Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government to what extent they consider countries’ presence on the Financial Action Task Force's grey and black lists in assessing their suitability for (1) existing trade agreements or (2) trade agreement negotiations.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The UK plays an active role within the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and will continue to work with partners globally to tackle money laundering and the financing of terrorism. We will continue to seek provisions in our trade agreements that address the trade-distorting effects of corruption.
The Government is also committed to publishing a Trade Strategy in Spring 2025 that will be growth-based and future focused and will set out the government’s approach to future trade policy including our overarching approach to trade levers such as trade agreements.
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what implications the presence of Croatia on the Financial Action Task Force grey list has for the provision of British banking services in relation to that country.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) publicly lists jurisdictions with weak anti-money laundering and counter terrorism financing regimes. The Money Laundering Regulations 2017 (MLRs) require regulated businesses, including banks, to undertake ‘enhanced due diligence’ in respect of business relationships and transactions involving countries on the FATF’s lists, defined as ‘High Risk Third Countries’.
Croatia was listed by the FATF in June 2023, so is a High Risk Third Country for the purposes of the MLRs. While enhanced due diligence measures are required, there is no expectation that services linked to a particular country should be withdrawn due to a country’s listing by the FATF.
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether British citizens with residency in a Schengen Area country will be required to register biometrics and fingerprints on their first visit to the Schengen Area after the EU’s entry / exit system is introduced.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) is an automated IT system for registering non-EU nationals travelling for a short stay, each time they cross the external borders of any of the participating European countries.
However, non-EU nationals that hold a residency card or permit in a Schengen Area country and those holding documents showing they qualify as Withdrawal Agreement beneficiaries will not be required to register for EES, this includes British citizens.
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government when the application by China to situate its embassy in a new site in London is expected to be determined; and whether they anticipate any delay to that process, and if so, why.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The planning application for a proposed new Chinese Embassy is currently with the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. The timing of determining the application is a matter for them as the local planning authority. No further comment can be made in respect of this, or any prospective scheme, as to do so may prejudice any future decision the Deputy Prime Minister in her role as Secretary of State for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government may need to make should this application come before her in the future.
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question
To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker what consideration has been given to allowing the Ambassador of China to visit the House of Lords parts of the parliamentary estate.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
In September 2021, in response to Chinese government sanctions being placed upon Members of both Houses of Parliament, Mr Speaker and the Lord Speaker determined that the Ambassador of China would no longer be permitted access to the Parliamentary Estate. The decision of the Speakers remains unchanged.
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government which (1) Secretaries of State, and (2) ministers, had not undertaken anti-money laundering and sanctions courses by 21 July 2024; and whether the Prime Minister has undertaken such courses.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Following appointment to ministerial office, all ministers receive induction briefings from their departments to support them in their ministerial duties.
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the negative impacts that the removal of tax-free shopping from the UK has had and will have for retail businesses across all sectors.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton
As set out at Spring Budget 2024, the government is considering the findings of the Office for Budget Responsibility’s review of the original costing of the withdrawal of tax-free shopping, published in the Economic and Fiscal Outlook on 6 March, alongside industry representations and broader data.
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they plan to deliver the reforms to category B driving licence flexibility proposed by the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles to reduce the barriers to using 4.25 tonne electric vans.
Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Shadow Minister (Home Office)
To support the zero emission van market, the Government has already introduced regulatory flexibilities for electric vans by increasing the regulatory weight threshold from 3.5 tonnes to 4.25 tonnes for driver licence and operator licence rules.
The Department carried out a call-for-evidence on MOT testing last year, which, among other things, asked the public for views on changing MOT testing rules for 3.5t-4.25t zero emission vans. The findings have since been analysed and the Government published its response in January.
Officials have continued to engage with industry on the issues of MOT testing, drivers’ hours and tachographs for 3.5t-4.25t zero emission vans to understand how Government can remove barriers to decarbonisation for fleets. Safety is a primary consideration in assessing any changes to regulatory weight thresholds.
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of current category B driving licence restrictions on uptake of 4.25 tonne electric vans.
Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Shadow Minister (Home Office)
To support the zero emission van market, the Government has already introduced regulatory flexibilities for electric vans by increasing the regulatory weight threshold from 3.5 tonnes to 4.25 tonnes for driver licence and operator licence rules.
The Department carried out a call-for-evidence on MOT testing last year, which, among other things, asked the public for views on changing MOT testing rules for 3.5t-4.25t zero emission vans. The findings have since been analysed and the Government published its response in January.
Officials have continued to engage with industry on the issues of MOT testing, drivers’ hours and tachographs for 3.5t-4.25t zero emission vans to understand how Government can remove barriers to decarbonisation for fleets. Safety is a primary consideration in assessing any changes to regulatory weight thresholds.
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of current MOT rules for 4.25 tonne electric vans on the uptake of such vehicles.
Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Shadow Minister (Home Office)
To support the zero emission van market, the Government has already introduced regulatory flexibilities for electric vans by increasing the regulatory weight threshold from 3.5 tonnes to 4.25 tonnes for driver licence and operator licence rules.
The Department carried out a call-for-evidence on MOT testing last year, which, among other things, asked the public for views on changing MOT testing rules for 3.5t-4.25t zero emission vans. The findings have since been analysed and the Government published its response in January.
Officials have continued to engage with industry on the issues of MOT testing, drivers’ hours and tachographs for 3.5t-4.25t zero emission vans to understand how Government can remove barriers to decarbonisation for fleets. Safety is a primary consideration in assessing any changes to regulatory weight thresholds.