Category: Gov Press Releases

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Press release: Veterans’ charities reminded to prioritise safeguarding

The charity regulator is writing to recently registered veterans’ charities, reminding them to ensure they are safeguarding people in their care.

This follows a proactive review of a sample of military charities that were registered since 2007 and are involved in service delivery to veterans and / or in public fundraising.

The review found the charities were providing a wide range of services and activities that had a positive impact on the lives of veterans. It also found areas of good practice, including around trustees working together to make decisions in the best interests of their charity.

However, the Commission also found a concerning lack of safeguarding policies and practices in some of the charities reviewed. In a number of other cases, it found that the charities needed to strengthen their safeguarding policies.

The Commission says that this resulted in part from not recognising the veterans they help as being potentially vulnerable on account of their personal circumstances. The potential vulnerabilities of former service men and women with physical injuries were more likely to be considered than those with other conditions, such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The issues included not considering whether those who were in direct contact with veterans should undergo appropriate background checks (DBS checks).

The review also found weaknesses in most of the charities’ oversight of fundraising, with some having no basic agreement in place with professional fundraisers, and some having no systems to ensure the charity receives all of the funds raised by professional fundraisers.

The Commission was prompted to conduct a proactive review after identifying from its case work, social media, and media reporting that some more recently registered military charities may be at greater risk of compliance and reputational issues. The regulator wanted to establish whether there were any themes or patterns of concern in this type of charity.

As a result of the Commission’s findings, it is now working collaboratively through Cobseo, the Confederation of Service Charities, and writing to veterans’ charities registered since 2007, to remind them to:

  • be alert to the specific needs and potential vulnerabilities of some of their beneficiaries

  • put robust safeguarding policies in place and ensure they are followed in practice

  • ensure they have proper arrangements in place with any professional fundraisers or commercial firms providing fundraising services

Michelle Russell, Director of Investigations, Monitoring and Enforcement at the Charity Commission, said:

The charities we examined had been set up with good intentions by people with genuine compassion for veterans. And we saw some really innovative work being done in those charities.

But it takes more than good intentions and a good idea to run a charity properly. The trustees’ role is to govern a charity well. And one of their most basic duties is to take safeguarding seriously. Some veterans may be potentially vulnerable for a variety of reasons because of what they’ve seen and been through, and charities set up to help them must make caring for them, and protecting them, an absolute priority. The public would be rightly concerned if veterans were exposed to harm through a charity supposed to help them.

Charities working with veterans rely on public generosity, and our advice to the public is simple: give with your head as well as your heart. Ask some basic questions before you give: how much of my pound will reach the beneficiaries? Are you giving direct to the charity or is a fundraising company taking a cut?
There is no right or wrong charity to support – but we can all take basic steps to ensure our donations are making a difference.

And if you see something you’re not comfortable with, for example aggressive or disrespectful fundraising, report it to the Fundraising Regulator, which is the self-regulatory body for fundraising.

And my message to those thinking of setting up new military charity is to think carefully before doing so; there are other ways of supporting the armed forces community, including supporting with money or time an existing, established veterans charity. Setting up a new charity may not be the most effective way to help.

General Sir John McColl, KCB, CBE, DSO, Executive Chairman of Cobseo, The Confederation of Service Charities said:

We strongly support the Charity Commission’s scrutiny of safeguarding and fundraising practices, not just for the Military Charities on its register, but across the entire charitable sector.

Service charities play a crucial, and highly effective, role in supporting the Armed Forces Community. Cobseo, The Confederation of Service Charities, strives for the highest of standards among its membership and will continue to work closely with the Charity Commission in pursuit of this goal.

Wider case work involving veterans charities

Since 2016, the Commission has opened 17 compliance cases into military charities resulting from complaints or concerns raised in the media; of these 13 have concluded. The Commission has also announced 5 statutory inquiries into charities working with veterans (The Veterans Charity, Support the Heroes, Afghan Heroes, 1st Knight Military Charity, Our Local Heroes).

