The central cost of holding Cabinet in Aberdeen was £1,800. This is a considerable reduction from the cost of regional Cabinet meetings under the previous administration, which were reported through Parliamentary Questions to have cost between £50,000 and £100,000.<\/p>
As was the case under previous administrations, Departments and agencies may also have incurred costs in terms of travel, staff time and other support. The cost of police security is a matter for the relevant police force.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1816", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Wallace of Saltaire"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Wallace of Saltaire"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-07-29", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-07-29T11:41:44.8074325Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "53"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Cabinet Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Cabinet Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-07-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Cabinet: Aberdeen"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government what is the estimated cost to the Exchequer of holding the Cabinet meeting in Aberdeen on 24 February.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/2097", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Seccombe"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Baroness Seccombe"} ], "uin" : "HL1361"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/79463", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/79463/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 sets out the general powers available to the police, including in circumstances when an individual\u2019s identity needs to be established or when false identity information has been provided. Similarly, powers exist under Section 168 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 where the person is suspected of having committed an offence under Sections 28 and 29 of the same Act. The application of any such powers is an operational matter for the police.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3787", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Taylor of Holbeach"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Taylor of Holbeach"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-07-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-07-28T13:21:22.8347738Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-07-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Cycling"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Kramer on 18 July (WA 147) what are the powers available to police officers to establish the correct identity of cyclists who decline to co-operate or who give false identity information.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1813", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Trefgarne"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Trefgarne"} ], "uin" : "HL1362"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/79511", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/79511/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
We believe that more than 400 UK-linked individuals have travelled to Syria and have become involved in the fighting since the start of the uprising. A
significant subset of those have returned to the UK.<\/p>
The number of unlawful incursions into British Gibraltar Territorial Waters by Spanish state vessels totalled 180 between March and 22 July 2014.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3839", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Warsi"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Warsi"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-07-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-07-30T11:02:34.1237992Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-07-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Gibraltar: Spain"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Wallace of Saltaire on 6 May (WA 363), how many incursions into Gibraltarian waters by Spanish government-owned vessels have occurred since February 2014.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3834", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord West of Spithead"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord West of Spithead"} ], "uin" : "HL1323"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/79164", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/79164/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
According to the United Nations\u2019 website (http://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/TreatyBodyExternal/Treaty.aspx<\/a> - accessed on 23 July 2014) on the ratification status of the Convention, 65 States (out of 155 States Parties to the Convention) accepted the right of individual petition under Article 22; this suggests that 90 States, listed on the website, have not yet done so. The UK is committed to a strong and effective international human rights system and we are state party to a number of international human rights treaties including the UN Convention Against Torture. The UK Government however remains to be convinced of the added practical value to people in the UK of rights of individual petitions to the UN, considering that the UK has strong and effective laws under which individuals may seek remedies in the courts or in tribunals if they feel that their rights have been breached. To date, the UK's experience under the two optional protocols it has ratified (in 2004 to the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, and in 2009 to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities) has not provided sufficient empirical evidence to establish the practical benefits of becoming a State Party to a further individual petition mechanism to the UN.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4183", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Faulks"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Faulks"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-07-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "HL1327"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-07-28T11:55:23.4342556Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-07-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "UN Convention against Torture"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government which member states other than the United Kingdom which have ratified the United Nations Convention Against Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment have failed to declare acceptance of the right of individual petition under Article 22 of the Convention.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1665", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Avebury"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Avebury"}
], "uin" : "HL1325"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/79165", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/79165/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The UK Government does not engage in torture, or solicit, encourage or condone its use, and works closely with its international partners to prevent torture occurring anywhere in the world. As requested by the Committee Against Torture, the UK Government submitted, on 31 May 2014, follow up information (available at http://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/human-rights/cat-300520140-uk-follow-up-information.pdf<\/a>) on issues raised by the Committee during the examination of the UK in May 2013. At the Committee\u2019s request, the UK Government will provide its 6th<\/sup> periodic report under the Convention Against Torture, addressing the Committee\u2019s list of issues, in May 2017.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4183", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Faulks"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Faulks"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-07-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-07-28T12:00:34.2046345Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-07-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "UN Convention against Torture"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government what steps they have taken or propose to take to remedy the shortcomings identified by the United Nations Committee Against Torture in the United Kingdom\u2019s compliance with the United Nations Convention against Torture in May 2013 in relation to (1) the alleged torture of Tamil returnees from the United Kingdom, (2) the lack of accountability in respect of allegations of United Kingdom complicity in torture abroad, (3) the detention of torture survivors in the Detained Fast Track System, (4) the lowering of the evidential threshold before a suspected torture survivor is deemed unsuitable for the Detained Fast Track System, (5) the application of Rule 35 of the Detention Centre Rules, (6) the exemption in section 134 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 which provides a defence of lawful authority, justification or excuse to a charge of official intentional infliction of severe pain or suffering, and (7) its concerns about section 5 of the Intelligence Services Act 1994 which provides immunity to intelligence officers once a warrant has been signed by a government minister giving them lawful authority.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1665", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Avebury"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Avebury"}
