Tag: Press Release

PRESS RELEASE : New King’s Counsel and Honorary King’s Counsel welcomed by Lord Chancellor [January 2024]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 19 January 2024.

His Majesty The King has approved the appointment of 95 barristers and solicitors as new King’s Counsel (KC) in England and Wales and the appointment of 5 new Honorary King’s Counsel (KC Honoris Causa).
His Majesty has also approved the appointment of 5 new Honorary King’s Counsel (KC Honoris Causa). Their biographies are listed below. Honorary KCs are awarded to those who have made a major contribution to the law of England and Wales, outside practice in the courts.

The Lord Chancellor will preside over the appointment ceremony at Westminster Hall in March 2024, where he will formally bestow the title of KC upon the successful applicants and award the Honorary KCs.

Honorary King’s Counsel biographies

Professor Anthony Arnull

Professor Arnull specialises in the law of the European Union. He worked at the European Court of Justice from 1989-92 and was Head of Birmingham Law School between 2006 and 2009. He was Acting Head of the College of Arts & Law at Birmingham from April to August 2015.

Professor Arnull was nominated for his research on the law of the European Union, in particular the role and jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice; the configuration of the European Union’s judicial system; and the relationship between European Union law and national law, especially that of the United Kingdom. His scholarship is widely respected and has had a significant impact on legislation and case law.

Professor Norman Doe

Professor Doe is the Director of the Centre for Law and Religion, which he set up at Cardiff Law School in 1998. He is on the editorial committee of the Ecclesiastical Law Journal and was appointed in 2013 as the Editor of the newly established Routledge Research Series in Law and Religion, the first series of its type in the UK. He has also served on the Legal Advisory Commission of the Church of England and is the Chancellor of the Diocese of Bangor.

Professor Doe was nominated for reviving the study of Ecclesiastical Law in England and Wales. His publications on the subject have been highly influential, being cited in decisions relating to the constitutional role of the Church of England and contributing to the revision of clergy discipline procedures.

Michael Meyer

Mr Meyer is Head of the International Law Department at the British Red Cross. He has served on government delegations to international meetings and represents the British Red Cross on the UK National Committee on International Humanitarian Law. He has also been a member of the governing bodies of the International Institute of Humanitarian Law and of the UK Group of the International Society for Military Law and the Law of War.

Mr Meyer was nominated for providing advice and support to the government on a range of matters relating to international humanitarian law, and its implementation in UK domestic law and policy. He is a recognised expert on the law on the international stage: his views are highly respected and influential in helping to shape the law, promoting the UK positions on issues of operational and legal significance.

Sir Robert Neill

Sir Robert is a barrister, MP, and Chair of the Commons Justice Select Committee. The Justice Committee examines the policies and spending of the Ministry of Justice (and associated public bodies). This includes courts, legal aid, prisons, probation, and the rule of law. It also advises on sentencing guidelines.

Sir Robert was nominated for his leadership of the Justice Select Committee, including his contributions in upholding the rule of law and as an advocate for the judiciary and legal profession. Under his leadership, the Committee has produced over thirty-five detailed reports following substantive inquiries across a wide range of legal and justice policy areas.

Professor Fionnuala Ní Aoláin

Professor Ní Aoláin is currently a Professor of Law at Queen’s University Belfast. In 2017 she was appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council as United Nations Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism. Her teaching and research interests are in the fields of international law, human rights law, national security law, transitional justice, and feminist legal theory. She has published widely in the fields of emergency powers, conflict regulation, transitional justice, and sex-based violence in times of war and continues to write extensively on theoretical aspects of transition.

Professor Ní Aoláin was nominated for her work in advising the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission and civil society, informing and shaping the policy and legal work being progressed on the protection of social and economic rights and the rule of law in the post-Belfast Agreement context. Her work with the UN has been strongly supported by the UK, where she has been a champion for mainstreaming human rights in countering terrorism, has led the UN human rights response on the situation of the men, women and children detained in Al Hol and Al Roj camps in North-East Syria, advanced the human rights of victims of terrorism as well as leading the first global study on the impact of counter-terrorism on civil society,

Notes to editors

The list of 2023 – 2024 King’s Counsel appointments.

KCs are appointed by The King, on the advice of the Lord Chancellor. He is in turn advised by an independent Selection Panel which receives and considers each application and makes recommendations as to appointment.

