Category: Gov Press Releases

Since the announcement of the merger on 30 April, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has been gathering the information needed to start its formal investigation. It will now begin the first phase (known as Phase 1) of its detailed assessment into how the deal could affect competition for UK shoppers.

The CMA’s investigation will consider whether the deal could lead to less choice, and therefore higher prices or worse quality services, across the range of products sold by both businesses. As well as being major retailers of groceries, both in-store and online, Sainsbury’s and Asda also compete to sell goods such as fuel, electricals, toys and clothing.

The CMA will also look at whether the merged company could use its increased buyer power to squeeze suppliers and whether this could have potential knock-on effects for shoppers – for example, through suppliers being less able to innovate or having to charge higher prices to stores that compete with the merged company.

Andrea Coscelli, chief executive of the CMA, said:

About £190 billion is spent each year on food and groceries in the UK so it’s vital to find out if the millions of people who shop in supermarkets could lose out as a result of this deal.

We will carry out a thorough investigation to find out if this merger could lead to higher prices or a worse quality of service for shoppers and will not allow it to go ahead unless any concerns we find are fully dealt with.

Sainsbury’s and Asda have asked the CMA to move more quickly to the in-depth (Phase 2) part of the inquiry through a ‘fast-track’ process.

In most merger cases, a full Phase 1 investigation is needed to determine whether a deal can be cleared or whether further scrutiny is required. However, merging companies can ask for the CMA’s review of the deal to be moved more quickly to Phase 2 where it is clear from an early stage that the deal requires an in-depth investigation.

The CMA expects to accept this request unless it receives any valid objections to the use of the fast-track process.

The CMA is now inviting views by 31 August on how the merger could affect competition. This follows the preliminary invitation to comment launched at the start of the information gathering period. Further opportunities to submit views will also be provided during the Phase 2 investigation.

All information relating to the investigation is available on the Sainsbury’s / Asda page.

Notes to Editors

1. The CMA is the UK’s primary competition and consumer authority. It is an independent non-ministerial government department with responsibility for carrying out investigations into mergers, markets and the regulated industries and enforcing competition and consumer law. For CMA updates, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
2. Under the Enterprise Act 2002 (the Act) the CMA has a duty to make a reference to Phase 2 if the CMA believes that it is or may be the case that a relevant merger situation has been created, or arrangements are in progress or in contemplation which, if carried into effect, will result in the creation of a relevant merger situation; and the creation of that situation has resulted, or may be expected to result, in a substantial lessening of competition within any market or markets in the United Kingdom for goods or services.
3. Media enquiries to the CMA should be directed to press@cma.gov.uk or 020 3738 6460.

Yesterday’s announcement of plans to construct over 1,000 units on the West Bank, and last week’s tendering for 1,100 more, continues policies that are rightly condemned internationally. The UK echoes this condemnation today.

Settlements are illegal under international law and remain one of the obstacles to a viable two state solution.

I call on Israel to halt such counterproductive action, and for all parties to commit to further efforts to de-escalate current tensions and create the right environment for a just and lasting peace.

Three people from Teesside have been fined a total of almost £1,500 after Environment Agency officers on Bank Holiday boat patrol with Cleveland Police caught them fishing illegally.

Maria Blyth, 30, and Adam Wakefield, 33, of Newtown Avenue in Stockton, were both fined a total of £270 and ordered to pay costs of £127.47 and a victim surcharge of £30 for fishing without a licence, fishing during the coarse fishing close season, and using bait prohibited during the close season.

In a separate case Thomas Stocker, 25, of Laurel Road in Stockton, was fined £440 and ordered to pay costs of £127.47 and a victim surcharge of £30 for fishing during the coarse fishing close season, and using bait prohibited during the close season.

Their cases were proved in their absence at Hull Magistrates’ Court on 9 August.

On Bank Holiday weekend, Saturday 5 May, Environment Agency Fisheries Enforcement Officers were on boat patrol with Cleveland Police on the River Tees, upstream of the Tees Barrage, when they saw Blyth and Wakefield fishing at Bowesfield.

They saw Stocker fishing separately on the same stretch of river.

