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Tag: 2015

  • Lord Myners – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Myners – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Myners on 2015-02-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what actions they plan to take in connection with bankers who colluded in tax evasion or oversaw those perpetrating collusion.

    Lord Deighton

    HL4893

    Under the Swiss Agreement HMRC received a list of the top 10 destinations to where funds were moved in the period before the Agreement came into force. They are using this information together with information from compliance work to follow the proceeds of tax evasion.

    As with Lichtenstein agreement signed in 2009, HMRC is legally restricted by the Agreement’s terms from publishing the information provided.

    HL4896

    Where there is evidence of collusion in tax evasion or other wrongdoing, the relevant law enforcement agency would assess that evidence and decide whether to pursue an investigation.

    HMRC received the data from the French in April 2010 under very strict international treaty conditions, which limited its use to tax purposes only and prevented HMRC from sharing the data with other law enforcement authorities for investigating other potential offences.

    HMRC first asked for the conditions to be relaxed in August 2010. Following a number of more recent representations, the French authorities gave written confirmation on 23 February 2015 that they were lifting restrictions on the use and sharing of the data with other law enforcement agencies and regulators for the purpose of investigating criminal offences.

    As a result, HMRC has recently held a multi-agency meeting to discuss how the stolen HSBC Suisse data can be shared with them.

  • Kevan Jones – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Kevan Jones – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevan Jones on 2015-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many personnel undertook Phase two training for Royal Air Force Music Services at the Headquarters Music Services, Northolt in 2013-14.

    Anna Soubry

    The requested detail for Financial Year 2013-14 is provided below:

    Number of personnel who

    completed Phase Two training

    Cost of providing Phase

    Two training

    Royal Marines School

    of Music (Portsmouth)

    22

    Information is not held

    centrally and could be

    provided only at

    disproportionate cost

    Royal Military School of Music (Army, Kneller Hall)

    66

    £2.8 million (approx)

    No personnel undertook phase two training with the RAF Music Services. The RAF recruits are fully trained musicians who undertake a rigorous audition process and are only admitted once their playing ability is proven.

  • Angus Brendan MacNeil – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Deputy Prime Minister

    Angus Brendan MacNeil – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Deputy Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Brendan MacNeil on 2015-02-10.

    To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to the Answer of 10 December 2014 to Question 217539, when he plans to publish (a) the Invitation to Quote for that contract including the Specification Requirements document, (b) details of the criteria against which suppliers were judged and (c) the invoice submitted for that work; and what the reasons are for the time taken to publish those documents.

    Mr Sam Gyimah

    The Cabinet Office contracted Engine Partners LLP to provide communications support work for the Scottish independence referendum. The relevant tender documents and contract are available on the UK Government’s transparency portal, Contracts Finder, on the following web page:

    https://online.contractsfinder.businesslink.gov.uk/Common/View%20Notice.aspx?site=1000&lang=en&NoticeId=1674856.

    Information about the costs of this work is already publicly available as part of our routine transparency publications at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cabinet-office-spend-data

    “

  • Lord Storey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Storey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2015-02-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action has been taken to ensure that the proposed Royal College of Teaching does not alienate some teachers with expensive annual membership fees.

    Lord Nash

    The Government welcomes the proposed establishment of a new, independent College of Teaching as a positive step towards raising standards and championing the professional status of teaching. However, a key determinant of such a body’s future success will be its independence from Government. For that reason any question of membership costs would be wholly for the new organisation itself to determine. It is clearly important, however, that a new body has broad appeal for teachers and is able to establish a strong membership.

  • Caroline Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Caroline Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what briefing his Department provided on (a) the promotion and sale of arms and military equipment and (b) human rights to His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales before his trip to the Middle East; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    At the request of the British Government, His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales undertook official visits in February to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the State of Kuwait, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the State of Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

    His Royal Highness’s visit to the Middle East was to help support Britain’s relationships in the region with key partners. His programme was designed to assist with key government objectives and the visit supported UK diplomatic, commercial and cultural interests in an important region of the world. Other themes of the tour included inter-faith dialogue, youth opportunities, and environmental sustainability.

    Details of all high-level briefings for Royal tours are always confidential.

  • Mark Hendrick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Mark Hendrick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hendrick on 2015-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people were waiting to be placed on a GP list in Preston constituency on the last working day of (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012, (d) 2013 and (e) 2014.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    This information is not collected centrally. Patients are entitled to register with any general practitioner practice as long as they live within the practice’s catchment area and the practice has an open list.

  • Kate Hoey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Kate Hoey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Hoey on 2015-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on British businesses in the health and nutrition sector of the European Commission’s plans to implement maximum permitted levels for vitamins and minerals in food supplements through the food supplements directive.

    Jane Ellison

    No discussions have yet taken place with Commissioner Andriukaitis. The new European Commission has not announced any renewed plans to implement Article 5 of the Food Supplements Directive and the Government has not recently made an assessment of potential effects of maximum permitted levels of vitamins and minerals, either on consumer choice, or on British businesses. Our advice to United Kingdom manufacturers on safe daily dose levels for vitamins and minerals in food supplements is based on the report of the UK’s Expert Group on Vitamins and Minerals. The industry has supported the use of these levels and the report is also used by some other member states as advice for safe upper levels.

  • Philip Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Philip Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2015-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the extent of dog fighting in the UK.

    George Eustice

    We have not been provided with any recent estimate of the extent of dog fighting by either the police or animal welfare organisations.

  • Greg Mulholland – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    Greg Mulholland – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2015-02-10.

    To ask the Attorney General, what steps he is taking to implement the recommendations of the report from HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate and HM Inspectorate of Constabulary entitled Joint Inspection of the Investigation and Prosecution of Fatal Road Traffic Incidents, published in February 2015.

    Jeremy Wright

    It is clear from the joint HMIC and HMCPSI report that there must be improvements in the way offences arising out of fatal road traffic incidents are investigated and prosecuted. It is therefore vital that police forces give due regard to the recommendations made in the report. However, it is rightly a matter for chief constables and Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) to ascertain how best to respond to the recommendations locally. Under Section 55 (5) of the Police Act 1996, all PCCs have a statutory requirement to publish their response to joint inspection reports that relate to their force.

    The CPS must provide the best possible service to the bereaved families in these cases. Whilst many of the recommended improvements have been achieved through more general development of CPS casework and guidance, there is clearly more which needs to be done. In order to make the improvements necessary to the prosecution of offences arising out of fatal road traffic accidents, the CPS is taking or has committed to take the following steps:

    • The introduction of accredited specialist prosecutors in each of the CPS Areas to prosecute these cases.
    • New mandatory training on the prosecution of fatal road traffic incidents to include case analysis and strategy, and how the CPS communicates with bereaved families.
    • CPS Area Coordinators to ensure that these sensitive and difficult cases receive the specialist attention they deserve and attract good quality, consistent decision making.
    • Amending guidance to remind prosecutors of the circumstances in which it is appropriate to charge assaults that arise from driving a motor vehicle.
    • Amending guidance to add a reference to the Criminal Practice Direction on acceptance of pleas in its Guidance on Charging Driving Offences.
    • A review of the flagging process of these cases to increase the accuracy of figures.
    • Consideration of better CPS Area access to appeals unit case reviews.
    • Consideration of existing protocols with police forces with the intention of drafting a model protocol for CPS Areas to agree with local forces.
  • Richard Burden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Richard Burden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2015-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to page 1 of Road Investment Strategy – Key Facts and Figures, how much of the £500 million allocated for the period 2015 to 2021 to address emerging priorities in period and fund staff to design, manage and deliver schemes will be spent on (a) addressing emerging priorities and (b) funding staff; what criteria will be used to select the emerging priorities; and what the cost will be of staff allocated to that task.

    Mr John Hayes

    The £0.5bn figure cited refers to the expected costs of developing proposals ahead of the next Road Investment Strategy. This includes the development of 14 major schemes to start work early in the next road period, as well as work to develop proposals from the next round of route strategies and strategic studies and any actions to take forward priorities emerging in the next parliament.

    The proportion of costs allocated to staff will depend on the precise nature of what is recommended and committed through this process. Given the nature of the design process, it is likely that a high proportion of the money allocated will be spent on engineers, designers, modellers and others involved in the early stages of development.

    Any decisions around specific commitments for the next road period, including the criteria by which they will be made, will be made in the next parliament. More detail on this process has been set out in part 6 of the draft licence for Highways England, which has been laid in the Library of the House and is available on gov.uk.