HM Government

The Ministry of Defence has today [28 September] announced that Tony Douglas, CEO of Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S), will stand down from the role at the end of this year. After more than two years in post, he will return to the private sect… read more

Solicitor General Robert Buckland QC MP is in Nottingham today where he will visit the recently reopened National Justice Museum to see how it is helping to educate people about the law.

The Solicitor will observe students taking part in a debate about whether capital punishment should be reintroduced in the UK, and he will also participate in a mock trial on gang violence with students from Nottingham University.

The Museum has devised a program of interactive activities to teach people about the law in an interesting and enjoyable way. Aligned to the national curriculum, the sessions use authentic courtrooms, museum spaces, objects and archives to help pupils gain a practical understanding of the law and justice system

The Solicitor General, Robert Buckland, QC MP said:

Gaining an understanding about how our legal system works and our rights and responsibilities within it is a valuable skill that we can use throughout our lives.

Public legal education gives everyone the opportunity to develop an understanding of the law. Not only does it have a practical and beneficial effect on people’s lives, but also it has a positive effect on our legal system as well. That is why these sessions are so important.

I am really pleased to be visiting the National Justice Museum in Nottingham to see its work in action.

Tim Desmond, Chief Executive, National Justice Museum said:

We are delighted to welcome the Solicitor General to the newly refurbished National Justice Museum, he is a great champion of Public Legal Education and as part of his visit he will have the opportunity to take part in a ‘Gang Violence Trial’ courtroom workshop with students from Nottingham University.

The Solicitor General will also visit the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) East Midlands office where he will commend the Area for its work in tackling serious crime.

The CPS Area’s rape and serious sexual offences team has sustained significant success over recent years, and had the highest conviction for rape in the country, at 64.6% and the third highest conviction rate for all sexual offences. Recent figures show that recorded crime has dropped by 12% in the East Midlands.

The Area covers five police force areas: Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire and Nottinghamshire.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has been carrying out an initial investigation (phase 1) into the merger of the companies, which are both retail optician chains with stores located throughout the UK.

As part of its initial investigation, the CMA has looked at more than 200 local areas where Vision Express and Tesco Opticians both have stores. The CMA has identified 3 local areas where Vision Express would not face sufficient competition after the merger, which could lead to price increases or a worsening in the quality or choice of the products and services on offer in-store. These areas are Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria; Helston in Cornwall; and Ryde on the Isle of Wight.

Adam Land, CMA Senior Director and decision maker in this case, said:

Opticians provide a vital service for millions of people in the UK and it is therefore important that any competition concerns are addressed. In this case, we have looked carefully where Vision Express and Tesco Opticians compete at present and identified 3 areas of the country where we believe this merger could result in a worse deal for eye care customers.

Vision Express now has the opportunity to offer undertakings to address the competition concerns identified by the CMA. If Vision Express does not offer undertakings, or if the undertakings offered do not sufficiently address the concerns that the CMA has identified, the merger will be referred for an in-depth phase 2 investigation.

All information relating to the merger is available on the case page.

Notes for editors

1. The CMA is the UK’s primary competition and consumer authority. It is an independent non-ministerial government department with responsibility for carrying out investigations into mergers, markets and the regulated industries and enforcing competition and consumer law.
2. The Reference Test: under the Enterprise Act 2002 (the Act) the CMA has a duty to make a reference to phase 2 if the CMA believes that it is or may be the case that a relevant merger situation has been created, or arrangements are in progress or in contemplation which, if carried into effect, will result in the creation of a relevant merger situation; and the creation of that situation has resulted, or may be expected to result, in a substantial lessening of competition within any market or markets in the United Kingdom for goods or services.
3. Under the Act a relevant merger situation is created if 2 or more enterprises have ceased to be distinct enterprises; and the value of the turnover in the United Kingdom of the enterprise being taken over exceeds £70 million (‘the turnover test’) or as a result of the transaction, in relation to the supply of goods or services of any description, a 25% share of supply in the United Kingdom (or a substantial part thereof) is created or enhanced (‘the share of supply test’).
4. The CMA’s duty to refer the merger for a phase 2 investigation under the Act is not exercised whilst the CMA is considering whether to accept undertakings (if offered) in lieu of a reference. Vision Express has until 5 October 2017 to offer undertakings to the CMA that might be accepted by the CMA. If no undertakings are offered and accepted, then the CMA will refer the merger.
5. All the CMA’s functions in phase 2 merger inquiries are performed by inquiry groups chosen from the CMA’s panel members. The appointed inquiry group are the decision-makers on phase 2 inquiries. The CMA’s panel members come from a variety of backgrounds, including economics, law, accountancy and/or business. The membership of an inquiry group usually reflects a mix of expertise and experience (including industry experience).
6. The full text of this decision will be placed on the merger case page as soon as is reasonably practicable.
7. Enquiries should be directed to the Press Team, on 020 3738 6191.
8. For information on the CMA see our homepage, or follow us on Twitter @CMAgovuk, Flickr and LinkedIn. Sign up to our email alerts to receive updates on merger cases.

