Tag: Gareth Thomas

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-02-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what additional funding she plans to commit to tackling illegal immigration; and if she will make a statement.

James Brokenshire

The Chancellor the Exchequer announced the 2015 Spending Review to Parliament on 25th November 2015. Home Office ministers are in the process of allocating budgets for the next financial year to ensure that the department supports its key objectives of preventing terrorism, cutting crime and controlling immigration.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-04-12.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what his policy is on Taiwan’s proposed application to join the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank; and if he will make a statement.

Greg Hands

The UK and Taiwan enjoy a constructive relationship in a range of multilateral organisations for which statehood is not a requirement, such as the WTO and European Bank of Reconstruction and Development. A decision on whether to apply to be a member of the AIIB is a matter for Taiwanese authorities. Should an application be made the UK will, as for other countries or territories, consider at the time.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-05-18.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what (a) meetings he has had with external organisations and (b) steps he has taken to encourage the take up of employee share ownership schemes in small and medium-sized businesses in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Mr David Gauke

Tax-advantaged employee share schemes are greatly valued by both companies and employers, and the government wants to make sure that the rules surrounding these schemes are as simple and clear as possible. Budget 2016 made a number of changes to the rules for employment-related securities and options which will make these schemes fairer and easier for taxpayers to understand, and therefore encourage businesses to use them.

An HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) commissioned report conducted by Oxera considered the effect of the tax-advantaged employee share schemes on productivity. The report is available at: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20110203095056/http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/research/tax-advantaged-report2.pdf.

The government’s most recent assessment of the cost of the tax-advantaged employee share schemes to the Exchequer is provided in the table below.

	Forecast cost of Income Tax relief (2015-16)	Forecast cost of National Insurance relief (2015-16)
Share Incentive Plan	£220 million	£165 million
Save As You Earn	£180 million	£140 million
Enterprise Management Incentives	£70 million	£40 million
Company Share Option Plan	£70 million	£40 million

HMRC has not withdrawn the valuation checking service for the tax-advantaged employee share schemes. However, HMRC has withdrawn other checks for non-tax advantaged schemes as, in the majority of cases, acceptable valuations were submitted. Therefore, the valuation service added no value and is seen as unnecessary.

The government keeps all areas of the tax system under review and as part of that in always interested in understanding the views of all interested parties.

Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. Details of ministerial and permanent secretary meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at: http://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-06-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the number of flights identified as high-risk where Border Force officials have not attended in the last 12 months; when the automated system for airports to check the civil aviation tracking system will be introduced; and if she will make a statement.

James Brokenshire

To release the information requested on flights identified as high-risk, which is operationally sensitive, would be contrary to the interests of national security. Border Force examines incoming general aviation flights in comparison with the Civil Aviation Tracking System. Border Force has considered options for improving the methods by which this is achieved and will develop this further in the coming year.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-06-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of Advance Passenger Information was checked and acted upon in real-time for passengers leaving the UK in the latest period for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement.

James Brokenshire

This information is not centrally held. Since April 2015, Advanced Passenger Information has been provided by international commercial air, sea and rail carriers to Border Force in advance of passenger travel from the UK. This data is used to identify known or suspected criminals and where appropriate is acted upon in real time by Border Force or another law enforcement partner.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-10-10.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the total value of European Investment Bank loans to local councils in (a) total, (b) Scotland, (c) Northern Ireland, (d) England (e) Wales and (f) each region of England in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

Mr David Gauke

Answer: The EIB publish all loans made to UK borrowers. The link below provides information on lending volumes to the UK and details on individual UK projects are available on the EIB website.

http://www.eib.org/projects/regions/european-union/united-kingdom/index.htm

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-10-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when he expects to publish the Local Government Settlement; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Marcus Jones

The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government published an historic four year local government finance settlement on 8 February 2016 which was debated by Members of the House on 10 February. We published a technical consultation which confirmed the approach for 2017-18 on 15 September. Councils across England applied for the four year offer by 14 October and the Government will respond as soon as practicable. We intend to publish in the normal way a statutory provisional settlement for 2017-18 that honours the Government’s commitment to the four year offer later this year.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-10-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which agreed EU directives have not yet been transposed directly into UK law; and if she will make a statement.

George Eustice

As of 12 October 2016, there were 11 EU directives awaiting transposition into UK law. These are detailed in the table below.

Directive	Tittle
2013/51/EURATOM	Directive 2013/51/EURATOM of 22 October 2013 laying down requirements for the protection of the health of the general public with regard to radioactive substances in water intended for human consumption.
2014/97/EU	Commission Implementing Directive 2014/97/EU of 15 October 2014 implementing Council Directive 2008/90/EC as regards the registration of suppliers and of varieties and the common list of varieties.
2014/96/EU	Commission Implementing Directive 2014/96/EU of 15 October 2014 on the requirements for the labelling, sealing and packaging of fruit plant propagating material and fruit plants intended for fruit production, falling within the scope of Council Directive 2008/90/EC.
2014/98/EU	Commission Implementing Directive 2014/98/EU of 15 October 2014 implementing Council Directive 2008/90/EC as regards specific requirements for the genus and species of fruit plants referred to in Annex I thereto, specific requirements to be met by suppliers and detailed rules concerning official inspections.
2015/412/EU	Commission Directive 2015/412/EU of 11 March 2015 amending Directive 2001/18/EC as regards the possibility for the Member States to restrict or prohibit the cultivation of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in their territory.
2015/996/EU	Commission Directive (EU) 2015/996 of 19 May 2015 establishing common noise assessment methods according to Directive 2002/49/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council.
2015/1480/EU	Commission Directive (EU) 2015/1480 of 28 August 2015 amending several annexes to Directives 2004/107/EC and 2008/50/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down the rules concerning reference methods, data validation and location of sampling points for the assessment of ambient air quality.
2015/1787/EU	COMMISSION DIRECTIVE (EU) 2015/1787 of 6 October 2015 amending Annexes II and III to Council Directive 98/83/EC on the quality of water intended for human consumption
2015/2193/EU	Directive (EU) 2015/2193 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 November 2015 on the limitation of emissions of certain pollutants into the air from medium combustion plants
2016/11/EU	Commission Implementing Directive 2016/11 of 5 January 2016 amending Annex II to Council Directive 2002/57/EC on the marketing of seed oil and fibre plants
2016/317/EU	COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DIRECTIVE (EU) 2016/317 of 3 March 2016 amending Council Directives 66/401/EEC, 66/402/EEC, 2002/54/EC, 2002/55/EC, 2002/56/EC and 2002/57/EC as regards the official label of seed packages

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-10-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what representations he has received on allowing local authorities to balance their budgets over a period longer than 12 months since 1 October 2015; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Marcus Jones

Government receives representations on a range of local government finance issues. The annual balanced budget requirement is a key element of the local authority financial control framework. It means that the council is content that underlying income will cover ongoing costs and future commitments in a sustainable and manageable way.

In addition to preparing annual balanced budgets local authorities should prepare multi-year Medium Term Financial Plans. In order to support effective multi-year financial planning the then Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government published an historic four year local government finance settlement on 8 February 2016. Councils across England applied for the four year offer on the 14 October and the government will respond as soon as practicable.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-10-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether local authorities will continue to be required to comply with EU law relating to (a) energy efficiency, (b) waste collection and disposal, (c) trading standards and (d) procurement after the UK leaves the EU; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Marcus Jones

Local authorities are required to comply with EU law and the UK remains a full a member of the European Union at this present time. The Prime Minister has said that government will not give a running commentary on its preparation to leave the European Union.