Tag Archives: HM Government

We have been consistent in our condemnation of the actions of the Venezuelan government and in our unwavering support for the National Assembly as a democratic institution.

Today’s meeting is an unambiguous signal that the UK will continue to work with our international partners to put pressure on the authorities to decrease tension in Venezuela and prevent the country from being taken further away from democracy.

In particular we are deeply troubled by the detention of political prisoners such as Leopoldo Lopez, whose case we heard at Downing Street today.

Mr Lopez’s continued detention and the actions of the Venezuelan authorities in preventing his wife Lillian Tintori from travelling to Europe are a matter of great concern.

I once again urge the Venezuelan government to ensure that human rights, the rule of law, the separation of powers and the integrity of democratic institutions are respected.

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The Department for Education has today (8 September 2017) announced the appointment of Chris Millward as the first Director for Fair Access and Participation of the Office for Students (OfS).

The OfS is a new public body, established by the Higher Education and Research Act 2017. Once fully operational in April 2018 the OFS – which will replace the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and the Office for Fair Access (OFFA) – will regulate the higher education sector and place students’ interests at its heart.

Chris Millward is joining the OfS following over ten years at HEFCE as their Head of Policy. While at HEFCE, Chris led on refoms to ensure more people from disadvantaged backgrounds were given the chance to study at England’s world-leading universities, as well as the implementation of the Teaching Excellence Framework which recognises excellent teaching and learning across the higher education sector.

Justine Greening, Secretary of State for Education said:

As someone who was the first person in my family to go to university, I know how transforming this opportunity can be for young people.

More young people from disadvantaged backgrounds are going to university than ever before – up 43% since 2009. But we know there is more to do to level the playing field.

Chris Millward has a wealth of expertise and understanding of the higher education sector which will be invaluable in helping to drive forward further improvements and ensuring no student misses out.

Universities Minister Jo Johnson said:

We have made significant progress to ensure that everyone, no matter what their background, gets the chance to study at one of our world-leading universities.

I would personally like to thank Professor Les Ebdon, the current Director for Fair Access, for his excellent work in driving this forward with record rates of disadvantaged students entering higher education.

The new Office for Students will rightfully put the interests of students at the heart of the higher education system. Chris’s experience and expertise will ensure we can continue to tackle inequalilty, improve transparency in the sector and achieve positive outcomes for disadvantaged students.

Sir Michael Barber, Chair of the Office for Students said:

I am delighted with the appointment of Chris Millward as the Director for Fair Access and Participation. Chris brings a great deal of experience and credibility to this role, having, most recently, led the implementation of the Teaching Excellence Framework with great skill.

He is well placed to drive a step change in the access, success and progression of all under-represented groups, which is fundamental to the Office for Students.

As the Director for Fair Access and Participation, Chris will play a crucial role in ensuring higher education institutions are doing all they can to support underrepresented groups, from widening access, to monitoring retention, attainment and progression from higher education. Chris Millward will serve a four-year term in the first instance, which is subject to renewal up to a maximum of ten years.

Mr Millward has been appointed following an open and transparent recruitment process, conducted in line with the Governance Code for Public Appointments, which is regulated by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

The OfS will have a duty to promote equality of opportunity. This will mean looking beyond getting students from disadvantaged backgrounds into university – they will also be charged with making sure that providers are doing all they can to support the students throughout their course, helping to tackle drop-out rates and support disadvantaged students into employment.

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During August, there was one new detention of foreign flagged vessels in a UK port. Six vessels remained under detention from previous months. A total of seven vessels remain under detention at the end of August.

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 if at all possible.

