Press release: Experience the UK at the Great British Festival
Experience the best of British culture and innovation at the #GreatBritishFestival launch event on 23 February as the British Embassy Manila brings together different UK brands to create a fun-filled day with great British music, fashion, food, and arts at Glorietta 2 Palm Drive Activity Center, Makati City.
Daniel Pruce, British Ambassador to the Philippines said:
In this year’s festival, our goal is to showcase the very best of what Great Britain as a whole nation has to offer. We are gathering a broad spectrum of British companies that represent not only world-class British culture and creativity but also the core values of the nation.
Among the participating companies are: M&S, Speedo, The Body Shop, Lush, Clarks, Shell, STI Limited, Digital Barriers, Diageo, Quorn, Costa Coffee, Union Jack Tavern, Shakeaway, Norton Motorcycles and HSBC.
Different fun activities await everyone in Glorietta Mall on February 23. There will be interactive exhibits, multiple raffles, a great trivia challenge, British film screenings, book reading for children, a whisky pavilion, and the much-anticipated Rockaoke Contest (with a first prize of two tickets to London on Etihad Airways).
Admission to this Great British Festival event is free.
This year’s Festival will be a celebration of UK culture and innovation and will reach out across the Philippines. It will run for two weeks, with activities in Metro Manila, Iloilo, Cebu, Dumaguete, and Baguio.
Organised by the British Embassy and its partners, the Great British Festival 2018 will be a great showcase of the creativity, innovation, culture, heritage and knowledge that spell Britain’s success in fashion, music, food, education and design.
Watch what we’re up to and join in the conversation on our social media channels.
For more information, like and follow the British Embassy Manila on Facebook and Twitter.
News story: Investigation updates: fv Nancy Glen
Updated: Further update on the Nancy Glen investigation following the underwater survey.
Update, 9 February 2018
We have now competed our underwater survey of the wreck of Nancy Glen, which despite the depth and poor underwater visibility has been largely successful. We are now in the process of assessing the extensive quantity of data collected, which is taking some time. We are very conscious of the need to come to a decision as soon as possible as to whether or not the MAIB intends to raise the wreck as part of its investigation. However, we do not expect to make an announcement on this until after the weekend.
News story, 7 February 2018
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) is investigating the capsize and loss of the fishing vessel Nancy Glen and why, tragically, two of the crew did not survive.
The wreck of Nancy Glen is lying at a depth of over 140m. Following a multi-beam sonar survey of the wreck conducted by Northern Lighthouse Board vessel Pharos last weekend, the MAIB has contracted KML to carry out a more detailed survey of the wreck. KML’s vessel Severn Sea is on scene, and has carried out a side-scan sonar survey of the wreck. This has provided us with 3-dimensional information on how the wreck is lying on the seabed and potential obstacles such as wires or nets that could be hazardous to remotely operated vehicle (ROV) operations. The ROV is fitted with cameras, used to collect important evidence as part of our investigation. ROV surveys commenced on Wednesday 7 February, but progress has been slow due to low underwater visibility of around 3 metres and the risk of the ROV becoming snagged on wires and ropes around the wreck. Our inspectors are on board, and are keeping the families updated on progress.
Press enquiries
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Press enquiries out of hours
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News story: Dstl opens apprenticeship recruitment campaign for 2018
At the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), we work to harness science and technology (S&T) to protect our nation – bringing together the best ideas in sometimes unexpected ways.
Because we provide the UK government with specialist S&T research, advice and analysis, our work is often sensitive or international in nature. Much is operationally critical and has the potential to save many lives. All of it is fascinating.
Crucially, we work with other brilliant people – collaborating with everyone from small companies and world-class universities to large defence companies and other nations. Together, we develop battle-winning technologies, based on deep and widespread research, to support UK military operations now and into the future.
We are on the lookout for apprentices to join us at Dstl. Alongside your training you will earn money and get the chance to work on mind-blowing projects in a truly unique environment. It’s an inspiring setting where you can develop wide-ranging skills and gain experience, while learning from some of the brightest minds in the UK.
Dstl employs some of the world’s brightest people. We are always on the lookout for talented, dedicated, creative and innovative individuals to join us.
As an electrical engineer apprentice you will be on a 3 year structured training programme with the chance to experience work across Dstl on different work placements. You will be part of a team of highly skilled and dedicated employees based at our Porton Down site in Salisbury.
Embedded Electronics System and Design Engineer Apprenticeship
Do you want to really make a difference? Be part of an internationally recognised team? Use your practical and theoretical electronics experience?
Join our Platform Systems Division as a degree apprentice. The division supports the Ministry of Defence and other government departments in a broad range of groundbreaking technical research areas. We respond to current and future demands ensuring that the UK retains a battle-winning advantage.
We strengthen and protect our armed forces through groundbreaking technical research. It means safeguarding armoured vehicles, warships and aircraft against the harshest combat environments and providing the most advanced weapon capabilities. Crucially, we ensure that all of this technology and equipment across the military operates together seamlessly.
