Tag: 2016

  • Natalie McGarry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Natalie McGarry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Natalie McGarry on 2016-09-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, which reports commissioned by her Department from external bodies between 1 January 2015 and 31 August 2016 have not yet been published; when each report was commissioned for research; what the nature of the research commissioned was; from which external body or individual person the research was commissioned; what the value was of each such piece of research commissioned; on what date each report was received by her Department; for what reasons the research has not yet been published; and when she plans to publish each report.

    Matt Hancock

    We do not hold this information centrally, and the information could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

  • Drew Hendry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Drew Hendry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Drew Hendry on 2016-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of establishing a statutory social tariff for broadband services.

    Matt Hancock

    We are committed to introducing a new broadband Universal Service Obligation (USO) within this Parliament. The USO will give households and businesses the legal right to request a broadband connection with speeds of at least 10 Megabits, no matter where they live or work.

    Ofcom are preparing advice and recommendations for Government on the design of the broadband USO, and we have asked them specifically to consider a social tariff to make sure it is affordable for all. Ofcom will report on its findings by the end of the year and we will consider them as part of our decision.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-01-12.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate his Department has made of the number of companies issued fines for underpayment of the minimum wage in each of the last five years; what the total value of such fines issued is; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr David Gauke

    The Government is committed to increasing compliance with minimum wage legislation and effective enforcement of it. Everyone who is entitled to the minimum wage should receive it.

    Employers who pay workers less than the minimum wage not only have to pay back arrears of wages at current minimum wage rates but also face financial penalties of up to £20,000 per underpaid worker. A further increase in penalties will come into force in April 2016 and will increase the penalty percentage from 100% to 200% of the underpayments owed to each worker, up to the existing maximum.

    I refer the honourable member to the answers provided at UIN 18487 and UIN 205613 for the information on penalties charged on employers.

  • Gavin Newlands – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Gavin Newlands – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gavin Newlands on 2016-02-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment of the ethical standards of debt collection agencies his Department undertakes before entering into a contract with such agencies.

    Joseph Johnson

    Any debt collection contracts let by the core Department would primarily use available framework contracts agreed by the Crown Commercial Service who are responsible for including any required assessment of ethical standards. However, if the need for a specialist debt collection contract should arise that could not be met by a framework contract, the Department’s tender and contract documentation would include further assessments as may be deemed necessary.

  • Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 26 February 2016 to Question 28078, what plans his Department has for spending the remaining £40.89 million that was allocated to the South East Flexible Ticketing programme.

    Claire Perry

    The Government is fully committed to modernising rail ticketing and to honouring the contractual commitments made under the South East Flexible Ticketing programme. Beyond that we are working with industry to find the best way to deliver smart ticket solutions that meet customers’ needs and take advantage of technological improvements, so ensuring that everyone is benefitting from 21st century ticketing.

  • Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will estimate the number of (a) UK firms based in the West Midlands that trade with other EU member states and (b) people employed by those firms.

    Anna Soubry

    HMRC Regional Trade Statistics on the number of firms trading with the EU are publically available through the UKTradeInfo website.

    HM Treasury has published estimates of the number of UK jobs linked to EU exports broken down by region. These are available through the GOV.UK website.

  • Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2016-05-03.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many large businesses were recorded on HM Revenue and Customs’ database in each year since 2009-10; how many full-time equivalent staff were on the payrolls of such businesses; and how much in each business tax was paid by such businesses in each of those years.

    Mr David Gauke

    Until 31 March 2014, HM Revenue and Customs’ (HMRC) Large Business Service dealt with the tax affairs of around 800 of the largest businesses in the UK. From 1 April 2014 HMRC’s Large Business directorate deals with the tax affairs of around 2,000 large businesses.

    HMRC does not centrally hold large business receipts data for every tax heading, the information for every tax heading could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. The number of large businesses and the tax receipts data held centrally for large businesses is:

    HMRC’s Large Business directorate:

    Number of Businesses

    Corporation Tax

    Income Tax, National Insurance

    VAT

    Hydrocarbon Oils

    Alcohol & Tobacco

    2014-15

    2,145

    £20bn

    £85bn

    £52bn

    £27bn

    £14bn

    HMRC’s Large Business Service:

    Number of Businesses

    Corporation Tax

    Income Tax, National Insurance

    VAT

    Hydrocarbon Oils

    Alcohol & Tobacco

    2013-14

    818

    £17bn

    £68bn

    £41bn

    £26bn

    £13bn

    2012-13

    803

    £17bn

    £64bn

    £41bn

    £26bn

    £13bn

    2011-12

    783

    £21bn

    £65bn

    £40bn

    £26bn

    £13bn

    2010-11

    778

    £21bn

    £62bn

    £34bn

    £26bn

    £10bn

    2009-10

    760

    £20bn

    £58bn

    £30bn

    £24bn

    £11bn

    The number of full-time equivalent staff on the payrolls of businesses is not required for tax purposes and HMRC does not hold it.

  • Kevan Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Kevan Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevan Jones on 2016-06-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what future ground surveillance capabilities his Department plans to develop for the P-8 Poseidon programme.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The Ministry of Defence expects the P-8 Poseidon to be principally used in the Maritime Patrol Aircraft role, although it does have a limited overland surveillance capability. We will be examining options to improve its overland capability but no plans are yet in place and no decisions have yet been taken.

  • Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-09-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the oral contribution of the then Minister for Defence Procurement of 24 May 2016, column 403, on Yemen: cluster munitions, that his Department is investigating allegations that Saudi Arabia used UK-supplied cluster munitions, if he will (a) provide an update on the progress and conclusions of those investigations and (b) confirm whether those investigations also explored the possibility that UK-supplied aircraft were used to drop those munitions.

    Sir Michael Fallon

    The Government takes these allegations very seriously. We have analysed the case carefully and raised the issue with the Saudi-led Coalition.

    The key test for our continued arms exports to Saudi Arabia in relation to International Humanitarian Law (IHL) is whether there is a clear risk that those weapons might be used in a serious violation of IHL. This is kept under careful and continual review.

  • Dan Jarvis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Dan Jarvis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2016-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what information her Department holds on the number of people aged between 18 and 25 who have undertaken voluntary work over the last (a) 12 months, (b) three years and (c) five years.

    Mr Rob Wilson

    DCMS does not hold this information.

    However, through the annual youth social action survey we do know that 42% of 10 to 20 year olds have participated in some form of social action in the past year.

    Link : https://www.ipsos-mori.com/researchpublications/publications/1775/Youth-Social-Action-in-the-UK-2015.aspx