The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Myners on 2016-03-23.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much the UK contributes towards the subsidisation of sugar production.
Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Sugar production is not directly subsidised in the UK. However, sugar beet growers in the UK are entitled to make a claim for support under the Basic Payment Scheme of the Common Agricultural Policy.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Carswell on 2016-05-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans his Department has to ensure that the next East Anglia franchise delivers greater punctuality and fewer cancellations on train services to Clacton-on-Sea and Walton-on-the-Naze.
Claire Perry
In the invitation tender for the East Anglia franchise we have asked bidders to come forward with proposals to improve operational performance and passenger experience during times of disruption across all the franchise services.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Crawley on 2016-06-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many women who have reported (a) sexual abuse and (b) rape whilst in detention have subsequently been deported in each of the last three years.
James Brokenshire
All complaints made by detainees are investigated by the relevant supplier in accordance with Detention Services Order 03/2015 ‘Handling complaints’. Any allegations of serious misconduct made by a detainee against staff are also referred to the Home Office Professional Standards Unit (PSU) for investigation. Where a detainee, or someone on behalf of a detainee, alleges that a member of staff has committed a sexual offence against them the police will automatically be notified, even if the detainee does not wish the matter to be reported or to make a formal complaint.
Management information shows that there have been six allegations of sexual assault made by detainees against staff at Yarl’s Wood immigration removal centre between 2013 and 2015. Of these six allegations, one was made in 2013, three in 2014 and two in 2015.
In the same period there have been two Home Office PSU investigations into allegations of sexual assault made by detainees against staff in other immigration removal centres. Both allegations were made in 2015. There have been no allegations of rape made by a detainee against staff at any immigration removal centre during this period.
This is provisional management information that is subject to change. It has not been assured to the standard of Official Statistics.
Information on the number of women who have been deported following an allegation of sexual abuse or rape while in detention is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Tanlaw on 2016-09-05.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to identify accurately the GPS Prime Meridian with a corresponding marker at the correct location in Greenwich Park.
Baroness Neville-Rolfe
As the reference frame for the Global Positioning System (GPS) is established through a mathematical interpretation of satellite radio signals, rather than a physical meridian, it is not conceptually appropriate to represent it in the same way as other meridians have historically been marked at Greenwich.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Burrowes on 2016-10-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reasons refugees with disabilities who have been deemed entitled to disability living allowance have different backdating entitlements depending on whether their claim happened to be stockpiled before or after the Upper Tribunal ruling of 17 March 2016 on the past presence test.
Penny Mordaunt
No claims were stockpiled before the Upper Tribunal ruling of 17 March 2016, 40 Disability Living Allowance claims were stockpiled after the ruling.
Section 27 of the Social Security Act 1998 provides that, where the Upper Tribunal decides on a social security appeal that the Secretary of State has made an error of law in his original decision and other claims subsequently fall to be decided by the Secretary of State, the judgment generally is not to be applied in relation to any period that predates the Upper Tribunal’s decision (s.27(3)). This statutory rule does not apply to the person who brought the original appeal, to people who have already lodged an appeal against a decision or who are still in time to do so, or to people whose case the Secretary of State has stockpiled (or whose appeal he has stayed) pending the judgment under section 25 of the Act.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-11-16.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the total amount received by the Treasury in profit from the Crown Estate was in each of the last five years.
Damian Hinds
The information requested can be obtained from the Crown Estate’s annual report and accounts which are available on their website at the following link:
http://www.thecrownestate.co.uk/our-business/financial-information/
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian C. Lucas on 2015-12-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if his Department will make a comparative assessment of rail links to (a) Cumbria and (b) North Wales from Manchester Airport.
Andrew Jones
We are aware that Arriva Trains Wales (ATW), and other operators, are seeking to operate additional services to Manchester Airport; however, capacity through central Manchester and at the Airport is limited, though infrastructure investment to deliver the Northern Hub (including the recently-opened fourth platform at the Airport) will improve this situation.
Please note that it is the Independent Office of Road and Rail which is responsible for the allocation of train paths and not the Department, and it is therefore for the Office of Road and Rail to consider ATW’s application alongside other potential uses of the limited available capacity for additional rail services to/from Manchester Airport. Detailed information regarding these rail links is publicly available.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2016-01-19.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make it his policy to provide assistance to people who have purchased homes under the Help to Buy scheme in the event that interest rates subsequently rise.
Harriett Baldwin
The Government does not have any plans to provide additional assistance to those who have purchased a home under the Help to Buy scheme, in the event of a rise in interest rates.
Since April 2014, lenders have had to conduct an affordability assessment which includes a robust income and expenditure analysis. In addition, lenders must consider the impact of future interest rate increases on affordability.
This ensures that mortgages are only advanced where there is a reasonable expectation that the customer can repay.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cat Smith on 2016-02-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the cost to the public purse has been of the refurbishment of Crown Post Offices in Lancaster since January 2010.
George Freeman
Post Office Limited runs and manages its directly managed Crown post offices. Arrangements for employees of these offices and changes to the Crown network are the operational responsibility of the Post Office.
I have therefore asked Paula Vennells, the Chief Executive of Post Office Limited, to write to you on this matter. A copy of her reply will be placed in the libraries of the House.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town on 2016-03-02.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the new Cabinet Office guidelines that no government grants may be used to lobby for new regulation or more government funding would preclude academics at publicly funded universities, or charities in receipt of grants for specific work, from giving evidence to parliamentary select committees drawing on such publicly funded research.
Lord Bridges of Headley
The new clause will not prevent recipients from performing activities that are part of the intended purpose of the grant. It makes sure that taxpayers’ money is not diverted from their intended purpose and wasted on political campaigning and political lobbying.
As indicated at the House of Lords Science Technology Committee, BIS and Cabinet Office are looking into how this new clause will apply to academic research.