Category: Speeches

  • Debbie Abrahams – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Debbie Abrahams – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Debbie Abrahams on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he plans to amend the aids and appliances descriptors, or the points awarded to them, for personal independence payments assessments.

    Justin Tomlinson

    As confirmed by my right honourable friend the Secretary of State in his statement to the House on 21 March, the proposed changes to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) will not be going ahead.

    We spend around £50bn every year on benefits alone to support people with disabilities or health conditions, with spending on PIP and Disability Living Allowance (DLA) having increased by more than £3 billion since 2010. The government is committed to talking to disabled people, their representatives, healthcare professionals and employers to ensure the welfare system works better with the health and social care systems and provides help and support to those who need it most.

  • Rob Marris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Rob Marris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rob Marris on 2016-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answers of 25 February 2016 to Questions 27493 and 27494, and with reference to Article 29 of the UN Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods, what the evidential basis is for the Government’s conclusion that the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement does not automatically apply to British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies.

    Anna Soubry

    The Government’s position, set out in the answers to Questions 27493 and 27494, is based on the wording of the treaties (Article 52 of the Treaty on European Union, Article 355 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and the 1972 Treaty of Accession of Denmark, Ireland and the UK to the European Economic Community) and the longstanding practice of the UK.

    Article 29 of the UN Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods is not relevant to the status of British Overseas Territories and the Crown Dependencies. Article 29 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties provides that “Unless a different intention appears from the treaty or is otherwise established, a treaty is binding upon each party in respect of its entire territory.” The British Overseas Territories and the Crown Dependencies are not part of the UK, and the UK has consistently adopted the position that treaties made by the UK do not extend to British Overseas Territories or the Crown Dependencies, unless this is done expressly. The first expression of this position was set out in the “Bevin Despatch” (Foreign Office Circular 118, 16 October 1950).

  • Helen Goodman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Helen Goodman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2016-06-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Answers of 7 April 2014 to Questions 194734 to 194737, who made the highest bid for Brompton Road underground station.

    Mark Lancaster

    The purchaser, Dmitri Firtash made the highest bid.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-09-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential economic effect of High Speed 2 on the local economy in Coventry; and if he will make a statement.

    Andrew Jones

    Much of the research on the impacts of HS2 on specific areas of the UK so far has focussed on the HS2 named cities such as Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham and London. However, to build an understanding of the potential for HS2 to contribute to balanced economic growth in the UK, The HS2 Phase 2 West Midlands to Crewe Economic Case, published in 2015, apportioned the estimated social benefits of the project to different regions. The West Midlands was estimated to receive 14% of the benefit of the full ‘Y’ network in 2037. Coventry, located close to the planned HS2 Birmingham Interchange station, can be expected to benefit from faster journey times through the high speed network as well as released capacity on the classic network.

    Early research published in the HS2 Regional Economic Impacts report in 2013 attempted to estimate the gross GVA effects of HS2 on the West Midlands economy in 2037 and produced an illustrative estimate of between £1.5bn and £3.1bn of additional output per annum (in 2013 prices). We continue to refine the methodology of how we assess regional economic impacts and build evidence on the contribution which HS2 could make to creating sustainable and balanced economic growth.

  • Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-10-13.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much has been paid to Concentrix for revising tax credit offers in a way which was initially thought to be correct; and if any of that amount can be subsequently recovered should those decisions be successfully appealed.

    Jane Ellison

    As at 17th October, payments made to Concentrix, in line with contracted charging and payment mechanisms, to date total £15,495,971 plus VAT.

    HM Revenue and Customs pays Concentrix within 25 working days of receipt of a valid and undisputed invoice. The contract provides for a commission payment of an initial invoice value, with a subsequent quarterly reconciliation mechanism which takes into account supplier performance via specific Quality Performance Indicators and Key Performance indicators.

    Payment to Concentrix is reduced accordingly in line with the contract should they fail to meet performance targets.

    The contract also provides for commission payments to be further corrected should savings, which have previously been reported by Concentrix, be adjusted following a successful appeal by a customer.

  • Kerry McCarthy – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Kerry McCarthy – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2015-11-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the cost of (a) completing the network of Marine Conservation Zones and (b) creating a blue belt around British Overseas Territories.

    George Eustice

    Responsibility for Marine Conservation Zones is devolved, the answer below relates to Marine Conservation Zones being established in the Secretary of State’s waters: English inshore waters (within 12 nautical miles) and the offshore waters (beyond 12 nautical miles) off England, Northern Ireland and Wales.

    We are designating Marine Conservation Zones in tranches; for each tranche costs are estimated in Impact Assessments accompanying their consultation and then designation. Equivalent annual costs to business for the first tranche were estimated upon their designation to be £0.5 million, with £1.7 million annual costs for the public sector. Equivalent annual costs to business for the second tranche estimated when they were consulted on were £0.18 million, with £1.924 million annual costs for the public sector, these estimates will be updated when this second tranche is designated. We have not yet estimated the costs for the third and final tranche, costs estimates will be provided when this tranche is consulted on.

    The Blue Belt of marine protection around the Overseas Territories will encompass a broad range of new and enhanced marine protection measures across different Territories.The British Indian Ocean Territory and South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands have already declared Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), with funded enforcement measures. For Pitcairn and Ascension Island, work is in hand to develop cost-effective monitoring and enforcement solutions for future MPAs. For the other Overseas Territories, the Foreign & Commonwealth Office is at an early stage of working with the Territories to scope what further marine protection measures are desirable and scientifically justified.Identifying any additional cost requirements to support this initiative is part of this scoping exercise.[1]

    [1] Information provided by Foreign and Commonwealth Office

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-01-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to issue guidance on the maximum length of time that a charging Clean Air Zone could be operated on a voluntary basis.

    Rory Stewart

    We will be consulting on the framework for Clean Air Zones and the secondary legislation to be introduced later this year. This will include the important principles that need to be consistent from city to city to ensure Clean Air Zones are implemented in the same way by Local Authorities across England. We will work with Local Authorities and other stakeholders to ensure that we provide the guidance they will find most relevant and useful.

  • Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Andrew Gwynne – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2016-02-01.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of companies that have benefited from the patent box are UK domiciled.

    Mr David Gauke

    The information is not held in the form requested. The estimated amounts of Patent Box relief can be found at the link below:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/487119/Dec15_expenditure_reliefs_Final.xlsx.pdf

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  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2016-02-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many consultants’ contracts were terminated early in each of the last six years for which figures are available; and what the cost of each such termination was in each of those years.

    Nick Gibb

    This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  • Madeleine Moon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Madeleine Moon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Madeleine Moon on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people with motor neurone disease are currently in receipt of the (a) lower and (b) higher rate of Attendance Allowance; and if he will make a statement.

    Justin Tomlinson

    Statistical information relating to Attendance Allowance claimants, including the numbers of people suffering from motor neurone disease, and the rate of Attendance Allowance in payment to them, is available from the DWP Tabulation Tool: http://tabulation-tool.dwp.gov.uk/100pc/tabtool.html

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