That this House notes recent research showing that the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda is a major hub for oil industry tax avoidance, and hosts the headquarters of three of the world’s top ten oil drilling contractors, four of the world’s ten biggest oil tanker companies, Shell and Chevron offices, and industry insurance companies; further notes the Iran war means oil companies are securing record profits, which Bermuda helps them avoid taxes on; and calls on the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to investigate what further actions can be taken to stop the oil industry using British territories to avoid taxes around the world.

That this House notes recent research showing that the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda is a major hub for oil industry tax avoidance, and hosts the headquarters of three of the world’s top ten oil drilling contractors, four of the world’s ten biggest oil tanker companies, Shell and Chevron offices,...

That this House believes that successive governments have failed to achieve the best revenue returns from UK oil and gas production; points out that in the four years from 2008 to 2011 the UK take in sterling equivalent was £39.94 billion, whereas if the production companies had been taxed at the rate imposed by Denmark the return would have been £32.37 billion greater, and at the levy imposed by Norway £38.59 billion greater; notes that Denmark and Norway also operate in North Sea fields; further notes that those two countries are dealing with the same oil companies as the UK; regrets the missing revenues, which could have done much to ameliorate the savage welfare cuts; and urges the Government to implement tax policies similar to the Danish and Norwegian examples so that HM Treasury is substantially boosted and the economic excuse for further cuts is exposed as a fraud.

That this House believes that successive governments have failed to achieve the best revenue returns from UK oil and gas production; points out that in the four years from 2008 to 2011 the UK take in sterling equivalent was £39.94 billion, whereas if the production companies had been taxed at...

That this House is aware that false self-employment, where workers are registered as self-employed but have all the characteristics of an employee but none of the employment rights which accompany such a status, is endemic in a number of industries in the UK, notably the construction industry; acknowledges recent research commissioned by the trade union UCATT, the Evasion Economy, prepared by Professor Mark Harvey which estimated that there are at least 400,000 false self-employed construction workers in the UK, which costs taxpayers approximately ??1.7 billion per year; and believes that the Government should act immediately to end such practices both in the interests of the economy and more importantly for those who are forced or encouraged into such employment scenarios by unscrupulous employers whose intent is merely to make a fast buck, whatever the consequences for those they employ.

That this House is aware that false self-employment, where workers are registered as self-employed but have all the characteristics of an employee but none of the employment rights which accompany such a status, is endemic in a number of industries in the UK, notably the construction industry; acknowledges recent research...

That this House notes with concern the decision taken by a number of energy companies to increase prices by in the region of 15 per cent.; further notes that energy companies continue to make huge profits with British Gas announcing profits in excess of ??500 million for the past year; recognises that while energy companies satisfy shareholders the consumer is left to suffer, in particular those on low incomes and fixed incomes; and calls on the Government to impose a windfall levy on the privatised energy companies and use the money to increase the winter fuel payment payable to pensioners.

That this House notes with concern the decision taken by a number of energy companies to increase prices by in the region of 15 per cent.; further notes that energy companies continue to make huge profits with British Gas announcing profits in excess of ??500 million for the past year;...

That this House supports the Press & Journal newspaper's campaign against the Government's imposition of the 10 per cent. tax increase on the North Sea oil and gas industry, and the manner in which it was introduced in the Budget; believes that this tax hike is a threat to jobs and exploration in the North Sea; and calls on the Government to suspend the tax rise pending the publication of a full economic impact assessment on employment and exploration activity.

That this House supports the Press & Journal newspaper's campaign against the Government's imposition of the 10 per cent. tax increase on the North Sea oil and gas industry, and the manner in which it was introduced in the Budget; believes that this tax hike is a threat to jobs...

That this House welcomes the Government's support for United Kingdom beer and spirits; notes that the United Kingdom wine industry faces many difficulties with duty on wine much higher than other European countries; recognises the importance of the United Kingdom wine industry and the number of jobs that this supports; and calls on the Government to assist the industry by reducing duty and scrapping the anomaly that exists in the rate of duty on sparkling wines.

That this House welcomes the Government's support for United Kingdom beer and spirits; notes that the United Kingdom wine industry faces many difficulties with duty on wine much higher than other European countries; recognises the importance of the United Kingdom wine industry and the number of jobs that this supports;...

That this House welcomes the publication of the DETR Paper 'British Shipping-Charting A New Course'; notes with concern the decline that UK merchant shipping has experienced in recent years; including steep reductions in the number of UK flagged ships and a decline in the pool of British seafarers; recognises the particular importance of shipping both for trade and national security and that shipping is an expanding global business; endorses the paper's emphasis on increasing skills, encouraging employment, and increasing the United Kingdom's attractiveness to shipping enterprises, including maritime London; urges the Government to build on the 33 policy measures mapped out in the paper to secure a strong future for this vital national asset and to continue the partnership between Government, shipping companies and the maritime trade unions; further notes that an appropriate fiscal environment is a key element in retaining a significant shipping sector; and calls on the Government to discuss fiscal options with the United Kingdom shipping industry in the pre-Budget consultation, including a full consideration of tonnage-based systems of corporation tax.

That this House welcomes the publication of the DETR Paper 'British Shipping-Charting A New Course'; notes with concern the decline that UK merchant shipping has experienced in recent years; including steep reductions in the number of UK flagged ships and a decline in the pool of British seafarers; recognises the...

That this House recognises that the prevailing North Sea fiscal regime is exceptionally weak by both historical and international standards, that while United Kingdom production of hydrocarbons has reached a record level, the Governemnt's share of the gross trading profits of oil and gas companies was only 25 per cent. in 1996 compared with 48.6 per cent. in 1987, that in 1996 North Sea tax revenues were still ??1 billion less than in 1987 despite the fact that gross trading profits were ??4.8 billion greater, that the rate of return for oil and gas companies was 12.5 percentage points greater than the average for other United Kingdom industrial and commercial companies, that a majority of North Sea assets are controlled by foreign companies, that the United Kingdom is unique in being the only country in the world which does not charge any special petroleum tax or royalty for the exploitation of fields developed since 1993 and that the recent reduction in corporation tax to 31 per cent. will further reduce the tax-take from the North Sea; and this House therefore urges the Treasury team to take all these factors into full account before they finalise their current review of the North Sea fiscal regime.

That this House recognises that the prevailing North Sea fiscal regime is exceptionally weak by both historical and international standards, that while United Kingdom production of hydrocarbons has reached a record level, the Governemnt's share of the gross trading profits of oil and gas companies was only 25 per cent....