The 12 non-executive members of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Board have today (28 September 2017) been announced by Science Minister, Jo Johnson.

Designed to teach 11-16 year olds how to act in the unlikely event they are caught in a gun or knife attack, the ACT for YOUTH campaign reinvents the successful ‘Run, Hide, Tell’ public information films for a new generation.

Kids will be taught to RUN if they are able to, HIDE if they are not, and TELL police of the threat only when it is safe to do so. They will also be advised to warn others about an on-going threat, and crucially told NOT to stop and use their mobiles phones until they are safely away from danger.

The three-phase communications and education plan will launch publicly today, Thursday 28 September 2017, and will be supported across policing and government, with the hope that Run, Hide, Tell will eventually make up part of the PSHE, (Personal Social Health Economic), curriculum of formal education at schools and colleges

All previous Counter Terrorism (CT) messaging has been aimed at adults, but following extensive research with children and young people, security experts from the National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NaCTSO) have created age appropriate safety advice to engage and empower a younger audience.

They have also teamed up with key partners such as the NSPCC, Childline and Educate Against Hate, to help and support parents who are understandably anxious about discussing such a topic with their children.

We appreciate that talking to young people about terrorism can be scary, for parents and children alike,” said the National Lead for Protective Security, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Lucy D’Orsi.

But the atrocities in London and Manchester have sadly resulted in some of the youngest victims of terror this country has ever seen, and if we are able to teach children to act in a way which could potentially save their lives then it is our responsibility to do so.

We are particularly concerned when we see people – young and old – using their mobiles to film scenes when they should be moving away from the danger. The recent incident in Parsons Green is a good example of this.

Our research showed that many young people think filming would be a good thing to provide evidence for police. We must get them to understand that the priority must be their safety.

John Cameron, head of NSPCC Helplines, said:

Since April, Childline has already received more than 300 contacts from young people anxious about terrorism, so we know it’s a child welfare issue that is impacting on their emotional wellbeing.

Adults can help a child by listening to their worries, reassuring them these events are rare, and teaching them to Run, Hide, and Tell.

Although these conversations might be difficult, the spate of devastating events means that they cannot be brushed under the carpet and we all have a duty to help every child stay safe.

Through a collaboration with News UK, Counter Terrorism Police have enlisted the support of celebrities and commissioned the creation of a ‘Run, Hide, Tell emoji’ for phase one, with the hope that this ground-breaking communications campaign will reach out across social media platforms, television, radio and news outlets to give young people that life-saving information.

The first of two new Run, Hide, Tell videos features TV personalities Bear Grylls and Ant Middleton, Leicester City footballer Jamie Vardy, England rugby star James Haskell and double Olympic gold medalist Jade Jones, who will tell young people that when caught up in a terror attack: “Real champions run.”

This will be followed in October by a second, longer, video, designed to explain the ‘Run, Hide, Tell’ messaging, and also teach children how to spot and report suspicious behavior or suspicious items.

Later phases of the campaign will then launch this messaging across youth groups such as the Scouts, Guides and Cadets, before finally being made part of the PSHE curriculum of formal education at schools and colleges.