Asked by: Peter Bottomley (Conservative - Worthing West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, which countries the UK has (a) bilateral or (b) reciprocal agreements on provision of the State Pension; when each of those agreements was made, whether UK pensioners resident in those countries receive yearly increases; and how many UK pensioners there were in each country as of 9 June 2022.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The UK State Pension is payable worldwide and is up-rated annually in countries where there is a legal requirement to do so. This is a longstanding policy which has been supported by successive governments for over 70 years.
As of November 2020, 473,842 State Pension recipients residing in the European Union or countries which are members of the European Free Trade Association (Switzerland, Iceland, Norway, Lichtenstein) receive annual up-rating under various EU-Exit related agreements, including the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement, which entered into force in 2020 and the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement, which entered into force in 2021.
Other countries with which the UK has a reciprocal agreement also allowing for State Pension up-rating, the date in which the particular agreement was made, and the number of State Pension recipients residing in these countries (as of November 2020) are:
*Following the break-up of Yugoslavia, the UK agreement with former Yugoslavia now covers Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia. Croatia and Slovenia are EU Member States covered by the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement.
The UK also has reciprocal social security agreements with New Zealand (1983) and Canada (1995) covering provisions for State Pension, but these agreements do not provide for annual up-rating. As of November 2020, 63,930 State Pension recipients reside in New Zealand and 126,426 recipients reside in Canada.
Source:
State Pension statistics by country of residence are currently available to November 2020 and these are available on Stat-Xplore here: https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk
Guidance for users is available at:
https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/index.html
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - North West Durham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department has had discussions with authorities in (a) Bermuda, (b) British Virgin Islands and (c) the Cayman Islands on the potential merits of increasing protections for British minority shareholders in companies incorporated in those jurisdictions.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Overseas Territories are self-governing jurisdictions with their own democratically elected governments, who are responsible for their own financial services policy. The regulation of the financial services industries in the Overseas Territories are a matter for their elected governments. The FCDO has not discussed the issue of British minority shareholders with Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands or the Cayman Islands. The Overseas Territories cooperate with the UK on taxation, fighting financial crime and countering terrorist finance. They are committed to meeting international standards on illicit finance, tax transparency and anti-money laundering; including those set by the OECD and the Financial Action Task Force.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - North West Durham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to prevent companies from using lower regulatory standards in (a) Bermuda, (b) British Virgin Islands and (c) Cayman Islands to (i) take advantage of loopholes and (ii) avoid scrutiny from shareholders.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Overseas Territories including Bermuda, British Virgin Islands and Cayman Islands are self-governing jurisdictions with their own democratically elected governments, who are responsible for their own financial services policy. The Overseas Territories cooperate with the UK on taxation, fighting financial crime and sanctions enforcement. They are committed to meeting international standards on illicit finance, tax transparency and anti-money laundering including those set by the OECD, the Financial Action Task Force and regional standards set by the EU. In 2020, the Financial Action Task Force issued an excellent rating following an evaluation of Bermuda's regulatory regime for combatting money laundering and the financing of terrorism and proliferation. The Overseas Territories also continue to share valuable company ownerships and tax information with UK law authorities, under the invaluable Exchange of Notes process. It was information shared by an Overseas Territory which enabled the UK's first Unexplained Wealth Order.
Asked by: Karl Turner (Labour - Kingston upon Hull East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the Maritime and Coastguard Agency last discussed safety compliance in the ferry sector with the (a) Cypriot, (b) Bahamian and (c) Bermudan ship registers.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
Officials from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) have been in regular contact with their counterparts in the Cypriot, Bahamian and Bermudan registers since 21 March in relation to P&O Ferries and safety compliance.
The Cyprus flag authorised Lloyds Register to act on their behalf and MCA Port State Control Inspectors have been continuously liaising with Lloyds Register during the MCA’s Port State Control inspections on board the Cypriot-flagged vessels.
Maritime Inspectors from Bahamas and Bermuda have been on board their respective flagged vessels during the MCA’s Port State Control inspections and liaising with the MCA during these inspections.
The MCA discussed any concerns related to safety and seafarers working and living conditions with the Cypriot, Bahamian and Bermudan representatives as part of the Port State Control inspection.
