UKPOL.CO.UK

Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Rachel Reeves – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Rachel Reeves – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachel Reeves on 2016-01-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent estimate he has made of the cost of reinstating the qualifying age for pension credit to its 1995 timetable.

    Justin Tomlinson

    Pension Credit was designed to provide income related support for people without sufficient provision for their retirement and as such the qualifying age for both men and women has been linked to women’s State Pension age since its introduction.

    Our initial estimates of the cost of retaining the 1995 timetable for the qualifying age for Pension Credit were published in response to a question from Lord Boswell in 2011 Hansard vol. 725, column 1607, 9 March 2011.

    We have not formally updated this costing but we have reconsidered the evidence based on the latest information and our analysis indicates that the cost of breaking the link between the Pension Credit qualifying age and women’s State Pension age is likely to be significantly higher than previously estimated for a number of reasons including:

    – Women under State Pension age would be entitled to larger amounts of Pension Credit than the original analysis assumed.

    – This may incentivise more women to stop working and claim Pension Credit instead.

    In addition to the impacts considered above there would also be increased expenditure on other benefits, most notably Housing Benefit, localised Council Tax Support, the Warm Home Discount and Cold Weather Payments which were not included in the original figures.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-02-08.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the emergency response plans are in the event of Russia firing a nuclear bomb.

    Mr Oliver Letwin

    We live in an unpredictable world and if a threat to the UK were to arise from a nuclear-armed adversary, we would seek to ensure that they were deterred from using nuclear weapons by convincing them that the costs to them of doing so greatly outweighed any gains they could hope to make.

    Other chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats are considered as part of the National Security Risk Assessment and this is reflected in the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015. The Government’s approach to preparing for emergencies is to prepare for the common consequences of a range of civil emergencies. This is supplemented with proportionate planning and capability building for the highest impact and most concerning risks, of which a nuclear terrorist attack in the UK is one.

  • Jeremy Lefroy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Jeremy Lefroy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeremy Lefroy on 2016-03-03.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Answer of 22 September 2015 to Question 10382, which festival sites have now been assessed for business rates; and to which of those sites business rates will apply.

    Mr David Gauke

    The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) has been reviewing the rating of festival sites for business rates. Due to taxpayer confidentiality, we are unable to provide the names of both the sites which have been assessed and, of these, which are now liable for business rates.

  • Paul Beresford – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Paul Beresford – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Beresford on 2016-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what meetings the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has had with the professional photographic sector since June 2015; and if he will request that the DVLA meets representatives of the Photo Marketing Association to discuss the future provision of digital ID photographs.

    Andrew Jones

    The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has met with representatives of the professional photographic sector on six occasions since June 2015. My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, the minister with responsibility for the DVLA and DVLA officials are due to meet with the Photo Marketing Association on 27 April.

  • Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2016-04-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, on which religious occasions prisoners are eligible for release on temporary licence; and how many prisoners were released on each such occasion in the last year for which information is held.

    Andrew Selous

    Faith communities can play a significant part in supporting offenders to resettle into the community. Facilities for worship are available in each establishment but, as part of restoring links between the offender and wider community, suitable, risk-assessed offenders may attend worship outside the prison to help them adjust to the climate of non-prison worship and mixing with the community. In addition, temporary release for the purpose of maintaining family ties might be timed so as to coincide with religious occasions. There is no prescription as to the nature of the religious occasion; it is for the governor, on the advice of the temporary release board, to decide whether the activity is linked to the offender’s resettlement plan.

    Records show that, in 2015, prisoners were released on temporary licence specifically in order to attend a religious service on 90 occasions.

    Releases on temporary licence (ROTL) recorded as "attend religious service", 2011-2015, England & Wales

    Attend religious service

    2011

    2012

    2013

    2014

    2015

    Incidences of ROTL

    231

    217

    139

    228

    90

    NB. This is number of occasions a prisoner was released, not number of prisoners released.

  • Greg Knight – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Greg Knight – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Knight on 2016-06-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to reduce congestion on the M25 motorway; and if he will make a statement.

    Andrew Jones

    Highways England is developing road schemes at several locations to help reduce congestion on the M25 including:

    • Upgrade of the M25 between junction 10 (A3) and junction 16 (M40) to a smart motorway, with start of construction before the end of 2019/20.
    • A far reaching study to look into the south-west quadrant of the M25 to address the increasing demand on this section.
    • An upgrade of junctions 10, 25 and 28 to have started construction by the end of 2019/20.
  • Tom Watson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Tom Watson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which former Deputy Prime Ministers have claimed expenses under the Public Duty Cost Allowance after leaving office.

    Ben Gummer

    The purpose of the Public Duties Cost Allowance is to assist former Prime Ministers with the costs of continuing to fulfil duties associated with their previous position in public life. Exceptionally, the then Prime Minister agreed that the former Deputy Prime Minister , the Rt Hon Member for Sheffield Hallam, should be able to have access to the allowance to recognise the special position he held in the Coalition Government. Other former Deputy Prime Ministers are not eligible for the allowance. The allowance is set at a maximum limit of £115,000 per annum. The amounts paid are a reimbursement of expenses, accounted for in the published Cabinet Office Annual Reports and Accounts. The former Deputy Prime Minister is eligible for the allowance from the date of leaving ministerial office for the duration of this Parliament.

  • Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark on 2016-10-19.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the fire risk posed by e-cigarettes and what discussion they have had with the LGA, London Councils and the leaders of Fire Authorities in England about this risk.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    We recognise e-cigarettes are an emerging technology and have taken action with the Chief Fire Officers’ Association, the then Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and with Electrical Safety First to develop appropriate fire safety messages for consumers.

    These were promoted through the Fire Kills campaign, and continue to be made available on Electrical Safety First’s website – http://www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/guides-and-advice/electrical-items/e-cigarettes/.

  • Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people have been prescribed Viagra for medical purposes other than that for which it is usually prescribed in the last three years; and what those other purposes have been.

    Alistair Burt

    Information is not collected centrally on the number of people prescribed medicines or the medical condition being treated.

  • Jamie Reed – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Jamie Reed – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jamie Reed on 2015-12-09.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will introduce an instalment scheme to allow businesses in Cumbria affected by flooding to spread tax payments.

    Mr David Gauke

    HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) operates a dedicated Severe Weather helpline to offer help and advice on any tax matters to those people and businesses affected by the recent flooding. The helpline is 0800 904 7900

    Opening hours are Monday to Friday, 8.00 am to 8.00 pm; Saturday and Sunday, 8.00 am to 4.00 pm, excluding bank holidays.

    HMRC will also:

    • consider instalment arrangements where customers are unable to pay as a result of the floods;
    • agree a practical approach when individuals and businesses have lost vital records to the floods;
    • suspend debt collection proceedings for those affected by the floods; and
    • cancel penalties when the customer has missed statutory deadlines due to the floods.

      The helpline is in addition to other HMRC telephone contact numbers.