Tag: Helen Goodman

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2016-03-01.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether a manual reporting option will remain available to small businesses under the proposal to move to a quarterly digital tax reporting system by 2020.

Mr David Gauke

The Government will consult on the details of the Making Tax Digital proposals throughout 2016, including digital exclusion issues.

HM Revenue and Customs’ (HMRC) vision is for everyone to deal with their tax affairs digitally by default, although the Department does of course recognise its responsibility and legal duty to ensure equal and fair access to services. For those who genuinely cannot get online, for example due to disability, geographical or other reasons, non-digital alternatives will be provided.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2016-04-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport has received a reply to his letter of 4 April 2016 to the European Commission Vice President for the Digital Single Market on online platforms.

Mr Edward Vaizey

A reply to our letter was not expected. Instead the letter on online platforms was designed to influence the Commission’s thinking ahead of the release of the package before the summer. Ministerial colleagues have engaged closely with EU Commissioners as well as a number of Member States about online platforms policy and will continue to do so.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2016-06-20.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many HM Revenue and Customs staff are currently allocated to the production of employment histories for occupational disease compensation claims.

Mr David Gauke

In response to the significant increase in demand for employment histories in recent years, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has looked at a range of options for improving the Record Retrieval Service; this has included introducing measures such as prioritising requests relating to serious and life-threatening conditions (when specifically identified).

However, the key constraint to reducing turnaround times is the existing machinery used to manually access the microfilm records – as these machines are no longer manufactured. Therefore, the deployment of additional staff would have negligible impact on service levels. It is not possible to provide a figure for the number of HMRC staff currently allocated to the production of employment histories for occupational disease compensation claims, as requesters of this information are not required to specify the reason for their employment history request. However, around 200 full time equivalent staff are allocated to the department’s Record Retrieval Service.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2016-09-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to implement provisions in the European Landscape Convention.

Dr Thérèse Coffey

The United Kingdom ratified the European Landscape Convention in 2006. Its principles are reflected in Government and local policies, for example, that local communities are engaged in the setting of priorities and objectives for their local landscapes and that opportunities are sought to align conservation and landscape objectives for designated areas.

National Park and Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Management Plans are an example of delivering on the convention’s principle of stronger alignment of conservation and landscape objectives for designated sites.

The right of communities to shape development in their areas through the production of Neighbourhood Development Plans, introduced through the Localism Act 2011, delivers on the convention’s principle that local communities should be engaged in the setting of priorities and objectives for their local landscapes.

The National Planning Policy Framework outlines strong protection of designated landscapes and the duty on decision-makers to consider landscape impacts in plan making and planning decisions. We consider it compliant with the convention.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2016-09-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with (a) Cabinet colleagues and (b) stakeholders on reforming pesticide regulations from a precautionary principle to a risk-based principle.

George Eustice

As part of the preparation for EU exit, the Government is considering future arrangements for pesticide regulation. The Government remains of the view that decisions on the use of pesticides should be based on a careful scientific assessment of the risks, with the aim of achieving a high level of protection for people and the environment. An evidence-based approach to assessing risk is entirely consistent with the precautionary principle.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2016-10-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what proportion of the Department’s funding has been allocated to women’s health initiatives, including education in (a) 2016-17, (b) 2017-18 and (c) 2018-19.

James Wharton

The UK, as a member of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) Development Assistance Committee (DAC), is committed to transparent reporting of development assistance in a way that permits international comparisons. Whilst comparison codes are available to separately identify funding for family planning and for reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health, the same is not true specifically for women’s health initiatives.

DFID is in the process of developing our plans to 2020, so future spending has not yet been determined.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2016-10-10.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the implication for his Department’s policies of the Children’s Society’s recent report, Damage of Debt; and if his Department will introduce a statutory breathing space scheme for families in debt.

Simon Kirby

The Government noted the report with interest and is grateful for the important work that The Children’s Society does. The Government is committed to supporting individuals in problem debt.

The Government is exploring whether some form of “breathing space” would be a useful and viable addition to the range of formal and informal debt solutions available to consumers and creditors. Officials in HM Treasury and the Insolvency Service have been asked to discuss this issue with stakeholders and the Government will report back this autumn.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2015-10-30.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what work his Department is undertaking to contribute to the development of the Government’s 25 year plan for nature.

Greg Hands

HM Treasury is working closely with Defra and other Government Departments on the development of the 25 Year Environment Plan. A cross-Government group, which includes Treasury officials, will ensure the Plan reflects the full breadth of relevant policy interests and levers that influence the environment.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2016-01-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with opposition politicians and groups in Bahrain.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

We engage with a broad range of political groups in Bahrain to encourage their participation in inclusive political dialogue. I had the opportunity to do so during my recent visit to Bahrain in June 2015.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2016-01-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assistance British service personnel are providing to Saudi Arabian forces in Yemen.

Penny Mordaunt

The UK and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have a long history of defence cooperation. As part of this long standing relationship, the RAF provides training and shares best practice to the Royal Saudi Air Force, including training on International Humanitarian Law (IHL) compliant targeting.

In addition we have provided guidance and advice to the Saudis on their processes to ensure continued compliance with IHL.

Finally the UK has deployed a small number of military personnel serving as Liaison Officers in Saudi headquarters. Their role is to build our relationship and provide insight into Saudi operations. Liaison Officers are not involved in directing or conducting operations in Yemen or selecting targets and are not involved in the Saudi targeting decision-making process.