During March, there was one new detention of foreign flagged vessels in a UK port.

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.

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 MARCH 2019

Vessel Name: PROGRES

GT: 1960

IMO: 9001837

Flag: Poland (White list)

Company: Gdanska Zegluga Sp z oo

Classification Society: DNV GL AS

Recognised Organisation: DNV GL AS

Recognised Organisation for ISM Doc: N/A

Recognised Organisation for ISM SMC: N/A

Date and Place of Detention: 24th March 2019 at Parkeston Quay

Summary: Sixteen deficiencies with one ground for detention

Defective item	Nature of defect	Ground for Detention
01315 – Oil record book	Not as required	No
18425 – Access / structural features (ship)	Not as required	No
01139 – Maritime Labour Certificate	Invalid	Yes
13101 – Propulsion main engine	Not as required	No
01323 – Fire safety operational booklet	Incomplete	No
01306 – Shipboard working arrangements	Not as required	No
18318 – Food temperature	Not as required	No
15150 – ISM	Not as required	No
02109 – Permanent means of access	Not as required	No
01308 – Records of seafarers’ daily hours of work or rest	Missing	No
11131 – On board training and instructions	Not as required	No
01310 – Signs, indications	Not as required	No
01320 – Garbage record book	Incorrect	No
4499 – Other (MARPOL Annex IV)	Other	No
01199 – Other (certificates)	Other	No
14503 – Garbage management plan	Not as required	No

This vessel was released on 29th March 2019

DETENTIONS CARRIED OVER FROM PREVIOUS MONTHS

Vessel Name: KADRIYE ANA

GT: 1637

IMO: 9449235

Flag: Panama (White list)

Company: Blue Way Shipping Corp Ltd

Classification Society: BV

Recognised Organisation: BV

Recognised Organisation for ISM Doc: Phoenix Register of Shipping

Recognised Organisation for ISM SMC: Phoenix Register of Shipping

Date and Place of Detention: 20th February 2019 at Barking

Summary: Thirty deficiencies with eight grounds for detention

Defective item	Nature of defect	Ground for Detention
01310 – Signs, indications	Missing	No
18407 – Lighting (Working Spaces)	Inoperative	No
07105 – Fire doors/openings in fire-resisting divisions	Not as required	No
05115 – Radio log (diary)	Not as required	No
10116 – Nautical publications	Missing	Yes
10103 – Radar	Inoperative	Yes
11118 – Lifejackets incl. provision and disposition	Not as required	No
04103 – Emergency, lighting, batteries and switches	Inoperative	Yes
11124 – Embarkation arrangement survival craft	Not properly maintained	No
16105 – Atmosphere testing instrument	Not properly maintained	No
15150 – ISM	Not as required	Yes
10106 – Compass Correction log	Not properly maintained	No
10105 – Magnetic compass	Not as required	Yes
05110 – Facilities for reception of marine safety inform	Wrong location	No
10112 – Electronic Charts (ECDIS)	Not as required	No
11110 – Stowage and provision of liferafts	HRU improp. fitted	No
10133 – Bridge operation	Lack of familiarity	Yes
11107 – Stowage of rescue boats	Not as required	No
07118 – International shore-connection	Not as required	No
11122 – Radio life-saving appliances	Missing	Yes
18203 – Wages	Not according to SEA	No
01104 – Cargo Ship Safety Radio (including exemption)	Missing	No
01220 – Seafarers’ employment agreement (SEA)	Expired	Yes
10116 – Nautical publication	Not updated	Yes
01308 – Records of seafarers’ daily hours of work or rest	Incorrect entries	No
10127 – Voyage or passage plan	Not as required	No
01220 – Seafarers’ employment agreement (SEA)	Invalid	No
04109 – Fire Drills	Lack of training	No
11110 – Stowage of provision of liferafts	Not Properly stowed	No
11117 – Lifebouys incl. provisions and disposition	Not as required	No

This vessel was released on 4th March 2019

Vessel Name: VICTORY

GT: 28400

IMO: 9165293

Flag: Marshall Islands (White list)

