The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Tebbit on 2016-01-20.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what the relationship is of the political cabinet” to the Cabinet.”
Lord Bridges of Headley
Paragraph 4.8 of the Cabinet Manual sets out that political Cabinets are convened by the Prime Minister, but they are not attended by officials. Sensitive papers, such as those covered by the Official Secrets Act 1989, are not distributed to political Cabinets.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steven Paterson on 2016-02-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the budget of the Defence Cyber Operations Group was in each of the last five years.
Penny Mordaunt
The Defence Cyber Operations Group was designed to deliver cyber capability and mainstream cyber security throughout Defence by establishing a federation of cyber units. As this work matured it resulted instead in the formation of the Joint Forces Cyber Group in May 2013.
The Joint Forces Cyber Group (JFCyG) plans and co-ordinates cyber operations, and develops new tactics, techniques and plans to deliver military capabilities to confront high-end threats. It comprises Joint Cyber Units at Cheltenham and Corsham, the Joint Cyber Unit (Reserve) and Information Assurance Units.
I am withholding details on the JFCyG as their disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-03-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 3 March 2016 to Question 28795, on the troops to teachers scheme, what plans she has to expand the cohort beginning that scheme in September 2016.
Nick Gibb
Recruitment is currently underway for the September 2016 cohort of Troops to Teachers. The University of Brighton, who are contracted to run the programme, are actively promoting the Troops to Teachers scheme to ensure that the number of service personnel recruited to the cohort beginning in September 2016 is maximised. Their marketing and recruitment plans include specific service leaver employment fairs and a range of other marketing activities.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Laurence Robertson on 2016-04-11.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether a self-contained annex to a house will be assessed separately from the entire residence for the purpose of calculating stamp duty at the point of sale; and if he will make a statement.
Mr David Gauke
The Government recognises the concerns raised around the Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) treatment of self-contained annexes and agrees that the new higher rates of SDLT should not apply to a purchase of a main residence.
The Government is amending the Finance Bill to exempt annexes from the higher rates of SDLT when purchased in the same transaction as a main residence. In this case, the transaction will be treated as only involving one dwelling and SDLT at the standard rates will apply. An annex will be defined via objective criteria. It must be within the grounds of the main home and worth no more than a third of the total transaction value.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2016-05-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when officials of his Department last met representatives of the devolved administrations to discuss (a) how the apprenticeship levy will operate and (b) the proportion of the apprenticeship levy that each of the devolved administrations will receive.
Nick Boles
The digital apprenticeship service will support the English apprenticeship system from April 2017 and my officials engage regularly with their devolved administration counterparts to discuss the implementation of the apprenticeship levy and the new digital service.
Apprenticeships are a devolved policy and the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will continue to determine their arrangements for supporting employers to access and pay for apprenticeships.
Discussions are continuing with the devolved administration on funding arrangements.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Sturdy on 2016-06-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment her Department has made of the potential effect of the changes in business rates for small solar PV systems as a result of the planned 2017 revaluation on the (a) rate of installation of new systems and (b) maintenance of existing systems.
Andrea Leadsom
Business rates are calculated based on a property’s ‘rateable value’. The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) is responsible for determining the rateable values in line with existing legislation and case law.
I understand that the VOA is currently consulting with the solar industry over how those rateable values will apply to solar installations from 1st April 2017.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alison Thewliss on 2016-09-13.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many complaints his Department has received from hon. Members on the service of Concentrix in the last 12 months.
Jane Ellison
Between 1 September 2015 and 31 August 2016, HM Revenue and Customs received 670 formal complaints in writing or via e-mail from hon. Members relating to Concentrix service.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his US counterpart on the return to Afghanistan of Al-Qaeda.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) has regular discussions with his US counterpart and other allies on global security challenges, including Afghanistan. In addition, Government officials regularly discuss insurgency and terrorism in Afghanistan, including Al-Qaeda, with US and NATO partners. This includes how we can best continue to support the Afghan National Unity Government to deliver their own national security.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Law on 2015-12-01.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the 130 HM Revenue and Customs staff at Caledonian House, Dundee will have a guaranteed job in the new regional HM Revenue and Customs centres in Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Mr David Gauke
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) announced the planned locations of its future Regional Centres based on a number of key principles. In addition to cost, HMRC has taken account of the quality of local transport links, the local labour market and future workforce supply, and the need to retain the staff and skills they need to continue their transformation. These changes will reduce HMRC’s estates costs by around £100 million a year by 2025.
HMRC plans to open two new Regional Centres in Edinburgh and Glasgow, with a combined total of between 5,700 and 6,300 posts.In Dundee, Caledonian House is planned to close in 2018 and Sidlaw House will transfer to the administering of Universal Credit. HMRC will be holding individual meetings with every member of staff prior to any office closures or moves, to discuss what these plans mean for them and their choices.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Percy on 2015-12-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is take to ensure that the £22 billion NHS efficiency savings proposed in the NHS Five-Year Forward View, published in October 2014, do not affect the quality of services which people with Parkinson’s Disease require to assist them with their condition.
Alistair Burt
Efficiency and high quality care go hand-in-hand; cutting waste and safer care are integral to ensuring better outcomes at a lower cost. The efficiencies the National Health Service needs to find are linked to the challenge of continued improvements in care across all services, including for people with Parkinson’s disease. We are introducing a number of measures to help the NHS spend taxpayers’ money more efficiently by making sure that the health and care system is supported to invest in areas where they can make the most positive impact on the health of their local population.