Energy Trends and Energy Prices publications are published today 24 September 2020 by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. The publications cover new data for the second quarter of 2020 (April to June). Energy Trends covers statistics on energy production and consumption, in total and by fuel, and provides an analysis of the year on year changes. Energy Prices covers prices to domestic and industrial consumers, prices of oil products and comparisons of international fuel prices.

Michael John Stanley recently received a 14-year Bankruptcy Restriction Order (BRO) from the court. He is now banned from running limited companies and must disclose his status when he attempts to secure £500 or more in credit.

The court heard that for 9 years between January 2010 and February 2019 Michael Stanley, from Maidstone Kent, operated a betting syndicate, which started out as a hobby, under the trading name Layezy Betting Syndicate.

The syndicate’s original members were family and friends and the scheme would bet on their behalf, earning profits on horses identified by Michael Stanley’s system.

In 2012, the scheme expanded to accept more members beyond just family and friends and over the syndicate’s lifespan, received at least £40.3 million from more than 6,000 members.

The syndicate used at least £1 million to place bets and of the remaining £39 million, Michael Stanley used £27.4 million to make payments to members so it would appear they were earning profits on the syndicate’s success.

These payments, however, did not represent winnings but were made up of payments received by new members. Members were unaware of the deception as they received false information regarding their positions and this was despite Michael Stanley operating a portal allowing members to view their accounts and deposits were performing.

Michael Stanley used various bank accounts he had set-up to collect syndicate members’ money to purchase 23 horses totalling £1.6 million. He also caused the syndicate to make payments totalling at least £780,000 to third parties.

The syndicate suddenly closed in February 2019 following reports in the media and Michael Stanley’s misconduct was uncovered by the Official Receiver after he applied for his own bankruptcy.

Creditors in Michael Stanley’s bankruptcy have made claims which total £53.4 million in respect of monies they have paid over to the syndicate, and £158.7 million on a reported profit basis.

Due to the size of Michael Stanley’ debts and the risk he posed to creditors, the Official Receiver applied to increase the period of his bankruptcy restrictions.

On Tuesday 8 September, ICC Judge Prentis handed down the 14-year BRO to Michael Stanley. He did not attend the hearing at the High Court.

Deputy Official Receiver Barry Gould said:

Throughout the syndicate’s existence, Michael Stanley acted in a duplicitous manner. For nearly a decade, he duped his members into thinking they were making profits on their bets but in reality, the money received was secured from new members joining the syndicate and not on the scheme’s success.

The court recognised the severity of Michael Stanley’s misconduct and he will now have to comply with 14 more years of bankruptcy restrictions, which will not only severely curtail his activities but also protect members of the public and lenders in the future.

Philip Duffy and Allan Graham of Duff and Phelps have been appointed as Michael Stanley’s trustees in bankruptcy. People who have invested in the Layezy Racing Owners Club should contact the trustees via Layezyinvestors@duffandphelps.com to register as a creditor.

Michael Stanley is from Maidstone Kent and his September 1956.

Details of Michael Stanley’s BRO is available on the Individual Insolvency Register.

Bankruptcy restrictions are wide ranging. The effects are the same whether you are subject to a bankruptcy restrictions order or to an undertaking. Guidance on the main statutory consequences flowing from a bankruptcy restrictions order or undertaking.

Information about the work of the Insolvency Service, and how to complain about financial misconduct.

You can also follow the Insolvency Service on:

Thank you Madam President.

As this Council has repeatedly affirmed, States have the primary responsibility for the promotion and protection of all human rights.

The UK is therefore gravely concerned by the poisoning of Russian opposition politician Alexey Navalny on 20 August. The UK supports the findings of Germany, France, and Sweden that Mr Navalny was poisoned with Novichok. Such use of a banned chemical weapon is abhorrent, and unacceptable.

