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Written Question
State Retirement Pensions: British National (Overseas)
Thursday 28th March 2024

Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will allow British National (Overseas) visa holders to voluntarily pay up to 15 years' worth of Class 3 national insurance contributions towards a state pension, in cases where such visa holders have been denied access to their Mandatory Provident Fund pension savings by HSBC.

Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

British National Overseas individuals who live or work abroad (or have previously) are usually able to make backdated voluntary National Insurance contributions payments for the previous six tax years where they have either previously lived in the UK for three years in a row or paid at least three years of contributions.

For the tax years 2016 to 2017 and 2017 to 2018 the government has extended the deadline for paying voluntary contributions to 5 April 2025.

The deadline has also been extended to 5 April 2025 for eligible customers to pay voluntary contributions for the tax years 6 April 2006 to 5 April 2016. Further guidance on the eligibility and deadlines for making voluntary contributions, including for those living or working abroad is published online at https://www.gov.uk/voluntary-national-insurance-contributions(opens in a new tab).

The Government keeps all taxes under review.


Written Question
Hong Kong: Pensions
Thursday 28th March 2024

Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will take steps to impose sanctions on Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee for his role in the development of the proposed Article 23 legislation in Hong Kong; and whether they will make representations to HSBC and Standard Chartered to allow Hong Kongers to access to their Mandatory Provident Fund.

Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Government is aware that individuals who have chosen to take up the British Nationals (Overseas) Visa (BN(O)) route are having difficulties in accessing their pensions held in the Hong Kong Mandatory Provident Funds (MPF). Financial institutions operating in Hong Kong do so within a strict legal and regulatory framework. British officials in Hong Kong have raised this directly with the Hong Kong SAR Government and the Hong Kong MPF Schemes Authority and will continue to do so. We have also raised the issue with trustee HSBC directly. We will continue to urge the Hong Kong authorities and all relevant bodies to facilitate early drawdown of funds as is the case for other Hong Kong residents who move overseas permanently. We continue to keep sanctions designations under review. It would not be appropriate to speculate about future sanctions measures as to do so could reduce their impact.


Written Question
Hong Kong: Human Rights
Thursday 28th March 2024

Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the alignment of the proposed Article 23 legislation in Hong Kong with the Sino-British Joint Declaration, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and other international laws and standards; and what assessment they have made of the potential impact of the legislation on British National (Overseas) visa holders, in particular the six exiled Hong Kongers in the UK with arrest warrants and HK$1 million bounties who might be considered “absconders” under the new security legislation.

Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Hong Kong is required to ensure that national security legislation complies with international standards and upholds rights and freedoms, as set out in the Joint Declaration, the Basic Law, and international law. The future application of the new Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, implemented under Article 23 of Hong Kong's Basic Law, enacted on 23 March is likely incompatible with international human rights law and will have a negative impact on the people of Hong Kong in the exercise of their rights and freedoms. That is why the Foreign Secretary on 19 March urged the Hong Kong authorities to respect rights and freedoms and act in accordance with its international commitments and legal obligations. As the Foreign Secretary said on 14 December 2023, we will not tolerate any attempt by any foreign power to intimidate, harass or harm individuals or communities in the UK.


Written Question
Pakistan: Ahmadiyya
Thursday 28th March 2024

Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 11 March (HL2717), whether they will specifically raise with the government of Pakistan why Ahmadi Muslims were not included on the single electoral list with all other voters in the recent elections in that country.

Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

On 22 March I met with Pakistan's newly-appointed Foreign Secretary Ishaq Dar to discuss the inclusivity of the elections and the rights of religious minorities. We will continue to raise human rights issues affecting the Ahmadiyya Muslim community in engagements with the new government and reaffirm the importance of Pakistan respecting the voting rights of all religious communities.


Written Question
Jimmy Lai
Thursday 28th March 2024

Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the call made by the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture on 8 March that Hong Kong and China investigate the admission of evidence allegedly obtained by torture in the trial of Jimmy Lai, and (2) the statement by Caoilfhionn Gallagher KC that evidence which appears to have been procured by torture may be used in proceedings against Jimmy Lai.

Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

On 8 March the UK Ambassador and Permanent Representative, UK Mission to the World Trade Organization (WTO), UN and Other International Organisations (Geneva) highlighted the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture's comments and noted the allegation that some evidence to be used to prosecute Jimmy Lai had been obtained through the torture of Andy Li. Article 15 of the Convention against Torture, which China has ratified, prohibits the use of statements established to have been made as a result of torture in court proceedings. We are clear that no evidence gained via torture can be valid evidence.


