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  • Bill Esterson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Bill Esterson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bill Esterson on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, for what reasons local authorities are inspected by Ofsted separately from schools maintained by local authorities.

    Mr David Laws

    The Chief Inspector has powers to carry out an inspection of the performance of a particular local authority function as set out in Section 136(1)(b) of the Education and Inspections Act 2006. Specifically, he can use this power to inspect how well the local authority is fulfilling its general duty to promote high standards and fulfilment by every child of their educational potential as set out in Section 13A of the Education Act 1996.

    These powers are separate from his powers and duties in relation to the inspection of individual schools which are set out in Section 5 and Section 8 of the Education Act 2005. Section 5 requires Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector to inspect individual schools at prescribed intervals, and Section 8 Education Act 2005, contains a general power which enables the Chief Inspector to call for the inspection of a school in circumstances where he is not required to inspect.

  • Mark Hendrick – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Mark Hendrick – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hendrick on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the UK is deploying any military assets to assist the NATO patrol over Ukraine.

    Mr Mark Francois

    NATO is not patrolling Ukranian airspace. Therefore, nor is the UK. However, the UK is contributing an E3-D aircraft to the NATO Airborne Early Warning and Control Force flying in NATO airspace and it will be deploying four Typhoon aircraft to enhance the Polish rotation of NATO’s peacetime Baltic Air Policing mission, which polices NATO airspace.

  • Madeleine Moon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Madeleine Moon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Madeleine Moon on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what comparative assessment he has made of the long-term effects on the level of war pensions and Armed Forces Compensation Scheme payments being uprated annually in line with (a) price inflation, (b) average earnings and (c) whichever is the higher of consumer price index price inflation, average earnings or 2.5 per cent; and if he will make a statement.

    Anna Soubry

    No comparative assessment of the kind suggested has been made. The aim of uprating is to protect War Pension and Armed Forces Compensation Scheme payments against rising prices. In line with other public sector schemes, payments through the Armed Forces pensions and compensation schemes have increased with reference to the Consumer Price Index.

  • Mark Hendrick – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Mark Hendrick – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hendrick on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what funds from the defence budget are allocated for mental healthcare for veterans returning from Afghanistan.

    Anna Soubry

    Mental healthcare and support is provided for all serving Armed Forces personnel, both regulars and reserve, and resources are not specifically designated for a particular operation. Because of the many ways in which mental healthcare is provided and funded, it is not possible to provide a cost figure that covers all the numerous care streams, which may include treatment by GPs in primary care facilities, out-patient treatment in military Departments of Community Mental Health, and in-patient care in specialist NHS units.

    Responsibility for the delivery of healthcare to ex-Service personnel rests with the NHS and Devolved Administrations. As part of the Government’s 2011 mental health strategy, No Health Without Mental Health, over £7million in additional funding has been made available over four years to help ensure that ex-Service personnel with mental health problems also get the very best care.

  • Madeleine Moon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Madeleine Moon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Madeleine Moon on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether agreement was received from HM Treasury to the Top Level Budget holder in his Department making ex gratia payments to members of the armed forces wrongly disciplined under AGAI67 following a police caution; what estimate the Treasury made of the cost of such payments; and if he will make a statement.

    Anna Soubry

    No such ex-gratia payments have been made.

  • Madeleine Moon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Madeleine Moon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Madeleine Moon on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when his Department first became aware that it had illegally subjected armed forces personnel to double punishment under (a) AGA167 and (b) summary hearings; and if he will make a statement.

    Anna Soubry

    The Department first recognised the implications of changes to rehabilitation legislation relating to police cautions in September 2011, since when no administrative action has been taken against Service personnel who receive a police caution. Officials brought the issue to the attention of Ministers in early December 2011 and have provided further advice at intervals since then.

    It would be inappropriate to disclose the options that officials have presented for consideration. This is a complex matter, and I will update the House when I have reached a judgement.

  • Helen Goodman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Helen Goodman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the reasons are for the time taken to complete the Tate Modern project; and what the current projected completion date is for that project.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The building has always been scheduled to open by the end of 2016 and remains on course to do so. It is a large and ambitious project to establish a new model for museums of modern and contemporary art that will stand to the Nation’s benefit.

  • Mark Hendrick – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Mark Hendrick – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hendrick on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what Government funding is given to the UK film industry; what contribution the UK film industry makes to the UK economy; and what steps the Government is taking to attract overseas film production and investment to the UK.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    In 2012-13 the Government provided around £80m in grant in aid and lottery funding to the British Film Institute (BFI) to support film in the UK, and paid out £205million in Film Tax Relief. The UK film industry makes a significant contribution to the UK economy, directly generating 43,900 jobs and contributing £1.6billion to national GDP (Oxford Economics Report 2012). The UK has one of the world’s most generous film tax reliefs which attracted over £1billion in inward investment in 2013. Recent changes to the Film Tax Relief announced at Budget 2014 will also encourage further film production to the UK.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Jim Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2014-04-09.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 7 April 2014, Official Report, column 18W, on employee ownership, if he will make an estimate of the Exchequer impact of the tax rules for shares awarded under employee shareholder agreements since 1 September 2013.

    Mr David Gauke

    Employers are not required to provide details of any shares awarded under employee shareholder agreements to HM Revenue & Customs until they submit their annual employment-related securities return for 2013-14. No details or estimates of the total value of shares awarded under employee shareholder agreements since 1 September 2013 are currently available.

    Estimates of the Exchequer impact of the capital gains tax exemption and the income tax and national insurance treatment of shares awarded under employee shareholder agreements in tax years to 2017-18 can be found at http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/tiin/emp-shareholder-status.pdf

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  • Jim Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Jim Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2014-04-09.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 7 April 2014, Official Report, column 18W, on employee ownership, for what reason the details of the Exchequer impact of the tax rules for the shares awarded under employee shareholder agreements since 1 September 2013 are not available.

    Mr David Gauke

    Employers are not required to provide details of any shares awarded under employee shareholder agreements to HM Revenue & Customs until they submit their annual employment-related securities return for 2013-14. No details or estimates of the total value of shares awarded under employee shareholder agreements since 1 September 2013 are currently available.

    Estimates of the Exchequer impact of the capital gains tax exemption and the income tax and national insurance treatment of shares awarded under employee shareholder agreements in tax years to 2017-18 can be found at http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/tiin/emp-shareholder-status.pdf

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