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Taxation: Non-domiciled Residents
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that non-domiciled persons resident in the United Kingdom return to paying full United Kingdom personal taxes. [HL3018]
The Financial Services Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Myners): The Government reformed the rules governing the taxation of non-domiciles in 2008. These reforms struck the right balance between increasing the fairness of the rules and maintaining the UK's international competitiveness.
Unemployment
Question
Asked by Lord Kirkwood of Kirkhope
To ask Her Majesty's Government what internal or external evaluations they have carried out into welfare-to-work programmes introduced by the Department for Work and Pensions since 2005. [HL2882]
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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Department for Work and Pensions (Lord McKenzie of Luton): Evaluations into welfare-to-work programmes are published as part of the department's Research Report Series. These are available on the department's internet site and can be located at http://research.dwp. gov.uk/asd/asd5/rrs-index.asp.
Universities: Officer Training Corps
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many officer cadets serving in the University Officer Training Corps regularly attended training in (a) October 2008, and (b) February 2009. [HL2996]
The Minister for International Defence and Security (Baroness Taylor of Bolton): The number of officer cadets serving in the University Officer Training Corps (UOTC) who, on average, regularly attended training in October 2008 was 2,691. The number of officer cadets serving in the UOTC who, on average, regularly attended training in February 2009 was 2,356.
US: Nuclear Weapons
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have given permission under exchanges of letters with the United States or otherwise for the stationing of nuclear weapons on vessels within the territorial waters of Diego Garcia. [HL2877]
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead): We cannot comment on specific deployments or the capabilities of coalition forces' vessels anywhere in the world.
Under the UK/US Exchange of Notes which governs the use of the British Indian Ocean Territory for defence purposes, the stationing of nuclear weapons in the territory would require a joint decision by both Governments.
Visas
Questions
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will publish a list of suspended private colleges on the UK Border Agency website to inform prospective foreign students seeking visas for the United Kingdom. [HL2870]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord West of Spithead): We do not currently publish a list of suspended colleges on the UK Border Agency website.
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To ask Her Majesty's Government in which United Kingdom diplomatic missions corruption involving (a) United Kingdom personnel, and (b) locally employed staff, has been detected in the issuing of visas for travel or entry to the United Kingdom in each of the past three years; and what steps they are taking to prevent and detect such corruption. [HL2956]
Lord West of Spithead: The UK Border Agency expects the highest levels of integrity from its staff.
The majority of staff carry out their roles with professionalism and integrity. Any allegations of corruption are thoroughly investigated and the agency takes swift action where it finds members of staff have broken the law. The agency has a dedicated unit of accredited counter-fraud investigators who work in close co-operation with the police and other bodies to deter, to detect and to investigate internal fraud and corruption.
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With regard to overseas missions in which corruption has been detected and the steps taken to prevent and detect such corruption, I will write to the noble Lord separately, due to the risk of prejudicing steps taken to detect and prevent corruption.
To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Lord West of Spithead on 18 March (WA 234), whether they will ensure that the cost of processing a confirmation of acceptance for studies form to a prospective foreign student seeking a United Kingdom visa is in future covered by the fee charged. [HL3065]
Lord West of Spithead: The fee for a tier 4 certificate of acceptance of studies will be reviewed during 2010 as part of the Government review of immigration fees that is done on an annual basis.
We will make appropriate changes as necessary in line with our overall objective to set fees to ensure we maintain the UK as an attractive destination for migrants who come to work, study and visit.
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