Margaret Hodge

The latest guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) recommend Sativex to treat moderate to severe spasticity in adults with multiple sclerosis, if other pharmacological treatments for spasticity are not effective. The decision on whether to prescribe must be taken by a specialist clinician on a case by case basis and funding of this medicine is subject to local National Health Service decisions. On 6 September, NHS England issued a reminder to clinical commissioning groups of the NICE guidance relating to Sativex and their responsibilities and will be monitoring uptake.

The latest guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) recommend Sativex to treat moderate to severe spasticity in adults with multiple sclerosis, if other pharmacological treatments for spasticity are not effective. The decision on whether to prescribe must be taken by a specialist clinician on a case by case basis and funding of this medicine is subject to local National Health Service decisions. On 6 September, NHS England issued a reminder to clinical commissioning groups of the NICE guidance relating to Sativex and their responsibilities and will be monitoring uptake.

There have been 5,818 items for Sativex prescribed on a National Health Service prescription and dispensed in the community in England and submitted to the NHS Business Services Authority for reimbursement for the period November 2019 to July 2021, the latest data available. There have been 11,897 items of Sativex issued to patients in secondary care in England between November 2019 and June 2021, the latest data available.

The number of patients admitted to each of the Nightingale Hospitals is not available in the format requested. Admission date is published at trust level but not for individual hospitals.

NHS England and NHS Improvement collect and publish accident and emergency attendances and emergency admissions data by trust at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/ae-waiting-times-and-activity/ae-attendances-and-emergency-admissions-2020-21/

As announced last year, the impact of the global pandemic on the UK economy has forced us to take the tough but necessary decision to temporarily reduce how much we spend on Official Development Assistance (ODA) to a target of spending 0.5% of Gross National Income (GNI) on ODA, rather than 0.7%. As we have set out in the Integrated Review, this is a temporary measure and we will return to 0.7% when the fiscal situation allows. No decisions on individual country or sectoral budget allocations have yet been made.

The recently-published Integrated Review is clear about the UK's commitment to being a Force for Good, supporting open societies. We will use our aid budget and British expertise to strengthen democratic institutions, human rights, free media, protect the civic space, and promote effective governance, including combatting corruption and illicit financial flows. Championing this agenda is not only essential for future development progress, but also to protect our values and interests in a world where open societies are under threat.

As announced last year, the impact of the global pandemic on the UK economy has forced us to take the tough but necessary decision to temporarily reduce how much we spend on Official Development Assistance (ODA) to a target of spending 0.5% of Gross National Income (GNI) on ODA, rather than 0.7%. As we have set out in the Integrated Review, this is a temporary measure and we will return to 0.7% when the fiscal situation allows.

We are now working through the implications of these changes for individual programmes. No decisions on individual country or sectoral budget allocations have yet been made. The UK remains a world-leader in international development and, based on current GNI forecasts, we will spend over £10 billion of ODA in 2021.

As announced last year, the impact of the global pandemic on the UK economy has forced us to take the tough but necessary decision to temporarily reduce how much we spend on Official Development Assistance (ODA). The UK will remain a world leading donor, spending over £10 billion in 21/22. No decisions on sectoral budgets have been made yet.

The Foreign Secretary has set out seven core priorities for the UK's aid budget this year, including defending open societies. The recently published Integrated Review sets out the UK Government's commitment to fight corruption and illicit finance as threats to democratic values and open societies around the world. The UK will ensure effective governance and resilience at home and cooperate with other countries on the basis of transparency and good governance.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is providing all reasonable assistance to enable each of the Territories' governments to establish a publicly accessible register of the beneficial ownership of companies registered in their jurisdictions.

In July last year the UK Government ran a series of workshops for Territory governments drawing on expertise from a range of UK departments and executive agencies, including Companies House, BEIS and the Home Office, and from the Crown Dependencies. Last November, together with Open Ownership - an organisation which supports countries to introduce beneficial ownership registers - the UK ran webinars for the Territories to scope out individual needs. All Territories now have access to direct, individualised assistance from Open Ownership.

The level of financial support offered to Territories depends upon their individual circumstances. Many Overseas Territories are fiscally constrained and their economies have been hit hard by COVID-19. For those Territories most in need, the UK Government will provide financial support.

The Government recently welcomed announcements made by Territories' governments committing to the introduction of publicly accessible registers.

The government is currently in the process of developing guidance on the expanded version of the Trust Registration Service (TRS). This guidance will cover the circumstances and process which will apply to those seeking access to the register.

