Tag: 2016

  • Christopher Chope – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Christopher Chope – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2016-01-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it the policy of the Government to refer to the European Court of Justice the failure of the French government to register non-EU citizens in France who are in need of international protection.

    James Brokenshire

    All migrants in France who wish to seek international protection should do so in France. In accordance with the Joint Ministerial Declaration of August 2015, we continue to work closely with France on a range of migration and security issues and have no plans to change this constructive approach.

    The French Government is committed to meeting its EU and international obligations and has opened up new places in its asylum system for those that claim asylum in Calais.

  • Nigel Mills – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Nigel Mills – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Mills on 2016-01-26.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many notifications under section 92 of the Finance Act 2015 were received by HM Revenue and Customs during the period from 1 April 2015 to 31 December 2015.

    Mr David Gauke

    The Diverted Profits Tax is designed to counter contrived tax arrangements used by some multinationals to shift their profits to other countries. It is deliberately set at a higher rate than corporation tax, so it acts as a deterrent and encourages more companies to pay corporation tax.

    No notices under section 93 Finance Act 2015 were issued during the period 1 April 2015 to 31 December 2015 but HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) received notifications from eleven companies under section 92 in relation to section 86 Finance Act 2015.

    For companies with accounting periods ending on or before 31 March 2016 the notification period is six months from the end of that period. HMRC is not able to disclose details of notifications relating to sections 80 and 81 of the Finance Act 2015 due to its duty to protect taxpayer confidentiality.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-02-23.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the Government’s policy is on funding for the Equitable Life Payment Scheme that has not been disbursed.

    Harriett Baldwin

    Payments under the scheme will continue to be made annually to With-Profits Annuitants for the duration of their annuities.

  • Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2016-03-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the report by the Health Service Journal that the number of patients waiting for treatment for more than a year is over 50 per cent higher than official NHS Executive data.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    Consultant-led referral to treatment waiting time statistics are designated as National Statistics. This means that the statistics are produced according to sound methods, and are managed impartially and objectively in the public interest.

    From time to time, for example when there are serious problems with patient administration systems, National Health Service trusts do need to temporarily suspend submissions of data for inclusion in the publication of National Statistics for reasons of data quality and completeness. Nine acute trusts did not submit data on referral to treatment waiting times for January 2016. For this reason, the published data on the number of patients waiting more than a year to start consultant-led treatment for non-urgent conditions may be understated. NHS Improvement is working intensively with these trusts so that they can begin submitting data again as quickly as possible.

  • Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2016-04-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the closure of the Gaza power station in April, what assessment they have made of whether an electricity generating ship is still available as an alternative supplier to Gaza.

    Baroness Verma

    We are concerned by the electricity shortage in Gaza and the serious impact it is having on the humanitarian situation. We are in regular dialogue with Israel, the Palestinian Authority and other development actors, specifically the European Union and UN, on the extension of the 161 power line and conversion of the Gaza power station to gas. The UK believes these are the immediate steps necessary to improving the situation in Gaza, however a more comprehensive lifting of restrictions as part of a political agreement is the only long-term solution.

  • Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-05-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the consequences of pollution levels in London; and what steps her Department is taking to reduce pollution in that city.

    Rory Stewart

    The UK is compliant with EU legislation for nearly all air pollutants but faces significant challenges in achieving nitrogen dioxide (NO2) limit values.

    The national air quality plan for NO2, published in December last year, sets out a comprehensive approach for meeting the air quality challenges by implementing a new programme of Clean Air Zones, along with the Ultra Low Emission Zone in London. The plan combines targeted local and national measures, forming part of a wider approach that exploits new and clean technologies, such as electric and ultra low emission vehicles.

    The Government has committed over £2 billion since 2011 to increase the uptake of ultra low emission vehicles, support green transport initiatives and support local authorities to take action.

    The Mayor is responsible for air quality standards in London. The Mayor provides the framework and guidance which London boroughs use to review and improve air quality in their areas. The new Mayor recently set out his plans to improve air quality in London.

  • Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2016-07-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what rail infrastructure funding his Department is providing to each region in each of the next three years.

    Paul Maynard

    The Department for Transport provides funding for rail infrastructure in England and Wales, which makes up part of the total funding requirement for Network Rail to deliver its Control Period 5 commitments between 2014 and 2019. Government funding is not divided by region.

  • Steve Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Steve Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve Reed on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, for what reason gender issues are not a compulsory part of the PSHE curriculum; and whether she has any plans to so introduce such issues into that curriculum.

    Edward Timpson

    It is for schools to decide how best to deliver the curriculum. They can teach about gender issues through personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education, which is a non-statutory curriculum subject. The non-statutory PSHE programme of study, issued by the PSHE Association, includes teaching pupils about gender issues.

  • Stephen Gethins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Stephen Gethins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Gethins on 2016-01-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps she is taking to prepare for the outcome of the EU referendum.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    The Government is fighting hard to fix the aspects of our EU membership that cause so much frustration in Britain – so we get a better deal for Britain and secure our future. The Government is focused on delivering a successful renegotiation: it believes it can and will succeed in reforming and renegotiating our relationship with the EU.

  • David Anderson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    David Anderson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Anderson on 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what guidance his Department gives on the number and type of wheelchair spaces which should be available for disabled people in music venues across the UK.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The huge variation in size, type and location of music venues across the UK makes it impractical to require venue operators to make a specific number of spaces available for disabled people. However, we believe that everyone should have equal access to arts and culture. We are working with venues and organisations representing disabled people to identify barriers to access along with examples of best practice and how these can be shared and; to consider what more cultural venues need to do to be accessible to people with disabilities.

    We are supportive of the work of Attitude is Everything, which aims to improve disabled people’s access to live events, working in partnership with audiences, artists, and the music industry. My ministerial colleague Ed Vaizey also recently held a roundtable meeting with Justin Tomlinson, Minister for Disabled People to look at access to cultural venues and events for disabled people.