The Commission says that these cases indicate that some recently registered veterans’ charities can be vulnerable to problems resulting from inappropriate dominance of one or two individuals; often excessive power rests with a charity’s founder, who is not properly challenged by other trustees. This can lead to poor decision making and to concerns such as conflicts of interest and unauthorised private benefit.

The findings of the review, and of its reactive case work involving veterans’ charities, have also prompted the Commission to strengthen its approach to assessing applications for new veterans’ charities, and undertake a wider tranche of further proactive case work among military charities registered since 2007.

Ends

PR 67/17

Notes to editors

Press office

  1. The Charity Commission is the independent regulator of charities in England and Wales. To find out more about our work, see our annual report.
  2. Our review examined 21 charities, chosen from military charities registered since 2007 that provide services to veterans and /or are involved in public fundraising.
  3. While the number of new military charities registering increased following Britain’s involvement in conflicts in Afghanistan, overall the number of military charities coming off the register has outstripped new registrations by 2 to 1 and the number of registered charities has shrunk by around 10% over the last decade.
  4. The Fundraising Regulator holds the Code of Fundraising Practice for the UK; it sets and maintains standards for charitable fundraising, aims to ensure that fundraising is respectful, open, honest and accountable to the public and regulates fundraising in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Link: Press release: Veterans’ charities reminded to prioritise safeguarding
Source: Gov Press Releases

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Press release: Dodgy psychiatrist banned after jeopardising patient safety

Dr Richard Wayne Seamark, a consultant psychiatrist, has been disqualified as a company director for seven years following an investigation by the Insolvency Service.

His company, Care+ Ltd, went into creditors’ voluntary liquidation on 17 March 2016. The estimated deficiency to creditors and shareholders was £350,381. The Insolvency Service investigation was aided by various healthcare regulators including the Care Quality Commission (CQC), NHS England and Lewisham Clinical Commissioning Group, with further information provided by London Fire Brigade.

Various concerns were raised about the quality of care being provided by the company, including:

  • Care + did not report all serious incidents, including medicine errors
  • One patient had been locked in their room for several weeks in breach of the patient’s human rights
  • Defibrillator pads, used to restart a person’s heart, had expired seven years prior to the CQC’s last inspection in February 2016 and an oxygen cylinder was not properly secured
  • The environment was neglected and not kept clean or properly maintained
  • Premises operated by Care + did not comply with Fire Regulations

The CQC ultimately cancelled the company’s registration on 11 April 2016 after a three-day inspection of one of its independent mental health hospitals in February 2016 found Care+ ‘inadequate’ in every area inspected.

Robert Clarke, Head of Insolvent Investigations North at the Insolvency Service, said:

The failure by Dr Seamark to adequately safeguard patients’ well-being and safety presented a significant risk to vulnerable patients, staff and members of the public. His disqualification sends a clear message that such appalling behaviour will not be tolerated in the context of the wider corporate regime.

I would like to thank all those who assisted our investigation and helping to ensure a successful outcome.

The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy accepted a Disqualification Undertaking from him which began on 11 September 2017. The disqualification means that Dr Seamark cannot control or manage any limited company without leave of the court until 2024.

Notes to editors

Dr Richard Wayne Seamark date of birth is May 1960 and he currently resides in Queensland, Australia.

Care+ Limited (CRO No. 05627818) was incorporated on 16 November 2005 and had a registered office at 55 North Cross Road, East Dulwich, London, SE22 9ET.

Dr Seamark was a director from 18 November 2005, until the company went into creditors’ voluntary liquidation on 17 March 2016. The estimated deficiency to creditors and shareholders is £350,381.

The matters of unfitness, which Dr Seamark did not dispute in the Disqualification Undertaking, were that:

  • He failed to ensure Care+ Limited complied with its statutory requirements under the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 and the Care Quality Commission (Registration) Regulations 2009 in respect of the services and care provided at two Mental Health Independent Hospitals and one Residential Social Care Nursing Home, in that:

  1. Between March 2015 and February 2016 the Care Quality Commission carried out at least four inspections across three of the services operated by Care+. It was found that standards were not being met and regulations were being breached in all locations. The CQC issued Care+ with Enforcement Notices and Warnings following those inspections.

