UKPOL.CO.UK

Tag: 2014

  • Douglas Carswell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Douglas Carswell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Carswell on 2014-06-25.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many complaints have been made about HM Revenue and Customs in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

    Mr David Gauke

    The table below shows the number of complaints received by HM Revenue and Customs (excluding the VOA) for each of the years 2009/10 – 2013/14. The figure for 2013/14 will be included in the HMRC Annual Report that is due to be published on the 3 July 2014.

    Year

    Number of complaints

    2009/10

    71,406

    2010/11

    76,721

    2011/12

    74,831

    2012/13

    67,956

    2013/14

    64,729
  • Andy Sawford – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Andy Sawford – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Sawford on 2015-01-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how much UK Export Finance has spent on advertising in each year since 2010.

    Matthew Hancock

    UK Export Finance records spending on all activities associated with the promotion of UK Export Finance, including advertising, marketing, attendance at exhibitions etc, as Business Promotion or Marketing.

    The table below shows the amount spent by UK Export Finance on these activities in each financial year since 2010/11. Spend has increased in recent years as UK Export Finance seeks to raise awareness of its services particularly amongst smaller businesses following the introduction of products targeted at the smaller exporter in 2011.

    2010/11

    2011/12

    2012/13

    2013/14

    2014/15 to date

    Spend (£)

    19,395

    41,915

    27,958

    377,434

    801,341

  • 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 2015-01-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, with reference to the contribution of 6 November 2014 by the Minister of State in his Department, Official Report, column 949, what assistance the Department has made available to UK Coal for the preparation of an application for state aid.

    Matthew Hancock

    I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).

    Senior Officials from the BIS Yorkshire Humber North East Office were assigned to assist UK Coal following their interest in applying for additional government funding to extend the operation of their two deep mines. These officials provided feedback, advice and suggestions to help UK Coal prepare a case for Government support and met with them on several occasions throughout this process. On 16 January 2015, UK Coal submitted its request and supporting case for additional public sector support.

    The Government is carefully considering the merits of this request including whether it represents acceptable value for money and is a good use of taxpayer’s money. Should the Government decide to make the case to the European Commission that we should pay state aid to UK Coal we will assign a team across BIS and DECC to take this forward.

  • Dame Tessa Jowell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Dame Tessa Jowell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dame Tessa Jowell on 2015-01-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many vacant A&E consultant posts there were in the NHS excluding London (a) on the most recent date for which figures are available and (b) in each of the previous six years.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    Information on vacancies is not collected by the Department. The last annual National Health Service vacancy survey in England was undertaken by the Health and Social Care Information Centre in 2010. The survey was suspended in 2011 and then discontinued in 2013 following the publication of the Fundamental Review of Data Returns, which aimed to reduce the burden of the collection of data from NHS organisations.

    The attached table provides vacancy data for 2009 and 2010, the only two years within the last six years for which data is available.

  • 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 2015-01-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans he has to improve employment support for Work Programme participants claiming employment and support allowance who have a 12 month prognosis of a return to work.

    Esther McVey

    The Work Programme performance is improving for Employment and Support Allowance claimants with a 12 month prognosis, but we do want it to do better. To this end we have asked all providers to come to us with a clear plan setting out the steps they are going to take to improve performance further.

    Of those completing a year on the programme, 1 in 10 ESA New Claimants have had at least three months in work since joining the scheme – this compares to 1 in 25 for the earliest cohorts.

  • Emma Reynolds – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Emma Reynolds – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emma Reynolds on 2015-01-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when he plans to answer Question 217219, tabled on 4 December 2014 by the hon. Member for Wolverhampton North East.

    Brandon Lewis

    Question UIN 217219 and 217220 were answered on 23 January 2015.

  • Tim Loughton – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Tim Loughton – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2015-01-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Portable Antiquities Scheme.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    I have made no formal assessment of the effectiveness of the Portable Antiquities Scheme. The Portable Antiquities Scheme, through its network of Finds Liaison Officers, does an outstanding job in encouraging the voluntary recording of archaeological objects found by members of the public. Since 1997 more than one million finds have been recorded in this way and made publicly available online through the Scheme. The Scheme also has an important educational role and allows children and adults alike to learn about archaeology, get involved, and discover the past. The Scheme is managed by the British Museum and funded through DCMS’s grant-in-aid to the British Museum, with local partner contributions. The funding allocation for the Portable Antiquities Scheme for the period between 2011/12 and 2014/15 has been ring-fenced with the funding reduction over this period minimised to less than 5%.

  • Tim Farron – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Tim Farron – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2015-01-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to the Russian government about its annexation of Crimea.

    Mr David Lidington

    We have made clear that we will not recognise Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea, which remains a part of the sovereign territory of Ukraine. This point is raised as a matter of principle in any high-level level UK/Russia bilateral meetings. I last raised this issue the last time I met the Russian Ambassador in December.

  • Ian Austin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Ian Austin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2015-01-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the potential effect that the recently announced reductions in staffing levels at the Dudley Group of Hospitals will have on (a) patient care and (b) waiting times.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    The Department has made no such assessment.

    It is a matter for the local National Health Service to plan its workforce, and to ensure it has the appropriate staff in place to provide high quality care for its patients.

  • Mary Creagh – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Mary Creagh – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mary Creagh on 2015-01-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what arrangements she is planning for the publication of indicators relating to her Department’s strategic framework for economic development; and when she plans to publish such indicators.

    Justine Greening

    Building on initial work, DFID is continuing to develop further results indicators to reflect economic development priorities and an update on progress is due by July 2015.