Author: admin

  • Andrew Bridgen – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Andrew Bridgen – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Bridgen on 2016-03-22.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the effect on (a) English airports and (b) aviation connectivity of the devolution of Air Passenger Duty.

    Damian Hinds

    Any potential effects of Air Passenger Duty (APD) devolution are contingent on the extent of devolution in the UK and subsequent decisions made by devolved administrations and central government.

    The Government is delivering the Smith Agreement by devolving APD to the Scottish Parliament. It is also considering the case and options for devolving APD to Wales, informed by a review of options to support English regional airports from potential impacts caused by its devolution.

    As part of this review, HM Treasury published a discussion paper at Summer Budget 2015 exploring a number of options. We are carefully considering the evidence received from stakeholders and will respond in due course.

  • Neil Parish – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Neil Parish – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Neil Parish on 2016-03-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the rationale was for the reduction in the dairy food group from 15 to eight per cent in the revised Eatwell Guide; and on what scientific evidence the new recommendations on dairy consumption are based.

    Jane Ellison

    The Government has adopted the refreshed Eatwell Guide which reflects updated government dietary recommendations based upon conclusions from the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition, robust modelling and consumer research. It shows the proportions of the different types of foods and drinks we should consume to have a healthy, balanced diet.

    An external reference group was convened to inform the development of the Eatwell Guide. Members from health, voluntary sector and industry were invited, including trade and levy organisations.

    Linear programming, the approach considered the most objective and robust by the reference group to inform the sizes of the food group segments, ensured all government dietary recommendations were met, including that for calcium. This analysis resulted in a new image with a reduced ‘dairy and alternatives’ segment, which will support consumers to reduce saturated fat and salt consumption, while still meeting calcium recommendations.

  • Hannah Bardell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Hannah Bardell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hannah Bardell on 2016-03-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions she has had with her European counterparts on changes to the rules of the Dublin Regulation.

    James Brokenshire

    Home Office Ministers have meetings with a wide variety of international partners, as well as organisations and individuals in the public and private sectors, as part of the process of policy development and delivery. Details of these meetings are passed to the Cabinet Office on a quarterly basis and are subsequently published on the Gov.uk website:

    http://data.gov.uk/dataset/ministerial-data-home-office

    The Commission’s review of the Dublin Regulation started last autumn. The College of Commissioners set out its strategic vision of possible options to reform the Dublin Regulation on 6 April.

  • Hannah Bardell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Hannah Bardell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hannah Bardell on 2016-03-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the timetable is for the European Commission’s review of the Dublin Regulation.

    James Brokenshire

    Home Office Ministers have meetings with a wide variety of international partners, as well as organisations and individuals in the public and private sectors, as part of the process of policy development and delivery. Details of these meetings are passed to the Cabinet Office on a quarterly basis and are subsequently published on the Gov.uk website:

    http://data.gov.uk/dataset/ministerial-data-home-office

    The Commission’s review of the Dublin Regulation started last autumn. The College of Commissioners set out its strategic vision of possible options to reform the Dublin Regulation on 6 April.

  • Ann Clwyd – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Ann Clwyd – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ann Clwyd on 2016-03-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many former workers of Remploy factories in each Parliamentary constituency are (a) looking for work, (b) in work, (c) retired, (d) in receipt of employment and support allowance and (e) in receipt of jobseeker’s allowance.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The table below is taken from the August 2015 Labour Market Statistics and shows the last data on number of former Remploy employees in work; claiming JSA or claiming ESA in England, Scotland and Wales.

    Currently in work (LMS)

    Claiming JSA (LMS)

    Claiming ESA (LMS)

    867

    234

    422

    These statistics were gathered as part of the 18 month People Help and Support Package (PHSP) made available to ex-Remploy employees. We do not have the required data broken down by constituency and we did not collect data for those looking for work but not claiming ESA or JSA.

    When the PHSP ended in August 2015, 1,523 former disabled employees had received support from a Personal Case Worker and 867 were in work. A total of 1,182 jobs had been found, 422 were on ESA and 234 on JSA.

    DWP asked all disabled former employees made redundant from Remploy to give permission to be tracked. The data we have are necessarily incomplete because they only record the progress and outcomes of those individuals who gave this permission.

  • Julie Elliott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Julie Elliott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julie Elliott on 2016-03-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 16 February 2016 to Question 26010, when he plans to establish a reading room for hon. Members to access Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership documents.

    Anna Soubry

    The reading room for classified documents, including consolidated texts, relating to the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) is not yet open. Members of both Houses will be informed of the process and details of how to access the room during April, once these have been finalised.

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-03-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many SMART awards have been made to companies in Cambridge in each year since the introduction of that scheme.

    Joseph Johnson

    Innovate UK started delivering the Smart scheme in April 2011. The number of Smart awards made to companies in Cambridge in each year is:

    2011-12 37 awards

    2012-13 22 awards

    2013-14 25 awards

    2014-15 29 awards

    2015-16 20 awards

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-03-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will make an assessment of the effect of ring fencing funding from his Department for the Global Challenges Fund on other scientific research for which his Department provides funding.

    Joseph Johnson

    Funding for the Global Challenges Research Fund is provided in addition to the existing science and research budget, and is received as a budget transfer from the Department for International Development. The fund will help to keep the UK at the forefront of research into some of the world’s most pressing challenges, including the environment, hunger, poverty and diseases.

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-03-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the effect on small and medium-sized enterprises of the decision to replace research grants for companies with loans.

    Joseph Johnson

    Like many of our competitor economies, we are looking to provide a range of innovation finance products to meet the needs of businesses; this will still include grant funding. Some countries (like France, Finland, or the Netherlands) make use of a variety of financial instruments to support innovative businesses. We have been working to understand how we can apply these established approaches to support, drive and encourage innovation in the UK. In the coming months we will be conducting market research to engage with, and fully understand the needs of, innovative businesses of all sizes in the UK. As part of the first phase of implementation the Government will announce the details of a pilot and accompanying evaluation in late 2016. The pilot will test specific financial products ahead of progressing to full roll-out.

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-03-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, for what reasons applicants for the fifth round of the SMART scheme will not be able to apply for a sixth round as initially advised.

    Joseph Johnson

    Innovate UK is currently in the process of simplifying its support to innovative businesses to make its funding programmes more visible and easier to access. Innovate UK expects to publish its Delivery Plan for 2016/17 in the spring.