UKPOL.CO.UK

Category: Speeches

  • 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 2016-09-12.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they intend to take following reports from the UN envoy that, since the diplomatic Quartet called for a halt to the construction of Jewish outposts on Palestinian land, Israeli settlement expansion has increased.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We continue to raise our serious concerns over this issue with the Israeli Government at all levels. On 07 September, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Mr Ellwood) emphasised our concerns about settlements with Israeli Defence Minister Lieberman during their meeting.

  • Neil Gray – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Neil Gray – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Neil Gray on 2016-10-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many employment support allowance claimants in the work-related activity group have (a) come off that allowance and (b) had periods of reclaiming that allowance and what proportion of those claimants had fluctuating illnesses in the latest period for which figures are available.

    Penny Mordaunt

    Statistics on Employment and Support Allowance off-flows, by phase of claim, are published and available at:

    http://tabulation-tool.dwp.gov.uk/flows/flows_off/tabtool.html

    Guidance on how to extract the information can be found at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dwp-tabulation-tool-guidance

    The information requested on Employment and Support Allowance claimants reclaiming ESA and the proportion of claimants who had fluctuating illnesses is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

    “

  • Richard Burden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Richard Burden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the finding in the RAC report, Motoring 2015, published in September 2015, that 12 per cent of motorists think it is acceptable to make a short call on a hand-held mobile device whilst driving; and what measures his Department plans to take to research the potential effectiveness and enforcement of legislation on the use of such devices for (a) phone calls and (b) using social media whilst driving.

    Andrew Jones

    It is illegal to use a hand held device to make phone calls or use social media whilst driving. The Department is considering the findings of the research study undertaken by the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) which looked at the prevalence of phone use across England and Scotland. This study will help inform future policy decisions. Effective enforcement will remain a key priority. The previous Government in 2013 increased the fixed penalty level for using a mobile phone at the wheel to £100 and the Department will continue to keep further deterrent measures under consideration.

  • Kate Osamor – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Kate Osamor – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Osamor on 2015-12-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received on Turkish military action against (a) the Kurdistan Workers’ Party in northern Iraq and (b) ISIS since July 2015; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr David Lidington

    We are closely monitoring all of these and related events in Turkey and the region. The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) continues to kill members of the Turkish police service and security forces. We support Turkey’s right to defend itself against all forms of terrorism. We have been clear that the PKK must cease its violence and the peace process needs to be resumed. The UK stands ready to help in any way it can in this regard. I last raised this with my Turkish counterpart when we met in August.

    The Government continues to monitor closely Turkey’s democratic reforms, including as part of the EU accession process, focusing particularly on freedom of expression, respect for the rule of law and minority rights.

    We welcome Turkey’s invaluable contribution to the international campaign against Daesh, particularly its agreement for the use of its airspace and airbases, as a member of the Global Coalition committed to defeating it. Turkey has been carrying out military strikes against Daesh since July 2015, and state that they have detained over 2,500 Daesh suspects since 2013, of whom one third are foreigners. Turkey recognises the role that Syrian Kurds have to play in the fight against Daesh, and accepts that Syrian Kurds receive Coalition support.

  • Alan Brown – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Alan Brown – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Brown on 2016-01-12.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the letter of the Financial Secretary to the Treasury on making tax digital, dated 11 January 2016, for what reasons the increased revenue from a more accurate digital tax return system has been estimated at £600 million per annum given that the current tax gap due to errors made by small businesses has been estimated in that letter at £6.5 billion.

    Mr David Gauke

    HM Revenue and Customs remains committed to narrowing the overall tax gap. The policy costings for Making Tax Digital can be found in the publication Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015: policy costings.

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/480565/SRAS2015_policy_costings_amended_page_25.pdf

    “

  • Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-02-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many Post Office Crown branches have closed or merged since the end of the last formal Crown Transformation Programme.

    George Freeman

    Provision of its Crown branches is the operational responsibility of Post Office Limited.

    I have therefore asked Paula Vennells, the Chief Executive of Post Office Limited, to write to the hon Member on this matter. A copy of her reply will be placed in the libraries of the House.

  • Martyn Day – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Martyn Day – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Martyn Day on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, who will take the decision on whether (a) the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement and (b) the EU-US Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership are agreements requiring ratification by Parliament; and when such a decision will be taken.

    Anna Soubry

    The decision as to whether the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement and the EU-US Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership will be mixed agreements will be taken by the EU and its Member States when each agreement is signed.

  • Gareth Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Gareth Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Johnson on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate he has made of the number of young people from Dartford who went to university in the last five years.

    Joseph Johnson

    The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) publishes data on the entry rates for full-time undergraduate courses by parliamentary constituency. UCAS does not publish data on the number of entrants by parliamentary constituency, only entry rates.

    Latest statistics from the 2015 UCAS End of Cycle Report for the Dartford constituency are provided in the table. The entry rate is given as the proportion of 18 year olds that accepted a place during a UCAS application cycle.

    Table: Higher Education entry rates for 18 year olds from the Dartford Constituency

    2011/12

    2012/13

    2013/14

    2014/15

    2015/16

    28.6%

    23.2%

    29.9%

    27.3%

    32.5%

    “

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2016-05-03.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which organisations from the (a) UK and (b) international financial sector will be attending the Anti-Corruption Summit on 12 May 2016.

    Matthew Hancock

    The summit will bring together governments, international organisations, businesses and civil society to confront the problem of corruption. This includes selected representatives of the financial sector.

  • Karen Lumley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Karen Lumley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karen Lumley on 2016-06-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much revenue has been retained as a result of refunds for cancelled vehicle tax only being given for any full months of remaining tax since October 2014.

    Andrew Jones

    The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has always issued refunds of Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) for any full, unexpired months remaining. This is a legal requirement and did not change when the paper tax disc was abolished in October 2014.

    In the financial year 2014/15, the DVLA collected £6 billion in VED and paid £216 million in refunds. The amount of VED refunded in the previous financial year was £197 million.