Company: Maremar Tanker Corp

Classification Society: Indian Register of Shipping

Recognised Organisation: Indian Register of Shipping

Recognised Organisation for ISM Doc: Lloyds Register

Recognised Organisation for ISM SMC: Lloyds Register

Date and Place of Detention: 19th February 2019 at Gibraltar

Summary: Six deficiencies with four grounds for detention

Defective item	Nature of defect	Ground for Detention
10103 – Radar	Inoperative	Yes
05107 – Maintenance/duplication of equipment	Inoperative	No
11108 – Inflatable liferafts	Damaged	Yes
11101 – Life boats	Not ready for use	Yes
18413 – Anchoring devices	Not properly maintained	No
15150 – ISM	Not as required	Yes

This vessel was released on 19th March 2019

Vessel Name: ARESSA

GT: 1926

IMO: 7612498

Flag: Togo (Black list)

Company: Aressa Shipping Ltd

Classification Society: DBS

Recognised Organisation: DBS

Recognised Organisation for ISM Doc: DBS

Recognised Organisation for ISM SMC: DBS

Date and Place of Detention: 23rd January 2019 at Goole

Summary: Twenty Three deficiencies with thirteen grounds for detention

Defective item	Nature of defect	Ground for Detention
01137 – Civil Liabilty for Bunker and Oil Pollution	Expired	Yes
01113 – Minimum Safe Manning Document	Invalid	Yes
01123 – Continuous Synopsis Record	Missing	Yes
01106 – Document of Compliance DOC/ISM	Entries missing	Yes
01336 – Certificate of documentary evidence of financial security for repatriation	Missing	Yes
01337 – Certificate of documentary evidence of financial security relating to ship owner’s liabilty	Missing	Yes
01140 – Declaration of Maritime Labour Compliance (Part l and ll)	Missing	Yes
01220 – Seafarer employment agreement	Not as required	Yes
01330 – Procedure for complaint under MLC 2006	Missing	Yes
11110 – Stowage and Provision of Lifejackets	Expired	Yes
11128 – Line throwing appliance	Inoperative	No
11124 – Embarkation arrangement of survival craft	Not properly maintained	No
11117 – Lifebuoys incl provision and disposition	Not as required	No
11102 – Lifeboat inventory	Not as required	No
11135 – Maintaining of life saving appliances	Not as required	Yes
13108 – Ventilators, Air pipes casings	Corroded	Yes
10105 – Magnetic compass	Not as required	No
10104 – Gyro compass	Inoperative	No
07105 – Fire doors/openings in fire resistant divisions	Missing	No
04103 – Emergency, lighting, batteries and switches	Not as required	No
07115 – Fire – dampers	Not as required	No
01214 – Endorsement by flag state	Missing	No
01199 – Other certificates	Other	No

This vessel was released on 31st March 2019

Vessel Name: KUZMA MININ

GT: 16257

IMO: 7721263

Flag: Russian Federation (Grey list)

Company: Murmansk Shipping Co

Classification Society: RMRS

Recognised Organisation: RMRS

Recognised Organisation for ISM Doc: RMRS

Recognised Organisation for ISM SMC: RMRS

Date and Place of Detention: 18th December 2018 at Falmouth

Summary: Thirteen deficiencies with six grounds for detention

Defective item	Nature of defect	Ground for Detention
18401 – Medical Equipment, medical chest, medical guide	Expired	No
11108 – Inflatable liferafts	Expired	No
01220 – Seafarers’ employment agreement (SEA)	Expired	Yes
18314 – Provisions quantity	Insufficient	Yes
11128 – Line-throwing appliance	Expired	No
11101 – Lifeboats	Damaged	No
01139 – Maritime Labour Certificate	Expired	Yes
01101 – Cargo Ship Safety Equipment (including exemption)	Survey out of window	Yes
10104 – Gyro compass	Inoperative	Yes
07115 – Fire – dampers	Not as required	No
11117 – Lifebuoys incl. provisions and disposition	Not as required	No
01104 – Cargo Ship Safety Radio 9 (including exemption)	Survey out of window	Yes
11117 – Lifebuoys incl provision and disposition	Not as required	No
04103 – Emergency, lighting, batteries and switches	Not properly maintained	No

This vessel was still detained on 31st March 2019

Vessel Name: POSEIDON

GT: 1412

IMO: 7363217

Flag: Iceland (White list)

