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100567

	registered interest
	date	22/10/2014
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Welfare Assistance Schemes
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of their decision not to contest the judicial review of the decision to cease funding for Local Welfare Assistance, whether they will reinstate that funding for 2015–16.
	tabling member printed	Baroness King of Bow
	uin	HL2304
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2014 answer text <p>From April 2015 it was intended funding for local welfare provision would be funded from the general grant to Local Government. The general grant took this into account.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has agreed to look again at how funding is provided for in 2015/16. Any decisions will be taken after we have reviewed how the current funds have been used and the on-going consultation and equality analysis on 2015/16 funding being co-ordinated by the Department for Communities and Local Government.</p> answering member printed Lord Freud question first answered 29/10/2014 15:16:01 answering member 3893 label Biography information for Lord Freud
	tabling member	143 label Biography information for Baroness King of Bow

93430

	registered interest
	date	14/10/2014
	answering body	HM Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Public Sector: Workplace Pensions
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of how many individuals in defined contribution funded public sector pension schemes will withdraw their entire accrued entitlements under the new Freedom and Choice for Pensioner arrangements in the first year from April 2015, and at what cost.
	tabling member printed	Lord Laird
	uin	HL2096
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2014 answer text <p>The government believes that people should be free to make their own</p><p> </p><p>choice about how to use their savings - individuals who have worked hard and saved responsibly throughout their adult life should have a choice about their pension savings and the reforms announced at Budget 2014 will deliver this.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The new tax framework, which will allow, from April 2015, individuals with a defined contribution pension to access their entire pension flexibly will apply equally across trust and contract based money purchase pension schemes. In the public sector, members of defined contribution schemes will also have access to these flexibilities, including members with savings in Additional Voluntary Contribution (AVC) arrangements.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Government’s assessment of the impact of the policy is set out in detail in the Budget costing note and the Tax Information and Impact Note, published alongside the Taxation of Pensions Bill.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The government wants to extend the principles of freedom and choice to as many pension savers as possible which is why, following an extensive public consultation, it was decided to permit transfers out of private sector and funded public sector defined benefit schemes to continue. Giving scheme members the choice to transfer their accrued benefits into a defined contribution scheme, in order to access their pension pot flexibly if they wish to.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>To ensure due consideration is given to the interests of scheme members, scheme funds and the taxpayer in the continuation of these transfers for the public service schemes, government set out in the response to the consultation, <em>Freedom and Choice in Pensions,</em> that it would look to implement, where appropriate, safeguards akin to those which already exist in the private sector. We are continuing to discuss these options and others, including with the Department for Local Government as the department responsible for the Local Government Pension Scheme, the largest of the funded public service pension schemes, and will set out further detail on this issue in due course.</p> answering member printed Lord Deighton grouped question UIN HL2097 HL2098 HL2099 question first answered 29/10/2014 15:20:53 answering member 4262 label Biography information for Lord Deighton
	tabling member	2479 label Biography information for Lord Laird

93431

	registered interest
	date	14/10/2014
	answering body	HM Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Public Sector: Workplace Pensions
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they consider that delaying transfer payments and reducing transfer values are sufficient safeguards to stabilise public sector funded pension schemes threatened by large-scale withdrawals under the new Freedom and Choice for Pensioners arrangements.
	tabling member printed	Lord Laird
	uin	HL2097
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2014 answer text <p>The government believes that people should be free to make their own</p><p> </p><p>choice about how to use their savings - individuals who have worked hard and saved responsibly throughout their adult life should have a choice about their pension savings and the reforms announced at Budget 2014 will deliver this.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The new tax framework, which will allow, from April 2015, individuals with a defined contribution pension to access their entire pension flexibly will apply equally across trust and contract based money purchase pension schemes. In the public sector, members of defined contribution schemes will also have access to these flexibilities, including members with savings in Additional Voluntary Contribution (AVC) arrangements.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Government’s assessment of the impact of the policy is set out in detail in the Budget costing note and the Tax Information and Impact Note, published alongside the Taxation of Pensions Bill.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The government wants to extend the principles of freedom and choice to as many pension savers as possible which is why, following an extensive public consultation, it was decided to permit transfers out of private sector and funded public sector defined benefit schemes to continue. Giving scheme members the choice to transfer their accrued benefits into a defined contribution scheme, in order to access their pension pot flexibly if they wish to.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>To ensure due consideration is given to the interests of scheme members, scheme funds and the taxpayer in the continuation of these transfers for the public service schemes, government set out in the response to the consultation, <em>Freedom and Choice in Pensions,</em> that it would look to implement, where appropriate, safeguards akin to those which already exist in the private sector. We are continuing to discuss these options and others, including with the Department for Local Government as the department responsible for the Local Government Pension Scheme, the largest of the funded public service pension schemes, and will set out further detail on this issue in due course.</p> answering member printed Lord Deighton grouped question UIN HL2096 HL2098 HL2099 question first answered 29/10/2014 15:20:53 answering member 4262 label Biography information for Lord Deighton
	tabling member	2479 label Biography information for Lord Laird