The fishing close season prevents fishing for coarse fish for 3 months to give the fish a chance to breed. It runs from 15 March to 15 June inclusive.

Regular partnership work

David Shears, from the Environment Agency’s Fisheries Enforcement Team in the North East, said:

These boat patrols are part of the regular partnership work we do with the police to combat both rural and urban fisheries and other environmental crime.

Combining forces in this way allows us to target crime effectively and efficiently in locations where land-based patrols don’t allow for easy access.

The majority of anglers, who fish legally, rightly demand that we take action to catch offenders. This is another example of how working with our partners results in successful court action.

The Environment Agency urges people to report illegal fishing as quickly as possible by calling the incident hotline on 0800 80 70 60.

Anyone who wants to go fishing needs to buy a fishing licence. A full annual licence costs from just £30 (short term and some concessionary licences are also available) and are available online

The Charity Commission has announced that it has appointed an Interim Manager to the Essex Islamic Academy, also known as Ripple Road Mosque.

The Commission has been investigating the charity since October 2017. The inquiry was announced in March of this year, after the conviction of Umar Ahmed Haque for preparing terrorist acts whilst employed at the charity; Mr Haque had previously pleaded guilty to disseminating terrorist material to children who attended the charity’s madrassah.

As part of its inquiry, the Commission is considering how Mr Haque was able to attempt to radicalise children, and what the trustees and others at the charity knew about this. The inquiry is also examining the level of supervision, due diligence and oversight the charity had over Mr Haque, and its adherence to safeguarding policies and procedures.

The Commission appointed Mr Jonathan Burchfield of Stone King LLP as Interim Manager (IM) on 8 June 2018 under section 76(3)(g) of the Charities Act 2011. The IM’s role is to implement safeguarding procedures, ensure all current trustees, relevant staff and relevant volunteers have understood safeguarding procedures and completed relevant training, and review the charity’s government document, and its financial controls and policies.

The IM assumes these duties at the exclusion of the charity’s trustees; however the latter retain control over the day-to-day running of the charity.

The Commission’s investigation continues.

It is the Commission’s intention, in accordance with its policy, to publish a report after it has concluded the inquiry, detailing what issues the inquiry looked at, what actions were undertaken and what the outcome was.

Reports of previous inquiries by the Commission are available on GOV.UK.

Notes to Editors

1. The Charity Commission is the regulator of charities in England and Wales.
2. The IM appointment is a temporary and protective power that will be reviewed at regular intervals. It will continue until the Commission makes a further Order for its variation or discharge.

Public Health England (PHE) is urging students to make sure they are up to date with their MenACWY and measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccines before the start of the new college or university year, to ensure they’re protected against diseases that spread quickly in large gatherings – such as meningitis, septicaemia, and measles.

The MenACWY vaccine, introduced in 2015 in response to an increase in Men W cases among young people, is routinely offered to those in school years 9 and 10 to protect them against 4 meningococcal strains that include the aggressive W strain of the disease. Anyone who has missed out can still get vaccinated free of charge, through their GP until their 25th birthday.

The MenACWY vaccine is especially important for students about to enter university, who are at increased risk of meningococcal infection. It is also important for students to be aware of signs and symptoms of meningococcal disease, as the vaccine does not protect against all forms of this disease, and seeking early medical help for themselves or a friend could be life-saving.

Meningococcal bacteria can cause meningitis (inflammation of the lining of the brain) and septicemia (blood poisoning) that are very serious and can kill, especially if not diagnosed early. They are more easily spread when lots of people mix closely for the first time.

Dr. Mary Ramsay, Head of Immunisations at PHE, said:

We know that colleges and universities can be hotspots for the spread of measles and meningococcal disease.

First year students especially are at increased risk of meningococcal infection if they are unvaccinated – which makes sense when they spend large amounts of time with new people in confined environments such as university halls.

We, therefore, encourage students to check with their GP that they are up to date with their MMR and MenACWY vaccinations before term starts – it’s never too late to protect themselves and their friends from these highly infectious and serious diseases.

Measles is a highly infectious viral illness that can have serious consequences. It can be more severe in young people and adults, often leading to hospital admissions. Measles starts with cold-like symptoms and sore red eyes, followed by a high temperature and a red-brown blotchy rash.

