Category: Gov Press Releases

England

The data for England shows:

• house prices have risen by 0.1% since October 2017
• an annual price rise of 5.3% takes the average property value to £243,339

The regional data for England indicates that:

• the West Midlands experienced the greatest rise in average property price over the last 12 months, up by 7.2%
• the North West experienced the greatest monthly price rise, up by 1.4%
• the North East and London saw the lowest annual price rise, both up by 2.3%
• the North East saw the most significant monthly price fall, down by 1%

Price change by region for England

Region	Average price November 2017	Annual change % since November 2016	Monthly change % since October 2017
East Midlands	£185,047	6.4	0.2
East of England	£289,731	6.0	-0.2
London	£481,915	2.3	-0.9
North East	£127,737	2.3	-1.0
North West	£159,066	6.2	1.4
South East	£325,270	5.7	0.3
South West	£251,923	6.2	-0.5
West Midlands	£192,119	7.2	1.3
Yorkshire and the Humber	£155,778	3.0	-0.8

Repossession sales by volume for England

The lowest number of repossession sales in September 2017 was in the East of England.

Repossession sales	September 2017
East Midlands	48
East of England	13
London	23
North East	76
North West	140
South East	55
South West	25
West Midlands	63
Yorkshire and the Humber	88
England	531

Average price by property type for England

Property type	November 2017	November 2016	Difference %
Detached	£369,380	£349,672	5.6
Semi-detached	£226,228	£213,385	6.0
Terraced	£195,956	£185,434	5.7
Flat/maisonette	£226,501	£218,906	3.5
All	£243,339	£231,053	5.3

Funding and buyer status for England

Transaction type	Average price November 2017	Annual price change % since November 2016	Monthly price change % since October 2017
Cash	£228,889	5.2	0.0
Mortgage	£250,620	5.4	0.1
First-time buyer	£204,494	5.3	0.3
Former owner occupier	£275,792	5.3	-0.1

Building status for England

Building status*	Average price September 2017	Annual price change % since September 2016	Monthly price change % since August 2017
New build	£310,878	11.9	0.3
Existing resold property	£238,556	4.8	-0.1

*Figures for the two most recent months are not being published because there are not enough new build transactions to give a meaningful result.

Sales volumes for England

The most up-to-date HM Land Registry sales figures available for England show:

• the number of completed house sales in September 2017 fell by 14.8% to 64,812 compared with 76,114 in September 2016

Month	Sales 2017	Sales 2016	Difference %
August	74,189	79,655	-6.9
September	64,812	76,114	-14.8

London

The data for London shows:

• house prices have fallen by 0.9% since October 2017
• an annual price rise of 2.3% takes the average property value to £481,915

Average price by property type for London

Property type	November 2017	November 2016	Difference %
Detached	£919,354	£886,553	3.7
Semi-detached	£583,283	£562,093	3.8
Terraced	£495,903	£480,836	3.1
Flat/maisonette	£424,766	£418,660	1.5
All	£481,915	£470,854	2.3

Funding and buyer status for London

Transaction type	Average price November 2017	Annual price change % since November 2016	Monthly price change % since October 2017
Cash	£506,946	1.9	-1.3
Mortgage	£474,145	2.5	-0.8
First-time buyer	£421,781	2.3	-0.7
Former owner occupier	£543,383	2.4	-1.2

Building status for London

Building status*	Average price September 2017	Annual price change % since September 2016	Monthly price change % since August 2017
New build	£521,920	10.2	0.9
Existing resold property	£485,338	2.9	-0.2

*Figures for the two most recent months are not being published because there are not enough new build transactions to give a meaningful result.

Sales volumes for London

The most up-to-date HM Land Registry sales figures available for London show:

• the number of completed house sales in September 2017 fell by 21.5% to 6,494 compared with 8,275 in September 2016

Month	Sales 2017 London	Sales 2016 London	Difference %
August	7,802	8,535	-8.6
September	6,494	8,275	-21.5

Wales

The data for Wales shows:

• house prices have fallen by 0.7% since October 2017
• an annual price rise of 4.5% takes the average property value to £152,855

Average price by property type for Wales

Property type	November 2017	November 2016	Difference %
Detached	£231,696	£222,255	4.2
Semi-detached	£147,643	£140,306	5.2
Terraced	£117,939	£112,457	4.9
Flat/maisonette	£107,952	£106,699	1.2
All	£152,855	£146,278	4.5

