Human Trafficking Phoneline Launched

A new phoneline for victims of human trafficking has been launched today by the Metropolitan Police Service. The freephone number is featured in a poster campaign produced for the MPS and the charity Stop The Traffik. The posters encourage men and women who have been trafficked into the UK and forced to work for little or no wages in the sex and domestic industries, amongst others, to report the crimes to police. They show women attached like puppets on strings in a dark and dingy room and carry the strapline: 'Stop traffickers controlling you. You make the call. We'll make it stop'. The freephone number 0800 783 2589 asks victims and those who suspect trafficked victims are living in their community, to pass on information in confidence to the police. Posters are being distributed over the coming weeks by police and partners, including charities, NGOs and other support and outreach groups, in a range of public places such as libraries, doctors' surgeries and police stations. The phone line will be staffed by officers between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday. At all other times messages can be left for officers. In an emergency, people should call 999.

Davey Welcomes Red Tape Cut For Smallest Companies

Business Minister Edward Davey today welcomed an agreement on new, simpler accounting rules which will benefit up to 1.5 million small British companies, during a regular meeting of Business Ministers from across the EU in Brussels. Small companies, or micro-entities, form the backbone of the British economy but have limited resources to comply with the same accounting requirements as larger companies. The agreement reached today will exempt these companies from some obligations, potentially saving between £150-300 million per year in reduced administrative costs. Mr Davey said: “I greatly welcome the progress made today in Europe to simplify the accounting rules for our smallest companies. This is a significant step in reducing red tape and a clear signal that we will take action to stop our smallest companies being held back by excessive regulation. “I believe this shows what can be achieved by a positive and constructive engagement with the European Union - the first ever exemption for micro-entities from an existing EU directive. We now need to build on this breakthrough and I hope that further improvements can be agreed before the proposal becomes law.” Member States will now discuss the measures with Members of the European Parliament, who must also give their approval before the new rules can enter into force.

Appeal Launched To Trace Man Following Assault

Officers from the Community Safety Unit at Ealing are appealing to trace a man following an assault around midnight on 26 November 2010 at a premises in St Andrews Road, west London. That evening, a 53-year old woman was taken to hospital following an altercation with a man who punched her in the face, bruising her right eye and breaking her nose. Police would like to speak with Pricely Solomon aka Seleman who is described as black, 5' 9" with short black hair. He is originally from Tanzania. He is believed to be in the Blackheath area. Detective Inspector Janet Jones, said: “We would appeal to anyone who knows the whereabouts of this man or has information about this incident to please contact us."

(BMcN/GK)