The Charity Commission has found evidence of misconduct and/or mismanagement at a charity that was set up to promote and advance the Islamic religion and encourage dialogue between different faiths.

An inquiry was opened into Fadak Media Broadcasts (registered charity 1165143) in August 2017 after allegations were made in a serious incident report about unauthorised financial transactions and claims that the ownership of the charity’s trading subsidiary, SWT Films, had unlawfully been transferred to the former CEO.

The inquiry used its powers under the Charities Act to obtain records and question the trustees, finding that the former CEO had enjoyed significant control over a number of areas.

The CEO had used charitable funds to set up SWT Films Ltd to produce a film called ‘The Day of Torture’*. Filming was never completed, and a share transfer agreement showed an attempt to transfer 98% of the company shares to the former CEO – the trustees claimed that this was invalid as it had been signed by a trustee who had left the charity prior to the agreement.

The CEO was the sole signatory of SWT Films’ bank account, and the trustees had entrusted him with the management of SWT Films. This was a concerning arrangement and it became clear that a dispute had later erupted between the CEO and the trustees.

The inquiry reviewed SWT Films’ accounts and was satisfied that funds had been used to finance the making of the proposed film. The CEO is no longer involved with the charity, however his details will be held on file and any future application for him to act as a charity trustee would take the facts of this inquiry into consideration.

As these allegations had already been investigated but not substantiated by the Police, and the company dissolved in June 2017, the inquiry did not investigate this matter further. However significant weaknesses in the charity’s governance and financial management came to light as a result of the Commission’s probe:

• The CEO had opened the charity’s bank account and remained as sole signatory for over 2 years.
• Only 2 trustees sat on the charity’s board, whilst its governing document required a minimum of 3 trustees.
• Overseas representatives collected cash on behalf of the charity from anonymous donors, who then travelled to the UK to hand over the cash. The Commission has previously warned charities of the risks of cash couriering.
• Financial records were insufficient and did not explain all of the charity’s transactions.

Today’s report says that failings by the trustees exposed the charity’s assets to unnecessary risk and amounted to mismanagement and/or misconduct in the administration of the charity.

Amy Spiller, Head of Investigations Team at the Charity Commission said:

This charity’s governance and management was clearly not fit for purpose. Oversight and control by its trustees did not meet the standards that we would expect, and this appears to have allowed damaging disagreements to develop.

Charity brings people together, and so issues like this which stand in the way of a charity’s ability to do its work are disappointing. I am pleased that our intervention has helped the charity to strengthen its governance and focus on delivering on its purpose.

During an inspection the inquiry provided regulatory advice and guidance around governance improvements to the charity’s trustees, who have demonstrated a willingness to bring the charity on to a proper footing.

3 new trustees have been appointed and a new bank account has been opened with 2 trustees as signatories, in line with best practice.

The full report of the inquiry is available on GOV.UK.

Ends.

Notes to editors:

1. *This activity was in line with the charity’s objects to advance education and religion.
2. The Charity Commission is the independent regulator of charities in England and Wales. To find out more about our work read the about us page on GOV.UK.

Property owners selling a residential property in the UK are today being reminded by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) about important deadline changes when paying Capital Gains Tax.

From 6 April 2020, if a UK resident sells a residential property in this country they’ll now have 30 days to tell HMRC and pay any money owed. It means for some it can be done without having to register for Self Assessment.

There are also changes for non-UK residents selling both residential and non-residential property in this country. Non-UK residents will still be required to tell HMRC within 30 days whether there is tax to pay or not and will no longer to be able to defer payment via their Self Assessment return.

HMRC will launch a new online service to make it easier to report and pay any Capital Gains Tax. Owners may need to make a Capital Gains Tax report and make a payment when, for example, they sell or otherwise dispose of:

• a property that they’ve not used as your main home

• a holiday home

• a property which they let out for people to live in

• a property that they’ve inherited and have not used as their main home

Sarah Kelsey, Deputy Director, HMRC, said:

We want to help customers know exactly what they need to do, as it’s really important that everyone involved with the sale of a residential property fully understands the changes.

People don’t usually have to pay Capital Gains Tax if they sell the house they live in, but this is a significant change for customers who do have to pay the tax and who up to this point would include the gain in their Self Assessment return. There will be lots of help and guidance available to individuals and agents, or those representing trusts, and we are providing a new online service to make it easier for all our customers to both notify and pay online within 30 days

If customers don’t tell HMRC about any Capital Gains Tax within 30 days of completion, they may be sent a penalty as well as having to pay interest on what they owe.

Further advice and guidance is available on GOV.UK.

