Category: Speeches

  • Bridget Phillipson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Bridget Phillipson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bridget Phillipson on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many staff in his Department were in receipt of excess fare allowance in each year for which figures are available.

    Anna Soubry

    The following table provides the numbers of Ministry of Defence civilian staff in receipt of Excess Fares Allowance (EFA) by financial year, from the earliest date that figures are available;

    Financial Year MOD Civilian Staff in Receipt of EFA
    2007-08 4,735
    2008-09 4,792
    2009-10 4,438
    2010-11 5,072
    2011-12 5,098
    2012-13 4,552
    2013-14 3,987
  • Tom Blenkinsop – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Tom Blenkinsop – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Blenkinsop on 2014-03-26.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 24 March 2014, Official Report, column 12W, on individual savings accounts and with reference to HM Revenue and Custom’s policy paper published on the new ISA and changes to Junior ISA and the Child Trust Fund, what assessment he has made of the consequences for (a) the economy, (b) capital markets and (c) business of a shift in savings portfolio composition away from securities towards cash.

    Mr David Gauke

    HM TREASURY

    Tom Blenkinsop MP

    MIDDLESBOROUGH SOUTH & CLEVELAND EAST

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 24 March 2014, Official Report, column 12W, on individual savings accounts and with reference to HM Revenue and Custom’s policy paper published on the new ISA and changes to Junior ISA and the Child Trust Fund, what assessment he has made of the consequences for (a) the economy, (b) capital markets and (c) business of a shift in savings portfolio composition away from securities towards cash. 193987

    DAVID GAUKE

    From 1 July 2014 the overall annual New ISA subscription limit will be increased to £15,000 and can be used for either cash or stocks and shares investments, or any combination of the two, up to this limit. At the same time the annual Junior ISA and Child Trust Fund subscription limits will be increased to £4,000.

    These measures were part of a wider Budget packaged aimed at supporting savers. These ISA measures will reduce income tax on savings for people constrained by the current limits, improving incentives to save and increasing real household disposable incomes. Over 6 million people each year are expected to benefit from these increases, including over 5 million adults currently constrained by the cash ISA limit, three quarters of whom are basic rate taxpayers and a third are pensioners.

    As HMRC’s published Tax Information and Impact Note explains, the increase to real household disposable incomes resulting from the New ISA changes might feed through to higher consumption or savings in the household sector. There may also be a shift in the savings portfolio composition towards cash deposits. At the same time there may be an overall increase in savings invested in securities.

    Stocks and shares, and cash offer very different risk and expected return profiles, and the tax treatment will be just one factor affecting investors’ choice between them. In 2012-13, the FTSE All-Share Index grew by 5.6 per cent (excluding dividend yield). In contrast bank and building society deposit returns averaged 1.95 per cent.

    For individuals who prefer to hold their savings portfolio in stocks and shares rather than cash, the New ISA will provide a significant increase to the amount that can be invested and held within the tax-advantaged ISA wrapper for 2014-15, from £11,880 to £15,000.

  • Peter Aldous – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Peter Aldous – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Aldous on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how often the Prescribed Specialised Services Advisory Group meets per year; and if he will request that it will consider new specialised service applications for Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency at its next meeting.

    Norman Lamb

    The Prescribed Specialised Services Advisory Group (PSSAG) is a Department expert committee which was set up to provide regular advice to Ministers on which services are specialised and should be prescribed in regulations for national commissioning by the NHS Commissioning Board (NHS England). The Group met most recently in May 2014 and may meet up to four times a year.

    Evidence, supporting information and activity on those services currently prescribed in legislation for direct commissioning by NHS England and any new services identified as potentially specialised, are made available to PSSAG from a range of sources, which may include Clinical Reference Groups (CRGs), patient groups, clinicians, commissioners and members of the public. The proposals the group considers are in large part generated by NHS England through its CRGs. The PSSAG makes recommendations to Ministers who, before deciding whether to make regulations, consult with NHS England, as required by section 3B of the National Health Service Act 2006.

    NHS England advises that where it becomes the responsible commissioner for a service, it considers the funding priority of the service through its clinical priorities advisory group and manages a process for selecting providers. Any highly specialised services that become the commissioning responsibility of NHS England will be discussed at its Rare Disease Advisory Group.

    The commissioning of services for people with alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency is a matter for individual clinical commissioning groups. We understand the Alpha 1 Alliance is working with NHS England and the Specialised Respiratory Clinical Reference Group to develop a proposal on alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency for a future PSSAG meeting.

  • John Glen – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    John Glen – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Glen on 2014-03-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will introduce an online pension calculator for use by those who have left the armed forces.

    Anna Soubry

    The Armed Forces Benefits, Pension, Scheme Pays and Redundancy Calculators are available for serving Armed Forces personnel, but will not provide an accurate forecast for ex-Service personnel. They are able to request pension forecasts directly from the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency (SPVA) which will be re-named Defence Business Services – Veterans UK with effect from 1 April 2014.

  • Iain McKenzie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Iain McKenzie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Iain McKenzie on 2014-05-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the economic benefits to the local economy of the lower Clyde of basing the UK’s submarine fleet at Faslane.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mr Nick Gibb on 2014-03-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 24 March 2014, Official Report, columns 83-4W, on the School Information (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2012, if he will make an assessment of the level of compliance with those regulations among state-funded schools and academies.

    Mr David Laws

    If a parent, or other party, believes that a school is not complying with the requirements, they are entitled to raise this with the governing body. If their complaint is not resolved and they believe that the school has failed to discharge its duty or acted unreasonably, they can raise their complaint with the Secretary of State.

    Ofsted routinely checks school websites ahead of inspection.

  • Peter Bottomley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Peter Bottomley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Bottomley on 2014-05-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether hehas received the World Society for the Protection of Animals’ recent report The Cayman Turtle Farm: A Continued Case for Change.

    Mark Simmonds

    I have received a copy of the report and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is analysing it in detail. However, it is the delegated responsibility of the Cayman Islands Government to manage its natural resources effectively and appropriately and for them to consider how best to respond to the report.

  • Sarah Teather – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Sarah Teather – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sarah Teather on 2014-03-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people held in immigration removal centres and who refused food or fluids have been transferred to prisons since May 2013.

    James Brokenshire

    No persons held in immigration removal centres have been transferred to prisons since May 2013 due to refusal of food or fluids.

  • Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Deputy Prime Minister

    Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Deputy Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-05-12.

    To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, with reference to the Answer of 8 November 2011, Official Report, column 283W, on the electoral register, if he will make it his policy to collect information on the number of fixed penalty notices issued for non-registration in the run up to the introduction of individual electoral registration.

    Greg Clark

    It has not proved possible to respond to the Hon Member in the time available before Prorogation.

  • Tom Blenkinsop – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Tom Blenkinsop – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Blenkinsop on 2014-03-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent assessment he has made of the availability of books to prisoners; and if he will make a statement.

    Jeremy Wright

    There have been no changes in the availability of books in prisons Every prison has a library, to which every prisoner has access. Up to 12 books may be held by prisoners in their cell at any one time and additional volumes may be stored locally at the prison.

    The National Offender Management Service works closely with schemes such as the Shannon Trust Reading Network,which includes peer mentoring.