Category: Gov Press Releases

Three Ukrainian nationals currently in Russian detention are on hunger strike to demand Russia release Ukrainian political prisoners.

The United Kingdom remains deeply concerned about the deteriorating health and welfare of three Ukrainian political prisoners; Oleg Sentsov, Volodymyr Balukh, and Emir-Huseyn Kuku.

The men were detained by the Russian authorities for expressing opposition to the illegal annexation of Crimea. Mr Sentsov and Mr Balukh were given lengthy jail sentences following trials that have fallen well short of international standards. Mr Kuku is currently on trial.

We have seen increasingly worrying reports about the welfare and treatment of these men. Human rights monitoring organisations have been denied access to visit them and up to 70 other political prisoners being held in Crimea and the Russian Federation.

The Ukrainian ombudsman has also been denied access by Russian authorities despite an agreement between the Ukrainian and Russian Presidents.

UK Minister for Europe Sir Alan Duncan said:

We remain concerned for the welfare of Oleg Sentsov, Volodymyr Balukh, and Emir-Huseyn Kuku, who are on hunger strike to demand Russia release Ukrainian political prisoners.

The imprisonment of these men and many more Ukrainians appears to be politically motivated and we call on the Russian authorities to release them immediately.

It is deplorable that the Russian authorities continue to deny access by International monitoring organisations to the detention facilities, even as the health of these prisoners deteriorates.

Further information

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Teams of volunteer Flood Wardens across the North East are playing a vital role in helping protect their communities.

The eyes and ears on the ground, they act as a link between the Environment Agency and communities at risk – getting vital information out to local residents.

And now the Environment Agency is calling on people to play their part in Ponteland.

At the River Pont in Ponteland there are 520 properties in the flood warning service area, with 69% of people signed up to receive free flood warnings.

And at the River Pont at Darras Hall, Kirkley Mill and Prestwick Carr there are 57 properties in the flood warning service area, with 33% of people signed up.

Flood Wardens play ‘vital role’

Colin Hall, who is the Environment Agency’s Flood Community Engagement Officer for Northumberland, is working with Ponteland Town Council. He said:

Being flooded is absolutely devastating and Flood Wardens play a vital role in supporting their community before, during and after a food event.

It includes things such as checking water levels, reporting blockages in the river and monitoring weather forecasts to be a step ahead of a flood.

We also work with them to develop a Community Flood Plan, with key contacts and responsibilities to carry out in the event flooding takes place.

The local knowledge that wardens can provide on the ground is invaluable and helps communities be more flood resilient.

Raise awareness of flooding issues

Flood Wardens help ensure the Environment Agency’s flood warning messages reach the local community and are acted upon, and have a direct line through to the Environment Agency’s Area Incident Room in Newcastle.

Outside of a flood event, they can help raise awareness of flooding issues in the local community, encourage people to register to receive free flood warnings and provide information to partners about vulnerable people or properties in the flood plain.

Anyone interested in becoming a Flood Warden or for help creating a Community Flood Plan contact Colin.Hall@environment-agency.gov.uk or call 020 7714 0547.

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

The disorder in Derry/Londonderry last night, including targeted attacks on police vehicles and others, was completely unacceptable. These sustained attacks have been widely condemned and must end.

My full support goes to the PSNI and others who are working so hard to end this intolerable violence by a small minority.

Today (12 July 2018), The Planning Inspectorate published its Annual Report for 2017/18. The report shows that all targets were met in Wales and a continuing improvement in performance in England but acknowledges there is more to be done to meet customer expectations of the time taken to process some appeals.

Key points from the report include:

• The need to change and adapt to meet customers, stakeholders and staff expectations
• Investing to provide excellent customer service and tackle timeliness in dealing with hearings and inquiries in England
• Improved financial performance
• Casework performance in Wales exceeded targets
• Casework performance in England is improving but fell short of expectations partly due to an unexpected 13% increase in caseload
• All Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) applications determined within statutory timetables
• An increase in Local Plan examinations

Sarah Richards, Chief Executive of the Planning Inspectorate said: ” We are continuing to change and adapt to improve the time it takes to determine appeals and meet our customers’ expectations. Changing our processes and IT systems takes time and we must do this without jeopardising our delivery of quality decisions in an open, fair, and impartial manner.”

