Tag: Gregory Campbell

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.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2014-06-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to his Sudan counterpart on that government’s attitude towards its Christian communities.

Mark Simmonds

We regularly raise our concerns with the Government of Sudan about religious persecutions and the need to respect freedom of religion or belief for all its citizens. My officials have recently made representations to the Foreign Minister, urging the Government to respect the right to freedom of religion or belief including one’s right to follow the religion or belief of choice. This right is enshrined in international human rights law as well as in Sudan’s own 2005 Interim Constitution. We will continue to raise these issues.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to inform older people about the implications of digital radio switchover.

Mr Edward Vaizey

The Government set out its plans for digital radio in December 2013. We have always been clear that the listener is at the heart of any decision in relation to a digital radio switchover. With digital radio listening under 40% we concluded it was not the right time to announce a switchover or set any dates.

Whilst we are fully committed to a digital future for the UK, a decision about the timetable for a future switchover will only be considered once 50 per cent of all radio listening is on digital platforms and local and national DAB coverage matches FM.

As part of the Digital Radio Action Plan, DCMS worked with the Consumer Experts Group (originally formed to inform the digital TV switchover process) which included representatives from a number of consumer organisations*, including Age UK, in order to ensure the policy on digital radio takes account of a wide range of listeners needs. A paper by the Consumer Experts Group was published by DCMS and is available at www.gov.uk/government/publications/help-scheme-digital-radio-action-plan. The Government will take account of this paper as part of a future consideration of a switchover.

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2014-06-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he plans to make to his Egyptian counterpart on press freedom in that country.

Hugh Robertson

The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) made a statement on 23 June expressing his concerns and urging the Egyptian Government to demonstrate its commitment to freedom of expression by reviewing this case as a matter of urgency.

The Egyptian Ambassador Ashraf el-Kholy was summoned to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) on 23 June. FCO Political Director, Simon Gass told the Egyptian Ambassador that the British Government was deeply concerned by the verdicts, along with the procedural shortcomings seen during the trials. The British Ambassador to Egypt raised this issue in Cairo with the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 24 June.

British Ministers and diplomats will continue to urge the Egyptian Government to demonstrate its commitment to freedom of expression.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2015-09-16.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of the likely change in the number of UK residents aged 100 years and over between 2015 and 2025.

Mr Rob Wilson

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2014-06-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the threat level for UK visitors to Kenya.

Mark Simmonds

There is a high threat from terrorism, including kidnapping, in Kenya. The main threat comes from extremists linked to Al Shabaab, a militant group that has carried out attacks in Kenya in response to Kenya’s military intervention in Somalia. Violent crime also poses a threat. Full details of our travel advice for British Nationals can be found online. The FCO keeps its travel advice under constant review.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2015-09-16.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, on how many occasions prosecutions have resulted from visits by HM Revenue and Customs’ officials to sites in Northern Ireland where illegal fuel laundering had occurred in the last three years.

Damian Hinds

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) does not break down statistics for oils prosecutions to separate out those resulting from visits by officers to laundering sites.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2014-06-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assistance her Department is offering countries in West Africa affected by the ebola virus to remedy the situation.

Lynne Featherstone

The UK government has contributed £683,601 to the Ebola Virus Disease in the West African Region. Through the UK’s global multilateral contributions we are supporting a regional containment strategy and in addition, strengthening the outbreak response in Sierra Leone and Liberia through bilateral assistance.

In Sierra Leone, DFID funds will be used to support improved coordination at the national level; training and equipping of health workers to competently manage Ebola cases; improved EVD case detection and supporting appropriate radio messaging and community mobilisation activities on EVD prevention and control in affected districts. In Liberia, DFID has provided chlorine and other materials for hygiene and sanitising; and training in their appropriate use. DFID programmes are ready to respond to further requests from implementing partners as appropriate. We are closely monitoring the outbreak from Sierra Leone and Liberia and internationally through DFID headquarters. We are working with WHO and national government agencies to improve our understanding of the outbreak and help to guide the response in-country and regionally.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2015-09-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she plans to have with Ministers of the Scottish Government, Welsh Government and Northern Ireland Executive when assessing which refugees from the Middle East will be settled in the UK.

Richard Harrington

The Prime Minister and First Minister of Scotland have exchanged correspondence on the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme. We are working closely with the Scottish administration on the arrangements for resettling refugees, with a Home Office official attending the Scottish refugee taskforce. Discussions have taken place with representatives of the administrations of Wales and Northern Ireland.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2014-06-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what plans he has to ensure that the six days a week universal Royal Mail service continues in rural areas.

Jenny Willott

The one price six-days-a-week postal delivery service to all addresses in the UK is clearly set down under the Postal Services Act 2011 as part of the minimum requirements of the UK’s universal service and can only be changed by Government with the approval of both houses of Parliament. The protection is exactly the same for rural areas as urban areas of the UK.

Parliament has given Ofcom the primary statutory duty to protect the ongoing provision of the universal service throughout the country and ensured that Ofcom has the regulatory powers and tools it needs to intervene if the universal service is ever at risk. More information about the regulatory framework for postal services can be found on Ofcom’s website (www.ofcom.org.uk).

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