The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Chalk on 2015-11-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what proportion of the average electricity bill was attributable to the levy imposed by the Levy Control Framework to meet the cost of feed-in tariffs in 2014-15.
Andrea Leadsom
The costs of the small scale Feed-in Tariffs scheme in 2014/15 are estimated to have accounted for around 2 percent, on average, of the household electricity bill.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mike Kane on 2015-11-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions she has had with HM Treasury Ministers on the implementation by UK Overseas Territories of public registers of beneficial ownership.
Mr Desmond Swayne
The UK continues to lead the way on beneficial ownership disclosure and to encourage others to do the same. We are having discussions at both Ministerial and official level with the Overseas Territories to emphasise the importance of this agenda. Any system should meet the following criteria: UK and domestic law enforcement and tax authorities must be able to access company beneficial ownership information without restriction, subject to relevant safeguards; these competent authorities should be able to quickly identify all companies that a particular beneficial owner has a stake in, without needing to submit multiple and repeated requests; and companies or their beneficial owners must not be alerted to the fact that an investigation is under way.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gavin Newlands on 2015-11-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of the costs of the contract for personal independence payment assessments is assigned to cover support and travel costs for claimants who need support to attend assessment centres.
Justin Tomlinson
There is no apportionment for travel costs within the Personal Independence Payment contracts but the contractor is responsible for paying all travel expenses.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark on 2015-11-20.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the net level of borrowing by the public sector in October 2015.
Lord O’Neill of Gatley
The government has made significant progress to date in reducing borrowing – the deficit has more than halved as a share of GDP since 2009-10 and as the latest Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) forecast shows, the national debt as a share of GDP is forecast to be falling this year for the first time in over a decade. October public sector finance figures show government borrowing is falling, down £6.6 billion so far this year compared to last year. However, the job is not yet done. The government is committed to eliminating the deficit and returning the public finances to a more sustainable path. To achieve this, the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015 sets out the action required to return the country to surplus over the course of this Parliament.
On the basis of these plans, the latest OBR forecast estimates that borrowing in 2015-16 will be on a like-for-like basis £73.5bn, £0.6bn lower relative to Summer Budget. The forecast also shows the government is on track to meet its fiscal targets, with a budget surplus of £10.1bn by 2019-20 and debt falling as a percentage of GDP in 2015-16 and for each year in this Parliament.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2015-11-19.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many jobs will be created at each of the 13 new HM Revenue and Customs regional centres by 2021.
Mr David Gauke
HM Revenue and Customs’ (HMRC) announcements about the move to regional centres focus on where it will deliver its business from in the future. HMRC expects that most of its current staff will be able to travel to one of the new sites. HMRC has quoted the expected sizes of its regional centres. The smallest will hold 1,200 to 1,300 full-time equivalent (FTE) members of staff and the largest will hold more than 6,000. More details will be available when final staffing levels are agreed.
The plans are part of HMRC’s long-term transformation into a smaller, more highly-skilled operation offering modern, digital services.
The number of people relocating from individual offices will be known when lines of business have finalised their plans and individuals have had the opportunity to discuss their personal circumstances in one-to-one meetings with their manager.
Overall, HMRC has planned on the basis that it is likely to have about 50,000 FTE posts by 2021.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2015-11-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he has taken to provide better support for ex-servicemen and women and their families.
Mark Lancaster
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 20 November 2015 to Questions 15830 and 15831.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Monaghan on 2015-11-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which government agency has overall responsibility for the control and monitoring of the movement of horses and their importation and exportation.
George Eustice
The Tri-Partite Agreement (TPA) implements a derogation from the animal health conditions that normally apply when horses are moved between EU member states. In recognition of an increased, but still low risk of disease being spread through such movements, a new TPA with France and Ireland came into effect on 18 May 2014. The TPA does not apply to horses moving directly for slaughter, these are subject to harmonised EU certification. It also does not affect the requirement to comply with welfare legislation.
For movements between the United Kingdom and France, only horses with a higher health status can benefit from the derogation. All such movements must be pre-notified on the European Commission’s TRACES system and be accompanied by a commercial document (DOCOM) produced by an approved TPA body as well as an official identification document. The TPA is generally restricted to thoroughbreds and non-thoroughbreds involved in racing, training and breeding plus horses participating in events regulated by the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI).
As part of the conditions of their approval, TPA bodies have had to demonstrate to Defra that they can deliver good traceability and that they comply with the relevant welfare legislation as part of their normal governance arrangements.
The Chief Veterinary Officer has met several times with his French and Irish counterparts and with representatives of the equine sector to review the operation of the new TPA. This has included discussions on the arrangements for auditing the agreement to ensure that there is a consistent approach between the three countries. The TPA will be audited by the Animal and Plant Health Agency in Great Britain.
Local authorities are designated as enforcement bodies under the Trade in Animals and Related Products Regulations 2011, the Horse Passport Regulations 2009 and the Welfare of Animals (Transport) (England) Order 2006 and corresponding legislation in Wales and Scotland.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mike Kane on 2015-11-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the provision of services targeted at young people with dementia.
Jane Ellison
The Government is clear that all types of dementia remain a priority and will implement the Prime Minister’s Challenge on Dementia 2020 in full to make sure that dementia care, support, awareness and research are transformed by 2020. That is why on 21 February 2015, the 2020 Challenge was launched.
Under the Prime Minister’s Challenge on Dementia 2020, we wish to encourage greater personalisation in the provision of post-diagnosis services including for younger people with dementia – this means building support around the individual with dementia, their carer and family and providing them with more choice, control and flexibility in the way they receive care and support – regardless of the setting in which they receive it.
The Challenge recognises that local commissioners and providers need to continue to improve their understanding of the best ways to tailor post-diagnosis support services based on their local population’s needs.
It is therefore for clinical commissioning groups and local authorities, working together, to ensure that high quality, personalised services are delivered for people with dementia and their carers.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tania Mathias on 2015-11-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the effects on the cardiovascular health of local residents of continuous noise from aircraft taking off and landing.
Mr Robert Goodwill
The Government will evaluate existing evidence and future studies in the area of aircraft noise and its impacts on health including cardiovascular disease in considering future policy implications.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2015-11-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what requirements for wifi delivery his Department plans to put in future rail franchises; and how his Department plans to assess the quality of wifi service provided pursuant to those franchises.
Claire Perry
On all Department for Transport-controlled rail franchises, in England and Wales, free Wi-Fi is being introduced. All train operators bidding for new franchises and direct award agreements will have to present a phased implementation plan for free Wi-Fi, which will deliver Wi-Fi on the majority of all franchised train fleets by end of 2018.
Train operators will be required to monitor and report on performance, availability and usage of the service.