Tag: 2014

  • Greg Knight – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Greg Knight – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Knight on 2014-04-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will review the minimum welfare requirements for ducks raised in captivity.

    George Eustice

    The welfare of ducks is provided for in the general provisions of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and the Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007. We have no plans to review these requirements. Defra also has a statutory duck welfare code, which encourages high standards of husbandry.

    Defra, the RSPCA, academics and the duck industry have done a good deal of work over the last few years looking at how water could be provided to ducks in a commercial setting. Defra contributed to the RSPCA’s ‘Higher Duck Welfare Programme’ and the standards in the RSPCA’s Freedom Foods scheme and the industry’s own Duck Assurance Scheme reflect the latest research. As a result of this collaborative approach, duck welfare standards have been raised.

  • Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of partners in small businesses who will apply for universal credit; and what steps such people need to take to establish their monthly income in order to do so.

    Esther McVey

    We have not produced estimates of the numbers of partners in small businesses who will apply for Universal Credit.

    Guidance on self-employment issued for Universal Credit decision makers can be found in the Advice for Decision Makers, which is available online at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/advice-for-decision-making-staff-guide

    “

  • Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-04-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 20 March 2014, Official Report, column 697W, on unmanned air vehicles, if he will place in the Library a copy of the guidance note issued to his Department’s network staff on data protection aspects of unmanned air vehicles.

    Dan Rogerson

    I will place a copy of the guidance in the Library.

  • Pamela Nash – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Pamela Nash – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Pamela Nash on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of the total Child Support Agency arrears owed to parents with care is regarded as (a) potentially collectable and (b) likely to be collected in the next three years in (i) Scotland, (ii) England, (iii) Wales and (iv) Northern Ireland.

    Steve Webb

    The proportion of child maintenance arrears owed to parents with care that is potentially collectable and likely to be collected is shown in the table below, as at March 2013.

    Northern Ireland does not fall within the jurisdiction of the Great Britain Child Support Agency.

    Collectability analysis looks at the likelihood of arrears being collected and does not include a timeframe for collections.

    Total Potentially or Likely to be Collected

    Potentially Collectable

    Likely Collectable

    Scotland

    26%

    13%

    13%

    England

    25%

    12%

    13%

    Wales

    26%

    13%

    13%

    Notes:

    1. Geographical breakdowns are based on the location of the non resident parent in each case.

    2. Collectability breakdowns as published in the Client Fund Accounts include an estimate for collections from future legal activity. As this has not yet occurred then it cannot be allocated to geographical areas so is not included in the figures above.

    3. Proportions have been calculated using CS2 and CSCS cases only and excludes cases administered off system.

  • Pamela Nash – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Pamela Nash – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Pamela Nash on 2014-04-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her policy is on granting asylum to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people from Uganda.

    James Brokenshire

    All asylum and human rights claims are considered in accordance with our
    obligations under the 1951 Refugee Convention and the European Convention on
    Human Rights. We recognise that, in general, lesbian, gay, bisexual,
    transgender and intersex (LGBTI) persons may be at risk of persecution and
    warrant protection, and that this may have increased in particular for lesbian,
    gay and bisexual (LGB) persons following the signing of the Anti-Homosexual
    Act. However, each case needs to be considered on its individual facts.
    In light of the Act, which specifically targets ‘homosexuality’, we published
    updated guidance covering lesbian, gay and bisexual claims on the Gov.uk
    website on 10 April.
    We are monitoring the situation and will publish updated guidance on LGBTI
    persons once it is clear how the law is being applied in practice.

  • Angie Bray – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Angie Bray – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angie Bray on 2014-06-18.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment he has made of the effect on the economy of the level of employment.

    Nicky Morgan

    There are more people in work than ever before with the latest figures showing the fastest increase in employment since records began in 1971. Since the Coalition came into power employment has increased by more than one and half million and unemployment has fallen by over 300,000, with over 2 million private sector jobs created since early 2010. Over this period for every public sector job lost over 5 have been created in the private sector.The female employment rate is at its highest since records began in 1971.

    By tackling the economy’s problems head on and getting people back into work we are helping to boost living standards for hard working families.

  • Gregory Campbell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Gregory Campbell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2014-04-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee will be given access to papers previously withheld from freedom of information requests as part of its current inquiry into the administrative scheme for the on-the-runs.

    Mrs Theresa Villiers

    The inquiry led by Lady Justice Hallett has access to all papers that it requests or requires from my Department, in order to produce a full public account of the ‘on the runs’ administrative scheme.

  • Jim Sheridan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Jim Sheridan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Sheridan on 2014-06-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate he has made of the proportion of Royal Mail staff who bought shares in the newly-privatised company in (a) Paisley and Renfrewshire North constituency, (b) Renfrewshire and (c) Scotland.

    Michael Fallon

    The Government has not made any estimates by constituency, county or country of shares bought by Royal Mail staff.

    As part of the Royal Mail Initial Public Offering, each eligible employee has now received 729 shares free of charge. Only 372 of the 147,000 eligible employees opted out of the scheme. Approximately 99.75% of employees accepted the shares that we offered them. Under the Employee Priority Retail Offer, over 15,000 employees (just over 10%) bought additional shares in Royal Mail.

  • Nicholas Soames – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Nicholas Soames – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2014-04-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate his Department has made of the level of traffic congestion in Mid Sussex constituency in each year since 1997.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    Estimates of road congestion levels for Parliamentary constituencies are not held centrally.

    We do however hold data at the local authority level. Road congestion is measured in the Department by morning peak speeds, defined as 7am to 10am. In 2013, the average weekday morning peak speed, on locally managed ‘A’ roads in West Sussex County (local authority), which contains Mid Sussex constituency, was estimated to be 30.2 miles per hour.The equivalent figure for the whole of England in 2013 was 24.7 miles per hour.

    Equivalent figures for earlier years back to 2007, and all other local highway authorities in England, can be found on the Department for Transport’s website at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/279125/cgn0206.xls

    “

  • Laurence Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Laurence Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Laurence Robertson on 2014-06-17.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will take steps to increase the compensation paid to Equitable Life policyholders.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The Government has no plans to alter the design or rules of the Equitable Life Payment Scheme, including those which relate to the level of payments. Decisions on the level of ex-gratia payments took account of the fiscal situation and wider fairness concerns across all taxpayers. The payments for different types of policyholder were made on the basis of recommendations made by the Independent Commission on Equitable Life Payments.