Tag: Lord Lucas

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

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord O’Neill of Gatley on 17 November (HL3227), what discussion HMRC has had with Trading Standards about VAT fraud among online traders operating from abroad; on what dates they held those discussions; by what medium; and with what outcome.

Lord O’Neill of Gatley

HM Revenue and Customs is engaging with Trading Standards, both bi-laterally and through cross-government groups, to establish a coordinated response to VAT fraud by online traders operating from abroad. Additionally, HMRC has on-going policy and operational exchanges with Trading Standards via various media including face-to-face meeting, e-mail and telephone, sharing information and intelligence in line with established information gateways.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Lucas on 2015-12-09.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord O’Neill of Gatley on 8 December (HL3854), what were the dates of the last three written communications from HMRC to Trading Standards about VAT fraud among online traders operating from abroad, including email, and to what persons at what offices they were addressed.

Lord O’Neill of Gatley

HM Revenue & Customs does not disclose communications it has with its enforcement partners, or the content of those communications, to avoid compromising sensitive policy and operational activities.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Lucas on 2015-12-22.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of their obligation under EU law to prevent VAT evasion.

Lord O’Neill of Gatley

In considering fraud against European own resources, including VAT collection, the European Court recently clarified in the Taricco judgment that Member States are obliged under EU law (Article 325 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union) to have in place effective and dissuasive criminal penalties against VAT fraud. The UK applies a full range of penalties to address various behaviours from dishonesty and deliberate inaccuracies through to criminal prosecutions for VAT offences.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Lucas on 2015-12-22.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the liability of online marketplaces for unpaid VAT where a business trading in that marketplace evades VAT.

Lord O’Neill of Gatley

Online marketplaces have no liability for unpaid VAT where the operator merely provides a marketplace for businesses to sell goods. However, HM Revenue and Customs is continuing to work with major online marketplaces to tackle this issue.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Lucas on 2015-12-22.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have conducted any test purchases in online markets to provide evidence of the evasion of VAT.

Lord O’Neill of Gatley

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has a range of operational activity in place to tackle evasion and to establish evidence of the scale of the problem. HMRC does not routinely carry out test purchases through online platforms.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Lucas on 2016-01-28.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, following the announcement of the sale of Corbis, Corbis Motion and Veer, what assessment they have made of how the interests of the UK and of the National Gallery, whose picture bank was put into data files and a database by Corbis, have been protected.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe

The National Gallery operates at Arm’s length from DCMS, and as such has responsibility for its own mage licensing arrangements. The arrangements between the National Gallery and Corbis in relation to the licensing of National Gallery images came to an end on 31 August 2008. When the arrangements terminated all National Gallery images were returned to the Gallery. As a result, the sale of Corbis, Corbis Motion and Veer, has no implications for the National Gallery. Ownership of the National Gallery database of images rests with, and has always rested with, the Gallery itself.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Lucas on 2016-01-28.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of who now owns the National Gallery database of images, and of the arrangements in place to protect the database of the National Gallery from being exploited to the prejudice of that institution.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe

The National Gallery operates at Arm’s length from DCMS, and as such has responsibility for its own image licensing arrangements. Ownership of the National Gallery database of images rests with, and has always rested with, the Gallery itself. The arrangements between the National Gallery and Corbis in relation to the licensing of National Gallery images came to an end on 31 August 2008. When the arrangements terminated all National Gallery images were returned to the Gallery.

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

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that Southern Rail does not close ticket offices until it installs ticket machines that make it possible for customers to buy the best-value ticket combinations.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) which operates Southern services is developing proposals to improve the passenger experience at stations. This will include changes to the way staff work at stations and how tickets are retailed and incorporates a plan to install additional ticket vending machines.

Where the changes involve changes to ticket office opening hours there is an industry process which GTR must follow, starting with their public consultation which commenced on 22 February. We recognise that passengers can feel very strongly about ticket office opening hours and we expect GTR to take on board the views of stakeholders before taking the proposal forward.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Lucas on 2016-03-03.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 3 March (HL6266), whether they consider that the changes to the opening hours of ticketing offices proposed by Govia Thameslink Railway can be described as proposals to improve the passenger experience at stations” in the light of proposals for reduced ticket office hours and the continuation of ticket machines; and whether they consider that the introduction of smaller seats and the removal of tea trolleys will also “improve the passenger service”.”

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) were awarded the franchise on the basis that they would make improvements to the passenger experience both on trains and at stations. Further to my written answer on 3 March, GTR are consulting on proposed changes to ticket office opening hours at some stations. As part of these proposals, GTR plan to introduce the role of ’Station Host’ who will be on duty for times in excess of the current ticket office opening hours. The Station Hosts will be there to provide customer assistance including help with ticket purchases and information provision.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Lucas on 2016-03-03.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 3 March (HL6266), what improvements Govia Thameslink Railway have implemented since the commencement of their franchise.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) have implemented numerous improvements since the commencement of their franchise. These include, but are not limited to:

• Extension of smart ticketing functionality meaning that ‘the Key’ smartcard is now available at an additional 80 stations, taking the total number of stations to 220;
• Oyster PAYG and CPAY has been extended to Gatwick Airport station;
• An increase in overnight services serving Luton Airport Parkway station;
• An increased number of Rail Enforcement Officers, with an additional 19 officers;
• An increase in customer information screens;
• A single source of customer information across website, app and stations;
• Access to radio microphones for all platform staff to improve information provision at stations;
• First to last staffing at an additional 25 Great Northern and Thameslink stations;
• Ordered new trains comprising 150 vehicles for the Great Northern Moorgate route to replace rolling stock from the 1970s;
• Services on the Moorgate branch in the evenings and at weekends;
• iPads for customer facing staff to improve information provision;
• 24 hour Twitter team;

In addition, the following key improvements are on course to be delivered by Govia Thameslink Railway in the coming months:

• Introduction of a new fleet of trains for the Gatwick Express – the first of which went into passenger service on 29 Feb;
• New state of the art Class 700 trains will start to be introduced across the GTR network from the spring;
• WiFi at 104 stations.

More details on the committed obligations and improvements GTR are contracted to deliver can be found in the Franchise Agreement which is available at the government website.