Company: Neptune EHF

Classification Society: NA

Recognised Organisation: NA

Recognised Organisation for ISM Doc: DNV-GL

Recognised Organisation for ISM SMC: DNV-GL

Date and Place of Detention: 19th July 2018 at Hull

Summary: Ten deficiencies with two grounds for detention

Defective item	Nature of defect	Ground for Detention
01199 – Other certificates	Other	No
01218 – Medical	Incorrect language	No
02106 – Hull damage impairing seaworthiness	Holed	Yes
07113 – Fire Pumps	Insufficient Pressure	Yes
07103 – Divisions – Decks, bulkheads and penetrations	Not as required	No
12107 – Ballast, fuel and other tanks	Not as required	No
07105 – Fire doors/openings in fire resisting divisions	Not as required	No
01101 – Cargo Ship Safety Equipment (including exemption)	Missing	No
01102 – Cargo Ship Safety Construction (including exemption)	Missing	No
01104 – Cargo Ship Safety Radio (including exemption)	Missing	No

This vessel was still detained on 31st March 2019

Vessel Name: TECOIL POLARIS

GT: 1814

IMO No: 8883290

Flag: Russian Federation (Grey list)

Company: Tecoil Shipping Ltd

Classification Society: RMRS

Recognised Organisation: RMRS

Recognised Organisation for ISM DOC: RMRS

Recognised Organisation for ISM SMC: RMRS

Date and Place of Detention: 6th June 2018 at Immingham

Summary: Twenty-Seven deficiencies with eight grounds for detentions

Defective item	Nature of defect	Ground for Detention
01123 – Continuous synopsis record	Entries missing	No
01218 – Medical certificate	Missing	No
01320 – Garbage record book	Incorrect	No
01308 – Record of seafarers’ daily hours of work or rest	False	No
04110 – Abandon ship drill	Insufficient frequency	No
10105 – Magnetic compass	Inoperative	Yes
10128 – Navigation bridge visibility	Not as required	No
10104 – Gyro compass	Inoperative	Yes
11122 – Radio life-saving appliances	Inoperative	No
11129 – Operational readiness of lifesaving appliances	Not as required	Yes
04109 – Fire drills	Lack of communication	No
10127 – Voyage or passage plan	Not as required	Yes
10123 – International code of signals – SOLAS	Missing	No
15150 – ISM	Not as required	Yes
05110 – Facilities for reception of marine safety inform.	Not as required	No
05199 – Other (radiocommunication)	Other	No
11104 – Rescue boats	Not properly maintained	Yes
11101 – Lifeboats	Not ready for use	Yes
10101 – Pilot ladder and hoist/pilot transfer arrangements	Unsafe	No
06105 – Atmosphere testing instrument	Not properly maintained	No
07105 – Fire doors/openings in fire resisting divisions	Not as required	No
01117 – International Oil Pollution Prevention (IOPP)	Invalid	Yes
14604 – Bunker delivery note	Not as required	No
01315 – Oil record book	Not properly filled	No
02105 – Steering gear	Not properly maintained	No
02108 – Electrical installations in general	Not properly maintained	No
11134 – Operations of life saving appliances	Lack of familiarity	No

This vessel was still detained on 31st March 2019

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 31st March 2019

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.

The UK and Switzerland have reached a transitional migration agreement which would apply in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal. The agreement would allow UK workers to access the Swiss labour market and Swiss workers to access the UK labour market until December 2020.

In a no deal scenario, UK workers would be able to move to Switzerland in similar numbers as now until the end of 2020. Switzerland has already announced a specific quota of 3,500 work permits for 2019 which would be ring-fenced for UK workers.

Switzerland has also agreed that UK workers would not need to meet the rules relating to skill level, national preference and economic interest which normally apply to non-EEA nationals applying for work permits in Switzerland.

The UK has agreed to provide arrangements for Swiss nationals who wish to work in the UK which are at least as favourable as those offered to UK nationals in Switzerland. In the event of no deal, and following the ending of free movement, Swiss and EEA nationals arriving in the UK for the first time would be eligible for European temporary leave to remain. This would allow them to work in the UK for three years.

Both countries have also agreed protections for those frontier workers not covered by the UK-Swiss citizens’ rights agreement, which would allow them to continue cross-border work until 31 December 2020.

This agreement will be subject to ratification processes in both states, and will be signed and published in due course. The UK and Switzerland will continue to work closely together on implementing the agreement and will discuss the arrangements which will apply from the end of 2020 in due course.

