Pulse.Assent

Business Secretary Greg Clark, Economic Secretary to the Treasury John Glen, and Small Business Minister Andrew Griffiths, met banks today (17 January 2018) to seek assurances that they will support small businesses affected by Carillion’s liquidation.

The meeting was called by government to ensure small businesses exposed to the liquidation of Carillion are given the support they need. Banks represented at today’s meeting were:

• Barclays
• HSBC
• Lloyds
• RBS
• Santander
• Shawbrook
• Aldermore

They were joined by the British Business Bank.

Greg Clark said:

It is essential that small businesses exposed to the Carillion insolvency are given the support they need by their lenders.

I chaired a meeting this morning of high street banks to ensure that they are in contact with customers impacted, that they have in place the advice and support needed and that any individual cases are escalated and dealt with sympathetically, swiftly and appropriately.

I will continue to meet with them in the days and weeks ahead to ensure these commitments are being acted on.

Economic Secretary to the Treasury, John Glen said:

I am pleased to see that the UK banks are taking such a constructive approach, proactively contacting affected customers, and taking the required steps to help those facing short term issues as a result of Carillion going into liquidation.

Following today’s meeting UK Finance issued a statement setting out the actions agreed to by the banks.

Stephen Pegge, UK Finance Managing Director, Commercial Finance, said:

UK banks and the government are working closely to make sure the impact of the Carillion liquidation on SMEs in the supply chain is understood and managed in a way that best supports those in need of assistance.

Lenders are contacting customers and, where appropriate, are putting in place emergency measures, including overdraft extensions, payment holidays and fee waivers to ensure those facing short term issues can be helped to stay on track.

Today’s announcement follows action outlined by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to address concerns set out earlier this week.

Mark Benfield was originally sentenced to 4 years in prison on the 13 October last year when his case was heard at Portsmouth Crown Court. The Court of Appeal has increased his sentence to 8 years and 6 months, which includes 1 year on licence.

The abuse started after the victim’s 6th birthday, when Benfield was 18, and didn’t stop until 1984, 6 years later. During this period, the victim was sexually assaulted in her foster home a number of times by the offender.

Speaking after the hearing, the Solicitor General said:

“This is a tragic case where the victim was made to feel unsafe in their own home, blighting many precious years of childhood.

“I welcome the Court’s decision and hope that the increased sentence brings some comfort and long awaited closure to the victim.”

A violent teenager who threatened to throw a toddler out of a window has been sent to a young offenders’ institute after Solicitor General Robert Buckland QC MP referred his original sentence to the Court of Appeal as unduly lenient.

Joshua Ingram, 18, launched an attack on his ex-girlfriend and her 2 year old son after the toddler agitated him. Ingram who was staying at his ex-girlfriend’s house lost his temper with the child and started swearing. The child’s mother carried the boy into another room; however, when she passed Ingram on the landing he shoved the child’s head into the wall sufficiently hard to cause a bang.

Ingram then started to damage property in the living room before following her upstairs and taking her phone so she could not call the police. He then lunged towards the child in an attempt to try to grab him. He threatened to throw the child down the stairs and against a wall. The child was screaming and his mother was lying on top of him on his bed trying to shield him from attack.

The offender also had a vegetable knife and threatened repeatedly to kill the mother and child. He threw the knife to the floor with such force that it broke. He then grabbed the child again and placed a pillow over the mothers head and told the child that he was going to kill her.

Ingram originally received 2 years detention in a young offenders institution suspended for 2 years last October at Grimsby Crown Court. The Court of Appeal agreed that this was too lenient and increased his sentence to 3 years in a young offenders’ institute.

Speaking after the hearing, the Solicitor General said:

This young man’s violent temper left a defenceless child and mother fearing for their lives. The original sentence failed to take proper account of the seriousness of the offence. I’m pleased the court has seen fit to impose an immediate custodial sentence and I hope it brings some comfort to the victim.

Kier Construction Limited (KIER), and their sub-contractor BKP Waste Recycling Limited (BKP), were sentenced at Bournemouth Crown Court on 12 January 2018 after earlier pleading guilty to an offence under the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010.

Kier Construction was commissioned by The Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to carry out re-development work at Christchurch Hospital in February 2012. KIER appointed BKP Waste Recycling Limited to drain and remove oil from an oil supply line in the hospital grounds.

Oil escaped from a poorly-made connection in the oil supply pipework, which failed during routine testing of heating systems at the hospital in November 2014. The spillage polluted groundwater.

The case was bought by the Environment Agency at the end of a lengthy investigation that uncovered negligence on the part of both contractors.

Ian Withers of the Environment Agency said:

This pollution incident had the potential to cause serious harm to the environment and was entirely avoidable. The 2 companies failed to understand the extent of the work required and mitigate the risks. Construction companies must adhere to environmental permitting regulations to prevent their activities from affecting the local environment.

KIER was fined £100,000 with £30,301 costs for causing groundwater activity under regulation 38 (1) (a) of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010. BKP was fined £10,200 for the same offence with £42,851 costs.

If you are concerned about pollution to water or land, contact our 24-hour incident line on 0800 807060.