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13 Oct 2009 : Column 789W—continued
Financial Services Authority
Bob Spink: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what criteria the Financial Services Authority takes into account in regulating the take-over of listed public companies by Kazakh companies; and if he will make a statement. [291261]
Ian Lucas [holding answer 16 September 2009]: I have been asked to reply.
The Takeover Panel is the authority designated to supervise and regulate takeovers in the UK.
The Panel's statutory functions are set out in part 28 of the Companies Act 2006 and include powers to make rules governing the orderly conduct of takeovers in the UK as set out in the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers.
It would therefore be for the Panel to decide on issues of non-compliance with the rules in respect of takeovers in the UK. They may seek to enforce breaches of the Code through the courts and the Financial Services Authority.
Insolvency: EC Action
Mr. Fallon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the likely cost to (a) the public purse, (b) insurance companies and (c) individuals of implementing the draft EU Solvency II Directive. [292092]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry
[holding answer 12 October 2009]: A final estimate of the impact of the EU Solvency Directive cannot be made until the Commission publishes its proposals for Level 2 implementing measures. The Government's initial assessment of the impact is set out in the Explanatory Memorandum on the Level 1 Directive EM 6996/08: Amended proposal for a Directive of the
European Parliament and of the Council on the taking-up and pursuit of the business of Insurance and Re-insurance, Solvency II.
Overseas Trade: Kazakhstan
Bob Spink: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his policy is on encouraging reciprocal investments between Kazakh and listed public companies; and if he will make a statement. [291262]
Ian Lucas [holding answer 16 September 2009]: I have been asked to reply.
The aim of UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) is to help companies to realise opportunities around the world that will deliver an economic benefit to the UK. To do this UKTI prioritises the markets that we are active in. UKTI offers a full range of services for companies who wish to do business in Kazakhstan through trade and investment teams based in Astana and Atyrau.
UKTI actively encourages investment into the UK from companies in many developed and some emerging markets. Although Kazakhstan is not a priority market for inward investment, UKTI assistance would be available to Kazakh companies who were interested in investing here.
Tax Collection: Administration
Mr. Wallace: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the administration costs to HM Revenue and Customs of implementing the changes to tax collection recommended by the Calman Commission report. [289811]
Mr. Timms: The Government are considering carefully the recommendations made in the report by the Commission on Scottish Devolution chaired by Professor Sir Kenneth Calman, including issues around implementation.
Taxation: British Overseas Territories
John Mann: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much the Exchequer received in taxation from UK overseas territories in the latest period for which figures are available. [292518]
Mr. Timms: Taxation is a devolved competence in the UK overseas territories under the terms of their constitutions and UK tax legislation does not apply to them. Exceptionally, however, three overseas territories apply a withholding tax on income from savings of UK residents under the terms of an agreement with the UK providing for measures equivalent to the European Savings Directive.
The amounts paid to the United Kingdom by those overseas territories in relation to these withholding taxes for the most recent year available are shown in the following table.
| Special Withholding Tax Received by the United Kingdom by virtue of European Savings Directive or equivalent agreements: Overseas Territory period ending in UK Tax year 2008- 09, tax received in 2009 (as at September 2009) | ||
| Amount of withholding tax | ||
| UK Overseas territories | Year end | Approx. £ equivalent |
Scotland
Departmental Motor Vehicles
Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much his Department spent on hire vehicles in each of the last five financial years. [291606]
Ann McKechin: The Scotland Office spend on hire vehicles in each of the last five financial years was as follows:
| Cost (£) | |
The figures do not include the Government Car Service London costs for which I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement issued on 16 July 2009, Official Report, column 79WS.
Departmental Public Expenditure
Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which Minister in his Department has been assigned responsibility for overseeing the delivery of value for money in his Department; whether his Department has established a public sector reform team to implement service reforms; and if he will make a statement. [289734]
Ann McKechin: I have responsibility for overseeing the delivery of value for money at the Scotland Office. The Secretary of State and I both take an active role in ensuring that the Scotland Office delivers value for money in all its activities. The Scotland Office does not directly deliver services, so has not established a dedicated public sector reform team.