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 AUGUST 2017

Vessel Name: NIHAL

GT: 3790

IMO: 8918435

Flag: Cook Islands (Black List)

Company: DMV Denizcilik Ltd

Classification Society: NKK

Recognised Organisation: N/A

Recognised Organisation for ISM Doc: N/A

Recognised Organisation for ISM SMC: N/A

Date and Place of Detention: 30th August 2017 at Birkenhead

Summary: Thirteen deficiencies with two grounds for detention

Defective item	Nature of defect	Ground for Detention
11105 – Rescue boat inventory	Missing equipment	No
18302 – Sanitary facilities	Not as required	No
10118 – Speed and distance indicator	Inoperative	No
07106 – Fire detection & alarm system	Not as required	No
07106 – Fire detection & alarm system	Not as required	No
07125 – Evaluation of crew performance (fire drills)	Lack of training	No
07113 – Fire pump and its pipes	Not as required	No
01102 – Cargo ship safety construction certificate (including exempt)	Not properly filled	No
01199 – Other (certificate)	Other	No
01139 – Maritime Labour Certificate	Not properly filled	No
99102 – Other (SOLAS operational)	Other	No
04114 – Emergency source of power – emergency generator	Inoperative	Yes
15150 – ISM	Not as required	Yes

This vessel was still detained on 31st August 2017

DETENTIONS CARRIED OVER FROM PREVIOUS MONTHS

Vessel Name: REGGAE

GT: 1567

IMO: 8500408

Flag: Panama (White list)

Company: Voda Denizcilik Ve Districet Ltd

Classification Society: NKK

Recognised Organisation: NKK

Recognised Organisation for ISM Doc: National Shipping Adjuster Inc

Recognised Organisation for ISM SMC: NKK

Date and Place of Detention: 27th June 2017 at Leith

Summary: Nineteen deficiencies with four grounds for detention

Defective item	Nature of defect	Ground for Detention
07112 – Emergency escape breathing device and disposition	Not as required	No
18425 – Access/structural features (ship)	Missing equipment	No
04109 – Fire drills	Lack of training	No
04108 – Muster List	Incomplete	No
10105 – Magnetic compass	Not readable	No
09232 – Cleanliness of engine room	Insufficient	No
15150 – ISM	Not as required	No
03108 – Ventilators, air pipes, casing	Damaged	No
02101 – Closing devices/watertight doors	Inoperative	No
07105 – Fire doors/openings in fire-resisting divisions	Not as required	No
18203 – Wages	Not according SEA	Yes
11117 – Lifebuoys incl. provision and disposition	Missing	No
02105 – Steering gear	Not as required	No
11108 – Inflatable liferafts	Insufficient	No
01220 – Seafarers’ employment agreement (SEA)	Not as required	Yes
18314 – Provision quantity	Insufficient	Yes
18204 – Calculation and payment of wages	Not according SEA	Yes
10116 – Nautical publications	Not updated	No
13102 – Auxiliary engine	Missing	No

This vessel was still detained on 31st August 2017

Vessel Name: SECCADI

GT: 1596

IMO: 9123295

Flag: Panama (White list)

Company: Voda Gemi Isletmeciligi AS

Classification Society: NKK

Recognised Organisation: National Shipping Adjusters Inc Recognised Organisation for ISM Doc: NKK

Recognised Organisation for ISM SMC: NKK

Date and Place of Detention: 20th June at Runcorn

Summary: Eleven deficiencies with six grounds for detention

Defective item	Nature of defect	Ground for Detention
12220 – Seafarers’ employment agreement (SEA)	Not as required	Yes
18203 – Wages	No records	Yes
18203 – Wages	Missing	Yes
18203 – Wages	Not according to SEA	Yes
18203 – Wages	Not adequate	Yes
18201 – Fitness for duty – work and rest hours	Not as required	No
18313 – Cleanliness	Signs of vermin	No
18314 – Provision quantity	Insufficient	Yes
18308 – Furnishing	Damaged	No
18302 – Sanitary Facilities	Damaged	No
15150 – ISM	Not as required	No

This vessel was still detained on 31st August 2017

Vessel Name: TAHSIN

GT: 1598

IMO: 9055187

Flag: Panama (White list)

