Unqualified Immigration Adviser Sentenced

A man who offered unregulated immigration advice and services in exchange for payment in excess of £11,000 from refugees he met in social centres was yesterday (20 June 2019) sentenced to 8 months imprisonment, suspended for 12 months and 100 hours of unpaid work. He was also ordered to pay compensation to his victims in full, a total cost of £11,507.

Eugene Byass, 49, of no fixed address, was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court after pleading guilty to eight counts of providing unqualified immigration advice and services between November 2015 and late December 2017.

Mr. Byass met the victims at community and refugee centres in the Nottingham area where he offered assistance with their immigration issues. He was not qualified as an Immigration Adviser and his business, B & L Legal Consultancy was unregulated.

The offences, against vulnerable refugees and immigrants, took place at his offices in Vernon House, Friar Lane, Nottingham and later the Concord Business Centre, Nottingham Road, New Basford, Nottingham.

In sentencing HHJ Burgess said: “Over 22 months you acted as an Immigration Adviser. You were not qualified or registered. People who seek immigration advice are vulnerable, they cling on to people who say they can help. These are serious matters, people deserve proper representation.”

Speaking about the decision, Deputy Immigration Services Commissioner, Dr Ian Leigh, said: “This is not a technical or victimless crime, Eugene Byass was advising vulnerable people who could not handle their immigration cases on their own. They trusted him and he betrayed that trust. I urge people to check with the appropriate regulatory body, such as the OISC, to confirm their adviser is qualified.”

The OISC has reissued this press release. The original press release made references which may have implied that Mr Byass was convicted of Fraud Act offences or acted in a fraudulent way. The OISC would like to make clear that Mr Byass neither admitted nor was convicted of any Fraud Act offences. The OISC apologises for any inconvenience which may have been caused.

The OISC is an independent public body, established under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, to regulate the provision of immigration advice and services in the UK.

For further media information contact Cornelius Alexander, OISC Corporate Communications Officer on 0207 211 1617.

It’s a pleasure to be asked to say a few words about the opportunities that lie ahead for RMB as a global currency.

But first I think it’s worth spending a moment taking stock of this wonderful building and its surroundings.

The Roman foundations beneath us – a temple to the Persian god Mithras – remind us that London has always been a bridging point between different cultures; open to people and ideas from across the world.

The majestic views of St Paul’s reflect the City’s resilience. Over the centuries, the Square Mile has endured peace and war, fire and plague, boom and bust, each time emerging stronger than before.

And with its striking combination of sandstone and glass – and its energy efficient design – Bloomberg’s new headquarters is a sign of the innovation and ambition that characterise the City today.

Openness, resilience, innovation…these are the time-honoured qualities that make London a leading centre for financial services.

These same strengths are accelerating us toward a position of leadership across the markets of the future, from FinTech and cyber-insurance to Islamic finance and green investment.

And our growing partnership with China is absolutely part of the City’s ambitions for the future too.

The RMB Opportunity

In his visit to Beijing in April, the Chancellor, Phillip Hammond, spoke of the UK as the natural economic partner for China.

He outlined how we have the legal and technical expertise, and the capacity in our capital markets, to help deliver the Belt and Road Initiative.

In the same way, my message to you today is that we also have the transformative strengths that are necessary to help RMB fulfil its potential to be a leading currency in the global market.

Because despite China’s incredible growth in recent times, we have yet to see an equally dramatic use of RMB.

RMB is only the 5th most used payments currency globally, sitting at just under 2% of the global total, as opposed to the US dollar at around 40%.

But this is now changing.

In 2016, we saw the addition of RMB to the International Monetary Fund’s Special Drawing Rights. Since then, many countries have added the RMB to their mix of reserve currencies, including the UK.

The increasing use of RMB in trade has helped to popularise the currency, and initiatives like the Greater Bay Area and the Belt and Road are likely to further this trend.

The inclusion of RMB products in global indices is boosting opportunities for global investors and increasing exposure to the China market. This recognises the strides China has made in terms of market opening and transparency.

Here in London, we approach this opportunity from a position of strength.

