Asked by: Margaret Hodge (Labour - Barking)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many legitimate interest trust data requests his Department have (a) received and (b) responded to since 1 September 2022.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
Since 1 September 2022, HMRC has received 19 Trust Data Requests under the ‘Offshore Company’ category and 29 Trust Data Requests under the ‘Legitimate Interest’ category. This figure includes all contact received through this route and may include some contact that is not appropriate to the trust data request process.
HMRC has reviewed 28 of these requests to date and identified 16 that were submitted in error. Of those reviewed and not submitted in error, HMRC has responded to six ‘Offshore Company’ requests and two ‘Legitimate Interest’ requests. The average response time to ‘Offshore Company’ requests since 1 September 2022 is 20 weeks. The average response time to ‘Legitimate Interest’ requests since the 1 September 2022 is 17 weeks.
Asked by: Margaret Hodge (Labour - Barking)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the average response time to offshore company trust data requests has been since 1 September 2022.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
Since 1 September 2022, HMRC has received 19 Trust Data Requests under the ‘Offshore Company’ category and 29 Trust Data Requests under the ‘Legitimate Interest’ category. This figure includes all contact received through this route and may include some contact that is not appropriate to the trust data request process.
HMRC has reviewed 28 of these requests to date and identified 16 that were submitted in error. Of those reviewed and not submitted in error, HMRC has responded to six ‘Offshore Company’ requests and two ‘Legitimate Interest’ requests. The average response time to ‘Offshore Company’ requests since 1 September 2022 is 20 weeks. The average response time to ‘Legitimate Interest’ requests since the 1 September 2022 is 17 weeks.
Asked by: Margaret Hodge (Labour - Barking)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the average response time to legitimate interest trust data requests has been since 1 September 2022.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
Since 1 September 2022, HMRC has received 19 Trust Data Requests under the ‘Offshore Company’ category and 29 Trust Data Requests under the ‘Legitimate Interest’ category. This figure includes all contact received through this route and may include some contact that is not appropriate to the trust data request process.
HMRC has reviewed 28 of these requests to date and identified 16 that were submitted in error. Of those reviewed and not submitted in error, HMRC has responded to six ‘Offshore Company’ requests and two ‘Legitimate Interest’ requests. The average response time to ‘Offshore Company’ requests since 1 September 2022 is 20 weeks. The average response time to ‘Legitimate Interest’ requests since the 1 September 2022 is 17 weeks.
Asked by: Margaret Hodge (Labour - Barking)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many offshore company trust data requests were (a) received and (b) responded to by HMRC following the introduction of the Register of Overseas Entities in August 2022.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
Since 1 September 2022, information on the beneficial ownership of trusts held by HMRC’s Trust Registration Service is accessible to organisations or persons who can demonstrate a ‘legitimate interest’ in the trust information as part of an investigation into a specified suspected instance of money laundering or terrorist financing; or where the trust holds a controlling interest in an offshore company. The Government believes that this process strikes the appropriate balance between the right of privacy and the vital public interest of assisting those investigating money laundering and terrorist financing
The trust data request process only applies to trust information held on the Trust Registration Service. The process cannot be used to obtain trust information held on the Register of Overseas Entities unless that same information is separately held on the Trust Registration Service.
Interested parties have been able to submit trust data requests to HMRC since 1 September 2022. HMRC takes data protection seriously and assesses each request to ensure that information is only released where it is appropriate to do so. Further information on how HMRC handles trust data requests can be found at https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/trust-registration-service-manual/trsm60060.
Asked by: Margaret Hodge (Labour - Barking)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many legitimate interest trust data requests were (a) received and (b) responded to by HMRC following the introduction of the Register of Overseas Entities in August 2022.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
Since 1 September 2022, information on the beneficial ownership of trusts held by HMRC’s Trust Registration Service is accessible to organisations or persons who can demonstrate a ‘legitimate interest’ in the trust information as part of an investigation into a specified suspected instance of money laundering or terrorist financing; or where the trust holds a controlling interest in an offshore company. The Government believes that this process strikes the appropriate balance between the right of privacy and the vital public interest of assisting those investigating money laundering and terrorist financing
The trust data request process only applies to trust information held on the Trust Registration Service. The process cannot be used to obtain trust information held on the Register of Overseas Entities unless that same information is separately held on the Trust Registration Service.
Interested parties have been able to submit trust data requests to HMRC since 1 September 2022. HMRC takes data protection seriously and assesses each request to ensure that information is only released where it is appropriate to do so. Further information on how HMRC handles trust data requests can be found at https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/trust-registration-service-manual/trsm60060.
