The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2015-10-14.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people who were affected by the benefit cap in August 2015 were also affected by the benefit cap in September 2013.
Justin Tomlinson
Benefit cap statistics for the period to August 2015 have been pre-announced for publication on 5th November 2015.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2015-10-13.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether Monitor was instructed by officials to delay publishing Q1 financial figures for NHS Foundation Trusts ahead of the Conservative Party Conference, and if so, why.
Lord Prior of Brampton
Departmental officials have no legal powers to instruct Monitor to delay publication of financial performance data. Departmental officials regularly have conversations with the Department’s arm’s length bodies, including with Monitor, about the ongoing work of Government business, including the publication of Quarter 1 financial figures from both Monitor and the Trust Development Authority.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Stephen on 2015-10-13.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of how much would be raised annually by a levy of 0.5 per cent on PAYE costs, in a similar manner to the Construction Industry Training Board levy, from (1) private sector employers, and (2) public sector employers, in Scotland.
Lord O’Neill of Gatley
The Treasury has made no estimate of the revenue impact of introducing a levy on employer PAYE costs in Scotland.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 2015-10-13.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Prisons, Probation, Rehabilitation and Sentencing on 9 September (HC5660), when Just Solutions International was established and when it began its operations.
Lord Faulks
Just Solutions international (JSi) was established in 2012 and formally launched in 2013. In September this year, it was announced that JSi would cease to operate.
3.5 full time staff worked under the JSi brand. These staff also worked on other core business within the National Offender Management Service. An additional five staff were temporarily seconded from the Public Sector Prison Service in March 2015. All staff have been reallocated to focus on domestic priorities.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Brown on 2015-10-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to the schedule of comparable programme objects in HM Treasury’s publication, Funding the Scottish Parliament, National Assembly for Wales and Northern Ireland Assembly: Statement of Funding Policy, published in October 2010, what the total expenditure was on UK Trade and Investment between 2010 and 2015.
Anna Soubry
UK Trade and Investment expenditure is published annually in the UKTI Annual Report and Accounts which are available in the libraries of the House.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Brown on 2015-10-13.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph 2.25 of his Department’s publication, Funding the Scottish Parliament, National Assembly for Wales and Northern Ireland Assembly: Statement of Funding Policy, published in October 2010, when he expects the statement of funding policy to be next updated.
Greg Hands
Principle 3.2.7, as set out in the 2010 edition of the Statement of Funding Policy, encompassed business rates income and council tax revenues collected by Scottish local authorities.
The Statement of Funding Policy is reviewed and updated periodically. The devolved administrations have been informed that the Treasury expects to publish a revised version on 25th November to coincide with the Spending Review announcement.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emma Reynolds on 2015-10-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate he has made of the benefit to the UK economy of the preferential trade agreements the EU has negotiated with countries outside the EU.
Anna Soubry
The cumulative impact of all concluded, on-going and potential trade negotiations currently being undertaken by the EU could boost UK GDP by over £ 20 billion in the long run.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Garnier on 2015-10-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps he plans to take to help local councils with pooled funding tackle unpredicted revenue shortfalls due to the revaluation of the business rates levied on GP surgeries.
Mr Marcus Jones
The business rates retention scheme in England is providing real incentives for councils to support enterprise and economic growth. In 2015/16, 362 authorities expect to retain an extra £544 million in business rates above baseline funding. Under the scheme, local authorities or pools of local authorities are protected against significant declines in business rates income, such as from rating appeals on GP surgeries, through a safety net that guarantees income at 92.5% of baseline funding.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevan Jones on 2015-10-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Protector aircraft his Department plans to order.
Mr Philip Dunne
I refer the hon. Member to the written statement released by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence (Michael Fallon) on 12 October 2015,titledFuture Unmanned Air Systems Capability.
The Government has taken an early decision in the Strategic Defence and Security Review to commit to the Protector programme. The programme is currently in its assessment phase, so detailed work is continuing to confirm a contract for the airframe and associated details, including date for the capability’s entry into service and acquisition and life support cost profile, following which the Ministry of Defence will be better placed to understand the implications for the UK workforce and supply chain.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-10-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the progress made by the Careers and Enterprise Company on (a) increasing employer output into schools and colleges and (b) managing its network of enterprise advisers to assist schools and colleges in choosing good careers and enterprise partner organisations.
Mr Sam Gyimah
The Careers & Enterprise Company, which was set up to take a lead role in transforming the provision of careers, enterprise and employer engagement experiences for young people, was incorporated in February 2015. It has since been working with employers, schools and colleges, careers, enterprise and employer engagement providers and others to devise its strategy for transforming the way in which schools and colleges, in partnership with employers, help to prepare young people for adult life. The Careers & Enterprise Company has made good progress with its set up and its delivery plans but it is too early to be able to assess impact.
In September 2015 The Careers & Enterprise Company launched its Enterprise Adviser Network. Through this network Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) will co-ordinate employer volunteers to work with secondary schools and colleges to support the development of whole school careers and enterprise strategies, assist schools and colleges in choosing good careers and enterprise organisations to partner with, and increase the number and effectiveness of employer-school interactions. LEPs started work from September 2015.