Further Information

Details of the Swiss government’s announcement on quotas can be found here.

The details of the UK’s European Temporary Leave to Remain scheme can be found here.

Thank you very much.

It’s a great pleasure to be here and I’m very much looking forward to hearing from Sue Hayman next.

Sue wrote in Labour’s Environment Policy:

The environment is the bedrock of our economy, our security and our wellbeing. It is not something separate from ourselves; it is the food we eat and the place we live.

I couldn’t agree more.

The problems we need to overcome – and the opportunities that work offers us – are all interwoven.

Plastic waste, climate change, biodiversity loss, and even maintaining clean bathing water around the coast for the summer holidays – these are all threads in the same tapestry.

The action demanded by climate protestors in 2019, involves practical steps to improve waste disposal, and manage the land sustainably, as well as cleaning up energy use (after all, fossil fuels are key to plastic production).

And that requires getting everyone in our democratic society to recognise their responsibilities in managing the potentially catastrophic, (but certainly existentially threatening), environmental challenges ahead.

Which is not straightforward.

–

Unfortunately, one of the lasting effects of the industrial and transport revolutions of the 18th and 20th centuries was to disconnect people from their environmental impacts.

This brought undeniable progress, but also increasingly removed society from where raw materials, energy, manufactured goods, and food are produced – and from where waste is disposed.

And “thank God for that” – you might say.

Confronted with the reality of modern industrial-scale waste disposal, a common and understandable response is: “Not In My Back Yard”.

But a side effect of that disconnection has fostered a loss of personal accountability for what we throw away.

And now we see the ugly accumulative effect of that loss in:

• Litter on the pavements of towns and cities.
• Fly-tipping in green fields or beside country lanes.
• And, plastic waste on the land, in rivers, and in the sea.

–

In his introduction to the Government’s Waste and Resources Strategy, the Secretary of State said: “Radical action is necessary to improve our use of resources and our handling of waste.”

The people in this room hold the key to that radical action, and the Environment Agency is here to help.

–

Waste companies are the unsung heroes of the environmental movement – making sure all that waste which disappears from our doorsteps ends up in the right place.

The Environment Agency regulates businesses that manage, treat, recycle, and dispose of waste.

We work with them to make sure waste sites are well run and don’t harm people or the environment. For example, our waste permits make sure that litter doesn’t escape from landfill sites.

We work to try and drive resource efficiency and re-use. We promote the use of waste as a resource, and have helped divert 61 million tonnes of waste from landfill since 2007, saving businesses £466 million.

And we help police the polluters: the operators who don’t comply with environmental regulations; and the organised gangs of waste criminals who blight local communities, legitimate businesses, and the environment.

In a recent interview, our Chief Executive James Bevan compared waste criminals to the mafia.

He’s not wrong.

–

Waste crime is increasingly organised, involving career criminals engaged in sophisticated fraud.

It involves illegal exports, fly-tipping and burning of waste, as well as tax avoidance.

It is no coincidence that organised waste crime is also deeply implicated in the incidence of modern slavery in the UK.

–

In 2017/18 local authorities dealt with nearly 100,000 incidents of fly-tipping in England, and the cost to councils for clearing that up is about £58 million.

The combined cost of fly-tipping to private landowners is estimated at somewhere between £50 and £150 million a year.

Environment Agency officers are working hard to combat waste crime. It is dangerous and difficult work.

In 2017/18 the Environment Agency stopped over 800 illegal waste sites – more than two a day.

But, during the same period we identified over 850 more. For every one we were closing down, we found more than one new site.

–

We’ve been given new powers to make us even more effective, and can now lock up illegal waste sites and force rogue operators to clear up problem sites.

We can also seize and destroy vehicles being used in waste crime.

We continue to work hard with the police, HMRC, local authorities, and other partners, to identify and tackle it.

And, we work with businesses and the public to make sure they understand their own duty of care obligations – their responsibility for the waste they produce.

–

Despite the scale of the challenge, we shouldn’t let waste crime characterise everything that happens on waste here.

There ARE reasons to be cheerful.

• In the first decade of this century we reduced use of resources by 30 million tonnes while the population grew by 6 percent.
• We reduced our waste output by 10 percent, and we more than doubled production of secondary raw materials.
• As that happened, the economy grew by 20 percent.

Household waste recycling rates in England have risen from about 11 percent in 2000 to about 45 percent now.

Great news. But most of that was achieved by 2012. Since 2013, household and construction waste recycling has plateaued.

We needed a wake-up call. And we got one.

–

Almost overnight, the “Blue Planet effect” drove the issue of plastic waste up the public and political agenda.

Over a year later, it continues to inspire action.

Campaigns by organisations like Keep Britain Tidy and Greenpeace have found new wind in their sails.

It is influencing peoples’ choices about what to buy and where to shop. Supermarkets including Iceland and Tesco have made pledges to reduce plastic packaging.

WRAP – the Waste and Resources Action Programme – has launched its Plastics Pact to help create a circular economy for plastics. Dozens of the UK’s biggest business and organisations are signing up to it. The Environment Agency is among them.

And parliament and the government are acting too. You could be forgiven for thinking there is only one subject being discussed in Westminster at the moment, but the Blue Planet effect has been felt there too.

I think Sue will back me up when I say that MPs from across the political spectrum are giving unprecedented attention to plastics.

Just look at the 5p plastic bag charge:

• Since it was introduced in 2015, the number of bags used has fallen by over 80 percent.
• 13 billion bags have been taken out of circulation in the last 2 years.
• And CEFAS have estimated a 50 percent reduction in plastic bag marine litter since the charge was introduced.

–

The government’s 25 Year Environment Plan commits to eliminating all avoidable plastic waste by 2042.

The Resources and Waste Strategy includes proposals which will:

• Extend producer responsibility for packaging, ensuring that producers pay the full cost of its disposal.
• Stimulate demand for recycled plastic through new taxes.
• Ban plastic products where there is a clear case for alternatives.
• And improve recycling rates by implementing consistent collections across the country.

The Environment Agency is expanding the evidence base to better understand the sources, scale and impact of plastics pollution.

We’re working with partners – like water companies – to understand micro-plastics in the water environment so that we can take better action.

We’re looking at the issue of plastics in soil and working on farm assurance schemes with WRAP, the NFU, and the Renewable Energy Association, to address both the plastic waste produced by agriculture, and how we can reduce plastic contamination in the bio-waste which is spread on farmland.

And we want to help the business entrepreneurs and innovators who are developing new products or technologies – as a regulator we are looking at how we can provide advice on permitting and definitions of waste.

As a business ourselves, we’re making sure we are an exemplar. We’ve cut plastic waste in our own laboratories by nearly 70 percent.

And we are doing what we can to influence change in others – in the Defra group; with our suppliers; with the partners we work with, and in the communities we serve.

Plastics pollution is an enormous challenge, it will take an immense group effort to tackle it, and it will be worth it.

–

But, let’s not stop there.

We need to give the same focus to all the resources we use, and everything we throw away.

Whether we are talking about the food we buy in the supermarket, the water coming out of our taps, or the energy warming and lighting our homes.

Waste isn’t just what we put in our bins or our recycling boxes. It’s what we flush down the drains and put into the atmosphere. Everything that ends up – one way or another – being put back into the soil, rivers and seas, and the air.

We are part of a global economy, shipping resources and waste around the world. We also import and export pollution.

So let’s not be parochial about this. Keeping Britain Tidy is a global effort.

–

It’s achievable.

The climate protests inspired by Greta Thunberg fill me with optimism.

A new generation of school age international activists are demanding action for the future of the planet.

They want their parents, teachers and politicians to take responsibility.

–

Please don’t waste this moment.

We must not let them down.

–

Thank you to Keep Britain Tidy for their work raising awareness, inspiring action, and also for inviting me to speak today.

Developed using government funding, the programme is the first joint initiative from the Judicial Diversity Forum (JDF), which aims to encourage diversity within the judiciary.

The Pre-Application Judicial Education (PAJE) programme will help lawyers develop their understanding of the role and skills required of a judge, before they apply. The programme will provide advice to applicants on how to prepare for the next step in their career as well covering a range of topics necessary to being a judge including judgecraft, ethics and resilience.

It will deliver a mixture of online resources and discussion groups led by judges, allowing participants to explore perceptions of the barriers to a judicial career. Targeted participants from underrepresented groups will have access to judges who will share their insight into the realities of being a judge and the ways in which participants can try to overcome perceived barriers.

