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Tag: 2016

  • Chi Onwurah – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Chi Onwurah – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2016-04-11.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the (a) UK and (b) EU recommended minimum time is for government consultations.

    Mr Oliver Letwin

    The government published a revised set of government consultation principles in January 2016. These principles give clear guidance to government departments on conducting consultations. The consultation principles state that consultations should last for a proportionate amount of time, and that officials should judge the length of the consultation on the basis of legal advice and taking into account the nature and impact of the proposal. Information is not held on EU consultation recommendations.

  • Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the potential contribution of innovation, research and development to the future viability of the British steel industry.

    Anna Soubry

    The UK is a world leader in advanced manufacturing sectors such as automotive and aerospace, which continue to grow rapidly. These industries all require high value, continually improving steel products in order to remain competitive, and therefore innovation will continue to play an important role in the future of the UK steel industry. The Steel Council recognises this; UK Steel are leading the Future Capacity and Capabilities working group which is currently undertaking work to better identify where innovation and R&D is needed to meet future requirements for steel products, and how industry and Government can work together to support this.

    Since 2010 we have been supporting the steel sector by offering grants totalling £29 million and loans totalling £33 million towards projects including:

    o The development of facilities, such as the R&D centre at Warwick University.

    o Development of new products.

    o And investment in training, skills and apprenticeships.

  • Ronnie Cowan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Ronnie Cowan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ronnie Cowan on 2016-06-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of linking the annual financial contribution of gambling licence holders for research into, prevention of and treatment for gambling addiction linked to their profit margins.

    Tracey Crouch

    I refer the Hon Member to the answer to PQ 40986.

  • Steve Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Steve Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve Reed on 2016-09-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance his Department has given to Maximus to ensure that centres used for Fit for Work assessments are accessible to wheelchair users.

    Penny Mordaunt

    All Assessment Centres utilised by MAXIMUS to undertake Work Capability Assessments meet accessibility standards under the Equality Act 2010.

    Before attending an assessment, claimants are given the opportunity to alert the assessment provider to any additional requirements they may have and the provider will endeavour to meet all reasonable requests.

    If a claimant is unable to travel to or access an Assessment Centre as a result of their health condition or impairment, a home visit may be offered.

    This is unconnected to Fit for Work, a website, telephone line and webchat service that does not involve participants travelling to an assessment centre. Fit for Work provides a supportive occupational health assessment and general health and work advice to employees, employers and General Practitioners (GPs) to help individuals stay in or return to work.

  • Lord Pendry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Lord Pendry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Pendry on 2016-01-20.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of recent allegations of match-fixing in top-level tennis, including at Wimbledon.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    These are serious accusations and they need to be looked into quickly.

    The Secretary of State has spoken to the tennis authorities and we ar determined to do all we can to support them in ensuring that the game is absolutely clean, and we are assured they are committed to this aim too. We welcome the news that the Association of Tennis Professionals have announced a thorough independent review into the accusations and that they will be implementing its recommendations.

    Primary responsibility for monitoring betting markets or sporting events rest with the betting operators and sports governing bodies respectively.

  • Naz Shah – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Naz Shah – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Naz Shah on 2016-02-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much his Department spent on access to the arts in Yorkshire and Humber region between (a) May 2015 and February 2016 and (b) May 2010 and April 2015.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The Government continues to support the fantastic range of arts in the culture in Yorkshire and the Humber through its public investment in the arts, distributed by Arts Council England, as well as investment in cultural projects and programmes including £1.5 million for the Ferens Art Gallery in Hull to support its redevelopment and £1 million to support the Yorkshire Festival which will celebrate the region’s culture this summer.

    The Arts Council has provided the following funding to Yorkshire during the dates specified:

    Funding Year

    Total

    2015/2016: 1st April – 8 Feb 2016

    £46,399,085

    Funding Year

    Total

    2010/2011

    £36,013,760

    2011/2012

    £47,661,513

    2012/2013

    £64,126,617

    2013/2014

    £46,717,549

    2014/2015

    £53,628,743
  • Tristram Hunt – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Tristram Hunt – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tristram Hunt on 2016-03-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Prime Minister’s oral contribution of 2 March 2016, Official Report, column 943, what the evidential basis is for the statement that there are 36,500 fewer pupils in overcrowded schools than in 2010.

    Edward Timpson

    I refer the Honourable member to my response to question 29204 submitted to Parliament on Friday 4 March 2016. The answer shows that the total number of primary and secondary pupils in excess of capacity has reduced by 47,513 between 2010 and 2014.

  • Chris Stephens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Chris Stephens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Stephens on 2016-04-11.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many employees of HM Revenue and Customs are employed to investigate tax evasion; what the estimated amount was of tax evasion in 2015; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr David Gauke

    HM Revenue and Customs’ (HMRC) more than 26,000 (FTE) strong enforcement and compliance workforce of risk and intelligence analysts, compliance officers and fraud investigators tackle the full range of compliance risks ranging from hidden economy to the wealthy. Last year, they collected and protected a record £26 billion from compliance activities, contributing towards the UK’s highest-ever tax take of £518 billion.

    The most recent year for which tax gap figures are available is 2013/14. HMRC estimates that £4.4 billion of it relates to tax evasion.

    HMRC allocates resources in a flexible manner, so that it meets individual business needs.

    The Government has made additional resourcing of up to £10 million a year available for the creation of a new taskforce. Its purpose will be to swiftly obtain and analyse the Panama papers, and take rapid action where there is evidence of any wrongdoing and regulatory breaches. The taskforce will look beyond tax into all potential areas of financial crime and other regulatory breaches. It will be jointly led by HMRC and the National Crime Agency.

    Information on the structure and organisation of HMRC is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmrcs-annual-report-and-accounts

    “

  • Rachel Reeves – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Rachel Reeves – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachel Reeves on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how much new funding has been given to SMEs across the West Yorkshire Combined Authority to develop their workforces since the publication of the Long-Term Economic Plan for Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire in February 2015.

    Anna Soubry

    The Leeds City Region Skills Service has, to date, supported 620 businesses, with 3,300 pieces of training completed and 1,595 more underway. The value of this support to SMEs is £2.12m.

    In 2016/17 the Skills Service is expected to support skills diagnostics for 800 businesses, help 1,100 SMEs to offer apprenticeships and upskill 5,600 employees.

    Grants between £500 and £50,000 are available to match business investments in workforce training.

  • Dawn Butler – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Dawn Butler – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dawn Butler on 2016-06-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what consultation the Oil and Gas Authority has undertaken on nuclear decommissioning; and whether that authority is subject to the Cabinet Office’s Consultation Principles, published in January 2016.

    Andrea Leadsom

    Nuclear Decommissioning Authority is responsible for decommissioning and clean-up of UK’s nuclear legacy sites. The Oil and Gas Authority has no remit for nuclear decommissioning. ­

    All OGA consultations will consider the Cabinet Office’s consultation principles where relevant.