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Tag: 2016

  • Lord Touhig – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord Touhig – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Touhig on 2016-10-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the sale of RFA Diligence will amount to, or exceed, the amount of taxpayer-funded expenditure of £16 million that was spent on refitting the vessel to extend its life to 2020.

    Earl Howe

    We do not yet know the sale price of RFA Diligence. In August 2016 the Disposal Services Authority advertised a competition for the sale of the former RFA Diligence for future use. This competition has not reached the stage where formal commercial bids have been received.

  • Harry Harpham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Harry Harpham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Harry Harpham on 2016-01-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether developers of carbon capture and storage projects can access funding through the Levy Control Framework.

    Andrea Leadsom

    Generators who meet the requirements set out in the Contracts for Difference (Definition of Eligible Generator) Regulations 2014 are eligible for a Contract for Difference, funded through the Levy Control Framework. Contracts for Difference for CCS are awarded on direction of the Secretary of State. Whether or not the Secretary of State would consider awarding a CfDs to a specific project would be subject to the circumstances at the time, including factors such as the value for money and affordability of a project and competing demands on available budgets.

  • Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-01-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Answer of 22 July 2014 to Question 205815, what progress he has made on providing a secure and accessible on-line Personal Independence Payment claim form; and if he will make a statement.

    Justin Tomlinson

    We are developing the streamlined PIP digital claim process which brings the current PIP telephony claim and paper form together.

    We are working closely with the Cabinet Office to ensure this meets the government standards for digital services which focus on the needs of users. We have user tested a number of different design approaches and based on feedback are ensuring that the claim process is tailored to individual needs and moves away from ‘one size fits all’.

    The digital claim process continues to be improved and tested with a wide range of users and disability organisations for implementation in 2016. It will be available to everyone once the online claim process has been fully tested.

  • Virendra Sharma – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Virendra Sharma – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Virendra Sharma on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what her Department’s wellness strategy is.

    Nick Gibb

    The Department for Education has a range of policies, procedures and other materials to promote and support the health and wellbeing of its employees.

    The Department’s Wellbeing Group runs regular events and campaigns to raise awareness of the importance of wellbeing. There is also a wellbeing week and an annual wellbeing award that recognises not just the promotion of wellbeing, but also how it has improved the wellbeing of others.

    An Employee Assistance Programme is available to all staff and provides support, information, and advice on a range of issues, including health and wellbeing, problems at work, relationships, legal matters, debt management. Telephone and face to face counselling is also available.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-03-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the report by Professor Walton, entitled The likely effect of the Jackson reforms on insolvency litigation – an empirical investigation, published in 2013, what the evidential basis is for his policy on each of the conclusions of that report.

    Dominic Raab

    Ministry of Justice officials met Professor Walton and others on 12 October last year to discuss his report, but the Ministry of Justice did not agree with his conclusions. Our changes to no win no fee deals have tackled the increasing costs of litigation. We delayed bringing the law in for insolvency proceedings to allow the industry time to prepare. The no win no fee reforms in Part 2 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 will come into force for insolvency proceedings on 6 April this year.

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2016-04-27.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they anticipate being in a position to reply to the representations made to Lord Bates and to Lord Keen of Elie about Syrian Christian families seeking asylum after the beheading of family members.

    Lord Keen of Elie

    I understand the Noble Lord is referring to correspondence dated 25 April from a member of the public on behalf of people they believe are at risk in Syria.

    I can confirm that a response was sent on 9 May.

  • Gordon Marsden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Gordon Marsden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2016-06-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of apprenticeship pay rates for young people in supported accommodation.

    Nick Boles

    The Department has not made any assessment of the pay rates for this specific group.

    We are increasing the National Minimum Wage for people on apprenticeships by 3.0 per cent to £3.40 per hour in October 2016. Most apprentices receive more than the minimum; the median basic hourly pay rate is £6.31 for Level 2 and 3, and £9.68 for Level 4 and 5 Higher Apprentices.

    The Apprenticeship National Minimum Wage applies equally to all apprentices (for the first year if aged 19 – then the appropriate NMW for age applies). For younger workers, the priority in those first years is to secure work and gain experience – something that is already reflected in the National Minimum Wage rate structure.

  • Eilidh Whiteford – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Eilidh Whiteford – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Eilidh Whiteford on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he plans to include proposals relating to personal independence payments in his Department’s Green Paper on the disability employment gap.

    Penny Mordaunt

    Later this year, we will produce a Green Paper and conduct a consultation on a wide range of issues.

  • David Hanson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    David Hanson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Hanson on 2016-10-17.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people who had completed their VAT return through the Government Gateway by the deadline date received an incorrect late-filing penalty of £100 in each financial year since 2010-11.

    Jane Ellison

    VAT does not have a £100 penalty for late filing of returns. Nevertheless, the number of surcharges reviewed, varied and cancelled are published in the ‘Tax Assurance Commissioner’s Annual Report’, which can be found on gov.uk at; https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/how-we-resolve-tax-disputes.

    “

  • Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-01-08.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the evaluation and recommendations of the Law Commission on the Advice Services Transition Fund.

    Mr Rob Wilson

    The aim of the Advice Services Transition Fund (ASTF) was to support the sector to be able to respond with confidence to the challenges presented by the changing funding environment.

    The Fund was always intended to support time limited transformational activity. Cabinet Office is not in a position to commit longer-term funding to support the core-running costs of advice services. However, the fund has supported organisations to transition to more collaborative working. We will also be working with the Big Lottery Fund to ensure that learning is identified and shared across the advice services sector. This work aligns with recommendations outlined in the Low Commission report.