Category: Speeches

  • Nic Dakin – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Nic Dakin – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2015-10-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of changes to disability benefits on spending by the NHS.

    Justin Tomlinson

    Personal Independence Payment, Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance are universal benefits that help with the extra costs arising from a long-term health condition or disability. Spending on these benefits increased by over £2 billion over the course of the last parliament and we expect to be spending over £21 billion this year. We would expect individuals to be accessing the relevant support services, regardless of benefit receipt and do not expect the reforms to disability benefits to impact health services. We have also set up the Work and Health Joint Unit with the Department of Health to improve health and employment outcomes for claimants.

  • Clive Lewis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Clive Lewis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Clive Lewis on 2015-12-16.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the contract between HM Revenue and Customs and Concentrix on compliance checks for tax credits includes (a) the number of checks to be carried out, (b) the number of staff and (c) types of enforcement action.

    Mr David Gauke

    Reducing tax credits fraud and error is a top priority for HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). The contract with Concentrix offers additional capacity to help build on HMRC’s own work, which has reduced tax credits fraud and error to the lowest ever level. Using a private company provides a cost-effective way to reach additional claims that need checking.

    The checks are to ensure that people are paid the correct amount of money to prevent them from getting into debt which they may find difficult to repay and protect losses to taxpayers.

    Concentrix operate under the same powers and processes as HMRC. Concentrix select cases to be checked using information provided by HMRC. Concentrix decide how best to achieve the expected benefits, including the number and type of cases and number of staff employed. HMRC closely monitors their performance.

    The contract uses a payment by results model, which means Concentrix is only paid based on the money it saves the Exchequer as a result of correcting claims that are incorrect. They will not be paid if the decisions they make about claimants’ awards are incorrect.

    The contract was signed on 6 May 2014. The contract was awarded to Synnex-Concentrix UK Ltd in April 2014, following a procurement exercise advertised under the open procedure. Information about the contract value and contract award is already in the public domain.

    https://www.deltaesourcing.com/delta/viewNotice.html?noticeId=97910033

    “

  • Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2016-01-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) CRB checks and (b) Disclosure and Barring Service checks have been carried out in each of the last 10 years.

    Karen Bradley

    The table below shows the total number of Standard and Enhanced certificates issued by the Disclosure and Barring Service over the last 10 years. The figures include applications for volunteer roles, which are processed free of charge.

    Organisation

    Financial Year

    Standard & Enhanced Certificates Issued

    CRB

    2005/06

    2,776,378

    CRB

    2006/07

    3,278,031

    CRB

    2007/08

    3,323,402

    CRB

    2008/09

    3,856,583

    CRB

    2009/10

    4,301,313

    CRB

    2010/11

    4,312,533

    CRB

    2011/12

    4,074,241

    CRB (to Nov-12)

    2012/13

    2,842,832

    DBS (from Dec-12)

    2012/13

    1,223,773

    DBS

    2013/14

    3,948,733

    DBS

    2014/15

    4,111,856
  • Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2016-02-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate his Department has made of the amount of funding that will be required for those who may need access to the reformed scheme for providing support for people affected by hepatitis C through treatment with NHS-supplied blood or blood products but have not yet been identified.

    Jane Ellison

    The assumption is that there would be £570 million available from the unreformed scheme, as mentioned in the consultation, and an additional £125 million, identified in the current spending review.

  • Julian Lewis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Julian Lewis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Lewis on 2016-03-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what estimate she has made of the proportion of the total annual cost of energy bills in the UK which results from EU legal requirements.

    Amber Rudd

    My Department has made no estimate of the effect on annual energy bills in the UK resulting from EU legal requirements. Given that much of EU energy policy supports UK energy and climate objectives it is not possible to attribute particular cost elements of bills wholly to individual EU policies.

    Much EU legislation helps to keep down the level of energy bills – EU energy market liberalisation and integration and legislation such as product standards to improve energy efficiency provide significant benefits to UK consumers.

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-04-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for what reasons an annual report on the UK Five Year Antimicrobial Resistance Strategy was not published in 2015.

    Jane Ellison

    The UK Five Year Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Strategy (2013-2018) annual progress report, 2015, was delayed to give the Report a stronger ‘one health’ perspective and to better reflect progress across the four nations, which required additional analytical work. We hope to publish the report shortly.

    The Department has just commissioned an independent scoping study to inform the evaluation of the current strategy which will inform any future strategy document.

  • Stewart Malcolm McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Stewart Malcolm McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stewart Malcolm McDonald on 2016-05-26.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to improve tax transparency.

    Mr David Gauke

    I refer the Hon Member to the my earlier response to question 14 during Oral Questions.

  • Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2016-07-21.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 11 July 2016 to Question 41528, what discussions the Civil Service Chief People Officer, Rupert McNeil, has had with permanent secretaries of other government departments on meeting external organisations to discuss meeting temporary or permanent skills and staff needs.

    Ben Gummer

    The Civil Service constantly reviews its capabilities in order to deliver the Government’s agenda. Civil Servants regularly meet with external organisations and stakeholders to discuss how best to deliver that agenda, including seeking advice and assistance where appropriate. Following the decision to exit the European Union, Rupert McNeil, the Chief People Officer, is working closely with departments and functions across government to understand the capabilities required, including considering what new skills the Civil Service may require. To do that, he is in the process of meeting all Departmental Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Function.

    Work is on-going to establish the new Department for Exiting the European Union and the new Department for International Trade and all departments are currently reviewing their own structures and resources to ensure we get the best deal for the whole of Britain.

  • Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-10-07.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 12 September 2016 to Question 44306, what assessment he has made of the effect of his Department’s policies on trends in shifts from bonuses to salaries in the financial sector; and what plans he has to tackle income inequality in the UK.

    Simon Kirby

    The UK is at the forefront of global efforts to tackle unacceptable pay practices in the banking sector and has the toughest regime on pay of any major financial centre.

    Firms are now required to have policies in place to defer, reduce, cancel or clawback bonuses in the event that poor performance or misconduct comes to light and the Government expects firms to be proactive in their application of these policies. Used in this way bonuses can be an effective incentive for staff to act in the long term interests of a business.

    The Government’s efforts have resulted in a restructuring of pay including a significant reduction in cash bonuses, and a better alignment of risk and reward in the financial sector.

    Income inequality is lower than it was in 2010, and close to its lowest level since the mid-1980s. Furthermore, distributional analysis published by the Treasury alongside Budget 2016 shows that the richest fifth of households are projected to pay a greater proportion of taxes in 2019-20 than in 2010-11 as a result of government policy – and more than all other households put together.

    The government is committed to making Britain a country that works for everyone through tacking injustices and ensuring that everyone, whatever their background, is able to go as far as their talents can take them.

  • Baroness Jones of Whitchurch – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Baroness Jones of Whitchurch – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch on 2015-10-28.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what advice they are giving to consumers about the health risks of eating processed meat.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    Public Health England’s advice is that, on average, people should be eating no more than 70 grammes of red and processed meat a day. People who eat a lot of these meats are at higher risk of bowel cancer than those who eat small amounts. Therefore, people who eat more than 90 grammes of red or processed meat a day are advised to cut down.