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1728707

registered interest
date	10/09/2024
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Private Education: VAT
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of their duties under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in relation to the imposition of VAT on independent schools, including those catering for the needs of children with special educational needs.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL924
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/09/2024 answer text <p>On 29 July, the Government announced that, as of 1 January 2025, all education services and vocational training provided by a private school in the UK for a charge will be subject to VAT at the standard rate of 20 per cent. This will also apply to boarding services provided by private schools.</p><p> </p><p>The Government gives due consideration to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) articles when making new policy. State education is accessible to all children, regardless of their financial status and all children of compulsory school age are entitled to a state-funded school place if they need one. Education matters and is at the heart of our mission to break down barriers to opportunity so every child gets the best start in life.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is also committed to ensuring that all children’s needs are met. This Government’s ambition is that all children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) or not, receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life. We are committed to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, as well as ensuring special schools cater to those with the most complex needs.</p> answering member printed Lord Livermore question first answered 19/09/2024 15:25:39 answering member 4559 label Biography information for Lord Livermore
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1727906

registered interest
date	06/09/2024
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Private Education: Fees and Charges
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the compatibility of their policy on charging VAT on independent schools with the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), and in particular with (1) Article 2 of the First Protocol, and (2) Article 14 of the ECHR.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL841
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/09/2024 answer text <p>On 29 July, the Government announced that, as of 1 January 2025, all education services and vocational training provided by private schools in the UK for a charge will be subject to VAT at the standard rate of 20 per cent. This will also apply to boarding services provided by private schools.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has considered the policy’s interaction with Human Rights law, and is confident that it is compatible with the UK’s obligations under the Human Rights Act.</p> answering member printed Lord Livermore question first answered 18/09/2024 13:43:58 answering member 4559 label Biography information for Lord Livermore
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1698012

registered interest
date	21/03/2024
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Voluntary Contributions: British National (Overseas)
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will allow British National (Overseas) visa holders to voluntarily pay up to 15 years' worth of Class 3 national insurance contributions towards a state pension, in cases where such visa holders have been denied access to their Mandatory Provident Fund pension savings by HSBC.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL3506
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/03/2024 answer text <p>British National Overseas individuals who live or work abroad (or have previously) are usually able to make backdated voluntary National Insurance contributions payments for the previous six tax years where they have either previously lived in the UK for three years in a row or paid at least three years of contributions.</p><p> </p><p>For the tax years 2016 to 2017 and 2017 to 2018 the government has extended the deadline for paying voluntary contributions to 5 April 2025.</p><p> </p><p>The deadline has also been extended to 5 April 2025 for eligible customers to pay voluntary contributions for the tax years 6 April 2006 to 5 April 2016. Further guidance on the eligibility and deadlines for making voluntary contributions, including for those living or working abroad is published online at <a href="https://www.gov.uk/voluntary-national-insurance-contributions" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/voluntary-national-insurance-contributions(opens in a new tab)</a>.</p><p> </p><p>The Government keeps all taxes under review.</p> answering member printed Baroness Vere of Norbiton question first answered 28/03/2024 12:39:24 answering member 4580 label Biography information for Baroness Vere of Norbiton
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1694865

registered interest
date	11/03/2024
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Shein: London Stock Exchange
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government, following reporting that Shein is considering listing on the London Stock Exchange, what steps they are taking to ensure that such listings do not violate the UK’s commitments to uphold the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and International Labour Organization Conventions.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL3164
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/03/2024 answer text <p>The Government does not comment on individual companies. Furthermore, a decision to apply for a listing is for an individual firm to make. It is then for the independent regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority, to decide whether a firm meets the requirements of the UK listings rules.</p> answering member printed Baroness Vere of Norbiton question first answered 25/03/2024 16:59:08 answering member 4580 label Biography information for Baroness Vere of Norbiton
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1692582

registered interest
date	28/02/2024
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Sanctions: Russia
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government whether they are taking steps through the Financial Action Task Force against Russia for violating sanctions on North Korea.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL2823
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/03/2024 answer text <p>On 23 February, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) expressed its concern about the growing financial connectivity of Russia with countries subject to countermeasures, namely North Korea and Iran, and the potential risks of proliferation financing, malicious cyber activities and ransomware attacks.</p><p>The UK’s recent joint statement (12 January 2024) is clear that Russia’s procurement of North Korean ballistic missiles and their use against Ukraine violate multiple UNSCRs. Actively facilitating the circumvention of UNSCR 1718 and violating its prohibitions undermines the global fight against proliferation, the UN sanctions regime, and consequently the financial sanctions requirements of the FATF standards. The UK will continue to call out Russia’s violation of UNSCRs both at the UN and within the FATF.</p> answering member printed Baroness Vere of Norbiton question first answered 05/03/2024 12:28:19 answering member 4580 label Biography information for Baroness Vere of Norbiton
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1676099

