Tag: Baroness Barker

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Barker on 2016-07-13.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many employers offered a package the value of which was above that normally permissible under a Cycle to Work Scheme in circumstances in which an employee had specific needs that required a specialist cycle due to a recognised disability for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010 in (1) 2013–14, and (2) 2014–15.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

As this is not a Government scheme the Department for Transport does not collect data on how many employers offered or refused to offer, a package the value of which was above that normally permissible under a Cycle to Work Scheme under circumstances in which an employee had specific needs that required a specialist cycle due to a recognised disability for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010 in (1) 2013–14, and (2) 2014–15.

This is because the Cycle to Work scheme is an employee benefit covered by an exemption and therefore employers do not have to make an annual tax return regarding the benefit; meaning the Department does not collect the data.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Barker on 2016-02-22.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government which lobbying campaigns organised by charities have been funded by government grants since May 2010.

Lord Bridges of Headley

Information on lobbying campaigns organised by charities is not collected by government.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Barker on 2016-07-13.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many employers refused to offer a package the value of which was above that normally permissible under a Cycle to Work Scheme under circumstances in which an employee had specific needs that required a specialist cycle due to a recognised disability for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010 in (1) 2013–14, and (2) 2014–15.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

As this is not a Government scheme the Department for Transport does not collect data on how many employers offered or refused to offer, a package the value of which was above that normally permissible under a Cycle to Work Scheme under circumstances in which an employee had specific needs that required a specialist cycle due to a recognised disability for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010 in (1) 2013–14, and (2) 2014–15.

This is because the Cycle to Work scheme is an employee benefit covered by an exemption and therefore employers do not have to make an annual tax return regarding the benefit; meaning the Department does not collect the data.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Barker on 2016-02-22.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government which, if any, ministers and officials have met representatives of the Institute of Economic Affairs since May 2012 to discuss proposals that resulted in the change announced on 6 February to the terms and conditions attached to all grant agreement letters issued by public-sector grant providers to recipients of grant funding.

Lord Bridges of Headley

Information of all government meetings is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. The details of ministerial meetings are provided in transparency documents available on Gov.uk website.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Barker on 2016-07-13.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government why the Motability Scheme funds cars, powerchairs and mobility scooters but does not extend to cycles.

Lord Freud

Motability is an independent charitable organisation wholly responsible for the Motability scheme. Operational decisions, such as what types of vehicles the scheme should provide, are for Motability to make. They can be contacted at Director of Motability, Motability, Warwick House, Roydon Road, Harlow, Essex, CM19 5PX.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Barker on 2016-02-22.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations were made to ministers and officials on the subject of lobbying by charities between May 2010 and February 2016 by organisations other than the Institute of Economic Affairs.

Lord Bridges of Headley

The Government has received a range of representations since 2010 on charities’ lobbying, campaigning and political activities, including from charities themselves. There is no central record that categorises the different representations received.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Barker on 2016-07-13.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what provision they have made to include disabled cyclists within the Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

The Government will work to increase awareness of both the use of cycles as a mobility aid and the need for discretion when implementing ‘cyclist dismount’ regulations in public areas, including stations.

We recently consulted on the draft Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy and as part of the consultation sought views on how to increase cycling and walking in typically under-represented groups, including disabled people. The Government is in the process of analysing responses to the consultation and will publish a Government Response later this summer.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Barker on 2016-02-22.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much Kids Company received in gift aid payments from 2005–6 to 2015–16.

Lord O’Neill of Gatley

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has a statutory duty to maintain taxpayer confidentiality and cannot comment on the affairs of individual organisations.

HMRC publishes national statistics showing the total cost of Gift Aid and other charitable tax reliefs.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Barker on 2016-07-19.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the recommendations of the December 2015 report of the House of Commons Women and Equalities Committee Transgender Equality, when they plan to publish (1) a new, cross-departmental transgender equality action plan, and (2) a balance sheet of the previous transgender action plan along with a new strategy to tackle those issues which remain unaddressed.

Lord Nash

On the 7^th July 2016 the Government responded to the Women and Equalities Select Committee inquiry on transgender equality. In this, we committed to publishing an update on progress against “Working for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Equality: Moving Forward (2011)”; and “Advancing transgender equality: a plan for action (2011)”.

The Government also committed to producing a new action plan on transgender equality.

The Government will publish both of these documents in due course.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Barker on 2016-02-22.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, prior to the change of terms and conditions attached to all grant agreement letters issued by public-sector grant providers to recipients of grant funding being announced by the Cabinet Office on 6 February, due diligence was undertaken to ensure that that policy complies with Article 5.3 of the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

Lord Bridges of Headley

Article 5.3 of the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control requires governments to protect public health policy from the commercial and other vested interests of the tobacco industry. The grant funding clause announced on 6 February 2016 helps protect the taxpayer by ensuring that grants are only used for the purposes for which they are intended. It is therefore entirely consistent with the aforementioned Article.