Funding and buyer status for Wales

Transaction type	Average price November 2017	Annual price change % since November 2016	Monthly price change % since October 2017
Cash	£148,829	4.0	-0.7
Mortgage	£155,246	4.8	-0.7
First-time buyer	£132,177	4.7	-0.4
Former owner occupier	£176,931	4.3	-1.0

Building status for Wales

Building status*	Average price September 2017	Annual price change % since September 2016	Monthly price change % since August 2017
New build	£208,793	13.3	0.5
Existing resold property	£149,773	5.0	0.4

*Figures for the two most recent months are not being published because there are not enough new build transactions to give a meaningful result.

Sales volumes for Wales

The most up-to-date HM Land Registry sales figures available for Wales show:

• the number of completed house sales in September 2017 fell by 6.6% to 3,786 compared with 4,054 in September 2016
• there were 60 repossession sales in September 2017

Month	Sales 2017	Sales 2016	Difference %
August	4,190	4,122	1.6
September	3,786	4,054	-6.6

Access the full UK HPI

UK house prices grew by 5.1% in the year to November 2017, experiencing a 0.3 percentage point fall from the previous month.

The UK Property Transaction Statistics for November 2017 show that the number of seasonally adjusted transactions on residential properties with a value of £40,000 or greater rose by 7.1% in the year to November 2017. Between October 2017 and November 2017, transactions increased by 0.6%.

Looking at the regional level, the largest annual price growth was recorded in the West Midlands at 7.2%, up from 7.1% in October 2017. It was followed by the East Midlands at 6.4%. At 2.3%, both London and the North East region showed the slowest annual growth of all UK regions. This is the 12th consecutive month where the annual growth in London has remained below the UK average.

See the economic statement.

Notes to editors

1. The UK House Price Index (HPI) is published on the second or third Tuesday of each month with Northern Ireland figures updated quarterly. The December 2017 UK HPI will be published at 9.30am on 13 February 2018. See calendar of release dates.
2. We have made some changes to improve the accuracy of the UK HPI. We are not publishing average price and percentage change for new builds and existing resold property as done previously because there are not currently enough new build transactions to provide a reliable result. This means that in this month’s UK HPI reports, new builds and existing resold property are reported in line with the sales volumes currently available.
3. The UK HPI revision period has been extended to 13 months, following a review of the revision policy (see calculating the UK HPI section 4.4). This ensures the data used is more comprehensive.
4. Sales volume data is also available by property status (new build and existing property) and funding status (cash and mortgage) in our downloadable data tables. Transactions involving the creation of a new register, such as new builds, are more complex and require more time to process. Read Revisions to the UK HPI data.
5. Revision tables have been introduced for England and Wales within the downloadable data. Tables will be available in csv format. See about the UK HPI for more information.
6. Data for the UK HPI is provided by HM Land Registry, Registers of Scotland, Land & Property Services/Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency and the Valuation Office Agency.
7. The UK HPI is calculated by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and Land & Property Services/Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. It applies a hedonic regression model that uses the various sources of data on property price, in particular, HM Land Registry’s Price Paid Dataset, and attributes to produce estimates of the change in house prices each month. Find out more about the methodology used from the ONS and Northern Ireland Statistics & Research Agency.
8. The UK Property Transaction statisticsare taken from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) monthly estimates of the number of residential and non-residential property transactions in the UK and its constituent countries. The number of property transactions in the UK is highly seasonal, with more activity in the summer months and less in the winter. This regular annual pattern can sometimes mask the underlying movements and trends in the data series so HMRC also presents the UK aggregate transaction figures on a seasonally adjusted basis. Adjustments are made for both the time of year and the construction of the calendar, including corrections for the position of Easter and the number of trading days in a particular month.
9. UK HPI seasonally adjusted series are calculated at regional and national levels only. See data tables.
10. The first estimate for new build average price (April 2016 report) was based on a small sample which can cause volatility. A three-month moving average has been applied to the latest estimate to remove some of this volatility.
11. Work has been taking place since 2014 to develop a single, official HPI that reflects the final transaction price for sales of residential property in the UK. Using the geometric mean, it covers purchases at market value for owner-occupation and buy-to-let, excluding those purchases not at market value (such as re-mortgages), where the ‘price’ represents a valuation.
12. Information on residential property transactions for England and Wales, collected as part of the official registration process, is provided by HM Land Registry for properties that are sold for full market value.
13. The HM Land Registry dataset contains the sale price of the property, the date when the sale was completed, full address details, the type of property (detached, semi-detached, terraced or flat), if it is a newly built property or an established residential building and a variable to indicate if the property has been purchased as a financed transaction (using a mortgage) or as a non-financed transaction (cash purchase).
14. Repossession sales data is based on the number of transactions lodged with HM Land Registry by lenders exercising their power of sale.
15. For England, this is shown as volumes of repossession sales recorded by Government Office Region. For Wales, there is a headline figure for the number of repossession sales recorded in Wales.
16. The data can be downloaded as a .csv file. Repossession data prior to April 2016 is not available. Find out more information about repossession sales.
17. Background tables of the raw and cleansed aggregated data, in Excel and CSV formats, are also published monthly although Northern Ireland is on a quarterly basis. They are available for free use and re-use under the Open Government Licence.
18. HM Land Registry’s mission is to guarantee and protect property rights in England and Wales.
19. HM Land Registry is a government department created in 1862. It operates as an executive agency and a trading fund and its running costs are covered by the fees paid by the users of its services. Its ambition is to become the world’s leading land registry for speed, simplicity and an open approach to data.
20. HM Land Registry safeguards land and property ownership worth in excess of £4 trillion, including around £1 trillion of mortgages. The Land Register contains more than 25 million titles showing evidence of ownership for some 85% of the land mass of England and Wales.
21. For further information about HM Land Registry visit www.gov.uk/land-registry.
22. Follow us on:

