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Scottish Law (Reform) (Michael Moore, Secretary of State, Scotland)

I am publishing today a consultation paper that sets out the proposed reform of Scots law on two topics: unincorporated associations and criminal liability of partnerships.

The consultation document seeks views on two topics: first, the proposal to attribute legal personality to non-profit making unincorporated associations where they meet certain statutory criteria; and secondly, reform of the law on criminal liability of dissolved Scottish partnerships and their partners, with the principal intention to address a loophole in Scots law that allows Scottish partnerships to escape prosecution for potentially serious offences by dissolving.

The main proposals for unincorporated associations are that becoming a Scottish Association with Legal Personality (SALP) should not be dependent on any registration requirement and that office-bearers and members will not incur any personal liability by acting as an office-bearer or member. Accordingly, SALPs will have limited liability.

The proposals are based on work by the Scottish Law Commission which led to a report and draft Bill in 2009 on reforming the law on unincorporated associations in Scotland and a report and draft Bill in 2011 on reforming the law on criminal liability of dissolved Scottish partnerships.

The commission has indicated that it supports the consultation process and will continue to work with the UK Government to finalise a Bill that it is hoped will come before Parliament within its current term.

Abu Qatada (Theresa May, Minister of State, Equalities Office)

This afternoon I will make an oral statement to the House on the next steps in the deportation of Abu Qatada.

Neil Heywood (William Hague, Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs)

Bilateral Loan to Ireland (Mark Hoban, Financial Secretary, HM Treasury)

I would like to update the House on the loan to Ireland.

Ireland completed the fifth quarterly review of its International Monetary Fund and European Union programme of financial assistance on 1 March 2012, at which point the utilisation period for the third instalment of the UK bilateral loan began.

Upon request, the Treasury disbursed the third instalment of £403.37 million on 28 March 2012, with a maturity date of 30 September 2019.

The Treasury will provide a further report to Parliament in relation to Irish loans as required under the Loans to Ireland Act 2010 following the end of the reporting period on 31 March 2012. Last year, the Chancellor committed to reduce the interest rate on the bilateral loan while still covering the UK’s cost of funding. To ensure that Parliament has the most useful and up-to-date information, subject to it being feasible to do so, I will lay this report alongside the finalised details of the new interest rate in the coming weeks.

The Government believe that it is in our national interest that the Irish economy is successful and its banking system is stable. The Government continue to support Ireland’s efforts to improve its economic situation.

List of Ministerial Responsibilities (Francis Maude)

The new list of ministerial responsibilities has been published today. Copies are available in the Vote Office and have been placed in the Library. A copy will also be sent to every hon. Member.

The list can also be accessed on the Cabinet Office website at

http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/resource-library/government-ministers-and-responsibilities.

Big Society Capital (Nick Hurd, Parliamentary Secretary (Civil Society), Cabinet Office)

On 21 March last year, the Minister for the Cabinet Office and I updated the House on proposals and next steps for establishing a big society bank that would act as the central initiative for growing the social investment market in the UK, helping provide a third pillar of finance for the social sector, alongside philanthropy and the state. This is an important element of our strategy to help the sector become more resilient and effective.

The big society bank formally opened its doors to the public on 4 April as Big Society Capital. The new institution has been capitalised with the first tranche of dormant bank accounts and Merlin bank money, and we will thus have met a coalition priority

“to use funds from dormant bank accounts to establish a “Big Society Bank”, which will provide new finance for neighbourhood groups, charities, social enterprises and other non-governmental bodies.”

Today I would like to update the House on how Big Society Capital will work and progress made over the last year.

Big Society Capital (BSC) is the first social investment institution of its kind anywhere in the world. We are keen to support more social enterprise, whether it be new mutuals, social organisations delivering public services

or community groups taking over assets. The purpose of BSC is to make it easier for these social entrepreneurs to access the capital they need. A new initiative is needed because the mainstream financial institutions are not yet providing that capital. BSC will build a bridge between mainstream finance and the social sector. It will do this by helping to grow the embryonic market of social investment—money that is prepared to blend financial return with social impact.

