| Bilateral sector spending, by country, 2011-12 | |||||
| £ thousand | |||||
| Country | Agriculture | Fisheries | Forestry | Livestock | Grand Total |
1 Spending on agriculture based on Input Sector Codes 31110, 31120, 31130 and 31191.
2 Spending on fisheries based on Input Sector Codes 31310 and 31320.
3 Spending on forestry based on Input Sector Codes 31210 and 31220.
4 Spending on livestock based on Input Sector Codes 31163.
- represents zero expenditure.
0 represents expenditure rounded down to zero.
Parliaments: Costs
Question
Asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the latest figures for the annual total costs, and cost per member, of (1) the House of Lords, (2) the House of Commons, and (c) the European Parliament. [HL4062]
The Commercial Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Sassoon): The table below sets out the annual cost, number of Members and average cost per Member for the House of Commons, House of Lords and European Parliament.
| Annual cost | Number of Members | Expenditure per member | |
| £ million | £ million | ||
The figures for the House of Commons are taken from the House of Commons annual accounts 2011-122 (for both administrative and Members’ budgets) and the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority annual accounts 2011-123.
The House of Lords figures are for taken from the House of Lords annual accounts 2011-124.
For the European Parliament, figures are taken from the European Union Budget of 2011 financial report5. The European Parliament increased from 736 Members to 754 from 1 December 2011.
1 Reported annual cost of €1,555 million, converted at the December 2011 exchange rate of €1.18 = £1
2 http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/commons/resource-accounts
3 http://parliamentarystandards.org.uk/About%20Us/ Corporate%20Publications/Annual%20Report%20and% 20Accounts%202011-%202012.pdf
4 http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/Id/Idresource/35/35.pdf
5 http://www.europarl.europa.eu/aboutparliament/en/ 00059f3ea3/The-budget-of-the-European-Parliament.html
Pensions
Questions
Asked by Lord Watson of Invergowrie
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they intend to take to ensure that recipients of the British state pension resident overseas and whose pensions are currently frozen will in future have their pensions paid at the same rate as the remaining expatriates whose pensions are uprated.[HL4325]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Lord Freud): There are no plans to change the current arrangements for pensions paid overseas.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have plans to incorporate the £10 Christmas bonus for pensioners into the basic pension, or to abolish it. [HL4328]
Lord Freud: The £10 Christmas bonus is paid to both pensioners and working-age people in receipt of certain qualifying benefits.
The majority of recipients receive their payment automatically with whichever qualifying benefit they receive, which keeps administrative costs relatively low. There are no plans to change the way the Christmas bonus is paid or to abolish it.
Planning
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the regulators of utility companies about requiring utility companies to co-operate with public bodies in the planning of sustainable development.[HL4261]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government (Baroness Hanham): In 2011, the Government undertook a consultation on the draft Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012 in which the bodies subject to the duty to co-operate were prescribed. This was a general public consultation and so enabled the regulators of utility companies to put forward their views. The consultation also specifically invited views on the list of bodies that should be subject to the duty.
A summary of the responses to that consultation was published on 27 March 2012 and is available on the departmental website at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/local-planning-regulations.
Police: Aid and Development Programmes
Questions
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of opportunities to review the way in which police reform and development is administered overseas in countries where the United Kingdom is contributing to this process.[HL4309]
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the scope for employing United Kingdom police forces to deliver appropriate outcomes in aid and development programmes.[HL4311]
Baroness Northover: The Building Stability Overseas Strategy sets out the UK’s “whole of government” approach to delivering stability and development outcomes overseas. The positive contribution that UK police forces can make to deliver development outcomes is recognised within this strategy. Appropriate use of UK police expertise and experience for a particular programme is assessed on a case-by-case basis.
Police reform can make a critical contribution to the development of more effective security and justice services in developing countries. The UK is currently reviewing its existing approaches for police reform in order to prepare up-to-date guidance based on experience and lessons learnt.
