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  • Baroness Lister of Burtersett – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Baroness Lister of Burtersett – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Lister of Burtersett on 2015-11-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proportion of tax credit recipients in paid work have incomes above the income tax threshold.

    Lord O’Neill of Gatley

    The government is committed to achieving a higher wage, lower tax, lower welfare economy. That means more emphasis on support to working families on low incomes through reducing tax and increasing wages, than on topping up low wages through tax credits.

    The Chancellor is listening to concerns raised by colleagues and will announce in his Autumn Statement how he plans to achieve the same goal of reforming tax credits and saving the money we need to secure our economy, while at the same time helping in the transition.

    HM Revenue & Customs publish statistics about individuals and households claiming tax credits and child benefits, which are available on the gov.uk website.

  • Baroness Lister of Burtersett – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Baroness Lister of Burtersett – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Lister of Burtersett on 2015-11-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proportion of working families earning at least £23,000 in Greater London, or at least £20,000 outside Greater London, receive (1) child benefit, and (2) child tax credit.

    Lord O’Neill of Gatley

    The government is committed to achieving a higher wage, lower tax, lower welfare economy. That means more emphasis on support to working families on low incomes through reducing tax and increasing wages, than on topping up low wages through tax credits.

    The Chancellor is listening to concerns raised by colleagues and will announce in his Autumn Statement how he plans to achieve the same goal of reforming tax credits and saving the money we need to secure our economy, while at the same time helping in the transition.

    HM Revenue & Customs publish statistics about individuals and households claiming tax credits and child benefits, which are available on the gov.uk website.

  • Baroness Lister of Burtersett – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Baroness Lister of Burtersett – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Lister of Burtersett on 2015-11-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the median amount of (1) child benefit, and (2) child tax credit, received by working families with children whose family earnings are at least £23,000 in Greater London, or £20,000 outside Greater London.

    Lord O’Neill of Gatley

    The government is committed to achieving a higher wage, lower tax, lower welfare economy. That means more emphasis on support to working families on low incomes through reducing tax and increasing wages, than on topping up low wages through tax credits.

    The Chancellor is listening to concerns raised by colleagues and will announce in his Autumn Statement how he plans to achieve the same goal of reforming tax credits and saving the money we need to secure our economy, while at the same time helping in the transition.

    HM Revenue & Customs publish statistics about individuals and households claiming tax credits and child benefits, which are available on the gov.uk website.

  • Baroness Lister of Burtersett – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Baroness Lister of Burtersett – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Lister of Burtersett on 2015-11-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the impact on (1) the total number of households whose benefits would be capped under the new limits proposed in the Welfare Reform and Work Bill, (2) the number of children in households affected by the cap, and (3) the cost to the public purse, if (a) child benefit, and (b) child tax credits, were not included in the benefits cap.

    Lord Freud

    The Government set out its assessment of the impacts of the policies in the Welfare Reform and Work Bill on 20th July. These are available on the Parliament website.

  • Lord Hylton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Lord Hylton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2015-11-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they support the rebuilding of the town of Kobane in Syria; and if so by what means they envisage this being brought about, and whether they will ask the government of Turkey to allow full access for materials and experts.

    Baroness Verma

    The UK has been at the forefront of the response to the crisis in Syria and the region and has pledged over £1.1 billion to date, our largest ever response to a single humanitarian crisis.

    The majority of UK assistance to Syria is humanitarian. UK aid, delivered by UN and NGO partners, is guided by humanitarian principles and therefore prioritises the most vulnerable people across Syria based on their needs.

    We continue to encourage the Government of Turkey to facilitate delivery of cross-border humanitarian assistance and reconstruction materials into Syria. We also advocate for the full reopening of border crossings, and we continue to call on all sides of the conflict to respect International Law and protect civilians.

    With respect to Kobane specifically, as people return, key priorities are to ensure that habitable areas and farmland are de-mined to make them safe for return as well as ensuring that residents are educated in mine risk awareness.

