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  • Baroness Worthington – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Baroness Worthington – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Worthington on 2015-10-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the cost to the public purse of decommissioning gas and oil infrastructure in the North Sea over the period 2014–15 to 2019–20.

    Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth

    The Government believes in making the most of the UK’s oil and gas resources – to date the oil and gas industry has contributed £330bn to the Exchequer and is the UK’s largest industrial investor, supporting hundreds of thousands of jobs, supplying a large portion of the UK’s primary energy needs and making a significant contribution to GDP. With between 11 and 21 billion barrels of oil equivalent still to be exploited, the UK Continental Shelf can continue to provide considerable economic benefits for many years to come.

    Decommissioning is an inherent cost of doing business in the UK Continental Shelf. As a result, capital allowances are available on decommissioning expenditure (for the purposes of Ring Fence Corporation Tax and Supplementary Charge) and the expenditure is tax deductible for the purposes of Petroleum Revenue Tax. The provision of relief requires a company to have current or previously taxed upstream profits against which to offset losses. Relief is not available where a company has not paid tax or where a company’s decommissioning costs exceed the amount of profits on which they have previously paid tax.

    We are committed to ensuring decommissioning programmes represent value for money, which is why the Government intends to bring forward amendments at Lords Report Stage of the Energy Bill to: require decommissioning programmes to be cost effective, ensure the Oil and Gas Authority has the powers it needs to scrutinise companies’ decommissioning plans to ensure they are cost effective, and enable the Secretary of State to require a company to take specific action to reduce the costs of decommissioning to address cost overruns.

    HMRC’s annual accounts include an estimate of, and provision for, the liabilities associated with the decommissioning of oil and gas infrastructure. Their annual accounts for 2014-15 are available below in the attached (page 115, Section 8).

  • Baroness Worthington – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Baroness Worthington – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Worthington on 2015-10-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the share of the total cost of decommissioning gas and oil infrastructure in the North Sea that will be met by the public purse under the current fiscal regime.

    Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth

    The Government believes in making the most of the UK’s oil and gas resources – to date the oil and gas industry has contributed £330bn to the Exchequer and is the UK’s largest industrial investor, supporting hundreds of thousands of jobs, supplying a large portion of the UK’s primary energy needs and making a significant contribution to GDP. With between 11 and 21 billion barrels of oil equivalent still to be exploited, the UK Continental Shelf can continue to provide considerable economic benefits for many years to come.

    Decommissioning is an inherent cost of doing business in the UK Continental Shelf. As a result, capital allowances are available on decommissioning expenditure (for the purposes of Ring Fence Corporation Tax and Supplementary Charge) and the expenditure is tax deductible for the purposes of Petroleum Revenue Tax. The provision of relief requires a company to have current or previously taxed upstream profits against which to offset losses. Relief is not available where a company has not paid tax or where a company’s decommissioning costs exceed the amount of profits on which they have previously paid tax.

    We are committed to ensuring decommissioning programmes represent value for money, which is why the Government intends to bring forward amendments at Lords Report Stage of the Energy Bill to: require decommissioning programmes to be cost effective, ensure the Oil and Gas Authority has the powers it needs to scrutinise companies’ decommissioning plans to ensure they are cost effective, and enable the Secretary of State to require a company to take specific action to reduce the costs of decommissioning to address cost overruns.

    HMRC’s annual accounts include an estimate of, and provision for, the liabilities associated with the decommissioning of oil and gas infrastructure. Their annual accounts for 2014-15 are available below in the attached (page 115, Section 8).

  • Baroness Worthington – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Baroness Worthington – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Worthington on 2015-10-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what measures they have taken to limit their exposure to costs arising from the decommissioning of North Sea oil and gas infrastructure.

    Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth

    There are robust safeguards in place to prevent the costs of decommissioning falling to the taxpayer. Measures under Part 4 of the Petroleum Act include the ability for the Secretary of State to require the owners of an offshore installation or pipeline to prepare and execute a decommissioning programme for those assets, and to take financial securities from those companies to protect the tax-payer from any default.

    We are committed to ensuring decommissioning programmes represent value for money, which is why the Government intends to bring forward amendments at Lords Report Stage of the Energy Bill to: require decommissioning programmes to be cost effective, ensure the Oil and Gas Authority has the powers it needs to scrutinise companies’ decommissioning plans to ensure they are cost effective, and enable the Secretary of State to require a company to take specific action to reduce the costs of decommissioning to address cost overruns.

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2015-09-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what measures they have taken, if any, in response to the most recent arrests of members of the Sudan Congress Party, and more broadly regarding the treatment of members of civil society, political activists and journalists in Sudan since the election in April.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    Whilst we have not raised this specific case, we regularly highlight our concerns over the treatment of political parties, civil society and the media with the Government of Sudan, most recently with a member of the National Congress Party in September this year.

