The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachel Reeves on 2016-05-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many apprenticeships have been created in Yorkshire since May 2015.
Nick Boles
There have been 45,900 apprenticeship starts reported to date since May 2015 in Yorkshire and the Humber.
Information on apprenticeship starts by geography is published as a supplementary table (first link) to a Statistical First Release (second link).
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Davis on 2016-05-19.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when he plans to publish the results of the Better use of data in government consultation.
Matthew Hancock
Shortly.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Virendra Sharma on 2016-05-19.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Gracious Speech is printed on vellum.
Matthew Hancock
According to long standing practice the copy of the speech printed for the State Opening of Parliament is printed on high quality archival paper.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2016-05-19.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment the Civil Contingencies Unit has made of levels of radioactive contamination in upland areas across the UK from radioactive fallout in May 1986 as a result of the Chernobyl nuclear accident.
Mr Oliver Letwin
The Civil Contingencies Secretariat does not make assessments of the current levels of radioactive contamination existing in upland areas across the UK. However, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) coordinates a report on radiological monitoring across the UK on behalf of Environment Agency, Scottish Environment Protection Agency, Food Standards Scotland, Natural Resource Wales and Northern Ireland Environment Agency. This is reported annually in the report on Radioactivity in Food and the Environment (RIFE). The most recent report can be found at: http://www.food.gov.uk/sites/default/files/rife-20.pdf
Between 1986 and 2012, the Food Standards Agency and its predecessors managed controls and routine monitoring of sheep in certain upland areas of the UK in order to protect food safety. Following a review of the evidence (which included an assessment of the levels of radio caesium in sheep within the restricted areas) and a 12-week public consultation, the Board of the Food Standards Agency agreed the lifting of the last of these controls with effect on 1 June 2012.
See: http://www.food.gov.uk/science/research/radiologicalresearch/radiosurv/chernobyl
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-05-19.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of hotel bookings his Department made for (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) officials in each of the last five years.
Matthew Hancock
Details of Ministerial overseas travel, and senior officials’ business expenses are published on a quarterly basis. The remaining information requested could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-05-19.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of hotel bookings his Department made for (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) officials in each of the last five years.
Harriett Baldwin
Information on hotel spend for Ministers is publically available on gov.uk as part of the Transparency agenda. The information is published quarterly and is up to date for quarter 3 of financial year 2015-16 and can be found at the following web link:
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-05-19.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent estimate he has made of the (a) potential effect on the triple lock pension policy and (b) the value of state pensions for people who retired before 6 April 2016 of a potential reduction in economic growth in the event of the UK voting to leave the EU.
Mr David Gauke
The Treasury has published its analysis of the impact that leaving the EU would have on GDP, CPI inflation and on average real wages in HM Treasury analysis: the immediate economic impact of leaving the EU.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachel Reeves on 2016-05-19.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the potential effect of reductions in capital gains tax rates announced in the Budget 2016 on (a) the prevalence of converting income into capital gains and (b) income tax receipts.
Mr David Gauke
Budget 2016 announced reductions in the basic rate of Capital Gains Tax (CGT) to 10% and the main rate to 20%, excluding gains on residential property and carried interest. The purpose of these changes is to encourage individuals to invest in companies, helping them to access the capital they need to expand and create jobs.
The estimated cost of this measure was published at Budget 2016 and provided in the table below:
Table 1: Total estimated Exchequer impact of Budget 2016 CGT basic and main rate reductions
|
2016-17 |
2017-18 |
2018-19 |
2019-20 |
2020-21 |
|
|
£m |
-105 |
-630 |
-605 |
-670 |
-735 |
The costing in Table 1 includes an estimate of the impacts on CGT, Income Tax and Stamp Duty Land Tax receipts. The total estimated Exchequer cost accounts for behavioural responses, including greater realisation of gains, and increased incentive to take capital gains relative to income. This can include a wide range of behavioural changes. The impact on Income Tax is only one aspect of this costing.
No separate estimate was made of the impact on CGT receipts of converting income into capital gains. Finance Bill 2016 contains provisions to strengthen anti-avoidance rules to prevent opportunities for people to shift income to capital in order to gain a tax advantage, through making changes to the Transactions in Securities Rules and introducing a new Targeted Anti Avoidance Rule.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2016-05-19.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will request that HM Revenue and Customs investigate the legality of the operations of those British Offshore entities registered with the Mossack Fonseca law firm in Panama whose identity was made public by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists on 9 May 2016.
Mr David Gauke
On April 10, The Prime Minister announced a new taskforce to obtain, analyse and take action on the information contained in the Panama Papers.
It is being jointly led by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and the National Crime Agency (NCA) and draws on investigators, compliance specialists and analysts from HMRC, the NCA, the Serious Fraud Office and Financial Conduct Authority. The four organisations are working in close partnership to take rapid action on evidence of tax evasion and avoidance, economic crime, regulatory breaches and misconduct identified within the material.
The Prime Minister has committed to provide resources to ensure that the material is fully investigated, including initial new funding of up to £10 million to support the taskforce’s work.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Thangam Debbonaire on 2016-05-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what monitoring his Department has undertaken of the adequacy of supply of suitable and affordable accommodation for older people who want to live independently but with some support on-site.
Brandon Lewis
Decisions on how to meet the health and social care needs of older people who need affordable and accessible homes and monitoring the supply of such accommodation are best made by local authorities. Government believes that local planning authorities remain best placed to determine the extent to which provision of more accessible housing is necessary and appropriate in their local area, and have appropriate powers to introduce development plan policies to meet these needs, having regard to the National Planning Policy Framework, Planning Guidance and other relevant matters.
The National Planning Policy Framework & Planning Guidance requires local authorities to plan for a mix of housing based on current and future demographic trends, and the needs of different groups, including elderly people, in their area.