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452183

registered interest
date	10/02/2016
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	EU Integration
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the meeting on 9 February between the original member states of the EU, and the re-commitment by those member states to "an ever closer union" and a "two-speed Europe".
tabling member printed	Lord Stoddart of Swindon
uin	HL6130
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/02/2016 answer text <p>At the February European Council the Government negotiated a new settlement, giving the UK a special status in a reformed EU. The agreement sets out that the Treaties will be changed to “make it clear that the references to ever closer union do not apply to the United Kingdom” and acknowledges “different paths of integration being available for different Member States and do not compel all Member States to aim for a common destination.”</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 25/02/2016 16:23:32 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	950 label Biography information for Lord Stoddart of Swindon

449200

registered interest
date	01/02/2016
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Greece: Immigration
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are aware of any proposals by the EU to prosecute charities and volunteers who give assistance to migrants arriving in Greece, and what assessment they have made of which articles of the EU treaties might provide authority for any such action.
tabling member printed	Lord Stoddart of Swindon
uin	HL5710
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/02/2016 answer text <p>The Government is not aware of any specific proposals by the EU to prosecute charities and volunteers who give assistance to migrants arriving in Greece. The European Commission is currently conducting public consultations as part of an on-going evaluation and impact assessment of the EU legislation on migrant smuggling, to gather views on what improvements could be made. We will consider any proposals if and when they are issued.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 15/02/2016 14:57:30 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	950 label Biography information for Lord Stoddart of Swindon

449201

registered interest
date	01/02/2016
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	CaTreasury
hansard heading	Multinational Companies: Taxation
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the criticism of the European Commission by Robert Stack, the US Treasury Official in charge of international tax policy, for disproportionately targeting US companies; and under what articles of the EU treaties the EU can tax foreign enterprises.
tabling member printed	Lord Stoddart of Swindon
uin	HL5711
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/02/2016 answer text <p><strong>While corporate taxation is a matter for Member States, under the EU Treaties the European Commission has competence to conduct State aid investigations in order to prevent unlawful distortion of competition and to safeguard the internal market. Investigations into tax rulings issued by EU Member States to multi-national companies were opened by the Commission in 2013. While the Commission has found illegal aid has been provided by some Members States (not including the UK) relating to some US companies, rulings under investigation also relate to a number of non-US undertakings. </strong></p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord O'Neill of Gatley question first answered 15/02/2016 15:26:54 answering member 4536 label Biography information for Lord O'Neill of Gatley
tabling member	950 label Biography information for Lord Stoddart of Swindon

449202

registered interest
date	01/02/2016
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	CaTreasury
hansard heading	Multinational Companies: Taxation
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what legal powers the EU has to intervene in the taxation arrangements agreed between HM Treasury and foreign-based firms, including Google, and what assessment they have made of whether HMRC could legally co-operate in any such EU action.
tabling member printed	Lord Stoddart of Swindon
uin	HL5712
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/02/2016 answer text <p>While corporate taxation is a matter for Member States, under the EU Treaties the European Commission has competence to conduct State aid investigations in order to prevent unlawful distortion of competition and to safeguard the internal market. Member State authorities are required to cooperate with any such investigations.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord O'Neill of Gatley question first answered 10/02/2016 17:40:31 answering member 4536 label Biography information for Lord O'Neill of Gatley
tabling member	950 label Biography information for Lord Stoddart of Swindon

449203

registered interest
date	01/02/2016
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	Agriculture: Subsidies
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the Court of Auditors' report stating that EU farm projects to improve the environmental sustainability of EU farms are unreasonably costly; and what action they are taking to hold to account those who administer the Common Agricultural Policy.
tabling member printed	Lord Stoddart of Swindon
uin	HL5713
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/02/2016 answer text <p>Of the 28 projects reviewed in the four Member States by the European Court of Auditors (ECA), the only ones viewed as cost effective overall were in England. The ECA found that payment rates in England took account of the wider economic benefits to the farmer which might result from making these investments. They also commented favourably about the high level of integration between these capital payments and multiannual land management activities which leads to better outcomes.</p><p>However, some projects reviewed in England were found not to be cost effective. We accept that in some cases the standard payment rates to farmers to help improve environmental sustainability may have been too high. We have reviewed our payment rates for the new Countryside Stewardship scheme. These have been independently verified. We will review standard payment rates again in 2017 to ensure that these types of payments are cost effective overall.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 15/02/2016 14:55:52 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	950 label Biography information for Lord Stoddart of Swindon

