Tag: 2015

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-02-11.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment he has made of the future prospects for the UK’s credit rating.

Andrea Leadsom

The Government’s long term economic plan has secured the UK’s strong credit rating, which has contributed to lower borrowing costs and help protect frontline services. In June 2014, Standard and Poor’s (S&P) revised the outlook on their UK AAA rating from negative to stable. The key driver cited by S&P was ‘Amid further progress in consolidating public fiannces, the UK’s economic recovery is broadening.’

S&P have assigned the UK sovereign the top triple AAA rating since they first published a UK rating in 1978. Moody’s and Fitch have assigned the UK the second highest rating Aa1 and AA+ respectively, with a stable outlook. The Government remains committed to its long term economic plan to ensure that the UK’s strong credit rating is maintained.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-02-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to support market towns.

Penny Mordaunt

The Government is fully committed to helping communities respond to the structural changes underway in our town centres. Since 2010, we have helped create over 360 town teams, including 27 Portas Pilots. We have funded successful initiatives such as ‘Love your Local Market’ and the Great British High Street Portal and awards. We have strengthened the role of Business Improvement Districts, introduced new permitted development rights and are tackling aggressive parking enforcement.

In addition, approximately 600,000 businesses are benefitting from Small Business Rate Relief with approximately 400,000 paying no rates at all.

We announced at the 2014 Autumn Statement an extra £650 million of support for 2015-16 business rates bills in England, bringing the total support from 2013 and 2014 Autumn Statement measures to £1.4 billion in 2015-16. That includes amongst other things:

• doubling Small Business Rate Relief for a further year (2015-16);
• increasing the temporary discount for shops, pubs and restaurants with rateable values below £50,000 from £1,000 to £1,500 for 2015-16.

Over half of the £1.4 billion package will go to retail.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-02-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether the flag of the Commonwealth nations will fly on public buildings on Commonwealth Day 2015.

Mrs Helen Grant

The flags of the Commonwealth nations will fly on Parliament Square to mark Commonwealth Day on 9^th March. Commonwealth Day is a designated day for the flying of the Union Flag on all UK Government Buildings, so the Union Flag takes precedence over other flags on this day. Other public authorities may be participating in the independent initiative ‘Fly a Flag for the Commonwealth’ by flying the Commonwealth Flag from their buildings on Commonwealth Day.