Category: Gov Press Releases

Dr Gul-Nawaz Khan Akbar, Mumtaz Khan Akbar, Rab Nawaz Khan Akbar, Fameeda Akbar and Kauser Akbar have been disqualified relating to their directorships of Greentabs Ltd (known whilst it traded, as Mumtaz Food Industries Ltd), which traded as a restaurant and food manufacturing plant.

The bans follow disqualification orders made in the High Court in Leeds on 16 November 2017 following an investigation by the Insolvency Service. The disqualifications began on 8 December 2017.

Dr Gul-Nawaz Khan Akbar, the managing director of Mumtaz Food Industries Ltd has been disqualified for 6 years. He failed to act in the best interest of the company by purchasing gold bullion to the value of £976,055 with company funds for his sole benefit whilst creditors amounting to £447,997 remained unpaid.

Dr Akbar’s two brothers, Mumtaz Khan Akbar and Rab Nawaz Khan Akbar were aware of the transaction and allowed it to happen, have each been disqualified for three years.

Dr Akbar’s wife, Fameeda Akbar, and Mumtaz Khan Akbar’s wife, Kauser Akbar, were each disqualified for 2 years for not upholding corporate governance requirements..

Between 30 November 2012 and 11 December 2012 Gold bullion with a value of £976,055 was purchased by Mumtaz Food Industries Ltd. Company board meetings minutes show that it was agreed by Dr Akbar, Mumtaz Khan Akbar and Rab Nawaz Khan Akbar that the title to that gold would pass solely to Dr Akbar via the use of an Employee Benefit Trust.

Prior to the purchase of the gold bullion, £447,997 was owed to six unassociated creditors, which Mumtaz Food Industries Ltd failed to pay and which remained outstanding at the time of liquidation.

Towards the end of 2012, Mumtaz Food Industries Ltd’s trade was scaled down and on 24 May 2013 it entered into voluntary liquidation with an estimated deficiency of £805,630.

Commenting on the disqualifications, Robert Clarke, Group Leader of Insolvent Investigations North at the Insolvency Service, said:

Directors who put their own personal financial interests above those of creditors, or who fail to take their directorial responsibilities seriously damage confidence in doing business and are corrosive to the health of the local economy.

It sends a clear message to other company directors that if you run a company in a way that is detrimental to either its customers or its creditors you may be investigated by the Insolvency Service and as a result removed from the corporate trading environment.

Notes to editors

Dr Gul Nawaz Khan Akbar’s date of birth is July 1960.

Mumtaz Khan Akbar’s date of birth is February 1959.

Rab Nawaz Khan Akbar’s date of birth is January 1972.

Fameeda Akbar’s date of birth is November 1967.

Kauser Akbar’s date of birth is August 1967.

All of the directors reside in Bradford.

Greentabs Ltd (CRO No 03484420) formerly known as Mumtaz Food Industries Ltd was incorporated on 22 December 1997 and traded from premises in Great Horton Road, Bradford, W Yorks, BD7 3HS as a restaurant and food manufacturing plant.

Dr Gul Nawaz Khan Akbar and Rab Nawaz Akbar were appointed directors from incorporation until the liquidation of the company. Mumtaz Khan, Fameeda and Kauser Akbar were appointed on 7 April 1999 and continued until the Liquidation of the company.

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

Persons subject to a disqualification order are bound by a range of other restrictions.

The Insolvency Service, an executive agency sponsored by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), administers the insolvency regime, and aims to deliver and promote a range of investigation and enforcement activities both civil and criminal in nature, to support fair and open markets. We do this by effectively enforcing the statutory company and insolvency regimes, maintaining public confidence in those regimes and reducing the harm caused to victims of fraudulent activity and to the business community, including dealing with the disqualification of directors in corporate failures.

BEIS’ mission is to build a dynamic and competitive UK economy that works for all, in particular by creating the conditions for business success and promoting an open global economy. The Criminal Investigations and Prosecutions team contributes to this aim by taking action to deter fraud and to regulate the market. They investigate and prosecute a range of offences, primarily relating to personal or company insolvencies.

