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The Committee on Standards in Public Life has today called for evidence about how local councils are supporting good ethical standards in local government in light of changes over the past ten years.

Committee member, Dr Jane Martin CBE who will be leading on the review, said:

“Robust arrangements to support ethical standards are needed to safeguard local democracy and facilitate the representative process, but also to ensure high standards of conduct by councillors. The Committee considers it is timely to undertake a health check of local government so the public can have confidence that the standards arrangements supporting local democracy are working effectively.

“The Committee has maintained a longstanding interest in local government ethical standards, and regularly receives correspondence from members of the public expressing their concern about this issue.

“We are keen to hear first-hand how effective councils’ standards arrangements are, in light of the substantial changes in the standards landscape for local government over the last ten years.

“We are interested in how local authorities have designed their complaints handling, scrutiny and sanctions regimes in order to maintain excellent ethical standards and how members, local government officials and the public experience them.

“The Committee would like to hear from councils and individuals who can help us understand how ethical standards issues are dealt with by local authorities.”

Based on the submissions to this review and meetings with key stakeholders, we intend to publish our findings and recommendations late in 2018.

Notes to Editors

1. Interview requests and media enquiries should go to Maggie O’Boyle on 07880 740627.
2. 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.
3. The Committee has an independent Chair. Its membership is comprised of four independent members and a representative from each of the Labour, Conservative, and Liberal Democratic parties.
4. You can follow the Committee on Twitter @PublicStandards

Arts Minister Michael Ellis has placed a temporary export bar on Ehrenbreitstein, by JMW Turner, to provide an opportunity to keep it in the country.

The painting is at risk of being exported from the UK unless a buyer can be found to match the asking price of £18,533,750 (plus VAT of £306,750).

Shown at the Royal Academy in 1835 and based on material Turner collected when he visited the spot in 1833, the painting depicts the historic fortress overlooking the Rhine near Koblenz, Germany, dense with historical references to the French Revolutionary Wars which devastated Europe and reshaped the political and cultural landscape.

The obelisk on the left marks the grave of General Francois-Sévérin Marceau-Desgraviers, a hero of the French Revolutionary Army. His brief but brilliant career made him a Romantic hero while his moving funeral, at which German and French soldiers laid aside their enmity and participated, became a symbol for European reconciliation. These won him the accolade of a passage in Lord Byron’s poem “Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage” and the painting demonstrates that Turner shared Byron’s sentiments.

Turner produced a number of illustrations of sites associated with Byron for his publisher John Murray, and chose epigraphs from Byron for six paintings ranging across Belgium, Italy and – as in Ehrenbreitstein – Germany.

This is the only painting Turner produced of Ehrenbreitstein in oil. Contrary to his usual practice, the painting – rather than a highly finished watercolour – served as the direct model for the reproductive engraving by John Pye. Frustrated at how long Pye was taking to complete his task, Turner reclaimed the painting in 1842 and sold it to his important patron Elhanan Bicknell, on condition that it be returned to Pye until the print had been finished.

Arts Minister Michael Ellis said:

This rich, atmospheric painting demonstrates Turner’s extraordinary skill depicting light, as well as the close relationship between painting and poetry.

I very much hope that it can remain in the UK, where it can be admired and appreciated by future generations for many years to come.

The decision to defer the export licence follows a recommendation by the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art and Objects of Cultural Interest (RCEWA), administered by The Arts Council.

RCEWA member Lowell Libson said:

This magnificent and beautifully preserved painting from Turner’s maturity demonstrates this great artist’s ability to present many layered narratives – historical and emotional – within the context of topography. It is one of Turner’s finest works of the period.

The RCEWA made its recommendation on the grounds of the painting’s outstanding significance for the study of its status as a literary landscape and as a painting made primarily for engraving.

The decision on the export licence application for the painting will be deferred until 28 May. This may be extended until 28 November if a serious intention to raise funds to purchase it is made at the recommended price of £18,533,750 (plus VAT of £306,750).

