The below Parliamentary question was asked by Melanie Onn on 2016-04-22.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the number of adapted properties in England.
Brandon Lewis
Most recent data on the number of homes with adaptations that met the requirements of one or more occupants with a long term illness or disability will be available in the 2014-15 English Housing Survey, due for publication in July 2016.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Melanie Onn on 2016-04-22.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assistance his Department provides for homeless people unable to provide documentation and information on previous tenancies to help them secure new tenancies.
Mr Marcus Jones
Our ‘How to Rent’ guide, updated in February 2016 sets out the types of documents landlords and agents often ask from tenants when looking for new properties. They include confirmation of a tenant’s identity, immigration status, credit history and possibly employment status. Private landlords and letting agents operate on a commercial basis and they will decide which documents to request from prospective tenants based on their individual circumstances.
The Government has provided a wide range of documents which can be accepted in Right to Rent checks in order not to disadvantage people who lack access to standard forms of identification such as passports and residence permits. Special consideration has been given to what documentation is available to people trying to escape homelessness, those fleeing domestic violence, ex-service people, and those leaving the prison system.
Victims of domestic abuse who are staying in a refuge or hostel are exempt from the Right to Rent scheme. Those not in a hostel or refuge can also use a number of less standard documents to prove their right to rent. Acceptable documents include documents which should be accessible without having to return to a previous address, such as a letter from either their employer, a British passport holder, or local authority.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Healey on 2016-04-22.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 21 April 2016 to Question 34489, which acquisitions by social landlords are exempt from stamp duty land tax.
Mr David Gauke
Section 71 of the Finance Act 2003 sets out exemptions from Stamp Duty Land Tax available to certain acquisitions by social landlords.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rushanara Ali on 2016-04-22.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of reductions in HM Revenue and Customs funding on efforts to tackle tax evasion and avoidance.
Mr David Gauke
In the last Parliament, more than 40 changes were made to tax law, closing down loopholes and introducing major reforms to the UK tax-system. These measures are estimated to have raised over £12 billion by the end of 2015-16.
At Summer Budget 2015, the government gave HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) an extra £800 million to fund additional work to tackle evasion and non-compliance by 2020-21. This will enable HMRC to recover a cumulative £7.2 billion in tax over the next five years by tackling evasion and non-compliance. It is committed to raising an additional £5 billion a year through tackling tax avoidance, aggressive tax planning, tax evasion, non-compliance and imbalances in the tax system by 2019-20.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Phil Boswell on 2016-04-22.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with the (a) Prudential Regulation Authority and (b) Financial Conduct Authority on collateralised loan obligations containing high-yield energy debt and the default rate of companies in the oil and gas sector on high-yield loans.
Harriett Baldwin
Treasury Ministers and officials meet regularly with the Prudential Regulation Authority and the Financial Conduct Authority to discuss relevant regulatory issues.
As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Treasury’s practice to provide details of all such discussions.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevan Jones on 2016-04-22.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps his Department is taking to sustain aerospace engineering capability and capacity in the South West region.
Anna Soubry
We work closely with aerospace companies and their representative organisations, in particular the West of England Aerospace Forum (WEAF), in the South West through the Aerospace Growth Partnership (AGP) to tackle barriers to growth, boost exports and grow high value jobs. As part of this work we are investing heavily in the sector to support the industry’s private investment in technology, competitiveness and productivity, manufacturing capability and skills.
The work of the AGP includes businesses of all sizes in the South West region including large players such as Airbus, Finmeccanica Helicopters, GE Aviation, GKN, Rolls-Royce, Safran Messier-Bugatti-Dowty, UTC Aerospace Systems, as well as their many medium and small sized suppliers, and other specialist aerospace businesses.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevan Jones on 2016-04-22.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Defence on ensuring that Ministry of Defence contracts with suppliers and manufacturers benefit the UK economy.
Anna Soubry
My Rt hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills has regular discussions with my Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for Defence on a wide variety of issues. My department supports the Government’s Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR), published last November, which set out the Government’s commitment to get the best value for money for the taxpayer in a way that strengthens our economy and bolsters the long-term prosperity of people across the UK. The SDSR committed the Government to refreshing its defence industrial policy and taking further action to help the UK’s defence industry grow and compete successfully and my department is engaging MOD on taking this work forward.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-04-22.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, which bodies he met for his Department’s investigation into tips, gratuities, covers and service charges; and on how many occasions and when such meetings with such bodies took place.
Nick Boles
My Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills launched the Call for Evidence into tips, gratuities, cover and service charges on 30 August 2016. This closed on 10 November 2016. The Government received a total of 183 responses from a range of sources during the investigation. In addition to this, officials of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills have met with the British Hospitality Association, UnitetheUnion and the Association of Licenced Multiple Retailers during the call for evidence period.
Departments publish details of Ministers’ meetings with external organisations. BIS transparency data is published online at www.gov.uk/government/collections/bis-quarterly-publications-april-to-june-2012.
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Mann on 2016-04-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he has taken to ensure that high speed rail will interconnect effectively with the rest of the transport network.
Mr Patrick McLoughlin
HS2 will not be a separate, standalone railway. It will be an integrated part of a 21st Century transport network.
Through our interchange stations, classic compatible trains and exploitation of the released capacity we will deliver the integrated service that passengers need. Our work with local areas to implement Growth Strategies will ensure HS2 integrates with local transport networks.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2016-04-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of changes to the subsidy profile for the Northern Rail franchise on the quality of rail services.
Claire Perry
Thanks to the work of this Government, the hon. Lady’s constituents will benefit from a transformed rail service under the new franchise. In addition, this improvement for passengers will be provided while improving the value for money of the operation for the benefit of all tax payers.