BSC will be capitalised using the estimated £400 million in unclaimed assets left in dormant bank accounts for more than 15 years, alongside £200 million equity investment from HSBC, Barclays, Lloyds TSB and RBS.

In line with the social investment strategy that we published in February last year, BSC has been set up with four core principles:

Independent from Government;

Transparent;

Wholesaler;

Self sufficient.

BSC will not be making grants. It will always invest because it needs to cover its costs and the mission is to prove and develop the concept of social investment. The wholesale function means that it will only invest in front-line organisations through intermediaries such as Big Issue Invest, Charity Bank, the Private Equity Foundation, and Bridges Ventures. There is widespread consensus on this positioning. If we were to set it up as a retailer, then we would distort the market and undermine the very intermediaries that we need to grow it. BSC will act as a cornerstone investor looking to support innovative methods of tackling social problems, such as social impact bonds, and encourage others to co-invest, significantly increasing the amount of finance available to the social sector.

Ahead of BSC opening we made early proof of concept investments to build the pipeline for the new organisation. To date, seven in principle investments totalling £7 million have been agreed, including: money to help the long-term unemployed set up their own businesses; two schemes supporting vulnerable young people to get into employment; an affordable housing fund; two community energy projects; and the development of the world’s first ever social stock exchange.

All of these investments will provide jobs and help disadvantaged groups or communities, supporting economic and social recovery.

We are grateful to Sir Ronald Cohen and Nick O’Donohoe for the invaluable support they provided in setting up this institution.

Export Controls (Additional Measures) (Vincent Cable, Secretary of State, Business, Innovation and Skills)

Further to my written ministerial statement of 7 February on strategic export control, Official Report, column 7WS, I would like to update the House on progress towards increasing the transparency of the export licensing process. My officials have held meetings with representatives of the exporters and non-governmental organisations—these have been constructive and indicated that there is broad support for the proposals, although exporters understandably have some concerns about the burdens of making regular reports on their usage of open licences. Subsequently, my Department issued a discussion paper and questionnaire in order to obtain the widest range of views on specific aspects of the proposals. The paper and questionnaire are available at:

http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/biscore/eco/docs/12-682-transparency-export-licensing-discussion-paper.pdf.

The closing date for responses is 20 April and I would encourage all interested parties to contribute their views. I will provide a further update as appropriate, at the very latest before the House rises for summer recess.

Parliamentary Written Question (Correction) (Hugo Swire, Minister of State, Northern Ireland)

I regret that the answer given to the hon. Member for Gedling (Vernon Coaker) on 19 March, Official Report, column 444W, contained an error. The answer stated that matters relating to the Serious Organised Crime Agency’s work in Northern Ireland fall under the responsibility of the devolved Administration in Northern Ireland.

This was inaccurate: although the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) is a reserved body under schedule 3 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, it operates as a UK-wide body covering a mix of devolved and reserved matters.

SOCA is accountable to the Home Secretary. But in Northern Ireland (as in Scotland), responsibility for policing and criminal justice are devolved matters. SOCA’s strategic priorities (set by the Home Secretary after consultation with devolved Ministers) sets out the need for SOCA to work collaboratively with devolved Governments and law enforcement agencies in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

In Northern Ireland, the Organised Crime Task Force (OCTF) published its first organised crime strategy in February 2012. The strategy, which complements the OCTF annual report and threat assessment, addresses the specific local priorities agreed by the OCTF partners to tackle organised crime in Northern Ireland. SOCA will ensure its activities are consistent with partner agency actions to confront organised crime in Northern Ireland through continued membership of the OCTF and its various sub-groups. SOCA is accountable to the police ombudsman for Northern Ireland under the terms of a memorandum of understanding which has been in place since 2010.

