PM call with Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin: 10 May 2022

Press release

Prime Minister Boris Johnson spoke to Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin this morning.

The Prime Minister spoke to Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin this morning.

Following last week’s Northern Ireland Assembly elections, they both agreed on the vital importance of restoring the devolved institutions, both the Assembly and Executive, as soon as possible. The Prime Minister said that the UK Government would remain in close contact with the parties following initial engagement yesterday.

The Prime Minister made clear that the situation in respect of the Northern Ireland Protocol was now very serious. The balance of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement was being undermined and the recent elections had further demonstrated that the Protocol was not sustainable in its current form.

Despite repeated efforts by the UK Government over many months to fix the Protocol, including those sections related to the movement of goods and governance, the European Commission had not taken the steps necessary to help address the economic and political disruption on the ground.

The Prime Minister reiterated that the UK Government would take action to protect peace and political stability in Northern Ireland if solutions could not be found.

Published 10 May 2022




Mel Nebhrajani CB receives investiture

News story

Director General Mel Nebhrajani was awarded a Companion of the Bath (CB) in the New Year’s Honours 2021

Director General Mel Nebhrajani CB was awarded a Companion of the Bath (CB) in the Queen’s 2021 New Year’s Honours. She received the award in recognition of her public service, particularly to government law, the legal profession and specifically her leadership and work on the government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic during her time as Director of DHSCLA.

Now, over a year later on Wednesday 4 May, Mel, accompanied by her husband (pictured), went to the Palace for the Investiture Ceremony, the first day that the Palace held Investitures since lockdown. For the first time since 1904 the ceremony was held in the Throne Room, making the occasion even more special. Mel described the ceremony as a ‘pinch yourself moment’. It was one that made her reflect on how far she has come, and how thankful she is to those who have supported her over the years – her family, friends and colleagues.

Noting this support Mel said: “No-one does this alone, and I certainly haven’t. I am grateful for the support of my wonderful family, friends and colleagues. This award is not just for me – it is also for them and recognises the incredible work done across government during extraordinary times.

Our response to COVID-19 and our continued work in delivering for government is outstanding – I want to thank you all for everything you are doing”.

She also noted, “I am not the only GLD colleague to have been honoured. Lee John-Charles and Sam Ede recently received their CBEs and I want to congratulate them too.”

Published 10 May 2022




Bankrupt sentenced after concealing Spanish property

William Paul Glen Haynes appeared at Bristol Crown Court where he received a 16-month sentence, suspended for 12 months, having been charged with 3 counts against the Insolvency Act 1986.

The court heard that William Haynes (61) was declared bankrupt in March 2018 and was legally obliged to disclose all his assets to the Official Receiver as his trustee in bankruptcy.

William Haynes, however, deliberately concealed a villa in Mallorca, Spain, as well as a Spanish bank account. He then went onto transfer €97,000 from the Spanish bank account from the proceeds of the sale of the Spanish property.

The Official Receiver gave William Haynes the opportunity to declare his assets but he continued to deny that he owned the Spanish villa.

William Haynes appeared at Bristol Crown Court on 13 April 2022 where he was sentenced by His Honour Judge Picton. In addition to the suspended sentence, William Haynes was ordered to complete 100 hours unpaid work and pay costs of £4,960 within 12 months.

William Haynes is also subject to a 9-year Bankruptcy Restriction Undertaking after the Official Receiver considered him a risk to future creditors. The additional bankruptcy restrictions put constraints on William Haynes’ ability to secure credit, as well as run companies.

Glenn Wickes, Chief Investigator for the Insolvency Service, said:

All bankrupts have a legal obligation to declare all their assets and William Haynes was no exception. William Haynes, however, continued to conceal significant assets from the Official Receiver, which should have rightfully gone to payback his creditors.

William Haynes’ sentence should serve as a strong warning to others who think they can conceal assets to the detriment of their creditors that we will prosecute and bring offenders to court.

Further information about the work of the Insolvency Service, and how to complain about financial misconduct, is available.

You can also follow the Insolvency Service on:




First Illegal migrants told of impending removal to Rwanda

News story

Government takes first steps to operationalise the Migration and Economic Development Partnership.

The first group of illegal migrants with no right to be in the UK will this week be informed of our intention to relocate them to Rwanda under the new Migration and Economic Development Partnership.