Police: Cross-Commonwealth Reform
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the scope for developing a cross-Commonwealth approach to police reform, including the establishment of a register of police reform service providers within Commonwealth police agencies.[HL4312]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi): The Commonwealth Secretariat continues to provide Commonwealth member states with support on police reform, including facilitating co-operation between members. A recent example has seen the Secretariat run a programme to strengthen the capacity of the Sierra Leone police force through partnership with the Botswana Police College. The UK also continues to provide support to Commonwealth members on police reform through our bilateral aid. Most recently, the Department for International Development has funded programmes in Kenya, Sierra Leone, Nigeria and Jamaica, and the International Academy of the College of Policing provided assistance to 17 Commonwealth countries in 2012 through their training programmes. The Government have not, at this point, made an assessment of scope for further developing a cross-Commonwealth approach to police reform.
Police: Overseas Service
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the demand for the provision of United Kingdom policing practice and expertise by countries in Africa.[HL4340]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi): UK policing is highly regarded internationally, and there is demand for UK policing expertise both through multilateral mechanisms and from specific countries. While we have not made an assessment overall of the demand within Africa for UK policing, requests put to the Stabilisation Unit—which co-ordinates all requests for “non-operational” policing assistance—suggest that demand in Africa, as elsewhere, is high. We currently have senior UK police officers serving in UN missions to South Sudan, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
The Government’s Building Stability Overseas Strategy recognises the contribution that our policing expertise can make to building security, justice and broader development outcomes.
Police: Reform
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the effect on the police of outsourcing police reform and development to commercial companies; and, what assessment they have made of the benefits delivered by the investment they have committed to such outsourcing to date. [HL4341]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord Taylor of Holbeach): HM Inspectorate of Constabulary’s Collaboration Report (July 2012) estimated that forces would save £169 million through collaboration by March 2015, including through collaboration with the private sector. It is for police and crime commissioners and forces to consider whether the private sector can help achieve cost savings and better services for the public. The police remain a public service, accountable to the people.
Population
Questions
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what forecast they have made of the size of the population of the United Kingdom in 2021.[HL4285]
Lord Wallace of Saltaire: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Glen Watson, Director General for ONS, to Lord Empey, dated December 2012.
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics I have been asked to reply to your question to Her Majesty’s Government asking what forecast has been made of the size of the population of the United Kingdom in 2021. [HL4285]
Estimates of future population are available as population projections. The most recent national population projections are based on mid-year population estimates for 2010 published in 2011, and they project the population of the United Kingdom to reach 67.6 million by mid-2021. These projections do not take account of results of the 2011 Census.
National population projections are not forecasts and do not attempt to predict the impact of future government policies, changing economic circumstances or the capacity of an area to accommodate a change in population. They provide an indication of the future size and age structure of the population if recent demographic trends continued.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government which department or agency is responsible for assessing population trends in England.[HL4287]
Lord Wallace of Saltaire: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Glen Watson, Director General for ONS, to Lord Empey, dated December 2012.
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics I have been asked to reply to your question to Her Majesty’s Government asking which department or agency is responsible for assessing population trends in England. [HL4287]
The Office for National Statistics is responsible for population statistics and analyses population trends in order to produce population projections.
Post Office
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much of the £1.34 billion allocated to the Post Office for modernising its network will be spent in rural areas. [HL4293]
Baroness Stowell of Beeston: Post Office Ltd’s Network Transformation programme for modernising some 6,000 branches by 2015 is operating on a voluntary basis and is still in its early stages. It is therefore not possible to indicate how much of the funding will be spent in rural areas. Of the 307 branches which had converted to new operating models as at end November 2012, 162 are classified as rural.
Post-2015 Development Agenda
Questions
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration they are giving to promoting a law and justice component within the Post-2015 Development Agenda.[HL4310]
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will push for a post-2015 millennium development goal of promoting internal security and stability and the rule of law.[HL4339]
Baroness Northover: Ahead of the UN High-Level Panel (HLP) meeting on the post-2015 development goals on 1 November, the UK hosted a day of seminars for panel members on issues that might feature in the new framework. This included sessions on access to justice and personal security.
As co-chair of the High-Level Panel, the Prime Minister is keen that the post-2015 development goals tackle the root causes of poverty. This includes strengthening the rule of law, promoting greater access to justice and providing stable and secure environments for all citizens.
