Tag: Chi Onwurah

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2016-09-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the Department for Communities and Local Government on how to replace the funding potentially lost to public sector organisations for rooftop rental as a result of the changes to rooftop valuation proposed in the Digital Economy Bill.

Matt Hancock

Government remains committed to a Code that is fit for a digital economy, delivers improved coverage and connectivity for the UK, and greater investment in UK infrastructure . The revised Electronic Communications Code has been developed in discussion with colleagues across Government including the Department of Communities and Local Government.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2016-10-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether public consultations or surveys were undertaken in the former Department for Energy and Climate Change to ascertain whether people trusted and understood the data-sharing element of the Warm Home Discount Scheme in the run-up to implementing that scheme.

Jesse Norman

The Warm Home Discount consultation, published in December 2011, included questions on data sharing.

Prior to the Warm Home Discount, the Energy Rebate Scheme, which ran for one year, used data-matching (of DWP and energy suppliers’ data) to identify a group of pensioners likely to be vulnerable to fuel poverty, so that their electricity supplier could award a one-off rebate to their electricity bill. This earlier scheme ran for one year.

DWP Social Researchers carried out a small-scale qualitative evaluation of the scheme, involving telephone interviews with customers to investigate reactions to their personal data being used in this way – this includeding issues around privacy, security and data sharing, and the broader concept of data use in Government.

The findings of the research and consultation responses can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/the-warm-home-discount-scheme

“

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2015-11-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the effect of annual funding cycles on the ability of further education and sixth form colleges to undertake financial planning; what discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on that matter; what plans the Government has to change those funding cycles to reflect Government spending review cycles; and if she will make a statement.

Mr Sam Gyimah

16-19 funding is that it is based on the level of recruitment institutions delivered in the previous year. That means institutions’ funding keeps pace with changing student numbers with the minimum delay. The Government has no plans to change the 16-19 funding system.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2015-11-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will issue a response to the Federation of Small Businesses report, entitled Reassured, optimised, transformed: driving digital small business, published in September 2015.

Mr Edward Vaizey

Ed Vaizey, Minister for Culture and the Digital Economy, and Anna Soubry, the Small Firms Minister, participated in roundtable discussions on September 10th when the report was launched. We do not propose to formally respond to the FSB report.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2015-11-26.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what consumer organisations have been involved in the work of the Open Banking Working Group; and when that group is expected to report.

Harriett Baldwin

A list of the Open Banking Working Group (OBWG) participants was published on 23 November, setting out the organisations which are directly involved in designing the detailed framework for the open Application Programming Interface (API) standard in UK banking by the end of the year. The OBWG will publish its final report on 30 December. More detail is available on the Open Data Institute’s website.

A number of consumer organisations have participated in the development of the framework for the open API standard: the Money Advice Service is a direct member of the OBWG, and Citizens Advice and Which? have participated in discussions about its design.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2015-12-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the planned budget is for the rural satellite broadband voucher scheme; and from which of his Department’s funding headings that budget has been allocated.

Mr Edward Vaizey

The budget is £60 million,funded from the Local Body contracts with BT.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2015-12-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether the Apprenticeship Levy will apply to public and third sector organisations.

Nick Boles

The levy will apply to all UK employers. Employers with a pay bill of less than £3m will not have to pay the levy. This is more than 98% of all employers. These employers will continue to have access to government funding to support apprenticeships.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2016-01-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the role of the Code for America programme and its applicability to the UK.

Mr Edward Vaizey

The UK is one of the most advanced digital countries in the world. The Government is currently developing a Digital Strategy, to be published later this year, which will set out the actions we will take so we continue to lead the world in embracing the benefits of digital technology in our government, economy and society.

The Government has provided support and engagement to Code for America through a series of visits and information sharing activities as it has developed its programme, and continues to work with relevant international organisations to share best practice as appropriate to support and promote the UK’s status as a world leader in digital government.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2016-02-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of whether current arrangements for listed building status take account of potential measures that can be taken to improve the energy efficiency of data centres.

Mr Edward Vaizey

Listed buildings are designated by the Secretary of State on the basis of their special architectural and historic interest. Other factors – including their energy efficiency – can be considered through the process of seeking listed building consent (LBC) prior to the alteration, extension or demolition of such buildings. Requests for LBC are determined by the relevant local planning authority.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2016-03-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will make an assessment of the potential effect on the UK tourism sector of the French ban on parity clauses for online travel agents.

Nick Boles

My Department has no plans to make such an assessment.

Any assessment of the impact of parity clauses on competition and consumers falls within the remit of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which is the UK’s primary competition and consumer authority.

One of the CMA’s predecessors, the Office of Fair Trading, launched an investigation into alleged resale price maintenance in arrangements between a hotel group and two online travel agents, though this ultimately led to no action being taken. The CMA keeps these issues under review and is working closely with other national competition authorities and the European Commission to do this.