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Tag: 2014

  • Priti Patel – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Priti Patel – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Priti Patel on 2014-06-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what public funds were spent on infrastructure improvement works on each road in the strategic road network in each of the last 10 years.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    Public expenditure figures for each road on the strategic road network are not available. The Highways Agency publish annual accounts which are laid before Parliament which are available from the Library of the House and from the Agency’s website at: http://www.highways.gov.uk/about-us/corporate-documents/strategic-corporate-documents/annual-report-2012-2013/

    Over the last ten years, total expenditure on the maintenance, management and enhancement of the strategic road network in each year was as follows:

    £m

    2004/05

    1,598

    2005/06

    1,927

    2006/07

    2,330

    2007/08

    2,330

    2008/09

    2,416

    2009/10

    3,003

    2010/11

    2,597

    2011/12

    2,349

    2012/13

    1,897

    2013/14

    2,284

    Table showing Highways Agency total operational DEL (departmental expenditure limits) excluding accounting items such as depreciation.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Andrew Rosindell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2014-03-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to prevent married couples from fraudulently claiming council and housing tax-related benefit available only for single people.

    Steve Webb

    There are no social security benefits relating to housing costs or council tax that are available only to single people. There is a reduction of 25% in the council tax payable available to those who live alone, but the administration of this is a matter for local authorities.

    Generally, suspicions that claimants may be living together as if they were married or in a civil partnership without informing the relevant benefit payer come from various sources, including members of the public and members of staff. The Department currently does not investigate cases that only involve housing benefit as these are a matter for local authorities.

    Council tax benefit ceased to exist on 1 April 2013 and has been replaced by the local council tax reduction (LCTR) scheme, the administration of which is a matter for local authorities.

  • Dominic Raab – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    Dominic Raab – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dominic Raab on 2014-06-09.

    To ask the Ministers for Women and Equalities, how often Section 159 of the Equality Act 2010 has been used by employers in relation to recruitment or promotion of an individual with protected characteristics in each year since 2011.

    Mrs Helen Grant

    The information requested is not collected or held centrally.

  • Ian Murray – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Ian Murray – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Murray on 2014-03-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent discussions his Department has had with (a) Post Office Limited and (b) the National Federation of Sub-Postmasters on the future use of the Post Office Card Account.

    Steve Webb

    The Post Office card account (POca) contract expires in March 2015 with the possibility of a 2 year extension beyond that date.

    The POca is a very simple account designed for the receipt of pensions and legacy benefits. It cannot be used for the payment of wages/salaries and does not offer transactional services such as direct debits so will not be suitable for the majority of working age claimants eligible for Universal Credit.

    No decision has been made on the future of the POca but discussions are currently taking place between DWP, Post Office Ltd and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills to consider the future needs of customers beyond 2015 and any announcement on this matter will be made in due course.

    Ministers and Officials have also met with relevant stakeholders, including the National Federation of Sub-Postmasters to discuss POca related issues.

  • Toby Perkins – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Toby Perkins – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Toby Perkins on 2014-06-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, which organisations (a) he and (b) other Ministers in his Department met to discuss regulation of pub companies in (i) 2013 and (ii) 2014; and on what dates those meetings took place.

    Jenny Willott

    The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has taken an even handed approach to speaking with stakeholders from all sides of the debate in developing our proposals for statutory intervention in the pubs sector.

    In 2013, BIS Ministers met the following organisations:

    Date

    Organisation

    Minister

    22 January

    Ministerial Roundtable with licensee groups including:

    British Institute of Innkeeping; GMB Union; Federation of Licensed Victuallers Associations; Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers; Brighton & Hove Licensees Association; Campaign for Real Ale; Fair Pint Campaign; Independent Pub Confederation; Federation of Small Businesses; Guild of Master Victuallers.

    Jo Swinson

    28 January

    Ministerial Roundtable including:

    British Beer and Pub Association; Punch Taverns; Star Pubs and Bars.

    Jo Swinson

    7 February

    Ministerial Roundtable including:

    Greene King; Shepherd Neame; Everards Brewery; Admiral Taverns; Hook Norton Brewery; Independent Family Brewers of Britain.

    Jo Swinson

    21 February

    Meeting with the Scottish Licensed Trade Association.

    Jo Swinson

    27 February

    Meeting with Enterprise Inns

    Michael Fallon

    10 June

    Ministerial Roundtable including:

    Everards Brewery; Fuller Smith & Turner; Admiral Taverns; Hook Norton; McMullen & Sons; Shepherd Neame; Wadworth & Co; Trust Inns; Greene King; Titanic Brewery; Westerham Ales; Society of Independent Brewers.

    Jo Swinson

    12 June

    Ministerial Roundtable including:

    British Beer and Pub Association; Enterprise Inns; Marston’s; Mitchells & Butlers; Punch Taverns; Spirit Pub Company; Star Pubs and Bars; Wellington Pub Company.

