It was a privilege for me to open the ninth Maritime Transport rail freight hub in Northampton about six weeks ago. I had a long discussion with John Williams, the chief executive, and we discussed precisely that. We were discussing how we should measure this, because tonnage is maybe not the best way of measuring container loads—in fact, the numbers of containers might be a

better method of doing it, if we could find a way. The Government are very active in this, as am I personally. It is clear that intermodal container traffic, and indeed national container traffic, is the largest growth feature of this market and we should do everything we can to encourage it.

The noble Viscount is certainly right to say that the railway to Wick and Thurso is a lifeline. In answer to his question, we have had a lot of cordial discussion with the Scottish Government, which is resulting in a methodology of operation proposed as a consequence of establishing Great British Railways, which will continue the integration of operations and infrastructure in Scotland and therefore continue the operation of that line into what one would hope to be the very, very distant future.

There are a number of difficult choices that we are trying to make. The visitor economy is clearly a huge part of who we are and what we should be proud of in this country. The industrial strategy we have set out is around eight key sectors that have comparative advantage to us, but, again, all those are about how we can make the economy stronger overall so that we can have an attractive proposition for all our industries, including our hospitality and the tourism sectors.

I cannot give the noble Viscount assurances on something we are not actually considering doing, so I am afraid I cannot give him what he wants. As he says, different places in different countries choose to raise revenue from overnight visitors in different ways, depending on whether they are seeking to attract them, accommodate the results of their visit, or deter them from coming—different scheme designs do different things. We have no present plans to introduce such a levy.

I say to the noble Viscount that the figures I have given to the House today show that 55% of passport usage through gates in the United Kingdom is from British citizens. That self-evidently means that 45% is not, and that 45% is a significant number of people. There are 130.9 million arrivals in the United Kingdom, so 45% of 130.9 million is around 65 million arrivals. That is an important growth element for business and tourism and one that we should encourage. I certainly want to make sure that we have integrity on our borders but also that we are welcoming and open to business, tourism and the spend, and the international support that gives when people return from this United Kingdom to their own country and extol the virtues of this country that we are so proud of.

The Government support the Bank of England in the actions that it takes.

The noble Viscount is absolutely right that the end date for the electric vehicle tax relief is next year. However, as he and everyone else in this Chamber will be aware, we are approaching a Budget and I cannot comment on any matter that might be raised in that.

Millions of birds are killed by cats every year. We want cats to be owned and managed. The noble Viscount’s point is really important and also applies to dogs. If people are buying a cat, they need to go to a registered owner and make sure that it has been microchipped, which is now the law. Buying pets in pub car parks is where the problem starts. They have to be bought through a registered owner and people need to understand that a cat is for life, not just for Christmas.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

Please see the letter attached from the National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority.

The Rt Hon. the Viscount Thurso

House of Lords

London

SW1A 0PW

05 June 2023

Dear Lord Thurso,

As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Question asking whether the latest net migration figures include UK citizens who have moved abroad for study or work and then returned; and what is the current estimate of those numbers (HL8171).

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) publish estimates for British nationals migrating from and to the UK for a period of 12 months or more.

On 25 May the ONS published its latest long-term international migration estimates [1]. Experimental and provisional estimates for the long-term migration of British nationals in 2022 are provided in Table 1.

The immigration estimate includes all British nationals who came into the UK in 2022 and stayed (or intended to stay) for 12 months or longer. The emigration estimate includes all British nationals who left the UK in 2022 and were out (or intended to be out) of the UK for 12 months or longer. Both estimates will include some returning migrants but exclude any whose time abroad or back in the UK was for less than 12 months.

The ONS is unable to quantify net migration by their reason for migration or whether they are returning migrants. This is because the International Passenger Survey (IPS), does not track an individual person’s journeys, only that the person interviewed has exited or entered the country and their reason along with demographic data. The ONS derive estimates from these data. Peoples’ identities are not tracked, so if a person had moved abroad for work or study, the ONS can not say if that same person has returned or not.

The ONS does not produce net migration by the reason for migration due to the lack of data available to monitor a person's specific migrant journey, in particular students who are typically more fluid in their behaviour. Migrants may change their reason for migration between immigration and emigration, making any net migration estimates by reason an over or under estimation of population change. Research is ongoing into this subject, but there are currently no intentions to include net migration by reason in future publications for these reasons.

The ONS is asking for feedback from users, to support the forthcoming consultation on population and migration statistics that is being launched in late June 2023. We would welcome any feedback from yourself in regards to this subject and how population and migration statistics could be improved.

Yours sincerely,

Professor Sir Ian Diamond

[1] https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/internationalmigration/bulletins/longterminternationalmigrationprovisional/yearendingdecember2022#population-change

Table 1, Long-term international migration estimates for British nationals, year ending December 2022, UK [2], [3]

Source: Office for National Statistics

[2] British nationals figures are based on the International Passenger Survey (IPS).

[3] Because of the experimental and provisional nature of these statistics, numbers have been rounded to the nearest thousand.

Recent years have seen significant year on year rises in UK registrations of electric vehicles. The Government expects this trend to continue, driven by our comprehensive, world-leading support package for the transition to zero emission vehicles.

Exact numbers will depend on a wide range of factors, which are influenced by the markets for vehicles and chargepoint infrastructure, as well as by Government support. As the Prime Minister announced on 4 February, we intend to consult on bringing forward ending the sale of new petrol, diesel and hybrid cars and vans from 2040 to 2035, or earlier if a faster transition appears feasible.

