Tag: 2014

Pete Wishart – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Pete Wishart on 2014-07-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what (a) external organisations and (b) officials in the Office of the Advocate-General for Scotland he has engaged with as part of the Scotland Analysis programme; and what was discussed at each such consultation.

David Mundell

The Scotland analysis programme has been the most detailed examination ever undertaken of Scotland’s contribution to the UK and the benefits that Scotland gets from being part of the UK. The UK Government has engaged with a wide range of organisations in the development of and distribution of the analysis, including business organisations, academics and lawyers. The Office of the Advocate General for Scotland provides the UK Government with advice on Scots law and has been involved throughout the production of all of the Scotland analysis papers, along with officials from across Whitehall.

November 2, 2022
Rosie Cooper – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rosie Cooper on 2014-07-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the main reasons for the time taken to process personal independence payment claims.

Mr Mark Harper

Claimants to employment and support allowance (ESA) are not being asked to claim personal independence payment (PIP). PIP was introduced in April 2013 to replace disability living allowance (DLA) for working age people (between 16 and 64 years old) and operates an entirely separate assessment from the work capability assessment used for ESA claims. From October 2013 we have begun inviting some existing claimants of DLA to claim PIP. The current arrangements for this can be found on the gov.uk website:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-personal-independence-payment-toolkit-for-partners/the-personal-independence-payment-pip-toolkit-for-partners .

We are continuously looking at ways to increase the number of decisions made on PIP claims and to improve the claims process.

Internal DWP processes and the assessment part of the process are taking longer than expected and some claimants are taking longer than anticipated to return their claim forms but we are working closely with both PIP assessment providers as part of our plans to speed up the end to end claimant journey. We have introduced improvements in communications to claimants about the type of evidence they can supply to speed up their claim and we are taking action to support the assessment providers in clearing backlogs of work.

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November 2, 2022
Seema Malhotra – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Seema Malhotra on 2014-07-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the situation in Israel and Palestine.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

As the Prime Minister said in his comprehensive statement yesterday, we are clear that Israel has a right to defend itself against these attacks. No country would stand by as rockets are fired or terrorist tunnels are constructed into their territory. We are equally clear that Israel’s response must be proportionate, taking all necessary steps to minimise civilian casualties in line with International Humanitarian Law.

November 2, 2022
Sharon Hodgson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sharon Hodgson on 2014-07-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what discussions he, Minister and officials in his Department have had with Ministers or officials in the (a) Department of Culture, Media and Sport and (b) Home Office about the resale of tickets and the Consumer Rights Bill.

Jo Swinson

My Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills has not received any direct representations from representatives of the secondary ticketing websites on amendments tabled to the Consumer Rights Bill or about the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 and the Department for Business Innovation and Skills’ guidance on them.

Neither my Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State nor other Ministers in the Department for Business Innovation and Skills have had meetings with the secondary ticketing websites about the implementation of the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 or the Department for Business Innovation and Skills’ guidance on them.

The draft Regulations and the contents of the Bill were widely consulted on and the Department received a range of comments in response. Officials from the Department have also had discussions with a wide range of stakeholders (including with secondary ticketing websites) on the implementation of those Regulations and the guidance on them.

Following a consultation on the draft regulations, the Department for Business Innovation and Skills has produced guidance on the requirements of the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013. This guidance is easily accessible on the gov.uk website. Officials have also worked with the Business Support Helpline, which offers free advice to business on a wide range of issues, including regulation, and with the Trading Standards Institute (TSI), as the primary body responsible for educating businesses on consumer law. TSI has also produced guidance which is available on their website. Consumers themselves are important in driving compliance and officials have worked with Citizens Advice to raise consumer awareness so that they can see when businesses are not abiding by the requirements of the regulations.

The Department for Business Innovation and Skills has also actively promoted the changes in the Regulations across all sectors through seminars, presentations and communications to businesses.

Ministers in the Home Office, Department for Culture Media and Sport and the Department for Business Innovation and Skills have discussions and correspond together on a wide range of issues, and this has included agreeing the content of the Consumer Rights Bill. Officials from those Departments are in regular contact, including regarding the issue of resale of tickets.

November 2, 2022

Luciana Berger – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2014-07-15.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the cost in salaries was for those officials in his Department employed in tackling tobacco smuggling (a) in total, (b) in detection, (c) in investigations and (d) on intelligence matters in each year since 2010-11.

Priti Patel

It is not possible to provide the requested breakdown of the total HM Revenue and Customs spent on salaries for staff employed on tackling tobacco smuggling in the way requested. The total costs for each year are as follows:

Salary Cost

(millions)

2010-11

Salary cost

(millions)

2011-12

Salary cost

(millions)

2012-13

Salary cost

(millions)

2013-14

Total

£37.044

£36.882

£35.734

£37.731

HM Revenue and Customs does not operate any x-ray scanners. Border Force has responsibility for the operation of x-ray scanners as part of the joint strategy to tackle tobacco smuggling.

HM Revenue and Customs total expenditure on tobacco work since 2010-11 is detailed in the table below. This includes administration and policy, as well as enforcement.

HMRC Activity

2010-11

2011-12

2012-13

2013-14

Total expenditure on tobacco work (millions)

£65.750

£68.918

£67.641

£76.000

It is not possible to provide the staff information in the format requested. However, the total figures are set out below:

HMRC Activity	2010/11 Full Time Equivalent	2011/12 Full Time Equivalent	2012/13 Full Time Equivalent	2013/14 Full Time Equivalent



Total	758	777	777	832

For the year 2012/13, the UK cigarette illicit market was reported at 9%, which is half the level seen a decade ago. The illicit market share for hand-rolling tobacco is 36%, lower than in 2010/11 and significantly lower than the level seen in 2008/09, when it was 50 per cent.

November 2, 2022

Lyn Brown – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lyn Brown on 2014-07-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the suitability for other negotiations of the accrual rate for pension entitlement used within the offer agreed by the Northern Ireland Executive in negotiations on firefighter pensions.

Penny Mordaunt

The pension arrangements to apply to firefighters in Northern Ireland are a matter for the Northern Ireland Executive. Northern Ireland is not covered by the Public Service Pensions Act 2013 which requires a Normal Pension Age of 60 to apply to firefighters in England, Scotland and Wales.

November 2, 2022
Stephen Barclay – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Barclay on 2014-07-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many masts are operational in Cambridgeshire as a result of the Mobile Infrastructure Project.

Mr Edward Vaizey

There are not yet any masts operational in Cambridgeshire. We estimate that work will commence on Cambridgeshire masts over the coming months. The build of all masts under the Mobile Infrastructure Project is dependent on a number of unknown factors for each potential mast, including finding a willing landlord for the mast and obtaining planning permission.

November 2, 2022
Louise Ellman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Ellman on 2014-07-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what her targets are for improvement at the University Academy, Liverpool; and in what timescale she will require such improvements to be made.

Mr Edward Timpson

The responsibility for engaging with parents and staff on improving standards in underperforming academies lies with the sponsor or trust.

The Department for Education will intervene in cases where we are concerned that sponsors are not bringing about rapid, sustained educational improvements.

In the case of the University of Chester Academies Trust (UCAT), which is the sponsor of the University Academy Liverpool (UAL), the Department has already intervened. Officials have been closely monitoring the performance of the sponsor since the publication of examination results in 2013. In April 2014, my noble Friend Lord Nash issued UCAT with a pre-warning notice letter as a result of our overall concerns about the performance of the Trust and our particular concerns about three of its academies, including UAL. The Trust has responded with an action plan to address these issues.

We do not tolerate underperformance. Where an academy is not making urgent sustained progress, we will work closely with the school and sponsor to secure whatever changes are necessary to make improvements. This might include a change of leadership, or a new partnership with a successful strong academy, sponsor or school.

We continue to monitor the situation at UAL closely against its action plan and will not hesitate to intervene further at both school and Trust level if results in 2014 do not improve.

November 2, 2022
Caroline Flint – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Flint on 2014-07-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, pursuant to the Answer of 9 July 2014, Official Report, column 304W, on the green deal scheme, what estimate his Department has made of the average cost of energy efficiency improvements for households that have received money back under the green deal home improvements fund.

Amber Rudd

As at 14 July 2014, 6,607 vouchers have been issued under the Green Deal Home Improvement Fund with a maximum potential value of £36,484,100.

Data on numbers of vouchers issued is currently published weekly on the Gov.Uk website at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/energy-savings-advice-service-esas-calls-and-green-deal-webpage-views.

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November 2, 2022
Matthew Offord – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Offord on 2014-07-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to simplify existing environmental, marine and agricultural regulations.

George Eustice

By contributing to Red Tape Challenge, Defra has reviewed over 1200 of its regulations. As a result of these reviews Defra has made commitments to revoke or improve nearly 800 regulations and as well as a number of significant non-regulatory changes that will directly benefit business and the wider public. These include the reform of all regulatory guidance produced by Defra and its agencies by spring 2015, so that users can quickly access clear information on what they need; changes to data reporting obligations, to remove any duplicate and unnecessary requests for information; and plans to explore opportunities to simplify and reduce the number of compliance inspections on farms.

These reforms are being made without reducing existing protection of the environment or animal and plant health and are detailed in a report entitled “Defra better for Business: A Strategic Reform Plan for Defra Regulations” which was published on 9 April 2014[1]. Defra is working to deliver the vast majority of these proposals by April 2015 so that benefits can be felt quickly. Current estimates suggest that business could by then be saving £300million per year as a result of these reforms.

[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/302112/pb14166-defra-better-for-business.pdf

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November 2, 2022