  2. Between 3 and 5 February 2016, CQC carried out an inspection of one of the Mental Health Independent Hospitals operated by Care+ and returned a finding of ‘Inadequate’ due to serious regulatory breaches, including those relating to patient safety and leadership. The CQC found that the service had not had a Registered Manager for 11 months prior to the inspection and that there was a systemic failure to assess, monitor and improve the safety, care and treatment of patients.

  • He failed to ensure the company complied with statutory requirements under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 in respect of the facilities provided at one Mental Health Independent Hospital, one Residential Social Care Nursing Home and two Supported Living services.

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, 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.

Further information about the work of the Insolvency Service, and how to complain about financial misconduct, is available.

Contact Press Office

Press Office

The Insolvency Service


4 Abbey Orchard Street
London
SW1P 2HT

This service is for journalists only. For any other queries, please contact the Insolvency Enquiry line on 0300 678 0015.

For all media enquiries outside normal working hours, please contact the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Press Office on 020 7215 1000.

You can also follow the Insolvency Service on:

Link: Press release: Dodgy psychiatrist banned after jeopardising patient safety
Source: Gov Press Releases

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Press release: Guto Bebb: UK Government is committed to tackling poverty in Wales

UK Government Minister Guto Bebb MP set out the UK Government’s commitment to tackling poverty in Wales at a Policy Forum for Wales event in Cardiff today (12 October).

The Minister told an audience of senior politicians and academics about the Prime Minister’s mission to “build a country where no one and no community is left behind,” by improving access to employment and making it pay to be in work.

In his speech to the forum, the Minister demonstrated the impact that record employment across the UK (as well as 93,000 more people in work in Wales than in 2010) and the introduction of the National Living Wage is having on reducing absolute poverty.

The Minister also spoke about UK Government plans to reduce the number of children living in workless families, by introducing statutory measures to address parental worklessness and children’s educational attainment, areas known to make the biggest difference to disadvantaged children.

UK Government Minister for Wales Guto Bebb said:

This government is serious about tackling poverty in Wales. We’ve taken decisive action to create the right conditions for employment, making sure that more people are in work and are earning a living wage.

Welfare reform in Wales is transforming the lives of those from the most disadvantaged backgrounds for the better. Universal Credit is simplifying the tax and benefit system while supporting those on the lowest incomes.

Creating the correct conditions for job creation through the ambitious Industrial Strategy remains at the heart of the UK Government’s priorities. I am optimistic that as we leave the EU, we will develop a new and lasting partnership which enables businesses across the UK to continue to trade with their partners in the EU.

The UK Government recognises how important the availability of affordable housing is in the fight against poverty. That’s why last week the Prime Minister announced £2bn to be made available to increase the affordable housing stock in England, and I ask the Welsh Government to consider if a similar policy is needed in Wales.

Further information:

Link: Press release: Guto Bebb: UK Government is committed to tackling poverty in Wales
Source: Gov Press Releases

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Press release: Life peerages: 12 October 2017

The Queen has been graciously pleased to signify Her intention of conferring Peerages of the United Kingdom for Life upon the undermentioned.

Nominations for Crossbench Peerages:

  • The Right Honourable Sir Ian Duncan Burnett – Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales

  • The Right Reverend and Right Honourable Richard Chartres, KCVO, DD – lately Bishop of London (1995 to 2017)

  • The Right Honourable Sir Christopher Geidt, GCVO, KCB, OBE – Private Secretary to Her Majesty The Queen

  • Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, QPM – lately Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis (2011 to 2017)

  • General Sir Nicholas Houghton, GCB, CBE, ADC, Gen – lately Chief of the Defence Staff (2013 to 2016)

Link: Press release: Life peerages: 12 October 2017
Source: Gov Press Releases

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Press release: £20 million improvement programme for children’s social care

  • Sector-led improvement initiative for local authorities, backed by £20 million
  • Launch of new What Works Centre for children’s social care

A multi-million pound government initiative to improve the lives of vulnerable children and families has been announced today by Robert Goodwill, Minister for Children and Families.

