Tag: Press Release

PRESS RELEASE : New 24/7 support service for victims of rape launched [December 2022]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 7 December 2022.

Victims of rape across England and Wales will have access to round-the-clock support as a new 24/7 Support Line is launched today (7 December 2022).
- first ever 24/7 Support Line for victims of rape and sexual abuse in England to provide victims with round-the-clock help
- victims who have spoken to a specialist like an ISVA are 49% less likely to withdraw from the criminal justice process
- this service will support victims, encourage more prosecutions, and deliver on a key government pledge
- on 0808 500 2222 and via www.247sexualabusesupport.org.uk
Specialist operators – available via telephone or webchat – will be on hand at any time to provide victims with vital information and emotional support. This includes signposting to local, longer-term services such as Independent Sexual Violence Advisors (ISVA).

The government-funded service will be operated by Rape Crisis England & Wales who have over 3 decades’ experience running a helpline for rape and sexual abuse survivors. It will be available to anyone aged 16 years and over who has experienced any form of sexual violence and abuse, at any point in their life.

The support line has been launched in time for the festive season when reports of sexual violence are known to increase. At least 1 in 4 women and 1 in 20 men have been raped or sexually assaulted as an adult.

Research shows that victims who speak to an ISVA are 49% less likely to withdraw from the criminal justice process. This means that the more support a survivor receives, the more likely it is their attacker will be brought to justice.

Deputy Prime Minister, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, Dominic Raab said:

Making sure that victims of rape and sexual abuse have support whenever they need it is not only the right thing to do – it will also help us to bring more perpetrators to justice.

When victims feel believed and supported, they are much more likely to stay the course in the criminal justice process. This vital helpline will have a major role to play in providing the support victims need, and in bringing more vile criminals to justice.

The Support Line delivers on a key pledge in the government’s Rape Review Action Plan which seeks to boost support for victims, improve confidence in the system and increase the number of cases reaching court.

The plan sets out clear actions for the police, prosecutors, and courts – to roll out a new approach to investigations, reduce the number of victims withdrawing from the process, increase the volumes of trials being heard, protect the public and put more rapists behind bars.

This work is starting to deliver results. In 2021, the number of rape convictions increased by 67% compared to 2020, and the CPS is making charging decisions on average 29 days quicker according to the latest data available. In September, the government also completed the roll out of pre-recorded evidence for rape victims to every Crown Court nationwide – sparing them the trauma of testifying under the full glare of a courtroom.

Jayne Butler, CEO of Rape Crisis England and Wales:

We are proud to have developed and now be launching the 24/7 Rape & Sexual Abuse Support Line, an important addition to the specialist support available for anyone 16 and over in England and Wales who has been impacted by sexual violence and abuse.

No matter when or where it happened – we are here for you. If you contact us we will always listen to you and believe you, and we will never judge.

Farah Nazeer, chief executive of Women’s Aid said:

We welcome the government’s investment in a 24/7 support helpline, delivered by the great long-standing specialist service Rape Crisis, to provide round-the-clock support for survivors of sexual violence. We hope this will ensure survivors get the right response, first time – which we know is key to recovery after abuse. We’re hopeful this will also lead to an improvement in reporting and convictions of sexual offences.

As well as providing much-needed support to survivors, it is crucial we send a strong message to women that they will be heard, they will be believed, and they will be helped.

Emily Hunt, independent advisor to the government on the Rape Review, said:

After I was raped, I quite literally was begging for help and support. And there wasn’t any – at least not when I needed it. Now, victims in England and Wales can reach out to trained specialists on the support line, whether it’s 2am or 2pm, whether they want to speak to someone on the phone or use web chat.

They will be heard, they will be believed and they will be helped. This is the service that I needed then, and I am so happy to have been involved in making sure that victims now have the support that I didn’t.

Today’s announcement builds on recent government work to drive improvements in the criminal justice system. This includes quadrupling funding for victim services and bringing forward a landmark Victims Bill which seeks to ensure they are better heard, served and supported at every stage.