Sarah added: “A key foundation of our Transformation programme is ensuring our customers receive the service they deserve and to ensure our processes support the Government’s objective to build the homes and infrastructure the country needs.”

Ends

Journalists wanting further information should contact the Planning
Inspectorate Press Office, on: 0303 444 5004 or 0303 444 5005 or email:
pressoffice@pins.gsi.gov.uk

The Temporary Enrolment Location (TEL) will operate on 7th and 8th August 2018 from 09.00 am to 05.30 pm from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maldives (1st Floor Boduthakurufaanu Magu, Male’).

Applicants wishing to use the temporary VAC will follow the normal application process by submitting their forms, paying for their visas and booking their appointments online via https://www.gov.uk/apply-uk-visa.

UKVI have agreed to waive routine interviews for customers applying for a Tier 4 student visa via the TEL – making the process more convenient to those who use the TEL.

This is an optional service and those in Maldives are free to travel to the nearest visa application centres in Sri Lanka or India.

Maldivians will also have access to a streamlined application process, announced by the UK Home Office in early July. Maldives was added by UKVI to a list of countries known as Appendix H. This means Maldivians – along with other applicants from Appendix H countries – who are applying for Tier 4 visas will not be required to provide evidence of finances, qualifications or evidence of their English language ability with their application, although they must still meet these requirements – and UKVI reserves the right to request the documents in certain cases.

The UK welcomes students from Maldives, and recognises the contribution they make to the UK, both intellectually and culturally. The streamlined visa processes hopes to provide greater access to Maldivian students as they access the UK’s internationally recognised higher education system.

For specific queries on the visa application process contact the International Enquiry Service – www.gov.uk/contact-ukvi-outside-uk

The Charity Commission found that there were significant failures at the Presidents Club Charitable Trust and that its trustees were in breach of a number of their key charity law duties.

In a report published today, the Commission concludes that the trustees failed fully to recognise or address risks to the reputation of the charity – and its purpose of raising money for good causes – arising from holding an all-male event* staffed by female-only event staff, who were subject to instructions on their appearance, including that they wear ‘smart, sexy shoes’.

The regulator also found that the trustees’ failure to put in place clear or adequate procedures and policies to deal with harassment or improper behaviour at the event was in stark contrast to the measures they took to protect the privacy of the guests. The Commission is clear that any event organised by a charity should aim to provide a safe environment for everyone involved.

The Commission’s case was opened in January 2018 after reports in the media alleging that women employed to work as hostesses at the 2018 event were subjected to harassment and inappropriate behaviour by male guests.

The Commission’s role is to hold trustees of charities to account for their compliance with charity law duties and responsibilities, and to promote public trust and confidence in the charitable sector. Specific allegations of abuse, harassment and discrimination would be for the police and the Equality and Human Rights Commission to investigate and make findings on.

Following the media reports, the trustees of the charity announced that they were in the process of winding up the charity.

The report details breaches of trustees’ charity law duties including:

• As a result of the lack of written contracts with suppliers, absence of oversight and a lack of awareness of the relevant regulatory guidance, the Commission finds that the trustees did not act with reasonable care and skill.
• The Trustees failed to comply with their legal duty to manage charity resources responsibly, specifically avoiding exposing the charity’s assets, beneficiaries or reputation to undue risk.

The Commission has issued the trustees with formal regulatory advice under section 15(2) of the Charities Act 2011 to ensure future compliance. The Commission has also agreed a regulatory action plan with the trustees in order to gather in as much of the money raised at the event as possible. Thereafter, the trustees, working with the Commission, will ensure that the charity is wound up in an orderly manner and that remaining funds reach the causes for which they were intended. Further events will no longer take place upon the winding up of the charity.

Helen Stephenson, Chief Executive of the Charity Commission, said:

The allegations made about the event were entirely at odds with what we would expect from any charity when raising funds for such important causes. Our report should serve as a warning to others that raising funds for charity does not absolve trustees of their legal duties or moral responsibilities. Quite the reverse, the manner in which they are raised is just as important. The public expect the highest standards of conduct from registered charities. When a charity fails to meet those standards, it can risk the very reason it was set up in the first place.

