Tag: Karl McCartney

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karl McCartney on 2016-01-11.

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps the Government is taking to reduce the number of men who die as a result of suicide.

Caroline Dinenage

Every death by suicide is a tragedy. That is why we asked local areas to support an ambition to work towards ‘zero suicides’.

We will continue to drive the implementation of the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to address the rise in suicides, focusing on high risk groups such as men.

The Department of Health is working with partner organisations to look at ways of strengthening the National Strategy.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karl McCartney on 2016-02-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, for what reasons the Government has not yet published its analysis of responses to its consultation, Sunday Trading, published in August 2015.

Anna Soubry

The Government published its response to the consultation on 9 February, in which it sets out its analysis of responses.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karl McCartney on 2016-04-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the operational performance of the Office for Rail and Road.

Claire Perry

The Government is constantly looking to ensure the most effective regulatory regime is in place so that the railway delivers for its customers.

This has included, most recently, a review of the roles and responsibilities of the Office of the Rail and Road. The outcomes of this were announced to the House on 17 March.

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 were registered at the end of each financial year since 2010.

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 2016-05-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent discussions he has had with (a) his ministerial colleagues and (b) external organisations on the provision of free prescriptions for those over the age of 60 who are in full-time employment.

Alistair Burt

We have had not had recent discussions at Ministerial level or with external organisations on changing the entitlement to free prescriptions for those age 60 and over who are in full time employment.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karl McCartney on 2016-06-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what change there was in the amount the EU Commission proposed to make available in structural funds to Northern Ireland for the period 2014 to 2020 from the period 2007 to 2013; what steps her Department took to limit such change; and if she will estimate the level of such funding that Northern Ireland will be allocated after 2020.

Mrs Theresa Villiers

The UK’s 2014-20 allocation for Structural Funds was 5 per cent less than for the 2007-13 period. The Government therefore allocated the UK’s nations an equivalent 5 per cent less for 2014-20 than in the previous period. Northern Ireland’s allocation for 2014-20 is €513.4m.

The post-2020 Multiannual Financial Framework has not been proposed.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karl McCartney on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department has taken to prepare for the UK to leave the EU since 23 June 2016; and what further such steps his Department plans to take in the remainder of 2016.

Mr Nick Hurd

The Department is working closely with all interested stakeholders to ensure their views are properly captured. I am working with colleagues across government to make sure we understand all of the potential risks and opportunities across the economy.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karl McCartney on 2016-10-24.

To ask the Attorney General, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the unduly lenient sentence scheme.

Robert Buckland

The number of sentences considered by my office has increased by over 108% since 2010 from 342 to 713 requests in 2015.

Of those, 136 were referred by my office to the Court of Appeal as potentially unduly lenient, with the Court agreeing to increase the original sentence for 102 offenders.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karl McCartney on 2015-10-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Wilson Doctrine has been consistently applied to the communications of the hon. Member for Lincoln since his election; and whether that hon. Member has been subject to surveillance.

Mr John Hayes

The Government’s position on the Wilson Doctrine was set out by the Prime Minister in a written ministerial statement made on 4 November 2015.

As the Prime Minister made clear, the Wilson Doctrine has never been an absolute bar to the targeted interception of the communications of Members of Parliament or an exemption from the legal regime governing interception. The Doctrine recognised that there could be instances where interception might be necessary.

The Prime Minister announced that as matter of policy the PM will be consulted should there ever be a proposal to target any UK Parliamentarian’s communications under a warrant issued by a Secretary of State. This applies to Members of Parliament, members of the House of Lords, the Scottish Parliament, the Northern Ireland Assembly, the Welsh Assembly and UK members of the European Parliament. It applies to all activity authorised by a warrant issued by a Secretary of State: any instance of targeted interception and, electronic surveillance and equipment interference, when undertaken by the Security and Intelligence Agencies. This is in addition to the rigorous safeguards already in the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) and the Code of Practice issued under it which set out a series of robust safeguards for any instance of interception.

It is long standing policy of successive Governments neither to confirm nor deny any specific activity by the Security and Intelligence Agencies. Under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 it is an offence for anyone to identify an individual interception warrant or an individual interception that takes place.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karl McCartney on 2015-01-13.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what representations his Department has received on allegations of disproportionate investment towards Local Enterprise Partnership board members by (a) the Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership and (b) other Local Enterprise Partnerships; and if he will make a statement.

Greg Clark

The Government has received letters from the Hon. Member and from one of his constituents on this subject. I am assured in all cases that the Greater Lincolnshire LEP has taken appropriate steps to ensure propriety, value for money and avoid conflicts of interest.