Honorary KCs are also awarded by The King, on the advice of the Lord Chancellor. He is advised by panel of representatives from the legal profession, civil service, judiciary, and academia. More information about the purpose of the award can be found on GOV.UK.
23/01/2024
PRESS RELEASE : Government backs new pet abduction law in pet theft crackdown [January 2024]

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 19 January 2024.

New law will create a new specific offence for dog and cat abduction.

A new criminal offence for pet abduction has taken a significant step forward today (19 January) with the announcement of government backing for new legislation.

Under the Pet Abduction Bill – a Private Member’s Bill sponsored by Anna Firth MP – anyone found guilty of stealing a pet will face up to five years in prison, a fine, or both.

By supporting the Pet Abduction Bill, the Government is delivering on pledges made in its Action Plan for Animal Welfare. This recognised that cats and dogs are not inanimate objects but sentient beings capable of experiencing distress and other emotional trauma when they are stolen from their owners or keepers.

Evidence from the Pet Theft Taskforce suggests that around 2,000 dog theft and over 400 cat theft crimes were reported to police in 2020, causing considerable distress for owners and their pets alike. With an estimated 28% of UK adults owning a dog and 24% owning a cat, pet theft is a major concern to the public.

Environment Secretary Steve Barclay said:

“As a dog owner myself, I appreciate deeply what treasured members of the family dogs and cats are. It is a deeply traumatic experience for both the owner and the pet when they are stolen.

“This vital Bill will recognise the severity of this shocking crime and should act as a deterrent to anyone considering stealing a dog or cat. We will do all we can to support its swift passage through Parliament.”

Anna Firth MP said:

“I am absolutely delighted that the Pet Abduction Bill has passed its second reading, and will move on to Committee stage. As a nation of pet-lovers, it is vital that the law recognises the emotional impact that the abduction of a pet can have, and brings the perpetrators to justice that correctly reflects this.

“Pets are not merely property like a smartphone or watch – they are part of the family. It is not right that the law does not distinguish this and I am delighted that my bill will redress this wrong.”

Today’s announcement builds upon wider work to protect pets from theft, including making it compulsory to microchip all pet cats and dogs in, making it easier for lost, stray or stolen pets to be reunited with their owners and returned home safely.

This builds on the Government’s efforts to enhance our world-leading standards of animal welfare. The UK was the first country in the world to introduce animal cruelty offences and is the highest ranked G7 nation according to World Animal Protection’s Index. Our flagship Action Plan for Animal Welfare committed us to going even further to protect animals.

The Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Bill – which is only possible now we have left the European Union – was introduced to Parliament last month and will put an end to the export of live animals for slaughter and fattening from Great Britain, stopping animals enduring unnecessary stress, exhaustion and injury on long journeys.

Since publishing the Action Plan for Animal Welfare in 2021, we have also brought in new laws to recognise animal sentience, introduced tougher penalties for animal cruelty offences; extended the ivory ban to cover other ivory bearing species; introduced legislation to ban the keeping of primates as pets and supported legislation to ban glue traps, the import of detached shark fins and measures to ban the advertising and offering for sale of low welfare activities abroad.

22/01/2024
PRESS RELEASE : Hizb ut-Tahrir proscribed as terrorist organisation [January 2024]

The press release issued by the Home Office on 19 January 2024.

Hizb ut-Tahrir has been proscribed today (19 January), making it a criminal offence to belong to the group, or invite support for it.

The organisation Hizb ut-Tahrir has been proscribed as a terrorist organisation today (19 January) after Parliament approved a draft order laid on Monday (15 January).

This order makes belonging to Hizb ut-Tahrir or inviting support for the group a criminal offence, with a potential prison sentence of 14 years which can be handed down alongside or in place of a fine.

Hizb ut-Tahrir has now been added to the list of proscribed organisations in the UK, alongside 79 other organisations.

22/01/2024
PRESS RELEASE : Advanced future military laser achieves UK first [January 2024]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 19 January 2024.

A military laser which could boost the UK Armed Forces with greater accuracy while reducing the reliance on high-cost ammunition has reached its next milestone.
During a trial at the MOD’s Hebrides Range, the DragonFire laser directed energy weapon (LDEW) system achieved the UK’s first high-power firing of a laser weapon against aerial targets. The range of DragonFire is classified, but it is a line-of-sight weapon and can engage with any visible target.

First high-power firing of a laser weapon against aerial targets

Laser boasts pinpoint accuracy and low long-term costs

Partnership with industry making positive progress for UK Armed Forces

DragonFire exploits UK technology to be able to deliver a high power laser over long ranges. The precision required is equivalent to hitting a £1 coin from a kilometre away.

