Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Rachel Reeves – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Rachel Reeves – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachel Reeves on 2016-07-06.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of a reduction in corporation tax to (a) 15 (b) 14 and (c) 10 per cent on (i) GDP, (ii) unemployment and (iii) investment in (A) 2016, (B) 2017, (C) 2017, (D) 2018, (E) 2019 and (F) 2010.

    Mr David Gauke

    The corporation tax reductions since 2010 have been designed to increase the competitiveness of the UK business tax system and to support investment and jobs in the UK. Their positive effect has been evidenced by strong growth in GDP, employment, and business investment since 2010.

    The Chancellor has now set out his ambition to reduce the corporation tax rate further, to 15 percent or below, to reinforce this strategy and send a clear message that the UK is open for business.

    Updated government economic modelling set out in the Business Tax Road Map suggests that corporation tax cuts delivered since 2010 could increase long-run GDP by over 1 percent. Details of this model can be found here:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/analysis-of-the-dynamic-effects-of-corporation-tax-reductions

  • Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2016-10-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Saudi Arabia about unpaid wages for migrant workers, and about the return of passports being made conditional on foregoing arrears of wages.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    ​We are aware of reports of some third country migrant workers having employment issues, including not receiving payments. This is a matter for the parties involved in each situation to find a solution.

  • Sharon Hodgson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Sharon Hodgson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sharon Hodgson on 2015-10-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the finding of the report by Sense, entitled The case for play, on the importance of play for the development of children with disabilities and complex needs.

    Edward Timpson

    Play has an important role in supporting all young children to develop and prepare for later learning. The importance of play is recognised in the Early Years Foundation Stage framework [1], which states: “Each area of learning and development must be implemented through planned, purposeful play and through a mix of adult-led and child-initiated activity. Play is essential for children’s development, building their confidence as they learn to explore, to think about problems, and relate to others. Children learn by leading their own play, and by taking part in play which is guided by adults.”

    Early Years educators and Early Years teachers are required to have an understanding of different pedagogical approaches, including the role of play in supporting early learning and development. It is for individual schools and settings to provide opportunities for play for their children and pupils, including those with special educational needs.

    We welcome the report published by Sense and their continuing efforts to support deafblind children and young people.

    As the Spending Review is underway, we are unable to give details of which programmes will be funded. We have committed to protecting the core schools budget throughout this Parliament at flat cash per pupil. We will look carefully at the impact of changes in schools’ and early years settings’ costs when making plans for education spending as part of the spending review.

    [1] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-framework–2

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  • Nicola Blackwood – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Nicola Blackwood – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicola Blackwood on 2015-11-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much of his Department’s funding allocated in the Spending Review 2015 will be for research and development expenditure up to 2020.

    Justin Tomlinson

    Spending Review 2015 set out settlements for departments and showed how the government will deliver on its priorities, eliminate the deficit, and deliver security and opportunity for working people.

    Final decisions on internal departmental funding allocations for future years, including for research and development, have not yet been made.

  • Alan Brown – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Alan Brown – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Brown on 2016-01-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans he has to bring forward proposals to ensure service level agreement requirements incorporated into broadband supplier contracts with their customers ensure a reasonable minimum speed of download is maintained and commensurate with the advertised product.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The Ofcom Code of Pratice on Broadband Speeds, effective from October 2015, requires internet service providers (ISPs) to give customers clear and accurate information on home broadband speeds, including the maximum speeds they can achieve, the estimated speed on the customer’s line, and factors that may slow down the speed, such as any fair use or traffic management policies.

    ISPs must have systems in place to find the cause of speed problems, take steps to fix any issue they are responsible for, and explain to customers if they can do anything to improve the situation. As a result of the October 2015 revised code, customers can terminate contracts at any time without penalty if they receive speeds significantly below the ‘minimum guaranteed access line speed’; previously customers could only terminate within the first three months.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-02-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 1 February 2016 to Question 22794, how many beneficiaries of the Student Opportunity Fund there were in each of the last five years.

    Joseph Johnson

    The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) allocates the Student Opportunity Fund to Higher Education providers as part of the teaching grant. Although the different elements of the fund are calculated on the basis of the number of students within an institution with particular characteristics, institutions have been able to use the funding in whichever way they feel is most appropriate for their students. Therefore, there is no centrally collected data on the numbers of students supported by the fund.

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Prime Minister, which Government Ministers have had use of Chevening House since May 2015.

    Mr David Cameron

    The Foreign Secretary has use of Chevening.

  • Lord Pearson of Rannoch – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Pearson of Rannoch – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Pearson of Rannoch on 2016-03-22.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government which EU countries are required by their constitutions to hold a referendum before their governments can agree changes to the EU treaties; and which countries have done so in the past.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    No EU country has an absolute constitutional requirement to hold a referendum before their government can agree to any amendment to the EU Treaties. Indeed, no EU Member State held a referendum on the most recent change to the EU Treaties which came into effect in 2013.

    The following countries have a constitutional requirement to hold a referendum in certain circumstances (e.g. if proposed changes require a revision of a Member State’s constitution or constitute a transfer of competence/sovereignty to the EU):

    • Austria
    • Croatia
    • Denmark
    • Ireland
    • Lithuania
    • Romania
    • Slovakia

    The following countries have previously held a referendum on changes to the EU Treaties:

    • Denmark
    • Ireland
    • France
    • Italy
    • Luxembourg
    • Netherlands
    • Spain

  • Paul Monaghan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Paul Monaghan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Monaghan on 2016-04-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what opportunities she plans to provide to allow officers of the Civil Nuclear Constabulary to redeploy to other territorial police forces.

    Andrea Leadsom

    This is an operational issue and a matter for the Civil Nuclear Constabulary.

  • Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2016-05-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the overall cost to the public purse of his Department’s work on the consideration of the potential site for a UK spaceport.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    During the Queen’s Speech Transport debate on 19 May, the Secretary of State noted that a range of viable spaceport options had been put forward and that the Department supported those bids. The Secretary of State also set out that the Modern Transport Bill will create the right framework for the market to select what the best location for a UK spaceport will be. The Government’s ambition is that the United Kingdom’s space economy should account for 10% of the global space economy by 2030 – worth some £40 billion per year. In support of this innovative sector, the Department, working with the Civil Aviation Authority, UK Space Agency and interested businesses, has allocated nearly £3.3m within this Parliament to legislate and establish a safe regulatory framework to enable commercial spaceflight in the UK.