In a speech to the National Children and Adults Services (NCAS) conference in Bournemouth, Minister Goodwill announced up to £20 million for a new programme to help all councils improve their services – with a sharp focus on making sure those at risk of failure can make vital improvements.

The programme will give councils the tools they need to build stronger services for our most vulnerable children. This includes:

  • Tailored peer support for local authorities, bringing in more councils to the successful Partners in Practice programme;
  • The testing of ‘Regional Improvement Alliances’, made up of neighbouring local authorities. Alliances will see councils challenging each other on standards, agreeing local improvement priorities, and sharing best practice, in order to deliver more for children and families.

In his speech at the NCAS conference today, Minister Goodwill said:

There is nothing more important than the safety and wellbeing of children. Yet, too many young people, and their families, are being let down by poor quality services – or worse, left at risk of harm. That is why we must take decisive action where performance is not good enough.

Our interventions programme is yielding real results: 36 local authorities have been lifted out of intervention since 2010 and we are seeing a positive impact from the independent children’s social care trusts that we have set up in Doncaster and Slough.

My commitment is that we will build a self-improving system, one that spots where challenges are emerging, and quickly puts the right support in place.

In addition, the Department for Education has announced that Nesta will set up its new What Works Centre for Children’s Social Care, with a focus on improving outcomes for children who are at risk of, or suffering from, abuse or neglect.

The Centre will develop a powerful evidence base that supports best practice on the frontline.

This is a key part of the government’s commitment to ensuring experts and practitioners across the country learn from the latest best practice.

Geoff Mulgan, Chief Executive of Nesta, said:

This new What Works Centre is a great opportunity to support improvement in children’s care – and ultimately to improve the lives of many children who deserve better.

Nesta and our partners Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE), the Alliance for Useful Evidence, FutureGov and Traversum will be working very closely with frontline professionals, listening, learning and adapting to feedback and evidence throughout this set-up phase. We’ll also draw on the experiences of other What Works Centres on how to gather evidence, but even more importantly, how to make it useful and used.

Working in partnership with the Association of Directors of Children’s Services (ADCS) and the Local Government Association (LGA), the Department will also test new Regional Improvement Alliances. These will enable local authorities to assess their own performance, and to challenge the performance of regional peers.
Alliances will become the backbone of the new improvement system, with the aim of setting one up in every region by April 2018.

Five councils will now begin taking the National Assessment and Accreditation System forward in its first phase (alpha), with a further 12 -13 in the second phase (beta).

The Department for Education has today invited local authorities with a good or better Ofsted judgement overall and across all sub-judgments to express an interest in joining the Partners in Practice programme, with an assessment and selection process to follow.

Link: Press release: £20 million improvement programme for children’s social care
Source: Gov Press Releases

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Press release: West Midlands employment agency director banned

Sukhjit Sohal Singh, who was director of temporary staff employment agency Phoenix Midlands Ltd, has been disqualified for seven years for failing to adhere to licencing standards.

He signed a Disqualification Undertaking which bans him from acting as a company director or from managing, or in any way controlling, a limited company from 5 September 2017 until 4 September 2024.

Singh was a director of Phoenix Midlands Limited, a temporary employment agency that went into Creditors’ Voluntary Liquidation on 13 November 2015 owing £841,566 to creditors.

Between 13 June 2013 and at least 5 February 2015, Singh failed to ensure that Phoenix Midlands Limited complied with Licensing Standards set out by the Gangmasters Licensing Authority (GLA), the regulatory body. In particular, he was deemed “not fit and proper” to hold a GLA licence, as he not been candid and truthful in all dealings with them. In addition, he had not demonstrated a readiness and willingness to comply with the requirements and standards of the regulatory system and with other legal, regulatory and professional requirements and standards. The GLA licence was therefore revoked.