Post-2015 Millennium Development Goals
Questions
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what procedures they will adopt to engage directly with Members of the House of Commons and the House of Lords in providing their input to, and monitoring of, the deliberations of the High-Level Panel on Post-2015 Millennium Development Goals.[HL4244]
Baroness Northover: The International Development Committee has launched an inquiry into the post-2015 development agenda. The Department for International Development, the Department of Energy and Climate Change and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs provided joint written evidence and the Secretary of State for International Development, the right honourable Justine Greening MP, gave oral evidence in November 2012. Her Majesty’s Government (HMG) Ministers are also engaging directly in parliamentary debates, such as the adjournment debates in the House of Commons (January and October 2012) and the Lords debate in November 2012. HMG are also answering large numbers of Parliamentary Questions about the post-2015 development goals and engaging with parliamentarians through All-Party Parliamentary Groups.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government which civil society organisations have held discussions with the High-Level Panel on Post-2015 Millennium Development Goals.[HL4245]
Baroness Northover: In parallel to the High-Level Panel meetings, held in New York and London, a global online civil society consultation provided the opportunity to respond to questions on individual and household poverty.
Many members of the High-Level Panel have organised their own national or regional consultations—many of them with civil society representatives.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what topics were discussed, and what were the outcomes of these discussions, at the last meeting of the High-Level Panel on Post-2015 Millennium Development Goals. [HL4246]
Baroness Northover: The first substantive meeting of the post-2015 High-Level Panel took place in London in early November. The panel discussed individual and household level poverty—with a particular emphasis on human development, jobs and livelihoods. In a day of UK-hosted seminars, panellists also addressed key issues related to poverty reduction with some of the world’s foremost experts—including sessions on future social and economic projections, the rule of law and good stewardship of natural resources. Panellists agreed on a set of questions that set the agenda for the panel’s work and will frame its report. They discussed elements of a vision statement where there was strong support for ending poverty in our time while putting in place the building blocks of sustained prosperity.
Prisoners: Ethnicity and Religion
Questions
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what information they collect on prisoners’ ethnicity and religious backgrounds; and what are the most recent figures for which information is available.[HL4348]
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what data they hold on the number of religious conversions in prison.[HL4349]
The Minister of State, Ministry of Justice (Lord McNally): Tables A and B provide information on population in prison establishments by ethnicity and religion as at 30 September 2012.
Information on the number of prisoners who convert to each religion while in prison is not held centrally. The data held centrally relate to prisoners’ current declared religion, not any previously declared religion.
These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
Prisoners: Muslims
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what specialist advisers are employed within the prison service in relation to Muslim detainees; and what are their roles and responsibilities.[HL4350]
The Minister of State, Ministry of Justice (Lord McNally): There are a range of specialists employed by the National Offender Management Service to meet the needs of prisoners generally. The service also employs a Muslim adviser to advise specifically on Islamic issues relating to prisoners and to be one of the tiers of approval in the appointment process of all Muslim chaplains. Chaplaincy teams in prisons will include Muslim chaplains whose role includes providing religious and pastoral support to Muslim prisoners.
Prisons: Lincoln Prison
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have responded to the finding by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons in his report on Lincoln Prison published in October 2012 that the data provided evidence of unequal treatment of black and minority ethnic prisoners.[HL4319]
The Minister of State, Ministry of Justice (Lord McNally): NOMS is committed to fairness for all in its duty of care towards prisoners. Prison Service Instruction 32/2011 “Ensuring Equality” sets out the policy approach and lists key mandatory actions designed to ensure legal compliance in prison establishments. This is supplemented by comprehensive guidance. This compliance is audited. In the course of 2012-13 it is proposed to improve on the range and quality of monitoring data with the aim of driving forward improvements at both national and local levels.
Since the inspection of HMP Lincoln a new governor has been appointed and he has introduced new arrangements related to equality issues to engage with prisoners in minority groups, including those from black and minority ethnic communities.
