Category: Speeches

  • Baroness Crawley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Baroness Crawley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Crawley on 2016-03-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what have been the interim results of HMRC’s pilot of the Codentify system, when that pilot is due to end, when the final results will be assessed and published, and what benchmarks they have used in that pilot.

    Lord O’Neill of Gatley

    HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) takes the restrictions in the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) very seriously. These require that the development, implementation and enforcement of tobacco policies as part of public health policies should be protected from the influence of the tobacco industry.

    Codentify is a system, developed and introduced by the major tobacco manufacturers on their own initiative through the Digital Coding and Tracking Association (DCTA). HMRC played no part in the development or introduction of the system nor did HMRC require that it be introduced. Codentify codes already feature on packs and are there regardless of any HMRC use of them. The trial HMRC is undertaking is to see whether these existing codes could help officers in the field to authenticate products and help tackle illicit tobacco. No other companies currently provide such codes.

    The use of Codentify by HMRC is not part of an exercise to evaluate the wider use of potential tools available on the market. Any such exercise would be undertaken in the context of the implementation of the EU Tobacco Products Directive track and trace security feature requirements, which will be implemented by May 2019 for cigarettes and hand-rolling tobacco.

    The European Commission is still considering, with Member States, proposals for new pan European security features and track and trace systems, and has yet to determine any technical specifications. HMRC are not evaluating Codentify as a track and trace tool or potential security feature; the aspects of the system being used are entirely separate from the requirements of the Directive.

    The use of Codentify is not a formal pilot and there will not be reports or results to publish. Instead the trial will identify the strengths, weaknesses and usefulness of using Codentify to HMRC as an authentication tool in the field. HMRC will review this later in 2016. Some resource has been spent providing access to the system and training officers in the use of the tool. However, this has been minimal and has not been separately identified. The Department of Health leads on public health policy and has been consulted on this initiative. HMRC sees no conflict between its current use of the Codentify system and FCTC requirements.

  • Owen Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Owen Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2016-04-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is tacking to tackle funeral poverty in the UK.

    Justin Tomlinson

    This department supports people with help on funeral expenses through the Social Fund Funeral Expenses Payments scheme, which provides help towards the cost of a simple funeral for people claiming eligible benefits.

    We are considering the recent Work and Pensions Select Committee report on support for the bereaved and will respond in due course.

  • Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2016-05-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the remarks by the Prime Minister on 4 May (HC Deb, col 168) that there is a very strong case here for saying that it is genocide

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    As the Prime Minister, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), has said, the Government’s position remains that although there is a very strong case to answer, ultimately it should be a matter for judicial authorities. The Government continues to believe that recognition of genocide should be a matter for international courts, not political bodies. It should be a legal, rather than political determination, decided by international judges after consideration of all the evidence available in the context of a credible international judicial process.

  • The Marquess of Lothian – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The Marquess of Lothian – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Marquess of Lothian on 2016-06-27.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of reports that the Israeli water supplier, Mekorot, reduced water supply to the West Bank during Ramadan.

    Baroness Verma

    The UK regularly raises the issue of water in the OPTs with the Israeli authorities, most recently on 27 June. We continue to stress the urgent need for Israel to take immediate and practical measures to improve the current situation and ensure fair distribution of water in the West Bank and Gaza. We encourage both parties to find a swift resolution to this issue and to reconvene the Joint Water Committee to facilitate approval of projects that will improve Palestinian access to water. We see continuity of supply to the West Bank as essential for both the basic needs of Palestinians and for stability and security more widely.

  • Richard Drax – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Richard Drax – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Drax on 2016-09-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will make representations to the Criminal Cases Review Commission on expediting its investigations into the case of former Marine Sergeant Alexander Blackman.

    Dr Phillip Lee

    Marine Sergeant Blackman’s application to the Criminal Cases Review Commission is being treated as a Priority 1 case, the highest level of priority available.

  • Ian Murray – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    Ian Murray – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Murray on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what recent discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues on City Deals for (a) Aberdeen, (b) Edinburgh and (c) Inverness.

    David Mundell

    I have regular discussions with my Ministerial colleagues on a range of issues, including City Deals.

    Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Inverness all submitted City Deal proposals to the UK and Scottish Government on 4 September. The Scotland Office is working with the Department for Communities and Local Government to study the proposals in depth, as well as discussing them with the Scottish Government to achieve outcomes that benefit both Scotland and the UK.

  • Lord Falconer of Thoroton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Lord Falconer of Thoroton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 2015-12-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many offenders who are foreign nationals are currently serving a sentence for murder or manslaughter in prisons in England and Wales.

    Lord Faulks

    Foreign criminals who break our laws should be properly punished but not at the expense of the British taxpayer.

    In the last year we have returned more than 5,000 foreign prisoners to their home country. Prisoner transfer agreements are just one way the Government can remove these criminals from the United Kingdom.

    As at 30 September 2015, there were 732 foreign nationals serving a sentence for murder or manslaughter in prisons in England and Wales.

  • Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-01-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the number of illegal immigrants in residence in each constituent region and nation of the UK in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

    James Brokenshire

    Government estimates on the number of illegal migrants currently living in the UK by constituent region and nation are not available.

  • Baroness Quin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Baroness Quin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Quin on 2016-02-08.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of the start-up and annual costs of administering the new health and dental charges for New Zealand citizens coming into force on 6 April.

    Lord Bates

    An Impact Assessment was published on 4 February 2016, alongside the draft Immigration (Health Charge) (Amendment) Order 2016. The draft Order will, subject to Parliamentary approval, remove the surcharge exemption for nationals of Australia and New Zealand and reduce the Youth Mobility Scheme charge from £200 to £150.

    The Impact Assessment, which can be viewed at the link below, sets out the reason for these changes and estimates associated costs and benefits: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2016/9780111143278/impacts

    These documents are available in the following locations of the House: The Vote Office (Commons) Printed Paper Office (Lords)

  • Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2016-03-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any plans to increase the budget of the Heritage Schools programme.

    Lord Nash

    The funding for Historic England’s Heritage Schools programme in 2016-17 has not yet been confirmed. A decision will be made once the Department’s business planning process has concluded.