Category: Speeches

  • Andrew Bridgen – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Andrew Bridgen – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Bridgen on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many referrals have been made to him where a local planning authority is minded to approve an application for planning permission against the advice of HS2 Ltd; and what his decision has been on each such referral.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    There have been no referrals made to the Secretary of State for Transport where a local planning authority is minded to approve an application for planning permission against the advice of HS2 Ltd.

  • Lord Rowlands – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Lord Rowlands – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

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

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the final cost of terminating the welfare to work contracts made before May 2010.

    Lord Freud

    We have interpreted the question as referring to the early cancellation of Flexible New Deal (FND) contracts in 2011.

    I would draw your attention to the DWP Annual Accounts 2011-12 (page 174) FND exit costs.

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/214340/dwp-annual-report-and-accounts-2011-2012.pdf

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  • Matthew Offord – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Matthew Offord – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Offord on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how the universal credit local support services framework supports claimants who may require extra support in accessing universal credit.

    Esther McVey

    We recognise that some people will need help with the new demands of UC. This could include understanding the new system, help with getting online, and help with managing on a monthly budget and paying rent.

    Central to the Local Support Service Framework is the “Delivery Partnerships Approach” under which DWP and local authority managers and service providers (such as Social Landlords and Charities) will work together to agree upon delivery of services at the local level. This will enable the provision of a joined-up, holistic service for claimants with complex needs and a “coherent claimant journey” for helping the claimant move from welfare dependency. Wherever appropriate, this may also result in work readiness for each claimant.

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2014-06-12.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to ensure that long-term development projects can continue in South Sudan in areas not affected by the conflict.

    Baroness Northover

    Following a review of DFID South Sudan’s strategic objectives and the ability of existing programmes to deliver in the new environment, Ministers approved an interim one-year strategy in February. The interim strategy prioritises life-saving interventions and humanitarian support, while protecting support for basic services and livelihoods, and core work on governance.

    Under the interim strategy we are continuing our development work on health, education and livelihoods. This includes support through the Health Pooled Fund, the Integrated Community Case Management project, the Girls’ Education South Sudan project, the Building Resilience through Asset Creation and Enhancement Project and the Urban Food Security, Livelihoods and Markets project. In programming areas that are now affected by conflict we are working with implementers to develop emergency modalities which will allow continuing delivery where possible.

  • Stephen O’Brien – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Stephen O’Brien – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen O’Brien on 2014-04-09.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the statement by the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury in his foreword to HM Revenue and Customs’ consultation document, Tackling marketed tax avoidance, that there is evidence that in the vast majority of cases of challenges in court to tax avoidance schemes, when the dispute is resolved, tax is due, what that evidence is and what the range and frequency of amounts so due has been, on a graduated scale from £1 owing and upwards.

    Mr David Gauke

    HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has been successful in challenging tax avoidance and, in relation to avoidance cases that go to litigation, around 80% of cases litigated resulting in the tax being due. This led to around £1.7 billion of tax being protected in 2013. It is not possible to provide a breakdown of the range and frequency of amounts of tax due without causing undue cost on the department to provide the information.

    The Government considered different options for the consultation period for the proposals but concluded that the time period made available was reasonable. There were a very large number of responses, which suggests that the timescale did not cause any undue impediment to those who wished to give their views in response to the consultation. ‘Tackling Marketed Tax Avoidance’ followed on from the earlier consultation over the summer of 2013 ‘Raising the Stakes on Tax Avoidance’, which consulted in detail on the initial proposal for the Follower Notice measure.

  • Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2014-06-12.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking with regard to those Clinical Commissioning Groups that have not funded Improving Access to Psychological Therapies services for deaf people.

    Earl Howe

    The Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme is now the responsibility of individual clinical commissioning groups (CCGs); however over £400 million is being invested over the spending review period to make a choice of psychological therapies available for those who need them in all parts of England.

    Section 20 of the Equality Act 2010 requires service providers and CCGs to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ so that disabled people are not placed at a ‘substantial disadvantage’ compared to non-disabled people, which would include in the provision of psychological therapies to deaf people.

  • Jeremy Corbyn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Jeremy Corbyn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeremy Corbyn on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Israeli government regarding the distribution of water between Palestinians and settlers in the West Bank.

    Hugh Robertson

    Officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv most recently raised the issue of water distribution in the West Bank with the Israeli Office for the Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) on 22 April 2014.

  • Chi Onwurah – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Chi Onwurah – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps UK Trade and Investment has taken to encourage exports from the north east to Brazil, Angola and Mozambique and other emerging lusophone markets.

    Michael Fallon

    The United Kingdom Trade and Investment (UKTI) North East trade team has developed a programme called “Access to Brazil in North East”, which is aimed at support companies in the North East to link with Brazil. It is managed for UKTI by the North East Chamber of Commerce. The programme is also supported by European Regional Development Fund funding. A key element of the programme, as part of a Olympics legacy, is about building a relationship with North East Brazil. When the UK’s North East Brazil consul (Recife) was opened, a group of North East companies were part of the launch event. A number of market visits have taken place since then. The next visit by North East companies to Brazil is planned for October 2014, with an event involving the Consul from Recife on 10 July.

    UKTI North East have worked with 165 companies regarding opportunities in the Brazilian market.

    For Angola and Mozambique UKTI has identified an increasing number of opportunities in Africa for North East companies, particularly in the oil and gas sectors. UKTI North East has worked with 25 Companies on opportunities in Angola and 10 companies in Mozambique.

    UKTI North East is working with the lead FCO Minister for Africa, Mark Simmonds, on a visit to North East in late July to promote opportunities in Africa. A programme is currently being prepared.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Jim Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 2 April 2014, Official Report, column 724W, on housing benefit: social rented housing, if he will make an interim assessment of the effects of the under-occupancy penalty on rent arrears in the social rented sector in the first year of its introduction.

    Esther McVey

    We have already commissioned a two year evaluation of the effects of the removal of the spare room subsidy across Great Britain. The evaluation commenced in April 2013 and is being led by Ipsos-MORI and includes the Cambridge Centre for Housing and Planning Research. The final report will be published in late 2015.

    Rent arrears can have multiple causes and levels tend to fluctuate over time. A longer time frame than one year is required in order to factor out short-term fluctuations and to see whether and to what extent the removal of the spare room subsidy has impacted on rent arrears levels.

    There is some evidence that rent arrears levels are falling, as the Homes and Communities Agency reported in February 2014 that the median level of arrears among larger housing associations had fallen from 4.1% in the second quarter of 2013-14 to 3.9% in the third quarter of 2013-14.

  • Sheila Gilmore – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Sheila Gilmore – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sheila Gilmore on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what visits each of the Ministers in his Department have made since January 2013; and what the purpose of each such visit was.

    Brandon Lewis

    Details of ministerial overseas travel and meetings with external organisations are routinely published every quarter and can be accessed on the Department’s web page via the following:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/dclg-ministerial-data

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