Written Question
Chelsea Football Club: Sales
Wednesday 27th March 2024

Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, following the issue of a licence by the Office of Financial Solutions in May 2022 to enable the sale of Chelsea Football Club, why the sale has not been expedited, when the anticipated £2.5 billion realised by the sale will become available to support victims of the conflict in Ukraine, and whether the funds may be used for the creation of an International Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression.

Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the noble Lord to the answer to Question HL2826 given on 13 March 2024, which can be found on the Q&A web pages (https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2024-02-28/hl2826).


Written Question
Ukraine: Crimes of Aggression
Wednesday 27th March 2024

Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure the establishment of an International Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression, and what assessment they have made of the ways that Tribunal’s processes for ensuring that victims of the Crime of Aggression in Ukraine are able to access justice and reparations.

Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The United Kingdom is a member of the Core Group established by Ukraine to explore options for a tribunal for the crime of aggression. We continue to engage proactively in discussions within the group, including on the form that any tribunal might take.


Written Question
Babies
Wednesday 27th March 2024

Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the five recommendations made in the report by the First 1001 Days Movement, A Manifesto for Babies, published on 19 March; and whether they intend to respond to each recommendation.

Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

There is strong evidence that the 1,001 days from pregnancy to the age of two years old set the foundations for our cognitive, emotional, and physical development. Investing in this critical period presents a real opportunity to improve outcomes and tackle health disparities by ensuring that thousands of babies and families have improved access to quality support and services. The Government is therefore already taking forward a range of actions in line with recommendations in the report by the First 1001 Days Movement to ensure that every baby gets the best start in life.

For example, in March 2021, the Government published The best start for life: a vision for the 1,001 critical days, a copy of which is attached. This vision sets out six action areas for improving support for families during the 1,001 critical days to ensure every baby in England is given the best possible start in life, regardless of background.

The Government is also investing approximately £300 million to improve support for families though the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme. The programme is implementing many elements of the Best Start for Life Vision and is delivering a step change in outcomes for babies, children and their parents and carers in 75 local authorities in England, including those with high levels of deprivation. Many local authorities without funding have also chosen to implement elements of the vision.

The programme funding package includes £10 million to enable five local authorities and their partners to pilot innovative early years workforce models, with the aim of improving the access, experience and outcomes of babies, children, and families, and supporting the capacity and job satisfaction of the workforces involved.

To support new parents, Statutory Maternity Pay is paid by employers to qualifying employed women for a maximum of 39 weeks, the first six weeks of which are paid at 90% of the women’s salary followed by 33 weeks at the lower of either the standard rate or 90% of the woman’s average weekly earnings. For those who cannot get Statutory Maternity Pay, Maternity Allowance may be available. This is a benefit paid by the Department for Work and Pensions to eligible women and is intended for those who cannot get Statutory Maternity Pay. The standard rate of maternity pay is reviewed annually.

Paternity Leave arrangements enable employed fathers and partners, including same sex partners, who meet the qualifying conditions to take up to two weeks of paid leave within the first eight weeks following the birth of their child or placement for adoption. The Government has recently announced changes to make Paternity Leave and Pay more flexible for working families from April 2024. This includes allowing fathers and partners to take their leave and pay at any point in the first year after the birth or adoption of their child.

A Shared Parental Leave and Pay scheme is also available, giving working families much more choice and flexibility about who cares for their child in the first year, and when.


Written Question
Ukraine: Crimes of Aggression
Wednesday 27th March 2024

Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, following the decision of the General Assembly of the United Nations to establish a Register of Damages for the Crime of Aggression in Ukraine, what assessment they have made of the categories of claim included; how entries to the Register are to be made; and how the distribution of damages will be determined and audited to deter corruption.

Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK is committed to ensuring Russia pays for its unprovoked war in Ukraine, including in our role as an inaugural member and Chair of the Conference of Parties of the Register of Damage. The Register is an important step in the pursuit of justice and ensuring those responsible are held to account. The Member States of the Register are expected to approve the list of claims categories and the process for submitting claims at the end of March 2024. The Register will have no adjudication functions with respect to claims, including determination of responsibility and allocation of any payments.


Written Question
Ukraine: Reconstruction
Tuesday 26th March 2024

Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the wide range of estimates for the reconstruction of Ukraine; what action they have taken to confiscate Russian assets to contribute to reconstruction costs; and what estimate they have made of the value of those assets.

Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

As the Government has made very clear in parliament and through collective statements at the G7, Russia should pay for the damage it has caused. The World Bank calculates total recovery and reconstruction needs at $486 billion. The UK will remain a credible partner on this by assuring ourselves of the safety, robustness and legality of any proposal to make use of Russian assets to support Ukraine. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine between February 2022 and October 2023, cumulatively £22.7 billion of Russian assets have been reported frozen due to UK financial sanctions regulations.