Lord Chancellor, David Gauke, said:

Encouraging diversity is important in fostering a legal system that better reflects and represents the range of voices in our society.

The PAJE programme is a positive step forward to support lawyers from all backgrounds, including those from underrepresented groups as they aspire towards a judicial career. We are strengthening our world-renowned justice system by drawing on a greater diverse range of knowledge and expertise.

The Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, Lord Burnett, said:

This programme is an important part of the support offered to talented and diverse lawyers with judicial aspirations.

Promoting diversity and appointing on the basis of merit are mutually reinforcing because the wider the pool the greater the availability of talent, the greater the competition for places and the greater the quality of appointments.

Lord Kakkar, Chairman of the Judicial Appointments Commission and the Judicial Diversity Forum, said:

Taking the first step towards a judicial role can feel like a big decision. This initiative, which gives priority to those from currently under-represented groups, will help potential candidates understand what is required and be better prepared for judicial appointment.

The Judicial Appointments Commission is pleased to be part of this and looks forward to reporting on its impact in future years.

Notes to editors

• JDF is made up of the Judiciary, Ministry of Justice, Judicial Appointments Commission, The Bar Council, The Law Society and the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives
• Those who wish to take part in a discussion group are invited to complete an application form. Priority will be given to lawyers from underrepresented groups: women, individuals from BAME backgrounds and those with a disability. Lawyers with a non-litigation background (including solicitors and chartered legal executives) will also be encouraged to apply.
• The PAJE programme has 2 elements:
  • online learning, that has launched today (24 April 2019), which is available to all participants on an unlimited basis
  • targeted judge-facilitated discussion group, that will launch September 2019, with four courses running this autumn
• Information on the PAJE programme and access to the online learning platform will be available on the judiciary website. It will include a link to the digital resources and will hold information about the discussion groups as well as details on the application process.

The Home Office is set to change the law to ensure all menstruating women, and others with personal health and hygiene needs, are treated with dignity whilst in custody.

Police forces will have to ask female detainees at the earliest opportunity whether they are likely to require sanitary products, which they will be given free of charge.

The changes will also require police forces to make arrangements for all detainees to speak in private to a member of custody staff of the same sex about personal needs relating to their health, hygiene and welfare.

The Home Office completed a public consultation, which saw overwhelming support from the public and the police for the proposals.

Minister for Policing and the Fire Service, Nick Hurd, said:

I have been clear that everyone who enters custody should be treated with dignity and have their personal needs met.

Great progress has been made by the police, ICVA and the College of Policing on this issue, and today we are announcing how we will ensure these standards are met across the board.

The Independent Custody Visiting Association (ICVA) wrote to the Home Office last year concerned that women were being left without basic sanitary protection in police cells.

Examples included one force not providing tampons to women for safety reasons, female detainees being stripped of all clothing, including underwear, and placed in paper suits with no menstrual products being offered. There are also concerns about a lack of access to hand-washing facilities and the use of CCTV in cells.

The changes will ensure that detainee dignity, health, hygiene and welfare products are considered when:

• providing access to toilet and washing facilities
• removal of a detainee’s clothing is necessary for investigation
• allowing clothing and personal effects to be retained by detainees

The notice given to detainees informing them of their rights and entitlements in police custody will be updated to reflect the changes to the law.

Kate Kempen, chief executive of ICVA, said:

The Independent Custody Visiting Association welcomes the announced changes to legislation.

These changes ensure that the needs of female detainees are addressed, that detainees have basic privacy to use a toilet and access to menstrual products and that dignity is promoted within the police custody environment.

No detainee should be left to bleed for want of a difficult conversation or a cheap tampon. These changes should ensure that never happens.

Assistant Chief Constable Nev Kemp, National Police Chiefs Council lead on custody, said:

We have worked closely with the Home Office and consulted widely, with partner organisations, police forces and females in developing new guidance and now a change in the law.

We welcome this change because we are a service that has some of the very highest standards of care and transparency when it comes to how we treat those in our custody and these changes only help ensure consistency across Forces in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The intended changes will be brought into effect when the revised Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) Codes of Practice have been laid in Parliament.

Additionally, the College of Policing has also strengthened its guidance on ensure the needs of menstruating detainees are adequately met.