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Tag: 2014

  • Henry Smith – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Henry Smith – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Henry Smith on 2014-07-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Annual Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals Great Britain 2013, what assessment she has made of the reasons for the changes in the number of procedures in the fundamental biological research category.

    Norman Baker

    The Annual Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals in Great Britain 2013 report a total of 1.16 million procedures were conducted on animals with ‘Fundamental biological research’ as the primary purpose. This is a reduction of 11% over the figure for 2012. The change in the number of procedures carried out in this category, in any particular year, depends on many factors. These factors include: investment in fundamental biological research; strategic decisions taken by funding bodies; global economic trends; scientific innovation; and, the development and uptake of validated alternative technologies.

  • Yasmin Qureshi – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Yasmin Qureshi – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Yasmin Qureshi on 2014-07-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what reports she has received of an increase in death rates in camps for the Rohingya following the expulsion of MSF and other agencies from Rakhine State, Burma.

    Lynne Featherstone

    There have been a number of deaths in Rohingya camps since March. We have not received any reports of an increase in the rate during this period but the situation remains of urgent concern. The Ministry of Health and NGOs have been providing some primary healthcare in the IDP camps, but there continue to be barriers to access, particularly to hospital level care for Rohingya, and this remains a key concern for us. We continue to advocate with all levels of government on this issue.

  • Shabana Mahmood – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Shabana Mahmood – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Shabana Mahmood on 2014-07-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many (a) first-tier and (b) upper-tier tax tribunal judges there were in 2013-14; for how many days (i) first-tier and (ii) upper-tier tax tribunal panel members sat in that year; how many (A) first-tier and (B) upper-tier tax tribunal expert panel members there were in that year; and how much was paid to tax tribunal panel members in that year.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    I refer the Honourable Member to the answers provided on 10 February 2014, Official Report, column 491W and 10 April 2014, Official Report, column 408W which contain the most up to date information on Judicial Numbers. Data for later periods will be contained in the next publication of Judicial Diversity Statistics, which is due for release at the end of July.

    For the period 1 April 2013–31 March 2014 panel members sat in the First-tier Tribunal (Tax Chamber) for a total of 1272 days1. Members do not sit on Tax cases in the Upper Tribunal.

    1This figure is taken from internal Management Information and as such has not been quality checked to the same level as official statistics.

    In the financial year 2013/14, expenditure on all fee-paid judicial Office holders within the Tax jurisdiction was £1.8 million.

  • Kate Hoey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Kate Hoey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Hoey on 2014-07-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the punctuality of South West Trains’ passenger rail services in each month since that company formally entered into a deep alliance with Network Rail in April 2012.

    Claire Perry

    The Public Performance Measure is a measurement of train punctuality against the planned services for the day. The Department regularly monitors each operators performance. This includes regular meetings with their senior management where performance figures are scrutinised and challenged.

  • Chris Bryant – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Chris Bryant – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Bryant on 2014-07-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much his Department spent on legal fees in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12, (c) 2012-13 and (d) 2013-14.

    Steve Webb

    The figures below detail the Department’s spend on external legal costs incurred for the financial years 2010-11, 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-2014. These figures include all invoices for fees authorised by the Department’s internal Legal Services, including but not limited to the case management services provided by the Treasury Solicitor’s Department, external legal representation and external training and professional development of the Department’s Legal Service. The figures represent actual cost to the Department and therefore only include VAT to the extent such VAT is irrecoverable. The difference in the figures between 2011/2012 and later years is largely as a result of DWP prosecutions work being transferred to the Crown Prosecution Service in April 2012.

    2010/11 – £13.59m

    2011/12 – £14.45m

    2012/13 – £9.38m

    2013/14 – £7.718m

  • Chuka Umunna – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Chuka Umunna – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chuka Umunna on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many bids to the Export Refinancing Facility have been (a) received and (b) approved since its launch; and how many firms have received funds under the scheme to date.

    Matthew Hancock

    The Export Refinancing Facility (ERF) was launched on 30 April 2014 in order to support UK bids for projects that require finance above £50m.

    The ERF does not provide funds directly to firms but a commitment to banks funding loans to overseas buyers of UK exports to take-out that loan if it has not been possible for the bank to refinance it commercially.

    UK Export Finance officials have held several discussions with exporters, overseas buyers and banks in relation to ERF, with one case currently under discussion.

    It is likely that ERF will be most relevant during periods of constrained liquidity in the banking market. Given current market conditions, export credit transactions are less likely to require ERF in order to take place but the facility remains an important product in UKEF’s portfolio giving it the ability to respond quickly to changes in those market conditions.

  • Iain Wright – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Iain Wright – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Iain Wright on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what discussions he has had with the European Commission about the compensation scheme for the carbon price floor and inclusion of the glass manufacturing industry in Annex II to the Certain State aid measures in the context of the greenhouse gas emission allowance trading scheme post-2012; and if he will make a statement.

    Matthew Hancock

    BIS Ministers have met with the European Competition Commissioner and have argued the case for including parts of the glass and ceramics sector as well as the cement sector in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme and Carbon Price Floor compensation, highlighting the issues of competitiveness.

    The Government understands fully concerns about the impact of the these guidelines on UK companies in these sectors and will be engaging further with the Commission to seek a review of the list of eligible sectors to include other energy intensive industries in the compensation schemes in the future.

  • Charlie Elphicke – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Charlie Elphicke – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charlie Elphicke on 2014-07-15.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when HM Revenue and Customs last audited the (a) compliance and (b) performance of Mapeley STEPS Contractor Limited in respect of the Five Year Plan under 17.1 (a) of the Private Finance Initiative contract between HM Revenue and Customs and Mapeley STEPS Contractor Limited.

    Mr David Gauke

    HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) monitors the performance of its contractor regularly under a range of provisions. Commercial discussions between HMRC and its suppliers are confidential.

  • Lyn Brown – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Lyn Brown – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lyn Brown on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether the Government Actuary’s Department has considered what accrual rate for the proposed 2015 firefighters’ pension scheme would allow retirement at 55 without an actuarial reduction.

    Penny Mordaunt

    A reformed firefighters’ pension scheme that provided for early retirement before the Normal Pension Age of 60, without an actuarial reduction, would be unlawful under the terms of the Public Service Pensions Act 2013.

  • Stephen Barclay – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Stephen Barclay – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Barclay on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, When he expects the mobile infrastructure project to be completed.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The news release issued on MIP in July last year referred to sites being acquired and built by 2015. Intensive work is continuing to deliver coverage to areas currently without, and this project remains a high priority for the Government. Providing coverage to some of the more remote and sensitive locations has been challenging but this project has brought together the four mobile network operators for the first time to find solutions. Proposals and timeframes to tackle these issues and to secure long term mobile coverage capabilities for the future are being finalised with further communications expected in the autumn.