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Tag: 2016

  • Fiona Bruce – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Fiona Bruce – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Bruce on 2016-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the most recent Code of Social Conduct was issued for the armed forces; if he will place in the Library a copy of that code: what restrictions that code contains on sexual activity by service personnel; and whether adultery continues to be a ground for discharge from the armed forces.

    Mark Lancaster

    The Armed Forces Code of Social Conduct (AF CSC) is contained in Part 1 of Joint Service Publication (JSP) 887 entitled ‘Diversity Inclusion and Social Conduct’; this publication was most recently updated in December 2014. A copy of JSP 887 has been placed in the Library of the House.

    Adultery, per se, does not constitute grounds for dismissal from the Armed Forces. However, if the actions or behaviour of an individual adversely impact, or are likely to impact, on the efficiency or operational effectiveness of the Service then a range of sanctions may be applied, up to and including dismissal.

    The AF CSC does not provide a prescriptive list of restrictions on sexual activity; it provides examples of the kinds of conduct or relationship that may constitute social misbehaviour. This includes unwelcome sexual attention; over-familiarity with the spouses or partners of other Service personnel; behaviour which damages or hazards the marriage or personal relationships of Service personnel or civilian colleagues within the wider Defence community; and taking sexual advantage of subordinates.

    The seriousness with which misconduct will be regarded by a Commanding Officer will depend on the individual circumstances that prevail at that time and the potential for adversely affecting operational effectiveness. Nevertheless, misconduct involving abuse of position, trust or rank, or taking advantage of an individual’s separation will be viewed as being particularly serious.

  • Baroness Lister of Burtersett – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Baroness Lister of Burtersett – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Lister of Burtersett on 2016-02-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what advice or guidance, if any, they propose to provide to schools, in particular to religiously selective schools, regarding compliance with the School Admissions Code, in the light of the findings of the report An Unholy Mess, published by the Fair Admissions Campaign and the British Humanist Association last year, that a significant number of schools are failing to comply with the Code in various ways.

    Lord Nash

    The Government will shortly consult on a package of changes to the School Admissions Code which will both respond to concerns from parents and to the findings in the Chief Adjudicator’s Annual Report. That package will include measures to improve fairness and transparency.

    Admission authorities for all state-funded schools, including schools with a religious designation, are required to comply with the mandatory provisions of the School Admissions Code and other admissions law.

    When constructing faith-based oversubscription criteria, including deciding how membership or practice of the faith will be determined, admission authorities must have regard to the guidance of their relevant religious authority, and their arrangements must comply with the statutory School Admissions Code. They must consult with their religious authority when proposing any changes to their admission arrangements.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-03-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment the Government has made of the steps that would be needed to give effect to the legal agreement signed by the EU member states based on the revised terms of EU membership negotiated by the Prime Minister; and what the role of the Council of Ministers, the Commission, the European Parliament and the European Court of Justice will be in giving legal effect to that agreement.

    Mr David Lidington

    No further steps are needed to give legal effect to the Decision of the Heads of State or Government, meeting within the European Council, on 18 and 19 February 2016. The Decision will come into effect on the same date as the UK informs the Secretary-General of the Council of its decision in the referendum to remain in the EU. It will then be for the member States and the EU institutions to implement the Decision. The steps required of the institutions and the Member States to do so are set out in the Decision.

  • Grahame Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Grahame Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress has been made on the development of a new railway station at Horden; and when that development is expected to be completed.

    Andrew Jones

    Horden Station is currently being worked on by Durham City Council and is in the advanced stages of the design phase of development. The outcome of this phase will give direction to the funding requirements and delivery plans going forward.

  • 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 2016-05-06.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many advance pricing arrangements (APAs) were agreed between companies and his Department in each year since 2009-10; how many such arrangements resulted in a (a) positive and (b) negative yield to the Exchequer; what the net amount raised by these APAs was in each such year; and how many APAs were annulled by HM Revenue and Customs in each such year.

    Mr David Gauke

    HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) publishes annual statistics reporting its performance across its transfer pricing work, including enquiries, advance pricing agreements, advance thin capitalisation agreements and mutual agreement procedure cases. The most recent published statistics are for 2013- 14. HMRC intends to publish the statistics for 2014-15 shortly. These statistics answer many of the individual questions asked. However, HMRC does not hold information centrally in a form which allows it to answer all the questions asked in the required timeframe.

    The aim of the Advance Pricing Arrangements (APA) Programme is to provide businesses with certainty on the pricing of complex intra-group transactions. An APA sets out the method for determining, in accordance with the law, the transfer price for intra-group transactions. APAs are part of the internationally recognised best practices recommended by the OECD. HMRC has published guidance about what APAs are, the circumstances where it would be appropriate for businesses to apply for an APA and what information is required before any agreement can be made.

  • Viscount Waverley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Viscount Waverley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Viscount Waverley on 2016-06-27.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what measures they and the Bank of England will be taking to protect and promote (1) the City of London, and (2) Edinburgh, as financial centres until negotiations to exit the EU are completed.

    Lord O’Neill of Gatley

    The Chancellor has met with financial institutions this week to discuss the impact of the United Kingdom’s decision to leave the European Union.

    Britain’s economy and financial system are fundamentally strong. Action by the government and the Bank of England over the last six years has substantially strengthened the resilience of the financial system, and the authorities have all the necessary tools in place to protect financial stability.

    The UK is a leading global financial centre serving not just Britain or Europe, but the entire world. It has natural strengths such as a central time zone and the English language, together with an unrivalled pool of firms and investors, supported by world leading legal and professional services. Major banks from across the globe have bases in the UK, and the UK has the fourth highest share of cross-border banking. It is also fast establishing itself as a global hub for renminbi, rupee, Islamic finance, green finance and FinTech business.

    Formal negotiations with the EU will not begin until the UK triggers Article 50. In the meantime, and during the negotiations that will follow, there will be no change to people’s rights to travel and work, and to the way our goods and services are traded, or to the way our economy and financial system is regulated.

    The government is committed to deepening relationships with new and established trade partners. Earlier this week the Chancellor laid out plans to build a highly competitive economy by targeting a corporation tax rate of less than 15%, focusing on a new push for investment from China, ensuring support for bank lending, redoubling efforts to invest in the Northern Powerhouse and maintaining the UK’s fiscal credibility.

    The government will also maintain an open and constructive dialogue with the UK financial services industry, including through the Financial Services Trade and Investment Board, which is tasked with boosting and promoting the UK’s financial services competitiveness position and supporting jobs. Government and industry collaboration will continue to play a central role in delivering a global, sustainable, innovative and competitive UK financial services industry that continues to go from strength to strength.

  • Liz Saville Roberts – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Liz Saville Roberts – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liz Saville Roberts on 2016-09-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether she plans to publish a green paper on the case for a victims’ law for consultation during this parliamentary session.

    Dr Phillip Lee

    Victims deserve the best possible support to help them cope with what they have been through and recover as much as possible. We have protected the victims’ budget and given PCCs the flexibility to decide which services are needed in their local area. Under the revised Victims’ Code, victims of all criminal offences are now entitled to support from a wide range of organisations. But we know there is more to do, which is why we have committed to introduce measures to increase further the rights of victims. It is important that we take the time to get this right and we will announce our plans in due course.

  • Michelle Donelan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Michelle Donelan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michelle Donelan on 2016-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what proportion of (a) known available oil and gas reserves and (b) reserves estimated to be found as a result of fracking she plans to be left unexploited.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The amount of exploitable oil and gas reserves is determined by their commercial viability, which is a decision for industry. The shale gas industry in the UK is still at a very early stage and production has not yet started. The Government will not be able to forecast the scale or timing of shale development until the results from first exploration sites are available and it is possible to estimate the extent of gas that can be technically and commercially recovered.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2016-02-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government,  further to the Written Answer by Baroness Evans of Bowes Park on 26 January (HL5024), whether the Quality Assurance Agency requests data from higher education institutions regarding the number of cases of plagiarism and how those cases were handled each year.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    There is no centrally held set of data on the number of recorded plagiarism cases in higher education. This is an institutional matter and cases are handled by individual institutions.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-03-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Prime Minister’s Statement of 22 February 2016, Official Report, column 23, on the European Council, when the reforms secured by the Prime Minister will become legally binding.

    Mr David Lidington

    The Decision of the Heads of State or Government, meeting within the European Council, concerning a new settlement for the United Kingdom within the European Union became legally binding from the point it was adopted by the Heads of State or Government on 19 February 2016. This Decision shall take effect on the same date at the Government of the United Kingdom informs the Secretary-General of the Council that the United Kingdom has decided to remain a member of the European Union.