Cyber and Information Systems Degree Apprenticeship
Do you have a passion for technology? At Dstl we’re looking for people that live and breathe technology. Maybe you have a flare for:
Creativity
Systems thinking
Innovation
Digital embracement
To ensure we stay ahead of the game, we are always on the lookout for talented, dedicated, creative and innovative individuals to contribute to our team. If you think this sounds like you, we would love to hear from you. Cyber and Information Systems Division is the digital hub of the lab with cutting edge facilities. You could be supporting our world-class cyber capability and countering attacks in cyber-space.
This is not a stereotypical ‘computer hacker’ role – it takes an incredible variety of people to achieve our goals. Here you’ll use your computer skills to advance the tools, techniques and tradecrafts required to ensure the UK is able to establish a world-class cyber capability, including the ability to counter-attack in cyberspace.
Our Defence and Security Analysis Division supports the Ministry of Defence and other government departments to ensure intelligent decision making is at the heart of the UK Defence and Security. We develop innovative analytical tools and techniques to take advantage of new advances in science and technology, and provide experienced human and social science advice to maximise the performance of whole systems across the Ministry of Defence and government.
We have a number of project areas in which could work spanning the breadth of UK’s Defence and Security including: the Air and Maritime environments; Modelling and Simulation, Wargaming and statistics; Policy analysis and support; and Human and Social Sciences.
This is an excellent apprenticeship opportunity in Dstl, a Ministry of Defence Agency, for a Data Analyst within the Defence and Security Analysis Division with excellent future career prospects in Data Science, Analysis and the Defence Enterprise.
You will be joining our team of highly skilled and dedicated employees based primarily at our Portsdown West site in Fareham.
Do you want a role where you can show off your organisational skills?
We have an exciting opportunity to join Dstl as an Associate Project Manager Apprentice. You will get to work with our Project Managers in delivering exciting projects giving science and technology support to Defence customers.
Opportunities are available in either our Platform Systems or Defence and Security Analysis Division, where you can support the management of some exciting projects.
Can you communicate effectively, work as part of a team, think on your feet, have the drive to deliver and get things done and able to take personal responsibility for your work and continuous development?
There are apprenticeship vacancies in our Commercial function, based at either of our Portsdown West, Fareham or Porton Down, Salisbury sites.
You will work alongside our Procurement professionals and have a unique opportunity to work at the forefront of Defence research procuring a variety of requirements from materials for our laboratories to delivering research requirements through a range of procurement routes including framework contracts.
Do you have a passion for science; are you enthusiastic, motivated and willing to learn?
We have an exciting opportunity to join Dstl as a laboratory technician apprentice within our Chemical Biological and Radiological Division (CBR), at Porton Down, Salisbury. Our CBR division is the UK’s centre of excellence for chemical, biological, radiological and medical science and technology within government.
We provide an integrated capability, delivering longer term research as well as short term advice and consultancy. You will get to work on exciting projects and work alongside internationally renowned scientists. We need people who can use their skills to innovate and develop technologies which give our country the winning edge.
As an apprentice at Dstl you will learn the technical elements of running a lab, maintaining stock and working on project work that truly makes a difference.
Press release: Director banned for making cold calls to sell call blocking devices
The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy accepted a disqualification undertaking from Leah Kimberley Masters, disqualifying her for six years.
The company was telephoning people to sell a call-blocking device to stop unsolicited calls.
They failed to comply with the rules under the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations, resulted in at least 382 unsolicited marketing calls being made to members of the public who were registered with the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) and who had not consented to receive such calls.
In December 2013, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) informed CCEL that it had received complaints from individual subscribers to TPS that they had received unsolicited marketing calls from CCEL. As a result, CCEL were asked about their compliance with the regulations.
In January 2014 the company informed the ICO that it had purchased the data it used to make the calls from a third party and had not itself screened the data against the TPS. The Company suggested that it would put in place further measures to ensure a reduction in complaints regarding unsolicited marketing calls. The ICO placed the company under a 3 month monitoring period, during which time complaints continued.
Following a meeting in August 2014 the company was placed under further monitoring but after an initial improvement complaints continued to be made. Between 14 June 2013 and 31 March 2015 the TPS received 382 complaints. A notice of intent to issue a monetary penalty was issued to CCEL by the ICO in July 2015.
In September 2015 a fine of £75,000 was issued against CCEL for making unsolicited marketing calls to sell cold calling devices.
The fine was not paid by the due date (15 October 2015) and as a result the ICO issued a winding up petition against the company which led to the company entering into voluntary liquidation proceedings on 8 December 2016.
The Insolvency Service is continuing to work very closely with the ICO to take action in cases where these breaches are discovered.
Commenting on the disqualification, David Brooks, Chief Investigator at the Insolvency Service, said:
This is a serious case where the actions of the director and the company have caused distress to members of the public in contravention of UK and EC regulations.
This ban reflects the seriousness of these actions and the robust stance that the Insolvency Service will take against those whose conduct falls below accepted commercial standards.
Andy Curry, Enforcement Group Manager at the Information Commissioner’s Office, said:
The people behind nuisance calls cause upset and distress and we’re in the business of cracking down on them.
We will pursue all options in the event of unpaid fines, and work closely with other regulators such as the Insolvency Service and Claims Management Regulator. The disqualification of a director behind a nuisance call firm is another welcome step in the fight.
