Tag: Charles Walker

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charles Walker on 2016-10-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take steps to mark the centenary of the birth of Richard Walker by ensuring that Clarissa the carp appears on the front of the 2017-18 fishing licence; and if she will make a statement.

George Eustice

The images on the rod licence are currently produced under agreement with a specialist wildlife artist and have focused on fish in their natural environment. The exact image is determined the year before the licence goes on sale and the image for 2017/18 has already been determined. The design for 2018/19 will be determined during 2017. The Environment Agency is happy to consider the option of using Clarissa to mark the centenary of the birth of Richard Walker.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charles Walker on 2016-01-12.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate his Department has made of the annual cost to the financial services sector of compliance with money laundering regulations in each of the last five years.

Harriett Baldwin

The Government’s Anti-Money Laundering regime has a clear aim: to make the UK financial system a hostile environment for illicit finances, while minimising the burden on legitimate businesses and reducing the overall burden of regulation.

The government conducts an impact assessment when updating the Money Laundering Regulations, which were last amended in 2012, and will shortly publish an impact assessment alongside a consultation on the transposition of the EU’s Fourth Anti-Money Laundering Directive. However, the government does not make annual assessments of the cost of compliance and the FCA, as the supervisor of the financial services sector, also does not undertake such assessments on the basis that regulated firms are generally unable to provide costs specifically for compliance with the money laundering regulations given that these costs accrue in relation to systems and controls that manage a variety of operational risks, both relating to financial crime and for other conduct and prudential reasons.

Bearing in mind to objective of minimizing burdens on legitimate businesses, the Government has launched a review of the impact of the current Anti-Money laundering and terrorist finance regime as part of the Cutting Red Tape Review programme. The Review is specifically seeking evidence on the role of supervisors in that regime, so that regulatory activity can be made as efficient as possible. A report is expected in the coming months and this will inform the work that the government is doing to reform the regime as part of the Action Plan to address weaknesses identified by last year’s National Risk Assessment of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing risks.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charles Walker on 2016-03-16.

To ask the Rt. hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington representing the House of Commons Commission, what estimate the House of Commons Commission has made of the number of senior House officials who will potentially fall under the provisions of the 4th EU Money Laundering Directive, 2015/849.

Tom Brake

The Commission has made no estimate of the numbers, if any, of senior House officials who might be held to fall within the definition of “politically exposed persons” for the purposes of the 4th EU Money Laundering Directive, nor would there be any reason for it to do so. Several senior House officials will themselves be aware of the provisions of the Directive as a result of their parliamentary work.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charles Walker on 2016-03-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what estimate his Department has made of the number of its senior civil servants who will potentially fall under the provisions of the Fourth EU Money Laundering Directive, 2015/849; and what assessment he has made of which of his Department’s agencies or other public bodies will potentially be classed as holding a prominent public function for the purposes of that directive.

David Mundell

Under the Fourth Anti-Money Laundering Directive, which will be transposed into national law by June 2017, a politically exposed person is one who has been entrusted with a prominent public function domestically or by a foreign country. This would include some senior civil servants, such as ambassadors and chargés d’affaires.

The Government’s view is that the Directive permits a risk-based approach to the identification of whether an individual is a politically exposed person and, when identified, the Directive enables the application of different degrees of enhanced measures to reflect the risks posed. The Government will be setting out this view in a consultation which will be published shortly.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charles Walker on 2016-04-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has undertaken of the incidence of repression of Christians by the Nigerian government; and if he will make a statement.

James Duddridge

In Nigeria, the right to freedom of religion is protected by the Constitution. Boko Haram seeks to undermine this right by attacking Nigerians of all faiths who do not subscribe to its extremist views. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not hold information on the number of churches that have been destroyed in Nigeria, but it is clear that Boko Haram has caused immense suffering in both Christian and Muslim communities. We assess that the majority of their victims are Muslim.

We are providing a substantial package of intelligence, military, development and humanitarian support to Nigeria in the fight against Boko Haram, including training and advice on counter insurgency and £5 million of support to a regional military taskforce.

Nigeria also faces the challenge of inter-communal conflicts between farmers and herdsmen over land, farming rights, grazing routes and access to water. Through our development assistance, the UK supports initiatives to reduce these conflicts and build bridges between communities.

We will continue to work with the Nigerian Government, non-governmental organisations and civil society to improve the security situation and human rights for all in Nigeria.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charles Walker on 2016-10-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much government funding is available for salmon and eel conservation in 2016-17; and how much such funding was available in 2009-10.

George Eustice

In 2009/10, £9.4 million of Government funding was issued to the Environment Agency covering its fisheries specific duties, such as maintaining, improving and developing fisheries for migratory fish species, for both England and Wales.

Since 2010, the Environment Agency has received Government funding to deliver its environmental objectives through an integrated approach which does not allow disaggregation. Salmon and eel conservation has benefited from work on delivering the Water Framework Directive, funding for the community-led Catchment Based Approach for delivering water improvements, pollution prevention work and from areas such as monitoring and planning. In addition to this broad Government funding, migratory fish species benefit from the Environment Agency’s charging activity work.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charles Walker on 2016-01-19.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department has conducted research on the total cost to the public purse of tax credits paid to private hire vehicle drivers in London in each of the last two financial years.

Mr David Gauke

No such research has been conducted.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charles Walker on 2016-03-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate his Department has made of the number of its senior civil servants who will potentially fall under the provisions of the 4th EU Money Laundering Directive, 2015/849; and what assessment he has made of which of his Department’s agencies or other public bodies will potentially be classed as holding a prominent public function for the purposes of that directive.

Justin Tomlinson

Under the Fourth Anti-Money Laundering Directive, which will be transposed into national law by June 2017, a politically exposed person is one who has been entrusted with a prominent public function domestically or by a foreign country. This would include some senior civil servants, such as ambassadors and chargés d’affaires. The Government’s view is that the Directive permits a risk-based approach to the identification of whether an individual is a politically exposed person and, when identified, the Directive enables the application of different degrees of enhanced measures to reflect the risks posed. The Government will be setting out this view in a consultation which will be published shortly.

The changes proposed under the Directive should not prevent any individual in this category from gaining or maintaining access to financial services. The Treasury regularly raises these issues with financial institutions and the regulator, and we encourage financial institutions to take a proportionate, risk-based approach when applying these measures.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charles Walker on 2016-03-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what estimate his Department has made of the number of its Senior Civil Servants who will potentially fall under the provisions of the Fourth EU Money Laundering Directive, 2015/849.

Guto Bebb

The Government’s view is that the Directive permits a risk-based approach to the identification of whether an individual is a politically exposed person and, when identified, the Directive enables the application of different degrees of enhanced measures to reflect the risks posed. The Government will be setting out this view in a consultation which will be published shortly.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charles Walker on 2016-04-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what information his Department holds on the number of Christian churches that have been destroyed in Nigeria since 1990; and if he will make a statement.

James Duddridge

In Nigeria, the right to freedom of religion is protected by the Constitution. Boko Haram seeks to undermine this right by attacking Nigerians of all faiths who do not subscribe to its extremist views. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not hold information on the number of churches that have been destroyed in Nigeria, but it is clear that Boko Haram has caused immense suffering in both Christian and Muslim communities. We assess that the majority of their victims are Muslim.

We are providing a substantial package of intelligence, military, development and humanitarian support to Nigeria in the fight against Boko Haram, including training and advice on counter insurgency and £5 million of support to a regional military taskforce.

Nigeria also faces the challenge of inter-communal conflicts between farmers and herdsmen over land, farming rights, grazing routes and access to water. Through our development assistance, the UK supports initiatives to reduce these conflicts and build bridges between communities.

We will continue to work with the Nigerian Government, non-governmental organisations and civil society to improve the security situation and human rights for all in Nigeria.