449204

registered interest
date	01/02/2016
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Immigration
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the total net immigration into the UK between 1997 and 2015.
tabling member printed	Lord Stoddart of Swindon
uin	HL5714
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/02/2016 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 printed Lord Bridges of Headley question first answered 15/02/2016 12:11:52 answering member 4535 label Biography information for Lord Bridges of Headley attachment 1 file name HL5714 Referral letter.pdf title Referral Letter
tabling member	950 label Biography information for Lord Stoddart of Swindon

449205

registered interest
date	01/02/2016
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Civil Partnerships
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, in the light of the legalisation of same-sex marriage, they intend to legislate to allow heterosexual couples who wish to form civil partnerships to do so, and if not, why not.
tabling member printed	Lord Stoddart of Swindon
uin	HL5715
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/02/2016 answer text <p>In 2014, after the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 was passed, the government carried out a review of the operation and future of the Civil Partnership Act 2004, including a thorough public consultation on potential changes to civil partnership. Views were invited on three options: abolishing, or phasing out civil partnerships; or extending them to opposite sex couples.</p><p>The review found that there was no clear consensus on the future of civil partnerships. A majority of respondents to the consultation were against extending civil partnerships to opposite sex couples and several important organisations thought it was too soon to consider making changes to civil partnerships until the impact of extending marriage to same sex couples is known. Given the lack of any consensus the Government has no current plans to make changes to the Civil Partnership Act 2004.</p><p>On 29 January 2016, the High Court dismissed a legal challenge to the lack of availability of civil partnerships to opposite sex couples. The Court ruled unequivocally that the current regime of marriage and civil partnership does not disadvantage anyone nor does it infringe anyone’s right to family or private life. We also welcome the Court’s view that it is entirely reasonable for the Government to wait to see the impact of extending marriage to same sex couples before deciding on the way forward.</p> answering member printed Baroness Williams of Trafford question first answered 10/02/2016 15:48:38 answering member 4311 label Biography information for Baroness Williams of Trafford
tabling member	950 label Biography information for Lord Stoddart of Swindon

445794

registered interest
date	19/01/2016
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	EU Aid
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the European Parliament's report that 50 per cent of the EU £23 billion aid budget has been delayed or not used, and whether they plan to take steps to terminate the policy of delivering part of the UK overseas aid budget through the EU.
tabling member printed	Lord Stoddart of Swindon
uin	HL5204
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/02/2016 answer text <p>The report concerned was compiled by an individual Member of the European Parliament and was not an analysis representing the views of the European Parliament as a whole. It was based on a reading of reports by EU offices in non-EU countries, intended to identify potential problems at an early stage, so that things can be put right in time. In the event that it is proven that money has been wasted, we expect the EU and its audit institutions to take swift and decisive action to recoup funds and to carry out a thorough review of all its programmes to provide a clear set of actions to stop this happening again.</p> answering member printed Baroness Verma question first answered 03/02/2016 11:41:27 answering member 3790 label Biography information for Baroness Verma
tabling member	950 label Biography information for Lord Stoddart of Swindon

445795

registered interest
date	19/01/2016
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	EU Integration
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the statement made by the former Prime Minister, Tony Blair, advocating further EU integration, including the creation of an EU defence capability.
tabling member printed	Lord Stoddart of Swindon
uin	HL5205
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/02/2016 answer text The EU already has a range of capabilities to build and promote security, which can be complementary to those of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). The UK is working to make these more effective and to improve NATO/EU co-operation. But the Government has consistently made clear that we will oppose any measures which would undermine Member States' competence for their own military forces or lead to competition and duplication with NATO. Complementarity with NATO is a principle that was reinforced by the European Councils on defence in June 2015 and December 2013. answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 01/02/2016 14:29:11 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	950 label Biography information for Lord Stoddart of Swindon

445796

registered interest
date	19/01/2016
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Ukraine: Military Aid
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Statement by Earl Howe on 18 January concerning a gifting package to Ukraine (HLWS463), whether this gift will be financed from the overseas aid budget, the defence budget, or another source.
tabling member printed	Lord Stoddart of Swindon
uin	HL5206
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/01/2016 answer text <p>The gift of 3,500 first aid kits will be purchased using funds from Her Majesty's Government's Conflict, Stability, and Security Fund (CSSF). The CSSF is a cross-Whitehall fund. As well as defence reform, the CSSF Ukraine programme supports a number of interventions including strategic communications, peace-building activities and support to international organisations.</p> answering member printed Earl Howe question first answered 28/01/2016 16:56:00 answering member 2000 label Biography information for Earl Howe
tabling member	950 label Biography information for Lord Stoddart of Swindon