The correct answer is as follows:

Mr Swire: Some matters relating to the Serious Organised Crime Agency’s work in Northern Ireland fall under the responsibility of the devolved Administration in Northern Ireland. SOCA is a reserved body under schedule 3 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, although it operates as a UK-wide body covering a mix of devolved and reserved matters SOCA is accountable to the Home Secretary.

My officials are working closely with their counterparts in the Home Office on the current proposals in relation to the National Crime Agency.

1980 Hague Convention on Child Abduction (Kenneth Clarke, Lord Chancellor, Secretary of State, Justice)

The Government have decided to opt in to the European Commission’s proposals for the acceptance by the member states, in the interests of the EU, of the accession of Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Gabon, Morocco, the Russian Federation, Seychelles and Singapore to the 1980 Hague convention on the civil aspects of international child abduction.

All EU member states are party to the successful 1980 Hague convention which is the primary civil law international instrument that provides a mechanism to seek the prompt return of wrongfully removed or retained children to their country of habitual residence. When a country wishes to accede to the convention it is necessary for an existing contracting state to accept that country’s accession before the convention can apply between them. It is the European Commission’s view that there is exclusive competence on the EU for all matters relating to the 1980 convention and that therefore member states must now be authorised by the EU to accept accessions by third countries and must do so collectively through Council decisions.

Although not anticipated in the proposals, the Government believe that the UK opt in under the protocol to title V of the treaty on the functioning of the European Union applies and it has therefore asserted its right to choose whether to opt in and has decided it is in the UK’s best interests to do so.

The Government have taken this decision notwithstanding the fact that it disputes the Commission’s claim to exclusive competence and it is still determining whether each of the countries seeking to accede to the convention will be able to operate the convention effectively.

The Government believe that the wider significance of these proposals for external competence mean that it is in the UK’s interests to participate fully in these negotiations, including having the ability to vote. These proposals must be agreed by unanimity within the Council.

Ex Gratia Payments to Victims of Overseas Terrorism (Crispin Blunt, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Prisons and Probation), Justice)

I am announcing today the launch of an ex gratia scheme to make payments to victims of terrorism who were injured overseas on or after 1 January 2002 and who continue to have an ongoing disability as a direct result of the injuries they sustained. From today victims will be able to apply for a payment under this scheme.

The aim of the ex gratia scheme is to demonstrate solidarity with those in our community who have been affected by terrorist incidents overseas, taking into account the nature of terrorist attacks as a political statement and attack on our society.

We believe it is proportionate and necessary for the scheme to focus limited resources on those who have a clear and sufficient connection to the UK. Therefore,

payments will be made to British, EU and EEA victims with a minimum of three years residence in the UK immediately prior to a terrorist attack that is designated for the purposes of the ex gratia scheme.

Responsibility for the designation of terrorist attacks for the purposes of the ex gratia scheme falls to the Foreign Secretary. The Foreign Secretary has designated the following incidents:

Bombings in Bali, Indonesia on 12 October 2002;

Bombings in Kusadasi, Turkey on 16 July 2005;

Attacks in tourist sites in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt 23 July 2005;

Bombings in Dahab, Egypt 24 April 2006;

Bombings in Marmaris, Turkey 27 August 2006;

Attacks in Mumbai, India 26 November 2008.

Later this year we intend to lay before Parliament a separate statutory scheme for compensating future victims of overseas terrorism, made under the Crime and Security Act 2010. That scheme will commence shortly after parliamentary approval has been received.

Consultation on Standardised Packaging of Tobacco Products (Andrew Lansley, Secretary of State, Health)

The Government have today published a consultation on the standardised packaging of tobacco products. The consultation is being undertaken, with the agreement of the devolved Administrations, on a UK-wide basis.

In March 2011, the Government published “Healthy Lives, Healthy People: A Tobacco Control Plan for England” which set out how our comprehensive, evidence-based programme of tobacco control will be delivered, within the context of the new public health system, over the next five years. The tobacco control plan included a commitment to consult on options to reduce the promotional impact of tobacco packaging, including standardised packaging.

Smoking remains one of the most significant challenges to public health across the United Kingdom and is the primary cause of preventable death, accounting each year for over 100,000 deaths in the United Kingdom. One in two long-term smokers will die prematurely from a smoking disease. Smoking harms those around smokers too. The Royal College of Physicians estimate that about 2 million children currently live in a household where they are exposed to cigarette smoke.

Treating smoking diseases is costly. In England, around 5% of all hospital admissions among adults aged 35 and over are attributable to smoking.

Reducing the uptake of smoking by children and young people is a key public health goal. Most smokers take up smoking regularly before they turn 18 years old. In England alone, an estimated 330,000 young people under the age of 16 try smoking for the first time each year.

Most smokers say they want to quit. Quitting smoking can be difficult, but smokers who quit for good can quickly reduce their risk of smoking diseases and live longer, whatever their age.

The United Kingdom is recognised across the world for having comprehensive, evidence-based tobacco control policies. But we need to do more to stop young people taking up smoking and to help those smokers who want to quit.

Health and well-being in our communities would be significantly improved in the long term if smoking rates were substantially reduced. Between 2007 and 2010, the rates of smoking in England remained static. While smoking rates have more recently started to decline again, we need to secure significant further reductions if we are to meet the national ambitions we set out in “Healthy Lives, Healthy People: A Tobacco Control Plan for England”.

Standardised packaging for tobacco refers to measures that may be taken to restrict or prohibit the use of logos, colours, brand images or promotional information on packaging other than brand names and product names that are displayed in a standard colour and font style. Standardised packaging is sometimes referred to as “plain packaging”.

The Government have an open mind at this stage about introducing standardised packaging. Through the consultation, we want to understand whether there is evidence to demonstrate that the standardised packaging of tobacco products would have an additional public health benefit, over and above existing tobacco control initiatives. The consultation asks whether standardised packaging could improve public health by:

reducing the appeal of tobacco products to consumers;

increasing the effectiveness of health warnings on the packaging of tobacco products;

reducing the ability of tobacco packaging to mislead consumers about the harmful effects of smoking; and

having a positive effect on smoking-related attitudes, beliefs, intentions and behaviours, particularly among children and young people.

Through the consultation, we are also interested in exploring whether there might be other implications if standardised packaging requirements were introduced, including any potential effect on the illicit tobacco market.

The consultation will be open for responses from 16 April to 10 July 2012. Any person, business or organisation with an interest is encouraged to respond.

Consultation on the standardised packaging of tobacco products has been placed in the Library. Copies are available to hon. Members from the Vote Office and noble Lords from the Printed Paper Office .The consultation document is available from and consultation responses can be submitted online at: http://consultations.dh.gov.uk.

Any decisions to take further policy action on tobacco packaging will be taken only after full consideration is given to consultation responses, evidence and other relevant information.

British Embassy (Bamako) (William Hague, Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs)

We have temporarily withdrawn diplomatic staff from our embassy in Bamako and suspended all in-country services given the instability in Mali and the possibility of a swift deterioration in security. Consular assistance is being provided by the British embassy in Senegal. British nationals requiring urgent consular assistance can also contact the embassy of any EU member state in Bamako. We are keeping the decision under review and will reopen the embassy when the situation stabilises.

The UK is deeply concerned by recent political instability in Mali. We condemn any actions that undermine democratic rule and welcome the Economic Community of West African States-led efforts which are returning the country to constitutional, civilian rule. We continue to work with our international partners in the UN and in other multilateral forums to ensure that recent progress is maintained, including the holding of elections.

As I said to the House on 11 May 2011, there will be no strategic shrinkage of Britain’s overseas network. I am committed to extending the Foreign and

Commonwealth Office’s global reach and strengthening its influence. The temporary withdrawal of diplomatic staff and the suspension of services at our embassy in Bamako does not signify a move away from this commitment. It in no way reduces the UK’s commitment to active diplomacy in Mali and the wider Sahel region.

