Category: Speeches

  • Gordon Marsden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Gordon Marsden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2016-01-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate he has made of the RAB charge for students entering higher education in England in 2016-17 who take up a full maintenance loan and tuition fees when finishing a three-year course; and if he will make a statement.

    Joseph Johnson

    The Resource Accounting and Budgeting (RAB) charge is calculated for the total full time student population, rather than separately for students on courses of different lengths or on the basis of the size of the loans taken out. We estimate that the RAB charge for full-time tuition fee and maintenance loans, and part time fee loans, is between 20% and 25%.

    These estimates take into account the changes to student finance and the new HM Treasury discount rate used to value the student loan book announced at the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015. We will update our estimates in summer 2016 and publish these at the same time as BIS accounts, alongside an updated version of the simplified loan repayments model.

  • Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-02-19.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 15 February 2016 to Question 26319 on the national minimum wage, what assessment he has made of the reasons for the increase in the arrears identified between April 2015 and November 2015; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr David Gauke

    The Government takes the enforcement of National Minimum Wage very seriously. Any worker who believes that they are being paid below the minimum wage should make a complaint to the Acas helpline on 0300 123 1100. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) respond to every complaint that is referred to them by the Acas helpline. Additionally, HMRC collate and analyse data from various sources in order to identify those employers who are potentially more likely to be underpaying National Minimum Wage, so that they can undertake targeted enforcement against those employers.

    The Government has increased annual funding of National Minimum Wage enforcement by nearly 60% since 2013/14, providing a budget of £13.2m in 2015/16. This has enabled a significant expansion of resources dedicated to enforcing the minimum wage; there are currently 237 staff in HMRC’s National Minimum Wage teams, up from 151 at the start of 2013/14. HMRC have also reviewed their ways of working to ensure a more efficient and effective service for workers.

  • Lord West of Spithead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord West of Spithead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2016-03-16.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether there is sufficient funding in the navy budget to enable full manning, provision of spares and logistics support, and the appropriate training necessary for the new ships, aircraft and equipment being delivered to the Royal Navy in the next five years.

    Earl Howe

    As set out in the Strategic Defence and Security Review, Spending Review 2015 provided the investment necessary to deliver the most modern navy in the world. This programme has sufficient funding in the budget to enable full manning, provision of spares and logistics support, and appropriate training for the next five years.

  • Iain Stewart – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Iain Stewart – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Iain Stewart on 2016-04-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans he has to review access to compensation for victims of familial sexual abuse before 1979.

    Mike Penning

    The original Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme introduced in 1964 had a so called ‘same roof rule’ intended to prevent perpetrators benefiting from compensation paid to victims who lived with them. The rule was amended in 1979 to allow compensation for victims of incidents occurring after 1 October 1979 who no longer lived with their assailant. In line with usual practice, this rule change did not create retrospective entitlements. The Government has no plans to review the rule.

  • Hywel Williams – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Hywel Williams – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hywel Williams on 2016-05-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to his Iranian counterpart on allegations that Baha’i people sentenced to prison terms in Golestan province were tortured, forced to sign confessions and denied access to legal representation.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We have made no specific representations on behalf of the group mentioned. However, we consistently raise our concerns about the treatment of the Baha’i community in Iran with the Iranian Government. We call on Iran to cease harassment of all religious minorities and to fulfil its international and domestic obligations to allow freedom of religion to all Iranians.

  • Gloria De Piero – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Gloria De Piero – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gloria De Piero on 2016-07-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much her Department has given from the public purse to each Nottinghamshire secondary school through the Year 7 catch-up grant in each of the last three academic years.

    Nick Gibb

    The Department publishes details online of individual school Year 7 Catch-up Premium allocations for each financial year. Details of the past three years allocations for all schools by local authority can be found here:

    2015-16: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/year-7-catch-up-premium-2015-to-2016-allocations

    2014-15: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/year-7-catch-up-premium-2014-to-2015-allocations

    2013-14: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/year-7-catch-up-premium-2013-to-2014-final-allocations

    “

  • Ian Murray – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union

    Ian Murray – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Murray on 2016-10-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what discussions the Government has had with Ministers in the Scottish Government on future access for Scottish students to the Erasmus Plus Scheme after the UK leaves the EU.

    Mr Robin Walker

    There is no change to those currently participating in, or about to start, Erasmus+ exchanges. The Prime Minister has made it very clear that it will take time for the UK government to agree its position for the negotiations. As part of this, the government will of course want to engage fully with the devolved administrations and listen to their views.

  • Douglas Chapman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Douglas Chapman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Chapman on 2015-10-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the annual running costs of RAF Waddington are; and what assessment he has made of RAF Waddington’s contribution to the local economy.

    Mark Lancaster

    The annual infrastructure running costs for RAF Waddington in the Financial Year 2014-15 were £5,566,795. No assessment has been made of RAF Waddington’s contribution to the local economy.

  • Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-11-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reason the finance officer at Plaistow Jobcentre until December 2013 was not interviewed in the investigation which led to the dismissal of two advisers from that jobcentre in May 2014.

    Priti Patel

    Allegations of misuse of the Flexible Support Fund at Plaistow Jobcentre were investigated fully by the Department’s professionally trained investigators.

    It is not appropriate for the Secretary of State to disclose detailed information regarding individuals who may or may not have been contacted by investigators, as providing this information would risk individuals being identified.

  • Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2015-12-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he expects Network Rail’s review of the delivery programme of the Great Western Main Line electrification to be completed.

    Claire Perry

    Network Rail’s review of the delivery programme of the Great Western Main Line electrification has been completed as part of the Hendy review and details will be included in the Enhancement Delivery Plan update to be published in early 2016.