Press release: Insolvency Service slams the brakes on Bangor car dealership scam

Gwyn Merion Roberts, director of Menai Vehicle Solutions Limited, a car dealership in Bangor, North Wales has been disqualified for 10 years after scamming members of the public out of nearly £1 million.

His company took money from customers but then failed to provide the vehicles that had been paid for. It also failed to pay customers for vehicles sold on their behalf.

Roberts gave an undertaking to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, which prevents him from becoming directly or indirectly involved in the promotion, formation or management of a company for 10 years, beginning from 5 September 2017.

Menai went into liquidation on 21 October 2015 owing at least £1,250,000 to customers and other creditors.

The Insolvency Service’s investigation concluded that Menai operated a practice whereby it sold new vehicles to members of the public for less than the cost incurred by Menai in purchasing them from dealers. This encouraged new custom but inevitably resulted in Menai becoming unable to meet its liabilities, resulting in new customer deposits being used to finance the purchase of vehicles for older customers.

The business model was unsustainable and Menai either failed to provide vehicles to customers after having taken payment for the vehicles or failed to forward funds to customers after selling vehicles on their behalves.

This resulted in losses to at least 40 members of the public totalling at least £969,011.

In several instances, Roberts provided banking documents to customers, showing payments had been instructed to car dealers for the purchase of the vehicle they had ordered, only to subsequently revoke the instruction.

Commenting on the disqualification, Robert Clarke, Chief Investigator at the Insolvency Service, said:

This is an unfortunate case in which members of the public suffered significant losses as a consequence of the inexcusable financial practices adopted by Mr Roberts.

The lengthy period of disqualification is testament to how seriously the Insolvency Service views this misconduct.

The Insolvency Service will not hesitate to act where members of the public have lost out as a result of malpractice leading to insolvency.

Notes to editors

Menai Vehicle Solutions Limited (CRO No.06494362) was incorporated on 05 February 2008. Menai operated from premises at Unit 8, Intec Parc Menai, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 4FG, which were also its registered address.

Mr Roberts (date of birth 13 December 1968) was a formally appointed director between 20 May 2011 and liquidation, and the sole appointed director of Menai after 14 June 2011.

Menai went into Liquidation on 21 October 2015. On 15 August 2017 the Secretary of State accepted a Disqualification Undertaking from Mr Roberts effective from 5 September 2017, for ten years.

A disqualification order has the effect that without specific permission of a court, a person with a disqualification cannot:

  • act as a director of a company
  • take part, directly or indirectly, in the promotion, formation or management of a company or limited liability partnership
  • be a receiver of a company’s property

Disqualification undertakings are the administrative equivalent of a disqualification order but do not involve court proceedings.

Persons subject to a disqualification order are bound by a range of other restrictions https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/corporate-insolvency-effect-of-a-disqualification-order.

The Insolvency Service, an executive agency sponsored by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), administers the insolvency regime, and aims to deliver and promote a range of investigation and enforcement activities both civil and criminal in nature, to support fair and open markets. We do this by effectively enforcing the statutory company and insolvency regimes, maintaining public confidence in those regimes and reducing the harm caused to victims of fraudulent activity and to the business community, including dealing with the disqualification of directors in corporate failures.

BEIS’ mission is to build a dynamic and competitive UK economy that works for all, in particular by creating the conditions for business success and promoting an open global economy. The Criminal Investigations and Prosecutions team contributes to this aim by taking action to deter fraud and to regulate the market. They investigate and prosecute a range of offences, primarily relating to personal or company insolvencies.

The agency also authorises and regulates the insolvency profession, assesses and pays statutory entitlement to redundancy payments when an employer cannot or will not pay employees, provides banking and investment services for bankruptcy and liquidation estate funds and advises ministers and other government departments on insolvency law and practice.

Further information about the work of the Insolvency Service, and how to complain about financial misconduct, is available (https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/insolvency-service).

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Research and analysis: Natural Capital and Ecosystem Service approaches to management

Requirement R031

Requirement detail

Ecosystem services are benefit flows to humans from natural ecosystems. Natural capital is the stock of natural ecosystems from which these benefits flow. Mismanagement of natural capital assets or unsustainable use of a service ultimately has negative impacts on benefits obtained.