Offers from public bodies for less than the recommended price through the private treaty sale arrangements, where appropriate, may also be considered by Michael Ellis. Such purchases frequently offer substantial financial benefit to a public institution wishing to acquire the item.

Organisations or individuals interested in purchasing the painting should contact the RCEWA on 0845 300 6200.

An image of the painting can be downloaded via our flickr site.

ENDS

Notes to editors

1. Details of the painting are as follows:
   Oil on canvas, 36 1⁄4 x 48 1⁄2 in (93 x 48 1⁄2 cm), in good condition
2. Provenance: Sold directly by the artist, in 1844, to one of his most important patrons, Elhanan Bicknell (1788–1861), Carlton House, Herne Hill, Dulwich; His sale, London, Christie’s, 25 April 1863, lot 118, to Agnew’s on behalf of Ralph Brocklebank; Ralph Brockelbank (1803–1892), Childwall Hall, Liverpool; By descent to his second son, Thomas Brocklebank (1841–1919); By descent to his third son, Captain Henry Cyril Royds Brocklebank, CBE, RN (1874–1957); Sold by his trustees through Agnew’s in 1942 to Wentworth Beaumont, 2nd Viscount Allendale (1890–1956); By descent to his son, Wentworth Hubert Charles Beaumont, 3rd Viscount Allendale (1922–2002); By whom sold (The Property of the Rt. Hon. The Viscount Allendale), London, Sotheby’s, 7 July 1965, lot 90, to Agnew’s, acting on behalf of an English private collector; Thence by descent.
3. The Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art and Objects of Cultural Interest is an independent body, serviced by The Arts Council, which advises the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on whether a cultural object, intended for export, is of national importance under specified criteria.
4. The Arts Council champions, develops and invests in artistic and cultural experiences that enrich people’s lives. It supports a range of activities across the arts, museums and libraries – from theatre to digital art, reading to dance, music to literature, and crafts to collections. www.artscouncil.org.uk.

In the dataset you can find the date of sale for each property, its full address and sale price, its category (residential or commercial) and type (detached, semi-detached, terraced, flat/maisonette or other), whether it is new build or not and whether it is freehold or leasehold.

The number of sales received for registration by property type and month

Property type	December 2017	November 2017	October 2017
Detached	17,395	24,767	22,849
Semi-detached	19,216	27,093	25,558
Terraced	19,809	27,890	26,394
Flat/maisonette	14,523	19,635	19,048
Other	5,384	7,027	7,159
Total	76,327	106,412	101,008

Of the 76,327 sales received for registration in December 2017:

• 56,161 were freehold, a 13.5% decrease on December 2016
• 9,854 were newly built, a 22.4% increase on December 2016

There is a time difference between the sale of a property and its registration at HM Land Registry.

Of the 76,327 sales received for registration, 18,974 took place in December 2017 of which:

• 335 were of residential properties in England and Wales for £1 million and over
• 180 were of residential properties in Greater London for £1 million and over
• 3 were of residential properties in Birmingham for £1 million and over
• 3 were of residential properties in Greater Manchester for £1 million and over
• none were of sales of residential properties in Cardiff for £1 million and over

The most expensive residential sale taking place in December 2017 was of a terraced property in the City of Westminster for £10,075, 000. The cheapest residential sale in December 2017 was of a terraced property in Llanelli for £15,000.

The most expensive commercial sale taking place in December 2017 was in Walthamstow for £33,809,500. The cheapest commercial sales in December 2017 were in Tunbridge Wells, Chigwell and Welwyn Hatfield, for £100.

