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1134466

	registered interest
	date	25/06/2019
	answering body	Cabinet Office
	answering dept id	53
	answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
	answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
	hansard heading	Political Parties: Finance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 24 June 2019 to Question 266672 on Political Parties: Finance, for what reason the Government considers Section 10 of the Political Parties and Elections Act 2009 to be unworkable.
	tabling member constituency	Hemsworth
	tabling member printed	Jon Trickett
	uin	268969
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/07/2019 answer text <p>The Coalition Government took the decision not to implement the 2009 legislation, as it was not deemed to be workable, and the Conservative Government continues to hold this view.</p><p>During the passage of the 2009 Act, the Electoral Commission raised concerns about the legislation (further to Official Report, 15 October 2009, Col. 998W), and in 2013, the Electoral Commission also flagged issues about the tax status declaration requirements. The Labour Government conceded that the provisions could not be commenced at that time “due to their complex nature” (as outlined in the answer of Official Report, 10 March 2010, Col. 5MC).</p><p> </p><p>An individual’s tax status is subject to confidentiality between them and HMRC. It may therefore be difficult or impossible for the political party and the Electoral Commission to accurately determine whether a donor meets the permissibility test set out section 10 in the Political Parties and Elections Act 2009.</p><p>The Government also has a principled objection to the measures:</p><p> </p><ul><li>The UK has a robust legal framework in place that bans foreign donations. There is a long-standing principle – as originally recommended by the Committee on Standards in Public Life in 1998 – that permissible donors are those on the UK electoral register, and this includes UK citizens who are registered overseas electors. Companies wishing to make donations must be UK-registered and carrying on business in the UK.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>If a British citizen is able to vote in an election for a political party, they should also be able to donate to that political party, subject to the requirements for transparency on donations. Supporting a political party is part of the democratic process, and is an expression of freedom of association.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>Since the adoption of universal suffrage, taxation has never been the basis of enfranchisement in the UK. Those who do not pay income tax, such as those earning less than the tax-free personal allowance, rightly remain entitled to vote. Similarly, full-time students are legally exempt from paying council tax, but still have the right to vote in local elections.</li></ul><p> </p><p>Notwithstanding, as I stated in my previous answer, the Government has announced it will consult on strengthening the current provisions which protect UK politics from foreign influence. The consultation may consider recommendations on tackling loopholes in relation to foreign spending in elections and donations from shell companies which are not properly operating in the UK.</p><p> </p><p>More broadly, since 2010, the Government has taken action to sanction and deter those involved in offshore evasion, including creating a new criminal offence for serious offshore evasion, and introducing penalties for those who deliberately help others to evade tax offshore. The Government has introduced over 100 new measures to tackle tax avoidance, evasion and non-compliance.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 01/07/2019 09:32:22 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
	tabling member	410 label Biography information for Jon Trickett

1134468

	registered interest
	date	25/06/2019
	answering body	Cabinet Office
	answering dept id	53
	answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
	answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
	hansard heading	Political Parties: Finance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department has received representations from the Electoral Commission on the workability of section 10 of the Political Parties and Elections Act 2009.
	tabling member constituency	Hemsworth
	tabling member printed	Jon Trickett
	uin	268970
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/07/2019 answer text <p>The Coalition Government took the decision not to implement the 2009 legislation, as it was not deemed to be workable, and the Conservative Government continues to hold this view.</p><p>During the passage of the 2009 Act, the Electoral Commission raised concerns about the legislation (further to Official Report, 15 October 2009, Col. 998W), and in 2013, the Electoral Commission also flagged issues about the tax status declaration requirements. The Labour Government conceded that the provisions could not be commenced at that time “due to their complex nature” (as outlined in the answer of Official Report, 10 March 2010, Col. 5MC).</p><p> </p><p>An individual’s tax status is subject to confidentiality between them and HMRC. It may therefore be difficult or impossible for the political party and the Electoral Commission to accurately determine whether a donor meets the permissibility test set out section 10 in the Political Parties and Elections Act 2009.</p><p>The Government also has a principled objection to the measures:</p><p> </p><ul><li>The UK has a robust legal framework in place that bans foreign donations. There is a long-standing principle – as originally recommended by the Committee on Standards in Public Life in 1998 – that permissible donors are those on the UK electoral register, and this includes UK citizens who are registered overseas electors. Companies wishing to make donations must be UK-registered and carrying on business in the UK.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>If a British citizen is able to vote in an election for a political party, they should also be able to donate to that political party, subject to the requirements for transparency on donations. Supporting a political party is part of the democratic process, and is an expression of freedom of association.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>Since the adoption of universal suffrage, taxation has never been the basis of enfranchisement in the UK. Those who do not pay income tax, such as those earning less than the tax-free personal allowance, rightly remain entitled to vote. Similarly, full-time students are legally exempt from paying council tax, but still have the right to vote in local elections.</li></ul><p> </p><p>Notwithstanding, as I stated in my previous answer, the Government has announced it will consult on strengthening the current provisions which protect UK politics from foreign influence. The consultation may consider recommendations on tackling loopholes in relation to foreign spending in elections and donations from shell companies which are not properly operating in the UK.</p><p> </p><p>More broadly, since 2010, the Government has taken action to sanction and deter those involved in offshore evasion, including creating a new criminal offence for serious offshore evasion, and introducing penalties for those who deliberately help others to evade tax offshore. The Government has introduced over 100 new measures to tackle tax avoidance, evasion and non-compliance.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 01/07/2019 09:32:44 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
	tabling member	410 label Biography information for Jon Trickett

1134610

	registered interest
	date	25/06/2019
	answering body	Cabinet Office
	answering dept id	53
	answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
	answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
	hansard heading	Employment: Mental Illness
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of the proportion of public sector workers that have reported mental ill health in each of the last three years.
	tabling member constituency	Vale of Clwyd
	tabling member printed	Chris Ruane
	uin	268986
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/07/2019 answer text <p>The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 02/07/2019 12:43:05 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster attachment 1 file name PQ268986 (1) (1).pdf title UKSA Response
	tabling member	534 label Biography information for Chris Ruane

1134949

	registered interest
	date	26/06/2019
	answering body	Cabinet Office
	answering dept id	53
	answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
	answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
	hansard heading	Migrants: Suicide
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what information his Department holds on immigrants who have died by suicide within the first three years of moving to the UK.
	tabling member constituency	Twickenham
	tabling member printed	Sir Vince Cable
	uin	269604
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/07/2019 answer text <p>The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 01/07/2019 16:43:06 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster attachment 1 file name PQ 269604 (2).pdf title UKSA Response
	tabling member	207 label Biography information for Sir Vince Cable

1135193

	registered interest
	date	27/06/2019
	answering body	Cabinet Office
	answering dept id	53
	answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
	answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
	hansard heading	Unemployment
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will ask the Office for National Statistics to publish tabular information on the number of people that have been unemployed (a) for up to 6 months, (b) between 6 and 12 months, and (c) longer than 12 months in each parliamentary constituency.
	tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
	tabling member printed	Frank Field
	uin	270287
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/07/2019 answer text <p>The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 02/07/2019 12:44:10 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster attachment 1 file name PQ270287 (1).pdf title UKSA Response
	tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

1135243

	registered interest
	date	27/06/2019
	answering body	Cabinet Office
	answering dept id	53
	answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
	answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
	hansard heading	Humanitarian Aid: Medals
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of striking a medal for humanitarian service; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Bridgend
	tabling member printed	Mrs Madeleine Moon
	uin	270317
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/07/2019 answer text <p>The Government is committed to consideration of how best to recognise humanitarian service in a range of ways, including existing honours and medals and as part of wider<br>developments in medallic recognition. Examples include the announcement in 2015 of the Ebola Medal, which recognised people from both military and civilian organisations for<br>their brave service to assist communities in West Africa. This new medal was announced alongside existing honours in the Orders of St. Michael and St. George and the Order of<br>the British Empire for people whose contribution to tackling the crisis was part of well-established outstanding service.</p><p>Recommendations for new medals are made to HM The Queen by the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 02/07/2019 17:59:53 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
	tabling member	1490 label Biography information for Mrs Madeleine Moon

1135485

	registered interest
	date	28/06/2019
	answering body	Cabinet Office
	answering dept id	53
	answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
	answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
	hansard heading	European Parliament: Elections
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what discussions he has had with the Electoral Commission on the potential disenfranchisement of EU citizens resident in the UK in the European Parliament elections.
	tabling member constituency	Bedford
	tabling member printed	Mohammad Yasin
	uin	270809
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/07/2019 answer text <p>Ministers and officials meet frequently with external officials to discuss a wide range of electoral issues.</p><p>Details of external meetings by Ministers and Permanent Secretaries are published quarterly and are available on gov.uk.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster grouped question UIN 270810 question first answered 02/07/2019 14:50:29 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
	tabling member	4598 label Biography information for Mohammad Yasin

1135486

	registered interest
	date	28/06/2019
	answering body	Cabinet Office
	answering dept id	53
	answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
	answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
	hansard heading	European Parliament: Elections
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what discussions he has had with the European Commission about the potential disenfranchisement of EU citizens resident in the UK in the European Parliament elections.
	tabling member constituency	Bedford
	tabling member printed	Mohammad Yasin
	uin	270810
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/07/2019 answer text <p>Ministers and officials meet frequently with external officials to discuss a wide range of electoral issues.</p><p>Details of external meetings by Ministers and Permanent Secretaries are published quarterly and are available on gov.uk.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster grouped question UIN 270809 question first answered 02/07/2019 14:50:29 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
	tabling member	4598 label Biography information for Mohammad Yasin

1135489

	registered interest
	date	28/06/2019
	answering body	Cabinet Office
	answering dept id	53
	answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
	answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
	hansard heading	European Parliament: Elections
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of the number of EU citizens resident in the UK and eligible to vote who were disfranchised from the European parliamentary elections in May 2019.
	tabling member constituency	Bedford
	tabling member printed	Mohammad Yasin
	uin	270812
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/07/2019 answer text <p>Data on the registration and voting rates of EU citizens in the 2019 European elections is not collected centrally.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 04/07/2019 10:00:53 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
	tabling member	4598 label Biography information for Mohammad Yasin

1135517

	registered interest
	date	28/06/2019
	answering body	Cabinet Office
	answering dept id	53
	answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
	answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
	hansard heading	Hereditary Peers: Succession
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make it his policy to end male primogeniture for hereditary titles.
	tabling member constituency	Shipley
	tabling member printed	Philip Davies
	uin	270718
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/07/2019 answer text <p>The Government takes the issue of gender inequalities very seriously and recognises the intentions of those bringing forward proposals to reform male primogeniture for hereditary titles. Careful consideration is needed of the issues that reform in this area would raise including the legitimate expectation of males next in line to inherit a title, and the effects of reform on land and property rights. Various approaches have been proposed in both Houses to address this issue though there has not been a consensus on the way forward. The Government’s position remains that reform in this area is not a priority for this Parliamentary session but the Government continues to listen to the concerns of interested parties to understand the consequences of changes to hereditary titles.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 04/07/2019 10:04:25 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
	tabling member	1565 label Biography information for Sir Philip Davies