Notes to editors
Leah Kimberley Masters is of Chichester and her date of birth is January 1984.
Cold Call Elimination Limited (Co. No. 08388416) was incorporated on 5 February 2013 and traded as a Telephone Marketing Company at Suite 1 Metro House, Northgate, Chichester, PO19 1BE. Leah Kimberley Masters was the sole director of the company.
The company utilised data obtained from a third party to market an electronic call blocking device that would allow vulnerable people and others to block nuisance calls.
A number of complaints to the Telephone Preference Service and the Information Commissioners office led to contact between the company and the ICO. Following a meeting held in August 2014 between the company and the ICO, concerns regarding the call data, the data suppliers used by CCEL and the outbound calls scripts used were discussed.
In July 2015 the Company received notice from the ICO of their intention to impose a fine of £75,000. The company attempted to appeal but the fine was upheld and in September 2015 the fine was formalised.
In October 2016 the Company became aware of a winding up Petition presented by the ICO for the unpaid fine, and as a result of advice received entered into voluntary Liquidation on 8 December 2016.
At Liquidation the company had assets of £14,000 and liabilities of £145,958 of which £75,000 was due to the ICO.
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.
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.
Contact Press Office
Media enquiries for this press release – 020 7674 6910 or 020 7596 6187
This service is for journalists only. For any other queries, please contact the Insolvency Enquiry line on 0300 678 0015.
For all media enquiries outside normal working hours, please contact the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Press Office on 020 7215 1000.
Press release: Bradford directors disqualified over purchase of gold bullion
Dr Gul-Nawaz Khan Akbar, Mumtaz Khan Akbar, Rab Nawaz Khan Akbar, Fameeda Akbar and Kauser Akbar have been disqualified relating to their directorships of Greentabs Ltd (known whilst it traded, as Mumtaz Food Industries Ltd), which traded as a restaurant and food manufacturing plant.
The bans follow disqualification orders made in the High Court in Leeds on 16 November 2017 following an investigation by the Insolvency Service. The disqualifications began on 8 December 2017.
Dr Gul-Nawaz Khan Akbar, the managing director of Mumtaz Food Industries Ltd has been disqualified for 6 years. He failed to act in the best interest of the company by purchasing gold bullion to the value of £976,055 with company funds for his sole benefit whilst creditors amounting to £447,997 remained unpaid.
Dr Akbar’s two brothers, Mumtaz Khan Akbar and Rab Nawaz Khan Akbar were aware of the transaction and allowed it to happen, have each been disqualified for three years.
Dr Akbar’s wife, Fameeda Akbar, and Mumtaz Khan Akbar’s wife, Kauser Akbar, were each disqualified for 2 years for not upholding corporate governance requirements..
Between 30 November 2012 and 11 December 2012 Gold bullion with a value of £976,055 was purchased by Mumtaz Food Industries Ltd. Company board meetings minutes show that it was agreed by Dr Akbar, Mumtaz Khan Akbar and Rab Nawaz Khan Akbar that the title to that gold would pass solely to Dr Akbar via the use of an Employee Benefit Trust.
Prior to the purchase of the gold bullion, £447,997 was owed to six unassociated creditors, which Mumtaz Food Industries Ltd failed to pay and which remained outstanding at the time of liquidation.
Towards the end of 2012, Mumtaz Food Industries Ltd’s trade was scaled down and on 24 May 2013 it entered into voluntary liquidation with an estimated deficiency of £805,630.
Commenting on the disqualifications, Robert Clarke, Group Leader of Insolvent Investigations North at the Insolvency Service, said:
Directors who put their own personal financial interests above those of creditors, or who fail to take their directorial responsibilities seriously damage confidence in doing business and are corrosive to the health of the local economy.
It sends a clear message to other company directors that if you run a company in a way that is detrimental to either its customers or its creditors you may be investigated by the Insolvency Service and as a result removed from the corporate trading environment.
Notes to editors
Dr Gul Nawaz Khan Akbar’s date of birth is July 1960.
Mumtaz Khan Akbar’s date of birth is February 1959.
Rab Nawaz Khan Akbar’s date of birth is January 1972.
Fameeda Akbar’s date of birth is November 1967.
Kauser Akbar’s date of birth is August 1967.
All of the directors reside in Bradford.
Greentabs Ltd (CRO No 03484420) formerly known as Mumtaz Food Industries Ltd was incorporated on 22 December 1997 and traded from premises in Great Horton Road, Bradford, W Yorks, BD7 3HS as a restaurant and food manufacturing plant.
Dr Gul Nawaz Khan Akbar and Rab Nawaz Akbar were appointed directors from incorporation until the liquidation of the company. Mumtaz Khan, Fameeda and Kauser Akbar were appointed on 7 April 1999 and continued until the Liquidation of the company.
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
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.
Contact Press Office
Media enquiries for this press release – 020 7674 6910 or 020 7596 6187
This service is for journalists only. For any other queries, please contact the Insolvency Enquiry line on 0300 678 0015.
For all media enquiries outside normal working hours, please contact the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Press Office on 020 7215 1000.