• Twitter @HMLandRegistry
• our blog
• LinkedIn
• Facebook

Mr Chris Sainty has been appointed Her Majesty’s Ambassador to the Portuguese Republic in succession to Ms Kirsty Hayes. Mr Sainty will take up his appointment in summer 2018.

CURRICULUM VITAE

Full name: Christopher James Sainty

Married to: Sarah Helen Sainty

Children: Three

2015 – 2017 FCO, European Correspondent and Head of Europe (South) Department, Europe Directorate

2011 – 2015 Rome, Deputy Head of Mission

2008 – 2010 Islamabad, Political Counsellor

2006 – 2008 The Hague, Deputy Head of Mission

2004 – 2006 FCO, Head of EU Presidency Department

2000 – 2004 Madrid, First Secretary (Political)

1998 – 2000 FCO, Head of Newsroom, Press Office

1996 – 1998 FCO, Common Foreign and Security Policy Unit

1992 – 1996 New Delhi, Second Secretary (Political)

1990 – 1992 FCO, Hong Kong Department

1989 Joined the Diplomatic Service

Further information

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

The ‘Infinite Wave’ by London and Gloucester-based George King Architects has been selected as the design for the memorial dedicated to the 31 British nationals who lost their lives, and to all of those affected by the two terrorist attacks in Tunisia in 2015.

An independent panel shortlisted seven designs from 19 entries, and chose ‘Infinite Wave’ following consultation with family members of those affected by the two attacks.

As announced last year, the sculpture will be located in Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham, and construction is due to be completed later on this year.

The panel selected ‘Infinite Wave’ due to its beautiful flow and clever use of the natural environment, as well as positive feedback from family members.

Announcing the winning design, FCO Minister for North Africa, Alistair Burt said:

For those who lost loved ones or witnessed the horrendous terrorist attacks in Tunisia in 2015, resulting in 31 Britons being killed, their lives have never been the same since because of these cowardly acts of terror.

I know several families have tried to ensure something good comes out of these terrible events, such as raising money for charity, or improving awareness of extremism in their community and they should be commended for their positivity.

I hope that ‘Infinite Wave’ with its beautiful surroundings in Cannon Hill Park, will provide a focal point of tranquillity for families to reflect and remember their loved ones.

Chair of the Creative Panel, Mark Castle, CEO, Victim Support, said:

The panel were only too aware of the significant responsibility to find a design that is not only stunning to look at, but also one that families can connect with.

We knew going into this process that we had a difficult task but the on-line design consultation with families revealed that George King’s concept resonated with many people affected by these terrible events.

I think the appeal is not only because of the beautiful flow of the sculpture, and its clever use of the natural environment, but because the single tube of steel in George King’s concept shows how the people affected by these terrible events are intrinsically linked.

