Asked by: David Davis (Conservative - Goole and Pocklington)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate her Department has made of the number of specific licences granted by the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation under the category of legal fees that permitted the use of frozen assets to (a) initiate and (b) pursue legal proceedings against UK (i) citizens and (ii) residents; and what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of its policies on licensed funds on Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation.
Answered by Rachel Blake
The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation does not hold data in a form that would allow it to identify how many legal fees licences have been granted permitting the use of frozen assets to fund legal action against UK citizens or residents.
Following an internal review commissioned by Treasury Ministers, the Government set out its position in a Written Ministerial Statement in January 2023, confirming that OFSI's legal fees licensing decisions must carefully balance the fundamental right to legal representation against the wider aims and purpose of sanctions. Whilst it remains for the Courts, not the Government, to decide whether legal claims should be permitted to succeed, the Government is clear that courts and the legal system must not be used by those seeking to silence investigations in the public interest.
As a result of the review, the Government committed to further targeted changes to the legal fees licensing process, introducing a presumption that applications for specific licences relating to defamation and similar cases will be rejected, and amending the Russian and Belarusian Legal Services General Licence so that it no longer authorises legal fees for such cases.
In parallel, the Government announced primary legislation tackling Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs), including a statutory definition, an early dismissal process, and costs protection, and updated the delegation framework to make clear when Ministers, rather than officials, must take licensing decisions personally. That primary legislation has since been enacted. The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023, led by the Ministry of Justice, includes provisions specifically addressing SLAPPs, delivering on that commitment. The Act can be found here: Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023.
Asked by: David Davis (Conservative - Goole and Pocklington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many individuals were arrested and charged in the UK on the basis of information provided from European law enforcement databases in each year between 2010 and 2019.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Law enforcement agencies in the United Kingdom make use of a range of domestic and international information sources when preventing, detecting and investigating crime, including information provided from European law enforcement databases. However, neither the Home Office nor UK law enforcement agencies routinely record whether an arrest or charge has resulted from information obtained from a specific law enforcement database.
The Home Office therefore does not hold figures for the number of individuals arrested and charged in the United Kingdom on the basis of information provided from European law enforcement databases between 2010 and 2019.
Asked by: David Davis (Conservative - Goole and Pocklington)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of consumer protection legislation regarding forced obsolescence where manufacturers intentionally terminate (a) software and (b) cloud infrastructure required for physical consumer products to function.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
The department considers the current consumer protection framework to be adequate in providing protection against unfair practices.
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, goods or digital content must be of satisfactory quality, fit for a particular purpose and as described by the seller. A trader can upgrade, fix, and improve the features of, or add new features to, digital content so long as it continues to match any description given by the trader. It must also continue to conform with any pre-contract information as to main characteristics, functionality, and compatibility provided by the trader.
Government has also recently given the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) new powers to ensure designated digital firms provide services on fair and reasonable terms. These powers focus on the most powerful firms, supporting competition and tackling harmful practices in UK digital markets. In May, the CMA launched a Strategic Market Status designation investigation into Microsoft's business software, including cloud. This investigation is expected to conclude in February 2027.
Asked by: David Davis (Conservative - Goole and Pocklington)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will introduce mandatory minimum service and functionality periods for smart home devices to prevent sudden product obsolescence.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
The department considers the current consumer protection framework to be adequate in providing protection against unfair practices.
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, goods or digital content must be of satisfactory quality, fit for a particular purpose and as described by the seller. A trader can upgrade, fix, and improve the features of, or add new features to, digital content so long as it continues to match any description given by the trader. It must also continue to conform with any pre-contract information as to main characteristics, functionality, and compatibility provided by the trader.
Government has also recently given the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) new powers to ensure designated digital firms provide services on fair and reasonable terms. These powers focus on the most powerful firms, supporting competition and tackling harmful practices in UK digital markets. In May, the CMA launched a Strategic Market Status designation investigation into Microsoft's business software, including cloud. This investigation is expected to conclude in February 2027.
Asked by: David Davis (Conservative - Goole and Pocklington)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate her Department has made of the volume of electronic waste generated annually by the premature withdrawal of software and cloud infrastructure support for functional hardware devices.
Answered by Mary Creagh
Defra does not have an assessment of the volume of electronic waste generated as a result of the withdrawal of support.
Defra takes electronic waste seriously. Electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) is regulated to incentivise reduction in the amount of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE).
The regulations require producers to report products they place on the market in the 15 EEE categories. Producers must then finance collections and treatment of a proportionate amount of household WEEE each year.
Reports on EEE and WEEE are available on GOV.UK here. The data does not specify the reason for the waste arising.
Asked by: David Davis (Conservative - Goole and Pocklington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which public body is paying the salary of Jonathan Lofthouse, director of turnaround and recovery for NHS England’s North East and Yorkshire region; and what salary is being paid to Mr Lofthouse.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The individual is being paid by Health Humber Partnership on their existing salary. This information is in the public domain, disclosed in Humber Health Partnership organisation’s Annual Report and Accounts. The salary is £290,275.
Asked by: David Davis (Conservative - Goole and Pocklington)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people have been allowed to pay taxes late without penalty in each of the last five years.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with HM Treasury)
HM Revenue and Customs does not hold centrally a dataset that identifies how many individuals have been allowed to pay taxes late without incurring a penalty in each of the last five years.Asked by: David Davis (Conservative - Goole and Pocklington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what were the findings of the review by JMM & Associates – People Matters into leadership issues at the Humber Health Partnership (Hull University Teaching Hospitals and Northern Lincolnshire and Goole Foundation Trust).
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Considering the findings of the JMM & Associates’ People Matters review is a matter for Humber Health Partnership, consisting of the Hull University Teaching Hospitals and Northern Lincolnshire and Goole Foundation Trust, as the employer. Confidentiality and general data protection regulations apply to an employment related investigation.
Asked by: David Davis (Conservative - Goole and Pocklington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what action NHS England took following the findings of the review by JMM & Associates – People Matters into leadership issues at the Humber Health Partnership (Hull University Teaching Hospitals and Northern Lincolnshire and Goole Foundation Trust).
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Considering the findings of the JMM & Associates’ People Matters review is a matter for Humber Health Partnership, consisting of the Hull University Teaching Hospitals and Northern Lincolnshire and Goole Foundation Trust, as the employer. Confidentiality and general data protection regulations apply to an employment related investigation.
Asked by: David Davis (Conservative - Goole and Pocklington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information his Department holds on the (a) advice and (b) approval that was given by NHS England in regard to (i) former CEO Jonathan Lofthouse leaving the Humber Health Partnership, (ii) former chair Sean Lyons leaving the Humber Health Partnership and (iii) the appointment of Lyn Simpson as interim CEO at Humber Health Partnership (Hull University Teaching Hospitals and Northern Lincolnshire and Goole Foundation Trust).
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Appointment and leaving decisions are primarily a matter for Humber Health Partnership or individuals in, or entering into, a contractual relationship with Humber Health Partnership.
Accountability for recruitment decisions sits within the local trust. Contractual obligations must be met and governance followed in line with the requirements of the trust, and if appropriate, the requirements of NHS England, the Department of Health and Social Care, or HM Treasury. NHS England is satisfied that appropriate governance has been followed.