purchase in Australia was never completed
  • the company brochures made assurances of Agri Firma’s extensive farming experience and 16% returns received by customer in the previous quarter, when there is no evidence from available records that it ever purchased any land, upon which it could carry out farming
  • regarding the Australian investment, assurances of 9% farming income and 11-15% capital gain were misleading, when investor capital was reduced by 65% up-front marketing and other fees. The proposed agents for the Australian investment had advised the company that the 8-10% envisaged return to investors was unachievable
  • a direct association between investors and a service provider was implied, misleading investors regarding their level of involvement in the investment
  • follow-up communications in June 2014 indicated that the project had value and the plantation was progressing. However this was not the case and the land purchase had fallen through

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

In addition that person cannot act as an insolvency practitioner and there are many other restrictions are placed on disqualified directors by other regulations.

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

Further information on director disqualifications and restrictions can be found here

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

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

You can also follow the Insolvency Service on:

• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• YouTube

Sarah Furness (61) is a philosopher and ethicist who recently served the County as High Sheriff. She has worked for many years in the voluntary sector, including for Macmillan Cancer Support for Rutland (supporting those with life-limiting illnesses) and Warning Zone (introducing children to the dangers of modern life). She is a member of the steering committee for Women in Philanthropy, which supports charities across Rutland and Leicestershire; a trustee for the Sustainable Land Trust, supporting those at risk of being expelled from school; and a trustee for Rutland Grants, helping local people in need. She is a member of the Court of Leicester University.

Dr Furness lives in Whissendine with her husband, Peter, a former President of the Royal College of Pathologists. They have an adult daughter.

It has been a momentous month for healthcare agreements between the UK and China, with the announcement of numerous collaborations by UK companies in healthcare and life sciences with their Chinese partners.

Over £500 million of healthcare and life science deals were signed in the visit by the Prime Minister and Secretary of State for International Trade.

The deals signify the closer working between the UK and China to develop faster, safer and more effective diagnostics, therapeutics and healthcare services.

Future of Medicine signings

The Secretary of State witnessed UK-China deal signings at the Future of Medicine event in Beijing, China. The event celebrated the future of medicine through stronger relationships between our 2 countries in personalised medicine, artificial intelligence and digital health.

In a speech delivered to leading Chinese healthcare companies, the Secretary of State said:

Advances in medicine and technology are opening up new opportunities to manage and cure disease. Today accelerated access programs bring novel therapies to patients faster than ever before.

New technologies and advancements cannot be developed in isolation though. To successfully help a population they need to be integrated into the infrastructure of a country’s healthcare system. This is an exciting challenge facing both the UK and China, tackled through greater collaboration during this golden era.

Other recent signings

Other signings witnessed by the Prime Minister and Secretary of State include deals between China’s Food and Drug Administration and the UK Medicine and Health Products Regulatory Authority, and TPP and First Chengmei Medical add weight to the increasingly strong relationship between UK-China healthcare companies.

Sharing the stage with the former NHFPC Vice Minister Jin Xiaotao, the Secretary of State said:

The UK has a population of approximately 65 million, the size of one Chinese province. With a population of 1.4 billion the data that can be generated through health care collaborations in China has a huge global worth.

List of Signings

The full list of the healthcare and life sciences deal signings, in conjunction with the Prime Minister’s and Secretary of State’s visit are:

