[unable to retrieve full-text content]The Committee on Standards in Public Life has received correspondence from Facebook regarding progress made against the Committee's recommendations, following its review on Intimidation in Public Life.
The IDAB advises government on strategically important investment projects to support businesses undertaking major capital investments to increase competitiveness and productivity as well as create additional employment, boosting the local and national economy.
Gail has significant experience in driving profitable growth and leading major change in large and small businesses in emerging and developed markets across Europe, US, Asia, Africa and Latin America. Over 20 years, Gail held senior executive roles in strategy, finance and business development; at Diageo, she took the lead on several mergers and acquisitions transactions and, as Group Strategy Director, helped transform SABMiller from a multi-local brewing business to a globally integrated branded beer business. Gail is a senior adviser to a variety of listed and private companies and is an independent non-executive director of Real Good Food plc.
Appointed: 23 January 2020
Term ends: 22 January 2023
Sacira Coric is a global Infrastructure and Project Finance advisory executive with a 19 years’ track record in economic and social infrastructure, advising public sector authorities, equity investors and lenders on infrastructure procurement, development, operation & maintenance, privatisations, acquisitions and contract management. Sacira leads Project Finance advisory offering at Turner & Townsend LLP, an independent, global professional services company specialising in programme and cost management and advisory on major capital programmes in infrastructure, real estate and natural resources.
Sacira’s expertise builds upon the knowledge of public sector value for money drivers, investors’ and lenders’ interests and concerns, project sponsors’ drivers and most prevalent challenges arising on transactions involving private capital.
Appointed: 23 January 2020
Term ends: 22 January 2023
Ben Alexander has over 25 years of experience in the financial services sector. He was a director at Deutsche Bank in London where he was co-head of derivatives trading and subsequently a partner of Close Brothers Private Equity where he was involved in institutional fund raising and sat on the boards of a variety of UK companies. He is currently a partner of a strategic consultancy, a non-exec director of a virtual reality content business, a commercial adviser to the Cabinet Office and a member of the Finance Committee of Cambridge University.
Appointed: 23 January 2020
Term ends: 22 January 2023
To find out more about the board, including its current membership, visit the IDAB pages on GOV.UK.
Resettlement is a strategic priority for the YJB. The recent thematic inspection of resettlement highlighted the difficulties in supporting children leaving custody. Despite promising initiatives, like the YJB resettlement consortia (where clear messages were produced about what factors influence success), these difficulties prevail.
To tackle this problem, the YJB introduced constructive resettlement as a common framework and set of principles necessary to improve resettlement outcomes. The approach is informed by the conclusion of Beyond Youth Custody research which highlights that the aim of resettlement should be to support a child to shift their identity, from ‘pro-offending’ to ‘pro-social’.
“We all behave according to how we see ourselves and our place in the world, explains Professor Neal Hazel, YJB Board Champion for the Resettlement Priority.
Research shows that resettlement support is effective when it supports a child to move away from an identity that has allowed offending, to one that promotes a constructive future and desistance.
If that’s what makes the difference, it makes sense for all services to be focused directly on whatever will facilitate each child’s identity development, right from their very first contact.
The constructive resettlement framework consists of three key elements to support this identity shift. First, ‘constructive casework’ includes personal support that is explicitly framed around guiding the child to explore and develop their identity. Any structural support organised by agencies, like education and training, is then based on routes towards a pro-social identity.
Second, five key characteristics for effective practice are reflected in all resettlement support (known as the 5Cs):
Third, everyone working with a child should be ‘identity-aware’. The approach requires everyone working with the child to be conscious of the messages the child gives us about the way they see themselves. Equally, practitioners need to be careful that every interaction with the child fosters, rather than undermines, pro-social identity development.
“We’ve known for decades how labelling children as offenders can reinforce negative identity and behaviour. That’s the idea behind diversion”, continues Neal. “We now understand that reversing that negative identity and fostering a pro-social identity is crucial to positive outcomes.
