Tag: Gregory Campbell

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2015-10-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment she has made of the potential effect of reforms proposed in the review of the Feed-in Tariff scheme on the viability of future renewable energy projects.

Andrea Leadsom

We published an impact assessment on our proposals, which included the deployment projections for each option proposed. This is available here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/consultation-on-a-review-of-the-feed-in-tariff-scheme.

We will issue a revised Impact Assessment with the Government Response based on the evidence we received through the consultation. This will include information about the potential effects on the viability of future projects.

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2015-10-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to bring forward a draft Wild Animals in Circuses Bill; and whether the definition of a travelling circus will be included in the Bill.

George Eustice

A draft Wild Animals in Circuses Bill was published in April 2013 and received pre-legislative scrutiny by the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee at the time. The draft bill did not include a definition of a travelling circus. As the explanatory notes to the draft bill said, ‘travelling circus’ is a well understood term that does not require a definition. The Government’s view remains that by trying to define precisely the term ‘circus’, you are more likely to create potential loopholes. However, the introduction of a bill is a manifesto commitment and the Government will do so as soon as parliamentary time allows.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2015-10-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the viability of the use of E10 fuel in older vehicles and motorcycles.

Andrew Jones

The content of road transport fuel is governed by a combination of legislation and industry fuel standards, specifically the Motor Fuel (Composition and Content) Regulations and a European industry standard, in the case of petrol this is EN228. The EN specification incorporates the statutory requirements. The standards, and their maintenance, are industry agreed and informed by industry testing.

Petrol currently sold in the UK may contain up to 5% ethanol (known as ‘E5’). A revised industry fuel standard for petrol (EN228) was agreed and published by the British Standards Institution in 2013. This allows up to 10% bioethanol content (known as ‘E10’). This means that fuel suppliers are free to supply petrol containing anything from 0-10% bioethanol.Most petrol sold in the UK is E5 and therefore contains up to 5% bioethanol. E10 is not yet on sale in the UK.

Any decision to supply E10 is a commercial decision for fuel suppliers and we are not aware of any with immediate plans to introduce E10 into the UK. The Governmentrecognises the concerns of owners of some older vehicles and motorcycles that may not be compatible with E10, and the Department for Transport is in regular contact with fuel suppliers who in turn have been asked to write to us to give at least three months’ notice of plans to introduce this fuel. As yet no suppliers have indicated they have any immediate plans to introduce E10.

The Department is also in regular contact with the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) who provide advice and data concerning the compatibility of UK petrol vehicles with E10 – which we are carefully monitoring.

The Motor Fuel (Composition and Content) Regulations 1999 were amended in 2010 to comply with EU Directive 2009/30/EC which requires the UK Government to ensure that petrol with a maximum ethanol content of 5% remained available until the end of 2013. This mechanism was extended in 2013 in the UK to ensure that E5 continues to be available until the end of 2016.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2015-10-21.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will have discussions with the Financial Conduct Authority on ensuring that when insurance companies issue annual renewal notices for policies they also issue a clear reference to the premium paid 12 months previously.

Harriett Baldwin

Treasury Ministers and officials receive representations and have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery.

As has been the practice adopted by previous Administrations it is not Government policy to normally release details of such meetings.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2015-10-21.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the potential effect on employment in the hospitality sector of reducing the VAT rate in that sector to 10 per cent.

Mr David Gauke

The Government has reviewed the economic case for a reduction in VAT for the hospitality sector.

The Government position was set out in the Westminster Hall debate on 17 March 2015.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2015-10-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent discussions he has had with representatives of junior doctors about their hours and rates of pay.

Ben Gummer

Ministers receive regular representations from groups representing junior doctors.

On 30 September 2015 the Secretary of State met Mark Porter, BMA Council Chair, and Dr Johann Malawana following Dr Malawana’s election as Chair of the BMA Junior Doctors Committee.

Ministers also meet regularly representatives of Medical Royal Colleges on a range of issues. At a meeting on 30 September doctors working conditions were raised and the junior doctor training experience discussed.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2015-10-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the implications for his Department’s policy are of the recent study funded by the Institute of Cancer Research and published in Nature Medicine of bowel cancer being regarded as four district diseases.

Jane Ellison

The Independent Cancer Taskforce published its report Achieving World-Class Cancer Outcomes A Strategy for England in July this year. The report proposes six strategic priorities for the next five years. These include rolling out a molecular diagnostics service which is nationally-commissioned and regionally delivered, enabling more personalised prevention, screening and treatment. NHS England is now working with partners across the health system to consider how best to take forward the taskforce’s proposals.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2015-10-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the costs and difficulties faced by Chinese visitors and tourists wishing to enter the UK.

James Brokenshire

The UK welcomes Chinese visitors and tourists, and our visa service is one of the most flexible and comprehensive on offer in China. We have 12 visa application centres in China, more than any other country, and provide a range of services and fast-tracking options to improve customer choice and experience. We continue to enhance this offer and in recent months have introduced the UK-Belgian Visitor Service, which has streamlined the UK and Schengen visa application processes, and expanded our on demand mobile visa service, to make it easier for Chinese nationals to apply. On 20 October the Prime Minister announced further improvements for Chinese visitors, including piloting the extension of standard visitor visas from six months to two years multiple entry, and plans to introduce a new ten year multi-entry visit visa at the same price. Our mobile visa on demand service will also be further extended to an additional 50 cities. Demand continues to grow, and in the year ending June 2015, the UK issued 377,427 visit visas to Chinese nationals – a 19% increase on the previous year. The UK processes 99% of applications in China within the 15 working service standard, with an average processing time of less than seven days, and 95% of Chinese applicants are successful.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2015-02-09.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an estimate of the number of people currently paying income tax who would not pay that tax if the threshold at which it begins to be payable were to be raised to £15,000 per annum.

Mr David Gauke

It is estimated that raising the personal tax allowance to £15,000 in the year 2015-16 would take 6.2 million individuals out of income tax liability at a cost of £26 billion to the Exchequer.

These estimates are based on the 2011-12 Survey of Personal Incomes projected forward to 2015-16 using economic assumptions consistent with the OBR’s December 2014 economic and fiscal outlook.