Asked by: Mark Field (Conservative - Cities of London and Westminster)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many victims of human trafficking were located as a result of calls to the NSPCC helpline in the last year; what grant her Department provides towards this provision; what data her Department holds on follow-ups to each call; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Karen Bradley
The NSPCC is contracted by the Home Office to deliver a helpline that enables potential victims of modern slavery to access support services and advice. Between 31 July 2014 and 30 June 2015, 1,220 potential victims were identified by the helpline. 1,060 adult potential victims were identified and referred to the local police force; the Home Office does not hold information on the activity following this referral. 160 potential child victims were identified and were referred though the helpline to the NSPCC Child Trafficking Advice Centre. Each child referral is allocated to a social worker in the team to ensure each child is referred to Children’s Services and other relevant agencies, and that follow up advice is given. The Home Office funding for the contract is £50,000.
Asked by: Mark Field (Conservative - Cities of London and Westminster)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many confiscation orders of what value were made by HM Courts against those convicted of human trafficking offences in England and Wales in each of the last three years; and how much of that money has been awarded to the victims of trafficking.
Answered by Shailesh Vara
The table below shows the total number of confiscation orders and their values made against defendants where the principal offence is categorised as People Trafficking.
The figures provided are for the financial years (April to March) and are based on the original order amount imposed, and therefore some of these orders may have been subject to subsequent appeals and/or variations.
People Trafficking | No. of orders made | Original order amount | Awarded as compensation |
2012 – 2013 | 14 | £457,722.18 |
£68,669.51
|
2013 – 2014 | 22 | £593,415.43 |
£2,542.44
|
2014 – 2015 | 18 | £1,113,038.77 |
£351,838.07
|
Confiscation orders are one of the key mechanisms available to the Government to deprive criminals of the proceeds of their crimes. The value of the order imposed, which is often very high, is based on the criminal benefit attributed to the crime and may, therefore, exceed the value of realisable assets that are known to the Court at the time of imposition. Crucially, an outstanding order stops the criminal benefitting from the proceeds of crime and ensures that, if the assets are discovered in the future, they can be seized.
HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) and other enforcement agencies take the issue of recovering criminal assets very seriously and are working to ensure that clamping down on defaulters is a continued priority nationwide.
The amount defendants repaid from their criminal activity across all agencies has increased for the last six consecutive years and we are currently on course to have another highly effective year. £154.1million was collected in 2014/15 (which represented a 12% increase on the total recovered during 2013/14); as at the end of June 2015, £53 million had been recovered, which is an increase of 47% on the same period last year. After payment of compensation and external receiver’s fees, the balance is distributed across key Departments to support ongoing investigation, prosecution and enforcement activity.
The Modern Slavery Act 2015 amends the scope of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 to include slavery, servitude and forced or compulsory labour. The Act also introduces Slavery and Trafficking Reparation Orders which can be used to award compensation to victims.
HMCTS is seeking a commercial partner to help increase collections, reduce enforcement costs and importantly, ensure more criminals pay. The improvement that the Agencies continue to make, combined with our future plans, will make sure that more criminals pay and that taxpayers get better value for money.
Asked by: Mark Field (Conservative - Cities of London and Westminster)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will cap the legal fees paid by the NHS in clinical negligence cases; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Ben Gummer
This Government believes that it is unacceptable for lawyers to incur costs that are far higher than the amount of any compensation awarded to the patient and want costs to be proportionate. High legal costs in clinical negligence cases divert money away from patient care in the National Health Service. This is why we have recently announced that we will be launching a formal consultation in the autumn with the goal of establishing an appropriate level of fixed costs for lower value clinical negligence claims.
Asked by: Mark Field (Conservative - Cities of London and Westminster)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to extend the current exemptions in place for the office to residential change of use provisions in (a) Westminster and (b) other parts of central London; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
Permitted development rights for change of use from offices to residential were introduced for a period of three years from 30 May 2013 to 30 May 2016. These rights are contributing to a more efficient use of our existing building stock, and are providing badly needed new homes such as studios and one-bedroom flats for young people. Exemptions to this permitted development right were granted in exceptional circumstances, where local authorities could demonstrate a negative economic impact.
We are considering responses to the Technical consultation on planning which included a proposal to extend the permitted development right for change of use from offices to residential.
We recognise the strategic value of office space to the broader London and national economy in the current exempted zones.