The agency also authorises and regulates the insolvency profession, 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

The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial strategy accepted disqualification undertakings from Tuncay Saglam (51) and Leyla Saglam (50) meaning neither shall not be a director of a company whether directly or indirectly, or be involved in the management of a company in any way for seven years unless they have permission from court.

The disqualifications follow collaboration between the Insolvency Service and HMRC, whose investigations established that Mr and Mrs Saglam caused or allowed the company to submit inaccurate statutory VAT returns to HMRC by the deliberate suppression of sales income being to their benefit.

An in depth HMRC investigation revealed that the company had failed to record all of its cash takings and had therefore under-declared the VAT. As a result, HMRC raised a VAT assessment including interest and civil penalties of over £168,000. Additionally, HMRC also reassessed the company’s Corporation Tax liability to be in excess of £210,000 and raised Corporation Tax penalties in excess of £141,000.

At liquidation, HMRC stated that the company owed in excess of £545,000 in relation to arrears of VAT, PAYE and National Insurance Contributions, and Corporation Tax.

Commenting on the disqualification, Lawrence Zussman, Deputy Head of Investigations with the Insolvency Service said:

The periods of these disqualifications sends a clear message to other company directors that tax abuse of any kind, particularly when it comes to suppression of cash takings by directors will not be tolerated.

Defrauding the Exchequer of taxes, deprives the public services of much needed funds required to ensure the public receives the services it rightfully deserves.

The Insolvency Service will therefore not hesitate to take action against directors so they cannot abuse limited liability provided by trading through a company.

Notes to editors

Tuncay Saglam (date of birth January 1966) and Leyla Saglam (date of birth December 1967), both of London, were directors of Mr Cod Morden Ltd (Company No. 06649655), which was incorporated in July 2008.
Mr and Mrs Saglam have been disqualified for a period of 7 years each from 5 January 2018 having given undertakings to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

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]( https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/corporate-insolvency-effect-of-a-disqualification-order

The Insolvency Service, an executive agency sponsored by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), administers the insolvency regime, and aims to deliver and promote a range of investigation and enforcement activities both civil and criminal in nature, to support fair and open markets. We do this by effectively enforcing the statutory company and insolvency regimes, maintaining public confidence in those regimes and reducing the harm caused to victims of fraudulent activity and to the business community, including dealing with the disqualification of directors in corporate failures.

BEIS’ mission is to build a dynamic and competitive UK economy that works for all, in particular by creating the conditions for business success and promoting an open global economy. The Criminal Investigations and Prosecutions team contributes to this aim by taking action to deter fraud and to regulate the market. They investigate and prosecute a range of offences, primarily relating to personal or company insolvencies.

The agency also authorises and regulates the insolvency profession, 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

Following on from last year, Dstl has continued to expand its apprenticeship scheme, this year offering opportunities for 18 year olds and beyond. This includes the chance to gain a degree and other qualifications while in employment, with a competitive salary and 25 days paid annual leave.

Jade Ward, Dstl’s Apprenticeship Adviser said:

“Dstl has a proven track record of successful apprenticeship programmes. We offer a pathway to earn while you learn while gaining real hands-on work experience without the debt of going to university. We are proud to offer these opportunities supporting the Government’s 2020 vision of getting up to three million people enrolled on apprenticeship schemes across the UK.”

26 year-old Louise, a first year electrical engineering apprentice, said:

“I have just started my apprenticeship with Dstl and I am thoroughly enjoying it. I was not academically inclined at school, and so was a little concerned, but I have not once felt that I cannot keep up – the tutors are really great and I definitely don’t feel disadvantaged.”

Dstl employee 20 year-old Zac said:

“I have recently graduated from the apprenticeship and have secured a permanent job. Throughout the apprenticeship I learnt lots of new techniques and skills, which gave me a good foot in to the group I am now working in.”

