Pulse.Assent

Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns has today welcomed the appointment of Professor Brian Morgan to the independent Regulatory Policy Committee (RPC).

Professor Morgan is currently a Professor of entrepreneurship at Cardiff Metropolitan University and director of its Creative Leadership and Enterprise Centre.

The Regulatory Policy Committee (RPC) is an independent body sponsored by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy which assesses the impact on business of new regulatory and deregulatory proposals.

Professor Morgan joins four other new appointments to the board – and one reappointment. Each member has substantial experience and expertise to play a key role in overseeing the government’s better regulation agenda.

Marking Professor Morgan’s appointment, Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns said:

The RPC is a body which plays such an important role in providing a robust and impartial check on the purpose and effects of proposed government regulatory activity.

Brian brings with him decades of leadership and experience in economics and enterprise and I am delighted to see him appointed to this important position.

I have no doubt that he will work effectively with his co-members in their efforts to achieve better regulatory outcomes that promote growth and jobs, and protect the interests of society.
Appointments to the RPC are made by the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Industrial Strategy in line with the OCPA Code of Practice.

Business Minister Lord Henley said:

The Regulatory Policy Committee has been applauded by business for the strong, independent scrutiny it provides around the impact of regulation on business.

The new members will bring valuable expertise and experience to the Committee and play a vital role in supporting the Government to ensure that the evidence underpinning policy making is robust.

Chair of the Regulatory Policy Committee Anthony Browne said:

It is great to have such a strong range of new members joining the RPC, as we prepare for leaving the EU. Never has the work of the RPC in helping ensure high standards of policy making been more important.

The other new members are:

Laura Cox

Laura Cox is currently a partner at PriceWaterhouseCoopers and is a member of the Law Society (England and Wales) and the American Bar Association.

Stephen Gibson

Stephen Gibson has over 25 years’ experience as a professional economist, a regulator in regulated industries, and as a consultant. He has also lectured on the subject at Birkbeck and City Universities.

Andrew Williams-Fry

Andrew Williams-Fry is a regulatory economist and government affairs professional. He has worked in economically regulated sectors, including energy, water, rail, post, aviation and financial services and most recently has led regulatory and government affairs teams within the Mastercard group.

Sheila Drew-Smith OBE

Sheila Drew-Smith was a member of the Committee on Standards in Public Life. She is the Chair of the National Approved Letting Scheme, a committee member for SafeAgents and is the safeguarding adviser to the Secretary of State for International Development.

In addition to the five new members, Jeremy Mayhew has been reappointed to the Committee. He has served since 2012 and is, also, a Member of the Legal Services Board and the British Transport Police Authority. Previously, his experience was mainly in the media and broadcasting industry, both at the BBC and as a consultant.

The new appointments have been made following an open recruitment process and in accordance with the Ministerial Governance Code on Public Appointments.

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS

Professor Brian Morgan biography

Brian Morgan is a professor of entrepreneurship and director of the creative leadership and enterprise centre at Cardiff Metropolitan University.

In March 2016 the Enterprise Centre launched a two year Research project into aimed at mapping the future trends of the Welsh economy.

Brian traces his interest in economics and enterprise to his time as a student and lecturer at the LSE.

Before returning to academia at Cardiff University in 1997 Brian was Chief Economist at the WDA.

Has worked as a senior policy adviser in Wales (for the WDA and the Assembly), and in Whitehall (the DTI) and he has worked extensively in Europe (for the OECD and EU).

He is the co-founder of world renowned whisky brand, Penderyn and was chairman of Brecon Carreg.

In 2011 he was Chair of an independent review panel set up by the Welsh Government to assess the impact of business rates on economic growth.

The fifth meeting of the biannual Sudan-UK Strategic Dialogue was hosted by the Government of the Republic of Sudan in Khartoum on 24th April 2018, co-chaired by Ambassador Abdelghani Elnaim Awadelkarim, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Sudan, and Neil Wigan, Director for Africa at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the United Kingdom, accompanied by delegations from both countries.

The meetings covered bilateral issues, the peace process, human rights, development, trade and investment, migration, defence engagement, counter-terrorism and countering violent extremism, regional issues and culture. Both sides welcomed the continued progress in many aspects of the bilateral relationship since the last Strategic Dialogue meeting in London in October, and agreed to continue joint work in areas of mutual interest over the coming months.

