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1167399

	answering body	Home Office
	house id	1
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	answer	answer answer text <p>We will announce the details of the UK’s future immigration system early next year.</p><p>We recognise that international collaboration plays a vital part in the contribution that the creative industries make to the UK’s rich culture and economy. The future system will work in the best interests of the whole of the UK, including that of the creative sector.</p><p> </p>

1167401

	answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	house id	1
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	answer	answer answer text <p>If we leave the EU without a deal, all Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) items that are currently freely traded between the UK and the EU, including musical instruments, will require CITES permits or an import notification. This would mean movement of CITES specimens between the UK and the EU would need to follow the same processes as those currently in place for movement between the UK and the rest of the world. We are working hard to make sure we maintain continuity and minimise disruption for those who trade and move CITES listed species, and have been working closely with the music industry on this issue.</p><p> </p><p>In addition to import/export permits, there are other options which may be more appropriate for musicians looking to move musical instruments. Travelling Exhibition Certificates can be issued to cover instruments that are owned by orchestras (rather than individuals). We have also been increasing awareness of CITES Musical Instrument Certificates. These can be used for non-commercial purposes, including performing, to allow musicians to travel with their own instruments across the UK border in place of CITES import/export permits. These are valid for multiple movements for three years and can be used by individual musicians travelling alone or with an ensemble. They also allow travel outside the EU. In September, we announced the addition of Dover, Eurotunnel, and Holyhead to the list of ports to be designated for CITES movement after exit.</p><p> </p><p>At the recent CITES Conference of the Parties, a decision was made to change annotation number 15 which relates to rosewood species, such as <em>Dalbergia</em>. This will exempt musical instruments made of this wood (including finished musical instrument parts and accessories) and small finished items up to 10kg. This exemption allows a person to travel to any country in the world with a musical instrument or finished product containing less than 10kg of a rosewood or a Bubinga without a CITES permit. The EU Commission are preparing legislation to implement this amendment to the CITES Appendices by amending the Annexes of the EU Wildlife Trade Regulations.</p>

1167403

	answering body	Treasury
	house id	1
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	answer	answer answer text <p>The Government has not carried out a formal assessment of the effect of interchange fee reductions on the number of free-to-use ATMs.</p><p> </p><p>Although the management and deployment of ATMs is a commercial matter for ATM market participants, the Government recognises that widespread access to cash remains extremely important to the day-to-day lives of many consumers and businesses in the UK.</p><p> </p><p>The number of free-to-use ATMs increased for over a decade up to 2017, with the majority of ATMs clustered in areas of high demand and footfall. LINK, the scheme that runs the UK’s ATM network, saw this situation as unsustainable. Therefore, in January 2018, LINK announced reductions to the interchange fee, while taking steps to preserve the broad geographic spread of free-to-use ATMs. This included protections for remote free-to-use ATMs, one kilometre or further from the next nearest free-to-use ATM or Post Office.</p><p> </p><p>In July 2018, LINK responded to lower transaction volumes at ATMs by cancelling the third reduction of interchange fees due in January 2020 and putting on hold the 4th reduction that was due in January 2021.</p><p> </p><p>More recently, LINK committed to protecting free access to cash on high streets – where there are five or more qualifying retailers – and announced £1 million to fund requests for new ATMs from local areas with poor access to cash. Furthermore, UK Finance – the trade association for the UK banking and financial services sector – has launched a Community Access to Cash Initiative, offering grants to local communities to improve cash access.</p><p> </p><p>As of June 2019, there were 48,500 free-to-use ATMs in the UK, which represented 78% of the total number of ATMs. This remains 21% higher than a decade ago.</p>

1167423

	answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	house id	1
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	answer	answer answer text <p>Bahrain remains a Foreign and Commonwealth Office human rights priority country, partly because of the use of the death penalty. Following the execution of three men in July 2019, Lord Ahmad issued a statement expressing deep concern and the UK raised the matter at the September Human Rights Council in Geneva. In addition, I called Dr Sheikh Abdullah, Bahraini Undersecretary for International Affairs following the executions, to express our disappointment. The Government of Bahrain is fully aware of the UK’s clear and longstanding position; we oppose the death penalty in all circumstances and all countries.</p><p>On British assistance, we are committed to supporting Bahrain-led reform and are confident of its positive impact across a variety of areas including building effective and accountable institutions, strengthening the rule of law, and police and justice reform. We continue to monitor events closely, regularly raising human rights concerns with the Government of Bahrain at senior levels, both in private and public, and most recently at the UK-Bahrain Joint Working Group on 17 October.</p>