The UK has been at the forefront of supporting Chinese efforts to open their markets over many years.

London is already home to the world’s largest foreign exchange market and is the leading RMB trading and investment centre outside of China.

Around 36% of RMB transactions are carried out in the UK, compared with about 6% each in France and Singapore – and we’re even ahead of Hong Kong.

The UK has also been home to many ‘firsts’ in RMB products.

In 2012, HSBC issued the first RMB-denominated bond outside of Greater China, and they chose to do it here in London.

In 2014, IFC issued the first RMB-denominated green bond: again, it was here in London.

And in the same year, the UK government issued an RMB 3 billion sovereign Dim Sum Bond, becoming the first western country to do so.

The UK market monitoring group, a partnership between the City of London and People’s Bank of China, is now tracking these developments.

Their publication – the London RMB Business Quarterly – contributes to our understanding of the London offshore RMB market, providing recent data, policies and commentaries from market participants.

And it gives investors a way of keeping their finger on the pulse.

Next Steps

It was my enormous privilege to welcome Vice Premier Hu Chunhua to the UK for yesterday’s Economic and Financial Dialogue.

This was the 10th such dialogue between our two countries. Through this enduring relationship we have sought to maintain London’s position as a centre for RMB trading and investment, and further our shared efforts to tap its potential.

Yesterday morning, I was pleased to join the Chancellor at the London Stock Exchange to witness the launch of the new London-Shanghai Stock Connect, which included the start of trading in Huatai Securities.

This initiative links the UK and Chinese markets together and means that, for the first time, any foreign company will be able to list in mainland China.

It is also the first time that international investors will be able to access China A-shares from outside of Greater China, and through international trading and settlement practices.

And it is the first time that investors will be able to trade across London and Chinese time zones.

Together, our two countries are now looking to deepen and broaden this connectivity.

Yesterday the EFD announced that the UK and China will accelerate plans to explore a UK-China Bond Connect.

We also secured agreement from the Chinese to undertake a feasibility study into extending their trading hours to help facilitate bond trading across our time zones.

I am confident that the London market will play its part by continuing to foster innovation in RMB products and services, and support the continued internationalisation of the currency.

Reform and openness

It will be important to see continued developments in China’s financial reform and openness too.

China has made great progress in recent years.

Following announcements in 2017 to deepen access to China’s financial markets for foreign investors, an important set of measures have been released.

This includes the removal of restrictions on ownership stakes, together with onerous regulatory requirements.

In securities and mutual-fund management joint ventures, foreign firms are now able to take 51% stakes, with the promise of full control by 2020.

In insurance, foreign companies can now also take 51% stakes in joint ventures and onerous requirements on operating history have similarly been removed.

And encouragingly China has promised further opening to come, along with continued progress on exchange rate reform and capital account convertibility.

The UK welcomes these breakthroughs and supports their continued implementation to enable greater foreign participation.

Conclusion

Let me draw this together.

The man behind this building and so many others in the City, Norman Foster, once said that it would be impossible to be an architect without also being an optimist.

And today, we too have good reason to be optimistic.

As the internationalisation of RMB progresses, we can build on solid foundations.

London’s enduring qualities of resilience, innovation and openness are alive-and-kicking.

The City is already the leading destination for RMB trading and investment.

And with the tenth UK-China Economic and Financial Dialogue successfully concluded, the path before us is now one of growing partnership and opportunity.

I look to the City to continue to bring your innovation and ambition to bear as the RMB market develops.

I have every confidence that we can unlock the potential that RMB represents.

And I look forward to working with you, and with our friends in China and around the world, to make this so.

Thank you.

• Greatest British watercolour of the 18th century is at risk of being lost abroad
• Export bar placed on late 1780s work The Lake of Albano and Castel Gandolfo by John Robert Cozens
• Artist described as “the greatest genius that ever touched landscape” by John Constable

The painting is considered by many to be the greatest British watercolour of the 18th century and is at risk of being lost abroad unless a buyer can be found to match the £2.9 million asking price.

