The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2015-12-14.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will revise the eligibility criteria for first time buyers under the Help to Buy ISA scheme to £450,000 in areas outside London where the average house price is above £250,000.
Harriett Baldwin
The government does not plan to revise the eligibility criteria for the Help to Buy: ISA scheme
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Fuller on 2016-01-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many standard visitor visas granted on appeal to the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum) have been issued by UK Visas and Immigration (a) within one month, (b) between one to three months, (c) between three to six months, (d) between six to 12 months and (e) more than 12 months after that tribunal’s judgement in each of the last three years.
James Brokenshire
The time taken between receiving a determination from the First Tier Tribunal relating to a standard visitor visa and subsequent issue of visa can be found in the table below:
|
Time between notification of allowed appeal and issued decision |
|||||
|
Period |
Under 1 month |
1-3 Months |
3-6 Months |
6-12 Months |
Over 12 Months |
|
YE Sep-13 |
105 |
35 |
– |
– |
* |
|
YE Sep-14 |
110 |
60 |
5 |
5 |
– |
|
YE Sep-15 |
10 |
5 |
* |
* |
– |
All figures are obtained from local Management Information.
Figures rounded to the nearest 5.
‘-‘ represents 0 cases ‘*’ represents less than 3 cases.
“
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-02-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of freedom of information requirements in Bermuda; and what plans he has to promote transparency in that territory.
James Duddridge
Freedom of information policy in Bermuda is the responsibility of the Government of Bermuda. The Public Access to Information Act 2010 (PATI) came fully into operation on 1 April 2014. It is similar in many respects to the UK’s Freedom of Information Act and provides for an Information Commissioner. The Governor believes that it has started well but the first appeals under the Act’s provisions are only now coming before the Commissioner.
Future developments in this area are a matter for the Government of Bermuda. I understand that legislation on data protection, the Personal Information Protection Act, is currently before the Bermuda House of Assembly, with provisions designed to meet EU data protection requirements and, again, similar to the UK Data Protection Act. The 2012 White Paper states our commitments on working with the governments of the Overseas Territories on improving transparency and accountability. We are supporting these governments in moving towards systems of open government through sharing best practice and capacity building. This is a devolved area of competence and it is for Territory governments to develop a system that meets their particular requirements and circumstances.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Royston Smith on 2016-03-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will estimate the proportion of people in Southampton, Itchen constituency who consume more than the recommended daily alcohol intake.
Jane Ellison
The information requested is not held centrally.
Public Health England, Local Alcohol Profiles for England (LAPE) provides local data alongside national comparisons to support local health improvements. The latest LAPE data can be found at:
http://fingertips.phe.org.uk/profile/local-alcohol-profiles
“
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bradley on 2016-04-19.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the circumstances in which it is appropriate for the court to appoint an intermediary for communication support for a vulnerable defendant.
Lord Faulks
A judge can grant the use of an intermediary to meet the needs of a vulnerable defendant to ensure a fair trial. The Criminal Procedure Rules and Practice Directions require the court to take every reasonable step to facilitate the participation of any person, including the defendant. This includes ensuring that a defendant is able to give their best evidence, and enabling a defendant to comprehend the proceedings and engage fully with their defence.
We are currently considering the provision of intermediaries for vulnerable defendants as part of our on-going work around the communication needs of all vulnerable court users.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2016-05-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what measures are in place to support people who have had adverse reactions to vaccines administered by the NHS.
Jane Ellison
The Vaccine Damage Payments Scheme (VDPS) was set up under the Vaccine Damage Payments Act 1979 to provide a measure of financial help in those very rare circumstances where it is established that severe disability was caused by vaccination administered by the National Health Service.
It is only one part of the wide range of support and help available to severely disabled people in the United Kingdom. The VDPS does not prejudice the right of the injured person to pursue a claim for compensation against the manufacturer of the vaccine.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-07-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to encourage tree planting; and what grants are available for that purpose.
Dr Thérèse Coffey
The Government is committed to planting 11 million trees in England during this Parliament, and is also supporting the planting of a million trees by schoolchildren, in partnership with the Woodland Trust. Individual administrations within the UK determine their own ambitions for tree planting.
In England, we encourage tree planting by championing sector-led initiatives, such as Grown in Britain and the Roots to Prosperity strategy, in their work to grow demand for wood from ground level up, developing the woodland economy. We also support the Woodland Carbon Code to help to attract private investment in woodland creation.
Grants are available from the Forestry Commission under the EU funded Woodland Creation Grant in the Rural Development Programme for England. Until negotiations conclude and the UK leaves the EU, all existing arrangements remain in place, including the rural development programme. We are working with the Treasury to ensure continuity, particularly for agri-environment schemes, but without prejudice to future decisions.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-10-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what recent representations he has received on reform of the Local Government Pensions Scheme; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Marcus Jones
We have received a large number of recent representations about the power of intervention in the investment regulations currently before the House. Under the new regulations, administering authorities are significantly more responsible and accountable for their investment decisions. They will no longer be constrained by central prescription on how their assets are invested, provided they act reasonably within the framework provided by the regulations and guidance.
The power of intervention has been included in the regulations as a backstop in order to protect around £200 billion of funds in the local government pension scheme, in the rare circumstances where it might be necessary to do so. As set out in the Government response to consultation the regulations include a number of safeguards, including full consultation with the relevant authority, to ensure that the power is used appropriately and proportionately. We have made clear that the intervention power will be used sparingly and only where fully justified.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Adam Afriyie on 2015-11-16.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to deliver a faster payments infrastructure.
Harriett Baldwin
The Faster Payment Scheme (FPS) launched in 2008 and provides near-instant settlement for over one billion payments that consumers and businesses make every year.
FPS is one of the eight payment systems regulated by the new Payment Systems Regulator – which the Government launched in 2015, equipped with powers to ensure that UK payment systems are competitive and innovative. A key part of the PSR’s work is to ensure that UK payment systems work efficiently to deliver benefits for the individuals and firms that use them.
The Government is also working with the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) Project Innovate – which looks to foster and support innovative financial technology (“FinTech”) firms, including firms that offer customers new and efficient ways to make payments in the UK.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-12-14.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he has had with his Chinese counterpart on allegations of doping in athletics.
Tracey Crouch
Both my Department and UK Anti-Doping engage regularly with international counterparts to discuss a range of sporting matters, including tackling doping in sport.