Meanwhile, specialist sexual violence support is being piloted at 3 Crown Courts – Leeds Newcastle, and Snaresbrook in London. It seeks to provide victims with enhanced at-court support and help increase throughput of cases. This work includes the introduction of trauma-informed training for court staff, maximising the use of technology, and access to ISVAs at court.
07/12/2022
PRESS RELEASE : Trade Minister kicks off multi-state US tour to boost state-level trade ties [December 2022]
The press release issued by the Department for International Trade on 7 December 2022.
- Minister for Trade Policy Greg Hands to travel coast-to-coast to discuss opportunities for closer trade ties with several US states
- In South Carolina, Hands will sign the UK’s third state-level Memorandum of Understanding to boost trade and investment
- The multi-state visit will also include California – which would be the world’s fifth largest economy if it were a country
Trade Minister Greg Hands today kicks off a multi-state tour of the US to boost trade and investment ties with individual states.

Starting in Columbia, South Carolina, he will cover three states in four days: South Carolina, California and Utah. The tour includes the largest US state economy, which covers around 15% of US GDP and therefore represents enormous opportunities for UK businesses.

He will meet with senior representatives from both political parties, including state governors, to explore opportunities for enhanced trade.

In Columbia, South Carolina, he will sign the UK’s third trade Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a US state, following the signatures of Indiana and North Carolina earlier in the year. In Utah, he will continue discussions on an MoU with a view to signing early next year.

Minister of State for Trade Policy Greg Hands said:

These MoUs with US states can cover areas vital to the UK, from tech and renewable energy to financial and professional services.

We’re engaging with the US at every level – federal, state and local – to increase opportunities for UK businesses.

Whether it’s successfully securing an expansive removal of Section 232 tariffs on imports of UK steel and aluminium into the US, signing MoUs with individual states or seeking recognition of professional qualifications, the UK is focused on delivering for British businesses and consumers.

The MoU will bolster our trading partnership with South Carolina, which bought £1.4bn of goods from the UK last year.

By addressing state-specific trade barriers, promoting trade missions to South Carolina and sharing expertise and best practice, it will seek to unlock opportunities for UK firms to expand overseas and attract investment.

The MoU will focus on key sectors which reflect shared areas of expertise such as automotive – including electric vehicles – and life sciences. This could benefit British firms exporting to South Carolina such as specialist manufacturer Sigmatex.

It will support the Government’s levelling up agenda, for instance boosting export opportunities for the West Midlands’ £5bn automotive industry or Scotland’s thriving life sciences sector.

The MoU aims to create stronger commercial and academic links in these sectors, which could boost jobs and wages in the UK, adding to the already more than 130,000 life sciences jobs outside London and the South East.

Paul McMullan, CEO Sigmatex said:

As a UK company, we chose South Carolina as our preferred base in North America due to the many benefits offered by the State, including a strong labour pool, a fast-growing industrial sector and a business-friendly regulatory environment.

The news of South Carolina and the UK agreeing an MoU on trade and economic development is very welcome indeed, and sure to bring further benefits to companies like Sigmatex who wish to have operations in the USA and specifically the State of SC.

The US is the UK’s largest trading partner. The Minister will highlight the importance of our £230bn trade partnership for fuelling economic growth and job creation on both sides of the Atlantic.

The trip forms part of the UK’s twin-track approach to trade with the US, strengthening links with individual states in parallel with our work with the federal government. Other states being engaged include Texas, Oklahoma, Washington and Oregon.
07/12/2022
PRESS RELEASE : Government turbocharges efforts to tackle Covid backlogs [December 2022]
The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 7 December 2022.

The government is setting up an Elective Recovery Taskforce to help the NHS deliver on waiting list targets, bringing together a range of healthcare experts.
- 19 new Community Diagnostic Centres to deliver more life saving checks, tests and scans and speed up diagnoses for local patients
- New Elective Recovery Taskforce to help unlock spare capacity in the independent sector to bust the Covid backlogs and reduce waiting times
- First meeting of Elective Recovery Taskforce to be held at No10 Downing Street today
Patients will benefit from quicker access to treatment and lifesaving diagnostic tests close to home following the launch of a new Elective Recovery Taskforce and approval of 19 new one stop shops for tests, checks and scans, the Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay announced today.

The NHS has made progress in tackling the Covid backlogs, virtually eliminating waits of over two years for treatment – the first target in the Elective Recovery Plan – and reducing the number of people waiting 18 months for treatment by almost 60% in one year.

The taskforce will help deliver on the remaining targets, including eliminating 18-month waits by April 2023 and waits of longer than a year by March 2025.

The launch comes as the Health and Social Care Secretary announced the locations of 19 new Community Diagnostic Centres (CDCs) across the country which will help more people to easily access life-saving checks, tests and scans – and follows record investment into health and social care with the Autumn Statement committing up to an additional £8 billion for health and social care in 2024/25.

Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said:

The NHS is facing an unprecedented challenge to tackle covid backlogs.

Hardworking staff have made strong progress but I want to turbocharge our current plans to bust the backlog and help patients get the treatment they need.

The taskforce will look at sensible steps to utilise all existing capacity to slash waiting lists while ensuring the NHS always remains free at the point of use.

The taskforce, which will meet for the first time at Downing Street today, will be chaired by Health Minister Will Quince and made up of academics and experts from the NHS and independent sector to advise the government on ways to turbocharge NHS recovery from the pandemic, reduce waiting times for patients and eliminate waits for routine care of over a year by 2025.

Experts will focus on how the NHS can utilise existing capacity in independent sector to cut the backlog. The independent sector has been used to bolster NHS capacity and ease pressure at critical times for nearly two decades, delivering over 450,000 appointments in October alone, approximately 6% of NHS care. Commissioning of independent sector services by the NHS uses existing budgets and comes at no extra cost to the NHS, delivering value for taxpayer money.

The taskforce will bring together a group of experts to work on a series of recommendations which will be put to the government early next year on how the NHS can better commission the independent sector, supporting the NHS as it pulls out all the stops to tackle the Covid backlogs.

Specialties including ophthalmology and knee and hip replacements have led the way with successful collaboration with the independent sector meaning patients can return to their normal lives faster.

The taskforce will look to improve communication and collaboration between the NHS and independent sector, clearly setting out what theatres, beds and other settings (such as outpatients) are available in the independent sector. Maximising use of all additional capacity will support patients and ensure the NHS always remains free at the point of use.

Minister for Health Will Quince said:

We are relentlessly focussed on tackling waiting lists and busting the Covid backlogs and this new taskforce will bring together experts from across the healthcare system.

Doing so will ensure we’re using all the capacity available to us to improve care across the NHS and independent sector, and give patients more autonomy over when and where they are treated.

NHS England National Director of Elective Recovery Sir James Mackey said:

NHS staff are working incredibly hard to tackle the Covid backlog at a time of immense pressure on the health service with significant progress already made – virtually eliminating two year waits for care – and it’s vital that we continue to support staff to deliver for patients.

By maximising opportunities to deliver even more life-saving checks and tests, building on the successes of increasing use of the independent sector since the pandemic, we can speed up diagnoses and continue to bring down waiting lists for routine care.

Chief Executive of the Independent Healthcare Providers Network, David Hare said:

We strongly welcome the establishment of a new taskforce to look at how the NHS can turbo-charge its use of the independent sector to tackle the elective care backlog.

For decades independent sector capacity has been used by the NHS to improve patients’ access to care free at the point of use, and giving patients’ a legal right to choose an independent sector provider for their treatment was a big factor in getting NHS waiting times down in the 2000’s.

The taskforce is a great opportunity to learn lessons from that period and in particular to make good on patients’ legal right to choose the best provider for them, whether public or independent sector, and to ensure that the capacity and capability which is available in the independent sector is being fully utilised for the benefit of NHS patients.

The new diagnostic centres will be located in the heart of communities across the country including football stadiums and shopping centres offering a range of services including MRI, CT and x-rays, making tests more accessible for patients. They will take the total of approved CDCs to 127, over 80% of the government’s intention to open up to 160 CDCs to perform up to nine million additional tests a year by 2025.

91 are already up and running across the country and new data shows the one-stop shops, backed by £2.3 billion in government funding, have delivered over 2.4 million tests, checks and scans since July 2021. These are speeding up access to services for patients and reducing waiting times. In September CDCs delivered 11% of all diagnostic activity, a significant step in achieving our ambition for 40% of diagnoses to take place in CDCs by 2025.
07/12/2022
PRESS RELEASE : Preventing today’s challenges from turning into tomorrow’s humanitarian crises – UK statement at the General Assembly [December 2022]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 6 December 2022.

Ambassador James Kariuki outlines the UK’s vision for the humanitarian system to the UN General Assembly.

Thank you Mr President, and good afternoon colleagues.

Every year, we meet here to reflect on the global humanitarian picture, and to look ahead to how we can respond to future challenges.

Yet again, we are faced with a sobering picture.

In 2023, 339 million people will be in need of humanitarian assistance – an increase of 25% from this year.

