British High Commissioner Vicki Treadell delivered the Remembrance Sunday Address at the service commemorating 100 years since the signing of the Armistice.

The advice is being published as part of the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) ongoing consumer protection work into residential care homes and nursing homes for older people (over 65s).

It follows the CMA’s examination of the sector last year, which found that some residents are at risk of being treated unfairly and recommended urgent action to reform the sector.

The CMA has also published an open letter to care homes, reminding them of their responsibilities under consumer law and urging them to review the advice immediately. Care homes may need to make changes to their contract terms and business practices as a result.

Working with its partners, such as Trading Standards, the CMA will be conducting a review in 12 months’ time to assess how well care homes are complying with consumer law. It may take further action before then if it finds care homes are treating residents and their families unfairly and breaking the law.

CMA Chief Executive, Andrea Coscelli said:

It’s vital that care homes treat residents and their families fairly, which is why we have issued advice to all homes across the UK to help them understand what they should and should not be doing under consumer law.

We’ve already taken action against some providers who charged compulsory upfront fees or continued to charge for extended periods after a resident’s death.

We’ll continue to monitor how well care homes are complying and won’t hesitate to take action again if we find evidence that providers have broken consumer law.

Today’s advice sets out what care homes across the UK need to do to ensure they are treating their residents fairly, including:

• what upfront information they should give to potential residents, their families or other representatives and when (through websites, over the phone and when people visit) to help them make informed choices. This includes giving an indication of the weekly fees charged to self-funders and highlighting any especially important or surprising terms and conditions that will apply (such as any requirement for residents to prove they can pay for their own care for a minimum period of time)
• how to make sure contract terms and the way residents and their representatives are treated is fair
• how to handle complaints fairly and ensure their complaints procedure is easy to find and use

The CMA has also published a short guide for care homes to accompany the full advice, as well as a short guide for residents and their families that explains their rights under consumer law.

Rail Minister Andrew Jones has challenged train operators to step up their support for community rail projects across the UK as he launches the 2018 Community Rail Strategy.

On a visit today (15 November 2018) to the Cumbrian Coast Line’s ‘rail journey to recovery’, one of the UK’s most successful community rail projects, the minister saw how former alcohol and drug addicts are gaining skills through job placements and training which involves the station, supporting them in getting back into work.

Meeting with volunteers and members of the scheme, the Rail Minister urged train companies to commit more time, materials and resources to shaping the future of the grassroots strategy, ensuring local people and their priorities are put first.

Rail Minister Andrew Jones said:

Community rail projects are vital because they get everybody involved, from right across the community and give local people a say in how their rail network can serve their needs. This is why it is so important the train operators commit to supporting them.

Since the first strategy was launched 14 years ago, we have seen hundreds of successful projects spring up across the country, giving so many people a local lifeline to events, activities and initiatives that they would otherwise have no access to.

That is why it is so important for train operators to increase their support, opening up space and ensuring their stations become vital hubs in our communities.

’Rail journey to recovery’ is just one of the projects run by 60 Community Rail Partnerships (CRPs) across the country. The CRPs have been set up by local groups, charities and councils working closely with train operators to help people get the most from their railways, promote social inclusion, support sustainable travel and bring stations to life.

Jools Townsend, Chief Executive of the Association of Community Rail Partnerships, said:

Hundreds of community rail partnerships and station groups across Britain are working to help local people to get the most from their railways, and support industry partners to put communities at the forefront.

We welcome this strategy, which recognises the importance of community rail to mobility, inclusion, wellbeing and development, and provides a clear framework for partnership work between communities and industry, government and third sector partners. We hope it will inspire more people to get involved.

Carolyn Watson, Community and Sustainability Director at Northern, said:

We’re pleased to support the launch of this updated strategy. Community engagement has been at the heart of Northern’s approach since our franchise began. We support a wide range of projects, led by our community rail partners that are delivering real benefits for communities across the north of England.

The services and facilities we provide drive economic growth and connect people with each other and further opportunities. But it’s the work and insight of our community partners that will ensure we’re meeting the needs of the communities we serve.

The original Community Rail Strategy was launched in 2004 and was last revamped 11 years ago. Following a public consultation which concluded earlier this year, the updated strategy has now been officially launched.

Among the new measures in the 2018 Strategy are:

• a new accreditation scheme for CRPs, to act as a trusted mark of quality and reflect the community-facing role they play
• a commitment to play a pivotal role in the government’s new loneliness strategy, launched in October, by helping community groups make use of unused or under-used railway property to create a local hub and facilities for people, especially in isolated areas
• the creation of a transport network that boosts people’s social connections and provides opportunities for new education, employment and life skills opportunities.

Find out more about community rail and how to set up a local group.

Prime Minister Theresa May met with the Chief Minister of Gibraltar, Fabian Picardo, to discuss Brexit.

A Downing Street spokesman said:

Prime Minister Theresa May today met the Chief Minister of Gibraltar Fabian Picardo at Downing Street to discuss issues relating to Brexit.

They commended the hard work of negotiating teams and the constructive discussions that have taken place with Spain and the European Union to ensure that important mutual interests are protected, and new opportunities are enabled for all.

In particular the Prime Minister and Chief Minister welcomed the conclusion of a Protocol on Gibraltar that forms an integral part of the draft Withdrawal Agreement and will provide certainty to citizens and businesses in Gibraltar and the surrounding area.

The leaders agreed that these arrangements reflected the determination of all parties to move forward in a spirit of dialogue and cooperation.

The Prime Minister and Chief Minister both emphasised the enduring ties between the UK and Gibraltar and noted that these agreements will be implemented in line with the mature and modern constitutional relationship embodied in the 2006 Gibraltar Constitution.

Published 15 November 2018