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  • Frank Field – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Frank Field – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many decisions on applications for personal independence payments from individuals diagnosed with a terminal illness were made in each of the three months to June 2014.

    Mike Penning

    I refer the Rt. Hon. Member to the Written Answer I gave him on 18 June, Official Report, column 629W. Information on clearance times is not currently available. Statistics on clearance times are intended for future publication.

  • Frank Field – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Frank Field – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many applications for personal independence payments were made by individuals diagnosed with a terminal illness in each of the three months to June 2014.

    Mike Penning

    I refer the Rt. Hon. Member to the Written Answer I gave him on 18 June, Official Report, column 629W. Information on clearance times is not currently available. Statistics on clearance times are intended for future publication.

  • Rachel Reeves – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Rachel Reeves – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachel Reeves on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will publish the business case for the universal credit programme.

    Esther McVey

    In line with standard practice, as the Universal Credit Business Case includes details of a sensitive nature the Department will not be putting the Business Case into the public domain.

  • Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people claiming universal credit were (a) unemployed and (b) self-employed in the most recent period for which information is available.

    Esther McVey

    The Department published its strategy for releasing official statistics on Universal Credit (UC) in September 2013 which can be found at :

    https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/universal-credit-statistics

    Statistics will be published in accordance with the relevant protocols in the Code of Practice for Official Statistics

  • Justin Tomlinson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    Justin Tomlinson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Tomlinson on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Ministers for Women and Equalities, what recent discussions the Government Equalities Office has had with the Home Office about ending domestic abuse and violence against women.

    Nicky Morgan

    I have regular meetings and discussions with my colleagues on this and other matters affecting women and equality including attending the Violence Against Women and Girls Inter-Ministerial Group, working with ministerial colleagues to coordinate policy on tackling this abhorrent crime. Also, officials from the Government Equalities Office work closely with Home Office colleagues on this policy area and recently co-hosted an event working with employers to recognise and support employees who are victims of domestic violence

  • Daniel Kawczynski – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Daniel Kawczynski – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Kawczynski on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what consideration he has given to reclassifying the A5 from Shrewsbury to the M54 so that the M54 runs to Shrewsbury.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    Following the meeting with my honourable Friend last year, I asked the Highways Agency to look into the case for and against reclassifying the A5 between the M54 and Shrewsbury as a motorway. The Agency has indicated that work to quantify costs associated with such a reclassification is almost complete but that identifying and evaluating the resulting benefits is proving more problematic. Further assessment will be necessary before a robust cost/benefit analysis can be completed. I have asked the Agency to liaise with my honourable Friend as this matter progresses.

  • Stephen Phillips – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Stephen Phillips – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Phillips on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking with his European counterparts to encourage the reduction of fuel consumption by heavy-duty vehicles across the EU.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    We are committed to reducing the fuel consumption of heavy duty vehicles. We continue to work closely with both the UK industry and our European counterparts to ensure that the recently published EU Strategy for improving heavy duty vehicle fuel consumption and reducing CO2 emissions reflects UK interests, and is ambitious but deliverable, proportionate and cost effective.

  • Gareth Johnson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Gareth Johnson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Johnson on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many people were prosecuted for failure to pay vehicle excise duty in (a) Dartford constituency and (b) England and Wales in each of the last five years.

    Stephen Hammond

    The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency does not hold this data broken down by parliamentary constituency. Figures are not held specifically for England and Wales. The table below shows the total amount of prosecutions for the offence of keeping or using an unlicensed vehicle in England, Scotland and Wales in each of the last five years.

    Year

    Total number of prosecutions

    2009/10

    64,408

    2010/11

    53,648

    2011/12

    44,159

    2012/13

    29,035

    2013/14

    25,044

    The DVLA operates a comprehensive package of measures to tackle vehicle excise duty evasion. These range from reminder letters and penalties through to court prosecutions and the wheelclamping and/or removal of unlicensed vehicles. These measures have helped to improve compliance and the latest estimates show that vehicle excise duty evasion is at a historic low of just 0.6%.

  • Valerie Vaz – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Valerie Vaz – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Valerie Vaz on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many telephone lines with the prefix (a) 0845, (b) 0844 and (c) 0843 his Department (i) operates and (ii) sponsors; how many calls each such number has received in the last 12 months; and whether alternative numbers charged at BT local rates are available in each such case.

    Stephen Hammond

    The department has three numbers in use detailed in the chart below.

  • Frank Dobson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Frank Dobson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Dobson on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he expects Chinese workers to be employed in the construction of High Speed 2.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    Contracts let for the construction of HS2 infrastructure and rolling stock will be open to competition irrespective of country of origin, in accordance with EU and UK procurement legislation.

    Prospective bidders are welcome to work alongside British based bidders.

    It will be for bidders to propose how they can best deliver their proposals and the contribution of British companies and supply chain will be of interest.

    HS2 Ltd is undertaking a range of initiatives to ensure businesses are aware of the opportunities and their forthcoming requirements so that they can prepare, so as to compete effectively.

    Any non-EU overseas workers would of course be subject to the UK’s immigration regime and would be required to comply with whatever regulations were in force at the time.