Asked by: Allan Dorans (Scottish National Party - Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Loan Charge, who the deemed employer or promoter was of loan schemes used by Revenue and Customs Digital Technology Services (RCTDS)-employed contractors post 2017; for what reason use of those schemes reportedly continued for three years after the enactment of the Finance Act 2017; and whether the then Comptroller and Auditor General of the National Audit Office audited and signed off RCTDS accounts in 2018.
Answered by Jesse Norman
Revenue and Customs Digital Technology Services Limited (RCDTS) has never participated in disguised remuneration tax avoidance schemes, for example by remunerating contractors through loans or payments to trusts. Since RCDTS engages contractors via agencies or via companies providing services, it is possible for contractors to use disguised remuneration without the participation or knowledge of RCDTS.
It is not possible for HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to provide details of any employers, promoters or schemes due to their statutory duty of confidentiality.
Use of disguised remuneration schemes continued after the enactment of the Finance Act 2017 because promoters continued to sell them, despite the clear view of HMRC that these schemes do not work.
Any RCDTS contractor identified in the course of HM Revenue and Customs’ compliance work as using a disguised remuneration scheme would be investigated in the same way as any other contractor. Where the use of disguised remuneration is found to be current, the relevant engagement is terminated with immediate effect.
The Revenue and Customs Digital Services Ltd accounts ending 31 March 2018, 31 March 2019 and 31 March 2020 were audited by the NAO under Statute.
Asked by: Allan Dorans (Scottish National Party - Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to extend the visas of foreign nationals stranded in the UK due to travel restrictions during the covid-19 pandemic.
Answered by Kevin Foster
The Home Office has put in place measures for visa customers both in the UK and overseas to help during the Covid-19 outbreak and will continue to monitor the situation. The latest information and guidance for customers is available on GOV.UK:
It confirms if you intend to leave the UK but have not been able to do so and you have a visa or leave which expires between 1 September and 31 October 2020, you may request additional time to stay, also known as ‘exceptional assurance’, by contacting the coronavirus immigration team (CIT).
The UK Government is committed to supporting the most vulnerable and is closely monitoring the Covid-19 situation worldwide. Policy decisions will be taken as needed based on how the situation develops.
Asked by: Allan Dorans (Scottish National Party - Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether access to the (a) European Criminal Records Information system and (b) Schengen Information system for (i) Police Scotland and (ii) the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service will be maintained after the transition period.
Answered by James Brokenshire
We continue to discuss with the EU an agreement on law enforcement and criminal justice cooperation in criminal matters. The agreement should equip operational partners on both sides with the capabilities that help protect citizens and bring criminals to justice promoting the security of all our citizens. As set out in the UK’s Approach to Negotiations, we have proposed this should include capabilities similar to those provided by the European Criminal Records Information System (ECRIS) and by SIS II.
Our focus is on reaching an agreement with the EU and we will continue to work hard to achieve it. We are also working closely with the police, other law enforcement and criminal justice agencies in the UK, as well as the devolved administrations, to ensure we are ready for a range of possible outcomes at the end of the year.
Asked by: Allan Dorans (Scottish National Party - Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
What recent discussions he has had with Ministers of the Scottish Government on preparations required for the end of the transition period.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
The UK Government regularly engages the devolved administrations on the negotiations and preparations for the end of the transition period. The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster chaired a meeting of the Joint Ministerial Committee (EU Negotiations) on 3 September, attended by devolved administration Ministers, which included a discussion on readiness. I also chaired one of my regular meetings on readiness with devolved administration Ministers on 1 October. The Government remains committed to continuing this engagement.
Asked by: Allan Dorans (Scottish National Party - Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to support research into understanding the biological mechanisms of long term covid-19 symptoms.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Understanding the biological mechanisms of COVID-19 and its longer-term impacts is a priority topic in UK Research and Innovation’s (UKRI) research response. In partnership with National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), UKRI has announced an £8.4 million project that will investigate the physical and mental health impacts of hospitalised patients. The Post-HOSPitalisation COVID-19 (PHOSP-COVID) study, led by Professor Chris Brightling from the University of Leicester, aims to recruit 8,000 patients from across the UK. This will make it one of the world’s largest studies into the long-term health consequences of COVID-19. Results from the study will inform the development of new and better measures to treat and rehabilitate patients hospitalised with COVID-19.
