Tag Archives: HM Government

The British High Commission hosted a farewell reception for Pengiran Shahyzul Khairuddien Pengiran Abdul Rahman who has been awarded the prestigious Chevening Scholarship for the 2017–2018 session and will be pursuing his postgraduate studies in the United Kingdom later this month. The farewell event was held at the Residence of the British High Commissioner to Brunei.

British High Commissioner Richard Lindsay with Shahyzul and his family

Pengiran Shahyzul Khairuddien will be pursuing an LLM at the University College London. He is a Registrar of the Supreme Court and Magistrate of the Subordinate Courts. He was previously Legal Counsel and Deputy Public Prosecutor at the Attorney General’s Chambers from December 2009 to December 2014 before embarking in a career in the Judiciary.

I am truly humbled to have been chosen as a Chevening Scholar. The Chevening community’s reputation as a network and group of international leaders and influencers is unparalleled and this was the main reason why I applied for the scholarship.

Apart from giving me the opportunity to pursue my LLM, I will be able to meet likeminded individuals from a range of disciplines.

I look forward to connecting with other scholars and alumni in the legal profession with whom I can exchange ideas and learn about court reforms which is of vital importance today.

The courts have a major responsibility in ensuring that it keeps up with the demands of the public and businesses in the resolution of business disputes.

Upon returning to Brunei, I intend to apply the knowledge I gain to the ongoing reforms aimed at increasing public and business confidence in the courts specifically through improved procedures and increased expertise in commercial law.

I also look forward to assisting in the development of the legal education landscape in Brunei with my long-term goal of teaching law at university.

British High Commissioner Richard Lindsay with Shahyzul, Chief Justice Dato Seri Paduka Haji Kifrawi bin Dato Paduka Haji Kifli, High Court Justice Dato Paduka Steven Chong and colleagues from the Judiciary

The British High Commissioner H.E. Richard Lindsay, said:

It is a great privilege to be able to award the 2017-18 Chevening Scholarship to Shahyzul so that he can pursue his studies in the UK.

The UK Chevening Scholarship is a long running scheme through which the UK seeks to identify future leaders from Brunei, and all over the world, to be able to pursue a fully funded Masters degree course at one of the UK’s top Universities.

Shahyzul has chosen to study his LLM at University College London, which only this week was ranked 16 in the top 40 world universities in the Times Higher Education list.

The UK has 12 of the top 100 universities in the world, and Shahyzul will join the many Bruneians who have benefitted from a UK university education.

Chevening is a global scheme – and once scholars complete their studies they have a unique network of global contacts through which we hope they will build bridges between countries and retain links with each other, and with the United Kingdom.

British High Commissioner Richard Lindsay, Shahyzul and members of the Chevening Alumni Brunei

The High Commissioner went on to note that applications for the 2018/19 Chevening Scholarships were currently open to citizens and permanent residents of Brunei Darussalam. The ideal candidate would be in early to mid career, with at least 2 years’ work experience and an excellent record of achievement which showed evidence of leadership qualities. Applicants should be committed to returning and contributing to Brunei’s social and economic development by utilising skills and knowledge acquired in the UK.

All those interested in applying for the 2018/19 Chevening scholarship should visit www.chevening.org/Brunei where potential applicants can find information on how to apply, register interest to receive alerts about their application and candidate guidance, as well as to see the priority subjects for Chevening Scholarships. The deadline for applications is 7 November 2016.

Further information

Follow the FCO Chevening Scholarship Scheme on Facebook and Twitter.

Photos from the event can be found on our UKinBrunei Flickr.

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Prime Minister Theresa May said: Earlier this morning Parliament took a historic decision to back the will of the British people and vote for a bill which gives certainty and clarity ahead of our withdrawal from the European Union. Although there is … read more

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) began investigating the merger of the 2 companies in June 2017. Both provide engineering services to the Upstream Offshore oil and gas sector in the UK Continental Shelf.

After the CMA found that competition concerns could arise in the supply of engineering and construction services and operation and maintenance services, the companies offered to sell Amec Foster Wheeler’s businesses in these areas to address the CMA’s concerns.