Company: Voda Denizcilik IC Dis Tacaret Ltd

Classification Society: NKK

Recognised Organisation: NKK/NASHA

Recognised Organisation for ISM Doc: NKK

Recognised Organisation for ISM SMC: NKK

Date and Place of Detention: 2nd June at Sharpness

Summary: Twelve deficiencies with eight grounds for detention

Defective item	Nature of defect	Ground for Detention
18327 – Ventilation (working spaces)	Inoperative	Yes
10116 – Nautical publications	Missing	Yes
01214 – Endorsement by flagstate	Missing	No
01220 – Seafarers’ employment agreement (SEA)	Invalid	Yes
11128 – Line-throwing appliance	Expired	No
11129 – Operational readiness of lifesaving appliances	Expired	No
01202 – Certificate for rating for watching	Missing	Yes
18203 – Wages	Not according SEA	Yes
10111 – Charts	Missing	Yes
05106 – INMARSAT ship earth station	Not as required	Yes
15150 – ISM	Not as required	Yes
03104 – Cargo & other hatchways	Damaged	No

This vessel was still detained on 31st August 2017

Vessel Name: MALAVIYA SEVEN

GT: 3001

IMO: 9087312

Flag: India (Grey List)

Company: GOL Offshore Ltd

Classification Society: IRS

Recognised Organisation: IRS

Recognised Organisation for ISM Doc: IRS

Recognised Organisation for ISM SMC: IRS

Date and Place of Detention: 5th October 2016 at Aberdeen

Summary: Five deficiencies with five grounds for detention

Defective item	Nature of defect	Ground for Detention
07105 – Fire doors/openings in fire resisting divisions	Not as required	Yes
07113 – Fire pumps and its pipes	Not as required	Yes
18203 – Wages	Missing	Yes
01220 – Seafarers employment agreement (SEA)	Invalid	Yes
18204 – Calculation and payment of wages	No records	Yes

This vessel was still detained on 31st August 2017

Vessel Name: SEA TRIDENT

GT: 964.

IMO No: 7393169.

Flag: PANAMA (white list)

Company:

Classification Society: Expired

Recognised Organisation: Expired

Recognised Organisation for ISM DOC:

Recognised Organisation for ISM SMC:

Date and Place of Detention: 17 June 2016, West Cowes

Summary: Seventeen deficiencies with seventeen grounds for detentions

Defective item	Nature of defect	Ground for Detention
01101 – Cargo ship safety equipment cert	Expired	Yes
01102 – Cargo Ship safety construction cert	Expired	Yes
01104 – Cargo ship safety radio cert	Expired	Yes
01108 – Loadline cert	Expired	Yes
01117 – IOPP (International Oil Pollution Prevention cert	Expired	Yes
01119 – International Sewage Pollution Prevention cert	Expired	Yes
01124 – International Air Pollution Prevention cert	Expired	Yes
01137 – Civil liability for bunker oil pollution damage cert	Expired	Yes
01199 – Other certs (Certificate of class)	Expired	Yes
01201 – Certificates for master and officers	Missing	Yes
10111 – Charts	Not updated	Yes
10116 – Publications Nautical	Not updated	Yes
11108 – Inflatable liferafts	Expired	Yes
11116 – Distress flares	Missing	Yes
07109 – Fixed fire fighting extinguishing installation	Not as required	Yes
07110 – Fire fighting equipment & appliances	Not as required	Yes
01140 – Declaration of Maritime Labour Compliance	Missing	Yes

This vessel was still detained on 31st August 2017

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 August 2017

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.

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Following a recruitment campaign for 5 Regional Flood and Coastal Committee (RFCC) posts (Anglian Central, Northumbria, North West, South West and Thames), the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is pleased to announce the following 4 RFCC Chairs’ appointments:

• Phil Rothwell as the Chair of the Northumbria RFCC
• Adrian Lythgo as the Chair of the North West RFCC
• Philip Rees as the Chair of the South West RFCC
• Professor Robert Van de Noort as the Chair of the Thames RFCC

Their appointments run from 1 September 2017 for 3 years until 31 August 2020.

All the appointments followed procedures set out in the Ministerial Governance Code for Public Appointments which came into force on 1 January 2017. There is a requirement for appointees’ political activity (if significant) to be declared. None of the appointees have declared any significant political activity during the past 5 years.

