The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2015-09-16.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his estimate is of spectrum charges payable by his Department for each financial year from 2015-16 to 2019-20.
Mr Philip Dunne
The Ministry of Defence estimates the following amounts in radio spectrum fees:
2015-16 £121,900,000
The radio spectrum fees for financial years 2016-17 to 2019-20 have yet to be agreed and are subject to negotiations with HM Treasury.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2015-09-16.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to promote a sustainable approach to resourcing timber in the UK.
Rory Stewart
Defra implements the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR), which makes it an offence to place illegally logged timber on the EU market for the first time, and the EU Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Regulation, which aims to combat illegal logging and improve the supply of legal timber to the EU. The EU FLEGT Regulation establishes Voluntary Partnership Agreements (VPAs) between the EU and timber producing countries. Once VPAs have been agreed, timber producing countries will issue exports with a ‘FLEGT licence’ which verifies the timber’s legality.
Defra is also responsible for the Government’s Timber Procurement Policy, which requires central government departments, executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies to procure timber and timber products that are both legal and sustainable.
Domestic forests provide about 20% of the UK’s timber needs. They are managed in accordance with the UK Forestry Standard, the reference standard for sustainable forest management in the UK. Moreover, about 85% of UK timber production is independently certified, providing additional assurances of sustainability.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2015-09-16.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent estimate he has made of the cost of delayed discharges to the NHS; and if he will make a statement.
Alistair Burt
The Department has made no formal estimate of the costs of delayed discharge to the National Health Service. It is recognised that such delayed discharges do use resource which could be deployed elsewhere, and all parts of the NHS and those with responsibility outside it, are continually looking for ways in which to reduce the number of delays.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2015-09-16.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seeker applications were received in each of the last five years; and how many such applicants were (a) refused, (b) granted refugee status, (c) granted humanitarian protection and (d) granted discretionary leave to remain.
James Brokenshire
The Home Office publishes an analysis of applications for whole-year cohorts of asylum seekers to establish the overall success rates following appeal; this is available in Table as_06 (Asylum data table Volume 2) of the quarterly Immigration Statistics release. For the latest years, some cases will still be outstanding. This cohort analysis is therefore not able to provide a complete picture for the latest applications but for most years will provide the most complete description of the outcome for asylum seekers. The analysis of the outcomes of asylum applications are the recorded outcomes of the group (or cohort) of applicants in any one year, at a particular time. This dataset is updated, in full, annually and is currently available up to 2014.
Insert Table
A copy of the latest release, Immigration Statistics April – June 2015, is available from https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/home-office/series/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Offord on 2015-09-16.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that remittances are delivered to their intended recipients.
Mr Desmond Swayne
Remittances are a vital lifeline for many poor people in developing countries. DFID works through the World Bank Group and a network of Financial Sector Deepening entities across Africa to support the delivery of remittances to poor people and strengthen regulations that govern the operation of secure and legitimate payment channels.
As a member of the Action Group on Cross Border Remittances, we work with regulators and the industry bodies for banking and Money Service Businesses (MSBs) to: increase supervision of MSBs, improve industry guidance and training, clarify regulatory requirements, monitor market risk and support a safer corridor for UK-Somalia remittances.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Laurence Robertson on 2015-09-16.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he has taken to ensure that taxi drivers are aware of their legal obligation to take guide and other assistance dogs.
Andrew Jones
The Department for Transport has issued guidance to the licensed trade on the provisions in the Equality Act that require taxis and private hire vehicles to carry guide and other assistance dogs.
In addition to their ability to take appropriate action in the event that licensed drivers fail to comply with this duty, local licensing authorities can inform taxi and private hire drivers of all their responsibilities as licensed drivers.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bradshaw on 2015-02-11.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to define national standards for the creation of Low Emission Zones so that in future most vehicles are able to enter such zones.
Baroness Kramer
Low Emission Zones (LEZs) are one of a number of measures that can help improve air quality, particularly in urban areas. Introducing LEZs is a decision for local authorities. Government has already provided guidance to local authorities on the design of LEZs, such as which vehicles should be covered and what emissions standards they should meet. The Department for Environment and Rural Affairs is currently working with a small number of local authorities who are examining the value of introducing such schemes.
Government is revising its air quality plans in relation to compliance with EU air quality standards. As part of this we are reviewing all feasible measures including the role of a national framework for LEZs. We will be consulting on revised air quality plans later in the year.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Myners on 2015-02-11.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether it is routine policy for the Cabinet Office to contact HM Revenue and Customs to consult it prior to the appointment of a non-elected Minister.
Baroness Stowell of Beeston
As was the case under previous administrations, ministerial appointments are a matter for the Prime Minister, in line with the Ministerial Code.
For those individuals upon whom the Prime Minister wishes to confer a life peerage, the independent House of Lords Appointments Commission vets nominations. For those individuals upon whom the Prime Minister wishes to confer a peerage in order that they might sit in the House of Lords to take up a ministerial role, the Commission consults the main regulatory authorities, including HMRC, before giving advice.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Mawson on 2015-02-11.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what impact assessments have been carried out regarding the implementation of the Union Customs Code and its impact on micro and small businesses’ access to simplified procedures, the requirement to provide a six-digit Harmonised Tariff Code and changes to existing transit procedures.
Lord Deighton
HM Revenue and Customs has been formally consulting with UK trade bodies and businesses about the impact of the European Commission’s draft proposals for regulations to enable implementation of the Union Customs Code. Discussions have considered the impact of requirements to provide a six-digit commodity code that is needed for enhanced safety and security purposes and changes to existing transit arrangements which have enabled us to preserve a valuable simplification for movement of goods albeit in a different form. Trade views have been invaluable in informing the UK position, helping us to influence negotiations with the Commission and Member States and in securing agreement to necessary changes where possible. The UCC represents a package of measures to modernise and simplify customs procedures and requirements while also addressing the need to tighten safety and security and fight against fraud measures and its impact is being assessed in this overall context.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-02-11.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department has sought a meeting with Hervé Falciani to discuss the details of unregistered bank accounts held by UK citizens in HSBC Private Bank in Switzerland.
Mr David Gauke
How operations are conducted is a matter for HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) under the long standing principle of operational independence.