Thank you for your introduction Lloyd [Dorfman].

As Home Secretary, there’s a certain expectation that I speak up. That I speak at dinners, speak at Cabinet, speak on Andrew Marr’s sofa.

But occasionally, I get invited just to listen.

As part of Holocaust Memorial Week in January, I was invited to hear Hannah Lewis, a Holocaust survivor, tell her story. I’m sure many of you will know it, but for those of you who don’t, Hannah’s life was turned upside down by the Nazis.

In 1942, the Germans began rounding up the Jews where she lived and Hannah’s family were sent to a labour camp in the Polish village of Adampol.

Her father managed to escape to join the Partisans, leaving Hannah and her mother at the camp.

Now, one of the things the Partisans did in the area was to warn the Jews in the labour camps of imminent raids by the German killing squads.

In the last winter of the occupation, Hannah’s father managed to reach Adampol to warn Hannah and her mother of a raid the next day.

But Hannah was sick. So sick in fact that her mother knew that if they escaped the camp and went into the cold then Hannah would surely die. So Hannah’s mother decided they would stay put.

The next morning, the German police arrived.

Hannah’s mother was lined up against the village wall and shot dead while Hannah watched from a hiding place.

Hannah now travels around the country telling her story so that we will not forget what happened to six million Jews. So that we will not forget that nearly seven out of ten Jews in Europe were killed. But also so that we will spot the warning signs. Because as we all know, the Nazi genocide didn’t start as genocide. It started as anti-Semitism.

The Community Security Trust has recorded anti-Semitic incidents on behalf of the Jewish community since 1984 and helps to protect Jews from anti-Semitism and related threats.

CST now has 90 staff and thousands of volunteers, some of whom you will have met as you came in this evening.

It’s been great to hear from Danielle Schaffer about why she volunteers for CST.

The Home Office and CST work closely together. The CST manages government funding for security at Jewish buildings across the country and shares expertise about extremism and radicalisation. CST also helps protect other faith communities too.

The size of the audience here this evening shows us quite how valued the Community Security Trust’s work is.

Thank you to Gerald Ronson, David Delew and everyone else who has made tonight possible.

I’m lucky enough to be a returning guest.

When I spoke at this dinner last year, I told you about the terror threat to the UK.

I explained that Britain faced a level of terror not seen since the IRA bombings of the 1970s.

I told you that since 2011, the number of terrorist attacks had increased globally and that the most significant threat to the UK and our interests came from Daesh.

What of course I didn’t know was that just a few weeks after this very dinner, a terrorist attack would take place at Westminster, striking at the heart of our democracy.

I didn’t know that there would be four further terrorist attacks in London and Manchester or that there would be a total of 36 fatalities.

Last year was the most challenging year for the police and security services for decades. As well as the five attacks, police and MI5 intervened to disrupt an unprecedented number of suspected plots.

Plots which came from the far right and Islamist extremists.

As the outgoing Met Police Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley explained last week, four extreme-right terror plots were disrupted last year.

And as Home Secretary, it’s my job to keep people safe.

That’s why £144m is being provided for a national uplift in UK armed policing capability to respond more quickly and effectively to an attack.

That’s why my officials are out providing guidance to the owners and operators of public venues about what measures they need to take to protect the public.

And that’s why I’ve been doing a lot of work in America, encouraging the big internet companies like Google, Facebook, Microsoft and Twitter to work with us and remove more terrorist content more quickly from their platforms.

I also did not hesitate to proscribe the neo-Nazi group, National Action, when the evidence was enough, and I will not hesitate to take further action. More recently I’ve proscribed National Action’s known aliases Scottish Dawn and NS131 as well.

But I know that there are Jewish schools practising lockdown drills so they’re prepared should the worst happen. Even nursery age children are rehearsing what they would need to do in the event of an attack. Some of these children are so small that the drill needs to be dressed up as a game of sleeping lions to get them to cooperate.

