Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Daniel Zeichner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate his Department has made of how many taxi drivers have undergone disability awareness training since the Law Commission’s recommendation on that subject published in its report, Taxi and Private Hire Services, on 23 May 2014.

    Andrew Jones

    The results of the Department’s taxi survey in 2015 showed that 103 licensing authorities in England and Wales out of 313 responding authorities require taxi drivers to undergo disability awareness training. This compares to 67 licensing authorities in 2009 from 276 responses.

    We do not keep statistics on the number of drivers who have undergone disability awareness training since May 2014.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Baroness Tonge – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2015-12-07.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what advice they have given to banks concerning closing bank accounts of those NGOs supporting the Palestinians.

    Lord O’Neill of Gatley

    The Government does not advise banks around the closure of bank accounts of NGOs: it is for a bank itself to decide whether or not to offer products or services to certain individuals or groups, and it would not be appropriate for the Government to seek to control the commercial decisions of banks and other financial institutions, nor compel them to make a specific decision about a bank account. Banks take such decisions taken in accordance with their business strategies, risk appetite and legal and regulatory requirements.

  • Julie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Julie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julie Cooper on 2016-01-18.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to protect UK businesses, the economy and the City from turbulence in Chinese stock markets.

    Harriett Baldwin

    The Treasury continuously monitors global economic developments, including those in China, and their impact on the UK as part of the normal process of policy development.

    The Chancellor has warned that “last year was the worst for global growth since the crash and this year opens with a dangerous cocktail of new threats from around the world.” As one of the most open trading economies in the world with a large financial sector, we have to recognise that the UK is not immune to the continued problems being experienced in the world economy.

    We should not let this put us off engaging with China. As the Chancellor said while leading the UK’s Economic and Financial Dialogue with China in September 2015, both countries: “have a shared commitment to laying the foundations for stronger, more productive economies that can weather periods of uncertainty. At the same time, we need to continue to pursue the longer-term reform challenges that both our governments are pursuing.”

    The Bank of England’s 2015 stress tests modelled a severe slowdown in commodities and emerging markets. No banks were required to submit revised capital plans following the stress tests. This provides further reassurance that the UK’s banking system is capable of weathering future financial storms both at home and abroad.

  • Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-02-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 26 January 2016 to Question 24307, if he will publish on his Departmental website the existing guidance produced by his Department for seafarers on the national minimum wage.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    Guidance produced for seafarers in respect of the National Minimum Wage (NMW) is the responsibility of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).

    General NMW guidance, including reference to seafarers, can be found at;

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/calculating-the-minimum-wage

    BIS is currently in the process of revising its NMW guidance for seafarers (in full consultation with relevant stakeholders) and expects to publish the amended guidance in early 2016.

    “

  • Christopher Chope – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Christopher Chope – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2016-03-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to page 15 of the report, The process of withdrawing from the EU, published on 29 February 2016, if he will place in the Library a copy of the UK Schedules of Commitments with 161 WTO members which would have to be updated were the UK to leave the EU.

    Anna Soubry

    The UK’s schedules of commitments under the WTO form part of the EU’s schedules of commitments and are publicly available on the WTO website.

  • Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will estimate the number of (a) UK firms based in London that trade with other EU member states and (b) people employed by those firms.

    Anna Soubry

    HMRC Regional Trade Statistics on the number of firms trading with the EU are publically available through the UKTradeInfo website.

    HM Treasury has published estimates of the number of UK jobs linked to EU exports broken down by region. These are available through the GOV.UK website.

  • Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2016-05-03.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph H.21 of the HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) document, Measuring tax gaps 2015 edition: methodological annex, published in October 2015, how much of the large business tax gap in each year since 2009-10 is accounted for by (a) the uplift factor for unidentified risks, (b) unsuccessful litigation by HMRC and (c) HMRC settling for a tax receipt at a lower rate than the tax under consideration that was identified.

    Mr David Gauke

    HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) published its latest tax gap estimates on 22 October 2015 in Measuring tax gaps 2015 edition, which can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/470540/HMRC-measuring-tax-gaps-2015-1.pdf

    The uplift factor for unidentified risks is set out in Table 7.1, page 62.

    HMRC’s method for calculating the Large Business Tax Gap is set out on page 65. All compliance work including litigation is reflected in the estimate of compliance yield shown in Table 7.1. Footnote 6 sets out why this differs from reported compliance yield. The information requested is therefore not available.

    HMRC collects the tax due under the law in accordance with the published Litigation and Settlement Strategy.

  • Kevan Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Kevan Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevan Jones on 2016-06-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on the P-8 Poseidon programme.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    Wider discussions have been held involving several Government Departments including officials from the Ministry of Defence and the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills on the UK prosperity agenda and any opportunities that the UK procurement of P-8 might create.

  • Douglas Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Douglas Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Chapman on 2016-09-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he expects the pre-concept phase activity for the General Purpose Frigate programme to conclude.

    Harriett Baldwin

    It is too soon to say when the pre-concept phase will conclude.

  • Chi Onwurah – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Chi Onwurah – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2016-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps the Government has taken to assess levels of awareness of the sensitivity of personal data and the importance of protecting such data among (a) consumers and (b) small businesses.

    Matt Hancock

    The Cyber Aware (formerly Cyber Streetwise) campaign aims to drive behaviour change amongst small businesses and individuals so they adopt simple secure online behaviours to help protect themselves from cyber criminals. Research carried out by the campaign found 41% of respondents were “concerned a lot” about their personal details being accessed without permission, whilst 48% were “concerned a little” and 11% were “not concerned.” 40% were “concerned a lot” about providing personal information via an email scam/phishing email and losing money, whilst 40% were “concerned a little” and 20% were “not concerned.”

    The Government’s Cyber Security Breaches Survey states that 69% of businesses say cyber security is a high priority for senior managers. 36% of businesses say the main reason they invest in cyber security is to protect customer data and 34% of businesses have rules specifically around personal data encryption.

    The Data Protection Act requires of businesses that “appropriate technical and organisational measures shall be taken against unauthorised or unlawful processing of personal data and against accidental loss or destruction of, or damage to, personal data. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), as the independent regulator of the Data Protection Act (DPA), conducts an annual tracker survey which measures individuals awareness of rights under the DPA and gauges individuals’ perceptions of the way organisations handle their personal information. The latest version, which can be found at www.ico.org.uk, states that 97% of respondents were aware of the Data Protection Act.