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1013166

	registered interest
	date	23/11/2018
	answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept id	13
	answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	hansard heading	Dogs: Smuggling
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many reports of illegally imported puppies the Animal and Plant Health Agency have been called out to in 2018.
	tabling member constituency	Aberdeen South
	tabling member printed	Ross Thomson
	uin	195121
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/12/2018 answer text <p>Enforcement action regarding illegally imported puppies is not within APHA’s remit, but is carried out by Local Authorities.</p><p> </p><p>In 2018 the Animal and Plant Health Agency have been called out 44 times following referrals by carriers or border officials, eight of these related to the importation of puppies.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 03/12/2018 10:39:07 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4599 label Biography information for Ross Thomson

1013167

	registered interest
	date	23/11/2018
	answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept id	13
	answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	hansard heading	Pets: Smuggling
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many seizures have taken place in relation to abuse of the Pet Travel Scheme in 2018.
	tabling member constituency	Aberdeen South
	tabling member printed	Ross Thomson
	uin	195122
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/12/2018 answer text <p>Since December 2015 APHA has been taking an intelligence-led approach at Dover aimed at disrupting the illegal importation of puppies and abuse of the Pet Travel Scheme, which is yielding positive results. As part of this activity APHA is working with the Dogs Trust and Kent County Council to quarantine underage dogs intercepted at both Dover Port and Eurotunnel.</p><p> </p><p>In 2018 281 animals have been quarantined due to non-compliance with the Pet Travel Scheme. This figure may include commercial dog imports.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Enforcement action regarding illegally imported puppies is under the remit of Local Authorities. APHA are not able to provide data regarding seizures by local authorities in relation to abuse of the Pet Travel Scheme.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 03/12/2018 10:31:13 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4599 label Biography information for Ross Thomson

1013168

	registered interest
	date	23/11/2018
	answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept id	13
	answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	hansard heading	Pet Travel Scheme
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the newly-established intelligence-led approach to the enforcement of the Pet Travel Scheme.
	tabling member constituency	Aberdeen South
	tabling member printed	Ross Thomson
	uin	195123
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/12/2018 answer text <p>The UK carries out more checks of pets at the border than most other EU member states. The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) works in partnership with Dogs Trust, enforcement bodies and transport carriers to identify non-compliant animals destined for Dover and Folkestone ports. This partnership in collaboration with the intelligence-led Task Force has led to over 800 puppies being seized since 2015.</p><p> </p><p>Demand drives the illegal trafficking of puppies. Defra works with stakeholders to drive up standards for advertising, and to educate potential owners on how to responsibly buy a pet. Defra has published guidance on buying a pet. We have recently consulted on a ban on third party sales of puppies and kittens, and are completing the analysis of the results.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 03/12/2018 16:51:43 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4599 label Biography information for Ross Thomson

1013169

	registered interest
	date	23/11/2018
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Tax Avoidance: Aberdeen South
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate his Department has made of the number of people in the Aberdeen South constituency affected by the 2019 Loan Charge.
	tabling member constituency	Aberdeen South
	tabling member printed	Ross Thomson
	uin	195124
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/12/2018 answer text <p>The 2019 loan charge is targeted at disguised remuneration (DR) schemes. These are artificial tax avoidance schemes where earnings are paid in the form of non-repayable loans made by a third party.</p><p> </p><p>DR schemes are contrived arrangements that pay loans in place of ordinary remuneration with the sole purpose of avoiding income tax and National Insurance contributions. When taking into account the loan they received, loan scheme users have on average twice as much income as the average UK taxpayer.</p><p> </p><p>Since the announcement of the 2019 loan charge at Budget 2016, HMRC has agreed settlements on disguised remuneration schemes with employers and individuals of over 650 million pounds. More than 90% of this amount was collected from employers, with less than 10% from individuals.</p><p> </p><p>HMRC have also simplified the process for those who choose to settle their use of avoidance schemes before the charge arises, so that those earning less than £50,000 a year and no longer engaging in tax avoidance can agree a payment plan of up to five years without the need for detailed supporting information. There is no maximum period within which an overall settlement can be agreed, and HMRC will deal with individual cases appropriately and sympathetically.</p><p> </p><p>50,000 individuals are estimated to be affected by the introduction of the DR loan charge across the UK. Information is not held at constituency level.</p> answering member constituency Central Devon answering member printed Mel Stride question first answered 03/12/2018 15:44:00 answering member 3935 label Biography information for Mel Stride
	tabling member	4599 label Biography information for Ross Thomson

156453

	registered interest
	date	18/11/2014
	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	Children: Maintenance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to his Department's consultation, child maintenance: closing cases in Segments 3 and 4 simultaneously, published on 27 October 2014, what effect such simultaneous closure will have on (a) forecast volumes and the cost of calls demands to the Child Maintenance Options Service, (b) forecast volumes and cost of recruitment and training of new staff for the Child Maintenance Options Service and (c) forecast staff numbers and costs associated with the validation of child maintenance arrears in closed cases in the year from April 2015.
	tabling member constituency	Aberdeen South
	tabling member printed	Dame Anne Begg
	uin	215101
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/11/2014 answer text <p /> <p>Child Maintenance Group is still considering the precise number of case closure letters that will be issued each week for Segments 3 and 4. Consequently, it isn’t yet possible to describe how confirmed letter numbers will influence forecasting assumptions. As all CSA cases will need to be closed over the agreed transitional timeline, resource demands will remain the same regardless of whether Segments 3 and 4 are implemented simultaneously.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Steve Webb question first answered 24/11/2014 11:54:09 answering member 220 label Biography information for Steve Webb
	tabling member	572 label Biography information for Dame Anne Begg

156454

	registered interest
	date	18/11/2014
	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	Children: Maintenance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to his Department's consultation, child maintenance: closing cases in Segments 3 and 4 simultaneously, published on 27 October 2014, whether such simultaneous closure will affect the contract between G4S and his Department on the anticipated level of call demands to the Child Maintenance Options Service for the years 2015 and 2016.
	tabling member constituency	Aberdeen South
	tabling member printed	Dame Anne Begg
	uin	215100
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/11/2014 answer text <p /> <p>The proposed, simultaneous closure of Segment 3 and 4 cases will not affect the nature of the Child Maintenance Options supplier contract between G4S and DWP. This contract’s governance arrangement provides for operational resources to be reviewed each month and agreed for three months in advance, taking account of actual service demands versus forecasted business volumes.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Steve Webb question first answered 24/11/2014 11:58:50 answering member 220 label Biography information for Steve Webb
	tabling member	572 label Biography information for Dame Anne Begg

225285

	registered interest
	date	04/03/2015
	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	Children: Maintenance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department plans to examine the arrears balances of individual Child Support Agency cases subject to case closure to re-value arrears arising from interim maintenance assessment.
	tabling member constituency	Aberdeen South
	tabling member printed	Dame Anne Begg
	uin	226300
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/03/2015 answer text <p>Under current plans for ending liability in 1993 and 2003 scheme cases, the Department will validate all CSA arrears, including arrears accrued from Interim Maintenance Assessments and those which have been suspended. The approach was set out in both “Preparing for the future, tackling the past: Child Maintenance – Arrears and Compliance Strategy 2012-2017 and Command Paper Cm8399 “Supporting separated families; securing children’s futures”. The validation process will include caseworkers resolving discrepancies on cases and completing outstanding tasks.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Steve Webb grouped question UIN 226247 question first answered 10/03/2015 14:37:52 answering member 220 label Biography information for Steve Webb
	tabling member	572 label Biography information for Dame Anne Begg

225297

	registered interest
	date	04/03/2015
	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	Pension Credit
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of people for whom the freezing of the savings element of pensions credit and increases in the basic state pension has had a net negative effect on their income in each of the last three financial years.
	tabling member constituency	Aberdeen South
	tabling member printed	Dame Anne Begg
	uin	226249
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/03/2015 answer text <p>The overall impact of benefit up-rating on a customer’s income depends on a wide variety of factors (including for example any changes to their non state pensions that occur around the same time) which means we cannot accurately measure these impacts. However, the increases in the basic State Pension under the terms of the triple lock, have been more significant than the reductions in the savings credit. Overall it is unlikely that any Pension Credit customer should be worse off, in cash terms, as a result of the uprating decisions made over the last three years.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Steve Webb grouped question UIN 226248 question first answered 09/03/2015 16:06:27 answering member 220 label Biography information for Steve Webb
	tabling member	572 label Biography information for Dame Anne Begg

225298

	registered interest
	date	04/03/2015
	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	Children: Maintenance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the arrears validation element of the Child Support Agency case closure programme, by what processes will the Agency review cases where arrears recovery had been temporarily suspended, to ascertain whether the reasons for temporary suspension remain valid.
	tabling member constituency	Aberdeen South
	tabling member printed	Dame Anne Begg
	uin	226247
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/03/2015 answer text <p /> <p>Under current plans for ending liability in 1993 and 2003 scheme cases, the Department will validate all CSA arrears, including arrears accrued from Interim Maintenance Assessments and those which have been suspended. The approach was set out in both “Preparing for the future, tackling the past: Child Maintenance – Arrears and Compliance Strategy 2012-2017 and Command Paper Cm8399 “Supporting separated families; securing children’s futures”. The validation process will include caseworkers resolving discrepancies on cases and completing outstanding tasks.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Steve Webb grouped question UIN 226300 question first answered 10/03/2015 14:37:52 answering member 220 label Biography information for Steve Webb
	tabling member	572 label Biography information for Dame Anne Begg

225300

	registered interest
	date	04/03/2015
	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	Pension Credit
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of people in receipt of pension credit whose income from their state pension and pension credit was (a) less in the 2014-15 financial year than it was in the previous financial year, and (b) less in the 2013-14 financial year than it was in the 2012-13 financial year.
	tabling member constituency	Aberdeen South
	tabling member printed	Dame Anne Begg
	uin	226248
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/03/2015 answer text <p>The overall impact of benefit up-rating on a customer’s income depends on a wide variety of factors (including for example any changes to their non state pensions that occur around the same time) which means we cannot accurately measure these impacts. However, the increases in the basic State Pension under the terms of the triple lock, have been more significant than the reductions in the savings credit. Overall it is unlikely that any Pension Credit customer should be worse off, in cash terms, as a result of the uprating decisions made over the last three years.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Steve Webb grouped question UIN 226249 question first answered 09/03/2015 16:06:27 answering member 220 label Biography information for Steve Webb
	tabling member	572 label Biography information for Dame Anne Begg