The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government (Baroness Hanham): The department does not formally collate information nationally on the number of nominations or on the number of assets successfully or unsuccessfully listed. Local authorities are responsible for keeping and managing a list which contains information on their assets of community value. However, I am aware that since this
scheme came into force in England on 21 September 2012 at least 252 assets of community value have been accepted for listing by local authorities.
Middle East
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government which principal Middle East issues they raised in their meeting with the new United States Secretary of State, John Kerry, on 25 February.[HL5880]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi): US Secretary of State, John Kerry met with both the Prime Minister, my right honourable friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), and the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right honourable friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), during his visit to the UK on 25 February. The agenda covered a wide range of global issues, including the Middle East peace process, Syria, Iran and North Africa.
NHS: Commissioning
Question
Asked by Lord Harris of Haringey
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will require that the board papers of all public organisations or committees that are associated with the commissioning of NHS and social care are made publicly available through a central portal. [HL5796]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Earl Howe): There are no plans for board papers of all public organisations or committees that are associated with the commissioning of National Health Service and social care to be made publicly available through a central portal.
NHS: Private Management
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether there are any proposals to allow qualified private firms to manage NHS trusts.[HL5905]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Earl Howe): There are no new proposals to allow qualified private firms to manage National Health Service trusts.
Nigeria
Question
Asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the Government of Nigeria regarding the evictions that have taken place in the Oke llu-Eri area of Badia East in Lagos state.[HL5764]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi): We are aware of the demolitions taking place in the Oke Ilu-Eri area of Badia East in Lagos state. While we support development to improve the living standards of a local population, we consider it important that such development only takes place after consultation with the local population and that it also respects their human rights. We, and our EU colleagues, have previously raised our concerns linked to demolition projects in southern Nigeria. Our high commission in Abuja will investigate the situation in Badia East.
Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government why the draft Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill (Cm 8563) permits dual membership of the Northern Ireland Assembly and the House of Lords but not of the Assembly and the House of Commons. [HL5760]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Wales Office (Baroness Randerson): The Government are committed to ending double jobbing between the Northern Ireland Assembly and the House of Commons. It was the unusually ingrained nature of that practice which led the Committee on Standards in Public Life, in its 2009 report, to recommend that the practice should be ended, “by the time of the scheduled elections to the three devolved legislatures in May 2011, or failing that by 2015 at the very latest”. The committee did not make a similar recommendation in respect of the Lords.
Northern Ireland Office: Corporate Entertainment
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much the Northern Ireland Office has paid for corporate entertainment in each year since 2008.[HL5599]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Wales Office (Baroness Randerson): Since April 2008, the Northern Ireland Office has not paid for any corporate entertainment.
Parking and Traffic Appeals Service
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Earl Attlee on 12 February (WA 148), who assesses the Parking and Traffic Appeals Service process and costs given that the Parking and Traffic Appeals Service adjudicators are independent of Government and are not regulated by the Mayor of London or Transport for London. [HL5691]
Earl Attlee: The Administrative Justice and Tribunals Council (AJTC) keeps under review the administrative justice system as a whole with a view to making it accessible, fair and efficient. The website of the AJTC is at http://ajtc.justice.gov.uk.
Passports
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many United Kingdom passport holders also hold passports from other nations.[HL5939]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord Taylor of Holbeach): Records are not held centrally on the number of British passport holders who have dual nationality and hold a passport issued by another country. The Identity and Passport Service requires an applicant for a British passport to submit any existing or cancelled passports, including passports issued by another country, when applying for a new passport. This requirement is made for identity confirmation purposes.
Railways: Burscough Curves
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any plans to reinstate the Burscough Curves railway line.[HL5972]
Earl Attlee: The Government have no plans to reinstate the Burscough Curves. In accordance with our localism agenda, it would be for Lancashire County Council to determine whether this scheme is a priority and to fund the capital cost and subsidy required by the new services that would use the curves. We understand that this scheme is not a high priority for the council at the present time.
Railways: West Coast Main Line
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they expect to put the west coast main line franchise out to tender.[HL5971]
Earl Attlee: A further announcement about the franchising programme will be made in the spring, setting out the timetable for future franchise competitions.