Surely this can’t be right?

But we know that Daesh and Al-Qaida continue to highlight Jews among lists of targets in their propaganda, as well as the public at large, our police and military, and events like Christmas markets.

That’s why this Conservative government has provided over £38.5 million since 2015 to provide for protective security measures at Jewish schools, colleges, nurseries and other locations.

And this year, I’m pleased to announce a further £13.4 million to ensure the security of Jewish faith schools, synagogues and communal buildings following concerns raised by the Jewish community.

It is absolutely essential that we all feel safe where we live, where we work, where we worship and where we meet our friends.

But let me be frank.

I hope that one day there will be no need for CST – sorry Lloyd and Gerald!

But until that day comes, CST is an important partner in ensuring that Jewish life continues unfettered in our country.

Of course, CST isn’t just concerned about terrorists. As you know, they also commit significant resources to monitoring and combating anti-Semitism.

And across the globe it seems that history’s oldest hatred is on the march. From far-right demonstrators in Virginia chanting ‘Jews will not replace us’, to arson attacks on kosher restaurants in France, to attacks on Swedish synagogues, anti-Semitism has shown that it is depressingly adaptable.

CST recorded 1,382 anti-Semitic incidents in the UK last year, the highest total they ever recorded for a calendar year.

I welcome their findings that the rise in reported incidents partly reflects the improving response to these horrendous attacks as well as better information sharing between the CST and police. And although CST has found no obvious single cause behind the trend, one of the contributing reasons flagged was publicity surrounding alleged anti-Semitism in the Labour party.

John Mann has spoken out about the anti-Semitic abuse he’s received, even though he isn’t Jewish! By his own admission, the vast majority of these attacks have come from self-identified “left-wing” activists or Labour party supporters.

My plea to all political parties represented here this evening, is to take this problem extremely seriously as it must not be left unchallenged.

Because one anti-Semitic incident is one too many.

And that’s why this government is taking action:

• our Cross-Government Working Group on anti-Semitism ensures we are alive to any issues and concerns of the Jewish community and can respond quickly

• we were also the first country to adopt the International Holocaust Memorial Alliance working definition of anti-Semitism, which is an effective tool in identifying what constitutes anti-Semitism in the 21st century

• and the hate crime victim’s guide which includes advice to victims of anti-Semitic hate crime has recently been published

We’re also in the process of refreshing our 2016 Hate Crime Action Plan.

And I know that Anti-Semitism on university campuses remains a concern. That’s why the Holocaust Education Trust lessons from Auschwitz project in collaboration with the Union of Jewish students is being expanded.

But I can’t talk about anti-Semitism without also talking about the internet.

Social media is changing where and how hate happens.

18 percent of all anti-Semitic incidents recorded by CST last year involved social media and CST say this figure understates the scale of the problem.

We made progress when we worked with the EU Commission and agreed with internet service providers including Google, Facebook and Twitter that they would remove illegal content within 24 hours of it being posted, meaning people are better protected online.

I’ve also announced funding for a new national hub to tackle the threat of online hate crime which started work in January.

But I know that there is more work to be done and I will not tolerate this sort of terrible abuse.

What is illegal offline is illegal online, and those who commit these cowardly crimes should be met with the full force of the law.

I recently heard an interesting argument that the anti-Semitism we are seeing across the world is an ancient and deeply embedded hostility towards the Jews that is re-emerging as the barbarous events of World War II recede from our collective memory.

If that’s the case, then we should take every opportunity to be reminded of the horrors of the 1930s and 40s.

With this in mind, I’m pleased that the new Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre will be a stone’s throw away from Parliament. A reminder of where prejudice and intolerance can lead.

Gerald – you helped turn this idea into a reality and your continued support as a member of the UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation is appreciated.

Now, I’m aware that the CST run a tight ship when it comes to events, so let me bring what I have to say to a close.

I want to end on a more positive note.