RFCCs help to provide governance for the Environment Agency (EA) Flood and Coastal Erosion risk management functions and cover all flood risks that are not the responsibility of the water companies. They have 3 main purposes:

• to ensure there are coherent plans for identifying, communicating and managing flood and coastal erosion risks across catchments and shorelines
• to promote efficient, targeted and risk-based investment in flood and coastal erosion risk management that optimises value for money and benefits for local communities
• to provide a link between the EA, Lead Local Flood Authorities, other risk management authorities, and other relevant bodies to engender mutual understanding of flood and coastal erosion risks in its area

All Chair posts attract a remuneration currently set at £17,503 for a commitment of 5 days per month except for the Northumbria RFCC post which attracts a remuneration currently set at £14,002 for a commitment of 4 days per month.

Anglian Central RFCC

No appointment was made for the Anglian Central RFCC post.

A new recruitment campaign for this post will be included as part of a wider recruitment campaign for other posts which will require new appointments. An announcement on this will be made shortly on the Public Appointments website.

Arrangements for a temporary chair for Anglian Central RFCC will be made in the meantime.

Background details of the 4 appointed RFCC Chairs are as follows:

Northumbria RFCC

Phil Rothwell has worked at a senior level in statutory agencies and charities for over 35 years. For 10 years he led the EA team dealing with flood and coastal risk policy including research, flood mapping and warning, planning and development in the flood plain and related policy. This included input to the Pitt Inquiry, the Floods and Water Management Act, and implementation of the Floods Directive. He was also one of EAs lead media commentators during flood events.

Phil retired from the EA in 2013 and has since worked independently on a range of issues including environmental implications of leaving the European Union, and setting up the new Floods Degree programme at Brunel University. He has for 3 years served on the Anglian Central RFCC, and also sits on the East of England Heritage Lottery Committee and the Anglia Water Sustainability and Resilience panel.

North West RFCC

In a career spanning more than 30 years Adrian Lythgo, BSC, CPFA, has held leadership positions in both the public and private sectors. From 2010 to February 2017 he was the Chief Executive of Kirklees Council in West Yorkshire. Concurrently between 2014 and 2016 he was Head of Paid Service of the newly created West Yorkshire Combined Authority until the recruitment of a full time Managing Director. In these roles, he provided policy advice to Councillors as well as being both organisations most senior official, working in partnership with a wide range of public organisations and private businesses.

An accountant by profession, Adrian was also Kirklees’s Director of Finance and performance from 2009 to 2010. Prior to that he was an Associate Partner at KPMG leading audit and advisory work at public sector nationally, with many North West based clients.

His earlier career was spent at both the Audit Commission where he was involved in the development of Best Value and Comprehensive Performance Assessment and audit work in Local Government and the NHS and at KPMG where his clients also included Universities, Colleges and other governmental organisations. He has also held a variety of independent non-executive roles in public organisations and organisations that relate to the public sector.

South West RFCC

In addition to his role as a Chair of South West RFCC, Philip Rees is Chairman of Cornwall Care, a major provider of adult domiciliary care, and residential and nursing care homes. He has recently been Chair of the South West Coastal Group and Chair of the Board of Governors of Cornwall College, one of the largest Further/Higher Education Colleges in the UK.

For the majority of his previous career he was a director of a major construction, housing and property development company, responsible for commercial business development and, in latter times, Private Finance Initiative projects.

Philip owns and runs a small holiday complex and, with his wife, has a horse livery business both based in North Cornwall.

Thames RFCC

Professor Robert Van de Noort works at the University of Reading where he is the Pro Vice-Chancellor for Academic Planning & Resource. Robert is responsible for planning and resource allocation at institutional level and he has oversight of the University’s capital investment programme; he is also the University’s champion for Gender Equality.

As an archaeologist, Robert is best known for his work in marine, intertidal and terrestrial wetlands and his research has looked at the impact of climate change of people living on the coast and near rivers in the past and present. Previously, Robert was Chair of the South West Regional Flood and Coastal Committee (2013-2017). Robert lives in Goring on Thames and is a keen member of the Goring Gap Boat Club.

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Join this 30 minute webinar to hear from John Kite, SME Champion for Ministry of Defence, on the type of products and services purchased by MoD, frameworks used, and top tips on how SMEs can identify and respond to procurements. Click here to register. read more