Asked by: Mark Field (Conservative - Cities of London and Westminster)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 10 February 2015 to Question 222787, what constitutes appropriate training for HM Revenue and Customs' staff dealing with accelerated payment notices; and what qualifications and training are required of the specialised team responsible for such notices.
Answered by David Gauke
HMRC’s staff dealing with Accelerated Payment Notices are trained to ensure that they have a clear understanding of the relevant legislation and the operational processes to be followed under the Accelerated Payments regime. Where necessary, for example if they are dealing with Accelerated Payment Notices to be issued in a specialist area of the tax code such as Stamp Duty Loan Trusts, staff also receive bespoke technical training in that area.
Asked by: Mark Field (Conservative - Cities of London and Westminster)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 14 January 2015 to Question 220189, whether his Department has developed specific guidelines to ensure that HM Revenue and Customs acts reasonably when dealing with taxpayers who seek additional time to pay as a consequence of accelerated payment notices.
Answered by David Gauke
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) writes to individuals some weeks before issuing an Accelerated Payment notice, letting them know that one is on its way. The most important thing for anyone who thinks they might have genuine difficulty in paying the amounts due under an Accelerated Payment notice is to contact HMRC to discuss possible alternative payment arrangements.
In cases of genuine hardship, HMRC will consider time to pay. The priority in cases of genuine hardship will be to get people on to a payment track so that the debt is paid as quickly as possible. HMRC has put in place standard guidelines for staff dealing with these requests and these are carefully monitored.
HMRC will always ensure that its action is proportionate and that it is realistic that any agreed payment tracks will result in the liability being paid.
Asked by: Mark Field (Conservative - Cities of London and Westminster)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department plans to produce a report on its progress in using accelerated payment notices.
Answered by David Gauke
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) ensures that all staff dealing with Accelerated Payment Notices have received appropriate training in the relevant legislation and the operational processes to be followed on receipt of representations made on accelerated payment notices that have been issued. A separate, specialised and trained team is responsible for dealing with representations received on these notices.
As part of its normal reporting of compliance and operational information, HMRC will include information on Accelerated Payments Notices in its Annual Report.
Asked by: Mark Field (Conservative - Cities of London and Westminster)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to ensure that staff in HM Revenue and Customs' new counter-avoidance directorate have received adequate training to deal with challenges to Accelerated Payment Notices.
Answered by David Gauke
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) ensures that all staff dealing with Accelerated Payment Notices have received appropriate training in the relevant legislation and the operational processes to be followed on receipt of representations made on accelerated payment notices that have been issued. A separate, specialised and trained team is responsible for dealing with representations received on these notices.
As part of its normal reporting of compliance and operational information, HMRC will include information on Accelerated Payments Notices in its Annual Report.
Asked by: Mark Field (Conservative - Cities of London and Westminster)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if his Department will make an assessment of the effect that accelerated payment notices have had on small and medium-sized businesses.
Answered by David Gauke
A Tax Information and Impact Notice (TIIN) published on 9 March 2014 set out the summary of potential impacts of Accelerated payments including impact on business.
The TIIN noted that Accelerated Payments will have no impact on business undertaking normal commercial transactions. Small and micro businesses will only be affected if they participate in tax avoidance. The TIIN also indicated that the measure would be monitored and evaluated.
The TIIN is available www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/293934/TIIN_5133_7040_and_9029_accelerated_payments_of_tax_DOTAS_GAAR.pdf.
Asked by: Mark Field (Conservative - Cities of London and Westminster)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make it his policy to keep under review HM Revenue and Customs' conduct when dealing with taxpayers who seek additional time to pay as a consequence of Accelerated Payments Notices.
Answered by David Gauke
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) will treat Accelerated payments as a debt like any other, so will be able to use their normal considerations and flexibilities in cases of genuine hardship.
In cases of genuine hardship, HMRC will consider alternative payment arrangements, as it does with any debt. The priority in cases of genuine hardship will be to get people on to a payment track so that the debt is paid as quickly as possible
HMRC writes to individuals some weeks before issuing an Accelerated Payment notice, letting them know that one is on its way and advising anyone who may have difficulty paying to get in touch to discuss their particular circumstances.
HMRC will always ensure that its action is proportionate and that it is realistic that any agreed payment tracks will result in the liability being paid.