93432

	registered interest
	date	14/10/2014
	answering body	HM Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Public Sector: Workplace Pensions
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, under their proposed entire pension withdrawal arrangements, they will include in the legislation a power to suspend the concession for such schemes in the event of serious destabilisation of funded public service pension schemes or extreme cost to the Exchequer.
	tabling member printed	Lord Laird
	uin	HL2098
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2014 answer text <p>The government believes that people should be free to make their own</p><p> </p><p>choice about how to use their savings - individuals who have worked hard and saved responsibly throughout their adult life should have a choice about their pension savings and the reforms announced at Budget 2014 will deliver this.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The new tax framework, which will allow, from April 2015, individuals with a defined contribution pension to access their entire pension flexibly will apply equally across trust and contract based money purchase pension schemes. In the public sector, members of defined contribution schemes will also have access to these flexibilities, including members with savings in Additional Voluntary Contribution (AVC) arrangements.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Government’s assessment of the impact of the policy is set out in detail in the Budget costing note and the Tax Information and Impact Note, published alongside the Taxation of Pensions Bill.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The government wants to extend the principles of freedom and choice to as many pension savers as possible which is why, following an extensive public consultation, it was decided to permit transfers out of private sector and funded public sector defined benefit schemes to continue. Giving scheme members the choice to transfer their accrued benefits into a defined contribution scheme, in order to access their pension pot flexibly if they wish to.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>To ensure due consideration is given to the interests of scheme members, scheme funds and the taxpayer in the continuation of these transfers for the public service schemes, government set out in the response to the consultation, <em>Freedom and Choice in Pensions,</em> that it would look to implement, where appropriate, safeguards akin to those which already exist in the private sector. We are continuing to discuss these options and others, including with the Department for Local Government as the department responsible for the Local Government Pension Scheme, the largest of the funded public service pension schemes, and will set out further detail on this issue in due course.</p> answering member printed Lord Deighton grouped question UIN HL2096 HL2097 HL2099 question first answered 29/10/2014 15:20:54 answering member 4262 label Biography information for Lord Deighton
	tabling member	2479 label Biography information for Lord Laird

93433

	registered interest
	date	14/10/2014
	answering body	HM Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Public Sector: Workplace Pensions
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the key difference between trust-based and contract-based public sector defined contribution schemes in relation to the proposed pension withdrawal arrangements; and what was the result of their consultation with the Local Government Pension Scheme on extra safeguards for such trust-based schemes.
	tabling member printed	Lord Laird
	uin	HL2099
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2014 answer text <p>The government believes that people should be free to make their own</p><p> </p><p>choice about how to use their savings - individuals who have worked hard and saved responsibly throughout their adult life should have a choice about their pension savings and the reforms announced at Budget 2014 will deliver this.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The new tax framework, which will allow, from April 2015, individuals with a defined contribution pension to access their entire pension flexibly will apply equally across trust and contract based money purchase pension schemes. In the public sector, members of defined contribution schemes will also have access to these flexibilities, including members with savings in Additional Voluntary Contribution (AVC) arrangements.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Government’s assessment of the impact of the policy is set out in detail in the Budget costing note and the Tax Information and Impact Note, published alongside the Taxation of Pensions Bill.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The government wants to extend the principles of freedom and choice to as many pension savers as possible which is why, following an extensive public consultation, it was decided to permit transfers out of private sector and funded public sector defined benefit schemes to continue. Giving scheme members the choice to transfer their accrued benefits into a defined contribution scheme, in order to access their pension pot flexibly if they wish to.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>To ensure due consideration is given to the interests of scheme members, scheme funds and the taxpayer in the continuation of these transfers for the public service schemes, government set out in the response to the consultation, <em>Freedom and Choice in Pensions,</em> that it would look to implement, where appropriate, safeguards akin to those which already exist in the private sector. We are continuing to discuss these options and others, including with the Department for Local Government as the department responsible for the Local Government Pension Scheme, the largest of the funded public service pension schemes, and will set out further detail on this issue in due course.</p> answering member printed Lord Deighton grouped question UIN HL2096 HL2097 HL2098 question first answered 29/10/2014 15:20:54 answering member 4262 label Biography information for Lord Deighton
	tabling member	2479 label Biography information for Lord Laird

93434

	registered interest
	date	14/10/2014
	answering body	HM Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Pensions: Northern Ireland
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether and how the new Freedom and Choice for Pensioners arrangements will apply to Northern Ireland; and whether they have discussed the matter of a legislative consent motion with the Northern Ireland Executive.
	tabling member printed	Lord Laird
	uin	HL2100
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2014 answer text <p>The tax changes necessary to deliver the Freedom and Choice in Pensions agenda are contained in the Taxation of Pensions Bill. The provisions in this Bill will apply across the UK as the relevant tax legislation is not, in the main, a matter over which powers have been devolved.<sup>[</sup><sup>1]</sup> The Pension Schemes Bill is being used to introduce further changes relevant to the Freedom and Choice agenda. Where these do relate to devolved matters in Northern Ireland, the Government is in the process of obtaining the necessary legislative consent motion and approval from the Northern Ireland Assembly.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>[1] Explanatory notes for the Taxation of Pensions Bill were published on the Parliament Website. Territorial extent is detailed in paragraph 52 http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/cbill/2014-2015/0097/en/15097en.htm</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Deighton question first answered 29/10/2014 15:21:46 answering member 4262 label Biography information for Lord Deighton
	tabling member	2479 label Biography information for Lord Laird