1167492

	answering body	Treasury
	house id	1
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	answer	answer answer text <p>The Government has not carried out a formal assessment of the effect of interchange fee reductions on the number of free-to-use ATMs.</p><p> </p><p>Although the management and deployment of ATMs is a commercial matter for ATM market participants, the Government recognises that widespread access to cash remains extremely important to the day-to-day lives of many consumers and businesses in the UK.</p><p> </p><p>The number of free-to-use ATMs increased for over a decade up to 2017, with the majority of ATMs clustered in areas of high demand and footfall. LINK, the scheme that runs the UK’s ATM network, saw this situation as unsustainable. Therefore, in January 2018, LINK announced reductions to the interchange fee, while taking steps to preserve the broad geographic spread of free-to-use ATMs. This included protections for remote free-to-use ATMs, one kilometre or further from the next nearest free-to-use ATM or Post Office.</p><p> </p><p>In July 2018, LINK responded to lower transaction volumes at ATMs by cancelling the third reduction of interchange fees due in January 2020 and putting on hold the 4th reduction that was due in January 2021.</p><p> </p><p>More recently, LINK committed to protecting free access to cash on high streets – where there are five or more qualifying retailers – and announced £1 million to fund requests for new ATMs from local areas with poor access to cash. Furthermore, UK Finance – the trade association for the UK banking and financial services sector – has launched a Community Access to Cash Initiative, offering grants to local communities to improve cash access.</p><p> </p><p>As of June 2019, there were 48,500 free-to-use ATMs in the UK, which represented 78% of the total number of ATMs. This remains 21% higher than a decade ago.</p>

1167037

	answering body	Treasury
	house id	1
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	answer	answer answer text <p>We do not comment on the cost of producing coins as this is commercially sensitive information. The cost of producing these coins will be partially offset by the value gained from recycling them.</p><p><strong> </strong></p>

1167038

	answering body	Treasury
	house id	1
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	answer	answer answer text <p>We do not comment on the cost of producing coins as this is commercially sensitive information. The cost of producing these coins will be partially offset by the value gained from recycling them.</p>

1167062

	answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	house id	1
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	answer	answer answer text <p>We are aware of the challenges Sri Lanka faces around water management and quality. Staff at the British High Commission in Colombo raise the issue of water quality in northern Sri Lanka regularly, including during a recent visit to Jaffna in August.</p><p>We understand that compensation has been offered to those affected by water pollution caused by the Chunnakam Power plant. We hope that the settlement will be adequate compensation for the victims of contamination, and that measures are taken to ensure clean water.</p><p>A number of public bodies in Sri Lanka including the national water supply and drainage board have conducted tests and further investigations into the contamination are ongoing.</p>

1167063

	answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	house id	1
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	answer	answer answer text <p>We are aware of the challenges Sri Lanka faces around water management and quality. Staff at the British High Commission in Colombo raise the issue of water quality in northern Sri Lanka regularly, including during a recent visit to Jaffna in August.</p><p>We understand that compensation has been offered to those affected by water pollution caused by the Chunnakam Power plant. We hope that the settlement will be adequate compensation for the victims of contamination, and that measures are taken to ensure clean water.</p><p>A number of public bodies in Sri Lanka including the national water supply and drainage board have conducted tests and further investigations into the contamination are ongoing.</p>

1167072

	answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	house id	1
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	answer	answer answer text <p>The UK’s creative industries and arts sectors are huge success stories and the UK's decision to leave the EU will not change that.</p><p> </p><p>We have maintained a dialogue with these sectors on Brexit, and we know that the movement of people is a key issue for them; both for access to international talent and activities such as touring and collaborating. We understand also that the circumstances of individual trips to the EU are significantly varied, and that changes based on our leaving the EU will be different for each organisation or professional. We will continue our engagement to ensure a growing understanding of the impacts across the sector.</p>