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1666491

registered interest
date	23/10/2023
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	British Nationals Abroad: Abduction and Homicide
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to use the new sanctions regime to help prevent attempts to (a) kill and (b) kidnap British residents.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	203837
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/10/2023 answer text <p>Sanctions are one tool in our foreign policy toolkit. We situate their use within the UK's broader foreign policy objectives. The UK uses sanctions when we judge that they will be effective to achieve our foreign policy goals. It is a longstanding policy that we do not comment on future sanctions designations as to do so may reduce their impact.</p> answering member constituency Berwick-upon-Tweed answering member printed Anne-Marie Trevelyan question first answered 25/10/2023 16:08:12 answering member 4531 label Biography information for Anne-Marie Trevelyan
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1666492

registered interest
date	23/10/2023
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Interest Rates
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions his Department has had with business on interest rates.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	203838
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/10/2023 answer text <p>Treasury ministers and officials hold regular discussions with businesses, both individually and through their representative organisations such as the Federation of Small Businesses, the Institute of Directors, The 100 Group and the British Chambers of Commerce, on a range of issues affecting businesses including interest rates.</p> answering member constituency Arundel and South Downs answering member printed Andrew Griffith question first answered 26/10/2023 09:59:16 answering member 4874 label Biography information for Andrew Griffith
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1666493

registered interest
date	23/10/2023
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Ukraine: Cereals
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help secure the export of grain from Ukraine.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	203839
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/10/2023 answer text <p>The UK strongly condemns Russia's continued attacks on Ukrainian ports and grain infrastructure. Ukrainian grain exports are crucial for global food security. We are working closely with Ukraine and other partners to ensure Ukraine is able to continue to export grain by the most optimal routes. These include overland European routes, Danube ports and Ukraine's maritime corridor from its Black Sea ports, which increasing flows of commercial shipping are now using. As this corridor is the most efficient and economical route, recent discussions with Ukraine and other partners have focussed on ensuring its commercial viability and security against Russian attacks.</p> answering member constituency Aldershot answering member printed Leo Docherty question first answered 25/10/2023 16:05:11 answering member 4600 label Biography information for Leo Docherty
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1666494

registered interest
date	23/10/2023
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	Personal Independence Payment: Medical Examinations
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of initial PIP assessments.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	203840
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/10/2023 answer text <p>Assessment quality is a priority for both the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) providers and the department. The department works extensively with providers to make improvements to guidance, training, and audit procedures, to ensure a quality service. A high standard is maintained by having an independent audit function that continually monitors performance and provides feedback to providers.</p><p> </p><p>DWP monitors providers against a range of measures and monthly performance meetings are in place to support delivery of the contracts and ensure that where action is required, it can be focused and targeted. Improvements in the PIP assessment process have been supported by two independent reviews and DWP has also taken on board recommendations from the Work and Pensions Committee.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>In addition, the department’s Health Transformation Programme (HTP) is modernising Health and Disability benefit services. It will create a more efficient service and a vastly improved claimant experience, reducing journey times and improving trust in our services and decisions. Furthermore, an ongoing programme of engagement and research has been established to ensure that the design and delivery of the HTP is rooted in evidence.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 25/10/2023 10:42:29 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1666495

registered interest
date	23/10/2023
answering body	Department for Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	217
answering dept short name	Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Local Press: Sustainable Development
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of trends in the number of journalists on the sustainability of local media reporting.
tabling member constituency	Easington
tabling member printed	Grahame Morris
uin	203808
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/10/2023 answer text <p>We are working to support journalism and local newsrooms to ensure the sustainability of this vital industry.</p><p>This includes our new digital markets regime, which will help rebalance the relationship between online platforms and those who rely on them – including local press publishers.</p><p>Additionally, our support for the sector has included the delivery of the £2 million Future News Fund; the zero rating of VAT on e-newspapers; the extension of a 2017 business rates relief on local newspaper office space until 2025; the publication of the Online Media Literacy Strategy; and the BBC also supports the sector directly, through the £8m it spends each year on the Local News Partnership, including the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.</p> answering member constituency Maldon answering member printed Sir John Whittingdale question first answered 26/10/2023 08:05:48 answering member 39 label Biography information for Sir John Whittingdale
tabling member	3973 label Biography information for Grahame Morris