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2015-09-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Baroness Anelay of St Johns on 15 September (HL Deb, col 1741), what assistance they have given to the Karen and other ethnic minorities in Burma in overcoming obstacles to a comprehensive national ceasefire, particularly in regard to (1) the placing of weapons beyond use, (2) the restitution of land, and (3) the extension of the franchise to Burmese refugees living in refugee camps on the border between Burma and Thailand.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We welcome the continuing talks between the Burmese government and ethnic armed groups to agree a National Ceasefire Agreement. Throughout the negotiations the UK has funded specialists to provide expert advice in support of the peacemaking dialogue in Burma to both sides of the conflict. This includes support to the National Ceasefire Coordination Team, the ethnic groups’ negotiation team of which Karen groups are a part. We are also a member of the Peace Donor Support Group which is directly supporting work to move from ceasefire agreements to political dialogue with all of Burma’s ethnic groups.

    The signing of a ceasefire would only be the start of a wider peace process. The next stage, as envisaged by the draft National Ceasefire Agreement, is a National Political Dialogue. It is at this stage that issues such as decommissioning of weapons, land restitution and resettlement of internally displaced people will be discussed. To date we have not been asked to assist with any of these issues, and we would only do so with the consent of both sides. However, as I highlighted in the debate to which the noble Lord refers, the UK has earmarked £3million in flexible funding to support such activities in support of the continuing peace process through the multi-donor Peace Support Fund, with the potential to increase this to £5million.

    We have raised with the Burmese authorities the issue of extending voting to internally displaced people. Most recently our Ambassador lobbied the head of the Union Election Commission on the inclusion of internally displaced people in Burma on the voter lists.

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2015-09-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of progress in combating Boko Haram in Nigeria; what assessment they have made of how many deaths and acts of terror that group has been responsible for over the past year; and how many of the girls who have been abducted by Boko Haram have been rescued to date.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    While we welcome progress made by Nigeria and its neighbours, Boko Haram remains a threat to security in North East Nigeria and the wider region. Due to the nature of Boko Haram attacks, which often take place in remote areas, it is difficult to provide accurate and reliable figures relating to their activities, including the numbers of people killed and abducted. However we estimate that over 20,000 people have been killed, 2.2 million internally displaced and 4.6 million affected by the insurgency.

    We are aware of several hundred women and children being released by Boko Haram this year. We have stressed to the Nigerian authorities the importance that they are provided with appropriate support.

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2015-09-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the findings of the report commissioned by the British Pakistan Christian Association, entitled Education, Human Rights Violations in Pakistan and the Scandal Involving UNHRC and Asylum Seekers in Thailand; and whether, in the light of this report, they plan to review the risk of the persecution of Christians in Pakistan and update their guidance document Pakistan: Christians and Christian Converts.

    Lord Bates

    The Home Office will be considering the report commissioned by the British Pakistani Christian Association alongside a range of other material to make a full assessment of the situation of Christians in Pakistan, and will revise its country information and guidance if necessary.

    The Home Office considers that the treatment of asylum seekers in Thailand is primarily a matter for the Thai authorities.

  • Lord Avebury – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Lord Avebury – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Avebury on 2015-09-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the Ministry of Justice last reviewed the provisions of the Registration of Burials Act 1864 under section 149 of the Equality Act 2010.

    Lord Faulks

    The Ministry of Justice does not exercise any functions under the provisions of the Registration of Burials Act 1864 and has not therefore undertaken such a review. Should the Government amend the Act in the future, however, it would have to take account of the requirements of the Equality Act 2010.

  • Lord Avebury – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Avebury – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Avebury on 2015-09-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, following the fifth UN joint statement on human rights in Bahrain, they have discussed with the government of Bahrain the cases of opposition leaders Sheikh Ali Salman, Ibrahim Sharif, Fadhel Abbas, and Majid Milad; and if so, with what results.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We have previously raised these four cases with the Government of Bahrain, including at the highest levels. We continue to do so on a regular basis. Following the UN joint statement on 14 September on human rights in Bahrain, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Mr Ellwood), discussed human rights and political reform with the Bahraini Ambassador.

  • Lord Beecham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Lord Beecham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Beecham on 2015-09-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 15 September (HL2049) which committed to helping to protect taxpayers from the rising cost of subsidising rent, what steps they are taking to achieve this commitment.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    We have included provisions in the Welfare Reform and Work Bill currently before Parliament to reduce social rents in England by one percent a year for four years from April 2016. We estimate that by 2020/21 there will be an in-year saving to the tax payer of some £1.4 billion, so helping to protect taxpayers from the rising cost of subsidising rents through housing benefit.