The CMA found that this proposal would, in principle, be suitable to address its competition concerns and opened a public consultation in August. Following this, the CMA is now satisfied the issues it identified will be fully addressed by the remedy offered. The CMA has therefore decided that the merger will not be referred for an in-depth, phase 2, investigation.

Kate Collyer, Deputy Chief Economic Adviser and decision maker in this case, said:

It is crucial that competition is maintained in this major UK industry. We have therefore conducted a thorough investigation into this merger, and believe that the sale of Amec Foster Wheeler’s assets will address our concerns and ensure that customers in the North Sea continue to be able to obtain competitive bids.

The CMA is committed to conducting merger investigations as quickly and efficiently as possible. In this case, the CMA worked with the companies on a ‘twin-track’ approach, engaging with them on shaping remedies that might mitigate competition concerns, if any were found, whilst still investigating whether such concerns arose.

This enabled us to promptly reach a final view on the proposed remedy after competition concerns were identified, helping to reduce uncertainty about the potential impact of the merger for customers within this industry.

Amec Foster Wheeler’s relevant assets will now be sold to a purchaser approved by the CMA.

All information relating to the investigation is available on the case page.

Notes for editors

1. The CMA is the UK’s primary competition and consumer authority. It is an independent non-ministerial government department with responsibility for carrying out investigations into mergers, markets and the regulated industries and enforcing competition and consumer law. For more information on the CMA see our homepage or follow us on Twitter @CMAgovuk, Flickr and LinkedIn. Sign up to our email alerts to receive updates on merger cases.

2. Merger review in the UK is primarily the responsibility of the CMA, which is an independent public authority. For more information on how we undertake such work read our Quick Guide to UK Merger Assessment.

3. Under paragraphs 8.7 and 8.8 of the CMA’s Mergers – Jurisdiction and Procedure Guidance, the merger parties can engage with the CMA’s case team on remedies prior to any decision for reference. However, the case team is not able formally to agree with the parties whether a particular package of undertakings in lieu would or would not be sufficient. This is because the final decisions on whether, first, the duty to refer arises and, (if it does) second, whether to accept undertakings in lieu are not to be pre-judged and remain with the phase 1 decision maker.

4. The text of this decision will be placed on the case page in due course.

5. Media enquiries should be directed to press@cma.gsi.gov.uk or journalists can call 07774 134814.

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Thank you Mr President.

Just over a week ago, North Korea sent a brazen message of provocation, a message of belligerence – a sixth nuclear test, carried out once again in clear contempt for the Security Council, the region, and the international community.

Today, through the unanimous adoption of the resolution, we have sent a message of our own in response. Through this vote we have made clear that we will not stand idly by in the face of such aggression. That we will not be intimidated or cowed. That we will match North Korean provocations with clear, targeted consequences.

Today we have enacted strategic measures that together with existing obligations add up to the most stringent United Nations sanctions regime placed on any nation in the 21st century.

We have enacted measures today that show our determination to act. This resolution does three big things. First it will curtail gas, petrol and oil imports. Second, it will ban all textile exports, taking hundreds of millions of dollars from revenues that the North Korean regime uses to fund its nuclear and missile programmes. Third it will end future work authorisations of North Korean overseas labourers, stopping a sickening industry built on modern slavery, and used to divert funds to the regime.

So make no mistake we are tightening the screw. And we stand ready to tighten it further. Until the regime sees that diplomacy, not duplicity, is the way forward, we must use all of our diplomatic tools to bring pressure to bear on Pyongyang.

Some observers doubted that this Council would be willing or able to react speedily or in unison or even at all to this new provocation. With this Resolution we have shown that we are united in condemning this illegal and reckless act, and that we are determined that the North Korean regime change course.

The unanimous agreement today of the states around this table is a powerful step. We now call on all states to redouble their sanctions implementation, taking note of the decisions that we have made today under international law.

