Category: Gov Press Releases

Ocean plastics, coastal resilience and the Blue Economy were high on the agenda at the G7 summit in Canada earlier this month, where a commitment to support and drive ocean science and sustainability was signed. The Charlevoix Blueprint for Healthy Oceans, Seas and Resilient Coastal Communities sets out G7 commitments on ocean plastics, and creates a blueprint for the development of a more sustainable and climate-resilient future for oceans and coastal communities, with a focus on ocean science and effective, transparent data gathering and utilisation.

As a leading maritime nation, the UK is well placed to support many of the goals set out in the Blueprint and is ready to spearhead the expansion of global interest in ocean data. Through the UK Hydrographic Office’s (UKHO) marine geospatial expertise, the organisation is well placed to support the delivery of many of the commitments set out in the Blueprint. Marine geospatial information provides the foundations for critical decisions affecting trade, maritime safety and security decision-making, the sustainable use of marine resources and development of marine infrastructure, as well as protecting habitats and ensuring resilience against forces of nature.

As well as supporting the UK’s position as a great maritime nation, the UKHO is also the Primary Charting Authority for 71 coastal states around the world, and supports safe navigation globally through the provision of nautical charts, publications and services to over 90% of ships trading internationally. In addition, the UKHO is currently working with partners on two programmes across the globe to support emergency preparedness and recovery, support the management of coastal zones, expand ocean data observation and seabed mapping, and manage fisheries and marine protected areas (MPAs) – all initiatives identified by the Blueprint as priorities for healthy oceans and economies globally.

The UKHO is contributing to projects across 31 coastal states. The Overseas Territories Seabed Mapping Programme, funded by the UK Government’s Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) and co-ordinated by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), is focused on undertaking seabed mapping in territories under the jurisdiction and sovereignty of the UK, such as Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands (BVIs), the Cayman Islands and Montserrat. Furthermore, the UKHO also plays a leading role in the FCO’s Commonwealth Marine Economies (CME) Programme, alongside the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) and the National Oceanography Centre (NOC). The CME Programme aims to unlock over £2bn return for the economies of 17 Small Island Developing States (SIDS), some of which are the most economically vulnerable states in the world, through a range of Blue Economy developmental work.

John Humphrey, Chief Executive of the UKHO, commented:

We worked long and hard with our partners across Government to underpin the development of effective global goals for healthy oceans and sustainable Blue Economy growth in advance of the G7 summit.

It is extremely gratifying to see this global coalition of leaders commit to ocean goals that the UKHO knows from experience have a direct benefit on individuals and economies in coastal communities and nations around the world.

For example, we are continually building our capacity and understanding of how best to support emergency preparedness and recovery efforts. Meanwhile, we have also seen first-hand how accurate and up-to-date seabed mapping can contribute to dual aims of marine protection and the development of the Blue Economy. The associated positive economic benefits of hydrography are clear: with the average return of approximately £7.50 for every £1.00 spent. However, this ratio of can exceed 1:250 for more remote, more geographically challenged and less developed nations.

As a world leading marine geospatial data agency, we look forward to continuing to support our partners achieve the goals of the Charlevoix Blueprint for Healthy Oceans, Seas and Resilient Coastal Communities signed at the G7 summit earlier this month.

Recognising the importance oceans play in the global climate system, supporting communities, jobs and livelihoods, food security, human health, biodiversity, economic prosperity and way of life, the Blueprint commits the G7 to:

1. Support better adaptation planning, emergency preparedness and recovery
2. Support innovative financing for coastal resilience
3. Launch a joint G7 initiative to deploy Earth observation technologies and related applications to scale up capacities for the integrated management of coastal zones
4. Increase the availability and sharing of science and data
5. Address Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing and other drivers of over-exploitation of fish stocks
6. Support strategies to effectively protect and manage vulnerable areas of our oceans
7. Take a lifecycle approach to plastics stewardship on land and at sea, moving towards the
   more resource efficient and sustainable management of plastics

The UKHO is continuing to invest in its technology, staff and facilities in its office in Taunton, to ensure they can continue to provide leading global marine information for decision makers across the globe. The UKHO is expanding marine geospatial capabilities through data science and software development and will be working with government partners to support active strategies to achieve the G7 Blueprint.