Migrants who crossed the Channel are among those who will be served with notices and the government has the power to detain individuals pending their removal from the UK.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said:

“Britain’s asylum system is broken as criminals exploit and smuggle people into our country at huge costs to UK taxpayers. The world-leading migration partnership with Rwanda means those making dangerous, unnecessary and illegal journeys to the UK may be relocated to Rwanda to have their claims for asylum considered and to rebuild their lives there – helping break the people smugglers’ business model and prevent loss of life.

“This is just the first stage of the process and we know it will take time as some will seek to frustrate the process and delay removals. I will not be deterred from acting to deliver on the changes the British people voted for to take back control of our money, laws and borders.”

These notifications are the first step in the process and warn migrants they may not be admitted to the UK’s asylum system because they travelled through safe countries where they could and should have claimed asylum.

Lawyers representing some of those notified are expected to lodge claims to prevent removal, and as set out when the partnership was first announced, first flights are expected to take place in the coming months.

It comes as the Home Office publishes guidance to inform decision-making in the interests of transparency.

The guidance published includes a formal, robust and comprehensive assessment of Rwanda, reaffirming that it is a safe country to relocate people to.

It is based on a wide range of research, including visits to the country and interviews with independent organisations working there.

Read the Home Office guidance:

Published 10 May 2022




First UK satellite launch in summer 2022

The first satellite launch from the UK will take place this summer as Prometheus-2 takes off from Spaceport Cornwall in Newquay, the Defence Procurement Minister, Jeremy Quin has announced today.

Built by In-Space Missions Ltd, based in Hampshire, and designed with Airbus Defence and Space, Prometheus-2 is a collaboration between the UK Ministry of Defence and international partners, including the US National Reconnaissance Office (NRO).

Two shoebox-sized satellites, ‘Cubesats’, will provide a test platform for monitoring radio signals including GPS and sophisticated imaging, paving the way for a more collaborative and connected space communication system with our allies.

This space mission will allow MOD to better understand how the UK and its international partners can work together to create a more capable and flexible system at a lower cost than could be achieved alone. The technology on board the satellites will enable MOD to identify new techniques and algorithms for operating satellites and data processing.

Defence Procurement Minister, Jeremy Quin said:

Space technology is crucial for developing Defence capabilities and the launch of Prometheus-2 represents another important step forward for our homegrown space programme.

This collaboration with In-Space Missions and Airbus paves the way for the UK to become a more resilient, more robust and more significant global space entity.

NRO Director Dr. Chris Scolose said:

We are thrilled to be part of another trailblazing endeavour with the first-ever launch of a commercial rocket from Western Europe.

It’s an honour to join the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence in announcing this historic enterprise. We look forward to this remarkable achievement as the foundation of an even stronger collaboration between our nations.

The Cubesats will each have separate equipment on-board to test novel concepts as a pathfinder in support of the Minerva constellation for future space-based intelligence and surveillance.

Director Space at MOD, Air Vice Marshal Harv Smyth said:

This is a great example of the power of international collaboration – a key tenet of our Defence Space Strategy. Prometheus 2 will deliver immense value to the UK MOD’s future space programme and, thanks to our partners in the National Reconnaissance Office, this highly-capable satellite will launch from UK soil this summer.

I am hugely proud of what we have achieved together and this is just the beginning.

Dstl’s Chief Executive, Paul Hollinshead said:

The Prometheus-2 mission, with the first ever directly owned Dstl satellites, exemplifies the decades-long collaborative relationship with our international allies, and shows how we can best partner with industry. It will achieve critical R&D outcomes and help increase our pool of qualified space personnel to help grow the UK’s capability to deliver space systems in the future.

The Cubesats will be carried on Virgin Orbit’s Launcher One rocket which takes off horizontally from a modified Boeing 747 jet, named Cosmic Girl. They will operate in low Earth Orbit, around 550km above the Earth and 50-100km apart at 17,000mph.

Cubesat 1 – includes a hyperspectral imager, a laser detector and a GPS receiver. The hyperspectral imager will capture multiple slivers of pictures over different wavelengths of light for higher definition images. The GPS receiver confirms the precise time and position of the satellite over the area of the Earth to be photographed.

Cubesat 2 – includes two optical imaging cameras, a laser range finder, and a GPS receiver. One camera will be fitted with a wide-angle lens for a 180-degree view of Earth’s surface with the second camera observing the other Cubesat 1 to support space situational awareness and enables us to understand what else orbits the Earth.

These satellites will support MOD’s science and technology activities both in orbit and on the ground, through continued development of Dstl’s Hermes ground-station based in Portsmouth, and enabling improved coordination and collaboration with our international partners.