93704

	registered interest
	date	15/10/2014
	answering body	HM Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	North Sea Oil
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the total revenue they have received from the extraction and exploration of North Sea oil.
	tabling member printed	Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts
	uin	HL2133
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2014 answer text <p>Government revenues from UK oil and gas production for all years to 2013-14 are published by HM Revenue &amp; Customs (HMRC) as National Statistics on the GOV.UK website[1]. Total revenues can be found in Table 11.11 from the <em>Statistics of Government revenues from UK oil and gas production</em> publication[2].</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The values in Table 11.11 are detailed in current prices, so for previous years they do not reflect the value of total revenue today. The total revenue received from the extraction and exploration of North Sea oil is £187.8 billion in current prices.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/petroleum-revenue-tax-prt-and-government-revenues-from-uk-oil-and-gas-production</p><p>[2] <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/306225/140424_Table_11_11.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/306225/140424_Table_11_11.pdf</a></p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Deighton question first answered 29/10/2014 15:24:02 answering member 4262 label Biography information for Lord Deighton attachment 1 file name t11.11 gov revenue.docx title Government revenues from oil and gas production
	tabling member	1651 label Biography information for Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts

93680

	registered interest
	date	15/10/2014
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Prisoners' Transfers: Northern Ireland
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many prison transfer applications from Great Britain to Northern Ireland have been (1) sent, (2) approved, and (3) rejected, in the past 12 months.
	tabling member printed	Lord Browne of Belmont
	uin	HL2109
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2014 answer text <p>From 1 October 2013 to the 30 September 2014 the National Offender Management Service referred a total of eight applications to the Northern Ireland Prison Service from prisoners seeking to transfer from a prison in England and Wales to one in Northern Ireland to continue serving a sentence of imprisonment or to facilitate a period of temporary visits with close family.</p><p> </p><p>Of the 8 applications, two were approved and the prisoners were transferred, one application was refused, one prisoner withdrew their application and four applications remain under consideration.</p> answering member printed Lord Faulks question first answered 29/10/2014 15:40:38 answering member 4183 label Biography information for Lord Faulks
	tabling member	3801 label Biography information for Lord Browne of Belmont

93687

	registered interest
	date	15/10/2014
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	India
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether Foreign and Commonwealth Office-sponsored officials from the Indian Prison Service were charged for a visit to HMP Grendon; and if so, how much, and on what grounds.
	tabling member printed	Lord Ramsbotham
	uin	HL2116
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2014 answer text <p /> <p>The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) charged Penal Reform International £1,000 for running a full day visit to HMP Grendon in June 2014, involving ten Indian Prison Officers, two Indian Training Academy officials and one Penal Reform International representative. The charge covered the costs of NOMS staff screening and arranging the visit and HMP Grendon’s staff costs for escorting and providing refreshments for the thirteen delegates.</p><p> </p><p>Most of the international visits to prisons that NOMS arranges are at the request of other governments and are not charged. NOMS applies charges in a few cases to cover its costs where, as on this occasion, a private company or non-governmental organisation approaches NOMS as an intermediary and has a funded programme of which the visit is part.</p> answering member printed Lord Faulks question first answered 29/10/2014 17:56:58 answering member 4183 label Biography information for Lord Faulks
	tabling member	3744 label Biography information for Lord Ramsbotham

100550

	registered interest
	date	22/10/2014
	answering body	Department of Health
	answering dept id	17
	answering dept short name	Health
	answering dept sort name	Health
	hansard heading	IVF
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Darzi of Denham on 22 July 2008 (HL4926 and HL4927) and by Earl Howe on 9 July 2012 (HL1211), of how many cycles the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority are aware in which fresh embryo transfers took place after 15 or more eggs were collected over each of the past ten years.
	tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
	uin	HL2287
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2014 answer text <p>The number of treatment cycles in which fresh embryo transfers took place after 15 or more eggs were collected, in each of the last 10 years, is shown in the following table:</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Years</p></td><td><p>Cycles in which fresh embryo transfers took place after 15 or more eggs were collected</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2004</p></td><td><p>5602</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2005</p></td><td><p>5737</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2006</p></td><td><p>5843</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2007</p></td><td><p>6345</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2008</p></td><td><p>6589</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2009</p></td><td><p>7344</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010</p></td><td><p>7801</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011</p></td><td><p>8195</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012</p></td><td><p>8200</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013(1)</p></td><td><p>8128</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Source: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>(1) 2013 is the most recent year for which information is available.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Earl Howe question first answered 29/10/2014 12:25:39 answering member 2000 label Biography information for Earl Howe
	tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool