Category: Speeches

  • Michelle Donelan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Michelle Donelan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michelle Donelan on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of the National Living Wage on (a) costs to businesses and (b) employee pay.

    Nick Boles

    The Government’s Impact Assessment for the introduction of the National Living Wage estimates the total cost to businesses at around £1.1 billion, consisting of direct wage costs, associated non-wage labour costs, maintaining pay differentials and transition costs.

    Direct costs to employers contribute just under £700 million to the total cost to raise employees’ wages to the initial rate of £7.20. This will be a direct benefit to employees from receiving higher wages.

    On current OBR forecasts, a full-time National Minimum Wage worker will earn over £4,200 more by 2020 from the National Living Wage in cash terms.

  • Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2016-05-03.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the table on page 59 of the HM Revenue and Customs’ document, Measuring tax gaps 2015 edition: methodological annex published in October 2015, if he will provide (a) the same data on corporation tax risks for the (i) 2012-13 and (ii) 2013-14 financial years and (b) the same risk data for the other taxes to which large businesses are subject.

    Mr David Gauke

    HM Revenue and Customs published its latest tax gap estimates on 22 October 2015 in Measuring tax gaps 2015 edition, which can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/470540/HMRC-measuring-tax-gaps-2015-1.pdf.

    A Methodological Annex was also published on the same date at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/469973/HMRC-Measuring-tax-gaps-2015-methodological-annex.pdf.

    The number of Corporation Tax risks for Large Business Service groups are set out in table 7.2, page 63 of ‘Measuring tax gaps’ 2015 edition. These figures are not yet available for the years requested due to the lengthy nature of some tax enquiries.

    Different methodologies are used to estimate tax gaps for other taxes paid by large businesses, and therefore the information requested on risk data for other taxes is not available.

  • Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-06-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department considers that the use of cluster munitions is always unlawful under international humanitarian law because of their indiscriminate nature.

    Penny Mordaunt

    Since becoming a signatory to the Oslo Convention on Cluster Munitions it is now unlawful for the UK to use cluster munitions under any circumstances.

    For those states not currently a signatory to the Oslo Convention then the use of cluster munitions may be legitimate provided that they are used within the clearly defined limitations of International Humanitarian Law.

  • Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Trade

    Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Trade

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-09-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, if he will make it his policy that the UK leaving the EU will not (a) affect the UK’s position as a signatory to the EU’s Code of Conduct on Arms Exports and (b) require any amendment of the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria.

    Mark Garnier

    Until we leave the EU, the UK will remain a full member, with all of the rights and obligations. This includes those relating to export licencing policy.

    The assessment framework provided by the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, as set out in the Written Ministerial Statement of 25 March 2014, remains in force.

  • Chi Onwurah – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Chi Onwurah – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2016-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will ask Ofcom to review communications markets definitions to reflect the role of data as an effective proxy for payment, particularly in regard to the standard SSNIP test.

    Matt Hancock

    As the independent communications regulator it is for Ofcom to determine how it should approach the issue of defining communications markets and how it applies the standard SSNIP test. Ofcom does already take into account developments such as the role of advertising and the role of data as proxy for payments in the course of carrying out its duties and will continue to do so in its assessments of market power and its analysis of competition.

  • Owen Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Owen Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2015-11-06.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the change in tax revenue as a result of the introduction of new pension freedoms.

    Harriett Baldwin

    The expected impact over the forecast period of the changes made to private pensions taxation as announced at Budget 2014 can be found in Table 2.1 (p.56) of the Budget 2014 document here:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/293759/37630_Budget_2014_Web_Accessible.pdf

    Following a consultation period the Chancellor made subsequent announcements relating to this measure. The Exchequer impact of these can be found in Table 2.1 (p.65) of the Autumn Statement 2014 document here:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/382327/44695_Accessible.pdf

    “

  • Wayne David – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Wayne David – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Wayne David on 2015-12-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many whiplash claims there have been in each of the last five years.

