The below Parliamentary question was asked by Neil Coyle on 2016-02-24.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to support the British gin industry.
Damian Hinds
The government is committed to supporting the British gin industry. The duty on gin was cut by 2% at March Budget 2015, building on the duty freeze at Budget 2014.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Lord Bishop of Leeds on 2016-03-23.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Iraq about Iraq becoming a signatory to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The UK coordinates with other EU member states to promote the universality of the Rome Statute. We offer support to any State that is in the process of ratifying the Rome Statute or needs assistance in adopting the national legislation needed to enact the full implementation of the statute.
Whether Iraq chooses to accede to the Rome Statute is a matter for the Government of Iraq.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead on 2016-04-28.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many appeals lodged against initial asylum refusals by Eritrean nationals were lodged (1) within the UK, and (2) outside the UK, in (a) 2013, (b) 2014, and (c) 2015.
Lord Faulks
The numbers of Eritrean nationals who lodged an asylum appeal in the UK or from overseas in the three years up to December 2015 are:
|
Total |
Within the UK |
Outside the UK |
|
|
2013 |
122 |
122 |
0 |
|
2014 |
241 |
240 |
1 |
|
2015 |
1,856 |
1,854 |
2 |
The numbers of Eritrean nationals who were required to pay a fee for their asylum appeal in the three years up to December 2015 are:
|
Total |
|
|
2013 |
1 |
|
2014 |
2 |
|
2015 |
23 |
Notes to tables:
1. Figures include Asylum, Protection and Revocation of Protection appeals.
2. Figures provided are taken from internal management information and not subject to the same quality checks as Official Statistics.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Virendra Sharma on 2016-06-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of the Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016 on access to housing for post-release young offenders.
Justin Tomlinson
The Government set out its assessment of the impacts of the welfare policies in the Welfare Reform and Work Act on 20th July 2015. It set out its assessment of the impacts of the social rents policies in the Act on 28th September 2015.
A link to the impact assessments is included:
http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2015-16/welfarereformandwork/documents.html
“
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2016-09-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the response of the then Minister of State in the Department for Energy and Climate Change to the Oral Question of 14 July 2016, Official Report, column 411, what assessment he has made of the effect of the publication of the National Grid’s four plausible and credible pathways for the UK’s energy sector between now and 2020 on the likelihood of the UK meeting the EU-mandated target to increase renewables to 15 per cent of energy consumption by 2020.
Mr Nick Hurd
We have considered the National Grid’s report but this is one assessment from one organisation. In 2015 25% of electricity generated came from wind farms, solar panels and other renewable power sources.
On the UK’s progress towards meeting the 2020 target we are currently progressing in line with the trajectory set out in the Renewable Energy Directive, having met the Directive’s interim targets.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Blencathra on 2016-10-19.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many UK civil servants, and of what grade, who work in units, directorates or sub-departments within the FCO are charged with EU policy formulation, advising on EU policy or enforcing EU policy.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
Staff in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s (FCO) Europe Directorate lead on providing advice to FCO Ministers on European Union (EU) and EU-related issues. However, staff in other Directorates in London, as well as staff in our diplomatic missions around the world, also on occasion work on EU or EU-related issues. It is not possible, therefore, to give precise figures.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Edward Miliband on 2015-11-05.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the number of families who will have marginal deduction rates over (a) 50, (b) 60, (c) 70, (d) 80 and (e) 90 per cent in 2015-16; and what his projections of those figures are for each year to 2020-21.
Damian Hinds
We are unable to provide this analysis to a sufficiently robust standard.
The government will simplify the process of applying for and receiving benefits by moving welfare claimants to the Universal Credit (UC) system. UC will get rid of the worst aspects of the legacy system by replacing six working-age benefits with one, improving incentives for people to work and to work more.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-30.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the programme to reintroduce the great bustard on Salisbury plain.
Rory Stewart
This project is run by the independent Great Bustard Group. I understand that by the end of 2016 there should be enough evidence available on the survival and dispersal of the birds to know whether the population on Salisbury Plain can successfully rear new birds to join the adult population.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2016-01-11.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 8 December 2015 (HL4049), whether HMS Astute was laid down on 31 January 2001, launched on 8 June 2007 and commissioned on 27 August 2010; and whether HMS Artful was laid down on 11 March 2005 and launched on 17 May 2014 and is planned to be commissioned in March 2016.
Earl Howe
The dates that the noble Lord refers to, including the planned commissioning date for Artful, are correct. The build time for the Astute class submarines has reduced with every boat built to date; for HMS Astute, the time taken from start of manufacture to operational handover was 170 months, which included first of class trials, and for Artful was 137 months.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-02-03.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, where the 152 staff who have been issued with compulsory redundancy notices by HM Revenue and Customs staff are based.
Mr David Gauke
Approval to proceed to compulsory redundancy for 152 HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) staff was received from Civil Service Resourcing and the Cabinet Office following consultation with the departmental trade unions and a period of reflection. It was endorsed by HMRC’s Executive Committee and the final decision was taken by the Chief Executive on 28 January 2016.
The 152 people affected are based in around 50 locations across the UK. HMRC is continuing to seek redeployment solutions for all those who wish it to do so.