Saudi Arabia
Question
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what information they have, and what representations they have made to the Government of Saudi Arabia, about (1) the arrest by that country’s religious police of a group of Ethiopian Christians in Dammam, and (2) the reported incarceration and torture in 2012 of Ethiopian Christians for exercising their right to practise their faith.[HL5819]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi): We are aware of reports that 53 Ethiopians, mostly women, were arrested on 8 February in Dammam while attending a private Christian worship service. Our understanding is that the three leaders of the group appeared in court later that day allegedly charged with converting Muslims to Christianity. It is likely that those without residence permits will be deported.
We are also aware of the detention in 2012 of a group of Christian Ethiopians and have raised our concerns with the Saudi Arabian embassy. Of the 35 arrested, 28 were deported back to Ethiopia by June 2012. However, we are unaware of the situation of the remaining seven, who held residence permits. We are unable to verify the allegations of ill treatment of those held in detention in this particular case. However, allegations of torture of detainees are often heard. We judge the allegations, by virtue of their frequency and the variety of sources, to be credible and it would appear that the Saudi authorities attach some credence to the allegations, because the Public Prosecution Office, part of the Ministry of Interior, has been ordered to monitor and inspect prisons.
In May 2012, Dr Mufleh Al-Qahtani, President of the National Society of Human Rights, a Saudi human rights organisation that reports directly to King Abdullah, told the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my honourable friend the Member for North East Bedfordshire (Mr Burt), who is responsible for our relations with Saudi Arabia, that foreign workers were free to practise their religion in their own homes or compounds. It is, therefore, a concern that this incident in Dammam has arisen. The Government will ask the Saudi Government to ensure that those individuals wishing to practise a faith of their choosing in private can do so without fear of arrest and deportation. In addition, the UK will continue to press for greater, more open religious freedom in Saudi Arabia.
Schools: Academies
Questions
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what has been the total value of legal costs incurred by schools, local authorities and the Department for Education in the academy conversion process to date. [HL5736]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools (Lord Nash): The department does not hold details of legal costs incurred by schools or local authorities resulting from the academy conversion process. Schools converting to academy status receive a flat rate grant of £25,000 as a contribution towards the overall costs of conversion which can be used to pay legal costs. The Department for Education has paid for external legal advice in connection with the academy conversion process in addition to internal legal costs relating to work carried out by the department’s legal adviser’s office. Information on total expenditure on these services is not held centrally.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Lord Nash on 14 February (Official Report, col. 772–3), what grants are being offered to schools to encourage them to convert into academies; how many schools they forecast will do so; and what would be the cost to public funds of such grants if all of the schools forecast to convert did so.[HL5783]
Lord Nash: The department recognises that schools incur costs when setting up an academy. A grant of £25,000 is available to schools as a contribution towards the costs of conversion. Additional grants of up to £12,000 may also be agreed for schools to cover additional costs incurred by PFI schools that become academies.
A grant of £25,000 is also available to assist primary schools that decide to become an academy as part of a chain of three or more schools.
The number of academies opening is led by the demand from schools wishing to become academies. As reported in the department’s 2012-13 main estimate, published in spring this year, the estimated departmental expenditure limit for academies and free schools for financial year 2012–13 is £109.2 million.
Details of open academies and academy projects in development can be found on our website at: http://www. education.gov.uk/schools/leadership/typesofschools/academies/open/b00208569/open-academies.
Schools: Teachers
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Nash on 25 February (WA 209), whether they will ensure a strengthened provision of teachers in schools and further education to meet the needs of 16 to 18 year-olds deemed to be not secure in maths and English.[HL5793]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools (Lord Nash): A ministerial working group on implementation of reforms to post-16 education and funding is currently considering whether any further action is needed in addition to existing initiatives supporting the provision of English and maths teachers in the school and further education sectors.
Sri Lanka
Question
Asked by Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, in the light of reports of abuses of human rights in Sri Lanka, they are considering boycotting the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting due to take place in Sri Lanka from 15–17 November 2013.[HL5786]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi): No decision on UK attendance at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in November has yet been made. We continue to look to Sri Lanka to demonstrate its commitment to upholding the Commonwealth values of good governance and respect for human rights.