1666496

registered interest
date	23/10/2023
answering body	Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept id	216
answering dept short name	Science, Innovation and Technology
answering dept sort name	Science, Innovation and Technology
hansard heading	Internet: Safety
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she has made an assessment of the adequacy of age verification and estimation technology for meeting requirements in the Online Safety Bill.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	203841
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/10/2023 answer text <p>Age verification technologies are well developed and already in use across a range of sectors, including financial services and the online sales of age restricted goods. Age estimation technologies are developing rapidly and there are a growing number of privacy-preserving tools being developed that will ensure that platforms know the age of their users and can provide a safe and age-appropriate experience for children.</p><p>Ofcom will set out in its guidance examples of the kinds of age verification and age estimation measures that can be used to meet the duties set out in the Bill – this includes setting out the kinds of technologies that are highly effective in determining whether a particular user is a child for the purpose of protecting children from pornography and other primary priority content that is harmful to children.</p> answering member constituency Sutton and Cheam answering member printed Paul Scully question first answered 25/10/2023 16:04:47 answering member 4414 label Biography information for Paul Scully
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1666498

registered interest
date	23/10/2023
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Driving Tests
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress he has made on (a) increasing the availability of driving tests and (b) reducing the wait time between bookings for people retaking their tests.
tabling member constituency	Warrington South
tabling member printed	Andy Carter
uin	203963
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/10/2023 answer text <p>As of 23 October 2023, there were 571,820 car practical driving tests booked, and 72,787 driving tests available within the 24-week booking window.</p><p>The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is taking all the measures it can to reduce driving test waiting times. This includes carrying out overtime, such as at weekends and on public holidays, buying back annual leave from driving examiners (DE) and, inviting recently retired DEs to return to work.</p><p> </p><p>Since April 2021, measures put in place by the DVSA to reduce waiting times for its customers, together with the ongoing recruitment of DEs, is creating on average over 40,000 extra car test slots each month.</p><p> </p><p>The DVSA has also deployed all eligible managers and administrative staff back on the front line to do driving tests from the beginning of October 2023 until the end of March 2024, which will create around 150,000 test slots.</p> answering member constituency North West Durham answering member printed Mr Richard Holden question first answered 26/10/2023 06:51:04 answering member 4813 label Biography information for Mr Richard Holden
tabling member	4791 label Biography information for Andy Carter

1666499

registered interest
date	23/10/2023
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Personal Savings: Taxation
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to ensure consistency of collection of tax on the interest of savings that are not due until maturity of the savings bond.
tabling member constituency	Warrington South
tabling member printed	Andy Carter
uin	203964
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/10/2023 answer text <p>The taxation of interest arising on savings bonds depends on the terms and conditions applying to each and may differ as not all savings bonds are the same.</p><p> </p><p>Income tax is charged on the full amount of interest ‘arising’ to a person in a tax year and interest normally ‘arises’ when the amount is received or is credited to an account on which the holder is free to draw.</p><p> </p><p>The terms of a savings bond may be that interest is credited each year and, once credited, the bondholder is able to draw on it. In this case, the interest arises each year and is taxed each year as it is credited.</p><p> </p><p>On the other hand, it is possible that interest may be credited each year, but the terms of the bond may mean the bondholder cannot draw on it or benefit from it until the end of the term. In that case all the interest paid on the bond would be regarded as ‘arising’ when it became available to the bondholder on maturity of the bond.</p><p> </p><p>This long-standing position is explained in HMRC’s guidance at <a href="https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/savings-and-investment-manual/saim2440#:~:text=Interest%20'arises'%20when%20it%20is,when%20interest%20arises%20see%20SAIM2400." target="_blank">SAIM2440</a>, and there have been no recent changes.</p><p> </p><p>In either case, to the extent that the interest arising in any year is not covered by personal allowances, such as the Personal Savings Allowance, the tax will be collected in the same way, usually through a taxpayer’s PAYE code or a self-assessment tax return.</p> answering member constituency Arundel and South Downs answering member printed Andrew Griffith question first answered 26/10/2023 10:56:17 answering member 4874 label Biography information for Andrew Griffith
tabling member	4791 label Biography information for Andy Carter

1666500

registered interest
date	23/10/2023
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Cervical Cancer: Northern Ireland
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has had recent discussions with local health trusts in Northern Ireland on waiting lists for smear tests.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	203842
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/10/2023 answer text <p>We have had no direct discussions with the Department of Health in Northern Ireland or local health trusts on the waiting list for smear tests.</p> answering member constituency Lewes answering member printed Maria Caulfield question first answered 25/10/2023 13:46:08 answering member 4492 label Biography information for Maria Caulfield
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1666501

registered interest
date	23/10/2023
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Electric Vehicles: Prices
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of trends in the price of electric cars (a) in 2022-2023 and (b) predicted for 2023-24.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	203843
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/10/2023 answer text <p>The cost of electric cars is projected to fall rapidly over the next two to three years as energy prices normalise and electric car production costs continue to fall. DfT forecasts are that by 2026, a typical fully electric car will cost the same to lease and operate as an equivalent petrol car, once lower running costs are considered. From 2027 onwards the forecast is that it will be cheaper to lease and operate a fully electric car than a petrol equivalent.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman question first answered 26/10/2023 07:19:00 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon