The Deputy Prime Minister, Dominic Raab, has today (6 June 2022) unveiled a second package of support for the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) investigation into alleged war crimes in Ukraine.

A specialist legal and police team will be offered to support the investigation on top of the £1 million funding provided earlier this year.

This will include a dedicated Metropolitan Police Officer stationed in the Hague providing the ICC with swift access to further British police and military expertise. Seven UK lawyers well experienced in international criminal law have been offered to help uncover evidence and prosecute those responsible for war crimes.

The UK has been at the forefront of the global response supporting the ICC, and Prosecutor Khan and Government ministers will meet to discuss how UK expertise can continue to help uncover evidence of war crimes in Ukraine.

Deputy Prime Minister, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, Dominic Raab, said

The UK has responded swiftly to a request from the International Criminal Court for more police and lawyers to aid their investigation into Russian war crimes in Ukraine.

Russian forces should know that they will be held to account for their actions and the global community will work together to ensure justice is served.

The Attorney General, Suella Braverman QC MP, said:

Following my appointment of war crimes expert Sir Howard Morrison as an Independent Adviser to the Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s Office, I am determined that British expertise continues to be available to our friends in Ukraine in their search for justice.

We will stand side by side as they uncover the truth and hold those responsible in Putin’s regime to account for their actions.

The total package of support includes:

• A police liaison officer based in The Hague to lead on swift information sharing between the UK and the ICC
• Offer of seven legal experts to date to support the ICC investigation with expertise in international criminal law and the handling of evidence to be presented to court
• Two police officers with expertise in collection of intelligence through publicly available data sources
• Ongoing defence analysis and monitoring of events in Ukraine, including preservation of any evidence relating to war crimes
• Delivery of bespoke war crimes investigation training to Ukrainian police on behalf of the ICC, in collaboration with the Norwegian Police

Officers from Metropolitan Police Counter Terrorism Unit will continue to provide forensic and technical capabilities, such as biometrics and examination of digital devices, as evidence is gathered from potential witnesses in the UK.

The UK Ministry of Justice is also accelerating conversations with City law firms and barristers to prepare for deployment at the appropriate stage of the investigation.

Earlier this month the Attorney General visited Ukraine and led a delegation of war crimes experts to the region to support the work of the Ukrainian Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova.

Ifraz Nabi, 41 from Manchester, has been disqualified as a director for 7 years after wrongly claiming £30,000 through the Eat Out to Help Out scheme and over £20,000 through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.

Ifraz Nabi was sole director of New York Krispy Fried Chicken, a chicken takeaway shop on Stockport Road, in Greater Manchester.

The company behind the takeaway, New York Krispy Fried Chicken Limited, went into liquidation in November 2020, triggering an investigation by the Insolvency Service.

Investigators discovered that Nabi failed in his obligations as director to maintain adequate accounts and financial records.

As a result, the claims he made through the government support schemes could not be supported, as there was insufficient information relating to sales and no explanation of how such sales could have been achieved while staff were on furlough.

Even had there been records permitting his claim under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, which allowed companies to pay staff furloughed while businesses were closed, the shop was not eligible to claim funding through the Eat Out to Help Out scheme as it was only for restaurants with indoor seating.

Takeaway outlets with no seating were excluded, and although New York Krispy Fried Chicken had some seating, it received the majority of its orders through apps, which were also excluded under the scheme.

In addition, Nabi had failed to register the company for tax and when the business subsequently went into liquidation due to the effects of the pandemic and lockdown, the liquidators were unable to assess how much the company owed in unpaid tax.

The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy accepted a disqualification undertaking from Ifraz Nabi, after he admitted failing to maintain, preserve or deliver up adequate accounting records, as well as failing to register and account for VAT as required.

His disqualification is effective from 31 May 2022 and lasts for seven years.

The disqualification undertaking prevents Nabi from directly, or indirectly, becoming involved in the promotion, formation or management of a company, without the permission of the court.

Nina Cassar, Deputy Head of Investigations at the Insolvency Service said:

One of the main purposes of the Company Director’s Disqualification Act is to ensure that company directors adhere to minimum standards. Ifraz Nabi failed not only to maintain the accounting records of his company, he failed to register and pay his business taxes, and furthermore abused Covid-19 support schemes designed to support businesses in genuine need.

