The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karl McCartney on 2016-04-27.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations he has received on the potential merits of reducing the insurance premium tax paid by drivers between the ages of 17 and 25 who have telematics car insurance policies.
Harriett Baldwin
HM Treasury receives representations on a wide variety of issues. We keep all taxes under review.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karl McCartney on 2016-06-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will estimate the amount of funding that will be made available to each part of the UK for rural development purposes through EU schemes in the post-2020 Multi Annual Financial Framework.
George Eustice
No decisions on post-2020 funding have been taken yet. The post-2020 Multi Annual Framework negotiations will be led by HMT.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karl McCartney on 2016-09-02.
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps the Government Equalities Office has taken to prepare for the UK to leave the EU since 23 June 2016; and what further such steps the Government Equalities Office plans to take in the remainder of 2016.
Caroline Dinenage
The Department for Exiting the European Union has responsibility for overseeing preparations for the withdrawal of the UK from the EU and conducting these withdrawal negotiations in support of the Prime Minister. In doing this it is working very closely with other Government departments, including the Government Equalities Office, and a wide range of other interested parties.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karl McCartney on 2016-10-10.
To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, whether the Church of England has made an assessment of the effect of the First World War Centenary Cathedral Repairs Fund on the fabric of English cathedrals.
Dame Caroline Spelman
The First World War Centenary cathedral Repairs Fund has currently allocated £3.45million of the £40million total, this has as so far enabled 116 vital repair and restoration projects across 57 Anglican and Catholic cathedrals to be undertaken.
Lincoln Cathedral has received £1.18 million for repairs to turrets and roofs, typical of the costs faced for high-level cathedral repairs involving extraordinarily complicated scaffolding. These repairs have gone a long way to complete the major repairs but with any building of this size and age constant maintenance is needed.
The final grants are currently being processed, as the grants scheme comes to a close there will be a programme of formal evaluation to assess the wider social and economic benefits the projects have contributed, such as increased employment, training, volunteer opportunities and tourism. A copy of this evaluation will be made available to all Members early in 2018 so as to ensure it covers all works the Fund has invested in.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karl McCartney on 2015-11-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that refugees can be settled in Europe without making dangerous journeys by boat.
James Brokenshire
The UK operates several national resettlement schemes which resettle refugees directly from the regions. The Vulnerable Persons Relocation Scheme has been expanded and will now resettle 20, 000 Syrians. These schemes provide refugees with a direct and safe route to the UK, rather than risking the hazardous journey to Europe. Resettlement is an important part of any well managed asylum system and we encourage other EU countries to resettle those most in need.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karl McCartney on 2016-02-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps the Government took to ensure that its response to its consultation, Sunday Trading, published in August 2015, took substantive account of the range of responses to that consultation.
Anna Soubry
The Government has conscientiously taken into account all the responses and evidence submitted during the consultation in formulating our proposals.
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karl McCartney on 2016-04-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the average time was between a penalty notice being issued under the Dart Charge scheme and the date of the offence in each month since the start of that scheme.
Andrew Jones
The data sought is not held in the format requested and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. A sample analysis of data available shows that currently the majority of Penalty Charge Notices are issued between 5 and 15 days of the contravention.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karl McCartney on 2016-04-28.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many community amateur sports clubs (CASCs) in each (a) constituency and (b) sport had de-registered, or were in the process of de-registering, from the CASC scheme by 1 April 2016.
Damian Hinds
The new regulations for CASCs were introduced on 1 April 2015. All the changes made were necessary to reinforce the original spirit of the scheme requiring clubs to be open to the whole community, with the promotion of participation in sport as their main purpose.
The Government consulted widely with the sector on all the changes to the scheme. It was aware that there was confusion about the meaning of participation prior to the consultation period for the new regulations. Responses to the consultation were mostly supportive of the 12 times a year rule for participation.
The scheme does not permit clubs to impose fees which are a significant obstacle to membership. The vast majority of CASCs charge less than £520 for annual membership. To make membership more accessible, clubs with higher costs associated with membership are required to make provisions for those who can’t afford to pay more than £520 a year. If no suitable arrangements are made this club is not able to be a CASC because it is not considered to be open to the whole community.
During the development of the new CASC regulations the Government was aware of State aid complaint SA.38208 (2014/NN). At the time, the Government was only asked to provide a response to the complaint. The Government provided this response, explaining why the CASC scheme was not State aid. The Commission’s subsequent ruling confirmed this view.
Since the introduction of the new regulations all CASCs were given a 12-month period of grace to make any necessary changes to remain in the scheme. The Government wrote to all registered CASCs explaining the new regulations and asked clubs to complete a self-assessment checklist on income, membership and participation levels. They were also asked to contact HMRC if they did not meet the new requirements.
From 1 April 2016, 500 clubs have been deregistered as CASCs, affecting some 35 different types of sport.
Since 2010 there has been a steady increase in the numbers of CASCs registered in the scheme. Although the Government does not yet have figures for clubs registered as at 5 April 2016, the breakdown of figures since 2010 is:
5630 – 5 April 2010
5976 – 5 April 2011
6165 – 5 April 2012
6334 – 5 April 2013
6571 – 5 April 2014
6715 – 5 April 2015.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karl McCartney on 2016-05-03.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what advice HM Revenue and Customs received before reaching its decision to set the cost of participation threshold at £520 per annum as part of the new Community Amateur Sports Club scheme rules; and how the level of that threshold was decided.
Damian Hinds
The new regulations for CASCs were introduced on 1 April 2015. All the changes made were necessary to reinforce the original spirit of the scheme requiring clubs to be open to the whole community, with the promotion of participation in sport as their main purpose.
The Government consulted widely with the sector on all the changes to the scheme. It was aware that there was confusion about the meaning of participation prior to the consultation period for the new regulations. Responses to the consultation were mostly supportive of the 12 times a year rule for participation.
The scheme does not permit clubs to impose fees which are a significant obstacle to membership. The vast majority of CASCs charge less than £520 for annual membership. To make membership more accessible, clubs with higher costs associated with membership are required to make provisions for those who can’t afford to pay more than £520 a year. If no suitable arrangements are made this club is not able to be a CASC because it is not considered to be open to the whole community.
During the development of the new CASC regulations the Government was aware of State aid complaint SA.38208 (2014/NN). At the time, the Government was only asked to provide a response to the complaint. The Government provided this response, explaining why the CASC scheme was not State aid. The Commission’s subsequent ruling confirmed this view.
Since the introduction of the new regulations all CASCs were given a 12-month period of grace to make any necessary changes to remain in the scheme. The Government wrote to all registered CASCs explaining the new regulations and asked clubs to complete a self-assessment checklist on income, membership and participation levels. They were also asked to contact HMRC if they did not meet the new requirements.
From 1 April 2016, 500 clubs have been deregistered as CASCs, affecting some 35 different types of sport.
Since 2010 there has been a steady increase in the numbers of CASCs registered in the scheme. Although the Government does not yet have figures for clubs registered as at 5 April 2016, the breakdown of figures since 2010 is:
5630 – 5 April 2010
5976 – 5 April 2011
6165 – 5 April 2012
6334 – 5 April 2013
6571 – 5 April 2014
6715 – 5 April 2015.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karl McCartney on 2016-06-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will estimate the amount of funding that will be made available to each part of the UK for farming and agriculture through the CAP in the post-2020 Multi Annual Framework.
George Eustice
No decisions on post-2020 funding have been taken yet. The post-2020 Multi Annual Framework negotiations will be led by HMT.