    Jo Swinson

    18 July

    Meeting with Greg Mulholland MP and the Independent Pub Confederation.

    Jo Swinson

    30 September

    Meeting with the British Beer and Pub Association.

    Vince Cable

    29 October

    Meeting with the Federation of Small Businesses (pubs were discussed as part of a wider meeting).

    Vince Cable

    In 2014, BIS Ministers met the following organisations:

    Date

    Organisation

    Minister

    30 January

    Meeting with the Federation of Small Businesses.

    Vince Cable

    12 February

    Meeting with Sir Peter Luff MP and Admiral Taverns; Hook Norton Brewery.

    Jenny Willott

    17 March

    Meeting with Greene King.

    Jenny Willott

    24 March

    Meeting with representatives of the British Beer and Pub Association; Punch Taverns; Shepherd Neame.

    Jenny Willott

    31 March

    Meeting with the Campaign for Real Ale.

    Jenny Willott

    25 April

    Meeting with S A Brains.

    Jenny Willott

    In addition to meetings with organisations, Ministers met with a number of tied tenants. Officials also met with stakeholders before, during and after the consultation process to discuss our proposals to establish a Statutory Code and an independent Adjudicator.

  • Lord Stoddart of Swindon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Lord Stoddart of Swindon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon on 2014-03-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the average annual salary and expenses paid to (1) members of the House of Commons, and (2) members of the European Parliament.

    Lord Wallace of Saltaire

    The determination and administration of the pay, pensions and expenses for Members of Parliament is the responsibility of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA). The current salary of a Member of Parliament is £66,396. IPSA publish the salary and total business costs and expenses paid to each MP.

    Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) paid by the European Parliament under the Statute for Members of the European Parliament are paid at 38.5%of the basic salary of a judge at the Court of Justice of the European Communities, which is currently € 7.956,87 a month before EU tax and accident insurance contribution. Those British MEPs who are not paid under the Statute for Members of the European Parliament are paid at the same rate as MPs.

  • Mark Hoban – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Mark Hoban – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hoban on 2014-06-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to his Iranian counterpart on that country’s material and financial support for terror organisations.

    Hugh Robertson

    We have serious concerns about Iran’s support for a number of militant groups in the Middle East, including Hizballah, Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), the military wing of Hamas, and Shia militia groups, including in Iraq. This support undermines prospects for peace and stability in the Middle East. We have raised our concerns about such activity during our expanding bilateral engagement with Iran, and will continue to do so.

  • Liam Byrne – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Liam Byrne – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liam Byrne on 2014-04-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate his Department has made of the number of (a) successful and (b) unsuccessful bids from Local Enterprise Partnerships for the Local Growth Fund to date.

    Michael Fallon

    All 39 Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) submitted their Strategic Economic Plans to Government by 31 March 2014. Given the highly competitive nature of the Local Growth Fund (LGF), it will be over-subscribed and therefore there will be successful and unsuccessful bids to the fund. The assessment process is underway, but it is too early to say how many bids will and will not be successful.

  • Chris Heaton-Harris – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Chris Heaton-Harris – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Heaton-Harris on 2014-06-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what savings are planned for neonatal care under the Quality, Innovation, Productivity and Prevention Initiative for 2014-15.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    NHS England, as part of its direct commissioning responsibilities for specialised services, has an ongoing programme in place to identify both local and national opportunities to identify potential efficiencies as part of its management and prioritisation of available resources.

    NHS England’s Clinical Reference Groups (CRGs), involving lead clinical, patient and professional representatives, are assisting NHS England in this work, particularly in respect of proposals that might be considered nationwide.

    Specialised neonatal care is one of NHS England’s most significant areas of expenditure and the Neonatal CRG has therefore been involved in identifying potential neonatal specific schemes, which may have the potential to deliver savings whilst maintaining safety and quality. The schemes will be subject to a confirm and challenge process to determine their deliverability, before being worked up into schemes which could be implemented on a national basis.

    It is therefore not possible, at this stage in the programme’s development, to quantify the level of savings that might be generated nationally or the specific savings approach that will be adopted.

    It is unlikely that the national schemes currently being considered will generate savings in 20140-15. The schemes are more likely to be transformational in design and therefore are more likely to deliver savings in the longer term.

  • Catherine McKinnell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Speaker’s Committee on the Electorial Commission

    Catherine McKinnell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Speaker’s Committee on the Electorial Commission

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine McKinnell on 2014-03-10.

    To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission, what the electoral registration figures were in each ward in the recent confirmation dry run conducted in the Newcastle City Council area.

    Gary Streeter

    The Electoral Commission informs me that the confirmation dry run involved matching all entries on the electoral registers against the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Customer Information System database. Entries would be marked as green if they matched with DWP, amber if they were a partial match or red if there was no match.

    The ward results for Newcastle City Council are shown in the following table:

    Results for all wards are available on the Commission’s website here: http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/__data/assets/excel_doc/0003/163146/Confirmation-dry-run-2013-Results-Wards.xls

    “