Pathways linking natural capital assets to goods and services that benefit humans are complex and linked requiring ecosystem level consideration. To implement natural capital and ecosystem services approaches requires
understanding of the:

  • range of economic and social benefits provided by the natural assets and their associated ecosystem services
  • way in which these benefits depend upon the various assets and services
  • state/condition and location of natural assets in relation to the benefits derived from them

Opportunities for investing in other types of natural capital that are not currently present should also be explored.
Understanding the benefits obtained from natural capital; the assets that underpin them; and how investment, intervention or management might affect these benefits, is needed for long-term planning.



Research and analysis: Distribution and condition of protected species and habitats

Requirement R100

Requirement detail

Many individual species and habitats receive statutory protection under a range of legislative provisions. The protection afforded is different depending on the legislation but can for example range from a duty to further the conservation of the living organisms and types of habitat to preventing intentional injury, removal or death of certain species or damage to habitats.

The MMO receives advice on protected species and habitats from the statutory nature conservation bodies. Additionally, the environmental assessment process may also provide information on protected species and habitats but there is a lack of a coherent evidence base, in terms of distribution and condition, at a national scale. A common understanding of the distribution and condition of relevant habitats and species would improve the transparency and consistency of marine licensing.

The MMO wishes to improve evidence on species and habitats distribution and condition outside of designated sites that may be affected by marine developments. Lists of relevant marine protected species are either included or referred to within MMO web pages on marine species protection.



Press release: UKEF launches enhanced overseas investment insurance product to protect UK businesses investing abroad

The enhanced support comes as the Department for International Trade looks to encourage more UK companies to invest overseas, realising the opportunities presented by fast-growing developing economies around the world.

UKEF’s overseas investment insurance provides UK companies investing abroad with protection against losses, primarily related to political or extraneous events. This new policy will widen the scope of the risks against which the government can insure these investors.

It has been designed to offer cover where there is a commercial demand but the private sector doesn’t have the capacity, such as markets which may have complex legal or political contexts, or in which difficulties may arise over transferring local-currency earnings.

Secretary of State for International Trade Liam Fox said:

Overseas direct investment can be a vital way for UK businesses to grow their revenues and enter new markets, building a strong domestic economy as well as helping to share prosperity and build strong bilateral relationships around the world. As an international economic department, the Department for International Trade is supporting UK companies to fully realise the benefits of the global marketplace with this new overseas investment insurance product from UK Export Finance.

James Bamford, Chairman of the Lloyd’s Market Association Political Risks, Credit and Financial Contingencies Business Panel, commented:

UKEF’s overseas investment insurance is now a market-leading product and will greatly enhance the support the private sector can provide. Together, we can offer greater assurance to UK investors and help them fulfil their international ambitions by focusing on advantageous commercial opportunities rather than political complications.

  1. UK Export Finance is the UK’s export credit agency. UKEF provides loans, guarantees and insurance to help exporters win, fulfil and get paid for export contracts, and protect investments made overseas.

  2. To be eligible for OII cover from UKEF, the customer must be based in the UK and seeking to invest in an enterprise outside the UK.

  3. The policy premium, details and risks covered are decided on a case by case basis but may include:
    • war, civil war, revolution and insurrection in the host state
    • expropriation or nationalisation of the enterprise in which the investment is made (or of its property) contrary to international law
    • restrictions on remittances, including exchange controls, imposed by the host state The policy pays out up to 90% of the loss after a specified waiting period (typically 6 months).

  4. You can find details of UKEF’s overseas investment insurance product here.

  5. Sectors in which UKEF has provided financial support to UK companies include: aerospace, construction, oil and gas, mining and metals, petrochemicals, telecommunications, and transport.

  6. UKEF has a regional network of 24 export finance advisers supporting export businesses.

  7. UKEF supports exporters with a range of products that include:
    • Overseas investment insurance
    • Bond insurance policy
    • Bond support scheme
    • Buyer & supplier credit financing facility
    • Direct lending facility
    • Export insurance policy
    • Export refinancing facility
    • Export working capital scheme
    • Letter of credit guarantee scheme


Notice: SL4 3ES, Genesis Cancer Care UK Limited: environmental permit application advertisement

The Environment Agency consults the public on certain applications for Radioactive Substances Activity. The arrangements are explained in its Public Participation Statement

These notices explain:

  • what the application is about
  • which Environment Agency office you can visit to see the application documents on the public register
  • when you need to comment by

The Environment Agency will decide:

  • whether to grant or refuse the application
  • what conditions to include in the permit (if granted)