Category: Speeches

Lord Birt – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Birt on 2014-06-16.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the effect of the Digital Economy Act 2010 in reducing copyright theft via the internet.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble

The online infringement of copyright provisions within the Digital Economy Act 2010 have not yet been implemented, and so no such assessment has been carried out. The delay is due to a number of factors, including legal challenge and ensuring compliance with Government “Managing Public Money” principles. In the meantime the Government has encouraged the industry to investigate a voluntary copyright alert programme, which should produce similar results in a significantly shorter timescale. I am grateful to the industry for the energy with which they have picked up this challenge. Nevertheless, unless an effective alternative is put in place, Government continues to be committed to implementation of the provisions with the Digital Economy Act.

01/11/2022
Paul Flynn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2014-04-03.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of contraband cigarettes entering the UK were originally manufactured in the UK.

Mr David Gauke

The information requested is not available. HM Revenue & Customs records data on seizures of illicit products but this does not include the country of manufacture.

01/11/2022
The Lord Bishop of St Albans – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Lord Bishop of St Albans on 2014-06-16.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to make representations to the government of Iran about the events in Evin Prison on 17 April; and, if so, when.

Baroness Warsi

The Government was disturbed by reports of physical violence against political prisoners in Evin prison on 17 April 2014. We have been concerned about prison conditions in Iran for some time and set out our views formally in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s 2014 Human Rights report. The UK has been a strong supporter of the UN Special Rapporteur for human rights in Iran, Dr Shaheed, and successfully lobbied for the extension of his mandate in 2014.

In March, Dr Shaheed reported that conditions for prison inmates range from poor to inhumane, access to medical services is often limited, and hygiene and nutrition are poor. The UK works closely with international human rights bodies and partners to encourage Iran to engage seriously on human rights issues. The UK’s non-resident Charge d’Affaires also raised human rights with a range of Iranian government officials during his visit to Iran in March.

01/11/2022
Paul Flynn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2014-04-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effects of congestion charging on traffic movements in London in each year since the introduction of such charging.

Stephen Hammond

Under the terms of the Greater London Authority Act 1999, transport in London, including the Congestion Charge scheme, is the responsibility of Transport for London and the Mayor. Therefore, the Department for Transport has not made an assessment specifically about traffic movements in London in each year since the introduction of congestion charging.

01/11/2022
Liam Byrne – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liam Byrne on 2014-06-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he has taken to increase the proportion of girls taking separate science at GCSE.

Elizabeth Truss

The number of girls taking separate science GCSEs increased between 2010 and 2013 from 53,000 to 74,800 (41%) in biology, from 51,400 to 73,600 (43%) in chemistry and from 50,700 to 73,200 (44%) in physics. Girls now make up approximately 49% of all those taking each of the separate sciences, compared to approximately 45% in 2010.

The Government is committed to increasing take-up of separate science GCSEs, including increasing the proportion of girls as part of its commitment to improve overall take up of STEM subjects at A level and beyond.

The “Your Life” Campaign, launched in May 2014, brings together business, educators, civil society and government to show how science and mathematics leads to exciting, successful careers. This will include a publicity campaign aimed at 14-16 year olds, which will aim to change the way they think about science-based subjects from boring, specialist and niche to empowering, exciting, enabling and for everyone.

We are funding the Triple Science Support Programme to provide intensive support to schools with either no take-up or relatively low take-up of all three separate science GCSEs, and more general support to all other schools. We are also funding the Stimulating Physics Network to increase progression to physics A level, especially of girls. Much of the work the network does focuses on improving engagement and interest of pupils in physics at GCSE.

Excellent teaching is vital and we are offering bursaries worth up to £20,000 and teacher training scholarships worth £25,000 to recruit more specialist science teachers. We are also funding up to 50 local science learning partnerships to provide CPD for existing science teachers.

The Department for Business Innovation and Skills funds the STEM Ambassadors programme, a nationwide network of over 27,000 volunteers from industry and academia, 40% of whom are women, who work with schools across the UK to raise awareness of the range of careers that STEM qualifications can offer.

01/11/2022
Baroness Tonge – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2014-04-03.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the government of Israel concerning the reported armed ambush and killing of Yusef a-Shawamreh in the West Bank in March.

Baroness Warsi

The Government has not had any discussions with the Israeli authorities over this specific case. We have, however, raised our concerns over the increasing number of deaths of Palestinians by the Israel Defence Forces.

01/11/2022
Cathy Jamieson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cathy Jamieson on 2014-06-16.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Answer of 1 April 2014, Official Report, column 625W, on coinage, whether he has fixed the dates for the public consultation on the impact of the introduction of a new one pound coin.

