Tag: 2016

  • Royston Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the House of Commons Commission

    Royston Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the House of Commons Commission

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Royston Smith on 2016-03-24.

    To ask the Rt. hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington representing the House of Commons Commission, what the annual catering bill is for the House of Commons.

    Tom Brake

    Income from sales by catering services for the financial year 2014/15 was £9.4 million against costs of £11.8 million, which represents a net total cost for the annual catering bill for the House of Commons of £2.4 million. Figures for 2015/16 will be published in July 2016.

  • Chi Onwurah – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Chi Onwurah – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2016-05-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to help small businesses benefit from cloud computing technology.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The Government supports many initiatives that promote small business adoption and use of ICT, including cloud computing.

    For example, we are providing £12 million over the current spending period to Tech City UK, Tech North and other clusters where small tech businesses benefit from a number of initiatives including the Future Fifty programme offering targeted support to start-up companies. Business can also access support to do more online through Local Enterprise Partnerships and growth hubs. These services work in tandem with an extensive range of private sector-led initiatives to help small businesses improve their digital capability.

    In addition, the Government’s Digital Marketplace has made it easier for SMEs to offer cloud products and services to the public sector by simplifying and speeding up the application process.

  • Ronnie Cowan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Ronnie Cowan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ronnie Cowan on 2016-06-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what research his Department has undertaken on the potential merits of implementing a universal basic income.

    Priti Patel

    My department has not undertaken any research on this topic.

  • Baroness Goudie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Baroness Goudie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Goudie on 2016-09-06.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (HL783), whether they have now considered the judge’s remarks made during Taiwo v Olaigbe and another [2016] UKSC 31; if so, what is their assessment of them; and if not, when they plan to do so.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    The Government has provided strong protections for overseas domestic workers, including giving them the right to change employers during the six-month period for which they are admitted. There are no current plans to amend the Modern Slavery Act, but we keep the measures in the Act under review.

  • Cheryl Gillan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Cheryl Gillan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cheryl Gillan on 2016-10-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the National College for High Speed Rail will be operational.

    Andrew Jones

    The college is due to open to students in September 2017.

  • Teresa Pearce – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Teresa Pearce – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Teresa Pearce on 2016-01-13.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what his policy is on the commercial provision of consumer debt advice services.

    Harriett Baldwin

    The Government is very concerned about evidence of consumer detriment in the debt management market. That is why we have given the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) robust powers to protect borrowers using debt management firms.

    For profit debt management plan providers, operating with consumers’ interest at heart and in full compliance with regulatory requirements, can help provide a wider supply of solutions and products for consumers, and help them get in control of problem debts. The Government’s focus has therefore been on comprehensively reforming regulation of this sector, and ensuring firms act in customers’ best interests.

    The FCA is currently scrutinising debt management firms as part of its authorisation process. Firms which do not meet the required standards will not be able to continue to provide debt management services.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-02-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect on the advancement of democracy in Colombia of ongoing killings by paramilitaries there; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    The Government of Colombia has made significant progress on peace process negotiations with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). Both sides have committed to sign a final agreement by the end of March 2016. This agreement has significant potential to advance democracy for all Colombians.

    However, I am concerned about the continued influence of organised criminal gangs and resulting violence in Colombia, which challenges the implementation of the peace process. I am pleased to see that, on 1 February, President Santos launched a committee to tackle organised criminal groups.

    Our Embassy officials regularly discuss the challenges posed by armed criminal groups (so called ‘Bandas Criminales’ or BACRIM) in their meetings with the Colombian government. Our Ambassador to Colombia met with the Minister of Interior on 1 February when they discussed security challenges, including those posed by the BACRIM. In forthcoming meetings with the Minister of Defence and Minister of Post-Conflict, our Ambassador will seek to raise these issues again. The UK is also contributing £1m to the Organisation of American States’ Peace mission (also known as MAPP-OAS) which is monitoring demobilisation.

    A peaceful Colombia, where authorities effectively tackle organised crime and promote democratic practices nationwide, will bring about real change for all Colombians.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-02-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 22 February 2016 to Question 26579, what estimate he has made of the total cost of the Troubled Families Programme in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

    Greg Clark

    £448 million was made available for the original Troubled Families Programme, which ran from 2012-2015 and successfully helped over 116,000 families.

    The programme was expanded and rolled out nationally in April 2015, to support a further 400,000 families by 2020. The programme secured £200 million for 2015/16, the first year of its expansion; it secured a further £720 million at the Spending Review 2015 to run it until 2020.

  • Bernard Jenkin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Bernard Jenkin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bernard Jenkin on 2016-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he plans to take in response to the rejection by the European Parliament of the competitive market exemption condition agreed by the Council of Ministers in 2014 as part of the Council’s General Approach to the Ports Regulation to ensure that the UK ports industry is fully protected from the effects of that regulation.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The European Parliament did not replicate the competitive market exemption (CME) provisions in the Council’s General Approach but negotiations on the EU port services Regulation are ongoing. I am committed to defending the UK’s ports and ensuring during the negotiations that the efficiency and competitiveness of our successful ports sector are safeguarded.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-05-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what her policy is on the role of solar thermal technologies in meeting the UK’s renewable heat targets.

    Andrea Leadsom

    Under the 2009 Renewable Energy Directive the UK has a target to deliver 15% of its energy from renewable sources by 2020. The government recognises that solar thermal can contribute towards the attainment of the renewable energy target. In 2014, renewable heat provided 2730 tonnes of oil equivalent, around 20% of total renewable energy. Around 2% of renewable heat came from solar thermal.

    Source:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/renewable-sources-of-energy-chapter-6-digest-of-united-kingdom-energy-statistics-dukes

    “