The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2015-11-17.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel following reports that Palestinian families living in the Humsa al Buqai’a herding community have been displaced to allow Israeli military training to be conducted.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
We have not made any representations on this issue to the Israeli authorities.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2015-12-15.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 8 December 2015 to Question 19258, if he will estimate the reduction in pounds in the amount of tax collected from the manufacturing sector as a consequence of reductions in the corporate tax rate.
Mr David Gauke
Over the course of the previous Parliament, the main rate of corporation tax was cut from 28% to 20%. The small profits rate was also cut to 20% and the two rates were merged to simplify the tax regime. Overall the cuts delivered since 2010 will save businesses £10bn a year from 2016-17. In this Parliament the Government is going to go further, and cut the rate to 19% in 2017 and 18% in 2020, further benefitting over one million companies across the economy.
Given that a number of factors impact on tax receipts from individual sectors it is difficult to estimate precisely how much tax the manufacturing sector has saved as a result of these cuts in corporation tax. But according to HM Revenue and Customs’ corporation tax statistics, published at the link below, over the past five years the UK manufacturing sector has paid an average of £5bn a year in corporation tax. So it is clear that the sector will have benefitted substantially from the tax cuts delivered since 2010, and will benefit further from the reductions to come in this parliament.
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-01-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to his Department’s press release of 13 January 2016, entitled Transport sector all geared up for winter weather, what plans his Department has to ensure safety of cyclists in the event of bad weather.
Mr Robert Goodwill
We would advise all road users including cyclists to take extra care when cycling in wet or icy conditions. In particular when it is icy, cyclists should to stick to treated roads wherever possible.
The responsibility for the treatment and maintenance of the road network rests with the relevant highway authority. Section 41a of the Transport Act 1980 as amended, places highway authorities “under a duty to ensure as far as is reasonably practicable, that safe passage along a highway is not endangered by snow and ice”.
In this respect, in October last year I wrote to the leaders of all local highway authorities reminding them of their responsibilities regarding preparation for winter and the need for robust contingency plans in place to mitigate against any significant weather we may encounter over the winter period.
The Department for Transport (DfT) also continues to play its part to ensure we stay through the 2015/16 winter season well prepared. This includes continuing to maintain a substantial national emergency salt reserve, first set up by the Coalition government, and having a robust distribution process in place, if for any reason this salt of last resort is needed to be allocated.
The Department has also published a small amount of additional guidance for highway authorities in Local Transport Note 1/12 “Shared Use Routes for Cyclists and Pedestrians”.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale on 2016-02-11.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of which infectious diseases are among the leading causes of death for girls and women aged 10 to 19 in Africa, and what steps they are taking, working with individual countries bilaterally, to tackle those diseases.
Baroness Verma
World Health Organisation (WHO) data show that the leading causes of death from infectious diseases amongst adolescent girls and women in Africa are HIV/AIDS, diarrhoeal diseases, respiratory infections, meningitis and malaria. HIV/AIDS is not only the leading cause of death itself, but is also responsible for deaths from many other infectious diseases. The UK is the second largest funder of HIV prevention, care and treatment, and has pledged up to £1 billion for the 2014-16 replenishment of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria. Half of Global Fund resources are used to tackle HIV and almost 60% are invested in programmes that reach women and children.
The UK puts the empowerment of girls and women at the heart of everything we do. Through our multilateral and bilateral investments we are tackling the barriers that limit their access to services, strengthening health systems, and tackling the stigma and gender-based violence and inequality they face.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Gardiner on 2016-03-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what representations she made on raising the EU’s 2030 greenhouse gas target at the Environment Council on 4 March 2016.
Andrea Leadsom
My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State represented the UK for the climate change discussion at the Environment Council on 4th March and spoke in support of the Presidency’s assessment of the Paris Agreement. In his intervention, my noble Friend noted that the Paris Agreement is a historic step forward but that the current level of commitments does not put us on a pathway to meet the well below 2°C global goal. He said it was vital we push for another moment in 2020 to raise collective mitigation ambition and that the EU continue its climate leadership role and maintain the momentum created in Paris. He therefore called for the EU and its Member States to be prepared for the first ambition cycle in 2018-2020.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ruth Cadbury on 2016-04-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what progress the Government has made on its commitment to enshrine the Paris climate deal into UK law.
Andrea Leadsom
The UK is already playing its part in delivering the Paris climate deal, through its contribution to meeting EU climate and energy targets and through its domestic climate framework set out in the Climate Change Act. In addition, the Government believes we need to take the step of enshrining the global goal of net zero greenhouse gas emissions into UK law. As a first step, our independent advisors, the Committee on Climate Change, are looking at the implications of the Paris commitments. The Committee has said that it will report in the autumn, and we will consider carefully the recommendations.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Chidgey on 2016-05-18.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what communication the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has had with the South Sudanese Transitional Government of National Unity.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Hon. Friend the Member for Rochford and Southend East (James Duddridge), wrote to President Salva Kiir Mayardit, First Vice President Dr Riek Machar Teny and the Minister for Foreign Affairs Deng Alor Kwol on 6 May. He welcomed the formation of the transitional government and urged them to secure peace, tackle the economic crisis and address the humanitarian situation. Our Embassy in Juba is also in direct contact with members of the transitional government and will continue to press for the full implementation of the peace agreement.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Edward Argar on 2016-07-13.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps the Government is taking to support people with personal savings.
Simon Kirby
This Government has taken radical steps to support savers. From April 2017 the Lifetime ISA will mean People under 40 can use it to save for their first home and retirement and receive a 25% bonus from the Government. From the same date, all savers will also be able to benefit from the largest ever increase in the annual ISA allowance from £15,240 to £20,000 per year.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-10-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate the Government has made of the number of structures in the West Bank funded through EU aid projects that have been demolished by Israeli forces; and what the cost of their reconstruction will be.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
While we have not made any estimate on the number of EU-funded structures that have been demolished in the West Bank, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) database on demolitions in the West Bank, 271 donor-funded structures have been demolished since the beginning of the year up to 11 June. OCHA measure demolitions of donor-funded structures, we do not know how many of these are EU funded. We have not made any estimates of the costs of reconstruction.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2015-11-17.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will ensure that the FCO’s cleaning contractor, Interserve, pays the London Living Wage to its employees.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
Interserve is responsible for setting the terms and conditions of its staff, including pay. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office supports its contractors in paying the London and UK Living Wage when it is affordable and does not cost jobs, however this should be for individual employers to decide. Interserve will have to pay its staff the National Living Wage from April.