News story: Osprey RIBs report and flyer published

Collision between RIBs Osprey and Osprey II in the Firth of Forth, Scotland resulting in serious injuries to one passenger

MAIBs report of the collision between the rigid inflatable boats (RIBs) Osprey and Osprey II resulting in serious injuries to one passenger in the Firth of Forth, Scotland on 19 July 2016 is now published.

The report contains details of what happened, subsequent actions taken, and recommendations made.

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email maib@dft.gsi.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

MAIB statement:

The Marine Accident Investigation Branch has investigated several accidents in which people have been injured as a result of inappropriate seating on RIBs.

The message is clear: There are currently no regulations preventing persons on RIBs from sitting on the inflatable tubes. Passengers not sitting on suitable inboard seating have an increased risk of falling overboard, are at significant risk of musculoskeletal injuries and, as demonstrated by this accident, are exposed to serious injury in the event of a collision. The faster the RIB, the greater the risk.

As a consequence, we have today recommended the Maritime and Coastguard Agency to include in its forthcoming Recreational Craft Code that the certified maximum number of passengers carried on commercially operated passenger carrying RIBs should be limited to the number of suitable seats designated for passengers. We have also made a recommendation to the Royal Yachting Association aimed at improving the guidance available to the operators of commercial passenger carrying RIBs.

A safety flyer for the small commercial vessel industry summarising the accident and detailing the safety lessons learned has also been produced and is contained as an annex to the report. The flyer can be viewed and downloaded as a separate document here.




Press release: Commission’s consultation on complementary and alternative medicines closes soon

Charity regulator sets out timeline for its review into its approach to registering organisations that use or promote complementary and alternative therapies.

The Commission has been asking for comments and views on its approach to registering organisations that use or promote complementary and alternative medicines (CAM). In particular the consultation asked what level and nature of evidence the Commission should accept to determine whether an organisation’s purposes are beneficial to the public or whether any potential harm may outweigh the benefits.

The regulator is pleased with the level of engagement and response to its consultation which closes on the 19 May 2017 with over 300 responses already received. The regulator also held 2 consultation sessions on the 15 and 16 of May with a range of interested bodies including health professional regulators, sector bodies and campaign groups to receive detailed feedback on the consultation questions.

The Commission is now analysing the submissions received and expects to publish a formal analysis of the consultation within 12 weeks. The Commission expects to set out its policy, informed by the review in autumn 2017.

John Maton, Head of Charitable Status at the Commission, said:

In asking these questions, we have been aware of the considerable public debate around the role of complementary and alternative medicines in today’s society. Our approach has been to seek a wide range of views to inform our future approach to CAM. It is clear that there are strongly held but conflicting views on the types and level of evidence that should be required.

We are now carefully considering the responses received and will respond with our initial findings in due course.

The consultation runs from Monday 13 March to 19 May 2017. The consultation document can be found on GOV.UK.

Ends.

PR 40/17


Notes to editors

  1. The Charity Commission is the independent regulator of charities in England and Wales. To find out more about our work, see our annual report.
  2. Search for charities on our online register.



Press release: PM statement following Enda Kenny’s resignation: 17 May 2017

Enda has been a strong and consistent friend to the UK and I want to thank him for all he has done to maintain the unique and close spirit of cooperation between our two nations, which has gone from strength to strength during his time as Taoiseach.

On behalf of the UK, I wish him all the very best for the future and look forward to working with his successor, when in place.




Speech: Tackling corruption is a task for everyone

It is my pleasure to welcome you to this National Launch of the Chatham House study on the Collective Action on Corruption in Nigeria: A Social Norms Approach to Connecting Society and Institutions commissioned and funded by DFID Nigeria.

A year after the May 2016 London Anti-corruption conference, Corruption still remains one of the biggest global issues of our time.

I’m not going to make a long and detailed argument about why corruption is a bad thing. It is well known that corruption is bad for people, bad for development and bad for business; indeed the impact on business has been significant in Nigeria.

Corruption additionally fuels inequality, holds back economic development, and hurts the most vulnerable in society. In the end it is a threat to the national interests of every country.

No country is immune from corruption. Governments need to work together and work with partners from business and civil society to tackle it successfully. This is why the hugely successful London Anti-corruption Summit last year, in which Nigeria played a major and positive role, was important to galvanise global action against corruption.

