Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Emily Thornberry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Emily Thornberry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2015-11-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effect of the Universal Credit (Work Allowance) Amendment Regulations 2015 (S.I., 2015, No. 1649) on work incentives for single parents in receipt of universal credit.

    Priti Patel

    Universal Credit (UC) has been designed to reduce poverty and ensure work pays. Once fully rolled out, up to 300,000 more people are likely to be in work as a result of the introduction of UC. The Government is also providing additional support for families by increasing childcare funding within UC from 70% to 85% of eligible costs, the introduction of Tax Free Childcare and the extension of free early years childcare for working parents from 15 hours to 30 hours.

  • Jim Fitzpatrick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Jim Fitzpatrick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Fitzpatrick on 2015-12-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he plans to increase UK Ship Register fees in the next financial year.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Maritime and Coastguard Agency is discussing potential increases in its fees, including the UK Ship Register fees, with other government departments ahead of a consultation exercise with the shipping industry and other stakeholders.

  • Owen Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Owen Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2016-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people were paid their Christmas bonus on their benefits in the first week of December 2015.

    Priti Patel

    For Working Age a total of 430,160 customersreceived their Christmas Bonus with their benefit payment for the period covering week commencing 7th December.

    The Pension Service has deemed that to provide a response to this PQ for any of their products could only be provided at a disproportionate cost to the Department.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

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

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to reduce levels of personal debt and household borrowing.

    Harriett Baldwin

    In Q3 2015 household debt fell to 142 per cent of household income, down from its peak of 168 per cent in Q1 2008. The Government’s plan for a higher wage, lower welfare society makes it easier for families and working people to save, and includes the new National Living Wage which will mean a pay boost for 1.7 million workers this year.

    Nonetheless, the Government recognises that there are those who face problem levels of debt. The Money Advice Service (MAS) is responsible for the coordination of publically funded free to client debt advice and is financed by a levy on the financial services industry. MAS is currently consulting on its business plan; it has proposed levying for a constant debt advice budget for 2016/17 providing around £45 million.

    The Government is currently reviewing how the public provision of free-to-client, impartial financial guidance, including consumer debt advice services, should be structured. The Public Financial Guidance consultation closed in December 2015 and the Government will report back by budget.

    Additionally, we have created the independent Financial Policy Committee within the Bank of England, to ensure emerging risks and vulnerabilities across the financial system as a whole, including in relation to household debt, are identified, monitored and effectively addressed.

  • Julian Sturdy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Julian Sturdy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Sturdy on 2016-02-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what plans her Department has to consider the potential of other tidal energy technologies as part of its review of tidal lagoon technology.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The independent review, which Government announced on 10 February, will focus exclusively on tidal lagoons. It will not extend to other forms of tidal technology such as barrages or tidal stream arrays.

    In October 2010, the Department published the results of the Severn Tidal Power: Feasibility Study. The review concluded it did not see a strategic case for public investment in a tidal barrage in the Severn estuary, but the outcome of the feasibility study did not preclude a privately financed scheme. This conclusion still stands

    Tidal stream technologies operate on a fundamentally different basis to tidal lagoons. It would not, therefore be appropriate to include them within the scope of the review.

  • Christian Matheson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Christian Matheson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christian Matheson on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department issues guidance to bus operators on air pollution control and leaving bus engines running idle while at a bus stand.

    Andrew Jones

    The Government fully recognises the potential hazards to health and the environment that pollutant emissions from motor vehicles can cause, including when vehicle engines are left idling. Whilst the Government has not issued specific guidance on the subject of idling by bus operators, under Regulation 98 of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986, as amended, it is an offence to cause emissions or noise by leaving a vehicle’s engine running unnecessarily whilst stationary on the road – other than when in traffic. Local authorities also have powers under the Road Traffic (Vehicle Emissions) (Fixed Penalty) (England) Regulations 2002 to issue fixed penalty notices for this offence.

    We are committed to improving the UK’s air quality, reducing health impacts and fulfilling our legal obligations. Our air quality plan for nitrogen dioxide, published on 17 December 2015, sets out a comprehensive approach to meeting our ambition for the UK to have some of the cleanest air in the world, including by implementing a new programme of Clean Air Zones. Under the Plan, by 2020 the most polluting vehicles, including older polluting buses, will be discouraged from entering the centres of Birmingham, Leeds, Southampton, Nottingham and Derby. As part of the plan, London also has a well-developed strategy for improving air quality, including the implementation of an ultra-low emission zone by 2020 – which will cover a range of vehicles, also including buses.

  • William Wragg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    William Wragg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by William Wragg on 2016-04-27.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many additional staff have been employed to work on EU-related matters in which Government Departments (a) over the last 12 months and (b) since January 2016.

    John Penrose

    I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave to the hon. Member for Harwich and North Essex on 11 February to UIN: 26361, and to the hon. Member for Clacton on 18 April to UIN: 33727.

  • Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2016-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions his Department has had with (a) East Anglia franchise bidders on rolling stock and (b) rolling stock companies on the East Anglia franchise.

    Claire Perry

    The procurement process for the operator of the East Anglia franchise is ongoing. We will make an announcement in due course and communications in regards to the rolling stock solution will be made at that point in time.

  • David Winnick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    David Winnick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Winnick on 2016-09-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many applications were made for funding for substantial building repair work at (a) secondary and (b) primary schools in 2015-16; and how many such applications for such funding there were in 2016-17.

    Edward Timpson

    The Education Funding Agency (EFA) provides a Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) for eligible academies to access. The table below sets out the number of CIF applications made by primary and secondary schools for projects to address their building condition needs over the years specified:

    CIF 2015-16 round

    Phase of Education

    Total of applications

    Primary

    1,244

    Secondary

    1,383

    All-through

    119

    Total

    2,881

    CIF 2016-17 round

    Phase of Education

    Total of applications

    Primary

    1,512

    Secondary

    1,426

    All-through

    155

    Total

    3,212

  • Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-10-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate his Department has made of the cost of applying country-of-origin checks to UK businesses in the event that the UK leaves the EU without joining the EU Customs Union.

    Margot James

    The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy is currently working closely with the Department for Exiting the European Union to understand the impacts of applying country-of-origin checks to UK businesses in the event that the UK leaves the EU without joining the EU Customs Union. As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has said we will work hard to get the best deal for Britain.