The UK regularly raises concerns about the human rights situation with the Sri Lankan Government and in international fora including the current Human Rights Council session. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right honourable friend the member for North East Bedfordshire (Alistair Burt), raised our concerns with the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister during his visit to the country on 31 January-2 February.
Syria
Question
Asked by Lord Lester of Herne Hill
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many individuals of Syrian nationality have been granted asylum or subsidiary international protection by the United Kingdom since March 2011.[HL5945]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord Taylor of Holbeach): There have been 716 grants of asylum, 25 grants of humanitarian protection, 16 grants of discretionary leave and 0 grants of indefinite leave to remain under private and family life rules to main applicants of Syrian nationality between 1 March 2011 and 31 December 2012 at initial decision.
Subsidiary international protection under European legislation combines those granted humanitarian protection and grants of indefinite leave to remain under family and private life rules.
Figures on asylum decisions are published in Tables as.01 (annual) and as.01.q (quarterly) of the release Immigration Statistics, October to December 2012, which is available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office science website at: http://www.home
office.gov.uk/publications/science-research-statistics/research-statistics/immigration-asylum-research/immigration-q4-2012/.
In order to provide figures for the time period requested a subset of the published quarterly National Statistics has been included for the month of March 2011.
Taxation
Questions
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what legislative provisions enable tax-deductible payments to be made by wholly owned subsidiary companies to the company that owns them.[HL5746]
The Commercial Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Deighton): A company pays corporation tax on its taxable profits. In calculating those profits, certain expenses can be deducted from income. Broadly, expenses will be deducted if they are included in the computation of the company’s commercial profits, determined in accordance with accepted accounting principles, subject to any specific tax provisions that may restrict or amend the amount allowable. For example, capital expenditure is disallowed, as are expenses that are not incurred wholly and exclusively for the purposes of the trade.
Certain other statutory provisions may also be relevant where payments are made between connected parties including payments made from a wholly owned subsidiary to the company that owns them or companies within the same group. This, in particular, can apply in the transfer pricing rules which are applied to replace, for tax purposes, the actual payment amount with the amount that would have been incurred had the payment been made at arm’s length.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of the impact on public spending on (1) health, and (2) criminal justice, of increasing taxation on unhealthy foods, alcohol, tobacco and gambling.[HL5807]
Lord Deighton: A wide variety of factors are considered when the Government decide alcohol, tobacco and gambling excise duty rates. These include the public finances, the impact on consumption on consumers and business, on any illicit trade and any broader social impacts of taxation. There are no excise duties on foods. VAT applies to food, at either the standard rate of 20%, or the zero rate.
Higher duty rates are usually passed through into higher retail prices and are, therefore, estimated to reduce consumption. On balance, the evidence shows that increases in alcohol and tobacco prices are linked to decreases in harms related to consumption of these products. However, these relationships are not always straightforward and there is no automatic mechanism translating duty rates increases to savings in public expenditure.
All taxes are kept under review and decisions are made by the Chancellor as part of the annual Budget process. The Chancellor has committed that the zero rates applied to everyday essentials like food and children’s clothing will remain for the duration of this Parliament.
Taxation: Avoidance
Questions
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Deighton on 14 February (WA 179), what action they have taken to follow up tax returns disclosing the existence of tax avoidance schemes in each of the tax years (1) 2009-10, (2) 2010-11, and (3) 2011-12; and with what result.[HL5719]
The Commercial Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Deighton): For the three years in question, the disclosure regime provided early warning of tax avoidance which enabled HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) to develop strategies for handling the risks posed long before the tax returns were received. These strategies have resulted in changes to tax legislation and the challenge of the scheme users’ returns through project-managed enquiries.
HMRC is progressing these enquiries which may lead to litigation in appropriate cases. Where HMRC has litigated, it has had a high level of success, winning the significant majority of cases since April 2010.
The specific information requested can be provided only at a disproportionate cost.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what they consider to be difference between tax avoidance and aggressive tax avoidance.[HL5747]
Lord Deighton: Tax avoidance is bending the rules of the tax system to gain a tax advantage that Parliament did not intend. The Government are committed to tackling all forms of tax avoidance robustly and does not generally consider it necessary to make additional distinctions but, where appropriate, it has put measures in place to tackle specific forms of avoidance and will continue to do so.
