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  • Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2016-04-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance his Department has issued to councils on the payment of homecare workers for their travel time.

    Alistair Burt

    It is for providers to ensure that they are complying with legislation and paying workers for the time they are legally entitled to be paid for.

    The Care Act 2014 is clear that local authorities should ensure that care workers are paid at least minimum wage, and are paid for travel time between appointments.

    We are working with local authorities and the care sector to improve social care commissioning, including supporting the sector to commission in a way that promotes quality, including meeting legal requirements on staff pay in relation to travel time.

    There is clear Government Guidance on the issue of payment for work related travel time. It can be found in full on this website:

    http://www.gov.uk/minimum-wage-different-types-work/overview

    “

  • Tom Blenkinsop – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Tom Blenkinsop – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Blenkinsop on 2016-04-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the cost to the public purse was of the promotional film for the Northern Powerhouse project, Gunning for growth.

    Mr Mark Francois

    The Northern Powerhouse is GREAT investment film, paid for by GREAT, was created to promote investment into all parts of the Northern Powerhouse. It has already been shown in Europe, North America, Latin America, Africa, Asia and Australasia. It was produced by Leeds agency Motiv Productions at a one off cost of just over £20,000.

  • David Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    David Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Morris on 2016-04-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if his Department has made an assessment of how much it costs on average to fill an individual pothole; and if he will make a statement.

    Andrew Jones

    The Department for Transport has estimated that on average it costs £53 to repair a pothole. However, the cost of filling an individual pothole will depend on a range of variables including geography, the type of road and whether the repair is temporary or permanent.

  • David Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    David Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Morris on 2016-04-15.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has made an assessment as to how much the abolition of class 2 national insurance contributions will save on average for each self-employed person; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr David Gauke

    The abolition of Class 2 NICs means that 3.4 million self-employed individuals will gain by an average of £134 in 2018-19 when Class 2 National Insurance contributions are abolished. This will allow millions of self-employed individuals to keep more of their money and invest it back into growing their business, as well as ending an outdated and complex feature of the NICs system.

  • David Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    David Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Morris on 2016-04-15.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department plans to introduce maternity pay for self-employed women; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr David Gauke

    The Government has continued to improve the support and flexibility of parental pay and leave, spending around £3 billion a year on maternity payments to support pregnant women and new mothers and to help them achieve a better balance between their work and home lives.

    Self-employed mothers can receive Maternity Allowance. The standard rate of Maternity Allowance is the same as the standard rate of Statutory Maternity Pay.

  • Tristram Hunt – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Tristram Hunt – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tristram Hunt on 2016-04-15.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the (a) staff and (b) other costs to his Department were for the production of chart 1.5 on page 21 of the 2016 Budget Book.

    Harriett Baldwin

    A number of Treasury officials were involved in preparing the Chancellor’s Budget Report. The government does not calculate the costs of producing individual charts at fiscal events.

  • Kate Hoey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Kate Hoey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Hoey on 2016-04-15.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations he has received from business groups (a) opposing and (b) supporting his plans to require small businesses to submit quarterly digital tax returns; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr David Gauke

    The Government has committed to ensuring free software is available for those with the simplest affairs in order that businesses can meet the requirements of Making Tax Digital. In addition, many businesses are already using digital record-keeping tools to deal with their tax affairs.

    The Government has received a number of representations from individuals, businesses, professional bodies and the software industry about Making Tax Digital. Both I and officials from HM Treasury and HM Revenue and Customs have discussed the reforms with a wide range of professional bodies and advisory groups representing small businesses and the self-employed. Extensive consultation will take place throughout 2016.

  • Tristram Hunt – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Tristram Hunt – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tristram Hunt on 2016-04-15.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many jobs in (a) his Department and (b) each of his Department’s non-departmental public bodies, executive agencies, non-ministerial departments, advisory bodies and other accountable statutory bodies (i) have been abolished in or relocated from East Cheshire Local Authority since 2010 and (ii) will be abolished in or relocated from East Cheshire Local Authority by 2020.

    Mr David Gauke

    No jobs in the Treasury or non-Departmental public bodies, executive agencies, advisory bodies falling under its remit have been abolished or relocated in the regions or time frames stated in the question.

    In April 2011, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) – a non-ministerial Department falling under the remit of the Chancellor – closed Crewe House, an Enquiry Centre (EC), and relocated to Hornbeam House in Crewe. In 2014, following HMRC’s decision to close all ECs, the EC in Crewe was closed.

    In May 2011, Craven House, Macclesfield was closed and the EC relocated to Macclesfield Town Hall. In 2014, following HMRC’s decision to close all ECs, the EC in Macclesfield was closed.

  • Tristram Hunt – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Tristram Hunt – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tristram Hunt on 2016-04-15.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many jobs in (a) his Department and (b) each of his Department’s non-departmental public bodies, executive agencies, non-ministerial departments, advisory bodies and other accountable statutory bodies (i) have been abolished in or relocated from East Cheshire Local Authority since 2010 and (ii) will be abolished in or relocated from East Cheshire Local Authority by 2020.

    Matthew Hancock

    None.

  • Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2016-04-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he has taken to examine measures other European countries have taken to protect their steel industries against dumping to inform his policies.

    Anna Soubry

    Anti-dumping policy is agreed at EU level so all EU member states adopt identical trade measures to protect EU industry from dumping. These measures are only imposed following an investigation by the European Commission, which in turn must be prompted by a complaint from European industry. The EU currently has 37 anti-dumping and anti-subsidy measures in place on steel and steel products.

    As part of the International Comparisons Working Group, established following the Steel Summit on 16 October 2015, the Government has, in conjunction with representatives of the UK steel industry, examined the anti-dumping policies of some non-EU countries. The work was informed, in part, by European Commission’s own evaluation of its trade defence instruments published in 2012[1], which included a detailed comparison of the trade defence policies of other countries.

    [1] Evaluation of the European Union’s Trade Defence Instruments. BKP Development and Research 2012. Vol 1 and 2.