Category: Speeches

Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-04-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will estimate the number of (a) UK firms based in Wales that trade with other EU member states and (b) people employed by those firms.

Anna Soubry

HMRC Regional Trade Statistics on the number of firms trading with the EU are publically available through the UKTradeInfo website.

HM Treasury has published estimates of the number of UK jobs linked to EU exports broken down by region. These are available through the GOV.UK website.

January 1, 2023

Anne Main – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anne Main on 2016-05-03.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much his Department and its agencies and non-departmental public bodies have spent on infraction proceedings in each of the last 10 years.

Matthew Hancock

The Cabinet Office, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies have incurred nil expenditure on infraction proceedings before the European Court of Justice.

Figures held centrally by the Cabinet Office are set out below, which show costs incurred by other government departments in engaging counsel as a result of infraction proceedings issued against the UK before the Court.

	2010/2011	2011/2012	2012/2013	2013/2014	2014/2015	2015/2016	2016/2017 (year to date)
BIS	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
CO	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
DCLG	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
DCMS	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
DECC	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
DEFRA	Nil	£1,740.00	Nil	Nil	Nil	£8,791.61	£966.66
DfE	£780.00	3,630.00	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
DfT	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
DFID	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
DH	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	NIl	NIl
DWP	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
FCO	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
HMT (HMRC)	£687.50	£3,797.50	£16,610.67	£24,004.95	£6,749.99	£9,834.99	Nil
HO	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
MoD	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
MoJ	Nil	Nil	£2,520.00	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
NIO	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
SO	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
WO	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil

*The above represents all data held. We do not hold financial records on these matters before FY 2010/2011.

The UK has never been fined by the European Court of Justice as a result of infraction proceedings.

Costs for departments include costs incurred by non-departmental public bodies and agencies for which they are the lead department. While some departments will have incurred ad hoc costs in the pre-litigation stage of infraction proceedings, and costs associated with the attendance of government officials at infraction hearings, the cost of identifying that data would be disproportionate.

Departments do not quantify the cost of time spent by government officials throughout the infractions process.

January 1, 2023

Richard Burgon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burgon on 2016-06-15.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the results of the Current Account Switching Service for personal current account holders with overdrafts.

Harriett Baldwin

The Government is committed to increasing competition in banking to ensure banks have to work hard to offer the best possible products and services to their customers. A key part of that is making the process for customers switching their current accounts as easy and as effective as possible, to ensure customers are able to hold their banks to account by voting with their feet.

The Government has already undertaken a lot work to improve the process for customers switching their current accounts, including helping to deliver the Current Account Switch Service to enable customers to switch banks simply, quickly and reliably, and delivering midata, to enable customers to compare which bank is best for them based on how they use their current account.

As part of its retail banking market investigation, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is considering what additional improvements could be made to the process of customers switching current accounts, including requiring banks to make it easier for customers to switch their overdraft when they move banks. The CMA is also considering other additional measures designed to support overdraft users.

The Government welcomes the CMA’s investigation, and stands ready to take action as necessary once it publishes its final report in the summer.

January 1, 2023
Lord Temple-Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Temple-Morris on 2016-09-12.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many arrests of illegal immigrants there were in each of the last five years; and how many of those arrested in each year were (1) deported from the UK, (2) remained in custody, and (3) released within the UK.

Baroness Williams of Trafford

It is not possible to provide information in the format requested, because data on arrests for illegal immigration cannot be separated from arrests for other immigration offences.

January 1, 2023
Angus Brendan MacNeil – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Brendan MacNeil on 2016-10-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the effect on the UK solar power market of the proposed 2017 business rate rise for organisations investing in roof top solar power for their own consumption.

Mr Marcus Jones

Business rates policy in Scotland is devolved to the Scottish Government. In England, business rates are based on valuations from the Valuation Office Agency and we do not intervene in their independent assessments. We have proposed a £3.4 billion transitional relief scheme for England to ensure that no ratepayer is unfairly penalised by the 2017 revaluation.

January 1, 2023
Alan Brown – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Brown on 2015-11-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what additional support and training his Department offers to unemployed people in order for them to fill long-term vacancies in (a) the UK, (b) Scotland and (c) Kilmarnock and Loudoun constituency.

Priti Patel

The support provided by Jobcentre Plus work coaches is not dependant on the duration of a vacancy. Work Coaches deliver a personalised service to best meet the needs of the claimant and the local labour market across the UK.

The flexible model of support available through Jobcentre Plus includes Work Experience, training and work placements through sector-based work academies, and support to become self-employed through the New Enterprise Allowance. In addition, the Work Programme offers tailored support to those people who are at risk of becoming long-term unemployed.

Further education and skills policy in Scotland, including training for unemployed people, is the responsibility of Scottish Government. Jobcentres in Scotland work in partnership with Skills Development Scotland to ensure that benefit claimants who require training to find work can access the support they need.

January 1, 2023
Charlotte Leslie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charlotte Leslie on 2015-12-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of NHS hospitals in coordinating with private or third sector care providers to optimise results for patients.

Ben Gummer

We would encourage working between all providers of health and care, to maximise safe and effective care for all patients.

Decisions about whether to use non-NHS capacity are generally made at local level, as part of the operational management of capacity and demand.

January 1, 2023
Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2016-01-18.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority is taking, if any, following the reports that one 41-year old man has fathered up to 800 children by providing his gametes to women seeking to become pregnant.

Lord Prior of Brampton

According to media reports, this particular case concerns private arrangements made between individual women seeking sperm for home insemination and the man providing the sperm. There is no third party involved. Such private arrangements between a man and a woman are not regulated. We understand that there is also no evidence to support the claim of up to 800 children having been born.

It is important that women seeking sperm donation treatment fully understand the benefits of using clinics licensed by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority.

January 1, 2023
Andrew Murrison – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Murrison on 2016-02-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans her Department has to support the Clean for the Queen campaign.

Rory Stewart

The Government is delighted to support and endorse the Clean for the Queen initiative. Litter and fly-tipping blight communities and pose a risk to human health, which is why tackling them is a priority for the Government. I gave my backing to the campaign when it was launched and we will continue to promote it, to help reach as many people as possible.

Together with the Minister for Local Government, Marcus Jones MP, I shall be writing to every Member of Parliament with an English constituency and every English unitary and district Local Authority, to encourage their participation and leadership in this worthwhile campaign.

Our experience from the first Community Clear-Up Day in March last year demonstrated the enthusiasm and willingness of people across England to give some of their time to improve their local environment. The Clean for the Queen campaign provides a great opportunity for people to come together and clean up our local streets and parks.

We hope the campaign will help lead to a lasting legacy of a cleaner, tidier Britain.

January 1, 2023
Derek Twigg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Derek Twigg on 2016-03-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent progress has been made on reopening the Halton Curve railway line.

Mr Robert Goodwill

Following its inclusion in the Liverpool City Region Growth Deal, Merseytravel is managing the development and delivery of this devolved scheme on behalf of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority. I understand that the business case for the scheme is expected to be considered by the Combined Authority at its meeting in April. If approved, work is expected to begin in June 2017 and be complete by May 2018.

January 1, 2023