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Prostitution
Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether their policy on social inclusion includes the provision of ways out of prostitution; and what funds they provide annually for the care of persons leaving prostitution. [HL2015]
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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord West of Spithead): Developing routes out for those involved in prostitution is a key element of “Paying the Price”, the Government's co-ordinated prostitution strategy.
The strategy aims to ensure that agencies that come into contact with those involved in prostitution will provide support and treatment on a voluntary basis, or through diversions from the criminal justice system where appropriate, and through providing advocacy services which can help to ensure that a complete and coherent package of support is available, including drug treatment and health services.
Those at risk of, or involved in, prostitution, have a range of complex needs which can include housing, drug treatment and other health needs, which need to be met primarily by local agencies through local budgets.
Public Spending: Equality Impact Assessments
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 19 February (WA 48) concerning equality impact assessments in Northern Ireland, who decides whether evidence exists of potential equality impact on public authorities. [HL2098]
Lord Rooker: I am advised that it is for public authorities to decide the nature and extent of impact of adopted or proposed policies on affected individuals, using the evidence that exists.
Regulators: Criminal Prosecutions
Lord Lyell of Markyate asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 6 February (WA 192—3) on regulators: criminal prosecution, what were the categories of offences for which the prosecutions were brought. [HL2151]
The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Rooker): The following represent the categories of offences which were the subject of criminal proceedings.
The Environment Agency brought criminal proceedings under a number of statutory provisions, such as the Hazardous Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2005, the Land Drainage Act 1991, and the Salmon and Fisheries Act 1975, but the majority of prosecutions were commenced for offences under Section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (The illegal deposit of waste) and Section 85 of the Water Resources Act 1991 (Water pollution).
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The prosecutions commenced in England and Wales were all for felling without an appropriate licence, contrary to Section 9 of the Forestry Act 1967, as amended.
All proceedings were brought under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended by Schedule 9 to the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000).
Lord Lyell of Markyate asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Darzi of Denham on 30 January (WA 130) on regulators: criminal prosecutors, what were the categories of offences for which the prosecutions were brought. [HL2164]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Darzi of Denham): The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is the enforcement body for legislation relating to food hygiene, specified risk material (SRM) and animal by-product identification in approved establishments, primarily slaughterhouses and meat cutting plants.
The following tables provide a breakdown of the categories of offences pursued for prosecution by the FSA in the past three years. Prosecutions have been listed against the category that covers the majority of offences in the case, although some of the prosecutions covered two or three categories:
| England, Wales and Northern Ireland | |||
| Food Hygiene | SRM | Animal By-Product | |
| Scotland | |||
| Food Hygiene | SRM | Animal By-Product | |
No prosecutions were brought by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority or the Human Tissue Authority.
Republic of Ireland: UK Citizens
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
What representations the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission made to its counterpart in the Republic of Ireland concerning the ban on United Kingdom citizens purchasing property in parts of that country unless they have a major qualification in Irish; and [HL2129]
What representations the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission made to its counterpart in the Republic of Ireland concerning the ban on United Kingdom citizens obtaining employment in that country unless they speak Irish. [HL2130]
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Lord Rooker: As the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission remains independent of government, the noble Lord may wish to write to the commission directly on this matter.
Revenue and Customs
Lord Marlesford asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the average cost of employing each of the 4,500 HM Revenue and Customs officers who cover United Kingdom ports and airports. [HL2198]
Lord Davies of Oldham: On the 1 February 2008 HMRC employed around 4,500 officers whose duties included deployment to ports and airports, as well as inland locations.
The average salary for these mainstream (ie non senior civil service) staff is £29,538. This figure includes employer’s contribution for national insurance and superannuation.
Taxation: Evasion
Lord Dykes asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will take steps to tackle tax evasion in offshore tax havens, in addition to their proposal for an annual levy on persons residing in the United Kingdom but not domiciled there for tax purposes; and [HL2067]
Lord Davies of Oldham: Evasion is the deliberate omission or misrepresentation to gain a tax advantage, and HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) targets evaders through enhanced data matching capabilities, as well as by amending legislation to remove opportunities for evasion. The recent offshore disclosure arrangements under which 45,000 people made disclosures yielded around £400 million. This work is underpinned by the Government's introduction of the new penalty regime to deter and penalise tax evasion.
