Tag: 2016

  • Oliver Colvile – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Oliver Colvile – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Oliver Colvile on 2016-02-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, when investments pledged under the Ross Fund will be made available for research and development into infectious diseases.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    The Ross Fund is a new £1 billion fund that will be used to support the global fight against malaria and other infectious diseases.

    Programmes under the Ross Fund will be led by either the Department of Health or the Department for International Development. Details about the exact nature and timing of investments pledged under the Ross Fund are still under development.

  • Debbie Abrahams – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Debbie Abrahams – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Debbie Abrahams on 2016-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many applications from care leavers between the age of 18 and 25 were made for reconsideration or appeal of a sanction decision in (a) 2013-14 and (b) 2014-15.

    Priti Patel

    The information requested in respect of care leavers is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-05-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment she has made of the potential effect of the proposals of the French government to sell assets to raise capital to fund Hinkley Point C on the viability of that project.

    Andrea Leadsom

    EDF and the French Government have agreed a way forward on financing of the company. The chairman of EDF has begun a non-binding consultation with the company council ahead of a final investment decision, which is a commercial matter for EDF. The British Government and EDF are both confident that Hinkley will go ahead. The French Government also remain fully committed to the project.

  • Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno on 2016-06-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the estimated income from tourists from the EU who visited the UK in each of the last five years.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    In 2011, tourists from the EU spent £8.26 billion in the UK. This was £8.28 billion in 2012, £9.19 billion in 2013, £9.55 billion in 2014 and £9.71 billion in 2015. This Government is committed to further growing the tourism industry across the whole of Britain, encouraging more visitors to travel beyond the capital.

  • Lord Taylor of Warwick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Taylor of Warwick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Taylor of Warwick on 2016-09-06.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to help young people who are concerned about their debts from student loans and mortgages.

    Lord O’Neill of Gatley

    The Government recognises that there are those who face problem debt. The Money Advice Service (MAS) is responsible for the coordination of publically funded free to client debt advice and is financed by a levy on the financial services industry.

    Mortgage lending is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The regulation of mortgage lending is based on the principle that mortgages should only be advanced where there is a reasonable expectation that borrowers can repay. All lenders must conduct a thorough affordability assessment in order to ensure any lending is responsible.

    Graduates only have to start repaying their student loans when their earnings are above the repayment threshold of £21,000. Any outstanding debts are written off 30 years after graduation.

  • Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2016-10-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to ask the competition authorities and the Care Quality Commission to review the Age UK report on self-funders in care homes published on 20 October.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    Care and support is arranged on an open market where prices and fee rates are negotiated locally by commissioners for state funded clients, whilst individuals and their families do so for those who self-fund. The Government has no say in these individual negotiations.

    Under the Care Act, councils are under a duty to promote their overall local provider market to ensure it remains sustainable and delivers high-quality services for all local people. Prices and fee rates paid by commissioners to provider organisations must reflect these new duties.

    The Department published the Care and Support statutory guidance setting out how councils should meet these new duties when commissioning, including the consideration of the actual costs of care and support when negotiating fee levels. This guidance is an online-only resource, subject to updates.

    The Department is aware of the Age UK report Behind the headlines: ‘stuck in the middle’ – self-funders in care homes. There are many reasons why individuals who self-fund may pay more than local authorities, including premium accommodation and services, and discounts that may be available to authorities for bulk purchasing and lower transaction costs.

    The Government has no plans to ask the competition authorities or the Care Quality Commission to review the Age UK report, though we maintain a continuing dialogue across government and with the sector to encourage good practice and fairness to consumers.

  • Philip Hollobone – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Philip Hollobone – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Hollobone on 2016-01-13.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much accrued to the public purse through VAT on domestic fuel in the last year for which figures are available.

    Mr David Gauke

    The information requested is not available. HM Revenue and Customs does not collect data on VAT accruals from particular goods and services.

  • Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2016-02-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he plans to take to improve suicide prevention policies in response to the statistics on suicides in the UK, 2013 Registrations, published by the Office for National Statistics on 19 January 2016.

    Alistair Burt

    The Government has invested over £1.5 million on suicide and self-harm prevention research since the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to inform and target our strategy for reducing suicide rates.

    In January last year, we asked local areas to aspire to an ambition of zero suicides, to raise awareness around mental health and suicide prevention in particular.

    We are in the early stages of discussions about re-invigorating the National Strategy to drive local delivery. We are developing those plans for this, and will make an announcement shortly.

    The highest cause of death in young men and women in England is death through suicide, and rapid skilled response through a well-publicised access route is essential to reduce mortality. The NHS111 Mental Health Programme has been set up specifically to improve services and NHS England is working with Mind and the Telephone Helplines Partnership to develop a training course designed by people with lived experience specifically to support 111 call handlers deliver the best possible response in times of crisis.

  • Stephen Doughty – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    Stephen Doughty – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Doughty on 2016-02-29.

    To ask the Prime Minister, what value and proportion of cross-departmental spending on official development assistance overseen by the National Security Council was subject to the Independent Development Act 2002 in each of the last three years.

    Mr David Cameron

    Individual NSC departments are responsible and accountable for their own spending on Official Development Assistance through cross-Government funds. The National Security Council provides strategic oversight and direction.

  • William Wragg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    William Wragg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by William Wragg on 2016-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when the Government plans to publish its response to Lawrence Tomlinson’s report on the lending practices of banks to small businesses.

    Anna Soubry

    The matter is being taken forward by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) which has appointed firms to conduct an independent “skilled persons” review of RBS’s treatment of business customers in financial difficulty and the allegations of poor practice set out in Lawrence Tomlinson’s report. The review is complex and is still ongoing. The FCA expects to make an announcement about the outcome of the review later this year.