Tag: Alan Brown

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Brown on 2016-01-12.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the letter of the Financial Secretary to the Treasury on making tax digital, dated 11 January 2016, for what reasons the increased revenue from a more accurate digital tax return system has been estimated at £600 million per annum given that the current tax gap due to errors made by small businesses has been estimated in that letter at £6.5 billion.

Mr David Gauke

HM Revenue and Customs remains committed to narrowing the overall tax gap. The policy costings for Making Tax Digital can be found in the publication Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015: policy costings.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/480565/SRAS2015_policy_costings_amended_page_25.pdf

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Brown on 2016-04-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, pursuant to the Answer of 14 October 2015 to Question 11023, whether discussions are ongoing with EDF about proposals for two reactors at Sizewell and Bradwell; and whether she plans to include those propospals in the process for the signing off of the proposed contract for Hinkley Point C.

Andrea Leadsom

The Government routinely speaks to developers about proposed new nuclear projects. There is no commitment in the documentation for Hinkley Point C in relation to the proposed reactors at Sizewell C or Bradwell. The strike price for Hinkley Point C is £92.50/MWh, which if Sizewell goes ahead will be reduced to £89.50/MWh.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Brown on 2016-04-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his policy is on recognition of the Polisario Front as the representative of the people of Western Sahara.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

Government officials engage with the Polisario Front regularly, most recently on 16 March in London. We regard the Polisario Front as a pro-independence movement and party to a UN-mediated dispute, but not all Sahrawis consider it to be their representative. Therefore the UK Government does not regard the Polisario Front as representing all Sahrawis. Because of this, Ministers do not meet Polisario Front members.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Brown on 2016-07-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what information his Department holds on how many (a) Saharawi and (b) Moroccan people are employed by MINURSO in Western Sahara.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office holds no information on the ethnicity or origin of United Nations staff.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Brown on 2015-11-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to the Answer of 30 October 2015 to Question 13632, on what dates in May 2015 he met (a) the Chancellor of the Exchequer and (b) other ministers in HM Treasury to discuss the potential effects in Scotland of a carbon price support exemption scheme.

David Mundell

As indicated in my previous answers on this issue, I have had a number of meetings and discussions this year, both formal and informal, on the important issue of opencast restoration and in particular the proposal for a carbon price support exemption. These have included discussions with colleagues from HM Treasury, the Department of Energy and Climate Change, the Scottish Government and Local Authorities.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Brown on 2015-12-01.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many Syrians are temporarily displaced within Syria; and how many such people are displaced from (a) Daesh controlled areas, (b) Syrian government controlled areas and (c) other areas of conflict.

Mr Desmond Swayne

The UK has been at the forefront of the response to the crisis in Syria and the region. We have pledged over £1.1 billion, our largest ever response to a single humanitarian crisis. We are the second largest bilateral donor after the US.

The UN estimates that there are now 6.5 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) inside Syria.

We are unable to assess the exact numbers of people displaced from areas controlled by different parties to the conflict. Estimations of internal displacement are complicated by shifting front lines and the fact that most Syrian IDPs have been displaced multiple times.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Brown on 2016-01-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what progress has been made on the BBC Charter Renewal process.

Mr Edward Vaizey

Good progress is being made on the BBC Charter Review programme.

The consultation launched in July received an incredible 192,000 responses. We are committed to reading and analysing all of the responses and reached 150,000 earlier this month.

In addition, I have commissioned further reviews and research, including an independent review of governance and regulation led by Sir David Clementi.

In the coming months my department will work towards publishing proposals for the future of the BBC.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Brown on 2016-04-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what the anticipated date is for the Hinkley Point C reactor to start transmitting electricity to the National Grid; and whether the proposed contract for that reactor includes punitive measures for delay beyond that date.

Andrea Leadsom

EDF have said that they expect Hinkley Point C to start generating electricity in 2025. The Contracts for Difference (CfD) payment term in the proposed contract is 35 years with a target commissioning date of 2025 for each reactor. The target commissioning window for each reactor is four years from its target commissioning date (subject to Force Majeure). In the event that either reactor is not commissioned by the end of its target commissioning window, the CfD payment term for that reactor is shortened commensurately for each day of delay through to the long stop date. If neither reactor has been commissioned by four years after the last day of the target commissioning window for reactor 2 i.e. November 2033 (the longstop date), the Low Carbon Contracts Company (LCCC) has the option to terminate the contract.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Brown on 2016-04-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions the Government has had with the government of Morocco on the holding of a free and fair referendum on the governance of Western Sahara.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

It is for the parties to the dispute to agree a resolution of the final status of Western Sahara. The UK encourages both sides to cooperate with the United Nations process to reach a mutually acceptable solution that provides for the self-determination for the people of Western Sahara.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Brown on 2016-07-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the UN Security Council on setting a date for a free and fair referendum in Western Sahara with an option for independence on the ballot paper.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

It is for the parties to the dispute to agree a resolution of the final status of Western Sahara. The UK encourages both sides to cooperate with the United Nations process to reach a mutually acceptable solution that provides for the self-determination for the people of Western Sahara.