Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Peter Kyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Peter Kyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when officials of his Department last met representatives of the devolved administrations to discuss (a) how the apprenticeship levy will operate and (b) the proportion of the apprenticeship levy that each of the devolved administrations will receive.

    Nick Boles

    The digital apprenticeship service will support the English apprenticeship system from April 2017 and my officials engage regularly with their devolved administration counterparts to discuss the implementation of the apprenticeship levy and the new digital service.

    Apprenticeships are a devolved policy and the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will continue to determine their arrangements for supporting employers to access and pay for apprenticeships.

    Discussions are continuing with the devolved administration on funding arrangements.

  • 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 2016-06-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment her Department has made of the potential effect of the changes in business rates for small solar PV systems as a result of the planned 2017 revaluation on the (a) rate of installation of new systems and (b) maintenance of existing systems.

    Andrea Leadsom

    Business rates are calculated based on a property’s ‘rateable value’. The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) is responsible for determining the rateable values in line with existing legislation and case law.

    I understand that the VOA is currently consulting with the solar industry over how those rateable values will apply to solar installations from 1st April 2017.

  • Alison Thewliss – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Alison Thewliss – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alison Thewliss on 2016-09-13.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many complaints his Department has received from hon. Members on the service of Concentrix in the last 12 months.

    Jane Ellison

    Between 1 September 2015 and 31 August 2016, HM Revenue and Customs received 670 formal complaints in writing or via e-mail from hon. Members relating to Concentrix service.

  • Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-11-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 13 November 2015 to Question 15120, on Western Sahara: human rights, whether he discussed reports of intimidation, harassment and kidnapping of human rights defenders in the Occupied Territories of Western Sahara during the visit of King Mohamed VI.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    I discussed Western Sahara during my visit to Morocco on 11-12 November. We will continue to raise with the Moroccan authorities allegations of human rights abuses in the territory which are brought to our attention.

  • Ian C. Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Ian C. Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian C. Lucas on 2015-12-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if his Department will estimate the number of passengers from North Wales and Cheshire who are projected to use Liverpool Airport in (a) 2015, (b) 2020 and (c) 2025.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The last aviation forecasts made by the Department for Transport were produced in January 2013. These gave the following forecasts of passengers using Liverpool Airport who began or ended their journeys in North Wales or Cheshire in the central demand case:

    (a) 2015 : 0.81 million

    (b) 2020 : 0.78 million

    (c) 2025 : 0.82 million.

  • Ivan Lewis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Ivan Lewis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ivan Lewis on 2016-01-19.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the effect of civil service redundancies in the last 12 months on the effectiveness of departments’ work.

    Matthew Hancock

    To remain the best in the world, the Civil Service needs to respond to both the challenges and opportunities of our times.The Civil Service continues to require new and different skills to respond to the fiscal environment, global competition and changes in technology, whilst at the same time delivering better services more efficiently: in short, doing more for less.

    The size of the Civil Service has already reduced by 20% since March 2010 and has helped save taxpayers £2.8bn over the last Parliament. Despite this reduction in numbers, employee engagement rates were higher in 2015 than in 2010 and departments have successfully maintained delivery of our public services.

  • Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2016-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate he has made of the total public expenditure on the UK space industry over the course of this Parliament.

    Joseph Johnson

    The allocation for the UK Space Agency for 2015/16 is £370.5 million with £302 million to be invested through the European Space Agency, £65 million to be invested on international programmes and £3.5 million on administration. In addition, £37 million was invested on space with the Met Office. Future allocations up to the end of the Parliament will be published in due course alongside the wider allocations of the science and research budget.

  • Lord Greaves – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Greaves – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Greaves on 2016-03-02.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether Parliament will be involved in the scrutiny of any proposals for changes to systems of Islamic finance in the UK following the outcome of the Bank of England’s consultation.

    Lord O’Neill of Gatley

    The Bank of England will decide whether or not to establish a Shari’ah compliant liquidity facility in light of feedback to its consultation from the market and other relevant stakeholders. None of the proposals in the consultation are expected to require a change to primary legislation. Once the Bank of England has concluded, the Government will consider whether there is a need for Parliament to review legislation in relation to Islamic Finance in the UK more widely.

  • David Mackintosh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    David Mackintosh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Mackintosh on 2016-04-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if his Department will make plans to provide the Housing Ombudsman service with greater powers to deal with complaints from members of the public.

    Brandon Lewis

    There are no current plans to provide the Housing Ombudsman Service with greater powers.

  • Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what plans the Government has to encourage apprenticeships in cyber studies.

    Matthew Hancock

    Government has supported a Cyber Higher Apprenticeship programme delivered by the Tech Partnership with Training Provider QA, creating more than 250 new roles across industry for school leavers. New Cyber Intrusion Analyst and Cyber Security Technologist Trailblazer Apprenticeships have been developed which are now available to Employers and Apprentices. We have also integrated a cyber stream into the Fast Track Civil Service Apprenticeship scheme, offering 50 new roles across government with another cohort joining this year. Additionally, GCHQ has its own apprenticeship scheme incorporating cyber security. Since 2012, over 170 new apprentices have either graduated or joined the tailored two year foundation degree course.

    As announced by the Chancellor in November 2015, we are working with Employers to develop a Cyber Security Higher Apprenticeship pilot scheme that will address cyber skills gaps in three critical sectors: Transport, Finance and Energy. These apprenticeships will combine relevant cyber content, with sector-specific training. Industry in each sector will play a leading role in defining the additional course content. We will launch a targeted marketing campaign to encourage businesses and young people to consider a cyber apprenticeship with opportunities being advertised shortly.