Tag: Lord Stevenson of Balmacara

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Stevenson of Balmacara on 2015-12-07.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government (1) what was the budget for the Trade Show Access Programme (TAP) from 1 April to 30 March in (a) 2014–15, and (b) 2015–16; (2) what they expect the budget to be for the financial years (a) 2016–17, (b) 2017–18, and (c) 2018–19; and (3) whether the Minister for Trade and Investment plans to meet the Sponsors Alliance to discuss the future of the Trade Show Access Programme, and if so, when the meeting will take place.

Lord Maude of Horsham

The budget for the Tradeshow Access Programme was £11.05M in 2014/15 and the estimated spend in 2015/16 is £10.25M.

For 2016/17 and beyond, UKTI will be reviewing how the Tradeshow Access Programme is aligned with other Export Services as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review settlement. It is therefore not possible to confirm the budget at this stage.

I will respond positively to a request for a meeting with the Sponsors Alliance subject to diary commitments.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Stevenson of Balmacara on 2016-01-21.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to take forward the consultation on the legal framework for debt administration proposed by the 2015 Farnish Review of the Money Advice Service, and if so, when.

Lord O’Neill of Gatley

The Government is committed to 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 with a view to identifying possible options and have begun work on this review.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Stevenson of Balmacara on 2016-02-10.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will provide an analysis of the main funding sources for those arrested in the UK for alleged terrorist activities as categorised in the 2015 European Union Terrorism Situation and Trend Report.

Lord Bates

We are unable to provide analysis for the arrests included in this report as the information is not centrally recorded in this way, and many of these investigations will be ongoing. However, the UK National Risk Assessment of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing, released in October 2015, provides our assessment of the methods used to raise funds for terrorism in the UK, drawing on operational experience.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Stevenson of Balmacara on 2016-02-11.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the Historic Housing Association report, The Economic and Social Contribution of Independently Owned Historic Houses and Gardens, what assessment they have made of the possible closure of 70 historic buildings over the next five years, and what, if any, steps they are taking to support those business during this period.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe

Member houses of the Historic Houses Association make an important contribution to the UK’s tourism industry. They attract over 24 million visits per year with a total visitor spend of £1bn; and support 41,000 jobs.

Government has made no specific assessment of the possible closures of these historic houses. DCMS continues to work with the HHA and others, including the Heritage Lottery Fund, to support privately owned heritage.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Stevenson of Balmacara on 2016-03-08.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to permit exemptions to the proposed immigration skills charge for companies in the creative industries where such companies contribute through voluntary levies to the Creative Skillset Skills Investment Fund, or to the collective arrangements to fund training that are currently in force.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe

The Government is considering carefully the Migration Advisory Committee’s recommendations on the rate and scope of the Immigration Skills Charge. This includes considering the impact on sectors with other skills levies or charges in place. In advance of finalising the regulations that will introduce the charge from April 2017, we will take account of evidence about the likely impact on different types of organisation.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Stevenson of Balmacara on 2016-03-23.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the not-for-profit company that sets and co-ordinates the 11 plus exam in Buckinghamshire is subject to the public sector equality duty.

Lord Nash

The Department for Education holds no responsibility for the 11 plus exams. These are commercial products which local authorities and independent schools implement at their discretion.

The 11 plus exam, or newly-named ‘Transfer Test’, in Buckinghamshire is developed by the Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring (CEM) at the University of Durham, which is an independent educational supplier. Private and voluntary organisations are subject to the public sector equality duty under the Equality Act 2010 when they carry out public functions. The duty may therefore apply to CEM’s public functions only, but the Department cannot advise on this.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Stevenson of Balmacara on 2016-03-23.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the not-for-profit company that sets and co-ordinates the 11 plus exam in Buckinghamshire is subject to the public sector equality duty.

Lord Nash

The Department for Education holds no responsibility for the 11 plus exams. These are commercial products which local authorities and independent schools implement at their discretion.

The 11 plus exam, or newly-named ‘Transfer Test’, in Buckinghamshire is developed by the Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring (CEM) at the University of Durham, which is an independent educational supplier. Private and voluntary organisations are subject to the public sector equality duty under the Equality Act 2010 when they carry out public functions. The duty may therefore apply to CEM’s public functions only, but the Department cannot advise on this.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Stevenson of Balmacara on 2016-06-15.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will take action in response to the recent report by Local Equal Excellent that children with a Pakistani background sitting the 11-plus entrance examination in Buckinghamshire are only half as likely as their white classmates to secure a place at one of the grammar schools in that area.

Lord Nash

The School Admissions Code requires school admission arrangements to be ‘fair, clear and objective’. It further requires that ‘admission authorities must ensure that their arrangements will not disadvantage unfairly, either directly or indirectly, a child from a particular social or racial group’.

Those who consider an admission policy, including a selection test, to breach the School Admissions Code can submit an objection to the independent Schools Adjudicator. If the Adjudicator agrees that the policy is unfair or otherwise breaches the Code she can require schools to amend their admission arrangements.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Stevenson of Balmacara on 2016-07-08.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have received about the decision of Birmingham Assay Office, pursuant to the Legislative Reform (Hallmarking) Order 2013, to open an office in Mumbai on 18 July that will use a mark for silver to be imported into the UK that is similar to the established anchor mark used for domestic production; and whether they will publish any assessment they have made of the prospective impact of that decision on the Birmingham silversmithing trade.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe

Hallmarks are not an indication of geographic origin and are already applied widely to articles manufactured in places other than the location of the four UK Assay Offices, including to articles manufactured outside the UK.

Government has received four representations expressing concern about the decision of Birmingham Assay Office, pursuant to the Legislative Reform (Hallmarking) Order 2013, to open a sub-office in Mumbai.

An impact assessment of the costs and benefits of removing the restrictions on overseas hallmarking was published alongside the government consultation on the proposals in 2012, and covered the whole of the hallmarking sector. The Impact Assessment estimated that there would be a benefit to business of £3.44 m. A copy of the impact assessment can be found on the Parliament website accompanying the Legislative Reform (Hallmarking) Order 2013.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Stevenson of Balmacara on 2016-10-11.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the UK will ratify the Unified Patents Court Agreement.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe

The result of the referendum has given rise to a number of issues concerning the UK’s future involvement in a unified patent system. I cannot yet confirm whether the UK will ratify the agreement on a Unified Patent Court but we are actively looking at options, considering the legal and political context.

As I stated at the recent Competitiveness Council, I hope to be able to provide more information when the Council next meets at the end of November.