The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-04-13.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he has taken to implement the recommendations of the National Audit Office investigation into the acceptance of gifts and hospitality by government officials (HC 797, 2015-16).
Matthew Hancock
The Government is currently considering the conclusions put forward by the NAO in its recent report on Gifts and Hospitality.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-05-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress he has made on bringing Crossrail 2 through Harrow and Wealdstone station; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Robert Goodwill
The proposed route of Crossrail 2 connects south-west to north-east London via 23 miles of new tunnels between Wimbledon and Tottenham Hale. There are no plans to bring Crossrail 2 through Harrow and Wealdstone station.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Earl of Sandwich on 2016-07-07.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they plan to take to assist the government of Afghanistan in preventing any illegal trade in lapis lazuli and other minerals.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The UK supports the Afghan Ministry of Mines and Petroleum (MoMP) including through strengthening the Ministry’s capacity to detect and report illegal activity such as the illegal trade in Lapis Lazuli and other minerals.
However, because most of this illegal activity occurs in insecure areas where there is little or no government control, the UK is supporting Afghanistan’s long term security and stability; including through providing additional troops to assist the Afghan Forces boost security in the country, and providing £178m aid per year to 2017 to support Afghanistan’s economic growth and development.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Moonie on 2016-10-03.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of their decision to buy Apache AH-64E helicopters through a foreign military sale with the United States government, how many UK companies are part of the AH-64E global supply chain; and by value, what proportion of the total cost of an AH-64E their goods and services represent.
Earl Howe
The UK’s Apache AH-64E helicopters are being bought from the US Government through their Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme. As such, the UK Government does not have a direct contractual relationship with the Apache AH-64E supply chain. It is understood, however, that at least five UK companies have been successful in securing sub-contracts from Boeing, the helicopter manufacturer and lead system integrator, on the Apache programme. Together, these contracts represent about 5 per cent by value of Boeing’s contribution to the global Apache programme.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stewart McDonald on 2015-11-18.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reasons the £2,000 employment allowance is not allotted to NHS dentists employed as independent contractors.
Mr David Gauke
The Employment Allowance is an annual cut of up to £2,000 from the employer National Insurance Contributions bill of businesses and charities throughout the UK. As announced by the Chancellor in his Summer Budget, the allowance will increase to £3,000 from 2016-17.
The allowance is designed to back businesses looking to grow and take on new people by reducing the costs of employment. Where businesses are already funded wholly or mainly by the public sector, they already benefit from public funds and as a result are not eligible for the Employment Allowance.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lisa Nandy on 2015-12-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, by what date her Department has instructed SERCO to no longer house asylum seekers in hotels.
James Brokenshire
The use of hotels is permitted under the terms of the COMPASS contract as a contingency accommodation when usual accommodation cannot meet demand. The Home Office is clear that this is only ever acceptable in an emergency and providers must move clients into suitable accommodation quickly. No instruction has been given to Serco to cease use of hotels, however we and the housing providers are pursuing all options to reduce hotel use and put in place alternative contingency options.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Laurence Robertson on 2016-01-21.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what representations she has received from farmers on the price of fertilisers and other chemicals used on farm land and its relationship to the price of oil.
George Eustice
I have received no specific queries about price of fertilisers and other chemicals and their relation to the price of oil. The Government does have regard to the impact of prices for agricultural inputs on farmers and publishes the Agricultural Price Index (API), which is a set of indices of the prices paid and received by UK farmers for agricultural goods and services.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-02-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential effect of the new grading system for GCSEs on students of Latin and Greek; and if she will make a statement.
Nick Gibb
This is a matter for Ofqual, the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation. I have therefore asked its Chief Regulator, Glenys Stacey, to write directly to the Honourable Member. A copy of her reply will be placed in the House of Commons Library.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Whittaker on 2016-03-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department has taken to encourage provision of public sector work experience placements for 14 to 19 year-olds in education.
Nick Boles
We encourage all employers, including those in the public sector, to provide quality work experience opportunities, and government guidance is available.
Additionally, the government works in partnership with Movement to Work to offer placements in the Civil Service and we encourage all public sector bodies to offer traineeships, which include a quality work placement, and are available for 16-24 year olds.
In January, the Prime Minister gave a speech focusing on life chances during which he expressed his wish to set out a plan for using work experience more creatively. We are well aware that work experience can be a transformative opportunity, and we look forward to receiving the Lord Sainsbury-led Independent Panel Report on Technical and Professional Education which we expect will make recommendations in this area.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2016-04-13.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much was received in the UK in net earnings from direct investment in companies based outside the UK in each of the last five years.
Mr Rob Wilson
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.