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  • Vicky Foxcroft – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Vicky Foxcroft – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vicky Foxcroft on 2015-10-09.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph 1.44 of the Summer Budget 2015, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effects of changes to child tax credits on the incidence of (a) in-work poverty and (b) homelessness.

    Damian Hinds

    The Government is making changes to Child Tax Credits which will help put welfare spending on a more sustainable path. The Government wants to move from a low wage, high tax, high welfare society to a higher wage, lower tax, lower welfare society.

    The changes will ensure that work will always pay more than a life on benefits, support will be focused more on those on the very lowest incomes and the system will be fairer upon those who pay for it, as well as those who benefit from it. Taking the welfare changes in the Summer Budget together with the record increases in the income tax personal allowance and the introduction of the New Living Wage, 8 out of 10 working households will be better off by 2017/18.

    The Summer Budget publication also sets out illustrative examples (Table 1.8, p.40) of the combined impact of the changes to welfare, the personal allowance and the National Living Wage on individual households.

  • Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-10-09.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the loan guarantee facility offered to Chinese nuclear companies in his announcement in Beijing on 21 September 2015 remains within the scope of the European Commission’s state aid decision of 8 October 2014 concerning the Hinkley Point C project; and when the Government informed the Commission of that new loan guarantee.

    Greg Hands

    The Chancellor’s announcement on 21 September 2015 set out that the government and the Hinkley Point C project company had agreed the terms of a £2 billion guarantee through the UK Guarantees Scheme. This guarantee is the first tranche of debt guarantees that was approved as part of the European Commission’s approval of the wider support package for Hinkley Point C. The government is satisfied that the guarantee remains within the terms set out by the EU Commission.

  • Alistair Carmichael – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Alistair Carmichael – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alistair Carmichael on 2015-10-09.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what his policy is on the introduction of a tax on food with a high sugar content; and what assessment his Department has made of the effect of food taxes on improving dietary choices.

    Mr David Gauke

    At present the Government has no plans to introduce new taxes on food and drinks.

    The Government is using a range of approaches to promote health outcomes, including working with the food and drink industry to encourage the reformulation of products. A comprehensive ‘childhood obesity strategy’ will be launched later this year.

  • Chris Stephens – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Chris Stephens – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Stephens on 2015-10-09.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what meetings his Department has had with representatives of (a) the Taxpayers’ Alliance, (b) the Confederation of British Industry, (c) the Institute of Economic Affairs, (d) the Adam Smith Institute, (e) the Freedom Association, (f) the Politics and Economic Research Trust and (g) the Midlands Industrial Council in the last 12 months.

    Harriett Baldwin

    Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery.

    Details of ministerial and permanent secretary meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel

    “

  • Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-10-09.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what planning powers he plans to provide to the National Infrastructure Commission; and what the relationship is between the remit of that Commission and the powers exercised by the (a) devolved administrations and (b) Secretaries of State for (i) Transport, (ii) Energy and Climate Change and (iii) Communities and Local Government.

    Greg Hands

    HM Treasury will soon consult on what planning powers will be given to the National Infrastructure Commission, and on its remit.

    It will initially focus on areas of UK government competence. Where spending is devolved, it will be a matter for the devolved governments whether they wish to work with the Commission and how to respond to any recommendations it makes.

    The Commission will provide objective analysis and an independent view on infrastructure needs, but Government will retain the final say on policy and which projects receive government support in being delivered.

  • Tom Elliott – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Tom Elliott – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Elliott on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take steps to recommend that insurance companies make public their geographical data suppliers in respect of areas deemed to be at risk of flooding.

    Rory Stewart

    Insurance companies determine the flood risk element of the premiums they charge. Insurers use a variety of models to identify flood risk which may differ by area and organisation and will depend on their approach to risk and their underwriting strategies. Insurance companies do not have to disclose the criteria they use. The criteria and data suppliers that insurers use is commercially sensitive information which, if made public, could serve to distort the effective operation of the market.

  • Kate Osamor – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Kate Osamor – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Osamor on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he plans to take to ensure councils have adequate funding to protect social care following the implementation of the National Living Wage in April 2016.

    Alistair Burt

    Funding decisions for 2016/17 onwards, including for social care, are subject to the ongoing Spending Review which will review expenditure and future demand for services. This includes considerations such as the forthcoming implementation of the National Living Wage. The Spending Review will be published on 25 November 2015.

  • Ian Austin – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Ian Austin – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what advice his Department issues to local authorities on advising private rented sector tenants subject to court orders for possession on the steps they should take to find accommodation.

    Brandon Lewis

    The statutory Homelessness Code of Guidance for Local Authorities includes advice and guidance to authorities on the actions they can take to prevent homelessness where a person is at risk of eviction from a property. This includes negotiation with landlords or with help to address rent arrears for example. It also explains how authorities should carry out their homelessness duties where eviction takes place.

    We have also introduced protections for tenants against “retaliatory eviction”. Where a tenant makes a genuine complaint about the condition of their property that has not been addressed by their landlord, their complaint has been verified by a local authority inspection, and the local authority has served either an improvement notice or a notice of emergency remedial action, a landlord cannot evict that tenant for 6 months using the ‘no-fault’ eviction procedure (a section 21 eviction). A ‘no fault’ eviction is one where the tenant does not have to have done anything wrong, for example not paying the rent, to be asked to leave. The landlord is also required to ensure that the repairs are completed. These rules, set out in the Deregulation Act 2015, apply to all new assured shorthold tenancies that start on or after 1 October 2015. A guidance note is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/465275/Retaliatory_Eviction_Guidance_Note.pdf

    “

  • Dawn Butler – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Dawn Butler – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dawn Butler on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the potential economic effect on small businesses of changing Sunday trading laws.

    Anna Soubry

    Devolving the power to extend Sunday trading hours will enable local areas to determine the Sunday trading hours that best reflect the need of local people. There are many reasons why people will continue to choose small retailers. They offer a diverse range of products and services from convenient locations. This is perhaps why the convenience sector last year saw the opening of two new stores a day and growth in turnover of 5%.

  • Cat Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Cat Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cat Smith on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to ensure that women’s refuges have a sustainable source of funding after the current funding arrangements end on 31 March 2016.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    The Government is committed to a secure future for refuge provision, as set out in our Manifesto, and is determined to ensure that no victim is turned away from the support they need. At Budget the Chancellor announced an additional £3.2 million to increase specialist accommodation support for victims, including refuges, and provide more help for victims to access that support. This is in addition to the £10 million announced in 2014 to enable local authorities to strengthen refuge services. Our significant investment shows our clear commitment to maintaining and boosting refuge provision. Future funding arrangements are a matter for the Spending Review.