The Insolvency Service continues to support the insolvency profession in the application of the Insolvency (Scotland) (Receivership and Winding Up) Rules 2018 and the Insolvency (Scotland) (Company Voluntary Arrangements and Administration) Rules 2018.

Since the commencement of the new rules on 06 April 2019, a number of queries have been received from external stakeholders. This news article provides a table summarising these queries, along with the responses provided by the Insolvency Service and/or the Accountant in Bankruptcy.

Published 14 November 2019

Today, Remembrance Sunday, is a day on which we unite to remember and honour those who have sacrificed themselves to secure and protect our freedom.

The UK’s National Service of Remembrance will be held today at the Cenotaph on Whitehall, in London to honour the service and sacrifice of our Armed Forces community, the British and Commonwealth veterans, the Allies that fought alongside us and the civilian servicemen and women involved in the two World Wars and later conflicts.

Every year the nation unites to make sure that no one is forgotten and to remember and honour those who have sacrificed themselves to secure and protect our freedom.

Remembrance honours those who serve to defend our democratic freedoms and way of life. We unite across faiths, cultures and backgrounds to remember the sacrifice of the Armed Forces community from Britain and the Commonwealth.

We remember the friends, allies, and Commonwealth nations who joined Britain in defending its freedoms, values, and way of life. We ask the nation to commemorate their contributions to our liberty and to “Remember Together”.

And we do this around the world, wherever the fallen are to be found. In 154 countries, Commonwealth War Grave Cemeteries serve as a lasting tribute to those who died. The collaboration of Britain with our Commonwealth friends and Allied nations in 1944 continues to shape our society today. Many communities, whose ancestors served alongside each other, now live side by side in a multicultural Britain.

So thank you for joining us here today at the beautiful Commonwealth War Grave Commission Cemetery of Antsiranana. Today I have the honour to represent Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in remembering in particular those brave men and women who died during the Second World War in Madagascar.

In addition to the 315 service people buried here, we also remember the thirty-four African troops who are now commemorated on the East African memorial in the War Cemetery in Nairobi.

I’d also like to use this occasion to pay tribute to the work of many years of our dear friend, Alex Totomarovario, who did so much for this cemetery and for Anglo-Malagasy relations in Antsiranana. He was taken from us by illness last year, and is greatly missed.

And I’d like to welcome Martin Bihay to the Commonwealth War Grave Commission, and thank him for his excellent work in preparing his first Remembrance Sunday ceremony here.

I hope that you will have the time to wander the rows of the fallen here, each grave telling the story of a brave soldier fighting under the tropical sun on an island distant from their own, far from loved ones. Amongst them were…

Captain Llewellen Palmer, of the Royal Armoured Corps, whose tank was hit as he and his men made for the cover of a wood. As they made a run to safety one of Palmer’s men fell and the Captain ran back to help him. Both were hit by a high explosive shell. Captain Parker was recommended for the Victoria Cross.

And Fusilier Edwin Carson Bunyan, of the Scots Fusiliers, who was sitting in a ditch with his Section Commander Corporal Bell when a grenade landed between them. Bunyan grabbed the grenade and shouted to his comrades who were able to dive for cover. Bunyan saved the section but was killed himself. He was also recommended, posthumously, for the Victoria Cross.

In our collective act of remembrance today we remember those who fought not only in World Wars, but the more than 12,000 British Servicemen and women killed or injured since 1945.

We ask communities to come together, join together and remember together the service and sacrifice, friendship and collaboration of the men and women of Britain, the Commonwealth and Allied nations who fought together 75 years ago.

We pay tribute to the special contribution of families, as well as the emergency services. And we acknowledge those innocent civilians who have lost their lives in conflict and acts of terrorism.

We are here to honour those who served, to remember those who died and all those affected by conflict and to ensure that the lessons learnt live with us forever. May we not wait to witness the horrors of war to become advocates of peace.

We will remember them.

Thank you.

At around 18:33 hrs on 17 October 2019, a train carrying 13 passengers and two members of train crew collided with a large oak tree that had fallen across the line from third-party land. The train driver suffered a minor injury and was left shocked by the incident. The train did not derail, but it was badly damaged and the line was subsequently shut for tree felling.

We have undertaken a preliminary examination into the circumstances surrounding this incident. Having assessed the evidence which has been gathered to date, we have decided to publish a safety digest.

The safety digest will be made available on our website in the next few weeks.

Published 14 November 2019

In a diverse range of engagements, he celebrated the deep cultural connections between the UK and India and looked forward to further bilateral cooperation on issues like sustainability and climate change.

New Delhi

HRH began his visit by presenting a Commonwealth ‘Points of light’ award to Keralan Jolly Johnson, founder of the Helping Hands Organisation (H20). Under Jolly’s leadership, H20 built a centre for disabled children that runs therapy sessions, vocational training and family counselling. The organisation was also actively involved in dealing with the aftermath of Kerala’s devastating floods in 2018 through their rehabilitation programme.

