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The Groceries Code Adjudicator (the GCA) has launched her fifth annual survey of the groceries sector. The annual survey allows the GCA to collect the most comprehensive set of views on current Code-related issues facing suppliers.

The GCA is seeking experiences and views from suppliers and others in the sector on how the 10 regulated retailers are complying with the Groceries Supply Code of Practice.

The survey will be an important source of information for the GCA about current retailer practices and changes over the past twelve months. The information provided will help the Adjudicator focus her attention for the year ahead.

All the information you provide is treated in strict confidence.

All answers are collated and analysed by YouGov and respondents are not identified to the GCA without their prior consent.

The results will be presented at the GCA Conference on 25 June 2018.

The survey will be open from 5 March 2017 to 22 April 2018.

I am deeply concerned by the continued military campaign against the civilians of Eastern Ghouta and credible reports that Russian aircraft are actively participating alongside the Asad regime, contrary to the Security Council’s demand in UNSCR 2401 for a 30-day ceasefire in Syria. The areas suffering from bombardments are civilian populated areas.

There are reports of a death toll of more than 600 civilians in the last two weeks, including 200 airstrikes and over 100 killed since Russia voted in favour of the ceasefire. All this in an area that, lest we forget, Russia itself announced as a de-escalation zone through the Astana Process.

The main Opposition armed groups on the ground are involved in the UN-led Geneva process and Russia’s own Astana process and have clearly committed to full implementation of the UNSCR. These groups are not terrorists – they support a negotiated political solution to the crisis in Syria. Having voted for UNSCR 2401 less than a week ago, Russia has a responsibility to ensure implementation of the ceasefire.

The people of Eastern Ghouta have endured enough, among broken promises of ceasefires and humanitarian pauses. We demand that Russia and the regime cease hostilities immediately and ensure the sustained delivery of humanitarian aid to Eastern Ghouta and medical evacuations, as called for by the UN Human Rights Council this morning in a UK-proposed Resolution. The people of Eastern Ghouta can wait no longer.

The Government has today (5 March) set out plans to strengthen information sharing between police, social workers and healthcare professionals to tackle child abuse and neglect, and to improve joint working and decision-making.

Building on the ambitious programme of reform to the children’s social care system, the Home Office and Department for Education have responded to a joint consultation, ‘Reporting and acting on child abuse and neglect’, which sought views on how to best protect vulnerable children from abuse and neglect in all its forms.

Minister for Crime, Safeguarding and Vulnerabilities, Victoria Atkins said:

Child sexual exploitation and abuse are sickening crimes which this Government has done more than any other to tackle. In the past we have seen vulnerable children let down by the very people who should have protected them from harm. We are clear that this must never be repeated.

We have set a clear expectation on the police by giving child sexual abuse the status of a national threat, set up joint inspections of health, police, and children’s social care, and introduced a national whistleblowing helpline with the NSPCC for any employee who wants to raise a concern about how their organisation is dealing with a concern about a child.

The consultation sought views on issues relating to the child protection system, specifically proposals to introduce additional legal duties for professionals and organisations working to protect young people. These proposed changes to the law included mandatory reporting of any concern relating to child abuse by practitioners, and a duty to act, whereby individuals could face professional or criminal sanctions for failing to take appropriate action where child abuse was known or suspected. The consultation received a response of more than 760 responses from social workers, police officers, local government, children’s charities, educators and health professionals, victim support groups, and other members of the public.

Of these responses, the majority disagreed with introducing new statutory requirements. Nearly 70% felt mandatory reporting could have an adverse impact on the child protection system and 85% said it would not in itself lead to appropriate action being taken to protect children. Only 25% were in favour of a duty to act, and less than half that number (12%) supported introducing mandatory reporting.

The evidence received does not demonstrate that either of the proposals would sufficiently improve outcomes for children. Rather, feedback suggests that these additional measures could risk creating unnecessary burdens, divert attention from the most serious cases, hamper professional judgement, and potentially jeopardise the vital relationships between social workers and vulnerable families in their care.

England already has a higher rate of reporting than countries where such duties are in place, and the evidence from serious case reviews, Ofsted inspections and the consultation responses does not suggest there is a systemic problem.

Instead, the majority of respondents (63%) were in favour of allowing the Government’s existing programme of child protection reforms time to embed before considering additional statutory measures. Reflecting on considering the current child protection system, respondents called for better joint working between different local agencies, further work to encourage new and innovative practice, and better training for practitioners.

Children and Families Minister, Nadhim Zahawi, said:

We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the social workers and other professionals who support the most vulnerable in our society, especially those who have been victims of abuse.

The response to this consultation shows the strength of feeling among the sector on this extremely important issue, and it’s vital that we work directly with people on the ground, supporting them to carry out their work sensitively and efficiently.

Decisions we make as a government should be with the ambition of improving outcomes for as many in society as possible, which is why we must listen to the views and experience of the sector as we progress further with our reform agenda.

National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Child Protection, Chief Constable Simon Bailey said:

I’m pleased that the Government has listened to the views of frontline professionals by promising to work with us to improve coordination between agencies as they work to tackle child sexual abuse.

Teachers, social workers and other professionals can and do play a vital role in keeping children safe from harm but our research suggests imposing additional legal requirements on them could be counterintuitive – with forces finding themselves inundated with reports that shouldn’t ever have been made.

Key to tackling this horrendous crime is ensuring these dedicated professionals are well trained in how to spot the signs of abuse and act on them, and that agencies are truly coordinated.

Chief Social Worker for Children and Families, Isabelle Trowler, said:

The Government has listened to the views of social work leaders who know the system best and understand the unintended consequences that introducing mandatory reporting could produce.

Our focus should be to continue building public confidence in our first-class child protection system which holds a door wide open for vulnerable children and also provides support for families.

In direct response to sector feedback, the Government has today confirmed that it will:

• prove coordination between agencies involved in keeping children safe through better information sharing – implementing stronger safeguarding arrangements locally, as well as clearer, stronger national statutory guidance;
• publish revised Working Together to Safeguard Children statutory guidance to make clear the roles and responsibilities of the agencies involved in protecting children from abuse and neglect;
• build on its successful campaign, Together, we can tackle child abuse, a new phase of which launched in February 2018;
• continue to boost the professional development of social workers and practitioners by improving training, accreditation and regulation, supporting them to better protect children and promote their welfare; and
• consider the current legal framework to assess whether it is sufficiently robust in terms of criminal offences for concealing child abuse and neglect.

The government’s consultation is the latest in an active and broad reform agenda, which includes a £200 million investment in innovation, legislation and cross-governmental working.

The meeting was the fifth quarterly meeting between the Minister and the Chief Ministers of the Crown Dependencies as part of an extensive engagement programme on the UK’s exit from the EU. The main themes from the latest inter-ministerial meeting are captured in a joint statement published today.

The Minister updated the group on the progress being made in the negotiations ahead of the March European Council, reiterating the Government’s commitment to reaching agreement on the terms of the implementation period by then. He also reiterated the vision set out by the Prime Minister in her speech to deliver for the whole of our United Kingdom and our wider family.

The joint-statement agreed by all present read:

We welcome progress made in negotiations so far, both reaching the December agreement and in the Commission’s specific reference to the Channel Islands and Isle of Man in the publication of their draft Withdrawal Agreement on 28 February.

The regular engagement between the governments of the Crown Dependencies and the UK has been constructive and demonstrates our joint commitment to the strengthening of our historic relationship. We look forward to continuing to engage closely together as the negotiations continue and remain committed to ensuring a deal which works both for the UK and for the extended British family.

The Crown Dependencies were represented by the Chief Minister of Jersey, Senator Ian Gorst, the Chief Minister to the Bailiwick of Guernsey, Deputy Gavin St Pier, and the Chief Minister of the Isle of Man, Howard Quayle MHK.

On the UK side, in addition to Minister Walker, the meeting was joined by senior officials from across Whitehall whom have been leading policy level engagement with the Crown Dependencies through a series of technical roundtables dedicated to specific Exit concerns.

During February, there was one new detention of foreign flagged vessels in a UK port, six vessels remained under detention from previous months. A total of four vessels remain under detention at the end of February.

1. In response to one of the recommendations of Lord Donaldson’s inquiry into the prevention of pollution from merchant shipping, and in compliance with the EU Directive on Port State Control (2009/16/EC as amended), the Maritime and Coastguard agency (MCA) publishes details of the foreign flagged vessels detained in UK ports each month.

2. The UK is part of a regional agreement on port state control known as the Paris Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control (Paris MOU) and information on all ships that are inspected is held centrally in an electronic database known as THETIS. This allows the ships with a high risk rating and poor detention records to be targeted for future inspection.

3. Inspections of foreign flagged ships in UK ports are undertaken by surveyors from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. When a ship is found to be not in compliance with applicable convention requirements, a deficiency may be raised. If any of their deficiencies are so serious they have to be rectified before departure, then the ship will be detained.

4. All deficiencies should be rectified before departure if at all possible.

5. When applicable, the list includes those passenger craft prevented from operating under the provisions of the EU Directive on Mandatory Surveys for the safe operation of regular Ro-Ro ferry and high speed passenger craft services (1999/35/EU).

