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Tag: 2015

  • Bill Wiggin – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Bill Wiggin – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bill Wiggin on 2015-10-22.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether estate agents who hold no client money fall under the scope of the Money Laundering Regulations 2007.

    Harriett Baldwin

    In 2014-15 HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) issued 677 penalties to the total value of £768,000 across all the sectors it regulates. HMRC considers that releasing the number of investigations and visits made to businesses in different sectors could enable opportunists to identify where resource is being focussed, allowing criminals to arrange their activities accordingly to escape challenge. HMRC must protect information which could be used by criminals in this way and therefore is not able to release numbers on how many investigations are conducted in the Estate Agency Businesses (EAB) sector. HMRC took on supervision of Estate Agency Businesses under the Money Laundering Regulations 2007 from the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) on 1 April 2014. Since becoming supervisor HMRC has used a range of interventions such as face to face visits, telephone interventions and webinars to reach hundreds of businesses in the EAB sector, and test and challenge their compliance with the Money Laundering Regulations. In addition to direct interventions, as supervisor, HMRC conducts risking work which involves using a range of sophisticated data exploitation tools – including their state-of-the-art Connect system – to identify cases which warrant further investigation. It is not possible to quantify how many businesses have been looked at in this way, as it is a routine aspect of supervision for HMRC. Where cases require criminal investigation, they are passed to HMRC’s Fraud Investigation Service. HMRC is unable to disclose details of cases which are currently under criminal investigation for operational reasons.

    I can confirm that estate agents that do not hold client money fall within the scope of the Money Laundering Regulations 2007.

  • Greg Mulholland – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Greg Mulholland – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2015-10-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 22 October 2015 to Written Question 11808, who attended the first meeting of the Community Engagement Forum, on 13 October 2015.

    Karen Bradley

    The following individuals attended the first meeting of the Community Engagement Forum on 13 October 2015:

    • David Cameron, Prime Minister

    • Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister for Countering Extremism

    • Theresa May, Home Secretary

    • Louise Casey, Department for Communities and Local Government

    • Max Chambers, Special Adviser on Home Affairs

    • Camilla Cavendish, Number 10

    • Brendan Threlfall, Number 10

    • Arooj Shah, Councillor, St Mary’s Ward, Oldham

    • Sean Harriss, Chief Executive, Lambeth Council

    • Paul Martin, Chief Executive, Wandsworth Council

    • Sheikh Musa Admani, Imam and Muslim chaplain, City University, London

    • Fareed Ahmad, Ahmadiyya Muslim Association

    • Farooq Aftab, General Secretary, Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association

    • Michael Nazir-Ali, former Bishop of Rochester

    • Khatun Sapnara, circuit judge • Aina Khan, solicitor

    • Fiyaz Mughal OBE, Director, Faith Matters

    • Sadja Mughal OBE, Director, Jan Trust

    • Haras Rafiq, Managing Director, Quilliam Foundation

    • Sara Khan, Co-founder and Director, Inspire

    • Wahida Shaffi, Near Neighbours Coordinator; National Women’s Programme Lead, Christian Muslim Forum

    • Faiza Vaid, Executive Director, Muslim Women’s Network

    • Aysha and Kiran Iqbal Patel, Directors, Odara

    • Kamal Hanif OBE, Executive Head, Waverley School, Birmingham

    • Alun Francis, Principal and Chief Executive, Oldham College

  • Lilian Greenwood – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lilian Greenwood – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2015-10-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the transfer of Intercity 125 sets from the Great Western franchise to the Scotrail franchise in 2017-18 is conditional on Network Rail meeting its current regulated output targets on the Great Western Main Line electrification project.

    Claire Perry

    The lease for the Intercity 125 sets is a commercial matter between Great Western Railway (GWR) and the owner of the fleet. Under current plans, the transfer of the rolling stock is not conditional on Network Rail meeting its current regulated output targets on the Great Western Main Line electrification project.

    The planned schedule for the introduction of the InterCity Express Programme fleet to replace the Intercity 125 sets will see the new trains enter service from 2017 on the Great Western Main Line.

  • Phil Boswell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Phil Boswell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Phil Boswell on 2015-10-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what procedures his Department has in place to correct errors when benefits are paid into the wrong bank account.

    Priti Patel

    The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) have a clear policy on correcting errors where payments have been made to an incorrect bank account. This ensures that, where an error has been made, the intended recipient still receives the payments that they are entitled to. The Department also has clear procedures to recover funds paid to wrong accounts.

    The procedures include establishing if the customer provided incorrect account details to the Department. If so, the account details are updated to protect further payments, but the claimant is asked to contact their bank for advice, as DWP had acted in accordance with their instructions.

    Where official error led to an incorrect account being used then the missing payment is re-issued to the claimant using the correct account details. DWP then seeks recovery of the funds from the unintended recipient, either directly, where contact details are held on DWP’s systems or indirectly through a letter forwarded by the receiving bank, building society, or other institution, as appropriate.

  • Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale on 2015-10-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consultation they undertake prior to, or during, negotiations with a developing country on a taxation treaty.

    Lord O’Neill of Gatley

    HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) have responsibility for negotiating the UK’s double taxation agreements, subject to oversight by HM Treasury. HMRC run an annual consultation exercise to establish the negotiating priorities for the coming year, which are then approved by ministers. As part of this exercise they consider representations made by UK businesses, NGOs and government departments, including the Department for International Development, as well as the UK’s diplomatic missions throughout the world. When the programme is published it also invites representations about our forward programme.

    HMRC’s programme for 2015/16 covers the following countries: Colombia, Fiji*, Ghana, Guernsey, India, Isle of Man, Israel, Jersey, Kazakhstan*, Kyrgyzstan, Lesotho*, Malawi*, Portugal*, Russia, Thailand*, Turkmenistan*, UAE*, US, Uruguay*.

    The UK’s starting point in negotiations is based closely on the OECD Model Double Taxation Convention, which is also the basis for most other countries’ tax treaties. Some developing countries prefer to follow the UN Model, the provisions of which differ in some areas to the OECD Model, and the UK has agreed to adopt these provisions in its treaties. The object of the negotiations is to produce a text acceptable to both countries, balancing their preferences. There is no timetable for how long negotiations should take. It is quite normal for negotiations to take two to three rounds to complete.

    Consultation during the negotiations would be rare.

    *Negotiations largely completed.

  • Lord Storey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Storey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2015-10-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what protocols should be followed when a pupil is interviewed by the police on school premises.

    Lord Bates

    The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) Codes of Practice set out the procedures that the police must follow in the exercise of their powers. The interviewing of suspects and witnesses is covered in paragraphs 11 and 12 of PACE Code C. In relation to interviewing pupils on school premises, I would refer you to paragraph 11.16 and Note for Guidance 11D:

    11.16 Juveniles may only be interviewed at their place of education in exceptional circumstances and only when the principal or their nominee agrees. Every effort should be made to notify the parent(s) or other person responsible for the juvenile’s welfare and the appropriate adult, if this is a different person, that the police want to interview the juvenile and reasonable time should be allowed to enable the appropriate adult to be present at the interview.

    If awaiting the appropriate adult would cause unreasonable delay, and unless the juvenile is suspected of an offence against the educational establishment, the principal or their nominee can act as the appropriate adult for the purposes of the interview. Note: Paragraph 1.5A extends the requirement in this paragraph to 17-year-old suspects. 11D Juveniles should not be arrested at their place of education unless this is unavoidable. When a juvenile is arrested at their place of education, the principal or their nominee must be informed. Paragraph 1.5A extends this Note to 17-year-old suspects.

    In addition, Note for Guidance 2A in PACE Code G specifically relates to the investigation of the use of force by school staff. PACE Codes of Practice must be followed by all police officers in England and Wales. At a local level, police forces may provide their officers with additional guidance to that contained within the PACE codes. This guidance could relate to the protocols to be followed when interviewing pupils on school premises. Such guidance is not held centrally.

  • Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno on 2015-10-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have plans to make available free postal delivery to every elector of every candidate’s election communication in the forthcoming Police and Crime Commissioner elections.

    Lord Bridges of Headley

    As set out in legislation, each candidate at an ordinary Police and Crime Commissioner election is entitled to have an election address published on a website dedicated to promoting the candidates for these polls, and an elector can request a printed version of the election addresses for the police area where they are entitled to vote to be sent to them.

  • Martin John Docherty – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Martin John Docherty – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Martin John Docherty on 2015-10-21.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment his Department has made of the effects of the Transparency of Lobbying, Non-Party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Act 2014 on the activities of charitable bodies during the 2015 general election period.

    John Penrose

    Section 39 of the Transparency of Lobbying, Non-Party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Act 2014 provides for a post-election review of the operation of the regulatory regime governing third parties at the 2015 General Election.

    Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts CBE is currently conducting this independent review.

    Ministers must lay a copy of his report before Parliament and publish it by November 2016.

  • Stuart McDonald – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Stuart McDonald – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stuart McDonald on 2015-10-21.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 25 June 2015 to Questions 3601 and 3602, if he will make an assessment of the potential economic effect on Cumbernauld of moving the HM Revenue and Customs office there elsewhere, as proposed in Building our Future – Continuing the Conversation, published in May 2015.

    Mr David Gauke

    As part of the on-going thinking for the future and planning to move to regional centres, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has been looking at each region across the country in turn, taking into account local economic issues, business requirements, impact on current workforce and location principles.

  • Nicholas Brown – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Nicholas Brown – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Brown on 2015-10-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, which local authorities he estimates will have a net financial (a) gain and (b) loss in revenue from the proposed changes to business rate revenue allocation.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    The Government intends to move to 100% business rates retention in England by the end of this Parliament. We have confirmed that as part of the new system there will continue to be redistribution of local tax revenue between authorities and protections in place for authorities that see their business rates income fall significantly. Over the coming months we will be working with local government on the details of the scheme.

    Ahead of final decisions, it is too early to assess what the impact will be on individual areas or authorities, but before the start of the financial year, local authorities in the North-East estimated that the total business rates income for 2015-16 would be £854.58 million.