Additional supported work includes a £0.6 million award to Dr James Peters at Imperial College London for the mechanisms underlying the excessive inflammatory response developed in a subset of COVID-19 patients, and a £0.8 million award to Professor John Greenwood Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, who will use magnetic resonance imaging to diagnose and understand cardiac injuries in COVID-19 patients. These awards were made through the UKRI-NIHR COVID-19 Rapid Response Rolling Call.
Asked by: Allan Dorans (Scottish National Party - Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to support the welfare of British veterans overseas.
Answered by Johnny Mercer - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Minister for Veterans' Affairs)
The Government provides a range of different support measures for British Armed Forces veterans living overseas. Regardless of where a veteran lives, they can receive any Armed Forces Pension, War Pension, Gurkha Pension or Armed Forces Compensation Scheme payments they are entitled to. In addition, healthcare support is also provided. Over 25,000 Gurkha veterans and their families live in Nepal and can access medical care provided by the Gurkha Welfare Trust. In 2019 the Government committed £25m over the next 10 years to improve this healthcare support. Elsewhere, any veteran who has received a gratuity payment due to disablement resulting from service or is in receipt of a disablement pension under the War Pension Scheme can have the costs of treatment met where there is no free healthcare for that condition available in the country they reside. In addition to this financial and healthcare support the Commonwealth Veteran’s Programme provides funding to over 7000 Commonwealth veterans in more than 30 countries to ensure they receive the equivalent of two healthy meals a day. Any Armed Forces veteran can also contact the Veterans UK helpline wherever they reside in the world.
Asked by: Allan Dorans (Scottish National Party - Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to support research into the efficacy of a covid-19 vaccine in older people.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The University of Oxford / Astra Zeneca Phase 3 trial includes arms that specifically looks at safety and efficacy of the vaccine in those aged between 56 – 69 and over 70. For these groups, researchers are assessing the immune response to the vaccine in people of different ages, to find out if there is variation in how well the immune system responds in older people. Other vaccine developers that the Government are working with may also decide to include specific groups such as these in their trials.
In addition to the work that vaccine developers are undertaking, the Government has funded the NHS Registry, developed by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). This national registry is encouraging people who may be disproportionately affected by COVD19, such as older people, older people with underlying health conditions and people from different ethnic groups, to volunteer for clinical trials. This includes supporting the development of communications materials to provide information on taking part in COVID 19 vaccine trials via the NIHR website (Be Part of Research).
Asked by: Allan Dorans (Scottish National Party - Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent steps his Department has taken to prepare for the UK potentially not associating to Horizon Europe after the transition period.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
In tandem with our negotiations to associate to EU programmes we, as a responsible government, are developing alternative schemes to support international research and innovation collaboration. If we do not formally associate to Horizon Europe, we will implement ambitious alternatives as quickly as possible from January 2021 and address the funding gap. We will launch an ambitious new Discovery Fund offering sizeable grants over long periods of time to early, mid and late-career researchers, whether already in the UK or coming here from anywhere in the world, to pursue ground-breaking research. We will scale up and enhance prestigious domestic schemes, providing funding to allow UK researchers and innovators to seize opportunities and to allow our institutions to attract and retain international talent and we will make funding available to allow UK partners to participate in European schemes open to third countries.
Asked by: Allan Dorans (Scottish National Party - Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to support private investment in the UK hydrogen economy.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
At Spring Budget 2020, the Chancellor announced a commitment of at least £800m for the deployment of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) in the 2020s. These assets will play an important role in the production of hydrogen made from fossil fuels, otherwise known as blue hydrogen as they share the same infrastructure. .
Additionally, last year, the Government announced a £100m Low Carbon Hydrogen Production Fund to incentivise future private sector investment in low carbon hydrogen, whilst in July this year, the Government published a response to a consultation on CCS business models, including for low carbon hydrogen production.
These measures will ensure that the UK economy is well-placed for future strategic decisions on the use of hydrogen, and that the private sector has sufficient confidence to provide investment.
Asked by: Allan Dorans (Scottish National Party - Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the APHA Cites applications currently processed in Bristol, what progress he has made on replacing the paper-based application process for a licence to export live falcons with an online process; and what the timescale is for the completion of that process.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) are continuing to develop an electronic permitting (e-permitting) system through which traders and individuals would be able to apply for CITES permits and certificates online. The system would be accessible for all CITES listed specimens including live falcons.
Timelines for progressing this work are currently subject to further discussion however we remain committed to delivering an efficient and modern domestic regime.