The below Parliamentary question was asked by Melanie Onn on 2015-11-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the economic cost of the shortage of Certificate of Professional Competence qualified drivers.
Andrew Jones
The Department for Transport has not made an estimate on the economic effect of a potential driver shortage. It is aware of extensive reports about pressures on wages, the recruitment of drivers from outside the UK and delayed deliveries.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-11-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will take steps to ensure that all UK Pension schemes are aware of (a) the findings of the Law Commission’s report on Fiduciary Duties of Investment Intermediaries, published in June 2014, HC 368, and (b) related guidance to be issued by the Pensions Regulator.
Justin Tomlinson
The Pensions Regulator has already taken steps to ensure that occupational pension schemes are aware of the findings of the Law Commission’s report on fiduciary duties.
In October 2014 The Pensions Regulator emailed over 37,000 pension scheme trustees to make them aware of the Law Commission’s report, and the guidance produced by the Law Commission on pension trustees’ duties.
The Pensions Regulator has also updated its ‘trustee toolkit’ training materials to reflect the Law Commission’s findings, and is updating its investment guidance with new material with reflects the Law Commission’s conclusions. This includes the revised Code of Practice and guidance for running defined contribution schemes, which is currently published for consultation.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-11-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to his oral evidence to the Work and Pensions Committee of 28 October 2015, for how long a welfare rights adviser has been placed in the Birkenhead food bank; and when he plans to roll-out the placement of such advisers to all food banks.
Priti Patel
Jobcentre Plus Work Coaches regularly undertake outreach work in local communities. We have no specific knowledge of a welfare rights advisor working in a food bank in Birkenhead.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Howlett on 2015-11-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans he has to extend schemes of shared ownership for existing housing stock.
Brandon Lewis
The Autumn Statement announced measures to double the number of first time buyers and confirmed £8 billion to deliver over 400,000 affordable housing starts including £4 billion for 135,000 new Help to Buy: Shared Ownership starts by 2020. This will build on the 41,000 new Shared Ownership homes we have delivered since 2010.
We believe that shared ownership has an important role to play, as part of a diverse and thriving housing market, in helping those who aspire to home ownership but may be otherwise unable to afford it. The Government is also committed to working with housing associations to help to develop flexible tenure models and savings vehicles. This could include tenants converting their rented properties into shared ownership, overpaying on their rent in order to take an equity share in their property.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Smith on 2015-10-30.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how much centrally-provided capital funding has been provided to each further education college in each of the last five years.
Nick Boles
The amount of centrally-provided capital funding provided to each further education college in each of the last five years is shown in the attached table.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicola Blackwood on 2015-11-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much of his Department’s funding allocated in the Spending Review 2015 will be for research and development expenditure up to 2020.
Mr Philip Dunne
I refer the hon. Member to para 6.44 of the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015 (Cm9161) for the proportion of our defence budget dedicated to science and technology.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-10-30.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to encourage manufacturing.
Harriett Baldwin
Our long term economic plan is working, with the UK growing faster than any other major economy in 2013 and 14. But job is not done, which is why we are working with industry to drive innovation and lead the global race in technology, engineering and manufacturing.
To encourage investment in manufacturing and the economy as a whole, the Government has announced an increase in the permanent level of Annual Investment Allowance (AIA) from £25,000 to £200,000 from 1 January 2016. This incentivises investment in plant and machinery, and SMEs will benefit disproportionately.
Catapult centres are further supporting the UK’s manufacturing productivity and competitiveness, facilitating collaboration and boosting inward investment. £300m has been invested in manufacturing through the High Value Manufacturing Catapult network and over the last year it has worked with over 1,650 private sector clients on over 1,300 projects.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2015-11-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, from which branches of the armed forces the 10,000 military personnel on standby to assist civil authorities in case of significant terrorist incidents referred to in the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015 are to be drawn.
Michael Fallon
Of the 10,000 military personnel on standby in the UK, some units are placed on standby on a rolling basis, while others have specific geographic responsibilities which they meet from their available manpower.
Military personnel will be drawn from all three Services, with the majority being supplied from the Army.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2015-10-30.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what research her Department is funding on the effects of climate change on agricultural production in the UK; and if she will make a statement.
Rory Stewart
Under the Climate Change Act 2008, the Government has a statutory role to produce, on a five-yearly cycle, an assessment of the risks and opportunities for the UK arising from climate change. The first Climate Change Risk Assessment was published in 2012. Work is underway on the second CCRA, for which Defra is funding the Adaptation Sub-Committee of the Committee on Climate Change to produce the underpinning Evidence Report by July 2016. This will include an up-to-date review of evidence on the effects of climate change on agriculture, and all other sectors. The CCRA Government Report will be laid before Parliament no later than January 2017.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2015-11-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 31 of the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015, what estimate he has made of the cost of the new general purpose frigates.
Mr Philip Dunne
The cost and schedule of the general purpose frigate programme outlined in the White Paper National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence And Security Review 2015 (Cmd 9161) has yet to be determined. The programme will be scoped during a concept study as part of the programme announced by the Prime Minister on 23 November 2015 (Official Report: column 1049).