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800485

registered interest
date	04/12/2017
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	CaTreasury
hansard heading	Tax Evasion
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he has taken to tackle corporate tax evasion following the publication of the Panama Papers.
tabling member constituency	Leeds North West
tabling member printed	Alex Sobel
uin	117106
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/12/2017 answer text <p>The government has taken significant action to tackle avoidance, evasion, and non-compliance; including securing almost £160 billion of additional tax revenue since 2010, introducing over 100 measures, and investing around £2 billion extra in HMRC.</p><p> </p><p>At Budget, the government took further steps to tackle these issues, which are forecast to raise £4.8 billion between now and 2022-23 for our vital public services. These efforts have helped the UK tax gap fall to 6.0% - its lowest level ever, and one of the lowest in the world.</p><p> </p><p>The UK will continue to engage with our international partners to achieve a consistent and targeted approach for tackling tax avoidance and evasion.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Central Devon answering member printed Mel Stride question first answered 07/12/2017 13:58:27 answering member 3935 label Biography information for Mel Stride
tabling member	4658 label Biography information for Alex Sobel

800616

registered interest
date	04/12/2017
answering body	Department of Health
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health
answering dept sort name	Health
hansard heading	Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health, To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the report by Action for ME, Spotlight on specialist services: UK healthcare for people with ME, published in July 2017, what assessment his Department has made of the feasibility of collecting data on the prevalence of ME for each Clinical Commissioning Group area.
tabling member constituency	Leeds North West
tabling member printed	Alex Sobel
uin	117237
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/12/2017 answer text <p>No assessment has been made.</p><p> </p><p>The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence reports that the annual estimated prevalence is at least 0.2–0.4% (around 190,000) in the United Kingdom. Population prevalence estimates, along with data on services usage and other local intelligence can support commissioners to deliver high quality services for the populations they serve.</p> answering member constituency Winchester answering member printed Steve Brine question first answered 07/12/2017 16:56:24 answering member 4067 label Biography information for Steve Brine
tabling member	4658 label Biography information for Alex Sobel

800623

registered interest
date	04/12/2017
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Church Schools: Admissions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans she has to (a) amend or (b) remove the 50 per cent faith-based cap on admissions to Catholic schools.
tabling member constituency	Leeds North West
tabling member printed	Alex Sobel
uin	117244
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/12/2017 answer text <p><em>The ‘Schools that work for everyone’</em> consultation document recognised that some faiths, including the Catholic Church, have felt unable to open new free schools subject to the 50% cap because they say it contravenes religious rules.</p><p>The department plans to respond on this in due course. We greatly value the important role Catholic schools play in our education system and that will continue.</p> answering member constituency Guildford answering member printed Anne Milton question first answered 07/12/2017 17:05:33 answering member 1523 label Biography information for Anne Milton
tabling member	4658 label Biography information for Alex Sobel

797966

registered interest
date	30/11/2017
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Asylum: Employment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Home Secretary, if she will make it her Department’s policy to grant asylum applicants who have been waiting for longer than six months for a decision on their application permission to work without the Shortage Occupation restrictions list.
tabling member constituency	Leeds North West
tabling member printed	Alex Sobel
uin	116873
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/12/2017 answer text <p>Asylum seekers are not allowed to work in the UK unless their claim has been outstanding for at least 12 months through no fault of their own. Those who are granted permission to work are restricted to jobs on the Shortage Occupation List. The policy is designed to protect the resident labour market so that access to employment is prioritised for British citizens and lawful residents, including those granted refugees status. We have no plans to change this policy.</p><p> </p><p>The data requested on the number of asylum seekers granted permission to work is only held on paper case files or within the notes sections of the Home Office's databases. This data is not aggregated in national reporting systems, so information on the number of asylum seekers allowed to work could only be obtained through a manual case search at disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis grouped question UIN 116874 question first answered 05/12/2017 14:04:21 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
tabling member	4658 label Biography information for Alex Sobel

797967

registered interest
date	30/11/2017
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Asylum: Employment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum applicants have been granted permission to work in the last 12 months.
tabling member constituency	Leeds North West
tabling member printed	Alex Sobel
uin	116874
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/12/2017 answer text <p>Asylum seekers are not allowed to work in the UK unless their claim has been outstanding for at least 12 months through no fault of their own. Those who are granted permission to work are restricted to jobs on the Shortage Occupation List. The policy is designed to protect the resident labour market so that access to employment is prioritised for British citizens and lawful residents, including those granted refugees status. We have no plans to change this policy.</p><p> </p><p>The data requested on the number of asylum seekers granted permission to work is only held on paper case files or within the notes sections of the Home Office's databases. This data is not aggregated in national reporting systems, so information on the number of asylum seekers allowed to work could only be obtained through a manual case search at disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis grouped question UIN 116873 question first answered 05/12/2017 14:04:21 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
tabling member	4658 label Biography information for Alex Sobel