Access the full dataset

Notes to editors

1. Price Paid Data is published at 11am on the 20th working day of each month. The next dataset will be published on 28 February 2018.
2. Price Paid Data is property price data for all residential and commercial property sales in England and Wales that are lodged with HM Land Registry for registration in that month, subject to exclusions.
3. The amount of time between the sale of a property and the registration of this information with HM Land Registry varies. It typically ranges between 2 weeks and 2 months. Data for the 2 most recent months is therefore incomplete and does not give an indication of final monthly volumes. Occasionally the interval between sale and registration is longer than 2 months. The small number of sales affected cannot be updated for publication until the sales are lodged for registration.
4. Price Paid Data categories are either Category A (standard entries) which includes single residential properties sold for full market value or Category B (additional entries) for example sales to a company, buy-to-lets where they can be identified by a mortgage and repossessions.
5. HM Land Registry has been collecting information on Category A sales since January 1995 and on Category B sales since October 2013.
6. Price Paid Data can be downloaded in text and CSV formats and in a machine-readable format as linked data and is released under the Open Government Licence (OGL). Under the OGL, HM Land Registry permits the use of Price Paid Data for commercial or non-commercial purposes. However, the OGL does not cover the use of third party rights, which HM Land Registry is not authorised to license.
7. The Price Paid Data report builder allows users to build bespoke reports using the data. Reports can be based on location, estate type, price paid or property type over a defined period of time.
8. HM Land Registry is a government department created in 1862. It operates as an executive agency and a trading fund and its running costs are covered by the fees paid by the users of its services. Its ambition is to become the world’s leading land registry for speed, simplicity and an open approach to data.
9. HM Land Registry safeguards land and property ownership worth in excess of £4 trillion, including around £1 trillion of mortgages. The Land Register contains more than 25 million titles, which show evidence of ownership, for some 85% of the land mass of England and Wales.
10. For further information about HM Land Registry visit our website.
11. Follow us on Twitter @HMLandRegistry, our blog, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Contact

Under changes to the Unduly Lenient Sentence (ULS) scheme, anyone found guilty of crimes such as tipping off terrorists about an investigation, or flouting terror prevention court orders, could see their sentences increased if victims or the public think the punishment is too light.

The move is the latest in a series of steps taken by Ministers to ensure that we have the most robust counter-terrorism powers possible, and that sentences reflect the devastating impact terrorism has on victims and communities.

Justice Minister Rory Stewart said:

People who assist terrorists or fail to alert authorities to terrorist activity must be severely punished.

These changes ensure victims can challenge sentences that don’t look right, and make sure that they have every opportunity to see justice delivered.

The scheme gives anyone the power to ask for a sentence to be reviewed by the Attorney General, who then decides whether to refer the case to the Court of Appeal for reconsideration.

In 2016, a record 141 criminals had their sentences increased, helping victims and their families get justice. This is a small proportion of the 80,000 Crown Court cases heard each year, where in the clear majority the judiciary get it right, but the ULS scheme is there to allow adjustment of those sentences where an increase is warranted.

The new crimes added today include instances where a person learns of terrorist activity through their trade, profession or employment, and fails to report this information to the police. For example, an accountant discovering a client may be funding terror. They also include offences related to breaching orders imposed to protect the public from terrorism, for instance someone suspected of involvement in terrorist activity overseas, who returns to the UK, in breach of travel restrictions.

Solicitor General Robert Buckland QC MP said:

Prosecutors and members of the public are now able to challenge the sentences of even more terrorism offences if they think they are too low.

Terrorist activity is a direct threat to our way of life. Those who commit these crimes must be brought to justice so that we can keep our communities safe.

Notes to editors

• The ULS allows the Attorney General (AG) to review sentences given by the Crown Court in England and Wales.
• The AG has 28 days to consider the sentence and make a decision whether to refer. If the AG decides to refer the case to the Court of Appeal to review the sentence, the court can decide whether the sentence should stay the same, or if it is unreasonably low, can increase it.
• Last July, 19 terror offences were added to scheme, including encouraging terrorism and sharing terrorist propaganda.
• From today the scheme will include a further 9 terror related offences. The new crimes involve failing to disclose information about offences relating to terrorist property, breaching terrorism-related orders, and offences to dangerous articles and making threats. In total, 27 people have been convicted for all of these offences up to the end of 2017.

Table of new offences in scope

Offence	Description	Max penalty (yrs)
Terrorism Act 2000 s19	Failure to disclose information on ‘terrorist property’- knowledge of which gained through their trade, profession or employment	5
Terrorism Act 2000 s21A	Failure to disclose information on ‘terrorist property’- knowledge of which gained through work in the ‘regulated sector’ (e.g. financial business)	5
Terrorism Act 2000 s21D	Tipping off a terrorist from information obtained in the regulated sector	2
Terrorism Act 2000 s39	Tipping off any person of a terrorist investigation	5
Counter-Terrorism Act 2008 s54	Failure to comply with notification	5
Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures Act 2011 s23	Failure to comply with a Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measure (TPIM)	5
Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 s10	Contravening a Temporary Exclusion Order (TEO) or not complying with restriction after return to the UK	5
Aviation Security Act 1982 s4	Offences related certain dangerous articles	7
Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 s114	Hoaxes involving noxious substances	7

The charity sector has come together to discuss their role in responding to future domestic disasters such as terror attacks, natural disasters, and other large scale national crises in the UK.

25 large and small charities, umbrella bodies, fundraising platforms and charity regulators attended a roundtable convened and hosted by the Charity Commission on Friday last week. At the meeting attendees agreed to the principle of creating a collective framework to co-ordinate and enable future charity sector responses to national critical incidents. They also agreed to form a working group to develop the framework and operating principles behind any future disaster response by charities.

The creation of the working group follows a number of tragic events in the UK last year, including the Grenfell Tower fire and the terror attacks in Westminster, Manchester, London Bridge and Finsbury Park. The events attracted significant amounts of public support and charitable donations and charities played a key role in providing support and services to victims.

The group will work closely with other charities as well as national and local government where required to provide a swift, efficient and impactful response to any future disasters.

David Holdsworth, Deputy Chief Executive of The Charity Commission said:

Charities by their very nature help people in times of need and the tragic disasters that we’ve seen in the UK over the past year have highlighted the great work charities do to support victims and channel the public’s compassion and generosity. Charities’ experience and expertise, as well as their ties to local communities, often make them best-placed to respond in these situations.

Advances in technology combined with the consistent sheer generosity of the British public makes it an opportune time for charities to consider how they can work together to maximise their support for UK citizens in times of need.

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. The following charities, umbrella bodies, fundraising platforms and regulators attended the event:
   • British Red Cross
   • Charity Commission for England & Wales
   • Charity Commission Northern Ireland
   • City Bridge Trust
   • City of London
   • Clement James
   • Crisis
   • Fundraising Regulator
   • GoFundMe
   • Just Giving
   • London Community Foundation
   • London Emergencies Trust
   • London Funders
   • Mind
   • Muslim Aid
   • National Association for Voluntary Community Action
   • National Council for Voluntary Organisations
   • National Zakat Foundation
   • Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator
   • P3
   • Rugby Portobello Trust
   • Salvation Army
   • UK Community Foundations
   • Victim Support
   • Wales Council for Voluntary Action

Led by Lord Faulkner, UK Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Taiwan, a UK sustainable railway mission is visiting Taiwan from 29 to 30 January to promote the UK’s capability in the operation and maintenance of railway and metro networks. Made up of 19 experts representing 14 British companies as well as a UK representative from Rail Industry Association(RIA), this mission is part of the “Innovation is GREAT” campaign launched by the British Office last October to introduce innovative British technologies and services to Taiwan.

The UK railway sector is strong in providing consultancy, preventative remote monitoring systems, maintenance equipment, and railway certification such as IV&V (independent verification and validation) to Taiwan railway operators. During the two-day visit, the delegates will attend workshops with Taiwan’s mainline and metro authorities and operators to demonstrate the UK’s expertise in all aspects of the railway sector, including infrastructure design and asset management.

Lord Faulkner said: “The railways of Taiwan and the UK share many similarities in their operations and both are committed to investing in the future. This workshop offers an excellent opportunity to share the UK’s latest experience in creating sustainable railways, as well as learning about the challenges faced by Taiwan and the solutions being planned to tackle them. And I very much hope that it well lead to more business between the UK and Taiwan.”

During his visit, Lord Faulkner will meet the Minister of Ministry of Economic Affairs, and the Minister of Transportation and Communications to enhance the mutual collaboration opportunities between the UK and Taiwan in railway and other sectors. He will also visit Hsinchu City to discuss co-operation opportunities related to Taiwan’s Forward-Looking Infrastructure Development Programme.

The UK’s main rail system has been developing for over 170 years and forms a dynamic national business contributing £9.3 billion a year to the UK economy. The UK’s railway industry is amongst the best in the world across all aspects of rail systems: from the planning and design of the projects, specialist equipment supply, construction, and testing and commissioning, all the way through to operations, maintenance and whole-life asset management. With faster trains in place and smart rail technology applied, there will be further opportunities related to major maintenance work for the existing railway networks between the UK and Taiwan.

More infomation

The 15 British participants are: Movement Strategies, Stanley Engineered Fastening, Siemens Rail Automation, Xrail Group, MAN Diesel & Turbo UK, Bombardier, Camlin Rail, Railway Industry Association (RIA), RS Clare, LPA Group, British Steel, Balfour Beatty Rail UK, Colas Rail Asia, BMT Asia Pacific, and Ricardo Rail Taiwan.

The Charity Commission has removed two trustees and disqualified an individual from trusteeship as part of its investigation into the charity Peacetrail. The charity’s objects were to advance the Islamic faith and relieve poverty by supporting women and children who face financial hardship in the UK and abroad.

An inquiry report published today details a series of failings including a failure to account for at least £92,110 – nearly 50% of the charity’s total expenditure.

The Commission opened the investigation on 31 March 2016 and found self-authorised salary payments to the charity’s CEO, unmanaged conflicts of interest and a lack of due diligence or monitoring of those the charity worked with. The Commission’s findings are set out in this report.

The inquiry concluded that the trustees had failed to exercise control over the charity’s finances or oversee the CEO; and the Commission made orders under section 79(4) of the act to remove two individuals as trustees of the charity. These individuals are now disqualified from acting as trustee of any other charity unless they obtain a waiver from the Commission or the courts.

The inquiry was also concerned by the conduct of the charity’s CEO and their role in the charity. Therefore the Commission used its powers under section 181A of the act to disqualify the CEO from being a charity trustee or holding a senior management position within a charity for 4 years and 6 months. The disqualification came into effect on 18 January 2018.

The charity, which was a Charitable Incorporated Organisation, has been dissolved in accordance with the Charitable Incorporated Organisations (Insolvency and Dissolutions) Regulations 2012 and ceased to exist when it was removed from the Register of Charities on 31 October 2017.

Michelle Russell, Director of Investigations, Monitoring and Enforcement at the Charity Commission says:

The public rightly expects those entrusted with charitable funds to steward and safeguard them appropriately. That sadly did not happen in this case. The trustees of Peacetrail clearly failed to discharge their legal duties which is why we exercised our powers to remove them.

Charity trustees have an important legal duty to ensure that their charity’s funds are spent on the charity’s objects. This includes keeping clear accounting records that can evidence exactly where charity money has gone. Transparent reporting in this way is vital for maintaining public trust and confidence in charities.

The Commission’s full report of its inquiry is available on GOV.UK.

Ends.

