Tag: Mark Williams

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Williams on 2015-10-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the effect of the introduction of the Government’s living wage on unincorporated businesses.

Nick Boles

The Government believes that the new National Living Wage is affordable given the strength of the UK economy and labour market.

The Government will publish a full impact assessment for the introduction of the National Living Wage alongside the implementing regulations. This will contain a section on the impact on small businesses which includes many unincorporated businesses.

The Government is reducing Corporation Tax to 19% from 2017-18 and then to 18% from 2020-21; setting the Annual Investment Allowance at a new permanent level of £200,000; and increasing the Employment Allowance by £1,000 to £3,000 from 2016-17. The increase in the employment allowance means a business could employ four people on the National Living Wage and pay no National Insurance Contributions.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Williams on 2014-06-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 16 June 2014, Official Report, column 384W, on Western Sahara, if the Minister for the Middle East and North Africa will meet representatives of POLISARIO, the administering power de facto in the area east of the Berm dividing Western Sahara, to discuss security and terrorism.

Hugh Robertson

Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials regularly meet POLISARIO Front representatives to discuss Western Sahara. Officials also undertake visits to the region, and to the refugee camps at Tindouf. British Ministers do not have direct contact with the POLISARIO Front.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Williams on 2014-06-26.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Answer of 24 February 2014, Official Report, column 29W, on gold: prices, and the academic draft report of February 2014, by Professor Rosa Abrantes, Adviser to the EU and International Organisation of Securities Commission on Financial Benchmarks, entitled Gold Price Fix, and her reports of systemic manipulation of the twice daily gold fix over several years, if he will make an assessment of the effect of (a) US regulatory authorities’ interventions in the gold market and (b) such interventions on gold market-related securities in ISAs.

Andrea Leadsom

The Government monitors all aspects of the gold market. Although no specific assessment of US regulatory interventions has been made, the Government is committed to taking action, whenever necessary, to ensure the efficient functioning of these essential markets. In order to raise standards of conduct in the financial system the Government has launched a joint review by the Treasury, the Bank of England and the Financial Conduct Authority into the way wholesale financial markets operate, including commodity markets.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Williams on 2014-06-26.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Answer of 24 February 2014, Official Report, column 29W, on gold: prices, and to the Financial Conduct Authority’s decision to fine Barclays Bank for gold fix manipulation, if he will make an assessment of the effect of (a) US regulatory authorities’ interventions in the gold market and (b) such interventions on gold market-related securities in ISAs.

Andrea Leadsom

The Government monitors all aspects of the gold market. Although no specific assessment of US regulatory interventions has been made, the Government is committed to taking action, whenever necessary, to ensure the efficient functioning of these essential markets. In order to raise standards of conduct in the financial system the Government has launched a joint review by the Treasury, the Bank of England and the Financial Conduct Authority into the way wholesale financial markets operate, including commodity markets.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Williams on 2014-06-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the importance of regional tourism in the UK; and what steps he has taken to support small, local hospitality businesses.

Mrs Helen Grant

Estimates of the direct tourism gross value added (GVA) contribution to the UK economy for each English region, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland were recently published by the Office for National Statistics for the year 2011. In total, they show that tourism directly contributed a GVA of around £50 billion to the UK (4% of the economy).

Region	ONS figures for 2011 (direct in £bn)
Scotland	5.0
Wales	2.3
Northern Ireland	0.3
London	13.1
Rest of England	–
North East	1.1
North West	5.1
Yorkshire and the Humber	2.6
East Midlands	2.3
West Midlands	2.5
East of England	3.4
South East	6.6
South West	4.4

Further economic analysis by Deloitte, commissioned by VisitBritain, suggests that if indirect economic effects are also included, GVA is forecast to be as high as £127 billion (9% of the UK economy) in 2013.

In terms of supporting small, local hospitality businesses, since April 2013 community venues have not had to apply to the local council for an entertainment license for events such as dance displays and concerts. Previously, such licenses currently cost, on average, more than £200 for new applications or needed at least 10 days’ notice for Temporary Event Notices. At the 2014 Budget, the tax on a typical pint of beer was cut by 1 penny, the duty on ordinary cider was frozen this year, and the duty escalator for wine was ended. Duty on spirits was also frozen for 2014-15.

Furthermore, thematic marketing campaigns focusing on what England is most loved for including Heritage, Coast, Countryside and Culture, as well as Sport and Literature, will be delivered and developed as part of the three-year, £19.8m project ‘Growing Tourism Locally’, funded by the Government’s Regional Growth Fund (BIS), with contributions from VisitEngland and private sector. The project focuses on working directly with destinations and the private sector, to create a number of dedicated marketing campaigns throughout the country with emphasis on specific areas and themes. This will also benefit SMEs in the hospitality sector.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Williams on 2014-06-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to help the tourism industry retain its role as a key provider of skills and training for the UK workforce.

Mrs Helen Grant

The Government has recently launched a new Tourism Council, whose remit is jobs, skills and enterprise. The Council is a partnership between Government and industry and will be jointly chaired by myself, Matthew Hancock MP, the Minister for Skills and Enterprise, and Simon Vincent, Chair of the Hospitality Guild and Hilton President, Europe, Middle East and East Africa. In March, the Prime Minister announced that there will be two new apprenticeship Trailblazers for Tourism and Hospitality.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Williams on 2014-06-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the findings of the Great Britain Tourism Survey that domestic trips in the UK fell by three million in 2013; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs Helen Grant

The number of trips taken in GB in 2013 was the 3^rd highest in the 8 years that the current survey has been running and well above pre-recession averages, with spending second only to 2012. We do expect to see a natural increase in people booking holidays abroad as the economy improves but people are continuing to choose Britain for their holiday. Through its Holidays at Home are GREAT campaign, VisitEngland continues to promote England as a place for all residents of Britain to enjoy, and Visit Scotland and Visit Wales are also actively promoting their offer. The GB Tourism Survey also noted the record number of inbound tourists in 2013 reaching nearly 33 million.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Williams on 2015-01-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the long-term health care needs of victims of Operation Protective Edge; what funding and other assistance her Department is giving to address those needs; and over what time period that funding and assistance will be given.

Mr Desmond Swayne

According to the UN, over 11,000 Palestinians were injured during Operation Protective Edge, including over 3,000 children. The UN further notes that 1,000 of these children will suffer a life-long disability; 6,000 more will have a parent with a long-term disability. The UK is the third largest donor to the UN Relief and Works Agency (£107 million between 2012-15) which provides healthcare to the 70% of the population in Gaza who are Palestinian refugees. In addition to this, the UK pledged a further £20 million at the Gaza Reconstruction Conference which includes support for reconstructive surgery and rehabilitation for those injured in the conflict. We have already disbursed a quarter of this pledge and the remainder will be released next year.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Williams on 2015-01-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Spanish counterpart on (a) the position of that country in relation to the administration of Western Sahara and (b) whether Spain has submitted information to the UN about conditions in that territory, as is required of an administering power.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

We have not made representations to the Spanish government relating to Western Sahara. Spain is not listed by the UN as the administering Power of Western Sahara and has not therefore transmitted information on the territory in accordance with Article 73 e of the charter of the UN.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Williams on 2015-02-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the declaration by the African Union that the Crans Montana Forum in Dakhla, occupied Western Sahara, should be cancelled.

Matthew Hancock

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills has received and declined an invitation to this forum and my Department does not plan to send a representative. We are aware of reports that the African Union has called for the forum to be cancelled but we do not intend to make any assessment.