The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial strategy accepted disqualification undertakings from Tuncay Saglam (51) and Leyla Saglam (50) meaning neither shall not be a director of a company whether directly or indirectly, or be involved in the management of a company in any way for seven years unless they have permission from court.

The disqualifications follow collaboration between the Insolvency Service and HMRC, whose investigations established that Mr and Mrs Saglam caused or allowed the company to submit inaccurate statutory VAT returns to HMRC by the deliberate suppression of sales income being to their benefit.

An in depth HMRC investigation revealed that the company had failed to record all of its cash takings and had therefore under-declared the VAT. As a result, HMRC raised a VAT assessment including interest and civil penalties of over £168,000. Additionally, HMRC also reassessed the company’s Corporation Tax liability to be in excess of £210,000 and raised Corporation Tax penalties in excess of £141,000.

At liquidation, HMRC stated that the company owed in excess of £545,000 in relation to arrears of VAT, PAYE and National Insurance Contributions, and Corporation Tax.

Commenting on the disqualification, Lawrence Zussman, Deputy Head of Investigations with the Insolvency Service said:

The periods of these disqualifications sends a clear message to other company directors that tax abuse of any kind, particularly when it comes to suppression of cash takings by directors will not be tolerated.

Defrauding the Exchequer of taxes, deprives the public services of much needed funds required to ensure the public receives the services it rightfully deserves.

The Insolvency Service will therefore not hesitate to take action against directors so they cannot abuse limited liability provided by trading through a company.

Tuncay Saglam (date of birth January 1966) and Leyla Saglam (date of birth December 1967), both of London, were directors of Mr Cod Morden Ltd (Company No. 06649655), which was incorporated in July 2008. Mr and Mrs Saglam have been disqualified for a period of 7 years each from 5 January 2018 having given undertakings to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

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]( https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/corporate-insolvency-effect-of-a-disqualification-order

The Insolvency Service, an executive agency sponsored by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), administers the insolvency regime, and aims to deliver and promote a range of investigation and enforcement activities both civil and criminal in nature, to support fair and open markets. We do this by effectively enforcing the statutory company and insolvency regimes, maintaining public confidence in those regimes and reducing the harm caused to victims of fraudulent activity and to the business community, including dealing with the disqualification of directors in corporate failures.

BEIS’ mission is to build a dynamic and competitive UK economy that works for all, in particular by creating the conditions for business success and promoting an open global economy. The Criminal Investigations and Prosecutions team contributes to this aim by taking action to deter fraud and to regulate the market. They investigate and prosecute a range of offences, primarily relating to personal or company insolvencies.

The agency also authorises and regulates the insolvency profession, assesses and pays statutory entitlement to redundancy payments when an employer cannot or will not pay employees, provides banking and investment services for bankruptcy and liquidation estate funds and advises ministers and other government departments on insolvency law and practice.

Further information about the work of the Insolvency Service, and how to complain about financial misconduct, is available.

Media enquiries for this press release – 020 7674 6910 or 020 7596 6187

You can also follow the Insolvency Service on:

Following on from last year, Dstl has continued to expand its apprenticeship scheme, this year offering opportunities for 18 year olds and beyond. This includes the chance to gain a degree and other qualifications while in employment, with a competitive salary and 25 days paid annual leave.

Jade Ward, Dstl’s Apprenticeship Adviser said:

“Dstl has a proven track record of successful apprenticeship programmes. We offer a pathway to earn while you learn while gaining real hands-on work experience without the debt of going to university. We are proud to offer these opportunities supporting the Government’s 2020 vision of getting up to three million people enrolled on apprenticeship schemes across the UK.”

26 year-old Louise, a first year electrical engineering apprentice, said:

“I have just started my apprenticeship with Dstl and I am thoroughly enjoying it. I was not academically inclined at school, and so was a little concerned, but I have not once felt that I cannot keep up – the tutors are really great and I definitely don’t feel disadvantaged.”

Dstl employee 20 year-old Zac said:

“I have recently graduated from the apprenticeship and have secured a permanent job. Throughout the apprenticeship I learnt lots of new techniques and skills, which gave me a good foot in to the group I am now working in.”

The Dstl apprenticeship scheme is a mix of formal classroom-based study alongside practical hands-on training in our workshop, laboratory and office facilities.

Apprentices are based at sites in Porton Down, near Salisbury and Portsdown West, near Fareham. Dstl has a diverse, inclusive workforce and welcomes applications from all backgrounds to apply.