Notes on the list of detentions

• Full details of the ship. The accompanying detention list shows ship’s International Maritime Organization (IMO) number which is unchanging throughout the ship’s life and uniquely identifies it. It also shows the ship’s name and flag state at the time of its inspection.
• Company. The company shown in the vessel’s Safety Management Certificate (SMC) or if there is no SMC, then the party otherwise believed to be responsible for the safety of the ship at the time of inspection.
• Classification Society. The list shows the Classification Society responsible for classing the ship only.
• Recognised Organisation. Responsible for conducting the statutory surveys: and issuing statutory certificates on behalf of the Flag State
• White (WL), Grey (GL) and Black lists (BL) are issued by the Paris MoU on 01 July each year and shows the performance of flag State.

SHIPS DETAINED IN FEBRUARY 2018

Vessel Name: SOUTHERN BREEZE

GT: 4109

IMO: 9437763

Flag: Malta (White List)

Company: Sonata DOO

Classification Society: BV

Recognised Organisation: BV Recognised Organisation for ISM Doc: BV

Recognised Organisation for ISM SMC: BV

Date and Place of Detention: 28th February 2018 at Fowey

Summary: Eight deficiencies with one ground for detention

Defective item	Nature of defect	Ground for Detention
18203 – Wages	Missing	Yes
18203 – Wages	Missing	No
18204 – Calculation and payment of wages	Not according to SEA	No
01220 – Seafarers’ employment agreement (SEA)	Not properly filled	No
18199 – Other (Minimum requirements)	Not as required	No
15150 – ISM	Not as required	No
02103 – Stability/strength/ loading information and instruments	Not as required	No
11102 – Lifeboat inventory	Not properly stowed	No

This vessel was still detained on 28th February 2018

DETENTIONS CARRIED OVER FROM PREVIOUS MONTHS

Vessel Name: YASEMIN

GT: 4355

IMO: 9136836

Flag: Malta (White List)

Company: 1st Denizcilik Ltd

Classification Society: NKK

Recognised Organisation: NKK Recognised Organisation for ISM Doc: NKK

Recognised Organisation for ISM SMC: NKK

Date and Place of Detention: 31st January 2018 at Southampton

Summary: Four deficiencies with two grounds for detention

Defective item	Nature of defect	Ground for Detention
18313 – Cleanliness	Signs of vermin	Yes
05105 – MF/HF Radio installation	Not as required	Yes
07420 – Means of escape	Blocked	No
16105 – Access control to the ship	Not as required	No

This vessel was released on 6th February 2018

Vessel Name: GEORGIY USHAKOV

GT: 6204

IMO: 9210335

Flag: Russian Federation (White List)

Company: JSC Maritime Trade Port of Khatanga

Classification Society: RMRS

Recognised Organisation: RMRS

Recognised Organisation for ISM Doc: RMRS

Recognised Organisation for ISM SMC: RMRS

Date and Place of Detention: 30th January 2018 at Grimsby

Summary: Sixteen deficiencies with two grounds for detention

Defective item	Nature of defect	Ground for Detention
04114 – Emergency source of power – Emergency generator	Not as required	Yes
01316 – Cargo information	Missing information	No
10127 – Voyage or passage plan	Not as required	No
10117 – Echo sounder	Inoperative	No
10115 – GNSS receiver/Terrestrial radio navigation switch	Inoperative	No
11101 – Lifeboats	Not ready for use	No
04103 – Emergency lighting, batteries and switches	Inoperative	No
11117 – Lifebuoys incl. provision and distribution	Light missing	No
18407 – Lighting (working spaces)	Missing	No
07199 – Other (fire safety)	Other	No
07105 – Fire doors/openings in fire resisting divisions	Not as required	No
18432 – Risk evaluation, training and instructions to seafarers	Not as required	No
18324 – Cold room, cleanliness, cold room temperature	Not as required	No
10101 – Pilot ladders and hoist/pilot transfer arrangements	Missing	No
04106 – Emergency steering position communications/compass reading	Inoperative	No
15150 – ISM	Not as required	Yes