Asked by: Margaret Hodge (Labour - Barking)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the average response time to offshore company trust data requests has been since the introduction of the Register of Overseas Entities in August 2022.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
Since 1 September 2022, information on the beneficial ownership of trusts held by HMRC’s Trust Registration Service is accessible to organisations or persons who can demonstrate a ‘legitimate interest’ in the trust information as part of an investigation into a specified suspected instance of money laundering or terrorist financing; or where the trust holds a controlling interest in an offshore company. The Government believes that this process strikes the appropriate balance between the right of privacy and the vital public interest of assisting those investigating money laundering and terrorist financing
The trust data request process only applies to trust information held on the Trust Registration Service. The process cannot be used to obtain trust information held on the Register of Overseas Entities unless that same information is separately held on the Trust Registration Service.
Interested parties have been able to submit trust data requests to HMRC since 1 September 2022. HMRC takes data protection seriously and assesses each request to ensure that information is only released where it is appropriate to do so. Further information on how HMRC handles trust data requests can be found at https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/trust-registration-service-manual/trsm60060.
Asked by: Margaret Hodge (Labour - Barking)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the average response time to legitimate interest trust data requests has been since the introduction of the Register of Overseas Entities in August 2022.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
Since 1 September 2022, information on the beneficial ownership of trusts held by HMRC’s Trust Registration Service is accessible to organisations or persons who can demonstrate a ‘legitimate interest’ in the trust information as part of an investigation into a specified suspected instance of money laundering or terrorist financing; or where the trust holds a controlling interest in an offshore company. The Government believes that this process strikes the appropriate balance between the right of privacy and the vital public interest of assisting those investigating money laundering and terrorist financing
The trust data request process only applies to trust information held on the Trust Registration Service. The process cannot be used to obtain trust information held on the Register of Overseas Entities unless that same information is separately held on the Trust Registration Service.
Interested parties have been able to submit trust data requests to HMRC since 1 September 2022. HMRC takes data protection seriously and assesses each request to ensure that information is only released where it is appropriate to do so. Further information on how HMRC handles trust data requests can be found at https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/trust-registration-service-manual/trsm60060.
Asked by: Margaret Hodge (Labour - Barking)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the proposed review into the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation licensing regime will include a review of how the General Licenses for legal fees has been functioning and whether it should be (a) amended or (b) terminated.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
HM Treasury is considering its approach to licensing to see if any changes are required to the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation’s (OFSI) licensing practice in relation to legal fees licence applications. We need to carefully balance the right to legal representation - which is a fundamental one - with wider issues of public policy. There are legal constraints on OFSI's ability to grant and refuse licences - the specific purposes are set out in the Russia sanctions regulations for which the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office is responsible.
The General Licence relating to legal fees is due to expire on 27 April 2023. Before General Licences are renewed or permitted to expire, the permissions are reassessed by HM Treasury to ensure that they remain appropriate.
The Government remains committed to introducing targeted anti-SLAPP legislation to stop this misuse of our legal system. Reforms will include a statutory definition of SLAPPs, an early dismissal mechanism, and costs protection for SLAPPs cases (via secondary legislation). The Ministry of Justice intend to legislate as soon as parliamentary time allows.
Asked by: Margaret Hodge (Labour - Barking)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many applications his Department has received under the General Licence for (a) litigation and (b) legal advice.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
HM Treasury is considering its approach to licensing to see if any changes are required to the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation’s (OFSI) licensing practice in relation to legal fees licence applications. We need to carefully balance the right to legal representation - which is a fundamental one - with wider issues of public policy. There are legal constraints on OFSI's ability to grant and refuse licences - the specific purposes are set out in the Russia sanctions regulations for which the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office is responsible.
The General Licence relating to legal fees is due to expire on 27 April 2023. Before General Licences are renewed or permitted to expire, the permissions are reassessed by HM Treasury to ensure that they remain appropriate.
The Government remains committed to introducing targeted anti-SLAPP legislation to stop this misuse of our legal system. Reforms will include a statutory definition of SLAPPs, an early dismissal mechanism, and costs protection for SLAPPs cases (via secondary legislation). The Ministry of Justice intend to legislate as soon as parliamentary time allows.
Asked by: Margaret Hodge (Labour - Barking)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department's review of the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation's sanctions licensing regime will include a full review of all licenses that have been issued in relation to professional legal fees or the provision of legal services.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
HM Treasury is considering its approach to licensing to see if any changes are required to the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation’s (OFSI) licensing practice in relation to legal fees licence applications. We need to carefully balance the right to legal representation - which is a fundamental one - with wider issues of public policy. There are legal constraints on OFSI's ability to grant and refuse licences - the specific purposes are set out in the Russia sanctions regulations for which the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office is responsible.
The General Licence relating to legal fees is due to expire on 27 April 2023. Before General Licences are renewed or permitted to expire, the permissions are reassessed by HM Treasury to ensure that they remain appropriate.
The Government remains committed to introducing targeted anti-SLAPP legislation to stop this misuse of our legal system. Reforms will include a statutory definition of SLAPPs, an early dismissal mechanism, and costs protection for SLAPPs cases (via secondary legislation). The Ministry of Justice intend to legislate as soon as parliamentary time allows.