John Robert Cozens (1752 – 1797) was a British painter of watercolour landscapes and one of the most respected artists of his generation. His works are widely regarded as the most innovative and beautiful watercolours of the century. Cozens’s works were evocative and deeply romantic, with atmospheric effects and illusions that had a deep influence on the later Romantic vision of landscapes found in the works of Turner, Girtin and Constable, who referred to him as “the greatest genius that ever touched landscape”.

Between 1776 and 1779 Cozens spent time in Italy and Switzerland where he drew Italian and Alpine views. The severe composition of The Lake of Albano and Castel Gandolfo creates an intense atmosphere with Cozens’s technique on full display in this important work.

Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright said:

This stunning masterpiece by Cozens is said to be the greatest British watercolour of the 18th century, and we want this important piece of our nation’s artistic history to remain in the UK.

I hope that a buyer can be found so ‘The Lake of Albano and Castel Gandolfo’ can be put on public display to be admired and inspire the next generation of landscape artists.

The Lake of Albano and Castel Gandolfo has twice reached a record price for a work by Cozens at auction. Its sale in 2010 for £2.4 million was the highest price paid for any 18th-century British watercolour until now.

The Minister’s decision follows the advice of the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art and Objects of Cultural Interest (RCEWA). The Committee noted that this was Cozens’s best work, both in terms of its quality and in relation to the story of British watercolour painting.

The RCEWA made its recommendation on the grounds of the work’s importance for the study of John Robert Cozens and the development of the national school of watercolour painting in Britain.

RCEWA member Aidan Weston-Lewis commented:

Cozens often endowed the celebrated sights of the Roman Campagna with an intense sense of poetic nostalgia, and this evocative view of Lake Albano – one of his favourite motifs – is a particularly moody and atmospheric example. Detail and local colour give way to a grander vision of landscape forms shadowed by clouds and enveloped in films of vapour.

This watercolour has twice broken the auction record for a work by Cozens, and is justifiably heralded as one of the supreme achievements of 18th-century British watercolour painting.

The decision on the export licence applications for the painting will be deferred until 20 September 2019. This may be extended until 20 January 2020 if a serious intention to raise funds to purchase it is made at the recommended price of £2,900,000.

ENDS

Notes to editors

.1. Organisations or individuals interested in purchasing the watercolour should contact the RCEWA on 0845 300 6200.

.2. Details of the watercolour are as follows:

John Robert Cozens (1752-97), The Lake of Albano and Castel Gandolfo, c. 1785. Watercolour. 433 x 620 mm. Thomas Lawrence’s monogram collector’s mark lower left, TL (Lugt 2445). Condition: Generally good, as recently conserved; some evidence of touching up to small areas of damage/scratches in sky above trees to left.

Provenance:

Sir Thomas Lawrence, PRA; his sale Christie’s 20-21 May 1830 (first day, lot 45; ‘The Lake of Albano’), bt. Colnaghi, 1.2s.6d.; bt. c. 1858 by G.W.H. Girtin (catalogued as ‘Lake Albano with Castel Gandolfo. Sunset’); by descent to Thomas Girtin (1874-1960) (author with C F Bell of JRC catalogue raisonné); to his son Tom Girtin (1913-91); his sale, Sotheby’s 14 November 1991 (104) (£179,131 record for the artist); bt. Ian Craft; his sale Sotheby’s 14 July 2010 (60) (£500,000 – £700,000 est., £2,393,250 paid, record for any 18th century British watercolour).

.3. The Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art and Objects of Cultural Interest is an independent body, serviced by The Arts Council, which advises the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on whether a cultural object, intended for export, is of national importance under specified criteria.

.4. The Arts Council champions, develops and invests in artistic and cultural experiences that enrich people’s lives. It supports a range of activities across the arts, museums and libraries – from theatre to digital art, reading to dance, music to literature, and crafts to collections. www.artscouncil.org.uk

Hosted at the London offices of Gowling WLG, the Regulatory Excellence Awards finals attracted a capacity audience to celebrate the outstanding work of organisations, individuals, and trade associations that have enhanced protections for consumers by making regulation work for them, while also supporting businesses to comply.

