Asked by: Dominic Raab (Conservative - Esher and Walton)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, what steps the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) is taking to investigate the findings of the US authorities in the case of US V Prevezon et al that funds from the tax fraud against Hermitage Capital, investigated by Sergei Magnitsky, have been transferred to the UK bank account of Renaissance Capital Investment Management Limited; and whether the SFO has been notified or informed that laundered money ending up in that account is estimated to be in excess of $8.3 million.
Answered by Jeremy Wright
As and when matters are brought to the attention of the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) they are assessed in the context of the SFO's remit to investigate fraud, bribery and corruption. If appropriate, relevant matters will be considered for criminal investigation in line with SFO internal procedures. However, in line with its published policy, the SFO does not comment on its assessments or their status at any one time but does publish on its website details of those cases formally adopted for criminal investigation, whenever this is possible without prejudice to the investigation.
Asked by: Dominic Raab (Conservative - Esher and Walton)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what measures he is taking to improve the UK's economic competitiveness.
Answered by Simon Kirby
In any modern economy improving competitiveness means boosting productivity, as it is the key long-term driver of economic prospects. This government has taken significant steps to tackle this issue, investing an additional £23bn in areas crucial to productivity through the National Productivity Investment Fund. At budget we went further, providing an additional £500m per year of spending to support improvements in technical education.
Asked by: Dominic Raab (Conservative - Esher and Walton)
Question to the Leader of the House:
To ask the Leader of the House, when he expects the report stage of the Criminal Finances Bill 2016-17 to take place.
Answered by David Lidington
As the Hon Member is aware, I announce forthcoming business every Thursday morning at Business Questions.
Further proceedings on the Criminal Finances Bill 2016-17 and all other future business will be announced in the usual way.
Asked by: Dominic Raab (Conservative - Esher and Walton)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has subjected (a) Dimitry Klyuev, (b) Pavel Karpov or (c) Andrey Pavlov to an (i) asset freeze or (ii) asset recovery in the last eight years.
Answered by Ben Wallace
The Home Office is responsible for the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. The powers in the Proceeds of Crime Act may be exercised by law enforcement agencies such as the NCA, SFO, constables and HMRC. It is Home Office policy not to comment on individual cases.
Asked by: Dominic Raab (Conservative - Esher and Walton)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people suspected by UK law enforcement of involvement in (a) organised crime, (b) financial crime and (c) serious human rights abuses have been subject to asset (i) freezes or (ii) seizures by HM Revenue and Customs in each of the last eight years.
Answered by Jane Ellison
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) Management Information systems within the Fraud Investigation Service (FIS) do not capture the data sought in a way which is readily available to provide the information requested. HMRC systems do not record which assets may be seized against a Restraint Order unless a Confiscation Order has been raised. Collating the data sought would therefore incur disproportionate costs.
FIS does also provide data to the Home Office Joint Assets Recovery Database system but it is not categorised in a format that would provide the requested data. In order to extract this information, it would require reference to case paperwork and would therefore incur disproportionate costs.
Asked by: Dominic Raab (Conservative - Esher and Walton)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 22 November 2016 to Question 53413, how many people suspected by UK law enforcement of involvement in (a) organised crime, (b) financial crime and (c) serious human rights abuses have been subject to visa bans to prevent them from coming to the UK in each of the last eight years.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
The specific information being asked for is not available in the format requested. The total number of visa refusals can be found in the published stats at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-statistics-april-to-june-2016/list-of-tables#visas
The published statistics include all visa refusals. It is not possible to provide specific reasons for refusal without incurring disproportionate cost. The statistics only include cases where a UK visa application has been made and therefore do not provide a clear record of all those subject to a visa ban. It would exceed the disproportionate cost threshold to provide this breakdown.
Asked by: Dominic Raab (Conservative - Esher and Walton)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people from the alleged Klyuev organised crime group her Department has subjected to an (a) asset freeze and (b) asset recovery in each of the last eight years.
Answered by Ben Wallace
The Home Office is responsible for the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 but does not itself have powers to freeze or recover assets. The powers in the Proceeds of Crime Act may be exercised by law enforcement agencies such as the National Crime Agency, Serious Fraud Office, constables and HM Revenue and Customs.
Asked by: Dominic Raab (Conservative - Esher and Walton)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people, by nationality, suspected by UK law enforcement of involvement in (a) organised crime, (b) financial crime or (c) serious human rights abuses have been subject to (i) asset freezes or (ii) asset recoveries by the Government in each of the last eight years.
Answered by Ben Wallace
The Home Office does not hold information on the number of people who have had assets frozen or asset recovered by the categories described in the question. Furthermore, the nationality of the individual is not routinely recorded.
Asked by: Dominic Raab (Conservative - Esher and Walton)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Russian nationals suspected by UK law enforcement of involvement in (a) organised crime, (b) financial crime or (c) serious human rights abuses have been subject to (i) asset freezes or (ii) asset recoveries by the Government in each of the last eight years.
Answered by Ben Wallace
The Home Office does not hold information on the number of people who have had assets frozen or asset recovered by the categories described in the question. Furthermore, the nationality of the individual is not routinely recorded.
Asked by: Dominic Raab (Conservative - Esher and Walton)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people suspected by UK law enforcement of involvement in (a) organised crime, (b) financial crime or (c) serious human rights abuses have been subject to (i) asset freezes or (ii) asset recoveries by the Government in each of the last eight years.
Answered by Ben Wallace
The Home Office does not hold information on the number of people who have had assets frozen or asset recovered by the categories described in the question. Furthermore, the nationality of the individual is not routinely recorded.