News story: Civil news: HPCDS tender cancellation after JR decision

We have cancelled the 2018 Housing Possession Court Duty Scheme process as a result of the Administrative Court decision on 22 June 2018.

What did the court decide?

The Administrative Court has quashed both the:

  • MOJ’s decision to move to fewer larger contracts

  • decision to launch the procurement process for Housing Possession Court Duty Scheme (HPCDS) contracts

The judicial review proceedings were brought by the Law Centres Network against the Lord Chancellor (case number CO/5321/2017).

Was cancellation the only option?

Our move to cancel the 2018 HPCDS procurement process in its entirety is in line with the rules for the procurement process. These are set out in the ‘Information For Applicants’ document.

What does this mean for organisations awarded a HPCDS contract?

It means that we will not proceed with the award of any contracts under that process.

What will happen to HPCDS services?

We will publish further information regarding the next steps for HPCDS contracts as soon as possible.

Further information

Civil 2018 contracts tender



Press release: CMA demands pricing action from energy company

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has today issued legal directions to Daligas, a London-based company that provides energy to small businesses (SMEs) and domestic customers.

A previous CMA Order had required all energy companies supplying Microbusinesses to provide an online tool so SMEs can access accurate energy quotes to compare with other firms, and potentially switch to a better deal. More than 20 energy firms that offer energy to SMEs are already complying with the Order, issued as part of the CMA’s investigation into the energy market.

The CMA has issued the directions after Daligas failed to respond to several reminders to meet this requirement.

By failing to provide this information, Daligas is also in breach of one of Ofgem’s licensing conditions.

Andrea Gomes da Silva, Executive Director of Markets and Mergers at the CMA said:

Small businesses are vitally important to the UK economy. As a result of the CMA’s investigation into the energy sector, these companies have a right to be given accurate pricing information so they can compare their energy deal with other suppliers and potentially switch to a better offer.

By not allowing companies to access this information in a timely way, Daligas is breaching its legal obligations, which is why we have issued these formal directions.

The company must now comply within the next month, or we will take it to court. We also want to remind other companies that we can and will take action if they fail to comply with CMA orders.

Anthony Pygram, director of conduct and enforcement at Ofgem, said:

Providing an online tool to create a quote for small business customers ensures they have the correct information they need to be able to compare suppliers and choose the right one for them.

We have written to Daligas to remind them of their licence obligations and our expectation that they will comply with the CMA’s Directions.

When a supplier does not comply with their licence obligations, Ofgem has the powers by statute to impose financial penalties and for suppliers to accept commitments or undertakings relating to future conduct or arrangements.

Notes to editors

  1. The CMA is the UK’s primary competition and consumer authority. It is an independent non-ministerial government department with responsibility for carrying out investigations into mergers, markets and the regulated industries and enforcing competition and consumer law. For CMA updates, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

  2. Daligas is in breach of the Energy Market Investigation (Microbusinesses) Order 2016. This order provides measures to increase price transparency for microbusiness customers and make it easier for them to switch supplier.

  3. All information on the CMA’s energy investigation is available on the case page. The Microbusiness Order was published in December 2016.

  4. Directions are a formal enforcement instrument used to ensure that an Enterprise Act 2002 remedy imposed by the CMA, in this case the Order, is complied with fully. The firm has one month to comply with the direction, as failure to do so may lead to action before courts.

  5. Directions have been used before to ensure compliance with a market remedy. A list of directions can be found on the CMA’s website.

  6. Media enquiries should be directed to press@cma.gov.uk or 020 3738 6460.



Speech: PM speech at NHS 70 reception: 4 July 2018

I am delighted to welcome you all to Downing Street to help mark what is a very special birthday of a very special institution.

In my line of work there are not many ideas from 70 years ago that are unquestionably supported today, but that is undoubtedly the case with our National Health Service.

In a world that has changed almost beyond recognition, the vision at the heart of the NHS – of a tax-funded service that is available to all, free at the point of use with care based on clinical need and not the ability to pay – still retains near-universal acceptance.

And that tells us a lot.

Not just about the principles behind the NHS, powerful though they are.

But also about the people who, for 70 years, have turned those principles into practice on daily basis.

People like you.

There are the doctors, nurses, midwives and all the other health professionals on the front line – and the staff who support them, from porters to ward clerks to receptionists.

Across the country there are thousands of GPs, dentists, optometrists and others providing care under the NHS umbrella.

