Tag: 2016

  • Debbie Abrahams – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Debbie Abrahams – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Debbie Abrahams on 2016-03-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of in work personal independence payment (PIP) claimants who will no longer be able to work as a result of his Department’s proposed changes to PIP aids and appliances points.

    Justin Tomlinson

    As confirmed by my right honourable friend the Secretary of State in his statement to the House on 21 March, the proposed changes to PIP will not be going ahead.

    We spend around £50bn every year on benefits alone to support people with disabilities or health conditions, with spending on Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Disability Living Allowance (DLA) having increased by more than £3 billion since 2010. The government is committed to talking to disabled people, their representatives, healthcare professionals and employers to ensure the welfare system works better with the health and social care systems and provides help and support to those who need it most.

  • Lord Myners – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Lord Myners – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Myners on 2016-04-26.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Pensions Regulator will appoint an investment bank and retail consultancy to support its investigation into the events preceding BHS going into administration.

    Baroness Altmann

    Parliament gave the Pensions Regulator independence in how it operates. It is for the Regulator to determine how it wishes to undertake any investigation into matters relating to the BHS pension scheme.

  • Royston Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Royston Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Royston Smith on 2016-06-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to enable environmental health officers to assess excessive noise in a neighbourhood on a daily basis.

    Rory Stewart

    Local authorities have a range of powers available to them to assess excessive noise from residential and commercial properties. These are set out in various pieces of legislation, including the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and Noise Act 1996.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-09-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the human rights record of the government of Bangladesh; and if he will make a statement.

    Alok Sharma

    As I said during the adjournment debate on Bangladesh on 8 September, we are concerned about the protection of human rights in Bangladesh. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office named Bangladesh as one of 30 Human Rights Priority Countries in its 2015 report. The report cited the confrontational actions of the two main political parties, extremist attacks against secular writers and religious minorities and pressure on free speech, plus continued use of the death penalty as particular areas of concern.

  • Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-10-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what data her Department holds on the average length of time people going through the National Referral Mechanism remain supported by the Salvation Army following a Reasonable Grounds decision, in each fiscal year since 2009-10.

    Sarah Newton

    This information has been provided by the Salvation Army.

    YEAR, JULY-JUNE

    AVE. SUPPORT PERIOD, DAYS

    2011-2012

    91

    2012-2013

    115

    2013-2014

    80

    2014-2015

    130

    2015-2016

    129

    This data only includes individuals who have received a Conclusive Grounds decision and have exited support.

  • Andrew Stephenson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Andrew Stephenson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Stephenson on 2016-01-06.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to tackle the sale of illegally-produced alcohol in shops.

    Damian Hinds

    The Government is committed to tackling alcohol fraud. Alcohol producers have to be licensed or gain approval by HMRC to operate. Illegal production is off-record and often involves the counterfeiting of established alcohol brands; chiefly spirits.

    Detections of illegally produced alcohol in shops are low. However, because of the potentially serious health consequences of consumption, vigilance by enforcement agencies and the public is crucial.

    HMRC responds robustly to all discoveries of illegal production of alcohol and works collaboratively with other enforcement agencies such as Local Authority Trading Standards and the Police, to tackle the sale of counterfeit alcohol. As well as exchanging intelligence, HMRC and Trading Standards Officers take part in joint exercises targeting retailers in specific regions to detect illegal products. Agencies working together can bring a broader range of sanctions and penalties against those who chose to flout the laws.

    Sales of alcohol that are suspected to be illegally produced, counterfeit or untaxed can be reported to HMRC by using hotline number 0800 595 000, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-02-01.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel regarding the arrest and detention of Mohammed Abu Tair.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We have not raised the specific case of the arrest and detention of Muhammad Abu Tair with the Israeli Authorities. However, we remain concerned about Israel’s extensive use of administrative detention which, according to international law, should be used only when security makes this absolutely necessary rather than as routine practice, and as a preventive rather than a punitive measure.

  • Christopher Chope – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Christopher Chope – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2016-02-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the financial effect on businesses of the decision in Loch v British Gas has on, including payments of bonus and commission in the calculation of holiday pay.

    Nick Boles

    The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills is continuing to monitor the impact of Lock v British Gas and other court decisions relating to holiday pay. We are undertaking a formal assessment of the financial impact and will make that available as and when there is a quality assured estimate.

  • Jim Fitzpatrick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Jim Fitzpatrick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Fitzpatrick on 2016-03-21.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what proportion of deaths in (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland resulted from (i) traffic offences and (ii) other offences in the last year for which figures are available.

    Mr Rob Wilson

    The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Scriven on 2016-04-26.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government which minister was informed of the move of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills office from Sheffield to London, why they were informed, and whether they had any decision-making role in that move.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) Permanent Secretary and Executive Board have made the proposal to relocate policy roles to London. They are responsible for the day to day running of the Department. The proposal is part of the BIS 2020 programme agreed with Ministers to deliver £350m savings and be more effective in delivering Ministerial priorities.