I was appalled by last night’s multiple Houthi missile launches at Saudi Arabia, which threatened civilian areas and resulted in at least one fatality. I offer my condolences to the families of those killed and injured. Building on the recent UN Panel of Experts report, we will be calling on the UN to investigate how these latest missiles found their way into Yemen in contravention of Security Council Resolutions.

The United Kingdom stands shoulder to shoulder with Saudi Arabia in the face of such serious national security threats. Those responsible must cease these dangerous and provocative actions. A return to political dialogue remains vital to ensuring an end to the conflict for the sake of the Yemeni people and regional security. British nationals in Saudi Arabia should continue to follow FCO Travel Advice.

Skills Minister Anne Milton has highlighted how the Government’s careers strategy sets out how it will ensure all young people can learn from employers and providers about the range of opportunities available to them.

The strategy includes new legislation that aims to give all young people the chance to talk regularly to local education and training providers. This means young people can learn more about different routes to higher-level skills and the workplace, including technical and professional qualifications, apprenticeships, traineeships and supported internships.

The new careers guidance law introduced in January 2018 requires all maintained schools and academies to provide opportunities for a range of education and training providers to have access to pupils, to inform them about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.

Skills Minister Anne Milton explained why this new legislation is important:

I want every young person, whatever their background, to have a good understanding of both the academic and technical routes that can lead to future success in a rewarding career or job.

We must expand the breadth of information that young people receive on all education and training options but particularly technical options and apprenticeships. It is only by talking directly to a range of providers, including university technical colleges, FE colleges and apprenticeship providers, that young people can truly appreciate the opportunities available to them.

To comply, schools must publish a policy statement on their website setting out how providers can request access. The statement can be short but must include:

• the process for requesting access – this might be details for the main contact point at the school
• grounds for granting and refusing access – this might include details of timetabled careers lessons, assemblies or events which providers may attend
• details of premises or facilities available to those given access – this might be a brief reference to rooms and resources

Skills Minister Anne Milton said:

I recognise that schools have needed time to adjust to this new legislation but, now that it is in place, all schools should have published their arrangements for providers to visit all pupils in years 8 to 13. I know that schools already provide a range of inspiring and informative careers events, assemblies and options evenings. In many cases, schools can comply with the legislation by integrating a range of opportunities for provider visits into those existing plans and making this information publicly available.

More details about what schools need to do to comply with the legislation are in Careers guidance and access for education and training providers. This includes an example policy statement, which schools can adapt to suit their needs. This must take account of what action is required to comply with the law, as set out in paragraphs 61 to 69.

The descendants of Field Marshal Haig and Marshal Foch joined Matt Hancock, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and dignitaries from the UK and France at a ceremony dedicated to Ferdinand Foch.

His appointment marked the first time the Allied forces fought under one strategic commander and was a significant factor in the successful coordinated defence against the German Spring Offensive and the gains made by the Allies in the summer of 1918.

Attendees laid wreaths to honour Marshal Foch at the statue honouring him in Lower Grosvenor Gardens, Victoria, London.

Matt Hancock, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, said:

The decision to coordinate military operations under Foch’s leadership was crucial. It united the Allied forces who then fought as one to victory and peace in November 1918.

Foch said he had served England as if she were his own country. In our final year of First World War centenary commemorations, it is right that we mark the appointment of Marshal Foch so future generations remember the pivotal role he played in the outcome of the war.

On 26 March, 1918, Marshal Foch was appointed Supreme Allied Commander on the Western Front. This was in response to the start of the German Spring Offensive, which pushed the Allies back to their 1914 lines.

This event is the first in the Government’s 2018 programme that will help people understand how the nature of the war changed during the summer of 1918 and led to the signing of the Armistice on 11 November. The appointment of Marshal Foch as Supreme Allied Commander and the strategic leadership he brought were instrumental to the Allies’ success at the Battle of Amiens and the subsequent Hundred Days Offensive.

The Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) are:

• John Campion, PCC for West Mercia
• Matthew Ellis, PCC for Staffordshire
• Jason Ablewhite, PCC for Cambridgeshire

This announcement builds on the provisions of the Policing and Crime Act 2017, which introduced measures enabling PCCs to submit a proposal to the Home Secretary to take on governance of a Fire and Rescue Authority where a local case was made.

These PCCs will join Roger Hirst of Essex, who became the country’s first Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner in October 2017.

In their proposals, each PCC has identified a number of collaborative opportunities through the new governance structure, these include shared estate and back office functions and closer alignment on prevention and resource deployment.

Before submitting their proposal, each PCC was required to undertake a local consultation, considering the views of relevant local stakeholders. As the relevant local authorities in each PCCs area did not support the transfer of governance, the Home Secretary commissioned independent assessments of each proposal in November 2017.

The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) carried out each independent assessment. CIFPA has substantial public finance expertise and works closely with police and fire and rescue services and was therefore well placed to carry out these assessments.

As this process must be independent of government, it was for CIPFA to determine the conduct of their assessment, and to provide the Home Secretary with its opinion as to whether the statutory tests set out in the Act had been met. In doing so, CIPFA sought the views of the local police force, fire service and local authorities.

The Home Secretary carefully considered the contents of the proposals, consultation materials, the views and representations made by statutory consultees and the PCC responses to them. Together with the independent assessment, the Home Secretary was satisfied the proposals demonstrated that a transfer of governance would be in the interests of the local economy, efficiency and effectiveness, without having an adverse effect upon public safety.

In the interests of transparency, and in line with the provisions of the Policing and Crime Act 2017, each independent assessment has today been published.

CEO fraud involves the impersonation of a senior figure (usually the Chief Executive Officer) with subsequent requests for transfers of funds. Action Fraud, the UK’s national fraud reporting centre, have reported an increase in this type of fraud.

The most recent reports have involved targeting of schools where fraudsters have falsely claimed to be the head teacher or principal.

We issued an alert in January 2016 warning of the similar threat posed by mandate fraud.

What to look out for

Requests to your finance department or staff with authority to transfer funds, usually from a spoofed or similar email address to that of the subject being impersonated.

There are some reported instances where fraudsters have called up to make themselves appear legitimate. In addition, a second fraudster may be introduced who poses as a lawyer or regulator. The caller may claim to be based in another country.

With a strong social engineering element, the fraudster often requests that they, as the CEO, are not contacted further by the financial officer as they are busy.

Alternatively the fraudster may pick occasions when the real CEO is on holiday, preventing the financial officer from checking the validity of the request.

Protection and prevention advice

• review internal procedures regarding how transactions are requested and approved, especially those in relation to verifying validity
• email addresses can be spoofed to appear as though an email is from someone you know. Check email addresses and telephone numbers when transactions are requested. If in doubt request clarification from an alternatively sourced email address/phone number
• if an email is unexpected or unusual, then don’t click on the links or open the attachments
• don’t be afraid to question details when being tasked to transfer money at short notice
• sensitive information you post publicly, or dispose of incorrectly, can be used by fraudsters to perpetrate fraud against you. The more information they have about you, the more convincingly they can purport to be one of your legitimate suppliers or employees. Always shred confidential documents before throwing them away

Reporting fraud

If your charity has fallen victim to CEO, or any other type of fraud, you should report it to Action Fraud by calling 0300 123 2040, or visiting the Action Fraud website.

Charities affected by fraud should also report it to the Charity Commission as a serious incident, using the dedicated email address: rsi@charitycommission.gsi.gov.uk

Serious incident reporting helps us to assess the volume and impact of incidents within charities, and to understand the risks facing the sector as a whole. Where appropriate, the Charity Commission can also provide timely advice and guidance.

Notes

The Charity Commission, the independent regulator of charities in England and Wales, is issuing this alert to charities as regulatory advice under section 15(2) of the Charities Act 2011.