The Dstl apprenticeship scheme is a mix of formal classroom-based study alongside practical hands-on training in our workshop, laboratory and office facilities.

Apprentices are based at sites in Porton Down, near Salisbury and Portsdown West, near Fareham. Dstl has a diverse, inclusive workforce and welcomes applications from all backgrounds to apply.

To find out how to register visit Dstl Apprenticeship Opportunities

The Charity Commission has issued an official warning to the Islamic Trust (Maidenhead) after finding misconduct and mismanagement in the administration of the charity.

The Commission opened an inquiry into the charity in April 2017 after its trustees failed to file its statutory returns for 2016 on time. This is despite having previously been part of the Commission’s class inquiry into double defaulters and providing assurances to the Commission that they would not default again.

The Commission subsequently issued an order under section 84 of the Charities Act directing the trustees to prepare and submit the outstanding statutory returns, and explain what steps had been taken to prepare them. The trustees complied in full with the order and the outstanding statutory returns were submitted in May 2017.

As part of the inquiry, the Commission met with the charity’s trustees and inspected the charity’s books and records. The Commission identified a number of deficiencies in the charity’s governance which are set out in the report published today.

The inquiry concluded that the trustees did not properly discharge their duties under charity law. In December 2017 the Commission used its regulatory powers to issue the charity with an official warning under section 75A of the Charities Act. The warning sets out that the trustees must take all reasonable steps to ensure that future statutory returns are submitted on time.

The Charity Commission’s Director of Investigations, Monitoring and Enforcement Michelle Russell said:

Keeping detailed financial records and filing accounts on time, in addition to being a legal requirement for charities with an annual income over £25,000, is crucial to being able to evidence your charity’s effectiveness to donors, beneficiaries and the regulator. It’s also necessary to show that charitable funds are being spent on legitimate causes. In this case there were clear failings in the charity’s financial management and overall governance, despite receiving previous advice from the Commission as part of our double defaulters class inquiry.

The trustees also failed to keep records of their wider decision-making which meant they were unable to show that they acted reasonably, in the best interests of the charity and took advice where appropriate.

The full inquiry report is 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. The duty to file accounts and the trustees’ annual report with the Commission applies to all CIOs, irrespective of income and to all other registered charities whose gross yearly income exceeds £25,000.

Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns will laud the “unyielding and commendable efforts” of all involved in the resurrection of one of Britain’s oldest and most famous rugby clubs when he attends a dinner at London Welsh rugby club this evening (9 Feb).

Mr Cairns will be joined at the dinner at the club’s Old Deer Park ground by Welsh Rugby legend Sir Gareth Edwards who will look back on his career and reflect on some of the great players and rugby that defined one of the oldest and most famous clubs in the world.

The event comes in the wake of a challenging year for the club which saw them cease to exist as a professional club, only to be brought back to life through the belief, commitment and dedication of its supporters, staff and sponsors.

Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns will say:

London Welsh rugby club is a place where we celebrate Welsh people’s passion for the game – a real home from home for Welsh people living in London.

And the fact that we will gather in Old Deer Park this evening is made even more poignant when we consider the challenges this club has faced over the past year.

I want to applaud the unyielding efforts of everyone involved – both on and off the field – who have overcome the hurdles in front of them to bring the club back to life and to bring it back to its legions of fans.

It is clear that this club gets into your blood and each and every supporter, player, staff member and sponsor should be commended for what you have achieved.

The Welsh Secretary will be speaking at the dinner on the eve of Wales’ second Six Nations Championship match. Warren Gatland’s men will head to Twickenham fully charged following their bruising defeat over Scotland, and aiming for a second tournament win on the bounce when they take to the field against England.

The event is being held ahead of the Wales Week in London festival – an annual series of activities and events that celebrate and promote everything that’s great about Wales.

