Since the outbreak of Coronavirus (COVID-19), demand for alcohol-based hand sanitising products has increased sharply, leading to some shortages. To meet the additional demand, HMRC is supporting manufacturers by ensuring they have access to the denatured alcohol they need to produce sanitisers.

HMRC approves all applications to use denatured alcohol, which is integral to the manufacture of sanitised hand gels. Under new measures, HMRC is fast-tracking applications so that manufacturers wanting to produce hand sanitising products can be quickly authorised.

By introducing these measures HMRC hopes to remove a potential barrier to production and enable suppliers to meet the increased demand.

In the last 3 weeks, HMRC has increased the limit of authorised use denatured alcohol in the production of hand sanitiser gels, totalling 2.5 million additional litres.

An HMRC spokesperson said:

By enabling the fast-tracking of authorisations to use denatured alcohol, we are providing manufacturers with the potential to produce the extra hand sanitiser gel needed during the coronavirus outbreak. We hope that this will provide manufacturers with the support they need to meet the sudden increase in demand for their products.

HMRC will continue to work with the industry to ensure we are taking all possible steps to support production.

Existing standards and criteria will continue to be applied to licence applications.

• Only applications for the Industrial denatured alcohol (IDA) and Trade Specific Denatured Alcohol (TSDA1) used in the manufacture of sanitising hand gel are to be fast-tracked

• To help us with this, businesses should only apply for permission to produce what they actually need in relation to current rather than anticipated demand

• Under the new measures HMRC will fast track their assurance checks, not replace them – current standards for assuring applications to manufacture, supply or use denatured alcohol will continue to apply

• With these measures put in place, HMRC will strive to process requests within 5 working days

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is concerned above all to ensure the safety and well-being of its staff and all those it engages with, while continuing to do its utmost to help ensure that the UK public is protected from anti-competitive practices, transactions and unfair trading.

It has therefore implemented a range of precautions, taking into account official advice, and continues to review and update its protocols as this complex situation develops.

Among other things, the CMA is making the following changes:

• All staff are now working from home if they are able to do so. As well as protecting staff, this will allow the CMA to continue to progress cases, make decisions and meet deadlines. The CMA has also stopped business travel and travel between its different offices.

• All meetings are being conducted remotely via videoconferencing or telephone. It is no longer necessary or appropriate, given the official guidance, to hold face-to-face external meetings. People can still make decisions and take part in meetings while working from home, including with people from outside the organisation.

• Binding statutory deadlines apply to a significant proportion of the CMA’s work and it intends to continue progressing its cases, making decisions and meeting deadlines – helped in part by the adjustments it is already making to things like remote working. At the same time, it will continue to monitor timetables including, as permitted, extending statutory timeframes where necessary. Any updates will be communicated to businesses involved in investigations and made public on the CMA website.

• It is reallocating resources to help ensure that the most urgent and the most critical work can be done on time.

The CMA continues to monitor official advice and will provide further updates about how it expects to adapt its work in response to the unprecedented challenges now faced by many parts of the economy.

This is a difficult period for everyone – including the businesses, people and public authorities the CMA engages with, as well as its own staff. But it is determined to work co-operatively to ensure that, to the greatest extent possible, work can carry on for the benefit of consumers.

How the organisation is working may be changing in some ways, but its role remains the same: to promote competition for the benefit of UK consumers.

We are asking colleagues to work from home where possible, avoid all business travel, and adapt as necessary with a greater emphasis on flexible and remote working.

We are continuing to perform our vital role, providing solutions for managing higher activity radioactive waste and implementing geological disposal.

Please continue to keep in touch with RWM through your usual contacts, our LinkedIn and Twitter accounts, or via email.

For updates, guidance, and information about how to protect yourself and others from COVID-19 click here

Mamma Mia Cucina Limited was incorporated in April 2012 and traded as an Italian restaurant of the same name in Chingford, East London.

Alessio Polito (39), also from Chingford, was appointed one of two directors at the same time as Mamma Mia Cucina was incorporated and by December 2013, he was the sole remaining director.

Seven years later, in January 2019, Mamma Mia Cucina entered into Creditors Voluntary Liquidation and the company was brought to the attention of the Insolvency Service as there were discrepancies in Mamma Mia Cucina’s tax returns.

Further enquiries by investigators found that for 5 years between April 2013 and April 2018, Alessio Polito under-declared Mamma Mia Cucina’s sales and failed to submit accurate tax returns to the value of just over £50,000 VAT.

On 21 February 2020, the Secretary of State accepted a disqualification undertaking from Alessio Polito for 7 years. Effective from 13 March 2020, Alessio Polito is banned from acting as a director or directly or indirectly becoming involved, without the permission of the court, in the promotion, formation or management of a company.

Lawrence Zussman, Deputy Head of Insolvent Investigations for the Insolvency Service, said:

Alessio Polito clearly failed to take his responsibilities as a director seriously when he under-declared the restaurant’s level of sales.

Directors have a duty to pay the correct level of taxes and thanks to his substantial ban, Alessio Polito has been removed from the business environment for a considerable amount of time.

Alessio Polito is from Chingford, East London, and his date of birth is May 1980.

MAMMA MIA CUCINA LIMITED (Company number 08015975)

Persons subject to a disqualification order are bound by a range of restrictions.

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

You can also follow the Insolvency Service on:

During his visit, the British Deputy High Commissioner held series of meetings with prominent businessmen and visited industrial units to discuss potential trade opportunities for mutual benefit, and to better understand the current business climate.

In Sialkot, he met Nadeem Anwer Qureshi, Chairman for Sialkot International Airport Limited (SIAL), and Muhammad Ashraf Malik, President Sialkot Chamber of Commerce along with other prominent businessmen.

In Lahore, he met Additional Inspector General, Ali Aamir Malik, Managing Director, Punjab Safe Cities Authority and Lieutenant General Muzammil Hussain (Retd) Chairman WAPDA. The British Deputy High Commissioner also visited the Walled City of Lahore and appreciated the city’s old architecture. In Faisalabad, Mike met with Rana Mohammad Sikander Azam and other members of Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He also visited the Pakistan Aluminium Beverage Cans Ltd, a UK-Pakistan Joint Venture in Pakistan’s largest industrial estate

The British Deputy High Commissioner, Mike Nithavrianakis, said:

These vibrant industrial cities form the backbone of Pakistan’s exports, earning vital foreign exchange, generating employment and enhancing competitiveness. I have been impressed by the cities’ business leaders and their commitment to boosting Pakistan’s economic and trade links with the world.

The products and services – as diverse as footballs, medical devices, musical instruments and textiles – manufactured by people here are famous around the world. Now is the time for the private sector to be encouraged and supported at every level to promote bilateral trade between the UK and Pakistan and develop long-term, sustainable business relations.

Notes to editors:

• Total trade in goods and services between the UK and Pakistan was £3.3 billion from July 2018 to June 2019, an increase of 4.7% or £147m from the previous year.

• By June 2019, Pakistan exported £2 billion of goods and services to the UK, an increase of 6.9% or £128m compared to the previous year.

• By June 2019, Pakistan imported £1.3 billion of goods and services from UK, an increase of 1.5% or £19m compared to the previous year.

• The UK is Pakistan’s largest export market in Europe and is the third largest globally after the US and China. UK is also Pakistan’s largest export market globally for services.

• In 2017, UK Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Pakistan totalled £791 million, accounting for 0.1% of total UK FDI in that year. Pakistan’s FDI in the UK in 2017 stood at £6m.

• Around 135 British firms operate and invest in Pakistan.

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