Author: admin

  • Barry Sheerman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Barry Sheerman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2015-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what recent representations he has received from creditors of companies which have gone into liquidation about the priority of payments in cases of liquidation.

    Jo Swinson

    I occasionally receive representations from creditors of companies in liquidation about priority of payments in those cases. In broad terms, the principle applied in insolvency cases is that creditors are treated equally, and will receive any payment they are due after the fees, costs and expenses of the liquidation have been paid. This is not an area which the Government has any current plans to change.

  • Julian Huppert – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Julian Huppert – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Huppert on 2015-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will take steps to ensure that students undertaking a level 6 diploma in professional dance are consistently regarded as being in higher or further education for the purpose of housing benefit and access to student loans and financial support.

    Nick Boles

    An Upper Tribunal of HM Courts and Tribunal Service affirmed in July 2013 that, for the purposes of Housing Benefit, all courses of Level 4 and above were courses of higher education, and students undertaking a Level 6 Diploma in professional dance are not eligible for Housing Benefit. This decision was to be disseminated to all Local Authorities to ensure any Housing Benefit payment discrepancies would cease.

    For the purposes of Higher Education student support, a course must be designated in accordance with the relevant Education (Student Support) Regulations. A key eligibility requirement is that a course should lead to an award granted by a body with UK degree awarding powers. These Level 6 Diplomas are not granted by such a body and therefore are not eligible for HE student funding.

    The Department continues to provide funding through the Dance and Drama Awards scheme for a small number of dance and drama higher vocational Diplomas.

  • Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-01-13.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to his Department’s guidance on delivering public value from spending proposals, under what circumstances procuring a system precedes completion of the full business case.

    Danny Alexander

    As set out in HM Treasury’s “The Green Book — appraisal and evaluation in Central Government”, all new policies, programmes and projects should be subject to comprehensive but proportionate assessment, where it is practicable, so as best to promote the public interest. The nature of this assessment will vary according to the nature of the proposal, and is likely to be influenced by factors such as the scale and complexity of the proposed procurement.

  • Gregory Campbell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Gregory Campbell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2015-01-13.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will discuss with his counterparts in the devolved administrations the possibility of extending the National Citizen Services to those administrations.

    Mr Rob Wilson

    The Government is committed to giving as many young people as possible the chance to take part in this life-changing opportunity. The programme will continue to take place in every English Local Authority in 2015. 2014 saw 504 young people take part in Northern Ireland and 364 young people take part in Wales.

    My officials and I continue to work closely with the devolved administrations and following successful pilots of the programme the Northern Ireland Minister for Social Development is developing a longer term plan for supporting NCS in Northern Ireland.

  • Karl McCartney – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Deputy Prime Minister

    Karl McCartney – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Deputy Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karl McCartney on 2015-01-13.

    To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what representations his Department has received on allegations of disproportionate investment towards Local Enterprise Partnership board members by (a) the Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership and (b) other Local Enterprise Partnerships; and if he will make a statement.

    Greg Clark

    The Government has received letters from the Hon. Member and from one of his constituents on this subject. I am assured in all cases that the Greater Lincolnshire LEP has taken appropriate steps to ensure propriety, value for money and avoid conflicts of interest.

  • John Hemming – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    John Hemming – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Hemming on 2015-01-13.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the (a) UK total managed expenditure in nominal sterling, (b) gross domestic product in nominal sterling and (c) percentage total managed expenditure is expressed as a percentage of the gross domestic product; and what the reasons are for the variances from the Public Expenditure Statistical analysis published by his Department in 2014.

    Danny Alexander

    All these data are available from the Office for Budget Responsibility’s databank, including the Office for National Statistics outturn data (published 22nd November 2014) and the Office for Budget Responsibility’s independent forecast (consistent with the Economic and Fiscal Outlook December 2014 and the Autumn Statement 2014).

    1. UK Total Managed Expenditure in nominal sterling.

    2009-10

    2010-11

    2011-12

    2012-13

    2013-14

    TME outturn (£bn)

    680.6

    700.9

    701.2

    717.9

    719.9

    2014-15

    2015-16

    2016-17

    2017-18

    2018-19

    2019-20

    TME forecast (£bn)

    737.1

    746.2

    746.7

    751.3

    765.3

    779.9

    1. Gross Domestic Product in nominal sterling.

    2009-10

    2010-11

    2011-12

    2012-13

    2013-14

    Nominal GDP outturn (£bn)

    1501.7

    1,576.2

    1,628.5

    1,663.2

    1,733.0

    2014-15

    2015-16

    2016-17

    2017-18

    2018-19

    2019-20

    Nominal GDP forecast (£bn)

    1,822.0

    1,888.0

    1,956.0

    2,038.0

    2,124.0

    2,215.0

    1. Total Managed Expenditure expressed as a percentage of the gross domestic product.

    2009-10

    2010-11

    2011-12

    2012-13

    2013-14

    TME outturn (%GDP)

    45.3

    44.5

    43.1

    43.2

    41.5

    2014-15

    2015-16

    2016-17

    2017-18

    2018-19

    2019-20

    TME forecast (%GDP)

    40.5

    39.5

    38.2

    36.9

    36.0

    35.2

    Variances when comparing the most up to date figures set out above against the Public Expenditure Statistical Analysis (command paper) are due to these figures including the latest outturn data, incorporating the latest forecast judgement by the Office for Budget Responsibility and the latest classification changes made by the Office for National Statistics.

    Since the Public Expenditure Statistical Analysis was published in July 2014 the Office for Budget Responsibility has published their latest forecast in their December 2014 Economic and Fiscal Outlook. The Office for National Statistics regularly update outturn, at a various points in the year, for total managed expenditure and gross domestic product.

  • Ivan Lewis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Ivan Lewis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ivan Lewis on 2015-01-13.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he last met the Chief Executive of Invest NI.

    Mr David Gauke

    Treasury Ministers 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

    “

  • Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-01-13.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations he has made to the European Court of Justice in response to its consideration of the VAT treatment of bitcoin transactions; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr David Gauke

    No representations have been made to the EU Court of Justice regarding the VAT treatment of Bitcoin transactions.

  • William McCrea – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    William McCrea – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by William McCrea on 2015-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will bring forward proposals to curb excessive pay increases for senior executives; and if he will make a statement.

    Jo Swinson

    The Government has taken decisive action to restore the link between top pay and performance.

    In October 2013 new laws comprehensively reforming the governance of company directors’ pay came into force, boosting transparency so that shareholders have adequate information, and giving them the power to hold companies to account.

    We are also seeing good signs of improved engagement between investors and companies: with a clear impact on directors’ pay awards. The latest evidence shows that median total remuneration awarded to FTSE100 CEOs fell by 5% in 2012 and by a further 7% in 2013. At the same time 35% of CEOs and 30% of executive directors in FTSE100 companies did not receive a salary increase in 2013.

    The Government is monitoring the impact of the reforms and will consider further measures if necessary.

  • William McCrea – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    William McCrea – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by William McCrea on 2015-01-13.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he plans to bring forward legislative proposals to devolve corporation tax to the Northern Ireland Executive.

    Mr David Gauke

    Following the 23 December Stormont House Agreement, the Government introduced and published the Corporation Tax (Northern Ireland) Bill on 8 January 2015. The Bill is available here:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-bill-to-devolve-corporation-tax-in-northern-ireland

    “