Through a calendar of events around St David’s Day, which galvanises existing Welsh communities in London, Wales Week in London builds a positive momentum across the capital that is distinctly about Wales.

Mr Cairns added:

Wales Week in London is a fortnight centred around St David’s Day where the very best of Welsh business, sport, culture and public life come together in the capital to celebrate everything that’s great about Wales.

Businessmen Dan Langford and Mike Jordan – who each have business in Wales – have cultivated this festival of celebration to create a buzz about Wales and all it has to offer.

I would strongly encourage Welsh men and Women who have made their home in the UK’s capital to visit the Wales Week in London website and sign up to attend some of the brilliant events they have planned to celebrate our great nation.

A Downing Street spokesperson said:

This afternoon the Prime Minister hosted Roberto Gualtieri MEP at Downing Street.

The second in a series of engagements between the Prime Minister and key representatives from the European Parliament, Mrs May and Mr Gualtieri discussed the Brexit negotiations, with both recognising the importance of the terms of the implementation period being agreed by the March European Council.

The Prime Minister also set out her vision for a bold and close economic partnership with the EU in the future. Mr Gualtieri highlighted his appreciation of the Prime Minister’s speech in Florence which he attended.

On citizens’ rights, Mrs May and Mr Gualtieri agreed that certainty should be given to people and businesses as soon as possible. Finally, they agreed on the importance of avoiding a hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland.

The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster David Lidington and the Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to the European Parliament Sir Tim Barrow also attended the meeting. Mr Gualtieri met with the Brexit Secretary David Davis, Chancellor Philip Hammond and Home Secretary Amber Rudd earlier in the day.

Alongside the Chancellor, Business Secretary and International Trade Secretary, the Prime Minister discussed the role of our modern Industrial Strategy in making the UK an even more attractive destination for Japanese and international investment, as well as the UK-Japan trade and investment relationship.

Discussions also covered the opportunities and challenges presented by the UK’s exit from the EU.

A Downing Street spokesperson said:

The Prime Minister set out her vision for an outward looking, global Britain, and the long-term opportunities presented by the modern Industrial Strategy.

The strength of the trade, investment and cultural relationship between the UK and Japan was discussed. The Japanese businesses present spoke of their desire to continue trading with, and investing in the UK.

The Prime Minister reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to securing a new deep and special partnership with the EU as the UK leaves the EU.

She reiterated her commitment to global free trade, and she recalled her discussions with Prime Minister Abe in Japan in August last year, and their agreement that, as the UK exits the EU, the UK and Japan will work quickly to establish a new economic partnership based on the final terms of the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement.

Business representatives expressed their appreciation for the opportunity for constructive dialogue with the Government, and agreed on the importance of the time-limited implementation period in providing clarity and certainty for people and businesses.

There was also agreement on the importance of moving quickly in the negotiations to secure a trading relationship with the EU that is as tariff-free and frictionless as possible following the implementation period.

In closing, the Prime Minister committed to maintaining a constructive dialogue between Government and business as EU exit negotiations progress.

The government will today (8 February) restate its commitment to ending the current 15 year time limit on British expats registering as overseas electors.

As well as removing a time limit on the right to vote for UK citizens living abroad, the government intends to enfranchise any British expats who was previously resident or registered to vote in the UK. This is part of the government’s wider ambition to strengthen the foundation of democracy and continually increase voter registration by ensuring every voter’s voice is heard.

Combined, these changes will mean millions of UK citizens overseas will be eligible to register to vote. British expats – under existing laws – have the lowest level of voter registration of any group.

The government published the policy statement “A democracy that works for everyone: British citizens overseas” in October 2016 asking for views on its detailed plans to introduce votes for life. It set out how it would scrap the rule that bars British citizens who have lived abroad for more than 15 years from voting in UK Parliamentary Elections, as set out in the government’s manifesto.

The response to the consultation about the votes for life policy statement will be published on GOV.UK today, ahead of the second reading debate in the House of Commons on 23 February of Glyn Davies MP Private Members’ Overseas Electors Bill.

