Bradford resident who spent £48,000 on luxury items despite being insolvent has bankruptcy restrictions extended for eight years.

Children most at risk of being targeted by gangs or violent crime will benefit from better support from specialists across education, health, social care, police and the voluntary sector in a programme launch today (Thursday 9 May) by Education Secretary Damian Hinds.

The new ‘Tackling Child Exploitation Support Programme’ is designed to improve how different local areas respond to child exploitation – such as gang, ‘county lines’ drug dealing, online grooming, sexual exploitation, trafficking or modern slavery – backed by £2 million. It will help equip professionals involved in the protection of young people to identify those most at risk from dangers in their communities and online.

Education Secretary Damian Hinds said:

Being safe at school and having a stable home life is the best form of protection for the children as they grow up – but we know that those who are the most vulnerable, are the most at risk of exploitation of those who want to take advantage of them.

We are all united in cracking down on those who try to lead vulnerable young people down a dangerous path, and the threats they face are multiple and complex. We must make sure that we work together and this new approach to better support teachers, police and health professionals will improve the expertise and guidance available to all those who care for and educate young people.

Exploitation can take a variety of forms, and often there is a link between the threats vulnerable young people are exposed to. The National Crime Agency (NCA) found that in 2017 more than a third (35 per cent) of police forces reported evidence of child sexual exploitation in relation to so-called ‘county lines’ activity – a practice used by criminals of using children and young people to traffic drugs from one region to another, often in rural areas.

National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for child protection, Chief Constable Simon Bailey, said:

The grooming techniques now being used by county lines gangs are similar to what we see in online sexual exploitation of children. Often young people don’t see themselves as victims and are flattered by feeling part of a group and gifts, so they are less likely to speak to police.

That’s why a joined up approach involving teachers, doctors, parents and others is crucial and this new programme will bring all our efforts together to help keep our young people safe. Child protection is a key policing priority and we will continue to do all we can to pursue and prosecute criminals who exploit the vulnerable.

The new programme builds on the Government’s work to take a united approach to solving the growing concern of serious violence among the most vulnerable young people. It follows the announcement of the Department for Education’s ‘Strengthening Families, Protecting Children’ programme, backed by £84 million to implement three landmark projects that strengthen and support families in up to 20 new eligible council areas.

The launch of the ‘Tackling Child Exploitation’ programme comes the day after the first meeting of the Prime Minister’s Serious Violence Taskforce (8 May), which focussed specifically on improving and better coordinating the response to knife crime across government departments, supporting work on the front line with communities, agencies and charities to stop youth violence.

The creation of the Ministerial taskforce was announced during a ‘Serious Youth Violence Summit’ in Downing Street, which took place between 1 and 4 April.

The Summit brought together over 100 attendees from a diverse range of backgrounds, including young people with experience living in communities impacted by serious violence, law enforcement, the voluntary sector and health and education experts, to explore what more we can do as a whole society to tackle knife crime.

Every council in England will be able to apply for bespoke support from the scheme to tackle specific threats in their area, bringing social workers, police forces, schools, health services and charities together to improve how they respond to cases of exploitation, and learn from what works.

The programme will be led by a team of academics and experts led by Research in Practice, together with The Children’s Society and the University of Bedfordshire. They will consult widely with the sector to make sure the support available reflects local priorities and needs, building on the strong work already underway. Support available is likely to include:

• support from staff with expertise in tackling particular areas of exploitation;
• help for areas to assess their needs, strengths and weaknesses in responding to exploitation threats;
• online learning materials based on the best available evidence from research;
• support to create strategies and improving data collation so that councils and safeguarding partners can respond more effectively to concerns; and
• setting up research projects in local areas to build a better knowledge base about threats to children outside their family home.

Dez Holmes, Director of Research in Practice said:

It is increasingly clear that addressing different types of exploitation and harm requires local areas to break down siloes and work across geographical and professional boundaries. Children do not fit into neat categories; many of these issues, historically addressed separately, are often connected.

We are delighted to be playing a role in the sector’s efforts to develop a more effective response to these complex harms, and warmly welcome the Government’s investment. We are particularly proud to be working with colleagues across the sector to deliver this programme. By building on the considerable expertise that exists and by creating new knowledge together, we can help children, families and communities to be safer.

The Secretary of state has today announced appointments to the Livestock and Meat Commission

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, the Rt. Hon Karen Bradley MP, has announced the reappointments of the Chair and four members of the Board of the Livestock and Meat Commission (LMC) for Northern Ireland. In the absence of Northern Ireland Ministers, the reappointments were made possible by powers under the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation and Exercise of Functions) Act 2018.

Gerard McGivern has been reappointed as Chair and Harry Sinclair, Jim Lennon, Oonagh Chesney and Gerry Maguire have been reappointed as members for a further term of three years.

The Secretary of State said:

My absolute priority is to see the restoration of the Executive at the earliest opportunity.

In the interim my responsibility is to ensure good governance and stable public services in the best interests of the people of Northern Ireland.

I am therefore pleased to make these appointments so that the Board can continue to support the LMC in its important mission of supporting, examining and informing the marketing and development of the Northern Ireland beef and sheep meat industry

NOTES FOR EDITORS

The Livestock and Meat Commission for Northern Ireland

The LMC was established under the Livestock Marketing Commission Act (NI) 1967. It is an Executive NDPB and is sponsored by DAERA’S Agri Food Policy Branch. The LMC was established in 1967 and has the general duty of assisting the development of the livestock (cattle and sheep) and livestock products sectors of the local agri-food industry. It provides a range of services to producers and meat traders including market intelligence and undertakes promotional activities. It also administers the Farm Quality Assurance Scheme and market support arrangements for beef and lamb in Northern Ireland.

LMC Reappointments

These reappointments are made in accordance with The Commissioner for Public Appointments in Northern Ireland’s “Code of Practice”. The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland is acting under the auspices of section 5(1) of the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation and Exercise of Functions) Act 2018, as amended by the Northern Ireland (Ministerial Appointment Functions) Regulations 2019. Provision for the LMC is set out in the Livestock Marketing Commission Act (Northern Ireland) 1967. The Board is sponsored by the Department of Agriculture Environment and Rural Affairs.

The role of a Board member of LMC is remunerated at around £6,500 annually, the role of Chair of the LMC Board is remunerated at around £17,345 annually.

Biographies of Appointees

Biographies, showing the range of skills and experience which the members bring to these roles, can be found on the Livestock and Meat Commission website. The Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland requires that other Ministerial public appointments held by appointees are published. Gerard McGivern is a Non Executive Director for the Northern Health and Social Care Trust, for which he receives £7960 per annum remuneration. Harry Sinclair is a board member for the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (where he is Chairman for the Farm Safety Partnership) for which he receives £3770 per annum remuneration.

Political Activity

All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, the Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland requires the political activity of appointees to be published. Jim Lennon has declared that he supported the SDLP party during the 2015 general election. Other appointees declared no political activity.

Domestic abuse victims may seek injunctions more easily and with less stress as part of a test into the use of fully-video court hearings.