As with all establishment inspection reports by HMIP, NOMS intends to produce an action plan responding to all the recommendations made in the report between three and six months after the date of publication. I will therefore write to the noble Baroness detailing the response to the specific recommendations about this matter once the plan has been sent to the chief inspector.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have sought an explanation for the finding of HM Chief Inspector of Prisons in his report on Lincoln Prison published in October 2012 that work, training and education places in a new academy were almost empty whilst up to half the prisoners were locked in their cells during the working part of the day. [HL4321]
Lord McNally: Since the inspection a new governor has been appointed to HMP Lincoln. He is working closely with a new learning and skills provider and other partners to improve and monitor attendance at work, training and education places. They are committed to delivering an appropriate level of offender learning
to meet the needs of prisoners, and thereby improving on the previous arrangements and partnership working that existed.
Work is also under way on the reorganisation of Lincoln, in order to deliver a more effective regime.
As with all establishment inspection reports by HMIP, NOMS intends to produce an action plan responding to all the recommendations made in the report between three and six months after the date of publication. I will therefore write to the noble Baroness detailing the response to the specific recommendations about this matter once the plan has been sent to the chief inspector.
Railways: Stations
Questions
Asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with relevant agencies about the reopening of a rail station in Walworth.[HL4302]
Earl Attlee: We are not aware of any discussions that have taken place with agencies about the reopening of a rail station in Walworth.
Asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what public money has been spent on the following railway stations (1) New Cross, (2) New Cross Gate, (3) St John’s, (4) Lewisham, and (5) Ladywell, in 2010 and 2011.[HL4303]
Earl Attlee: Under the National Stations Improvement Programme (NSIP) £695,000 and £95,000 were spent on improvements to the waiting accommodation at Lewisham Station in 2009-10 and 2010-11 respectively.
Under the Access for All (AfA) main programme, £138,000 has been spent so far at New Cross towards a £2.5 million project and £171,000 at New Cross Gate towards a £4 million project, most of which will have been spent in 2010 and 2011. As part of the AfA small scheme programme, a further £65,000 was spent at New Cross Gate in 2009-10 and 2010-11.
At Lewisham, a £5.7 million Access for All project was completed in 2010, although only a minimal amount of this sum would have been spent in 2010.
Asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much they have spent on (1) Elephant and Castle, and (2) Denmark Hill, railway stations in (a) 2010, and (b) 2011.[HL4351]
Baroness Stowell of Beeston: Under the National Stations Improvement Programme (NSIP) £11,000, £30,000 and £879,000 was spent on station improvements at Denmark Hill station in 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12 respectively.
£3.4 million of funding under the Access for All (AfA) main programme has also been spent towards a £4.18 million project at Denmark Hill, which is due for completion in 2013. Of this, £400,000 was spent in 2010 and £1.6 million in 2011.
Under the station commercial project facility, £328,000 was awarded in 2011 for new station ticket gates and £80,000 to improve retail facilities for passengers at Denmark Hill.
There is no record of equivalent expenditure at Elephant and Castle.
Rodents
Questions
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of the rat population in (1) England, (2) Wales, (3) Greater London, and (4) Northern Ireland, in each of the past 15 years for which information is available.[HL4121]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord De Mauley): Defra has made no estimate of the size of the rat population in England, Wales, Greater London or Northern Ireland in any of the last 15 years.
Defra has published data on rodent presence in domestic dwellings. The most recent information published by Defra is a report in May 2010 of the interim analysis of rodent presence in domestic properties from data for 2005, 2006 and 2007. This reported that there was no significant increase in rat presence inside dwellings between 1996 and 2007. The presence of rats outside dwellings increased between 1996 and 2001 but between 2001 and 2007, although the presence of rats outside dwellings fluctuated, there were no statistically significant increases or decreases.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they have (1) taken, and (2) plan to take, to reduce the rodent population in (a) Greater London, (b) England, (c) Wales, and (d) Northern Ireland. [HL4122]
Lord De Mauley: Responsibility for dealing with problems caused by wild animals normally rests with the occupier of the land concerned.
Under the Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949, local authorities are responsible for ensuring that their districts are kept, as far as is practicable, free of rats. The Act gives local authorities the power to require landowners and occupiers to control rat infestations on their land. A local authority can also, where necessary, carry out the control work itself and recover the cost of such action from the landowner or occupier.
Natural England provides advice on controlling rat infestations; its publication Rats: Options for Controlling Infestations is available on its website.