Pupil Behaviour (Michael Gove, Secretary of State, Education)

The Government are determined to help teachers address the poor attendance and bad behaviour of some pupils, which disproportionately affect the chances of disadvantaged children.

The poor attendance or lateness of a number of pupils can disrupt their own education and that of other pupils. Quickly these children begin to fall behind their peers and often they never fully catch up with gaps in their skills or knowledge. Overtime these pupils become disillusioned with education and by year 10 and year 11 they are lost to the system. These pupils are the most

likely to become “not in education, employment or training” (NEET) when they leave school and easily fall into antisocial behaviour and crime.

On 4 April last year I announced the appointment of Charlie Taylor, a head teacher with a track record in radically improving behaviour in some of the most troubled schools, as the Government’s expert adviser on behaviour. I am pleased to inform the House that he has agreed to serve in this role for another year.

On 1 September I asked Charlie Taylor to review and report on school attendance and alternative provision.

He has now published his report on school attendance, which I would like to bring to the attention of the House. I have responded and welcomed his recommendations.

The recommendations should lead to attendance problems being addressed at an earlier stage before bad habits become ingrained. Starting early with the attendance of younger children at primary school should reduce the number who develop truancy problems when older. The range of school absence data will be improved to help teachers to pick up and deal with poor attendance patterns across the age-range.

Having sent a strong message that attendance is important, we must equip schools to tackle the minority of parents who do not heed that message. I agree that the current penalty notice scheme should be simplified. Today, the Government have made changes to the Education (Penalty Notices) (England) Regulations 2007 to increase the amounts stated on the notices from this September. The Government will explore ways to make payment of penalty notices swift and certain.

We will also take steps to implement the other recommendations in the report as early as we can.

Copies of Charlie Taylor’s report, and my response to him, are being placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Legacy of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games (Hugh Robertson, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport)

Department's Work (Easter Recess) (Eric Pickles, Secretary of State, Communities and Local Government)

Financial Services Compensation Scheme (Mark Hoban, Financial Secretary, HM Treasury)

HM Treasury and the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) have agreed revised terms on the loans made by HM Treasury to the FSCS in 2008-09 in relation to the resolutions of Bradford and Bingley plc, Heritable Bank plc, Landsbanki Islands, Kaupthing Singer & Friedlander Ltd, and London Scottish Bank plc. The amount outstanding under these facilities is as follows: Bradford and Bingley £15.65 billion; Landsbanki £1billion; Kaupthing Singer & Friedlander £954 million; Heritable £149 million; and London Scottish £187 million.

With effect from 1 April 2012, the interest rate on these loans is 12-month LIBOR plus 100 basis points. This rate is subject to a floor equal to the Government’s own cost of borrowing as represented by the gilt rate over an equivalent duration to the projected repayment period on the relevant loan.

FSCS and HM Treasury have agreed the period of the loans will reflect the expected timetable for FSCS to realise assets from the estates of Bradford and Bingley and the other failed banks. FSCS expects to receive full repayment of the debt owed to it by Bradford and Bingley as the residual assets of the bank are wound up. The estates of the other failed banks might not repay in full the principal owed by FSCS to HM Treasury. Where this occurs FSCS expects to levy the deposit taking sector for the balance of the principal on these loans.

There will be an annual cap on the amount of interest the industry will have to pay through FSCS levies. This cap will be set on the advice of the Financial Services Authority (FSA) (and in due course the Prudential Regulatory Authority (PRA)) and will take into account other FSCS and similar commitments. Any interest charges exceeding the annual cap will be capitalised and repaid from levies on deposit-takers.

FSCS and HM Treasury have agreed that the terms of the agreements will be reviewed every three years in the light of market conditions and of actual repayments from the estates of the failed banks.

National Measurement Office (Performance Targets) (David Willetts, Minister of State (Universities and Science), Business, Innovation and Skills)

I have tasked the National Measurement Office (NMO) to provide policy support to Ministers on measurement issues and a measurement infrastructure which enables innovation and growth, promotes trade and facilitates fair competition and the protection of consumers, health and the environment.