Asked by: Karl Turner (Labour - Kingston upon Hull East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish the dates of any discussions his Department has had with the (a) Cypriot, (b) Bahamian and (c) Bermudan ship registers on P&O Ferries Ltd.'s dismissal of UK seafarers on 17 March 2022.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
Officials contacted the authorities in each state following notification of the redundancies by P&O Ferries. Initial responses were received from Cyprus on 23rd March, Bermuda on 24th March, and The Bahamas on 31st March.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will list the number of Port State Control inspections that the Maritime and Coastguard Agency has carried out on the P&O Ferries vessels (a) Pride of Canterbury, (b) Pride of Kent, (c) Pride of Hull, (d) Spirit of Britain, (e) Spirit of France, (f) Norbay, (g) European Causeway, (h) European Highlander from 1 January 2019 to date.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has conducted the following number of Port State Control inspections since 1 January 2019 on the P&O ferries: Pride of Canterbury – one; Pride of Kent – two; Pride of Hull – two; Spirit of Britain – two; Spirit of France – one; Norbay – none; European Causeway – eight; and European Highlander – five.
There have not been any Port State Control inspections on the Norbay as it is registered in Bermuda which is part of the Red Ensign Group which includes the UK; the UK is considered the Flag State.
The second inspection on the Pride of Kent included four visits by MCA inspectors between 28 March and 9 May 2022.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions the Maritime and Coastguard Agency have had with representatives of the shipping registers of (a) Cyprus, (b) Bahamas, (c) Bermuda and (d) Malta on P&O Ferries' appointment of International Fleet Management as the employer of seafarers on its vessels working from UK ports.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) officials have not had any discussions with representatives of the ship registers of (a) Cyprus, (b) Bahamas, (c) Bermuda or (d) Malta on the appointment of International Ferry Management as the employer of seafarers on P&O Ferries vessels operating from UK ports.
During their Port State Control inspections of the vessels, the MCA inspectors were presented with a Certificate of Compliance issued by RINA on behalf of the Maltese administration. This demonstrates that the recruitment and placement company, International Ferry Management, operate in accordance with the requirements of the Maritime Labour Convention.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many (a) Cypriot, (b) Bahamian and (c) Bermudan registered vessels are part of shipping groups that qualify for the Tonnage Tax scheme as at 10 May 2022.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
According to the returns provided by companies within the UK Tonnage Tax scheme there are currently 11 vessels that are registered in Cyprus, 46 that are registered in Bahamas and 8 that are registered in Bermuda.
Asked by: Lord Randall of Uxbridge (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the governments of the UK’s Overseas Territories in the Caribbean about stony coral tissue loss disease.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The UK Government has been working closely with our Overseas Territories (OTs) in the Caribbean and Western Atlantic in response to stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD).
In 2020/2021, HMG’s Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) funded a Collaborative Coral Reef Working Group with the Caribbean OTs. This group actively welcomes input from OT government representatives, non-governmental organisations and other key stakeholders involved in coral conservation and SCTLD treatment. This group has met at least once a month since December 2020 to discuss all aspects of SCTLD, including treatment and management options. Its funding has been secured through to March 2024.
As part of the Disaster Resilience in the UK OTs and the Coral Reef Action Plans projects funded by CSSF, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) are assessing the impact of coral loss and degradation on climate resilience, biodiversity and the economy. The reports, which will include the refined model outputs, risk maps and economic valuation report, will be available in the coming months.
Beyond the Caribbean, the Collaborative Coral Reef Working Group includes Bermuda in all activities due to its proximity to the Caribbean region. Links have also been made to UK OTs in the Pacific and Indian Oceans through other UK agencies to ensure that access to the Working Group’s resources and training materials will allow for prevention and early detection of the disease should it spread to these regions.
Asked by: Lord Randall of Uxbridge (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the possible spread of stony coral tissue loss disease to areas beyond the Caribbean.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The UK Government has been working closely with our Overseas Territories (OTs) in the Caribbean and Western Atlantic in response to stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD).
In 2020/2021, HMG’s Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) funded a Collaborative Coral Reef Working Group with the Caribbean OTs. This group actively welcomes input from OT government representatives, non-governmental organisations and other key stakeholders involved in coral conservation and SCTLD treatment. This group has met at least once a month since December 2020 to discuss all aspects of SCTLD, including treatment and management options. Its funding has been secured through to March 2024.
As part of the Disaster Resilience in the UK OTs and the Coral Reef Action Plans projects funded by CSSF, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) are assessing the impact of coral loss and degradation on climate resilience, biodiversity and the economy. The reports, which will include the refined model outputs, risk maps and economic valuation report, will be available in the coming months.
Beyond the Caribbean, the Collaborative Coral Reef Working Group includes Bermuda in all activities due to its proximity to the Caribbean region. Links have also been made to UK OTs in the Pacific and Indian Oceans through other UK agencies to ensure that access to the Working Group’s resources and training materials will allow for prevention and early detection of the disease should it spread to these regions.