Nicky Morgan

The Budget announced that the existing £1 coin will be replaced with a more modern and secure design. After thirty years in circulation, the current coin has become vulnerable to counterfeiting.

There will be a public consultation this summer that will focus on how to manage impacts on industry and other affected parties. The government remains committed to this timetable, and to working with industry to minimise costs and disruption.

The precise dates of the consultation period will be published in due course.

01/11/2022
Baroness Stern – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Stern on 2014-04-03.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they have taken to respond to the recommendation by Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons in his recent report on HMP Belmarsh that not all cells in the High Security Unit and Special Security Unit were equipped with furniture and furnishings in line with the Prison Service’s operating standards for such units.

Lord Newby

1. The prisoner regime includes a programme to allow access to the library once a week for those not attending education. The implementation of New Ways of Working, which includes the introduction of a new Core Day, will increase the opportunity for prisoners to access the library.

2. All in use cells on the High Security Unit / Special Secure Unit are appropriately furnished in compliance with national guidelines, which are also included as part of the unit’s operating standards. The cells are also equipped to the specification required for accommodating Category A prisoners. The accommodation on the unit is inspected monthly, to ensure compliance and to maintain decency; this system is audited.

3. The Governor has a programme of visits throughout the establishment; this includes visits to the HSU / SSU. The requirement for a weekly visit is completed by the Governor or the Deputy Governor, and the visits will ensure that all prisoners and staff are frequently seen and any emerging issues are heard and noted. These visits are now recorded for audit and inspection purposes.

01/11/2022
Helen Goodman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2014-06-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many electronic workstations were made available in each public library per thousand population in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12, (c) 2012-13 and (d) 2013-14.

Mr Edward Vaizey

The detail requested is not held centrally by this Department. However the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) collect, annually, from the individual library authorities comprehensive information relating to library service provision in the United Kingdom, which includes data relating to the questions raised. Copies of CIPFA statistics are available in the House Library.

01/11/2022

Lord Rooker – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Rooker on 2014-04-03.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether there is any evidence that income tax and corporate tax revenues have increased as the rates of income and corporate taxes have decreased since 2010.

Lord Deighton

The table below sets out the Corporation Tax rates from 2009-10 to 2014-15.

	Small Profits Rate	Main Rate
2009-10	21%	28%
2010-11	21%	28%
2011-12	20%	26%
2012-13	20%	24%
2013-14	20%	23%
2014-15	20%	21%

At Budget 2013 it was announced that from 2015-16 the rates would be unified to a single Corporation Tax rate of 20%.

The latest year for which full data is available is 2011-12. Total onshore Corporation Tax liabilities fell slightly from £35.6bn in 2010-11 to £35.4bn in 2011-12. HMRC publishes annual National Statistics on Corporation Tax liabilities. Table 11.1B is attached[1].

The table below sets out the Income Tax rates from 2000-10 to 2014-15.

	Basic Rate	Higher Rate	Additional Rate
2009-10	20%	40%	–
2010-11	20%	40%	50%
2011-12	20%	40%	50%
2012-13	20%	40%	50%
2013-14	20%	40%	45%
2014-15	20%	40%	45%

The Starting Rate of tax for savings is currently 10%. This is applied only to savings income which falls within the starting rate band above the personal allowance.

In 2014-15 the personal allowance is £10,000 and the starting rate band is £2,880. At Budget 2014 the Government announced that from 2015-16 that band would be increased to £5000 and the rate set to 0%.

The latest available income tax liability statistics held by HMRC relate to the tax year 2011-12. These statistics are attached[2].

Other more timely published information is available in tax receipts statistics which are published on a monthly basis and could be considered as a leading indicator of liabilities. These statistics are also attached[3].

To estimate the exchequer impact of policy changes it is necessary to estimate the change in tax liabilities after taking into account the behavioural response. At each fiscal event where the tax rates have been changed these estimates have been made and certified by the Office for Budget Responsibility. These estimates are published in table 2.1of the corresponding Budget and Autumn Statement reports.

There are significant behavioural responses associated with changes in the top marginal rate of income tax. The HMRC report ‘The Exchequer effect of the 50 per cent additional rate of income tax'[4] outlines these behavioural responses.

HM Treasury and HMRC jointly published the report ‘Analysis of the dynamic effects of corporation tax reductions’ at Autumn Statement 2013[5].

[1]https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/256886/table11-1b.pdf

[2]https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/277459/Table_2.6.pdf

[3]https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/294267/20140312_Feb_v0.2.pdf

[4]http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/budget2012/excheq-income-tax-2042.pdf

[5]https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/analysis-of-the-dynamic-effects-of-corporation-tax-reductions

“

01/11/2022