Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans her Department has to introduce the legislative proposals for the establishment of a Sharia-compliant alternative finance product based on the Takaful model before September 2018.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
We are now working to deliver an alternative student finance system following the passage of Higher Education and Research Act 2017.
We will be engaging with experts in Islamic Finance on the detail of the regulations, processes, IT and accounting systems that will be needed to create the new set of alternative student finance products. This detailed work will be complex but we remain keen to introduce the new alternative system as soon as we feasibly can.
We will announce more detailed plans in due course.
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance has been published on supporting religious minorities studying at university.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have responsibilities to support their students, ensuring that they do not face harassment, abuse or violence. They are expected to comply with their legal duties under the Equality Act 2010.
The Government published general guidance on the Equality Act 2010 (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/equality-act-2010-guidance). Specific guidance for HEIs is produced by the Equality Challenge Unit (ECU) which supports equality and diversity for staff and students in HEIs across the UK. Their publications include guidance on the implications for HEIs of the Equality Act 2010 which is available online (www.ecu.ac.uk/guidance-resources/equality-legislation/) and guidance on supporting the practice and expression of religion and belief amongst staff and students (http://www.ecu.ac.uk/guidance-resources/inclusive-environment/providing-support/religion-belief/).
In September 2015 the Government asked Universities UK (UUK) to set up a Harassment Taskforce, composed of university leaders, student representatives and academic experts, to consider what more can be done to address harassment on campus, including on the basis of religion and belief. The taskforce published its report, ‘Changing the Culture’, on 21 October 2016 which makes clear recommendations about steps universities can take to ensure an effective and tailored response to hate crime or harassment based on an individual’s religious belief and recommends that institutions adopt a zero-tolerance approach. (http://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/policy-and-analysis/reports/Documents/2016/changing-the-culture.pdf#search=taskforce).
The Higher Education and Research Act (2017) enables, for the first time, an alternative student finance product to be offered. This would be equivalent to a student loan but will be consistent with the principles of Islamic finance, and should help support equality of opportunity.
Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the effect of the reduction in the student opportunity allocation announced by the Higher Education Funding Council for England on 15 March 2017 on the Government's target for widening participation in higher education.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
Following the reforms to the funding system in 2012, real progress continues to be made in widening participation in higher education. The proportion of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds going into higher education has risen from 13.6% in 2009 to 19.5% in 2016.
As a result of the funding changes and the increased income available to universities, with universities forecasting income growth of £2.3bn by 2020 from their planned expansion of student places, there is an expectation that HE providers should take more responsibility for widening participation.
Through access agreements universities expect to spend £833.5 million in 2017/18 on measures to improve access and success for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. This is up significantly from £404 million in 2009.
Subject to the passage of the Higher Education and Research Bill we are further strengthening our approach to widening participation by:
o Establishing the Office for Students (OfS), which will have a statutory duty to consider the promotion of equality of opportunity in relation to access and participation.
o Introducing a Transparency Duty requiring providers to publish application, offer, drop-out and attainment rates of students broken down by ethnicity, gender and socio-economic background.
o Ensuring that activities aimed at student retention success and progression in are included in within Access and Participation Agreements.
o Enabling the provision of alternative student finance consistent with the principles of Islamic finance.
Asked by: Anne Main (Conservative - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to paragraph 46 of the Success as a knowledge economy White Paper published in May 2016, what plans she has to introduce an alternative model of student finance including Sharia-compliant student loans.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
The Government has introduced the primary legislation required to allow alternative student finance, consistent with the principles of Islamic finance, to be offered alongside grants and loans. The Higher Education and Research Bill is currently before Parliament.
Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress her Department has made on providing student loan finance that is compliant with Islamic law.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
This Government has introduced the primary legislation required to allow alternative student finance, consistent with the principles of Islamic finance, to be offered alongside grants and loans. The Higher Education and Research Bill is currently before Parliament.
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what measures they and the Bank of England will be taking to protect and promote (1) the City of London, and (2) Edinburgh, as financial centres until negotiations to exit the EU are completed.
Answered by Lord O'Neill of Gatley
The Chancellor has met with financial institutions this week to discuss the impact of the United Kingdom’s decision to leave the European Union.
Britain’s economy and financial system are fundamentally strong. Action by the government and the Bank of England over the last six years has substantially strengthened the resilience of the financial system, and the authorities have all the necessary tools in place to protect financial stability.
The UK is a leading global financial centre serving not just Britain or Europe, but the entire world. It has natural strengths such as a central time zone and the English language, together with an unrivalled pool of firms and investors, supported by world leading legal and professional services. Major banks from across the globe have bases in the UK, and the UK has the fourth highest share of cross-border banking. It is also fast establishing itself as a global hub for renminbi, rupee, Islamic finance, green finance and FinTech business.
Formal negotiations with the EU will not begin until the UK triggers Article 50. In the meantime, and during the negotiations that will follow, there will be no change to people’s rights to travel and work, and to the way our goods and services are traded, or to the way our economy and financial system is regulated.
