Tag: 2015

  • Rachel Reeves – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Rachel Reeves – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachel Reeves on 2015-11-09.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many and what proportion of tax credit claimants have a child under the age of five and claim support for childcare costs.

    Damian Hinds

    This Government is committed to moving from a high welfare, high tax, low wage economy to a lower welfare, lower tax, higher wage society. As the Chancellor made clear, the Government will set out at Autumn Statement how we plan to achieve the same goal of reforming tax credits, saving the money we need to save to secure our economy, while at the same time helping in the transition.

    As announced at Summer Budget, the Chancellor announced that free entitlement childcare would be doubled from 15 hours to 30 for working parents. This will not be rolled out until September 2017, with early implementation in some areas in September 2016.

    Information about the age, gender and number of children in receipt of tax credits can be found in HMRC’s Child and Working Tax Credits Statistics, April 2015. Available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/personal-tax-credits-provisional-statistics-2013-to-2009

  • 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 2015-12-08.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph 2.10 of the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015, if he will publish the analysis and methodology used to estimate that the proposed apprenticeship levy will raise £3 billion by 2020-21.

    Greg Hands

    The government has published the policy costing note for the apprenticeship levy on gov.uk. It can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/480565/SRAS2015_policy_costings_amended_page_25.pdf

  • Seema Malhotra – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Seema Malhotra – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Seema Malhotra on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what proposals he has received from local and regional government on directly electing mayors; and if hewill make a statement.

    James Wharton

    We have already agreed four devolution deals which will see directly elected Combined Authority Mayors introduced.

    The Government is in discussions with other local areas across the country about the opportunities offered by devolution, and what new governance model may suit those areas, building on the 38 proposals received on 4 September.

  • Rebecca Long Bailey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Rebecca Long Bailey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rebecca Long Bailey on 2015-12-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether the Greater Manchester Life Science Enterprise Zone will cover the Salford and Eccles constituency.

    James Wharton

    Greater Manchester Local Enterprise Partnership’s successful bid for a Life Sciences Enterprise Zone covers two sites in central Manchester.

    Neither site is within Salford and Eccles.

  • Fiona Bruce – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Fiona Bruce – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Bruce on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to support the provision of playing pitches in local areas for community requirements.

    Tracey Crouch

    We recognise the importance of playing pitches for local communities. Sport England is a statutory consultee on planning applications affecting playing fields and its principle aim is to ensure local sports provisions are protected and enhanced. Sport England’s Protecting Playing Fields fund has invested £22 million of National Lottery money in 419 projects, protecting and improving over 1,100 local pitches. This includes Elworth Cricket Club in Congleton, which benefitted from over £47,000 of investment from Sport England in 2015 to develop a new playing field for its junior cricket team.

  • Carolyn Harris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Carolyn Harris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Carolyn Harris on 2015-12-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will make an assessment of the effectiveness of the self-exclusion pilot schemes introduced by bookmakers in Medway and Glasgow.

    Tracey Crouch

    I refer the honourable member to the written response given in UIN number 14483 on 16th November 2015.

  • Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to ensure that British veterans who develop cancer through exposure to asbestos are entitled to the same level of compensation as civilians.

    Mark Lancaster

    As the Prime Minister said during Prime Ministers’ Questions on 4 November 2015, the Ministry of Defence is looking into the matter.

    The Government has continuously made compensation available under the War Pensions Scheme for injuries, illness or disease caused by service before 6 April 2005, including mesothelioma. The War Pensions Scheme provides Veterans with mesothelioma with the maximum award paid on a weekly/monthly basis and additional supplementary allowances and, where appropriate, entitlement to dependent’s benefits.

    While there are currently no plans for separate compensation arrangements for veterans suffering with mesothelioma, consideration is being given to whether any flexibility can be provided for future claimants under the War Pensions Scheme. As this issue is a complex matter, officials have been undertaking a detailed review. I hope we will be able to present our conclusions soon.

  • Gareth Thomas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Gareth Thomas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2015-12-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the budget for the Regional Schools Commissioner for South-Central England and North-West London is for each of the next three years; and if she will make a statement.

    Edward Timpson

    At present, I am unable to provide detailed information on the budget for the Regional Schools Commissioners for each of the next three years.

    The Department’s spending review settlement was agreed in November. The Department has now begun a business planning process to devolve this budget internally to specific activities and functions. This work is intended to finish in early 2016, when the future budgets for all the Regional School Commissioners’ offices, including the South-Central and North-West London office, will be agreed for the next financial year (2016-17) and beyond.

  • Jess Phillips – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Jess Phillips – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jess Phillips on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what amount her Department has spent to date on underwriting salaries of staff at free schools whose schools did not open or open on time.

    Edward Timpson

    The Department for Education does not have a full breakdown of revenue spent on staff salaries for proposed free school projects.

    The total pre-opening expenditure for free school projects is published on GOV.UK:

    www.gov.uk/government/publications/revenue-expenditure-for-free-schools

    We will shortly update this information to include projects that opened or were withdrawn or cancelled up to September 2015.

  • Barry Sheerman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Barry Sheerman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2015-12-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what her policy is on the extraction of shale gas in national parks and areas of outstanding natural beauty.

    Andrea Leadsom

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Bristol West on 16 November 2015 to Question No 15971:

    http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-11-10/15971/.