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This negotiated settlement with GSK follows the decision to cancel the remaining orders with Baxter on 28 February 2010, utilising our break clause in the contract. We entered into more detailed negotiations with GSK because our contract with it did not contain a break clause, in line with its agreements with other countries. These discussions regarding limiting vaccine orders were necessary as our increased understanding of the virus demonstrated that fewer swine flu vaccines were required. This was partly because the virus has proved mild in most people (although more severe and, tragically, fatal in some instances), but also as scientists established that one dose of the vaccine was sufficient to confer immunity.
The Financial Services Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Myners): My right honourable friend the Financial Secretary has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
A double taxation agreement with Germany was signed on 30 March 2010. The text of the agreement has been deposited in the Libraries of both Houses and made available on HM Revenue and Customs' website. The text will be scheduled to a draft Order in Council and laid before the House of Commons in due course.
The Financial Services Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Myners): My honourable friend the Exchequer Secretary has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
In a Written Ministerial Statement on 10 October 2006, the then Economic Secretary undertook to report to Parliament on a quarterly basis on the operation of
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In the quarter January to March 2010, the Treasury issued no directions designating persons under the Al-Qaida and Taliban (United Nations Measures) Order 2006. As a result of the quashing of this order, the one extant direction under the order has no effect.
During this quarter, the Treasury gave no new directions under the Terrorism (United Nations Measures) Order 2009.
There were no financial sanctions designations of persons with links to the UK made at the UN or at the EU in relation to the terrorism or Al-Qaeda and the Taliban asset-freezing regimes.
As of 31 March 2010, a total of 226 accounts containing just over £370,0002 of suspected terrorist funds were frozen in the UK.
Reviews under the Terrorism Order 2006
The Treasury keeps domestic asset-freezing cases under review and completed three reviews in this quarter. All three persons had their designation revoked.
Maintaining an effective licensing system is important to ensure the overall proportionality and fairness of the asset-freezing regime, whether the individuals concerned are subject to an asset freeze in accordance with a UN or EC listing, or domestic terrorism legislation. A licensing framework is put in place for each individual on a case-by-case basis. The key objective of the licensing system is to strike an appropriate balance between minimising the risk of diversion of funds to terrorism and meeting the human rights and humanitarian needs of affected individuals and their families.
Twenty-four licences were issued this quarter in relation to 15 individuals and/or entities subject to an asset freeze under the Al-Qaeda and Taliban and terrorism regimes.
On 9 February 2010, during the debate on the Terrorist Asset-Freezing (Temporary Provisions) Bill, the Treasury committed to reporting on proceedings taken for any offences under the asset-freezing regime.
In the quarter January to March 2010, there have been no proceedings taken for breaches of the prohibitions of the Terrorism Orders or the Al-Qaida and Taliban Order.
The Supreme Court judgment and the Terrorist Asset-Freezing (Temporary Provisions) Act 2010: As referred to in the 13th quarterly report to Parliament for the period October to December 2009, on 4 February 2010 the Supreme Court quashed the Terrorism (United Nations Measures) Order 2006. The Government fast-tracked temporary legislation to prevent suspected terrorists' assets from being unfrozen. The Terrorist Asset-Freezing (Temporary Provisions) Act 2010 came into force on 10 February 2010 and temporarily validates the Terrorism (United Nations Measures) Orders 2009, 2006 and 2001, ensuring that asset freezes under those orders remain
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On 11 March 2010, the Government published a public consultation document which sets out the Government's approach to terrorist asset freezing and their proposals for more permanent terrorist asset-freezing legislation and seeks the views of the public and other interested parties on the proposals. The consultation document can be found at http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/consult_liveindex.htm.
Al Qaida and Taliban (Asset Freezing) Regulations 2010: On 4 February 2010, the Supreme Court also quashed the Al-Qaida and Taliban Order. Assets previously frozen under that order remain frozen under EC Regulation 881/2002. The EC regulation is directly applicable in UK law, but secondary legislation is required to provide for penalties for failing to comply with the prohibitions in the EC regulation and to establish a UK framework for the effective administration of asset freezes against persons listed by the EU as being associated with Al-Qaeda or the Taliban.
In order to put in place penalties and establish such a framework, the Government laid new regulations before Parliament: the Al-Qaida and Taliban (Asset Freezing) Regulations 2010.
The regulations were laid on 25 February 2010 and debated in the House of Lords on 25 March and in the House of Commons on 30 March. They came into effect at midnight on 31 March.
The Financial Services Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Myners): My honourable friend the Economic Secretary has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
I have today set the following key performance indicators for the Valuation Office Agency for 2010-11:
to achieve overall customer satisfaction of 90 per cent.Operations to determine 95 per cent of housing benefit claims where no inspection is required in three working days;to enable prompt issue of tax assessments, for inheritance tax and capital gains tax, by clearing all HMRC initial appraisal cases within an average of five days; to contain reductions in the 2005 rating lists to a maximum of 4.2 per cent of the total compiled list rateable value, over the entire life of the lists; to contain reductions in the 2010 rating lists to a maximum of 3.6 per cent of the total compiled list rateable value, over the entire life of the lists; to ensure that 96 per cent of new council tax bandings are right first time; to complete the compliance reviews of broad rental market areas in England for local housing allowance purposes; and to achieve income from non-statutory services of at least £19 million. Value for Money to improve overall value for money on local taxation work by 3 per cent a year; andto achieve full cost recovery reflecting a 5 per cent reduction in budget for the year on all work for HMRC.Security to have zero data incidents reportable to the Information Commissioner.Next Section | Back to Table of Contents | Lords Hansard Home Page |