  • Lord Hylton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Hylton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2015-11-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have asked, or will ask, the government of Turkey to hold an independent inquiry into the closures and curfews imposed on the districts of Cizre and Sur by the security forces in September; whether they plan to ask the government to ensure that full compensation is paid for civilians killed or wounded, and that responsibility be established for deaths and injuries; and if not, why not.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We welcome the visit on 15-16 October of Turkey’s national human rights body to Cizre and Sirnak to conduct analysis and research on the recent events there. We continue to monitor the human rights situation in Turkey closely and raise concerns regularly with the Turkish authorities. At the same time, we recognise Turkey has a right to act proportionately in response to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) violence. PKK attacks must stop and peace talks resume soon, in the interests of Turkey and the wider region. The UK stands ready to help in any way it can.

  • Lord Hylton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Hylton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2015-11-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they are making to the government of Turkey about the release of mayors, party officials, lawyers and journalists who have been arrested but not convicted; and what responses they have received.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The UK continues to raise human rights issues at the highest levels, including the detention of journalists in Turkey in recent months. We strongly encourage Turkey to continue to work towards the full protection of fundamental rights, especially in the areas of minority rights and freedom of expression.

  • Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2015-11-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the number of clinical staff in the National Health Service who will need to be made redundant to fund the proposed increases in fees as set out in the options in the consultation paper published by the Care Quality Commission on 2 November.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    Government policy for fee-setting regulators is that their chargeable costs should be fully covered through their fees income, in line with HM Treasury Guidance set out in ‘Managing Public Money’.

    The proposed fees increases being consulted upon for 2016-17 reflect the Care Quality Commission’s (CQC) commitment to achieving full cost recovery, in line with Managing Public Money, within the period of the Spending Review. The fees being charged are therefore funding the CQC as an effective regulator. They allow the CQC’s tough inspection regime to drive up standards across the country, which in turn ensures quality and safety of health and social care provision.

    The CQC’s new regulatory model, led by three specialist Chief Inspectors, provides for robust monitoring and inspection of hospitals, adult care providers and general practitioners.

    Our expectation is that National Health Service providers should be able to absorb these increases within their overall income which will depend, amongst other factors, on the outcome of the Spending Review and the subsequent tariff setting process for 2016-17.

    The Department has also announced that it will make up to £15 million available for general practice in order to cover this and other pressures in 2016/17.

    It is for providers to ensure that they have the appropriate capacity and capability in place in order to deliver a safe, high quality service.

  • Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2015-11-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether an additional allocation will be made to the National Health Service to compensate for the costs of the proposed increases in fees set out in the options in the consultation paper published by the Care Quality Commission on 2 November.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    Government policy for fee-setting regulators is that their chargeable costs should be fully covered through their fees income, in line with HM Treasury Guidance set out in ‘Managing Public Money’.

    The proposed fees increases being consulted upon for 2016-17 reflect the Care Quality Commission’s (CQC) commitment to achieving full cost recovery, in line with Managing Public Money, within the period of the Spending Review. The fees being charged are therefore funding the CQC as an effective regulator. They allow the CQC’s tough inspection regime to drive up standards across the country, which in turn ensures quality and safety of health and social care provision.

    The CQC’s new regulatory model, led by three specialist Chief Inspectors, provides for robust monitoring and inspection of hospitals, adult care providers and general practitioners.

    Our expectation is that National Health Service providers should be able to absorb these increases within their overall income which will depend, amongst other factors, on the outcome of the Spending Review and the subsequent tariff setting process for 2016-17.

    The Department has also announced that it will make up to £15 million available for general practice in order to cover this and other pressures in 2016/17.

    It is for providers to ensure that they have the appropriate capacity and capability in place in order to deliver a safe, high quality service.

  • Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2015-11-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consultation will take place with MPs and Peers on the proposals to increase fees set out in the consultation paper published by the Care Quality Commission on 2 November.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The Care Quality Commission(CQC) has no plan to hold a separate consultation with Members and Peers. The CQC encourages anyone who wishes to contribute to the consultation, including Members of Parliament, to do so through the public consultation process.

    The consultation sets out the CQC’s proposals in relation to fees for the 2016-17 fee scheme, and the pace at which it intends to achieve full cost recovery.