A scheme to help people get on the housing ladder is being launched in Devon.

www.bbc.co.uk

The council had previously said it knew people were being “priced out” of the district, including in Dartmouth

Up to £5,000 will be given to anyone in the South Hams who is currently renting a social housing property, to help them purchase a shared ownership home.

South Hams District Council said the grant scheme would help more people step on the housing ladder and free up more homes to rent.

The Step On scheme will launch on 1 April.

The council said it “looked beyond traditional solutions to pull the district out of the current housing crisis”.

The authority declared a housing crisis in September as house prices “rocketed” and the number of rental properties hit “rock bottom”, it said.

‘People are struggling’

The authority said it believed the grant scheme was the first of its kind in the UK.

The maximum £5,000 funding makes 100% of the deposit required to purchase up to 30% of a shared ownership home.

The council said: “There are currently over 170 new shared ownership homes of various sizes in the pipeline for communities across the South Hams.”

Councillor Judy Pearce, leader of the authority, said: “We all know that steep house prices and a shortage of homes for rent means many local people are struggling to find a home.

“By providing up to £5,000, which will not need to be paid back, we can give local residents a helping hand to step on the housing ladder.

“This in turn, would allow their homes to become available for relet to a household on the housing register, helping us to help even more people.”

To be eligible for a shared ownership property, the annual household income can be no more than £80,000.

The president of Ukraine echoed Winston Churchill and invoked the fight against Nazism as he made a direct plea to Britain to do more to help his country repel the Russian invasion.

Peter Walker www.theguardian.com 

In an unprecedented and emotional speech broadcast live to the House of Commons, Volodymyr Zelenskiy channelled Churchill when he told a packed chamber: “We will continue fighting for our land, whatever the cost. We will fight in the forests, the fields, the shores and in the streets.”

Ukraine “will not lose” to Russia, he vowed. Zelenskiy, who received long ovations from MPs before and after his speech, also cited Shakespeare to describe the plight of his country under Russian invasion.

“The question for us now is to be or not to be,” he said, according to a translation of his speech, which was delivered in Ukrainian and broadcast live from Kyiv. “Oh no, this Shakespearean question. For 13 days this question could have been asked but now I can give you a definitive answer. It’s definitely yes, to be.

“And I would like to remind you the words that the United Kingdom has already heard, which are important again. We will not give up and we will not lose.”

Zelenskiy, unshaven and dressed in a dark T-shirt, delivered his speech sitting next to a Ukrainian flag. His echoes of Churchill, the second world war leader about whom Boris Johnson has written a book, will be seen as a direct appeal to the UK prime minister and his party.

Zelenskiy told MPs that after nearly two weeks of war, during which time hundreds of Ukrainian civilians have been killed, resolve remained strong. “Just the same way you once didn’t want to lose your country when the Nazis started to fight your country and you had to fight for Britain. Thirteen days of this struggle … at four o’clock in the morning we were attacked by cruise missiles.”

The speech came immediately after the UK announced it was phasing out the import of Russian oil and oil products by the end of the year. Zelenskiy reiterated calls for more UK support, including repeating a plea for a no-fly zone, which Nato countries have declined to impose over fears it could trigger another world war.

“We are thankful for this help and I am grateful to you Boris,” he said, addressing the prime minister by name. “Please increase the pressure of sanctions against this country [Russia] and please recognise this country as a terrorist country. Please make sure that our Ukrainian skies are safe. Please make sure that you do what needs to be done and what is stipulated by the greatness of your country.”

The speech was heard in silence, beyond two screens playing Zelenskiy’s speech and the muffled background soundtrack of a simultaneous English translation on headsets given to MPs for the occasion.

A number of MPs tweeted photos of the packed chamber, a practice – like applause – that is not normally permitted.

The former health secretary Jeremy Hunt said he had felt “privileged” to listen, saying: “In history the right things don’t happen automatically – brave people must fight for them.”

Responding to Zelenskiy, Johnson hailed a leader “standing firm for democracy and freedom – in his righteous defiance I believe he has moved the hearts of everybody in this house”.

“In a great European capital now within range of Russian guns, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is standing firm for democracy and for freedom,” the prime minister said.

Saying he would “employ every method” to squeeze Russia with sanctions, Johnson said the UK would continue to supply weapons to Ukraine.

“At this moment, ordinary Ukrainians are defending their homes and their families against a brutal assault, and they are by their actions inspiring millions with their courage and their devotion,” he said.

Because of Commons procedures, the Speaker, Lindsay Hoyle, halted the formal business of the day for Zelenskiy’s speech, and Johnson and other party leaders responded with points of order.

Responding for Labour, Keir Starmer said the Ukrainian leader “has prompted a world into action, where too often we have let Putin have his way”, adding: “He has inspired the Ukrainian nation to resist and frustrated the Russian war machine. He has shown his strength and we must show him – and the Ukrainian people – our commitment and support.”

“Corruption threatens our national security, economic prosperity and international reputation. It is often the root cause of international instability and conflict.” So ran the opening lines to the 2014 Government’s “UK Anti-Corruption Plan”.

Since then various promises have been made that legislation would be introduced by David Cameron and Boris Johnson, but they have been put on the back burner (we can all speculate why this might be).

Worse, on January 26 the Guardian revealed that Boris Johnson intended to kill off the bill, as revealed by Lord Agnew’s resignation:

“The government was forced to deny claims that it had scrapped a crucial economic crime bill on Wednesday, as MPs from across the house rounded on ministers for failing to tackle the UK capital’s “Londongrad” reputation as a money-laundering hub used by Russian oligarchs, criminals and kleptocrats.

The scathing comments in the House of Commons follow the shock resignation of junior minster Lord Agnew on Monday, who revealed in his departing letter that the government had only last week made a “foolish” decision to kill off the bill during the next parliamentary year.”

It must be to the everlasting shame of the Conservative Party that it has taken this unbearably tragic invasion of Ukraine to get them to finally acknowledge that “Corruption threatens our national security, economic prosperity and international reputation. It is often the root cause of international instability and conflict.”

In other words to wake up and look at who they are sharing their beds with.

On Monday the bill was voted through the Commons in a single day.

Amongst other things the bill allows persons of interest a six month “grace period” to register ownership of luxury properties in the UK. The original, hastily prepared bill, proposed an 18 month period.

Because this reduction to six months is now already an amendment to the tabled bill, no further amendment to slash this further was allowed by the speaker. Many think 28 days is more than sufficient for registering legitimate ownership. Leave it too long and all the property will likely have been sold and the proceeds sent to a tax haven. What Keir Starmer has described as a “get out of jail free card”.

Despite that, our two local MPs, along with most, but not all, of their Tory chums voted against three other amendments, aimed at toughening up the bill and ensuring enforcement agencies are adequately funded. 

Owl singles out the first and third of these amendments because they are reasonably self explanatory.

So here is what Neil Parish and Simon Jupp voted against:

New Clause 2 – Report on funding of enforcement agencies (Dame Margaret Hodge)

“Within 28 days of this Act being passed, the Secretary of State must publish and lay before Parliament a report on the funding of enforcement agencies in connection with the provisions of Part 2 of this Act.”—(Dame Margaret Hodge.)

This new clause would require the Secretary of State to publish and lay before Parliament a report on the funding of enforcement agencies in connection with the reforms to unexplained wealth orders, as provided for in Part 2 of the Bill.

Question put, That the clause be added to the Bill. Voted no (division #206; result was 230 aye, 303 no)

New Clause 29 – Asset freezing in respect of individuals considered for sanctions (Mr David Davis)

“(1) Not later than 28 days from when Part 1 of this Act comes into force, the Secretary of State must publish draft legislation for the purpose of making further reforms to Companies House, including to support the effective functioning of the register of overseas entities.

