Tag: 2015

  • Nigel Huddleston – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Nigel Huddleston – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Huddleston on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to encourage competition and switching between providers in consumer markets.

    Nick Boles

    The Government is determined to encourage more consumers to vote with their feet in key markets like energy, banking and telecoms. We are currently conducting a Call for Evidence on a set of six “switching principles”. Once fully implemented, these will make the process quicker and easier for consumers.

  • Danny Kinahan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Danny Kinahan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Danny Kinahan on 2015-12-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what change there has been in the number of jobs in the solar industry in Northern Ireland since January 2015.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The Size and Performance of the Low-carbon Economy (2015) report by the Department of Business, Innovation, and Skills estimated the number of low-carbon jobs in Northern Ireland in 2013.

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/416240/bis-15-206-size-and-performance-of-uk-low-carbon-economy.pdf

  • Paul Monaghan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Paul Monaghan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Monaghan on 2015-11-03.

    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 the British Virgin Islands will include access for the public with legitimate reason, in line with the Fourth EU Anti Money Laundering Directive.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    I refer the Honourable Gentleman to the answer the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, my hon. Friend, the Member for South West Hertfordshire (David Gauke MP), gave on 16 October 2015 (PQ10437, PQ10438 and PQ10448), 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.

  • Nigel Dodds – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Nigel Dodds – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Dodds on 2015-12-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent representations she has received on reforms to the Pet Travel Scheme to make it harder to smuggle animals into the UK.

    George Eustice

    Defra actively shares intelligence relating to abuse of the EU pet travel scheme. Evidence collected by the Animal and Plant Health Agency, Local Authorities and welfare organisations has led to investigations in other EU countries.

    The UK maintains effective border controls and all the relevant agencies work together to target people who systematically abuse the rules.

    The illegal trade is ultimately driven by demand. Defra have published guidance on buying a pet and have worked closely with the Pet Advertising Advisory Group to drive up standards for online advertisements.

  • Owen Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Owen Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2015-11-03.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much the Government has spent on raising awareness of scam activity associated with pension freedoms.

    Harriett Baldwin

    Monitoring the market for pension scams is the responsibility of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Pensions Regulator (TPR). The Government remains in close contact with the regulators, and other organisations such as industry trade bodies, on these issues.

    The FCA has launched a new consumer awareness campaign around investment scams, ScamSmart. The Pensions Regulator runs the Scorpion campaign, which includes videos, action packs, leaflets and guidance, helping to raise awareness of the threats posed by scams amongst trustees, business advisers and individuals. These play a crucial role in helping to stop scams by arming consumers with the information they need to protect themselves.

    In addition Pension Wise specifically alerts consumers to scams in guidance sessions and through their website.

  • Luciana Berger – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Luciana Berger – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2015-12-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many and what proportion of local authorities have a suicide prevention strategy.

    Alistair Burt

    The information requested is not collected centrally.

    However, the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Suicide and Self-Harm Prevention published an Inquiry into Local Suicide Prevention Plans in England (January 2015). The Inquiry included a survey of local authorities by the APPG, which indicated that 70% of local authorities have a suicide prevention plan and 60% have a multi-agency suicide prevention group.

  • Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assistance the Government is providing for housing associations in building more affordable homes for first-time buyers.

    Brandon Lewis

    The Government is committed to helping hard working families meet their aspirations to own their own homes and it is a priority to increase the provision of affordable housing available to first time buyers.
    We have exceeded expectations over the last five years in delivering affordable homes, with more than 260,000 delivered since April 2010.

    We are committed to deliver a further 275,000 new affordable homes by 2020. This is well under way with over £1bn of the 2015-18 affordable homes programme already allocated to deliver new affordable homes across the country.

    Shared ownership is an integral part of this programme and helps those who may be otherwise priced out of the market to get a foot on the property ladder. Between April 2010 and March 2015 we delivered 41,000 new shared ownership homes.

    Through shared ownership and the Government’s commitment to build 200,000 Starter Homes by 2020, we are on track to help thousands of families achieve the dream of home ownership for the first time.

  • James Berry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    James Berry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by James Berry on 2015-12-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Sri Lankans have been granted refugee status after having previously been removed to Sri Lanka following a refused application for asylum in the UK in each quarter since January 2012.

    James Brokenshire

    Since January 2012, there have been a total of eight Sri Lankan nationals who have been granted refugee status in the UK after having previously been removed to Sri Lanka following a refused application for asylum.

  • Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-11-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what average time his Department took to respond to freedom of information requests in each year since 2005.

    Mark Lancaster

    The Government publishes statistics on the operation of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 within central government, including on timeliness. These can be found at the following link:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/government-foi-statistics.

  • Catherine West – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Catherine West – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2015-12-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average waiting time is for a standard Disclosure and Barring Service check.

    Karen Bradley

    The average time taken to process a standard disclosure and barring service check over the last 12 months for which figures are available (November 2014 – October 2015) is 5.97 calendar days.