The policy statement attracted a range of responses from the electoral community and the public.

Minister for the Constitution Chloe Smith said:

Participation in our democracy is a fundamental part of being British, no matter how far you have travelled from the UK. It is right that we should remove the 15-year time limit on voting rights of British citizens living overseas and allow those who previously lived in the UK the chance to participate in our democracy.

Expats retain strong links with the United Kingdom: they may have family here, and indeed they may plan to return here in the future. Modern technology and cheaper air travel has transformed the ability of expats to keep in touch with their home country.

Following the British people’s decision to leave the EU, we need to strengthen ties with countries around the world and show the UK is an outward-facing nation. Our expat community has an important role to play in helping Britain expand international trade, especially given two-thirds of expats live outside the EU.

Highways England’s plans for the improved A303 between Amesbury and Berwick Down will be on show at a series of public events starting on Friday.

The consultation, which runs until 6 April, will outline for the first time initial designs for the scheme and how it will restore the tranquil environment and setting of the Stonehenge monument and surrounding landscape by removing the sight and sound of the road.

Since the last consultation in September, Highways England has continued to work with heritage groups such as the National Trust, Historic England and English Heritage, as well as experts in the field, including the Stonehenge Scientific Committee – a body of leading independent archaeologists – to ensure a new route is built sensitively to the World Heritage Site.

The route has been carefully chosen to avoid monuments and barrow groups as well as avoiding any intrusion on views of the winter solstice from Stonehenge and reconnect the World Heritage Site, which is currently split by the A303.

Highways England is now seeking feedback from the public to help shape the scheme further before they submit an application for a Development Consent Order.

This upgrade is one of five multi-million pound road schemes aimed at boosting the economy, tourism and heritage in the South West which will reach key milestones in the first six months of 2018.

Other key milestones include consultations on the:

• A358 Taunton to Southfields dualling scheme.
• A303 Sparkford to Ilchester.
• A30 Chiverton to Carland Cross.
• A417 Missing Link scheme.

Highways England chief executive Jim O’Sullivan said:

These upgrades in the South West will improve millions of journeys. Each of these milestones in the region is evidence of Highways England delivering major infrastructure upgrades for the whole country.

The upgrades are funded by the Government’s £15 billion investment in motorways and main A roads, and being delivered by Highways England.

April will mark three years since Highways England embarked on delivering the Government’s Road Investment Strategy, the biggest investment in the country’s major roads since the 1970s.

Across the country almost 40 schemes are reaching key milestones in the first half of this year and will join the 18 major projects that have already opened to traffic since April 2015. In addition, a further 16 are currently in construction, the latest of which to start initial works was a major upgrade to the M49 near Bristol.

Statutory consultation for the A303 Stonehenge scheme will offer the public and all interested parties the chance to see the progressed plans, including visualisations of how the new route might look, including the Winterbourne Stoke bypass and initial designs for the junctions along the route.

Following public consultation in early 2017 and further engagement with local communities, heritage groups, archaeologists, historians and engineers, the preferred route was chosen so that the route now closely follows the existing A303 through the World Heritage Site.

For more information on the consultation and public information events, visit the scheme website.

General enquiries

Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.

Media enquiries

Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.

The Foreign Secretary said:

The scale of death and destruction in Syria has already exceeded the limits of human comprehension. But over the last week we’ve heard of new levels of suffering in Eastern Ghouta and Idlib, among these are reports of chemical weapons use.

From Idlib come reports of devastating Syrian regime and Russian airstrikes, including on medical facilities, resulting in scores of civilian deaths. This has to stop.

The world is looking at the Asad regime, Russia and Iran: you hold the keys not only to the end of this obscene conflict, but to the safety, humanitarian aid and basic medical treatment that is being denied to millions of people right now in Syria. Your failure to provide this is simply unconscionable.

Further information

• Follow the Foreign Secretary on Twitter @BorisJohnson and Facebook
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