797968

registered interest
date	30/11/2017
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Asylum
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to increase the period for which refugees continue to receive asylum support after receiving a positive decision on their asylum application to 50 days on account of issues with gaining National Insurance numbers within the current 28 days.
tabling member constituency	Leeds North West
tabling member printed	Alex Sobel
uin	116875
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/12/2017 answer text <p>There are no plans to increase the period to 50 days.</p><p> </p><p>If an asylum seeker receiving support from the Home Office is granted refugee status they are given notice that their support will stop 28 days later and provided with a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP). The BRP is the main document they need to prove their eligibility to take employment or apply for benefits from the Department of Work and Pensions. Additionally, under new arrangements the Home Office offers the refugee assistance to make a benefits claim by arranging an appointment with a local DWP office.</p><p> </p><p>The Home Office also issues the refugee with a national insurance number (NINO). Possession of a NINO at this stage is not essential to make a benefits application as the DWP can provide one as part of the benefits claim process. We have, however, been working to ensure that the NINO is issued at the same time as the BRP and plan to implement a new process in the new year whereby the number is printed on the BRP.</p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 05/12/2017 14:04:50 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
tabling member	4658 label Biography information for Alex Sobel

797969

registered interest
date	30/11/2017
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Asylum
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the level of asylum support on the physical and mental well-being of people seeking asylum who have been waiting on a decision for more than six months.
tabling member constituency	Leeds North West
tabling member printed	Alex Sobel
uin	116876
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/12/2017 answer text <p>The Home Office ensure that asylum seekers are not left destitute by providing accommodation and a weekly cash allowance. The level of the allowance is reviewed each year to ensure that it is sufficient to cover their essential living needs. The Court of Appeal has rejected a legal challenge to the methodology used to assess the adequacy of the cash allowance.</p><p> </p><p>Asylum seekers also have full access to the NHS, including mental health services if they are needed.</p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 05/12/2017 14:05:08 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
tabling member	4658 label Biography information for Alex Sobel

797980

registered interest
date	30/11/2017
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	CaTreasury
hansard heading	Financial Services: Liability
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with the Financial Conduct Authority on the introduction of the duty of care; and what the (a) process and (b) timescale is for introducing the Duty of Care.
tabling member constituency	Leeds North West
tabling member printed	Alex Sobel
uin	116887
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/12/2017 answer text <p>The government believes that the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), as the UK’s independent conduct regulator for the financial services industry, is best placed to evaluate the merits of a duty of care for financial services providers. We therefore welcome the FCA’s commitment to publish a Discussion Paper on the subject, which the FCA plans to publish after the UK’s withdrawal from the EU.</p> answering member constituency North East Cambridgeshire answering member printed Stephen Barclay question first answered 05/12/2017 16:13:15 answering member 4095 label Biography information for Steve Barclay
tabling member	4658 label Biography information for Alex Sobel

797421

registered interest
date	29/11/2017
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	National Insurance: Refugees
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his is taking to ensure that national insurance numbers are issued within 28 days for people who have been granted refugee status to avoid a gap between receiving asylum support and jobseeker's allowance or housing benefit.
tabling member constituency	Leeds North West
tabling member printed	Alex Sobel
uin	116384
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/12/2017 answer text <p>For those granted leave to remain as a result of a successful asylum claim, a joint fast track NINo process operates between the Home Office (HO) and Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Adult NINo Allocation. This system has been in place since 2005 and means that an application for a NINo is made by the HO on behalf of the individual.</p><p>We have introduced a new process for those refugees who come to the UK via either the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Programme or the Gateway Protection Programme. Our joint working with the HO enables DWP Adult NINo Allocation to utilise the refugee’s identity and immigration status details provided by the HO immediately before the refugee arrives in the UK; enabling a NINo to be allocated and printed on their Biometric Residence cards (BRP) as soon as the individual enters the UK, helping to join up services between HO, DWP and Local Authorities.</p> answering member constituency Gosport answering member printed Caroline Dinenage question first answered 04/12/2017 17:40:25 answering member 4008 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Dinenage
tabling member	4658 label Biography information for Alex Sobel

797422

registered interest
date	29/11/2017
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	Jobseeker's Allowance: Refugees
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to ensure that people granted refugee status receive jobseeker's allowance; and what steps his Department is taking to reduce the potential barriers to receiving jobseeker's allowance in respect of a refugee's difficulty (a) in opening a bank account without a permanent address and (b) gaining an address without a bank account.
tabling member constituency	Leeds North West
tabling member printed	Alex Sobel
uin	116385
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/12/2017 answer text <p>People granted refugee status have the same entitlement to benefit as UK citizens. We are working closely with the Home Office to ensure that newly granted refugees are aware of this and receive support to make a claim to benefit where needed.</p><p> </p><p>While bank accounts do remain DWP’s preferred method of payment, it is recognised that some customers including refugees, may have difficulty accessing or opening an account before their first payment of benefit is due. In such cases DWP can make payments via alternative methods such as Post Office card accounts, Simple Payments or into a third party account. These payment methods are available to customers without a permanent address.</p> answering member constituency Gosport answering member printed Caroline Dinenage question first answered 04/12/2017 16:36:28 answering member 4008 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Dinenage
tabling member	4658 label Biography information for Alex Sobel