Notes to editors

1. The trustees were removed pursuant to section 79(4) of the Charities Act 2011, which also has the effect of disqualifying them from being charity trustees or acting as trustees for a charity under section 178 of the act.
2. The new discretionary disqualification power in section 181A of the Charities Act 2011 brought in by the Charites Act 2016 allows the regulator to disqualify a person it considers unfit from being a trustee, for a maximum period of 15 years.
3. The Charity Commission is the independent regulator of charities in England and Wales. To find out more about our work, see the about us page on GOV.UK.
4. Search for charities on our check charity tool.

The Government has delivered on its manifesto commitment to extend superfast broadband to 95% of the UK by the end of 2017, DCMS Secretary of State Matt Hancock announced today.

Figures published by www.thinkbroadband.com have confirmed that more than 19 out of 20 UK homes and businesses now have the opportunity to upgrade their internet connections to superfast speeds of 24 Mbps or faster – more than double what Ofcom advise is required by a typical family home.

The £1.7 billion Government rollout of superfast broadband to areas deemed “not commercially viable” by industry has so far reached more than 4.5 million UK premises that would otherwise have been left in the connectivity slow lane, the majority of which are in rural areas. In addition to the huge benefits to our day-to-day lives that superfast speeds offer, this closing of the “digital divide” has also delivered a significant boost to local economies – creating around 50,000 new local jobs and generating an additional £8.9 billion in turnover in the areas covered by the Government rollout between 2013 and 2016.

DCMS Secretary of State, Matt Hancock said:

Over the last 5 years, the Government’s rollout of superfast broadband has made superfast speeds a reality for more than 4.5 million homes and businesses who would otherwise have missed out. We’ve delivered on our commitment to reach 95% of homes and businesses in the UK, but there’s still more to do in our work building a Britain that’s fit for the future. We’re reaching thousands more premises every single week, and the next commitment is to making affordable, reliable, high speed broadband a legal right to everyone by 2020.

December was a particularly busy month for Openreach who, as the Government’s major partner on this massive infrastructure project, have been working hard throughout the winter months to ensure the rollout remained on track. In total, around 800,000 homes and businesses were reached last year through the UK Government BDUK programme alongside commercial delivery, with Openreach delivering the major proportion of this achievement; and as a result of this deployment, the 95% target was achieved in December 2017.

Clive Selley, CEO, Openreach, said:

This is without doubt an extraordinary achievement and I’d like to thank the thousands of Openreach engineers and the many more of our people supporting them, who have worked so tirelessly to make this happen.

We have come a long way in a short space of time, with one of the fastest broadband deployments in the world. This is an important milestone – but we’re not stopping here. We’re determined to get Britain – the whole of Britain – hooked up to decent broadband speeds. The Government’s Universal Service Obligation will make high speed broadband a legal right and we’ll be working with industry, Government and Ofcom to deliver this. In the meantime, we’ll be continuing to expand our network to address the remaining not-spots through a combination of our own commercial programmes and our partnerships with local authorities and communities.

A clause in the Government’s contracts requires suppliers to recycle funding when people take up superfast connections installed as part of the programme. Over 2.25 million homes and businesses have taken up superfast broadband in areas covered by BDUK projects. To date, BT has set aside £477 million to extend coverage over the full lifetime of the contracts – up from £292 million in December 2016 – in nations and regions around the UK.

Combined with project efficiencies of at least £210 million resulting from the successful management and delivery of the programme, there will be up to £687 million available for local authorities to re-invest and take superfast speeds to those homes and businesses not already covered by existing plans.

Together with other planned delivery, this will help take superfast coverage to the majority of the remaining premises over the next few years. In addition to this, the Universal Service Obligation the Government is bringing in will give everyone the legal right to high speed broadband (10Mbps or faster) by 2020, meaning that no-one is left behind, and that all UK homes and businesses have the connectivity they need in the digital age.

Notes to Editors

1. The latest broadband coverage figures are at the ThinkBroadband website