The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hendrick on 2016-03-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many Changing Places toilets are provided by each local authority in North West England.
James Wharton
There are 86 Changing Places toilets in the North West of England. The location of Changing Places toilets can be found using the Changing Places interactive toilet map, hosted on their website; http://www.changing-places.org/.
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Gardiner on 2016-04-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps she is taking to tackle the reduction in investment for renewable energy projected between 2017 to 2020 in the most recent National Infrastructure Pipeline, published on 23 March 2016.
Andrea Leadsom
Nearly £52 billion has been invested in renewables since 2010. The average annual investment in renewables has more than doubled in the last 5 years, with an average of £9bn invested each year in UK-based renewables. Indeed, 2015 was another record year with £13bn invested in renewable electricity.
In order to support further investment in renewables, we announced in the 2016 Budget funding for three further Contracts For Difference allocation rounds, worth £730m of annual support. We have also announced that the Renewable Heat Incentive budget will continue to March 2021, when it will reach £1.15 billion.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Chadlington on 2016-05-18.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have made any assessment of the Housing First policy implemented in Utah as a means to tackle homelessness.
Baroness Williams of Trafford
One person without a home is one too many which is why we have increased central investment to tackle homelessness over the next four years to £139 million.
Homelessness is rarely the result of a personal housing crisis alone and we know that many rough sleepers and homeless people have complex needs, such as mental health difficulties or substance misuse, which result in poor life chances.
That is why we announced at Budget 2016 that we are developing a new £10 million national Social Impact Bond programme, to help homeless people with complex needs off the streets. We want to drive innovative ways to support those with the most complex needs, including ‘Housing First’. In doing so, we will look to learn from how other countries have delivered, including the United States and elsewhere.
This work forms part of our wider approach to preventing and reducing homelessness, which also includes a new £10 million rough sleeping programme and an additional £100 million of funding for move-on accommodation for those leaving hostels and refuges.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Morris on 2016-07-13.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what fiscal steps he is taking to help self-employed people.
Jane Ellison
To reduce the tax burden for millions of self-employed people, the Government has announced that it will abolish Class 2 National Insurance – paid by the self-employed – in April 2018. This will see 3.4 million self-employed people gain £134 on average in 2018-19.
Self-employed people have also benefitted from the successive increases to the income tax personal allowance, with a typical taxpayer paying over £1,000 less income tax in 2017-18 compared to 2010.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-10-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to the Israeli authorities on the demolition of structures inhabited by Palestinians in the West Bank.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
On 7 September, during a meeting with Israeli Defence Minister Lieberman in London, I raised our concerns about demolitions. Our Embassy in Tel Aviv also regularly raise our concerns on this issue with the Israeli authorities.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Hollobone on 2016-01-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to protect pensioners’ incomes in (a) Kettering and (b) England.
Justin Tomlinson
This Government wants all pensioners to have a decent and secure income in retirement. We are committed to the ‘triple lock’, the guarantee that the basic and new State Pension will increase by the highest of the growth in average earnings, price increases or 2.5%. From April 2016, the full basic State Pension will rise to £119.30 a week, an increase of £3.35 and the biggest real terms increase to the basic State Pension since 2001. This will benefit many of the 18000 recipients of State Pension in Kettering and the 10 million recipients in England.
For the poorest pensioners, from April 2016 Pension Credit will top up income to a guaranteed minimum level of £155.60 for a single person and £237.55 for couples. We are protecting key benefits for older people including Winter Fuel Payments, free eye tests, free NHS prescriptions, free bus passes and free television licences for those aged 75 and over.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Smith of Finsbury on 2016-02-11.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration they are giving, and on what timescale, to the drawing up of proposals for substantial change to the current arrangements for export licensing for nationally important works of art.
Baroness Neville-Rolfe
The Government is open to considering practicable improvements to the export licensing system for cultural goods, but has no immediate plans to make any substantive change to the current arrangements.
The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport has written to the noble Lord in relation to his recently proposed changes to the system and is grateful for his correspondence on this matter.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Pennycook on 2016-03-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the smart meter roll out public awareness campaign led by Smart Energy GB.
Andrea Leadsom
Smart Energy GB’s performance is measured against a Performance Management Framework, produced and maintained by energy suppliers under paragraph 45.28 of their licence conditions.
The Department works closely with Smart Energy GB and suppliers to support delivery of the benefits of smart metering to all consumers in Great Britain.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julie Cooper on 2016-04-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with other Commonwealth countries on recent unrest in the Handwara and Kupwara districts of Kashmir.
Mr Hugo Swire
The British High Commission in Delhi is closely following the situation in Kashmir. I was saddened to learn of the deaths of 5 civilians last week and I extend my condolences to their families. I am aware that the State Government and the Army are both looking into these incidents. I have not recently discussed Kashmir with other Commonwealth countries.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead on 2016-05-18.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of whether the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission is a credible body to investigate human rights violations committed by the Ethiopian security forces in their response to the Oromo protests.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The British Government remains deeply concerned about the handling of demonstrations in Oromia and the reported deaths of a number of protestors, and has repeatedly made representations to the Ethiopian Government over the ongoing situation in Oromia. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and raise our concerns with the Ethiopian Government, including on the use of force.
The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has been appointed to look into the handling of the protests in Oromia. We will not pre-judge the outcome of their investigation and we await the publication of their report. We will continue to urge the EHRC and the Government of Ethiopia to ensure that their report is credible, transparent and leads to concrete action. We will take a view on what further lobbying, if any might be appropriate following the publication of the EHRC report.