The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Bruce on 2016-02-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment his Department has made of the effects of its proposals to devolve Sunday trading regulations on the displacement of trade from small to large stores.
Anna Soubry
My Department has carried out an assessment of the impacts of devolving the power to extend Sunday trading hours and this will be published.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Doughty on 2016-03-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what revenue has been generated by the HGV levy for foreign operators in each of the last 24 months.
Andrew Jones
HGV levy revenue from foreign-registered vehicles is shown in the table. This gives figures from April 2014, when the levy started, up to the most recent available month. This shows that since April 2014 £91.2 million has been raised from foreign-registered vehicles. Note that the figures for April 2014 and March 2015 are high because they include a relatively high number of annual levy purchases.
|
Year/ Month |
Revenue |
|
2014 April |
£7,178,086 |
|
May |
£3,314,580 |
|
June |
£3,253,123 |
|
July |
£3,387,029 |
|
August |
£2,974,123 |
|
September |
£3,327,219 |
|
October |
£3,591,528 |
|
November |
£3,553,346 |
|
December |
£3,030,512 |
|
2015 January |
£3,945,650 |
|
February |
£3,644,256 |
|
March |
£5,335,114 |
|
April |
£4,432,556 |
|
May |
£3,838,753 |
|
June |
£4,111,036 |
|
July |
£4,290,470 |
|
August |
£3,459,024 |
|
September |
£3,969,077 |
|
October |
£4,224,229 |
|
November |
£4,250,758 |
|
December |
£3,385,109 |
|
2016 January |
£4,279,644 |
|
February |
£4,377,591 |
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Brown on 2016-04-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, pursuant to the Answer of 14 October 2015 to Question 11023, whether discussions are ongoing with EDF about proposals for two reactors at Sizewell and Bradwell; and whether she plans to include those propospals in the process for the signing off of the proposed contract for Hinkley Point C.
Andrea Leadsom
The Government routinely speaks to developers about proposed new nuclear projects. There is no commitment in the documentation for Hinkley Point C in relation to the proposed reactors at Sizewell C or Bradwell. The strike price for Hinkley Point C is £92.50/MWh, which if Sizewell goes ahead will be reduced to £89.50/MWh.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2016-05-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 9 May 2016 to Question 36224, on proceeds of crime, how many reporters received no reply within seven working days following the first working day after the report was submitted; and by what statutory authority appropriate consent is given to reporters who do not receive a reply from the National Crime Agency within the seven day limit.
Mr John Hayes
Between October 2011 and September 2015 a total of 61 reporters who requested consent under Part 7 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA) received no reply from the NCA within the seven working days (referred to as the notice period in POCA). Where an authorised disclosure is made under section 338 POCA, appropriate consent is afforded to a reporter in cases where no reply is provided by the NCA at the end of the seven day notice period under section 335(3) POCA or in the case where the disclosure is from a nominated officer in the regulated sector, under section 336(3) POCA.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Knight on 2016-06-14.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will discuss with the banking sector steps to ensure that individuals seeking to switch their current account are able to access their historical transaction data to better enable them to secure a similar overdraft to their existing one with a new provider.
Harriett Baldwin
The Government is committed to increasing competition in banking to ensure banks have to work hard to offer the best possible products and services to their customers. A key part of that is making the process for customers switching their current accounts as easy and as effective as possible, to ensure customers are able to hold their banks to account by voting with their feet.
The Government has already undertaken a lot of work to improve the process for customers switching their current accounts, including helping to deliver the Current Account Switch Service to enable customers to switch banks simply, quickly and reliably, and delivering midata, to enable customers to compare which bank is best for them based on how they use their current account.
As part of its retail banking market investigation, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is considering what additional improvements could be made to the process of customers switching current accounts, including requiring banks to make historical transaction data available and making it easier for customers to switch their overdraft when they move banks. The CMA is also considering other additional measures designed to support overdraft users.
The Government welcomes the CMA’s investigation, and stands ready to take action as necessary once it publishes its final report in the summer.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Clive Lewis on 2016-09-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many forces personnel, by rank, have purchased a property under the Help to Buy scheme.
Mark Lancaster
The information is not held in the format requested.
However, the latest monthly figures for The Forces Help to Buy Scheme are published at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/546417/20160818-FHTB_Official_Stats_July.pdf
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ruth Smeeth on 2015-11-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of whether the UK has enough qualified IT specialists to meet the IT requirements of businesses in the UK.
Mr Edward Vaizey
The Government is committed to addressing the rising demand for IT specialists and creating a strong digital skills talent pool. Action is being taken across education and training, from the introduction of the new school computing curriculum, to a range of new employer designed apprenticeship standards for digital roles, and the innovative digital degree apprenticeships that started in September.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2015-12-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of his proposals to increase the cost cap for environmental legal challenges to £10,000 for individuals on the affordability of such challenges for such people.
Mr Shailesh Vara
The Ministry of Justice will keep the impact of any changes to the cost capping scheme for environmental claims under review as part of its consideration of the consultation responses. We will also carry out a full impact assessment on any changes and this will be published as part of the government’s response paper.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-01-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if his Department will include a specific reference to the abolition of the death penalty in its global human rights priorities.
Mr David Lidington
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s (FCO) work on abolition of the death penalty is intrinsic to this Government’s pursuit of human rights in their universality. The FCO’s Magna Carta Fund for Human Rights and Democracy, which for the financial year 2016-17 will be doubled in value, is available to support abolitionist projects under any of its three objectives: democratic values and the rule of law; strengthening the rules-based international order; and human rights for a stable world.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Crausby on 2016-02-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many members of staff are employed in the Ministerial correspondence section of his Department.
Jane Ellison
The Department’s Ministerial Correspondence and Public Enquiries unit currently employs a total of 31 permanent staff who work on both public and ministerial correspondence. There are also eight non-permanent workers filling vacancies within the unit who also work on public and ministerial correspondence. In 2015 the unit responded to 42,277 letters from hon. Members, Peers and the public.