The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Kawczynski on 2016-01-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which areas of the Spratly Islands archipelago the Government recognises as part of the territory of (a) the Philippines, (b) Vietnam, (c) Malaysia and (d) Brunei.
Mr Hugo Swire
The UK takes no position on the sovereignty of the Spratly Islands or other disputed features in the South China Sea.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Kawczynski on 2016-02-22.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the effect on stakeholders of the proposed changes to the Transactions in Securities rules.
Mr David Gauke
At Autumn Statement 2015, the Government announced a consultation on aspects of the Transaction in Securities rules, and published draft legislation shortly afterwards. A tax information and impact note setting out expected impacts was published on 9th December, and can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/corporation-tax-income-tax-and-capital-gains-tax-company-distributions.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Kawczynski on 2016-04-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her Department’s policy is on whether gross or net figures for rental income should be used in the calculation for the income threshold under spousal visa rules.
James Brokenshire
Under paragraph 20(c) and (cc) of Appendix FM-SE to the Immigration Rules, the gross income from property rental may be counted towards meeting the minimum income threshold for sponsoring a non-EEA national spouse or partner under the family Immigration Rules, provided that the evidential requirements of Appendix FM-SE are met.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Kawczynski on 2016-10-07.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what long-term plans he has to secure the future of the oil and gas industry in the North Sea.
Jane Ellison
The long-term success of the sector is dependent on a tripartite approach between industry, government and a dedicated regulator, as set out in Sir Ian Wood’s review.
The Government has provided substantial support to the oil and gas sector over the past two years, through measures worth £2.3 billion. This includes significant cuts to tax rates, the introduction of the Investment and Cluster Area Allowances and funding for seismic surveys to support exploration. The UK now has one of the most competitive fiscal regimes in the world for oil and gas.
On 1 October 2016, the Oil and Gas Authority was formally established as a strong, independent regulator for the sector. Its new powers will allow it to act with greater speed and flexibility to attract investment, support jobs and further the UK’s competitive edge.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Kawczynski on 2016-01-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if his Department will work with the Welsh Government to ensure that the views of people in England affected by Welsh rail franchises are considered during the next franchise sale process.
Alun Cairns
We have an agreement in principle with the Welsh Government that executive franchising functions will be transferred to Welsh Ministers to enable them to lead on the procurement, management and enforcement of the next Wales and Borders franchise. To ensure proper accountability for passengers in England, it is expected that services primarily serving English markets will be remapped into other Department for Transport franchises and we will consult on specific proposals in due course.
My officials, along with those from the Department for Transport, are working closely with the Welsh Government to reach final agreement on these matters to ensure that the interests of rail passengers on both sides of the border are fully protected.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Kawczynski on 2016-02-22.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the effect on stakeholders of the proposed changes to entrepreneurial tax relief.
Mr David Gauke
The Government announced at Autumn Statement 2015 that it will consider bringing forward legislation to amend the changes made by Finance Act 2015 to entrepreneurs’ relief, in order to support businesses by ensuring that the relief is available on certain genuine commercial transactions. Changes to taxation are announced by the Chancellor at the Budget and the effect of changes are published in a Tax Information and Impact Note.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Kawczynski on 2016-04-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many schools in Shropshire have been converted into academies.
Edward Timpson
Twenty-five schools in Shropshire have been converted into academies. This information is publically available on GOV.UK at: http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/performance/index.html
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Kawczynski on 2016-10-07.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what fiscal steps his Department is taking to encourage the exploration of natural gas in the North Sea.
Jane Ellison
To support exploration activity, the Government has significantly cut tax rates for the oil and gas sector and introduced the Investment and Cluster Area Allowances to reduce the effective rate of tax paid by producers. Lower tax rates will encourage exploration by improving the economics of new discoveries.
Over the last two years the Government has also funded a £40 million programme of seismic surveys. This will boost offshore exploration in under-explored areas of the UK Continental Shelf.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Kawczynski on 2016-01-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether his Department plans a second round of Growth Deals for Local Enterprise Partnerships.
James Wharton
Through Growth Deals agreed to date with each of the 39 Local Enterprise Partnerships, £7.7billion of Local Growth Fund has been awarded from 2015-16 to 2020-21. The recent Spending Review re-confirmed the Government’s commitment to a £12 billion Local Growth Fund between 2015-16 and 2020-21 and that Local Enterprise Partnerships will continue to receive core funding from the Government to deliver growth in their communities. We will be announcing further details on the Local Growth Fund in due course.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Kawczynski on 2016-02-22.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what work his Department is undertaking to assist small and medium-sized enterprises in the construction industry to expand and create more jobs.
Nick Boles
The Government is working to help all construction companies to expand and create jobs. At the Spending Review the housing budget was doubled to over £2 billion per year, and the Chancellor also committed to £100 billion of spending in this Parliament for new roads, rail, flood defences and other vital projects.
We are making sure that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have access to government contract opportunities, making it easier for them to do business with us. We are requiring departments to publish details of future projects on the “contracts finder” website, giving businesses the confidence and time to invest in relevant skills, labour and capabilities.
Access to finance can be a barrier to growth. There is a range of support and assistance available through the Business Support Helpline. The British Business Bank is a government-owned business development bank dedicated to making finance markets work better for smaller businesses, through schemes such as the Enterprise Finance Guarantee (EFG). The British Business Bank promotes the EFG to high street lenders to encourage them to lend to viable smaller businesses that would otherwise be declined for lacking adequate security.
More widely the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills’ red tape challenge programmes are targeting rules and regulations in the construction sector. Many of those red tape requirements fall disproportionately heavily on smaller construction employers.
In addition the Government is placing employers, including small businesses, in the lead in developing new apprenticeship standards and providing financial support. Specific grants are available for smaller businesses and for younger apprentices. In addition there is a range of support for all approved learning outcomes available from the Construction Industry Training Board.