Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what progress has been made on the Loan Charge Review.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The independent review of the Loan Charge is ongoing and will report in the summer. The Government will respond to the review by Autumn Budget 2025.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Sri Lankan counterpart on the recent excavations of a mass grave of Chemmani in Sri Lanka.
Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government is deeply concerned by the recent discovery of the mass grave in Chemmani. We remain committed to supporting accountability for human rights violations and we regularly meet the Government of Sri Lanka to discuss reconciliation and accountability and to press for tangible progress, particularly on cases of enforced disappearances. In January, I visited Sri Lanka and met a range of stakeholders including the Prime Minister, Foreign Minister, civil society organisations, as well as political leaders in the north of Sri Lanka to discuss human rights. Officials at our High Commission in Colombo maintain close contact with families of the disappeared from across the country, working to ensure their voices are heard, and have raised this issue with the Government of Sri Lanka. We continue to lead international efforts such as at the UN Human Rights Council alongside the Core Group to ensure perpetrators are held to account.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his counterpart in Israel on compensation for the relatives of British aid workers killed while delivering humanitarian aid in Gaza.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Prime Minister and I recently met with the families of British aid workers killed in Gaza.
The Government's priority is securing justice for the appalling strike that killed John Chapman, James Henderson, and James Kirby. We continue to press Israel to swiftly conclude the Military Advocate General's (MAG) investigation into consideration of events on the 1 April 2024, including determining whether criminal proceedings should be initiated. The Foreign Secretary has repeatedly pressed Foreign Affairs Minister Sa'ar and Minister of Strategic Affairs Dermer for the MAG to conclude consideration of the case swiftly and thoroughly.
We have advised the families on their legal options for claiming compensation and that is a matter for them to pursue independently through the Israeli legal system.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether the outcomes of disputes resolved via Alternative Dispute Resolution bodies in relation to gambling operators are reported to the Gambling Commission.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Gambling Commission must approve all Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) providers and has set specific additional standards for ADR in its standards and guidance. The Commission expects ADR providers to submit quarterly activity returns to the Gambling Commission, which contain the number of domestic disputes received, and the number and percentage of disputes upheld in favour of the gambling business and the number and percentage of disputes settled by the gambling business without an outcome being imposed. However, the Gambling Commission does not hold data on settlement amounts.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what proportion of resolutions to gambling-related disputes via Alternative Dispute Resolution providers result in the complainant receiving a settlement for the full amount lost.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Gambling Commission must approve all Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) providers and has set specific additional standards for ADR in its standards and guidance. The Commission expects ADR providers to submit quarterly activity returns to the Gambling Commission, which contain the number of domestic disputes received, and the number and percentage of disputes upheld in favour of the gambling business and the number and percentage of disputes settled by the gambling business without an outcome being imposed. However, the Gambling Commission does not hold data on settlement amounts.