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Tag: 2015

  • Chi Onwurah – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Chi Onwurah – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2015-02-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the average number of days training of full-time equivalent staff employed in her Department was in each of the last three financial years.

    Mrs Theresa Villiers

    The number of average training days of full-time equivalent staff employed in my Department is not held in this format. This is because training takes place in many informal formats such as work-shadowing, on the job training and research etc, which are not formally recorded.

  • Kate Green – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Kate Green – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Green on 2015-02-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much the Government has loaned to the insurance industry to assist with the costs of the Diffuse Mesothelioma Payment Scheme in the first year of its operation.

    Mr Mark Harper

    The Government has not provided a loan to the insurance industry to assist with the costs of the Diffuse Mesothelioma Payment Scheme.

  • Mark Lazarowicz – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Mark Lazarowicz – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Lazarowicz on 2015-02-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 22 January 2015 to Question 221729, how many former Incapacity Benefit claimants that were transferred to either jobseeker’s allowance or employment and support allowance had participated in a Work Programme in (a) Edinburgh, (b) Scotland and (c) the UK up to September 2014; and how many of those have found work as a result of that programme.

    Esther McVey

    Information on the number of Work Programme referrals, attachments and job outcomes, by payment group can be found at:

    http://tabulation-tool.dwp.gov.uk/WorkProg/tabtool.html

    Guidance for users can be found at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dwp-tabulation-tool-guidance

    Information for Northern Ireland is the responsibility of the Department for Social Development in Northern Ireland.

    http://www.dsdni.gov.uk/index/stats_and_research.htm

    “

  • Lord Browne of Belmont – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Browne of Belmont – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Browne of Belmont on 2015-02-12.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the ease of opening bank accounts for small businesses.

    Lord Deighton

    The Government has not made a formal assessment of the ease of opening bank accounts for small businesses. However, more information than ever is available for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs).

    The British Bankers’ Association has a ‘Business Account Finder’ that provides information on a range of financial services available to businesses, including current accounts. This presents a list of the most competitive current accounts available with separate sections for sole traders, limited companies, charities and other types of business.

    In addition, the Business Banking Insight survey (BBI) provides detailed information on what UK SMEs think about every aspect of their bank and includes a ranking of banks against key indicators. It is a powerful tool for SMEs, helping them understand their options, making decisions about who to bank with and planning how they will grow.

  • Baroness Wheatcroft – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Baroness Wheatcroft – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Wheatcroft on 2015-02-12.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the annual cost to the National Health Service of the customer satisfaction surveys conducted by text message; and to what use the results of such surveys are put.

    Earl Howe

    A range of surveys are conducted to understand the views and experience of those using NHS services. The National Health Survey patient experience survey programme uses a postal methodology and does not currently involve text messaging.

    The NHS Friends and Family Test (FFT) is not a traditional customer satisfaction survey, but provides continuous opportunities for near real-time feedback from patients about their experience of care and treatment. Healthcare providers can provide a feedback collection method that suits them. Most use low-cost paper feedback forms and collection boxes but some use text messaging. NHS England does not gather information on the cost of this.

    FFT provides a rich source of patient views that has proved valuable in making improvements to local services.

  • Lord Myners – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Myners – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Myners on 2015-02-12.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will publish or place in the Library of the House the agreement under which HM Revenue and Customs received from its French equivalent details of accounts allegedly held at HSBC Suisse; whether the terms of that agreement were negotiated by HM Revenue and Customs and advised to ministers; whether HM Revenue and Customs took legal advice and sought the views of ministers on the agreement before its signing; and under which legal jurisdiction the agreement is enforceable.

    Lord Deighton

    Information provided to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) by the French tax authorities in respect of individuals indicated to hold accounts at the Geneva branch of HSBC Suisse and understood to be UK residents was supplied to HMRC under the terms of both the Mutual Assistance Directive 77/799/EEC[1] and the Double Taxation Convention in force between France and the United Kingdom at that time[2].

    The Mutual Assistance Directive had been in force since 23 December 1977. The Double Taxation Convention has been in force since 18 December 2009, replacing an earlier convention which had been in force since 1969.

    Since their entry into force each of these agreements has been a matter of public record.

    There was, therefore, no new agreement for the Board of HMRC to negotiate or consider in connection with the provision of the information by the French tax authorities.

    HMRC does not share copies of Board papers and minutes with HM Treasury. However, senior HM Treasury officials are standing invitees to HMRC’s monthly Executive Committee meeting, which is the Department’s main executive forum and the primary place where decisions are taken with regards to setting and delivering strategy and improving performance in key areas, and as such they have routine access to relevant committee meeting papers and minutes.

    Each HMRC Executive Committee member also takes responsibility for the management of activities within a specific portfolio, including enforcement and compliance and business or personal tax customer services; HM Treasury officials do not have access to this level of information which ‎contains operational compliance and taxpayer confidential information.

    [1] http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:31977L0799

    [2] http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxtreaties/in-force/france.pdf

    “

  • Chris Ruane – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Chris Ruane – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many external ATMs have been installed at (a) Crown, (b) main and (c) local post offices in each year for which data is available.

    Jo Swinson

    The provision of Post Office ATM’s at post offices is the operational responsibility of Post Office Limited.

    As such I have therefore asked Paula Vennells, the Chief Executive of Post Office Limited, to write to the hon Member on this matter. A copy of her reply will be placed in the libraries of the House.

  • Andrew George – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Andrew George – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the (a) social and (b) environmental impacts of the housing opportunities for inadequately housed people arising from his decision to change section 106 agreements for (i) builders and (ii) rural areas not covered by section 157 of the Housing Act 1985; and what further steps he will take to monitor such impacts and opportunities in the future.

    Brandon Lewis

    I refer my hon. Friend to my answer of 12 February 2015 to Questions 223173.

  • Caroline Flint – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Caroline Flint – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Flint on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how much land is currently held by NDA Properties Limited; and what the use, value and location is of that land.

    Matthew Hancock

    NDA Properties Limited holds, in approximate figures: 30 acres of land at Berkeley, Gloucestershire; 130 acres at Bradwell, Essex; 220 acres at Chapelcross, Dumfriesshire; 340 acres at Dounreay, Caithness; 10 acres at Harwell, Oxfordshire; 5 acres at Hunterton, Ayrshire; 30 acres at Drigg, Cumbria; 1,570 acres in West Cumbria; 14 acres at Springfields, Lancashire; and 270 acres at Trawsfynydd, Gwyndd. The land covers a wide variety of uses, including agricultural land, woodland, land used for operational purposes, and offices. For commercial reasons, NDA Properties does not make public its valuations of land held.

  • Oliver Colvile – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Oliver Colvile – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Oliver Colvile on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans his Department has to review the regulatory framework for the dental profession.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    The Law Commissions’ completed a review of the regulation of all health and social care professionals including dentists and reported in April 2014. They made 125 recommendations to improve the legislative framework and we published the Government response on 29 January 2015, accepting the vast majority of these recommendations.

    The Government remains committed to legislate on this important issue when parliamentary time allows and are working closely with the regulatory bodies and the Professional Standards Authority to build on the important work the Law Commissions have done.

    In the meantime we are taking forward a section 60 Order to amend the Dentists Act 1984 to make changes to the General Dental Council’s (GDC’s) investigation stage fitness to practise processes. A consultation has recently been undertaken on these measures which will be introduced subject to Parliamentary approval. It is expected the provisions should lead to the swifter resolution of complaints, as ultimately they will improve the efficiency of the GDC’s fitness to practise processes, whilst also enhancing patient protection and public confidence in dental regulation.