Category: Speeches

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.

01/11/2022
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.

01/11/2022
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.

01/11/2022
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.

01/11/2022

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

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01/11/2022

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.

01/11/2022
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.

01/11/2022
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.

01/11/2022
Jim Shannon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the Colombian government on human rights and the deaths of striking agricultural workers.

Mr Hugo Swire

The UK is fully engaged on a range of human rights issues in Colombia. The UK’s priority areas include access to justice, support to human rights defenders, work to prevent sexual violence against women and encouraging business to implement human rights protocols in their operations. The British Embassy continues to monitor and raise human rights issues with the Colombian government. The Foreign Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister both raised human rights with President Santos during their separate visits to Colombia in February.

In June 2013, the British Embassy in Bogota met with representatives of peasant associations and civil society and requested that the Colombian government initiate dialogue and investigate the alleged excessive use of force during the social protests involving striking agricultural workers in Catatumbo. The British Embassy also raised concerns with the Finance Minister, Defence Minister and the Head of the Colombian police.

On 17 March 2014, senior Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) officials in the UK also met with the visiting Colombian Vice-Fiscal, General, Jorge Perdomo, and discussed the progress made in the investigations into the deaths of the striking agricultural workers. They also discussed the reform of the Criminal Justice System, which would ensure the protection of fundamental human rights and the human rights situation in Colombia.

Most recently on 9 April 2014, senior FCO Officials in the UK and the British Embassy in Colombia discussed the Colombia chapter in the FCO’s 2013 Annual Human Rights Report, in which we raised the need for conclusive investigations into members of the security forces accused of excessive use of force during the protests of June to August 2013.

01/11/2022
Margaret Beckett – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Beckett on 2014-04-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many family visit visa applications to the UK were made between June 2013 and December 2013; and how many such applications were (a) granted, (b) refused, (c) withdrawn, (d) lapsed and (e) given the right to appeal.

James Brokenshire

From the 1st of June until the 31st of December 2013 there were 149,995
applications for family visit visas. Of those applications:

• 111,990 were issued
• 37,370 were refused
• 65 were lapsed
• 330 were withdrawn
• 4,570 were given the right to appeal

These figures are based upon management information, and have been rounded to
the nearest 5. Until the 24th June 2013, any family visit visa that was refused
was given a right of appeal against that decision. The numbers above reflect
this change to appeal rights.

01/11/2022