Schools: Primary School Places
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to provide extra funding to increase primary school places in the Greater London area.[HL4046]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools (Lord Hill of Oareford): The department provides basic need funding to local authorities to support the provision of additional pupil places and we will confirm the 2013-14 allocations by the end of January 2013. The Chancellor, as part of the recent Autumn Statement, announced that an additional £980 million of investment to support the creation of new pupil places will be made in schools in England by the end of this Parliament. The department will make further information about this funding available in the new year.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have made any assessment of the availability of primary school places, including state-funded church schools, in London.[HL4047]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools (Lord Hill of Oareford): The department collects pupil place data from all local authorities through the Annual Schools Capacity Survey. The most recent information, which includes state-funded church schools, relates to the position as at May 2011 and shows that there were 1,779 primary schools in London providing 622,597 primary places. Also as at May 2011, a total of 40,353 unfilled places were available across London. The data to provide detail on the May 2012 position will be available in the new year.
Scotland: Independence
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will make representations to the Government of Iceland about the remarks by that country’s President, Olafur Grimson, that independence for Scotland could be the “road towards prosperity and a good society”.[HL4252]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi): There are no plans for the Government to make representations to the Icelandic Government about the referendum on Scottish independence.
As the Government have made clear, any decisions on Scotland’s future are for the people in Scotland to decide. The Government are confident that Scotland will choose to remain part of the UK and are therefore not planning for any other outcome. The government position is clear: Scotland is stronger in the UK and the UK is stronger with Scotland in it.
Sport: Motor Racing
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress they have made regarding allowing motor racing on closed public roads.[HL4332]
Baroness Stowell of Beeston: The Department for Transport is currently considering the case for making it easier to hold on-road motor racing events and intends to consult in the spring.
Sudan
Questions
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will seek to ensure that the Paris Club opposes any debt relief for Sudan until the Government of that country have been shown to have ceased all military action against civilians in Darfur, South Kordofan and Blue Nile.[HL4017]
The Commercial Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Sassoon): Any future debt relief for Sudan would take place as part of a wider reform programme that may be prepared by the IMF and would be subject to decisions made by the boards of the IMF, World Bank and Paris Club, on which the UK Government are represented. This would be subject to the same requirements and obligations as for any other country.
It is important that the Government of Sudan demonstrate their full commitment to the reduction of poverty across the whole country. Ongoing conflicts are a significant cause of poverty and an obstacle to the implementation of development plans.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what further pressure they will put on the Government of Sudan to allow access for humanitarian aid for the peoples of South Kordofan and Blue Nile states, particularly in view of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement North’s offer to initiate a ceasefire to facilitate humanitarian aid access.[HL4336]
Baroness Northover: We welcome the statement by the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement North on 19 December expressing their readiness for a ceasefire. It is now imperative that they, and the Government of Sudan, enter into direct talks immediately and without preconditions, aimed at a cessation of hostilities. A political settlement remains the best hope for the people of the South Kordofan and Blue Nile states. Working with the United Nations, African Union, League of Arab States and other international partners, we will continue to press both sides to co-operate so that we see these talks begin and full humanitarian access granted.
Syria
Questions
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the provision of European Union and other international aid and supplies to Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon to assist Syrian refugees in those countries.[HL4234]
Baroness Northover: The European Union has provided substantial funding for the crisis in Syria, including for refugees in Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq. Total EU humanitarian funding for the Syria response
to date is well over €320 million. €120 million of this total is provided by the European Commission, with over €200 million by member states. The UK is a leading donor among the EU member states, providing £68.5 million, at least £24 million of which is going to help refugees in neighbouring countries.
