Why choose an apprenticeship? National Apprenticeship Week 2021

News story

The 8th February to 14th February is National Apprenticeships Week 2021. Here are five reasons to choose an ODP apprenticeship.

Earn while you learn

Apprenticeships give you the opportunity to get hands on experience, develop key skills by working alongside experienced colleagues and all whilst earning an income. As an apprentice you will also receive the same benefits as your colleagues but will have the opportunity to professionalise your skills that is recognised across the Civil Service and externally too.

A genuine alternative to university

You may not have had the opportunity to gain professional qualifications in the past, or University may not have been an option for you. Why not look at an Apprenticeship, supported by your employer for the opportunity to gain up to the equivalent to post-graduate accreditation . With the range of levels & different standards/frameworks available, there really is something out there for everyone.

Avoid the debt

As an apprentice, your employer makes the financial contributions, allowing you to achieve your qualification without the worry of having to fund it yourself. It’s a great debt free alternative to enhance your career.

Gain occupation specific qualifications

Apprenticeships are tailored so that you are developing the key knowledge, skills and behaviours needed for your specific occupation/profession. They allow you to achieve an occupational specific qualification, which is not just recognised within the business you work in but externally too.

Tailored support throughout

As an apprentice, you will have the support of your line manager and a dedicated talent coach. They will be there to give you the support you need throughout your apprenticeship journey, helping you overcome any obstacles faced and ensure that you complete your apprenticeship.

You can find out more here about ODP Apprenticeships

Published 8 February 2021

NDA pledges to inspire next generation of nuclear workers

News story

The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) is attracting talented young people to the nuclear decommissioning industry.

The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) has joined forces with a leading careers organisation to ensure talented young people are attracted to the nuclear decommissioning industry.

Announcing its standard as a Cornerstone Employer, the NDA has pledged its commitment to continue to inspire the next generation through its partnership with The Careers and Enterprise Company.

The NDA group has a long history of recruiting apprentices and new talent, and it will now play an even greater role in preparing and inspiring young people for the world of work.

As a Cornerstone Employer, the NDA will work closely with secondary schools and colleges to provide high quality workplace experiences and improve access to career opportunities.

It will allow the NDA to increase its understanding of the education sector and develop its own approaches to nurturing new and diverse talent.

The partnership also promotes the encouragement of youth engagement among other businesses and supply chain networks, while offering the chance to share best practice with like-minded employers across various sectors.

Jacq Longrigg, Group Head of Capability and Capacity at the NDA, said:

The NDA has a great history of recruiting apprentices accessing future talent and supporting meaningful careers for the next generation.

We’re passionate about our new role as a Cornerstone Employer using our extensive business networks and our collective wealth of experience. We will be developing strategies to engage with young people, while up-skilling our future workforce through innovative and targeted engagement.

Above all, the partnership emphasises giving back to our local community and economy; leaving a positive legacy from our work.

Published 8 February 2021

New CMA Senior Director of Cartels appointed

Press release

A new Senior Director has been appointed by the CMA to oversee its work investigating suspected illegal cartels.

Juliette Enser will succeed Howard Cartlidge as Senior Director of Cartels at the start of April, on Mr Cartlidge’s retirement after 25 years working in competition law and policy, the last three of which have been spent with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).

Juliette Enser originally joined the CMA’s predecessor body, the Office of Fair Trading, in 2010, having worked as a competition lawyer in private practice. Ms Enser then took up the role of Director of Cartel Enforcement for the newly formed CMA in 2014, before serving as Senior Director for Subsidy Control.

As part of her new role, Ms Enser will have overall responsibility for the CMA’s cartel investigations across a wide range of sectors, while encouraging consumers and businesses to report illegal activity to the CMA. She has previously been responsible for numerous cartels investigations tackling illegal behaviour, with serious consequences for the companies involved and their directors.

In recent years, the CMA has successfully taken enforcement action against cartels in a range of sectors as varied as residential estate agency services, construction materials, and fashion model agencies. Following the UK’s exit from the EU, the CMA has an enhanced role in this area, taking on responsibility for larger cross-border cartels that were previously reserved to the European Commission, in addition to purely national or local cartels.

Juliette Enser will report to the Executive Director of Enforcement, Michael Grenfell.

Published 8 February 2021

Joint UK-India statement on Enhanced Trade Partnership progress

Press release

A joint statement from Liz Truss, Secretary of State for International Trade and Shri Piysuh Goyal, India’s Minister for Commerce and Industry

UK International Trade Secretary Liz Truss and India’s Minister for Commerce and Industry Shri Piyush Goyal

The Minister for Commerce and Industry of India, Shri Piyush Goyal, and UK Secretary of State for International Trade, Ms. Elizabeth Truss MP, met on Saturday, 6th February 2021, at New Delhi to discuss the India – UK trade and investment relationship. They were joined by the Minister of State for Commerce and Industry from India, Shri Hardeep Singh Puri.
Discussions were carried out on the entire range of bilateral trade and economic relations in a spirit of mutual understanding of each other’s priorities and trade sensitivities. Both Ministers reiterated their commitment to long term India-UK partnership and agreed to deepen trade cooperation between the two countries through an Enhanced Trade Partnership (ETP). They also reviewed progress in removing market access barriers on both sides and ongoing cooperation in response to COVID-19.

Development of Enhanced Trade Partnership (ETP)

Taking forward their commitment from the 14th JETCO on 24th July 2020, India and UK Trade Ministers reviewed the ongoing engagements between the two sides for an ETP, as part of the development of a roadmap that would lead to a potential comprehensive FTA, including considerations on an Interim Agreement on preferential basis.
In a significant step forward, the Ministers agreed that this partnership would formally be launched during the visit of the UK Prime Minister to India, later this year. To this effect, the Ministers committed themselves to make concrete progress on trade & investment front to deliver quick gains for both countries including joint timelines for further advances.
The Ministers agreed to further accelerate the process towards launch of the ETP, and committed to interact on a regular basis, while identifying quick and concrete bilateral deliverables that could cement the ETP and immediately benefit the people of both countries.

COVID-19 cooperation and Working with business

The Ministers welcomed the deepening of bilateral health cooperation between the two countries, including on vaccines, which is enabling our countries to act as a global force for good during these challenging times.
The Ministers committed to relaunch the UK-India CEO Forum and agreed on the CEO Forum meeting at the earliest. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to work with businesses to improve the business environment and collectively address the challenges to post-COVID-19 economic recovery.

Published 8 February 2021

7-year ban for caterer who failed to pay taxes

Patrick Olusoji Ekundayo (66), from Edmonton in London, was the sole director of Peaches Limited. The company, incorporated in August 2010, provided catering services and managed social events.

At its most successful trading period, Peaches Limited hosted up to 60 functions per year and took an average of £10,000 to £15,000 per event.

By March 2013, Patrick Ekundayo’s company turnover had significantly exceeded the VAT registration threshold and in January 2014 the caterer was advised to register for VAT by his accountant.

Patrick Ekundayo, however, failed to register the catering company and this caused the tax authorities to compulsorily register Peaches Limited for VAT in November 2017, backdating registration to March 2013.

Despite the registration, Patrick Ekundayo did not submit any tax returns and in July 2018, Peaches Limited went into liquidation, owing more than £500,000 in taxes.

The catering business’ insolvency triggered an investigation by Insolvency Service, which confirmed that Patrick Ekundayo’s failure to register for VAT was deliberately non-compliant and he was issued with a penalty of more than £128,000 by the tax authorities.

Enquiries also found that the caterer had underdeclared Corporation Tax and National Insurance contributions of more than £264,000.

On 14 January 2021, the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy accepted an undertaking from Patrick Ekundayo, after he did not dispute that he had failed to ensure that Peaches Limited registered for VAT, failed to submit VAT returns and under declared Corporation Tax and National Insurance contributions.

Patrick Ekundayo’s ban started on 4 February 2021 and he is banned from from directly or indirectly becoming involved, without the permission of the court, in the promotion, formation or management of a company.

Lawrence Zussman, Deputy Head of Insolvent Investigations at the Insolvency Service, said:

Patrick Ekundayo failed to register his company for VAT and did not submit any VAT returns throughout the company’s lifetime resulting in more than £500,000 in lost taxes to the public purse.

This behaviour was deliberately non-compliant and we have now removed him from being involved in any business for a period of seven years.

Patrick Olunsoji Ekundayo’s date of birth is September 1954.

Peaches Limited (Company Reg no. 07345602).

Disqualification undertakings are the administrative equivalent of a disqualification order but do not involve court proceedings. Persons subject to a disqualification order are bound by a range of other restrictions.

Further information about the work of the Insolvency Service, and how to complain about financial misconduct is available.

You can also follow the Insolvency Service on: