Tag: Lord Empey

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Empey on 2015-12-10.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the budget for the delivery of electoral services in Northern Ireland in 2013–14, 2014–15 and 2015–16, and what will be the budget for 2016–17, 2017–18 and 2018–19.

Lord Dunlop

The Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland is currently considering a range of options for reforming his Office. This includes capitalising on new technology by introducing on-line registration.

The Chief Electoral Officer will have regard to the continued effective delivery of elections in Northern Ireland and ensuring that his Office remains on a sustainable financial footing. The Northern Ireland Office fully supports him in this approach. I understand that work on some options is at an early stage.

The Representation of the People Act 1983 makes provision for the Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland to delegate returning officer functions to the clerk of a district council.

Detailed questions on headcount and budget are operational matters for the Chief Electoral Officer who is independent of Government. The Chief Electoral Officer publishes all such information in his annual report which is presented to Parliament and copies are made available in the Library of the House.

The headline budgets allocated to the Chief Electoral Office are:

Financial Year	Operational Funding	Capital Funding
2013/14	£5.452m *	£100k
2014/15	£2.336m	£56.2k
2015/16	£2.296m	£25k

* includes £3m for the 2013 canvass

The Northern Ireland Office has not agreed any budgets with the Chief Electoral Officer for future years pending receipt of the Department’s detailed Spending Review 2015 settlement letter from HM Treasury.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Empey on 2016-04-22.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the Falkland Islands Government regarding the future of its territorial waters.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

As a self-governing Overseas Territory of the UK, it is up to the Falkland Islanders to determine their own future. The UK is in no doubt about its sovereignty over the Falkland Islands and surrounding maritime areas, or about the principle and the right of the Falkland Islanders to self determination. We have discussed with the Falkland Islands government the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS)’s remit, and the fact that the UN itself has noted that the CLCS cannot consider claims relating to disputed areas. In this case that would include the Falkland Islands. Furthermore, the CLCS has no jurisdiction over the sovereignty of any land territory, including the Falkland Islands.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Empey on 2016-07-12.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what tariffs would apply to imports to the UK from the 27 member states remaining in the EU if trade between the EU and the UK was conducted in accordance with WTO regulations, listed by category.

Lord Price

If the UK were to leave the EU without having negotiated a preferential trade deal, then under WTO rules neither the UK nor the EU could offer each other better market access than that offered to all other WTO members.

The bound levels of access for goods and services into the EU under WTO rules are set out in the EU’s schedules of commitments and are publicly available on the WTO website.

The bound levels of access for goods and services from the EU into the UK under WTO rules would be an issue for the government to consider in due course.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Empey on 2015-10-20.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to amend the Climate Change Act 2008 to alleviate the costs of power for large energy users in the United Kingdom.

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth

The Climate Change Act does not impose specific costs on large energy users in and of itself. Instead, the Act sets up a long term target to reduce emissions across the whole economy. It is for the Government to decide the cost effective way of meeting that target and Government is mindful of the impact of policies on energy intensive users.

For energy intensive sectors, voluntary Climate Change Agreements (CCAs) allow 90% reduction from the Climate Change Levy (CCL) for electricity in return for signing up to stretching energy efficiency improvement targets agreed with Government. Metallurgical and mineralogical sectors have been exempt from paying the CCL since April 2014. In addition, the Government has paid over £131m in compensation to eligible energy intensive industries, for the indirect impacts of the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) and Carbon Price Support mechanism on their electricity prices. Further relief measures are currently being considered by the European Commission.

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

To ask Her Majesty’s Government when and where the Mobile Infrastructure Project will be rolled out in Northern Ireland.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe

The Mobile Infrastructure Project is being rolled out in Northern Ireland up to the end of March 2016.

There are currently 7 masts in build phase. These are located in:

• Derry and Strabane District

• Fermanagh and Omagh (2 sites)

• Lisburn and Castlereagh

• Mid Ulster (3 sites)

Planning permission was received for 4 sites. These sites are located in:

• Mid Ulster (3 sites)

• Newry, Mourne and Down

Planning applications were submitted but decisions awaiting for 5 other sites. These are located in:

• Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon

• Derry and Strabane District

• Fermanagh and Omagh (2 sites)

• Mid Ulster

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

To ask Her Majesty’s Government under what circumstances value added tax can be applied to school uniforms.

Lord O’Neill of Gatley

Children’s clothing, including a school uniform, is VAT zero-rated if it is designed for young children and is of a size that would fit the average child aged under 14 years. Larger sizes of clothing are standard rated irrespective of the age of the wearer.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Empey on 2014-06-05.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have held talks with the Parades Commission for Northern Ireland, the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland Justice Minister about the forthcoming parading season in Northern Ireland; when any such meetings occurred; and who was present at those meetings.

Baroness Randerson

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland met the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, the Chair of the Parades Commission for Northern Ireland and the Minister for Justice for Northern Ireland on Wednesday, 14 May 2014.

Also in attendance at this meeting were senior officials from the Northern Ireland Office and Department of Justice along with members of the PSNI Service Executive Team and the Secretariat of the Parades Commission.

This meeting provided participants with an opportunity to exchange general views on the parading season in Northern Ireland. No decisions were taken at this meeting and there were no discussions about operational matters relating to specific parades.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Empey on 2014-06-05.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whom they consider to be the legitimate government of Syria.

Baroness Warsi

While we consider the National Coalition the sole legitimate representatives of the Syrian people, it is not at present the government in Syria. The Coalition is working to realise the aspirations of the vast majority of Syrians for a democratic and pluralist future for their country. The Assad regime has lost all legitimacy by responding to the demands of its people for their basic rights and freedoms with escalating, and horrifying, brutality: using chemical weapons, heavy artillery and air power against civilians; unlawfully detaining and torturing its own people, including children; and preventing life-saving humanitarian support from getting to those who need it. The recent Syrian presidential elections were a parody of democracy and served only as a reminder of the continued illegitimacy of the Assad regime.