I have agreed with the NMO that their objectives for 2012-15 will be to:

1. Increase economic growth, innovation and social impact through a world class scientific measurement infrastructure.

2. Promote competition and fair trading by providing a modern legal measurement regime.

3. Provide good value for money metrology services.

4. Protect the interests of the public, business and the environment by enforcing relevant legislation.

The agency will also be expected to ensure that professional, value for money corporate services are provided to support delivery of the above objectives, inform good decision making and enhance its reputation in a robust control environment.

In support of these objectives I have set as specific ministerial targets the following for 2012-13:

1. Improve performance of the NMS programmes over this corporate plan period as measured by the value scorecard developed for this purpose (to be determined by a scorecard technique across all programmes developed to provide a basis for measuring this improvement).

2. Amend the Hallmarking Act to permit UK assay offices to operate overseas by October 2012.

3. Support business by ensuring 94% of meter examiner appointments, manufacturer authorisations/consents and modifications to meter approval and decisions are made within five business days of receipt of all necessary documentation.

4. Customer satisfaction is improved within certification services as shown by an increase of 5% in “very satisfied” customers for the last calendar year survey.

5. Achieve an increase in income of 5% for certification services from the 2011-12 financial year.

6. Generate a positive 3:1 net contribution to consumers and the environment as well as the low-carbon economy through the activities of the enforcement authority (to be measured by comparing the cost base against the value of products made compliant, withdrawn from the market or affected by a formal business improvement plan).

7. Reduce non-ring-fenced administration costs by 14% in cash terms over this corporate plan period (using as a baseline the original forecast for 2010-11, the level of reduction is the same as that planned for BIS).

8. Reduce overhead costs per non-overhead staff full-time equivalent by 2% in cash terms from the 2011-12 financial year (excluding technical laboratory costs).

The corporate plan period referred to is the financial years 2012-13 to 2014-15.

Sunday Trading (London Olympic Games and Paralympic Games) Bill (Lord Sassoon, Commercial Secretary, HM Treasury)

I have today introduced the Sunday Trading (London Olympic Games and Paralympic Games) Bill, now agreed in the usual channels to be passed under the fast-track procedure.

The Bill, as drafted, provides for the suspension of the current restrictions on the hours that large shops can open on a Sunday during the Olympic and Paralympic Games from 22 July 2012 to 9 September 2012. The Government have undertaken to hold discussions before Second Reading in the House of Lords on 24 April with the Opposition, retailers, employers' groups and unions with a view to tabling a government amendment to ensure the better protection of shop workers, probably by shortening the notice period to opt out of Sunday working from three months to two months.

I understand that the Public Bill Office has agreed to accept amendments in advance of Second Reading.

Interim Guidelines for Prosecutors on Assessing the Public Interest in Cases Affecting the Media (Dominic Grieve)

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has today launched a public consultation on his interim guidelines for prosecutors on assessing the public interest in cases affecting the media. The DPP undertook to produce the guidelines when he gave evidence on 8 February 2012 to the inquiry being conducted by Lord Justice Leveson into the culture, practices and ethics of the press. The guidelines set out the additional considerations which are relevant when prosecutors assess whether a prosecution is required in accordance with the code for Crown prosecutors. Each case will be considered on its own facts and on its own merits before a decision is made on prosecution. Such decisions are also likely to be finely balanced as prosecutors must carefully consider the public interest served by the journalist when set against the overall criminality.

The guidelines have been issued on an interim basis as they are the subject of a public consultation exercise that will last for three months. The DPP will publish his final guidelines later this year, once he has considered the responses to the consultation, and any cases that have fallen to be considered by prosecutors during the period in which the interim guidelines have been in place will be reviewed in the light of the final guidelines if changes have been made. Copies of the interim guidelines will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Informal ECOFIN (George Osborne, Chancellor of the Exchequer, HM Treasury)