The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ronnie Cowan on 2016-04-12.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether HM Revenue and Customs plans to drop proposals currently under consultation to increase VAT on solar in response to the EU VAT action plan published on 7 April 2016.
Mr David Gauke
The reduced VAT rate for solar products remains unchanged and in place.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Low of Dalston on 2016-05-19.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps the Department for International Development is taking to reach the ambition it set out in the 2015 discussion paper Delivering quality education in protracted crises.
Baroness Verma
The UK has played a leading role in the development of Education Cannot Wait, a new fund for education in emergencies and protracted crises. The fund is designed to address many of the issues identified in the 2015 discussion paper – such as improving the co-ordination and funding of education in crises, and building evidence and data – with the aim of reaching 13.6 children and young people a year living in protracted crises and emergency affected countries by 2021.
The Secretary of State has recently announced a multi-year commitment of £30 million to the fund at the World Humanitarian Summit on 23rd May, as a founding donor to this important initiative.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno on 2016-07-13.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what UK-led English language classes are available in the refugee camps in Calais, Dunkirk and Turkey.
Baroness Williams of Trafford
The provision of services in the migrant camps in France and Turkey is the responsibility of the respective Governments.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Patrick Grady on 2016-09-15.
To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to the Answer of 12 September 2016 to Question 45481, where the information on Parliamentary Private Secretaries has been published; and at what time on 12 September 2016 that information was published.
Mrs Theresa May
Parliamentary Private Secretaries are not members of the Government. The information was published by the Conservative Party on the 12 September 2016.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liz McInnes on 2015-11-06.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the change in the number of firefighter posts was in the West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service in 2013-14.
Greg Clark
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave her on 6 November, PQ 13946.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2015-12-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effect of capping housing benefit for social tenants at the relevant Local Housing Allowance rate on social housing supply.
Justin Tomlinson
Capping high social sector rents at the relevant Local Housing Allowance rate does not come into effect until April 2018 and then only where a new tenancy is taken out or a tenancy is renewed after April 2016 and the resulting social rent charged exceeds the appropriate Local Housing Allowance rate for the size of household in the area at that time
Because a range of factors will influence where and when a cap is applied, including behavioural responses from both claimants and landlords, it is not possible to assess the potential effect of the policy on social housing supply.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-01-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the distinction is between the Sovereign’s formal and informal permission in his Department’s rules and regulations on the use, style and designation in the UK accorded to British and dual nationals of Commonwealth realms who are recipients of a titular knighthood or titles of honour in any of those realms; and whether UK dual nationals residing in or visiting the UK may continue to use such titles as a courtesy title.
James Duddridge
The recognition of foreign honours is a matter for the Royal Prerogative and is governed by convention. My Department does not set rules or regulations for these matters. The Sovereign does not give permission for the formal use of the title “Sir” in the United Kingdom; only those British nationals, including dual nationals, awarded British knighthoods may use the title “Sir” in a formal context in the United Kingdom. The Sovereign acts with the advice of the Government. In giving advice or administering any relevant aspects of these matters, the Government follows the relevant convention. Nationals of all the Realms, awarded a British knighthood, are entitled to use the title “Sir” in the United Kingdom. The titles of Realm nationals, who are not British, and have been awarded a knighthood by their own country, are recognised in the United Kingdom as an official courtesy. Titles associated with awards to dual British nationals are not recognised as an official courtesy in the UK.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Duncan on 2016-02-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what obligations Openreach and BT have under contracts with the Government to provide prior warning to residents of planned maintenance or improvement work to junction boxes and other infrastructure that involves the temporary disconnection of services.
Mr Edward Vaizey
The same regulatory and communication code conditions apply to Openreach in BDUK contracted areas as would apply to their commercial deployment areas.
The contracts between BT and government relating to broadband are for the provision of the design and build of infrastructure. Once this infrastructure is in place, it forms part of BT’s network and maintenance and improvement works will be carried out by Openreach in the same way as on the rest of the network. Although there is no obligation to inform residents of any planned upgrades or essential maintenance, these activities are scheduled to be carried out when usage is at its lowest, in order to minimise disruption.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rebecca Long Bailey on 2016-03-01.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the maximum reduction in tax credits is that an individual could be subject to as a result of the reduction in the income rise disregard implemented through the draft Tax Credits (Income Threshold and Determination of Rates) Amendment Regulations 2016.
Damian Hinds
From April 2016, the income rise disregard – the amount by which a tax credit claimant’s income can increase within a year before their tax credit award is adjusted – will be reduced from £5,000 to £2,500.
The only people who will be affected by this will be those who see an increase in their in-year income by more than £2,500. There will be no net cash losers because their income will have increased.
In the subsequent tax year, a claimant’s tax credits award will be calculated in the usual way, using their full annual income for the previous year to determine their tax credit entitlement. This means that after the change in the tax year, whether the claimant’s increase in income was above or below the disregard level, their tax credit award for the following year will be adjusted to what it would have been had no disregard existed.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mary Creagh on 2016-04-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many people in (a) Wakefield and (b) the UK have purchased homes through Help to Buy.
Brandon Lewis
The total number of homes sold under the three Help to Buy schemes are 153,235 in the UK and 1,402 in Wakefield.