The UK continues to monitor the situation closely and actively consider what more we can do. We are calling on the international community, including the EU, to step up and provide more funding, or co-ordinate bilateral assistance with the UN appeals.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will make representations to the Government of Syria to allow access by international aid organisations to all civilians including Christians and other religious minorities in Aleppo and Homs.[HL4337]
Baroness Northover: The UK is calling on all parties to the conflict in Syria to facilitate improved access, respect international humanitarian law, facilitate safe passage for humanitarian workers and supplies, and permit civilians to evacuate conflict zones safely. Most recently we did this at the Friends of Syria meeting on 12 December 2012. We are also working closely with the UN on this matter. The UN’s Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Co-ordinator, Baroness Amos, recently visited Syria and met the Syrian Foreign Minister, Walid Muallem, to discuss humanitarian access, among other issues.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will make representations to the Governments of Greece and Turkey to allow access for refugees from the fighting in Syria.[HL4338]
Baroness Northover: There are over 550,000 refugees from Syria in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq. We welcome the generous effort of these countries in hosting thousands of refugees and co-ordinating with the UN-led humanitarian response to assist them. We have been clear in our engagement with host Governments, including Turkey’s, to press the importance of keeping their borders open to allow refugees to flee the violence in Syria, in line with international law. We understand a small number of Syrians have requested asylum in Greece. The UK is providing assistance to Greece to improve their immigration and asylum management in the context of the EU’s support for Greece’s action plan.
The UK has provided £68.5 million to assist people affected by the violence in Syria, including £24 million to support refugees. We continue actively to consider what more we can do to ease the desperate suffering of the Syrian people.
Taxation: Avoidance
Questions
Asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many large multinational companies they estimate are trading in the United Kingdom and organising their tax affairs to pay little or no corporation tax. [HL4029]
The Commercial Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Sassoon): All multinationals plan and manage their tax compliance. The amount of tax they have to pay is affected by a range of factors, including how they arrange their affairs. There are a range of rules designed to ensure that profits earned in the UK are taxed here. HM Revenue & Customs ensures that multinationals pay the tax that is due under UK tax law.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they will take to avoid any tax avoidance arising from their proposal for employees to exchange shares for employment rights; and whether they agree with the Office for Budget Responsibility’s assessment of the potential risk of avoidance or evasion arising from the proposal.[HL4085]
Lord Sassoon: The Government are introducing a new employee shareholder employment status. Employees adopting the new status will receive a minimum of £2,000-worth of shares. Any gains made, on up to £50,000-worth of shares, will be exempt from capital gains tax (CGT).
The Government will take steps to prevent manipulation of CGT exemption available on shares received under the status. The draft capital gains tax legislation, published on 11 December 2012, sets out a number of anti-avoidance provisions, including rules to preserve the integrity of the £50,000 limit and to prevent those in control of a company from accessing the CGT exemption.
The Government agree with the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) that predicting take-up of new policies, such as the new employment status, is difficult. However, some further clarification is needed. The OBR refers to tax planning—not avoidance. Encouraging take-up of this targeted employment policy should not be misconstrued as encouraging avoidance. In addition, the potential costs of the policy referred to by the OBR are estimated to take place well beyond the end of the forecast period.
If further provisions are needed to address particular avoidance risks, the Government will have the opportunity to include these at a later date, with a view to ensuring that this policy does not become disproportionately costly to the taxpayer. The Government keep all areas of tax policy under review at all times.
Taxation: Income Tax
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many people are projected to be paying income tax at the 40% rate in the financial years 2012-13 and 2013-14; and how many paid income tax at that rate in 2009-10.[HL4004]
The Commercial Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Sassoon): The number of people with higher-rate income tax liabilities is projected at 4.10 million in 2012-13 and 4.72 million in 2013-14. In 2009-10, 3.19 million people paid income tax at that rate.
These estimates are based on the 2009-10 Survey of Personal Incomes data, projected to 2012-13 and 2013-14, using economic assumptions consistent with the Office for Budget Responsibility’s December 2012 economic and fiscal outlook.
Thames Tunnel
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government which company will be responsible for developing and financing the construction of the Thames Tunnel Project and whether it will adopt the Equator Principles in arranging its financing.[HL4194]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord De Mauley): Thames Water Utilities Ltd (TWUL) is the sewerage undertaker in London and is responsible for ensuring a solution to ongoing sewage discharges into the Thames.
While a final decision is yet to be taken, the current working assumption is that the proposed Thames Tideway Tunnel would be financed and built by a dedicated infrastructure provider (IP) procured via competitive tender by TWUL. The IP would be an independent company separate from TWUL with its own licence from Ofwat.
Equator Principles are a voluntary set of standards developed by private sector banks for determining, assessing and managing environmental and social risks when considering project finance investments. The principles are not designed for companies seeking investments in utility services under a well established regulatory regime which already balances the economic, social and environmental aims of sustainable development.