Suzy Richards, who lost three members of her family in the attack said;

I chose the infinity design because to me it represents never ending loss and pain of losing three generations of my family. My son Joel was just 19, my brother Adrian at 49, and my dad Pat, 79. It also represents our never ending love and beautiful memories we treasure.

George King, Principal of George King Architects said:

It is wonderful and overwhelming to be chosen to design this memorial. We put the families and their experiences very much at the heart of this concept and didn’t want to gloss over the immense pain they have been and continue to go through.

We came up with ‘Infinite Wave’ to show how time stood still for victims on the day of the attacks and designed the surrounding landscape as a series of ripples.

The ripples represent the impact that the events in Tunisia in 2015 had beyond those that lost their lives. They represent the survivors, the families of the victims, the local communities, the national heartache and the global loss.

Cllr Lisa Trickett, Cabinet Member with responsibility for Parks at Birmingham City Council, said:

I am pleased that the memory of those involved in these tragic events will be remembered in such a thoughtful way in Cannon Hill Park.

This is an important Memorial and we believe the designers have paid respect to the beautiful park and that the successful design ‘Infinite wave’, will enhance the natural environment.

We hope that, as well as providing a place of reflection for all of those affected by these horrific events, the site will also be appreciated and used by more regular park visitors.

The Parole Board welcomes the announcement from the Secretary of State that legal aid is to be reinstated for pre-tariff reviews for indeterminate sentence prisoners before the Parole Board. The Statutory Instrument bringing this work back into scope for legal aid was Laid before Parliament on 21 December 2017.

The Statutory Instrument can be read here.

We will be looking at how best to support prisoners affected by this in respect to their individual circumstances.

The UK has once again led the response to the Rohingya crisis in Bangladesh, by contributing to a vaccination programme which will protect more than 350,000 vulnerable Rohingya children from a deadly outbreak of diphtheria.

The vaccination campaign, which began in December, is due to run until February, has already ensured more than 315,000 children aged between six-weeks and 15-years-old, living in or near the world’s biggest camp in Cox’s Bazar, are protected.

Overcrowded camps in Cox’s Bazar are a breeding ground for contagious diphtheria, with 100 new cases every day.

Since late 2017, there have been nearly 4,000 suspected cases and at least 31 deaths. More than half the deaths relate to children under the age of five.

Diphtheria is especially dangerous for children. It is fast spreading and fatal, causing extreme breathing difficulties, inflammation of the heart which can lead to heart failure, problems with the nervous system and fatal paralysis.

In tandem with the vaccination campaign, which is being carried out by UNICEF, the UK has also provided specialist expertise in the form of British doctors, nurses, paramedics and midwives, who are treating diphtheria patients.

Only three weeks after arriving in the camps, the skills of the 40-strong UK aid-funded Emergency Medical Team have made a significant difference and saved countless lives, including that of four-year-old Anowar.

He was referred to the treatment centre at 9am last Monday (January 8), in a weak and lethargic condition and displaying symptoms of diphtheria.

Anowar’s symptoms were so severe; the clinicians decided that he needed diphtheria anti-toxin immediately in addition to a course of antibiotics. By 4pm that afternoon his health had improved significantly, and he was soon released to complete his treatment in the care of his relieved family. He is now doing well and looked healthier when he visited the treatment centre on Thursday 11 January for a check-up.

The intervention of the UK medics undoubtedly saved Anowar’s life but it has also had a wider impact as clinicians were also able to treat his entire family with precautionary antibiotics, preventing them from going through the same suffering as Anowar.

The Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh from neighbouring Burma following persecution by its military. In November 2017, the International Development Secretary visited Cox’s Bazar where she announced extra UK aid for the humanitarian crisis, ensuring more lives are not put at risk when international funding starts to run out in February 2018.

International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt said:

It is difficult to comprehend the depth of human suffering among the hundreds and thousands of Rohingya who have fled persecution in Burma. Many have sought refuge in Bangladesh, but their plight is far from over as diphtheria, an entirely preventable disease, is claiming the lives of those who thought they had finally reached safety.

British expertise and aid is saving lives in Cox’s Bazar, preventing and treating this deadly infection, helping children like Anowar.

In today’s world, no child should die from a preventable disease. The UK is giving hope and a chance to Rohingya families.