Mr President,

North Korea is engaged in a dangerous policy of provocation. Our role as a Council, and as an international community, is to constrain them so that they change course. Sanctions are a vital part of this effort.

It is the regime that bears full responsibility for the measures that we have enacted today. It is their continued, illegal and aggressive actions that have brought us here. Such actions are in no way a proportionate response to the legitimate defensive military exercises of South Korea and the United States.

There is a way out. Diplomacy can end this crisis. First North Korea must change its reckless course. There must be an end to the tests, an end to the provocations. Until North Korea changes course, we must maintain the maximum pressure possible.

Through this resolution today, we have done just that. The onus now falls on Pyongyang to do the right thing. To step back from confrontation, and to step towards de-escalation.

Thank you.

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The route for the £1.6 billion A303 upgrade near Stonehenge, a key part of the ‘South West expressway’, has today (12 September 2017) been published by Transport Secretary Chris Grayling.

Linking the M3 in the south-east and the M5 in the south-west, the ‘expressway’ will upgrade this key route and improve journey times for millions of people. This major investment will support economic growth and tourism in an area where congestion and slow journeys have long had a negative impact on the region’s economy.

A tunnel near Stonehenge will remove the traffic blight on local communities and enhance the famous landmark. It will reconnect the 2 halves of the 6,500 acre World Heritage site which is currently split by the road, and remove the sight and sound of traffic from the Stonehenge landscape.

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said:

This government is taking the big decisions for Britain’s future and this major investment in the south-west will provide a huge boost for the region.

Quicker journey times, reduced congestion and cleaner air will benefit people locally and unlock growth in the tourism industry.

The scheme will also support 120,000 extra jobs and 100,000 new homes across the region, helping us build a country that works for everyone.

The A303 upgrade between Amesbury and Berwick Down is a key part of the government’s £15 billion road strategy – the biggest investment in roads in a generation. The scheme includes the 1.8 mile-long tunnel, a free-flowing dual carriageway and a much-needed bypass north of Winterbourne Stoke.

Highways England chief executive Jim O’Sullivan said:

Highways England is committed to delivering a high quality, modern road on this vital route between the south-west and the rest of the country.

The A303 and the World Heritage site has suffered from congestion for many years. This scheme will enhance, protect and restore tranquillity to one of the UK’s most iconic landscapes.

We have listened to feedback from consultation and believe this preferred route will help improve traffic flow, reduce rat-running on the surrounding roads, bringing improvements to local communities and benefits to the south-west economy.

A public consultation was held earlier this year which attracted considerable feedback from thousands of individuals and organisations. Following this and further engagement with local communities, heritage groups, archaeologists, historians and engineers, Highways England has modified the plans, including moving the position of one of the entrances to the tunnel to avoid conflicting with the solstice alignment. The route ensures the Stonehenge World Heritage site will be protected and enhanced for people from across the world to enjoy.

Secretary of State for Culture, Karen Bradley said:

Stonehenge has captured the imagination of people around the world for centuries and is a site of global importance. With over 1 million visitors a year it is one of the jewels in the UK’s crown and it is important that we preserve it for generations to come. This investment from the government will help make the visitor experience much more enjoyable and this is good news for local residents and businesses who will benefit from the new route.

The government will also continue to work closely with key heritage bodies to ensure this scheme respects and protects the Stonehenge World Heritage site.

The government is committed to upgrading all remaining sections of the A303 between the M3 and M5 to dual carriageway standard, starting with 3 schemes: one at Stonehenge, one between Sparkford and Ilchester and the third on the A358 between Taunton and Southfields.

The preferred route includes:

• 8 miles of free-flowing, high-quality dual carriageway
• a tunnel at least 1.8 miles long underneath the World Heritage site, closely following the existing A303 route, but a further 50 metres away from the monument, avoiding important archaeological sites and avoiding intrusion on the view of the setting sun from Stonehenge during the winter solstice
• a new bypass to the north of the village of Winterbourne Stoke
• junctions with the A345 and A360 either side of the World Heritage site.

Details of the preferred route are available on the scheme webpage.

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