Aldona O’Hara, Chief Investigator of Insolvent Investigations Midlands & West at the Insolvency Service, said:

When directors of a company do not comply with legislation that is designed to protect employees, and avoidable losses result, the Insolvency Service will fully investigate the circumstances and take action where appropriate.

These disqualifications send a clear message that exploitation of vulnerable workers will not be tolerated.

Notes to editors

Sukhjit Sohal Singh’s date of birth is November 1975 and he currently resides at Rowley Regis, West Midlands.

Phoenix Midlands Limited (CRO No. 08567826) was incorporated on 13 June 2013 and traded from Suite 508C, Hawthorns Business Centre, Halfords Lane, Smethwick, West Midlands, B66 1BB

Sukhjit Sohal Singh was appointed director from 13 June 2013 to 13 November 2015 (the date of Creditors’ Voluntary Liquidation).

The seven year Disqualification Undertaking was accepted by the Secretary of State on 15 August 2017 and commenced on 5 September 2017.

The matter of unfitness, which Singh was found to have been in breach of were:

  • Between 13 June 2013 and at least 05 February 2015,he failed to ensure that Phoenix Midlands Limited adhered to Licensing Standards as provided for by the Gang-Masters (Licensing Authority) regulations 2005.
  • Singh was the sole appointed director of PML from 13 June 2013 (the date of incorporation) to 13 November 2015 (when Phoenix entered Creditors’ Voluntary Liquidation). The company commenced trading as of 11 December 2013 supplying temporary workers.
  • On 26 June 2013, Phoenix applied for a gangmasters licence and on 11 October 2013 a license was granted with two additional licence conditions.
  • On 05 February 2014, a compliance inspection was conducted by officers of the GLA. A report dated 14 March 2014, stated that Singh was deemed as being not “fit and proper” to hold a GLA licence as Phoenix was in critical breach of several licensing standards. The breaches referred to the following:
  1. Singh had not been candid and truthful in all dealings with the regulatory body (GLA) and he had not demonstrated a readiness and willingness to comply with the requirements and standards of the regulatory system and with other legal, regulatory and professional requirements and standards;
  2. he had been influenced by a third party who the GLA considered not to be “fit and proper”;
  3. he did not have sufficient understanding of the GLA Licensing standards and/’or has sufficient management processes;
  4. The company was not registered with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) in respect of income tax and National Insurance;
  5. PAYE/NIC had not been calculated and deducted from the workers wages which was a direct contravention of the licensing standards requirement of HMRC.

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, 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.

Further information about the work of the Insolvency Service, and how to complain about financial misconduct, is available.
Media enquiries

Contact Press Office

Press Office

The Insolvency Service


4 Abbey Orchard Street
London
SW1P 2HT

This service is for journalists only. For any other queries, please contact the Insolvency Enquiry line on 0300 678 0015.

For all media enquiries outside normal working hours, please contact the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Press Office on 020 7215 1000.

You can also follow the Insolvency Service on:

Link: Press release: West Midlands employment agency director banned
Source: Gov Press Releases

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Press release: Communities Secretary welcomes new homes as part of shared vision for the Midlands Engine

Communities Secretary Sajid Javid today (12 October 2017) welcomed progress to deliver 6,200 new homes on the old Radiostation site in Rugby, which forms part of investment into the Midlands Engine.

Visiting the project, which is already creating jobs, supporting businesses and encouraging growth, the Communities Secretary heard about how the Midlands Engine is supporting the delivery of over 600,000 homes over the next 15 years in the region.

Homes are already taking shape on the site in Houlton, named after the town in Maine, USA, where the first transatlantic voice transmission was received and originally home to the world’s most powerful radio transmitter.

The visit, with the Chair of The Midlands Engine Partnership Sir John Peace, also follows the partnership publishing their ambitious response to the government’s Midlands Engine strategy.