This reminder comes in light of recent measles outbreaks across England and Europe. Between 1 January and 13 August 2018 there have been 828 laboratory-confirmed measles cases in England. Cases were reported in most areas with London (291), the South East (169), South West (138), West Midlands (85) and Yorkshire and Humberside (80) reporting the most cases (based on provisional figures).

Some students who are now of university or college age may have missed out on their MMR vaccination when they were younger, as MMR uptake was as low as 80% in 2003, which means that up to 20 in 100 young adults could be unprotected.

The MMR vaccine is available for free to anyone who has not received two doses as a child.

Meningitis and septicemia can develop suddenly and can kill or leave people with life-changing disabilities and long-term health problems. Symptoms include a blotchy rash that doesn’t fade when a glass is rolled over it, fever, aching muscles and joints and a stiff neck. The W strain can also cause vomiting and diarrhoea. Meningitis and septicemia are very serious and require urgent attention.

The MenACWY vaccine does not protect against every strain that can cause meningitis and septicemia, so it’s important to be aware of the symptoms so that young people can seek quick medical help if they become unwell, either themselves or their fellow students.

If you think you’ve got either measles or meningitis, call NHS 111 straight away.

Notes to editors

1. The MenACWY vaccine is given by a single injection into the upper arms and protects against 4 different strains of the meningococcal bacteria that causes meningitis and blood poisoning (septicaemia): A, C, W and Y.
   The MenACWY vaccine is offered to children aged 13 to 14, and young adults up to 25 years of age who didn’t have the vaccine while at school.
   For further information about the MenACWY vaccination, see the NHS Choices website.
2. MMR is a safe and effective combined vaccine that protects against measles, mumps and rubella in a single injection. The MMR vaccine is given on the NHS as a single injection to babies on or after their first birthday, as part of their routine vaccination schedule. They are invited to have a second dose at 3 years and 4 months before starting school.
   For further information about the MMR vaccination, see the NHS Choices website.

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt will travel to New York later today, following two days of high-level meetings in Washington with Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Chief of Staff to the President General John Kelly and Adviser to the President Jared Kushner.

The Foreign Secretary discussed a range of foreign policy priorities including: Iran and Russia; ways to support UN efforts to bring peace to Yemen; progress on the Middle East Peace Process; and how to ensure the UK-US alliance grows even stronger after the UK’s exit from the European Union.

Mr Hunt also met a number of US diplomats expelled from Russia following the decision by Washington to expel 60 Russian diplomats as part of the coordinated response to the Salisbury attacks.

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said:

The United States is our closest ally and I was delighted to meet Vice President Pence, Secretary Pompeo, and other key figures in the US administration to discuss the foreign policy challenges we face together. The UK and US, and our joint defence of our shared values, will always be crucial to maintaining the international rules-based system that has kept us safe for decades.

Our discussions showed real enthusiasm from the US administration, from the President down, for a UK/US Free Trade Agreement to be reached as soon as possible after we leave the EU, something that will benefit businesses on both sides of the Atlantic.

We are enormously grateful for the solidarity shown by the US as they stood with us when a chemical weapon was inexcusably used in Salisbury earlier this year. Today I was able personally to thank US diplomats expelled from Russia in retaliation.

Further information

• Follow the Foreign Secretary on Twitter @Jeremy_Hunt and Facebook
• Follow the Foreign Office on Twitter @foreignoffice and Facebook
• Follow the Foreign Office on Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn

Foreign Office Minister of State for Africa Harriett Baldwin said:

I congratulate President Keïta of the Republic of Mali on his election success and look forward to continuing to work with his government on issues that matter to both our countries. These elections were conducted despite challenging security conditions and terrorist attempts to disrupt the process.

We urge all candidates and political stakeholders to maintain a peaceful atmosphere and settle disputes through legal and constitutional means.

The UK continues to support Mali and its people in overcoming the challenges the country faces. We urge President Keïta to build on recent positive steps in the peace process in order to secure lasting peace and stability in the country and to improve the lives of all Malian people, including those facing increasing insecurity in the central region.