Further information

• The measure was announced at Autumn Statement 2015, and Budget 2017 announced deferral of its introduction until April 2020 – a technical consultation was conducted between 11 April 2018 and 6 June 2018

• A capital gain can arise when a property is disposed of. A disposal will typically be where the property is sold by the owner, but it also applies where a property is inherited and then disposed of, or where a property is gifted. But a UK Resident individual won’t have to make a report and make a payment when:

  • a legally binding contract for the sale was made before 6 April 2020
  • they meet the criteria for full Private Residence Relief
  • the gift was made to a spouse or civil partner
  • the gains (including any other chargeable residential property gains in the same tax year) is within their tax free allowance (called the Annual Exempt Amount)
  • they sold the property for a loss
  • the property is outside the UK

Thank you Mr Chair

The UK supports the EU statement.

On 8 March we mark International Women’s Day. A time to reflect on gender equality and to recognise the progress we have made. But no single country has yet achieved gender equality. We all have significant room for improvement. So it is also a time to focus on current and future challenges and how, collectively, we can overcome obstacles that have so far prevented us from achieving this goal.

It is therefore fitting that this year’s theme is “Each for Equal” – a notion that together we can help to create a gender equal world. Here, at the OSCE, we have the opportunity to work on turning this into a reality.

As gender equality is central to the success of all that we do, and cuts across the three dimensions, we can use this year to focus on the implementation of the commitments we have all already agreed. We can ensure that gender is not treated as an extra, but as essential, actively integrated at every stage of our work. I wanted to talk about how gender issues are vital for each of the OSCE’s three dimensions for security.

Firstly – in the politico-military sphere, as I have mentioned previously in this Council – we know that women’s participation is key to the success and longevity of peace processes. Studies have shown that when women meaningfully participate in peace processes, the resulting agreement is 64% less likely to fail and 35% more likely to last at least 15 years. Yet women peace-builders are rarely given a voice at the peace table. And the OSCE is no exception. Women have hardly ever been called on to mediate, facilitate or moderate in the OSCE’s four formal peace processes. We can all commit to take action to change this. The OSCE’s toolkit: ‘Inclusion of Women and Effective Peace Processes’, launched last year, is a good place to start.

On transnational threats, there is ample evidence that including women in measures to prevent, tackle and counter such threats improves both our collective effectiveness and our security. This includes integration in all levels of policy decision making and delivery on the ground. As Chair of the OSCE Security Committee, I will identify opportunities to ensure that women’s experiences and expertise are reflected at our meetings.

Secondly – on economic and environmental issues, we know that gender equality would add significantly to increased wealth in our economies, globally amounting to trillions of Euros. And yet women are still under-represented in many professions, and importantly they are under-represented at the decision-making level. We can choose to take action to address this. I was pleased to hear the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities commit to stepping up efforts on gender mainstreaming in his Report at today’s Permanent Council. In the UK, we made it a target to have a third of all board positions in the UK’s FTSE 100 companies being held by women, a target we managed to reach a year ahead of time. But this is only a step towards equality, and we know that we still have more to do.

On the environment, we are only too aware that climate change has the potential to wipe out development gains, impacting multiple sectors in critical areas such as food security, access to health, education and jobs and livelihoods. Again, at the OSCE we can choose to promote solutions that take into account the lived realities of women’s lives and diverse experiences. Their full, effective and meaningful participation in climate security activities can advance substantive gender equality and women’s empowerment, while contributing to sustainable development, disaster risk reduction and climate change objectives.

And in the Human dimension, we are acutely aware of the importance of ‘empowering’ women and girls and of preventing violence against them. Yet violence against women and girls persists. The OSCE-led survey on the ‘Well-being and Safety of Women’ and the subsequent reports contain a wealth of information and specific recommendations for preventing violence against women. Whilst the survey was carried out in OSCE states that are either experiencing conflict, or have experienced it in the recent past, the messages are important for all of us – and necessary for protecting the full enjoyment of human rights by women and girls. Increased violence is also an early warning indicator of potential conflict, a clear example of how ‘gender’ cuts across the OSCE’s dimensions.

Empowering girls and women is a UK priority. Our Prime Minister used his first speech on the steps of Downing Street to underline the pledge he made as Foreign Secretary that every girl should receive 12 years of quality education no matter where she is born. A message that is also reinforced in the Sustainable Development Goals: ‘leave no one behind’.

The theme “Each for Equal” is not just about a day. Nor is International Women’s Day. It is about what we do every day to achieve gender equality. We have an impressive body of existing commitments and many tools at our disposal. In a year when we celebrate both the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and 20 years since UNSCR 1325, it is high time that we made these commitments a reality.

