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Team takes 1st bite out of crime
3 Liverpool
residents with suspected links to loan sharks have been arrested
thanks to a new team biting back.
Liverpool’s Illegal Money Lending Team, which was launched in
February, executed warrants on a number houses in the Toxteth area
yesterday. Trading standards and police officers searched 3
properties following intelligence suggesting an unlicensed
money-lending business was operating from them. 3 people were
arrested on suspicion of money laundering and illegal money lending,
and will be questioned by the team.
Liverpool city council’s executive member for trading standards,
Councillor Berni Turner, said:- “I was delighted when we put
the new team in place and am just as pleased that their work is
starting to get results. Loan sharks are the lowest of the
low, feeding off the most vulnerable in our communities and this
action today signals that we are fighting back.”
The team is made up of trading standards officers who work closely
with the police to tackle the problem of loan sharks across the
North West. Funded by the government, the team is responsible
for gathering evidence about loan shark activities, executing
warrants on premises to seize evidence, carrying out arrests and
then using the Proceeds of Crime Act to confiscate any assets.
The team will liaise closely to support victims, introducing them to
groups such as credit unions and debt support agencies.
Residents with any information about a loan shark can call the
confidential hotline on 0151 282 1122, 24 hours a day.
You can also email
the details
stoploansharks@liverpool.gov.uk.
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Hutton serves up a fair deal on tips
THE Government
has announced plans to amend regulations so that tips can no longer
count towards payment of the National Minimum Wage, as it celebrates
the 10th anniversary of its landmark NMW legislation.
The changes will end the practice of employers using gratuities and
service charges processed through the payroll to 'top up'
staff
wages to meet the £5.52 per hour National Minimum Wage, which rises
to £5.73 on 1 October 2008.
Business Secretary, John Hutton, also revealed proposals for making
tipping practices fairer and emphasised the importance of improving
transparency. "Hundreds of thousands of people in the UK
have jobs in sectors where tipping is commonplace. When people leave
a tip, in a restaurant or elsewhere, they expect it to go to service
staff and as consumers, we've got a right to know if that actually
happens. This is an issue of fairness and common sense and
it's one many people clearly care a lot about.
Under the current law, all workers are already entitled to receive
the minimum wage. The changes we're proposing will mean that in the
future, tips cannot count towards payment of the minimum wage.
We also want to encourage employers to make it clear how tips are
distributed so that customers know where their money is going and
whether or not the establishment operates a fair tipping policy."
A consultation on implementing the Government's recommendations will
be launched in the autumn. Guidance for both workers and
employers will be issued following the consultation to ensure a
smooth transition when the regulations are changed, which is
anticipated to be 2009. |
