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Tag: 2015

  • Ben Howlett – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Ben Howlett – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Howlett on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what recent assessment he has made of the effect of universities on their local economy.

    Joseph Johnson

    Higher education institutions play an important role in their local areas. Several universities have undertaken individual studies of their impact on their local area, and such studies have generally found positive impacts. Universities UK and others have also assessed the important impact of universities on national growth.

  • Laurence Robertson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Laurence Robertson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Laurence Robertson on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what recent assessment he has made of the employment conduct abroad of companies which are based in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

    Nick Boles

    We have made no such assessment. However, the UK was the first country to publish a National Action Plan to implement the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights which sets out the Government’s expectation of business behaviour wherever they operate, including complying with all applicable laws and honouring the principles of internationally recognised human rights when faced with conflicting requirements.

    Company directors of UK-based businesses also have a duty to act to promote the success of the company, and in doing so have regard for a number of factors including the interests of the company’s employees. To demonstrate this consideration, companies are required to report information on employee matters, where necessary for an understanding of their business.

    Furthermore, the Home Office will shortly be introducing regulations that will require businesses with a turnover of £36million to report on the measures they are taking to ensure that modern slavery and human trafficking are not present in their supply chains.

  • Andrew Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Andrew Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Smith on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 1 July 2015 to Question 3711, how many arms export licences the Government has granted to Saudi Arabia subsequent to the information provided in that Answer; and what items were so licensed.

    Anna Soubry

    Licensing data shows 67 licences were granted to Saudi Arabia.

    Please note that data from licensing decisions made between 1 April and 30 June 2015 is scheduled to be published as Official Statistics at 9.30am on Tuesday 20 October 2015; and data from licensing decisions made between 1 July and 30 September 2015 is scheduled to be published as Official Statistics at 9.30am on 19 January 2016.

  • Paul Blomfield – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Paul Blomfield – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will instruct the Independent Commission on Freedom of Information to consider the impact the Freedom of Information Act has had on standards of governance.

    Matthew Hancock

    It is for the independent Commission on Freedom of Information to determine the scope of its review in accordance with its Terms of Reference.

  • 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 2015-10-09.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment HM Revenue and Customs has made of the effect of the new Scottish rate of income tax on remote and mobile workers who are Scottish taxpayers.

    Mr David Gauke

    People will pay the Scottish Rate of Income Tax if their main place of residence is in Scotland for most of the year. For the vast majority of taxpayers, even those who work remotely or on a mobile basis, this will be a straight forward test of the location of the home they return to when work has finished. HM Revenue and Customs will publish detailed guidance to help people understand how the rules apply to them.

  • Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-10-09.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what planning powers he plans to provide to the National Infrastructure Commission; and what the relationship is between the remit of that Commission and the powers exercised by the (a) devolved administrations and (b) Secretaries of State for (i) Transport, (ii) Energy and Climate Change and (iii) Communities and Local Government.

    Greg Hands

    HM Treasury will soon consult on what planning powers will be given to the National Infrastructure Commission, and on its remit.

    It will initially focus on areas of UK government competence. Where spending is devolved, it will be a matter for the devolved governments whether they wish to work with the Commission and how to respond to any recommendations it makes.

    The Commission will provide objective analysis and an independent view on infrastructure needs, but Government will retain the final say on policy and which projects receive government support in being delivered.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Menzies on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what progress has been made in developing enterprise zones at (a) Blackpool Airport and (b) Warton.

    James Wharton

    Since the Lancashire Enterprise Zone was established in 2012 the Local Enterprise Partnership and UK Trade and Investment have actively promoted the Enterprise Zone as a good place for companies to set up or expand their businesses.

    Two companies have also set up on the Enterprise Zone’s other site at Warton, already attracting 25 jobs.

    Work has recently started on BAE’s training facility on the Enterprise Zone site in Samlesbury. This is a part of BAE’s national commitment to double the number of apprentices they train bringing important opportunities and skills to the area. The new facility is expected to be completed by September 2016.

    An announcement about the Blackpool Airport site will be made in due course.

  • Grahame Morris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Grahame Morris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent estimate the Government has made of the number of people in Easington constituency who are unable to access the internet.

    Matthew Hancock

    Information provided by ONS for the period January to March 2015 shows that 11% of adults in the UK (5.9 million) had never used the internet. In 2015 14% of households in Great Britain had no internet access.Official data at local constituency level is not available.

    The Digital Inclusion Strategy launched in 2014 outlined that by 2016 we will have reduced the number of people who are offline by 25% and by 2020 everyone who can be online should be online. 85 partners work with government to reach this goal, including the Tinder Foundation, Post Office, Argos, Barclays, LGA, Go ON UK, Society of Chief Librarians, Digital Unite and Age UK.

    The government recognises that there are many reasons for not being online. We will always provide assisted digital support for people who need help accessing government services.

    Many of these partners have local delivery networks, and work with hard to reach groups. Details of local resources can be found from a number of sources, including libraries and the Post Office. A range of services are available in Easington, including Easington Colliery Library, which provides internet and email facilities; and there are a number of UK Online Centres in the Easington area.

  • Matthew Pennycook – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Matthew Pennycook – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Pennycook on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will (a) issue new guidance and (b) amend the school admissions code to give parents of multiple birth children the right to insist their children are not split up across different schools or classes within the same school.

    Nick Gibb

    The School Admissions Code already allows schools to admit multiple birth siblings as exceptions to the infant class size limit so that these children can be educated at the same school.

    Once children have been admitted to school, it is for individual schools to make decisions about matters of internal organisation of classes, including how children should be split between classes in a year group with two or more forms. We would expect schools to take into account the views of parents in making such decisions.

  • 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 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many (a) free schools and (b) academies with a religious character have been oversubscribed in each of the last five years.

    Edward Timpson

    The government is committed to ensuring that faith designated free schools and new academies provide additional places not just for pupils of their own faith but for pupils from other faiths or no faith. It is for individual schools to decide whether or not to adopt faith based admission arrangements.Those that do may give priority when oversubscribed to a maximum of 50% of applicants with reference to their faith. The department does not collect data on schools that are oversubscribed or on religious diversity in those schools that adopt faith based admission arrangements.

    The number of free schools and new provision academies with a religious character opening between September 2010 and October 2015 by academic year is detailed in the table below.

    Numbers of free schools and new provision academies with a religious character opening between September 2010 and October 2015 by academic year

    Academic year of opening

    2010/11

    2011/12

    2012/13

    2013/14

    2014/15

    2015/16

    Total

    Free Schools and New Provision Academies

    0

    7

    12

    22

    15

    12

    68

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