Tag: 2015

  • Chris Leslie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Chris Leslie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Leslie on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the cost to the public purse was of benefit fraud in (a) 2014-15 and (b) 2013-14; and what proportion of total expenditure on housing benefit that cost represented in each of those years.

    Justin Tomlinson

    Overpayments in the benefit system have fallen to a record low of 1.8% for 2014-15.

    In 2013-14 total benefit expenditure excluding housing benefit was £140bn, of which the cost of benefit fraud was £0.77bn (0.55%). Similarly, Housing Benefit expenditure was £24.2bn, of which the cost of benefit fraud was £0.43bn (1.78%).

    In 2014-15 total benefit expenditure excluding housing benefit was £144bn, of which the cost of benefit fraud was £0.71bn (0.49%). Similarly, Housing Benefit expenditure was £24.3bn, of which the cost of benefit fraud was 0.59bn (2.43%).

  • Lord Hunt of Chesterton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Lord Hunt of Chesterton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Chesterton on 2015-12-07.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to introduce planning and building regulations to ensure that within public and private buildings the concentrations of atmospheric pollutants do not exceed safety standards.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    There are already strong protections in place to safeguard people from unacceptable risks from air pollution. National planning policy in England is clear that new development should be appropriate for its location, taking proper account of the effects of pollution on people’s health, and building regulations require adequate means of ventilation for people in buildings. This requirement applies when new buildings are constructed or work is carried out on existing buildings.

  • 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 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of people in receipt of universal credit receive help with mortgage costs.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The information requested is not collated centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

    Universal Credit (UC) does not currently accept claims from owner occupiers. Once this claimant group starts claiming UC we expect that the numbers of any potential owner occupiers making a claim to be small.

  • Chris Law – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Chris Law – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Law on 2015-12-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what financial support the Government has provided to video games development companies in Dundee since 2010.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    In 2014 Government introduced video games tax relief to support UK games development, including eligible projects in Dundee. In addition, this Autumn, a 4-year £4 million UK Games Fund was launched. This fund, administered from Dundee and London, includes grants for young games development businesses around the UK, and there has been a strong response from Dundee games developers for calls for applications.

    The Fund follows our earlier successful video games prototype fund, run by Abertay University in Dundee from 2010 – 2014, and our support for expansion of the university’s games lab which benefitted a number of Dundee games developers.

    Dundee games developers are also able to access a range of other schemes including the Research and Development tax credit, the Tradeshow Access Programme and Government match-funding from the Skills Investment Fund which is managed by Creative Skillset.

  • Anna Turley – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Anna Turley – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anna Turley on 2015-11-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he made prior to the closure of SSI Redcar of the (a) opportunity to produce foundry coke at Redcar coke ovens and (b) potential market for foundry coke.

    Anna Soubry

    As with any business, prior to the liquidation of SSI UK, these were commercial matters for SSI.

  • Chris White – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Chris White – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris White on 2015-12-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to increase participation in part-time higher education courses in STEM subjects.

    Joseph Johnson

    This year we relaxed the Equivalent and Lower Qualification (ELQ) rule for part time students taking engineering, technology and computer science courses. This means that students who already hold a degree will be able to access student support. At the Autumn Statement we announced a further relaxation to the eligibility rules so that students who already hold a degree can from 2017/18 access student support for part time study of other STEM subjects. These changes do not affect those undertaking full time study.

  • 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.