Neal emphasised that, “Every interaction that a child has with a professional can help or hinder their positive identity development. It means that we need to reflect on everything we do in custody and resettlement – from behaviour management to interventions – through an identity lens.”
Constructive Resettlement is central to custody and resettlement expectations in the standards for children in the youth justice system, which state that YOTs and secure establishments should provide plans that “set out the personal and structural support made available to support the child develop a pro-social identity”.
The Youth Custody Service (YCS) has adopted constructive resettlement as its ‘theory of change’, underpinning its reform of culture and procedures inside all of its establishments. This month the YCS is holding a conference around how establishments can be more identity aware.
Meanwhile, the YJB is working with South and West Yorkshire resettlement consortium to establish a resettlement Pathfinder. “Pathfinders” are additional projects funded by the YJB, to improve aspects of the youth justice system, including resettlement. These projects are being run by frontline organisations, often in consortia. The pathfinder has already begun to explore innovative ways to apply Constructive Resettlement principles and offer support and advice to the sector. Watch this space for an interview with Trevor Woodhouse (who has recently been recruited to lead on the development of the Pathfinder and work with Jo Sykes, the Consortium Coordinator) to find out how they are getting on.
For further information on the consortium and the Pathfinder email David McNally at the YJB at david.mcnally@yjb.gov.uk.
The Secretary of State has appointed the following new members to serve on the Veterinary Products Committee from January 2020 until 31 December 2023:
Five existing members have been reappointed to the committee to serve a further term of four years.
Requests for further information on membership of the VPC should be made to Sandra Russell s.russell@vmd.gov.uk
Published 17 January 2020
Every year, HMRC receives some imaginative excuses and expense claims following the 31 January Self Assessment deadline.
To wrap up the decade, and with 2 weeks to the deadline, HMRC has highlighted 10 of the most weird and wonderful excuses we have received from customers who missed the deadline over the last 10 years.
The top 10 most bizarre excuses and questionable expenses claims for items, in reverse order, are:
All the excuses and expenses listed above were unsuccessful.
video on the top ten excuses and expenses
Angela MacDonald, HMRC Director General of Customer Services, said:
Each year, we try to make it as easy and simple as possible for our customers to complete their tax returns and the majority make the effort to do theirs right and on time. But, we still come across some unusual excuses and expenses which range from problems with a mother-in-law to yachts set on fire.
We always offer help to those who have a genuine excuse for not submitting their return on time. It is unfair to the majority of honest taxpayers when others make bogus claims.
If you think you might miss the 31 January deadline, get in touch with us now – the earlier we’re contacted, the more we can help.
The deadline for sending Self Assessment tax returns for the 2018 to 2019 tax year to HMRC, and paying any tax owed, is 31 January 2020.
Help to complete your return is available:
HMRC will treat those with genuine excuses leniently, as we focus our penalties on those who persistently fail to complete their tax returns and deliberate tax evaders. The excuse must be genuine and we might ask for evidence. Those listed above were all declined on the basis that they were either untrue or not good enough reasons.
Customers who provide HMRC with a reasonable excuse before the 31 January deadline can avoid a penalty after this date.
The penalties for late tax returns are:
There are also additional penalties for paying late of 5% of the tax unpaid at 30 days, 6 months and 12 months. Interest will be charged on all late payments.
Self Assessment guidance is available at – www.gov.uk/self-assessment-tax-returns
Between 30 January, and 31 January, our phone helplines shut at 8pm – customers can contact us via webchat until midnight both days.
Tax is automatically deducted from the majority of UK taxpayers’ wages, pensions or savings. For people or businesses where tax is not automatically deducted, or when they may have earned additional untaxed income, they are required to complete a Self Assessment tax return each year.
Be aware of copycat websites and phishing scams – always type in the full online address http://www.gov.uk/hmrc to obtain the correct link to file your Self Assessment return online securely and free of charge.
HMRC uses your home address to determine whether you should be paying UK or Welsh/Scottish Rate of Income Tax, make sure yours is up to date by accessing your Personal Tax Account or www.gov.uk/tell-hmrc-change-of-details
Customers can also register for HMRC’s help and support email service
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