Category: Speeches

  • Diana Johnson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Diana Johnson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people have been convicted of an offence contrary to section 170 of the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979 in relation to goods prohibited to be imported under section 42 of the Customs Consolidation Act 1876 in each of the last four years.

    Jeremy Wright

    Information held centrally by the Ministry of Justice on the Court Proceedings Database does not include the circumstances behind each case beyond the description provided in the statute. It is not possible to separately identify from this centrally held information offences under Section 170 of the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979 relating to prohibited goods under Section 42 of the Customs Consolidation Act 1876 from offences of prohibited goods relating to other statutes. This detailed information may be held on the court record but due to the size and complexity is not reported centrally to the MoJ. As such, the information requested can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

  • John Spellar – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    John Spellar – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Spellar on 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will open discussions with his French counterpart to ensure crews on ferries operating between the UK and France are paid under British or French minimum wage regulations.

    Stephen Hammond

    The issue was discussed at length at the recent maritime roundtable, at which industry including the maritime unions were present. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, working with this Department and HMRC, will review the application, guidance and enforcement of the national minimum wage towards seafarers, to ensure that employers are aware of their responsibilities and employees are aware of their rights. As part of this, we will consider a targeted enforcement programme for this sector.

  • Andrew Bingham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Andrew Bingham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Bingham on 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment he has made of extending the triple lock guarantee to all British pensioners resident abroad; and if he will make a statement.

    Steve Webb

    The triple lock guarantee is intended to reflect the circumstances of pensioners living in the UK. It means that for this Parliament the basic State Pension will increase by the highest of the growth in average earnings or price increases or 2.5 per cent, for pensioners in the UK and for those who live overseas and currently receive an up-rated basic State Pension.

    There are no plans to change the up-rating arrangements for UK State Pension paid to pensioners overseas.

  • Steve Baker – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Steve Baker – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve Baker on 2014-04-10.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect of sustained low interest rates on incentives to save; and if he will make a statement.

    Danny Alexander

    Low interest rates have benefited everyone, including through reducing mortgage rates, but the Government recognises that this has made it harder for people’s savings to grow and to secure an adequate income for retirement. The Government believes it is right, therefore, to support hard working people that have taken the long term decisions to save and plan for their future.

    The Budget package announced last month aims to help all savers at all stages of life. It reduces tax for the lowest income savers; reforms the ISA regime to give all savers greater flexibility as to where and how they save their money; and creates new products to help retired savers see a better return.

  • Lord Patel of Bradford – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Lord Patel of Bradford – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Patel of Bradford on 2014-04-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the BBC’s decision to withdraw one of its black and minority ethnic (BME) reporter posts and its BBC UK Black weekly Podcast, whether in the negotiations with the BBC in respect of the renewal of its Charter they intend to set requirements relating to the coverage of BME issues in the BBC’s output; and if so, what requirements.

    Lord Gardiner of Kimble

    The process, scope and timing of the review of the BBC’s Charter has yet to be determined. However, the Government is committed to the issue of BAME diversity in TV, film and the Arts, both on and off screen. The Culture Minister recently met with leading figures from these sectors, including the BBC, to consider options to improve representation.

  • Lord Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Lucas on 2014-04-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether any risk assessment has been undertaken as to the impact on the Excise Movement and Control System, the Import Control System and the New Computerised Transit System following changes to the Government Gateway and Identity Assurance programme; and, if so, whether they will publish it.

    Lord Deighton

    The Identity Assurance programme is at an early stage in development. The programme will be subjected to rigorous consultation and testing. Any relevant documents will be published when available.

  • Helen Goodman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    Helen Goodman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Attorney General, how many prosecutions have taken place under the Obscene Publications Act 1959 for the offence of providing unrestricted access to hardcore pornography online, as set out in the 2005 Crown Prosecution Service guidelines, disaggregated by year.

    Oliver Heald

    The records held by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS)indicate the number of offences charged, in which a prosecution commenced at magistrates’ courts under Section 2 of the Obscene Publications Act 1959 (publishing or having an obscene article for publication for gain), rather than identifying the number of people prosecuted.

    Section 2 of the Obscene Publications Act 1959 creates the offence of publishing or having an obscene article for publication for gain.

    The table below shows, in each of the last 8 years, for which figures are available, the number of offences, charged by way of Section 2 of the OPA 1959, and which reached a first hearing at magistrates’ courts, in England and Wales.

    Financial Year

    Obscene Publications Act 1959 { 2 }

    2005-2006

    111

    2006-2007

    105

    2007-2008

    111

    2008-2009

    152

    2009-2010

    82

    2010-2011

    71

    2011-2012

    76

    2012-2013

    34

    Data Source: CPS Case Management Information System

    “

  • Martin Horwood – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Martin Horwood – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Martin Horwood on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether information included in the registry of company beneficial ownership information will be available for free.

    Jenny Willott

    Companies House is a Trading Fund and must recover the costs for the services it provides where there are clear identifiable costs. However, Companies House already provides a lot of company data for free, including company appointments. It is actively working to increase the amount of data available for free and company beneficial ownership information will form part of this ongoing strategy.

  • Simon Kirby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Simon Kirby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to help shops in (a) Brighton, Kemptown constituency and (b) East Sussex with their business rate bills; and if he will make a statement.

    Brandon Lewis

    At the Autumn Statement we announced a £1 billion package of business rates support to help shops and local firms. This included a £1,000 discount for two years for shops, pubs and restaurants with a rateable value of below £50,000. We do not hold figures for numbers benefitting from that measure in the Kemptown constituency. However, based on local authority reports of the amount of relief awarded in the Brighton and East Sussex areas, we estimate that 2,270 properties will benefit in Brighton and Hove, 890 in Wealdon, 810 in Lewes, 750 in Rother, and 720 in Eastbourne. We do not yet have an estimate for Hastings.

    The support package also included a 50 per cent discount for businesses taking on long-term empty shops, the doubling of small business rate relief for another year, a 2% cap on RPI increases for 2014/2015, and allowing businesses to spread their rate payments over 12 months.

  • Nick Gibb – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Nick Gibb – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nick Gibb on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 8 April 2014, Official Report, column 205W, on primary education: admissions, and of 6 March 2014, Official Report, column 904W, on academies, regarding primary school admissions from nursery schools, if he will make it his policy to reject the Chief Schools Adjudicator’s recommendation to issue further guidance for admission authorities and instead amend the admissions code to enable primary schools to create all-through primary schools that include the years prior to reception.

    Mr David Laws

    The School Admissions Code does not prevent a school from becoming an all-through primary school for children aged 2 or 3 to age 11. It does, however, prevent schools from giving priority for reception places to children who have been admitted to the nursery class unless they can do so fairly and without disadvantaging children whose parents choose other forms of early education.

    Ministers are considering the Chief Schools Adjudicator’s recommendation that they issue further guidance for admission authorities so that there is fair access to schools for all children.

    We take fair access very seriously but also want to explore the incentives for schools to use their expertise to enhance early years education.