• Trinity College Cambridge and Tus-Holdings: Tus-Holdings signed an agreement to invest over 200 million into the Cambridge Science Park
• AstraZeneca China and Shenzhen Tencent Computer Systems signed an agreement to work together to tackle counterfeit drugs on the e-commerce platform
• The University of Manchester and Peking University Health Science Center signed an agreement to cooperate in the areas of Biology, Medicine and Health and to extend collaboration on a new Joint Technological Platform for biomarker discovery
• Medopad and Peking University Smart Health Lab signed an agreement to work together to configure new care models and patient monitoring solutions
• Medopad and China Resources Guokang (Shanghai) Pharmaceutical Co. signed a contract to transform how patients with chronic and high cost diseases are cared for
• Congenica and Digital China Health signed a MOU on genomic data analytics research and development to implement a medical big data strategy in China
• Beijing UniteGen Co. Ltd signed an agreement to expand the existing commercial deal with Congenica to provide genomic diagnosis solutions for Chinese rare disease patients
• Nine Health Global and Tsingdata D-LAB signed an agreement to collaborate in the development of bid data health analytics
• Eight Great Technologies and Leaguer International Co signed an agreement to create a 5 billion RMB fund to invest in UK emerging technologies
• TPP and First Chengmai Medical Industry Group have signed an agreement to work together to deliver an integrated healthcare platform for electronic records
• China’s Food and Drug Administration and the UK Medicine and Health Products Regulatory Authority agreed to exchange safety information on medicines and medical devices to protect patients in the UK, China, and around the world

More information on China healthcare opportunities

Contact us at Healthcare UK to discuss how we can help you, whether you are a UK-based supplier or an international buyer.

• immediate improvements made after ministers and inspectors demand action
• prison improves mental health services, boosts anti-violence measures and repairs the estate
• Justice Secretary makes clear there is more to be done, and will use this process to get the basics right at Nottingham and across the prison estate

Building on improvements made at the prison last year, care for the most vulnerable offenders will be dramatically improved, with NHS England supporting HMP Nottingham with an additional £200,000 to improve mental health services.

Specialist healthcare staff will now spend additional time with those most at risk of self-harm, and more detailed mental health assessments will be completed by trained professionals.

A local suicide prevention policy has also been launched, providing additional staff training in managing vulnerable offenders, and the prison will continue to work closely with the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman to make sure all recommendations on deaths in custody are implemented.

Justice Secretary David Gauke said:

I’ve been absolutely clear that conditions in some of our prisons are unacceptable, and I will not stand for them.

We’ve already taken immediate action to address failings identified by the Chief Inspector, but this action plan is only the beginning.

The most troubling and tragic of the problems at HMP Nottingham is the unacceptable level of self-harm and deaths. To address this, we have established a new suicide prevention policy, boosted the mental health assessment and referrals process, and got extra support from the NHS.

But we can’t stop there and I am committed to getting the basics right at Nottingham and across the estate. We must stop the drugs, violence and self-harm, and clean up our prisons so we can focus on making them safe and secure places for rehabilitation.

The plan also sets out how HMP Nottingham has:

• carried out a full review of safety and violence, with body worn cameras now fully operational and staff receiving additional conflict resolution training
• committed to recruiting 100 new officers to boost the prison’s frontline, as well as increasing mentoring for new recruits and less experienced staff
• completed over 800 maintenance tasks, including repairing windows and damaged cells, with monthly inspections resulting in significant improvements to cleanliness

This action plan comes after ministers introduced the Urgent Notification process last year, meaning prisons that require urgent attention will have 28 days to introduce tough measures that will drive improvement. Last month, HMP Nottingham was issued with the first ever Urgent Notification by the Chief Inspector of Prisons.

Since then, the prison has taken wide-ranging action to address the concerns of the Chief Inspector, building on improvements already made prior to the Urgent Notification being issued.

Today’s action plan comes in advance of the final inspection report into HMP Nottingham, which is due to be published later this year.

Notes to editors

• The Urgent Notification for HMP Nottingham was issued on 19 January, and was the first such notification issued to any prison in England and Wales.
• The Secretary of State has 28 days to publicly report on action taken to resolve issues raised by inspectors.
• More information on Urgent Notification can be found on GOV.UK.
• For more info, please call the MOJ Press Office on 0203 334 3536.

Related link

Justice Secretary’s response and plan of action

The 14th and 15th February will see the launch of Horticulture Connect, a ‘first of its kind’ conference promoting horticultural market links between the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Rwanda, held at Kigali Convention Center. This conference provides a strong opportunity to introduce British and Dutch investors and buyers of horticultural produce to Rwandan producers and exporters, and the event will be a starting point in creating firm trade and investment opportunities.

