The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Berkeley on 2014-03-26.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, during the shortlisting of the bid from Keolis and Eurostar to operate the East Coast Main Line franchise, they made representations to the government of France in respect of allowing United Kingdom companies to bid for passenger franchises on the French rail network.
Baroness Kramer
The UK Government continues to support the opening of rail markets across the European Union.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sheila Gilmore on 2014-06-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what visits each of the Ministers in her Department have made since January 2013; and what the purpose of each such visit was.
Mrs Theresa Villiers
Details of Ministers’ visits overseas are published quarterly and can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications?departments%5B%5D=northern-ireland-office.
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Seccombe on 2014-03-25.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the breakdown of departmental spending in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on catering, hospitality and refreshments in (1) 2008–09, and (2) 2009–10.
Lord De Mauley
This table sets out the information requested, in respect of Core Defra.
|
£ |
2008-09 |
2009-10 |
|
Catering and Hospitality |
426,317 |
545,253 |
|
Refreshments |
18,574 |
7,114 |
The figures for Catering and Hospitality include a subsidy paid to the Department’s providers of in-house catering, hospitality and refreshments. The Department no longer pays such a subsidy.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2014-06-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policy of the report commissioned by the UK Chamber of Shipping on Impact on Jobs and the Economy of Meeting the Requirements of MARPOL annex VI, published in March 2013.
Stephen Hammond
In October 2012, and again in March 2013, I chaired ‘round table’ meetings of industry stakeholders (from the shipping, ports, exhaust gas cleaning system technology, oil refining and logistics sectors) to consider the best way forward for compliance with the new international and EU sulphur requirements. The potential for reverse modal shift, the maturity and efficacy of scrubber technology and the scope for financial assistance to industry were all key to those discussions. The report commissioned by the UK Chamber of Shipping was produced as a result of those meetings, and officials have taken it into account in producing the Government’s Impact Assessment on the draft UK Regulations to implement the sulphur limits in national law.
The Government went out to an eight-week public consultation on 29 April 2014 on those draft UK Regulations. Meanwhile, Government officials continue to work closely with the industry and to explore the scope for securing EU finance, possibly under the Trans-European Network (commonly known as TEN-T) programme and affordable capital from the European Investment Bank, for shipowners and ports who wish to invest in scrubber technology or in technology associated with the use of an alternative fuel, such as liquefied natural gas, to comply with the new limits.
The UK Regulations will be reviewed in accordance with normal Government practice and consistent with the principles of better regulation.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jake Berry on 2014-03-25.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many cases of child benefit fraud his Department is investigating.
Nicky Morgan
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) approach to Child Benefit error and fraud is to verify all new claims and, on a risk basis, to check existing claims for incorrect information against data from other systems. Where HMRC consider that a claim may not be correct, they open an enquiry. Where the enquiry determines that the claim is incorrect, the claim or part of the claim is terminated.
Child Benefit compliance enquires are carried out continually throughout the year and as at 31 March 2014, HMRC had 3565 ongoing cases.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2014-06-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the proportion of housing benefit claims processed within (a) 10, (b) 20, (c) 30, (d) 40, (e) 60 and (f) more than 60 working days.
Steve Webb
None. The average speed of processing statistics for Housing Benefit are not broken down in this way. Published statistics are at the GOV.UK website: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/housing-benefit-and-council-tax-benefit-statistics-on-speed-of-processing–2
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cathy Jamieson on 2014-03-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, when he expects the smart meter central delivery body to set out plans for assiting microbusinesses to use smart meters.
Gregory Barker
The Smart Meter Central Delivery Body intend to publish an updated Consumer Engagement Plan before the end of the year, where they will set out their plans for assisting microbusinesses.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Russell Brown on 2014-06-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what response he has given to the letter to him of 21 March 2014 from the Welfare Reform Committee of the Scottish Parliament on the recommendations of its review of work capability assessments.
Mike Penning
As Minister of State with responsibility for this policy area I responded to the letter from the Welfare Reform Committee of the Scottish Parliament on 26 April 2014 thanking them for their recommendations and drawing out the links between those and the recommendations made by Doctor Litchfield in the fourth Independent Review of the Work Capability Assessment published in December 2013.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dr Julian Huppert on 2014-03-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential of water cannon to cause (a) temporary and (b) permanent injury.
Damian Green
The Home Secretary has now received the request to authorise water cannon for use by the police in England and Wales. She is considering this request and will announce her decision in due course and lay the relevant information in the House Library.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2014-06-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effect of being able to access a GP appointment within 48 hours on levels of patient satisfaction.
Dr Daniel Poulter
Overall patient satisfaction is driven by a range of factors, including accessing a general practitioner (GP) appointment at a convenient time, ability to see a preferred GP and the quality of the conversation with the GP.
The Government recognises the importance of timely access to general practice. The PM Challenge Fund has allocated £50 million to pilot ways to improve access around the country, to give GPs the flexibility to meet the needs of the local population.
In addition, the new GP contract introduced a new Enhanced Service, which includes a commitment to same day phone consultations with a professional in the GP surgery, where necessary, for the most at risk in the population.