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Tag: 2015

  • Stewart McDonald – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Stewart McDonald – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stewart McDonald on 2015-10-27.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the quality of the information available for HM Revenue and Customs claimants to distinguish between genuine communications from Concentrix and phishing scams.

    Mr David Gauke

    HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) undertakes a wide range of work to protect customers from websites which attempt to unlawfully obtain information. This includes:

    • maintaining a portfolio of domains which could be used to confuse customers
    • proactively monitoring the internet daily to identify sites which infringe on the brand, and taking appropriate legal action against them
    • providing a mailbox service for the reporting of suspected phishing emails and websites.

      HMRC’s pages on GOV.UK make clear that Concentrix works on behalf of HMRC, and that some tax credits customers will receive a letter showing both logos. Neither HMRC, nor agencies working for HMRC, will ever ask for online banking or other information via email or over the phone that would enable an unauthorised person to access bank accounts or otherwise commit fraud.

  • Lord Storey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Lord Storey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2015-11-24.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many transgender prisoners are gaoled in a prison for people of their previous gender designation.

    Lord Faulks

    This information is not held centrally. The Minister for Prisons, Probation and Rehabilitation announced on 20 November that HM Government will publish data on the number of trans people in prison in due course.

  • Danny Kinahan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Danny Kinahan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Danny Kinahan on 2015-10-27.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will investigate UK multinationals’ corporate tax practices in Zambia.

    Mr David Gauke

    Any investigation of UK multinationals’ corporate tax practices in Zambia would need to focus on, and require a full understanding of, the interaction between multinationals and the tax regime of Zambia. It would not be feasible or appropriate for the UK Government to undertake such an investigation.

    The UK is supporting tax reform in Zambia. For example, the Department for International Development has funded the OECD and World Bank Group to provide technical assistance to Zambia to implement improvements in transfer pricing and related controls. More generally, the Government is committed to supporting developing countries access sustainable sources of revenue and collect the taxes they are due. The UK is a world leader on tax capacity building, contributing considerable human and financial resources to help developing countries to build robust tax administrations. And earlier this year we committed to doubling our funding for tax projects in developing countries.

    The Government has also set up a specialist Tax Capacity Building Unit in HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). At Autumn Statement 2014, the Chancellor announced that HMRC would recruit a new team of tax inspectors to work fulltime on tax capacity building, supporting HMRC’s Tax Capacity Building Unit and fulfilling missions such as the OECD’s Tax Inspectors Without Borders project.

  • Patrick Grady – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Patrick Grady – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Patrick Grady on 2015-11-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to tackle religious intolerance in schools.

    Nick Gibb

    Religious intolerance in schools is unacceptable. All schools are required to promote the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs. Schools should be places where we promote the understanding of other cultures for example, through the National Curriculum programme for citizenship, which includes teaching about the diverse range of identities in the UK and the importance of respecting others.

  • Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-10-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate he has made of the number of people sustaining serious injuries as a result of participating in boxing in each of the last five years.

    Tracey Crouch

    DCMS does not hold information or data on the comparative health risks resulting from taking part in major sports.

  • Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2015-11-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the running costs of existing and future fluoridation schemes will continue to be funded when the ring-fenced public health grant is removed; and if so, how.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    Since April 2013 Public Health England (PHE), on behalf of the Secretary of State, has recovered the operational costs of water fluoridation from local authorities served by these arrangements. The Secretary of State is required to meet the reasonable fluoridation capital and operating costs incurred by water undertakers in England and has the power to require local authorities to make payments to the Secretary of State to meet any such costs he has incurred. There are no proposed changes to the legislation affecting these arrangements.

    Funding arrangements for the capital costs of new fluoridation schemes in England will need to be agreed between local authorities and PHE, on behalf of the Secretary of State, as part of the preparatory work before the scheme can commence.

  • David Amess – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    David Amess – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Amess on 2015-10-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what evidence she has received that sex and sexual relationships education in the primary years reduces the incidence of risky sexual behaviour, exploitation and abuse of children; and if she will make a statement.

    Edward Timpson

    The Department published ‘Personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education: a review of impact and best practice’ in March 2015. The report highlighted evidence that good quality sex and relationship education (SRE) can have a protective function such as delaying initiation of sex, reducing frequency of sex or the number of sexual partners and increasing the use of condoms or other contraceptive measures. Allsex and relationship education should be age-appropriate and schools should ensure young people develop positive values and a moral framework that will guide their decisions, judgments and behaviour.