The British High Commission, working with Lord Dolar Amarshi Popat, the UK Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Uganda and Rwanda, have been at the forefront of establishing an air link between the United Kingdom and Rwanda. In addition, Lord Popat has visited the country to advocate on behalf of British business interest as well as to encourage increased trade and investment between the two countries. On his most recent visit, he discussed with the Rwanda Development Board the possibility of hosting a horticulture market conference that would enable increased Rwandan exports of flowers as well as fruits and vegetables to the UK using the newly established air link.

A trusted airlink between Kigali and Amsterdam was already established in 2010 with 5 flights per week, and since April 2013, KLM serves Kigali by a daily flight, connecting Rwandan products to the European market. The Netherlands actively supports the horticulture sector in Rwanda, and through its global auctioning system in flowers provides an enabling infrastructure for potential future exports to the UK and other European destinations. The recently developed HortInvest Program, which is financed by the Netherlands, aims to develop the horticulture value chains in Rwanda. For this event, 2 Dutch importers of horticultural produce (Van Oers United and Del Monte Foods) will visit Rwanda and meet with their potential business partners.

Establishing these types of connections is critical to growing Rwanda’s exports and opening up opportunities for investors. A recent visit by the private sector players with NAEB and RwandAir to the UK New Covent Garden Market has indicated the need to further explore opportunities for developing more robust trade relations in exports of fresh produce. Rwandan horticultural exporters currently face significant market access constraints mainly due to the lack of effective connections to European markets. On this last point, the UK Department for International Development (DFID) and the Netherlands embassy in Rwanda see strong prospects for the horticulture sector’s role in driving economic development. Sarah Metcalf, Head of DFID Rwanda said: “Horticulture Connect presents an exciting opportunity to engage with local and international businesses on the themes of inclusive economic growth and rural livelihoods. We also look forward to showcasing DFID programmes and partners contributing to Rwanda’s growing horticulture sector, such as TMEA (Trade Mark East Africa), AFR (Access to Finance Rwanda), and FONERWA (Rwanda’s national Climate Change fund)”.

Hon. Gerardine Mukeshimana, the Minister of Agricultural and Animal Resources said, “The conference seeks to move beyond the conversations held before and create a business platform that provides delegates with tangible opportunities to establish relationships and engage with our local producers. It is one of the key factors in the growth of investment in agri-export sector.”

Rwanda is known for offering investment opportunities and is among the region’s fastest growing economies. Rwanda has been frequently on top rankings for the best place to do business and to invest in Africa, with an average GDP growth of 8% for the last decade.

End.

Notes to Editors:  DFID Rwanda has a range of programmes supporting the agricultural sector, including a major £43m Programme of Support to Agriculture (POSA), a £23.5m Improving Market Systems for Agriculture in Rwanda (IMSAR) programme, and others important to the sector such as TMEA (Trade Mark East Africa), AFR (Access to Finance Rwanda) and FONERWA (Rwanda’s national Climate Change fund)).  Further information about DFID’s activity in Rwanda is available at http://devtracker.dfid.gov.uk/countries/RW/ and https://www.gov.uk/world/organisations/dfid-rwanda.  The Kingdom of the Netherlands also has a range of programmes supporting the agricultural sector in Rwanda, including a $22M donation to the Multi Donor Trust Fund for Feeder Roads, an Integrated Water Resources Program of $44M that will run until 2020, a Landscape Restoration Program of $19 M that will start this year and will run for 4 years and a Horticulture Value Chain Development Program (HortInvest) of $20M that started recently and will run for 4 years.  The export of horticulture products from Rwanda to the Netherlands in 2016 was worth $625.000 (mainly cut flowers, vegetables and plant extracts), while the import was worth $390.000 (mainly seeds).