The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-07-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions he has had with his (a) Ministerial colleagues and (b) US counterparts on cooperation and assistance on counter-drone technology.
Mr Philip Dunne
I have regular discussions with both Ministerial Colleagues and US counterparts on a range of issues, including counter-drone technologies.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Altmann on 2016-09-12.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their latest estimate of the impact of falling long-term gilt yields on the deficits of UK defined benefit pension schemes.
Lord Freud
Recent movement in gilt yields could have a material impact on the funding position of defined benefit pension schemes in the short term.
However, the precise effect on deficits will depend on a number of factors including how assets are allocated, the approach to hedging and the demographics of the scheme. We continue to monitor the position.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Carol Monaghan on 2015-11-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make it his policy to amend the three month rule for the habitual residence test to allow access to income based jobseeker’s allowance for UK nationals returning to the UK after a period away who have retained financial commitments at home.
Priti Patel
It has always been the case that any UK national who returns to this country after an extended period must demonstrate they are habitually resident to be eligible for income-related benefits. Since 1 January 2014, most jobseekers must also have been living in the UK for three months before any consideration can be given to whether they are habitually resident to be eligible to receive income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance.
Regulations were amended from 9 November 2014 to exempt from the three month residence requirement members of the Armed Forces and Crown servants who were serving abroad and others who had paid certain types of UK national insurance contributions during their absence abroad. We have no plans to introduce further exemptions from the three month requirement.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Hodge on 2016-01-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what information his Department holds on the reasons for women choosing to take a test for the BRCA1/2 gene mutation.
George Freeman
NHS England offers BRCA testing to individuals with a greater than 10% chance of carrying the mutation, using a model based on the individual’s personal and family history of cancers. Data is not collected centrally on reasons for women choosing to take a test for the BRCA1/2 gene mutation.
The UK Genetic Testing Network is working with NHS England, the devolved administrations and the Health and Social Care Information Centre to collect and publish United Kingdom-wide data on molecular genetic testing activity. Data collection is expected to have been completed by the summer of 2016 with a full update prepared for publication by the end of the year. However, it is not intended that this will include specific data for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation testing activity.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-01-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether any person or body has sought disclosure of his Department’s legal advice on the drone strike that killed Reyaad Khan for purposes related to the inquiry by the Intelligence and Security Committee on that matter.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
I refer the hon. Member to the answer the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron) gave to the hon. Member for Blaydon (Mr. Anderson) on Monday 25 January 2016, UIN23433.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevan Jones on 2016-02-22.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions his Department has had on the F-35’s digital logistics system and its potential vulnerability to cyber attacks.
Mr Philip Dunne
The Ministry of Defence has regular discussions with the US Government and F-35 industry partners about the F-35 Lightning II programme, including the Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS). The ALIS has been subject to a comprehensive programme of testing and risk assessment. It has been designed to be resilient against cyber-attack and will continue to be the subject of testing throughout the life of the programme.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2016-03-16.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many public libraries have received funding from his Department to provide computer facilities since 2010.
Mr Edward Vaizey
Public libraries are funded and run by local authorities. However, through the Government’s development agency for public libraries, Arts Council England, funding is provided to support public libraries in England, some of which will fund computer facilities. Specific detail of this funding is not available. Future Arts Council England investment plans for public libraries will be developed following proposals from partner organisations.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Wilcox on 2016-04-11.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much someone earning (1) £15,000, and (2) £150,000, a year would have paid in direct taxation, including income tax and national insurance, in (a) 2009–10 and (b) 2015–16.
Lord O’Neill of Gatley
Someone earning £15,000 would have had a total tax liability from Income Tax and National Insurance Contributions of £2,726 in 2009-10 and £1,713 in 2015-16.
Someone earning £150,000 would have had a total tax liability from Income Tax and National Insurance Contributions of £55,189 in 2009-10 and £59,914 in 2015-16.
This is summarised in the following tables, which break down the liability by Income Tax and National Insurance Contributions (NICs):
|
1) £15,000 |
2009-10 |
2015-16 |
difference |
|
Income Tax |
£1,705 |
£880 |
-£825 |
|
Employee NICs |
£1,021 |
£833 |
-£189 |
|
Total tax |
£2,726 |
£1,713 |
-£1,014 |
|
Net income |
£12,274 |
£13,287 |
£1,014 |
|
2) £150,000 |
2009-10 |
2015-16 |
difference |
|
Income Tax |
£49,930 |
£53,643 |
£3,713 |
|
Employee NICs |
£5,259 |
£6,271 |
£1,012 |
|
Total tax |
£55,189 |
£59,914 |
£4,725 |
|
Net income |
£94,811 |
£90,086 |
-£4,725 |
This assumes that the individual was born after 5 April 1948 (and therefore not receiving the Age-related Personal Allowance), is paying employee NICs (not contracted out), and has a gross income from pay only. The Income tax calculations assume no other allowances or deductions. The NICs is calculated on an annual basis which assumes a smooth distribution of the income across the year.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gavin Shuker on 2016-05-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what plans he has to engage with international partners to tackle the persecution of secularists or of people with no faith in Bangladesh.
Mr Hugo Swire
As I said to the House on 24 May, there is more we can do to help the Government of Bangladesh to tackle the challenges they face. I raised my concerns about the situation there most recently with the Bangladesh High Commissioner on 24 May.
Our High Commission in Dhaka regularly meets international partners to discuss the treatment of secular activists and minority groups in Bangladesh. Most recently, on 22 May, our High Commissioner met Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister, Abul Hassan Mahmud Ali, with other EU Ambassadors, to discuss signs that intolerance across Bangladesh is increasing
In September 2015, officials from the British High Commission in Dhaka met Heiner Bielefeldt, UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, during his visit to Bangladesh. We urge the Government of Bangladesh to implement the recommendations in his report, which includes a call for the government to “protect the vibrant civil society and pluralistic society in Bangladesh”.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Danny Kinahan on 2016-07-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress has been made in reducing GP waiting times.
Alistair Burt
There is no national standard for waiting to see a general practitioner (GP) and data on waiting times is not collected centrally. To implement the Government’s commitment to transform GP access however, £175 million has been invested in the Prime Minister’s GP Access Fund to test improved and innovative access to GP services. Across the two waves of the Access Fund, there are 57 schemes covering over 2,500 practices and 18 million patients – a third of the population – have benefited from improved access and transformational change at local level. This includes more appointments being made available, especially at times more convenient for patients, such as weekday evenings and weekends. It also includes different approaches like telephone consultations and better use of the wider primary care workforce (such as Advanced Nurse Practitioners, pharmacists, the voluntary sector, physiotherapists and paramedics) to deliver improved access to patients. These approaches have helped release local GP capacity and more appropriately matched the needs of patients with the most appropriate professional to care for them. In addition to Access Fund sites, other clinical commissioning groups may offer local initiatives for improving access to GPs.