Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether declarations of interest were received by UK Government Investments from Tom Cooper on his appointment as a Director in 2017 in respect of (a) Inside Track 1 LLP, (b) Inside Track 2 LLP, and (c) Ingenious Film Partners 2 LLP, when he was appointed as a Director in 2017.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
As with all external interests of its staff, UKGI discussed the disclosure of Tom Cooper’s membership and passive investment interest in film partnerships managed by Ingenious Media at the time of his appointment. Tom Cooper is not and has not been a director of these entities.
Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps UK Government Investments took to ensure there were no conflicts of interest in the appointment of Tom Cooper as a Director in 2017; and whether other directorships were required to be declared as part of the appointment process for that post.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
UK Government Investments (UKGI) requires all staff, including directors, to declare any external appointments on joining the organisation and on an ongoing basis where new appointments arise during the course of their appointment at UKGI. This is to ensure there are no conflicts of interest arising from its staff holding external posts and so any potential conflicts of interest can be managed appropriately.
Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will require directors of UK Government Investments to publish details of their commercial clients.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
The details of external appointments and interests held by UKGI Board members, including non-executive and executive directors, are published in UKGI’s annual report. UKGI staff are required to declare the details of any external appointments internally in line with UKGI’s policy. These interests are not published. There are currently no plans to change this policy.
Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether there is any stipulation within the appointments procedures of his Department that would prevent a person who was previously a member of a tax avoidance vehicle from becoming an official within his Department.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
HM Treasury’s appointment procedures set out that all Civil Servants working in the Department must follow the Civil Service Code, which includes a commitment to the Civil Service and its values.
Furthermore, any external interests are required to be declared to HM Treasury upon joining the organisation, plus ongoing as they arise thereafter.
Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether UK Government Investment pays UKGI director Mr Thomas Cooper’s salary through his firm TKGC Consulting.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
All UKGI employees are remunerated directly and not via any external firm.
Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps UK Government Investments has taken to ensure that there is no conflict of interest in UKGI director Mr Tom Cooper’s ownership and management of a private consulting firm TKGC Consulting.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
As with all external interests of its staff, UKGI discussed the disclosure of Tom Cooper’s ownership and management of private consulting firm TKGC Consulting following its incorporation.
In considering the external interests of its staff, UKGI ensures it has asked for appropriate detail in determining whether a conflict of interest exists and so that it can satisfy itself that the external position or interest held by a staff or board member is appropriate and in line with its existing priorities.
Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 19 May 2021 to Question 77, what assessment he has made of whether the comments made by the Fraud Investigation Service director at HMRC in response to enforcement action in the North East in September 2015 were in breach of HMRC’s statutory duty of taxpayer confidentiality; and who was responsible for authorising the publication of those comments.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The comments made by the Fraud Investigation Service director in HMRC in response to enforcement action in the North East in September 2015 were not in breach of HMRC’s statutory duty of confidentiality. It is right and proper that HMRC raise public awareness of suspected fraud on this scale and of the action they are taking in response to tackle it. None of the comments made related to the details of an individual taxpayer.
Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 15 June 2021 to Question 11491 on Niramax, how many press releases and press comments HMRC have made on landfill tax fraud in the last five years.
Answered by Jesse Norman
HMRC do not collate data on all the comments/press releases issued so they are unable to provide an accurate answer to the question asked within the timeframe.
The statutory duty of confidentiality referred to in the answer of 15 June 2021 relates to the legislation as set out at Section 18 of the Commissioners for Revenue and Customs Act of 2005.
The request to break down the number of interventions by region and year is not possible to fulfil within the timescale allowed as HMRC do not record the data in that format. HMRC can give details of the number of risks closed as follows: 2018, 250 risks closed; 2019, 235 risks closed; 2020, 293 risks closed; and 2021, 238 risks closed. Information in the form requested is not readily available and could only be compiled at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 15 June 2021 to Question 11491 on Niramax, to set out these cases (a) by region and (b) by year.
Answered by Jesse Norman
HMRC do not collate data on all the comments/press releases issued so they are unable to provide an accurate answer to the question asked within the timeframe.
The statutory duty of confidentiality referred to in the answer of 15 June 2021 relates to the legislation as set out at Section 18 of the Commissioners for Revenue and Customs Act of 2005.
The request to break down the number of interventions by region and year is not possible to fulfil within the timescale allowed as HMRC do not record the data in that format. HMRC can give details of the number of risks closed as follows: 2018, 250 risks closed; 2019, 235 risks closed; 2020, 293 risks closed; and 2021, 238 risks closed. Information in the form requested is not readily available and could only be compiled at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 15 June 2021 to Question 11491 on Niramax, which piece of legislation creates this statutory duty.
Answered by Jesse Norman
HMRC do not collate data on all the comments/press releases issued so they are unable to provide an accurate answer to the question asked within the timeframe.
The statutory duty of confidentiality referred to in the answer of 15 June 2021 relates to the legislation as set out at Section 18 of the Commissioners for Revenue and Customs Act of 2005.
The request to break down the number of interventions by region and year is not possible to fulfil within the timescale allowed as HMRC do not record the data in that format. HMRC can give details of the number of risks closed as follows: 2018, 250 risks closed; 2019, 235 risks closed; 2020, 293 risks closed; and 2021, 238 risks closed. Information in the form requested is not readily available and could only be compiled at disproportionate cost.