The Government are also committed to tackling offshore tax evasion. They are working with the OECD and the EU to promote transparency and exchange of information, which are key to tackling the problem.
The Government are in the process of negotiating tax information exchange agreements with British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependences and have recently concluded one with Bermuda. Following the 2007 offshore disclosure arrangements, the Government are also in discussion with the banking industry with regard to obtaining further offshore account information on UK residents.
The Government actions to target offshore tax evasion need to be clearly distinguished from the proposed changes to the rules on residence and domicile. The remittance basis of taxation does not represent a form of tax evasion. Rather, it offers an alternative basis of taxation, which helps to make the
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Taxation: Non-Domiciles
Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether any Ministers are either non-domiciled or not resident and ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom for tax purposes. [HL2141]
Lord Davies of Oldham: HMRC is under a statutory duty not to disclose the tax affairs of individuals.
Lord Inglewood asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many professional footballers currently playing in the United Kingdom are not domiciled in the United Kingdom for tax purposes. [HL2244]
Lord Davies of Oldham: HM Revenue and Customs is under a statutory duty not to disclose the tax affairs of individuals.
Vietnam: Human Rights
Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will make representations to the Government of Vietnam for clemency for Nguyen Van Dai and Le Thi Cong Nhan, both lawyers, and Rev Nguyen Van Ly, for reasons of respect for freedoms of thought and expression and time already spent in custody. [HL2104]
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Malloch-Brown): Together with our EU partners, we have raised our concerns with the Government of Vietnam over the arrest and sentencing of several peaceful human rights defenders in Vietnam. These include Nguyen Van Dai, Le Thi Cong Nhan and Father Nguyen Van Ly, who have been charged with “conducting propaganda against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam”. We will continue to do so.
The biannual EU-Vietnam Human Rights Dialogue is our main forum for discussion of human rights issues. Our ambassador in Hanoi attended the last dialogue, which was held in Hanoi on 19 December 2007. We also raise our concerns with the Government of Vietnam independently of the dialogue, both bilaterally and with our EU counterparts. For example, my honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Meg Munn, raised our concerns on human rights with the Vietnamese Foreign Minister at the Association of South East Asian Nations summit in Singapore on 23 November 2007 and with the Deputy Foreign Minister during his visit to London on 29 November 2007. Additionally, she raised the issue with the Vietnamese ambassador on 9 October 2007.
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Visas
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
Why staff at the United Kingdom visa application centre in Singapore are advising applicants that they should not indicate their maiden name in section 1.3 of the VAF-1 application form if the maiden name is not recorded in their current passport, when the guidance notes advise otherwise. [HL2167]
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Malloch-Brown): The entry clearance manager at our high commission in Singapore is not aware of any instances where visa applicants have been advised by staff at the visa application centre (VAC) not to include their maiden name in section 1.3 of visa application form VAF-1. However, the manager of the VAC has been instructed to ensure that applicants complete all data fields on the form, including the “other names” section.
Waste Management: Brofiscin Quarry
The Countess of Mar asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether any of the original witness statements and evidentiary materials provided to the chairman of the Environment Agency and to officials of Environment Agency Wales by Mr Douglas Gowan were sent to the firm of Lovells in the United States as part of the evidence for remediation of Brofiscin Quarry in the case against Solutia Inc and Monsanto in the US Bankruptcy Court. [HL2006]
The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Rooker): The Environment Agency has sent no original documentation supplied by Mr Douglas Gowan to Lovells.
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The Countess of Mar asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the role of the Environment Agency Wales in the determination of action to be taken for remediation work on the site of Brofiscin Quarry and the identification of “appropriate persons”. [HL2007]
Lord Rooker: The Environment Agency's role in Wales is set out in detail in the Welsh Assembly Government's Part 2A Statutory Guidance on Contaminated Land (2006) which is issued under Section 78E(5) of Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Chapter C of the guidance deals with the remediation of contaminated land. It details the steps required of the enforcing authority to ensure that the remediation is reasonable, practical, effective and durable. Chapter D of the guidance deals with exclusion from, and appointment of, liability for remediation including the identification of potential appropriate persons and liability groups.
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