Tag: 2016

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-06-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he had with (a) bus operators and (b) local authorities on preventing local authorities outside of London from forming bus companies whilst the Bus Services Bill is under consideration.

    Andrew Jones

    There are only 8 existing municipal bus companies operating services in England, and we are not aware of any current plans to establish new municipal bus companies.

    Government recognises the quality services that existing municipal bus companies provide for passengers, and these existing companies will not be affected. However, it is our view that the commissioning and provision of bus services should be kept separate from each other, particularly as the introduction of new partnership and franchising powers in the Bill could lead to more local authority control and influence of local services.

  • Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2016-09-13.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether public sector net debt will fall by the end of financial year 2016-17 in line with his Department’s published estimates.

    Jane Ellison

    The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) publishes the official forecasts for the level of public sector net debt as a share of gross domestic product. The next OBR forecast will be published in November 2016 in its Economic and Fiscal Outlook document.

  • Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent steps he has taken to promote safety among older drivers; and if he will make a statement.

    Andrew Jones

    The crucial factor for road safety is not a driver’s age, but their physical and mental fitness to drive. The current licensing arrangements support road safety without penalising those older drivers who remain fit and competent to drive.

    When drivers aged 70 and over renew their licences, they must declare any medical condition that could affect their fitness to drive and confirm that they meet the legal eyesight standards. Renewals are at three-yearly intervals and provide a timely reminder for drivers to consider their health in the context of driving.

    Additionally, all drivers have an ongoing duty to inform the DVLA at any time of the onset or worsening of a medical condition that may affect their ability to drive safely. When a driver declares a medical condition, the DVLA will investigate their ongoing fitness to hold a driving licence.

    The Department has provided grant funding to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents to develop a dedicated older drivers website that will provide information to drivers and their families on driving safely. The website should go live within the next couple of weeks.

    We will consider the Older Driver forums review of older driver safety when it is published, subject to priorities set out in the British Road Safety Statement.

  • Alex Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Alex Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-02-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 4 February 2016 to Question 24499, what discussions his Department plans to have with banks on minimising the cost of loan and other penalties incurred by colleges which merge as part of area reviews.

    Nick Boles

    I refer the hon Member to the answer I gave to Question UIN 24367

    “

  • Rebecca Long Bailey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Rebecca Long Bailey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rebecca Long Bailey on 2016-03-03.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many wholesalers have registered for the Alcohol Wholesaler Registration Scheme to date.

    Damian Hinds

    The application window for the Alcohol Wholesaler Registration Scheme (AWRS) closes on 31 March. HMRC is using appropriate channels to ensure customers who need to apply are aware of their obligations in good time to enable them to meet that deadline.

    Once the application window has closed, HMRC will assess the applications it has received. Appropriate action will then be taken to enforce the requirements of the new scheme.

    HMRC has been ramping up communications for AWRS over the last 12 months. It has issued several press notices and articles including regional and national media as well as specialist press and social media. HMRC is also working through key stakeholders and representative bodies associated with the alcohol business sectors to issue partnership marketing, giving a reach of 55,000 businesses. In February I wrote to individual businesses that may need to apply for AWRS to remind them of the deadline.

    The HMRC communications approach to this scheme is designed to ensure messages reach everyone who needs to receive them. If, however, analysis of applications after the deadline reveals a particular category of customers ‘missing’ to a significant degree from the applications received, and there is evidence that the programme of extensive communications failed to reach them, HMRC will explore whether there are any implications for the way in which follow up action is taken for that particular group.

  • Michael Fabricant – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Michael Fabricant – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michael Fabricant on 2016-04-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to encourage young people to join local Air Training Corps; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Julian Brazier

    The Air Training Corps actively promotes itself through local, national and social media such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

    The Air Cadets website gets 1.8 million hits per year. Local Squadrons also regularly set up recruitment stands in town centres to encourage word of mouth recommendation.

    The most important thing is getting Cadets gliding again. This is ramping up this year and will be fully in place in 2018.

  • Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-05-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many social housing tenants with spare bedrooms have had their housing benefit reduced due to the removal of the under-occupancy penalty in each of the last three years.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The information is not available.

  • Chris Law – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Chris Law – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Law on 2016-06-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has issued written guidance to providers of the work capability assessment informing them not to direct customers to appeal decisions on their entitlements in any circumstances.

    Justin Tomlinson

    Information on appeals rights are made available to claimants on the relevant benefit helpline and online on Gov,UK where they can also begin their online application. Claimants are also made aware of their appeal rights when they receive their initial decision notice, which explains there is right of appeal after an application for Mandatory Reconsideration, and again when they receive the decision notice sent in response to their application for Mandatory Reconsideration. An online and postal option is provided to make their appeal.

    The guidance issued to the provider by the Department is clear in that the provider should not advise the claimant on any issue relating to their benefit entitlement including the right or appropriateness of an appeal. If the claimant were to bring this up, the advice is for the provider to signpost them to the Department.

  • Jamie Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jamie Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jamie Reed on 2016-09-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will visit the West Cumberland Hospital (a) before the start of the formal consultation stage of the Success Regime and (b) during the formal consultation stage of that regime.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The Department continues to champion the Success Regime and I look forward to visiting West Cumberland Hospital. My private office is in touch with North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust to make arrangements.

  • Ian C. Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Ian C. Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian C. Lucas on 2016-01-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many motability vehicles were held by people in (a) Wrexham, (b) Wales and (c) the UK in receipt of the enhanced mobility component of personal independence payments in each of the last six months for which records are available.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The Department does not hold this information. Motability is an independent charitable organisation that is wholly responsible for the administration of the Motability scheme. Whilst the Department meets regularly with Motability to discuss scheme performance, questions relating to the details of the scheme’s operation should be directed to Motability itself.