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  • Alex Chalk – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Alex Chalk – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Chalk on 2016-09-12.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of making care home expenses tax deductible.

    Jane Ellison

    Tax relief for the cost of care in residential homes would disproportionately benefit those on higher incomes, whilst being of little or no benefit to those on more modest incomes. Furthermore, about half of pensioners do not pay tax and would be excluded from the scope of such a relief.

  • Richard Arkless – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Richard Arkless – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Arkless on 2016-09-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if his Department will exempt crisis, refuge and homeless accommodation from any extension to the Local Housing Allowance cap.

    Caroline Nokes

    I refer the Honourable Member to the Written Statement made today by the Secretary of State:

    http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2016-09-15/HCWS154/

    “

  • Richard Arkless – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Richard Arkless – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Arkless on 2016-09-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when his Department plans to publish its review into supported accommodation; and whether it has carried out an impact assessment on the extension of the Local Housing Allowance cap.

    Caroline Nokes

    I refer the Honourable Member to the Written Statement made today by the Secretary of State:

    http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2016-09-15/HCWS154/

    Full impact and equality impact assessments will be undertaken in due course.

    “

  • Grahame Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Grahame Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2016-09-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the cost to the Exchequer was of providing free television licences to people over 75 years of age in (a) 2014-15 and (b) 2015-16 for qualifying residents in (i) the North East, (ii) Country Durham and (iii) Easington constituency.

    Richard Harrington

    In 2014/15 the cost of providing free TV licences to those 75 and over in the North East was £26.5m and it is estimated the cost for qualifying residents in Durham County local authority and Easington constituency was £5.3m and £0.8m respectively.

    The cost of the free TV licences to those aged 75 and over in the North East for 2015/16 will be published on 21 September on the Gov.uk website. Breakdowns by County and Parliamentary Constituency use that North East expenditure estimate.

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-09-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, for what reason the Government’s £60 million investment in Reaction Engines to help support the development of SABRE, as announced on 16 July 2013, has been delayed.

    Joseph Johnson

    The announcement in July 2013 was an in principle decision to fund, subject to the development of a suitable business case. The reason the funding was not disbursed sooner was because Reaction Engines had not produced a business case that met the Government’s requirements.

    The funding for SABRE was confirmed to Reaction Engines as a grant in December 2015, and milestone payments began in April 2016.

  • Tom Blenkinsop – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Tom Blenkinsop – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Blenkinsop on 2016-09-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether it remains Government policy to (a) offer specific financial support to the UK steel industry and (b) take a 25 per cent equity stake in Tata Steel.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    The Government continues to make compensation payments to all Electricity Intensive Industries, including steel, for the policy costs in their electricity bills. To date we have paid the steel sector over £100 million. We continue to make significant progress in addressing the wider challenges faced by the steel sector, and are working through the Steel Council to ensure the efforts of the sector itself, the Trade Unions, and the Government are all targeted in the right areas.

    We are also continuing to work with Tata, the Welsh Government and Trade Unions to support commercial discussions on the future of the company’s remaining UK assets.

  • Matthew Pennycook – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Matthew Pennycook – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Pennycook on 2016-09-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent estimate he has made of the number of gas and electricity smart meters (a) that have been installed to date and (b) projected to be installed by the end of 2016.

    Jesse Norman

    As of the end of March 2016 over 3.6 million smart meters were operating under the programme. The Government publishes official statistics on the rollout of smart meters quarterly. The latest release can be found at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/statistical-release-and-data-smart-meters-great-britain-quarter-1-2016

    The Government receives estimates of forecast smart meter installations from the larger energy suppliers. Their latest projections suggest a further 2.9 million meters are expected to be installed between 1 April 2016 and 31 December 2016.

    “

  • Matthew Pennycook – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Matthew Pennycook – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Pennycook on 2016-09-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans he has to review the 2020 deadline for the rollout of smart meters to 100 per cent of UK households after delays to the DCC go-live date.

    Jesse Norman

    Energy Suppliers are required under licence conditions to take all reasonable steps to install smart meters in all of their domestic customers’ premises, and smart or advanced meters in smaller non-domestic sites, by 31 December 2020. There are no plans to amend this obligation.

  • Matthew Pennycook – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Matthew Pennycook – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Pennycook on 2016-09-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether the Government plans to publish an updated cost-benefit analysis of the smart meter rollout programme.

    Jesse Norman

    The Government intends to publish an updated cost-benefit analysis for the rollout of smart meters in due course.

  • Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2016-09-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what progress his Department has made on ensuring that energy efficiency in the private rented sector is improved to meet new regulations regarding E-grade standards for properties to be let.

    Jesse Norman

    The Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property)(England and Wales) Regulations 2015 requires that all landlords of domestic and non-domestic privately rented property in England and Wales ensure that, from 1 April 2018, their properties reach an energy performance rating of at least an E before granting a tenancy to new or existing tenants, unless a prescribed exemption applies.

    The Department has undertaken, and will continue to undertake, engagement activity with landlord groups to help them understand the requirements of the regulations. Officials are currently preparing guidance to assist non-domestic landlords in complying with their obligations under the regulations, and we will prepare similar guidance for domestic landlords in due course.

    The Department is also developing a landlord exemptions register, a requirement of the Regulations, which will be used by enforcement authorities to help target their enforcement activities, and which will allow landlords to register online any exemptions that apply.