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1200751

	registered interest
	date	04/06/2020
	answering body	Northern Ireland Office
	answering dept id	21
	answering dept short name	Northern Ireland
	answering dept sort name	Northern Ireland
	hansard heading	Terrorism: Northern Ireland
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government what consultations they (1) have undertaken, and (2) plan to undertake, in regard to the Victims Payments Scheme in Northern Ireland with (a) political parties that are not represented in the Northern Ireland Executive, and (b) civil society representatives in Northern Ireland.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	HL5283
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/06/2020 answer text <p>The Government ran a public consultation in October and November last year on our proposals for legislating for a Victims Payments Scheme. The consultation provided an opportunity for anyone to comment on the shape of the proposed scheme.</p><p> </p><p>In line with the Northern Ireland Office Equality Scheme, we notified our list of consultees - including a wide range of public bodies, political parties, religious and representative organisations - about the consultation. The consultation team also made itself available to meet a range of interested groups and parties to discuss the proposals and the issues arising from them.</p><p> </p><p>We received 367 responses from a variety of parties, individuals, representatives and groups, including the Green Party NI. We carefully considered all written and oral feedback received in making final decisions about the shape of the scheme.</p><p> </p><p>The Northern Ireland Office also engaged with the main parties on the detail of draft guidance that will support the scheme’s independent board in making decisions to award payments.</p> answering member printed Viscount Younger of Leckie question first answered 12/06/2020 12:07:20 answering member 4169 label Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie
	tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1518482

	registered interest
	date	26/09/2022
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Taxation: Disclosure of Information
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have fully to meet the standards for tax transparency set by the General Assembly of the Global Initiative for Fiscal Transparency, including its 14 guiding principles.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	HL2324
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/10/2022 answer text <p>HMRC, in combination with HM Treasury, the Office of Budget Responsibility, Office for National Statistics, and other Government departments are already meeting, or exceeding, areas identified in the 14 guiding principles set by the General Assembly of the Global Initiative for Fiscal Transparency for tax transparency, for example:</p><p> </p><ul><li>HMRC publish an annual report which includes information on the prevailing tax gap and action taken to reduce it, as well as comprehensive accounts and other information on revenues, expenditure, performance and performance plans. This is in addition to separate publications on the measurement of tax gaps and other research conducted by HMRC on taxpayers’ behaviour and tax administration;</li><li>HMRC’s published Annual Report and Accounts, as well as other aspects of its performance and expenditure, are regularly audited by the independent National Audit Office (NAO), and subject to Parliamentary scrutiny. NAO reports of its audits are also published. Revenue and other statistics published by HMRC adhere to the Official Statistics Code of Practice and are also subject to independent audit by the UK’s Statistics Authority;</li><li>The UK Government and HMRC have increased their own transparency by publishing more data, including information about the exercise of powers. Government departments also publish data as part of a cross-Government transparency data publishing requirement, as directed by several letters from the Prime Minister since 2010;</li><li>The UK Government collaborates with international and regional financial institutions, contributing to their published revenue statistics, to improve the fairness, efficiency, and effectiveness of tax administration, including through the <a href="https://www.oecd.org/tax/forum-on-tax-administration/" target="_blank">Forum on Tax Administration</a>; and</li><li>The Tax Assurance Commissioner (TAC) role was created in 2012 to strengthen governance and assurance of tax disputes. The TAC provides assurance to Parliament and the public on the handling of civil tax disputes<em>, </em>and their Report is published as part of HMRC’s Annual Report.</li></ul><p> </p><p>Increasing transparency to improve the public’s trust in the tax system and Government accountability remains a focus for this administration.</p> answering member printed Viscount Younger of Leckie question first answered 10/10/2022 11:29:53 answering member 4169 label Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie
	tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1521534

	registered interest
	date	12/10/2022
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Financial Services
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what recent steps they have taken to determine whether the financial sector presents too great a risk for the UK economy and regulatory structures to bear.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	HL2516
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/10/2022 answer text <p>The Government actively monitors the financial sector and any risks to financial stability and the UK economy more widely. It continues to work closely with the regulators, including the Bank of England and the Financial Conduct Authority, to assess risks and where appropriate coordinate a response with them. The regulators are working with firms to improve their resilience to market shocks, and it is a focus of government to ensure that we have a robust regulatory system. The UK financial sector remains resilient and well capitalised – ensuring it can continue to support households and business and play an important part in the UK economy.</p> answering member printed Viscount Younger of Leckie question first answered 25/10/2022 13:03:09 answering member 4169 label Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie
	tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1522039

