Category: Speeches

  • Seema Malhotra – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Seema Malhotra – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Seema Malhotra on 2016-05-25.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the average length of time between an application being made for a Venture Capital Trust Scheme and the scheme taking effect was in each of the last six years.

    Mr David Gauke

    The average time between a company applying to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) for approval as a Venture Capital Trust (VCT) and receiving approval in the last six tax years was as follows:

    Tax year

    Number of VCTs approved

    Average time taken to approve applications (days)

    2010-11

    16

    7

    2011-12

    6

    9

    2012-13 to 2015-16

    6

    16

    Notes

    1. The information for the years 2012-13 to 2015-16 has been grouped owing to the low numbers of VCTs seeking approval in each of those years. Disclosure of average times in each of those years could identify specific companies.

    2. The number of VCTs approved each year is provided in order to give context for the averages reported.

    3. The average time includes non-working days such as weekends and public holidays. Fractions of days are rounded up to the nearest day.

    4. The amount of time taken to approve a company as a VCT depends upon the specific facts of each case. Two cases in the period from 2012-13 to 2015-16 had significantly longer approval times, raising the average for this period. If those cases were excluded, the average time would have been 10 days.

    5. A company cannot raise funds from VCT investors until it has been listed on a regulated stock market. HMRC does not hold information about the date of listing although that information is publicly available.

  • Paula Sherriff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Paula Sherriff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paula Sherriff on 2016-07-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what targets she has set the police relating to dealing with hate crime incidents.

    Sarah Newton

    The Government condemns all hate crimes and is committed to tackling these crimes in partnership with the communities affected.

    We have in place some of the strongest legislation to tackle hate crime in the world – this includes specific offences for racially and religiously aggravated activity and offences of the stirring up of hatred on the grounds of race, religion and sexual orientation.

    We also have stronger sentences for hate crime. We continue to carefully consider the recommendations from the Law Commission review into hate crime legislation. The Government has committed to taking action to improve our response to hate crime.

    This includes joint training between the police and Crown Prosecution staff to improve the way the police identify and investigate hate crime; building on the improvements to police recording of hate crime by working with the police to break down religious-based hate crime by religion; and working with victims and advocacy groups to improve victims confidence to come forward and report such crimes.

    The police are also improving their operational practices and recording. Last year, the College of Policing published Operational Guidance for officers responding to hate crime which comprehensively covers how to address all forms of hate crime.

    Hate crime statistics show number of crimes recorded by the police by force area. The decision as to how hate crime is resourced in individual forces is an operational matter for the Police and Crime Commissioner for that area. The latest police funding settlement represents a fair deal for the police and reinforces this Government’s commitment to protect the public. No Police and Crime Commissioner who maximised precept income is facing a reduction in cash funding this year.

    Police and Crime Commissioners are also responsible for commissioning local support services for victims of crime. The Ministry of Justice provides the Commissioner with a grant to enable services which best meet the needs of local victims of crime to be funded.

    The Home Office published a new hate crime action plan on 26 July 2016, which sets out Government action over the next four years to tackle hate crime. It includes:

    ● new steps to boost reporting of hate crime and support victims;

    ● new CPS guidance to prosecutors on racially aggravated crime;

    ● a new £2.4 million fund for protective security measures at potentially vulnerable places of worship;

    ● and additional funding to community organisations tackling hate crime.

    Nobody in this country should live in fear because of who they are and anyone who experiences hate crime should report it to the police, either in person at a police station, online through the True Vision website, or by phoning 101.

  • Amanda Solloway – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Amanda Solloway – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Amanda Solloway on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many school leavers in Derby North constituency who went to university in the last five years for which figures are available were (a) entitled and (b) not entitled to free school meals.

    Joseph Johnson

    Information is given on the number and percentage of students completing Key Stage 5 study (A level and other Level 3 qualifications) in mainstream state-funded schools and colleges, before progressing to study at a UK higher education institution for at least two terms the following year, in each of the last five years for which information is available. Free school meal eligibility is as recorded when students were in Year 11.

    The table below show figures for the Derby North constituency for the years 2010/11 to 2014/15. Numbers of pupils are shown rounded to the nearest ten in line with how published information was shown in these years. Percentages are calculated using unrounded figures.

    In each of the last five years ten students in the Derby North constituency (rounded to the nearest ten), who had been eligible for free school meals in Year 11 and completed Key Stage 5 study, progressed to higher education. This compares to between 190 and 220 students who had not been eligible for free school meals completing Key Stage 5 study in the latest year. Due to the small numbers involved, the proportion of students represented by these numbers has varied year on year.

    Information on pupil destinations at local authority, regional and national level is published annually at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-destinations

    Number of students completing KS5

    Number at UK Higher Education Institution

    % at UK Higher Education Institution (calculated on unrounded figures)

    (rounded to nearest 10)

    (rounded to nearest 10)

    FSM

    Non-FSM

    FSM

    Non-FSM

    FSM

    Non-FSM

    2014/15 (2013/14 KS5 cohort)

    20

    320

    10

    210

    64%

    65%

    2013/14 (2012/13 KS5 cohort)

    20

    310

    10

    190

    43%

    61%

    2012/13 (2011/12 KS5 cohort)

    30

    310

    10

    200

    32%

    63%

    2011/12 (2010/11 KS5 cohort)

    20

    300

    10

    190

    50%

    64%

    2010/11 (2009/10 KS5 cohort)

    20

    330

    10

    220

    55%

    66%

    “

  • Frank Field – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Frank Field – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2015-10-27.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the average duration of a claim for tax credits was in the most recent (a) 12 and (b) 24 months for which data is available.

