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Tag: 2015

  • Margaret Ferrier – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    Margaret Ferrier – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ferrier on 2015-10-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions he has had with the Minister of State for Trade and Investment on the promotion of Scottish steel; and if he will make a statement.

    David Mundell

    The UK Government is committed to supporting the Scottish steel industry and collaborating with the Scottish Government in doing so. Scotland Office Ministers and officials have regular discussions with their counterparts at UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) and UKTI works throughout the world to promote our industries through the United Kingdom’s extensive consular network.

  • Greg Mulholland – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Greg Mulholland – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2015-10-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what training is given to staff in his Department’s Personal Independence Payment Directorate on dealing sensitively with disabled people; and what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of that training.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The Department is committed to dealing with disabled claimants sensitively, adjusting to individual needs where appropriate. All frontline DWP staff are provided with Disability Awareness training on induction into DWP. This includes Equality and Diversity Essentials, Introduction to Mental Health Conditions and Supporting Vulnerable People, with some courses being tailored to Telephony staff. All staff can also access dedicated internal web pages that provide further guidance and details of additional training and support for working with vulnerable claimants. Following training, there is a consolidation process to ensure that it has been successful and a robust quality checking regime in place.

    Additional training and consolidation on dealing with claims from disabled people is provided to staff processing Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claims within the benefit specific training modules. Including dedicated learning on Special Rules for Terminally Ill including the dedicated SRTI claims line. All these build on the skills developed in the previous learning, supported by access to medical advice where needed.

  • Lord Black of Brentwood – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Black of Brentwood – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Black of Brentwood on 2015-10-20.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bates on 16 September (HL2087), whether they have any plans to spend an amount equivalent to the spending on Operation Grange in 2015–16 on the search for Ben Needham, or other missing children; and if not, why not.

    Lord Bates

    This Government is clear that unresolved missing children cases, like that of Ben Needham, are never closed and will continue to support the Greek authorities in its investigations. In 2014, South Yorkshire Police requested a Special Grant payment of £700k to support its investigation into the disappearance of Ben Needham. This funding was approved. No decisions have been made in respect of police funding for 2016/17, but any request from South Yorkshire Police will be considered carefully.

  • Baroness Jones of Whitchurch – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Baroness Jones of Whitchurch – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch on 2015-10-20.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the timescale for complying with the Supreme Court judgment about tackling illegal levels of diesel fumes in British cities.

    Lord Gardiner of Kimble

    The Supreme Court’s judgement ordered the Government to prepare revised air quality plans and submit them to the European Commission by the end of 2015.

  • Lord Falconer of Thoroton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Lord Falconer of Thoroton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 2015-10-20.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any plans to publish on the Legal Aid Agency website or legislation.gov.uk a consolidated version of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 and related regulations.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    The revised version of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 is due to be published and available by the end of 2015.

  • Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno on 2015-10-20.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what measures they are taking to support the governments of Italy and Greece to deal with the number of immigrants arriving in their countries.

    Lord Bates

    The UK has provided support to Italy and Greece through European Asylum Support Office (EASO) coordinated missions. We have provided over 1000 days of staff time on 20 missions over 3 years, more than any other Member State. The UK will also provide up to ten personnel to EASO to support ‘Hotspot’ missions in Italy and Greece.

    In addition to assistance through EASO the UK is also providing Greece bilateral law enforcement support through our National Crime Agency.

    The UK actively supports the work of Frontex (the European Union agency with responsibility for improving the securing and surveillance of the EU external border) to co-ordinate the work of the European border agencies to raise standards of border management.

  • Angela Eagle – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Angela Eagle – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Eagle on 2015-10-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, who (a) he and (b) the Minister for Small Business met on his recent visit to China; and in which of those meetings he raised the effect of Chinese dumping of steel on the UK steel industry.

    Anna Soubry

    My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I attended the Economic and Financial Dialogue and joined my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer for a meeting with Premier Li Keqiang. We held bilateral meetings with the Minister for Industry and Information Technology and the Minister of Commerce. We discussed steel at the second. Separately we met representatives of a number of UK companies and institutions operating in China. I met with representatives of the World Steel Federation, European Chamber of Commerce in China Steel Working Group and steel industry analysts to better understand China’s part in the issues affecting the global steel industry and the impact on the UK.

  • Nicholas Brown – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Nicholas Brown – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Brown on 2015-10-20.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what his policy is on the introduction of a financial transaction tax in (a) the UK and (b) partnership with other taxation authorities.

    Harriett Baldwin

    The UK has a financial transaction tax. Stamp tax on shares raises significant revenue from transactions in UK equities.

    The UK has no plans to introduce a financial transaction tax in partnership with other tax authorities. Such a tax would only be effective if applied globally, and there is currently no prospect of global agreement.

  • Mark Williams – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Mark Williams – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Williams on 2015-10-20.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what support the Government is giving to unincorporated businesses via the taxation system.

    Mr David Gauke

    The government is committed to supporting unincorporated businesses. At Budget 2015, the government announced that it would transform the tax system over the course of this Parliament by introducing digital tax accounts for everyone, removing the need for annual tax returns.

    In addition, the government has introduced cash basis accounting so that the smallest businesses can report their income and expenses to HMRC in a simpler way.

    Building on recommendations by the Office of Tax Simplification (OTS), the government will consult in autumn 2015 on abolishing Class 2 NICs and reforming Class 4 NICs. This will simplify the NICs system and reduce the administrative burden of NICs for millions of self-employed individuals.

    At Summer Budget 2015, the Chancellor announced the Annual Investment Allowance would rise to its highest ever permanent level from January 2016.

    The allowance enables businesses, including unincorporated businesses, to write down 100% of all qualifying investment in plant and machinery against its taxable profits up to £200,000, providing a cash flow benefit to companies who invest.

  • Carolyn Harris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Carolyn Harris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Carolyn Harris on 2015-10-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will take steps to reduce the maximum stake on fixed odds betting terminals from £100.

    Tracey Crouch

    Following the last review, new measures were introduced in April 2015 to help players of fixed odds betting terminals (FOBTs) stay in control. Players of FOBTs who want to stake more than £50 in one play are now required to interact with staff over the counter or register a customer account card. My department are in the process of conducting an evaluation of thesemeasuresand I will publish the results in due course.