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  • Chi Onwurah – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Chi Onwurah – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2015-11-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the FTE equivalent headcount figures are for Ofcom for each year for which data is available since 2009.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The information requested has been provided by Ofcom and is set out in the following table:

    Year

    FTE Headcount

    2009

    853

    2010

    873

    2011

    720*

    2012

    778**

    2013

    778

    2014

    790

    2015

    783

    * Reduction due to Ofcom’s comprehensive expenditure review

    ** Includes transfer of 48 roles due to integration of postal service regulation

  • Andrew Percy – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Andrew Percy – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Percy on 2015-11-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment his Department has made of Ofcom’s programme to monitor and enforce the cancellation and termination arrangements of different providers; and what steps he is taking to ensure that consumers can easily leave their communications contracts in future.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    In June 2015, Ofcom launched a monitoring and enforcement programme to assess the cancellation and termination arrangements of communications providers, and the impact these have on consumers’ ability to exit their communications service contract quickly, conveniently and without error. We will discuss with Ofcom any findings from its programme that show consumers have difficulty ending contracts, and work with them to identify whether action needs to be taken.

  • Chi Onwurah – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Chi Onwurah – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2015-11-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many television licenses were purchased in each region and constituent part of the UK in each of the last five years.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The estimated number of television licences in force over last five years is contained in the table below (answers given in millions).

    (Million)

    2010/11

    2011/12

    2012/13

    2013/14

    2014/15

    England

    20.90

    21.01

    21.09

    21.26

    21.26

    Northern Ireland

    0.66

    0.67

    0.67

    0.67

    0.68

    Scotland

    2.20

    2.20

    2.21

    2.22

    2.21

    Wales

    1.25

    1.26

    1.26

    1.27

    1.27

    Channel Islands & Isle of Man

    0.09

    0.09

    0.09

    0.09

    0.09

    25.10

    25.23

    25.34

    25.42

    25.51

    Please note that:

    • TV Licensing reports on the number of TV licences ‘in force’. The exact number of licences in force varies on a daily basis as people will be buying new licences and some will terminate payment schemes before full payment has been made.
    • Estimated figures have been calculated by applying the proportion of licensed premises to the total number of licences in force.
    • The number of licences premises is different to the number of licences in force as, in some cases, a premises may need more than one licence.
    • These figures exclude concessionary licences for those living in residential care.
  • Philip Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Philip Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2015-11-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, which regulations his Department introduced as a result of EU legislation in (a) 2013, (b) 2014 and (c) 2015 to date; which regulations his Department expects to implement as a result of EU legislation in (i) 2016 and (ii) 2017; and what estimate he has made of the cost of each such regulation to the (A) public purse and (B) private sector.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to UIN 15037.

  • Philip Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Philip Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2015-11-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, which regulations his Department introduced as a result of EU legislation in (a) 2013, (b) 2014 and (c) 2015 to date; which regulations his Department expects to implement as a result of EU legislation in (i) 2016 and (ii) 2017; and what estimate he has made of the cost of each such regulation to the (A) public purse and (B) private sector.

    Brandon Lewis

    I refer the hon. Member to the response provided by my rt. hon. Friend, the Minister for Small Business, Industry and Enterprise (Anna Soubry) on 11 November 2015, PQ 15037.

  • Keir Starmer – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Keir Starmer – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Keir Starmer on 2015-11-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how the extension of office to residential permitted development rights will be set out in legislative proposals.

    Brandon Lewis

    The extension of the office to residential permitted development rights will be brought forward as amendments to The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015.

  • David Lammy – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    David Lammy – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Lammy on 2015-11-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the reasons for the increase in the number of people sleeping rough since 2010.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    This Government is committed to protecting the most vulnerable in society – one person without a home is one too many – that is why since 2010 we have invested more than £500 million to prevent and tackle homelessness in England.

    More rough sleepers are being found and helped quicker. Our measures include supporting the roll-out of No Second Night Out across England through the Homelessness Transition Fund. In London, two-thirds of rough sleepers come off the streets after a single night. We have also commissioned the pioneering StreetLink service, which since its launch has helped over 14,500 rough sleepers by connecting them to local support services and avoid becoming entrenched in a life on the streets.

    We are committed to do more to improve services for homeless people with complex needs. Our investment includes £5 million for the world’s first homelessness Social Impact Bond, which is reaching 830 entrenched rough sleepers in London.

  • Anne Main – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Anne Main – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anne Main on 2015-11-05.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of eligible policyholders in (a) St Albans, (b) Hertfordshire, (c) the east of England and (d) the UK have received funds from the Equitable Life Payment Scheme; what proportion of funds owed to those people has been so received; and what steps he is taking to ensure that people are tracked down and compensated before that scheme’s closure.

    Harriett Baldwin

    The Equitable Life Payment Scheme does not hold a breakdown of payments made on a geographical basis. TheWritten Ministerial Statement of 3rd November sets out more detail on the Scheme’s progress and the efforts made to trace eligible policyholders. A copy can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/equitable-life-payment-scheme-november-2015-progress-report/equitable-life-payment-scheme-november-2015-progress-report

  • Andrew Stephenson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Andrew Stephenson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Stephenson on 2015-11-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have signed up to the Class 3A Voluntary National Insurance Contribution Scheme in (a) England, (b) the North West and (c) Pendle constituency.

    Justin Tomlinson

    We do not hold application data for the State Pension top up (Class 3A) at a regional or constituency level. To obtain this would incur a disproportionate cost. Across the UK we have received 3193 applications for State Pension top up (Class 3A) in the scheme’s first 3 weeks.

    Up to c. 12m individuals are eligible for the scheme depending upon personal circumstances. In the first 3 weeks of operation there were 3193 applications for State Pension top up (Class 3A).

  • Andrew Stephenson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Andrew Stephenson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Stephenson on 2015-11-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the proportion of people eligible for the Class 3A Voluntary National Insurance Contribution Scheme that have signed up to that scheme.

    Justin Tomlinson

    We do not hold application data for the State Pension top up (Class 3A) at a regional or constituency level. To obtain this would incur a disproportionate cost. Across the UK we have received 3193 applications for State Pension top up (Class 3A) in the scheme’s first 3 weeks.

    Up to c. 12m individuals are eligible for the scheme depending upon personal circumstances. In the first 3 weeks of operation there were 3193 applications for State Pension top up (Class 3A).