(2) The draft legislation must include—

(a) new powers for the registrar to aid the verification of foreign entities applying for registration as set out in section 4 of this Act;

(b) new powers for the registrar to better share data with enforcement agencies; and

(c) reforms that will improve the quality and veracity of the information on the register.”—(Jonathan Reynolds.)

This new clause would compel the Secretary of State to publish draft legislation on reforms to Companies House, including reforms that would support the operation of the Act.

Brought up.

Question put, That the clause be added to the Bill.

“(1) The Secretary of State may by notice publish the name of a person being considered as a subject for sanctions.

(2) A person in respect of whom a notice has been published under subsection (1) is immediately subject to the provisions of this section.

(3) A person in respect of whom a notice has been published under subsection (1) is prohibited from—

(a) selling any assets they own or have an interest in,

(b) moving any assets they own or have an interest in out of the United Kingdom, or

(c) moving any of their funds out of the United Kingdom.

(4) ‘Assets’ in subsection (3)(a) or (b) includes (but is not limited to)—

(a) land;

(b) houses, flats or other private accommodation;

(c) commercial, industrial, agricultural and other buildings, premises or property;

(d) businesses;

(e) personal possessions, works of art, jewellery or collectibles with an individual value of more than £500;

(f) motor vehicles;

(g) yachts or boats; and

(h) aircraft.

(5) ‘Funds’ in subsection (3)(c) means financial assets and economic benefits of any kind, including (but not limited to)—

(a) gold, cash, cheques, claims on money, drafts, money orders and other payment instruments;

(b) deposits with relevant institutions or other persons, balances on accounts, debts and debt obligations;

(c) publicly and privately traded securities and debt instruments, including stocks and shares, certificates representing securities, bonds, notes, warrants, debentures and derivative products;

(d) interest, dividends or other income on or value accruing from or generated by assets;

(e) credit, rights of set-off, guarantees, performance bonds or other financial commitments;

(f) (letters of credit, bills of lading, bills of sale; and

(g) documents providing evidence of an interest in funds or financial resources.

(6) A person who breaches any prohibition under this section commits an offence.

(7) A person who engages in an activity knowing or intending that it will enable or facilitate the commission by another person of an offence under paragraph (6) commits an offence.

(8) A person guilty of an offence under subsection (6) is liable—

(a) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or to a fine or to both;

(b) on summary conviction—

(i) to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months; or

(ii) to a fine which in Scotland or Northern Ireland may not exceed the statutory maximum,

or to both.

(9) A person guilty of an offence under subsection (7) is liable on summary conviction—

(a) to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months; or

(b) to a fine which in Scotland or Northern Ireland may not exceed level 5 on the standard scale,

or to both.”—(Mr David Davis.)

This new clause would prevent individuals whom the Secretary of State has named as being considered as a subject for sanctions from selling their assets or moving funds or assets out of the UK.

Brought up.

Question put, That the clause be added to the Bill.

The Committee proceeded to a Division. Voted no (division #208; result was 234 aye, 297 no)

The UK government must set up emergency visa offices now and conduct on-the-spot security checks for refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine, the shadow home secretary has said.

By Mary O’Connor & Joseph Lee www.bbc.co.uk

Watch: Yvette Cooper calls for emergency visa centres for Ukrainians over UK’s “chaotic” response

Yvette Cooper said most refugees were “still being held up by Home Office bureaucracy or being turned away”.

Britain has granted family visas to about 500 Ukrainian refugees so far, a Home Office minister said.

Kevin Foster said 10,000 applications to enter the UK had been submitted.

The Home Office has been criticised over the way it has handled issuing visas for Ukrainians who want to join relatives in the UK.

Unlike the European Union – which is allowing Ukrainians three-year residency without a visa – the UK has retained controls on entry.

There are two visa routes for those fleeing Russia’s assault on Ukraine – one for people with family in the UK, and another, which Mr Foster said is being set up “at pace”, requiring a British sponsor.

But MPs described reports of chaotic scenes at some visa centres, with Labour MP Clive Efford saying people were being forced to wait outside in freezing temperatures, while Tory MP Tracy Crouch said the centre in Rzeszow, Poland, was not offering appointments until the end of April.

Calais authorities said almost 300 Ukrainian refugees have been turned back at the French port by the UK Border Force, while hundreds were stuck trying to complete paperwork for visas.

View original tweet on Twitter

Responding to an urgent question in the House of Commons, Mr Foster told MPs that a new visa processing centre would be established in the northern French city of Lille and that officials were looking at setting up transport from Calais to the new offices.

He insisted ministers would “not take chances with the security of this country and our people” – citing the Salisbury Novichok attack in 2018 – where Russian nationals used a nerve agent in an attempt to murder the former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia.

“A crucial part of the application process is providing biometrics so we can be sure applicants are who they say they are”, he said, before claiming officials had seen people at Calais “with false documents claiming to be Ukrainian”.

Criticising the absence of Home Secretary Priti Patel in the Commons, Labour’s Yvette Cooper called for visa centres to be established at all major travel points, on-the-spot security checks and for Ukrainians to be given emergency visas.

“The government should not be continuing to change this in a chaotic way, rather than opening the system properly,” she added.

Ms Cooper criticised the apparent lack of clarity over the locations and operation of visa centres.

She said: “Yesterday the home secretary told the House twice that a visa centre en route to Calais has now been set up but it still doesn’t exist.

“The foreign secretary just said it might be in Lille – nearly 72 miles from Calais.

“The Home Office said this morning that no decision had been taken. Well, which is it? Has it? Where is it? Can people get there yet?”

A string of Conservative MPs have joined opposition politicians in demanding further and faster action from the government in helping Ukrainian refugees enter the UK.

Conservative Mark Harper, a former immigration minister, said even if security checks were needed, the government needed to “grip the pace of this” and called for a minister to set out the details of the humanitarian sponsorship route within days – not weeks or months.

Another former minister, Andrew Murrison, questioned why the Irish Republic, which is in the Common Travel Area with the UK, has been able to accept 2,000 refugees already while Britain is “nowhere even close to that”.

Tory MP Alec Shelbrooke said the speed of response was a “disgrace” during “a war of the likes that has not been seen for 80 years in Europe”.

Former Home Office minister Damian Green asked why biometric checks could not be carried out in the UK where refugees would be “safe and sound”.

But Mr Foster said that people applying have already travelled to safe countries, and added that the government did not think it would be appropriate to use immigration detention powers to hold people in the UK while checks were being carried out.

Just as news is coming in that the “Calais Visa Application Centre” announced to parliament yesterday will open in Lille:

MOD offers Op Pitting-style assistance to process Ukrainian refugees

www.forces.net

Ministry of Defence (MOD) assistance has been offered to the Home Office as visa applications are processed for Ukrainians fleeing the war zone.

The Defence Secretary said help from the MOD has been offered, which he likened to the department’s role in the mission last year to evacuate Afghanistan, as part of Operation Pitting.

On Monday night, the Home Office said 300 visas had been issued from a total of 17,700 family scheme applications which have been started, 8,900 of which have been submitted.

Following reports hundreds of Ukrainians at Calais have been told they need to travel back to Paris or Brussels to apply for a visa, Ben Wallace told BBC Breakfast: “We need to upscale it, I know that the Home Secretary has already doubled, or trebled in some cases, more people in different processing centres.

“We can do more, we will do more.”

Mr Wallace added in an interview with Good Morning Britain that he will provide Home Secretary Priti Patel with “as many people as she likes” to assist with processing visas.

He said they would be MOD officials rather than personnel because Armed Forces cannot be deployed to France without permission from Paris.

Russia invaded Ukraine last month, with Mr Wallace this morning describing Vladimir Putin as a “spent force” in the world.