This vessel was released on 9th February 2018

Vessel Name: DEEPSEA WORKER

GT: 3345

IMO: 7905285

Flag: St Vincent & Grenadines

Company: Seaway Offshore LLC

Classification Society: DNV GL

Recognised Organisation: DNV GL

Recognised Organisation for ISM Doc: DNV GL

Recognised Organisation for ISM SMC: DNV GL

Date and Place of Detention: 19th January 2018 at Sunderland

Summary: Fifteen deficiencies with one grounds for detention

Defective item	Nature of defect	Ground for Detention
16105 – Access control	Not as required	No
01214 – Enforcement by flag state	Missing	No
01137 – Civil liability for oil pollution damage cert	Missing	No
10127 – Voyage or passage plan	Lack of information	No
10116 – Nautical publications	Missing	No
18399 – Other (Accommodation, recreational facilities)	Other	No
07122 – Fire control plan	Not updated	No
15150 – ISM	Not as required	Yes
07109 – Fixed fire extinguishing installation	Not as required	No
18302 – Sanitary Facilities	Not as required	No
18324 – Cold room, cold room cleanliness, cold room temperature	Inoperative	No
14499 – Other (Marpol Annex IV)	Other	No
07114 – Remote means of control (opening, pumps, ventilation etc.) Machinery spaces	Inoperative	No
03108 – Ventilators air pipes, casings	Corroded	No
14108 – 15ppm alarm arrangements	Inoperative	No

This vessel was still detained on 28th February 2018

Vessel Name: DOLLY C

GT: 652

IMO: 7222310

Flag: St Vincent & Grenadines (Grey List)

Company: No Information

Classification Society: No Information

Recognised Organisation: No Information

Recognised Organisation for ISM Doc: No Information

Recognised Organisation for ISM SMC: No Information

Date and Place of Detention: 29th November 2017 at Falmouth

Summary: Eight deficiencies with eight grounds for detention

Defective item	Nature of defect	Ground for Detention
01209 – Manning specified by the minimum safe manning doc	Missing	Yes
01214 – Endorsement by flagstate	Missing	Yes
07111 – Personal equipment for fire safety	Missing	Yes
01199 – Other (Certificates)	Other	Yes
11116 – Distress flares	Missing	Yes
05103 – Main installation	Missing equipment	Yes
10105 – Magnetic compass	Not as required	Yes
14103 – Segregation of oil and water ballast	Not as required	Yes

This vessel released on 20th February 2018

Vessel Name: SEA TRIDENT

GT: 964.

IMO No: 7393169.

Flag: PANAMA (white list)

Company:

Classification Society: Expired

Recognised Organisation: Expired

Recognised Organisation for ISM DOC:

Recognised Organisation for ISM SMC:

Date and Place of Detention: 17 June 2016, West Cowes

Summary: Seventeen deficiencies with seventeen grounds for detentions

Defective item	Nature of defect	Ground for Detention
01101 – Cargo ship safety equipment cert	Expired	Yes
01102 – Cargo Ship safety construction cert	Expired	Yes
01104 – Cargo ship safety radio cert	Expired	Yes
01108 – Loadline cert	Expired	Yes
01117 – IOPP (International Oil Pollution Prevention cert	Expired	Yes
01119 – International Sewage Pollution Prevention cert	Expired	Yes
01124 – International Air Pollution Prevention cert	Expired	Yes
01137 – Civil liability for bunker oil pollution damage cert	Expired	Yes
01199 – Other certs (Certificate of class)	Expired	Yes
01201 – Certificates for master and officers	Missing	Yes
10111 – Charts	Not updated	Yes
10116 – Publications Nautical	Not updated	Yes
11108 – Inflatable liferafts	Expired	Yes
11116 – Distress flares	Missing	Yes
07109 – Fixed fire fighting extinguishing installation	Not as required	Yes
07110 – Fire fighting equipment & appliances	Not as required	Yes
01140 – Declaration of Maritime Labour Compliance	Missing	Yes

This vessel was still detained on 28th February 2018

Vessel Name: CIEN PORCIENTO (General Cargo)

GT: 106.

IMO No: 8944446.

Flag: Unregistered.

Company: Open Window Inc.

Classification Society: Unclassed.

Recognised Organisation: Not applicable.

Recognised Organisation for ISM DOC: Not applicable.

Recognised Organisation for ISM SMC: Not applicable

Date and Place of detention: 4 March 2010, Lowestoft

Summary: Thirty deficiencies including seven grounds for detention

This vessel was still detained on 28th February 2018

Notes to Editors

• The MCA is a partner in the Sea Vision UK campaign to raise awareness and understanding of the sea and maritime activities. Sea Vision promotes the importance and economic value of the sector and works to highlight the exciting range of activities and career opportunities available to young people within the UK growing maritime sector at www.seavision.org.uk

• Follow us on Twitter: @MCA_media

For further information please contact Maritime and Coastguard Agency Press Office, on: +44 (0) 2380 329 401 Press releases and further information about the agency is available here.