Category: Speeches

  • Simon Kirby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Simon Kirby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Simon Kirby on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to encourage the interoperability of smart tickets on local bus services outside London where more than one bus company runs the service; and if he will make a statement.

    Stephen Hammond

    The Government’s ambitions for smart and integrated ticketing on England’s buses are set out in chapter 4 of the Door to Door Strategy. Local Authorities already have the powers to introduce multi-operator ticketing schemes. In March 2013, the Department published guidance to help and encourage authorities to establish schemes in their areas.

    A significant number of smart ticketing schemes already operate across the UK and the Department has held a series of conversations with the Brighton & Hove transport authority and operators to see how their offer can be accelerated. All of the major urban areas, and a number of counties, have smart ticketing schemes, and all buses in London and over three quarters of buses elsewhere in England are smart-equipped.

    In addition we have set up the Smart Cities Partnership, through which we will work with the nine largest cities in England (excluding London) and operators to support them in delivering and enhancing smart, integrated ticketing schemes.

    The outcome of this partnership approach will be greater co-ordination of efforts, concentration on resolving long-standing problems, a framework for other transport authorities to adopt and an acceleration of delivery of smart ticketing products for passengers. I ensure accountability of the Partnership through its governance arrangements.

  • Lord Hoyle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Hoyle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hoyle on 2014-06-12.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether there is any regulation of heir hunters in the way they operate or the fees they charge beneficiaries; if not, whether they have plans to introduce such regulations; and, if not, why not.

    Lord Deighton

    There is no regulation in place that specifically covers the way probate researchers operate or the fees they charge beneficiaries.

    Relationships between probate researchers and their clients are normally contractual arrangements and subject to contract law.

    The Government is planning to introduce regulation of the activity of conducting private investigations, surveillance or inquiries, which could bring some probate and asset researchers into scope for statutory licensing by the Security Industry Authority.

  • Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of his Department’s performance in handling commercial contracts.

    Mike Penning

    In 2013, the department recruited a new Commercial Director who has reviewed the department’s commercial capability and capacity. The review took account of the views and policy steers from the Efficiency and Reform Group (ERG), the Chief Procurement Officer and Crown Representatives.

    The review found that whilst there are areas of high capability, in some of the most complex contract areas there is a need to improve the capability and capacity of the department’s commercial function and people. In line with Civil Service Reform and the ERG-led Procurement Reform programme, the department initiated a commercial improvement programme. The programme completed a commercial skills survey in October 2013. It also restructured the commercial organisation where assessment of current practice against the standards of the NAO contract management model was also conducted.

    The commercial improvement programme will strengthen commercial capability by developing and running training to underpin contract management capability and fill identified current skills gaps. Further improvement actions will be informed by the report of an independent assessment of the department’s contract management capability, currently being conducted by Price Waterhouse Coopers. The department’s commercial capability will also be evaluated by a review team as part of a new ERG programme during 2014.

  • Lord Rennard – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Lord Rennard – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Rennard on 2014-06-12.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to include, in their consideration of the future of the national census, the possibility of collecting data for electoral registration purposes in addition to other purposes.

    Lord Wallace of Saltaire

    The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Jim Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2014-04-09.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 7 April 2014, Official Report, column 18W, on employee ownership, if he will make an estimate of the Exchequer impact of the tax rules for shares awarded under employee shareholder agreements since 1 September 2013.

    Mr David Gauke

    Employers are not required to provide details of any shares awarded under employee shareholder agreements to HM Revenue & Customs until they submit their annual employment-related securities return for 2013-14. No details or estimates of the total value of shares awarded under employee shareholder agreements since 1 September 2013 are currently available.

    Estimates of the Exchequer impact of the capital gains tax exemption and the income tax and national insurance treatment of shares awarded under employee shareholder agreements in tax years to 2017-18 can be found at http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/tiin/emp-shareholder-status.pdf

    “

  • Baroness King of Bow – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Baroness King of Bow – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness King of Bow on 2014-06-12.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Stowell of Beeston on 6 May (WA 384), when they expect to receive the report of the review being carried out by Social Finance into innovative models of providing temporary accommodation for homeless families.

    Baroness Stowell of Beeston

    A final report from Social Finance has been received. The report will be published in due course and I will write to the Noble Lady with a copy when it is available.

  • Robert Buckland – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Robert Buckland – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Buckland on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether there are any plans to create a legal framework which criminalises patterns of coercive control.

    Norman Baker

    Domestic abuse is a crime and we already have a framework which covers coercive
    control.

    There is a range of existing offences for which a perpetrator of domestic violence can be prosecuted, including common assault.
    Coercive control can amount to common assault where the perpetrator, via their
    words or actions, intentionally or recklessly causes another to fear unlawful
    or immediate violence. In sentencing, the courts can also take into account as
    aggravating factors a range of features which are common in domestic violence
    cases, such as the vulnerability of the victim, the repeated nature of the
    assaults and abuse of power by the perpetrator.

    Last September, the Home Secretary commissioned Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of
    Constabulary to conduct a review of the response to domestic abuse
    across all police forces. The Inspectorate published its findings in March
    2014. It emphasises that the key priority is a culture change in the police so that
    domestic violence and abuse is treated as the crime that it is and the police
    use the full range of tools already available to them.

    The Home Secretary will chair a national oversight group to oversee delivery
    against each of HMIC’s recommendations on which I will also sit.

  • Ian Swales – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Ian Swales – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Swales on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much his Department has spent on redundancy payments for special advisers since May 2010.

    Mr Francis Maude

    The Government publishes annual statements on special adviser numbers and paybill costs, including severance pay. Information for each financial year going back to 2010/11 is available at the following links: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/special-adviser-data-releases-numbers-and-costs-october-2013

    “

  • Mark Tami – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Mark Tami – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Tami on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what support his Department plans to provide to areas affected by changes to the nuclear decommissioning programme following the award of a new contract on 31 March 2014.

    Michael Fallon

    This Department, together with the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), is fully committed to helping to deliver the Nuclear Industrial Strategy, including through the Nuclear Industry Council, on which the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) also sits. The announcement of the preferred bidder in the NDA’s parent body competition for Magnox Ltd and Research Sites Restoration Limited should not materially affect our support. The Cavendish Fluor Partnership brings a successful track record and extensive nuclear experience that will bring benefits to the decommissioning and clean-up programme. They are committed to developing the skills of the workforce and to meeting socio-economic responsibilities, as were all the bidders.

    This Department will continue to work with DECC, the NDA and the industry to ensure that decommissioning is achieved safely, to schedule, competitively and taking into account UK economic benefit.

  • John McDonnell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    John McDonnell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John McDonnell on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of diversity in employment in public and private sectors of the media industry.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    Promoting greater equality of opportunity in the workforce is a matter the Government takes seriously. The Government is actively engaging with leading organisations in the media industry who are working together through the Creative Diversity Network to help address the under-representation of ethnic minorities in that sector. The industry will outline the steps it intends to take at a roundtable event in early July. Equality data monitoring is among a number of issues that will be discussed. In addition, Ofcom has a number of duties relating to equality of opportunity, as set out in the Communications Act 2003. These include requiring all UK licensed radio and television broadcasters’ licences to have in place arrangements for promoting equal opportunities in employment on the basis of gender, race and disability, and to review those arrangements with regard to any relevant guidance published by Ofcom.