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1078601
registered interest false more like this
date less than 2019-02-27more like thismore than 2019-02-27
answering body
Foreign and Commonwealth Office more like this
answering dept id 16 more like this
answering dept short name Foreign and Commonwealth Office more like this
answering dept sort name Foreign and Commonwealth Office more like this
hansard heading Christianity: Oppression more like this
house id 1 more like this
legislature
25259
pref label House of Commons more like this
question text To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will convene an emergency international summit, hosted in London, to co-ordinate a response to the attacks on Christians around the world. more like this
tabling member constituency Aberdeen South more like this
tabling member printed
Ross Thomson remove filter
uin 226721 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2019-03-06more like thismore than 2019-03-06
answer text <p>We British Government Ministers regularly raise our concerns about the persecution of religious minorities, including Christians, where this occurs. The Government works with a large number of NGOs, to help promote and protect freedom of religion or belief. We use information from a wide range of sources to inform our work. The Foreign Secretary has asked the Bishop of Truro to conduct an independent review of the persecution of Christians around the world to help inform this important area of our work to ensure it is targeted and effective. There are no plans to host an emergency international summit on this matter.</p> more like this
answering member constituency Cities of London and Westminster more like this
answering member printed Mark Field more like this
question first answered
less than 2019-03-06T15:39:10.183Zmore like thismore than 2019-03-06T15:39:10.183Z
answering member
1405
label Biography information for Mark Field more like this
tabling member
4599
label Biography information for Ross Thomson more like this
1078606
registered interest false more like this
date less than 2019-02-27more like thismore than 2019-02-27
answering body
Foreign and Commonwealth Office more like this
answering dept id 16 more like this
answering dept short name Foreign and Commonwealth Office more like this
answering dept sort name Foreign and Commonwealth Office more like this
hansard heading Burma: Christianity more like this
house id 1 more like this
legislature
25259
pref label House of Commons more like this
question text To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to support the rights of Christian minorities in Burma. more like this
tabling member constituency Aberdeen South more like this
tabling member printed
Ross Thomson remove filter
uin 226725 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2019-03-06more like thismore than 2019-03-06
answer text <p>The British Government continues to express out concern at restrictions on freedom of religion and belief in Burma. The Minister for the Commonwealth and the United Nations raised the UK's concerns about persecution faced by Christian and other minorities in Burma in his speech to the Human Rights Council in February 2018. The UK, working with the EU and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, secured a UN Human Rights Council Resolution on 27 September 2018 that called for the amending or repealing of discriminatory provisions of the &quot;protection of race and religion laws&quot; in Burma covering religious conversion, interfaith marriage, monogamy and population control. The British Ambassador met the Burmese Minister for Religious Affairs on 9 August 2018, and underlined the importance of interfaith dialogue.</p> more like this
answering member constituency Cities of London and Westminster more like this
answering member printed Mark Field more like this
question first answered
remove maximum value filtermore like thismore than 2019-03-06T15:43:19.057Z
answering member
1405
label Biography information for Mark Field more like this
tabling member
4599
label Biography information for Ross Thomson more like this
1078612
registered interest false more like this
date less than 2019-02-27more like thismore than 2019-02-27
answering body
Department for International Development more like this
answering dept id 20 more like this
answering dept short name International Development more like this
answering dept sort name International Development more like this
hansard heading Religious Freedom more like this
house id 1 more like this
legislature
25259
pref label House of Commons more like this
question text To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps she is taking to ensure that international NGOs consider religious vulnerability in their definition of need. more like this
tabling member constituency Aberdeen South more like this
tabling member printed
Ross Thomson remove filter
uin 226728 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2019-03-05more like thismore than 2019-03-05
answer text <p>The UK’s commitment to the poorest and most vulnerable in all settings is unwavering, as is our requirement that all UK-funded humanitarian partners work according to international humanitarian principles, placing protection at the centre of their work. Our partners carry out vulnerability assessments to ensure aid effectively reaches those most in need, including those from religious minorities, as it is recognised that religion may be a factor in causing vulnerability.</p> more like this
answering member constituency West Worcestershire more like this
answering member printed Harriett Baldwin more like this
question first answered
less than 2019-03-05T16:59:18.73Zmore like thismore than 2019-03-05T16:59:18.73Z
answering member
4107
label Biography information for Dame Harriett Baldwin more like this
tabling member
4599
label Biography information for Ross Thomson more like this
1050128
registered interest false more like this
date less than 2019-01-28more like thismore than 2019-01-28
answering body
Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport more like this
