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1133750

	registered interest
	date	20/06/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Defence
	answering dept id	11
	answering dept short name	Defence
	answering dept sort name	Defence
	hansard heading	Armed Forces: Sexual Offences
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to tackle alleged sexual harassment in the Armed Forces.
	tabling member constituency	Aberdeen South
	tabling member printed	Ross Thomson
	uin	267359
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/06/2019 answer text <p>No one should have to work in an environment where they are sexually harassed or experience other forms of inappropriate behaviour which are clearly incompatible with the high values and standards we expect of our people. The Armed Forces are committed to addressing this issue through a range of activities, including surveys and climate assessments, awareness campaigns, and training around equality, diversity, inclusion and values. Addressing this type of behaviour is also a leadership issue and covered in leadership training modules. In addition, each unit in the Armed Forces has at least one trained Equality and Diversity Inclusion Adviser, who has a key role in advising the Commanding Officer on Equality Legislation and, where incidents occur, providing advice to those involved on the option of informal resolution of the matter or submission of a Service complaint.</p><p>We recognise the great courage it takes to come forward and report sexual harassment. Personnel who come forward can have full confidence that all allegations are thoroughly investigated.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 27/06/2019 13:26:41 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
	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

1020871

	registered interest
	date	07/12/2018
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Bankruptcy: Tax Avoidance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	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.
	tabling member constituency	Aberdeen South
	tabling member printed	Ross Thomson
	uin	200150
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/12/2018 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 answering member printed Mel Stride question first answered 17/12/2018 16:00:13 answering member 3935 label Biography information for Mel Stride
	tabling member	4599 label Biography information for Ross Thomson

1020872

	registered interest
	date	07/12/2018
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Revenue and Customs
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he plans to respond to the House of Lords Economic Affairs Sub-Committee report entitled The powers of HMRC: treating taxpayers fairly, HL 242.
	tabling member constituency	Aberdeen South
	tabling member printed	Ross Thomson
	uin	200151
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/12/2018 answer text <p>The Government will respond to the sub-Committee’s report in due course and in the usual way.</p> answering member constituency Central Devon answering member printed Mel Stride grouped question UIN 200140 question first answered 12/12/2018 13:57:24 answering member 3935 label Biography information for Mel Stride
	tabling member	4599 label Biography information for Ross Thomson

1078601

	registered interest
	date	27/02/2019
	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	Christianity: Oppression
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	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.
	tabling member constituency	Aberdeen South
	tabling member printed	Ross Thomson
	uin	226721
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/03/2019 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> answering member constituency Cities of London and Westminster answering member printed Mark Field question first answered 06/03/2019 15:39:10 answering member 1405 label Biography information for Mark Field
	tabling member	4599 label Biography information for Ross Thomson

1078604

	registered interest
	date	27/02/2019
	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	Pakistan: Christianity
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what support his Department is providing to Christians on death row on charges of blasphemy in Pakistan .
	tabling member constituency	Aberdeen South
	tabling member printed	Ross Thomson
	uin	226724
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/03/2019 answer text <p>It is the British Government's longstanding policy to oppose the death penalty in all circumstances and in all countries. We remain deeply concerned by the misuse of the blasphemy laws and the treatment of minority religious communities, including Christians, in Pakistan.</p><p>We regularly raise our human rights concerns with the Government of Pakistan at a senior level. Most recently my colleague Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, the Prime Minister's Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief, discussed the treatment of minority communities with Pakistan's Federal Minister for Human Rights, Dr Shireen Mazari, during his visit to Pakistan on 18 and 19 February. At the UN Universal Periodic Review of Pakistan in November 2017, the UK pressed Pakistan to strengthen the protection of minorities and to explain the steps being taken to tackle the abuse of the blasphemy laws.</p><p>To ensure the United Kingdom is supporting Christians in the best possible way, the Foreign Secretary has commissioned an independent, global review of the support provided to Christians overseas. The Review will consider what additional practical steps the Foreign and Commonwealth Office can take to support persecuted Christians. It will be led by the Bishop of Truro, Rt Revd. Philip Mounstephen, and will make an initial report around Easter.</p> answering member constituency Cities of London and Westminster answering member printed Mark Field question first answered 08/03/2019 14:38:23 answering member 1405 label Biography information for Mark Field
	tabling member	4599 label Biography information for Ross Thomson

1078606

	registered interest
	date	27/02/2019
	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	Burma: Christianity
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	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.
	tabling member constituency	Aberdeen South
	tabling member printed	Ross Thomson
	uin	226725
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/03/2019 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> answering member constituency Cities of London and Westminster answering member printed Mark Field question first answered 06/03/2019 15:43:19 answering member 1405 label Biography information for Mark Field
	tabling member	4599 label Biography information for Ross Thomson

1042301

	registered interest
	date	16/01/2019
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Entry Clearances: Overseas Students
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans his Department has to develop an international student growth strategy.
	tabling member constituency	Aberdeen South
	tabling member printed	Ross Thomson
	uin	209353
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/01/2019 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 answering member printed Chris Skidmore question first answered 21/01/2019 14:58:00 answering member 4021 label Biography information for Chris Skidmore
	tabling member	4599 label Biography information for Ross Thomson

1133748

	registered interest
	date	20/06/2019
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Female Genital Mutilation
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps his Department is taking to increase education and awareness of female genital mutilation in the UK.
	tabling member constituency	Aberdeen South
	tabling member printed	Ross Thomson
	uin	267358
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/07/2019 answer text <p>Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a crime and it is child abuse. The Government is clear that we will not tolerate a practice that can cause extreme and lifelong suffering to women and girls.</p><p>The Home Office’s FGM unit delivers nationwide outreach on FGM. The Unit is providing outreach support to local areas and working to raise awareness of resources available to professionals, including training, best practice examples and information on legislation and policy. Resources include an e-learning package, various communication materials such as leaflets and posters highlighting the legislation and health impacts of FGM, and an online resource pack for local areas.</p><p>We ran a communications campaign between October 2018 and February 2019 to tackle FGM. The campaign sought to prevent FGM by changing attitudes among affected communities through raising awareness of the negative long-term health consequences of FGM. The campaign also raised awareness that FGM is a crime and encouraged communities to report via the NSPCC’s FGM helpline. The campaign supported the objectives of the cross-government Violence Against Women and Girls strategy.</p><p>Earlier this year, the Home Office trained around 1,300 professionals across the country on FGM and forced marriage protection orders. The events raised awareness of the scope and effectiveness of the orders, along with a practical guide to applying, with the aim of encouraging professionals to always consider them in any safeguarding plans.</p> answering member constituency Louth and Horncastle answering member printed Victoria Atkins question first answered 02/07/2019 16:04:46 answering member 4399 label Biography information for Victoria Atkins
	tabling member	4599 label Biography information for Ross Thomson

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