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Tag: 2014

  • Gloria De Piero – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Gloria De Piero – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gloria De Piero on 2014-04-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of social housing tenants affected by the implementation of the under-occupancy penalty have been given exempt status in each (a) constituency and (b) local authority area.

    Esther McVey

    The only group exempt from the removal of the spare room subsidy and therefore unaffected by the policy are those housing benefit social sector tenants who have reached state pension credit age.

    Registered foster carers are allowed an additional bedroom if they have fostered a child during the last 52 weeks and parents of armed forces personnel who have been deployed on operations are allowed to retain that adult childs bedroom.

  • Kevan Jones – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Kevan Jones – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevan Jones on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will provide details of the current workforce model for the Army Reserve that his Department is using to assess how long it will take to recruit the required number of 30,000 reserves; and when under the current model that target will be met.

    Anna Soubry

    I refer the hon. Member to the Written Statement and paper my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence (Philip Hammond) placed in the Library of the House on 19 Dec 2013 (Official report, column 124WS).

  • 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 2014-04-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what process the Government adopted to (a) identify and (b) select priority investors in the recent Royal Mail privatisation.

    Michael Fallon

    The process of investor engagement commenced 12 months prior to the Initial Public Offering (IPO). In the initial period, Royal Mail’s management met with over 60 high quality institutions to educate them about the business. During pilot fishing in early September 2013, the management team and the Government’s banking advisers engaged further with a focused group of 21 well-informed and longer-term investors. Initial indications of potential demand were received from this group; this gave the Government the confidence to proceed with announcing the Intention to Float on 12th September 2013.

  • Madeleine Moon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Madeleine Moon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Madeleine Moon on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) male and (b) female recruits who commenced phase two training at Catterick Infantry Training Centre had undertaken phase one training at Harrogate Army Foundation College in each year since 2006; and if he will make a statement.

    Anna Soubry

    No female recruits undergo infantry training. The information requested for males is in the table:

    Year

    Male

    2006-07

    300

    2007-08

    300

    2008-09

    320

    2009-10

    380

    2010-11

    280

    2011-12

    470

    2012-13

    630

    2013-14

    420

    Figures have been rounded to 10; numbers ending in ‘5′ are rounded to the nearest multiple of 20 to prevent systematic bias.

  • Andrew Percy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Andrew Percy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Percy on 2014-04-03.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many (a) men and (b) women in (i) Brigg and Goole constituency, (ii) Yorkshire and Humber and (iii) the UK have died from coronary heart disease in each of the last five years.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

  • Baroness Lister of Burtersett – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Baroness Lister of Burtersett – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Lister of Burtersett on 2014-06-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will develop and implement a cross-departmental strategy for tackling food poverty in the United Kingdom.

    Lord De Mauley

    Food inflation fell to an annual rate of -0.6 per cent in the year to May, down from 0.5 per cent in March, which means food is cheaper now than it was twelve months ago (the first this has happened since 2006). The Government has a clear strategy on benefits and welfare which includes making work pay, creating a fiscally sustainable system for future generations and ensuring we are focusing benefit support on those most in need. Our benefits system provides a strong safety net for the poorest and most vulnerable, with £94 billion per year provided for working age benefits which support millions of people who are on low incomes or out of work. The introduction of Universal Credit willalsosee three million households better off and significantly improve take-up of unclaimed benefits.

    In addition, through Healthy Start the Government provides a nutritional safety net by encouraging healthy eating to around half a million pregnant women and children under 4 years old in low income and disadvantaged families throughout the UK.

  • David Ward – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    David Ward – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Ward on 2014-04-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to better protect the rights of private sector tenants from irresponsible landlords.

    Kris Hopkins

    The Government is committed to a better private rented sector that offers security, stability and decency. We are already changing the law to require all letting agents to join Government approved redress schemes which will allow tenants to seek compensation where they are the victims of bad practice, such as being charged hidden fees.

    To encourage greater understanding of tenants’ rights, we will shortly publish a new How to Rent guide for tenants. We are also developing a model tenancy agreement to help tenants achieve greater security of tenure when needed, and a code of practice on property management.

    The Government has provided £6.7 million to a number of local authorities to help them tackle rogue landlord activity.

    We are also encouraging local authorities to use their existing powers to improve standards. They already have wide powers to tackle rogue landlord activity and poor property conditions and to encourage their use.

    Through the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 the current £5,000 cap on fines for certain housing and planning offences will be removed and rogue landlords will be liable to potentially unlimited fines. Where the fine is currently capped at less than £5,000, the maximum fine will be quadrupled

    Finally, we published a discussion document on 24 February, inviting views on how property conditions in the private rented sector could be improved. Closing date for comments was 28 March. We are now considering the proposals we have received. We will announce the outcome of our review in the summer.

  • Lord Eames – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Lord Eames – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Eames on 2014-06-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to re-examine the proposals of the Consultative Group on the Past in the light of current circumstances in Northern Ireland.

    Baroness Randerson

    The Government continues to urge the Northern Ireland parties to engage in discussions about how to deal with the past. I would expect that the work of the Consultative Group on the Past would continue to provide useful material for consideration in these discussions. The Government has been clear that it will not seek to impose any solutions and continues to encourage political leaders in Northern Ireland to work towards an agreement.

  • Lucy Powell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lucy Powell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lucy Powell on 2014-04-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 24 February 2014, Official Report, column 221W, how many three and four year olds in each parliamentary constituency are accessing the free early years entitlement outside of reception classes.

    Elizabeth Truss

    This information is provided in the accompanying table, which will also be placed in the House Library.

  • Ian Murray – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Ian Murray – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Murray on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the budget for the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate is for 2014-15.

    Jenny Willott

    The budget for the Employment Agency Standards inspectorate is no longer devolved below branch level in the Labour Markets Directorate, and we are therefore unable to provide this information.