Tag: 2016

  • Baroness Thomas of Winchester – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Baroness Thomas of Winchester – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Thomas of Winchester on 2016-07-07.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether local authorities will be able to bid for resources from the Department for Transport’s Access Fund for Sustainable Travel to support or develop Wheels 2 Work schemes within their areas.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The Department for Transport welcomes applications to the Access Fund from local transport authorities in England (except London) that support or develop Wheels 2 Work schemes in their area which increase cycling and improve access to work, skills, education or training.

  • Baroness Randerson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Baroness Randerson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Randerson on 2016-10-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the reasons for the fall in revenue from Vehicle Excise Duty since October 2014.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) annual audited accounts showed that £5.9 billion was collected in vehicle excise duty (VED) during 2015-16. The amount of VED collected varies year on year and this was a reduction of £93 million, a decrease of around 1.5% from the previous year. This figure compares favourably with the Office of Budget Responsibility’s forecast that VED revenue would fall by up to £300 million during 2015-16.

    The decrease in revenue for the last financial year is principally attributable to the ever increasing number of fuel-efficient cars on the road which attract a lower rate of duty, as well as a small increase in evasion.

    In addition, in the 2015-16 annual accounts, the Comptroller and Auditor General noted that the decline in cash receipts had been significantly influenced by the short term effect of giving motorists the option to spread VED payments over longer periods through the introduction of Direct Debit.

  • Lord Kilclooney – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Lord Kilclooney – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Kilclooney on 2016-01-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the value of imports from the EU in the most recent year for which figures are available; and what percentage of that amount is represented by imports from the Republic of Ireland.

    Lord Maude of Horsham

    The value of UK imports of goods and services from the EU28 was £290.6 billion in 2014. Imports from the Republic of Ireland amounted to £17.1 billion, or 5.9% of total UK imports from the EU28 (Source: ONS Pink Book 2015).

  • Lord Rooker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Lord Rooker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Rooker on 2016-02-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the consultation promised by the Prime Minister in his speech of 28 July 2015 at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy in Singapore regarding property ownership and extending what we currently ask of UK companies to foreign companies” will commence.”

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    I refer the hon. Member to my recent answer (HL5950) to him on the same issue, to which I have nothing further to add.

  • Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2016-03-07.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they plan to take, if any, to get the current ceasefires in Syria enlarged to include the whole of south-east Turkey.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    There are no plans to extend the Syrian Cessation of Hostilities to south-east Turkey. Violence by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) must end and we support a return to peace talks between Turkey and the PKK, in the interests of Turkey and the wider region.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-04-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the criteria are for listing specific days in mandatory flag flying days in the list published by his Department on the gov.uk website.

    David Evennett

    The designated days for flying the Union Flag on Government buildings have been set specifically to mark special occasions by command of Her Majesty the Queen and on the advice of Government.

  • Mike Kane – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Mike Kane – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mike Kane on 2016-05-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Answer of 12 May 2016 to Question 36796, when she expects to publish the updated country information and guidance on handling asylum claims made by Eritrean nationals.

    James Brokenshire

    We intend to publish revised country information and guidance on handling claims made by Eritrean nationals in the near future.

  • Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-07-06.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of excluding agency workers from the pay bill when determining a company’s liability for paying the Apprenticeship Levy due to such workers’ ineligibility for apprenticeships.

    Mr David Gauke

    Where an employment agency supplies labour to a client and pays Class 1 secondary National Insurance contributions for those workers, they will be liable to pay the levy, providing their annual pay bill exceeds £3million.

    The government recognises the important contribution that contingent labour makes to the economy, however, excluding agency workers would create adverse incentives to hire all staff off-payroll.

    The government will support all employers in using the levy funds to invest in apprenticeships and the Department for Business Innovation and Skills is working with employers to create apprenticeships across all sectors.

  • Lord Taylor of Warwick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Lord Taylor of Warwick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Taylor of Warwick on 2016-10-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the claim by the Intergenerational Foundation that high house prices increased segregation in society.

    Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth

    We accept that our failure for many years not to build enough homes has serious consequences. House prices have risen faster then incomes; while renters are paying, on average 50 per cent of their income in rent which makes saving for a deposit all the more difficult. This means that the dream of home ownership is further away for younger people today when compared to previous generations.

    This Government is committed to solving the housing crisis by every means possible. That means taking action to ensure that we build more homes in this country. We have doubled the housing budget to almost £20 billion over the next five years, including £8 billion to deliver over 400,000 affordable homes by 2021.

    We have also taken steps to help people on the path to home ownership. Our Help to Buy: Equity Loan has helped over 91,000 households to buy a new-build home since the scheme was introduced in 2013. 81 per cent of these sales have gone to first-time buyers.

    But we recognise the need to go further. That’s why we launched the £3 billion Home Building Fund that will help deliver 225,000 badly-needed new homes on sites throughout England. Further measures will be included in a Housing White Paper later this autumn.

  • Lord Sharkey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Lord Sharkey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Sharkey on 2016-01-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what help and advice is available to Muslim students who wish to progress to higher education but for whom an interest-bearing student loan would be a violation of their religious principles, and where that help and advice can be accessed.

    Baroness Evans of Bowes Park

    The Government is aware that some students, whose religious beliefs may prevent the taking out of a loan that bears interest, may feel unable to take advantage of student loans. In April 2014 BIS conducted a consultation on an alternative finance product for undergraduate students. Upon review of consultation responses, the Government supported the introduction of a Takaful Alternative Finance product available to everyone. This work is ongoing and subject to Parliamentary approval, the Government hopes to introduce the system through new legislation.

    All students can access advice and guidance on the financial support available to them from Student Finance England on the link below:

    https://www.gov.uk/contact-student-finance-england