“No-one will be taking his phone calls in the long term,” the Defence Secretary told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

“He has exhausted his army, he is responsible for thousands of Russian soldiers being killed, responsible for innocent people being killed, civilians being killed in Ukraine.”

A spokesperson for Quintessentially – directed by Tory co-chairman Ben Elliot – tonight [Monday] said it had withdrawn its franchise licence in Russia after boasting about how it provided “luxury lifestyle management” to Moscow’s elite.

Why does it take Tories so long to get the message? – Owl

www.mirror.co.uk for full story

No visa application centre in Calais. Try Paris or there is limited availability in Brussels. – latest from BBC

Amelia Gentleman www.theguardian.com 

The number of Ukrainian refugees granted visas to come to the UK under the new family scheme has risen from about 50 to 300, the government has announced, leading Labour to criticise the “shockingly low” figure.

On Monday, the Home Office said a total of 17,700 applications had been started, adding that about 9,000 people had not yet completed the application. Some applicants said it was hard to complete applications because the visa appointment website crashed midway through.

Yvette Cooper, the shadow home secretary, said the development was “shockingly low and painfully slow”.

Ukrainians attempting to flee to safety in the UK have described intense frustration and anger at the bureaucratic hurdles and technical difficulties involved in securing a visa under the new scheme.

Numerous applicants said they were stuck in unfamiliar countries on the border with Ukraine, unable to come to the UK because they were wrestling with the complex application process. Some said they were having difficulties uploading crucial documents or the application website was crashing, while others said there were no appointment slots available to finalise their applications, or that they were dismayed to be asked to post supporting documents to an office in Wandsworth.

Families in the UK who are trying to help relatives make their way to Britain said they were confused by the complexity of the visa form.

“I understand they are under pressure with many applications, but the system is not flexible. This is a humanitarian crisis,” a British citizen, who asked not to be named, said, as she struggled to submit a visa application for her aunt and 14-year-old cousin who have fled Kyiv and are currently in Romania.

An apparent glitch in the system meant she was unable to upload documents proving the family connection, and received an email telling her she should post supporting documents to an address in Wandsworth, along with a fee of £75 per application (or £100 for a priority service) for the documents to be scanned. When she called the Home Office hotline on Sunday, staff said they were aware of an issue with uploading documents. “I’m furious with the process. My aunt has fled war, grabbed only important belongings, doesn’t speak English and desperately wants to be with family.”

Matthew Peat, a senior manager with an accountancy firm, described trying to help his sister-in-law and her nine-year-old daughter, who had travelled from Ukraine to Rome, where they were hoping to get a UK visa appointment. However, when he attempted to book a slot for them, the only appointments he could access were in Poland.

“It would now appear that the only way to progress this matter is to ask our exhausted and distressed family members to travel from Italy to Poland to access the system there,” he said. “They are feeling very depressed and feel that they are not welcome here.”

Refugee organisations said these bureaucratic and technical issues highlighted the case for replacing a complex visa application with a simpler, visa-free humanitarian refugee scheme. Steve Valdez-Symonds, Amnesty International UK’s refugee and migrant rights director, said: “Instead of persisting with its insistence on visas or on sponsorship schemes for traumatised Ukrainians fleeing an active war zone, the UK should be putting in place fast-track refugee arrangements.”

Andriy Marchenko, the deputy Ukrainian ambassador in London, urged ministers to apply the proposed new scheme as a matter of urgency.

He added: “Ukrainians are known to be diligent, hardworking people who will be providing for themselves here. They will not overstay their welcome and at the end of their term in the UK they will return home to rebuild their country.”

Lawyers working with applicants under a pro bono scheme, the Ukraine Advice Project, highlighted concerns that the family scheme was limited in its definition of immediate and extended family members, and did not include in-laws or nieces and nephews of British citizens, unless they are under 18. There was also concern that a significant number of Ukrainian nationals working or studying in the UK were excluded from the scheme, and that many people were struggling to get appointments to submit biometric data (photographs and fingerprints).

A government spokesperson said it had “surged staff and increased the number of appointments” at its visa application centres in the region.

News that the last UK visa centre operating in Ukraine had closed at the end of last week prompted Adil Arslan, a British citizen, to set off to drive to Ukraine on Monday to collect his stepchildren, Maksym, 17 and Alina, 11, who were being cared for by grandparents. “I can’t just sit and wait in the UK while bombs are being dropped everywhere. Why on earth is Home Office not acting more swiftly?” he said.

Nataliya Rumyantseva, who lives in the UK and is of Ukrainian heritage, is one of the few who has succeeded in obtaining a visa for her mother, Valentyna Klymova, 69, who fled Ukraine soon after the invasion began by walking across the border into Hungary.

Klymova was only granted the visa after spending three days in Paris and going between the UK embassy, consulate, visa processing centre and UK immigration officials at the Gare du Nord train station.

“Not everybody can afford to spend several nights in hotels in Paris,” said Rumyantseva. “It creates a kind of existential despair in Ukrainians trying to reach the UK when they have to go through this after escaping from the war. The Home Office needs to simplify the visa process for Ukrainians.”

Cabinet minister’s evidence apparently shows UK ‘sheltering more dirty money from Russia than anyone else’

www.independent.co.uk 

Jacob Rees-Mogg has been mocked after his claim that the UK “leads the way” in sanctioning Russian banks backfired spectacularly.

The Cabinet minister took to social media over the weekend to defend the government’s record on sanctions, following criticism that it had been too slow.

To make his point the Tory MP produced a chart showing the UK had sanctioned £258.8 billion, compared to £240 billion in the US and £38.8 billion in the EU.

But opposition politicians were quick to point out that the chart suggested there was simply more Russian money worth sanctioning in London than elsewhere.

Labour MP Chris Bryant said: “All this proves is that thanks to the Tories all the dodgy Russian money is in London. It’s an admission of corruption!”

His colleague Karl Turner added that the minister’s claim in fact showed the “actual scale of ill-gotten Putin money his utterly disgusting Tory Government have let in”.

And ex-Lib Dem leader Tim Farron said: “I think this tells us more that the UK is where most of Putin’s billionaires were enabled to safely put their money in the first place.”

SNP MP Peter Grant added: “So that must mean the City of London was sheltering more dirty money from Russia than anyone else?”

Despite the high cash figures produced by Mr Rees-Mogg, the government has sanctioned far fewer individual businessmen with links to the Kremlin than its neighbours – and been slower to do so.

According to figures collated by Bloomberg last week the European Union had sanctioned 490 Russian entities, Canada 413, Australia 407, Switzerland 371, the US 118, Japan 40 and the UK 16.

The UK government says that it has sanctioned far more and claims its figure is closer to 228 following a rush of measures last week.

But an analysis by the BBC’s Reality Check unit has found this figure open to dispute because it it includes subsidiaries and individuals within companies. Whatever the precise figure, the UK is widely regarded to have not gone as far or as hard as its neighbours, despite its rhetoric.

The government has also faced criticism more widely for having let the UK become a hub for Kremlin-linked money in recent decades.

James Cleverly clashed with Sky’s Kay Burley when she pressed him over the exceptionally low number of Ukrainian refugees granted UK visas interview on Monday.

Kate Nicholson www.huffingtonpost.co.uk 

The Home Office has only granted 50 Ukrainians visas allowing them to come to the UK out of a total of 5,535 who have completed their applications as part of a new refugee scheme.

Defending the low numbers, the Europe minister claimed the UK would “of course be generous and open-hearted to Ukrainians, as you’d expect.

Burley then played a clip from a British man fleeing Ukraine from his family, who tried to get the UK from Calais but was stopped by border patrol. She said: “So we’re not making it easier at all are we?”

The minister just said he was not familiar with that individual case.

Burley claimed “it was not acceptable” to let only 50 people come to the UK, especially as a hundreds of thousands have fled to Poland.