International Development
Departmental Pay
Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what employee reward schemes are offered to staff of his Department; what the purpose of each scheme is; how many staff participate in each scheme; and what the cost of operating each scheme was in each of the last five years. [290557]
Mr. Michael Foster: The Department for International Development operates non-consolidated performance related pay award schemes for:
Senior Civil Servants (SCS)
Staff in grades below SCS
The number of staff eligible and the cost of operating the schemes in the last five years are shown in the following table.
| Non-consolidated performance related award scheme | ||||||
| Cost (£) per year | ||||||
| Number of eligible staff | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | |
| (1) The significant increase in the value of awards from 2005-06 onwards is because changes to the Special Achievement Awards (SAA) scheme were introduced as part of a new pay deal in 2004-05. (2) The SAA scheme for DFID staff below the SCS ended on 31 July 2007, with IBAS not becoming effective until the following reporting year (2008-09). | ||||||
These non-consolidated costs are contained within the overall increases for pay awards agreed with HM Treasury as a small percentage of the total pay bills. Performance awards are not guaranteed and have to be re-earned each year. The main purposes of both schemes are to:
have clear links between pay and performance
encourage and reward sustained high performance against set criteria
comply with central Cabinet Office and HM Treasury frameworks and guidelines on pay and reward.
Developing Countries: Internet
Mr. Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many children have accessed the One World Zone of the Gold Star Café internet site funded by his Department through the Development Awareness Fund. [291620]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: The Department for International Development (DFID) funded the One World Zone of the Gold Star Cafe internet site through the Development Awareness Fund from April 2006 to March 2009. During the three years of DFID support to the zone, there were approximately 90,000 visits.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Breaking the Silence: Finance
Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much funding his Department provided through UK embassies and overseas missions to the non-governmental organisation Breaking the Silence between April 2006 and April 2009. [291997]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The Government have spent £78,701 since April 2006 to support Breaking the Silence's educational tours of Hebron. This financial year we have allocated a further £38,233 to Breaking the Silence, again for their educational tours of Hebron.
The Government fund Breaking the Silence through the Conflict Prevention Pool, which is managed jointly by the Department for International Development, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Ministry of Defence. It is a shared budget to support the Government's conflict prevention policies.
Departmental Manpower
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many staff there were in his Department (a) in 1997 and (b) on the latest date for which figures are available. [292063]
Chris Bryant: There have been numerous organisational changes in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) since 1997. Explaining changes in staff strength over that period is, therefore, not straightforward. In 1997 the FCO employed 5,539 Full Time Equivalent UK based staff, including those working on entry clearance. The comparable figure for 1 October 2009 is 5,478. This includes just under 950 staff in FCO Services, which is now a Trading Fund but excludes staff working on entry clearance. This function has transferred to the UK Border Agency (UKBA)-an agency of the Home Office.
The reduction in FCO numbers since 1997 is the net effect of:
the transfer to UKBA of the entry clearance function;
expansion in the consular and migration functions; and
efficiency savings in other areas.
Iraq: Iran
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the government of Iraq on the treatment of those living in Camp Ashraf. [292431]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: Our ambassador in Iraq met with the Iraqi Human Rights Minister on 6 October 2009 to discuss the situation at Camp Ashraf and the latest developments surrounding the 36 camp residents who were arrested on 28 July 2009. Our ambassador has also raised the issue with the Iraqi Prime Minister's office and the Minister of Internal Affairs.
We remain in close contact with the US, UN and EU, who regularly discuss the issues around the camp with the Iraqi authorities. Also, our UK Representative to the UN in Geneva has also discussed the situation with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Officials from our embassy in Baghdad visited the camp on Saturday 26 September 2009. They confirmed that Iraqi police and Iraqi Security Forces were present inside the camp, and were co-operating peacefully with the residents.
Members: Correspondence
Sir John Stanley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he plans to reply to the letter of 11 March from the right hon. Member for Tonbridge and Malling on behalf of Mrs. Debra Guneri. [291047]
Mr. Woolas [holding answer 14 September 2009]: I have been asked to reply.
The right hon. Member's letter was passed to me for reply and I replied on 7 September.
Mr. Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will request the High Commissioner to South Africa to ensure that the hon. Member for West Chelmsford receives a response to the matters raised in his letters to the High Commissioner of 17 July 2009, 13 August 2009 and 7 September 2009 and his telephone conversations with the High Commissioner on 16 September 2009 about the case of Mr. Ian Freshwater of Chelmsford. [292154]
Chris Bryant: Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials have drawn this request to the attention of the South African high commission in London. Officials at the South African high commission will follow up this request.
Morocco: Travel Restrictions
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received concerning (a) the detention in Morocco of six Western Saharan students who were to travel to the UK and (b) Morocco's obligations under Article 12 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. [292453]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The Government have received representations from the UK-based Western Sahara Campaign, the Talk Together project in Oxford and the UN Association of Great Britain and Northern Ireland about the case of the Moroccan and Saharwi students prevented from travelling to the UK on 5 August 2009 to attend a conference on cross-cultural understanding and conflict resolution, organised by Talk Together.
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