    Dominic Raab

    Government data is compiled by the Compensation Recovery Unit at the Department for Work and Pensions. The figures for the number of whiplash claims are shown in the table below:

    Year

    Total Motor PI Claims

    Total Whiplash (including claims for neck and back)

    2010/11

    790,000

    740,000

    2011/12

    830,000

    760,000

    2012/13

    820,000

    750,000

    2013/14

    770,000

    700,000

    2014/15

    760,000

    690,000

    The Government remains concerned about the number of claims and the impact they have on motor insurance premiums. Despite an overall decrease since 2011/12, claims volumes are still at historically high levels, being some 50% higher than in 2006. In his Autumn Statement the Chancellor therefore announced tough new measures to control costs and reduce the number of unnecessary whiplash claims made.

  • Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2016-01-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what change there has been in the number of black and white television licences held in Northern Ireland between 1 January 2012 and 1 January 2015.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    According to TV Licensing, between 1 January 2012 and 1 January 2015, the number of black and white licences in Northern Ireland decreased by 404 licences, from 1,140 to 736.

  • Andrew Murrison – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Andrew Murrison – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Murrison on 2016-02-04.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the timetable is for his Department’s plans to separate retail and investment banking arms.

    Harriett Baldwin

    The banks are required to separate by 1 January 2019 and implementation remains firmly on track.

  • Angus Brendan MacNeil – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Angus Brendan MacNeil – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Brendan MacNeil on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the cost of state pensions to the Government as a proportion of GDP was over each of the last 30 years; and what the projected cost of state pensions as a proportion of GDP is over each of the next 30 years.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The requested information is available from 1991/92 to 2045/46 in the table below:

    UK expenditure on State Pension as a proportion of Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

    UK expenditure on State Pension as a proportion of GDP per million claimants of State Pension

    1991-92

    4.0%

    0.39%

    1992-93

    4.0%

    0.39%

    1993-94

    4.0%

    0.39%

    1994-95

    3.9%

    0.38%

    1995-96

    3.9%

    0.36%

    1996-97

    3.8%

    0.36%

    1997-98

    3.8%

    0.35%

    1998-99

    3.9%

    0.35%

    1999-00

    3.9%

    0.35%

    2000-01

    3.8%

    0.34%

    2001-02

    4.0%

    0.35%

    2002-03

    4.0%

    0.35%

    2003-04

    3.9%

    0.34%

    2004-05

    3.9%

    0.33%

    2005-06

    3.9%

    0.33%

    2006-07

    3.8%

    0.32%

    2007-08

    3.9%

    0.32%

    2008-09

    4.2%

    0.34%

    2009-10

    4.6%

    0.36%

    2010-11

    4.5%

    0.35%

    2011-12

    4.7%

    0.36%

    2012-13

    4.9%

    0.37%

    2013-14

    4.8%

    0.37%

    2014-15

    4.8%

    0.37%

    2015-16

    4.9%

    0.37%

    2016-17

    4.8%

    0.37%

    2017-18

    4.8%

    0.36%

    2018-19

    4.8%

    0.36%

    2019-20

    4.7%

    0.36%

    2020-21

    4.6%

    0.35%

    2021/22

    4.7%

    0.35%

    2022/23

    4.8%

    0.35%

    2023/24

    4.9%

    0.35%

    2024/25

    5.0%

    0.35%

    2025/26

    5.1%

    0.35%

    2026/27

    5.2%

    0.35%

    2027/28

    5.2%

    0.35%

    2028/29

    5.2%

    0.35%

    2029/30

    5.4%

    0.35%

    2030/31

    5.5%

    0.35%

    2031/32

    5.6%

    0.36%

    2032/33

    5.8%

    0.36%

    2033/34

    5.9%

    0.36%

    2034/35

    5.9%

    0.36%

    2035/36

    5.9%

    0.36%

    2036/37

    5.9%

    0.36%

    2037/38

    6.1%

    0.36%

    2038/39

    6.2%

    0.36%

    2039/40

    6.3%

    0.36%

    2040/41

    6.4%

    0.36%

    2041/42

    6.4%

    0.36%

    2042/43

    6.5%

    0.36%

    2043/44

    6.5%

    0.36%

    2044/45

    6.6%

    0.36%

    2045/46

    6.6%

    0.36%

    “