    Damian Hinds

    The information is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Baroness Tonge – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2015-11-24.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to increase their financial assistance for family planning and sexual and reproductive health and rights in Myanmar, in the light of the reduction in funding by other donors.

    Baroness Verma

    DFID is helping to improve the health of the poorest and most vulnerable people in Burma, including funding programmes to increase access to modern methods of family planning and other reproductive health services. We are supporting the 3MDG health fund in Burma with nearly £90 million between 2010 and 2017. The 3MDG health fund is providing family planning services for a population of 4.4 million. DFID is currently reviewing our approach for all country programmes for the next five years as part of the government’s overall spending review.

  • Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2016-01-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in which (a) towns, (b) cities and (c) regions were the recorded locations of exploitation of potential victims of human trafficking referred to the UK National Referral Mechanism in 2014.

    Karen Bradley

    The table below shows the breakdown of the claimed location of exploitation for the 2,340 potential victims referred to the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) in 2014. The geographical location of exploitation is recorded by police force area only, for reporting and statistical purposes.

    YEAR

    2014

    Police for area of exploitation (claimed)

    Total

    Avon & Somerset

    16

    Bedfordshire

    12

    Cambridgeshire

    31

    Cheshire

    6

    Cleveland

    8

    Derbyshire

    6

    Devon & Cornwall

    8

    Dorset

    10

    Durham

    3

    Dyfed-Powys

    2

    Essex

    12

    Gloucestershire

    2

    GMP

    38

    Gwent

    5

    Hampshire

    21

    Hertfordshire

    4

    Humberside

    2

    Kent

    26

    Lancashire

    2

    Leicestershire

    7

    Lincolnshire

    8

    Merseyside

    7

    Metropolitan

    232

    Multiple locations

    83

    Norfolk

    7

    North Yorkshire

    13

    Northamptonshire

    2

    Northumbria

    12

    Nottinghamshire

    14

    Police Scotland

    44

    PSNI

    30

    South Wales

    7

    South Yorkshire

    14

    Staffordshire

    3

    Suffolk

    3

    Surrey

    1

    Sussex

    8

    Thames Valley

    17

    Warwickshire

    4

    West Mercia

    5

    West Midlands

    51

    West Yorkshire

    87

    Wiltshire

    19

    Overseas

    432

    Unknown / Not recorded*

    1016

    Total

    2340

    * “Unknown/not-recorded” cases are ones where: • potential victims did not know the location of exploitation; and / or

    • potential victims have been moved with the intention to exploit but have been identified before an act of exploitation has taken place; and / or

    • frontline workers did not accurately record this data when initial referrals were made

    “

  • Craig Whittaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Craig Whittaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Whittaker on 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what representations he has received from Calderdale Council since 2010 on the level of local authority funding from central Government.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    Calderdale Council have submitted a representation each year since 2010 as part of the annual consultation on the local government finance settlement.

    The annual local government finance settlement sets out details of central government funding for local authorities, including Revenue Support Grant, as well as considering councils’ locally raised funds, and represents the main funding source for local authorities.

  • Craig Whittaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Craig Whittaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Whittaker on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the balances held by all English local authorities.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    The most recent local authority data held by the Department for Communities and Local Government is the estimated position for financial year 2015-16. Local authorities have estimated that their reserve balances as at 31 March 2016 will be as follows:

    Ringfenced school reserves £2,213.16 million

    Ringfenced public health reserves £138.83 million

    Non ringfenced other earmarked reserves £13,396.76 million

    Non ringfenced unallocated reserves £3,736.79 million

    Full details can be found on the department’s webpage https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/local-authority-revenue-expenditure-and-financing-england-2015-to-2016-individual-local-authority-data

    “

  • Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-03-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 29 February 2016 to Question 27368, on what basis the Child Support Agency allows non-resident parents to self-categorise as self-employed for child maintenance purposes; whether the new Child Maintenance Service plans to adopt the HM Revenue and Customs definition of self-employed when considering the employment status of non-resident parents under the 2012 child maintenance scheme or to allow non-resident parents to self-categorise their own employment status; and if he will make a statement.

    Priti Patel

    For the older schemes of maintenance, income information is initially gathered from the parents themselves. As part of this initial conversation, they are asked whether they classify themselves as self-employed or not.

    Calculation of their net income figure will always be based on the relevant taxation legislation for the nature of the employment, subject to any additional conditions imposed by Child Support legislation.

    For the 2012 scheme, unlike the older schemes, the income used to calculate maintenance is a gross taxable earnings figure. Our primary mechanism for getting this information is direct from HM Revenue & Customs. As a gross figure is used, it does not matter whether they are employed or self-employed.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-04-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they ensure that the government of Saudi Arabia complies with the regulatory regime established under the Export Control Act 2002, in particular in respect of arms used in Yemen and supplied by the UK.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The British Government considers each export licence application on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, taking account of relevant factors at the time of application. The Criteria implement the UK’s obligations under the Export Control Act 2002. This includes an assessment of Criterion 2c (whether there is a clear risk that the proposed exports might be used in the commission of a serious violation of international humanitarian law (IHL)).

    A licence will not be issued for export of items to any country, including Saudi Arabia, if to do so would be inconsistent with any mandatory provision of the Criteria, including where we assess there is a clear risk that the items might be used in the commission of a serious violation of IHL. The Government is satisfied that extant licences for Saudi Arabia are compliant with the Criteria.