Following World Refugee Day on 20 June, and with the monsoon season just beginning, the UK is calling on the international community to step up support for the refugees and their host communities. The UK is leading the way with £129 million of aid already given.

With the gender aspects of the humanitarian crisis often overlooked, Joanna Roper will visit women’s safe spaces in the refugee camp at Cox’s Bazar and meet refugees, humanitarian workers, and civil society leaders to understand the needs of women and girls caught up in the crisis.

Minister Field and Joanna Roper will also meet senior ministers to discuss the crisis as well as girls’ and womens’ education in Bangladesh more widely.

Ahead of the visit, Minister of State for Asia and the Pacific, the Rt Hon Mark Field MP said:

Bangladesh is dealing with a major humanitarian crisis not of its making and it is vital the international community works with Bangladesh to step up support for the refugees and their host communities, especially during this monsoon season.

We are incredibly grateful to Bangladesh and to Prime Minister Hasina for welcoming over one million Rohingya refugees and I am looking forward to seeing how UK aid is helping improve their lives.

UK Special Envoy for Gender Equality, Joanna Roper, said:

The UK is determined to be a world leader in advocating for gender equality internationally and it is all too often women and girls who are the greatest victims in a humanitarian crisis like this – whether as a result of sexual violence, or loss of access to education, and they must not be ignored.

Further information

• Follow Foreign Office Minister Mark Field @MarkFieldUK
• Follow the Foreign Office on Twitter @foreignoffice and Facebook
• Follow the Foreign Office on Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn

The detection was made on 26 June when officers stopped a man who had arrived on a flight from South Africa. When the man was questioned and searched, 19 bird eggs were found concealed within a body belt, as well as two newly-hatched vultures.

Border Force specialist officers identified that the eggs were protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). Although the exact species are yet to be identified, the eggs are known to be from South African birds of prey including vultures, eagles, hawks and kites.

Officers ensured that both the eggs and the live chicks were kept warm and quickly transported to the Heathrow Animal Reception Centre, managed by the City of London Corporation. City Corporation staff ensured that the chicks were cared for and the unhatched eggs were incubated. The live chicks and the eggs have since been moved to a specialist facility.

Following the incident, a 56-year-old Irish national was arrested and the investigation passed to the National Crime Agency (NCA). He has since been bailed pending further enquiries.

Grant Miller, head of the national Border Force CITES team at Heathrow, said:

My officers are experts in their field and will seize anything that contravenes CITES regulations. In this case, by preventing the smuggling attempt they have also ensured that the birds and eggs received the immediate care and attention that they needed.

The frontline work of my team, alongside close working with enforcement partners such as the NCA and National Wildlife Crime Unit, is key to tackling the international illegal wildlife trade which does so much environmental damage and threatens the survival of endangered animals and plants.

The importation of endangered species into the UK is strictly controlled by CITES, which is an international agreement covering more than 35,000 species of animals and plants. The Heathrow-based Border Force CITES team are specialist officers who work across the UK and who are recognised as world leaders in their field.

Anyone with information about activity they suspect may be linked to smuggling and trafficking of any kind should call the UK hotline on: (0)800 59 5000.

Following World Refugee Day on 20 June, and with the monsoon season just beginning, the UK is calling on the international community to step up support for the refugees and their host communities. The UK is leading the way with £129 million of aid already given.

With the gender aspects of the humanitarian crisis often overlooked, Joanna Roper will visit a women’s safe spaces in the refugee camp at Cox’s Bazar and meet refugees, humanitarian workers, and civil society leaders to understand the needs of women and girls caught up in the crisis.

Minister Field and Joanna Roper will also meet senior ministers to discuss the crisis as well as girls’ and women’s education in Bangladesh more widely.

