News story: Crime news: revised Crown Court fee guidance

We have revised Crown Court fee guidance because the PPE threshold is now 6,000 pages instead of the previous 10,000.

Litigators will claim a graduated fee for their case plus special preparation for any pages which go beyond the threshold.

A new fee calculator is now available in addition to the revised guidance.

Further information

Graduated fee calculators – to download calculators

Crown Court fee guidance – to view supporting guidance

Published 28 February 2018

News story: Applications now open

We are pleased to announce that the Civil Service Fast Track Apprenticeship is now open for applications.

You’ll need to complete an online application form. This will take about 20 minutes to complete and you can save your progress as you go.

The next stage will be the online tests, these are made up of 3 sections:

Verbal and numerical reasoning tests (Take around 6 minutes for each exercise)
Situational judgement questionnaire (untimed, takes around 20-30 minutes to complete)
Competency questionnaire (untimed, takes around 20-30 minutes to complete).

If you are successful at this stage you will be invited to attend the Fast Track Assessment Centre for a half-day event that will feature:

a group task
a written task
a strengths-based interview.

Good luck with your applications, we look forward to meeting you soon.

Published 28 February 2018

Press release: Change of Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Burma in May 2018

Mr Dan Chugg has been appointed Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Burma.

Mr Dan Chugg has been appointed Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Burma in succession to Mr Andrew Patrick who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment. Mr Chugg will take up his appointment in May 2018.

CURRICULUM VITAE

Full name: Daniel Patrick Brendon Chugg

Married to: Alison Chugg

Children: Two

2015 – present FCO, Head, Counter-Daesh Communications Department, Communication Directorate

2014 – 2015 FCO, Head, ISIL Taskforce and Iraq Department, Middle East and North Africa Directorate

2010 – 2014 Beijing, Counsellor (Political)

2007 – 2010 New Delhi, First Secretary (Press and Communications)

2005 – 2007 FCO, Press Officer later Deputy Head of Press Office

2001 – 2005 Hong Kong, Vice-Consul (Political)

1999 – 2001 Full time language training (Chinese)

1998 – 1999 FCO, Desk Officer, Hungary and Slovak Republic, Central European Department

Further information

Press release: Change of Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Sudan in April 2018

Mr Irfan Siddiq OBE has been appointed Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Sudan.

Mr Irfan Siddiq OBE has been appointed Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Sudan in succession to Mr Michael Aron who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment. Mr Siddiq will take up his appointment in April 2018.

CURRICULUM VITAE

Full name: Irfan Siddiq

Married to: Penélope Siddiq

Children: Two

2017 – 2018 Plan International, International Advocacy Director
(secondment)

2016 – 2017 FCO, Head, Secondment Unit

2013 – 2016 Baku, Her Majesty’s Ambassador

2011 – 2013 FCO, Head, Arab Partnership Department

2010 – 2011 Baghdad, Deputy Head of Mission

2007 – 2010 Damascus, Deputy Head of Mission

2005 – 2007 FCO, Private Secretary to the Foreign Secretary

2004 – 2005 Washington, secondment to US State Department as Political Officer

2003 – 2004 Baghdad, Political Officer, Coalition Provisional Authority

2002 – 2003 Cairo, Second Secretary (Political/Press)

2000 – 2002 Full time language training (Arabic)

2000 – 2000 FCO, Desk Officer, Middle East Peace Process Section

1999 – 2000 New Delhi, Second Secretary (Economic/Commercial)

1998 –1999 FCO, Desk Officer, NATO

1998 Joined FCO

Further information

News story: CMA advises Liquefied Petroleum Gas customers on switching rights

In 2017 just 1.3% of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) customers, living on metered estates, switched energy supplier. In response to these low switching figures, the CMA is collaborating with UKLPG, the trade association representing LPG suppliers, to remind customers of their switching rights and supply options.

The CMA has published a switching factsheet and short animation for LPG customers on metered estates. Both guides highlight what customers need to know and do in order to switch.

Alongside the CMA’s switching factsheet and animation, UKLPG has updated its guidance for members about how best to communicate with residents about their supply and switching options.

Peter Hill, CMA Assistant Director (Remedies):

Having choice is key to ensuring you get a good deal on your energy supply. Switching has to be a collective, unanimous decision on an LPG metered estate – this is why we are urging customers to join with neighbours to make switching decisions together and not to rush into a new contract without speaking to those who live around them first.

UKLPG’s Chief Executive Rob Shuttleworth said:

LPG provides low carbon gas to hundreds of thousands of homes not connected to the gas grid. On metered estates, LPG is stored in large communal tanks and then piped to homes to be used just like mains gas.

We welcome the CMA’s new publications for metered estate residents and to support this we have produced further Q&A guidance to equip customers with the information they need to fully understand their energy supply options, this can be accessed via our website.