You would be forgiven for thinking that a speech about the Holocaust, terrorism and anti-Semitism paints a rather negative picture.

But actually the message I want to leave you all with tonight is that I DO think that this is a good time to be a British Jew.

This year it’s the 70th anniversary of the founding of the state of Israel. And can I just say how wonderful it is that the Duke of Cambridge will be visiting Israel – the first official visit by a member of the royal family. It’s also the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which Rene Cassin, a French Jew, helped to draft. This year was also a good one for Jewish talent at the Oscars, with several contenders in some of the big categories.

And Great Britain simply would not be Great Britain without our Jewish community.

It’s nice how Jewish traditions incorporate British elements. For instance, every Shabbat morning prayer, a prayer is said for the royal family and the Queen.

Britain is so much richer for its diversity and if you’re Jewish you should be able to go about your daily life and express your religion without fear of hatred or anti-Semitism.

And let me promise you this.

If you feel victimised, I will be there for you. And if you need my support, I will give it to you.

Thank you.

The Charity Commission, the independent regulator of charities in England and Wales, has opened a statutory inquiry into the Kenya Community Support Network (1104003). The investigation was opened on 22 January 2018.

The charity’s objects include relieving poverty, sickness and distress among Kenyans and promoting research into the conditions of life of Kenyans. The charity’s stated activities include providing advice and guidance on issues such as immigration, health, welfare benefit, housing, further education, training and basic counselling.

The Commission engaged with the charity in October 2017 after receiving a complaint. This complaint raised concerns about the charity’s expenditure and whether it was in furtherance of the charity’s objects. The Commission met with representatives from the charity to explore the charity’s internal governance, management and administration and inspected the charity’s records. The Commission is concerned that there are strong indicators that show that the charity is being used for significant private benefit, that there is mismanagement and misconduct in the administration of the charity, and that the charity is not carrying out activities in furtherance of its charitable objects for the public benefit.

In order to address these concerns, the investigation will look at:

• whether the trustees have acted in compliance with their legal duties and responsibilities under charity law in the administration of the charity
• the financial management of the charity, in particular with regard to its expenditure
• whether there has been any private benefit to the trustees of the charity
• whether the trustees have operated the charity in furtherance of its charitable objects for the public benefit
• whether there has been misconduct and/ or mismanagement by the trustees

In light of the Commission’s concerns, it has taken action to protect the charity’s assets by restricting the transactions from the charity’s bank account. As a result, the charity cannot make payments or part with any of the charity’s assets without the Commission’s prior written approval.

The Commission stresses that opening an inquiry is not in itself a finding of wrongdoing. The purpose of an inquiry is to examine issues in detail, investigate and establish the facts so that the regulator can ascertain whether there has been mismanagement and/or misconduct; establish the extent of any risk to the charity’s property, beneficiaries or work and decide what action needs to be taken to resolve the serious concerns, if necessary using its investigative, protective and remedial powers to do so.

It is the Commission’s policy, after it has concluded an inquiry, to publish a report detailing what issues the inquiry looked at, what actions were undertaken as part of the inquiry and what the outcomes were. Reports of previous inquiries by the Commission are available on GOV.UK.

The charity’s details can be viewed on the Commission’s online charity search tool.

Notes to editors

1. The Charity Commission is the regulator of charities in England and Wales. To find out more about our work see the about us page on GOV.UK.
2. Search for charities on our check charity tool.
3. Section 46 of the Charities Act 2011 gives the commission the power to institute inquiries. The opening of an inquiry gives the commission access to a range of investigative, protective and remedial legal powers.
4. The Commission’s decision to announce the opening of a statutory inquiry is based on whether it is in the public interest to do so and with consideration of our objective to increase public trust and confidence in charities.

• £1.1 million identified for 9,200 workers underpaid minimum wage rates
• 179 employers named and fined £1.3 million after underpayment
• 8 Northern Ireland employers among those named

As well as recovering backpay for 9,200 workers, the government also fined the employers a total of £1.3 million in penalties for breaking national minimum wage laws. The most prolific offending sectors in this round were retailers, hospitality businesses and hairdressers.

It comes ahead of the next rate rise on 1 April, when the National Living Wage will go up from £7.50 to £7.83 per hour. Apprentices under the age of 19 and those in the first year of their apprenticeship will benefit from a record 5.7% rise.

Later this month the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) will launch a campaign to raise awareness of the new rates and encourage workers to speak to their employer if they think they are being underpaid.

Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Rt Hon Karen Bradley MP said:

The National Living and Minimum Wage, which every worker is entitled to, is an essential part of building the higher wage, lower welfare, lower tax society that the UK needs.

Thanks to government investigations almost 10 thousand of the UK’s lowest paid workers are to be back paid as we continue to build a United Kingdom, that works for everyone.

Business Minister Andrew Griffiths said:

The world of work is changing and we have set out our plans to give millions of workers enhanced rights to ensure everyone is paid and treated fairly in the workplace.

There are no excuses for short-changing workers. This is an absolute red line for this government and employers who cross it will get caught – not only are they forced to pay back every penny but they are also fined up to 200% of wages owed.

Today’s naming round serves as a sharp reminder to employers to get their house in order ahead of minimum wage rate rises on 1 April.

This 14th naming round comes after the government published its Good Work plan last month, which announced the right to a payslip for all workers. The new law is likely to benefit around 300,000 UK workers who do not currently get a payslip.

For those paid by the hour, payslips will also have to include how many hours the worker is paid for, making pay easier to understand and challenge if it is wrong. The move is part of the government’s Industrial Strategy, the long-term plan to build a Britain fit for the future by helping businesses create better, higher-paying jobs in every part of the UK.

Since 2013 the scheme has identified more than £9 million in back pay for around 67,000 workers, with more than 1,700 employers fined a total of £6.3 million. The government has also committed £25.3 million for minimum wage enforcement in 2017 to 2018.

Employers who pay workers less than the minimum wage not only have to pay back arrears of wages to the worker at current minimum wage rates but also face financial penalties of up to 200% of arrears, capped at £20,000 per worker.

For more information about your pay, or if you think you might be being underpaid, get advice and guidance at www.gov.uk/checkyourpay. Workers can also seek advice from workplace experts Acas.

Following a statutory consultation by the Regulator of Social Housinga new Value for Money Standard and a supporting Code of Practice, which will apply to all private registered providers of social housing, will come into effect on 1 April 2018.

Alongside the new Standard and Code the regulator is publishing value for money metrics that providers will be expected to report against. To meet its statutory objective to be proportionate and minimise interference, the metrics are based on information collected through the providers’ existing Annual Accounts regulatory return and drawn from the pilot undertaken by the Sector Scorecard Working Group.

Generally respondents welcomed the move away from a narrative approach of VfM reporting to more focused reporting, and understood and supported the metrics approach that RSH had proposed.

From 1 April 2018 private registered providers will no longer need to produce a VfM self-assessment and should meet the reporting requirements of the new Standard. While the value for money metrics which are applicable to all, are financially focused, providers will be able to also set performance targets themselves to reflect social outcomes, appropriate to their objectives.

The Standard requires providers to publish performance evidence in their annual accounts against their own metrics and those defined by the regulator, and report how that performance compares to peers. Providers will be free to report outside of the accounts in a way they see fit if they consider this increases transparency with stakeholders.

Simon Dow, Interim Chair of the Regulation Committee said:

Thank you to everyone who contributed their views to our Value for Money (VfM) consultation and the separate Technical Note on metrics. Overall, the responses have been very positive and the strengthened Standard now sets out a clear expectation that VfM should be a key strategic consideration for boards.

