Tag: 2015

  • Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 11 September 2015 to Question 8466, if he will list the names, job titles and pay grades of all appointments to extended ministerial offices that have been made to date.

    Matthew Hancock

    The government regularly publishes information on the job titles and pay grades of senior civil servants along with the numbers of staff they manage and the budgets they are responsible for.

  • Christian Matheson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Christian Matheson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christian Matheson on 2015-10-09.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions he has had with the Financial Conduct Authority on the misselling of interest rate swaps.

    Harriett Baldwin

    Treasury Ministers and officials meet with a wide range of organisations as part of the usual policy making process.

    It might be useful to know that the Treasury publishes a list of ministerial meetings with external organisations. This is available online at: www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/minister_hospitality.htm.

    As you are aware, the FCA is an independent non-governmental body responsible for regulating and supervising the financial services industry. Although the Treasury sets the legal framework for the regulation of financial services, it has strictly limited powers in relation to the FCA. In particular, the Treasury has no general power of direction over the FCA and cannot intervene in individual cases.

    The independence of the FCA is vital to the role it provides as a safety net for consumers with complaints against financial services firms. Their credibility, authority and value to consumers would be undermined if it were possible for the Government to intervene in their decision-making.

    The FCA regularly publishes information on the progress of the redress scheme. This can be found here: www.fca.org.uk/consumers/financial-services-products/banking/interest-rate-hedging-products.

    You may be aware that the Treasury Select Committee’s report into SME lending, published on 10 March, recommended that the FCA collect the information necessary to establish whether there are systemic failures in the redress scheme. The FCA has responded and the Committee, which published this response on 12 October 2015. It can be found here: www.parliament.uk/documents/commons-committees/treasury/Responses/Financial-Conduct-Authority-response-to-Conduct-and-Competition-in-SME.pdf

  • Stephen Doughty – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Stephen Doughty – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Doughty on 2015-10-09.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many investigations HM Revenue and Customs has carried out for (a) non-payment of child maintenance and (b) allegations of fraudulent tax claims submitted to the Child Support Agency in each of the last five years.

    Mr David Gauke

    (a) HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) does not enforce non-payment of child maintenance. This is the responsibility for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Child Maintenance Group.

    (b) HMRC does not hold the numbers of fraudulent tax claims submitted to the Child Support Agency. The responsibility for providing HMRC with this information would be for DWP.

  • Alison Thewliss – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Alison Thewliss – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alison Thewliss on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to foster links with travelling showpeople.

    Brandon Lewis

    DCLG has an on-going dialogue with a range of partners. For example DCLG consulted travelling showpeople on recent changes to planning policy.

  • David Lammy – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    David Lammy – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Lammy on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will encourage the Football Association to ensure an equitable agreement is reached for both Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea to play their games at Wembley Stadium while their stadia are being redeveloped.

    Tracey Crouch

    The use of Wembley Stadium​ is a contractual matter between private companies but I understand The FA are in active discussions with both clubs. ​I would ​encourage both ​​Tottenham and Chelsea to maintain an active dialogue with The FA on how best to achieve thisgoal, with a view to supporting the redevelopment of both clubs’ grounds.

  • Catherine West – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Catherine West – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether any individuals other than those expressly intended to be the target of the RAF drone attack carried out in Syria on 21 August 2015 were killed or injured; and if he will make a statement.

    Michael Fallon

    I refer the hon. Member to the Statement my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister (David Cameron) made in the House on 7 September 2015 (Official Report, columns 23 to 27).

  • Ben Howlett – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Ben Howlett – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Howlett on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to prevent sexual exploitation of vulnerable people with special educational needs in schools.

    Edward Timpson

    The government’s report ‘Tackling Child Sexual Exploitation’ sets out the steps that the government is taking to protect children from sexual exploitation, including children with learning difficulties and disabilities. For example, we are exploring how personal, social, health and economic education training and resources for schools might be tailored for staff and special schools, and have provided £4.85 million for services supporting child sexual abuse survivors, including vulnerable children with learning difficulties.

  • Ian Austin – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Ian Austin – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many schools offer elementary GCSEs where C is the highest possible grade.

    Nick Gibb

    The Department for Education does not hold the requested information.

  • Tulip Siddiq – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Tulip Siddiq – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will support an EU-wide ban on single-use plastic carrier bags.

    Anna Soubry

    The EU Carrier Bags Directive (EU 2015/720) already requires all member states to take measures to reduce the consumption of plastic carrier bags and provides for marketing restrictions such as bans.

  • Madeleine Moon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Madeleine Moon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Madeleine Moon on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will assess the effect on the bee population of the repeal of the ban on neonicotinoid pesticides; and if she will make a statement.

    George Eustice

    The UK Government has not repealed a ban on neonicotinoids. There is not a ban, but an EU restriction on the use of three neonicotinoids that has been in place since 1 December 2013. A number of uses of these neonicotinoids remain approved. The restriction has been implemented in full in the UK.

    EU rules on pesticides allow for the limited and controlled use of restricted neonicotinoids in emergency situations to control a danger which cannot be contained by any other reasonable means. In assessing applications for limited and controlled use, the UK Expert Committee on Pesticides considers all the relevant environmental and agronomic factors, including the effects on bees and the value of the products as a consequence of safeguarding crop yields. Recently, Ministers followed the Committee’s advice in the granting of two authorisations to use neonicotinoids to protect an area equivalent to 5% of the national oilseed rape crop.

    The European Commission has begun a review of the science on neonicotinoids and pollinators. The UK Government is participating fully in that process.