Asked by: Baroness Curran (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to mark the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade on 25 March.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The slave trade was abhorrent. We recognise its horrific impacts, and the ongoing strength of feeling. The UK marked the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade on 25 March with other United Nations member states in the General Assembly in the usual manner.
Asked by: Baroness Curran (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have met recently with representatives of Caribbean governments; and whether the legacy of slavery and its impact on the Caribbean was discussed.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We fully recognise the horrific impacts and the understandable strength of feeling on the transatlantic slave trade across communities in the UK and the Commonwealth family. Ministers have had no discussions with Caribbean counterparts focused on the legacy of slavery since July 2024, and none are planned. If interlocutors raise reparatory justice, we make clear our position that we do not pay reparations. We are focused on working with Caribbean partners to tackle the most pressing challenges of today including security, growth, climate change and building partnerships for the future.
Asked by: Baroness Curran (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what safeguards he plans to put in place to ensure the security of Scottish NHS data shared with HM Revenue and Customs.
Answered by David Gauke
Any taxpayer data held by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is subjected to strict safeguards.
HMRC take their duty of confidentiality very seriously and cannot disclose any information acquired or held unless specifically provided for by law. All HMRC information is subject to stringent data security controls and unlawful disclosure of taxpayer information is potentially a criminal offence.
Asked by: Baroness Curran (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with Scottish Ministers on the sharing of Scottish NHS data with HM Revenue and Customs.
Answered by David Gauke
Treasury ministers discuss a wide range of issues with their ministerial counterparts, including in the Scottish Government. In line with the practice followed by previous administrations, details of such discussions are not routinely disclosed.
Asked by: Baroness Curran (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many children in Scotland are living in (a) relative and (b) absolute poverty.
Answered by Alistair Carmichael
Estimates of the number and proportion of children in relative and absolute low income are published in the National Statistics Households Below Average Income series. These estimates are available as three-year averages to 2012/13, and show that in 2010/11-2012/13 the number and percentage of children in relative and absolute low income was 0.2 million (17%) and 0.2 million (18%) respectively.
Asked by: Baroness Curran (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions he has had with (a) Ministers of the Scottish Government and (b) his ministerial colleagues on the sharing of Scottish NHS data with HM Revenue and Customs in relation to implementation of the Scottish rate of income tax.
Answered by Alistair Carmichael
The Scottish Government is consulting until the end of February on whether HMRC should be allowed access to NHS Scotland data (name, date of birth, postcode and gender data) to support the identification of Scottish taxpayers, who will pay tax at the Scottish rate of income tax from April 2016. Discussions have taken place between the two administrations and there will be further discussions after the conclusion of the consultation.
Asked by: Baroness Curran (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the effect on oil and gas receipts of the fall in the price of Brent crude to $56 a barrel.
Answered by David Gauke
The independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) published forecasts for oil and gas revenues in the December 2014 Economic and Financial Outlook. The report shows that these tax receipts are expected to be £15.8bn over the forecast period. The March 2015 forecast will incorporate the impact of recent changes in the oil price.
The global fall in oil prices should provide a boost to the economy and support UK and global growth. Falling oil prices contributed to annual CPI inflation of 1.0 per cent in November, the lowest level of inflation in 12 years, and reductions in petrol and diesel prices, which are now at their lowest levels since September 2010. On 5th January 2015, diesel was down 18.28p/l on its July 2014 peak, at 117.93p/l, and petrol down 20.05p/l at 111.06p/l.
Asked by: Baroness Curran (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Answer of 7 January 2013 to Question 135835, on Dover House, whether building work on the first floor of 70 Whitehall has been concluded; and when the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is expected to vacate Dover House.
Answered by Lord Maude of Horsham
Under plans agreed prior to the 2010 General Election, 70 Whitehall is undergoing modernisation works. As a result, there are no current plans for the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office to vacate Dover House.
Asked by: Baroness Curran (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what assessment he has made of the effect on employment in Scotland of the fall in the price of oil.
Answered by Alistair Carmichael
While sustained lower oil prices are challenging for companies active in the North Sea, it is important to recognise that the industry is cyclical. The majority of operators and investors make their assessments on long term outlooks taking into account potential fluctuations in prices.
The UK Government is committed to supporting this vital industry that creates jobs and generates investment. This support includes the full implementation of the Wood Review recommendations and the package of fiscal changes and initiatives announced by the Treasury in early December designed to ease the tax burden on the industry.
Asked by: Baroness Curran (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, where testing of samples from patients in Scotland suspected of having Ebola takes place.
Answered by Jane Ellison
Since 1 December 2014, Ebola testing facilities are being provided through NHS Lothian by the Scottish National Viral Haemorrhagic Fever Test Service, based at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. Prior to December, all samples were sent to the Rare and Imported Pathogens Laboratory testing facility at Porton Down in Wiltshire.