HM Government takes any reports of suspected breaches of the law very seriously.<\/p>
<\/p>
Information relating to this matter has been received by HM Treasury via its Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI). OFSI are engaging with relevant government agencies as appropriate to ensure the information is properly considered.<\/p>
<\/p>
HM Treasury does not comment further on individual cases.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1091", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bates"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Bates"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-10-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-10-16T13:58:31.027Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "CaTreasury"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2017-10-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Federation Internationale de L'Automobile: Sudan"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of grants from the Federation Internationale de l\u2019Automobile paid to Sudanese motoring organisations; and whether they intend to ask the Serious Fraud Office to investigate the possibility that corrupt payments were made in relation to those grants.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3364", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Cox"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Baroness Cox"} ], "uin" : "HL1645"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/764316", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "HM Treasury"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/764316/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The government recognises the issues the UK\u2019s departure from the EU creates for firms ability to service long-term contracts in force at EU exit. We are considering in particular risks arising from any change of passporting arrangements and the impact on cross-border contracts, including long-term insurance contracts.<\/p>
<\/strong><\/p> Much of the detail of these arrangements remains a matter for the EU exit negotiation process, but we will continue to provide information to help firms deal with the challenges and take advantage of the opportunities as we move towards our future relationship with the EU.<\/p> <\/strong><\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1091", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bates"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Bates"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-10-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-10-16T13:32:37.163Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "CaTreasury"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2017-10-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Insurance"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what assurances they have given regarding the future of long-term insurance contracts in the light of Brexit.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4159", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town"}
], "uin" : "HL1653"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/764318", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "HM Treasury"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/764318/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The arrangements for withdrawal from the EU, including determining the sterling and euro values of the financial settlement, will be a matter for the withdrawal agreement as part of the Article 50 process. The UK government is committed to working with the EU to determine a fair settlement for Britain\u2019s exit and the best deal for UK taxpayers.<\/p> <\/strong><\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1091", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bates"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Bates"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-10-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-10-16T13:23:42.557Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "CaTreasury"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2017-10-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Brexit"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what Sterling to Euro exchange rate they are using to calculate the value of any financial settlement arising from the Brexit negotiations.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1067", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Higgins"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Higgins"}
], "uin" : "HL1655"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/764335", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "HM Treasury"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/764335/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Tobacco Manufacturers\u2019 Association survey reports that 72.5% of smokers purchased tobacco from non-UK duty paid sources. This included legitimate cross-border shopping, which provided it is for personal use, is not subject to UK duty. Therefore, this is not a direct measurement of the illicit market or tax gap.<\/p> <\/p> HMRC publishes annual estimates of the tobacco illicit market on the GOV.UK website. Its latest estimate of revenue losses associated with illicit tobacco was £2.4 billion in 2015-16.<\/p> <\/p> Tackling illicit tobacco, which undermines government taxation and public health policy is a government priority. Since 2000, when the government launched its first strategy to tackle illicit tobacco, the percentage tax gap for cigarettes has reduced in 2015-16 from 22% to 13% and for hand-rolling tobacco from 61% to 32%.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1091", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bates"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Bates"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-10-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-10-16T13:29:57.093Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "CaTreasury"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2017-10-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Tobacco: Smuggling"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the Tobacco Manufacturing Association's recent survey finding that over 70 per cent of tobacco used in the UK is obtained from illicit sources abroad; and what is their assessment of the impact of that finding on health and tax revenues.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/648", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Maginnis of Drumglass"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Maginnis of Drumglass"}
], "uin" : "HL1672"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/764336", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "HM Treasury"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/764336/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Prosecutions for illegal tobacco can be brought for a range of offences from dealing in illicit product, on which UK duty has not been paid, to breaches of the Department of Health\u2019s regulations for tobacco control. Prosecutions can also be brought by a range of organisations including the Crown Prosecution Service and Local Authorities. Data on the total number of cases brought before the courts; the cost of those prosecutions; and the costs or penalties related to all tobacco related offences is not held centrally.<\/p> HMRC is unable to provide specific data relating to \u2018illegal tobacco trading\u2019 and \u2018illegal tobacco purchase and use\u2019, as this split is not recorded in our data. The table below shows the total number of tobacco cases dealt with by HMRC\u2019s Fraud Investigation Service over the past three financial years.<\/p> Financial Year<\/strong><\/p><\/td> Operations Adopted<\/strong><\/p><\/td> Revenue Loss Protected (at date of intervention)<\/strong><\/p><\/td> Number of Individuals Convicted<\/strong><\/p><\/td> Number of Individuals Acquitted<\/strong><\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2014/15<\/p><\/td> 406<\/p><\/td> £988,677,013<\/p><\/td> 237<\/p><\/td> 26<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2015/16<\/p><\/td> 324<\/p><\/td> £1,004,101,439<\/p><\/td> 268<\/p><\/td> 26<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2016/17<\/p><\/td> 365<\/p><\/td> £1,140,300,083<\/p><\/td> 318<\/p><\/td> 39<\/p><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table> <\/p> Please note that the above data do not correlate to each other - they are separate occurrences in a particular financial year.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1091", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bates"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Bates"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-10-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-10-16T13:58:07.077Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "CaTreasury"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2017-10-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Tobacco: Smuggling"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government how many cases of illegal tobacco trading, and illegal tobacco purchase and use, have been brought before the courts in each of the past three years; what was the maximum, and the mean, penalty imposed; and what was the total gross cost of those prosecutions.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/648", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Maginnis of Drumglass"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Maginnis of Drumglass"}
], "uin" : "HL1673"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/764339", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "HM Treasury"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/764339/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The capital structure of a business and the terms of any loan agreements is a commercial decision for the business and its investors or lenders.<\/p> <\/p> Interest expense incurred by a business is generally deductible in calculating taxable profits, but a number of tax rules limit such deductions. These tax rules apply to utilities just as to other sectors. In particular, transfer pricing rules disallow interest deductions in excess of what would be paid to an independent lender. And an unallowable purpose rule prevents deductions for interest on a loan that does not have a commercial purpose. HMRC robustly enforces these rules to ensure they are applied correctly.<\/p> <\/p> Furthermore, in line with OECD recommendations and following extensive consultation, the government is introducing new corporate interest restriction rules in the current Finance Bill to limit the deductions that a business can obtain for financing costs based on the amount of its earnings taxable in the UK.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1091", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bates"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Bates"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-10-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-10-16T13:23:24.827Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "CaTreasury"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2017-10-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Utilities: Loans"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to examine the rate of interest charged on loans from shareholders to UK utilities to establish (1) whether the terms, including rates of interest, are commercial, and (2) the tax deductibility of such interest is legitimate.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3869", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Myners"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Myners"}
], "uin" : "HL1676"}
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