These are not just numbers.

They represent individual lives.

People suffering the impacts of both new and protracted conflicts.

People are hit simultaneously by droughts and floods driven by climate change.

People who are the most vulnerable to the global energy and food crisis caused by Russia’s choice to illegally invade Ukraine, in a year that should have been the year of recovery from the Covid 19 pandemic.

To tackle the magnitude of global challenges, we need a shared vision, and the collective political will to deliver it.

Mr President, the UK’s International Development Strategy, launched in May this year, is a commitment to the world’s most vulnerable. It sets out how we will ensure a more effective international response to humanitarian crises.

We will deliver this in three areas.

Firstly, we will push for the system to prioritise limited resources effectively, including towards the one million people who are living in famine or famine-like conditions in Yemen, Ethiopia, Somalia, and South Sudan.

We will do this by ensuring that humanitarian responses are accountable, data-driven and cost effective. And we will continue to champion the scale-up of digital cash transfers as an effective and dignified way to deliver assistance.

Secondly, we will continue to use our voice to protect the most vulnerable, and to uphold International Humanitarian, Human Rights and Refugee Law.

We will use our position on the UN Security Council to enable unhindered access to those in need, including 4.1 million people in North-West Syria this winter. And we will use all the tools at our disposal to ensure accountability for those who violate the humanitarian principles and the UN Charter in Ukraine.

We will also deliver on our commitments at last week’s Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Conference, bolstering our support to local, women-led organisations. These are vital to the humanitarian response, and to ensuring that women and girls are free from violence, and able to meet their full potential.

Finally, we will use our expertise to prevent today’s problems from turning into tomorrow’s crises.

We will leverage UK networks in the private sector, climate science and academia to deepen early warning expertise, promote innovation and strengthen systems to prevent and anticipate shocks.

And we will use our position on the boards of the International Financial Institutions to unlock the finance for these efforts, such as the doubling of the World Bank’s Early Response Financing to $1 billion, which we helped to secure this year.

Building on sustained advocacy at COP 26 and COP 27, we will continue to push for an increase in access to climate finance in climate vulnerable countries with the highest levels of humanitarian need. This will help communities adapt to new challenges with dignity and agency.

Mr President, with needs soaring every year, the UK humanitarian vision is not an ideal, but rather, a necessity. Today we are asking for all of you to join us in delivering it.

07/12/2022
PRESS RELEASE : Government to launch consultation on local support on onshore wind [December 2022]

The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 6 December 2022.

The government commits to launching a technical consultation to explore how local authorities demonstrate local support and respond to views of their communities when considering onshore wind development in England.

Decisions on onshore wind sites will continue to be made at a local level as these are best made by local representatives who know their areas best and are democratically accountable to the local community.

To deliver a more localist approach, and its commitments in the British Energy Security Strategy, the government will consult on proposed changes to national planning policy. This follows positive engagement with MPs.

Under the proposals, planning permission would be dependent on a project being able to demonstrate local support and satisfactorily address any impacts identified by the local community. Local authorities would also have to demonstrate their support for certain areas as being suitable for onshore wind, moving away from rigid requirements for sites to be designated in local plans.

Today’s announcement builds on previous Government action to make sure local communities are at the heart of decisions on onshore wind. Changes introduced in 2016 that made local councils responsible for onshore wind applications, instead of the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project regime, will remain in place.

The Government will make sure strong environmental protections first brought in by the Government in 2015 remain, so that valued landscapes such as National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the Green Belt are protected.

The government will also seek views on developing local partnerships for supportive communities, so that those who wish to host new onshore wind infrastructure can benefit from doing so, such as through lower energy bills.

New digital engagement techniques during the planning process will ensure people across the local community can continue to make their views known.

The government will also consider how the planning system can support communities to have a say on the necessary infrastructure to connect wind farms to the grid and encourage the upgrading of existing wind farm sites

The government will be inviting views from local authorities, communities and businesses.

The technical consultation on changes to the National Planning Policy Framework will be launched by Christmas and concluded by the end of April 2023.

07/12/2022
PRESS RELEASE : The devastating humanitarian impact of Russia’s systematic strikes on Ukraine’s critical infrastructure – UK statement at the Security Council [December 2022]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 6 December 2022.

Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward at the Security Council briefing on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine.

Thank you President. And thank you Under-Secretary-General Griffiths for your briefing.

“Death, destruction, displacement and suffering,” as you said.