Laser-directed energy weapons can engage targets at the speed of light, and use an intense beam of light to cut through the target, leading to structural failure or more impactful results if the warhead is targeted.

Firing it for 10 seconds is the cost equivalent of using a regular heater for just an hour. Therefore, it has the potential to be a long-term low-cost alternative to certain tasks missiles currently carry out. The cost of operating the laser is typically less than £10 per shot.

DragonFire is led by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), on behalf of the UK MOD, working with its industry partners MBDA, Leonardo and QinetiQ.

This milestone demonstrated the ability to engage aerial targets at relevant ranges and is a major step in bringing this technology into service. Both the Army and Royal Navy are considering using this technology as part of their future Air Defence capabilities.

Defence Secretary, Grant Shapp said:

This type of cutting-edge weaponry has the potential to revolutionise the battlespace by reducing the reliance on expensive ammunition, while also lowering the risk of collateral damage.

Investments with industry partners in advanced technologies like DragonFire are crucial in a highly contested world, helping us maintain the battle-winning edge and keep the nation safe.

The latest milestone builds on a series of highly successful trials, including the first static high-power laser firing of a sovereign UK capability and demonstration of the DragonFire system’s ability to track moving air and sea targets with very high accuracy at range.

Building on this research, the MOD recently announced its intention to fund a multi-million-pound programme to transition the technology from the research environment to the battlefield.

The latest trial was sponsored by the MOD’s Defence Science and Technology (DST) organisation and Strategic Programmes and enabled by many other agencies across government, ensuring all regulatory and safety approval requirements were satisfied.

Dstl’s Chief Executive, Dr Paul Hollinshead said:

These trials have seen us take a huge step forward in realising the potential opportunities and understanding the threats posed by directed energy weapons.

With our decades of knowledge, skills, and operational experience, Dstl’s expertise is critical to helping the armed forces prepare for the future.

The DragonFire weapon system is the result of a £100 million joint investment by the Ministry of Defence and industry. Together, the companies involved are supporting highly-skilled UK jobs in new cutting-edge technologies that are delivering a significant step-change in the UK’s capability in LDEW systems.

In 2017 the MOD’s Chief Scientific Advisor’s Research Programme awarded a £30 million contract to the DragonFire consortium to demonstrate the potential of LDEWs.

Dr Nick Joad, DST said:

This is a really innovative application of science and engineering and is the fruit of sustained investment and effort. DragonFire uses cutting-edge science and technology and delivers much greater performance than other systems of a similar class. DragonFire provides a step-change in our ability to deal with high-performance and low-cost threats.

UK defence is continuing to invest in these game-changing technologies and is advancing the plans which will ultimately bring them into service.

Shimon Fhima, Director Strategic Programmes for the MOD said:

The DragonFire trials at the Hebrides demonstrated that our world-leading technology can track and engage high-end effects at range. In a world of evolving threats we know that our focus must be on getting capability to the warfighter and we will look to accelerate this next phase of activity.

LDEW research and technology is delivered in partnership and is a cost-effective way of meeting the needs of the MOD while maintaining UK industry’s technology and skills base.

UK defence is continuing to invest in these game-changing technologies and is advancing the plans which will ultimately bring them into service

Find out more about Dstl’s weapons science and technology capability and how to work with us.
22/01/2024
PRESS RELEASE : Secretary of State’s statement on the NI Executive Formation Deadline [January 2024]

The press release issued by the Northern Ireland Office on 19 January 2024.

The statement follows the expiry of the deadline for the Northern Ireland Assembly to elect a speaker.

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Chris Heaton-Harris has said that he will act to protect public services after the parties failed to restore the Northern Ireland Executive.

Under the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation and Organ and Tissue Donation) Act 2023, the deadline to elect a speaker to the Northern Ireland Assembly and put an Executive in place has now passed.

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland is now under a legal duty to call an Assembly election.

Mr Heaton-Harris stated: “I am disappointed that the parties have been unable to elect a speaker to the Assembly and restore the Northern Ireland Executive before the deadline set in law.

“Events in Northern Ireland this week have shown the urgent action which is required to address a whole range of issues facing Northern Ireland.

“I remain of the belief that a sitting Northern Ireland Executive is best placed to act quickly and effectively to resolve those issues.

“In the absence of a sitting Northern Ireland Executive I will update Parliament on the next steps.