HRH next visited the Indian Meteorological Department to discuss India’s weather forecasting systems. He was given a tour of the Control Room, showcasing how the Centre operates to forecast, track and respond to cyclones and other potential disasters – including the latest cyclone Bulbul in Bangladesh. There he heard from Sunita Narain from the Centre for Science and Environment about India’s solutions to air pollution and met with three winners of the Ashden Awards, who demonstrated their innovative technologies. HRH was shown an innovative e-rickshaw charging station designed by SunMobility before being taken for a spin in one of the e-rickshaws by Mariya – one of the female drivers working with Ashden winner SMV Green.

HRH held a bilateral discussion with the President of India Shri Ram Nath Kovind, where they noted their mutual interest in green issues and traditional medicine, as well as the important role of the Commonwealth. The President gave HRH a tour of the herbal garden, where the Prince planted a champa tree in his name.

In the afternoon, HRH visited a Sikh Gurudwara, where he learnt about the significance of the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak. He was welcomed by representatives from across the Sikh community, and was given a tour of the langar kitchens – as well as the opportunity to try his hand at chapati making.

He closed the day at a Service of Remembrance commemorating the sacrifices of soldiers from India, the UK and across the Commonwealth in World War One and World War Two. Marking the 75th anniversary year of the Battle of Kohima, HRH recited the Kohima Epitaph and laid a wreath of Khadi poppies, made by members of the Royal British Legion in the UK. He visited a number of graves of those who lost their lives in Service, including that of Army Medic Sergeant Henry Bombroff, whose 80 year-old son Bill, was present at the event.

Mumbai

On arrival in Mumbai, HRH joined a British Asian Trust meeting to gain an update on the work of the Trust in India. The meeting included discussion around the Quality Education Development Impact Bond.

He then attended a discussion with influential Indian business leaders on how to accelerate a transition to sustainable markets. Senior attendees representing finance, transportation, technology and life sciences explored how to connect sustainable investors to sustainable opportunities around the world. The discussions will inform how HRH and the Sustainable Markets Council might advance specific initiatives. Issues discussed included access to green finance markets, biodiversity, waste and plastics reduction and renewable energy.

HRH also had the opportunity to meet artist Haribabu Natesan whose artwork – made of recycled material was on display during the meeting.

HRH finished his programme by meeting children who have benefitted from support from the British Asian Trust. The Prince was also sung happy birthday by the children to celebrate his 71st year.

Further information

For images from the Royal Visit, please visit our Flickr page.

His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales last visited India as part of a joint official tour with The Duchess of Cornwall to Brunei, India, Singapore and Malaysia in November 2017.

The Commonwealth Points of Light award thanks individual volunteers across the 53 Commonwealth nations for the difference they are making in their communities and beyond.

Since the Ashden Awards were founded in 2001, Ashden has rewarded more than 225 enterprises around the world which so far have collectively improved the lives of more than 88 million people, saving 13 million tonnes of CO2 emissions every year. The three winners were:

• Shuttl, which provides affordable transportation on private, air-conditioned buses by crowdsourcing digital demand for, and creating, rush hour bus routes;

• SMV Green, which is creating fair working conditions, with electric rickshaws and reliable contracts. The organisation’s Vahini programme is training some of India’s first women rickshaw drivers (like Mariya);

• Greenway Appliances, which makes and sells affordable biomass cook-stoves that reduce smoke, cook more quickly and stay cleaner for longer driving improved quality of life for women.

• HRH jointly launched a Sustainable Markets Council with the World Economic Forum in September to ensure sustainability for future generations.

Mail to: Kriti Gupta

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The world-leading UK aerospace industry has a turnover of £35 billion and directly employs 123,000 people. It needs to keep innovating to stay ahead in global markets.

Businesses are invited to express an interest in £8 million set aside for collaborative research and development projects that involve at least 1 UK SME.

The money is part of an annual £150 million available to support game-changing innovations in aerospace design, manufacture and propulsion. The best ideas will have a chance to apply for funding.

Organisations also have a chance to express an interest in applying for a share of funding on a monthly rolling basis.

The investment is part of the £3.9 billion UK Aerospace Technology Institute programme, a partnership between government and industry managed by Innovate UK, the Aerospace Technology Institute and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

Developing aircraft of the future

The competitions are seeking expressions of interest in funding for projects in line with the UK Aerospace Technology Strategy.

Priority areas include whole aircraft design and integration, aerostructures, advanced systems and propulsion technologies.

Project themes are detailed in the UK Aerospace Technology Strategy, and include:

• improving UK whole-aircraft design and system integration
• future-proofing advanced systems technologies in the UK – specifically, smart, connected and more electric aircrafts
• securing the UK’s world-leading position in large, complex aviation structures, particularly wings
• developing more efficient propulsion technologies, including large turbofans

Information about the collaborative R&D competition for smaller business

• the competition opens on 25 November 2019, and the closing date is 15 January 2020
• projects can be led by a business of any size but must include at least 1 SME
• we expect project costs to be between £250,000 and £1.5 million
• a briefing event will be held on 2 December 2019

Information about the monthly competition

• the competition opens next month on 2 December 2019, and the closing date is 18 December 2019
• UK-based businesses, research and technology groups and academic institutions can be the project lead, depending on the project type
• businesses could get up to 70% of their costs for industry-led research projects, or up to 50% of their costs for capital investment projects
• an online briefing event will be held on 6 December 2019