Tag: 2016

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-06-15.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if his Department will prioritise the recruitment and training of trade negotiators in the event of the UK voting to leave the EU.

    Mr David Gauke

    As the PM announced on Monday 27th June, the Cabinet has agreed the creation of a new EU unit in Whitehall. This will bring together officials and policy expertise from across the Cabinet Office, the Treasury, the Foreign Office and the Business Department.

  • Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2016-09-12.

    To ask the Attorney General, in (a) how many and (b) what proportion of common assault cases flagged as involving domestic violence with allegations against (i) male and (ii) female defendants did the CPS oppose bail on the grounds of the associated person exception; and in what proportion of such cases was bail refused by the court in each of the last three years.

    Robert Buckland

    The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not maintain a central record of the number cases where bail has been opposed. This information could only be obtained by examining CPS case files, which would incur disproportionate cost.

  • Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2016-10-19.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the number of people who miss the 31 January 2017 deadline for tax returns is significantly less than for previous years.

    Jane Ellison

    HM Revenue and Customs has a number of initiatives leading up to the filing deadline to support and encourage people to file on time. These include improvements to the accessibility of online services, a targeted media campaign running from the end of December, reminder emails and text messages in January to those who have yet to file and use of social media.

  • Ben Howlett – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Ben Howlett – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Howlett on 2016-01-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will take steps to prevent the exploitation of consumers by salesmen of stair lifts and other aids to the elderly and disabled.

    Nick Boles

    The Department funds the Citizens Advice Service to provide valuable advice to consumers, including how to avoid scams. Citizens Advice also lead the annual Scams Awareness Month, working with Trading Standards to help give consumers the confidence to spot and report a scam.

    Trading Standards Officers have powers to take action under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 against salesmen who use misleading practices and aggressive pressure selling. Additionally, National Trading Standards Scambuster Teams take action against large scale national and regional scammers, including those who exploit the elderly and vulnerable through the sale of substandard or unnecessary mobility aids.

    Since 2014 the Consumer Protection (Amendment) Regulations 2014 introduced important new rights for consumers to take their own action against such traders to get their money back.

  • Baroness Northover – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Baroness Northover – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Northover on 2016-02-04.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how the £536 million spent by the Department for International Development on malaria in 2013–14 was disbursed, and how much of the total committed to malaria in 2014–15 has not yet been spent.

    Baroness Verma

    The methodology used to monitor UK malaria spend between 2008/09 and 2014/15 was published in the 2010 Framework for Results for Malaria. In 2013/14 the UK provided £536 million to help reduce malaria deaths. The UK is helping to tackle malaria through bilateral and multilateral channels. The UK’s bilateral support includes: malaria-specific bilateral programmes (36% of total malaria spend in 2013/14); support to strengthening health systems (20% of malaria spend in 2013/14); and other bilateral support including the delivery of interventions to reduce malaria in pregnancy and supporting malaria related research (10% of 2013/14 malaria spend).

    The main contribution to tackling malaria through multilateral channels is the UK support to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria (31% of total malaria spend in 2013/14).All of the Department’s 2014/15 spend on malaria has been disbursed. The UK’s investment on malaria has contributed to saving more than six million lives over the past 15 years.

  • David Burrowes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    David Burrowes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Burrowes on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to tackle child trafficking in Nepal; what assessment she has made of (a) the role of Childreach’s Taught Not Trafficked and (b) other preventative education programmes in such work; and if she will make a statement.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    Our Work in Freedom programme tackles human trafficking and promotes safe migration in Nepal and across the region, providing community training, support to victims in destinations and helping to improve laws and policies. In 2015, the programme reached more than 54,000 people in Nepal, including about 40,000 women and children through door to door visits.

    Following the devastating earthquake last year, DFID Nepal supported work with the Nepal Police, Women and Children Service Directorate and Ministry of Women and Social Welfare to create women and children safe spaces, and stop trafficking of women and children. We also support wider work that contributes to helping children avoid the risk of being trafficked, including improving livelihoods, providing skills training and helping families to better withstand natural disasters.

    DFID is not currently engaged in work directly with Childreach.

  • Robert Flello – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Robert Flello – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Flello on 2016-03-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that all women undergoing abortions are given the opportunity to decide on disposal arrangements following a termination.

    Jane Ellison

    The Human Tissue Authority has produced guidance The disposal of pregnancy remains following pregnancy loss or termination. A copy of the guidance can be found at:

    https://www.hta.gov.uk/faqs/disposal-pregnancy-remains-faqs

    All providers of termination of pregnancy services are expected to follow this guidance.

    “

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2016-05-03.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how the Government plans to fund, monitor and report on commitments negotiated at the Anti-Corruption Summit on 12 May 2016.

    Matthew Hancock

    The delivery of the commitments negotiated at the Anti Corruption Summit will be overseen by the Inter Ministerial Group on Corruption, which is jointly chaired by the Prime Minister’s Anti-Corruption Champion and the Minister for Security in the Home Office.

  • Joan Ryan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Joan Ryan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Joan Ryan on 2016-06-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans his Department has to engage with representatives from the Alevi community in Britain.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    Ministers in the Department for Communities and Local Government meet members of minority communities on a regular basis. My officials are happy to meet with representatives of the British Alevi community and discuss items that have been raised by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Alevis.

  • Gavin Robinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Gavin Robinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gavin Robinson on 2016-09-12.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has conducted research on the effect of a suspension of child tax credit payments when a change in circumstance has been assumed.

    Jane Ellison

    HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) regularly carries out checks on tax credits awards, including Child Tax Credit, to reduce error and fraud. These checks identify potential risks with ongoing tax credits claims.

    Depending on the level of risk found, HMRC may ask customers for more information about their claim and circumstances, or a compliance team might undertake a full examination.

    In most cases, HMRC does not suspend the payment of tax credits payments during the check. It only does this where information held indicates that this is a reasonable step to prevent payments being made in error. In these cases, if a customer demonstrates that the claim is correct, HMRC reinstates payments immediately.

    In these circumstances, making further payments would therefore result in increased overpayments of tax credits overall which the customer would have to repay.

    HMRC has not carried out research into the specific aspect of the tax credits system related to suspension of Child Tax Credits.