The Midlands Engine Vision for Growth sets out the Partnership’s aim to create a Midlands Engine that powers the UK economy and competes on the world stage, and builds on the government’s long-term strategy to achieve greater economic growth and productivity across the whole Midlands.

The partnership’s vision sets out 5 investment priorities to accelerate productivity across the region and power the growth of an already £200 billion economy.

Communities Secretary Sajid Javid said:

The Midlands is essential to our national economic success and we have an ambitious vision for the region. That’s why we committed £392 million to the region through the Local Growth Fund earlier this year.

Working with local partners will be crucial to its success and the Midlands Engine Partnership is putting local leaders, businesses and residents in the driving seat. I look forward to working with them on delivering their bold Vision for Growth.

I’m determined to make sure the Midlands continues to be a great place to live and offers good quality housing to the people that live and work here. It’s a key theme to the Midlands Engine and that’s why it’s great to see the start of 6,200 homes being built here in Rugby.

Sir John Peace, Chair of the Midlands Engine, said:

The Midlands Engine Vision for Growth sets out our ambition to add at least £54 billion of extra growth to the UK economy by 2030. We are now getting on with the task of implementing this vision. That means playing our part in building the homes the nation needs.

We have committed to 600,000 new homes being built by 2030. Building these homes is not only necessary to attracting and retaining the workforce of the future, it will also contribute directly to increased productivity.

A commitment to enhancing the quality of life of those who live, learn and work in the region is at the heart of our ambition for accessible and well-designed housing. This development is an excellent example of how we are working together to shape great places.

I welcome the continued commitment from the Communities Secretary as our Ministerial Champion to support the priorities that are contributing to the future prosperity of the Midlands.

The programme of house building in Houlton will be led by property development and investment company Urban&Civic.

Richard Coppell, Development Director for Urban&Civic said:

It’s great to see the Midlands Engine Chair and Secretary of State coming to such a key development in the region and showing their commitment to business and growth. Houlton is set to be one of the most well-connected places in the country and we are proud to be able to showcase the 1,200 acre site, which is set to be a landmark development of 6,200 homes being built in the next 15 years.

It is important for people across the UK to see what the Midlands has to offer in terms of industry, housing, infrastructure and community, and so the visit today will highlight that, and hopefully encourage more people to consider the region as a place to set roots as its economy grows.

Together with money for unlocking housing sites to support home building and investment in very large transport schemes, the government is also supporting vital infrastructure, improving skills and creating thousands of jobs with over £9 billion of the Local Growth Funding to Local Enterprise Partnerships through Growth Deals.

In Coventry and Warwickshire this has already:

  • seen major investment in road infrastructure improvements, particularly the A45, A46 and A5 Corridors, and rail infrastructure, through improving Coventry station and development of a new station at Kenilworth. This has improved connections with other towns and cities and helped tackle congestion on the area’s roads

  • led to the construction and opening of the new Trident Centre at Warwickshire College, which has already delivered over 350 apprenticeships in advanced manufacturing and engineering to help meet employers’ demand for skills in this sector

  • provided a new Skills Centre at Coventry City College providing support for 1,000 young and unemployed people in acquiring skills for employment, and for marginalised groups to acquire basic skills, especially English and mathematics.

The area is already benefiting from £131.80 million of Growth Deal funding awarded to Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP) to help create jobs, support businesses and encourage growth.

Coventry and Warwickshire Board Director, Paul Kehoe, added:

This is one of the largest brownfield developments in the region and will provide a range of housing and the associated community infrastructure which will help meet the needs of our growing economy.

The CWLEP area is a key component of the Midlands Engine, and we fully recognise that the provision of the right sort of housing has to go hand in hand with our growth. The CWLEP board has held a meeting at Houlton and has watched its development closely.

Further information

Copies of the Midlands Engine Vision for Growth are available to download at www.midlandsengine.org/

About Houlton

Urban&Civic are the master developers for Houlton, a new community in Rugby.