Notes for Editors:

1. DFID is funding £2million of the $4.6 million cost (£3.4 million) required to vaccinate 351,458 children aged six-weeks to 15-years-old as part of the campaign.
2. The wider UNICEF vaccination campaign will also vaccinate 130,000 school children living in host communities near to the camps in Cox’s Bazar.
3. Funding for this vaccination campaign has been provided from the response budget announced on 23rd October and 27th November 2017.
4. Medics have worked tirelessly to ensure the swift vaccination of those most at risk. To date 315,889 children have been reached.
5. DFID is working in partnership with the government of Bangladesh to ensure that children living in the camps and host communities are vaccinated against this deadly disease.
6. The UK’s Emergency Medical Team (EMT) is a collaboration between DFID, the NHS, Public Health England, UK Med – a register of NHS volunteers ready to deploy to emergencies, Handicap International and the UK Fire and Rescue Service. This is the first deployment of the EMT since it was verified by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in December 2016. UK medical personnel have previously been deployed to respond to Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines in 2013 and the Nepal earthquake in 2015.
7. The deployment will be funded from DFID’s Bangladesh humanitarian budget – up to £650,000 has been earmarked for the EMT.
8. Diphtheria is a bacterial infection. It most often causes infection of the upper respiratory tract. Diphtheria is most commonly spread from person to person through respiratory droplets (coughs and sneezes), or by direct contact with either respiratory secretions or infected skin lesions. Respiratory diphtheria usually occurs after an incubation period of 2-5 days. It causes life-threatening airway obstruction if untreated.
9. The first suspected case of diphtheria was reported on 10 November at an MSF clinic in Cox’s Bazar. The outbreak was confirmed through laboratory testing on 04 December 2017. As of 10/1, 3,868 suspected cases of diphtheria and 31 deaths have been reported.
10. In response to the diphtheria outbreak in Cox’s Bazaar, existing clinical facilitates are being converted and scaled up. This is currently being led by Médecins Sans Frontières MSF and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM). However IOM and other international NGOs are unable to manage the complex care needs of these patients, which is why they require the support of UK staff.
11. IOM will provide the medical facilities for the deployment. World Health Organisation (WHO) will provide drugs. The UK’s EMT will provide a specialised clinical team, clinical oversight, some key medical equipment not available in country, and accommodation and transport for staff.
12. Following the request for international assistance by the World Health Organisation on 15 December, a UK EMT team travelled to Bangladesh to conduct an emergency assessment, and recommended the deployment of the EMT.
13. Staff will be rotated out of Cox’s Bazaar after three weeks. Staff will have a diphtheria booster injection before deployment and will then be at minimal risk of contracting the disease.
14. The UK has currently contributed £59 million to the crisis since 25 August 2017.
15. Free-to-use video content is available to download here.

On 13th January , The British Embassy in Addis Ababa hosted an event for the UK’s Cranfield University Alumni in Ethiopia.

The Alumni group comprised military officers and government officials from across East Africa, including many Ethiopians, who have completed an Executive Masters programme in Security Sector Management. The Masters is delivered by the Cranfield University, the academic partner of the UK Defence Academy, and was first delivered in Addis Ababa in 1999.

The event brought together former students of the University and academic speakers. They shared experiences and enjoyed healthy debate and discussion.

Professor Ron Matthews, a world leading security and development economist, and Ian Westerman, Cranfield University academic spoke on ‘‘Defence Economics in Developmental States” and “Challenging Huntingtonian Thinking: Alternative Civil–Military Relations and Successful Defence Transformations” respectively.

Defence Attaché Col. Matt Munro said:

I am delighted to be hosting Cranfield University Alumni today here at the British Embassy in Addis Ababa.
Ethiopia is one of the UK’s strategic partners in global peace and security. We have been, and are keen to continue, helping improve the capacity of our partners. I believe this event will help Cranfield Alumni in Ethiopia gain insights from well known experts in the area.

Notes to Editors

The UK has long supported Ethiopia’s peacekeeping capability through the Peace Support Training Centre (PSTC), based in Addis Ababa. Our joint work will help strengthen UN and AU peace operations both in the Horn and globally.

The Cranfield University courses help individuals to acquire and apply skills and knowledge to past and present challenges in a range of transitional societies. In addition to exploring the critical linkage between the security, development and management disciplines, the course provides a strong foundation for translating policy into effective programmes and plans.

