The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2015-11-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the value of stationery that has been (a) lost and (b) stolen from his Department in each of the last five fiscal years; and what the cost was of replacing such stationery.
Mr Robert Goodwill
The Department does not centrally record this information.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian C. Lucas on 2015-11-26.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what change there has been in the incidence of failure by employees to pay appropriate tax and National Insurance.
Mr David Gauke
The estimated proportion of small- and medium-sized enterprise employers failing to fully meet their obligations in respect of operating Pay As You Earn (PAYE) is published in ‘Measuring Tax Gaps; 2015 edition’ (table 6.8, p.53).
Comparable figures for large employers are not available, but an estimate of the tax gap for large employers can be found on table 6.9, also on p.53.
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/measuring-tax-gaps
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2015-11-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the average time it takes in Birmingham for a disability benefit appeal to reach a tribunal; and what assessment he has made of the effect of that average time on the financial position of appellants.
Mr Shailesh Vara
The First-tier Tribunal – Social Security and Child Support, administered by HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS), hears appeals against Department for Work and Pensions’ decisions on a range of benefits.
HMCTS is unable to provide the information requested as it is not held centrally.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Clive Betts on 2015-11-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much funding the Government plans to make available (a) to housing associations, (b) to local authorities and (c) in total in each of the next four years to build social rented housing.
Brandon Lewis
Through the Spending Review the Government has committed to investing £8 billion to deliver over 400,000 affordable housing starts doubling our investment in affordable housing from 2018-19.
This funding includes £1.7 billion for around 100,000 homes for affordable or intermediate rent, which will be delivered by 2021.
Since April 2010 we have delivered over 260,000 affordable homes. Under Labour the stock of affordable homes fell by 420,000, with 1.8 million families on social housing waiting lists. More council housing has been built since 2010 than in the previous 13 years of a Labour Government.
The Government does not publish annual delivery targets for the affordable housing programme.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-10-30.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, in what circumstances major Government programmes are exempted from the requirement for Gateway Reviews.
Matthew Hancock
The Major Project Portfolio for each Department is agreed by the Department, the Major Projects Authority and the relevant HM Treasury spending team. Each programme on the portfolio is subject to an agreed schedule of approvals and assurance, which will normally include Gateway Reviews. There is no provision for formal exemption.
A Project Assessment Review is conducted either instead of or in addition to Gateway Reviews, and allows for specific terms of reference to be tailored to meet the assurance needs of the particular Government Major Project.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevan Jones on 2015-11-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what timetable he has set for the introduction of the Rapid Strike brigade as set out in the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review.
Mr Philip Dunne
The two Strike Brigades will provide a rapidly deployable agile force, with enhanced range, speed, protection and firepower, significantly enhancing the UK’s ability to respond to international crises.
As previously announced on 3 September 2014 by My right hon. Friend the Defence Secretary (Michael Fallon) (Official Report, column 19WS) a contract has been awarded to deliver 589 Ajax vehicles. Detailed allocation plans have yet to be finalised. Fielding of Strike Brigades will start from 2018, delivering an initial operating capability in 2021 and moving towards Full Operating Capability from 2025.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Hollobone on 2015-10-30.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to ensure the delivery of superfast broadband to the remaining five per cent of properties which do not have access to it in (a) Northamptonshire and (b) England.
Mr Edward Vaizey
By2017, approximately 95 per cent of homes and businesses in Northamptonshire will have access to superfast broadband. To support further delivery, a further £1.9 million of funding has been made available through the contractual gainshare arrangements, and Northamptonshire County Council has further funding available beyond this for additional procurement.
In addition, the Government is supporting seven pilot projects to help deliver superfast broadband services to the hardest to reach parts of the UK. We will publish the findings from the pilots in duecourse.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Ansell on 2015-11-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what training his Department has provided to staff on the family test; what other steps he has taken to raise awareness of the family test among staff of his Department; and if he will make a statement.
Mark Lancaster
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 16 November 2015 to Question 15341 to the hon. Member for Stretford and Urmston (Kate Green).
http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-11-06/15341/
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-10-30.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 30 October 2015 to Question 13690, what estimate she has made of the cost of implementing her Department’s Great Britain Invasive Non-native Species Strategy, published August 2015; and if she will make a statement.
George Eustice
The aim of the GB Strategy is to avoid the environmental, social and economic impacts of invasive non-native species by taking early and targeted action. An implementation plan associated with the renewed Strategy includes an assessment of the costs associated with communicating the need for action, rapid responses to avoid higher costs if species become established, and the costs of managing widespread established species to minimise their impacts where possible. A prioritisation exercise that will form the basis of the assessment of costs will be completed by the end of November.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2015-11-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 31 of the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015, when he plans for the off-shore patrol vessels being procured by his Department to come into service.
Mr Philip Dunne
Three River Class Patrol Vessels are already under construction, the first two of which are scheduled to enter service in 2018 and the third in 2019. The contract for two further vessels, and therefore their delivery schedule, has yet to be agreed and will be influenced by the Shipbuilding Strategy to be published in 2016.