This disqualification should serve as a reminder that the Insolvency Service will take action against those who abuse their position and do not take their obligations seriously.

Notes to editors

Ifraz Nabi is of Manchester and his date of birth is December 1980.

New York Krispy Fried Chicken Limited (Company number 09696217).

A disqualification order has the effect that without specific permission of a court, a person with a disqualification cannot:

• act as a director of a company
• take part, directly or indirectly, in the promotion, formation or management of a company or limited liability partnership
• be a receiver of a company’s property

Disqualification undertakings are the administrative equivalent of a disqualification order but do not involve court proceedings.

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

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

Contact Press Office

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The UK will give multiple-launch rocket systems (MLRS) to Ukraine to help the country defend itself against Russian aggression, the Defence Secretary has announced.

The cutting edge M270 weapon system, which can strike targets up to 80km away with pinpoint accuracy, will offer a significant boost in capability for the Ukrainian forces. The UK’s decision has been co-ordinated closely with the US decision to gift the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) variant of MLRS.

Alongside the weapon system, the UK will also supply M31A1 munitions at scale.

The decision by Ben Wallace comes in response to requests from Ukrainian forces for longer range precision weapons in order to defend themselves from Russian heavy artillery, which has been used to devastating effect in the eastern Donbas region.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said:

The UK stands with Ukraine in this fight and is taking a leading role in supplying its heroic troops with the vital weapons they need to defend their country from unprovoked invasion. If the international community continues its support, I believe Ukraine can win.

As Russia’s tactics change, so must our support to Ukraine. These highly capable multiple-launch rocket systems will enable our Ukrainian friends to better protect themselves against the brutal use of long-range artillery, which Putin’s forces have used indiscriminately to flatten cities.

Ukrainian troops will be trained on how to use the launchers in the UK, so that they can maximise the effectiveness of the systems. Britain previously announced that Ukrainian personnel would be trained to use a variety of armoured vehicles which the UK donated, including Mastiff, Husky and Wolfhound.

The UK was the first European country to supply lethal aid to Ukraine, and has since provided thousands of anti-tank missiles, anti-air systems and armoured vehicles to Ukrainian forces.

Britain has also taken a leading role in coordinating international donations of military aid, with Ben Wallace hosting two international donor conferences to coordinate support from 35 partner nations, while RAF aircraft have moved thousands of tonnes of military assistance from donors around the world to Ukraine.

The UK will continue to provide aid to ensure Ukraine has what it needs to defend itself against brutal Russian aggression.

The Government Property Agency (GPA) has appointed BNP Paribas Real Estate (BNPPRE) as its new strategic partner for national property and property-related financial services.

Following a robust and comprehensive procurement process via the Crown Commercial Services Estates Management Services framework (RM 6168), BNPPRE has been awarded an initial three-year contract, which includes the option to extend for up to an additional four years (two plus two).

This new contract is aligned to the GPA’s current and future needs and has a key focus on social value including tackling economic inequality, fighting climate change and improving health and wellbeing.

Service requirements include improved taxpayer value through enhanced asset condition and sustainability performance; outstanding client satisfaction; high quality data and reporting; and improvements in corporate real estate management.

Alan Whitelaw, Property Director for the GPA, said: “The GPA aims to attract best-in-class strategic partners to ensure we deliver a transformed, shared, sustainable and value-for-money government estate which supports civil servants to work productively in every nation and region of the UK.

“We’re pleased to develop this new strategic partnership with BNPPRE to support our continued growth and deliver high quality property and property-related financial management services.”

Steve Harber, Senior Director, Head of Property Management, for BNP Paribas Real Estate, said: “The GPA has an incredibly compelling vision for the management of its estate with data and accurate financial reporting, along with delivering social value for the communities it impacts, at the core of its operation. BNP Paribas Real Estate fully shares its vision in tackling economic inequality, fighting climate change and improving health and wellbeing. Our dynamic approach will be supported by a set of critical success factors to ensure service delivery improvements, technical solutions, and sustainability innovations are achieved across the contract lifecycle. We are incredibly excited to support the GPA in realising the estate’s full potential in the years to come, and help it to deliver on its strategic objectives, which include building economic growth across the UK, working with its clients to reduce their carbon footprint, and reshaping the relationship civil servants have with their place of work.”

Media enquiries: contact the Communications Team at the GPA on comms@gpa.gov.uk

Find out more about the Government Property Agency here