Further information

• Follow Foreign Office Minister Harriett Baldwin on Twitter @hbaldwin
• Follow the Foreign Office on Twitter @foreignoffice and Facebook

The four charity regulators in the UK and Republic of Ireland have decided to hold a governance review of the constitution and composition of the Charities Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) committee and the SORP making process.

The governance review will be undertaken by an Oversight Panel comprising an observer representative nominated by the FRC and a representative from each of the four charity regulators. The panel will be assisted by the staff of the CCEW and OSCR.

The work of the panel will be overseen by Professor Gareth Morgan, an independent Chair retained by the SORP-making body.

The purpose of the governance review is:

• to gain assurance that the SORP-making process commands confidence and addresses the transparency and public confidence challenges facing charities; and
• to assure the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) that any revised arrangements adhere to the FRC Policy on developing SORPs.

The Charities SORP is the set of rules which governs charity accounting for charitable companies and larger charities and was initially developed by the Charity Commission for England and Wales (CCEW) and the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR). The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland (CCNI) were added as joint members of the SORP-making body in June 2018. The Financial Reporting Council have also approved the inclusion of the Charities Regulator in the SORP-making body but this is subject to the SORP being formally adopted for use in the Republic of Ireland and made mandatory for Irish charities.

The charity regulators have identified that as a minimum the governance review shall consider the following matters:

• the composition of the advisory SORP Committee
• identification of, and engagement with, key stakeholders in the SORP development process
• the extent to which the views of key stakeholders have been recognised in the process
• potential of changes to membership of the SORP Committee should the FRC agree the remit of the SORP to make recommendations covering non-statutory financial reporting by charities

The governance review will be undertaken during 2018 and the conduct of the review, the taking of evidence, publicising of the process, and the identification and invitation of participants, and any other relevant matter shall be determined by the Oversight Panel. Any recommendations from the review requiring change to the composition of the advisory SORP Committee and the SORP development process will be taken forward by the SORP-making body in 2019 in time for the development of the next full SORP.

Charities SORP Committee Governance Review Panel Chair, Professor Gareth Morgan, said:

As someone who has had a long interest in the Charities SORP, both as an academic researcher and as a practitioner, I am very much aware of its significance in achieving massive improvements in charity accounts and reporting since the first modern SORP was issued in 1995. Going forward in 2018, I am delighted that the four charity regulators across the UK and Ireland will together form the new SORP-making body. In the circumstances, it is entirely right to begin with a review of the governance processes in developing new versions of the SORP, and I am honoured to have been asked to chair that review.

Laura Anderson of OSCR who is one of the joint Chairs of the SORP Committee, said:

On behalf of the charity regulators involved in the SORP process we welcome Gareth taking on the role of Chair. The review comes at a critical juncture as we look to take stock and develop the next SORP with the needs of all four charity law jurisdictions in mind. To be effective we need a SORP process that is fully representative and delivers a SORP that it is clear, accurate and meets the reporting needs of the users of charity reports and accounts whilst upholding the standards issued by the FRC.

Ends

Notes to Editors

1. The full terms of reference for the Charities SORP Committee Governance Review can be found here.
2. Gareth Morgan is Emeritus Professor of Charity Studies at Sheffield Hallam University where he led various research concerned with charity accounting and regulation. He has also advised a wide range of charities (mostly small to medium organisations) on accounting and governance issues though his firm, The Kubernesis Partnership LLP. He has worked with charities and the charity regulators across the three UK jurisdictions, and with the Irish Charities Regulator.
3. The Oversight Panel members are Sarah Atkinson, Director of Policy, Planning and Communication at CCEW, Judith Hayhow, Head of Support Services at OSCR, Punam McGookin, Head of Charity Services at CCNI and Tom Malone, Head of Compliance and Enforcement at the Charities Regulator.
4. The Financial Reporting Standard applicable to the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) is applicable to accounts prepared to give a true and fair view in the UK and Ireland. Whilst this remains the case the FRC oversees the SORP which provides guidance to charities in the UK and Ireland as to how to apply FRS 102 when preparing charity accounts.
5. For more information about the SORP, the SORP-making body and advisory SORP Committee refer to the dedicated website www.charitysorp.org.