	registered interest
	date	13/10/2022
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Refugees: Ukraine
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will consider including refugees arriving under the family visa scheme within the funding of the Homes for Ukraine scheme; and whether they will remove the barriers to exchanging Ukrainian currency for sterling.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	HL2579
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2022 answer text <p>To support those fleeing the conflict, the Government has introduced two visa schemes to welcome Ukrainian refugees to the UK: the Ukraine Family Scheme and Homes for Ukraine. The Ukraine Family Scheme allows applicants to join family members or extend their stay in the UK. Homes for Ukraine allows Ukrainian nationals and their family members to come to the UK if they have a named sponsor under the scheme. Further details on scheme eligibility can be found at GOV.UK. People that enter under both visa schemes support integration by providing full access to social services and welfare in the UK for up to three years.</p><p> </p><p>As each of these schemes uses different routes to support Ukrainians to find safe refuge in the UK, they were set up to be funded differently. The Ukraine Family Scheme is similar to existing family visa routes, and provision of public services from this route will be managed in the usual way. The UK-based family member is expected to provide support and accommodation for those coming to join them, who in turn benefit from the wider integration advantages in joining an existing family network.</p><p> </p><p>On the matter of exchanging Ukrainian currency for sterling, the Government has taken steps to ensure support for incoming Ukrainian nationals opening bank accounts, and Ukrainians are able to convert their currency to GBP electronically at several major banks and electronic money institutions. The industry has also taken measures to support refugees and their access to essential financial services, including commitments to waive certain fees. The Government continues to monitor the situation for Ukrainians in the UK’s financial marketplace closely.</p> answering member printed Viscount Younger of Leckie question first answered 27/10/2022 13:05:00 answering member 4169 label Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie
	tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1522040

	registered interest
	date	13/10/2022
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Public Health and Unemployment
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of recent data from the Office for National Statistics regarding the UK employment rate for October 2022, which found that "UK economic inactivity rate was estimated at 21.7%, which is 0.6 percentage points higher than the previous three-month period"; and what steps they are taking to improve public health, given this is a potential contributory factor for such economic inactivity.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	HL2580
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2022 answer text <p>The latest data indicates that the working age inactivity rate in the three months to August was 21.7%, up 0.6 percentage points on the previous three months and up 0.5 percentage points on the year. The headline employment rate for the three months to August was 75.5%, up 0.3 percentage points on the year. Demand for labour remains strong, with vacancies near record highs and significantly above pre-pandemic levels in the third quarter of 2022 (+51%). The latest data indicates that that the unemployment rate fell to 3.5% in the three months to August, the lowest rate since 1974<em>.</em></p><p> </p><p>Our Plan for Patients, which the Department of Health and Social Care introduced in Parliament on 22 September, sets out our immediate priorities to support individuals to live healthier lives and to strengthen the resilience and health of the nation. This includes moving prevention services closer to the patient, expanding mental health support in schools and increasing support for people to start, stay and succeed in employment. Alongside this, the Department of Health and Social Care is currently reviewing all of its wider priorities with a focus on improving the health of the population across the breadth of the country.</p> answering member printed Viscount Younger of Leckie question first answered 27/10/2022 12:55:38 answering member 4169 label Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie
	tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1181409

	registered interest
	date	27/02/2020
	answering body	Cabinet Office
	answering dept id	53
	answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
	answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
	hansard heading	EU Law
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government why they do not wish the UK to align with EU regulations on environmental standards and workers' rights at the end of the transition period when they have committed to maintain or go further than those regulations.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	HL1982
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/03/2020 answer text <p>The UK is committed to high standards, and has led the way in areas such as workers’ rights and environmental protection.</p><p>After the transition period, which ends on 31 December 2020, the UK will choose its own standards and regulations. This is a fundamental right of a sovereign nation; our Government will uphold our high standards, not because of obligations to European institutions and courts but through our own free will and that of our democratically elected Parliament.</p> answering member printed Lord True question first answered 12/03/2020 16:04:59 answering member 4200 label Biography information for Lord True
	tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1221743