The UK and Nigeria are making good and sustained progress on commitments made at the Summit. For instance, both countries recognise the value of the Open Government Partnership (OGP) in advancing transparency and good governance reform. Both have committed to reforms made together with civil society and are working with civil society to embed these commitments into National Action Plans.

Both countries are making progress on establishing beneficial ownership registers so looters can no longer, for example, use stolen funds to buy property in London and expect to keep this secret.

Why the Study on the social norms of corruption? Tackling corruption requires systems to be in place, attitudes in society attuned to the effort, and a process to investigate, prosecute and sanction. Plugging loopholes and ensuring good management systems – the prevention agenda – is important. But so is justice. I am convinced that the Nigerian people want looters to be prosecuted and, if found guilty, given long jail sentences. I am proud to say the UK supports Nigeria in all these areas.

The administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has made fighting corruption a top priority and is investing heavily in this fight. Billions of Naira have been recovered by Nigeria’s anti-corruption agencies and there are many ongoing high profile investigations and prosecutions. I am sure that, like me, many others have seen the pictures of the large amounts of cash recovered from apartment blocks and similar locations. I was particularly struck by the picture of a huge stash of cash hidden in a cellar in a slum in Kaduna – millions of dollars hidden away next to extreme poverty where children don’t go to school and people are dying of disease.

These efforts to combat corruption are essential, but cannot by themselves foster a sustainable, comprehensive reversal of long-established assumptions and practices. Behavioural insights are required to enhance public policy initiatives. Institutions need to connect with society in this crucial fight.

Corruption is challenging to eradicate. Nigeria’s anti-corruption efforts must be underpinned by a deeper understanding of the social drivers of corruption. There must be insights into why people engage in or refrain from corrupt activity, and the societal factors that may contribute to normalizing corrupt behaviours in the first place and desensitizing citizens to its impacts. That is why we commissioned Chatham House to conduct a study exploring social norms of corruption in Nigeria.

Chatham House Study

This Chatham House study was done in collaboration with the University of Pennsylvania’s Social Norms Group, Nigeria’s National Bureau of Statistics and teams from six Nigerian universities from all round the country. It provides in-depth analysis of social norms of corruption in Nigeria and puts forward options to generate action by a critical mass of local actors who want to forge a ‘new normal’.

I won’t reveal here all the findings of the study. You will get that shortly from the Chatham House team. Let me just say that this study shows that Nigerians – no more than any other people – are not intrinsically corrupt. It shows that people’s behaviour can and will change if the environment or options change.

However it also notes that tough talk and fear-based messaging cannot substitute for authenticity and exemplary behaviour. As long as the government’s interactions with citizens continue to be marred by extortionate behaviour and expectations of bribery, the state deprives itself of the moral basis to lead in addressing the corruption problem. We must all walk the talk and be seen to do so.

I believe that this study provides some new insights into corruption in Nigeria and hence some new ideas for tackling it. I hope it can generate some further momentum for change and lead to results that impact positively on the lives of all Nigerians by improving government effectiveness and the delivery of services.

Conclusion

I will end by emphasising that this issue of tackling corruption is for everyone.

I acknowledge that merely understanding the social influences of corruption won’t eradicate corruption. However, it’s a crucial step in the journey of ensuring a collective action to do so. I firmly believe that, with the right effort, we can turn back the tide of corruption.

We owe this to the poorest people in the world – we owe it to ourselves. The world and our global economy can’t afford not to tackle corruption.

The UK continues to stand with Nigeria in this important process




News story: UK welcomes steps towards new government in Macedonia

There has been a political crisis in Macedonia since 2015. Early elections took place in December last year, but government formation has been delayed. The decision of President Ivanov to grant a mandate to the majority government led by Zoran Zaev is an important moment for the country’s democratic future.

Minister for Europe and the Americas Sir Alan Duncan said:

I welcome the decision of President Ivanov to allow the parliamentary majority led by Mr. Zaev to form a government. This is an important step forward.

The UK calls on all political leaders to work together constructively and in the interests of Macedonia and all its citizens. We stand ready to support those efforts and to support Macedonia in its EU and NATO ambitions.