Tag: 2015

  • Frank Field – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Frank Field – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2015-11-06.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many reports his Department has received of HM Revenue and Customs’ online renewal system failing to record and register information and supporting documentation submitted by claimants wishing to renew their claim for (a) child tax credit and (b) working tax credit in each of the last two years.

    Mr David Gauke

    HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) did not receive any reports of the online renewal system failing to record and register information submitted by claimants renewing their 2013-14 claim.

    HMRC received one report of the online renewal system failing to record and register information submitted by claimants renewing their 2014-15 claim.

    HMRC do not hold the requested data broken down by Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit

  • 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 2015-12-07.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the evidential basis is for the reference in his oral contribution of 25 November 2015, Official Report, column 1358, to the north having grown faster than the south; and if he will make a statement.

    Greg Hands

    This was based on data available from the Office for National Statistics December 2014 release regarding Regional Gross Value Added.

  • Mark Hendrick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Mark Hendrick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hendrick on 2015-11-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, which Diwali celebrations he, his predecessor or Ministers in his Department attended in 2014 and 2015.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    Government ministers were in attendance at the Prime Minister’s Diwali reception at No 10 Downing Street to celebrate the biggest festival in the Hindu calendar. Due to prior diary commitments, DCMS ministers were unable to attend Diwali celebrations this year in their official capacity.

  • Emily Thornberry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Emily Thornberry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2015-12-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of homes for (a) social and (b) affordable rent which are let at rents at or below the shared accommodation rate of the local housing allowance in each region in the most recent period for which figures are available.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The information requested can only be provided at a disproportion cost.

  • Kate Green – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Kate Green – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Green on 2015-11-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to implement the family test.

    Edward Timpson

    The family test was announced by the Prime Minister in August 2014 and introduced in October 2014. The Department for Work and Pensions published guidance for Departments and officials on how the test should be applied when formulating policy which can be found online[1]. The Department for Education follows this guidance.

    The family test is an integral part of the policy making process and is applied in a proportionate way in the development of all new policies in line with the family test guidance.

    As stated in the guidance, there is no requirement to publish family test assessments. The Department has published the outcome of such assessments on a number of occasions, including as part of the impact assessments of the Childcare Bill[2] and the Education and Adoption Bill[3].

    [1] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/family-test-assessing-the-impact-of-policies-on-families

    [2] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/childcare-bill-impact-assessment

    [3] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/education-and-adoption-bill-impact-assessment

  • Kevan Jones – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Kevan Jones – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevan Jones on 2015-12-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his Department’s planned expenditure is on television recruitment campaigns for the (a) Royal Navy and (b) Royal Navy Reserve in (i) 2015-16, (ii) 2016-17, (iii) 2017-18, (iv) 2018-19 and (v) 2019-20.

    Penny Mordaunt

    The expenditure, or planned expenditure, of each Service on television recruitment campaigns in Financial Year (FY) 2015-16 is as follows:

    Naval Service – planned expenditure has not been finalised but is currently forecast to be £4.3 million for Regular personnel and £0.72 million for Reserves.

    Army – planned expenditure is £0.94 million for Regular personnel and £0.65 million for Reserves.

    Royal Air Force (RAF) – planned expenditure has not been finalised but is currently forecast to be £3.46 million. It is not possible to differentiate between Regular and Reserve spend as the majority of RAF advertisements are targeted towards both cadres.

    Plans for expenditure in FY 2016-17 and onwards have not been finalised.

  • Biography information for Baroness Afshar – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Biography information for Baroness Afshar – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Baroness Afshar on 2015-11-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the claim by the Secretary of State for Education that those studying solely arts and humanities subjects will be held back” on students who are

    Lord Nash

    The government wants all young people to benefit from a broad and balanced education that equips them with the knowledge, skills and character they need to thrive in modern Britain and realise their full potential. Arts and humanities subjects form part of a broad and balanced curriculum. Our expectation is that every child should experience a high quality arts and humanities education. That is why the national curriculum sets the expectation that pupils study these subjects in key stages 1 to 3.

    At key stage 4, the government wants to increase the number of pupils who take GCSEs in the EBacc subjects of English, maths, science, history or geography and a language. These are the subjects that give young people the most options in their futures and will help to secure a place at university or in employment.

    As the EBacc is a specific, limited measure consisting of five subject pillars and up to eight GCSEs, there is time in the curriculum for most pupils to study other valuable subjects. The proportion of pupils in state-funded schools taking at least one GCSE in an arts subject has increased since the EBacc was first introduced, rising from 46% in 2011 to 50% in 2015.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-12-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what binding measures have been agreed at COP21 which commit China and the US to reducing their carbon emissions.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The 21st Conference of Parties (CoP) in Paris delivered an historic and unprecedented legally binding agreement that takes a significant step forward towards reducing, on a global scale, the emissions that cause climate change.

    For the first time, all countries, including China and the US, are legally bound to: set out their plans to reduce emissions; take domestic mitigation measures towards implementing those plans; revisit those plans every five years in light if a global stocktake of progress towards the long term goal in the Agreement; and report on progress made to implement and achieve these plans and subject their report to independent review and multilateral consideration.

  • Lord Marlesford – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Marlesford – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Marlesford on 2015-11-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they recognise President Bashar al-Assad as the de jure President of Syria.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The British Government recognises nation states and not governments. Assad has forfeited his legitimacy and any plausible claim to be part of Syria’s future. A transition away from Assad, to a more inclusive government that represents all Syrians is what the 2012 Geneva communiqué envisages, and this is what we will continue to work towards.

  • Kate Hoey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Kate Hoey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Hoey on 2015-12-07.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will request that the European Commissioner for Competition investigate whether McDonald’s has reduced its UK tax liability through an unlawful state aid agreement with Luxembourg.

    Mr David Gauke

    As set out in its press release of 3 December, the European Commission has opened a formal investigation into Luxembourg’s tax treatment of McDonald’s. Treasury and HM Revenue and Customs officials will examine the Commission’s final decision when it is published.