    The report is published online: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pshe-education-a-review-of-impact-and-effective-practice.

    “

  • Lord Turnberg – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Turnberg – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Turnberg on 2015-11-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proportion of the UK’s GDP was spent on social care in each year between 1999 and 2015.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    Expenditure on adult social care in England as a proportion of gross domestic product (GDP) is detailed in the table below. Expenditure data for the rest of the United Kingdom is not available.

    Financial Year

    UK GDP (£ billions)

    England adult social care (£ billions)

    Proportion of UK GDP on England’s adult social care

    1999-2000

    980

    8.50

    0.87%

    2000-01

    1,040

    9.05

    0.87%

    2001-02

    1,080

    9.48

    0.88%

    2002-03

    1,140

    10.30

    0.90%

    2003-04

    1,210

    11.51

    0.95%

    2004-05

    1,270

    12.62

    0.99%

    2005-06

    1,350

    13.46

    1.00%

    2006-07

    1,430

    13.98

    0.98%

    2007-08

    1,500

    14.33

    0.96%

    2008-09

    1,500

    15.08

    1.01%

    2009-10

    1,500

    15.72

    1.05%

    2010-11

    1,570

    16.06

    1.02%

    2011-12

    1,630

    15.55

    0.95%

    2012-13

    1,680

    15.35

    0.91%

    2013-14

    1,760

    15.51

    0.88%

    2014-15

    1,830

    15.51

    0.85%

    2014-15 is the last year we have outturn data for spend on adult social care.

    The cash terms figures and comparisons to GDP for gross spend on children and young people’s services in England, calculated from the Department for Education section 251 data returns are set out in the table below. Expenditure data for the rest of the UK is not available.

    Financial Year

    UK GDP (£ billions)

    England children’s social care (£ billions)

    Proportion of UK GDP on England’s children’s social care

    2010-11

    1,570

    9.26

    0.59%

    2011-12

    1,630

    8.65

    0.53%

    2012-13

    1,680

    8.88

    0.53%

    2013-14

    1,760

    8.99

    0.51%

    2010-11 was the first time that national level income and expenditure data were presented in the form of a statistical release. To derive comparable figures for previous years would incur disproportionate cost.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-10-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assistance her Department is providing to the agronomic sector in the UK to reduce (a) carbon emissions and (b) water use; and if she will make a statement.

    George Eustice

    Agriculture produces relatively small amounts of carbon dioxide emissions with this gas accounting for around 10% of emissions from the industry sector. The major greenhouse gasses (GHG) produced by agriculture are methane and nitrous oxide. Defra has engaged with the agriculture industry in England to help develop an industry led approach, the Green House Gas Action Plan, which includes farming sector roadmaps for reducing GHG emissions. We will be reviewing progress on the action plan with the industry next year.

    The Government is investing £160 million in the UK Agri-Tech Strategy to help take our world class agricultural research to the farm. £60 million of Government and industry funding has already been committed to projects which aim to make farming more productive, resilient and sustainable.

    Rural Development Programme (RDPE) funded capital grants are available for reservoirs to improve security of water supplies for agriculture (including horticulture) and reduce pressure on summer water flows in the environment Capital grants to improve efficiency of water application to reduce water use are also available.

    Applications are also being processed for Countryside Productivity scheme capital funding for precision farming equipment to improve the accuracy of field operations and application of fertilisers and sprays, which can achieve savings of (typically) 5% plus in fuel, fertilisers and sprays with consequent reduction in CO2 emissions.

  • Fiona Bruce – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Fiona Bruce – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Bruce on 2015-11-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether the Government plans to hold or collect any information on the number of UK businesses operating in or contracting with the Democratic People’s Republic of North Korea.

    Anna Soubry

    The Government does not maintain a database of UK businesses operating in or contracting with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

    Data on the value of trade between UK businesses and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is published by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC). Information on the number of UK businesses exporting goods to, and importing goods from, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea are collected by HMRC. Specific information relating to individual businesses cannot be published due to legislation protecting business confidentiality and in line with statistical disclosure control.