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1144865

registered interest
date	04/09/2019
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Workplace Pensions: Tax Allowances
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, with respect to the National Statistics data published in April, which estimated the total cost of pension tax relief in respect of registered pension schemes for the year ending 5 April 2018 at £36.3 billion including £4.3 billion in tax relief on employee contributions to occupational pension schemes, (1) what is the estimated figure of gross pension contributions on which this figure was based, and (2) what specific assumptions were made as to the rates of tax applicable in arriving at the figure of £4.3 billion; and whether these assumptions included that all employees making contributions to occupational schemes receive the full tax relief to which they are entitled, including those contributing to net pay pension schemes.
tabling member printed	Baroness Altmann
uin	HL17699
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2019 answer text <p><del class="ministerial">It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.</del></p><p> </p><p><ins class="ministerial">HMRC publishes estimates of the cost of pension tax relief which is available in table 6 of HM Revenue and Customs Personal Pension Statistics on Gov.uk. </ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"><em> </em></ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">These estimates were revised on 26<sup>th</sup> September 2019 as part of an overall update to HMRC’s Personal Pension and Pension Relief statistics. Estimates of the cost of tax relief on contributions are produced using the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) for income, individual and employer contributions for members of pension schemes that use the net pay mechanism; and administrative data HMRC holds on relief at source administrative data matched to the Survey of Personal Incomes (SPI) - for income, individual and employer pension contributions for members of pension schemes that use the relief at source mechanism.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">The cost of tax relief for all contributions made by individuals is approximately £6.3bn, broken down as the cost of relief on employee contributions to occupational schemes (£4.2bn), to personal pension schemes (£1.6bn), and self-employed contributions to pensions (£0.5bn). Occupational pensions here includes some master trust pension schemes which use the relief at source method. Personal pensions here includes workplace personal pension schemes (such as group personal pensions).</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">i) The £4.3bn figure referenced is the cost of pension tax relief relating to occupational pension schemes. Estimates of the cost of pension tax relief were revised on September 26<sup>th</sup> 2019 as part of an overall update to HMRC’s Personal Pensions and Pension Relief Statistics. The £4.3bn figure referenced has since been revised to £4.2bn. </ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">This £4.2bn figure of tax relief is derived from around £15.9bn of estimated “relievable” individual pension contributions to occupational pension schemes, (where “relievable” refers to our best estimates of contributions which are within the individual’s pensions Annual Allowance). </ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">ii) Marginal rate tax relief is applied to these estimates of “relievable” contributions as if these contributions were taxed. Estimates are produced assuming all members contributing to all pension schemes receive full marginal rate tax relief on their contributions.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"><em> </em></ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">As noted in the publication, costs are subject to large revisions and have a particularly wide margin of error – reflecting the variety of sources of data (both administrative and survey) required to produce these estimates.</ins></p> answering member printed The Earl of Courtown question first answered 09/09/2019 16:33:08 question first ministerially corrected 08/10/2019 12:38:27 answering member 3359 label Biography information for The Earl of Courtown previous answer version 135351 answering member printed The Earl of Courtown answering member 3359 label Biography information for The Earl of Courtown
tabling member	4533 label Biography information for Baroness Altmann

1144871

registered interest
date	04/09/2019
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Asylum
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the Refugee and the No Accommodation Network Missing the Safety Net, published on 4 September, in particular the finding that the Home Office is frequently failing to provide vulnerable people, including pregnant women, with the asylum support to which they are entitled.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL17705
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/10/2019 answer text <p>We will discuss the report with the authors and respond in due course.</p><p>The report is about support arrangements for failed asylum seekers, who can apply to receive accommodation and other assistance if they would otherwise be destitute and can show that there is a temporary obstacle preventing their departure from the UK . Most of these applications are decided upon within 5 working days, or 2 days if the person is vulnerable, but some take longer because of the need to make further enquiries to establish that the person is eligible to receive the support. There is a right of appeal to the independent Tribunal if the application is refused.</p> answering member printed Baroness Williams of Trafford question first answered 08/10/2019 11:13:37 answering member 4311 label Biography information for Baroness Williams of Trafford
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1144877

