News story: New Director-General of Border Force appointed

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He will replace Sir Charles Montgomery, who will be moving on in September after a distinguished 44-year career in the Royal Navy and Civil Service.

Mr Lincoln, who is currently Director-General of the Home Office’s Crime, Policing and Fire Group (CPFG), will take up his new role in the autumn.

He will take overall responsibility for Border Force, a law enforcement command within the Home Office which secures the UK border by carrying out immigration and customs controls for people and goods entering the UK.

Mr Lincoln joined the Home Office in 2014 as national security director and then acting Director-General in the Office of Security and Counter Terrorism (OSCT) before joining CPFG.

Permanent Secretary Philip Rutnam and Second Permanent Secretary Patsy Wilkinson said:

Paul has done a tremendous job in leading CPFG over the past year, overseeing and driving its mission to keep people safe, cut crime, protect the vulnerable and reform police, fire and rescue services.

We would like to thank Paul for his leadership in this area and look forward to working with him as director-general for Border Force.

We would also like to thank Sir Charles for his dedicated years of service in the Home Office and, before that, the Ministry of Defence. Sir Charles has played a vital role in leading Border Force through a period of significant transformation whilst ensuring that the UK borders remain secure.

Commenting on his appointment, Paul Lincoln said:

I am delighted to have the opportunity to lead Border Force at such an important time. I look forward to working with colleagues across the organisation who strive to secure our border and promote national prosperity.

It has been a privilege to have been the Director-General of CPFG, working with colleagues and partners to make the country a safer place.

Sir Charles was appointed Director-General of Border Force in 2013 after a long career in the Royal Navy.

Sir Charles Montgomery said:

It has been a great privilege for me to lead the men and women of Border Force in fulfilling its vital role and meeting its operational objectives.

I am committed to making this personal contribution until the very last moment I leave the office.

I am delighted that I am to be succeeded by Paul, who has all the personal and professional qualities to be an outstanding Director-General of Border Force.

China’s cabinet eyes lowering corporate burdens in inspection

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The State Council, China’s cabinet, said Thursday its upcoming nationwide inspection would focus on the implementation of measures to reduce corporate burden.

The central government will review efforts to reduce or scrap businesses administrative fees, and whether arbitrary administrative charges were imposed on enterprises, it said in a statement.

The central government has pledged to reduce corporate costs by 1 trillion yuan (about 147 billion U.S. dollars) this year.

Recent measures to cut administrative fees and lower the financial burden of companies have supported stable economic growth, but the efforts of some local governments and departments have been lax, noted the statement.

The State Council last month decided to start a new round of reform inspections to ensure tasks for this year’s economic and social work will be achieved on schedule.

This is the fourth such nationwide inspection since it began in 2014.

Draft intelligence law highlights legal rights protection

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Lawmakers Thursday deliberated a draft national intelligence law that contains measures to protect the legal rights and interests of individuals and organizations.

The draft was submitted to the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress for the second reading at the start of its bi-monthly session.

China will protect and honor individuals and organizations who support or coordinate with national intelligence staff, and award those who have made “great contributions” to national intelligence work, it stated.

The draft stipulated that national intelligence agencies and their staff are not allowed to take advantage of their positions to seek personal benefits, and anyone found to have done so will be held accountable in accordance with the law.

In addition, national intelligence agencies should help individuals and organizations report information to intelligence authorities, while those who attempt to deceive (the public) in the name of national intelligence interest may face criminal charges, it said.

A national intelligence law is needed to improve national intelligence work and safeguard national security, lawmakers agreed.

The law was first read and deliberated at the top legislature’s bi-monthly session in December 2016.

Xi calls for unholding ‘Lyuliang spirit’ in poverty relief

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Chinese President Xi Jinping (C) talks with veterans at the former site of a military region command in Xing County of north China’s Shanxi Province, June 21, 2017. Xi had an inspection tour in Shanxi Wednesday. [Photo/Xinhua]

President Xi Jinping said more should be done to end poverty and improve the standard of living in revolutionary base areas.

Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks during a tour Wednesday of Lyuliang and Xinzhou, two revolutionary base areas in Shanxi Province.

On Wednesday morning, Xi visited Lyuliang revolutionary memorial museum in Xing County of Lyuliang City and left a basket of flowers in a mark of respect for the country’s martyrs, the term used for war heros.

Xi spoke highly of the “Lyuliang spirit” and said it should be used as motivation to “improve people’s lives and to achieve the great rejuvenation of the nation.”

During the tour, Xi spoke about how the poverty relief campaign related to the target of achieving a “moderately prosperous society in an all-round way” by 2020.

Also on Wednesday, Xi visited the village of Zhaojiawa, an impoverished area in Xinzhou City, where he talked with villagers and officials.

Xi spoke of improving living conditions through relocation and called for better supporting measures that would ensure income sources for residents.

The president also met with poverty-relief work teams, and praised their efforts.

Xi said sending officials to serve as first Party committee secretaries at the local level was not only conducive to the poverty eradication campaign, but also improved the competence of officials. He proposed that promising officials at this level should be considered for promotions.

The president vowed continued efforts to improve people’s lives and asked everyone to “roll up sleeves and work harder together with the CPC Central Committee.”

Scottish Government should be stripped of right to appoint SPA chair

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22 Jun 2017

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The next chair of the Scottish Police Authority should be publicly appointed, and not chosen by Scottish Government ministers, it has been argued.

Scottish Conservative MSP Margaret Mitchell said, after current chair Andrew Flanagan announced his departure, it was time for the style of appointment to be changed.

She wants to see the SPA chair chosen in the same way positions like the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman are selected, through a panel chaired by Holyrood’s presiding officer involving MSPs from all parties.

She made the comments at today’s Scottish Parliament policing sub-committee.

It follows weeks of criticism of the SPA and its senior staff members over a lack of accountability and transparency.

Scottish Conservative MSP Margaret Mitchell, convener of Holyrood’s justice committee, said:

“We are now on to our third SPA chair in just over four years.

“It’s self-evident that the previous chairs have lacked the necessary skills and experience, on issues like handling the media, to justify their appointment.

“Coupled with this, there has always been a concern about their independence, given they owe their appointment to the Scottish ministers of the day.

“It’s now time to review the appointment by ministers and consider appointing the SPA chair in an open and transparent manner.”