Charities and their fundraising events should be places where all people are protected from harm, and where all people are treated with respect and care. It is clear from our findings that the trustees of the Presidents Club failed to put the proper steps in place to ensure the January dinner fully met those expectations. The trustees thought insufficiently about the welfare of the women hired to work at their charity’s event while taking careful steps to protect the privacy of the male guests attending the dinner. It is not the Commission’s role to determine whether any of the women working on the night were subjected to harassment or abuse. What we can say is that the trustees’ attitude towards their welfare in the name of charity fell short of what would be expected in the 21st century.

We have no evidence that the trustees acted in bad faith. But they demonstrated poor judgment, and a lack of awareness of the important legal duties and responsibilities the law places on trustees.

Notes to editors

1. 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.
2. Search for charities on our check charity tool.
3. The Equality and Human Rights Commission has confirmed that a male only event is not a breach of the Equalities Act 2010. Section 193(7) of the EA says that “It is not a contravention of section 29 for a person, in relation to an activity which is carried on for the purpose of promoting or supporting a charity, to restrict participation in the activity to persons of one sex.”

• Ballot launches today for members of the public to apply
• UK government, supported by the German government, invite nations to participate in international bell ringing to replicate the national outpouring of relief that took place at the end of the war

Ten thousand members of the public will be invited to march past the Cenotaph to mark the centenary of the Armistice later this year, Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright announced today.

Descendants, family members and the public are invited to apply to take part in ‘A Nation’s Thank you – The People’s Procession’ on Sunday 11 November 2018.

At the same time, people are being encouraged to ring bells around the world, as the government is seeking to replicate the spontaneous outpouring of relief that took place in 1918.

As news of the Armistice spread, church bells, which had fallen silent across the UK during the First World War, rang out in celebration.

Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright said:

On the centenary of the Armistice, it is right that we come together to give thanks to those who paid the ultimate sacrifice and those who returned home to help shape the world we live in today.

The 11th of November offers us a unique opportunity to show our appreciation for the generation who gave so much to secure this hard fought victory. I encourage everyone, whatever their connection to the First World War, to apply to participate in the People’s Procession and join in with the bell ringing programme to help us mark this historic occasion.

This will be a fitting conclusion to the four year commemorations of the centenary of the First World War and will ensure the stories from this important period of our history are passed down to future generations.

Bell ringing and the People’s Procession will take place after the conclusion of The Royal British Legion’s Veteran Dispersal and March Past the Cenotaph, which follows the National Service of Remembrance on 11 November 2018, the centenary of the end of the First World War.

The People’s Procession will provide an opportunity for those taking part to give thanks to all those who served in the First World War to secure the victory that helped shape the rights and privileges we enjoy today.

Members of the public are invited to apply for tickets for the People’s Procession through a ballot. Ten thousand tickets are available and will be allocated in pairs. The procession will march down Whitehall where successful applicants will be able to lay wreaths at the Cenotaph.

Bell ringing and the People’s Procession both form part of the national commemoration events for the centenary of the Armistice in London and will be followed by a service at Westminster Abbey in the evening.

ENDS

For further information please contact Faye Jackson:
faye.jackson@culture.gov.uk
020 7211 6263

Notes to Editors:

Members of the public can apply for the People’s Procession on the Armistice 100 website

Throughout the world, bells of all kinds – church, military or any other – are invited by the British Government with the support of the German Government to ring out at the following times:

• Bells in countries observing GMT and CET are invited to ring at 12.30hrs GMT (13.30hrs CET)
• Bells in countries throughout the rest of the world are invited to ring at either 12.30 GMT or 12.30pm local time

DCMS is also supporting the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government on an initiative ‘Ringing Remembers’ which is run jointly by the Big Ideas Company and the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers. This project aims to get 1,400 people ringing church bells on the centenary of the Armistice, the number of bell ringers lost in the war.

A man who drove over another man in an act of road-rage will spend longer in prison after the Solicitor General, Robert Buckland QC MP, referred his original sentence to the Court of Appeal as unduly lenient.

In July 2017, Shahid Ali, 43, shouted and swore at his victim before deliberately driving over him at a slow speed. Ali blamed his victim for holding up traffic along Brighton Road in Balsall Heath. He then drove away and attempted to conceal his involvement by cleaning his car using abrasive materials and hiding his phone.

Patrick Colbert, who was in Birmingham celebrating his 35th birthday, was left with severe brain injuries, fractures to his skull, ribs, and sternum, and collapsed lungs. He will likely suffer long-term complications from these injuries, and requires professional care.

Ali was originally sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court in April, where he was sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment. Today, after the Solicitor General’s referral, the Court of Appeal increased his sentence to 15 years.

Commenting on the sentence increase, the Solicitor General said:

Ali made a deliberate choice to carry out an horrific act, and further to this attempted to conceal his actions. I am pleased that the Court of Appeal has agreed to increase Ali’s sentence, and hope that this brings his victim some comfort.

He will be speaking with a variety of stakeholders about EU exit, the future of farming, and the importance of agricultural innovation to improve output and boost producer’s profits.

Speaking ahead of the visit, Lord Duncan said:

Make no mistake, Scotland’s food and drink is iconic – it is recognised for its quality and heritage all over the world, and is an enormous draw for tourists and investors alike.

And it’s not just salmon and whisky – Scotland’s soft fruits, meat and dairy produce is renowned for flavour and I’m really looking forward to meeting processors, growers and farmers and hearing all about their businesses and their thoughts on how the UK Government can support agriculture in Scotland.

At the Royal Highland Show I spoke about the importance that science and innovation has to play in agriculture and Dourie Farm is a great example of how genetic science can make a positive impact on the farm’s bottom line.

I’m also keen to hear from the teams behind Eyeball brewing and Thistley cross cider. Scotland’s craft drinks industry is booming and the demand is out there. We’ll be discussing the importance of frameworks around labelling, and opportunities for exporting all around the world.

It’s really important that as the UK approaches our exit from the EU that we can hear directly from a range of suppliers about the challenges and opportunities that they see over the years ahead.

Over the two days Lord Duncan will visit Hardiesmill Farm, Gordon; Eyeball Brewery/Thistly Cross Cider, and Belhaven Fruit Farm, Dunbar; Dourie Farm, Port William; and Cream of Galloway, Castle Douglas.

The Governments of France, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States, recalling their statement of 27 June 2018, welcome the announcement that Libya’s National Oil Corporation is resuming its vital work on behalf of all Libyans. We commend the legitimate National Oil Corporation as it repairs infrastructure, honors its contractual obligations, and, having lifted the state of emergency provisions in eastern Libya, restores oil exports and production critical to Libya’s prosperity. We also appreciate the LNA’s contributions to restore stability in Libya’s oil sector, which is critical to Libya’s national interest.

Libya’s oil facilities, production, and revenues belong to the Libyan people. We reiterate that the National Oil Corporation must be allowed to work on behalf of all Libyans and that Libya’s oil resources must remain under the exclusive control of the legitimate National Oil Corporation and the sole oversight of the Government of National Accord (GNA), as outlined in UN Security Council Resolutions 2259 (2015), 2278 (2016), and 2362 (2017).

Now is the time for all Libyan players to move forward with a Libyan-owned discussion about how to improve fiscal transparency, strengthen economic institutions, and ensure just distribution of the country’s resources, within the framework of the Plan of Action formulated by UN Special Representative Ghassan Salameh and on the basis of the Libyan Political Agreement, endorsed by the UN Security Council through resolution 2259 (2015). In this regard, we welcome the proposal of the President of the Presidency Council to move forward with enhanced transparency of Libyan economic institutions. More broadly, we call on Libya’s leaders to seize this important opportunity, within the framework of the Libyan Political Agreement, to resolve differences over the Central Bank of Libya, enhance dialogue on the distribution of resources through the national budget, and work toward the unification of the Central Bank of Libya and the dissolution of parallel institutions, as agreed in the May 29 joint statement in Paris.

We also stand in solidarity with Libya’s leaders as they work toward an inclusive Libyan owned political process that will lead to credible, peaceful and well-prepared national elections as soon as possible.

The Governments of France, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States pledge to support Libyan leaders in pursuing these measures and will use all tools at our disposal to hold accountable those who undermine Libya’s peace, security, and stability.

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