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A Downing Street spokesperson said:

The Prime Minister held a bilateral meeting with King Abdullah of Jordan in Amman earlier today.

They reflected on the historic relationship between the two countries, and the close bilateral cooperation today. They discussed the importance of Jordan’s continued security, stability and economic sustainability, in the midst of significant instability in the region.

They reviewed the progress the UK and Jordan have made together since the Prime Minister’s last visit in April, including in the fight against Daesh as coalition partners. In particular, they noted the positive impact of the UK’s security support to enable Jordan to deal with internal and external threats.

They discussed the King’s vision for economic reform in Jordan, and the Prime Minister made clear that the UK stands at Jordan’s side in helping to deliver that vision, including through new funding to improve education, create jobs, and boost Jordan’s long-term economic resilience. They agreed that this work should be the focus of long-term bilateral cooperation.

A police officer who blackmailed a man after photographing him visiting a sex worker has had his prison sentence increased after it was referred to the Court of Appeal as unduly lenient.

Gareth Suffling was a Detective Constable at Bedfordshire police when he parked close to the place of work of a sex worker in Luton and took photos of a man arriving and leaving.

Suffling, 36, put the victim’s car registration plate through the police computer to track down where he lived and blackmailed him, leaving a note and a copy of the photographs. The note told him he must pay £1,000 or the pictures would be sent to family members and neighbours.

The victim reported the blackmail to the police where Suffling was part of the investigating team. Officers noticed he was acting strangely and a search of the police computer found he had already searched for the victim’s details under the pretence of dangerous driving.

The blackmail letter was also found on Suffling’s computer after he failed to fully delete it.

He was originally sentenced to 18 months in prison for blackmail and misconduct in public office at St Albans Crown Court in September. He will now serve 3 years in prison.

The Solicitor General Robert Buckland QC MP referred the original sentence to the Court of Appeal under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme. Speaking after the hearing the Solicitor General said:

Suffling was in a position of trust when he carried out these offences and his letter of blackmail was nothing short of menacing. This increased prison sentence shows that anyone caught using their position in public office to commit a crime will be punished.

Today Sir Jeremy Heywood announced that Jim Harra, currently Tax Assurance Commissioner and Director General Customer for Strategy and Tax Design, has been appointed as the new Second Permanent Secretary at HMRC.

Welcoming the appointment, Sir Jeremy Heywood said:

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Jim Harra as Second Permanent Secretary at HMRC. He has done an excellent job in his dual roles of Tax Assurance Commissioner and Director General for Customer Strategy and Tax Design in HMRC. He brings with him a wealth of relevant experience and I look forward to working with him as he takes up his new role.

I would also like to thank Edward Troup for his tremendous public service over the last 13 years as he stands down next month from his role as Chair of HMRC.

Jon Thompson, Permanent Secretary at HMRC, said:

I am delighted that Jim has taken up this post in HMRC. There are some enormous and important challenges ahead for HMRC: our transformation programme to make us a world class, digital-first tax authority; our focus on supporting the honest majority and clamping down on the dishonest minority; and our work to rise to the challenges of exiting the EU – particularly on customs and the border.

Jim knows HMRC and its customers well and will bring his usual dedication, knowledge and professionalism to the role. I look forward to working with him to tackle these challenges.

Jim Harra said:

I very much look forward to becoming HMRC’s new Second Permanent Secretary. The work we are doing in the department, to create a tax system that makes it easier for taxpayers ‎to get things right, and to prepare for the UK leaving the EU, is vitally important and touches every life in the country. I am proud to have been given the opportunity to help lead this important work.

This appointment has been formally ratified by the Prime Minister, and is the result of a recruitment exercise across Whitehall.

Notes to editors

1. Jim Harra has held a dual role of Tax Assurance Commissioner and Director General Customer Strategy and Tax Design in HMRC.
2. The Second Permanent Secretary role was created following Edward Troup’s announcement of his retirement at the end of this year. Jim Harra’s appointment means that HMRC continues to have a tax professional as one of its two Permanent Secretaries.
3. Arrangements for appointing a successor to fill Jim Harra’s previous role will be announced in due course.

First Secretary of State Damian Green MP said he was encouraged by the constructive nature of the latest
round of Brexit talks with the Welsh First Minister in Cardiff today.

He was speaking after the latest bilateral talks in Cardiff with Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns MP and the Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones AM and Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford AM.

Mr Green said the meeting with Carwyn Jones had enabled the two governments to make progress in ensuring that all parts of the UK are ready for our withdrawal from the EU.

The discussions are to ensure that the necessary arrangements are in place under the EU (Withdrawal) Bill for distributing powers returned from the European Union and identifying where common frameworks will be required.

First Secretary of State, Damian Green said:

We are now making real progress in ensuring that all parts of the UK are ready for the extra powers that are coming back from the EU to the UK. The talks today with the First Minister were very constructive and I thank him for that.

Everyone accepts that UK frameworks will be required in certain areas to protect the vital advantages of the UK domestic market. Both sides are now getting into the deep detail of how we put in place the best arrangements for the day we leave the EU.

I am confident we can keep up this momentum and have a successful Joint Ministerial Committee (JMC) with all the devolved administrations in London next month.

Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns said:

I am encouraged by our discussions today. We are making good progress in identifying where common approaches will be needed after the UK leaves the EU, in line with the principles for frameworks already agreed.

I am confident this process will deliver agreed UK frameworks in the areas where we need them and a significant increase in powers for the National Assembly for Wales and the Welsh Government.

Our discussions today lay the ground for intensive talks between the two governments up to Christmas and into the New Year.

The UK and Welsh Government ministers met in Cardiff in September, then again in London on 11 October, where they discussed a set of principles to guide the discussions.

These principles were agreed at a meeting of JMC (EN) on 16 October, and the Prime Minister and First Minister held a constructive meeting on 30 October.

ENDS

Mr Philip Malone LVO has been appointed Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Mongolia in succession to Ms Catherine Arnold who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment. Mr Malone will take up his appointment in March 2018.

CURRICULUM VITAE

Full name: Philip Malone LVO

2015 – present FCO, Deputy Head, South East Asia and Pacific Department

2012 – 2015 Vientiane, Her Majesty’s Ambassador

2008 – 2012 Helsinki, Deputy Head of Mission

2003 – 2008 Singapore, Head of Chancery

1999 – 2002 FCO, Head of France/Benelux Section and Deputy Head of Department (2002)

1995 – 1999 Bandar Seri Begawan, Second Secretary, Defence/Chancery

1992 – 1994 Luxembourg, Third Secretary, Trade/Press and Public Affairs

1989 – 1992 FCO, Assistant Parliamentary Clerk

1986 – 1989 Guatemala City, Third Secretary

1983 – 1986 Buenos Aires, Attaché

1981 – 1983 FCO, Attaché, Eastern European and Soviet Department

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