As well as 6,200 homes, the Houlton development will also bring three primary schools and a secondary school, an eight-GP health centre, extensive walkways, cycleways and green spaces as well as commercial space and new business. The development will take some 15 years to deliver.

To find out more about the Houlton development, please visit: www.houltonrugby.co.uk

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Link: Press release: Communities Secretary welcomes new homes as part of shared vision for the Midlands Engine
Source: Gov Press Releases

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Press release: Minister Smith attends new Board of Trade to ensure the benefits of free trade are spread throughout the UK

  • President of the Board of Trade Dr Liam Fox convenes the new Board of Trade today in Bristol
  • First meeting attended by leaders from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
  • Advisers from across the United Kingdom present, providing local expertise to guide the Board on trade and investment matters

Chloe Smith MP attended UK Government’s new Board of Trade, which aims to help boost exports, attract inward investors and ensure the benefits of free trade are spread across the country.

The Board of Trade will bring together prominent figures from business and politics from each part of the UK, including representatives from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

In 2016/17 UK Government helped to attract 34 Foreign Direct Investment projects to Northern Ireland, which created a total of 1,622 new jobs and safeguarded almost 1,000 more. On top of this, more than 600 companies in Northern Ireland have been able to access a wealth of opportunities by attending overseas trade shows, carrying out crucial market research and developing vital international relationships.

One of the many success stories has been Northern Ireland manufacturer, BlueMAC. BlueMAC have seen their annual turnover increase by 50 per cent since beginning exporting three years ago, securing deals in the UAE, Australia, France and China.

After experiencing widespread success in the UK, BlueMAC decided to broaden their scope and explore international markets. Identifying a gap in the market for advanced waste and recycling technology in the UAE, the company embarked on a trade mission to Dubai, supported by the Department for International Trade (DIT).

BlueMAC met DIT International Trade Advisers (ITAs) who provided advice on upcoming local projects and market research, introduced the company to in-country distributors and helped with lead generation.

Chris Brooke, Global Sales Engineer, BlueMAC said:

Exporting has been a huge learning curve for us and the support we received from ITAs was invaluable.

Initially we didn’t have an understanding of market culture and we soon realised that not every market works the same way as the UK, we received important strategic advice on ways of working and local differences, it saved us a lot of time and money.

Chloe Smith MP, NIO Minister said:

Northern Ireland continues to be an attractive place to do business with inward investment projects secured across the year, creating over 1,600 new jobs and safeguarding almost 1,000 more.

The Board is another crucial step towards helping Northern Ireland businesses make their mark on the global stage and shows the UK Government is committed to working with all parts of the United Kingdom in ensuring we deliver an economy that works for everyone.

President of the Board of Trade, Dr Fox, has also invited advisers from across the United Kingdom, including Mark Nodder CEO of Ballymena’s Wright Group, to provide local expertise and guide the Board on trade and investment matters.

The Board of Trade will meet four times a year with meetings rotated around the UK guaranteeing all parts of the union have a chance to raise the issues most important to them.

Link: Press release: Minister Smith attends new Board of Trade to ensure the benefits of free trade are spread throughout the UK
Source: Gov Press Releases

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Press release: Priti Patel will double the next £2 million of public donations to the Disasters Emergency Committee appeal for people fleeing Burma

In response to the staggering public support for the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) Appeal for people fleeing the violence and destruction in Burma, the UK Government will match pound for pound the next £2 million raised, the International Development Secretary Priti Patel announced during a visit to the DEC today (Thursday 12 October).

This is in addition to the £3 million in public donations already matched by the UK, which has helped Britain raise £9 million.

The new support will double the impact of the public’s own donations and ensure that charities working on the ground can reach even more innocent men, women and children who have been forced to flee the relentless violence and atrocities in Burma, and make the treacherous journey to Bangladesh to seek refuge.

Moved by the scale of the crisis and the generosity of the British public, Ms Patel visited the DEC headquarters today where she met with British aid workers who have recently returned from Cox’s Bazar where they have been helping to save the lives of Rohingya victims of persecution and brutality.

