UKPOL.CO.UK

Category: Speeches

  • Kelvin Hopkins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Kelvin Hopkins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kelvin Hopkins on 2016-03-16.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to require large companies to publish a country-by-country report in their annual financial report.

    Mr David Gauke

    The UK supports efforts to improve tax transparency. We initiated the international work on country-by-country (CbC) reporting to tax authorities during our G8 Presidency in 2013, calling on the OECD to develop a template for this as part of the BEPS project.

    The UK was the first to commit to implementing the OECD model with legislation in Finance Act 2015. We signed the OECD agreement to share the CbC reports with other tax authorities in January 2016 and issued our final CbC reporting regulations on 26 February 2016.

    The Government believes that there is scope for greater transparency by pressing the case for public CbC reporting on a multilateral basis. As the Chancellor has said, this is something that the UK will seek to promote internationally.

  • Geoffrey Cox – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Geoffrey Cox – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Geoffrey Cox on 2016-04-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the future effect of the introduction of the national living wage on sleep-in payments used by the learning disability sector.

    Alistair Burt

    We have not made a specific assessment of the effect of the introduction of the National Living Wage on sleep-in payments used by the learning disability sector.

    However, as part of the recent Spending Review, the Department considered adult social care expenditure and the future demand for services, and engaged closely with providers within the sector. This included the impact of the new National Living Wage on local authority finances as part of an overall assessment of spending pressures.

  • Baroness King of Bow – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Baroness King of Bow – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness King of Bow on 2016-05-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the views of surrogates, academics, parents through surrogacy, and legal practitioners, about the case for surrogacy law reform, in particular with regard to legal parenthood following surrogacy.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    Surrogacy is a complex issue, the legislation about which has not been significantly addressed by respective administrations since the Surrogacy Arrangements Act 1985. The Government recognises the arguments for the need for a review, and we have therefore asked the Law Commission, as part of the consultation on its 13th work programme this summer, to consider including a project on surrogacy

    The Government has accepted the judgment by Sir James Munby from the High Court. We will be looking to update the legislation on Parental Orders, and are now considering how best to do this.

    The Government recognises surrogacy as an important option for some people wishing to start a family and is currently considering how best to clarify the current legal arrangements for intended parents, surrogates and their families. The Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service campaign to increase awareness of Parental Orders is ongoing and targeted at health workers, local authority registration staff and surrogacy agencies. It will be evaluated in full upon completion in autumn 2016; in-campaign monitoring indicates its messaging is reaching the target audience.

  • Tom Watson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union

    Tom Watson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-07-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, how many new civil servants he plans to employ in his Department.

    Mr David Jones

    The new Department for Exiting the European Union will be made up of staff from various departments across Government, including from the UK’s Permanent Representation to the EU. The department has already started drawing together expertise from a wide range of departments where there is specific relevant knowledge. The overall size and scope of the new department, including staffing and budget, are now being considered – the department now has over 180 staff.

  • Ian Austin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Ian Austin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, with reference to section 6.5 of the Memorandum of Understanding between her Department and the Palestinian National Authority, whether her Department has been aware of any breach of the commitment on the principle of non-violence and taken any action in response to a breach of that commitment.

    Rory Stewart

    The UK deplores incitement on both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. We take the issue very seriously and raise our concerns when incidents occur. The UK’s assessment is that the Palestinian Authority is not in breach of the Memorandum of Understanding and the track record of President Abbas and Prime Minister Hamdallah demonstrates their overall commitment to non-violence and a negotiated two-state solution.

  • Nick Thomas-Symonds – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Nick Thomas-Symonds – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nick Thomas-Symonds on 2015-11-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment the Government has made of the potential merits of additional regulation of the sale of fireworks.

    Anna Soubry

    Restrictions on the sale of fireworks already exist under the Fireworks Regulations 2004 and the Pyrotechnic Articles (Safety) Regulations 2015. The majority of people have a sensible and responsible attitude to fireworks and, on balance, I do not believe that further restrictions on their sale would be necessary or proportionate.

  • Greg Mulholland – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Greg Mulholland – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions his Department has had with Solutions for Public Health on developing a draft commissioning policy for everolimus.

    George Freeman

    NHS England has a service level agreement in place with Solutions for Public Health (SPH), a NHS public health unit which forms part of the NHS Arden and Greater East Midlands Commissioning Support Unit.

    NHS England has commissioned SPH to provide impartial clinical evidence reviews. These clinical evidence reviews are undertaken independently in line with an agreed methodology and are a critical component in informing evidence based clinical commissioning policies for directly commissioned specialised services, based on the latest published research.

    However, SPH does not have any subsequent involvement in the development, drafting or consideration of NHS England’s clinical commissioning policies.

  • Angela Rayner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Angela Rayner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Rayner on 2016-01-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many women born between 6 April and 5 December 1953 will be affected by the increase to the state pension age under the provisions of the Pension Act 2011.

    Justin Tomlinson

    Of the group stated in the question only women born on or after 6 April 1953 are affected by the changes in State Pension age in the 2011 Pensions Act.

    The faster increase to 65 under the Pensions Act 2011 affect an estimated 230,000 women born between 6 April 1953 and 5 December 1953. This figure, rounded to the nearest 10,000, is for Great Britain and is based on DWP calculations using ONS statistics.

    During the passage of the Pensions Bill 2011 the Government tabled an amendment so that the maximum delay to State Pension age relative to the previously legislated timetable that any individual faced was 18 months. This amendment affected people born between 6 January 1954 and 5 September 1954. The analysis accompanying this amendment is available at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/182066/pensions-bill-spa-info.pdf

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  • Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-02-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 16 February 2016 to Question 26010, when his Department plans to establish the reading room for classified documents relating to the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership.

    Anna Soubry

    The reading room for classified documents relating to the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership is not yet open. Members of both Houses will be informed of the process and details of how to access the room shortly, once these have been finalised.

  • Jim McMahon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Jim McMahon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim McMahon on 2016-03-16.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answers of 3 February 2016 to Question 24298 and 8 March 2016 to Question 28866, on Revenue and Customs: Greater Manchester, whether any value for money review was undertaken on the decision to relocate staff from Phoenix House, Oldham to Manchester.

    Mr David Gauke

    HM Revenue and Customs has not undertaken a separate value for money review on the decision to relocate staff from Phoenix House, Oldham to Manchester. I refer you to my answer of 8 March.

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