President, this is the third time in as many weeks that we have discussed Russia’s brutal attacks on civilians across Ukraine.

On all three occasions, the UN has underlined the devastating humanitarian impact of the systematic strikes on Ukraine’s critical infrastructure and civilian centres. This presents a potentially catastrophic situation for Ukraine’s brave and courageous people and for the 690 organisations that are supporting the humanitarian need as winter begins, and people are left without water, power and shelter.

We know what Russia is trying to do: it is trying to bring terror and suffering to the civilian population in a war of subjugation. It is barbaric, illegal, and horribly cruel.

The statistics we have heard from the UN today are shocking, more than 17,000 civilians have been killed in Ukraine by Russia’s senseless war. It is a devastating number of innocent lives lost, and we’ve heard today in particular the impact Russia’s war is having on children in Ukraine:
- the millions forced to flee their homes and in need of humanitarian assistance,
- the hundreds killed, injured or missing.
- the damage or destruction of over 500 schools, and classes interrupted by air raid sirens and power cuts.
- the reports that thousands of children have been forcibly taken to Russia.
- And the credible allegations of sexual violence against children by Russian forces.
The trauma inflicted by Russia will last for generations.

President, the response from this Council, and the wider UN Membership, has been consistent: a call for an end to conflict; for peace.

President Zelenskyy again asked us, two weeks ago, to help end the suffering of the Ukrainian people and expressed his willingness to negotiate a peace based on the principles of the UN Charter.

But Russia is not listening.

Its response has been wave after wave of long range strikes, and continued, albeit frustrated, efforts to take Ukrainian territory.

It is time for Russia to end this war, withdraw from Ukrainian territory, and commit to dialogue and negotiations based on international law and the UN Charter.

Thank you, Madam President.
07/12/2022
PRESS RELEASE : Arrests follow investigation into Bolivian people-smuggling ring [December 2022]
The press release issued by the Home Office on 6 December 2022.
Suspected members of an Organised Crime Group (OCG) linked to a highly sophisticated people-smuggling operation between Bolivia and the UK, have been arrested this morning (Tuesday 6 December) following a series of warrants executed in South London.

Following an investigation by Home Office officials from the Criminal and Financial Investigations (CFI) team, three individuals, two men and one woman, were arrested at two addresses on suspicion of conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration.

The arrests included:

a man aged 41 years at an address in Camberwell

a man aged 38 years and a woman aged 35 years at an address in Peckham

Two further individuals, a man and a woman, were located in the Peckham property and identified as illegal migrants from Bolivia. They will be processed and dealt with by Immigration Compliance and Enforcement accordingly.

Around £1,500 in cash and two false identity documents were also discovered at the same address. Money seized will be processed using proceeds of crime legislation, while searches of both properties continue.

Robert Jenrick, Immigration Minister said:

The public should be in no doubt of our determination to clamp down on those who violate our laws by exploiting people for their own financial gains.

These individuals thought they were beyond the reach of the law – they were proved wrong.

Today’s operation sends a clear message to people smugglers and those thinking about abusing our immigration laws: you will be caught and brought to justice swiftly.

Tony Hilton, Assistant Director from the Criminal Financial Investigation unit said:

Thanks to the tireless efforts of our officers, we continue to investigate leads relentlessly and execute operations like this so that we can stop and arrest those profiting off abuse of our immigration system.

The individuals are believed to have been abusing the Common Travel Area between Dublin and Belfast, charging migrants thousands of pounds to be flown from Bolivia to the UK via the Republic of Ireland.

Once smuggled into the country by the OCG, most of the migrants are believed to have been working here illegally.

All suspects were taken into custody in South London, and will be flown today to Belfast, Northern Ireland, for questioning by CFI Northern Ireland.

A further individual associated with the investigation was arrested in September 2022 by Immigration Enforcement officers in Northern Ireland and subsequently charged. He remains in custody.

This investigation involves ongoing collaboration between the British and Irish governments, who work closely through the Cross-Border Joint Agency Taskforce to disrupt OCGs and tackle organised immigration crime, modern slavery and human trafficking.

Today’s raid forms part of Immigration Enforcement’s ongoing work to prevent illegal migration through their investigation work. As of November, 189 people have been convicted for immigration crimes resulting in a total of nearly 179 years in sentencing.

So far this year, there have been 52 convictions relating to people smuggling cases, resulting in a combined total of over 82 years in prosecutions. This includes 21 small-boats-related convictions for a total of over 11 years and 31 convictions for facilitating migrants in vehicles for a total of over 72 years.
07/12/2022
PRESS RELEASE : Ministry of Defence confirms the death of Private Josh Kennington [December 2022]

The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 6 December 2022.

It is with great sadness that the Ministry of Defence confirms the death of Private Joshua Kennington of the Royal Logistic Corps. He died on 24th November 2022 following a non-operational incident at Catterick. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this sad time.

Private Kennington’s family said:

Tragically taken from us far too soon, much loved by family and friends, Josh was kind compassionate always having time for others and putting them first constantly striving to push himself to be better. He died doing what he loved. Not a goodbye from us, wherever you will be you will always be in our hearts…

Major Tony Morgan – Officer Commanding 35 Squadron, 5 Medical Regiment said:

Private Josh Kennington was a young and popular member of 35 Medical Squadron. He had only been with the Squadron for a short time, but his good humoured and likeable nature made him an instant hit. A spirited individual, always willing to do what was needed, Private Kennington was an excellent soldier and a proud RLC Driver, the epitome of our most talented younger generation.

His death is a sad loss, at such a young age and at the beginning of a bright military career ahead of him. Although this is a sad moment for all that knew Private Kennington, we do feel fortunate to have known and to have served alongside this soldier. He will be missed; he will be celebrated and he will be remembered by all those within 35 Medical Squadron.”

Lieutenant Colonel Catherine Masling – Commanding Officer, 5 Medical Regiment said:

Pte Josh Kennington was a superb soldier with ability beyond his years and a bright future before him. He was a true professional, determined to do well whatever the task, and keen to take advantage of everything which the Army has to offer. Known to all, and a good friend to many, Pte Kennington was a genuine, kind, and decent person. He made our team stronger. His sudden passing is felt deeply within our Regiment, especially by those whom he directly served alongside. He was our friend and our comrade; we are immensely proud of him. We will miss him, and we will remember him with affection. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this very difficult time.

Minister for Defence People, Veterans and Service Families Dr Andrew Murrison said:

It is with deep sadness that I learnt of the death of Private Josh Kennington of 5 Medical Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps. He displayed a natural aptitude for soldiering and it’s clear from his colleagues that he was admired and respected by all those he served with, irrespective of their rank. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones at this difficult time.

07/12/2022
PRESS RELEASE : DCMS/Wolfson arts funding to make museums and galleries more accessible for people across the country [December 2022]
The press release issued by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on 6 December 2022.
- Funding will help make museums more accessible through initiatives like building ramps and improving displays
- Particular focus on helping organisations to be more sustainable and adopt energy saving measures
Museums and galleries across England will receive a share of £4 million to improve displays, protect collections and make exhibitions more accessible to visitors.

The cash boost will go to 33 museums, 26 of which are outside London, from the joint DCMS/Wolfson Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund. Both DCMS and the Wolfson Foundation contributed £2 million to this round of the fund, which has benefited more than 400 projects in its 20-year history.

The fund aims to help museums and galleries make their collections as accessible to the public as possible, whether that be through building accessible ramps and facilities, improving collection storage to protect them for the future or getting more of their collections out on display.

In this latest round of funding, the People’s History Museum in Manchester will receive a grant of £214,300 to improve access to the museum for people with disabilities by installing accessible doors, lifts and toilets, improving stairs and walkways with handrails and ramps, and installing signs around the museum to make it more accessible.

This year there has also been a particular focus on supporting museums and galleries in adopting energy saving measures and improving sustainability.

The National Motor Museum in the New Forest, for example, will use its grant of £200,000 to install new heating and lighting to improve environmental performance. Abbot Hall Art Gallery, in Kendal, will use £40,500 to review its environmental controls for collections to reduce energy use.

Arts Minister Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay said:

The DCMS/Wolfson Fund aims to make sure more people can access our brilliant museums and galleries right across the county.

Thanks to this combination of public funding and private philanthropy, these awards will help people who may have previously found visiting museums and galleries difficult and make sure everyone can enjoy and engage with the wonderful collections and exhibitions they offer.

With 80 percent of the money going to museums outside the capital, this funding is further evidence of the Government’s commitment to levelling up and widening access to culture.

Paul Ramsbottom, Chief Executive of the Wolfson Foundation said:

We’re delighted to continue our longstanding partnership with DCMS, which has now awarded over £50 million to outstanding museums and galleries over the past two decades.