To find out how to register visit Dstl Apprenticeship Opportunities

The Charity Commission has issued an official warning to the Islamic Trust (Maidenhead) after finding misconduct and mismanagement in the administration of the charity.

The Commission opened an inquiry into the charity in April 2017 after its trustees failed to file its statutory returns for 2016 on time. This is despite having previously been part of the Commission’s class inquiry into double defaulters and providing assurances to the Commission that they would not default again.

The Commission subsequently issued an order under section 84 of the Charities Act directing the trustees to prepare and submit the outstanding statutory returns, and explain what steps had been taken to prepare them. The trustees complied in full with the order and the outstanding statutory returns were submitted in May 2017.

As part of the inquiry, the Commission met with the charity’s trustees and inspected the charity’s books and records. The Commission identified a number of deficiencies in the charity’s governance which are set out in the report published today.

The inquiry concluded that the trustees did not properly discharge their duties under charity law. In December 2017 the Commission used its regulatory powers to issue the charity with an official warning under section 75A of the Charities Act. The warning sets out that the trustees must take all reasonable steps to ensure that future statutory returns are submitted on time.

The Charity Commission’s Director of Investigations, Monitoring and Enforcement Michelle Russell said:

Keeping detailed financial records and filing accounts on time, in addition to being a legal requirement for charities with an annual income over £25,000, is crucial to being able to evidence your charity’s effectiveness to donors, beneficiaries and the regulator. It’s also necessary to show that charitable funds are being spent on legitimate causes. In this case there were clear failings in the charity’s financial management and overall governance, despite receiving previous advice from the Commission as part of our double defaulters class inquiry.

The trustees also failed to keep records of their wider decision-making which meant they were unable to show that they acted reasonably, in the best interests of the charity and took advice where appropriate.

The full inquiry report is available on GOV.UK

Ends

Notes to editors

1. The Charity Commission is the regulator of charities in England and Wales. To find out more about our work, see the about us page on GOV.UK.
2. Search for charities on our check charity tool.
3. The duty to file accounts and the trustees’ annual report with the Commission applies to all CIOs, irrespective of income and to all other registered charities whose gross yearly income exceeds £25,000.

Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns will laud the “unyielding and commendable efforts” of all involved in the resurrection of one of Britain’s oldest and most famous rugby clubs when he attends a dinner at London Welsh rugby club this evening (9 Feb).

Mr Cairns will be joined at the dinner at the club’s Old Deer Park ground by Welsh Rugby legend Sir Gareth Edwards who will look back on his career and reflect on some of the great players and rugby that defined one of the oldest and most famous clubs in the world.

The event comes in the wake of a challenging year for the club which saw them cease to exist as a professional club, only to be brought back to life through the belief, commitment and dedication of its supporters, staff and sponsors.

Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns will say:

London Welsh rugby club is a place where we celebrate Welsh people’s passion for the game – a real home from home for Welsh people living in London.

And the fact that we will gather in Old Deer Park this evening is made even more poignant when we consider the challenges this club has faced over the past year.

I want to applaud the unyielding efforts of everyone involved – both on and off the field – who have overcome the hurdles in front of them to bring the club back to life and to bring it back to its legions of fans.

It is clear that this club gets into your blood and each and every supporter, player, staff member and sponsor should be commended for what you have achieved.

The Welsh Secretary will be speaking at the dinner on the eve of Wales’ second Six Nations Championship match. Warren Gatland’s men will head to Twickenham fully charged following their bruising defeat over Scotland, and aiming for a second tournament win on the bounce when they take to the field against England.

The event is being held ahead of the Wales Week in London festival – an annual series of activities and events that celebrate and promote everything that’s great about Wales.

Through a calendar of events around St David’s Day, which galvanises existing Welsh communities in London, Wales Week in London builds a positive momentum across the capital that is distinctly about Wales.

Mr Cairns added:

Wales Week in London is a fortnight centred around St David’s Day where the very best of Welsh business, sport, culture and public life come together in the capital to celebrate everything that’s great about Wales.

Businessmen Dan Langford and Mike Jordan – who each have business in Wales – have cultivated this festival of celebration to create a buzz about Wales and all it has to offer.

I would strongly encourage Welsh men and Women who have made their home in the UK’s capital to visit the Wales Week in London website and sign up to attend some of the brilliant events they have planned to celebrate our great nation.