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  • Mark Hendrick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Mark Hendrick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hendrick on 2015-11-04.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what facilities are in place to enable staff based at the tax credit office in Preston to pay money out of their wages into the Guild Money Credit Union.

    Mr David Gauke

    HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has a process in place that enables serving staff to authorise a deduction of their salary, which is then paid over to third parties such as the Civil Service Benevolent Fund or HMRC’s chosen partner for Payroll Giving. As part of this process, the recipient organisation must appear on an approved list. There are no credit unions on this list and, consequently, it is not possible to make a deduction in relation to credit unions.

  • Carolyn Harris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Carolyn Harris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Carolyn Harris on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment he has made of the effect of £100 a spin fixed odds betting terminal gaming machines on areas of social deprivation and vulnerable people and their families.

    Tracey Crouch

    New legislation came into force in April to improve player protections on B2 gaming machines (commonly referred to as ‘fixed-odds betting terminals’).

    Officials in my department are in the process of conducting an evaluation into these measures and I will publish the results in due course.

  • Carolyn Harris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Carolyn Harris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Carolyn Harris on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent steps he has taken to tackle clustering of betting shops in town centres.

    Tracey Crouch

    In April 2014, the Coalition Government published its gambling strategy “Gambling protections and controls" which includeda number of measures to tackle problem gambling – this was in response to concerns following the implementation of the 2005 Act, brought in under the then Government.As part of this approach, new planning legislation came into effect in April 2015 which requires planning permission forany change to use to a betting shop.

    Councils can use their Local Plans to shape where retail development should go, ensure the right balance of use classes, and prevent any negative cumulative impact of multiple premises in the same vicinity. Some councils have issued supplementary planning guidance to address directly the proliferation of betting shops in a particular local area.

    Councils also have powers under gambling legislation to address problems by individual premises and review the licenses of premises which breach the licensing objectives (e.g. preventing crime and disorder; and protecting children and the vulnerable from harm).

    We believe that this balanced approach allows councils to take targeted action to tackle localised problems. We continue to monitor the effects of existing controls and will take action if these are found to be insufficient.

  • Chris Green – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Chris Green – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Green on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether there has been a review of the transport provision on the A5225 in Bolton West constituency since the proposals for the Westhoughton bypass were cancelled.

    Andrew Jones

    The revised version of the A5225 Wigan to Westhoughton Bypass scheme was considered by the Labour government in 1997-98 which concluded that this proposed M6 to M61 link was not of strategic national importance to merit inclusion in the core national trunk road network. The relevant local highway authorities – Bolton MBC and Wigan MBC – were therefore invited to consider the best way forward.

    Transport provision in the A5225 area is now a matter for the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and its constituent local highway authorities. The Combined Authority has well established mechanisms for identifying and promoting local transport investment priorities to support its strategies. These resulted, initially, in the Greater Manchester Transport Fund programme and have subsequently informed City Deal, Growth Deal and Devolution Deal agreements since 2010. This scheme has not formed part of any priority programme put forward by Greater Manchester. The Combined Authority is currently undertaking a review of the local highway network as part of its proposals for establishing a Key Route Network and this will look at current performance to inform possible future investment priorities. This assessment will include primary routes between Wigan and Bolton.

  • Chris Green – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Chris Green – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Green on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department plans to review the transport provision on the A5225.

    Andrew Jones

    Transport provision on the A5225 is a matter for the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, and its constituent local highway authorities, and my Department therefore has no plans to review this provision. I understand that as part of the development of its Key Route Network, Greater Manchester is currently undertaking a baseline assessment of its highway network, including primary routes between Wigan and Bolton.

  • Chris Green – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Chris Green – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Green on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much NHS England spent providing structured education courses to people living with diabetes in the last year for which figures are available.

    Jane Ellison

    We do not hold the information requested.

  • Chris Green – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Chris Green – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Green on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much (a) Bolton and (b) Wigan councils received in government grants in (i) 2014-15 and (ii) 2015-16.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    This information is publically available.

    Bolton Council 14/15 – http://www.bolton.gov.uk/sites/DocumentCentre/Documents/Statement%20of%20Accounts%202014-15.pdf

    Wigan Council 14/15 – https://www.wigan.gov.uk/Docs/PDF/Council/Performance-and-Spending/Statement-Accounts/Statement-of-Accounts-Final-Audited-Version.pdf

    Indicative formula allocations were made through the Final Local Government Finance Settlement for England 2015-16. Further details can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/final-local-government-finance-settlement-england-2015-to-2016

    My Department does not hold a live list of non-formula grant allocations to local authorities over the current financial year. Both Bolton and Wigan councils will release this information as part of their Statement of Accounts for 2015/16.

    “

  • Caroline Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Caroline Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he has taken to ensure that military vehicle licences granted by the UK to the Egyptian government will not contribute to human rights violations.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The UK operates one of the most rigorous and transparent arms export control regimes in the world. All defence and dual-use exports are required to meet the UK’s strict export control legislation and adhere to the UK’s international commitments, including under international treaties and other arrangements. We do not issue an export licence if there is a clear risk that the proposed export might be used for internal repression or in the commission of a serious violation of international humanitarian law, and we take account of any risk that the goods might be diverted to undesirable end-users or end-use.

  • Caroline Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Caroline Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department examined international comparators when developing the policy of a reception baseline assessment; and if she will make a statement.

    Nick Gibb

    There are several examples, internationally, of children having some form of assessment when they start school. This helps teachers to assess where extra support is needed.

    The reception baseline assessment will formally recognise the progress that schools make with children throughout the primary years.

  • Caroline Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Caroline Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of primary schools signed up to (a) Centre for Education and Monitoring, Durham University, (b) Early Excellence, (c) GL Assessment, (d) Hodder Education, (e) National Foundation for Educational Research and (f) Speech Link as baseline assessment providers by 30 April 2015; and which schemes were subsequently approved by her Department.

    Nick Gibb

    A full break down of suppliers which were removed from the approved list has not been provided because of potential commercial sensitivities for the suppliers.