This follows a long pattern of violence against Russian opposition politicians, including multiple poisonings. A second use of Novichoks, after the attempted assasinations and murder in Salisbury, and after their listing by the OPCW, is a shocking event, the preserve of rogue states. The refusal to investigate this most recent poisoning would be a clear dereliction by the Russian authorities. They must conduct urgently a full and transparent investigation into both the poisoning and the use of a banned chemical weapon.

This is the latest example of the serious and deteriorating human rights situation in Russia, and the intolerance of legitimate opposition. Civil society, human rights defenders and the media face severe repression and persecution. Russia must fulfil its international human rights obligations, including to its own people.

Thank you Madam President.

This week, as part of Climate Week NYC, which runs alongside the UN General Assembly, UK is sharing its ambitious commitments for the environment, the climate and clean energy:

• 22 regions, 452 cities, 1,101 businesses, 549 universities and 45 of the biggest investors have now joined the Race to Zero, the global campaign for a zero-carbon world, including Facebook and Ford
• UK Government launches the COP26 Energy Transition Council, which brings together political, financial and technical leaders in the global power sector to accelerate the transition to clean energy
• £50 million UK Government funding invested in a new Clean Energy Innovation Facility, which aims to support innovative clean technologies in developing countries

These announcements were made by COP26 President and Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Alok Sharma.

He confirmed that major new companies have joined the Race to Zero campaign to accelerate net zero commitments from businesses, cities, regions and investors, including Ford, the first US automotive company to join; LafargeHolcim, the world’s largest cement company; and global social media company Facebook. Their decision demonstrates the clear momentum behind the shift towards a decarbonised economy.

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Lord Callanan, presented the next decade of clean energy cooperation. Lord Callanan announced the launch of the COP26 Energy Transition Council to bring together leaders in the power sector across politics, finance and technology to speed up the transition from coal to renewables in developing countries. The UK will chair the Council alongside the co-chair Damilola Ogunbiyi, the UN Secretary General’s Special Representative for Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL). Together, members will drive the shift to green energy ahead of COP26.

The launch of the Council came as the UK Government announced a £50 million investment in a new Clean Energy Innovation Facility (CEIF) under the UK’s International Climate Finance.

This funding will help developing countries more easily access innovative clean energy technologies to foster clean growth, focusing on key sectors such as industry, cooling, smart energy and storage.

Alok Sharma, COP26 President and UK Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, said:

Climate change affects every single one of us and we all have a part to play to champion climate action ahead of COP26.

Through the Energy Transition Council and the UK’s ambitious climate finance commitments, I hope to drive the transition to cleaner energies, and I urge all businesses, cities and regions to join the Race to Zero coalition.

Damilola Ogunbiyi, CEO and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), said:

We cannot achieve the promise of the Paris Agreement or Sustainable Development Goal 7 – access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all – without a clean energy transition that leaves no one behind.

Today, just under 800 million people globally lack access to electricity and we must close these gaps with renewable, efficient and affordable solutions.

The COP26 Energy Transition Council will play a leading role in supporting countries to move away from fossil fuels and unleash a prosperous, equitable and clean energy transition as they recover better from the pandemic.

Ahead of COP26, the UN High Level Dialogue on Energy will support this vision, including through Energy Compacts and multi-stakeholder partnerships that aim to accelerate universal energy transition and access.

Patricia Espinosa, UNFCCC Executive Secretary, said:

Those involved in the Race to Zero have made a commitment to build that future and to achieve specific goals and will be held to those promises.

The world cannot afford to be let down. Nor can this campaign become something that allows nations to defer action until a later date. It’s about needing more climate ambition and climate action now—in 2020.

British Embassy Athens supports the climate agenda and encourages dialogue and best practices on this issue. Anyone interested can find out more about our initiatives via our social media accounts: UK in Greece on Facebook, @ukingreece on Twitter and on the Twitter account of HM Ambassador Kate Smith CMG @KateSmithFCDO.