Tag: 2016

  • Lord Boateng – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Boateng – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Boateng on 2016-02-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government on how many occasions in each of the last three years the Ambassador of the UK to Burundi (1) visited Bujumbura, and (2) met the President of Burundi.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    In 2014 our Ambassador visited Bujumbura on eight occasions and met with President Nkurunziza on three occasions.

    In 2015 our Ambassador visited Bujumbura on seven occasions and met with President Nkurunziza on two occasions.

    In 2016 our Ambassador has visited Bujumbura on one occasion so far.

  • Lord Touhig – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord Touhig – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Touhig on 2016-03-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the suitability of the length of the current UK Military Flying Training System (UKMFTS) contract, and how the length of that contract compares to previous contracts for the UKMFTS.

    Earl Howe

    The current UK Military Flying Training System (UKMFTS) contract with Ascent Flight Training began in 2008 and will run for 25 years. Contract duration was a key user requirement and was endorsed prior to contract signature. Previous provision of military flying training was delivered through an array of contracts with multiple providers and varying lengths. As such, these contracts cannot be directly compared to the single tri-service training system partner model employed by UKMFTS.

    The Ministry of Defence has not received any representations regarding the duration of the overarching UKMFTS contract.

  • Crispin Blunt – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Crispin Blunt – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Crispin Blunt on 2016-04-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent estimate he has made of the capital costs of (a) replacing the Vanguard fleet with four new Successor submarines and (b) other foreseeable elements within the Trident renewal project up to the late 2030’s.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    As stated in the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015, our latest estimate is that manufacturing the four Successor submarines is likely to cost a total of £31 billion, including inflation over the lifetime of the programme. We will also set a contingency of £10 billion. The MOD budget for the Spending Review period published in Budget 2016 included this latest estimate for the relevant period.

  • Kate Hoey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Kate Hoey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Hoey on 2016-05-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reasons restrictions are placed on people aged over 65 seeking to lease a car through the Motability scheme.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The Motability scheme is not restricted to those under 65. Around one third of Motability customers are aged 65 or older.

    The Motability scheme is available to those in receipt of a qualifying benefit, regardless of their age. These benefits are the enhanced rate mobility component of Personal Independence Payment, the higher rate mobility component of Disability Living Allowance, Armed Forces Independence Payment or War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement.

  • Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-07-13.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many prosecutions have been brought against companies which have failed to pay the national minimum wage in each of the last five years.

    Jane Ellison

    The majority of employers identified as paying below National Minimum Wage pay arrears on receipt of a formal Notice of Underpayment. Employers are charged penalties of up to 200% of the arrears due and‎ considered by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) for naming. This provides the most effective resolution for those who have been underpaid and helps ensure the arrears due to them are paid. In line with the prosecution policy set out by BEIS, criminal investigations are reserved for the most serious cases. The number of cases brought for prosecution for non-compliance in each of the last five years is set out below:

    Year

    Cases brought for prosecution

    2015/16

    1

    2014/15

    0

    2013/14

    0

    2012/13

    1

    2011/12

    0

    Each case resulted in conviction. There has been one further successful prosecution to date in 2016/17. During the last year, HM Revenue and Customs have also set up a specialist enforcement team to investigate serious non-compliance and identify the worst offenders for possible criminal investigation. The team works closely with other agencies to tackle labour market abuse and serious worker exploitation.

  • Heidi Allen – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Heidi Allen – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Heidi Allen on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with the European Commission on the timing of the publication of the updated controllers of trade in endangered species regulations on wildlife trade; and what steps her Department is taking to ensure sentencing guidelines for wildlife trade offences are put in place.

    Dr Thérèse Coffey

    The updated and consolidated Control of Trade in Endangered Species (Enforcement) Regulations (COTES) that the Department is taking forward concern the domestic implementation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species controls. As such we have not discussed the timing of their publication with the European Commission.

    As part of the review of COTES legislation Defra has held discussions on guidelines for prosecutors with the Crown Prosecution Service, and sentencing guidelines with the Sentencing Council.

  • Fabian Hamilton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Fabian Hamilton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fabian Hamilton on 2016-01-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which Ministers and staff of his Department will be attending the Hanoi Conference on the Illegal Wildlife Trade in November 2016; and what the projected cost of that attendance will be in (a) staff salaries, (b) travel and (c) other costs.

    James Duddridge

    I refer the hon Member to the answer given by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, my hon Friend the Member for Penrith and The Border (Mr Stewart) on 22 January to question number 23306.

  • Baroness Jowell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Baroness Jowell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Jowell on 2016-02-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps the Cabinet Office intends to take to increase the number of profit-with-purpose businesses in the UK.

    Lord Bridges of Headley

    The Government is committed to growing the social investment market, as shown through initiatives like Big Society Capital and the Social Investment Tax Relief. Cabinet Office recognises that “profit with purpose” businesses are a growing and important part of the social economy. Cabinet Office is engaging with stakeholders to better identify, support and promote this sector.

  • Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-03-11.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policies on corporate taxation of the OECD’s report, Countering harmful tax practices more effectively, taking into account transparency and substance, published in September 2014.

    Mr David Gauke

    The OECD report published in September 2014 formed the basis of international discussions in the OECD Forum on Harmful Tax Practices, which lead to the publishing of the 2015 FHTP Report, chapter 4 of which creates a new international framework governing preferential intellectual property (“IP”) regimes, such as the UK Patent Box.

    This international framework makes the lower tax rates of preferential IP regimes dependent on, and proportional to, the research and development expenditure incurred by the claimant taxpayer in developing their IP. The UK Patent Box will be amended in line with this international framework, with the new rules coming into force on 1 July 2016.

    The Report also made provision for greater information exchange between tax authorities of rulings issued to individual businesses. HM Revenue and Customs is currently implementing these rules and has already begun to exchange information with other tax authorities.

  • Barry Gardiner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Barry Gardiner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Gardiner on 2016-04-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, when she plans to open her Department’s consultation on the timetable for closing all coal-fired power stations in the UK.

    Andrea Leadsom

    My rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced in her speech on 18 November that the Department will be launching a consultation to close all coal fired power stations. A consultation will be launched shortly.