Tag: Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts on 2016-07-11.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to introduce a smoothed discount rate for the purpose of pension fund valuation.

Baroness Altmann

Government consulted in 2013 on whether legislation should be introduced to allow the ‘smoothing’ of asset values and liabilities in funding valuations.

Responses to the call for evidence indicated that there was no strong case for legislating to permit smoothing, with the overwhelming majority of respondents against this option. Respondents instead favoured greater use of the flexibilities within the existing legislation governing scheme funding.

In its response to the call for evidence the Government advised that, given the views received, it did not intend to pursue the option of legislating to permit asset and liability smoothing, and that remains the Government’s position.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts on 2016-07-18.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have received from interested parties about the recent EU deactivation specification as it applies to deactivated historical firearms as defined in the Policing and Crime Bill.

Baroness Williams of Trafford

The EU Implementing Regulation 2015/2403 on deactivation standards which came into force on 8 April 2016 sets new technical specifications for deactivated weapons.

Clause 114 of the Policing and Crime Bill creates a specific new offence to sell or gift a weapon that has not been deactivated to the new EU Deactivation Standard.

We have received representations from a small number of interested parties who have been concerned that the EU specification is not as effective as the previous UK standards. In addition, we were contacted by members of re-enactment and living history societies wishing to travel to France with their firearms to participate in commemorative events linked to the D-Day landings and the Battle of the Somme.

We have published guidance on the Regulation which includes requirements for additional measures for deactivated weapons brought into the UK. These measures, which go beyond the EU specification in a small number of areas, were introduced to align the requirements more closely with the previous UK standards. We have also worked with the UK Proof Houses to ensure that certification to the new standards is prioritised for re-enactors wishing to travel with their firearms.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts on 2016-03-08.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many applications for National Insurance numbers were outstanding on 31 December in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Lord Freud

The information requested is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts on 2016-03-08.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many National Insurance numbers were issued to non-residents in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Lord Freud

In order to be allocated a NINo via the DWP Adult NINo Allocation process an individual must be resident in the UK at the time of application. However, a very small proportion of NINos are allocated by the International Pension Centre to those who are resident abroad for the purposes of Social Security Benefit administration. These figures are not included in the published statistics National Insurance Number Allocations to Adult Overseas Nationals entering the UK.

NINos Issued to non-UK residents

2013-2014	5,390
2014-2015	4,150
2015 -16*	3,830

Figures are only available from 2013 and are rounded.

*is to end of February 2016.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts on 2016-03-23.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many National Insurance numbers were in use at the end of each of the last five years for which records are available.

Lord Freud

The information requested is not available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts on 2016-03-23.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether there was any prior consultation before the decision was taken to end the post transaction valuation check and PAYE health check currently provided by HMRC with effect from 31 March 2016 and, if not, why not.

Lord O’Neill of Gatley

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has been consulting representative bodies through the Valuation Fiscal Forum over the last 18 months.

HMRC has not withdrawn valuation services that are most relevant to employee share ownership schemes.

HMRC has withdrawn valuation checks for income tax and PAYE as in most cases acceptable valuations were submitted, and therefore the service offered was not of sufficient value.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts on 2016-03-23.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many National Insurance numbers were in use at the end of each of the last five years for which records are available.

Lord Freud

The information requested is not available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts on 2016-03-23.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether there was any prior consultation before the decision was taken to end the post transaction valuation check and PAYE health check currently provided by HMRC with effect from 31 March 2016 and, if not, why not.

Lord O’Neill of Gatley

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has been consulting representative bodies through the Valuation Fiscal Forum over the last 18 months.

HMRC has not withdrawn valuation services that are most relevant to employee share ownership schemes.

HMRC has withdrawn valuation checks for income tax and PAYE as in most cases acceptable valuations were submitted, and therefore the service offered was not of sufficient value.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts on 2014-06-11.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Faulks on 5 February (WA 238), whether they are now in a position to implement a revision to the personal injury discount rate.

Lord Faulks

The Government’s review of the personal injury discount rate is still continuing and the position remains as stated in my Written Answer to my Noble Friend of 25 February 2014 (WA238).

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts on 2014-06-16.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of the future population level of each English region, in the light of the Office for National Statistics’ mid-year forecast of the population of England by 2034.

Lord Wallace of Saltaire

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.