The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Knight on 2015-10-28.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will provide exemptions from the pay to stay scheme for tenants in affordable rent-to-buy properties.
Brandon Lewis
We will consider the case carefully for exceptions from the policy and will set out the detail in due course.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Knight on 2016-02-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the benefit to local economies of Devolution Deals.
James Wharton
The benefits of devolution to areas that have agreed devolution deals with the Government will be significant and far-reaching. Local leaders will be given direct control over the levers of growth in their economies, with the most ambitious deals including new powers over adult skills and transport budgets, and substantial, long-term investment funds. For example, the West Midlands will receive over £1 billion of additional investment to deliver locally determined growth priorities. By providing local partners with greater control over key policies and resources, devolution deals offer places more of the tools they need to drive forward growth for the benefit of the whole local economy.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Knight on 2016-04-18.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what information his Department holds on the reasons for the FCA changing its policy on whether guarantor lenders should have to issue legal default notices on borrowers before collecting money from guarantors as set in PS15/23, of September 2015, to that set in GC16/2, of February 2016.
Harriett Baldwin
These are matters for the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and relate to FCA Guidance Consultation (GC16/2) issued on the interpretation of provisions in the Consumer Credit Act 1974, regarding whether a default notice should be given to a guarantor before payment is taken from them when a borrower defaults. The FCA is currently considering responses to the consultation and will publish a response after considering the complex issues raised.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Knight on 2016-05-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he plans to take in response to the leaked documents relating to the operations of Mossack Fonseca to ensure that foreign officials and politicians (a) in general and (b) from Pakistan who own property in the UK do not use such property to hide their assets.
Anna Soubry
At the International Anti-Corruption Summit in London on 12 May, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced that we will require foreign companies that own or purchase UK properties or bid on UK Government procurement contracts to provide details of their beneficial owners to a public central register. This will be the first register of its kind in the world.
Additionally as of 6 April this year all UK companies have been required to hold a register of people with significant control over their company. This applies to all UK companies regardless of whether they own property.
These two registers combined will ensure that individuals will not be able to hide behind corporate structures to obscure their ownership of property or UK companies.
It is important to note that this work started before the release of the panama papers, with my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister committing to create a register of people with significant control at the UK led G8 meeting in 2013, and the commitment to consider a new register of foreign companies that purchase property being made in July 2015.
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills will consult with experts to develop the policy throughout the year and consult formally on the detail of the policy in due course. Implementation of the new register requirements is expected to require both primary and secondary legislation, which we intend to introduce when Parliamentary time allows.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Knight on 2016-09-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential costs and benefits of changing current UK passport types to the old blue style passport first issued in 1920.
Mr Robert Goodwill
We are considering potential changes to the UK passport after the UK has left the European Union. At this early stage we have not undertaken a detailed cost benefit analysis or made any decisions about what a future UK passport might look like.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Knight on 2015-10-28.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to ensure that small businesses are able to access high speed broadband.
Mr Edward Vaizey
The Government has provided £780 million to support the roll-out of superfast broadband to 95 per cent of homes and businesses in the UK. In addition we are supporting seven pilot projects to explore ways to extend superfast broadband beyond 95 per cent of UK home and businesses.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Knight on 2016-02-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to reduce the burden of regulation on businesses.
Anna Soubry
The Government is committed to cutting £10bn worth of red tape, as set out in the 2015 Conservative Manifesto, and will report on progress by June this year. We are putting forward proposals in the Enterprise Bill to systematically track for the first time the impact of regulators’ actions. This will drive savings through, for instance, simpler guidance, less paperwork and coordinated inspections. Through my department’s Cutting Red Tape programme, businesses are encouraged to report burdens and recommend sectors that Government may wish to review. There are currently seven reviews in progress: Energy; Care; Agriculture; Mineral Extraction; Waste; Anti-Money Laundering; and House Building.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Knight on 2016-04-14.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment he has made of the readiness of the financial services industry to provide lifetime ISAs.
Harriett Baldwin
The new Lifetime ISA will provide savers with the flexibility to save towards a first home and retirement at the same time.
From April 2017, people aged 18 to 40 will be able to save up to £4,000 each year into a Lifetime ISA and receive a 25% bonus from the Government.
The Government is engaging with the industry on the detail of implementation of the Lifetime ISA to ensure that it is delivered for April 2017.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Knight on 2016-05-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment her Department has made of potential steps to reduce corruption in Pakistan (a) in general and (b) within the political system.
Mr Desmond Swayne
As the Prime Minister recently confirmed at the UK-hosted Anti-Corruption Summit the UK and DFID are committed to tackling corruption with new measures to reduce opportunities, punish the perpetrators and empower people to demand that it stops. Corruption impacts on all aspects of public life in Pakistan. DFID Pakistan is working to support the Government of Pakistan, civil society and the private sector to address corruption by improving the business environment, creating more effective institutions and engaging citizens for better service delivery and accountability. By supporting reforms to the taxation sector, DFID Pakistan is seeking to support the Government of Pakistan to make it easier for tax payers to submit payments directly, thus reducing the opportunity for corruption. By supporting reforms to the management of public funds, and improving access to information DFID Pakistan seeks to further limit the opportunities for corruption by public officials. By supporting parliament, political parties and citizen groups, DFID and other cross-Government interventions ensure that the democratic institutions are more accountable and the state as a whole is more responsive to the needs and aspirations of the Pakistani people.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Knight on 2016-09-02.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to monitor and regulate the liquidity ratio on property funds.
Simon Kirby
The monitoring and regulation of property funds is a matter for the Financial Conduct Authority. Action by the government and the Bank of England over the last six years has substantially strengthened the resilience of the financial system.