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Tag: 2014

  • 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.

  • Shabana Mahmood – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Shabana Mahmood – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Shabana Mahmood on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many studio colleges have fulfilled the terms of their funding agreements for student recruitment targets.

    Mr Edward Timpson

    Post-opening student recruitment targets are only included in funding agreements for studio schools where there has been concern about potential pupil recruitment prior to the school opening.

    Five studio schools have specific termination clauses relating to post-opening student recruitment targets in their funding agreements. One school closed on 31 August 2013 and another is due to close on 31 August 2014 because they did not fulfil the funding agreement criteria in respect of the pupil recruitment target. Neither school was given an extension of time to meet the target. The other three schools have not yet reached the deadlines for their pupil recruitment targets.

    The majority of studio schools opening in September 2013 and all those due to open in September 2014 have pre-opening targets for student recruitment included in their funding agreements to ensure that the schools will be financially viable upon opening.

  • Caroline Flint – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Caroline Flint – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Flint on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, pursuant to the Answer of 9 July 2014, Official Report, column 304W, on the Green Deal Scheme, whether the £450 million of financial support for domestic installation of energy efficiency measures announced in the Autumn Statement in December 2013 is in addition to (a) the £125 million allocated to the Green Deal Cashback Scheme announced in January 2013 and (b) the £200 million allocated to the Green Deal Programme in November 2011.

    Amber Rudd

    The funds announced in the Autumn Statement in December 2013 are additional to the others mentioned, and cover difficult financial periods.

  • Huw Irranca-Davies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Huw Irranca-Davies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Huw Irranca-Davies on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the effects of the CAP reforms on farmers.

    George Eustice

    I refer the hon. Member to my previous answer of 23 June 2014, Official Report, column 63W.

  • Huw Irranca-Davies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Huw Irranca-Davies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Huw Irranca-Davies on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the Government’s position is in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership negotiations on meat containing ractopamine entering the UK food-chain; and if she will make a statement.

    George Eustice

    The use of beta-agonists such as ractopamine for growth promotion purposes is banned under Council Directive 96/22/EC. Third countries permitted to export to the EU are required to have equivalent standards, therefore meat from those countries entering the EU should not contain residues of these substances.