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Tag: 2015

  • Caroline Ansell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Caroline Ansell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Ansell on 2015-11-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to ensure that the UK remains competitive with other countries in attracting overseas students to higher and further education; and if he will make a statement.

    Joseph Johnson

    The UK welcomes international students and there is no cap on the number that can study here. The Government promotes study in the UK through the Britain is GREAT marketing campaign and through the British Council, which promotes UK education in over 100 countries, connecting millions of people with the United Kingdom.

    The Government has a number of major education agreements with overseas partners. Key programmes include the UK-China Partners in Education Programme, the UK-India Education Research Initiative and engagement in Brazil’s ‘Science without Borders’ scholarship scheme.

    Government also supports student exchange, such as through the Erasmus Scheme, which enables international students to take short placements in the UK and British students to gain valuable overseas experience.

    As part of our recent Spending Review the Government has also reaffirmed the importance international students to the success of UK universities and the economy. To ensure universities can continue to compete with the US, Australia and Canada for top international students, dependants of postgraduates on courses lasting more than a year will be welcome to come and work. Current English language requirements will be maintained.

  • Alan Brown – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    Alan Brown – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Brown on 2015-11-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to the Answer of 30 October 2015 to Question 13632, on what dates in May 2015 he met (a) the Chancellor of the Exchequer and (b) other ministers in HM Treasury to discuss the potential effects in Scotland of a carbon price support exemption scheme.

    David Mundell

    As indicated in my previous answers on this issue, I have had a number of meetings and discussions this year, both formal and informal, on the important issue of opencast restoration and in particular the proposal for a carbon price support exemption. These have included discussions with colleagues from HM Treasury, the Department of Energy and Climate Change, the Scottish Government and Local Authorities.

  • Rachel Reeves – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Rachel Reeves – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachel Reeves on 2015-11-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate his Department has made of the effect on the household income of a family with two earners and three children which becomes a new claimant of universal credit and which is not migrating from a legacy benefit of the Government’s proposed changes to universal credit announced in the Summer Budget 2015 in each of the next four financial years.

    Priti Patel

    At the summer budget the Chancellor of the Exchequer set out the Government’s commitment to move the UK from a high tax, high welfare, low wage society to a lower tax, lower welfare, higher wage society. This remains the case, and Universal Credit (UC) is delivering this.

    UC is a fundamentally different benefit to the legacy benefit system and provides people with support into, and to progress in work.

    Therefore there is no meaningful way of comparing an unreformed Tax Credit system with Universal Credit. The Government has committed to transitional arrangements as we reform the benefits and Tax Credit system. Those transferred by DWP from tax credits to UC will receive Transitional Protection. In addition, estimates of entitlements under UC of the sort requested will vary depending on assumptions on the level of earnings.

  • Lilian Greenwood – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lilian Greenwood – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2015-11-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 29 October 2015 to Question 13286, whether any additional projects have been paused but not announced by Network Rail.

    Claire Perry

    The Secretary of State announced on 25 June 2015 the pause of work on Midland Main Line electrification and TransPennine electrification. This was to avoid potentially abortive costs while work was carried out to replan the delivery of these projects. On 30 September 2015 work on these projects resumed.

    Other Network Rail Control Period 5 projects have been continuing while Sir Peter Hendy carries out his review.

  • Richard Burden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Richard Burden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2015-11-26.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what amount of taxation was levied on air travel in each of the last five years per (a) passenger and (b) tonne of cargo carried.

    Damian Hinds

    The information is not held in the form requested. However, information relating to total passengers and APD paid over the last five years are published in the Air Passenger Duty Tax and Duty bulletin at the following address: https://www.uktradeinfo.com/Statistics/Pages/TaxAndDutybulletins.aspx

  • Fiona Mactaggart – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission

    Fiona Mactaggart – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Mactaggart on 2015-11-02.

    To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission, what discussions the Speaker’s Committee has had on the extent of electoral fraud; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Gary Streeter

    The Speaker’s Committee is in regular dialogue with the Electoral Commission on matters concerning electoral fraud, most notably in advance of the Commission publishing its corporate plan on an annual basis.

    The Commission provides advice to those who are involved on the frontline in identifying, investigating and prosecuting cases of electoral fraud. Before each set of elections the Commission provides advice to the police, electoral administrators and others on ways to prevent and detect electoral fraud, based on the best practice it has identified through working with partners across electoral administration and the justice system. Each year the Commission publishes data on allegations of electoral fraud that are reported to the police.

    The Commission targets additional support for those on the front line in 18 areas in England where there is a higher risk of allegations of electoral fraud. This includes Slough and the Commission will be working again with these areas before the elections in May 2016 to build on what was done prior to the General Election. The Commission issued briefings to all honourable members in the last parliament on the work it was undertaking prior to the General Election to help tackle electoral fraud and will do so again before the elections in May 2016.

    In its 2014 review of electoral fraud, the Commission recommended that voters in Great Britain should be required to produce ID at polling stations, although it is yet to receive a response to this recommendation from the Government. The Commission has submitted evidence to the review being undertaken by Sir Eric Pickles and hopes that he agrees with it and that the Government accepts the Commission’s recommendation.

  • Tim Loughton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Tim Loughton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2015-11-26.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which listed properties owned in London by the Government are leased out; and to whom and on what terms such properties are leased.

    Matthew Hancock

    Records held by the Cabinet Office show that New Burlington House, Piccadilly is leased out via five separate leases for ten years, renewable, at a market rent to each of the five Learned Societies (Geological Society of London, Linnean Society of London, Royal Astronomical Society, Society of Antiquaries of London, Royal Society of Chemistry). Records also show that 157-197 Buckingham Palace Road is part sub-let by the National Audit Office to commercial sub-tenants.

    Information is only held centrally on the Government Estate in London. Any information outside of this is held locally by departments.

  • Seema Malhotra – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Seema Malhotra – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Seema Malhotra on 2015-10-30.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Government’s report, Fixing the Foundations: creating a more prosperous nation, Cm9098, published July 2015, what steps he has taken to increase the quantity and quality of apprenticeships in accordance with that report’s recommendations.

    Greg Hands

    Almost 2.4 million apprenticeship starts were delivered in the last Parliament and we will build on that success and deliver 3 million in this Parliament. We will introduce an apprenticeship levy to increase employer investment in apprenticeships. We are increasing the quality of apprenticeships through more rigorous assessment and grading at the end of the apprenticeship. The Enterprise Bill will protect the term ‘apprenticeship’ in law to prevent misuse. From next April, employers of apprentices under the age of 25 will no longer be required to pay National Insurance contributions for those employees.

  • Maria Eagle – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Maria Eagle – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2015-11-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what military assets his Department propose to use to undertake maritime patrol functions between the Boeing P8 Maritime Patrol Aircraft comes into service.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) announced the cancellation of the Nimrod MRA4 which was 11 years late and nearly £800 million over budget. It acknowledged what would result in a capability gap that would be mitigated by using a combination of other surveillance aircraft, including those from Allies, as well as ships and submarines. SDSR 2015 announced we will buy nine new Maritime Patrol Aircraft.

  • Nicholas Soames – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Nicholas Soames – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2015-10-30.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place in the Library the most recent quarterly assessment of the Force Elements at Readiness.

    Penny Mordaunt

    I am withholding the most recent quarterly assessment of the UK’s Force Elements at readiness as its disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.