For my part as Chair of MenEngage, I am determined to continue to progress work in promoting gender considerations across all three dimensions; ensuring equality in OSCE recruitment processes; a zero tolerance approach to sexual harassment and sexual exploitation and abuse; and promoting implementation of UNSCR 1325. This will be done as a network, but also in conjunction with other networks, including the Female Ambassadors and Women in the First Dimension, together with the OSCE Gender Section and OSCE Gender Focal Points.

The OSCE is the world’s largest regional security organisation. We should all work to ensure it is also the world’s leading organisation on gender equality.

Thank you

Following announcements in the Budget, the Department for Work and Pensions is making temporary arrangements to support those impacted by coronavirus.

For people already claiming support

Special arrangements will be in place for people in receipt of benefits who cannot attend reassessments or jobcentre appointments because they are required to stay at home or are infected by coronavirus.

The arrangements are:

• disabled and sick claimants who cannot attend a reassessment for Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) or Universal Credit will continue to receive their payments while their assessment is rearranged
• people who need to claim ESA or Universal Credit because of coronavirus will not be required to produce a fit note.
• when claimants tell us in good time that they are staying at home or that they have been diagnosed with coronavirus, they will not be sanctioned – we will review their conditionality requirements in their claimant commitment, to ensure they are reasonable
• claimants who are staying at home as a result of coronavirus will have their mandatory work search and work availability requirements removed to account for a period of sickness

For people who need to make a new claim for financial support

We understand people who are required to stay at home or are infected by coronavirus may need financial support, and quickly.

We announce that:

• those affected by coronavirus will be able to apply for Universal Credit and can receive up to a month’s advance up front without physically attending a jobcentre
• the 7 waiting days for ESA for new claimants will not apply if they are suffering from coronavirus or are required to stay at home – so it will be payable from day one

Employees and self-employed people

To make sure people in work can take the necessary time off to stay at home if they are suffering from coronavirus or to prevent its spread, changes have been made to Statutory Sick Pay and how Universal Credit supports self-employed claimants.

This includes:

• people who cannot work due to coronavirus and are eligible for Statutory Sick Pay will get it from day one, rather than from the fourth day of their illness – we intend to legislate so this measure applies retrospectively from 13 March 2020
• Statutory Sick Pay will be payable to people who are staying at home on government advice, not just those who are infected, from 13 March 2020 after regulations were laid on 12 March 2020 – employers are urged to use their discretion about what evidence, if any, they ask for
• if employees need to provide evidence to their employer that they need to stay at home due to coronavirus, they will be able to get it from the NHS 111 Online instead of having to get a fit note from their doctor – this is currently under development and will be made available soon
• self-employed claimants on Universal Credit who are required to stay at home or are ill as a result of coronavirus will not have a Minimum Income Floor (an assumed level of income) applied for a period of time while affected

Businesses

The government wants to ensure businesses are supported to deal with the temporary economic impacts of an outbreak of coronavirus.

Employers with fewer than 250 employees will be able to reclaim Statutory Sick Pay for employees unable to work because of coronavirus. This refund will be for up to 2 weeks per employee.

Find out about other government support for businesses.

Media enquiries for this press release – 020 3267 5144

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Hundreds of nuclear professionals gathered for the UK Nuclear Skills Awards 2020, at the Hilton Hotel, Manchester.

Sponsored by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, the event was organised by the National Skills Academy Nuclear and Cogent Skills. The NDA group was heavily represented with seven finalists from Sellafield, Magnox and Dounreay.

Winners on the night included Sophie Kelly, Sellafield Ltd, Scientific Apprentice of the Year; Josephine Stabler, Sellafield Ltd, Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Champion of the Year and Lindsey Anderson, Dounreay Site Restoration Ltd, STEM Ambassador of the Year.

Corhyn Parr, the NDA’s Director of Integrated Waste, spoke about the mission to drive forward the nuclear decommissioning mission and highlighted the need for the right skills now, and in the future.

Corhyn, also the chair of the Nuclear Skills Strategy Group (NSSG), said:

The NDA is proud to sponsor the UK Nuclear Skills Awards, an event which shows the huge talent we have across the industry and I would like to congratulate all of the finalists and winners.

Our work demands innovative solutions and that’s why we constantly strive to attract and maintain a talented workforce.

It is essential we provide a ladder of opportunity for people to help us realise our ambitions and aspirations for the future by ensuring we have the right skills to help take forward our decommissioning mission.

Hosting the event – attended by representatives from across the nuclear industry – was TV star Dallas Campbell, of The Gadget Show and Bang Goes The Theory fame.

A Nuclear Skills Summit, organised by the NSSG, was held earlier the same day. It included the Nuclear Institute’s Young Generation Network and leaders from outside the industry sharing best practice from other sectors, including discussion around leadership and apprenticeships.