The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Dobson on 2015-01-14.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many staff of HS2 Ltd on personal service contracts are paid more than £1,000 a day.
Mr Robert Goodwill
There are no staff employed directly by HS2 Ltd on personal services contracts.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Dobson on 2015-01-14.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent estimate he has made of the cost of building the London terminus for High Speed 2 at Euston.
Mr Robert Goodwill
The plans for Euston are being developed to meet the timescales of the current parliamentary process. The revised scheme will be deposited later this year to enable consideration of the scheme in Select Committee. This will include the latest cost estimate for building the station.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Dobson on 2015-01-14.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether any employers have indicated an intention to transfer activities from London to Birmingham after the opening of Phase 1 of High Speed 2.
Mr Robert Goodwill
HS2 Ltd and the Department for Transport are not aware of any businesses that have indicated that they plan to relocate from London to Birmingham. However, as the HS2 scheme is not expected to receive Royal Assent until 2016 and will not be operational until 2026, the Department would not expect businesses to make relocation plans at this early stage.
In the interim period however, Greater Birmingham and Solihull’s Local Enterprise Partnership are undertaking work as part of both their Strategic Economic Plans to attract more jobs and businesses to their area. They are also developing HS2 Growth Strategies to maximise the wider benefits the railway will bring.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2015-01-14.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what progress has been made by the taskforce reporting to his Department on tackling nuisance telephone calls.
Mr Edward Vaizey
The taskforce published its report on consent and lead generation issues within the marketing industry on 8 December 2014, making fifteen recommendations for business, industry, regulators and Government. We are carefully considering its six recommendations for Government and will respond to these shortly.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tony Cunningham on 2015-01-14.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how the Government’s approach to negotiating a cost-effective price for the meningococcal B vaccine Bexsero takes account of fluctuations in disease levels characteristic of that virus and the recent emergence of another strain of meningitis which may be treated using Bexsero.
Jane Ellison
The independent cost-effectiveness analysis of the use of the meningococcal B vaccine, Bexsero took account of the incidence and case fatality rates of all meningococcal disease, including meningococcal W in England during the period 2005-06 to 2011-12. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) considered that these data gave a reasonable range. JCVI are the independent experts responsible for advising the Government on immunisations following due consideration of the evidence on the burden of disease, vaccine safety and efficacy and cost effectiveness.
Further information is available in Christensen H, Trotter CL, Hickman M, Edmunds WJ. Re‑evaluating cost effectiveness of universal meningitis vaccination (Bexsero) in England: modelling study. BMJ 2014; 349: g5725.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tony Cunningham on 2015-01-14.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which post in his Department is responsible for leading negotiations on setting a cost-effective price for the meningococcal B vaccine Bexsero; and when the next meeting to continue those negotiations is scheduled.
Jane Ellison
The Department’s Director General for Innovation, Growth and Technology is leading negotiations with the manufacturer for the supply of the meningococcal B vaccine, Bexsero. The most recent negotiating meeting took place on 8 December 2014 and, following subsequent technical discussions, the next such meeting will take place shortly.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-01-14.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether it is his Department’s policy to seek to recover VAT on bitcoin transactions.
Mr David Gauke
I refer the Rt. hon gentleman to Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs’ (HMRC) brief on this topic.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-01-14.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his strategy for testing approaches to universal credit in-work conditionality includes testing employer involvement in the application of conditionality.
Esther McVey
There are no plans to test employer involvement in the application of conditionality.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-01-14.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, on what dates and in what locations the universal credit in work pilots are due to start.
Esther McVey
We will launch the first in-work progression Randomised Controlled Trial in Universal Credit in April 2015, subject to securing the necessary piloting regulations.
The trial will initially start in 10 Universal Credit sites and extend to further sites in the North West later in 2015.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-01-14.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the cost of applying in work conditionality once universal credit has been fully rolled out.
Esther McVey
No estimate of the cost of applying in work conditionality has been made as this will be determined using the findings of the in-work progression trials that are due to begin in April 2015.