The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-09-15.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the estimated annual annual cost to the public purse is of the Office of the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.
Ben Gummer
The costs related to the Office of the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster will be accounted for in the usual way in the Cabinet Office Annual Report and Accounts.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Burrowes on 2016-01-21.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether the local government finance settlement will be subject to a needs-led review.
Mr Marcus Jones
The consultation on the provisional local government finance settlement for 2016-17 closed on 15 January. We are considering carefully all the responses and other representations made and will present final proposals soon to enable local authorities to set their budgets for 2016-17.
At the outset of the current system of business rates retention in 2013-14, we said there would be periodic reviews to take account of changes to needs and resources. As part of the move towards 100% business rates retention by the end of this Parliament, we will work with local government on the approach to implementing these reforms, including on the treatment of needs and resources, and will consult on proposed changes.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-02-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans his Department has to commemorate the Battle of Jutland.
Mark Lancaster
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) will be commemorating the Battle of Jutland with a significant and extensive programme of events, not least as the principal delivery partner to the Department of Culture, Media and Sport for the national commemorations in the Orkney Islands and on Jutland Bank on 31 May 2016.
The Royal Navy will be holding and supporting events throughout the UK and, in addition, will be supporting events in Germany, Sweden, Norway and Denmark.
The MOD welcomes the opportunity to make such a significant contribution to the commemoration of this historic Naval battle and the wider Great War at Sea.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liz McInnes on 2016-03-07.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the financial loss to shareholders as a consequence of the collapse of the former Bradford and Bingley Building Society/Bank in 2008.
Harriett Baldwin
In 2009 Peter Clokey of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP was appointed as an independent valuer to consider whether shareholders and holders of rights associated with dated subordinated notes were entitled to compensation after the collapse of Bradford & Bingley. On 5 July 2010 he published his report setting out his determination that no compensation is due to former shareholders and bondholders. The case was referred to the Upper Tribunal who upheld the decision in 2012 and concluded that the valuer carried out his valuation function wholly in accordance with the Compensation Scheme.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Flello on 2016-04-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the Care Quality Commission report, British Pregnancy Advisory Service, BPAS-Richmond, Quality Report, published in November 2015, what steps his Department is taking to improve safety in abortion clinics.
Jane Ellison
The termination of pregnancies is a regulated activity. All providers of regulated activities must be registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and must meet all of the relevant Regulations under the Health and Social Care Act 2008, including meeting the fundamental standards of quality and safety, which includes independent sector termination of pregnancy providers and managers. The CQC is responsible for monitoring and, where appropriate, inspecting providers in relation to their ongoing compliance with meeting those requirements. Independent sector providers are also required to comply with the Department’s Required Standard Operating Procedures which the CQC inspect against.
The CQC has made a public commitment to undertake inspection of all independent providers of termination of pregnancy services using their new inspection approach and will continue to respond to risk as appropriate and take regulatory action as required.
On the issue of whether the Department plans to issue guidance to abortion clinics on consultation on disposal arrangements following termination, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 11 April 2016 to Question 32357.
We have no plans to issue guidance to abortion clinics on the administration of drugs. The administration of drugs is managed through the CQC’s fundamental standards and through inspection visits.
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-05-20.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what procedures are in place to ensure that when a receiving parent has been advised by the Child Maintenance Service to contact HM Revenue and Customs to report possible tax evasion by a paying parent that possible evasion is investigated to ensure levels of child maintenance reflects full income.
Mr David Gauke
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) works closely with the Child Maintenance Service as well as other Government Departments to ensure that all allegations of tax evasion from members of the public are assessed, dealt with appropriately and a decision made on the most appropriate course of action.
HMRC values the information they receive from the public and business community. Clamping down on those who try to cheat the system through evading taxes and over claiming benefits is a key priority for the Government and we are committed to ensuring the tax system operates fairly and efficiently.
Any information received is passed on to HMRC’s Enforcement and Compliance teams. This can result in recovery of funds, education to help support compliance civil or criminal action depending on the severity of the evasion.
More serious cases can result in prosecution action by HMRC’s Fraud Investigation Service
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2016-07-06.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for what reason his Department’s consultation on infected blood, published in January 2016, did not include proposals on provisions for widows or dependants of people whose blood has been infected; and if he will make it his policy to grant non means tested discretionary payments to widows and dependants of people who have died due to contaminated blood transfusions.
Jane Ellison
Currently, all bereaved family members can apply to one or more of the three scheme charities for discretionary support. However, only some bereaved partners/spouses receive regular financial support.
The consultation on reforming the current payment schemes sought views on whether those bereaved partners/spouses who receive regular support would prefer a lump sum payment or continued access to a discretionary scheme.
The consultation did not make any new proposals for dependants who do not receive regular financial support from the charities.
Consultation responses have been analysed and the Government’s response to this consultation will be published soon.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grant Shapps on 2016-09-15.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will take steps to boost economic incentives for research and development in the aerospace industry.
Mr David Gauke
In recognition of the valuable contribution the aerospace industry makes to the UK economy, the Government is providing almost £2 billion for aerospace research and development, having extended support at Autumn Statement 2015 until 2025-26. This funding is matched by industry, and is helping drive world-class research in the UK. This sits alongside economy-wide R&D tax incentives, including R&D tax credits – which in 2014-15 supported £21.8 billion of R&D expenditure.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2016-01-21.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the Government’s policy is on further developing the necessary facilities and skills for the UK to become a world centre of expertise in the dismantling of formerly-armed nuclear warheads.
Michael Fallon
As we set out in the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review, we will reduce the overall stockpile of nuclear warheads to no more than 180 by the mid 2020s. The Government is investing in the Atomic Weapons Establishment, which is responsible for supporting the entire life-cycle of the UK’s nuclear warheads, from design and manufacture, to maintenance and certification of the existing warhead stockpile, and, ultimately, to decommissioning and disposal. In addition, the UK is co-operating with international partners – particularly the US and Norway – on a verification regime for the dismantlement of a nuclear weapon that could support any potential future nuclear disarmament treaty.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gloria De Piero on 2016-02-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many two year olds in Ashfield constituency have received the 15 hours free childcare allowance (a) in private, voluntary or independent sector nurseries and (b) from childminders registered to provide early years education in each academic year since that allowance was introduced.
Mr Sam Gyimah
Information at constituency level is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.