The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve Reed on 2016-02-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has spent any money on advertising the Northern Powerhouse policy since May 2015.
James Wharton
There has been no advertising spend by the Department for Communities and Local Government on the Northern Powerhouse policy since May 2015.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2016-03-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what licences were granted for exports to Israel of (a) military use and (b) dual use equipment in 2015.
Anna Soubry
Information on military and dual use export licences (including Iicences for Israel) is published as Official Statistics in the quarterly and annual reports on Strategic Export Controls. These reports contain detailed information on export licences issued, refused or revoked, by destination, including the overall value, type (e.g. Military, Other) and a summary of the items covered by these licences.
Data for the period 1 January to 30 September 2015 is available to view at GOV.UK. Information covering the period 1 October to 31 December 2015 will be published on 19 April 2016.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-04-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with Iran following the discovery by the US of an Iranian ship bound for Yemen containing a significant cache of weapons; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
We urge Iran to desist from any transfer of weapons and play a constructive role in the region.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anna Turley on 2016-05-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reasons the Government did not apply to the European Globalisation Fund to secure financial support for those affected by the closure of SSI Redcar in 2015.
Mr Shailesh Vara
The UK has not made any applications to the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF).
The European Globalisation Fund (EGF) provides a financial contribution for active labour market measures, aimed at reintegrating those made or at risk of being made redundant in the labour market. EGF Regulations state that these measures must complement actions at national, regional and local level.
The EGF Regulations also set out strict criteria and eligibility for potential applicants with regards to the number of redundancies that take place over a given period of time and the link between these redundancies and globalisation or the global financial and economic crisis.
The UK already offers a broad range of personalised support to workers made redundant through its Rapid Response Service and Jobcentre Plus, which could therefore not be duplicated or substituted by EGF.
The Rapid Response Service and the Jobcentre Plus Core Offer are effective reintegration tools which represent good value for money and are our primary and most effective means of response to support the industry.
In addition to this, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills also announced packages of support worth up to £80 million for SSI in Redcar.
It has, therefore, not been necessary to make an application for EGF funding to provide complementary support.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-07-06.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if the Government will commission an international and independent review of organ harvesting in China.
Mr Hugo Swire
We currently have no plans to commission a review of organ harvesting in China.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Kennedy of Cradley on 2016-09-15.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the procedures and priorities to agree the spending of public money on international aid are the same across all government departments, and if there are differences, what they are.
Lord Young of Cookham
The allocation of Official Development Assistance (ODA) funding was agreed at the 2015 Spending Review in line with the strategic objectives set out in the UK aid strategy. Departments spending ODA are required to demonstrate how they are using rigorous evidence to underpin spending decisions. There must be clear lines of accountability for all ODA projects, and project performance must be regularly assessed. Poor performing programmes will be closed and funds redeployed. In addition, all ODA spend is subject to scrutiny by the Independent Commission for Aid Impact.
Spending on ODA is also subject to the principles of sound financial management set out in ‘Managing Public Money’. Within these constraints departments have discretion over how they organise, direct and manage the resources at their disposal.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Laurence Robertson on 2016-01-21.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has taken to reduce the number of unnecessary customer calls to HMRC telephone lines.
Mr David Gauke
HM Revenue and Customs has deployed a Demand Management approach since 2010 to reduce unnecessary telephony demand. This approach includes reengineering business processes, improving forms and guidance to provide greater clarity for customers and introducing a “Once and Done” approach on calls, where possible.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Whittaker on 2016-02-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will estimate the cost to the tourist industry in Calder Valley of recent flooding and severe weather in that area.
David Evennett
No assessment has been made by DCMS of the direct cost to Calder Valley’s tourism industry following the recent flooding. However, some tourism businesses in flood affected areas have reported a drop in bookings of up to 60%. We want to ensure that our tourism businesses have as much support as possible as they recover from the recent floods and that is why a new £1m PR campaign was announced by the Prime Minister in Cumbria, on the 28th January, to support businesses ready to receive visitors, and this is part of a wider package of immediate measures to help the area.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mrs Anne Main on 2016-03-07.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will publish contingency plans that have been made by his Department in the event of a UK exit from the EU.
Mr David Gauke
As the Prime Minister and the Chancellor have said, the civil service is working to support the Government’s position that Britain is stronger, safer and better off remaining in a reformed EU
As required by the EU Referendum Act 2015, the Government is producing clear information, ahead of the referendum, on the outcome of renegotiation, the rights and obligations in EU law, an assessment of alternatives to membership and publishing the process for leaving.
The Treasury will publish a comprehensive analysis of our membership of a reformed EU and the alternatives, including the long-term economic costs and benefits of EU membership and the risks associated with an exit before 23 June.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-04-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will delay the start date for the introduction of standardised packaging on tobacco products in light of the post-implementation review of the measure in Australia.
Jane Ellison
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 11 April 2016 to Question 32266.
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