Category: Speeches

  • Cathy Jamieson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Cathy Jamieson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cathy Jamieson on 2014-03-25.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the number of people who have utilised their full tax-free ISA allowance in each of the last three years in (a) the UK, (b) Scotland and (c) each parliamentary constituency.

    Mr David Gauke

    Until 1 July 2014 there are two allowances for ISAs: a cash and an overall allowance. This answer assumes you are asking about the overall allowance.

    The following table contains the number of individuals who made full use of their (£10,680) ISA allowance in 2011-12 in the UK and in Scotland.

    Country

    Number of individuals (thousands)

    Scotland

    73

    United Kingdom

    1,005

    A breakdown for 2012-13 and 2013-14 is not yet available. Constituency-level statistics are not available.

    As announced at Budget 2014, 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.

    This measure 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 are expected to benefit from these increases, including over 5 million adults expected to be constrained by the cash ISA limit.

  • Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has provided any advice to public communications providers on the consequences of the decision of the European Court of Justice in Digital Rights Ireland and Seitlinger and Others on data retention by those companies.

    James Brokenshire

    The Government continues to consider the judgment of the European Court, but we consider that the UK Data Retention (EC Directive) Regulations 2009 remain in
    force. Those in receipt of a notice under the Regulations have been informed that they should continue to observe their obligations as outlined in any notice.

  • Paul Flynn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Paul Flynn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2014-03-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps the Government plans to take to deliver the commitments on nuclear security contained in paragraph 27 of the Hague Nuclear Security Summit Communiqué held in the Hague on 24 and 25 March 2014.

    Michael Fallon

    Safety and security are top priorities for the Government and there is a robust security framework in place for the civil nuclear industry. We seek continuous improvement in line with internationally established principles. The UK has a strong and effective independent regulator, the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR), which ensures compliance with the requirements placed on duty holders by the Nuclear Industries Security Regulations 2003 (as amended) and the performance-based National Objectives, Requirements and Model Standards (NORMS). There is extensive engagement between the Government, ONR and duty holders. The full set of UK commitments made at the Nuclear Security Summit which go towards meeting paragraph 27 of the Summit’s Communiquécan be found at the following link:

    https://www.nss2014.com/sites/default/files/documents/140321_uk_national_statement_on_commitments.pdf

    “

  • Oliver Colvile – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Oliver Colvile – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Oliver Colvile on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what specialist one-to-one study skills support will be available for students with specific learning difficulties following the review of the disabled students allowance; and who will provide that support.

    Mr David Willetts

    Discussions are underway with stakeholders, including those who specialise in supporting students with Specific Learning Difficulties. This will help determine how specialist one-to-one support will be delivered in the future and where the responsibility for funding such support will fall.

    I will not make a final decision on this matter until I have considered the necessary Equality Analysis, which is in preparation, and will take account of any relevant evidence provided by stakeholders.

  • Dr Julian Huppert – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Dr Julian Huppert – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dr Julian Huppert on 2014-03-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what draft guidance on the instances where water cannon may be deployed has been (a) written and (b) consulted on.

    Damian Green

    The Home Secretary has now received the request to authorise water cannon for use by the police in England and Wales. She is considering this request and will announce her decision in due course and lay the relevant information in the House Library.

  • Stephen O’Brien – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Stephen O’Brien – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen O’Brien on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many local authorities have signed up to become dementia friendly since the launch of the Dementia Challenge; and what other progress has been made since that date.

    Norman Lamb

    The dementia friendly communities recognition process was launched by Alzheimer’s Society in September 2013 and 55 communities have already signed up. We have therefore increased our original ambition of 20 communities committed to work to become dementia friendly, as set out in the Prime Minister’s Challenge on Dementia, to reach 75 communities by March 2015. In addition, 59 local authorities are members of local Dementia Action Alliances.

    The Department has worked with Alzheimer’s Society to develop the recognition process for dementia friendly communities. Malpas has signed up to the recognition process and is receiving support in its work to become dementia friendly. The Department is also working with Alzheimer’s Society and the British Standards Institute to develop a code of practice for dementia friendly communities, which will help communities to continue in their work to become dementia friendly.

  • 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 2014-03-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum applicants receiving support under section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 have been receiving support for more than (a) two years, (b) four years and (c) six years; and if she will make a statement.

    James Brokenshire

    Data specific to your request can be found in the table below.

    Band Cases

    Up to two years 2008

    More than two years 822

    More than four years 473

    More than six years 212

    Total 3515

  • Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth on 2014-06-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they plan to take to tackle election malpractices.

    Lord Wallace of Saltaire

    The integrity of elections is crucial to our democracy. The Government is introducing measures to strengthen the electoral system through the introduction of Individual Electoral Registration which will make the register more accurate and secure.

    The Government will carefully consider any findings by the Electoral Commission in relation to the 22 May 2014 elections to determine whether any further measures may be needed to support electoral integrity.

  • Helen Jones – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Helen Jones – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2014-03-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential economic benefits to (a) the North-West and (b) Warrington of further upgrading the West-East line as proposed in the HS2 Plus Report.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    No specific assessment has yet been made. In response to the HS2 Plus report, we have commissioned HS2 Ltd and Network Rail to undertake work to allow proposals to accelerate construction of the Crewe section of HS2 Phase Two and to build a new integrated hub station at Crewe to be looked at in detail as part of the consideration of the public consultation responses to Phase Two. We have also commissioned HS2 Ltd and Network Rail to make recommendations on enhancing connectivity in the midlands and the north before our response to the Phase Two consultation.

  • Lord Hylton – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the The Lord Chairman of Committees

    Lord Hylton – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the The Lord Chairman of Committees

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Chairman of Committees what proportion of the food used in the House of Lords is (1) grown in the home counties; and (2) drawn from organic and whole-food sources.

    Lord Sewel

    The House of Lords does not draw any of its food from organic sources nor is any of the food offered categorised as “whole-food”. Fruit and vegetables used by the House sourced from the home counties are set out in the table below. Free-range chicken served in the House is mostly from Gloucestershire and Essex. The Salt Marsh lamb is from the Romney Marsh in Kent.

    Produce

    Source county

    Asparagus

    Hampshire

    Beetroot

    Bedfordshire

    Bramley apple

    Cambridgeshire

    Cauliflower

    Kent

    Herbs (potted)

    Hampshire

    Jacket potatoes

    Hertfordshire

    New potatoes

    Kent

    Raspberries

    Sussex

    Red potatoes

    Kent

    Spring greens

    Cambridgeshire

    Strawberries

    Kent

    Tomatoes (gourmet)

    Sussex

    Vitelotte potatoes

    Kent