Tag: Daniel Zeichner

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-02-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if his Department will introduce a requirement that Local Government Pension Scheme funds be invested in infrastructure projects.

Mr Marcus Jones

Administering authorities in the local government pension scheme in England and Wales have been asked to explain the proportion of their funds currently allocated to infrastructure projects and what proportion they intend to invest in infrastructure in the future. The benefits of scale achieved under the new pooling arrangements will enable authorities to be more ambitious and invest in infrastructure in a way that will help drive local growth.

Administering authorities have also been asked to submit their detailed proposals for pooling their assets, including their plans to invest in infrastructure, by 19 July. The proposals will then be assessed to establish whether they comply with the Department’s criteria for the pooling of scheme assets, including infrastructure.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-02-22.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will widen the Blue Badge criteria to allow for cognitive as well as physical disabilities.

Andrew Jones

The regulations governing the scheme already apply to any permanent and substantial disability which causes very considerable difficulty in walking. We have no plans to widen the scope beyond this.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-02-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what his policy is on the future of the Innovate UK Smart funding programme.

Joseph Johnson

Innovate UK is tasked with increasing growth and productivity across the UK through supporting business-led innovation. The number of different programmes it delivers has increased over the years and in some cases have become confusing for businesses, especially for SMEs, to navigate. Consequently, Innovate UK is currently simplifying its support to innovative businesses. Innovate UK intends to publish new Strategy and Delivery plans, which will outline its funding approaches and programmes.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-03-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the cost to local authorities of the English National Concessionary Transport Scheme (ENCTS); and whether the central government grant to local authorities covers the cost of reimbursement of the ENCTS.

Mr Marcus Jones

In 2010-11, £223 million was paid to local authorities as a specific grant to deliver the National Concessionary Transport Scheme. In 2011-12, this funding was incorporated within the Local Government Finance Settlement, from where it has been delivered since. As the settlement distributes un-ringfenced funding to cover a number of services delivered by local authorities, it is not possible to identify the exact level of funding within the settlement specifically for national concessionary transport from the point the funding arrangement was changed.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-04-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of adequacy of the level of transparency in the recruitment process for Chief Fire Officers.

Mike Penning

Matters of recruitment are for individual fire and rescue authorities as employers. However, Ministers have been clear that payments for senior fire officers who return to employment immediately after retirement are an unacceptable use of taxpayers’ money, especially when fire authorities need to be making sensible savings.

That is why this Government has issued explicit guidance on the re-employment of senior staff who have previously been in receipt of a redundancy or severance payment, or who are in receipt of a local government or fire service pension. Fire and rescue authorities have the ability to deal with this problem and should do so. The public have a right to know when, and on what basis, these decisions have been made, and we have made provision for this.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-05-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will take steps to encourage mothers and GPs to use the Baby Check app developed by Birmingham Community Healthcare and the Lullaby Trust.

Ben Gummer

The Department has asked NHS England to review the Baby Check app to see if it could potentially make a good case study to highlight it on their Innovation Connect portal for consideration by all National Health Service organisations.

The Innovation Connect portal can be found at:

http://www.england.nhs.uk/ourwork/innovation/innovation-connect/

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-05-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether she discussed soil carbon targets when she met Miguel Arias Cañete, Climate Action and Energy Commissioner, at their meeting on 12 May 2016 on emissions targets not included in the Emissions Trading System.

Amber Rudd

My meeting on 12 May with Commissioner Cañete was one of a number we have had to discuss a wide range of EU Climate and Energy issues.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-06-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to promote park and stride schemes.

Mr Robert Goodwill

A partnership of sixteen local authorities across England, led by Birmingham City Council, has linked up with national charity Living Streets and the Modeshift organisation to focus on increasing walking rates with schools, workplaces and in target locations, in order to tackle congestion and improve access to education and employment.

The project is being delivered through a grant of £2.48m from Department for Transport as part of the Sustainable Travel Transition Year funding programme. It will build on the success of the previous Department for Transport funded LSTF Walk To (2015/16) and Walk To School Outreach (2012/15) projects.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-07-20.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph 3.14 of the National Audit Office’s investigation into the collapse of the UnitingCare Partnership contract, for what reasons HMRC did not approve UnitingCare’s request to remove VAT liability.

Jane Ellison

I am unable to comment on the tax affairs of individual companies.

HM Revenue and Customs applies the VAT rules for private companies consistently and fairly to ensure a level playing field. As reported in the National Audit Office’s report, the UnitingCare Partnership is a limited liability partnership.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the reasons are for changes to the level of funding available through the electric vehicle homecharge scheme for householders wishing to install ultra-low emission vehicle charging technology at home.

Mr John Hayes

As the market for plug-in vehicles grows we have reduced the level of grant available under the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme reflecting falling costs, so that Government support can be maintained and more motorists can benefit.