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  • Barbara Keeley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Barbara Keeley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barbara Keeley on 2016-03-21.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of introducing the national living wage into social care from April 2016.

    Greg Hands

    At the time of the Summer Budget 2015 the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) estimated the costs of the National Living Wage to employers across the economy would be almost £4 billion in 2020, equivalent to just over 1 per cent of corporate profits.

    It was in recognition of costs such as the NLW and growing demand for care services that the Spending Review announced we would be making additional funding available to local government for social care, worth up to £3.5 billion a year by 2019/20. This will support councils to continue to focus on core services and to increase the prices they pay for care, including to cover the costs of the National Living Wage.

  • Barbara Keeley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Barbara Keeley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barbara Keeley on 2016-03-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has made an estimate of the number and proportion of councils which have decided to levy the social care precept in 2016-17.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    The number of local authorities which have decided to set a precept in 2016-17 for adult social care will be published with the Department’s annual council tax statistical release; the scheduled date for publication is 31 March 2016.

  • Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-03-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 17 February 2016 to Question 26459, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of changes to the pay to stay scheme proposed in the Housing and Planning Bill on the number of residents who leave their local communities.

    Brandon Lewis

    Following my answer on 17 February, the Government’s consultation response on Pay to Stay published on 9 March confirmed that a taper will be applied above the minimum income thresholds. This will mean that rental increases will be lower for those households close to the income thresholds. And I would reiterate that if tenants on incomes well above the threshold wish to take up rental opportunities in the private sector then this should be encouraged to free up social housing for those most in need.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-03-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans the Government has to help more homeless people rent privately.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    One person without a home is one too many and we are committed to doing all we can to prevent homelessness. That is why we have increased central investment to tackle homelessness over the next four years to £139 million. At Budget, we went one step further and announced £100 million to deliver low cost ‘move on’ accommodation to enable people leaving hostels and refuges to make a sustainable recovery from a homelessness crisis, providing at least 2,000 places for vulnerable people to enable independent living.

    We’re determined to create a bigger, better private rented sector and are attracting billions of pounds of investment to build homes specifically for private rent, which will increase choice for tenants. Our £1 billion Build to Rent fund will deliver up to 10,000 new rental homes, with over 4,500 already started, and our £10 billion of debt guarantees programme will also support the delivery of new rental homes, as well as up to 30,000 additional affordable homes.

    We have also already made a significant investment of nearly £14 million for Crisis to develop a programme to help single homeless people access private rented sector accommodation. Over 10,000 people have been helped, with over 90% maintaining tenancies for at least 6 months


  • Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2016-03-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 10 February 2016 to Question 24859, what funding options for Channel 4 the Government is considering.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The government is looking at a broad range of options for the future of Channel 4, including those proposed by Channel 4’s leadership. We want to ensure a strong and secure future for the broadcaster in what is a fast-changing and challenging environment.

  • Flick Drummond – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Flick Drummond – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Flick Drummond on 2016-03-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department has taken to assess the basing and maintenance options for (a) the Type 26 frigate and (b) the new general purpose frigate.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    As part of its normal forward planning, the Royal Navy routinely reviews its requirements for future waterfront infrastructure, including berths, docks and related facilities, to inform decisions regarding infrastructure investment, base porting and maintenance.

    The next review is planned to be conducted later this year and will take account of decisions in last year’s Strategic Defence and Security Review, particularly the announcement of a class of eight Type 26 Global Combat Ships and the proposed new class of General Purpose Frigate.

  • Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-03-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of whether there are circumstances under which the Government would consider deploying armed forces in the South China Sea.

    Penny Mordaunt

    The UK remains concerned about the situation in the South China Sea. We call on all parties to uphold freedom of navigation and freedom of overflight, to refrain from activities that increase tension, and to pursue urgently a settlement of the maritime disputes peacefully in accordance with international law. As a major trading nation that has substantial links with all the nations bordering the South China Sea the UK has a close security interest in the maintenance of regional peace and stability. While we have a limited permanent military presence in the form of the Brunei Garrison and our contribution to the Five Powers Defence Arrangements in Malaysia and Singapore, other than planning for routine exercises and defence engagement tasks. We have made no specific assessment of the circumstances under which we would deploy Armed Forces to the region.

  • Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-03-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the trained strength of the Royal Navy is by (a) officers and (b) non-commissioned ranks.

    Mark Lancaster

    The trained strength of the Royal Navy by officers and non-commissioned ranks as of 1 February 2016 is as follows.

    Officers

    Ratings

    Royal Navy

    5,130

    17,650

    Royal Marines

    770

    6,170

    Total

    5,900

    23,820

    All totals are rounded in accordance with the Defence Statistics rounding policy; therefore totals may not equal the sum of their parts. All numbers are rounded to the nearest 10 with numbers ending in 5 rounded to the nearest multiple of 20 to avoid bias.

    These figures were published on 10 March 2016 in the Royal Navy and Royal Marine Situation Report at: www.gov.uk

  • Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-03-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to replace the fleet of mine countermeasure vessels after 2020.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The Ministry of Defence is currently undertaking a lengthy assessment phase for a replacement Mine Countermeasures and Hydrographic capability through multi-national co-operation; principally with France as part of the Lancaster House agreement. A range of options is being considered to modernise mine countermeasures systems and remove the man from the minefield through use of the latest unmanned technological solutions and remote operating systems. Decisions on the type and number of platforms which will operate these systems will follow later in programme

  • Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-03-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the operations limitations are on the UK’s ability to operate in the Pacific.

    Penny Mordaunt

    Any operational constraints are established on a case-by-case basis at the start of an operation. That being said, we are clear that the international right to freedom of navigation and freedom of overflight must be preserved in the Pacific and that all parties should refrain from activities that increase tension, and pursue urgently the settlement of the maritime disputes peacefully and in accordance with international law.