Both sides welcomed the continued meetings between high level government officials from Sudan and the United Kingdom, including at Foreign Minister level last December. They discussed future work on macroeconomic development and reform, including technical assistance and support on improving business indicators. Both sides agreed to continue the regular dialogue on human rights between the two governments at all levels, in particular political and media freedoms in the run up to the 2020 elections, and the UK support for Sudan’s accession to the Convention Against Torture (CAT) and other relevant Conventions. Both sides continued to emphasise the importance of joint work to combat trafficking in people.

On the peace process, both sides discussed the continuing reconfiguration of the UN-AU Hybrid Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) and agreed to continue to exchange views on the renewal of its mandate. Both parties welcomed the continued unilateral cessations of hostilities, and moves to open a UNAMID teamsite at Golo in Jebel Marra. They agreed to continue engaging constructively towards a negotiated political agreement to end the conflicts in Darfur and the Two Areas, including through the AU High Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP).

Both sides expressed strong concern about the ongoing conflict in South Sudan. The UK welcomed the Government of Sudan’s support to the IGAD-led peace process and its continuing commitment to supporting South Sudanese refugees. Both sides agreed the importance of a politically inclusive peace process and agreed to engage constructively in support of the current IGAD led peace process.

The two parties also agreed to continue working together on countering terrorism and violent extremism. They welcomed continued exchanges of visits and agreed to consider further joint work in this field. Both sides were pleased with progress to deliver the current celebrations of the 70th Anniversary of the British Council in Sudan and agreed to continue exchanges on cultural and educational issues, including primary and higher education, digitisation of archives and co-operation on youth strategies.

The UK and Sudan reaffirmed the importance of continued progress towards our joint goals, and a continued broadening of the bilateral relationship, and agreed to hold another Strategic Dialogue in London in October 2018.

Traffic Commissioner says case involving Stotts Tours (Oldham) Ltd goes beyond a simple failure to comply with the law

A bus company which failed to auto enrol its staff into a company pension scheme has had its transport licence cut from 40 to 31 vehicles indefinitely.

Traffic Commissioner for the North West of England, Simon Evans, said Stotts Tours (Oldham) Ltd “manifestly brought its good repute into doubt” after director Alan Stott admitted he had buried his head in the sand about pensions requirements.

Stotts Tours (Oldham) Ltd was the first company to be prosecuted by the Pensions Regulator for failing to comply with the law on workplace pensions.

Mr Evans expressed his disappointment that as the regulator of the bus industry it was an operator in this sector who had “so clearly failed in its duty”.

“That Stotts became the first company to be prosecuted casts a shadow on the industry,” he added.

“My dismay is compounded because this case goes beyond a simply failure to comply with the law – since staff of companies such as Stotts are the very people whose interests an operator ought to be guarding and through the provision of pension schemes investing in their future.”

The company was called to a public inquiry before the Traffic Commissioner on 27 April 2018. Alan Stott said he had buried his head in the sand regarding workplace pensions and failed to discuss it with his co-directors.

Evidence provided to the Commissioner showed the business now had a pension scheme in place, staff had been auto-enrolled and back payments of employer contributions had been made.

Mr Evans also heard about other changes the business had made and intended to put in place from August. He also made note of the company’s positive record of operating vehicles on the road with regard to safety standards.

The Traffic Commissioner ordered the company’s licence to be reduced from 40 to 31 vehicles indefinitely and recorded a formal warning on its transport licence. A number of undertakings were agreed relating to the appointment of a new transport manager, financial standing and the payment of fines.

He also said the repute of the firm’s transport manager, Alan Stott junior, was tarnished.

Media enquiries
T: 01942 295033
M: 07971 071558
E: pressoffice@otc.gov.uk

The Centre for Public Appointments has today opened recruitment campaigns for both Psychiatrist and retired Judicial Parole Board members.

Martin Jones, CEO of the Parole Board, said:

“We are very happy to support these recruitment campaigns.

“It is an important and engaging role to be appointed as a Parole Board member, where protection of the public is the priority, and we welcome applicants who have the skills and experience to rise to that challenge.”

The key task of all members of the Parole Board is to make rigorous, fair and timely risk assessments about individual cases which have the primary aim of protecting the public.

These are routine recruitment campaigns to fill positions that will be vacated by a number of current Parole Board members who are near the end of their tenure. There is the potential for up to 20 appointments per campaign.

The appointment will run for 5 years with the possibility of reappointment for a further term subject to satisfactory appraisal and at the discretion of Ministers.

The deadline for applications is 12:00 on 21 May 2018.