	registered interest
	date	07/07/2020
	answering body	Cabinet Office
	answering dept id	53
	answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
	answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
	hansard heading	Cabinet Office: Advertising
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how much they have spent on paid for sponsored advertising in (1) the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday, (2) the Times, (3) the Telegraph, (4) the Express, and (5) in total, since 23 March; what is their planned future spend for such advertising; and which department is responsible for overseeing such advertising and its cost.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	HL6555
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/07/2020 answer text <p>The Government has developed a strong national campaign to provide information and reassurance to the public about COVID-19. As part of this, we have utilised advertising in over 600 national, regional and local titles across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.</p><p>The Cabinet Office is responsible for overseeing these advertising costs. Cabinet Office publishes expenditure, including on public information campaigns, on a rolling monthly basis on <a href="http://www.gov.uk" target="_blank">GOV.UK</a> as part of routine government transparency arrangements.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord True question first answered 10/07/2020 12:01:38 answering member 4200 label Biography information for Lord True
	tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1224699

	registered interest
	date	14/07/2020
	answering body	Cabinet Office
	answering dept id	53
	answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
	answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
	hansard heading	Public Sector: Contracts
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the level of corporate debt in companies providing essential public services through outsourcing, and (2) any risks such outsourcing presents to the continuation of public services.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	HL6824
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/07/2020 answer text <p>The private sector has a vital role to play in delivering good value, innovative, and high quality public services. We continue to regularly monitor the financial health of suppliers, including all of our strategic suppliers. Throughout these unprecedented times, suppliers have worked with Government to protect the delivery of vital public services and aid the response to the pandemic.</p><p>The Outsourcing Playbook, which was updated in June 2020, includes 11 key policy reforms which help government and industry work better together to deliver quality public services.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord True question first answered 28/07/2020 14:10:01 answering member 4200 label Biography information for Lord True
	tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1239477

	registered interest
	date	30/09/2020
	answering body	Cabinet Office
	answering dept id	53
	answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
	answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
	hansard heading	General Election 2019: Campaigns
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to respond to the findings of the Electoral Reform Society's report, Democracy in the Dark: Digital Campaigning in the 2019 General Election and Beyond, published on 24 September, and in particular, the finding that online campaigning spend and non-party campaigning activity increased significantly, although in an undocumented manner, during the 2019 general election campaign.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	HL8619
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/10/2020 answer text <p>The Government is taking forward a programme of work that will strengthen and update the UK’s electoral regulation to ensure it is fit for the modern age; provides a robust framework for campaign finance; and supports public confidence in our processes.</p><p>Political parties, registered third parties and candidates are already required to report expenses that qualify as electoral expenditure and this includes digital campaigning. We have launched a consultation on digital imprints which will require political parties, campaigners and others to clearly show who they are when promoting campaign content online.</p><p>Across all of this work the intention is to improve transparency to ensure voters can make informed choices, and to enforce spending rules.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord True question first answered 14/10/2020 15:30:36 answering member 4200 label Biography information for Lord True
	tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1239478

	registered interest
	date	30/09/2020
	answering body	Cabinet Office
	answering dept id	53
	answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
	answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
	hansard heading	Political Parties: Finance
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to monitor (1) the level of political funding from companies and individuals associated with (a) the arms trade, (b) tobacco companies (c) private medical companies, (d) pharmaceutical companies, and (e) the financial sector, and (2) the percentage, individually and collectively, that funding by companies and individuals constitutes of the total amount of political spending.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	HL8620
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/10/2020 answer text <p>Lawfully constituted UK companies may make permissible political donations. The Electoral Commission is responsible for regulating party financing. The Commission publishes information relating to donations and loans over £7,500, including the name of the donor and other appropriate such as their address and company registration number. Details are available online.</p> answering member printed Lord True question first answered 14/10/2020 15:31:46 answering member 4200 label Biography information for Lord True
	tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle