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Tag: 2015

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ms Angela Eagle on 2015-10-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to encourage the European Commission to have measures approved to support UK steelmakers with their energy costs.

    Anna Soubry

    My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills spoke with Competition Commissioner Verstager on Friday 23 October, to raise the issue of state aid clearance for our proposed package of support for energy intensive industries. Further discussions are planned this week, and next month. In addition, my officials have been in regular contact with the European Commission throughout this process, and have met with the Commission’s case handler to help progress clearance of the support package.

  • Jonathan Edwards – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Jonathan Edwards – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Edwards on 2015-10-21.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations he has received from the Welsh Government on the Barnett consequentials for Wales resulting from public expenditure on High Speed 2.

    Greg Hands

    Treasury Ministers are in regular contact with Welsh Government Ministers on a variety of matters.

  • Ian Murray – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Ian Murray – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Murray on 2015-10-21.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to Part 2 of the Scotland Bill 2015, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the planned transfer of income tax powers on the operation of Gift Aid in Scotland.

    Damian Hinds

    The effective operation of Gift Aid, which enables charitable donations to be made free from tax, is a vitally important issue for Government, charities and their donors in all parts of the United Kingdom. The UK Government works closely with the charity sector to ensure that Gift Aid works effectively for charities and their donors.

    We consulted the charity sector fully in advance of agreeing the arrangements for the continued operation of Gift Aid under the Scottish Rate of Income Tax, which will come into effect in April 2016. Under the agreed arrangements Gift Aid will continue to operate at UK-wide rates, a solution that means no extra complexity, uncertainty or administrative burden for the charity sector or donors.

    Similarly, we are fully committed to consulting the charity sector – in Scotland and the rest of the UK – to fully understand the impact of the devolution of income tax powers as proposed by Part 2 of the Scotland Bill 2015 ahead of agreeing arrangements for the continued operation of Gift Aid.

  • Kate Osamor – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Kate Osamor – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Osamor on 2015-10-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will take steps to ensure that reviews decisions by local authorities to rule that a person is intentionally homeless are conducted by people independent of that authority.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    The homelessness legislation gives households rights to request a review of local authority homelessness decisions. A review may be carried out by the housing authority itself or by someone acting as an agent of the housing authority. Where the review is to be carried out by an officer of the housing authority, the officer must not have been involved in the original decision, and must be senior to the officer who took the original decision.

  • Kevan Jones – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Kevan Jones – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevan Jones on 2015-10-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his Department’s policy is on ensuring that UK-produced steel is used in items being procured by his Department; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The Government’s policy is to provide our Armed Forces with the best capabilities we can afford and, in doing so, to obtain the best possible value for money. It is the responsibility of contractors to obtain steel at a competitive price, at the required time and quality. Steel for defence programmes is sourced from a range of suppliers, including steel-producers in the UK.

  • Catherine McKinnell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    Catherine McKinnell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine McKinnell on 2015-10-19.

    To ask the Attorney General, what estimate he has made of the costs awarded to the Crown Prosecution Service under the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985 in (a) each financial year since 2010 and (b) 2015-16 to date.

    Robert Buckland

    The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not maintain data on the value of costs awarded to the CPS but does have data on the value of costs recovered following the award of costs.

    A table showing the value of costs recovered and paid to the CPS, following the award of costs under the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985, in (a) each financial year since 2010 and (b) 2015-16 to date is presented below.

    2015/16

    2014/15

    2013/14

    2012/13

    2011/12

    2010/11

    2009/10

    (Qtr 1)

    Costs recovered (£M)

    10.7

    35.3

    37.7

    39.6

    42.3

    44.6

    40.6

    The value of costs recovered has reduced in total but has increased in terms of the average cost recovered per defendant since 2010/11. The total CPS caseload has also reduced since 2010. This reduction in CPS caseload is due, in part, to the transfer of prosecutions from the CPS to the police as part of the police led prosecution initiative.

    Notes: The figures in the table are compiled from returns sent to the CPS by HM Courts and Tribunals Service. The amount reported for 2015/16 reflects the first quarter’s returns only. Returns for the second quarter are not yet available.

  • Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-10-19.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Champion is taking to ensure (a) improved engagement and (b) increased promotion rates of under-represented groups.

    Matthew Hancock

    To govern modern Britain, the Civil Service needs to look and sound likemodern Britain. We need access to the broadest possible pool of talent, drawing on peoplefrom all backgrounds and all parts of the country.

    We have published the Talent Action Plan which introduced the ‘Removing Barriers to Success’ programme’, overseen by the Diversity and Inclusion Champion, Sue Owen. We have introduced Shared Parental Leave, launched the Civil Service Job Share Finder and made sure all-male shortlists and selection panels for senior positions are by exception only. We are also increasing the number of places on our development programme aimed at disabled, BAME and LGB&T Civil Servants from 200 to 1000.