Then there are the patient advocacy groups, the volunteers, the researchers…

Many of you here today have been a part of the NHS family for 40 years or more.

That’s an amazing achievement, and I know Jeremy – a man who knows a lot about long service – will be presenting you with commemorative badges to mark that later this evening.

Others among you are, through your innovations, shaping the future of the NHS and of healthcare itself.

Some of you are just setting out on what I hope will be long and rewarding careers.

Yet all of you share one common trait.

Every day, you get up and go to work so the NHS can continue to do what it has done every day for 70 years – provide the British people with some of the best healthcare in the world.

I want that to continue.

But for that to happen we must recognise that the NHS conceived by the likes of Beveridge, Willink and Bevan was created to serve a very different country in a very different time.

Today, thanks to the NHS, people are living longer – but that brings with it an increase in dementia and other conditions associated with old age.

Childhood obesity risks burdening the next generation with a lifetime of ill-health.

And our understanding of mental health has progressed significantly – it can no longer be treated as somehow “less serious” than physical ailments.

The NHS of yesterday was simply not designed or equipped to deal with these kind of issues.

The NHS of tomorrow must be.

That’s why, last month, I set out the priorities that will guide our long-term plan for the future of our NHS.

A plan that will put the NHS on a sustainable path for generations to come.

At its heart is new investment: an extra £394 million per week in real terms by 2023/24.

But, important though that is, we all know that good healthcare is about more than money.

So I have asked the NHS itself to draw up a 10-year plan to make sure every penny of the new funding is well-spent, and that leaders are accountable for delivery.

Frontline staff like you will be involved in the plan’s development, so it delivers for patients and for the Health Service.

I know that you got into medicine and healthcare because you want to make a difference, you want to help people get better or manage their conditions.

Yet too often we see bureaucracy getting in the way of care, with process being put before patients.

So the plan will highlight what changes we could make so that you can concentrate on putting patients first.

I know that there is fantastic, innovative work going on right across the country.

That the answers to many of the challenges we face can already be found in the best of what the NHS does today, for example in bringing different teams together to provide care closer to home.

So the plan will make it easier to share this best practice, letting everyone learn from what works and avoid what doesn’t.

I know that your dedication to your work is total.

But I also know that, sometimes, you can be frustrated by staff shortages, and that you rarely enjoy the flexibility or work/life balance that many people now take for granted.

We have already removed the cap on the number of foreign doctors and nurses who can come here each year, to relieve some of the immediate pressure on staff numbers.

The plan will go further, investing in the workforce and introducing modern working practices so that the NHS is not just one of the biggest employers in the world, but also one of the best – managed in a way that works for patients and staff alike.

Finally, I know that those of you who have worked in the NHS for many years will have already seen enormous changes in medicine.

In the past 40 years alone we’ve heralded the arrival of synthetic human insulin, IVF and the HPV vaccine.

More change is coming.

As we stand here today, scientists are working to harness the power of genomics, Artificial Intelligence and more.

Healthcare does not stand still – and nor should the NHS.

So the plan will help the Health Service embrace the technology of tomorrow so it is fit to face the challenges of the future.

Everyone in this garden, everyone in No 10, everyone in this city and beyond will have their own story of what the NHS has done for them.

And that’s because it’s not the Labour Health Service or the Conservative Health Service – it is the NATIONAL Health Service.

It belongs to all of us.

It is there for all of us.

For 70 years it has been a great British achievement of which we can all be proud.

In the years to come I want to make it greater still.

And, whether you are just starting out or have already given a lifetime of service, I look forward to working with you to make that happen.



Press release: Environment Agency confirms Blue Green Algae in three locations across the Lake District

Following hot, dry, weather across Cumbria, the Environment Agency has confirmed reports of Blue Green Algae in three locations across the Lake District.

Ullswater, Coniston and Killington Lake have all tested positive for potentially toxic Blue Green Algae which can have a negative effect on the appearance, quality and use of the water.

Throughout the summer months, the Environment Agency test water samples and confirm if Blue Green Algae has been found. They then inform landowners of the blooms, so they can take the necessary steps to warn the public of any potential dangers. This could may be the local authority, or a private landowner.

Jim Ratcliffe from the Environment Agency says:

As always, if people see any environmental impacts due to dry weather, such as fish in distress, or Blue Green Algae, please report it to the Environment Agency incident line on 0800 80 70 60 open 24/7, so we can investigate and take appropriate action to protect people and the environment.

If our sampling confirms Blue Green Algae is present in a lake or river, we inform the landowner, and they are encouraged to take the necessary steps to inform users of the water, by way of posters, notices or other means.

The Environment Agency continues to work with water companies, businesses and farmers across the country to provide advice, helping to balance the needs of water users and minimise impacts on the environment of any dry weather.

Water bodies affected by Blue Green Algae, or Algal Blooms may be green, blue-green or greenish brown and can produce musty, earthy or grassy odours. Blooms can also cause foaming on the shoreline, which can sometimes be confused with sewage pollution. During a bloom, the water also becomes less clear, blocking sunlight and stopping plants in the water from growing.

Blue Green Algae naturally occurs in inland waters, estuaries and the sea. Blooms can form when their numbers become excessive. Once algal numbers are high, the bloom is likely to persist throughout the season, declining only on the onset of winter conditions.

Bloom and scum forming blue-green algae can produce toxins. Toxin producing blooms are called Harmful Algal Blooms. These toxins can be harmful to wild animals, farm livestock and domestic pets. In humans, they have been known to cause rashes after skin contact and illnesses if swallowed. Not all blue-green algae blooms and scums are toxic, but you can’t tell just by looking at them, so it’s best to assume they are.

For further information visit www.gov.uk/government/publications/algal-blooms-advice-for-the-public-and-landowners/algal-blooms-advice-for-the-public-and-landowners.

Water is a precious resource and it is always helpful, in terms of future supplies and protecting the environment, for everyone to follow advice on saving water from their water company and use water wisely– especially during a period of dry weather.

Advice on what to look out for, and the effects of blue-green algae, can be found at www.lakedistrict.gov.uk/caringfor/policies/algae.



Press release: Environment Agency confirms Blue Green Algae in three locations across the Lake District

Following hot, dry, weather across Cumbria, the Environment Agency has confirmed reports of Blue Green Algae in three locations across the Lake District.

Ullswater, Coniston and Killington Lake have all tested positive for potentially toxic Blue Green Algae which can have a negative effect on the appearance, quality and use of the water.

Throughout the summer months, the Environment Agency test water samples and confirm if Blue Green Algae has been found. They then inform landowners of the blooms, so they can take the necessary steps to warn the public of any potential dangers. This could may be the local authority, or a private landowner.

Jim Ratcliffe from the Environment Agency says:

As always, if people see any environmental impacts due to dry weather, such as fish in distress, or Blue Green Algae, please report it to the Environment Agency incident line on 0800 80 70 60 open 24/7, so we can investigate and take appropriate action to protect people and the environment.

If our sampling confirms Blue Green Algae is present in a lake or river, we inform the landowner, and they are encouraged to take the necessary steps to inform users of the water, by way of posters, notices or other means.

The Environment Agency continues to work with water companies, businesses and farmers across the country to provide advice, helping to balance the needs of water users and minimise impacts on the environment of any dry weather.

Water bodies affected by Blue Green Algae, or Algal Blooms may be green, blue-green or greenish brown and can produce musty, earthy or grassy odours. Blooms can also cause foaming on the shoreline, which can sometimes be confused with sewage pollution. During a bloom, the water also becomes less clear, blocking sunlight and stopping plants in the water from growing.

Blue Green Algae naturally occurs in inland waters, estuaries and the sea. Blooms can form when their numbers become excessive. Once algal numbers are high, the bloom is likely to persist throughout the season, declining only on the onset of winter conditions.

Bloom and scum forming blue-green algae can produce toxins. Toxin producing blooms are called Harmful Algal Blooms. These toxins can be harmful to wild animals, farm livestock and domestic pets. In humans, they have been known to cause rashes after skin contact and illnesses if swallowed. Not all blue-green algae blooms and scums are toxic, but you can’t tell just by looking at them, so it’s best to assume they are.

For further information visit www.gov.uk/government/publications/algal-blooms-advice-for-the-public-and-landowners/algal-blooms-advice-for-the-public-and-landowners.

Water is a precious resource and it is always helpful, in terms of future supplies and protecting the environment, for everyone to follow advice on saving water from their water company and use water wisely– especially during a period of dry weather.

Advice on what to look out for, and the effects of blue-green algae, can be found at www.lakedistrict.gov.uk/caringfor/policies/algae.