Tag: 2015

  • Steve Baker – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Steve Baker – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve Baker on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will take steps to arrange for licensing of the Wycombe Sound radio station to be expedited.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    Ofcom is responsible for licensing community radio stations and has awarded over 270 licences to date.

    Ofcom conducts licensing in rounds and invites applicants from each region of the UK in turn. Ofcom has published timetables for the latest round of community radio licensing and anticipate inviting applications from the South East of England outside the M25 in the first half of 2015.

    For reasons of fairness, Ofcom assesses all the applications it receives in a region before awarding any licenses.

  • 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 required for (a) nuclear licensed sites, (b) operational purposes, (c) NDA offices and (d) other purposes is currently owned by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (i) directly and (ii) through subsidiaries including NDA Properties Limited.

    Matthew Hancock

    The land holdings of NDA Properties Ltd have been set out in the answers to Questions 224207 and 224187. Two further subsidiaries, Direct Rail Services Ltd and INS Property Holdings, own land but do not hold the information requested in the form specified.

  • Derek Twigg – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Derek Twigg – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Derek Twigg on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the cumulative efficiency factor for NHS foundation trusts and trusts in 2015-16, taking into account (a) the proposed 3.8 per cent efficiency factor, (b) the proposed marginal rate for specialised services, (c) the marginal rate for urgent and emergency care and (d) other cost pressures; and if he will make a statement.

    Jane Ellison

    I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 10 February 2015, to question 223008.

    “

  • Dan Jarvis – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Dan Jarvis – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what progress has been made in implementing each of the recommendations of the review into the needs of families bereaved by homicide, published by his Department in July 2011.

    Mike Penning

    In July 2011 we published the Review into the Needs of Families Bereaved by Homicide by Louise Casey (then Victims’ Commissioner). She made a wide range of recommendations. Since then we have worked closely with victims and victims’ organisations and the report’s findings have played a critical role in informing our approach to ensuring that families get the help they need.

    This includes plans to implement a victims law to put into statute the right of the victim to tell a court how a crime has affected them, providing families of homicide victims with a copy of the judge’s sentencing remarks following the trial, and funding a dedicated national Homicide Service with more than £2million a year to support those affected by homicide at home and abroad.

    Further information requested is in the table attached.

  • Lord Stewartby – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Stewartby – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Stewartby on 2015-02-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they have taken to ensure that cheques will continue to be available for those who wish to use them, including in particular charities and the elderly.

    Lord Deighton

    The Government took decisive action on this matter by reversing the 2009 decision by banks to phase out cheques.

    As well as this, the Government is bringing in legislation that will require banks to accept cheques in both paper and digital forms. This digital innovation will allow consumers, firms and charities to pay in cheques using only a smartphone image if they wish. It will increase the efficiency of the cheque payment system, making it more sustainable for banks and building societies to provide cheque services. Customers who wish to use paper cheques will continue to be able to do so.

  • Ben Howlett – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    Ben Howlett – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

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

    To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what recent assessment she has made of the ease of disabled children’s access to play.

    Caroline Dinenage

    The Equality Act 2010 prohibits discrimination against disabled children which could include ‘play’. For example it would be unlawful to refuse or inhibit a disabled child’s access to a local playground; their enrolment at a local nursery or playgroup; or their taking part in any other play activities such as local sports. The Act requires service providers to make both requested and anticipatory ‘reasonable adjustments’ that will facilitate the participation of disabled children in all forms of ‘play’.

  • Ian Murray – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Ian Murray – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

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

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reasons his Department has not undertaken and published an impact assessment for the Tax Credits (Income Thresholds and Determination of Rates) (Amendment) Regulations 2015.

    Damian Hinds

    The Summer Budget offered a new deal for working people. It means Britain moving from a high welfare, high tax, low wage economy to a lower welfare, lower tax, higher wage society.

    A new National Living Wage for workers aged 25 and above, initially set at £7.20 per hour from April 2016, will directly benefit 2.7 million low wage workers, and up to 6 million could see a pay rise as a result of a ripple effect up the earnings distribution. The new National Living Wage will boost pay for those currently earning the National Minimum Wage by £4,800 a year by 2020 when the National Living Wage is expected to rise to over £9 per hour.

    To help working families keep more of what they earn, the personal allowance will increase to £11,000 in 2016-17 and £11,200 in 2017-18. The government has committed to increase the personal allowance to £12,500 by 2020 which will mean that a typical basic rate taxpayer will see their income tax cut by £1,205 a year compared to 2010.

    The government set out its assessment of the impacts of the Summer Budget policies in the Welfare Reform and Work Bill on 20th July 2015. Taken together, the introduction of the National Living Wage, increases in the personal allowance and welfare changes mean that 8 out of 10 working households will be better off as a result of the Summer Budget.

    In response to a request from the Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee, the government has chosen to produce and release an impact assessment on the tax credit changes to the Committee. The impact assessment shows that 60% of the tax credit savings come from the half of tax credit claimants with the highest income.

  • Vicky Foxcroft – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Vicky Foxcroft – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vicky Foxcroft on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to paragraph 1.160 of the Summer Budget 2015, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effects of aligning the rate of employment and support allowance for new claimants who are in the work-related activity group with jobseeker’s allowance on people who have mental and physical illnesses.

    Priti Patel

    The Government set out its assessment of the impacts of the policies in the Welfare Reform and Work Bill on 20th July. These are available on the Parliament website: http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2015-16/welfarereformandwork/documents.html

    “

  • Lord Beecham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Lord Beecham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Beecham on 2015-10-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to divert part or all of the £160m JEREMIE (Joint European Resources for Micro to medium Enterprises) 2 fund, succeeding the Finance for Business North East fund, to other Northern areas described as part of the Northern Powerhouse; and if so, what proportion of funding will be diverted, and why they are taking such action.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    The Government has no intention of imposing any arrangements for the next round of ERDF ‘JEREMIE’ style Access to Finance funds that do not carry local support.

  • Baroness Falkner of Margravine – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Falkner of Margravine – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Falkner of Margravine on 2015-10-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have made an assessment of Georgia’s suitability to become a member of NATO.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The UK supports the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO)’s Open Door policy and welcomes the membership aspirations of all countries currently seeking to join the Alliance. Allies declared at the NATO Summit in Bucharest in 2008 that Georgia will one day become a member of NATO. Georgia is a highly valued partner of NATO. Georgia co-operates with NATO through a number of mechanisms which provide Allies with on-going assessments of Georgia’s progress. In 2008, the NATO-Georgia Commission was established to serve as a forum for political consultations and practical co-operation to help Georgia achieve its goal of membership of NATO. At the NATO Summit in Wales, the Alliance also agreed a ‘Substantial Package’ of support for Georgia to strengthen defence capabilities, and interoperability with the Alliance, and provide a new “enhanced partnership” status. Separately Allies agreed to establish Defence Capacity Building Missions in Georgia and Moldova. The UK has contributed £1,750,000 to a new Trust Fund to help facilitate these. Allies will next assess Georgia’s progress in advance of the next NATO Foreign Ministers meeting on 2 December.