HMRC will publish the detailed guidance in advance of the relevant provisions coming into effect.

The government recognises the need for effective and proportionate measures to ensure that information held on the Trust Registration Service (TRS) is correct and up to date. We are currently working to determine the precise resources required to monitor listings on the expanded TRS once it is operational.

Information on the proportion of properties in the UK that are owned via trusts is not held at present. Property in the UK is held by a variety of different structures, including trusts.

There are various reasons that a trust may be required to register on the forthcoming expansion to the Trust Registration Service. Any of the trusts that meet these requirements may hold UK property. Additionally, non-UK trusts that acquire UK land going forward will be required to register.

To date, the work of HMRC in response to the Panama Papers and Paradise Papers has protected over £188.2 million in revenue, and from the current portfolio of civil and criminal investigations it is estimated that a further £12.6million will be protected.

This is broadly consistent with the HMRC 2018-19 annual report publication, where it was stated that cases linked to the Panama Papers are forecast to produce more than £190 million in yield.

In February 2021, the Economic Crime Strategy Board were asked to approve a joint set of public-private priorities for Financial Year 2021 which built on the commitments set out in the Economic Crime Plan (2019). These included:

1. Improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the whole system response to economic crime, increasing high value intelligence to law enforcement and reducing low value activity that costs business and delivers little benefit
   b. Design and deliver a comprehensive Fraud Action Plan
   c. Bolster public private operational action to tackle known vulnerabilities, including cash-based money laundering, abuse of Money Service Businesses, and abuse of Trust and Company Service Provider
   d. Continue to deliver SARs reform, including the next stages of the rollout of the new IT infrastructure and the increase in UK Financial Intelligence Unit staffing
   e. Finalise the Sustainable Resourcing Model to support economic crime reform
   f. Develop legislative proposals to tackle fraud, money laundering, seize more criminal assets, and to strengthen corporate transparency (e.g. Companies House Reform)
   g. Capitalise on the G7 Presidency to strengthen the overall international response to illicit finance and anti-corruption.

Further information about investments in Economic Crime will be publicly available once the Spending Review 2021 settlement and departmental budget allocations have been agreed with HM Treasury.

The review of Tier 1 (Investor) visas granted between June 2008 and April 2015 is being finalised.

It will be published in due course.

We strongly disagree with the Court of Appeal’s judgment and are seeking permission to appeal to the Supreme Court.

Criminal enforcement of financial sanctions uses broader law enforcement resources that cover bribery, corruption and sanctions evasion. The National Crime Agency’s annual National Strategic Assessment of Serious and Organised Crime includes an assessment of the threats from bribery, corruption and sanctions evasion.

Criminal enforcement of financial sanctions uses broader law enforcement resources that cover bribery, corruption and sanctions evasion. The National Crime Agency’s annual National Strategic Assessment of Serious and Organised Crime includes an assessment of the threats from bribery, corruption and sanctions evasion.

We continue to analyse the responses, and will be publishing a Government response to the consultation.

The Building Safety Bill was published in draft on 20 July 2020 and has undergone pre-legislative scrutiny by the HCLG Select Committee. The Government has been considering the Committee’s report and recommendations and will introduce the Bill as soon as Parliamentary time allows. We recognise that these are important public safety measures, which is why the Government is committed to advancing the Bill as quickly as possible so that reforms can be implemented in a timely manner and residents can feel safe, and be safe, in their homes.

The research is advancing and is currently scheduled to conclude at the end of 2021.

The number of accepted applications and amount of funding allocated from the Building Safety Fund so far can be found in the Building Safety Fund Registration Statistics, available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/remediation-of-non-acm-buildings#building-safety-fund-registration-statistics .

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) is the responsible department and the decision-making body for the Building Safety Fund. We are working with the Greater London Authority (GLA) in London and Homes England (HE) outside London to administer the fund as Delivery Partners. The GLA and HE will draw on specialist expert legal and cost consultancy support to help assess applications.

We will be authorising publication of our GRECO Fifth Round compliance report in due course, in line with established process.

It is vital that those who hold public office are held to the highest standards and if they abuse these positions it should be clear what punishments they could face. We welcome the Law Commission’s report into Misconduct in Public Office and will respond in due course.

The Government is considering the case for reforming the law on corporate criminal liability for economic crime and expect to publish a response to the Call for Evidence shortly.

The Government is considering the case for reforming the law on corporate criminal liability for economic crime and expect to publish a response to the Call for Evidence shortly.