“I intend to introduce new legislation which will take a pragmatic, appropriate and limited approach to addressing the Executive Formation period and support Northern Ireland Departments to manage the immediate and evident challenges they face in stabilising public services and finances.”

22/01/2024
PRESS RELEASE : Government responds to recommendations from Ruth Perry’s inquest [January 2024]

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 19 January 2024.

The department for education has sent its response to the coroner’s Regulation 28 report to prevent further tragedies.

The Department for Education has sent the coroner its response to the regulation 28 prevention of future deaths report, following headteacher Ruth Perry’s inquest.

Work is ongoing between the department, Ofsted, local authorities and trusts to ensure all headteachers are supported during the inspection process. There is also a further commitment to ensure schools and inspectors are aware of the wellbeing help headteachers can access, including the recently expanded £1.5 million wellbeing support.

Alongside this, the department is committed to helping to avoid future tragedies through working with local authorities and school trusts to ensure that appropriate support is made available to school leaders following an adverse inspection result.

The department is committed to working with Ofsted to review how judgements are made for schools that are found to be inadequate solely on safeguarding grounds, as Caversham Primary School was. Where the safeguarding issues are shown to have been resolved quickly, no further intervention will take place.

Safeguarding guidance in the department will also be reviewed and a call for evidence will be launched in the spring, asking the sector for views on how to go further to support school leaders on safeguarding.

Two years ago, the department for education launched the Education Staff Wellbeing Charter – a public commitment to the wellbeing and mental health of everyone working in education.

As part of this, the expansion of the wellbeing support is new investment to deliver a 3-year mental health and wellbeing support package for school and college leaders, providing professional supervision and counselling to at least 2,500 leaders. In addition, the Education Support which provides wellbeing help for school leaders was this year doubled in size to support an additional 500 heads by March 2024.

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said:

Ruth Perry’s death was a tragedy and the coroner’s findings made clear that lessons need to be learned.

That’s why I have worked closely with Ruth Perry’s sister, former colleagues and friends over the past year, to listen and make important changes to inspections with Ofsted to secure a legacy for Ruth.

We are working to ensure inspections keep children safe, whilst also prioritising the safety and wellbeing of school leaders serving in our schools through expanded wellbeing support for leaders.

I hope lots of teachers and parents take part in Ofsted’s Big Listen to further evolve inspection practice so Ofsted continues to drive up school standards.

22/01/2024
PRESS RELEASE : Clampdown on child abuse as a gap in the law closed [January 2024]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 18 January 2024.

Children will be better protected from sexual abuse following change to the law making it easier to prosecute criminals who have had sex in front of children for gratification.
- law change will make it easier to prosecute sex in the presence of a child
- government amends Criminal Justice Bill passing through Commons
- follows further government funding and launch of NSPCC campaign
An amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill will remove the need to prove that the perpetrators knew, believed, or intended that the child was aware. Instead, the offence will focus on whether they are exploiting the child’s presence for their own sexual gratification, ensuring that convictions will no longer be missed.

Minister for Victims and Safeguarding Laura Farris said:

We are criminalising these acts which exploit, humiliate and seriously harm children. It is unacceptable that any abuser has been able to take advantage of this this gap in the law to avoid prison in the past.

Our changes ensure that the law works effectively and that the right services are there to support child victims to rebuild their lives,

An extra £350,000 is also being invested to further improve support for child victims of sexual abuse on the back of the NSPCC campaign to encourage more reporting of abuse.

The government-funded campaign which launched last week (9 January 2024) is part of the government’s response to the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse. It targets the general public and professionals who work with children in order to boost awareness of what to do if they are concerned about child sexual abuse.

The government is also investing almost £90,000 in the Bluestar Project run by the Green House to ensure children who are victims of sexual abuse receive the best support possible. This will fund training for over 60 Ministry of Justice-funded charities across the country in how to provide pre-trial support to child victims.

A further £270,000 has also been allocated to the Centre of Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse to improve the provision of services to victims of child sexual abuse. Activities will include a directory of support services and a data hub. This will enable commissioners to have instant access to child sexual abuse data in their local area to assess the demand for support services and allocate resources.

Notes to editors
- The tabled amendment would amend offences at sections 11, 18, 32, 36 and 40 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 to criminalise sexual activity in the presence of a child or a person with a mental disorder, where the defendant engages in sexual activity in the child’s presence for the purposes of obtaining sexual gratification but does not know, intend or believe the child is aware that they are engaging in the sexual activity.
- Currently the law in this area hinges on whether the defendant knew or believed that child was aware of sexual activity in their presence, or if the defendant intended them to be aware of it. However, proving this belief, knowledge or intention can be problematic in some cases, particularly when the child involved is too young to give evidence.
- Instead, the amendment will mean that the offences will no longer require the defendant to know, believe or intend that the child is aware of the sexual activity but retains the link between the fact of the child’s presence and the defendant’s own sexual gratification.
- This change avoids inadvertently criminalising sexual activity between parents who share a bedroom with a young child.
22/01/2024
PRESS RELEASE : Record drug seizures as Border Force cracks down on illegal drugs [January 2024]

The press release issued by the Home Office on 18 January 2024.

Border Force have made the highest number of illegal drug seizures since records began, as action at the border helps stop illegal drugs reaching the country.

In the year ending March 2023, Border Force made a total of 25,834 drug seizures, a 24% increase from last year and the highest on record.

Over 92 tonnes of illegal drugs were seized by police and Border Force, the highest volume since 2003/4.

In addition, record quantities of so-called party drugs, cocaine and ketamine, were also taken off the streets last year through relentless police action and a zero-tolerance approach to illegal drug use. The total quantity of cocaine seized by the police rose by 100% to 3.36 tonnes, while the quantity of ketamine confiscated rose 189% to 500kg.

Border Force saw a strong performance on cocaine seizures last year with over 15 tonnes seized. Border Force have consistently seized over 9 tonnes of cocaine every year for the last 3 years due to bigger intelligence-led seizures.

Today, Minister for Legal Migration Tom Pursglove is visiting Border Force officers at Stansted Airport to thank them for their commitment to breaking drug supply chains and stopping harmful substances entering the UK.

Minister for Legal Migration and the Border Tom Pursglove MP said:

We are committed to stopping dangerous drugs from coming into the country, where they fuel violence and exploitation and cause significant harm to our communities.

Today we’ve seen a record level of seizures demonstrating that police and Border Force are working relentlessly to stop illegal drugs from coming into the country and keep them off our streets.

Record amounts of herbal cannabis were seized by police and Border Force last year, which combined was a 96% increase from the previous year.

Working in partnership, police forces, Border Force, the National Crime Agency and international partners use intelligence and technology to keep our borders safe, prevent drug trafficking and bring those responsible to justice.

Border Force officers use a range of methods including hi-tech search equipment to detect and stop illegal and restricted goods that criminals attempt to bring into the country.

Tackling the supply of illegal drugs entering the UK’s drugs market is a key element of the government’s 10-year drugs strategy. The strategy is backed with a record £3 billion funding over 3 years to tackle the supply of illicit drugs through relentless policing action and building a world-class system of treatment and recovery to turn people’s lives around and prevent crime.

Minister for Crime, Policing and Fire Chris Philp said:

We will not relent when it comes to disrupting criminal enterprises and locking up those involved in this soulless trade. Today’s stats speak for themselves, sending a clear message to criminals that they will be caught.

This government takes a zero-tolerance approach to both supply and possession of illegal drugs and I am grateful to the dedicated Border Force and police officers for protecting our communities from these dangerous substances.

Since the start of the drug strategy funding in April 2022, law enforcement have successfully delivered over 4,500 disruptions to organised crime groups and closed over 2,000 county lines, meeting the 3-year target of 2,000 18 months early.

Police have also made over 50,000 drug tests on suspects who have been arrested, which helps divert them into life-changing treatment.

The drugs strategy is also investing £780 million to build a world-class treatment system to turn people’s lives around and stop the cycle of crime. To support this, the government has increased the drug and alcohol treatment workforce with 1,670 additional staff and stood up 106 new Combating Drugs Partnerships in every area of England.

22/01/2024
PRESS RELEASE : New Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman appointed [January 2024]
The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 18 January 2024.
The next Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has been confirmed as Amerdeep Somal by Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove following a rigorous selection process.

Ms Somal will start in post on 1st February 2024, bringing with her a wealth of experience having previously served as the Complaints Commissioner to the Financial Regulators and Chief Commissioner at the Data and Marketing Commission.

She has also been appointed as Chair of the Commission for Local Administration in England, the official body which runs the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman service.

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman investigates complaints from members of the public about local councils and social care providers. The Ombudsman is appointed by His Majesty the King on the advice of the Secretary of State, and the Ombudsman’s investigations are independent of central government.

Ms Somal was appointed following an open recruitment competition overseen by Commissioner for Public Appointments, and her appointment was endorsed by the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Select Committee following a pre-appointment scrutiny hearing held in Parliament on 18th September 2023.