This year two new categories, Product Safety and Innovation and Technical, were added to Primary Authority and Better Business for All.

Welsh brewer SA Brain won the Innovation and Technical category for their automated system that makes allergen information easily accessible for guests so they can choose their food with confidence.

The Product Safety winner was a collaborative project in Northern Ireland (Environmental Health Consumer Protection (EHNI CP) Sub Group) which brought together the Environmental Health departments of 11 district councils, the Department for the Economy Trading Standards Service for NI and the General Dental Council to deliver a targeted social media campaign informing citizens on the health risks of unsafe tooth whitening products and services.

Wakefield Council and Wm Morrison Supermarkets won the Primary Authority category, having been one of the first partnerships in the country to take a National Inspection Strategy from an unexplored concept to a viable option for delivering risk-based regulation using business data, so enabling reprioritisation of local authority resources and supporting businesses in compliance and growth.

The Greater Manchester Regulatory Centre of Excellence won the Better Business for All (BBfA) category. It is ensuring regulators and businesses change the way regulation is delivered and received by communicating the benefits the programme which brings regulatory bodies and business groups together to support local economies, and supports the aims of the government’s Industrial Strategy.

A Special Recognition Award was made to John Boulter, Head of Joint Protective Services at Hertfordshire County Council, for his leadership and outstanding contribution to BBfA.

OPSS Chief Executive Graham Russell said: “Our judges found the entries to be very diverse in scope and of very high quality. They wanted to recognise the innovation and sheer hard work being done by regulatory teams in an increasingly complex and challenging world.

“All the finalists can be proud of what they have achieved, and we will ensure that their examples of best practice are shared; and prove inspirational to others.”

This year’s winners range from small Trading Standards teams to National Regulators and businesses. Details of the best entries will be shared in due course.

Primary Authority

Winner: Wakefield Council and Wm Morrison Supermarkets

Highly Commended: Business Advice and Support Partnership

Commended: Wine & Spirit Trade Association / Greater Manchester Regulatory Centre of Excellence

Better Business for All

Winner: Greater Manchester Regulatory Centre of Excellence

Highly Commended: New Anglia Compliance Partnership

Commended: BBfA Humber Partnership

Special Recognition: John Boulter

Product Safety

Winner: Environmental Health Consumer Protection Sub Group

Highly Commended: Hillingdon Ports team

Commended: Leicestershire Trading Standards

Innovation and Technical

Winner: SA Brain & Company Ltd

Highly Commended: Food Standards Agency Strategic Surveillance Team

Commended: Credas

Commended: Edinburgh Trading Standards

Local Authority of the Year

Cornwall Council

National Regulator of the Year

The Health and Safety Executive

Business of the Year

The Ladder Association

If you want to enter the Regulatory Excellence Awards 2020, or just to know more, please email opss.enquiries@beis.gov.uk

The Environment Agency monitors water quality from May to September so you know how clean the water is when you swim or paddle.

Mark Mayston, an officer in the National Sampling and Collection team in East Anglia, who has worked for the Environment Agency for 16 years, covers part of the East Anglian coastline. His first stop to take a sample is in Felixstowe, Suffolk, then he travels onto Southwold, Lowestoft, and Gorleston, before finishing in Great Yarmouth.

He said:

I love sampling up and down this wind swept coastline. Around this time of year the beaches are usually busy and there’s always someone with a question to ask. I’m pleased to be able to tell them what I’m doing and happy that my work is making a difference to them and the many thousands who visit the seaside every year.

Officers have to ensure sure they are standing as closed to the designated sample point as possible and fill up a bottle with sea water. This is stored in a fridge in the officer’s van and is later taken to a laboratory where it undergoes bacteria analysis. A second sample is taken to measure the salt levels in the water.

They also note down supporting information, such as the number of bathers and beach users, if there is animal faeces and litter on the beach and the amount of seaweed present.

There are 4 water quality classifications Excellent, Good, Sufficient and Poor. These are set according to the level of bacteria in the water based on guidelines produced by the World Health Organisation to protect health. In 2018, 97.9% of bathing waters across the country met the tough standards. Results can be found at environmental data.