Tag: Parliamentary Question

Chi Onwurah – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2016-01-19.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether (a) all and (b) part of the funding for universal technology schools count as public sector borrowing for the purposes of calculating the national debt.

Greg Hands

The Department for Education provides capital funding to support the construction of new University Technical Colleges and allocates resource funding to support day to day running costs.

This funding impacts on public sector borrowing and public sector net debt in the same way as other central government spending.

01/01/2023
Jamie Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jamie Reed on 2016-02-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the ability of the Government to reach the target set in 2012 of doubling exports to £1 trillion per annum by 2020.

Anna Soubry

Ministers have acknowledged that the £1 trillion target is a stretch; however, the Government has a clear strategy for increasing both the value of UK exports and the number of British exporters.

This is set out in the Government’s evidence to the BIS Select Committee inquiry into Exports and the Role of UK Trade & Investment. Progress in delivering against the target will be reported through the ONS.

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01/01/2023

Julian Knight – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Knight on 2016-03-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how much the Government has invested into research and development of future car technologies in each of the last three years.

Anna Soubry

The Government is fully committed to the continuing success of the automotive sector and supports the development of future car technologies through a variety of mechanisms depending on the technology and stage of development. The most significant sources of funding are set out in the following table:

	13/14	14/15	15/16
BIS (incl. Innovate UK & Advanced Propulsion Centre)	10	40.5	27.7
Office for Low Emission Vehicles	17.5	8.9	10.5
Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (BIS, DfT & HMT)		15.75	23.75
Total (£M)	27.5	65.15	61.95

In addition the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council has invested £127M in research relevant to the automotive sector since FY 13/14.

In the last Spending Review my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer confirmed Government funding for the Advanced Propulsion Centre out to 2023 and announced additional support for automotive R&D of £225m from 2023 to 2026.

01/01/2023

Douglas Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Chapman on 2016-04-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Boeing Poseidon P8s acquired by the UK will use Mk 54 torpedoes.

Mr Philip Dunne

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 13 April 2016 to Question 33058 to the hon. Member for Barrow and Furness (John Woodcock).

01/01/2023
Ian Paisley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Paisley on 2016-05-18.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the effect of the introduction of the new soft drinks industry levy on the level of the consumer prices index.

Damian Hinds

The information on the effect of the introduction of the Soft Drinks Industry Levy on the CPI are available at page 51 of the Economic and Fiscal Outlook published by the OBR, available at:

http://cdn.budgetresponsibility.org.uk/March2016EFO.pdf

01/01/2023
Jon Trickett – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jon Trickett on 2016-06-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effect of the extension of the mental health officer pension age to 65 on the health and income of pension scheme members with Mental Health Officer status.

Alistair Burt

Mental Health Officer status is a reserved right for members who joined the NHS Pension Scheme before 6 March 1995 and have continued working in a role that qualifies for this status. The historic rationale for Mental Health Officer status related to working in long stay mental hospitals that no longer exist. It was clearly inappropriate and unnecessary to retain different pension arrangements for staff working in mental health to other National Health Service staff. This was recognised in 1995 when it was removed for new entrants.

When the normal pension age (NPA) for new members of the scheme changed to 65 in 2008, the only Mental Health Officers with an NPA of 65 are those who, at the time, chose to transfer to the 2008 section of the scheme. Those who did not transfer retained their Mental Health Officer status. As part of the Hutton reforms to public service pensions, scheme members who on 1 April 2012 were not within 10 years of their NPA moved to the 2015 scheme for future service with an NPA the same as their state pension age. Most Mental Health Officers were within 10 years of their NPA of 55 and so were unaffected. A minority of Mental Health Officers did transfer to the 2015 scheme but all their benefits earned up to that point are fully protected and payable in accordance with Mental Health Officer status rules, so without reduction at 55 and including a calculation to reflect the doubling of the value of some service for accrual purposes.

The Working Longer Group, a partnership group of nationally recognised NHS trade unions, NHS employers and health department representatives, was established by the Government to review the implications of the NHS workforce working to a later, raised retirement age. The Group is taking forward its recommendations, accepted by Ministers, to support staff working longer in the NHS.

01/01/2023
Peter Kyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2016-09-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress has been made by the Apprenticeship Delivery Board.

Robert Halfon

The Apprenticeship Delivery Board was announced in July 2015 and launched in January 2016. Board members are senior figures representing eight key sectors with potential for apprenticeship growth.

Board members have input to the apprenticeship reforms, supported the Get In Go Far campaign, helped to achieve 500,000 apprenticeship starts in the 2014/15 academic year, and are targeting major employers to advocate the case for apprenticeships.

An evaluation of the impact of the board is planned and will report its findings in January 2017.

01/01/2023
Richard Burgon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burgon on 2015-11-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to improve the UK’s productivity.

Mr Edward Vaizey

SQW Consulting’s UK Broadband impact study in 2013 estimates that the availability and take-up of faster broadband speeds will add about £17 billion to the UK’s annual Gross Value Added (GVA) by 2024.

This Government is helping increase productivity across the UK by investing in and widening access to key digital infrastructure. We are on track to deliver our commitment to provide superfast broadband coverage to 95% of the UK by the end of 2017.Our£40m Broadband Connection Voucher Scheme was taken up by over 55,000 small and medium sized businesses – who employ a million people right across the UK and are already reporting, on average, a £1,300 per year increase in profits and a new job being created for every four new connections. ThePrime Minister recentlyannounced plans to ensure that every home and business can have access to fast broadband by the end of this Parliament.

01/01/2023
Lord Bradley – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bradley on 2015-12-08.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the Mental Health Taskforce report on a new five-year national strategy for mental health will be published.

Lord Prior of Brampton

The Mental Health Taskforce is finalising its recommendations and supporting analysis to ensure these are robust. Their report is due to be published by NHS England in the New Year.

01/01/2023
Chi Onwurah – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2016-01-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the role of the Code for America programme and its applicability to the UK.

Mr Edward Vaizey

The UK is one of the most advanced digital countries in the world. The Government is currently developing a Digital Strategy, to be published later this year, which will set out the actions we will take so we continue to lead the world in embracing the benefits of digital technology in our government, economy and society.

The Government has provided support and engagement to Code for America through a series of visits and information sharing activities as it has developed its programme, and continues to work with relevant international organisations to share best practice as appropriate to support and promote the UK’s status as a world leader in digital government.

01/01/2023