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  • Julian Knight – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Julian Knight – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Knight on 2016-06-03.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions the Government has had with the Financial Conduct Authority on widening the provision of real-time sharing of credit information between banks, other major financial institutions and short-term credit providers.

    Harriett Baldwin

    Ministers and officials meet regularly with the Financial Conduct Authority to discuss relevant regulatory issues.

    As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Treasury’s practice to provide details of all such discussions.

  • William Wragg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    William Wragg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by William Wragg on 2016-06-03.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reasons the HM Treasury analysis: the long term economic impact of EU membership and the alternatives did not include an assessment of the potential effect on the UK economy of a potential reduction in GDP in the EU.

    Mr David Gauke

    The main estimates in the HM Treasury analysis are based on the EU as it is today, without further reform. The total cost of leaving is likely to be higher. If the economic benefits of reform are realised this could increase UK GDP by up to a further 4% – which equates to £2,800 for every household in the UK. With the UK outside the EU these economic reforms would be less likely to happen. So the cost of exit in terms of the potential loss of GDP would be correspondingly greater.

  • David Simpson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    David Simpson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2016-06-03.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department plans to take to make young working families aware of ways in which they can access (a) proposed Government schemes in the Lifetime Savings Bill and (b) other Government schemes relating to long-term savings.

    Harriett Baldwin

    We are committed to supporting savers of all incomes and at all stages of life. From April 2017, the Government will introduce a Lifetime ISA for adults under 40 to help save for a first home or retirement. The Government will also introduce a new Help to Save scheme, available from no later than April 2018, to support working families on low incomes to build up a rainy day fund.

    The Government recognises the importance of ensuring that all consumers can access high quality, affordable advice so they can make informed decisions about their hard-earned money. That is why we will replace the Money Advice Service with a new commissioning body that will identify gaps in the financial guidance market and commission targeted money guidance accordingly.

  • Mike Kane – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Mike Kane – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mike Kane on 2016-06-03.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps the Government is taking to empower regulators and law enforcement agencies to prevent and detect the laundering of corrupt assets through the UK financial system.

    Harriett Baldwin

    In April, we launched the Action Plan for anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist finance, to address the gaps identified in the National Risk Assessment, and to make significant changes to improve our response to threats.

    The Action Plan will reform the supervisory regime so that the high anti-money laundering standards and controls that the UK subscribes to are implemented successfully.

    It also commits us to establish an enhanced law enforcement response to the threats we face through building new capabilities in law enforcement agencies and exploring tough new legal powers to enable the relentless disruption and prosecution of criminals and terrorists.

    Furthermore, the Prime Minister’s Anti-Corruption Summit in May launched a number of new initiatives to address illicit financial flows and give momentum to existing projects.

  • William Wragg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    William Wragg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by William Wragg on 2016-06-03.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will undertake an assessment of the potential effect on the UK economy of a reduction of (a) 0.1, (b) 0.2, (c) 0.3, (d) 0.4, (e) 0.5, (f) one, (g) two, (h) three, (i) four and (j) five per cent in the (i) GDP of each EU member state, (ii) average GDP across the Eurozone and (iii) average GDP across the EU.

    Mr David Gauke

    HM Treasury has not produced estimates of the impact of the economic performance of the euro area or other EU Member States on the UK economy. The Treasury continuously monitors global economic developments as part of the normal process of domestic policy development.

  • Chris Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Chris Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Davies on 2016-06-03.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how his Department determined the bands for the soft drinks industry levy; and what scientific studies were used in reaching that decision.

    Damian Hinds

    The new levy will be charged on producers and importers of drinks with added sugar. There will be one rate for drinks with total sugar content above 5g/100ml and a higher charge for drinks with more than 8g/100ml of sugar.

    This structure is clear, simple and transparent. It is designed to encourage producers to reformulate their product mix by removing the added sugar content from drinks and helping consumers choose lower and no sugar brands.

    The bands have been set to give producers certainty over the next two years before implementation so they can gradually reformulate their products. Companies have until April 2018 before the levy comes into force to reformulate and if they do, they can pay less.

  • Julian Knight – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Julian Knight – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Knight on 2016-06-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what funding her Department provides for (a) litter awareness campaigns, (b) implementation of the National Litter Strategy and (c) litter clearance at sites of national and cultural significance.

    Rory Stewart

    Defra supported the Clean for the Queen campaign, run earlier this year on behalf of Country Life by Keep Britain Tidy, with a grant of £9,500 towards providing resource packs to help support and encourage schools to participate in the campaign and to support monitoring and evaluation of the impacts and effectiveness of the campaign. The Department for Communities and Local Government also spent £5,000 on promoting the initiative through Facebook.

    Defra also provides £5,000 per year to the Marine Conservation Society to carry out beach cleaning at priority beaches.

    It is up to local councils to determine their own spending priorities, including for litter clearance at local sites of national or cultural significance, and central Government does not provide any specific funding to them for this purpose. Where such sites are on private land, it is for the landowner to make arrangements for litter clearance.

    Where possible, we aim to ensure that the costs of dealing with litter issues are passed to those responsible for causing the problem. We will look to implement measures in the forthcoming Litter Strategy for England through working in partnership with business and campaigning organisations.

  • Julian Knight – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Julian Knight – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Knight on 2016-06-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, on what date she plans for the National Litter Strategy to be launched.

    Rory Stewart

    Defra and the Department for Communities and Local Government are working on the Litter Strategy for England to improve the way we all tackle the scourge of litter. We will publish the Strategy this year and a great deal of work will be taken forward in the coming months.

  • Julian Knight – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Julian Knight – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Knight on 2016-06-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what government funding local litter awareness groups can apply for.

    Rory Stewart

    Central Government does not make any funding directly available to local litter awareness groups. It is up to local councils to determine how to use the central Government funding they receive for local services: this can include making some funding available to local volunteer groups to carry out litter-picking and raise awareness of litter as a local issue.

  • Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-06-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when he plans to bring forward regulations on the testing of electrical installations in rental properties.

    Brandon Lewis

    The Government is committed to protecting tenants and, as part of this, introduced an enabling power into the Housing and Planning Act 2016, allowing regulations to protect private sector tenants from electrical hazards in the home to be set. We are currently conducting further research and working with the sector to understand what, if any, legislative requirements are needed and envisage this work being completed this year. This will ensure any introductions are beneficial and strike the right balance by protecting tenants while not over burdening the sector.