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Tag: 2016

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-09-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to prevent the loss of technologies being developed in the UK after the UK leaves the EU.

    Joseph Johnson

    The UK has a long and strong history in science, research and innovation, and a world-leading reputation, being ranked third in the Global Innovation Index in 2016. We have protected the science resource budget in real terms from its 2015/16 level of £4.7 billion for the rest of the parliament. Looking ahead, we want to ensure that the excellent work being done by our researchers, universities and innovative businesses continues. The Government has committed to underwrite payment of EU research funding for specific projects even when they continue beyond the UK’s departure from the EU.

  • Jessica Morden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Jessica Morden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jessica Morden on 2016-01-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what his Department’s policy is on providing direct web links to information requested in written parliamentary questions in the Answers to those questions.

    Joseph Johnson

    The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills does not have a specific policy on the provision of web links. Parliamentary Questions are answered according to the preferred approach of each individual Minister.

  • Diane Abbott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Diane Abbott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diane Abbott on 2016-02-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions her Department has had with (a) other government departments and (b) external organisations on the effects of UK arms sales to Saudi Arabia on the delivery of development aid.

    Justine Greening

    DFID plays a key role in the UK government’s wider efforts to promote a more stable Yemen that is more able to address its humanitarian needs, working closely with other government departments to ensure that our combined diplomatic, humanitarian and military efforts make the maximum contribution to improving the situation in Yemen.

    As part of this, we discuss all issues of relevance to the humanitarian response. We also meet regularly with external organisations to discuss the humanitarian situation and delivery of aid in Yemen.

  • Tim Farron – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    Tim Farron – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2016-03-14.

    To ask the Prime Minister, if he will respond to the open letter from the Yorkshire Post entitled Mr Cameron please don’t ignore our nightmare, dated Tuesday 26 January 2016.

    Mr David Cameron

    A reply will be sent shortly.

  • Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-04-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether he has had discussions with the local authorities concerned on amending the legislation that created the Lee Valley Regional Park levy in order to allow the London Borough of Sutton and other London local authorities the option of investing the money they currently contribute to the Lee Valley Regional Park through that levy into the Wandle and other regional parks.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    The Secretary of State has not held discussions about amending the Lee Valley Regional Park funding levy with the local authorities concerned.

  • Ian Austin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Ian Austin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2016-05-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much the Rural Payments Agency has made in payments related to the European School Milk Scheme in each region and constituent part of the UK in each year since 2005.

    George Eustice

    The attached table shows the total UK amounts taken from the annual European accounts for each year from 2005 to 2016. The amounts in the table are the payments made to the organisations that supply milk to schools, which have been claimed back in full from the European Commission by the RPA.

    In years 2005 and 2006 the Rural Payments Agency were required to produce the accounts in GBP currency and in years 2007 and later, were required to produce accounts in euro currency to comply with Regulation 883-2006.

    Year

    Amount

    2005

    6,695,400.64

    2006

    6,552,414.56

    Total£

    £13,247,815.20

    2007

    8,204,965.56

    2008

    7,893,693.21

    2009

    7,553,825.13

    2010

    7,292,814.68

    2011

    1,900,066.83

    2012

    4,753,174.39

    2013

    4,525,499.84

    2014

    4,382,584.46

    2015

    4,325,618.91

    Total €

    € 50,832,243.01

    The figure for 2011 is a result of a repayment made by the Department of Health, where a decision was taken to fund the cost of the nursery milk provision entirely from their own budget. This resulted in the RPA claiming less from the European Commission that year only.

    A breakdown by region and constituent part of the UK could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-07-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations she has received on reforming the questions asked on asylum applications related to persecution related to religious beliefs.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    In June 2016 The Home Office received the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for International Freedom of Religion’s report, ‘Fleeing persecution: Asylum claims in the UK on religious freedom grounds’. We are carefully considering the report and its recommendations and will provide a response in due course, including whether we will consider whether any changes to the way we handle religious-based claims are appropriate.

    The report acknowledges the progress made by the Home Office with regards to guidance and training provided to its staff but highlighted the Group’s view that there were some discrepancies between the Home Office policy and practice.

    The Home Office carefully considers all asylum claims on their individual merits and grants protection for those who genuinely need it, in accordance with our international obligations under the Refugee Convention and the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). In every asylum case the particular circumstances of the individual are considered in light of published country information, which includes issues relating specifically to religious freedoms.

    Published guidance on the interviewing and consideration of religious claims is regularly reviewed and takes into consideration the views of religious groups and other stakeholders.

  • Craig Tracey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    Craig Tracey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Tracey on 2016-09-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what steps the Government is taking to support businesses in Scotland.

    Jesse Norman

    The British Business Bank currently facilitates around £300m of finance in Scotland. Around £10m of Start-Up Loans have been provided to over 2,000 Scottish businesses, and £290m is helping a further 2,000 businesses to grow through other Bank programmes. In 2015/16, Innovate UK committed to invest £58.3m in 291 innovation projects in Scotland.

  • Richard Fuller – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Richard Fuller – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Fuller on 2016-01-20.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans the Government has to review the amount of compensation for losses paid to Equitable Life policy holders over the course of the current Parliament.

    Harriett Baldwin

    There are no plans to review the payments made by the Equitable Life Payment Scheme. The Scheme closed to new claims on 31st December 2015. However, the annual payments to With-Profits Annuitants will continue unaffected for the duration of their annuity.

  • Martyn Day – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Martyn Day – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Martyn Day on 2016-02-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will make an assessment of the comparative effect of changes to civil service pensions on prison officers who joined that scheme under Classic but have been switched to the Alpha scheme and colleagues with the same length of service who have not been switched.

    Andrew Selous

    Alpha is the new Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme, which now applies to the vast majority of Civil Servants (including prison officers). Only those who are close to retirement have been able to remain in previous schemes or to defer entry to the Alpha scheme. This has always been made transparent and is considered fair as this group of staff are likely to have already started to make plans for their retirements which would be unduly impacted by a change in arrangements at this stage. There are therefore no plans to make such an assessment.