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  • Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-30.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will discuss with representatives of the insurance industry the effect on premiums of changing weather conditions.

    Harriett Baldwin

    The Government does not intend to intervene in these commercial decisions by insurers as this could damage competition in the market. The respective capabilities of insurers to assess risk is a key element on which they compete. This competition is important and should lead to better products and lower prices for consumers.

  • Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-30.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will have discussions with pub chains on training staff to identify people with suicidal tendencies in order to stop serving such people alcohol.

    Anna Soubry

    The Department for Business Innovation and Skills has no plans to undertake such discussions but as part of the continuing programme of work to support the government’s suicide prevention strategy, Public Health England has published guidance for local authorities to develop local suicide prevention action plans. The guidance suggests that local authorities establish a local suicide prevention group and work with relevant organisations in their area to co-ordinate activities to reduce suicide. Those groups can work with landlords and pub managers.

  • Bridget Phillipson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Bridget Phillipson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bridget Phillipson on 2015-11-30.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will publish guidance for higher education institutions on how Student Opportunity Fund monies are allocated.

    Joseph Johnson

    The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) is responsible for decisions on how the student opportunity fund is allocated to higher education institutions, and for publishing associated guidance.

    The Government issues a grant letter to HEFCE outlining Government’s priorities for expenditure through the teaching grant, including on widening access. This will take account of the announcements made in the Spending Review.

  • John Pugh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    John Pugh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Pugh on 2015-11-30.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what comparative assessment he has made of labour productivity in the South West and England.

    Mr Rob Wilson

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

  • 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 2015-11-30.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what proportion of the science budget in the period from 2010 to 2014 was spent on neurological research.

    Joseph Johnson

    The information is not available in the form requested, however the UK Health Research Analysis 2014 (published by UK Clinical Research Collaboration, 2015) shows that in 2014 combined UK government expenditure on neurological research, including spend from the Research Councils and Devolved Administrations, was £131 million. This accounted for around 11 per cent of the total £1.2 billion government spend reported across all areas of health research in the period. The report is available at www.hrcsonline.net/pages/uk-health-research-analysis-2014.

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  • Caroline Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Caroline Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-11-30.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policies on tackling fraud and money laundering of the findings by Kroll in a report prepared for the National Bank of Moldova in April 2015 on fraud and money laundering in that country, that all but one of the limited partnerships involved had a registered place of business in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

    Anna Soubry

    We are aware of the findings of the Kroll report which makes general observations based on publically-available records. We have not corroborated the accuracy and completeness of the report, but it raises broad issues we were aware of and are currently considering.

    The Government takes the misuse of all UK business entities extremely seriously. This is why under the UK Presidency in 2013, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister secured agreement from the G7 countries to sign-up to ambitious proposals to tackle the abuse of companies and legal arrangements. Increasing transparency about who owns and controls UK companies is a vital step in creating an environment of trust and accountability.

    From April 2016, UK companies and other entities will be required to create a register containing information of the people with significant control, including their name, month and year of birth, and service address. From June 2016, this information will be provided to a central register at Companies House and will be publically available.

  • Caroline Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Caroline Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-11-30.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment his Department has made of the reasons for the different trend in the number of limited partnerships that have been registered in Scotland with Companies House compared to the rest of the UK in each year since 2008; and if he will make a statement.

    Anna Soubry

    Since 2008 there has been a marked rise in the number of registrations of Scottish limited partnerships relative to the rest of the UK.

    Limited partnerships have increasingly been used as a vehicle for establishing private equity and venture capital funds. Scottish limited partnerships are particularly well-suited to this sector as they have separate legal personality distinct from the partners.

  • Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark on 2015-11-30.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Saudi Arabia about the case of Waleed Abu Khair.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We continue to be concerned by the case of Waleed abu Al-Khair and have raised it at a senior level with the Saudi authorities. We will continue to follow this and other cases closely.

  • Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark on 2015-11-30.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to bring equalities legislation in Northern Ireland into line with the rest of the UK.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    Equal opportunities is devolved to the Northern Ireland Assembly and therefore the Government has no legislative competence in this area.

  • Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark on 2015-11-30.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to bring the law on abortion in Northern Ireland into line with the rest of the UK.

    Lord Dunlop

    Constitutionally, abortion law in Northern Ireland is a transferred matter, and is therefore the responsibility of Northern Ireland Executive Ministers.