A man who sexually abused and raped a child under the age of 16 has had his sentence increased by the Court of Appeal following intervention by the Attorney General, The Rt Hon Geoffrey Cox QC MP.

Yadwinder Singh, now aged 26, sexually abused a young girl under the age of 16 over a period of two years. The abuse carried out by Singh, who was known to the victim, included touching and kissing. He also raped her in her own home. When the victim cried and fought back, Singh would pinch her and pull her hair to keep her from crying out for help.

On 23 October 2019, Singh was sentenced at the Crown Court in Stoke on Trent to 5 years and 6 months’ imprisonment.

Today the Court of Appeal increased this to 7 years 6 months’ imprisonment, after the sentence was referred as being unduly lenient by the Attorney General, The Rt Hon Geoffrey Cox QC MP.

After the hearing the Attorney General said:

“The actions of the offender will have long lasting effects on the victim who was young and vulnerable at the time of the offence. I am pleased to see a longer sentence imposed that reflects the harm carried out by the offender.”

The Charity Commission has appointed Paul Latham as the regulator’s new Director of Communications and Policy.

Paul will join the Commission from the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), where he is Director of Communications and Strategy, and a member of the organisation’s senior leadership team. He has been in that role since 2014.

Paul was previously Director of Communications at the Office of Fair Trading, and has held senior communications roles at the CBI business group and the Strategic Rail Authority. He succeeds Sarah Atkinson, who joined the Social Mobility Foundation as its new Chief Executive earlier this month.

Helen Stephenson, Chief Executive of the Charity Commission said:

I am delighted to welcome Paul to my senior team. Paul was the outstanding candidate, able to demonstrate extensive experience of strategic communications and public service leadership as well as sharp insight into the crucial role effective communications and smart policy play in regulating a diverse – and largely voluntary – charity sector.

I am confident that Paul will help us deliver on our ambitious strategy, aimed at maximising the benefit charities bring to society.

Paul Latham said:

The charitable sector has never been more vital to our society and its ability to thrive depends not least on effective regulation in the public interest. Strong, independent regulators ensure that wrongdoing is challenged, but moreover that good people and good ideas can flourish. The Charity Commission is a prime example of that.

In this context, impactful, strategic communications and a clear policy framework are essential, including in ensuring charity trustees can access the information they need to get things right. So I’m excited to be joining the Commission’s leadership team at this time.

Paul is expected to take up his new role in mid-March 2020.

Paul Latham: Curriculum Vitae (CV)

2014 to present: Director of Communications and Strategy at Competition and Markets Authority.

2011 to 2014: Director of Communications at Office of Fair Trading (OFT) [between 2008 and 2011, Head of External Affairs].

2005 to 2008: Head of News at CBI.

2001 to 2008: Various roles at Strategic Rail Authority.

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Thousands of students can more accurately see their potential future earnings, as new data shows what graduates from each university earn in different regions of the UK today (23 January).

The new data, published for the first time, can help young people make better choices about whether to go to university, where they study and their graduate opportunities.

The figures show what graduates from each institution earned five years after finishing their studies – and is adjusted for regional differences in earnings across the country.

The Universities Minister has welcomed the data as a ‘milestone’ for future students to make their decisions about university, particularly for those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Universities Minister Chris Skidmore said:

It’s great to see that all over the country, it pays to have a degree from our world-leading universities, and they are bringing benefits to all of the regions.

This data is a milestone for the thousands of future students, helping them to work out whether university is for them, and where to study and work. I hope this will particularly help students from disadvantaged backgrounds to see the benefits, who are often more likely to stay in their home region.

Of course earnings potential is just one factor for students, but we believe they should have all the facts to make their decision. It is important for young people to know that they will not only get a rich education at university, but that their degree will be good value for money.

The same data previously showed that graduates in all regions of the country earn on average around 20% more than their peers in the same region who did not go to university.

It shows that graduates earn a median annual salary of £19,900 one year after graduating, £23,300 after three years, £26,000 after five, and £30,500 after ten years.

The publication is part of the Department’s drive to improve transparency around higher education, ensuring that information about likely earnings, employability and teaching quality is easy to access for everyone going to university.

In a letter to the Office for Students in September, the Education Secretary Gavin Williamson made clear that higher education delivering value for money is a priority for the Government.

On 29 October 2018, the Chancellor set out a series of recommendations to the Financial Policy Committee (FPC) under sections 9E(1) and 9E(2) of the Bank of England Act 1998 (as amended by the Financial Services Act 2012).

This document sets out the committee’s response, in accordance with section 9E(3) of the act.

On 4 November, the Chancellor set out a series of recommendations to the Financial Policy Committee (FPC) under sections 9E(1) and 9E(2) of the Bank of England Act 1998 (as amended by the Financial Services Act 2012).

This document sets out the committee’s response, in accordance with section 9E(3) of the act.