Media Enquiries

E- Mail: Saba.ermyas@fco.gov.uk

Mobile : +251 924 44 04 32

Today (15 January 2017) the Rt Hon David Lidington CBE MP Minister for the Cabinet Office and Chancellor for the Duchy of Lancaster announced the government will continue to deliver all public sector services following the insolvency of Carillion PLC.

After meeting with their bankers and lenders, Carillion has announced its decision to initiate insolvency proceedings. The Official Receiver has been appointed by the court as liquidator along with partners at PwC that have been appointed Special Managers.

Government will provide the necessary funding required by the Official Receiver to maintain public services.

Those already receiving their pensions will continue to receive payment. A dedicated web page and helpline have also been set up for workers who may be concerned or have questions about their personal situation.

The Rt Hon David Lidington CBE MP said:

It is regrettable that Carillion has not been able to find suitable financing options with its lenders but taxpayers cannot be expected to bail out a private sector company.

Since profit warnings were first issued in July, the Government has been closely monitoring the situation and has been in constructive discussion with Carillion while it sought to refinance its business. We remained hopeful that a solution could be found while putting robust contingency plans in place to prepare for every eventuality. It is of course disappointing that Carillion has become insolvent, but our primary responsibility has always been keep our essential public services running safely.

We understand that some members of the public will be concerned by recent news reports. For clarity – All employees should keep coming to work, you will continue to get paid. Staff that are engaged on public sector contracts still have important work to do.

Since its inception in the 1990s private finance has helped to deliver around £60 billion of much-needed capital investment in infrastructure in the UK across a range of projects and we will continue to maintain partnerships with responsible firms in future.

Further information

1. For media enquiries on government’s response to Carillion insolvency contact Cabinet Office Communications: 020 7276 2210/07074 667 000 (out of hours).
2. Carillion held approximately 450 contracts with government, representing 38% of Carillion’s 2016 reported revenue. Key central government contracts are held with DfE, DHSC, MoJ, MoD, and DfT. For media enquiries about departmental services contact: DfE: 0207 783 8300/ 020 7783 8300 (out of hours) ; DHSC: 0207 210 3872/ 07050 073 581 (out of hours); MoJ: 020 3334 3536/07659 173 270 (out of hours); DfT: 0207 944 3021/ 020 7944 4292 (out of hours); MoD: 02072187907 (out of hours)
3. Anyone worried about their pension situation can ring The Pension Advisory Service (TPAS) on 0300 123 1047 for free and impartial guidance. TPAS has also set up a special helpline number for members of these pension schemes: 020 7630 2715. JobCentre Plus, through its Rapid Response Service, stands ready to support any employee affected by this announcement.
4. The Official Receiver works for the Insolvency Service, which is an agency of the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. He is liquidator of the companies and his job is to realise the assets of the company, deal with creditors’ claims, and investigate the cause of failure. The Official Receiver also has a duty to investigate generally the business, dealings, and affairs of the company. In his role as liquidator, the Official Receiver is an officer of the court and is independent from government. The legal and practical consequence of liquidation is that the liquidator takes over the day-to-day control of the company. In liquidation, the directors will have no continuing role in controlling and managing the company. The liquidator’s primary duties are to the creditors and the cost of the liquidation are paid from the company’s assets. For media queries about the Insolvency Service call: 020 7596 6187

Watch the PM’s message.

As Thai Pongal begins, Tamil families here in the UK and around the world are coming together to celebrate. It’s a time to cast out the old and embrace opportunities to come. A time to give thanks not just for the harvest, but also for friends, family and neighbours.

And it’s also a great opportunity for all of us to reflect on the contribution made by Britain’s Tamils. Your community punches well above its weight, making a real difference to countless lives right across the country.

I want this to be a country where everyone, regardless of their background, can play their part and achieve their ambitions. Our Tamil community is a fantastic example of what that looks like, helping make Britain the diverse, successful country we are all so proud of.

So to everyone celebrating today and in the days to come, let me wish you all a happy Thai Pongal, and an auspicious year ahead.

Two documents, known as memorandums of understanding (MOUs), were initialled by Minister of Immigration Caroline Nokes and Indian Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju on Thursday (January 11).

The new two-way deals reflect increased co-operation between the 2 countries which already enjoy a close relationship.

The MOU on criminal records exchange will lead to British and Indian law enforcement bodies sharing criminal records information, fingerprints and intelligence. This will assist the police in protecting the public from known criminals, including sex offenders. It will also allow the courts in both countries to access more information to support tougher sentencing decisions.

