Category: Speeches

  • Drew Hendry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Drew Hendry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Drew Hendry on 2016-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of establishing a statutory social tariff for broadband services.

    Matt Hancock

    We are committed to introducing a new broadband Universal Service Obligation (USO) within this Parliament. The USO will give households and businesses the legal right to request a broadband connection with speeds of at least 10 Megabits, no matter where they live or work.

    Ofcom are preparing advice and recommendations for Government on the design of the broadband USO, and we have asked them specifically to consider a social tariff to make sure it is affordable for all. Ofcom will report on its findings by the end of the year and we will consider them as part of our decision.

  • Christopher Chope – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Christopher Chope – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2015-11-06.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much is owed in overpaid tax credits.

    Damian Hinds

    This information is available at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/449343/HMRC_Annual_Report_and_Accounts_2014-15__Web_accessible_version_.pdf

  • Barry Sheerman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Barry Sheerman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2015-12-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent representations he has received from (a) charities, (b) lobby groups, (c) experts, (d) social workers and (e) law professionals on the treatment of female prisoners with young children.

    Caroline Dinenage

    The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

  • Lord Ouseley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Ouseley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Ouseley on 2016-01-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what measures exist, or are planned, to ensure that audit and accountancy firms accused of devising unlawful tax-avoidance schemes are investigated and censured, where appropriate.

    Lord O’Neill of Gatley

    In the March 2015 Budget, the Government challenged the accountancy and tax professional bodies to improve how they deal with their members who promote tax-avoidance schemes.

    The professional bodies have responded positively to this challenge and are working with HM Revenue and Customs to agree a new standard with which their members will need to adhere to.

  • Andrew Murrison – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Andrew Murrison – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

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

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what metrics his Department plans to use to measure the effects of tax-free childcare on attainment in early years’ education.

    Damian Hinds

    Her Majesty’s Treasury (HMT) and Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) are developing plans to measure the success of Tax-Free Childcare (TFC) once it is in ‘steady state’ following the full rollout of the scheme.

    We will measure how well TFC performs against its policy objective to help working families with their childcare costs. We will continue to engage with stakeholders as we start to put in place these plans.

    The key programmes for early education are the 15 hours of free childcare offered to all 3 and 4-year olds, and eligible 2-year olds. These provisions are measured under Assessment and Reporting Arrangements set out by the Standards and Testing Agency to ensure attainment against the Early Years Framework.

  • Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2016-03-01.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to make representations to the governments of other European countries that all European states should act to mobilise goodwill and to help families, voluntary organisations and local groups to welcome and take responsibility for refugees reaching Europe.

    Lord Bates

    The UK is in regular contact with European partners regarding the migrant situation. The care and reception of people arriving in Europe needing international protection rests with the countries to which they arrive but the UK calls upon all European states to ensure all international obligations are met and asylum seekers and refugees are treated humanely. We continue to work together towards a sustainable and comprehensive response to the migrant situation.

  • Paul Flynn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Paul Flynn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he plans to prohibit the use of nominee directors for companies registered in British Overseas Territories.

    James Duddridge

    The Overseas Territories are separate jurisdictions with their own democratically elected governments under which they are responsible for company law.

  • Jonathan Edwards – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Jonathan Edwards – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Edwards on 2016-05-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with the Rural Payments Agency and the Welsh Government on delays in paying Basic Payments Scheme cheques to cross-border farmers.

    George Eustice

    The Rural Payments Agency has regular discussions with the Welsh Government and they are working together to get Basic Payment Scheme claims paid to cross-border farmers.

  • Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-06-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the conclusions of the report The lawfulness of the authorisation by the United Kingdom of weapons and related items for export to Saudi Arabia in the context of Saudi Arabia’s military intervention in Yemen by Professor Philippe Sands QC and others, published on 11 December 2015.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The UK Government takes its arms export responsibilities very seriously and operates one of the most robust arms export control regimes in the world. All export licence applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, taking account of all relevant factors at the time of the application.

    A licence will not be issued, for any country, if to do so would be inconsistent with any provision of the mandatory Criteria, including where we assess there is a clear risk that it might be used in the commission of a serious violation of International Humanitarian Law. The Government is satisfied that extant licences for Saudi Arabia are compliant with the UK’s export licensing criteria.

  • Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2016-09-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the differences are in the requirements for proposed new grammar schools and existing grammar schools for fairer access.

    Nick Gibb

    On 12 September, the department launched the consultation ‘Schools that work for everyone’, which sets out proposed requirements that could be placed on new and existing selective schools to ensure fair access. This can be found at https://consult.education.gov.uk/school-frameworks/schools-that-work-for-everyone.

    “