Ahead of the visit, Minister of State for Asia and the Pacific, the Rt Hon Mark Field MP, said:

Bangladesh is dealing with a major humanitarian crisis not of its making and it is vital the international community works with Bangladesh to step up support for the refugees and their host communities, especially during this monsoon season.

We are incredibly grateful to Bangladesh and to Prime Minister Hasina for welcoming over one million Rohingya refugees and I am looking forward to seeing how UK aid is helping improve their lives.

UK Special Envoy for Gender Equality, Joanna Roper, said:

The UK is determined to be a world leader in advocating for gender equality internationally and it is all too often women and girls who are the greatest victims in a humanitarian crisis like this – whether as a result of sexual violence, or loss of access to education, and they must not be ignored.

Further Information

• Follow Foreign Office Minister Mark Field on Twitter @MarkFieldUK
• Follow UK Special Envoy for Gender Equality Joanna Roper on Twitter @JoannaRoperFCO
• Follow the Foreign Office on Twitter @foreignoffice and Facebook
• Follow the Foreign Office on Instagram,
  YouTube
  and LinkedIn

The four charity regulators of the UK and Ireland will for the first time work together to develop the charity accounting framework for use across all four charity law jurisdictions.

The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) has approved the addition of the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland and the Charities Regulatory Authority for the Republic of Ireland as joint members of the SORP-making body with the Charity Commission for England and Wales and the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR). The inclusion of the Charities Regulatory Authority is subject to the SORP being formally adopted by way of regulations for use in the Republic of Ireland.

Statements of Recommended Practice (SORPs) are sector-driven recommendations on financial reporting, auditing practices and actuarial practices for specialised sectors. The FRC’s decision recognises that the charity regulators have agreed to jointly develop a sector-specific framework for accounting and reporting by charities in accordance with the Policy on developing SORPs.

The enlarged SORP-making body will work towards a new charities SORP building on the foundation of the existing SORP to promote a common approach to high quality reporting by charities whilst respecting local differences and legal requirements.

The regulators will begin developing the new SORP from January 2019.

Frances McCandless, Chief Executive of The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland said:

This renewed partnership will allow us to work closely together to create a high quality reporting and accounting framework for charities that can command the confidence of donors and funders across the UK and Ireland.

John Farrelly, Chief Executive of the Charities Regulatory Authority for the Republic of Ireland said:

We welcome this step and are confident that this collaboration will result in an effective common reporting and accounting framework suitable for all four jurisdictions that also respects the unique reporting requirements for both Ireland and the UK.

David Robb, Chief Executive of the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator said:

The charities SORP has a long history and we look forward to working together to ensure high quality, proportionate reporting and accounting which is crucial in order for charities to demonstrate that they operate transparently and can be trusted in the eyes of the public.

Helen Stephenson, Chief Executive of the Charity Commission for England and Wales said:

We know from our research and case work that the public care deeply about how charities operate. I hope that this will equip us all to help charities rise to the challenge of addressing public concern and explaining their impact through accurate and meaningful reporting. There remains much to be done here and the SORP has a key role to play.

Ends

Notes to Editors

1. The existing charity SORPs (Statements of Recommended Practice) have been set by the Charity Commission for England and Wales and the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR). The SORP-making body is responsible for overseeing the SORP and publishing it.
2. Since 2010 both the Charity Commission (Northern Ireland) and the Charities Regulatory Authority had been observer members on the advisory charities SORP Committee.
3. The inclusion of the Charities Regulatory Authority as a member of the SORP-making body is subject to regulations being made under the Charities Act 2009 which require that accounts over a certain threshold prepared on a ‘true and fair’ basis follow the SORP. Until that time the SORP is voluntary in the Republic and the Charities Regulatory Authority will continue as an observer member of the advisory SORP Committee.
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

The Charity Commission, the independent regulator of charities in England and Wales, has opened a statutory inquiry into Fazal Ellahi Charitable Trust. The inquiry was opened on 16 April 2018.

The charity’s objects include the education of all people, particularly children and young persons in the Muslim religion and the Urdu language, as well as the advancement of the Muslim religion through the provision of collective prayer meetings and otherwise.

The Commission removed the charity from the register in 2009, in accordance with its legal obligations under Section 34 of the Charities Act 2011. The trustees had failed to submit its annual financial accounts or respond to repeated correspondence from the Commission and therefore the Commission considered that it had ceased to operate. Despite its removal from the register, the charity continued to operate including running a mosque and religious classes for children.

Despite not being registered with the Commission, the charity remains under the Commission’s regulatory remit. The Commission engaged with the charity in 2017 after being made aware of offences committed by the Imam at the mosque operated by the charity. The offences resulted in a conviction of six counts of encouragement of terrorism and two counts of encouraging support for a proscribed organisation in relation to a series of sermons and classes for children he gave at the mosque.

The inquiry will examine the following regulatory concerns:

• the management and oversight of staff, use of the charity’s premises and safeguarding procedures by the trustees
• whether the trustees have properly exercised their legal duties and responsibilities under charity law in the administration of the charity
• the financial management of the charity, particularly in regards to maintaining and preserving accounting records
• whether there has been misconduct and/or mismanagement by the trustees, including failure to comply with the charity’s own governing document

The Commission has exercised its regulatory powers under section 76(3)(d) of the Charities Act 2011 to ‘freeze’ the charity’s bank account and under section 84A of the Act to direct the trustees not to take specified actions relating to activities at the charity which would constitute regulated activity.

It is the Commission’s policy, after it has concluded an inquiry, to publish a report detailing what issues the inquiry looked at, what actions were undertaken as part of the inquiry and what the outcomes were. Reports of previous inquiries by the Commission are available on GOV.UK.

Ends

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. Search for charities on our check charity tool
3. Section 46 of the Charities Act 2011 gives the Commission the power to institute inquiries. The opening of an inquiry gives the commission access to a range of investigative, protective and remedial legal powers
4. Regulated activity is work which involves close and unsupervised contact with vulnerable groups including children. The full legal definition of regulated activity is set out in Schedule 4 of the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 as amended by the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012

‘Doris’, ‘Dave’, ‘Henry’, ‘Betsy’ and ‘Bumble’ were popular choices, with the largest proportion of those who said they named their car coming from the East Midlands (28%). The smallest proportion came from Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales (1%, 3% and 6% respectively).

Women were almost twice as likely to give their car a name as men (65% and 35% respectively), with the majority of people who said they name their cars aged between 55 and 64 (41% within this age group said they gave their car a name).

The make, model, colour and ‘general look’ of the car were the common reasons given for the choice of name, with Fords, Vauxhalls, Toyotas, BMWs and Hyundais being the makes of vehicle most frequently given a name.

With 87% saying they had bought a personalised registration to match the name they give to their car, this could explain some of the obscure personalised registrations seen on cars.

DVLA Personalised Registrations sales manager Jody Davies said:

We sold DOR 1S, DAV 3S, HEN 2Y and HER 81E in the past, as well as personalised registrations where the meaning and significance seems much less obvious. It’s no surprise to find that people want to say something about their car in this way – whether the name is something personal to them or a bit of fun that they want to share with others.

Personalised registrations can be sold at auction for varying – and sometimes very large – amounts of money, but online they start from £250 so getting the ideal plate for your car could be less expensive than you may have thought.

In the last financial year 2017 to 2018, the sale of personalised registrations by DVLA raised over £160 million for HM Treasury. With around 50 million personalised registrations for sale on DVLA’s website, motorists can find out if their car’s name is available with just a few clicks.

Notes to editors

The personalised registrations referred to in the text were sold by DVLA at auction as follows:

• DOR 1S – £6,800 September 1990
• DAV 3S – £9,100 September 1999
• HER 81E – £7,000 January 2003
• HEN 2Y – £6,300 June 2005

The prices quoted above do not include VAT on the ‘hammer price’ listed; the buyer’s premium (+VAT) and DVLA assignment fees.

For the financial year 2017 to 2018, the sale of personalised registrations by DVLA generated £161,902,560 revenue for HM Treasury, including VAT and assignment fees.

Names that appeared more than once were:

• The Beast
• Betsy
• Bertie
• Bumble
• Dave
• Doris
• Henry
• Herb / Herbie
• Landy
• Sparky

The personalised registration depicted in the image, BR17 NEY is available for sale at the next DVLA live auction, taking place at the Oxford Belfry Hotel, Milton Common on 18, 19 and 20 July 2018, with a reserve price of £700 (plus fees).

Quoted statistics are based on responses to a DVLA survey.

Jo Harvey-Barringer, currently residing in Sussex, was the Chief Executive Officer and a director of Broken Rainbow LGBT Domestic Violence Service (UK) Limited (Broken Rainbow).

Broken Rainbow was incorporated in January 2004 to provide a telephone helpline service to members of the LGBT community who had experienced domestic violence, initially in London but also from premises in Manchester (from 2015).

The charity had various funding streams but relied heavily on funding provided by the Home Office. Home Office funding was not guaranteed and was often delayed causing cash flow issues.

At the start of 2016, following further delays in Home Office funding and a review of the charity’s financial stability it became apparent that payments had not been maintained to HMRC in respect of the charity’s PAYE debt.

In addition, charity Trustees had serious concerns over how it could continue to deliver its services and sought advice from an Insolvency Practitioner.

Following this, the charity was placed into creditors voluntary liquidation on 5 July 2016.

Between December 2014 and May 2016, payments amounting to £143,671 were made to Jo Harvey- Barringer, at a time when only £3,490 was paid in respect of the PAYE liability incurred during that period. This included a single payment of £12,500 made to her on 08 April 2016.

Anthea Simpson, a Chief Investigator with the Investigation and Enforcement Services, of the Insolvency Service said,

This ban should serve as a warning to other directors, particularly to those operating in the charity sector, that Company directors have a duty to ensure businesses meet their legal obligations, including paying taxes.

Deliberate neglect of tax affairs whilst paying others is not a victimless action as it deprives the taxpayer of the funds needed to operate public services and if they put their own needs before them they could be investigated by the Insolvency Service and lose the privilege of limited liability trading.

On 6 June 2018, the Secretary of State accepted a disqualification undertaking from Jo Harvey-Barringer, after she admitted failing to make payments to HMRC, while continuing to make payments to herself and other creditors.

Her ban is effective from 27 June 2018 and lasts for 3.5 years and means that for the duration of the ban, she cannot directly or indirectly becoming involved, without the permission of the court, in the promotion, formation or management of a company or limited liability partnership.

Notes to editors

Jo Harvey-Barringer, currently resides in Hove, Sussex and her date of birth is July 1968.

Broken Rainbow LGBT Domestic Violence Service (UK) (company registration number: 05009850) was placed into creditors voluntary liquidation on 5 July 2016.

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 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 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](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcLiLoFYKt6sLLafxk1AplQ

David John Trathen [64] was the director of Rocco Primrose Limited (RPL) which developed housing on an old school site formerly owned by Plymouth City Council.

Formerly known as Trathen Lewis Limited, RPL was first incorporated in August 2013 and traded for around three and a half years before entering into creditors’ voluntary liquidation in April 2017 with an estimated deficiency of £416,353.

Independent insolvency practitioners were appointed to wind up the company but their job was made difficult by the fact that David Trathen failed to deliver adequate accounting records showing the true nature of the company’s business.

Further investigations by the Insolvency Service found that from at least June 2016 to the end of the business in February 2017, David Trathen failed to ensure that RPL maintained adequate accounting records.

This meant it was impossible to account for various payments out of the business, explain the source of credits to RPL’s bank account, what RPL owed to HMRC in taxes, as well as determining the amount of remuneration, if any, received by David Trathen.

In one example, investigators were unable to account for at least £141,000 of RPL’s income, generated from the sale of 20 building plots of land now known as Lilford Gardens – the former site of West Park Primary School in Wanstead Grove.