While the projects funded are many and varied, they will all improve access to the treasures of our museums and galleries – allowing more people to enjoy and learn from these impressive collections, as well as safeguarding them for the future.

The Bowes Museum which manages a Grade I listed building as well as a designated collection and parkland in County Durham has received a grant of £254,900 to develop four new gallery spaces – bringing more of their collections to the public. The new galleries will be created together with the local community to make sure they are fully accessible for people with reduced mobility and sensory impairments.

£71,700 will help Derby Museums to improve accessibility at Grade I listed Pickford’s House to help the museum use virtual reality to bring the house to a wider audience. Kelham Island Museum in Sheffield will receive £45,000 to improve displays in collaboration with their local communities.
06/12/2022
PRESS RELEASE : Two Leicestershire company directors, Savio Gilbert Pereira and Sajid Anver Valimohammed, banned for a total of 19 years [December 2022]

The press release issued by HM Treasury on 6 December 2022.

Savio Gilbert Pereira, 46, and Sajid Anver Valimohammed, 37, have been disqualified as company directors for a total of 19 years following separate Insolvency Service investigations which uncovered financial misconduct.

Pereira, of Market Harborough was sole director of Himalayan Zest Takeaway Limited, which was incorporated in April 2018 and traded as Himalayan Zest on Market Street in Lutterworth until it went into liquidation in November 2021.

In June 2020, Pereira applied for a Bounce Back Loan on behalf of Himalayan Zest. Bounce Back Loans were government-backed loans designed to help businesses stay afloat during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Under the rules of the scheme, companies could apply for loans of between £2,000 and £50,000, up to a maximum of 25% of their turnover for 2019.

Pereira stated that Himalayan Zest’s turnover was around £207,500, which allowed the restaurant to receive the maximum £50,000 loan.

When the business went into liquidation the following year owing around £51,500, it triggered an investigation by the Insolvency Service which found that Pereira had exaggerated Himalayan Zest’s turnover in order to falsely claim the loan.

Investigators discovered that the company only had around £54,600 in its bank account following receipt of the Bounce Back Loan, and between June and August that year, Pereira had made a £10,000 payment to himself, £28,000 in various debit payments to an unknown recipient and had withdrawn a total of £16,800 in cash.

Pereira was unable to prove that these transactions were for the economic support of the restaurant.

A second director, Sajid Anver Valimohammed, of Leicester, was director of J Dee Designs Ltd, which was incorporated in July 2019 and traded as a fashionwear finisher from Upper Charnwood Street in Leicester until it went into liquidation in December 2020.

But Valimohammed had failed to keep business accounts and records – a legal requirement of company directors – and was unable to hand them over to the company’s liquidators, which led to an investigation by the Insolvency Service.

Investigators discovered that Valimohammed had withdrawn more than £286,000 from the company bank account through 199 separate transfers with the reference ‘Mrref Self FT’ during the time J Dee Design was in business.

They found that around £315,300 was withdrawn from J Dee Design’s bank account during the period – including £30,000 from a Bounce Back Loan that the company had applied for – but Valimohammed could not prove that the transactions were for legitimate trading activity, or whether the loan money had been used for the benefit of the company.

And due to his failure to keep company accounts, investigators were also unable to verify whether J Dee Designs had paid the correct amount of tax it owed, or to ascertain the true financial position of the company when it went into liquidation, including whether liquidators would be able to make any recovery of debts.

Valimohammed did not contest the disqualification order at court and was banned from being a director for 8 years on 9 November this year. His ban began on 30 November and the court also awarded full costs to the Insolvency Service.

Separately, the Secretary of State accepted a disqualification undertaking from Savio Pereira in October, after he did not dispute that he had caused his restaurant to falsely apply for a Bounce Back Loan of £50,000, and had failed to use the money for the economic benefit of the company.

Pereira’s disqualification started on 15 November this year and lasts for 11 years. The bans prevent the two directors from directly or indirectly becoming involved in the promotion, formation or management of a company, without the permission of the court.

Dave Elliott, Chief Examiner at The Insolvency Service, said,

“The Insolvency Service takes Bounce Back Loan abuse and the failure to keep, preserve and deliver up books and records very seriously.

“The length of these directors’ bans reflects the gravity of their misconduct, and should serve as a warning to others.”

06/12/2022