], "uin" : "HL1326"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/79166", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/79166/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " According to the United Nations\u2019 website (http://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/TreatyBodyExternal/Treaty.aspx<\/a> - accessed on 23 July 2014) on the ratification status of the Convention, 65 States (out of 155 States Parties to the Convention) accepted the right of individual petition under Article 22; this suggests that 90 States, listed on the website, have not yet done so. The UK is committed to a strong and effective international human rights system and we are state party to a number of international human rights treaties including the UN Convention Against Torture. The UK Government however remains to be convinced of the added practical value to people in the UK of rights of individual petitions to the UN, considering that the UK has strong and effective laws under which individuals may seek remedies in the courts or in tribunals if they feel that their rights have been breached. To date, the UK's experience under the two optional protocols it has ratified (in 2004 to the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, and in 2009 to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities) has not provided sufficient empirical evidence to establish the practical benefits of becoming a State Party to a further individual petition mechanism to the UN.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4183", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Faulks"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Faulks"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-07-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "HL1325"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-07-28T11:55:24.1723948Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-07-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "UN Convention against Torture"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government when they will allow the right of individual petition under Article 22 of the United Nations Convention Against Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1665", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Avebury"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Avebury"}
], "uin" : "HL1327"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/79187", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "HM Treasury"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/79187/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Legislative change enacted in, The Criminal Justice Act 1988 (Review of Sentencing) Order (Northern Ireland) 2013 (SR 249/2013) allows the appeal of unduly lenient sentences for fuel fraud to the Court of Appeal. It came into force on 9 December 2013.<\/p> All 22 convictions related to offences prosecuted under Section 170(2)(a) of the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979 for fraudulent evasion of duty. Further details area as follows:<\/p> <\/p> · 15 of the cases were prosecuted for two offences under this Act<\/p> · 12 of these convictions resulted in suspended sentences totalling 104 months, with each being suspended for a period of time between 12 and 36 months<\/p> · One case resulted in the defendant being bound over<\/p> · In nine cases fines of up to £4,000 were imposed - totalling £11,700; and in two of these the defendant was given a period of up to 26 weeks to pay the fine or an additional custodial sentence would be imposed<\/p> · One conviction was converted into a time to pay agreement due to the ill health of the defendant<\/p> · One Confiscation Order was made for £98,000<\/p> · One Compensation Order was made for £500<\/p> <\/p> It would not be prudent to provide the further detailed information requested as they could lead to identification of the individuals concerned and jeopardise the safety of the defendants and their immediate families.<\/p> <\/p> No assessment has been made of how much of the diesel bought in the Republic of Ireland and brought into Northern Ireland is illegally produced or smuggled. However, tax gap figures estimate the market share for all illicit diesel in Northern Ireland at 12-13% in 2011-12 and negligible for petrol.<\/p> https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/measuring-tax-gaps-tables<\/a><\/p> HMRC fights fraud on a wide range of fronts, from special units performing thousands of roadside checks to raiding laundering plants. The UK has recently announced, jointly with Ireland, an improved new marker for rebated fuel, which will make it much harder to launder marked fuel and sell it at a profit.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4262", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Deighton"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Deighton"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-08-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "HL1349"}
, {"_value" : "HL1351"}
], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-08-04T13:56:40.6018153Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "CaTreasury"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-07-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Fuels: Tax Evasion"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government, further to the answer by Lord Newby on 15 July (HL Deb, col 501), what specific legislative change was undertaken specifically to deal with the absence of custodial sentences for illegal production or smuggling of diesel in Northern Ireland; and on what date those legislative changes became effective.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/121", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Mawhinney"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Mawhinney"}
], "uin" : "HL1348"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/79188", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "HM Treasury"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/79188/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Legislative change enacted in, The Criminal Justice Act 1988 (Review of Sentencing) Order (Northern Ireland) 2013 (SR 249/2013) allows the appeal of unduly lenient sentences for fuel fraud to the Court of Appeal. It came into force on 9 December 2013.<\/p> All 22 convictions related to offences prosecuted under Section 170(2)(a) of the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979 for fraudulent evasion of duty. Further details area as follows:<\/p> <\/p> · 15 of the cases were prosecuted for two offences under this Act<\/p> · 12 of these convictions resulted in suspended sentences totalling 104 months, with each being suspended for a period of time between 12 and 36 months<\/p> · One case resulted in the defendant being bound over<\/p> · In nine cases fines of up to £4,000 were imposed - totalling £11,700; and in two of these the defendant was given a period of up to 26 weeks to pay the fine or an additional custodial sentence would be imposed<\/p> · One conviction was converted into a time to pay agreement due to the ill health of the defendant<\/p> · One Confiscation Order was made for £98,000<\/p> · One Compensation Order was made for £500<\/p> <\/p> It would not be prudent to provide the further detailed information requested as they could lead to identification of the individuals concerned and jeopardise the safety of the defendants and their immediate families.<\/p> <\/p> No assessment has been made of how much of the diesel bought in the Republic of Ireland and brought into Northern Ireland is illegally produced or smuggled. However, tax gap figures estimate the market share for all illicit diesel in Northern Ireland at 12-13% in 2011-12 and negligible for petrol.<\/p>