registered interest
date	04/09/2019
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	Sudan and Syria: Politics and Government
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 31 July (HL17137), what considerations led them to adopt the positions that “the Assad regime has lost all legitimacy” and that they “have no intention of encouraging the Global Coalition to cooperate with its security forces”; whether they have applied similar considerations in developing their position on Sudan; and, if so, how those considerations were applied to their decision to engage in strategic dialogue with the regime there.
tabling member printed	Baroness Cox
uin	HL17711
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2019 answer text <p><del class="ministerial">It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.</del></p><p><ins class="ministerial">The basis for reaching the conclusion that the Assad regime has lost all legitimacy is the clear evidence of the atrocities the regime has committed against the Syrian people, as documented by the UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria and other independent bodies. These atrocities include, but are not limited to, the repeated use of chemical weapons; repeated violations of international humanitarian law including attacks on civilian infrastructure such as schools and hospitals; and systematic use of torture, including sexual violence, and summary execution against those suspected of opposition to the regime. As the regime's security forces have played a major role in directing and committing these atrocities, we have no intention of encouraging the Global Coalition to cooperate with them.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"><ins class="ministerial">The UK policy towards Sudan has been one of clear and public condemnation of human rights abuses, alongside a very limited process of engagement to explain to the Sudanese Government what needed to change in order that Sudan could progress and their relations with the international community could improve. As the protest movement gathered pace in 2018 and 2019, we publicly supported the calls of those protestors and pressured the government to heed those demands. Our approach has been described by many in the protest movement, and those now in government, as well judged and critical.<ins class="ministerial"> </ins></ins></ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">Our engagement with Sudan's former regime sought to maintain pressure on the then Sudanese authorities to make democratic reforms. The Strategic Dialogues also enabled us to have frank and constructive exchanges on pressing issues such as increasing protections for human rights and macroeconomic reform; the resolution of conflict and matters related to UN peacekeeping; and, to address shared threats including terrorism, modern slavery and illegal migration. We repeatedly raised our deep concern, both publicly and directly on a range of issues, including the response to the protest movement. The UK, alongside Troika partners (US and Norway) and Canada, made clear in a statement of 8 January that the (then) Government of Sudan's actions and decisions towards protestors would impact our approach to future engagement.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"><ins class="ministerial">Following the overthrow of Omar al Bashir, an agreement was reached between the Transitional Military Council and Forces of Freedom and Change who represented the protestors. The UK welcomes the appointment of a civilian led government and Prime Minister Hamdok's agenda of freedom, peace and justice for all in Sudan. We are engaging with him and the newly formed government on how best we can practically support these ambitions towards Sudan's democratic transition. In addition to supporting the reforms and changes that the people of Sudan deserve, we will continue to provide humanitarian assistance to those in need across Sudan.</ins></ins></p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 09/09/2019 16:24:04 question first ministerially corrected 07/10/2019 11:21:27 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon previous answer version 133944 answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	3364 label Biography information for Baroness Cox

1144879

registered interest
date	04/09/2019
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	Sudan and Syria: Politics and Government
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 31 July (HL17137), what was the basis for reaching their conclusions that (1) the Assad regime has lost all legitimacy, and (2) they will not encourage the Global Coalition to cooperate with the Assad regime's security forces; whether they have applied similar considerations in developing their position on Sudan; and if so, how those considerations were applied in their decision to engage in strategic dialogue with the regime in Sudan.
tabling member printed	Baroness Cox
uin	HL17713
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2019 answer text <p><del class="ministerial">It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.</del></p><p><ins class="ministerial">The basis for reaching the conclusion that the Assad regime has lost all legitimacy is the clear evidence of the atrocities the regime has committed against the Syrian people, as documented by the UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria and other independent bodies. These atrocities include, but are not limited to, the repeated use of chemical weapons; repeated violations of international humanitarian law including attacks on civilian infrastructure such as schools and hospitals; and systematic use of torture, including sexual violence, and summary execution against those suspected of opposition to the regime. As the regime's security forces have played a major role in directing and committing these atrocities, we have no intention of encouraging the Global Coalition to cooperate with them.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">The UK policy towards Sudan has been one of clear and public condemnation of human rights abuses, alongside a very limited process of engagement to explain to the Sudanese Government what needed to change in order that Sudan could progress and their relations with the international community could improve. As the protest movement gathered pace in 2018 and 2019, we publicly supported the calls of those protestors and pressured the government to heed those demands. Our approach has been described by many in the protest movement, and those now in government, as well judged and critical.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">Our engagement with Sudan's former regime sought to maintain pressure on the then Sudanese authorities to make democratic reforms. The Strategic Dialogues also enabled us to have frank and constructive exchanges on pressing issues such as increasing protections for human rights and macroeconomic reform; the resolution of conflict and matters related to UN peacekeeping; and, to address shared threats including terrorism, modern slavery and illegal migration. We repeatedly raised our deep concern, both publicly and directly on a range of issues, including the response to the protest movement. The UK, alongside Troika partners (US and Norway) and Canada, made clear in a statement of 8 January that the (then) Government of Sudan's actions and decisions towards protestors would impact our approach to future engagement.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">Following the overthrow of Omar al Bashir, an agreement was reached between the Transitional Military Council and Forces of Freedom and Change who represented the protestors. The UK welcomes the appointment of a civilian led government and Prime Minister Hamdok's agenda of freedom, peace and justice for all in Sudan. We are engaging with him and the newly formed government on how best we can practically support these ambitions towards Sudan's democratic transition. In addition to supporting the reforms and changes that the people of Sudan deserve, we will continue to provide humanitarian assistance to those in need across Sudan.</ins></p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 09/09/2019 16:33:22 question first ministerially corrected 07/10/2019 11:21:57 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon previous answer version 133947 answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	3364 label Biography information for Baroness Cox

