Tag: 2016

  • Debbie Abrahams – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Debbie Abrahams – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Debbie Abrahams on 2016-03-24.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph 2.59 of the Summer Budget 2015, if he will make an assessment of the potential effect of restricting finance cost relief for landlords on the ability of private individuals who operate buy-to-let businesses with large private buy-to-let companies.

    Harriett Baldwin

    An individual’s property income is subject to a separate set of tax rules to those of a private company.

    Once the changes are fully in place by 2020-21, all individuals will get finance cost relief at the basic rate of income tax, 20%. Incorporated businesses will continue to receive relief at the corporate tax rate which is currently 20% and due to fall to 17% in 2020.

  • 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 2016-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent steps his Department has taken to encourage wider participation and interest in St George’s Day; what steps his Department is planning to take to further increase participation and interest in such events in 2017; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The Department supports a number of Arm’s Length bodies that run events across the country on St George’s day.

    English Heritage hold an annual programme – which includes one of its biggest events of the year, the St George’s Day Festival at Wrest Park in Bedfordshire. English Heritage also organise St George’s Day pageant events (living history shows) at other sites including Dover Castle in Kent, Kenilworth Castle in Warwickshire and Warkworth Castle in Northumberland.

    In addition to English Heritage events, The Heritage Lottery Fund awarded ‘Derby Live’ £35,300 for a three-year community project called ‘Maypoles, Mummers and Merry England.’ The project, designed for school children explored English folk traditions through workshops, activities and folk dances at the Derby St George’s Day celebrations.

  • Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-06-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the Answer of 18 April 2016 to Question 33935, whether the UK Government considers that the Saudi Arabian-led coalition forces have committed any violation of International Humanitarian Law during the Yemen conflict.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We regularly raise the importance of compliance with International Humanitarian Law with the Saudi Arabian Government and other members of the military Coalition. Saudi Arabia has publicly stated that it is investigating reports of alleged violations of IHL, and that lessons will be acted upon. The key test for our continued arms exports to Saudi Arabia in relation to IHL is whether there is a clear risk that those weapons might be used in a serious violation of IHL. Having regard to all the information available to us, we assess that this test has not been met.

  • Kirsten Oswald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Kirsten Oswald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2016-09-02.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many widowed parents and bereaved cohabiting parents will be financially worse off as a result of the planned changes to the widowed parent’s allowance.

    Mr David Gauke

    The new Bereavement Support Payment will be introduced from April 2017 for new claimants only. Existing claimants of Widowed Parent’s Allowance and Bereavement Allowance will remain on those benefits for the lifetime of their awards, so there will be no impact on them or their families.

  • Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-10-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth on the UK’s decision to leave the EU.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    ​As the Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip (Boris Johnson) has said, the referendum result means that we need to be redoubling our efforts in multilateral organisations, including the Commonwealth. My noble Friend, The Rt Hon. Baroness of Anelay of St Johns, Minister for the Commonwealth, has discussed a range of issues with the Commonwealth Secretary General, including the decision by the UK to leave the EU. Building on the positive momentum from the Commonealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in 2015 in Malta, and will make the most of the opportunities that the Commonwealth has to offer. The UK will continue to be a global advocate for Commonwealth interests, including with our European allies. We will work closely with the Secretary General and the Secretariat to successfully deliver the next CHOGM, which will be hosted by the UK in 2018.

  • Ruth Cadbury – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Ruth Cadbury – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ruth Cadbury on 2016-01-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department took to publicise the recent NHS Mandate Consultation.

    George Freeman

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for High Peak (Andrew Bingham) on 2 December 2015 to Question 18482.

    “

  • Kirsten Oswald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Kirsten Oswald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2016-02-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the protection affordable from the public purse for the procurement and commercial arrangements for the Type 45 Destroyer; and whether those arrangements permit appropriate designation of responsibility for design and performance failures.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    Standard terms governing the allocation of liabilities were put in place for the Type 45 programme. All six Type 45 Destroyers have now passed the point in time from which these terms ceased to apply. A number of early modifications were implemented under the Type 45 Destroyer Contract for Availability arrangement with BAES Systems at no additional cost to the Ministry of Defence.

  • Craig Tracey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Craig Tracey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Tracey on 2016-02-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans (a) his Department and (b) NICE has to reform the process for the appraisal of cancer drugs.

    George Freeman

    NHS England and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recently consulted on draft proposals for the future direction of the Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF) including changes to the approach for the appraisal of cancer drugs. The consultation outlines a new system, fully integrated into the NICE appraisal process, where the CDF becomes a transitional fund – with clear criteria for entry and exit. The consultation closed on 11 February 2016 and a consultation report will be published on NHS England’s website in due course.

  • Chris Leslie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Chris Leslie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Leslie on 2016-03-24.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 14 March 2016 to Question 30533, for what reasons a separate breakdown for revenue accrued from financial spread betting and other general betting duties is not available; and if he will make a statement.

    Damian Hinds

    Published information on General Betting Duty receipts is not split down into constituent types of bets (such as financial or other types of spread bets).

  • Kirsten Oswald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Kirsten Oswald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2016-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what criteria are used to determine the level of compensation due to current or former service personnel diagnosed with cancer related to working conditions experienced during their period of service.

    Mark Lancaster

    The Ministry of Defence (MOD) provides no-fault compensation for members of the Armed Forces where illness, injury or death is caused by service from 6 April 2005 under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) and, before that date, under the War Pensions Scheme (WPS).

    Any disablement, injury or illness, including cancer, can be claimed with awards made where the claimed disorder is accepted as being due to service. Lay and scheme medical advisers work together and decisions are evidence based, reflecting the individual case facts, contemporary medical understanding of causation and the relevant law.

    Awards under the WPS depend on the assessed level of disablement with the method of assessment set out in the legislation and expressed as a percentage. The AFCS is tariff based. The legislation includes nine tables of injuries and disorders with associated tariff levels, relevant to military service. A lump sum is paid for pain and suffering taking account of the likely progress of the condition over the person’s lifetime. There are fifteen tariff levels and, for the more serious disorders like cancer, a Guaranteed Income Payment to cover reduced civilian employability is paid, in addition, from the date of claim for life.

    Where negligence exists on the part of the MOD, Service personnel may make a claim for damages under common law for service after May 1987. Awards are determined by common law principles which, broadly, take into account, as appropriate, an individual’s pain and suffering, degree of injury, past and future financial losses and level of care required. Levels of compensation which include these elements can vary depending on an individual’s circumstances.