The government is committed to deepening relationships with new and established trade partners. Earlier this week the Chancellor laid out plans to build a highly competitive economy by targeting a corporation tax rate of less than 15%, focusing on a new push for investment from China, ensuring support for bank lending, redoubling efforts to invest in the Northern Powerhouse and maintaining the UK’s fiscal credibility.
The government will also maintain an open and constructive dialogue with the UK financial services industry, including through the Financial Services Trade and Investment Board, which is tasked with boosting and promoting the UK’s financial services competitiveness position and supporting jobs. Government and industry collaboration will continue to play a central role in delivering a global, sustainable, innovative and competitive UK financial services industry that continues to go from strength to strength.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to encourage financial institutions to maintain their London operations and employment levels.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
The Chancellor has met with financial institutions this week to discuss the impact of the United Kingdom’s decision to leave the European Union.
Britain’s economy and financial system are fundamentally strong. Action by the government and the Bank of England over the last six years has substantially strengthened the resilience of the financial system, and the authorities have all the necessary tools in place to protect financial stability.
The UK is a leading global financial centre serving not just Britain or Europe, but the entire world. It has natural strengths such as a central time zone and the English language, together with an unrivalled pool of firms and investors, supported by world leading legal and professional services. Major banks from across the globe have bases in the UK, and the UK has the fourth highest share of cross-border banking. It is also fast establishing itself as a global hub for renminbi, rupee, Islamic finance, green finance and FinTech business.
Formal negotiations with the EU will not begin until the UK triggers Article 50. In the meantime, and during the negotiations that will follow, there will be no change to people’s rights to travel and work, and to the way our goods and services are traded, or to the way our economy and financial system is regulated.
The government is committed to deepening relationships with new and established trade partners. Earlier this week the Chancellor laid out plans to build a highly competitive economy by targeting a corporation tax rate of less than 15%, focusing on a new push for investment from China, ensuring support for bank lending, redoubling efforts to invest in the Northern Powerhouse and maintaining the UK’s fiscal credibility.
The government will also maintain an open and constructive dialogue with the UK financial services industry, including through the Financial Services Trade and Investment Board, which is tasked with boosting and promoting the UK’s financial services competitiveness position and supporting jobs. Government and industry collaboration will continue to play a central role in delivering a global, sustainable, innovative and competitive UK financial services industry that continues to go from strength to strength.
Asked by: Lord Pendry (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what step they are taking to ensure that British businesses in Colombia do not contribute to human rights abuses there.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
Encouraging businesses to respect human rights is a global priority for this Government. We recognise that communities such as indigenous and afro-descendant people and those in isolated rural areas are particularly vulnerable.
The UK National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights sets out how the Government is implementing the UN Guiding Principles. British firms are expected to uphold these principles in their overseas operations, as well as in the UK. It is for each country to implement a National Action Plan to ensure compliance with the Guiding Principles.
We worked closely with the Colombian authorities to develop their National Action Plan, published in December. All companies operating in Colombia, including British ones, should comply with the requirements and guidelines set out in that National Action Plan.
The Minister for Trade and Investment, my noble Friend, the Lord Price of Sturminster Newton, launched a campaign for British businesses to support peace, primarily through respect for human rights, during his visit to Colombia last month. Twenty of the largest British companies operating in Colombia subsequently agreed to align themselves to the Colombian National Action Plan for business and human rights.
Asked by: Paul Flynn (Labour - Newport West)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Prime Minister, what discussions he had with President Obama on his recent visit to London in April 2016 on tackling the funding of ISIS/Daesh by people from Saudi Arabia.
Answered by Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton - Foreign Secretary
When I met President Obama in London last month as well as with the G5 in Hanover we discussed a range of issues including continuing coalition efforts to defeat and degrade Daesh.
The Global Coalition’s comprehensive strategy to defeat Daesh includes a focus on squeezing Daesh’s finances. Saudi Arabia is a founding member of the Global Coalition and is one of the co-leads of the Counter-ISIL Finance Group. The Coalition is therefore working closely with Saudi Arabia to combat funding to Daesh in all its forms.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to disrupt and prevent the sale of antiquities by Daesh to finance their terrorist activities.
Answered by Lord Hammond of Runnymede
Daesh has two main sources of funding. About 40% comes from extorting communities living in territory it controls; and around 40% from selling oil. It also gets a small amount of funding from selling looted antiquities and donations from individuals in the region and around the world. The trade in stolen cultural property accounts for only a small proportion of Daesh revenues, and is mostly carried out by third parties operating in Daesh territory.
UK efforts in this area have focussed on limiting the market into which Daesh can sell looted antiquities into. UN Security Council 2199, which we co-sponsored in February 2015, sanctions those trading with Daesh and includes provisions on cultural heritage. The UK has an effective domestic legal framework for matters of cultural property. All import or export of illegally removed Iraqi and Syrian cultural property is prohibited, and it is a criminal offence in the UK to deal dishonestly in tainted cultural property from anywhere in the world.
The Government announced at the end of 2015 that a new Cultural Protection Fund would be established to help address recovery from acts of cultural destruction overseas, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office co-hosted a summitt in October 2015, with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, to support this.