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  • Sharon Hodgson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Sharon Hodgson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sharon Hodgson on 2015-11-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential effect of proposed changes to Tier 2 visas on the recruitment of people with specific skills from overseas to the video games industry.

    James Brokenshire

    The Government has commissioned the independent Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to advise on restricting Tier 2 to genuine skills shortages and jobs which require highly-specialised experts, but with sufficient flexibility to include high value roles and key public service workers. There are 18 jobs in the video games industry currently included on the Shortage Occupation List.

    The MAC is looking at selection criteria such as, but not limited to, salaries, particular attributes, economic need and skills level. The MAC is not due to report until December and we do not yet know what its findings and recommendations will be. We await the report with interest and will consider it carefully before making any significant changes to the Tier 2 route.

  • Sharon Hodgson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Sharon Hodgson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sharon Hodgson on 2015-11-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he plans to take to ensure that high-speed broadband provision can meet the likely demand for such provision by 2020 of creative and digital companies in geographic clusters.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    This Government recognises the need for creative and digital companies to have access to have access to high-speed broadband, wherever in the UK they are located. The Government’s Superfast Broadband Programme is on track to deliver superfast broadband coverage to 95 per cent of UK premises by the end of 2017.Inaddition we are supporting seven pilot projects to explore ways to extend superfast broadband beyond 95 per cent of UK homes and businesses. The Government will also launch a public consultation early next year in preparation for the implementation of a new broadband USO by 2020, with the ambition to give people the legal right to request a connection to broadband with speeds of 10 Mbps,nomatterwherein the countrytheylive.

  • Jenny Chapman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Jenny Chapman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jenny Chapman on 2015-11-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent assessment she has made of the political situation in Northern Ireland.

    Mrs Theresa Villiers

    I refer the hon Member to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon Member for Harrow East.

  • Cat Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Cat Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cat Smith on 2015-11-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what representations she has received on support for charities which provide sexual health advice and services in Northern Ireland.

    Mr Ben Wallace

    Support for charities which provide sexual health advice and services in Northern Ireland is a matter for the Northern Ireland Assembly. Ministers in the Northern Ireland Office have received no representations.

  • Philip Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Philip Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2015-11-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on ensuring that Northern Ireland benefits from the Government’s planned expansion of the intelligence agencies.

    Mrs Theresa Villiers

    I regularly discuss national security issues with Cabinet colleagues.

    The National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence and Security Review published this week, confirm that tackling terrorism in all its forms continues to be one of the Government’s highest priorities.

    We will increase funding for counter-terrorism by 30% in real terms over this Parliament.

  • Nic Dakin – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Nic Dakin – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2015-11-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps the Government is taking to tackle low pay in Northern Ireland.

    Mr Ben Wallace

    Tackling low pay is part of the Government’s plan to move to a higher wage, lower tax and lower welfare society.

    100,000 low-paid people in Northern Ireland, 13 per cent of the workforce, will directly benefit from the National Living Wage from April next year.

    A full-time worker on the current National Minimum Wage will be £1,200 better off as a result.

    The Government’s plan is working. Official figures published last week show that weekly earnings for full-time employees in Northern Ireland were up 5.4 per cent over the year. The highest growth rate of all regions in the UK.

  • Graham Allen – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Graham Allen – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graham Allen on 2015-11-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on income tax assignment to Northern Ireland; and if she will make a statement.

    Mr Ben Wallace

    Building a Prosperous and United Community, the ‘Economic Pact’ signed by the Government and the Northern Ireland Executive in 2013, recognised the need to examine the potential to devolve additional fiscal powers to Northern Ireland.

    As a result, the Executive is examining the treatment of a range of taxes. The Government will consider any proposals put forward.

  • Henry Bellingham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Henry Bellingham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Henry Bellingham on 2015-11-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent assessment she has made of the security situation in Northern Ireland.

    Mrs Theresa Villiers

    I refer the hon Gentleman to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon Members for South Ribble and Blaenau Gwent.

  • Owen Thompson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Owen Thompson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Thompson on 2015-11-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of the cost effectiveness of the Trident programme over the last five years.

    Michael Fallon

    We regularly review all major programmes to ensure that they operate in the most efficient and effective manner possible. The 2010 Trident Value for Money study and the 2013 Trident Alternatives Review both confirmed the cost effectiveness of a Trident-based deterrent on continuous patrol.

  • Lord Smith of Finsbury – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Smith of Finsbury – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Smith of Finsbury on 2015-11-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have, and on what timetable, for changes to IR35 assessments for employees and contractors.

    Lord O’Neill of Gatley

    Whilst the IR35 legislation protects in excess of £500 million each year, non-compliance is currently costing in excess of £400 million and is a growing problem.

    At the Summer Budget, the Chancellor announced that HM Revenue and Customs would open a dialogue with stakeholders about improving the effectiveness of IR35.

    A discussion document was published on 17 July 2015. The discussion period concluded on 30 September, following the receipt of over 160 responses and 14 roundtable meetings. The Government is now considering the responses.