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 2015-10-27.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to lines 41 and 42 of Table 2.1 of the Summer Budget 2015 Red Book (HC 264), page 73, what the savings to the public purse would be if those measures were to be applied only to households that are not currently in receipt of tax credits or universal credit.

    Damian Hinds

    This Government is committed to moving from a high welfare, high tax, low wage economy to a lower welfare, lower tax, higher wage society. As the Chancellor made clear on [Monday / 26 October], the Government will set out at Autumn Statement how we plan to achieve the same goal of reforming tax credits, saving the money we need to save to secure our economy, while at the same time helping in the transition.

    The Summer Budget offered a new deal for working people. A new National Living Wage for workers aged 25 and above, initially set at £7.20 per hour from April 2016, will directly benefit 2.7 million low wage workers, and up to 6 million could see a pay rise as a result of a ripple effect up the earnings distribution. The new National Living Wage will boost pay for those currently earning the National Minimum Wage by £4,800 a year by 2020 when the National Living Wage is expected to rise to over £9 per hour.

    To help working families keep more of what they earn, the personal allowance will increase to £11,000 in 2016-17 and £11,200 in 2017-18. The government has committed to increase the personal allowance to £12,500 by 2020 which will mean that a typical basic rate taxpayer will see their income tax cut by £1,205 a year compared to 2010.

    The government set out its assessment of the impacts of the Summer Budget policies in the Welfare Reform and Work Bill on 20th July 2015.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Tonge – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2015-11-24.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel regarding the closure by Israeli forces of two stone factories in a village south of Bethlehem for security reasons, after incidents of stone throwing in the vicinity.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We have not made representations to the Israeli authorities over the specific issue of the closure of two stone factories. However we continue to urge both the Israelis and Palestinians to maintain calm and refrain from taking actions which could make peace more difficult to achieve.

  • Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-10-27.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent representations he has received on the use of plastic bank notes; and if he will make a statement.

    Harriett Baldwin

    The Bank of England is the issuing authority for banknotes. Following research and a public consultation in 2013, the Bank decided that new polymer £5 and £10 banknotes would come into circulation at the end of 2016 and 2017 respectively. In September 2015, the Bank announced that the next £20 note will also be printed on polymer after considering further developments in banknote technology.

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2015-11-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will make representations to the government of China about not returning to North Korea nine refugees transferred to China from Vietnam; what assessment they have made of conclusions by Human Rights Watch that, should those refugees be repatriated, they will be at grave risk; and what assessment the British Ambassador in Pyongyang has made of the fate of other refugees returned to North Korea.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We are aware of the situation and are discussing the case with the relevant authorities. We raise the issue of non-refoulement with the Chinese government regularly, including at the last UK-China Human Rights Dialogue.

  • Antoinette Sandbach – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Antoinette Sandbach – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Antoinette Sandbach on 2015-10-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will make it his policy to reopen the Government’s Broadband Connection Voucher Scheme.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The Broadband Connection Voucher Scheme, which has supported thousands of small businesses, is now closed as the funding has been fully allocated. Any decision regarding new funding is subject to the forthcoming Spending Review.

  • Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2015-11-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are taking any action against the West London Mental Health NHS Trust for allegedly barring Dr Stuart Lorimer from commenting on his being placed on The Independent on Sunday’s Rainbow List; and if so, what.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    We are assured by the NHS Trust Development Authority that the West London Mental Health NHS Trust has not sought to prevent Dr Stuart Lorimer or any other member of staff from speaking about the Independent on Sunday’s Rainbow List and the recognition of Dr Lorimer’s work with the Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community. We understand the Trust has congratulated Dr Lorimer on being recognised for his work with the LGBT community.

  • David Amess – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    David Amess – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Amess on 2015-10-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to page 9 of the Government Response to the Report of the Education Select Committee, Life lessons: PSHE and SRE in schools, HC 145 of Session 2014-15, which was published in July 2015, cm 9121, when she expects to report on progress of the quality of PSHE; and if she will make a statement.

    Edward Timpson

    The Department for Education is committed to considering the views of all stakeholders. As part of the inquiry into PSHE and SRE, the Education Select Committee sought evidence from a wide range of stakeholders, including parent advocacy groups and faith groups. We are aware of the range of views about these subjects. We are currently working with a group of leading headteachers to improve the provision of PSHE in schools. We will consult directly with a wider group of stakeholders when appropriate.

    As stated in the government response to the Select Committee report, we will provide a progress update later this year.

  • Lord Turnberg – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Turnberg – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Turnberg on 2015-11-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they expect NICE to publish its opinion about the availability of Translarna for the treatment of patients with Duchene Muscular Dystrophy, following its approval by the European Medicines Agency in July 2014.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body that provides guidance on the clinical and cost effectiveness of drugs and treatments. NICE is currently evaluating Translarna (ataluren) for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy through its highly specialised technology programme. NICE currently expects to publish its final guidance in February 2016.

    The NHS in England is legally required to fund drugs and treatments recommended in NICE highly specialised technology guidance within three months of its final guidance being issued. In the absence of guidance from NICE, it is for commissioners to make decisions on whether to fund medicines based on an assessment of the available evidence.

  • The Lord Bishop of St Albans – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The Lord Bishop of St Albans – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Lord Bishop of St Albans on 2015-11-02.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the recent missile attacks on Camp Liberty in Iraq.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We strongly condemn the shameful attack against the civilian residents of Camp Liberty in Iraq on Thursday 29 October. Officials from our Embassy in Baghdad raised the attack with the Iraqi Prime Minister’s Office on Friday 30 October and made clear the importance of an urgent and comprehensive investigation into the incident and ensuring that all those responsible are brought to justice.

    It is not clear at this stage who carried out the attack. Iraqi militia, the al-Mukhtar Army, has claimed responsibility, but we are unable to verify this claim.

    In all of our engagement with the Government of Iraq on this issue, including at Ministerial level and in our Statements, we have emphasised the importance of the Iraqi government doing everything possible to ensure the safety of the residents of Camp Liberty. We support UN calls for more to be done to protect the residents.

  • Luciana Berger – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Luciana Berger – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2015-11-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what analysis his Department has undertaken to assess the effect of the proposed changes on the standard of support from university specialist mental health mentoring provision and the effect this could have on at-risk students.

    Joseph Johnson

    Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have clear responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010 to support students, including those with mental health conditions. It is for the HEI to determine what welfare and counselling services they need to provide to their students.

    In addition, Disabled Students Allowances (DSAs) are available to meet the additional costs of study-related support needs, where the needs of the student cannot be met by the institution by way of a reasonable adjustment.

    A new quality assurance framework is being developed for support that is funded by DSAs, so as to provide assurance on both quality and financial matters. The quality assurance framework will be in place in 2016. All support workers will be required to meet quality standards in order to be funded through DSAs. Discussions with stakeholders regarding new mechanisms for the selection of non-medical help support providers are already underway.