The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-04-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has issued any exemptions pursuant to section 28 of the Data Protection Act 1998 which apply to data obtained via unmanned aircraft systems in the UK.
James Brokenshire
It has been the position of successive Governments to not comment on national security issues.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2014-06-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether employees of his Department’s Child Maintenance Group will be compensated for the loss of their childcare subsidy.
Steve Webb
Five Child Maintenance Group on-site nurseries are due to close on expiry of the contract at the end of September 2014. They are located at offices in Birkenhead, Dudley, Falkirk, Hastings and Plymouth.
Child Maintenance Group childcare subsidy was made no longer available to new entrants from 1 June 2012. This brings Child Maintenance Group into line with the Department’s policy on childcare subsidy.
As part of its remuneration package, the Department supports employees through a salary sacrifice scheme where employees can give up part of their salary in return for childcare vouchers. This scheme allows for significant savings through tax relief and gives parents support in order to make their own choices for childcare.
Employees affected by the closure of the five on-site nurseries have been offered a day’s special leave in order to look for suitable alternatives.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Pamela Nash on 2014-04-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will implement travel bans against those who have been actively promoting the Uganda Anti-Homosexuality Act 2014.
James Brokenshire
The Secretary of State has a non-statutory power to exclude from the UK any
foreign national whose presence is considered not conducive to the public good.
The power to exclude is broad but is normally used in circumstances involving
national security, ‘unacceptable behaviour’ (extremism), international
relations and foreign policy and serious organised crime.
Where the Government identifies or is made aware of any individual who may have
crossed the threshold for exclusion, we will consider carefully the evidence in
the case before the Secretary of State decides whether or not to take action.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Williams on 2014-06-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what recent representations he has received from UK retailers on the effect of the Sunday Trading Act 1994 on their businesses.
Jenny Willott
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has received representations from a number of correspondents in the last 12 months on Sunday Trading. These include representations from Asda Stores Ltd, Horticulture Trades Association and shopping centres advocating further liberalisation, as well as others such as the Association of Convenience Stores, some large retailers, 2 individual stores and small groups, supporting the current Sunday trading rules or for further restrictions.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2014-04-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will take steps to work with affected hauliers to avoid the increased cost caused by the reduction in Vehicle Excise Duty introduced as part of the Heavy Goods Vehicle User Levy.
Mr Robert Goodwill
We have worked closely with the UK road freight sector throughout the development of the Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) Road User Levy to ensure that the cost to UK business as a result of paying a combined charge for Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) and HGV levy from 1st April 2014 is minimised, whilst working within the minimum levels of Vehicle Excise Duty set out in the Eurovignette Directive. Furthermore, to keep the administrative burden to UK operators to a minimum, the Levy will be paid at the same time as VED and in a single transaction.
Where costs do rise as a result of the combined Levy and VED payment, hauliers have the option to lower the plated weight of the vehicle and thereby reduce the VED they need to pay.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine McKinnell on 2014-06-17.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the number of divorced and separated parents who will have to decide which of them should own a tax-free childcare account; how HM Revenue and Customs plans to resolve disputes over such decisions; and what additional resources will be committed for this purpose.
Nicky Morgan
It is estimated that of the families that will directly benefit from the Tax-Free Childcare scheme around 95% are couples and 5% are lone parents. Based on the best available data, we estimate that around half of these lone parents will be either divorced or separated.
Working lone parents are more likely to have lower income levels than working couples. More lone parents will therefore receive support for childcare through Tax Credits and then subsequently Universal Credit which is generally more generous than Tax-Free Childcare.
On the 18 March the Government published its response to the consultation on design and operation of Tax-Free Childcare which sets out that where adults in a family are unable to reach agreement about which of them should claim, HMRC will consider the facts of the case and make a decision.
The resource requirements of the scheme will be settled once the scheme’s details have been finalised.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mike Crockart on 2014-04-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions his Department has had with the Scottish Government on the payment of armed forces pensions in the event of Scottish independence.
Anna Soubry
Armed Forces pensions are currently uprated annually in April using the Consumer Price Index (CPI) figure from the previous September. These are occupational pensions and are therefore paid, including any CPI increase, to scheme members wherever they reside in the world.
The UK Government is confident that the people of Scotland will continue to support remaining within the UK. There have, therefore, been no discussions with the Scottish Government about this matter.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Tomlinson on 2014-06-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to ensure that newly built residential properties have access to telephone and internet services.
Nick Boles
Developers and internet providers recognise the importance of telephone and internet provision in new builds and that customers’ expectation is these services will be available on the day they move in. My Department, with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, is working with house builders and providers of telephone and internet services to ensure newly built residential properties have access to telephone and internet services.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-04-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many households have seen their income from benefits reduced by (a) 10, (b) 20 to 49 and (c) 50 per cent or more as a result of benefit changes since May 2010.
Esther McVey
The requested information is not available.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bill Wiggin on 2014-06-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the process was by which Arqiva arrived at its decision not to proceed with the proposed Fownhope mast.
Mr Edward Vaizey
DCMS officials provided Arqiva with the latest data on notspots, updated by Ofcom for 2014 with information from the Mobile Network Operators. This shows that coverage has improved in Fownhope since the inception of the project. The Mobile Infrastructure Project can intervene in areas where there is no mobile coverage from any operator, and where the cost of the build of a mast, considered alongside the numbers of premises that would benefit from the additional coverage, provides value for money. Unfortunately this is no longer the case for the proposed mast location in Fownhope, and Arqiva made a recommendation to officials to not proceed.