Category: Speeches

  • Adam Afriyie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Adam Afriyie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Adam Afriyie on 2014-04-07.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect the introduction of seven-day bank account switching has had on the number of people changing bank account provider; and if he will make a statement.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The Current Account Switching Service launched in September of last year, and has had a very positive impact. Early signs are positive, with switching numbers in Q4 of 2013 up by 17 per cent compared to Q4 of the previous year.

    The Financial Conduct Authority will carry out a review in September of this year into the effectiveness of the Current Account Switching Service. This will include an assessment of the effect the introduction of seven day account switching has had on the number of people changing bank account provider.

  • Simon Burns – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Simon Burns – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Simon Burns on 2014-06-18.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of his long-term economic plan.

    Nicky Morgan

    The government’s long-term economic plan is working, and the UK is expected to grow faster than any other G7 country this year. Inflation is below target, the deficit has been reduced by over a third since 2009-10, and employment is at record levels. But the job is not yet done and the biggest risk now to the recovery would be abandoning the plan that is delivering a brighter economic future.

  • Chris Leslie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Chris Leslie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Leslie on 2014-04-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, which 10 consultancy firms were paid the most by her Department in the last financial year; and how much each of those firms was paid.

    Mrs Helen Grant

    The 10 professional services firms that were paid the most in 2013/14 are listed in the table below:

    Supplier Name

    Total paid in 2013-14 (£)

    KPMG LLP

    1,934,209.35

    Pinsent Masons

    950,789.80

    Local Partnerships

    429,919.24

    Grant Thornton UK LLP

    401,867.88

    Regeneris Consulting Ltd

    75,187.00

    Andrew Dumbreck Media Limited

    62,165.60

    National Centre for Social Research

    70,732.00

    Deloitte (LLP No 2 a/c)

    49,480.00

    CLAS Co-operative Ltd

    29,820.00

    SQW Limited

    29,413.00

    These are unaudited figures from the Department’s financials systems, net of recoverable VAT. The department uses professional services firms for a variety of purposes. In addition to consultancy services, they include expenditure on external legal support and advice on programmes, research fieldwork, evaluation, specialist technical advice and the provision of interim managers. Legal services from the Treasury Solicitors and providers of recruitment services have been excluded in order to arrive at a list of firms that are predominantly providers of consultancy.

  • David Crausby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    David Crausby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Crausby on 2014-06-17.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of the number of people employed on zero-hour contracts in Bolton North East constituency.

    Mr Nick Hurd

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

  • Chris Leslie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Chris Leslie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Leslie on 2014-04-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which five companies were used most often to provide temporary workers for his Department in the last financial year; and how much in agency fees was paid to each of them.

    Elizabeth Truss

    Under this Government’s transparency programme, details of spend for the Department for Education are published on gov.uk which are available at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications?departments%5B%5D=department-for-education

    To provide the level of detail requested in relation to agency fees would incur disproportionate cost.

    “

  • Justin Tomlinson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Justin Tomlinson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Tomlinson on 2014-06-17.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will take steps to mandate that APR figures be displayed in cash terms.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The Government believes it is important for consumers to be able to compare the cost of credit products easily.

    The Consumer Credit Directive (CCD) requires the APR to be stated in pre-contract credit information and in the credit agreement itself, as well as in advertising where triggered. In addition, firms must state the total amount payable (TAP), which is the sum of the amount borrowed and the total charge for credit (TCC).

    As the CCD is full harmonisation in the relevant areas, it is not open to Member States to require disclosure of the TCC in addition – although the consumer can work this out as the difference between the TAP and the amount borrowed. Lenders can also include the TCC on a voluntary basis.

    As previously shared with the Public Accounts Committee, the Government raised the issue of how to present cost information with the European Commission as part of its current review into the implementation of the CCD.

  • Simon Kirby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Simon Kirby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Simon Kirby on 2014-04-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to deter inappropriate development in National Parks in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement.

    George Eustice

    Policy on national parks and planning are devolved matters. For Wales, they are a matter for the Welsh Assembly Government. National parks and areas of outstanding natural beauty are given the strongest protection from damaging development through the National Planning Policy Framework.

    Defra works closely with the Department for Communities and Local Government to ensure planning policies take account of the special character of England’s protected landscapes. For example, as made clear on 6 March by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Nick Boles, the extended permitted development rights for conversion of agricultural buildings to a dwelling house will not apply in national parks or areas of outstanding natural beauty (6 Mar 2014, Official Report, column 50WS).

  • Christopher Chope – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Christopher Chope – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2014-06-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department’s response to the letter of 2 May 2014 from Mr Kishore Rao, the Director of the UNESCO Culture Sector, World Heritage Centre.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    DCMS has not issued a formal response to the letter of 2 May 2014. The letter has been passed to the planning authorities as part of that process.

  • Douglas Alexander – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Douglas Alexander – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Alexander on 2014-04-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has asked President Rajapaksa of Sri Lanka to resign as Chairperson in Office of the Commonwealth in the light of the decision to investigate potential human rights abuses in Sri Lanka.

    Mr William Hague

    Any decision on the Chair-in-Office role is for all Commonwealth Heads of Government to take by consensus.

  • James Gray – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    James Gray – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by James Gray on 2014-06-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to change the funding support for Combined Cadet Forces.

    Anna Soubry

    We have set a target of expanding the number of Combined Cadet Forces (CCFs) in state schools.

    We are moving towards a model for all CCFs which will involve schools making a small contribution towards the running costs of their units, irrespective of which sector the school is in. We are working with schools to establish the best way forward and our current plan is that funding changes will happen in a phased manner over a four-year period from September 2015.

    The Secretary of State for Defence has not had discussions with the Combined Cadet Force Association (CCFA), although officials are in regular contact. The CCFA is represented on relevant Government cadet committees, and has been briefed on the planned changes.