The new approach will assist with scrutiny and consistency over the information reported, enable a greater focus on outcomes, and help continue to drive improvements in value for money in the sector. As is already our practice, we will seek assurance through In Depth Assessments that registered providers are putting the Standard in practice.

A decision statement, outlining the analysis of consultation responses received, has been published on the Gov.uk website. It includes the final version of the VfM Standard and Code of Practice.

The VfM Metrics Technical Note is also published on a separate page of the website.

1. There were 174 completed responses to the statutory consultation which ran from 27 September 2017 to 20 December 2017. The regulator also consulted extensively with sector representative bodies.

2. The Sector Scorecard is a voluntary approach that has been adopted by a large proportion of the sector as piloted by the Sector Scorecard Working Group. The new VfM Standard does not oblige providers to adopt the Sector Scorecard. However, the Standard expects that providers will also report on performance targets based upon their own strategic objectives, and if providers wish to draw on the sector scorecard in setting such targets they are free to do so. Where the two sets of measures overlap, we have sought to align the calculation of the metrics in order to ensure consistency and avoid any scope for confusion.

3. The regulator’s purpose is to promote a viable, efficient and well-governed social housing sector able to deliver homes that meet a range of needs. It does this by undertaking robust economic regulation focusing on governance, financial viability and value for money that maintains lender confidence and protects the taxpayer. It also sets consumer standards and may take action if these standards are breached and there is a significant risk of serious detriment to tenants or potential tenants.

For more information visit the RSH website.

Our media enquiries page has contact details for journalists.

For general queries to RSH, please email enquiries@rsh.gov.uk or call 0300 124 5225.

The UK government has today published provisional analysis of the returning EU powers that will result in the devolved administrations of the UK receiving extensive new powers as we depart the EU.

This analysis covers 153 areas where EU laws intersect with devolved competence. There are only 24 policy areas that are now subject to more detailed discussion to explore whether legislative common framework arrangements might be needed, in whole or in part.

This means that the vast majority of powers returning from Brussels will start off in Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast.

None of the existing powers of the devolved governments will be affected in any way.

The document published today by the Cabinet Office makes clear that the vast majority of these policy powers are now intended to be in the full control of the devolved governments from day one of Brexit. This is expected to include policy areas such as:

• carbon capture and storage
• water quality
• charging of HGVs
• onshore hydrocarbon licensing

The 24 policy areas that are expected to require a UK legislative framework and where it is intended that existing EU rules and regulations will rollover into UK law for a temporary period, include:

• animal health and traceability
• food and feed safety and hygiene law
• food labelling
• chemical regulation

This temporary restriction on the devolved governments using some of these new EU powers is to help ensure an orderly departure from EU law and to provide certainty to UK businesses while new legislative frameworks are agreed.

Speaking as he published details of the new powers that will transfer to the devolved governments, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, David Lidington MP, said:

This is cast iron evidence that the EU Withdrawal Bill will deliver significant brand new powers for the devolved governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The list we have published today shows how many EU powers that were controlled by Brussels, will, after Brexit, be controlled by the parliaments and assemblies in Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast.

The vast majority of these new powers will be in the control of the devolved administrations on the day we leave the EU. There is a much smaller group of powers where the devolved governments will be required to follow current EU laws for a little bit longer while we work out a new UK approach.

We are discussing with the devolved governments how this process will work but, as the UK government, we feel very strongly that we must have the ability to take action to protect the UK internal market which represents a huge investment to everyone in the UK.

We are publishing this material today because this can no longer just be a conversation between governments – this process has to be open and transparent. These issues are of central importance to Parliament and the devolved legislatures, as well as businesses and wider stakeholders whose day to day activities will be affected by these decisions.

The UK government has moved a considerable distance to accommodate the concerns of the devolved government and other parliamentarians. It is now time for others to engage in a similarly constructive manner. We have not yet been able to reach an agreed way forward on Clause 11 but I remain hopeful that we will still be able to.