The general anti-abuse rule (GAAR), to be introduced this year, will target abusive tax avoidance schemes, the criteria for which will be defined by the GAAR legislation.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have plans to introduce specifically targeted anti-abuse legislation in a general anti-abuse rule as recommended by Graham Aronson in his report on the United Kingdom tax system, published on 21 November 2011.[HL5823]
Lord Deighton: The Government plan to introduce a general anti-abuse rule in the 2013 Finance Bill, targeted at abusive tax avoidance schemes and in line with the recommendations of the 2011 Aaronson report.
Taxation: Capital Gains Tax
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their best analysis of the consequence of raising the level of capital gains tax from 18% to 28% on the level of tax receipts.[HL5703]
The Commercial Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Deighton): Introducing the higher 28% rate of Capital Gains Tax (CGT), together with raising the entrepreneurs’ relief lifetime limit from £2 million to £5 million, was forecast to raise £925 million by 2014-15 at the time of the June 2010 Budget. This costing included an assessment of the behavioural effects on CGT receipts, as well as the positive effect on income tax receipts. The policy costings document published alongside the 2010 Emergency Budget Report sets out the methodology for arriving at such estimates and the likely effects on revenue. This document is available on the HM Treasury website1.
It is not possible to separate the impact of the measure from other factors affecting CGT receipts in the outturn. The yield from the measure after taking account of these behavioural responses and the timing of income tax receipts is shown in the following table.
| Post-behavioural Exchequer impact (£m) | |||||
No further estimates of the effect of raising the capital gains tax rate for those gains which qualify for the higher rate have been made.
1 http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/junebudget_costings.pdf
Taxation: Income Tax
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the level of the top rate of income tax that would deliver the maximum return to the Exchequer.[HL5805]
The Commercial Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Deighton): Page 51 of The Exchequer Effect of the 50% Additional Rate of Income Tax1 report published by HM Revenue and Customs alongside Budget 2012, sets out the assessment of the level of the top rate of income tax that would deliver the maximum return to the Exchequer.
The report states that the estimated revenue-maximising rate of tax for those with incomes over £150,000 is between 45% and 50%, and that the Exchequer impact of varying the rate close to this level is relatively low.
1http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/budget2012/excheq-income-tax-2042.pdf
Transport: Heavy Goods Vehicles
Questions
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Attlee on 13 February (WA 171-2), what impact the increase of capacity of heavy goods vehicles to 44 tonnes has had on the number of lorries using roads in the United Kingdom. [HL5821]
Earl Attlee: Heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) with a maximum gross weight of 44 tonnes on 6 axles were first permitted in Great Britain in 1994, but only when carrying containers for transfer to rail services or for delivery after being conveyed by rail. Such vehicles
were allowed to be used for all purposes from 1 February 2001, before that the maximum limit was 38 tonnes on 5 axles, increased to 40 tonnes on 5 axles in 1999.
Data on the number of heavy goods vehicles licensed in Great Britain, by maximum gross weight, from 1994 to 2011, is published on the Government website at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/10567/veh0506.xls.
These data are also shown in the table below. This shows that in 2000, before the general limit was increased to 44 tonnes, a total of 471,500 HGVs were licensed in Great Britain. In 2011 the total number of HGVs licensed was 465,500. Over this period, the number of vehicles over 41 tones has increased from 5,400 to 84,500, while the number of vehicles between 31 tonnes and 41 tonnes has fallen from 105,700 to 48,100.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact that extending the trial of increased capacity large goods vehicles to a wider range of companies and to the wider United Kingdom road network would have on the number of accidents involving those vehicles.[HL5822]
Earl Attlee: The current Department for Transport (DfT) trial of longer semi-trailers has always been open to the whole road network in Great Britain, subject to the same height, weight and width restrictions on specific roads, bridges and tunnels that already apply to all road vehicles. Permission to operate up to 1800 longer semi-trailers has been issued to around 170 companies. So far, vehicle special orders for around 430 trailers have been issued to around 60 companies, so we have not yet reached the initial allocation.