The Government recognises that the fight against climate change is one of the most pressing issues of our time, and it is right that we continue to focus on highlighting emissions and plan for their ongoing reduction.

The Government reports on emissions produced by domestic flights operating between UK airports. In accordance with international guidelines set by UNFCCC, the Government also reports on emissions from international flights operating at UK airports.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) report on all of these Greenhouse Gas emissions statistics annually. The statistics for 2018 were published just last week, and are readily available online at gov.uk.

Under longstanding powers HMRC can require banks and building societies to provide data on interest paid to, or collected on behalf of, their customers, without the customer’s permission or judicial approval.

With the approval of the taxpayer or the First Tier Tribunal, HMRC can require additional information from banks about a specific taxpayer that is reasonably required to check the taxpayer’s tax position. These data and information gathering powers, some of which have been in continual use since their introduction at the end of the eighteenth century, are regularly reviewed.

The Treasury has not made such an assessment. The RBS alternative remedies package will see a £775m investment in business banking facilities, enabling challenger banks to provide a larger range of business bank accounts.

The Government recognises the enormous contribution that small and local charities make to society, and is working to enable smaller charities to become more independent, resilient and sustainable.

I thank my right hon. Friend for that question. I look forward to joining him in the not-too-distant future, and if Brora is a place in his constituency that he thinks I should see, I will be more than happy to go there with him. He is right to mention the opportunities that have been created as a result of this measure, and businesses the length and breadth of Scotland will tell a similar story to the one he has just related. On his proposal to extend the scheme, he will be aware that a Budget is coming up in March, and he or any hon. Member from across the House who wants to make representations can do so through the Scotland Office.

Official statistics for ESA processing times are not readily available and to provide the information requested would incur disproportionate cost.

The total number of people whose Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) functional assessment has not yet been completed in the Highland Local Authority area is 1,700; of these 1,400 relate to new ESA claims.

We have taken robust action to improve the process and are in daily contact with Atos. We are committed to putting this right.

Atos Healthcare will continue to deliver Work Capability Assessments until they exit from the contract on 28 February 2015. The new supplier, MAXIMUS Health and Human Services, will be responsible for all service delivery from 1 March 2015 including any outstanding work carried over from Atos. The priority for MAXIMUS will be to transition the service smoothly from Atos and stabilise the service to deliver the best service possible for claimants, increase the volume of assessments carried out and reduce waiting times without compromising quality.

The process for claimants will remain the same during the transition so they should continue to attend their assessments.

Official statistics for ESA processing times are not readily available and to provide the information requested would incur disproportionate cost.

The total number of people whose Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) functional assessment has not yet been completed in the Highland Local Authority area is 1,700; of these 1,400 relate to new ESA claims.

We have taken robust action to improve the process and are in daily contact with Atos. We are committed to putting this right.

Atos Healthcare will continue to deliver Work Capability Assessments until they exit from the contract on 28 February 2015. The new supplier, MAXIMUS Health and Human Services, will be responsible for all service delivery from 1 March 2015 including any outstanding work carried over from Atos. The priority for MAXIMUS will be to transition the service smoothly from Atos and stabilise the service to deliver the best service possible for claimants, increase the volume of assessments carried out and reduce waiting times without compromising quality.

The process for claimants will remain the same during the transition so they should continue to attend their assessments.

Official statistics for ESA processing times are not readily available and to provide the information requested would incur disproportionate cost.

The total number of people whose Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) functional assessment has not yet been completed in the Highland Local Authority area is 1,700; of these 1,400 relate to new ESA claims.

We have taken robust action to improve the process and are in daily contact with Atos. We are committed to putting this right.

Atos Healthcare will continue to deliver Work Capability Assessments until they exit from the contract on 28 February 2015. The new supplier, MAXIMUS Health and Human Services, will be responsible for all service delivery from 1 March 2015 including any outstanding work carried over from Atos. The priority for MAXIMUS will be to transition the service smoothly from Atos and stabilise the service to deliver the best service possible for claimants, increase the volume of assessments carried out and reduce waiting times without compromising quality.

The process for claimants will remain the same during the transition so they should continue to attend their assessments.

Official statistics for ESA processing times are not readily available and to provide the information requested would incur disproportionate cost.

The total number of people whose Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) functional assessment has not yet been completed in the Highland Local Authority area is 1,700; of these 1,400 relate to new ESA claims.

We have taken robust action to improve the process and are in daily contact with Atos. We are committed to putting this right.

Atos Healthcare will continue to deliver Work Capability Assessments until they exit from the contract on 28 February 2015. The new supplier, MAXIMUS Health and Human Services, will be responsible for all service delivery from 1 March 2015 including any outstanding work carried over from Atos. The priority for MAXIMUS will be to transition the service smoothly from Atos and stabilise the service to deliver the best service possible for claimants, increase the volume of assessments carried out and reduce waiting times without compromising quality.

The process for claimants will remain the same during the transition so they should continue to attend their assessments.

The Visual Impact Provision (VIP) applies to National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty in England and Wales, and National Scenic Areas in Scotland. The allowance is available for all of Great Britain’s electricity Transmission Owners to address the impact of existing lines in these areas. To participate in the scheme Transmission Owners are required to develop and submit a policy to Ofgem for approval. National Grid has set out a policy and process for deciding how to allocate funding in its licence area of England and Wales. National Grid’s VIP policy and process have both been approved by Ofgem following consultation with stakeholders. Further information is available at www.nationalgrid.com/VIP. The Scottish Transmission Owners have not developed a policy, so funding is not currently available in Scotland.