Category: Speeches

Lord Howard of Rising – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Howard of Rising on 2014-06-16.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what value of fines remained unpaid at the end of financial years 2009–10, 2010–11 and 2011–12 (1) in total, and (2) with respect to fines issued in that financial year.

Lord Deighton

We have answered this question on the basis that it relates to HMRC penalties.

1) 2009-10 £0.5 billion

2010-11 £1.5 billion

2011-12 £1.5 billion

Fines and Penalties that remain unpaid are included as receivables and are reported in both the Resource Accounts and Trust Statement.

2) It is not possible to state the value of fines issued in each of the financial years. The question is very broad in scope and covers the majority of the business of the Department. Some data is held in electronic systems and some in paper files, and records are not kept centrally of the value of fines issued across the Department and across all obligations.

01/11/2022
Lord Wigley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Wigley on 2014-04-03.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the latest available figures of the number of people in employment in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales respectively; and how they compare with the figures for three and six years earlier.

Lord Wallace of Saltaire

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

01/11/2022
Baroness Whitaker – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Whitaker on 2014-06-16.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what criteria with respect to good design they intend to establish in their new plans for the Highway Agency.

Baroness Kramer

It is government policy that our major road improvements should follow good design principles. For example, in "Action for Roads" we made it clear that any improvements to the network must be made in a way that supports the nation’s overall quality of life. This means that our strategy for roads, and detail requirements will need to:
- Be designed to minimise environmental impacts and, where possible, tackle existing problems.
- Build on existing cooperation with organisations like Natural England to find the best solutions to environmental challenges.
- Continue to work in a planning framework which protects the wider environment.
We are establishing the first Roads Investment Strategy, which includes a performance specification for the new strategic highways company. This will aim to ensure that the company’s design and delivery activities align with the overall goals that government has for the Strategic Road Network (SRN). Good design, including how the SRN interfaces with built environments and impacts on quality of life, will need to be an important element of both the process and the implementation.
01/11/2022
Lord Bradshaw – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bradshaw on 2014-04-03.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what information they have as to whether the origin or formulation of the diesel oil used has any bearing on the amount of particulates which are trapped in particulate filters fitted to road vehicles.

Baroness Kramer

The formulation of diesel fuel can have an effect upon the amount of particulate matter formed during combustion. There is evidence, for instance that biodiesel blends produce slightly less particulate matter, in general, than do pure petroleum-based diesel fuels. We would not, however, expect the differences in rates of particulate formation between fuels meeting the statutory requirements of the Motor Fuels (Composition and Content) Regulations, and meeting the EN 590 industry standard to affect the operation of diesel particulate filters.

01/11/2022
Liam Byrne – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liam Byrne on 2014-06-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many meetings the Minister of State for (a) Business and Enterprise, (b) Universities, Science and Skills and (c) Skills and Enterprise has had with his Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser in the last 12 months.

Mr David Willetts

As was the case under previous administrations, details of internal meetings are not normally disclosed.

01/11/2022

Robert Halfon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Halfon on 2014-04-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many people have applied for part-time higher education courses each year since 2004.

Mr David Willetts

Statistics are not available on applicants to part-time higher education courses as there is no centralised application service for part-time study. However, statistics on entrants to part-time courses at UK Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are available from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) and have been provided back to the academic year 2004/05 in the following table.

Information on enrolments at UK HEIs in the academic year 2013/14 will become available from HESA in January 2015.

Entrants⁽¹⁾part-time courses by level of study

Academic years 2004/05 to 2012/13

UK Higher Education Institutions

	2004/05	2005/06	2006/07	2007/08	2008/09	2009/10	2010/11	2011/12	2012/13
Postgraduate part-time	108,920	113,955	116,215	116,320	128,945	132,745	127,925	109,535	102,190
Undergraduate part-time	317,785	336,415	341,030	331,950	344,475	335,050	301,490	278,575	199,905
Total part-time	426,710	450,370	457,245	448,275	473,420	467,795	429,415	388,115	302,095

Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency

Note:

(1) Entrants refer to those students entering their first year of study.

(2) Includes entrants from all domiciles (UK, EU and other overseas countries)

01/11/2022

Ivan Lewis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ivan Lewis on 2014-06-16.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps HM Revenue and Customs has taken to to tackle the problem of employees being paid below the minimum wage in Northern Ireland.

Mr David Gauke

I refer the hon. Member to my answer provided previously to his question of 30 April 2014, Official Report, column 725W

01/11/2022
Nicholas Soames – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2014-04-02.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will list the members of the Honours Committee in each of the last five years.

Mr Francis Maude

The Voting Membership of the Main Honours Committee comprises Head of the Civil Service (Chair); Chairs of the 9 Honours Committees; Chief of the Defence Staff; Permanent Secretary of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office; another Permanent Secretary; Cabinet Secretary and a representative from the Prime Minister’s Office. Membershipfor the past five years is set out below. Current membership of all honours committees is available at www.gov.uk/honours-committees.

A copy of the table listing the Membership of the committee over the last 5 years will be placed in the Library of the House.

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01/11/2022
Ian Austin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2014-06-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment has been made of the likely effects of the Government’s proposed Deregulation Bill on jobs in tourism.

Mrs Helen Grant

At present, local authorities are required to set term and holiday dates for only about 30% of secondary schools and 70% of primary schools (around half of all registered pupils). The Deregulation Bill gives more schools the flexibility to make changes should they wish to, although the experience of the academies programme, foundation schools and voluntary aided (church) schools, suggests that only a small percentage of schools are likely to vary their term dates where there is a compelling benefit to pupils’ education.

The Department for Education has assessed the impact of the changes. Whilst there will be greater flexibility for schools, we will continue to expect that sensible conversations between the local authority and schools on coordination will take place. Local authorities have told the Department for Education that they will continue to coordinate term dates for schools as they do now. Variations to term dates could also help businesses and employers, for example, in areas of high-seasonal employment where employees may welcome the chance to holiday outside of peak tourist periods. For example, Bishop Bronescombe School in St Austell, has a two-week half term in May/June to accommodate parents’ seasonal employment patterns.

A separate assessment of the specific impact on tourism-related jobs has not been carried out. The Department for Education has discussed the changes to this policy with a variety of tourism industry bodies – including ABTA and BALPPA.

01/11/2022
Andy Sawford – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Sawford on 2014-04-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the financial effect on local authorities when the single tier state pension is introduced in 2016-17 and local authorities no longer receive a national insurance rebate from the contracting out of pensions.

Brandon Lewis

The Government is currently in discussions with the Local Government Association on this matter.

01/11/2022