Tag: Calum Kerr

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Calum Kerr on 2016-09-02.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect of large banking institutions charging negative interest rates on the small business sector.

Simon Kirby

The interest rates banks charge on their products is a commercial decision for them. The Government is aware that RBS and NatWest have written to businesses stating that a negative base rate may lead them to introduce negative interest rates, but they have not actually done so as yet. The base rate is set by the Bank of England’s independent Monetary Policy Committee, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer welcomed the decision of the Committee to use monetary policy to support the economy through this period of adjustment. As recent figures on jobs and growth have shown, we enter this period of adjustment from a position of economic strength.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Calum Kerr on 2015-10-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department has taken to assess the (a) feasibility and (b) the potential economic and social effects on the North of England of extending the new Borders Railway to Carlisle.

Andrew Jones

The Borders Railway is a matter for the Scottish Government in line with the Scottish Parliament’s legislative competence for the promotion and construction of railways that start, end and remain in Scotland. We look to the relevant local authorities and Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) in the Transport for the North partnership, in developing a comprehensive transport strategy for the North of England, to decide whether to engage with the Scottish Government and other stakeholders on the commissioning of such assessments. The UK Government has established a £12bn Local Growth Fund (LGF) to support LEPs in delivering their priorities for supporting local economic growth.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Calum Kerr on 2015-10-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will work with the Office of Rail and Road to ensure that the proposed new Edinburgh to Berwick train service via Reston and East Linton stations will not be impeded by pathways being allocated to long distance train operating companies.

Claire Perry

Decisions on access to the railway are a matter for the Office of Rail and Road (ORR). When considering applications for new or additional access to the network by a railway operator the ORR will consult interested parties, including other users of the network and funders, such as the Secretary of State, and take into account their views. In reaching a decision ORR must exercise its functions in a way that it considers best achieves its statutory duties.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Calum Kerr on 2015-10-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make it her policy to ensure that (a) Seafish and (b) other bodies funded by fishing levies do not promote the fishing industries of other North Sea or Norwegian Sea countries.

George Eustice

Seafish does not spend its levy, directly or through other bodies, on promoting the fishing industries of other North Sea or Norwegian Sea countries. At the request of the four Fisheries Ministers, Seafish introduced a transparent process in 2012 to agree priorities for spending. Seafish consults UK Industry Panels to ensure that all parts of the UK seafood sector benefit proportionately from the levy raised. These activities are set out in the Seafish Corporate Plan, which can be found on the Seafish website.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Calum Kerr on 2015-10-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the amount spent each year by (a) Seafish and (b) other bodies funded by fishing levies on promoting the fishing industries of other countries.

George Eustice

Seafish does not use levies raised on fish caught by the UK catching sector to promote the fishing industries of other countries. Levy is raised at the first point of sale in the UK, including on imported fish, and is used to support the UK seafood industry.