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Tag: 2014

  • Paul Flynn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Paul Flynn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2014-04-30.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the potential contribution of sustainable lighting systems to development in Africa; and if her Department will collaborate with Solar Aid to provide such systems to communities in Africa.

    Lynne Featherstone

    The UN Sustainable Energy for All initiative estimated that in 2010 only 32% of people in sub-Saharan Africa had access to electricity. There is high potential for household scale systems using sustainable and renewable energy such as solar power to increase access to electricity.

    DFID will match funding for Solar Aid’s SunnyMoney appeal in the Guardian Newspaper. This will fund the distribution of portable solar lights through Solar Aid’s social enterprise ‘SunnyMoney Way,’ in Zambia, Malawi, Kenya and Uganda. Through this project, Solar Aid expect to distribute some 76,400 solar lights benefiting over 400,000 people.

  • Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission

    Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-04-30.

    To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission, what assessment the Electoral Commission has made of the merits of auto enrolment of young people at the time they are given their national insurance number.

    Mr Gary Streeter

    The Electoral Commission informs me that it will carefully consider with the Cabinet Office any proposals such as this for improving the efficiency of electoral registration processes as it monitors the implementation of individual electoral registration during 2014 and 2015. If such proposals appear to be viable, the Commission will recommend that the Government brings forward any necessary measures to allow them to take place once the transition to individual electoral registration is complete.

  • Cathy Jamieson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Cathy Jamieson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cathy Jamieson on 2014-04-30.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reason his Department will no longer participate in the Debt Management Plan Protocol guidance group; and if he will make a statement.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The Government is committed to improving standards in the debt management industry to deliver a better deal for consumers and greater transparency for creditors. The Debt Management Plan Protocol played a crucial role in meeting this objective, working in complement with the OFT regulatory framework, and paved the way for more robust regulation of the sector by the FCA.

    From 1 April, responsibility for regulating debt management firms, along with all other consumer credit firms, transferred from the Office of Fair Trading to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

    Consumers will be better protected under the new regime – the FCA will:

    · police the gateway to the market more thoroughly;

    · proactively identify risks to consumers;

    · focus its supervisory resources on areas most likely to cause consumer harm;

    · approve individuals in influential roles in firms;

    · operate a flexible and responsive regime;

    · use its wide enforcement toolkit;

    · and ensure consumers have access to redress.

    The FCA will thoroughly assess every debt management firm’s fitness to trade as part of the authorisation process – debt management firms will be amongst the first to require authorisation.

    The FCA has also introduced new requirements for debt management firms, including:

    · Prudential requirements: Debt management firms often hold consumers’ money – the FCA is requiring large debt management firms to hold capital to ensure that consumers don’t risk losing their money if things go wrong.

    · Guidance added that debt management firms should not allocate more than half the money received from customers in debt management plans to meeting their fees and charges.

    With the new FCA regulatory regime in place which will greatly improve consumer protection in the debt management market, the Government decided following discussions with a range of stakeholders that it was the right time to step away from an active role in the Protocol.

    The Government hopes that the stakeholders involved in the Protocol will continue to work together to help the FCA monitor the market and drive best practice in the sector.

  • Steve McCabe – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Steve McCabe – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2014-04-30.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the effects of reductions in education funding for 18 year olds on students with severe or complex disabilities and who attend specialist schools.

    Matthew Hancock

    The reductions in education funding for 18-year-old students do not apply to those with severe and complex disabilities who attend special schools. From August 2014 special schools will receive a flat rate £10,000 for all their 16- to 18-year-old student places, together with top-up funding from local authorities for individual students.

  • John Woodcock – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    John Woodcock – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Woodcock on 2014-04-30.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the average cost of a primary school meal was in 2013.

    Mr David Laws

    The Department for Education does not hold the information requested.

  • Pete Wishart – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Pete Wishart – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Pete Wishart on 2014-04-30.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many pregnant women in Scotland are in receipt of section 4 support under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999; how many such women were moved to different accommodation during pregnancy; how many weeks pregnant each such woman was when she was moved; what the reason for each such move was; and if a risk assessment of each such move was undertaken which included input from a treating clinician.

    James Brokenshire

    The information requested is not routinely collected and could only be provided
    by examining individual case records, which would result in disproportionate
    cost.

  • David Hanson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    David Hanson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Hanson on 2014-04-30.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will introduce exit checks to apply to non-scheduled international travel by air, sea and rail services.

    James Brokenshire

    Exit Checks were abolished by the Labour Government in 1998. The
    Coalition Agreement committed this Government to reinstate them. By April
    2015, comprehensive exit checks will apply on scheduled, commercial air, sea
    and rail routes.

    We are also working with operators in the General Aviation and General Maritime
    sectors to strengthen border security checks on those who leave the UK on
    non-scheduled services.

  • Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-04-30.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Written Statement of 17 March 2014, Official Report, columns 53-4WS, on the Higgins Review, who is undertaking the review of connections between HS2 and the Continent announced in that Statement; and when he expects the review to be completed.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Secretary of State has asked HS2 Ltd and Network Rail to consider how to improve connections between the rail network and the continent, in a way that could be implemented once the initial stages of HS2 are complete. The report will explore options that will stand the test of time and will be completed before the end of next year. The remit of the work is being considered and will be finalised shortly.

  • Andrew Love – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Andrew Love – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Love on 2014-04-30.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the five most common causes of infant mortality have been over the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Nick Hurd

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

  • Gloria De Piero – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Gloria De Piero – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gloria De Piero on 2014-04-30.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of the total number of (a) private, (b) public and (c) third sector jobs in (a) Ashfield constituency, (ii) Nottinghamshire and (iii) the East Midlands 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.