The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gavin Newlands on 2016-02-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate his Department has made of the number of businesses which are planning to pass on the increase in their National Insurance contributions from April 2016 to their employees.
Justin Tomlinson
The Department does not currently collect this information.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michelle Donelan on 2016-03-21.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people have had their initial assessments for personal independence payments assessments payments upheld on appeal in (a) the UK, (b) Wiltshire and (c) the Chippenham constituency in each of the last 12 months.
Andrew Selous
The information requested is not held centrally.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gavin Newlands on 2016-04-08.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he expects his Department’s review of airside VAT-free shopping to be published.
Mr David Gauke
On 31 December 2015, the Chancellor announced a review of the tax treatment of airside retail sales, with a view to identifying options for passengers to receive more of the direct benefits. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has completed its initial fact finding.
The Government is keen to identify options that provide overall best value for travellers. This means fully understanding the potential impacts of possible changes on travellers, retailers and airports, and I have asked HMRC to explore these thoroughly. Once this work has been completed, decisions on the best way forward will be made in the autumn.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Edwards on 2016-05-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with the Rural Payments Agency and the Welsh Government on delays in paying Basic Payments Scheme cheques to cross-border farmers.
George Eustice
The Rural Payments Agency has regular discussions with the Welsh Government and they are working together to get Basic Payment Scheme claims paid to cross-border farmers.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Virendra Sharma on 2016-06-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 22 January 2016 to Question 22462, if he will place in the Library a copy of NHS England’s report on individual funding requests for palivizumab.
George Freeman
NHS England has advised that it is assessing the effect of individual funding requests for palivizumab on premature babies at risk of severe complications from respiratory syncytial virus. It will report its findings in July 2016.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Brown on 2016-09-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what progress has been made on the Government’s discussions with the German government on (a) the proposed compensation scheme for UK thalidomide survivors and (b) proposals for UK Thalidomide Trust to submit collective compensation applications.
Sir Alan Duncan
I refer the Hon. Member to my answer of 2 August 2016 (42407).
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-10-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether it is her policy to negotiate to participate in the (a) Common Agricultural Policy and (b) Common Fisheries Policy after the UK leaves the EU.
George Eustice
Exit from the EU presents us with a unique opportunity to review the way we manage our farming and fisheries sectors and design a set of policies tailored to the needs of the UK. These sectors are immensely valuable and supporting them will form an important part of our exit from the EU. The Secretary of State, and her ministerial team and cross-Whitehall colleagues, are therefore working with industry, rural and coastal communities, and the wider public to shape our plans for farming and fisheries outside the EU.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Drew Hendry on 2015-10-28.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many officials of her Department have been employed to communicate the benefits of the Union to the Scottish public.
Mr Desmond Swayne
Scotland’s contribution to the UK’s international development effort is immense and we can be proud of what we have achieved together. As one United Kingdom, we have a much greater impact in saving lives and helping the world’s neediest people.
We have a duty to communicate to the UK public how international development, funded by the British people, is making a difference in the world’s poorest places. That includes making sure that people in Scotland know what we are achieving together.
In line with the cross-party International Development Committee’s recommendations, DFID has recruited one senior external communications officer for Scotland and devolved administrations.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2015-11-24.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph DISP 2.8.4 of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) Handbook, if he will direct the FCA to amend its policy on the application of the six year rule in exceptional circumstances to enable the Financial Ombudsman to consider cases in which important evidence emerges after that six year period.
Harriett Baldwin
This is a matter for the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) who are independent from Government.
The question has been passed on to the FCA. The FCA will reply directly to the Honorable Member by letter. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian C. Lucas on 2016-01-06.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 5 January 2016 to Question 20252, how her Department assesses the effect of Government policy on domestic violence.
Karen Bradley
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) publishes an annual violence against women and girls report, which includes national level data on the number of convictions for domestic abuse and supports the assessment of the effectiveness of Government policy on domestic violence.
The latest data, published in June 2015, showed that the volume of convictions in 2014-15 reached 68,601 – a rise of 10,325 convictions since 2013-14 and the highest volume ever.
The Office for National Statistics also publishes data on the prevalence of domestic abuse in the Crime Survey for England and Wales. Latest data from the Crime Survey for England and Wales shows that 6.1% of adults aged 16-59 were a victim of ‘Any Domestic Abuse’ in 2014-15 – the lowest estimate since these questions were first asked in the 2004-05 survey.