The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-10-07.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether it is his policy to set the extra resources needed for the Civil Service to plan, prepare and negotiate the UK’s exit from the EU within the parameters of the 2015 Spending Review.
Mr David Gauke
The Government is preparing for the UK to make an orderly and successful exit from the European Union. The Government will look to deliver its aggregate spending plans.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-10-28.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will contact those people whose personal details have been stolen as a result of the cyber security breach of the Government Gateway system.
Matthew Hancock
There are no indications of a cyber security breach of the Government Gateway.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-10-29.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to permit private equity-backed companies to offer tax-advantaged all employee share plans; and if he will make a statement.
Mr David Gauke
The tax-advantaged Save As You Earn (SAYE) and Share Incentive Plan (SIP) limits were significantly increased from April 2014. The increases the Government have made are reasonable, given the average monthly SAYE savings and the value of awards currently made to employees under SIP, and they represent the best use of resources. The Government will continue to keep the SAYE and SIP limits under review.
In addition to increasing the SAYE and SIP limits, the rules of the schemes were substantially reviewed and simplified following the recommendations made by the Office of Tax Simplification in March 2012. Last year, the requirement that these schemes must be approved by HM Revenue and Customs to qualify for favourable tax treatment was replaced by self-certification. Coupled with other changes to simplify some technical aspects of the rules, this will make these schemes more attractive to businesses and employees.
No data is collected and no estimates are made of the income levels of the participants in SAYE schemes.
Permitting private equity backed companies to offer all-employee tax advantaged schemes would be likely to involve significant changes to the rules of the schemes, and there would be a number of other factors to consider carefully, including the increased cost and complexity of any extension.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-11-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what average time her Department took to respond to freedom of information requests in each year since 2005.
Mr Desmond Swayne
The Government publishes statistics on the operation of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 within central government, including on timeliness. These can be found at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/government-foi-statistics.
“
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-11-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what discussions he has had with the Cabinet Office on proposals in the Higher Education White Paper on removing HEFCE-funded providers from the scope of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
Joseph Johnson
The content of the Higher Education Green Paper ‘Fulfilling Our Potential: Teaching Excellence, Social Mobility and Student Choice’ was discussed across Government. Our overall aim is to see a level playing field between higher education providers and, where possible to reduce burdens and deregulate. The Green Paper also makes clear that there may be a case for an exception to this general approach if it is in the interests of students or the wider public. We recognise the importance of the Freedom of Information Act and welcome views on its application to the higher education sector as part of the consultation on the Green Paper.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-11-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the number of adults with learning disabilities using day centres which are not regulated by the Care Quality Commission.
Alistair Burt
The Department does not collect information about the number of complaints received or the number of adults with learning disabilities using day centres. Day centres are not regulated by the Care Quality Commission.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-11-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the cost of using external agencies for recruitment to Senior Civil Service posts in his Department in each of the last five years for which figures are available.
Justin Tomlinson
The actual Departmental cost of using external agencies for recruitment to Senior Civil Service posts in each of the last 5 years is:
|
Financial Year |
Cost (£) |
|
2010/11 |
3,944 |
|
2011/12 |
0 |
|
2012/13 ¹ |
394,511 |
|
2013/14 ¹ |
362,616 |
|
2014/15 ¹ |
141,232 |
¹ Includes Child Maintenance Group expenditure which joined DWP in August 2012.
Data excludes NDPBs
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-12-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many civil servants in his Department are in the redeployment pool.
Mr Edward Vaizey
None.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-12-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the number of farmers who received payments under the Environment Stewardship Scheme in October rather than August 2015 as a result of the withdrawal of online applications for such payments.
George Eustice
Environmental Stewardship (ES) claims are administered by Natural England. Historically, about 60% of advance payments have previously been paid in August.
All ES and Basic Payment Scheme claims have to be cross-checked before payment can be made in line with European regulatory requirements. This year, due mainly to the extension of the claims deadline, it was necessary to delay ES advance payments until they could be cross-checked. From 2018, new European rules will prevent any payments from being made before 16 October each year.
Natural England had paid 28,523 (60.24%) of advance payments by the end of October. Ninety-two percent of ES advance payments have now been made, and Natural England aims to pay the remainder of advance claims by the end of December.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-12-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the oral evidence of Lieutenant General Gordon Messenger to the Defence Select Committee on 1 December 2015, Q31, HC657, how many opposition fighters on the spectrum of extremism are included in the 70,000 estimate.
Michael Fallon
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to the right hon. Member for New Forest East (Dr Julian Lewis) on 1 December 2015 to Question 18014.