Meanwhile the agreement on returns paves the way for a quicker and more efficient process for documenting and returning Indian nationals who have no right to be in the UK to India. This has proven difficult in the past due to some Indians not having the required paperwork or travel documentation for them to be accepted back in their home country.

This agreement commits both countries to taking a more flexible approach to verifying the identity and nationality of individuals, which will help speed up the returns process.

Ms Nokes said:

I was very pleased to welcome the Indian Home Affairs Minister to the UK. The agreements we’ve signed cover the important issues of returns and criminal records exchanges to the mutual benefit of both countries. The Minister’s visit forms part of our ongoing dialogue and demonstrates the strong and positive relationship between our 2 nations.

As my predecessor in this role noted during his visit to India last November, we are determined to create a ‘living bridge’ of people, ideas, institutions and technology between our 2 great countries. These new agreements are yet another example of the value we place on our strong partnership.

Details of the types of information exchanged through the MOUs and operational procedures, together with the details of any restrictions on using or disclosing the information will be the subject of further negotiations. However, the documents recognise the need to respect privacy, civil liberties and human rights.

Mr Rijiju was visiting London at the invitation of Ms Nokes’ predecessor, the Rt Hon Brandon Lewis, following their successful meeting in India in November 2017.

In addition to formalising the 2 agreements, Mr Rijiju also visited Heathrow Airport to see first-hand how Border Force uses technology such as biometrics and e-passport gates.

Secretary of State for Housing Sajid Javid today (14 January) confirmed government support for new legislation that will help ensure rented homes are safe and give tenants the right to take legal action when landlords fail in their duties.

The government has already introduced a range of powers for local authorities enabling them to crack down on the minority of landlords who rent out unsafe or substandard accommodation. This includes being able to fine failing landlords up to £30,000 and from April this year councils will also be able to issue banning orders to kick the worst offenders out of the business.

However public safety is paramount which is why government will support further measures proposed by Karen Buck MP in a Private Members Bill to protect tenants in both the social and private rented sectors.

This will give them another route to take direction action and take their landlords to court if they don’t ensure their property is fit for human habitation at the beginning of the tenancy and throughout.

Housing Secretary Sajid Javid said:

Everyone deserves a decent and safe place to live. Councils already have wide-ranging powers to crack down on the minority of landlords who rent out unsafe and substandard accommodation.

However, public safety is paramount and I am determined to do everything possible to protect tenants. That is why government will support new legislation that requires all landlords to ensure properties are safe and give tenants the right to take legal action if landlords fail in their duties.

Further information

Government has worked with Karen Buck MP to draft and publish the Private Members Bill on Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation and Liability of Housing Standards).

The Bill ensures:

• that all landlords (both social and private sector) must ensure that their property is fit for human habitation at the beginning of the tenancy and throughout and
• where a landlord fails to do so, the tenant has the right to take legal action in the courts for breach of contract on the grounds that the property is unfit for human habitation

Local authority powers to deal with landlords who rent out unsafe of substandard accommodation:

The Housing Health and Safety Rating System – which was introduced by the Housing Act 2004 – is already used by local authorities to assess whether a property contains potentially serious risks to the health and safety of the occupants.

Where a property does contain hazards, local authorities have strong powers under the Housing Act 2004 to require that landlords make necessary improvements to a property. Where a property contains potentially serious risks to the health and safety of the occupants, the local authority must take appropriate action requiring the landlord to reduce or remove the risk.

Government has brought forward a whole suite of measures to make sure local authorities effectively tackle rogue landlords who let unfit properties, including:

• introducing, in April 2017, civil penalties up to £30,000, with the local authority able to keep the proceeds to fund enforcement
• extension of Rent Repayment Orders to cover illegal eviction, breach of a banning order or failure to comply with certain statutory notices (introduced April 2017)
• £12 million made available (2011-16) to a range of local authorities with acute problems with rogue landlords, resulting in the inspection of over 70,000 properties and more than 5,000 landlords facing further action or prosecution for breaking the law
• enabling the local authority to introduce a selective licensing scheme allowing it to target enforcement action where private rented housing in a particular area is suffering from or causing specific problems
• consulted on extending mandatory licensing of houses in multiple occupation, and following this will shortly be laying regulations

And we’ve got plans to introduce in April 2018:

• a database of rogue landlords and property agents convicted of certain offences
• banning orders for the most serious and prolific offenders