registered interest
date	06/12/2023
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Assets: Russia
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the total value of Russian state assets in the UK.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL904
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/12/2023 answer text <p>In conjunction with our partners, we have immobilised approximately $280 billion of the Russian Central Bank’s (CBR) foreign currency reserves globally. The CBR’s assets are not subject to an asset freeze but have been immobilised in the UK as it is prohibited to provide financial services in respect of these assets. HM Treasury is working closely with relevant authorities to map the scale and nature of these assets.</p><p> </p><p>The Government will legislate to require persons to inform HM Treasury if they hold any foreign exchange reserves or assets in the UK on behalf of the Central Bank of Russia, Russian Ministry of Finance or Russian National Wealth Fund.</p><p> </p><p>Separately, the Government has imposed asset freezes against designated persons under the Russia Sanctions regime. Between February and October 2022, £18.39 billion in frozen funds were reported to the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) in relation to this regime.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Vere of Norbiton question first answered 18/12/2023 13:01:29 answering member 4580 label Biography information for Baroness Vere of Norbiton
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1538932

registered interest
date	02/11/2022
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Overseas Investment: China
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the exposure of UK investors to Chinese government bonds and stocks following the fall of the Hang Seng Index; and what holdings they currently have in the (1) Hong Kong dollar, and (2) Renminbi.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL3136
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/11/2022 answer text <p>HM Treasury works closely with the UK’s independent financial regulators - including the Bank of England and Financial Conduct Authority to monitor risks to the UK financial system.</p><p> </p><p>The Government does not comment on specific financial market movements. However, the results of the Bank of England's 2021 stress test concluded that the UK banking sector is resilient to a sharp contraction in both China and Hong Kong's economic activity.</p><p> </p><p>Figures from the Office for National Statistics estimate that UK investors owned around £409bn of investment in China and Hong Kong at the end of 2021- or around 3% of the UK’s total investment held overseas. This compares to £4.3tn of investment held in the USA and £4.6tn in the EU.</p> answering member printed Baroness Penn question first answered 16/11/2022 17:06:03 answering member 4726 label Biography information for Baroness Penn
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1488539

registered interest
date	12/07/2022
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Economic Cooperation: China
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to hold the 11th UK–China Economic and Financial Dialogue before the appointment of the next Prime Minister; and if so, what are the reasons for making such arrangements.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL1661
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2022 answer text <p>The Government has no plans to hold the next 11<sup>th</sup> UK-China Economic and Financial Dialogue before the appointment of the next Prime Minister.</p><p> </p><p>Economic and Financial Dialogues remain an important mechanism for progressing our economic, financial and trade relationships.</p> answering member printed Baroness Penn question first answered 21/07/2022 11:36:08 answering member 4726 label Biography information for Baroness Penn
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1488541

registered interest
date	12/07/2022
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	China: Politics and Government
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, in arrangements for the 11th UK–China Economic and Financial Dialogue, what consideration they have given to (1) reports that the Foreign Secretary described events in Xinjiang as a “genocide”, (2) threats to the territorial integrity of Taiwan, and (3) the statement by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in the Six-monthly report on Hong Kong, published on 31 March, that “fundamental parts of the ‘One Country, Two Systems’ framework have been undermined”.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL1663
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2022 answer text <p>Economic and Financial Dialogues (EFDs) provide an important mechanism for progressing our economic, financial and trade relationships. No date has been agreed for the next UK-China EFD.</p><p>We have been clear that we will not hesitate to stand up to China on our values where they are threatened.</p><p>The UK has led international efforts at the UN to hold China to account for its human rights violations in Xinjiang. We have imposed sanctions, including asset freezes and travel bans, on senior Chinese officials and taken steps to help ensure that no UK organisations are complicit in these violations through their supply chains. As a co-signatory to the Joint Declaration, we will continue to stand up for the people of Hong Kong, to call out the violation of their freedoms, and to hold China to their international obligations.</p> answering member printed Baroness Penn question first answered 21/07/2022 11:36:35 answering member 4726 label Biography information for Baroness Penn
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1465586

registered interest
date	24/05/2022
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Freezing of Assets: Russia
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the estimated value of Russian assets frozen to date; what further consideration are they giving to other assets that should be subjected to freezing orders; and what is the estimated value of those assets.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL468
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/06/2022 answer text <p>Relevant firms are legally obliged to report to the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) if they hold frozen assets of a designated person or entity they suspect to be on the list of asset freeze targets. OFSI is currently receiving a high volume of reporting about assets being frozen relating to sanctions imposed since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. This information is being collated and assured. Fuller details will be released in due course and will mark a substantial increase on previous assets reported as frozen under Russia sanctions.</p><p> </p><p>With our international allies, we have introduced the largest and most severe economic sanctions that Russia has ever faced. These coordinated sanctions will continue to go deeper, broader and sharper, with a focus on those that can have the biggest impact.</p> answering member printed Baroness Penn question first answered 07/06/2022 11:25:44 answering member 4726 label Biography information for Baroness Penn
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool