Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether her Department has made an estimate her Department of the potential (a) quantity of and (b) proportion of the total UK oil supplies that will come from Ineos development in Antwerp.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department has not assessed potential supply from the development in Antwerp. Import countries of origin are published monthly in Energy Trends Table 3.14: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/oil-and-oil-products-section-3-energy-trends. The Department does not collect data on facility of origin.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department has received representations from (a) the Scottish Government, (b) local authorities in Scotland, (c) Police Scotland and (d) the Scottish Police Authority on the potential impact of tax rules in relation to employer-provided accommodation on police officers working in (i) rural and (ii) remote areas in Scotland.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
Accommodation can be exempted from tax, providing it meets certain conditions which are set out in HMRC guidance. These rules apply to the whole of the UK and are consistent across different employers. This ensures the UK tax system is simple, easy to understand, and limits the risk of abuse.
The government has no plans to make changes to the tax rules or guidance in this area, but does keep all taxes under review.
The government recognises the critical role police officers play in our communities. However, policing and housing are devolved to the Scottish Parliament and the provision of broader support in these areas, beyond tax relief, is therefore a matter for the Scottish Government.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if her Department will make an assessment of the likelihood of the presence of (a) engines and (b) engine parts produced by UAV Engines, Staffordshire, in the Hermes 450 drone used in the strikes on World Central Kitchen vehicles.
Answered by Alan Mak - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade) (jointly with the Cabinet Office)
We continue to monitor the situation in Israel and Gaza closely but are not commenting on specific licences.
All export licence applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Strategic Export Licensing Criteria. The UK operates one of the most robust and transparent export control regimes in the world.
We are carefully reviewing initial findings of Israel’s investigations into the killing of World Central Kitchen (WCK) aid workers.
The findings of the inquiry must be published in full and followed up with a wholly independent review to ensure the utmost transparency and accountability.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what information his Department holds on oil imported from Indian refineries but originating in Russia to (a) all UK refineries and (b) Grangemouth Refinery.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department collects data on the country of origin and country of despatch of every oil cargo arriving in the UK. The definition for country of origin is in line with international reporting requirements and existing UK non-preferential Rules of Origin. This means that oils must be subject to substantial processing requirements as stated in Section 17(3) of the Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018. In line with these rules, oil products refined in a third country will be considered as originating from that country.
National imports data are published in Energy Trends Table 3.14: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/oil-and-oil-products-section-3-energy-trends.
Individual refinery data are commercially sensitive and not published or otherwise made publicly available by the Department.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what checks her Department carries out on oil imported from foreign (a) refineries and (b) states to ensure that it is not from Russia.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The import, acquisition, supply and delivery of Russian oil and oil products into the UK has been banned since 5 December 2022 and His Majesty’s Government continues to support the sanctions on the Russian regime following their invasion of Ukraine.
All importers of oil and oil products into the UK must provide proof of origin to enforcement authorities to demonstrate that goods are not of Russian origin.
The Department collects data on Country of origin as well as Country of last despatch to ensure oil from Russia is not being diverted through other countries.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether any oil being imported to the UK has been (a) rejected and (b) turned away on the basis that it originated in Russia.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government announced measures against the import of oil of Russian origin or originating in Russia on 21 July 2022. Since that date, HMRC has implemented border controls so that if such consignments were declared onto the Customs Declaration Service, then HMRC would take appropriate enforcement action.
HMRC has a range of enforcement options available such as education, warning letters, issuing compound settlements, seizures / disruptions and in the most serious of cases, referral to the Crown Prosecution Service for consideration for prosecution.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what powers he has impose financial support for new ferry routes as a condition for companies seeking to operate Freeports.
Answered by Jacob Young - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN 2213 on 20 November 2023.
Freeports are not operated by individual companies, but are a partnership of key public and private stakeholders coming together to deliver durable economic growth for their regions.
Private sector operators provide services to meet wider passenger or freight demands and so, new ferry routes are developed on a commercial basis.
More information pertaining to Scottish Green Freeports can be found as this link.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 13 March 2024 to Question 17476 on INEOS: Belgium, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of new business outside the UK on (a) sites and (b) industries in the UK.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
I refer the Honourable Member to the response provided to Question 19719 on 25 March.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 25 March 2024 to Question 19719 on INEOS: Belgium, whether her Department made an assessment of the potential impact of that guarantee on existing and competitor refineries in the UK.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
UK Export Finance conducted its customary due diligence in line with its policies and obligations to inform its decision-making about supporting Project One. This included consideration of environmental, social and climate change risks and impacts, but did not include an assessment of the type specified in the question.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 25 March 2024 to Question 19719 on INEOS: Belgium, what estimate she has made of the number of jobs that will be created as a result of that guarantee.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Department for Business and Trade cannot provide a specific number of jobs supported. As advised in the response to UIN 19719, UK Export Finance's guarantee to commercial lenders will help secure new export opportunities for the UK that would not otherwise have happened, in turn supporting jobs across the UK, both in those businesses with which INEoS contracts direcfly, and in their supply chain.