    We are also implementing a number of initiatives to recruit individuals from lower socio-economic backgrounds onto the Fast Stream and Fast Track Apprenticeship schemes, including internship programmes, schools and colleges mentoring and discovery days, work experience programmes and engagement with universities with a high representation of lower socio-economic students.

  • Stephen Hammond – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Stephen Hammond – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Hammond on 2015-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department has taken to prepare for the implementation of the proposed General Data Protection Regulation; which non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) and agencies overseen by his Department will be affected by that regulation; and what estimate he has made of the potential liability of his Department, its agencies and NDPBs in connection with that proposed regulation.

    Brandon Lewis

    Negotiations on the proposed General Data Protection Regulation are still continuing and our negotiating position has taken into account the likely impact on Government Departments, NDPBs and agencies. Once the outcome of trilogue negotiations between the Council of the European Union, the European Parliament and the Commission are complete, and the Regulation has been adopted, the liabilities will be further assessed. There will then follow a maximum implementation period of two years. Between now and then, Government departments who will be affected by the Regulation are closely involved in work led by the Department for Culture, Mediaand Sport to consider the implications of the text as it develops through the negotiating process.

  • Andrew Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Andrew Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Smith on 2015-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, in which countries UK defence attachés are posted.

    Mr Julian Brazier

    There are resident Defence Attachés in the following countries:

    Afghanistan – Kabul

    Algeria – Algiers

    Argentina – Buenos Aires

    Australia – Canberra

    Austria – Vienna

    Bahrain – Manama

    Estonia – Tallinn

    Bangladesh – Dhaka

    Bosnia and Herzegovina – Sarajevo

    Brazil – Brasilia

    Brunei – Bandar Seri Begawan

    Burma – Rangoon

    Canada – Ottawa

    Chile – Santiago

    China – Beijing

    Colombia – Bogota

    Croatia – Zagreb

    Cyprus – Nicosia

    Czech Republic – Prague

    Denmark – Copenhagen

    Egypt – Cairo

    Ethiopia – Addis Ababa

    France – Paris

    Georgia – Tbilisi

    Germany – Berlin

    Ghana – Accra

    Greece – Athens

    India – New Delhi

    Indonesia – Jakarta

    Iraq – Baghdad

    Ireland – Dublin

    Israel – Tel Aviv

    Italy – Rome

    Jamaica – Kingston

    Japan – Tokyo

    Jordan – Amman

    Kazakhstan – Astana

    Kenya – Nairobi

    Korea – Seoul

    Kuwait – Kuwait City

    Lebanon – Beirut

    Libya – Tripoli

    Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia – Skopje

    Malaysia – Kuala Lumpur

    Mexico – Mexico City

    Morocco – Rabat

    Nepal – Kathmandu

    Netherlands – The Hague

    New Zealand – Wellington

    Nigeria – Abuja

    Norway – Oslo

    Oman – Muscat

    Pakistan – Islamabad

    Poland – Warsaw

    Qatar – Doha

    Romania – Bucharest

    Russia – Moscow

    Saudi Arabia – Riyadh

    Serbia – Belgrade

    Sierra Leone – Freetown

    Singapore – Singapore City

    Somalia – Mogadishu

    South Africa – Pretoria

    South Sudan – Juba

    Spain – Madrid

    Sudan – Khartoum

    Sweden – Stockholm

    Thailand – Bangkok

    Turkey – Ankara

    Uganda – Kampala

    Ukraine – Kyiv

    United Arab Emirates – Abu Dhabi

    United States of America – UK Mission to UN

    United States of America – Washington

    Uzbekistan – Tashkent

    Vietnam – Hanoi

    Yemen – Sana’a

    Zimbabwe – Harare

    There is Non-Resident Accreditation for a further 82 countries.

  • Alan Brown – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Alan Brown – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Brown on 2015-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, pursuant to the Answer of 15 October 2015 to Question 11023, how many developers are developing proposals at each of the sites referred to in that Answer; what indicative electricity strike rates have been discussed with those developers; and what (a) generating capacity and (b) potential timescales have been discussed with each developer in each case.

    Andrea Leadsom

    I set out the position below. It is too soon to say what any strike price might be for these projects.

    Site

    Developer

    Proposed generating capacity

    Potential timescale for operation

    Wylfa

    Horizon

    2.7 GW

    mid-2020s

    Oldbury

    Horizon

    2.7 GW

    to be confirmed

    Moorside

    NuGen

    3.6 GW

    mid-2020s

    Sizewell

    EDF/CGN

    3.2 GW

    to be confirmed

    Bradwell

    EDF/CGN

    to be confirmed

    to be confirmed