Category: Speeches

  • Patrick Grady – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Patrick Grady – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Patrick Grady on 2016-01-11.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, on which occasions officials of his Department have met representatives of the Royal Bank of Scotland in each of the last five years; and what topics were discussed at each such meeting.

    Harriett Baldwin

    HM Treasury officials meet regularly with representatives of financial services firms, including Royal Bank of Scotland, to discuss a wide range of domestic and international financial services issues. However, the Department does not maintain a registry of working level meetings.

  • Jim Fitzpatrick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jim Fitzpatrick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Fitzpatrick on 2016-01-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which audiology services have applied for accreditation under the Improving Quality in Physiological Diagnostic Services programme.

    Alistair Burt

    Specific data on which audiology services have applied for accreditation under the Improving Quality in Physiological Diagnostic Services (IQIPS) programme, which is managed by the Royal College of Physicians, are not available. According to the latest IQIPS report, published in October 2015, there are currently 183 audiology services registered with the programme. Further information is available at the following link:

    www.iqips.org.uk

    “

  • Virendra Sharma – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Virendra Sharma – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Virendra Sharma on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the (a) policy and (b) other responsibilities are of each special adviser in his Department.

    Matthew Hancock

    The Code of Conduct for Special Advisers sets out the role of special advisers and describes the range of activities they may undertake. Copies of the Code of Conduct are available in the Libraries of the House and on-line at

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/468340/CODE_OF_CONDUCT_FOR_SPECIAL_ADVISERS_-_15_OCTOBER_2015_FINAL.pdf

    “

  • Paul Flynn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Paul Flynn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2016-03-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the ability of prospective claimants to complete the online application form for universal credit; and if he will estimate the number of eligible claimants who have failed to claim due to the complexity of that application form.

    Priti Patel

    The Universal Credit online application form is designed around user needs and over 90% of claims to Universal Credit have been made online. People without digital skills will be offered support to make and manage their Universal Credit (UC) claim online, and to acquire and to improve their digital skills. A telephone helpline is also available for claimants who cannot use the online service.

    We have no evidence of any eligible claimants who have failed to claim due to the complexity of the Universal Credit application form.

  • Matthew Pennycook – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Matthew Pennycook – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Pennycook on 2016-04-21.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of low long-term real interest rates on house prices.

    Harriett Baldwin

    According to the latest figures published by the Office for National Statistics, UK house price growth moderated to 7.6% in the year to February 2016, down from a peak of 12.1% in September 2014. A number of factors are likely to have supported demand for housing in recent years, including low interest rates.

    The Government has established the independent Financial Policy Committee (FPC) within the Bank of England, designed to monitor risks to the UK financial system and take action to address those where appropriate. The FPC has been given the authority and a powerful set of tools to tackle the risks posed to financial stability from the housing market.

  • Neil Carmichael – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Neil Carmichael – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Neil Carmichael on 2016-06-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has (a) received and (b) made to the Egyptian government on investigations in Egypt into non-governmental organisations and their funding which form part of Case No. 173 (2011).

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We have received representations from both Parliamentarians and non-governmental organisations in relation to this case.

    We are deeply concerned by growing restrictions on civil society in Egypt, including asset freezes and travel bans against human rights defenders and NGOs. I have frequently raised this with the Egyptian Ambassador and issued a statement on 22 March. Officials regularly raise our concerns with representatives of the Egyptian Government in both Cairo and London, most recently in May.

  • Adam Afriyie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Adam Afriyie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Adam Afriyie on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if the Government will make it its policy that should a third runway be agreed at Heathrow Airport, that runway will not be permitted to operate if the airport breaches air quality limits.

    Mr John Hayes

    The Airports Commission shortlisted three airport expansion schemes, two at Heathrow and one at Gatwick. We are carefully considering the evidence in relation to all three schemes. The Government accepted the Commission’s shortlist in December 2015, and has since been undertaking a programme of further work, including on air quality, to support a decision on a preferred scheme. The Government’s decision on a preferred scheme will take into account the Government’s overall plan to improve air quality and its commitments to comply with legal obligations.

  • Lord Hunt of Chesterton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Lord Hunt of Chesterton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Chesterton on 2016-10-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they will work with universities in the UK and EU to ensure that exchange programmes similar to the Erasmus programme will continue after the UK leaves the EU.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    The referendum result has no immediate effect on students abroad under the Erasmus scheme or applying for 2016/17. Payments will be made in the usual way. Access to the programme after we leave the EU is a matter for the forthcoming negotiations. Consideration of other options will depend on the outcome of these negotiations.

  • Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-10-29.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to permit private equity-backed companies to offer tax-advantaged all employee share plans; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr David Gauke

    The tax-advantaged Save As You Earn (SAYE) and Share Incentive Plan (SIP) limits were significantly increased from April 2014. The increases the Government have made are reasonable, given the average monthly SAYE savings and the value of awards currently made to employees under SIP, and they represent the best use of resources. The Government will continue to keep the SAYE and SIP limits under review.

    In addition to increasing the SAYE and SIP limits, the rules of the schemes were substantially reviewed and simplified following the recommendations made by the Office of Tax Simplification in March 2012. Last year, the requirement that these schemes must be approved by HM Revenue and Customs to qualify for favourable tax treatment was replaced by self-certification. Coupled with other changes to simplify some technical aspects of the rules, this will make these schemes more attractive to businesses and employees.

    No data is collected and no estimates are made of the income levels of the participants in SAYE schemes.

    Permitting private equity backed companies to offer all-employee tax advantaged schemes would be likely to involve significant changes to the rules of the schemes, and there would be a number of other factors to consider carefully, including the increased cost and complexity of any extension.

  • Nicola Blackwood – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Leader of the House

    Nicola Blackwood – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Leader of the House

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicola Blackwood on 2015-11-26.

    To ask the Leader of the House, how much of his Office’s funding allocated in the Spending Review 2015 will be for research and development expenditure up to 2020.

    Chris Grayling

    Spending Review 2015 set out settlements for departments and showed how the government will deliver on its priorities, eliminate the deficit, and deliver security and opportunity for working people.

    Final decisions on internal departmental funding allocations for future years, including for research and development, have not yet been made.