Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • David T. C. Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Trade

    David T. C. Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Trade

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David T. C. Davies on 2016-09-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether his Department has made an assessment of the adequacy of the memorandum of understanding signed between the Regeneration Investment Organisation and Aventa Capital.

    Greg Hands

    A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is a high-level arrangement, which is not legally binding, and enables the participants to work together toward a desired outcome. Between the period April 2014 to October 2015, the Regeneration Investment Organisation (RIO) negotiated MoUs with seven companies. Only one of those MoUs remains in place.

    Aventa is a regeneration investor and comprises a regulated asset management company and a vehicle for managing early stage development and construction risk. The Regeneration Investment Organisation and Aventa Capital MoU was developed in October 2014 to support Aventa’s work in seeking to develop a regeneration fund and thereby encourage institutional investment into UK regeneration projects. The Department felt the proposal covered by the MoU was viable given Aventa’s sector and management experience.

    There was no commitment on the part of RIO to provide any capital or resource in connection with the agreement. In addition, any recommendation from Aventa would have been reviewed and subjected to due diligence by the developer as a commercial partner. The MoU was concluded, by mutual agreement, following meetings with officials during December 2014.

  • Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark on 2015-11-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the size of deposit needed to buy a starter home in London.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    Starter Homes will be sold at a minimum of 80% of the full market price and offered to first time buyers under the age of 40. The discounted Starter Homes price will be capped at £450,000 in London.

    The cap is not an expectation of the going price for a Starter Home. Most first time buyers are not buying average-priced properties, but those at the lower quartile of values in an area. This is the first time buyers market that exists, and this is where we anticipate developers pricing starter homes

    Starter homes will reduce deposit requirements for first time buyers. The average price paid by a first time buyer in London in Q2 2015 was £376,000 (Office for National Statistics data). The discount achieved through the Starter Home initiative would reduce the price of such a property to £301,000 and also reduce the deposit.

  • Mike Kane – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Mike Kane – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mike Kane on 2015-12-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will discuss with her ministerial colleagues in other departments (a) reducing UK support for fossil fuels overseas and (b) ensuring that support for energy in developing countries is directed towards low-carbon technologies.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    My Department works closely with other government departments on UK energy policy overseas, including the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC), the Treasury, and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. The UK Government has committed to end public funding for coal fired power plants, , except in rare circumstances, in the world’s poorest countries. This policy has been agreed with DECC and was announced at the Warsaw Climate Change conference in 2013.

    DFID will continue to support international initiatives to promote cleaner energy sources and other low carbon technologies. For example, the Energy Africa campaign will accelerate the expansion of the household solar market in Africa, helping to bring universal energy access to the continent. The International Climate Fund (ICF) managed by DECC and DFID also actively supports low-carbon technologies, and monitors this through Key Performance Indicators. The UK reports publicly on achievements through the ICF (see https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/463954/ICF_Results_Note_Final.pdf).

  • Alan Brown – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Leader of the House

    Alan Brown – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Leader of the House

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Brown on 2016-01-18.

    To ask the Leader of the House, what progress the Government is making on reform of the Estimates process.

    Chris Grayling

    Estimates are formal requests for authorisation of expenditure proposed to the House by the Government. Scrutiny of these, which are effectively departmental budgets, is undertaken in a variety of ways including debates selected by the Liaison Committee and it is open to select committees to examine these budgets.

    The Procedure Committee has recently announced that it will examine the House’s procedures for examining the Estimates and the passing of legislation which authorises this expenditure through the Supply and Consideration Bill.

    The Committee is accepting written submissions until 25 March 2016.

  • Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-02-09.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 18 January 2016 to Question 21746, what estimate he has made of the value of Integrated Debt Services Limited; and how much the private sector partner paid to purchase their 75 per cent stake in Indresser.

    Matthew Hancock

    The value of Integrated Debt Services Limited and the amount that the private sector partner subscribed for their 75% stake in Indesser are both considered to be commercially sensitive and cannot be shared.

  • Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-03-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with the Civil Aviation Authority on its consultation on air display and low-flying permission charges.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    I have had no discussions with the Civil Aviation Authority on its consultation on air display and low-flying permission charges.

  • Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many vacancies were identified in free schools in the school census in (a) 2012, (b) 2013, (c) 2014, (d) 2015 and (e) 2016.

    Edward Timpson

    The school census does not collect information on vacancies in schools.

  • Julie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Julie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julie Cooper on 2016-05-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many students in (a) the UK, (b) the North West and (c) Lancashire are studying for a clinical pharmacy diploma.

    Ben Gummer

    The Department does not hold this information centrally.

  • Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-06-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the maximum duration should be for a degree apprenticeship.

    Nick Boles

    There is no maximum duration for Degree Apprenticeships. The pattern of delivery of the degree will be a key component in the length of a Degree Apprenticeship, both employers and Higher Education providers will want to ensure the apprenticeship standard is achieved in full.

  • Natalie McGarry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Natalie McGarry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Natalie McGarry on 2016-09-09.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make it his policy that all Government departments undertake a cross-cutting review on the effect of their policies on (a) inequalities in health and (b) deprivation in (i) Glasgow and (ii) Scotland.

    Ben Gummer

    All UK Government policies and legislation that extend to Scotland in reserved areas, as would be the case with Wales and Northern Ireland, are accompanied by the necessary economic and equality impact assessments, which are published.