Minister for Local Government Simon Hoare said:

“The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman provides a vital role in holding our public services to account, ensuring the public has the power to challenge decisions on the issues that matter most to them.

“I am delighted Amerdeep Somal has been confirmed as the next Ombudsman and look forward to working with her in the future.”

Further information:

Amerdeep Somal sits on the board of the Parliamentary Health Service Ombudsman. She is also a Judge of the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal.

She was the Independent Assessor to the Financial Ombudsman Service and board member at the General Medical Council and Nursing and Midwifery Council. She is a former founding Commissioner at the Independent Police Complaints Commission, and has held a number of other board roles following an earlier career as a senior civil servant.

Ms Somal has been appointed as Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman for a term of seven years.
22/01/2024
PRESS RELEASE : Four Members reappointed to the Advisory Council on National Records and Archives [January 2024]

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 18 January 2024.

The Secretary of State has reappointed Martin Howard, Dr Leon Litvack, Helene Pantelli and David Rossington as Members of the Advisory Council on National Records and Archives.

Martin Howard

Appointed for a four year term commencing 21 October 2023.

Martin Howard is a retired UK senior security official. His last two postings in government were as Director for Cyber Policy and International Relations at GCHQ, focusing on strategic development and communication of cyber-security policies, and on cyber and intelligence cooperation with international partners; and Chief of the Assessments Staff in the Cabinet Office Joint Intelligence Organisation, analysing conventional and novel threats to national security and critical infrastructure.

He previously served as Assistant Secretary General for Operations in NATO, dealing with the alliance’s missions in Afghanistan, the Balkans, Libya, Iraq and on counter-piracy; as Director General Operational Policy in the Ministry of Defence; and as Deputy Chief of Defence Intelligence. He also worked in the Northern Ireland Office acting as Private Secretary to the Secretary of State and as part of the UK team that helped negotiate the Good Friday Agreement. Martin was appointed Companion of the Bath (CB) in 2007.

Dr Leon Litvack

Appointed for a four year term commencing 21 October 2023.

Leon Litvack is Professor of Victorian Studies at the Queen’s University of Belfast, Northern Ireland. He is the author of numerous scholarly publications, an authority on the life and works of Charles Dickens, and Principal Editor of the Charles Dickens Letters Project. Leon is also a freelance broadcaster for the BBC. He has held public appointments on National Museums Northern Ireland, Arts Council Northern Ireland, and the Northern Ireland Community Relations Council. He is a Director of Tobernagee Properties Ltd, and Charles Dickens Letters Ltd.

Helene Pantelli

Appointed for a four year term commencing 21 October 2023.

Helene Pantelli is a qualified solicitor. She spent several years practising law with City law firms Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP and Travers Smith LLP, including a secondment to the legal team of a global financial institution. Helene’s experience focussed on all elements of commercial law, particularly private and listed investment funds, assisting clients with corporate transactions, corporate governance and regulatory matters.

Most recently, Helene has worked at the Financial Ombudsman Service as a senior ombudsman, a statutory decision-maker responsible for resolving disputes between consumers and financial services providers, and Head of Practice for Investments and Pensions disputes. Helene led a division of ombudsman managers making legally binding decisions on complex and high value complaints with responsibility for technical matters and policy development for those complaints. She represents the Financial Ombudsman Service externally, speaking at events, liaising regularly with regulatory authorities, businesses and other key industry and consumer groups, recently in relation to high profile pension transfer matters. Helene represented the Financial Ombudsman Service on the government advisory group on social impact investing in the UK, the report for which – “Growing a culture of social impact investing in the UK” – was published at the end of 2017.

David Rossington

Appointed for a four year term commencing 21 October 2023.

David Rossington CB is a former senior civil servant. He has worked for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), including as Finance Director and acting Director General, and other Government departments including what is now the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC).

Since stopping full time work, he has been a member of the Advisory Committee on National Records and Archives, to which he is being reappointed until October 2027, and currently serves as its Deputy Chair. He is also a Gambling Commissioner. He is Treasurer and Deputy Chair of a charity for veterans (Stoll), and Treasurer of an Oxford community arts charity (Arts at the Old Fire Station).

David holds a degree in History and French from Oxford, a Masters in Public Policy from the Kennedy School, Harvard University, and an economics MSc from Birkbeck College, London. David took an accountancy qualification while a civil servant, although is no longer in practice.

21/01/2024