answering dept id 10 more like this
answering dept short name Digital, Culture, Media and Sport more like this
answering dept sort name Digital, Culture, Media and Sport more like this
hansard heading Broadband: Advertising more like this
house id 1 more like this
legislature
25259
pref label House of Commons more like this
question text To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the oral contribution of the Minister of State for Digital and the Creative Industries of 15 November 2018, Official Report column 545, whether it is his policy that the use of the term fibre in the advertising of part-copper broadband represents misleading advertising. more like this
tabling member constituency Aberdeen South more like this
tabling member printed
Ross Thomson remove filter
uin 213437 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2019-02-05more like thismore than 2019-02-05
answer text <p>The 2017 Digital Strategy set out that Government would work with regulators and industry to ensure that the advertising of broadband reflects the speeds that consumers can expect to receive and accurately describes the technology used.</p><p> </p><p>Since the Digital Strategy was published, the ASA has implemented new guidance, which states that speed claims should be based on the download speeds available to at least 50% of customers at peak time, and no longer on 'up to' speeds available to at least 10% of customers. Ofcom has also updated its Code of Practice on Broadband Speeds.</p><p> </p><p>The ASA also reviewed the use of the term ‘fibre’ to describe part-fibre and full-fibre broadband and concluded in November 2017 that the term 'fibre' is unlikely to mislead consumers as currently used in the advertising of part-fibre broadband services. In June 2018, the Administrative Court granted CityFibre permission to proceed with its Judicial Review (JR) of the ASA's decision. The next stage is for the Administrative Court to make a substantive decision on the JR.</p><p> </p><p>The Government remains committed to working with regulators and industry to ensure that consumers receive clear, concise and accurate information in order to make informed choices about their broadband, particularly as the rollout of new technologies like full fibre broadband increases. As part of this, we will monitor developments in other countries, including Italy’s current trial of a traffic light system for broadband advertising.</p><p> </p><p>The Government will be consulting on its Statement of Strategic Priorities for telecommunications, spectrum and post shortly.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
answering member constituency Stourbridge more like this
answering member printed Margot James more like this
grouped question UIN
213438 more like this
213439 more like this
question first answered
less than 2019-02-05T14:09:22.263Zmore like thismore than 2019-02-05T14:09:22.263Z
answering member
4115
label Biography information for Margot James more like this
tabling member
4599
label Biography information for Ross Thomson more like this
1050129
registered interest false more like this
date less than 2019-01-28more like thismore than 2019-01-28
answering body
Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport more like this
answering dept id 10 more like this
answering dept short name Digital, Culture, Media and Sport more like this
answering dept sort name Digital, Culture, Media and Sport more like this
hansard heading Broadband: Advertising more like this
house id 1 more like this
legislature
25259
pref label House of Commons more like this
question text To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the oral contribution of the Minister of State for Digital and the Creative Industries of 15 November 2018, Official Report column 545, what steps he is taking to tackle the misleading advertising of fibre broadband. more like this
tabling member constituency Aberdeen South more like this
tabling member printed
Ross Thomson remove filter
uin 213438 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2019-02-05more like thismore than 2019-02-05
answer text <p>The 2017 Digital Strategy set out that Government would work with regulators and industry to ensure that the advertising of broadband reflects the speeds that consumers can expect to receive and accurately describes the technology used.</p><p> </p><p>Since the Digital Strategy was published, the ASA has implemented new guidance, which states that speed claims should be based on the download speeds available to at least 50% of customers at peak time, and no longer on 'up to' speeds available to at least 10% of customers. Ofcom has also updated its Code of Practice on Broadband Speeds.</p><p> </p><p>The ASA also reviewed the use of the term ‘fibre’ to describe part-fibre and full-fibre broadband and concluded in November 2017 that the term 'fibre' is unlikely to mislead consumers as currently used in the advertising of part-fibre broadband services. In June 2018, the Administrative Court granted CityFibre permission to proceed with its Judicial Review (JR) of the ASA's decision. The next stage is for the Administrative Court to make a substantive decision on the JR.</p><p> </p><p>The Government remains committed to working with regulators and industry to ensure that consumers receive clear, concise and accurate information in order to make informed choices about their broadband, particularly as the rollout of new technologies like full fibre broadband increases. As part of this, we will monitor developments in other countries, including Italy’s current trial of a traffic light system for broadband advertising.</p><p> </p><p>The Government will be consulting on its Statement of Strategic Priorities for telecommunications, spectrum and post shortly.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
answering member constituency Stourbridge more like this
answering member printed Margot James more like this
grouped question UIN
213437 more like this
213439 more like this
question first answered
less than 2019-02-05T14:09:22.31Zmore like thismore than 2019-02-05T14:09:22.31Z
answering member
4115
label Biography information for Margot James more like this
tabling member
4599
label Biography information for Ross Thomson more like this
1050130
registered interest false more like this
date less than 2019-01-28more like thismore than 2019-01-28
answering body
Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport more like this
answering dept id 10 more like this
answering dept short name Digital, Culture, Media and Sport more like this
answering dept sort name Digital, Culture, Media and Sport more like this
hansard heading Broadband: Advertising more like this
house id 1 more like this
legislature
25259
pref label House of Commons more like this
question text To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the oral contribution of the Minister of State for Digital and the Creative Industries of Thursday 15 November 2018, Official Report column 545, whether he plans to include proposals to tackle the misleading advertising of fibre broadband in his forthcoming Statement of Strategic Priorities to Ofcom. more like this
tabling member constituency Aberdeen South more like this
tabling member printed
Ross Thomson remove filter
uin 213439 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2019-02-05more like thismore than 2019-02-05
answer text <p>The 2017 Digital Strategy set out that Government would work with regulators and industry to ensure that the advertising of broadband reflects the speeds that consumers can expect to receive and accurately describes the technology used.</p><p> </p><p>Since the Digital Strategy was published, the ASA has implemented new guidance, which states that speed claims should be based on the download speeds available to at least 50% of customers at peak time, and no longer on 'up to' speeds available to at least 10% of customers. Ofcom has also updated its Code of Practice on Broadband Speeds.</p><p> </p><p>The ASA also reviewed the use of the term ‘fibre’ to describe part-fibre and full-fibre broadband and concluded in November 2017 that the term 'fibre' is unlikely to mislead consumers as currently used in the advertising of part-fibre broadband services. In June 2018, the Administrative Court granted CityFibre permission to proceed with its Judicial Review (JR) of the ASA's decision. The next stage is for the Administrative Court to make a substantive decision on the JR.</p><p> </p><p>The Government remains committed to working with regulators and industry to ensure that consumers receive clear, concise and accurate information in order to make informed choices about their broadband, particularly as the rollout of new technologies like full fibre broadband increases. As part of this, we will monitor developments in other countries, including Italy’s current trial of a traffic light system for broadband advertising.</p><p> </p><p>The Government will be consulting on its Statement of Strategic Priorities for telecommunications, spectrum and post shortly.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
answering member constituency Stourbridge more like this
answering member printed Margot James more like this
grouped question UIN
213437 more like this
213438 more like this
question first answered
less than 2019-02-05T14:09:22.357Zmore like thismore than 2019-02-05T14:09:22.357Z
answering member
4115
label Biography information for Margot James more like this
tabling member
4599
label Biography information for Ross Thomson more like this
1042300
registered interest false more like this
date less than 2019-01-16more like thismore than 2019-01-16
answering body
Home Office more like this
answering dept id 1 more like this
answering dept short name Home Office more like this
answering dept sort name Home Office more like this
hansard heading Entry Clearances: Overseas Students more like this
house id 1 more like this
legislature
25259
pref label House of Commons more like this
question text To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will commission an independent review of the (a) adequacy, (b) cost effectiveness and (c) effect on the diversity of students of credibility interviews within the student immigration system. more like this
tabling member constituency Aberdeen South more like this
tabling member printed
Ross Thomson remove filter
uin 209352 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2019-01-21more like thismore than 2019-01-21
answer text <p>An internal review of point of application credibility interviews for interna-tional students was conducted in 2018 to ensure that interviews are adding value to the case consideration process and not unnecessarily inconven-iencing customers. Up to date risk information was factored in to this review. Regular engagement with universities and other educational institutions en-sures that feedback is collected in relation to the application process.</p> more like this
answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North more like this
answering member printed Caroline Nokes more like this
question first answered
less than 2019-01-21T18:00:05.633Zmore like thismore than 2019-01-21T18:00:05.633Z
answering member
4048
label Biography information for Caroline Nokes more like this
tabling member
4599
label Biography information for Ross Thomson more like this
1042301
registered interest false more like this
date less than 2019-01-16more like thismore than 2019-01-16
answering body
Department for Education more like this
answering dept id 60 more like this
answering dept short name Education more like this
answering dept sort name Education more like this
hansard heading Entry Clearances: Overseas Students more like this
house id 1 more like this
legislature
25259
pref label House of Commons more like this
question text To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans his Department has to develop an international student growth strategy. more like this
tabling member constituency Aberdeen South more like this
tabling member printed
Ross Thomson remove filter
uin 209353 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2019-01-21more like thismore than 2019-01-21
answer text <p>The government fully recognises the important economic and cultural contribution that EU and international students make to the UK’s higher education sector. We want that contribution to continue and are confident – given the world class quality of our higher education sector – that it will. We welcome international students and there continues to be no limit on the number who can come here to study, nor any plans to limit any institution’s ability to recruit them.</p><p> </p><p>The UK remains a highly attractive destination for non-EU students, with their numbers remaining at record highs – over 170,000 non-EU entrants to UK higher education institutions for the seventh year running. The UK is a world-leading destination for study, with 4 universities in the world’s top 10 and 16 in the top 100 – second only to the USA. We actively promote study in the UK through the GREAT Campaign and to over 100 countries through the British Council.</p><p> </p><p>In the immigration white paper, published on 19 December 2018, the government proposed to increase the post-study leave period for international students following completion of studies to 12 months for those completing a PhD, and to 6 months for all full-time postgraduate students and undergraduate students at institutions with degree awarding powers. Going beyond the recommendations set out by the Migration Advisory Committee, these proposals will benefit tens of thousands of international students.</p>
answering member constituency Kingswood more like this
answering member printed Chris Skidmore more like this
question first answered
less than 2019-01-21T14:58:00.873Zmore like thismore than 2019-01-21T14:58:00.873Z
answering member
4021
label Biography information for Chris Skidmore more like this
tabling member
4599
label Biography information for Ross Thomson more like this
1020870
registered interest false more like this
date less than 2018-12-07more like thismore than 2018-12-07
answering body
Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy more like this
answering dept id 201 more like this
answering dept short name Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy more like this
answering dept sort name Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy more like this
hansard heading Companies House: Registration more like this
house id 1 more like this
legislature
25259
pref label House of Commons more like this
question text To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he has taken to reduce the risk of fraud from the availability of personal information on the Companies House database. more like this
tabling member constituency Aberdeen South more like this
tabling member printed
Ross Thomson remove filter
uin 200149 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2018-12-12more like thismore than 2018-12-12
answer text <p>The Government considers that it is important that the information on the companies register should not become a tool for abuse. In response to concerns about the availability of residential address information on the register, we brought regulations into force in April to make it easier for people to have this information suppressed. We are also currently considering a broad package of reforms to Companies House, including the protection of personal information. We plan to consult on these reforms in 2019.</p> more like this
answering member constituency Rochester and Strood more like this
answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst more like this
question first answered
less than 2018-12-12T16:51:21.837Zmore like thismore than 2018-12-12T16:51:21.837Z
answering member
4487
label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst more like this
tabling member
4599
label Biography information for Ross Thomson more like this
1020871
registered interest false more like this
date less than 2018-12-07more like thismore than 2018-12-07
answering body
Treasury more like this
answering dept id 14 more like this
answering dept short name Treasury more like this
answering dept sort name Treasury more like this
hansard heading Bankruptcy: Tax Avoidance more like this
house id 1 more like this
legislature
25259
pref label House of Commons more like this
question text To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he has taken to ensure that those affected by the 2019 loan charge are not forced into bankruptcy by the repayments. more like this
tabling member constituency Aberdeen South more like this
tabling member printed
Ross Thomson remove filter
uin 200150 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2018-12-17more like thismore than 2018-12-17
answer text <p>Disguised Remuneration (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. On average loan scheme users have twice as much income as the average UK taxpayer, when taking into account the loan they received.</p><p> </p><p>HMRC is working hard to help individuals get out of tax avoidance for good and are encouraging anyone who is concerned about their ability to pay to contact them as soon as possible to discuss their options. HMRC has set up a dedicated helpline for those wanting to settle their avoidance scheme use, and discuss payment options.</p><p> </p><p>HMRC does not want to make anybody bankrupt and very few cases ever reach that stage. They will work with all individuals to reach a manageable and sustainable payment plan wherever possible.</p><p> </p><p>HMRC has simplified the process for those who choose to settle their use of avoidance schemes before the loan charge arises, so that those earning less than £50,000 a year and are 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 all individual cases will be dealt with appropriately and sympathetically.</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>
answering member constituency Central Devon more like this
answering member printed Mel Stride more like this
question first answered
less than 2018-12-17T16:00:13.297Zmore like thismore than 2018-12-17T16:00:13.297Z
answering member
3935
label Biography information for Mel Stride more like this
tabling member
4599
label Biography information for Ross Thomson more like this