Tag: Lord Laird

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2015-11-04.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the extent to which UK citizens’ data have been collected by the government of the United States through the PRISM programme, and whether they have taken steps to prevent such data being collected in the future.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

It is the long-standing policy of successive Governments not to comment in detail on matters of intelligence. This includes discussions with allies and liaison agencies.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2015-11-24.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will publish the draft bill setting up the Historical Investigations Unit and other legacy bodies that was presented to political parties at the recent negotiations held under the Belfast Agreement 1998.

Lord Dunlop

The recent negotiations established substantial common ground between the parties on how to establish the legacy bodies identified in the Stormont House Agreement.

The Government is currently reflecting on how we can move forward and achieve broad consensus in support of legislation to establish these legacy bodies.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2015-12-21.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the financial year 2003–04, what was the total cost of each public inquiry conducted; and what was paid to each inquiry chairman, including expenses and VAT.

Lord Bridges of Headley

The information in relation to this time period is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, the total cost on completion of those inquiries which span this time period is available as part of the evidence provided by the Government to the House of Lords Select Committee on the Inquiries Act 2005:

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201314/ldselect/ldinquiries/143/14318.htm

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2016-01-20.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they consider parity of esteem, as outlined in the Belfast Agreement 1998, to have been a success, and if so, on what basis.

Lord Dunlop

I have nothing further to add to my earlier responses on parity of esteem.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2016-02-01.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether those who work, or worked, in Northern Ireland, but reside in Great Britain, are entitled to the same level of equality and human rights as those who reside in Northern Ireland.

Lord Dunlop

In accordance with its obligations under the terms of the devolved arrangements, the Government is committed to promoting the same level of equality and human rights across the United Kingdom.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2016-02-22.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to make any changes to freedom of information legislation, in particular on the use of false names when seeking disclosure; and if so, what changes they propose, and when will they be brought forward.

Lord Bridges of Headley

The Government established the Freedom of Information Commission to review the Freedom of Information Act and we will give careful consideration to its recommendations. Section 8(1)(b) of the FOI Act already requires applicants to provide their real name.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2016-05-04.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the concept of parity of esteem in the Belfast Agreement 1998 means that people living in Northern Ireland are subject to more parity of esteem than anywhere else in the UK; and if not, why not.

Lord Dunlop

As I have explained in my previous replies to the noble Lord, the concept of ‘parity of esteem’ is expressed and defined in the 1998 Belfast Agreement in relation to people living in Northern Ireland. This Government sees parity of esteem as treating everybody in Northern Ireland fairly and with equal respect, just as it is committed to treating people fairly and with equal respect wherever they live in the United Kingdom.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2016-10-10.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many staff of the Department for International Development stationed in the UK are in receipt of support for private school fees; and what was the cost in 2015–16.

Lord Bates

DFID spend on education allowance for staff in the UK in 2015/16 was £133,892.21. The number of staff in receipt of education allowance in the UK is withheld as the number is so low that it has the potential to identify individuals.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2015-11-04.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what process is in place to monitor the actions of the government of the Republic of Ireland relating to the 1998 Belfast Agreement.

Lord Dunlop

The Government remains in regular contact with the Irish Government relating to the Belfast Agreement in accordance with the established three-stranded approach.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2015-11-24.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the current level of HM Treasury’s outstanding statutory debt in relation to the Dunfermline Building Society; how much has been paid by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme towards that debt; and whether any assets have been retrieved or sold since the Society went into administration.

Lord O’Neill of Gatley

In March 2009, Dunfermline Building Society (DBS) was entered into special administration under the Banking Act 2009. As part of the resolution, HM Treasury provided just under £1.6 billion to enable the transfer of the core DBS business to Nationwide Building Society. The remainder of DBS is currently being wound-down by KPMG affiliated administrators.

Most of the estate has been wound-down and the remaining commercial book is expected to run-off over the next 1-2 years, at which point the administration will be complete. In 2014, the remaining residential mortgage portfolio was sold by the administrators to Arbuthnot Latham and Co. As of 31 March 2015, HM Treasury has received just over £1 billion from the DBS estate.

The Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 ‘Contribution Regulations’ allow the Treasury to recover any shortfall from the estate from the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), subject to a cap, via an interim levy on industry. In October 2014, the FSCS made the first payment to HM Treasury with respect to DBS, of £100 million.

HMT expects to recover the amount in full.