Category: Speeches

  • Gareth Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Gareth Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the capacity and the availability of seating for passengers on peak services on High Speed 1 trains between Ebbsfleet and London St Pancras.

    Claire Perry

    No such assessment has been made by the Department but franchisees have an obligation to minimise overcrowding. Therefore it is the Train Operating Company running the service that is responsible for what rolling stock it allocates to which service, both in type and in quantity.

  • Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-04-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he plans to publish his Department’s senior officials’ business expenses and hospitality data for 2015.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    We plan to publish the department’s senior officials’ business expenses for the calendar year 2015 by the end of June 2016 and the senior officials’ hospitality data by the end of July 2016.

  • Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-06-07.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will take steps to improve the transparency of the negotiation process for UK tax treaties.

    Mr David Gauke

    The UK regularly reviews its treaty network and actively engages with developing countries. Discussions with Malawi over a new tax treaty began some years ago, and substantive agreement has been reached at official level. It is hoped that the treaty will be signed shortly. Although the UK’s starting point in negotiations is based closely on the OECD model double taxation convention, the Government recognises that developing countries will sometimes have different preferences, and treaties the UK has recently signed demonstrate that we are willing to accommodate at least some of those preferences as part of a balanced agreement. But the nature of the negotiating process is that it remains confidential to the two sides until the treaty is signed.

    By governing the taxation of cross-border income flows in a predictable manner and eliminating double taxation and excessive taxation, tax treaties promote international trade and investment, leading to sustainable tax revenues, which are vital in financing for development.

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-09-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to help local authorities utilise data from the transport sector to improve local road networks.

    Andrew Jones

    The Department for Transport recognises the importance of using technology and data to manage and improve local road networks.

    Whilst local highway authorities have always used technical data, including road condition survey data, to help them make informed decisions on helping to improve local highway networks, the Department continues to encourage highway authorities to utilise data from wide range of sources. The Department recently announced a £2 million fund to allow local highway authorities to capitalise on emerging technologies and deliver better journeys for all road users. Further details are available on the Department for Transport website at the following weblink:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/news/2-million-to-improve-roads-using-new-technology

    “

  • Baroness Kennedy of Cradley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Baroness Kennedy of Cradley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Kennedy of Cradley on 2016-10-13.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the Fair Tax Mark for businesses.

    Lord Young of Cookham

    The Government has recently legislated for the publication of tax strategy by the largest businesses; promoting board accountability for tax, and encouraging transparency on approach to tax planning. In this context, the Government welcomes all business moves to improve transparency over their own tax affairs.

  • Louise Ellman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Louise Ellman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Ellman on 2015-11-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will make representations to his Danish counterpart on reopening the inquest into the death of commercial diver Stephen O’Malley in 2012.

    Caroline Dinenage

    Under powers in the Coroners Act 1988 (as amended) a new coroner investigation may be ordered by the High Court, with the authority of the Attorney General, where it is in the interests of justice to do so because of fraud, rejection of evidence, irregularity of proceedings or insufficiency of inquiry in the original inquest or new facts or evidence have come to light. It therefore falls outside the responsibility of the Secretary of State.

  • Baroness Randerson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Baroness Randerson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Randerson on 2015-11-30.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many officials in the Department for Transport were working as part of the team dealing with rail franchising in 2014–15 and 2015–16.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The information is not held in the format requested. Staff working in franchising sit in Passenger Services, with other staff carrying out much wider roles.

    The number of people (permanent and temporary) working in Passenger Services as at 31st March 2015 was 221.

    The number as of 1st December 2015 is 235.

    Our forecast requirements for future years are as follows:

    2016/17 246.25 Full-Time Equivalents

    2017/18 246.25 Full-Time Equivalents

    2018/19 234.25 Full-Time Equivalents

  • Christopher Chope – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Christopher Chope – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2016-01-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, when she plans to publish a response to the consultation carried out by her Department between July and September 2014 into energy issues affecting park homes including energy supply and use of the application of energy efficiency measures.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The Department issued a call for evidence, rather than a formal consultation, in 2014 and there was no plan to publish a formal response. We welcomed the evidence submitted which confirmed information already available.

  • Jamie Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Jamie Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jamie Reed on 2016-02-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate his Department has made of the cost to the tourist industry in Cumbria of recent flooding and severe weather.

    David Evennett

    The region has some of the most iconic tourist attractions in the UK and tourism is an essential part of the local economy. We want to ensure that our tourism businesses have as much support as possible as they recover from the recent floods. Some tourism businesses in flood affected areas have reported a drop in bookings of up to 60%.

    That is why a new £1m PR campaign was launched by the Prime Minister in Cumbria, on the 28th January, to support businesses ready to receive visitors, and this is part of a wider package of immediate measures to help the area.

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2016-02-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) publications, (b) consultation documents and (c) circulars his Department has issued since August 2012; and what the title was of each such publication, consultation document or circular.

    Mark Lancaster

    The requested information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.