Tag: Gordon Henderson

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Henderson on 2016-02-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to support smaller building firms in building high-quality new homes.

Brandon Lewis

We have put in place a number of initiatives to help smaller builders to build more homes and grow their businesses including the Housing Growth Fund and Builders’ Finance Fund. A new £1 billion short-term housing development fund, announced at Autumn Statement, will be launched in the Spring.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Henderson on 2016-03-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that absent parents financially support their children.

Priti Patel

Child Maintenance Options provide free and impartial information and support to help separated parents make decisions about their child maintenance arrangements. For parents who are unable to make a family-based arrangement the government has introduced a new statutory Child Maintenance Service, which will bring speedier processing of applications, simpler calculations and faster enforcement action, where necessary.

Where parents fail to fulfil their financial responsibilities towards their children we have a range of strong enforcement powers at our disposal. These powers include deducting maintenance directly from earnings, instructing bailiffs to collect arrears or seize goods, forcing the sale of property, disqualification from driving and commitment to prison.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Henderson on 2016-05-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the current scheme of discretionary top-up payments provided by the Macfarlane Trust to its beneficiaries will be removed as a result of the Government’s proposed changes to its scheme of support for people affected by contaminated blood.

Jane Ellison

The consultation on reforming the current payment schemes for those affected by HIV and/or hepatitis C through National Health Service-supplied blood/blood products closed on 15 April. The analyses of responses are still being considered by Ministers and no decisions on changes to the schemes have been taken. An announcement will be made in due course.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Henderson on 2016-06-13.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to reduce the amount of correspondence not yet dealt with at the HM Revenue and Customs Stamp Duty office.

Mr David Gauke

This Government invested in HM Revenue and Customs’ (HMRC) Stamp Taxes business unit at Budget 2016 to increase capacity in relation to the new higher rates of Stamp Duty Land Tax on additional properties.

In order to reduce volumes of correspondence HMRC is reviewing guidance to cover those areas where substantial correspondence has been generated.

Additional resources have been put into call handling at HMRC’s Stamp Taxes helpline, providing an improved customer service and aiming to reduce follow-up correspondence.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Henderson on 2016-06-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether the Government plans to bring forward proposals in the Neighbourhood and Planning and Infrastructure Bill to remove the requirement for developers to carry out archaeological and wildlife surveys before starting housing projects.

Brandon Lewis

There are no plans to change a Local Authority’s ability to propose conditions that meet the policy tests in the National Planning Policy Framework; including conditions related to archaeology and wildlife. The Neighbourhood Planning and Infrastructure Bill will include measures to ensure that pre-commencement planning conditions are only imposed where they are absolutely necessary.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Henderson on 2016-06-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the effect of traffic lights on the A2500 on (a) traffic flows and (b) the economy and quality of life on the Isle of Sheppey; and if he will take steps to expedite the building of a new roundabout at the junction with Barton Hill Drive.

Andrew Jones

The design, installation and maintenance of traffic management measures including traffic lights and roundabouts are the responsibility of the local traffic authority, in this case Kent County Council. It is for them to determine which solution is appropriate for a particular road or junction, taking into account local circumstances. I am grateful to my Honourable Friend for raising this issue and have written to Kent County Council to ask them to respond to him directly on it.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Henderson on 2016-07-11.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Government plans to allow all British citizens who live abroad but pay income tax in the UK to vote in UK elections regardless of the length of time they have been resident abroad.

Chris Skidmore

As set out in our manifesto, the Government will bring forward legislation to remove the outdated 15 year time limit on overseas voting rights.

The Government’s proposals will make no change to the extent to which taxation is the basis for enfranchisement in the UK.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Henderson on 2015-11-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to monitor the security of the SS Richard Montgomery and prevent terror attacks on it.

Mr Robert Goodwill

Medway Port Authority, which guards the wreck under contract to the Maritime & Coastguard Agency, provides: 24 hour surveillance of the wreck, both visually and by radar; patrols of the area around the wreck; and an initial response to any potential incursions into the prohibited area. Incursions, and incidents likely to result in an incursion, are reported immediately to the Police and to HM Coastguard so that appropriate specialist support can be provided.