It’s worth noting that the UN has declared the Russian invasion has triggered the fastest-growing refugee crisis since World War 2.

France’s interior minister has dubbed the UK’s policies towards Ukraine “inhuman”.

Even so, Cleverly said: “This situation has only occurred in the last couple of days. Of course the vast majority of people have just crossed the borders into neighbouring countries. And of course, what we are saying is that we are supporting them there.”

He said “we are also going to host the Ukrainians temporarily”.

He ignored Burley as she kept asking “when” while he promised to welcome Ukrainian refugees to the UK once the “processes” to house them are in place.

The Sky News anchor said: “These people literally are fleeing for their lives!”

Agitated, Cleverly replied: “Kay, if you’re going to ask me a question, let me answer it.”

Burley said: “We only have a limited amount of time, and you’re going off on a tangent.

“This is what my viewers want to know this morning, if I may!”

The minister continued defending the scheme and said: “The process has only just started. The vast majority of people are in the nations neighbouring Ukraine.”

She interrupted by saying, “minister, if I may”, adding again that she only had a limited amount of time to talk to him on the show.

“I’ve asked you several times and we’ve gone round the houses on that one,” Burley replied.

The Sky presenter continued asking about the UK’s support for Ukraine, but about two minutes before he was due to speak on his next interview, Cleverly said he had to leave – which ministers rarely do.

He said: “Kay, unfortunately I do have to go. I told your studio that I have to be clear for another interview I have at 7.20. I’m afraid I have to go now.”

“Make of that what you will,” Burley concluded after a pause, as the interview came to an abrupt end.

On Sunday, home secretary Priti Patel promised that she was “doing everything possible” to help the Ukrainians, despite facing intense criticism over the Home Office’s reluctance to accept more refugees.

In addition to the 5,535 who have finished their online applications, an extra 2,368 have booked a visa appointment and 11,750 people have started their applications but have yet not completed it.

The new scheme means anyone with family members in the UK can stay in Britain for up to the three years.

Despite citing security claims for her initial reluctance to drop the regular points-based system for Ukrainians fleeing the Russian war, Patel claimed at the weekend that this new system is “the first scheme in the world that’s up and running in this short period of time”.

The prime minister also claimed that approximately 200,000 Ukrainians could use this programme.

Cleverly maintained throughout his media round that this is the process needed to let people into the UK, but – like other ministers – suggested Ukrainians would prefer to settle in countries close to their home nation, rather than Britain.

He also told BBC Breakfast that we were “absolutely” doing enough to help people fleeing the warzone, blaming various “processes” for the delay in accepting them to Britain.

“We are a generous country and we will be in this circumstance,” he said.

The minister told BBC Radio 4′s Today that he was actually not certain how many Ukrainians had been granted to the UK.

Presenter Nick Robinson said it was a “source of shame” more people had not been accepted, but Cleverly maintained that a support system still needed to be set up before allowing more refugees into Britain.

First promised by David Cameron in 2014, this has been a long time coming and then rushed through. – Owl

Alix Culbertson news.sky.com 

A new Economic Crime Bill to bolster the government’s ability to target Russian oligarchs has been pushed through the Commons.

The Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Bill received an unopposed third reading on Monday evening and will now go to the House of Lords for further scrutiny.

It was rushed through the Commons in the hope it will be passed in time to deter Russian oligarchs from the UK following Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

The aim of the bill is to make it difficult for people to hide their wealth in the UK, especially from overseas, including criminals and people wanting to hide illicitly acquired money – especially through property purchases.

The bill has faced multiple delays and there was speculation it might have been dropped, but it was tabled last week after Russia invaded Ukraine and was fast-tracked through the initial stages.

Most opposition parties support the bill, but some MPs feel there are too many loopholes.

However, with the government’s safe majority, all proposed amendments were voted down.

Here are some of the key elements of the bill:

Register of overseas UK land ownership

A register of overseas entities would be set up, so the actual owners of land or property in the UK bought by people or companies overseas in the last 20 years would be named.

At the moment, many multi-million pound homes in the UK are owned by shell companies based overseas, so it is not possible to know who the actual owner is.

Failure to name the actual owner of property would be a criminal offence under the bill, with up to five years’ in jail.

More powers for investigators

Investigators would also be allowed to target people who manage properties within complicated offshore arrangements, even if they’re not the actual beneficiary.

And the National Crime Agency will be protected against extortionate legal costs for going after these very wealthy people, as long as they act reasonably and properly.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

London’s oligarchs on sanctions

Sanctions

Under the bill, it would be easier for the UK to sanction individuals as they would no longer have to have, or be suspected to have, breached sanctions law.

The UK has faced criticism for the relatively small number of oligarchs it has sanctioned since the Ukraine invasion started compared with other countries such as the US. However, the government maintains it is doing all it can.

Unexplained wealth orders

Unexplained wealth orders would also be tightened up, so people will have to explain how they gained their money.

This is in the hope of catching or preventing those who are suspected of gaining their money through illicit or criminal means.

(Swire pal and formerly the only two co-investors in Eaglesham Investments …see: “just how deep are these Russian links to Tories?” and plenty more using the EDW search box)

Jasper Jolly www.theguardian.com 

The Conservative peer Greg Barker has resigned as chairman of EN+, the mining company part-owned by the sanctioned Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska.

Lord Barker, an energy minister in David Cameron’s government, oversaw a plan to help the firm respond to US government sanctions levelled against the company and Deripaska in 2018, when it sanctioned the oligarch over his alleged links to the Russian government. Deripaska has previously said the US allegations were based on “false rumour and innuendo”.

Barker’s resignation comes amid intense scrutiny of companies linked to sanctioned Russian oligarchs, alleged by authorities in the US, EU and UK to be part of the system through which Vladimir Putin controls the Russian economy.

After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the London Stock Exchange last week suspended trading in EN+ along with more than 30 other Russian-linked firms, “in light of market conditions, and in order to maintain orderly markets”.

While Barker will step down as chairman of the listed company, EN+ on Monday confirmed reports that it is considering carving out a large part of the aluminium business, which includes the part-owned subsidiary Rusal.

The new company would be owned by management and non-Russian investors, and potentially led by Baker, according to a report by Bloomberg News that was referenced by EN+. It would take on Rusal’s alumina, bauxite and aluminium assets across the globe, including in Africa, Australia and Europe.

Barker’s role with the company has proven highly controversial ever since he joined but pressure has mounted in recent days amid strong criticism from Conservative party colleagues and scrutiny on directorships in companies linked to Russian oligarchs.

The UK defence secretary, Ben Wallace, last month said Barker should quit all Russia-related roles. “I think Lord Barker should explain why he works with people like Deripaska,” he said.

Barker had served as a minister for energy and climate change in Cameron’s government but he has since earned millions of pounds for chairing EN+, including $7.8m in salary and bonuses in 2019 after he conceived the “Barker plan” to avoid US sanctions directly on the company. EN+ is still thought to make monthly reports to US authorities to ensure it is not breaching the terms of the agreement.

In a statement to the stock market, EN+ said: “The group confirms that it is currently reviewing its strategy with respect to Rusal. Options under consideration include the possibility of carving out Rusal’s international business.”

The plan was at “a preliminary stage” and the company will talk further to regulators and key stakeholders, the statement said.

Barker will continue to chair the group for a “short period” before handing over to Christopher Bancroft Burnham, the company’s senior independent director. Burnham is a US national who lists a Kaliningrad correspondence address with Companies House.

EN+ and Barker were approached for comment.

