Asked by: David Smith (Labour - North Northumberland)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of steps taken by the (a) Scottish Government, (b) Northern Ireland Executive and (c) Irish Government to commit to using renewable liquid fuels as part of their decarbonisation strategies.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
I refer my hon Friend to the answer I gave on 6 March 2025 to my hon Friend the Member for Truro and Falmouth to Question UIN 35113.
Asked by: David Smith (Labour - North Northumberland)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will have discussions with her US counterpart on the impact of the US Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act on the privacy rights of UK citizens who have US citizenship but have never resided in that country.
Answered by Emma Reynolds - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
US law subjects all US citizens to US taxation, regardless of where they reside. This can include US citizens who were born in the US but who may have left at a young age and have few remaining ties with the country. US tax policy is a matter for the US, and it is not within the power of the UK government to change this.
In 2010, the US introduced the US Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) to combat tax evasion by US tax residents using foreign accounts. FATCA does not create new tax liabilities nor change the basis of US taxation; it is rather a reporting mechanism.
In September 2012, the UK Government signed an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with the US to implement FATCA in the UK. As such, HMRC requires UK financial institutions to report information to HMRC on account holders who are US resident or US citizens and exchanges this information with the IRS annually. In return HMRC receives information about UK tax residents’ accounts in the US.
All of the information exchanged is covered by the secrecy provisions of the UK/US Double Taxation Convention.
Asked by: David Smith (Labour - North Northumberland)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions she has had with the homelessness sector on tackling youth homelessness.
Answered by Rushanara Ali - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to Question UIN 20895 on 19 December 2024.
Asked by: David Smith (Labour - North Northumberland)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has made a comparative assessment between (a) young adults and (b) other age groups experience of homelessness; and if she will help support young adult's needs in the homelessness strategy.
Answered by Rushanara Ali - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to Question UIN 20895 on 19 December 2024.
Asked by: David Smith (Labour - North Northumberland)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the longest period is that a person is in prison over their minimum tariff; and what the original tariff length was for that person.
Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
We believe that disclosing the exact tariff information for a single person would be likely to lead to the individual concerned being identified. For this reason, we have chosen to provide figures for the ten prisoners who have served the longest period over their minimum tariff.
The table below shows ten unreleased prisoners that have served the longest period over their tariff, broken down by their tariff length, as of 31 December 2024. All ten prisoners have served 35 years or more over their minimum tariff.
Minimum tariff length | Number of prisoners |
Less than or equal to 10 years | 6 |
Greater than 10 years to less than or equal to 20 years | 4 |
Notes:
1. Tariff length is the time between date of sentencing and tariff expiry date and does not take into account any time served on remand.
2. Figures only include those with recorded tariff information.
Where a request is made for information and the total figure amounts to five or fewer, we must consider whether this would be likely to lead to the identification of individuals and whether disclosure of this information would be in breach of our statutory obligations under the UK General Data Protection Regulation and/or the Data Protection Act 2018.
Asked by: David Smith (Labour - North Northumberland)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people took their own life in prison while serving an imprisonment for public protection (IPP) sentence in 2024.
Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
There were four self-inflicted deaths of those serving an indeterminate sentence for public protection in 2024. This information can be found in Table 1.7 of the 'Safety in custody: quarterly update to September 2024.
Self-inflicted deaths are any deaths of a person who has apparently taken his or her own life irrespective of intent. This not only includes suicides but also accidental deaths as a result of the person’s own actions.
Asked by: David Smith (Labour - North Northumberland)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what support is provided to people with mental health issues who are serving IPP sentences.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England Health and Justice commissioned healthcare providers deliver both primary and secondary care mental health services to all individuals within the custodial estate, irrespective of their detained status. Each individual will be assessed, their care formulation will be agreed, and appropriate clinical treatment, interventions, and support will be provided. If the individual requires transfer to hospital, the transfer to hospital process will be initiated.
Asked by: David Smith (Labour - North Northumberland)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps the Government is taking to include youth homelessness in the cross-government homelessness strategy.
Answered by Rushanara Ali - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to Question UIN 20894 on 19 December 2024.
Asked by: David Smith (Labour - North Northumberland)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to consult young people on the homelessness strategy.
Answered by Rushanara Ali - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to Question UIN 20894 on 19 December 2024.
Asked by: David Smith (Labour - North Northumberland)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to improve enforcement on people riding e-scooters illegally.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
Tackling anti-social behaviour is a top priority for this Government, and a key part of our Safer Streets Mission. The Government will give police the powers they need to take illegal, dangerous and antisocial vehicles off the streets for good by more quickly seizing vehicles from offenders. We will set out more information in due course.
Enforcement of road traffic law, including in relation to the illegal use of e-scooters, is an operational matter for Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners to decide how to deploy available resources, taking into account any specific local problems and demands.