Tag: 2015

  • Jamie Reed – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Jamie Reed – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jamie Reed on 2015-10-21.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to achieve UN Sustainable Development Goal 10 in the UK.

    Mr David Gauke

    The government is committed to tackling inequality. According to the latest ONS statistics, original income inequality in the UK is at its lowest level since 1989.

    The government believes that the best way to reduce inequality and poverty is through tackling unemployment, and getting workless households into work. Employment has increased by 2 million since the 2010 election, and the percentage of workless households is lower than at any point under the last Labour government.

    The Government is tackling low pay by introducing a new National Living Wage (NLW) for workers aged 25 and above from April 2016. On current OBR forecasts, by 2020 the NLW will be over £9 an hour, meaning a full-time worker aged 25 or above will earn over £4,800 a year more in cash terms than under the current National Minimum Wage.

  • Matthew Offord – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    Matthew Offord – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Offord on 2015-10-21.

    To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what response her Department has received to the consultation on regulations on the gender pay gap.

    Caroline Dinenage

    This government is committed to closing the gender pay gap in a generation by addressing the underlying causes of the gender pay gap, including the gender bonus gap. Our consultation on Closing the Gender Pay Gap closed on 6 September, and received nearly 700 responses. Over 200 employers and business organisations responded, including the CBI, whose members employ around a third of the private sector workforce. We have announced that this will apply to large employers and to large public bodies. We will be working with employers on how this will be implemented as they will be required to publish information showing the differences in pay between men and women.

  • Johnny Mercer – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Johnny Mercer – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Johnny Mercer on 2015-10-21.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect on earnings of the increase in the personal allowance planned for 2016-17; and how he plans to deliver an increase in that allowance to £12,500 by 2020.

    Mr David Gauke

    Summer Budget 2015 confirmed that the personal allowance will increase from £10,600 in 2015-16 to £11,000 in 2016-17. These changes will benefit over 29 million individuals, taking 570,000 taxpayers out of income tax altogether. A typical basic rate taxpayer will see their income tax bill reduced by £905, compared to 2010.

    This is the first step towards meeting our commitment to raise the personal allowance to £12,500 by the end of this parliament.

  • 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 representations, if any, they have made to British Members of the European Parliament about voting against European Union legislation requiring countries to carry out spot checks on the emissions of vehicles under real operating conditions.

    Lord Gardiner of Kimble

    In July this year, Defra prepared a voting brief for British MEPs concerning the revised National Emission Ceilings Directive. This advised MEPs to oppose an amendment which included the introduction of spot checks on vehicle emissions under real operating conditions, because the aim of the amendment and how it related to existing regimes was unclear. The Government supports the implementation of real driving emissions testing for vehicles but strongly believes that this should be addressed in the appropriate legislation to ensure clarity.

  • Lord West of Spithead – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Lord West of Spithead – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2015-10-20.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Verma on 19 October (HL2591), what are the present seaborne links they provide to the people of Tristan da Cunha.

    Baroness Verma

    Her Majesty’s Government does not provide seaborne links to the people of Tristan da Cunha. Freight and passenger services are provided on a commercial basis by a private company.

  • 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 financial support is available specifically for refugees who have been granted asylum in the United Kingdom, and are therefore ineligible for the weekly allowance for asylum seekers.

    Lord Bates

    Those granted refugee status or humanitarian protection, including those resettled under our three resettlement schemes, are entitled to work without restriction and have full access to the mainstream benefits system on the same terms as British citizens and other permanent residents in the UK. Asylum seekers are only permitted to work in the UK if their asylum claim has been outstanding for more than 12 months, providing the delay is not of their making. Employment is restricted to jobs on the shortage occupations list. We have no plans to reduce the time asylum seekers have to wait to take up employment.

  • Lord Taylor of Goss Moor – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Lord Taylor of Goss Moor – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Taylor of Goss Moor on 2015-10-20.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Gardiner of Kimble on 17 September (HL2164), what were the responses received from the government of the Faroe Islands; and whether they will place any written responses in the Library of the House.

    Lord Gardiner of Kimble

    At the time of writing, no formal written response has yet been received from the Faroese Government.

    However, as a result of our continued efforts, UK Government officials were invited to a meeting this month with officials from the Representation of the Faroes. This initial meeting provided a valuable opportunity for an exchange of views and, importantly, presents an opportunity for further dialogue with the Faroese authorities on this issue.

  • Douglas Carswell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Douglas Carswell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Carswell on 2015-10-20.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many officials in his Department are engaged in planning steps to secure trade and other beneficial economic exchanges in the event of a vote to leave the EU.

    Mr David Gauke

    The Government is focused on delivering a successful renegotiation: it believes it can and will succeed in reforming and renegotiating our relationship with the EU and campaigning to keep the UK in the EU on that basis. Departments are appropriately resourced to support the Government’s priorities in Europe.

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2015-10-20.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate what the net income, including tax credits and child benefit, will be of a single parent with two children working 35 hours per week at the (a) national minimum wage and (b) National Living Wage in (i) 2015-16 and (ii) 2016-17.

    Harriett Baldwin

    By 2017-18, 8 out of 10 working households will be better off as a result of the Personal Allowance, National Living Wage and welfare changes in this Budget. 17.7m households will benefit in total.

    The effect on any given household will depend on their specific circumstances. Treasury analysis in the Budget document shows that an example lone parent, who is renting, and works 35 hours on the minimum wage, will see their net income increase by over £1,500 by 2020-21 compared to 2015-16. This represents an increase in real terms.

    In order to help parents move into full time employment, the Chancellor of the Exchequer confirmed in the Summer Budget that from September 2017, free childcare entitlement will be doubled from 15 hours to 30 hours a week for working parents of 3 and 4 year olds, an entitlement worth around £5,000 a year.

  • Mark Hendrick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Mark Hendrick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much was paid by (a) the Police Federation, (b) UNISON and (c) other trades unions to each council in the North West in 2014.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    This information is not held centrally.