International Development Secretary, Priti Patel said:

The generosity of the British public and the speed in which they have responded to this appeal is overwhelming. Every penny raised is making a significant difference for victims of the ethnic cleansing being inflicted by the Burmese military.

The UK Government is working at every level to ensure that lifesaving aid reaches those in dire need right now. Thousands of shelter kits, sleeping mats and thermal blankets have already been distributed in Cox’s Bazar and more aid is on the way to support the half a million people forced to leave everything behind in Burma and make the perilous journey to Bangladesh.

The British public has played a remarkable role and they should know that their donations are saving lives. Malnourished children on the brink of death will now be able to eat, families who have been forced to live out in the open after their villages were burned will get shelter and much needed clean drinking water will be provided to help stop the spread of disease.

It has been a privilege to meet brave British aid workers who have returned from Cox’s Bazar, supporting innocent people who are grieving the loss of loved ones and are uncertain what their futures hold.

The humanity they and the British public have shown is a stark contrast to the inhumanity of the Burmese authorities. They need to stop the inhumane violence, allow people to return to their homes safely and ensure immediate access into northern Rakhine so that UK aid can provide a lifeline to those suffering.

This brings the UK’s contribution to £5 million over the course of the DEC appeal and will provide vital and life-saving emergency supplies. Today’s new support is on top of support that the UK is already providing to people who are in desperate need of food, water and shelter.

Notes to editors

  • The DEC brings 13 leading UK aid charities together in times of crisis: ActionAid, Age International, British Red Cross, CAFOD, CARE International, Christian Aid, Concern Worldwide, Islamic Relief Worldwide, Oxfam, Plan International UK, Save the Children, Tearfund and World Vision; all collectively raising money to reach those in need quickly.
  • As of Wednesday 11 October, £9 million has been raised of which £3 million has been aid matched by the UK Government. DFID aid matches public donations from British taxpayers, but others can contribute including non-British taxpayers and businesses.
  • The UK is appalled by the violence taking place in Rakhine State, particularly by the hundreds of thousands of people fleeing that violence and the reports of grave human rights violations taking place. Britain urgently calls upon the Burmese military to end the violence in Rakhine and the Government of Burma to allow immediate and full humanitarian access and support for the people and communities affected.
  • As of Sunday 8 October, 519,000 people have fled the violence into neighbouring Bangladesh as a result of Burmese military and militia violence. This looks like ethnic cleansing; we need to see these people able to return to their homes in Burma safely. The Burmese and Bangladeshi authorities are discussing a refugee return process. But we will need to see this agreed and implemented and the Burmese authorities need to show the Rohingya will be safe when they return.
  • The UK has been a leader in responding to the crisis – in speed and size – to help meet the urgent humanitarian needs of vulnerable men, women and children in both Bangladesh and Burma.
  • Prior to the latest violence which began on Friday, 25 August 2017, we committed £5.9 million to meet the needs of the most vulnerable refugees and the host communities who support them. In response to the latest influx we have provided a further £30 million of humanitarian support.
  • Our existing work in the region meant that we were already in position to provide life-saving support when the crisis flared – without this, aid would have taken much longer to reach those in need. And we are sending more aid to Bangladesh.
  • Through our partner, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) 10,000 shelter kits, 10,500 mats and 20,000 blankets were distributed recently. Emergency shelter for up to 26,355 people has already been provided since the first refugees made their way to Bangladesh.
  • In Rakhine State in Burma, aid workers have been getting British-funded humanitarian assistance to many tens of thousands of people. DFID’s partners are ready to provide emergency food to 30,000 people and to treat more than 3,000 severely malnourished children and pregnant women, but the Burmese authorities must stop refusing to grant access.

ENDS

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Link: Press release: Priti Patel will double the next £2 million of public donations to the Disasters Emergency Committee appeal for people fleeing Burma
Source: Gov Press Releases