A thorough impact assessment was carried out before the trial started and was published on the DfT website in 2011 (http://webarchive.nationalarchives. gov.uk/ 20120607224107/http://www.dft.gov.uk/publications/ia-longer-semi-trailers). This provides extensive information on potential impacts of longer semi-trailers and therefore, the Government have not made any further assessment, pending the findings of the trial.
Uganda
Question
Asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the Government of Uganda regarding the treatment of citizens of that country on the basis of sexual orientation.[HL5988]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi): We are committed to ensuring that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people around the world are free to live their lives in a safe and just environment. We are concerned about the proposed anti-homosexuality Bill being considered by the Ugandan parliament. We raise our concerns regularly
at all levels with the Ugandan Government. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right honourable Friend the Member for Boston and Skegness (Mr Simmonds), raised this issue with President Museveni during his visit to Uganda last November, and with Henry Okello, Minister for International Affairs, in December last year.
UK BioIndustry Association
Question
Asked by Lord Walton of Detchant
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to provide opportunities for retail investors to invest in funds created in order to support innovative companies, such as citizens’ innovation funds now being promoted by the BioIndustry Association.[HL5741]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (Viscount Younger of Leckie): The Government are committed to creating an environment in which innovation can thrive and help drive economic growth. Ministers have met with the BioIndustry Association to discuss their Citizens Innovation Fund proposal and meetings have also taken place at official level to consider the best way forward.
United Arab Emirates
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the Government of the United Arab Emirates about the alleged torture of three British tourists by police in Dubai. [HL5858]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi): The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) takes all allegations of mistreatment and torture extremely seriously and will always ask for a full, impartial and independent investigation to be carried out into the incidents concerned.
The FCO has been providing consular assistance to the three British nationals detained in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) since their initial detention in July 2012 and we are aware of the mistreatment allegations raised. Although I cannot go into details of their cases due to the requirements of the Data Protection Act, I can confirm that we have raised and will continue to raise their allegations at the most senior levels in the UAE.
Universal Credit
Question
Asked by Lord Knight of Weymouth
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the 16-hour rule for (1) work, and (2) study, will remain in force following introduction of universal credit. [HL5753]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Lord Freud): No. There will be no requirement for the 16-hour rule for either work or study when universal credit is introduced.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government which police forces have trialled, owned or utilised unmanned aerial vehicle technology since 2008.[HL5886]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord Taylor of Holbeach): There is no requirement for police forces to report the trialling, acquisition or use of remotely piloted aircraft systems to the Home Office. The Government are aware that the following forces have acquired or made use of such systems.
It is the responsibility of the forces concerned to ensure that they comply with Civil Aviation Authority regulations.
Winter Fuel Payments
Question
Asked by Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the estimated number of higher-rate taxpayers receiving winter fuel payments; and what is their estimate of the net effect on public funds of making winter fuel payments taxable.[HL5813]
The Commercial Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Deighton): The Government estimate that around 550,000 people in the 40% income tax bracket were eligible for winter fuel payments in 2012-13. This number rises to 600,000 in 2013-14.
In 2012-13 the estimated saving to the Exchequer if winter fuel payments were subject to income tax at all rates is £235 million. The savings assume a 2012-13 payment rate of £200 for those who have reached the women’s state pension age and are under 80 years old and £300 for people aged 80 or over. The figures are expressed in cash terms and rounded to the nearest £5 million.
Estimates are based on Department for Work and Pensions expenditure forecasts, combined with information on the tax paid by older people from Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs’ Survey of Personal Incomes.
Yemen
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they expect that the National Dialogue on constitutional reform in Yemen will begin; whether the European Union will be involved in facilitating it; and whether
they will encourage whoever facilitates it to draw on the experience of the non-governmental organisation Forward Thinking in the internal dialogues taking place in Tunisia and Egypt.[HL5721]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi): We welcome President Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi’s announcement that the National Dialogue Conference will start on 18 March. This landmark
conference, scheduled to last six months, is set to prepare the ground for a new draft Yemeni constitution which will then be put to the Yemeni electorate in a referendum. The National Dialogue is a Yemeni-led process supported by the UN Department for Political Affairs (UNDPA) with technical assistance and bringing in a wide range of international expertise. It will be supported through a UN led multi-donor trust fund. We encourage the EU and non-governmental organisations with expertise to offer to engage with the UNDPA.