1144886

registered interest
date	04/09/2019
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	GCSE: Hearing Impairment
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to meet the National Deaf Children’s Society to discuss its report Deaf children across England fall an entire grade behind at GCSE, published on 20 August.
tabling member printed	Lord Hunt of Kings Heath
uin	HL17720
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2019 answer text <p><del class="ministerial">It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.</del></p><p><ins class="ministerial">The department values the perspective of the National Deaf Children’s Society (NDCS) reports and officials are in regular contact with NDCS to discuss their concerns. </ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">For 2020-21, the department has announced more than £700 million of additional high needs funding. This will fund children with more complex special educational needs and disabilities, including hearing impairment. This represents an increase of 11% compared to 2019-20, leading to a total of over £7 billion. This will help local authorities to manage the pressures that they will face next year.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">The Whole School SEND Consortium, led by nasen, are currently delivering a £3.9 million 2-year programme of work to equip schools to identify and meet their training needs in relation to special educational needs and disability (SEND) and to build the specialist workforce in mainstream and special schools, including support for pupils with hearing impairment. The National Sensory Impairment Partnership, the membership of which includes NDCS, are key partners in the delivery of that programme of work.</ins></p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Agnew of Oulton question first answered 09/09/2019 16:38:56 question first ministerially corrected 04/10/2019 11:09:59 answering member 4689 label Biography information for Lord Agnew of Oulton previous answer version 134495 answering member printed Lord Agnew of Oulton answering member 4689 label Biography information for Lord Agnew of Oulton
tabling member	2024 label Biography information for Lord Hunt of Kings Heath

1144888

registered interest
date	04/09/2019
answering body	Department for Exiting the European Union
answering dept id	203
answering dept short name	Exiting the European Union
answering dept sort name	Exiting the European Union
hansard heading	Borders: Northern Ireland
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their response to the Interim and Final Reports, published by Prosperity UK on 24 June and 18 July, on future arrangements for the border between the UK and the Republic of Ireland, in particular for preserving the integrity of the Belfast Agreement and for avoiding the need for backstop procedures.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL17722
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/10/2019 answer text <p>The Government welcomes the reports by the Alternative Arrangements Commission, it is an important contribution. We have considered it alongside input from technical experts and businesses to inform our approach to removing the Protocol on Ireland / Northern Ireland (known as the backstop) and avoiding a hard border in Northern Ireland, in the context of negotiations on the future agreement between the UK and the EU. We remain firmly committed to the Belfast Agreement and we are steadfast in our commitment to do everything in our power to preserve an open border in Northern Ireland.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Callanan question first answered 07/10/2019 15:01:37 answering member 4336 label Biography information for Lord Callanan
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

1144895

registered interest
date	04/09/2019
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	Environment Protection
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to remain closely aligned with the EU regulatory framework on (1) environmental protection, and (2) food safety standards.
tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
uin	HL17729
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2019 answer text <p><del class="ministerial">It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.</del></p><p><ins class="ministerial">The EU Withdrawal Act 2018 will ensure all existing EU environmental law continues to operate in UK law. We will then have the opportunity, over time and with parliamentary scrutiny, to ensure the legislative framework delivers our aim to be the first generation to leave the natural environment in a better state than we inherited it. We have no intention of weakening our current environmental protections as we leave the EU. We will deliver a Green Brexit, where environmental standards are not only maintained but enhanced. </ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">The UK has world leading standards of food safety and quality, backed by a rigorous legislative framework. We will maintain these high standards once the UK leaves the EU. When we leave the EU, we will keep our existing UK legislation, and the EU Withdrawal Act will convert EU law into UK law as it applies at the moment of exit. Leaving the EU does not change the Government’s commitment to ensuring that our food remains safe and what it says it is.</ins></p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 09/09/2019 16:30:09 question first ministerially corrected 02/10/2019 10:12:04 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble previous answer version 135358 answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick

1144898

registered interest
date	04/09/2019
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	Food and Water: Rationing
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have for rationing to prevent potential food and water shortages post Brexit.
tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
uin	HL17732
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2019 answer text <p><del class="ministerial">It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.</del></p><p> </p><p><ins class="ministerial">Defra is the lead Government department for food and water in Her Majesty’s Government and these sectors are two of the 13 Critical National Infrastructure Sectors in the UK. The food and water sectors are making detailed preparations for all eventualities as we prepare to leave the EU, and rationing will not be implemented.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">The UK’s high degree of food security is built on access to a range of sources including strong domestic production and imports from other countries. This will continue to be the case when we leave the EU whatever the circumstances. The UK Government has well established ways of working with the food industry. Defra Ministers and officials meet regularly with the food industry, who are experienced in dealing with scenarios that can affect food supply, to support contingency planning by the industry as we prepare to leave the EU.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">We are confident that no deal will not have an impact on water supply. We have been working closely with water companies, chemical suppliers, regulators and the devolved administrations on contingency planning, and companies are well advanced in their preparations to make sure they can meet their statutory responsibility to maintain services. It will be the case that our water will continue to be safe and of the same quality customers expect when we leave the EU. </ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">The food and water sectors are engaged with Local Resilience Forums to ensure effective delivery of these sectors at the local level.</ins></p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 09/09/2019 16:33:37 question first ministerially corrected 03/10/2019 15:49:36 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble previous answer version 135356 answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick

1144063

registered interest
date	03/09/2019
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Apprentices: Taxation
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that employers use at least half of their apprenticeship levy spend on new starters.
tabling member printed	Lord Allen of Kensington
uin	HL17551
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2019 answer text <p><del class="ministerial">It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.</del></p><p><ins class="ministerial">The apprenticeship programme is employer-led. The department’s reforms have put employers in the driving seat, supporting them to design the high-quality apprenticeship standards that meet their skills needs. It is also for employers to decide which apprenticeships they offer, when, and to whom.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">Apprenticeships provide valuable opportunities for people of all ages. While the department has no current plans to restrict the use of employer’s levy funds, all aspects of the programme will be kept under review in response to employer feedback and as preparations for a comprehensive Spending Review next year continue.</ins></p> answering member printed Lord Agnew of Oulton question first answered 09/09/2019 16:52:41 question first ministerially corrected 04/10/2019 11:10:59 answering member 4689 label Biography information for Lord Agnew of Oulton previous answer version 135182 answering member printed Lord Agnew of Oulton answering member 4689 label Biography information for Lord Agnew of Oulton
tabling member	4304 label Biography information for Lord Allen of Kensington

1144064

registered interest
date	03/09/2019
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Apprentices: Taxation
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that employers use at least half of their apprenticeship levy spend on apprentices who are under 30 years of age.
tabling member printed	Lord Allen of Kensington
uin	HL17552
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2019 answer text <p><del class="ministerial">It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.</del></p><p><ins class="ministerial">The apprenticeship programme is employer-led. The department’s reforms have put employers in the driving seat, supporting them to design the high-quality apprenticeship standards that meet their skills needs. It is also for employers to decide which apprenticeships they offer, when, and to whom.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">Apprenticeships provide valuable opportunities for people of all ages. While the department has no current plans to restrict the use of employer’s levy funds, all aspects of the programme will be kept under review in response to employer feedback and as preparations for a comprehensive Spending Review next year continue.</ins></p> answering member printed Lord Agnew of Oulton question first answered 09/09/2019 16:52:41 question first ministerially corrected 04/10/2019 11:10:45 answering member 4689 label Biography information for Lord Agnew of Oulton previous answer version 135660 answering member printed Lord Agnew of Oulton answering member 4689 label Biography information for Lord Agnew of Oulton
tabling member	4304 label Biography information for Lord Allen of Kensington