• Single storey rear extension38 Priddis Close Exmouth EX8 5PGRef. No: 22/0460/FUL | Validated: Fri 25 Feb 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Lawful Development Certificate for single storey side extension and single storey rear extension.Woodcote Cottage Gosford Road Ottery St Mary EX11 1NURef. No: 22/0454/CPL | Validated: Thu 24 Feb 2022 | Status: Refused
• Eucalyptus tree located against boundary wall on West Hill Lane – fell tree removing it from site. Replace with two Native trees (Oak and Linen tree) in locations to be confirmed within the Boundary of the Property. Reason – protection of historic Cob wall and to save adjacent native trees currently being killed by the Eucalyptus and the canopy of the tree has put telecoms lines under threat2 West Hill Lane Budleigh Salterton EX9 6AARef. No: 22/0452/TCA | Validated: Thu 24 Feb 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Lawful Development Certificate for loft conversion to include rear flat roof dormer and roof lights to the front.12 Sluggett Place Exeter Devon EX1 3WLRef. No: 22/0455/CPL | Validated: Thu 24 Feb 2022 | Status: Approved
• T1 Cupressus macrocarpa – reduce height by 2 – 3m and shorten side branches by similar amount to a suitable second or third order branch. Remove broken branches and dead wood over 75mm. Prune back branches away from wires and over roof to give a clearance of approximately 2m. Work to leave a height of approximately 18m and a radial spread of approximately 6m.Strands Millford Road Sidmouth EX10 8DPRef. No: 22/0458/TRE | Validated: Thu 24 Feb 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Single storey rear extension.13 North Street Ottery St Mary EX11 1DRRef. No: 22/0456/FUL | Validated: Thu 24 Feb 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Single storey side extension.15 Capel Lane Exmouth EX8 2QZRef. No: 22/0449/FUL | Validated: Thu 24 Feb 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Enlargement of existing dormer window on front (south) roof elevation3 Fortfield Seaton EX12 2AWRef. No: 22/0444/FUL | Validated: Thu 24 Feb 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Single storey rear extension.6 Ashley Crescent Sidmouth EX10 9UERef. No: 22/0447/FUL | Validated: Thu 24 Feb 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• The application is to convert the existing loft space, including dormers to the front and rear to provide additional habitable accommodation for a growing family.24 Belle Vue Road Exmouth EX8 3DPRef. No: 22/0429/FUL | Validated: Wed 23 Feb 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision

• To render over existing brick walls of dwelling-house.26 Parkside Road Exeter EX1 3TNRef. No: 22/0434/FUL | Validated: Fri 25 Feb 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Construction of a slurry store with a single membrane topLand Adjacent Watercombe Farm BranscombeRef. No: 22/0437/FUL | Validated: Fri 25 Feb 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• T1 – Karinasta- reduce to approx. height of 9 metres and max diameter cuts 5cm G1- Group of fruit trees- de ivy, prune and shape because they have been let go and are creating excessive shading. T2 – Monterey Cypress – reduce in height by 3m and thin crown back to 50mm pruning points to reduce excessive shading on garden. crown lifting 4 metres as discussed. T3 – Cherry tree – Removal as it has fallen out of the garden onto private access and very close to track. T4 – Willow – Prune back over hanging branches of western side to in line with boundary to suitable growth point, (permission approved from Boston Tea Party).55 High Street Honiton EX14 1PWRef. No: 22/0438/TCA | Validated: Wed 23 Feb 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Construction of hardcore entrance track, construction of non-residential single storey building containing toilets, showers and workshop/store and demolition of existing derelict former stables buildingChippers Field Charmouth Road Axminster EX13 5SZRef. No: 22/0431/FUL | Validated: Wed 23 Feb 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Single storey rear extension and demolition of rear conservatory.8 Buckingham Close Exmouth EX8 2JBRef. No: 22/0416/FUL | Validated: Tue 22 Feb 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Creation of new covered verandah, removal of existing roof dormer extension and addition of glazed roof and enlargement of existing rear roof dormer window.Haywain Upexe Exeter EX5 5NDRef. No: 22/0414/FUL | Validated: Tue 22 Feb 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Part two storey part single storey rear extension and installation of shed.6 Moor Lane Budleigh Salterton EX9 6PTRef. No: 22/0423/FUL | Validated: Sun 27 Feb 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Conversion of existing side extension to a self-contained granny annexe with carport canopy and relocation of existing conservatory.46 Richmond Road Exmouth EX8 2NARef. No: 22/0426/FUL | Validated: Tue 22 Feb 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Variation of Condition 3 (Approved Plans) of approved application 21/0027/FUL (Construction of two storey extension) for additional floor area to allow access from utility room to kitchenCooksmoor South Stockland Honiton EX14 9NHRef. No: 22/0407/VAR | Validated: Fri 25 Feb 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Proposed replacement of septic tank with Premier Tech mini treatment worksRatclyffe House Clyst Hydon Cullompton EX15 2NQRef. No: 22/0421/FUL | Validated: Tue 22 Feb 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision

• Single storey rear extension and single storey outbuilding for ancillary use as a home office/store including demolition of existing lean-to and outbuilding14 Jocelyn Road Budleigh Salterton EX9 6SFRef. No: 22/0410/FUL | Validated: Tue 22 Feb 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Single storey rear and side extension.Reedmace Woodhouse Lane Uplyme Lyme Regis DT7 3SXRef. No: 22/0411/FUL | Validated: Tue 22 Feb 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Proposed new dwelling house with integral garage.Hillbrae Maer Lane Exmouth EX8 2DERef. No: 22/0413/FUL | Validated: Fri 25 Feb 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Proposed replacement of septic tank with Premier Tech mini treatment worksRatclyffe House Clyst Hydon Cullompton EX15 2NQRef. No: 22/0422/LBC | Validated: Tue 22 Feb 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Retention of existing temporary relocatable double classroom buildingExmouth Community College Gipsy Lane Exmouth EX8 3AFRef. No: 22/0404/FUL | Validated: Thu 24 Feb 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Certificate of proposed lawful use for proposed use of Unit 10 Harpford Business Units from B1 General Industrial to E(e) Provision of medical or health services (private pharmacy).Unit 10 Harpford Units Liverton Business Park Exmouth EX8 2NURef. No: 22/0396/CPL | Validated: Wed 23 Feb 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• The Beech and Ash hedge located in the rear garden of number 19 Potters Stile – Reduce the height of all of the Beech trees in the hedge to a height of 10 Feet so as to allow proper future management and maintenance of the hedge. Ash trees in the hedge should to be felled as vulnerable to Ash dieback. They could then be replaced with smaller more appropriate specimens. Beech x 2. All limbs of 4″ diameter or less to be removed to reduce the canopies and all limbs below 25 feet to be cut back to the main trunk to lift the crown. Oak, reduce the crown by pruning out all limbs of 4″ diameter or less. The objective of this maintenance should be to separate the crowns of the three trees, so that they are again identifiable as individual specimens and to allow more light and air into the houses and gardens whilst reducing debris fall below the canopies and maintaining healthy trees with balanced canopies. The reduction of the canopies will also make the trees less top heavy, particularly when in leaf, and so will reduce the risk of the trees falling in windy conditions1 Highfield Road Dunkeswell Honiton EX14 4XYRef. No: 22/0384/TRE | Validated: Tue 22 Feb 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Demolition of existing detached garage, single storey side extension to include car port, alterations to fenestration, addition of infill roof to include 3 x rooflights and creation of new entrance to west elevation.Moorcroft 4 Burrow Lane Newton Poppleford Sidmouth EX10 0BWRef. No: 22/0392/FUL | Validated: Mon 21 Feb 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• First floor rear extension to provide accommodation, addition of 2 x windows to the side of dwelling and porch to front.1 Barnes Meadow Uplyme Lyme Regis DT7 3TDRef. No: 22/0391/FUL | Validated: Mon 21 Feb 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Single storey side extension and front bay extension with canopy roof.24 Forton Road Exmouth EX8 4NQRef. No: 22/0389/FUL | Validated: Mon 21 Feb 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision

• Single storey rear extension to dwelling.15 Ross Close Exeter EX1 3UERef. No: 22/0388/FUL | Validated: Mon 21 Feb 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Erection of a two storey 3-bed detached dwelling, with single storey link extension to existing farm building and conversion of existing farm building to habitable useLand Adjacent To Woodthorpe KilmingtonRef. No: 22/0387/FUL | Validated: Mon 21 Feb 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Two storey side extension and single storey front extension.35 Manstone Avenue Sidmouth EX10 9TFRef. No: 22/0386/FUL | Validated: Mon 21 Feb 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Replacement kitchen door in place of window and amendment to approved garden doors roomsThe Old Toll House Exeter Road Honiton EX14 1AZRef. No: 22/0403/LBC | Validated: Mon 21 Feb 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Replacement kitchen door in place of window and amendment to approved garden doors roomsThe Old Toll House Exeter Road Honiton EX14 1AZRef. No: 22/0402/FUL | Validated: Mon 21 Feb 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Change of use of land to garden and construction of building to form artist studio/workshop and garden machinery store for use incidental to the enjoyment of the main dwellinghouse and associated works, including hardsurfacing, installation of gates and landscapingThe Oaks Holyford Lane Colyford Colyton EX24 6HWRef. No: 22/0395/FUL | Validated: Mon 21 Feb 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Creation of new farm entrance (retrospective)Heathfield Farm Awliscombe Honiton EX14 3PJRef. No: 22/0397/FUL | Validated: Mon 21 Feb 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Removal of Condition 2 (Approved Plans) on application 20/0842/FULLand Adjacent To The Meetings Maer Lane Exmouth EX8 5DDRef. No: 22/0372/VAR | Validated: Tue 22 Feb 2022 | Status: Withdrawn
• Lawful Development Certificate for a Proposed Construction of single storey rear extension.42 Claremont Field Ottery St Mary EX11 1NPRef. No: 22/0367/CPL | Validated: Mon 21 Feb 2022 | Status: Withdrawn
• Two storey side extension, demolition of existing garage, construction of a detached garage and revised access.Crammer Ash Kerswell Cullompton EX15 2EHRef. No: 22/0368/FUL | Validated: Mon 21 Feb 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision

• Use of the land for siting a mobile home for use ancillary to the main dwelling.9 Stoneyford Park Budleigh Salterton EX9 6TBRef. No: 22/0358/CPL | Validated: Mon 21 Feb 2022 | Status: Withdrawn
• Single storey rear extension.Flat 2 Rear Of 44 Victoria Road Exmouth EX8 1DWRef. No: 22/0356/FUL | Validated: Sun 27 Feb 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Extension of existing parking area and removal of car port structure, conversion of attached outbuilding to form living space, creation of internal doorway, removal of modern brick infill sections between lounge and kitchen and construction of boiler houseForge Cottage Membury Axminster EX13 7AGRef. No: 22/0343/LBC | Validated: Thu 24 Feb 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Extension of existing parking area and removal of car port structure, conversion of attached outbuilding to form living space, creation of internal doorway, removal of modern brick infill sections between lounge and kitchen and construction of boiler houseForge Cottage Membury Axminster EX13 7AGRef. No: 22/0342/FUL | Validated: Thu 24 Feb 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Prior approval for solar panels on roof.The Fireworks Weycroft Avenue Millwey Rise Industrial Estate Axminster EX13 5HURef. No: 22/0354/PVJ | Validated: Mon 21 Feb 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Single storey side extension with alteration to fenestration and installation of terrace to front.Little Holme Back Lane Newton Poppleford Sidmouth EX10 0EYRef. No: 22/0344/FUL | Validated: Thu 24 Feb 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Erection of two composite panel signsJoshuas Harvest Store Gosford Road Ottery St Mary EX11 1NURef. No: 22/0313/ADV | Validated: Fri 25 Feb 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Creation of access ramp to the front of building and relocation of existing doorway.Village Hall Lympstone School Hill Lympstone Exmouth EX8 5JYRef. No: 22/0308/FUL | Validated: Tue 22 Feb 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Re-render the following elevations: south west, south east, north east and north westHavencliffe Axmouth Seaton EX12 4ABRef. No: 22/0285/LBC | Validated: Mon 21 Feb 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Replace 1no. fan window on ground floor North East elevationThe Old Rectory Buckerell Honiton EX14 3EJRef. No: 22/0291/LBC | Validated: Wed 23 Feb 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision

• T11, Oak : Remove lowest limb as highlighted of approximately 125-150mm back to the main trunk T9, Oak : Crown raise to 5m in height from ground level over play equipment to achieve 2m clearance. A1, Mixed Species : Crown raise to 5m in height from ground level over play equipment to achieve 2m clearance. Reason: Appropriate arb management.St Josephs Rc Primary School Regents Gate Exmouth EX8 1TARef. No: 22/0277/TRE | Validated: Thu 24 Feb 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Creation of a Wildlife Pond at South Wood Farm.South Wood Farm Cotleigh Honiton EX14 9HURef. No: 22/0270/FUL | Validated: Thu 24 Feb 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Erection of a single bedroom house.Land Adjoining 6 St John Close High Street Honiton EX14 1PNRef. No: 22/0330/FUL | Validated: Tue 22 Feb 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• To concrete an existing driveway prior to resin bonding13 Joslin Road Honiton EX14 1RHRef. No: 22/0235/FUL | Validated: Fri 25 Feb 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Installation of external air source heat pump cabinetThe Old Mill Uplyme Lyme Regis DT7 3UARef. No: 22/0223/FUL | Validated: Thu 24 Feb 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Proposed single storey glazed conservatory to rear right hand side of property.The Thirsty Farmer Talaton Road Whimple Exeter EX5 2QQRef. No: 22/0227/FUL | Validated: Wed 23 Feb 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision
• Agricultural access trackLand South West Of Farway Forest SidburyRef. No: 22/0136/AGR | Validated: Tue 22 Feb 2022 | Status: Awaiting decision

The reliability of these figures depends on the extent that individuals are still testing themselves, now that people are only “encouraged” to follow public health advice.

Once lateral flow tests are no longer free, the random sampling conducted by the ONS will be the only reliable official source, though the zoe app will continue. – Owl

Joe Ives, local democracy reporter www.radioexe.co.uk

Still nearly 5,000 new cases in a week

Covid cases in Devon have fallen by almost a third in a single week, continuing a downward trend.

In the latest complete seven day period (to Sunday, 27 February) the county recorded 4,618 new cases; 2,117 fewer than the previous week. The 31 per cent fall takes the infection rate across Devon to 380 per 100,000 of the population, but that is still higher than the national average of 357.

The Devon County Council area, which excludes Plymouth and Torbay, recorded 3,133 cases, 29 per cent (1,306) fewer than the previous week. The area’s 3,133 new cases take its infection rates to 386 per 100,000.

Plymouth has 361 cases per 100,000 following a large decrease in infections, in which 611 (39 per cent) fewer cases were recorded.

Torbay’s 535 new infections represent a 27 per cent (201 cases) drop compared to the previous week. The Bay’s infection rate now sits at 380 per 100,000 of the population. 

Hospitalisations

As of the most recent data (from Tuesday 1 March) 168 patients were in Devon’s hospitals with covid, 26 more than the previous week.

At 80, Plymouth has the highest number of people in hospital with covid. Elsewhere, 60 covid patients are in the RD&E in Exeter, while Torbay has 19 and North Devon nine. 

Out of the 168 patients, only one is in a mechanical ventilation bed.

Deaths

Deaths have decreased in the most recent complete seven-day period (to Sunday 27 February). Seven people died within 28 days of receiving a positive covid test across Devon, five fewer than in the previous week.

Five people died with covid in the Devon County Council area, one in Torbay and another in Plymouth.

Across Devon, a total of 1,610 people have now died within 28 days of a positive covid test.

Vaccinations

Eighty-nine per cent of people aged 12 and above have had their first dose of a vaccine in the Devon County Council area, with 84 per cent receiving both doses. Seventy-one per cent have now had their ‘booster’ dose.

In Plymouth, 85 per cent have had one dose, while 80 per cent have had both. Sixty-one per cent have had the booster.

In Torbay, 86 per cent have received one dose, while 82 per cent have had both jabs. Sixty-six per cent have had their third vaccine.

The national rates are 92, 85 and 67 per cent respectively.

Owl understands that congratulations are in order for the previously sacked Secretary of State for Defence (under Theresa May, leaking secrets) and then for Education (under Boris Johnson, exam fiasco).

“For helping Boris Johnson into No 10”?

Even in the middle of a crisis Boris Johnson can’t maintain any sense of gravitas.

Fifty Ukrainians have been granted visas under a scheme for refugees with family links to the UK, the Home Office has announced.

www.bbc.co.uk

It is about 1% of the 5,535 people who have applied since the programme launched 48 hours earlier.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said she was “doing everything possible” to speed up efforts to issue the travel permits.

The Ukrainian ambassador praised the UK effort but urged for the “maximum” number of people to be admitted.

The UK has steadily increased its visa offer to refugees from the Ukraine war, extending it to parents, grandparents and siblings as well as “immediate family” and extending the visas to three years.

But it has faced criticism that its scheme is less generous than the European Union’s, while France accused the UK of a “lack of humanity”, saying that 150 refugees were turned back at Calais for lacking a visa.

Earlier this week, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said 200,000 Ukrainians would be eligible to travel to the UK as he extended the offer of visas to a wider range of family members.

As of 10:00 GMT on Sunday, the Home Office said 11,750 had begun applications online, while 5,535 had completed them.

It added that 2,368 had booked a visa appointment to submit their application and biometric information, while “around 50” visas had been granted.

Asked if it was acceptable that about 1% of applications had been granted in the first 48 hours of the scheme, Ms Patel said it was “the first scheme in the world that’s up and running in this short period of time”.

“This is an incredible scheme and we are doing everything possible, surging capacity across every single application centre across the EU,” she said, adding that staff were being flown into Ukraine’s border countries to speed up applications.

Ukraine’s immediate neighbours have taken in the majority of the 1.5 million people estimated to have fled the war, with more than half of them arriving in Poland.

‘Not turning people back’

France’s Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin wrote to Ms Patel on Saturday, saying that 400 Ukrainian refugees had arrived at Calais to cross the Channel, but 150 were sent back and told to obtain UK visas at embassies in Paris or Brussels.

Mr Darmanin said the response to people in distress was “completely unsuitable” and showed a “lack of humanity”, calling for the UK to put consular staff at Calais to help Ukrainian refugees cross.

But Ms Patel said it was “wrong to say we are turning people back” and said the Home Office already has people working in Calais to support Ukrainian families.

Vadym Prystaiko, Ukraine’s ambassador to the UK, said that the visa process could be simplified, adding that any issues could be resolved later but right now the “maximum” number needed to be admitted.

He said any “bureaucratic nonsense” should be cleared away, although he said it was necessary to continue security checks.

But he said the UK was at the “forefront of the effort” to support Ukraine.

 

Neil and Simon,

You will be returning to Londongrad today to vote on legislation to streamline the imposition of sanctions including “slashing” the “grace period” for registering property from 18 months to “just” six.

If any amendments are tabled to reduce this further, will you vote for them?

Owl

But they say it doesn’t mean it’s outsourced

Joe Ives, local democracy reporter www.radioexe.co.uk

A night-time telephone alarm service to help elderly and vulnerable people with health emergencies will be handled by a private company for at least a year following a controversial decision by the cabinet at East Devon District Council (EDDC).

But some councillors say that just because the service is run by a private company doesn’t meant it is outsourced.

In September 2021 the council decided to hand over part of its night-time Home Safeguard service to private company Night Owl for an initial period of four months because of staff shortages.

Now officers say the shortages are even worse with the number of vacant overnight call-handler positions tripling to six, meaning a longer contract with Night Owl is needed.

Home Safeguard is a 24/7 telecare alarm service provided by EDDC for older people, those living with long-term conditions or anyone else who may be vulnerable because of their specific needs, such as younger people with learning disabilities. It provides a monitoring and support service to residents of East Devon, in both the private sector and within EDDC sheltered housing.

The service receives an average of 21 calls a night. Council officers say they have lost too many night-time staff and are finding it almost impossible to fill the six vacant positions, meaning more help from private company PPP Night Owl is needed. 

Officers say the problem is not limited to EDDC and that their research shows similar posts being advertised elsewhere, at higher pay grades. They say: “it would be inappropriate to advertise [the vacant positions] again, given the high chance of failure.”

Officers concluded: “The issue appears to centre around the unsociable nature of working permanent nights and the impact this has on private lives.” They said the change in working patterns made possible through covid is also having an impact.

As a result of the problems, EDDC extended Night Owl’s contract for a full year. Unlike the council’s in-house service, Night Owl staff are not based in East Devon but at offices in Chichester, Exeter and Ashburton. 

Officers say that the company has so far “delivered a consistent, high quality and seamless service to our thousands of service users.”

They argue that a longer-term contract will safeguard the service, saying that right now the private company “could walk away in four weeks and we’d have no way of delivering the service,”  leaving vulnerable people in East Devon at risk.

It is hoped that the next 12 months will provide a temporary breather, allowing the council to work out how to make its vacant positions more attractive to potential employees. 

Leader of the council Paul Arnott (Democratic Alliance Group, Coly Valley) said: “Personally I’m extremely reassured that this doesn’t represent any thin end of the wedge towards this happening in perpetuity.

“We’re dealing with circumstances at an incredibly difficult time.”

Councillor Paul Millar (Labour, Exmouth Halsdon) said he was concerned that service users were not being consulted about the changes.

Speaking at cabinet Cllr Millar said: “Our neighbouring Labour authority in Exeter have kept this service in-house permanently and have recognised the value of it by advertising it at a higher grade.

“Given that this is such a unique and valued service I have to confess my deep-seated personal disappointment that the paying conditions of this role have not been more urgently reviewed.”

He added: “This kind of outsourcing has been discredited nationally, whether temporary or permanent”, urging the council to bring the service back in-house in 2023.

Councillor Steve Gazzard (Liberal Democrats and Democratic Alliance Group, Exmouth Withycombe Raleigh) said he had “grave reservations” about the move, adding: “I’m really not happy that we could be on the way of privatising this service.”

The description of the move as ‘outsourcing’ provoked disagreement amongst councillors.

Cabinet member councillor John Loudoun (Democratic Alliance Group and Independent East Devon Alliance, Sidmouth) said: “Colleagues need to be careful in bandying around those phrases because it then starts sending the wrong messages to people.”

Cllr Millar replied: “I’ve always understood this as outsourcing and we just seem to be changing the language we’re using to fit what we’re doing.”

He and his Labour colleague Jake Bonetta (Honiton St Michael’s) have since asked Cllr Loudoun to apologise for his comments.

It i not exactly clear what word best describes the situation – or why it matters.

In their report of last September officers did describe the measures as “outsourcing.” However, in their recent report officers said it was “absolutely not the case” that the move can be seen as outsourcing. 

They concluded: “We are simply delivering the service in partnership and we gain significant operational benefits and service resilience by doing so.”

The decision to extend the contract by one year was passed unanimously by EDDC’s cabinet. 

The NHS is “flying blind” and “woefully unprepared” to cope with England’s rapidly ageing population, senior doctors have warned as stark new figures reveal the country has only one full-time geriatrician to care for every 8,000 older people.