In another example, investigators could not explain why there had been more than £407,000 worth of expenditure from RPL’s bank account and whether this related to genuine company expenses.

And because of the lack adequate accounting records, investigators could not determine whether David Trathen’s statement of affairs in the liquidation was accurate and the real reason why RPL failed as a business.

As a result, the Secretary of State accepted a disqualification undertaking from David Trathen, and from 1 May 2018, he is banned from running companies, both directly and indirectly, for 8 years.

Dave Elliott, Head of Insolvent Investigations (Midlands & West) for the Insolvency Service said:

Directors have a duty to ensure that companies maintain proper accounting records, and, following insolvency, deliver them to the office-holder.

Without such records, it is not possible to determine whether or not a director has discharged his duties properly, or is using a lack of documentation as a cloak for other wrongdoing.

Notes to editors

Rocco Primrose Ltd (formerly Trathen Lewis Ltd) (CRO No. 8651577) was incorporated on 15 August 2013 and its registered office was at 6 Houndiscombe Road, Plymouth and it traded from 2 Mariners Court, North Quay, Sutton Harbour, Plymouth, PL4 0BS as property developers.

Mr Trathen was a director from 15 August 2013 onwards. The company went into creditors’ voluntary liquidation on 11 April 2017 with an estimated deficiency of £416,353.

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 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 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 7637 6498 or 020 7596 6187

You can also follow the Insolvency Service on:

• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• YouTube

• The consultation will recommend raising the maximum amount society lotteries can raise for good causes from £10 million to £100 million per year
• Consultation will recommend raising maximum draw prize
• Large society lotteries sales limits were last raised in 2009

A consultation has today been launched on changes to the amount of money society lotteries can raise for good causes.

The Government recommends increasing the maximum draw prize from its current limit of £400,000 to £500,000. The consultation will also ask for views on increasing the number of tickets society lotteries can sell to a value of £100 million per year and the amount they can raise per draw to £5 million.

The move would allow charities and community groups to increase fundraising methods through society lotteries, while protecting the National Lottery’s ability to raise money for good causes.

Tracey Crouch, Minister for Sport and Civil Society said:

Society lotteries make a vital difference to communities up and down the country. They raise hundreds of millions of pounds every year, supporting our veterans, lifeboats, hospices, air ambulances and many other great causes.

They are an important fundraising tool for charities and we want to ensure that both society lotteries and the National Lottery are able to thrive now and in the future.

Society lotteries – such as those run by charities, The Health Lottery and People’s Postcode Lottery – raised over £255 million for good causes in 2016/17.

The individual draw limit for large society lotteries was last raised in 2009. The government’s decision to consult follows the sector’s calls for limits to be increased.

The consultation will run for ten weeks and is open to members of the public.

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS

Society lotteries are lotteries run by charities and other non-commercial organisations such as sports clubs to allow them to raise money for the good causes they support.

The Gambling Act sets the current limits for society lotteries as £4 million sales per draw, £10 million sales per year and a maximum draw prize of £400,000. The per draw sales limit was last changed in 2009.

For further information, please call Hannah Thornley at the DCMS Press Office on: 0207 211 6276.

Examples of society lotteries include:

People’s Postcode Lottery has raised more than £310 million for UK charities since 2005. The money raised is awarded to good causes through a collection of themed charity trusts, and also directly supports a range of charities including Oxfam, Dogs Trust, Maggie’s and PDSA.

The Health Lottery has raised over £58 million since its launch in September 2011. It supports local health causes in England, Scotland and Wales through 51 local community interest companies. Grants have supported charities like Carers Trust, Dementia UK, and Mencap.

Macmillan Lottery raises funds to support different areas of Macmillan’s work for people affected by cancer.

British Legion’s Poppy Lottery supports the vital work of The Royal British Legion helping serving and ex-Service men and women and their families across the UK.

Royal National Lifeboat Institution runs a Lifeboat Lottery raising funds to support their vital work helping to save lives at sea.

Air Ambulances across the UK raise money through lotteries to support local air ambulance services.