It is unlikely that there would be benefit for Thames Water customers in restricting investment to institutions that have signed up the Equator Principles, but any tender specification for an IP is for Thames Water to determine within the regulatory framework.
Turks and Caicos Islands
Question
Asked by Lord Jones of Cheltenham
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of progress in the Turks and Caicos Islands since the cessation of direct rule and the election of a new Government in November 2012. [HL4191]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi): The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my honourable friend the Member for Boston and Skegness (Mr Simmonds), visited the Turks and Caicos Islands on 26 to 28 November and had discussions with Premier Ewing, his new Government and a wide range of stakeholders. Mr Simmonds and the Premier had a bilateral meeting in London on 3 December and Premier Ewing took part in the Overseas Territories Joint Ministerial Council from 4 to 5 December.
Premier Ewing’s new Government have set out an ambitious agenda for the Turks and Caicos Islands which includes the development of the economy, educating and empowering its people, creating opportunities for its workforce, moving towards self-reliance in key areas, the restoration of national pride and achieving desired standards in healthcare and the security of its borders.
Unemployment
Question
Asked by Lord Taylor of Warwick
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the willingness to work of those experiencing long-term unemployment.[HL4231]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Lord Freud): All those counted in the Labour Force Survey as unemployed, including the long-term unemployed, must have looked for work in the last four weeks and be available to take up work in the next two weeks. People not actively looking for a job are counted as economically inactive rather than unemployed.
People claiming jobseeker’s allowance for more than 12 months are still required to bring evidence of job search to their fortnightly job search review at the Jobcentre, in addition to activity they are doing to find work supported by their work programme provider.
The department is aware of the challenges currently facing jobseekers in the labour market and a substantial body of support has been put in place to help people move into work. Jobcentres currently offer claimants a comprehensive menu of help including skills provision and job search support. This is bolstered by a number of specific measures including work experience placements, the work programme, the youth contract and support for those looking to start their own business through the new enterprise allowance.
Previous recessions have typically seen a rise in inactivity, including more people claiming unemployment-related benefits who had reduced their job search efforts. No such trend has been seen this time around: excluding full-time students, the inactivity rate is the lowest since records began in 1993.
Universal Credit
Questions
To ask Her Majesty’s Government which areas of the country will be covered by the universal credit pilots due to commence in April 2013. [HL4109]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Lord Freud): Pathfinder is the early implementation of universal credit in April 2013, in the Greater Manchester and Cheshire area, which will enable us to test the end-to-end process in advance of the national launch of universal credit in October 2013.
The people who will be able to claim universal credit during pathfinder will be single, unemployed people with or without rented housing costs, who live in the Tameside, Wigan, Oldham and Warrington local authority areas.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what provision and support will be provided for universal credit claimants who do not have access to the internet at home, and for those who do not have the ability to use the internet.[HL4111]
Lord Freud: Universal credit will be predominantly online, although telephony and face-to-face channels will remain available. At whatever point claimants enter the system, they will be signposted to the most appropriate channel for their needs.
We recognise some claimants do not have access to the internet and will require support to go online. Our current plans are to provide claimants with help to get online and to stay online over the phone and to provide access to the internet at jobcentres and through partners.
Winter Fuel Payments
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will consider taxing winter fuel payments for pensioners rather than means-testing those payments.[HL4330]
Lord Newby: The Government have no plans to means-test winter fuel payments or make them taxable. The coalition agreement set out that the Government will protect key benefits for older people, including winter fuel payments.
Written Ministerial Statements
Question
Asked by Lord Hughes of Woodside
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Strathclyde on 12 November (WA 249), and in the light of Recommendation 42 of the Report of the Leader’s Group on Working Practices (HL Paper 136, Session 2010–12), whether they will issue guidance that Ministers should publish written responses to all substantial points raised in House of Lords debates and not answered orally in the Official Report as Written Ministerial Statements. [HL4209]
The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Lord Strathclyde): I do not intend to issue such guidance to Ministers. The Official Report is held in perpetuity and covered by parliamentary privilege, and therefore not every written response by a Minister to a point raised in a debate in the House will be suitable for publication as a Written Ministerial Statement.