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Tag: 2015

  • Lord Judd – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Judd – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Judd on 2015-11-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will designate Egypt as a country of concern in the next FCO annual report on human rights and democracy.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The Foreign and Commonwealth reviewed the use of the designation “countries of concern” earlier this year. We now highlight “human rights priority countries” that we wish to work positively with wherever possible to improve their human rights trajectory.

    Our criteria in designating a human rights priority country is an evidence-based assessment. We utilise internationally respected indicators and indices, such as the UN Gender Inequality Index and the Reporters Without Borders (RSF) World Press Freedom Index, to form our assessments. Once we have the relevant data, we will take informed decisions as to which countries will be human rights priority countries in 2016.

  • Tania Mathias – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Tania Mathias – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tania Mathias on 2015-12-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the rationale is for setting the interest rate on the repayment of student loans under the new system at three per cent.

    Joseph Johnson

    Interest rates on student loans vary according to a number of factors, including a borrower’s level of earnings, and whether they remain in contact with the Student Loans Company to ensure they are repaying when they are eligible to do so.

    The maximum interest rate for the post-2012 system is the Retail Price Index (RPI) figure plus 3%. The maximum rate applies whilst the borrower is studying; is the maximum interest rate for those borrowers earning £41,000 and over; and is the default interest rate for those borrowers who fail to keep in touch with the Student Loans Company.

    Once a borrower is due to repay, a variable rate of interest will be charged, which is dependent upon income. Borrowers with an income of £21,000 or less will accrue interest at RPI. For a borrower with income greater than £21,000, a real rate of interest will be tapered in, reaching a maximum of RPI plus 3% at an income of £41,000 or more.

  • Lord Taylor of Warwick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Lord Taylor of Warwick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Taylor of Warwick on 2015-11-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to improve social support for unemployed young people, in particular in adapting to changing technology.

    Lord Freud

    As our Manifesto said, we are committed to abolishing long-term youth unemployment and ensuring that young people are either earning or learning.

    DWP provides a broad range of additional support, over and above the standard Jobcentre Plus offer, to all young people on benefit, which is tailored to their needs. Through the Youth Obligation, from day 1 young people will participate in an intensive support regime equipping them with the skills to not only find a job but build capability to sustain work, and after 6 months they will be supported to apply for an apprenticeship, traineeship, gain work skills or go on a work placement. In addition, if needed, young people already receive support to help them to make and manage their claims on-line and to acquire and improve their digital skills.

  • Graham Stuart – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Graham Stuart – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graham Stuart on 2015-12-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many pupils took a GCSE in Spanish in each of the last 10 years.

    Nick Gibb

    Information on the total entries for GCSEs in Spanish is published at national level as part of the “GCSE and equivalent results in England” statistical first release [1],[2],[3],[4],[5]

    [1] 2014/15 provisional table can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/467610/SFR37_2015_Subject_Timeseries.xls. (Years: 2009/10 – 2014/15)

    [2] 2008/09 revised table 8 can be found at: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20130401151655/http:/www.education.gov.uk/researchandstatistics/statistics/allstatistics/a00196306/ks4-results-in-england-2008-09-(revised). (Year: 2008/09)

    [3] 2007/08 revised table 10 can be found at: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20130401151655/http:/www.education.gov.uk/researchandstatistics/statistics/allstatistics/a00195931/gcse-and-equivalent-results-in-england. (Year: 2007/08)

    [4] 2006/07 revised table 10 can be found at: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20130401151655/http:/www.education.gov.uk/researchandstatistics/statistics/allstatistics/a00195692/dcsf-gcse-and-equivalent-examination-results-in-en. (Year: 2006/07)

    [5] 2005/06 revised table 10 can be found at: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20130401151655/http:/www.education.gov.uk/researchandstatistics/statistics/allstatistics/a00195387/gcse-and-equivalent-examination-results-in-england. (Year: 2005/06)

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  • 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 2015-11-05.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with whom he consulted on recent changes to the ministerial code.

    Matthew Hancock

    The Ministerial Code is the Prime Minister’s guidance to his Ministers. It is normally updated and reissued following a General Election. The Code is not subject to external consultation. This has been the practice under successive Administrations.

  • Liam Fox – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Liam Fox – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liam Fox on 2015-12-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of single farm payment and basic payment claims to the Rural Payments Agency are outstanding.

    George Eustice

    The payment window for the Basic Payment Scheme 2015 runs between 1st December 2015 and 30th June 2016.

    We received around 88,000 Basic Payment Scheme applications for 2015. On the 1st December, the opening of the Basic Payment Scheme 2015 payment window, we paid around 33,000 claims. This means that, as a proportion, around 62% of claims are still being processed.

  • Mark Durkan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Mark Durkan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Durkan on 2015-11-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will ensure that any agreement on a central registry of beneficial ownership in Anguilla will include access for the public with legitimate reason.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    I refer the Honourable Gentleman to the answer given by my Rt Hon Friend, the Member for South West Hertfordshire (David Gauke MP), the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, to questions 10437, 10438 and 10448, which sets out the criteria we expect the Overseas Territories to meet in relation to their central register of company beneficial ownership, or similarly effective system.

    We are continuing our dialogue with the Anguilla authorities on this and have offered any technical support that might be required as they develop their proposals.

  • Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-12-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 3 December 2015 to Question 18224, how many local authorities have indicated that they wish to participate in the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme.

    Richard Harrington

    This is a voluntary scheme whereby local authorities sign up to accept refugees on a voluntary basis. Although we do not propose to give a running commentary on the number of local authorities that have indicated they wish to participate in the scheme we can confirm that as of 7 December 2015, 55 local authorities had signed up to participate in the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme and had provided confirmed offers of places.

  • Philip Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Philip Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2015-11-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which regulations his Department introduced as a result of EU legislation in (a) 2013, (b) 2014 and (c) 2015 to date; which regulations his Department expects to implement as a result of EU legislation in (i) 2016 and (ii) 2017; and what estimate he has made of the cost of each such regulation to the (A) public purse and (B) private sector.

    Mr Julian Brazier

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my my right hon. Friend the Minister for Small Business, Industry and Enterprise (Anna Soubry) on11 November 2015 to Question 15037.

  • Richard Burden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Richard Burden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2015-12-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what (a) information, (b) financial support and (c) other support his Department provides to employed people looking to set up their own business.

    Anna Soubry

    We are helping everyone, including employed people, who want to set up and start their own business. The Business Support Helpline and the Business Finance and Support Finder tool on the GOV.UK website help people get simple straight forward advice and start up finance. At a local level we are investing in 39 Growth Hubs around the country which join up local business support to make it easier for people who want to find advice and information on how to start a business. The Start-Up Loans programme has also provided over 33,500 loans worth over £180 million pounds to people who want to start their own business.