The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Osamor on 2016-01-13.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policies of the Financial Conduct Authority’s decision to end its review into HSBC.
Harriett Baldwin
The FCA are operationally independent of Government. They are responsible for deciding how to carry out their functions, and for assessing the implication of their actions.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Krebs on 2016-02-04.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what recommendations they have made about what is a safe level of consumption of lead-shot game for children.
Lord Prior of Brampton
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has identified the particular risk to children who frequently consume lead shot game. The FSA has advised since 2012 that those consuming high levels of such game should reduce their intake, and that this is especially important for vulnerable consumers such as children and pregnant women.
This advice was widely reported in the media and on special interest group websites when it was published. The FSA reissued this advice last year. This advice is part of wider food safety advice on NHS Choices. The FSA is considering what further action is required to raise awareness of their advice, particularly with vulnerable groups such as parents and carers of young children.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Smith on 2016-03-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people applied to have their circumstances changed to give them recourse to public funds in the last quarter; and what proportion of such applications were successful in (a) the first quarter of 2016 and (b) the second quarter of 2015.
James Brokenshire
Data for Q1 2016 is not yet available. However, in the last quarter for which statistics are publicly available (October – December 2015), 765 people applied to have their circumstances changed to give them recourse to public funds and of these 3.9% were successful, however a significant proportion of these cases are pending their final decision and as such the final proportion may be higher.
In Q2 2015 (April – June 2015), 750 people applied to have their circumstances changed to give them recourse to public funds. 735 of those applications had been concluded by the end of the publicly available statistics and 270 had been successful, which equates to a proportion of 36.7%.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Flello on 2016-03-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the time taken to transfer women from abortion clinics to hospitals in cases of serious complications following abortions; and if he will make a statement.
Jane Ellison
In May 2014, the Department published updated requirements (Procedures for the Approval of Independent Sector Places for the Termination of Pregnancy (Abortion)) which the providers of independent sector abortion services must agree to comply with to be approved by the Secretary of State to perform abortions. This includes the requirement to have in place procedures and protocols to deal with emergencies and the transfer to specialist services. A copy of the guidance is attached.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-05-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the (a) premium income, (b) claims paid and (c) monies at risk of UK Export Finance were relating to the defence sector in each financial year from 2010-11 to 2014-15.
Nick Boles
The Information requested is in the table below:
|
Year |
Net Premium Income[1] |
Gross Amounts At Risk[2] |
Claims Paid |
|
2010/11 |
£ 2,597,418 |
£ 1,156,123,326 |
£ 0 |
|
2011/12 |
£ 11,832 |
£ 1,743,249,113 |
£ 0 |
|
2012/13 |
£ 42,664,931 |
£ 3,364,357,183 |
£ 0 |
|
2013/14 |
£ 27,162 |
£ 3,063,150,515 |
£ 0 |
|
2014/15 |
£ 3,472,656 |
£ 2,899,169,497 |
£ 0 |
It should be noted that premium income relates to business supported in that financial year, whereas amounts at risk will relate to all business in respect of which contingent liability still remains.
[1] Net of Premium due where reinsurance (if any) has been obtained.
[2] Inclusive of amounts reinsured (if any)
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karen Lumley on 2016-06-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much revenue has been retained as a result of refunds for cancelled vehicle tax only being given for any full months of remaining tax since October 2014.
Andrew Jones
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has always issued refunds of Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) for any full, unexpired months remaining. This is a legal requirement and did not change when the paper tax disc was abolished in October 2014.
In the financial year 2014/15, the DVLA collected £6 billion in VED and paid £216 million in refunds. The amount of VED refunded in the previous financial year was £197 million.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-09-12.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many ministerial visits the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster has made since 14 July 2016.
Ben Gummer
Further to the question asked by the Hon Member of 7 September 2016, Official Report, Column 321, I would add that my Rt Hon Friend, the Member for Derbyshire Dales, is a Minister of the Crown and a member of the Cabinet. He will attend a number of Cabinet Committees, which will be published in due course, and has duties directly related to the Duchy of Lancaster. The List of Ministerial Responsibilities will also be published in due course. He does not receive a Ministerial salary from public funds. Details of Private Office staff will be accounted for as part of the regular transparency data on gov.uk. The Government publishes on a quarterly basis details of Ministerial visits overseas. All Ministers have access to the Government Car Service for official travel.
My Rt Hon Friend also serves as the Party Chairman of the Conservative Party. Such arrangements are no different from the likes of Charles Clarke, Ian McCartney and Hazel Blears, all of whom held the posts of Minister Without Portfolio and Labour Party Chair under the last Labour Government.
I would also observe that under the Thatcher and Major Governments, senior figures such as Norman Tebbit, Kenneth Baker and Chris Patten served as both Chairman of the Conservative Party and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-10-19.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the UK’s policy is on requiring that Greece obtain debt relief before supporting future IMF lending to that country.
Mr David Gauke
Greece’s euro area support programme is a matter for Greece and the euro area. But it is strongly in our interest to see a stable euro area and a sustainable solution to these issues. For the IMF to grant a new programme to Greece, a proposal must be approved by the IMF Board. For a proposal to be put to the IMF Board, conditions under the Exceptional Access policy must be met. As part of these conditions, debt must be considered sustainable with high probability under the IMF programme.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2016-01-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to the Written Statement of 25 March 2014, 9WS, whether it is still the Government’s policy not to grant an arms license if there is a clear risk that the items might be used in the commission of a serious violation of international humanitarian law.
Anna Soubry
The framework for arms export licensing remains as set out in the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, known as the Consolidated Criteria. All licence applications are rigorously assessed on a case by case basis against the Consolidated Criteria. A licence would not be granted if to do so would be a breach of the Criteria, including if there was a clear risk that the items might be used in the commission of a serious violation of International Humanitarian Law.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Rebuck on 2016-02-04.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government which literacy charities they have provided with funding over the last five years, and how much funding they have provided in each case.
Lord Nash
We have undertaken a thorough search of our records in the Department for Education and contacted the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, the Department for International Development, the Department for Business Innovation and Skills, the Department for Health and the Ministry of Justice. The list below sets out the results of this search:
The National Literacy Trust – £1,485,145
Centre for Literacy in Primary Education – £1,450
Book Trust – £34,716,302
The Reading Agency – £2,652,880
Developments in Literacy Trust UK – £249,995
The government is committed to improving literacy. We have introduced a new, more rigorous national curriculum which includes greater focus on reading. The national curriculum for English places a greater focus on reading and requires pupils to study a range of books, poems and plays to develop a life-long love of literature. Through reading and writing pupils will have an opportunity to develop intellectually, spiritually and socially, and develop a life-long love of culture.
Between September 2011 and October 2013, the Department for Education provided £23.7 million in match funding to over 14,000 primary schools, enabling them to buy systematic synthetic phonics products and training. In 2012 we introduced a phonics screening check at age 6 so that teachers can intervene early to help children catch up with their reading.
In November 2015 we announced the introduction of a year 7 resit test for pupils who did not achieve the expected standard at key stage 2 in reading or maths. Since September 2014 we have required 16-19 year olds not holding good passes in GCSE maths to continue to work towards them. This resulted in 7,500 more students aged 17 and above securing A*-C GCSE Maths last summer.