Andrew Gregory www.theguardian.com 

The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) said the drastic shortage of specially trained physicians to look after the rising number of elderly people and a lack of NHS workforce planning meant England was “sleepwalking into an avoidable crisis of care for older people”.

Its analysis of NHS and Office for National Statistics data shows there is just one full-time geriatrician for every 8,031 people over the age of 65 in England. There are also regional disparities, with one geriatrician caring for more than 12,500 over-65s in the east Midlands, while the figure in north-east and central London is one per 3,254.

Estimates suggest that by 2040 there could be as many as 17 million over-65s. But the college warns that many doctors will soon be requiring geriatric care themselves as 48% of consultant geriatricians are due to retire within the next decade.

The RCP said the health service was short of staff across all specialities and the shortage of geriatricians was one example of why the health service needed more workforce planning. It said there was no publicly available data on the number of staff the NHS needed to train now to meet future demand for care.

The college has joined more than 100 medical organisations calling for a change to the health and care bill that would require ministers to publish regular assessments of the numbers of staff in the NHS and social care system.

“I have dedicated my career to working in the NHS – a service that I am fiercely proud of – and yet it scares me to wonder what might happen should I need care as I get older,” said Dr Andrew Goddard, the president of the RCP. “There simply aren’t enough doctors to go round, not least within geriatrics.

“The workforce crisis we’re facing is largely down to an astonishing lack of planning. All successful organisations rely on long-term workforce planning to meet demand and it’s absurd that we don’t do this for the NHS and social care system. The government needs to … make workforce planning a priority.”

Dr Jennifer Burns, the president of the British Geriatrics Society, said the crisis would only worsen with the “predictable rise” in the numbers of older people across the country. “It is absolutely vital that these fundamental issues around the recruitment, retention, development and support of the workforce are addressed, and that there is a properly resourced strategy for future needs,” she said.

Danny Mortimer, the chief executive of NHS Employers and deputy chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said the RCP analysis highlighted “the growing mismatch between the demand for and availability of geriatricians”.

He added: “Sajid Javid’s recent commissioning of a workforce strategy is a very welcome step, but as the government’s health and care bill continues through parliament, we would urge the government to accept amendments requiring the health secretary to publish regular, independent assessments of the numbers of staff the NHS and social care system need now and in future.”

East Devon District Council has joined the show of support for the people of Ukraine and their families, following the Russian invasion. 

person Philippa Davies www.exmouthjournal.co.uk

The county and district councils have condemned Russia’s actions and pledged to work together to support Ukrainian refugees seeking sanctuary in the UK. 

They have also agreed to give particular support to families in Devon whose relatives in Ukraine are fleeing the conflict. 

East Devon District Council Chair Councillor Ian Thomas said: “On behalf of East Devon District Council, I want to express horror at the unprovoked invasion and heinous treatment of the sovereign nation of Ukraine and its people by Russia.  

“These are uniquely challenging circumstances. Whilst movement of displaced refugees from the war zone is at an early stage, it is clear that an enormous level of support is needed.   

“I’m confident that East Devon officers and members will step up to the plate in response to this humanitarian crisis, taking an active role with our local government partners in support of wider refugee needs.  

“In the interim, we have joined with many across the globe in a statement of solidarity and support for Ukraine, by flying the nation’s flag at both Blackdown House in Honiton and Exmouth Town Hall.  

“It is unbelievable and heart-breaking to see this tragedy unfolding before us. We can only hope that sanity, humanity and kindness will soon be restored.” 

East Devon District Council Leader Councillor Paul Arnott added: “The constructive and practical engagement of all the Devon districts, working under the Team Devon flag with the County, is absolutely essential. The challenges this crisis will inevitably provide need direct political solutions both nationally and locally, and East Devon, as part of Team Devon, will make sure that our response meets the expectations of our many concerned residents.” 

Individually, councils have also taken steps to cut Russian links, such as through contracts for energy provision.  Any few remaining investments within the Devon Pension Fund that are linked to Russian assets are being sold off quickly. 

Devon councils say they have long worked together, alongside health and voluntary sector partners and local communities, to provide safe sanctuary and resettlement for refugees, most recently Syrian families and those fleeing conflict in Afghanistan. 

 

Keir Starmer has called on the Conservatives to sack their co-chair, Ben Elliot, for being “at the heart” of links between the party and Russian money.

Rowena Mason www.theguardian.com 

The Labour leader said Elliot should step back from his role or be removed after revelations about his firm’s Russian business and the Tories accepting donations from wealthy Russians or companies linked to Russia.

Elliot has been chair of the party while it has taken donations from Lubov Chernukhin, the wife of Vladimir Putin’s former finance minister, and Aquind, a company co-owned by the billionaire Viktor Fedotov.

Neither is subject to any sanctions and the Conservatives have previously said in relation to Chernukhin and Aquind that all donations were “properly and transparently” declared in line with electoral law. Chernukhin, who has British citizenship, has condemned the invasion of Ukraine and called Putin’s regime “despotic”.

Elliot is also co-owner of Quintessentially, a “concierge” service for the super-wealthy that has counted many Russians among its clients, including reportedly Roman Abramovich, the Chelsea owner who has also faced calls from Starmer for UK sanctions to be imposed on him.

Quintessentially this week deleted a webpage detailing its presence in Russia, with about 50 staff in the country.

An archived page version said: “Quintessentially Russia has nearly 15 years’ experience providing luxury lifestyle management services to Russia’s elite and corporate members. Our office employs over 50 lifestyle managers, each of whom has completed a specialised training programme. They work around the clock 365 days per year to provide personal concierge services to each member. From restaurant bookings to backstage concert access, a bespoke luxury lifestyle is at our clients’ fingertips.”

A spokesperson for Quintessentially said the group “completely condemns President Putin’s invasion of Ukraine” and was monitoring its member base to ensure it was not servicing any individual or corporate body on sanctions lists, confirming that there were none so far.

With concerns heightened after the invasion of Ukraine, Starmer said it was time for the Conservatives to act to remove Elliot. Speaking during a visit to Birmingham Erdington, where Labour won a byelection on Thursday, Starmer said: “I think there is growing concern about the links between the Conservative party and Russian money. Ben Elliot is at the heart of that. We need to strip Russian money away from our politics, not to allow it to influence our politics.

“There will always be this danger if the Conservative government doesn’t go really hard on this that people will say it must be because you are reliant on Russian money that you are not going more quickly.

“So, it’s in everybody’s best interests that Ben Elliot steps back from his role – and I think he should actually be sacked from it.”

A Conservative source said: “This Conservative government has been leading the world in arming and training Ukrainian troops and imposing severe sanctions on Russia while Keir Starmer attempts to score cheap political points.”

In a reference to a row over support for Stop the War, the source added: “He would be better off trying to rid his own party of the Putin apologists who blame Nato for the invasion of Ukraine, many of whom sit as Labour MPs.”

Abramovich has said he is a non-political person and was not linked to Putin or the Russian state.

Meanwhile the former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith called for British politics to be “scrubbed clean” of Russian money, saying: “It’s all political parties: we’ve all got to clean house … I think it should all be revisited, all of what went on in the past.”

Duncan Smith suggested it was not just politicians who had been too lax about accepting Russian cash but also “lawyers, estate agents, accountants – enablers” who should now reconsider their roles.

David Davis, the former Brexit secretary, called on the government to use legislation due to be passed next week to force UK citizens to sever their links with Russian companies if the government believed they were connected to the Kremlin.

“We are in an economic war,” he said. “One of the things we should do in the economic crime bill is that we should require British citizens not to hold posts on the boards of companies which the government believes have a link with Putin. They should certainly not be in receipt of large sums of money from such companies.”