Tag: Parliamentary Question

Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2016-04-27.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, other than voluntarily registering for self-assessment, what tools are available to ensure that tax is paid by locally employed staff working in foreign embassies.

Lord O’Neill of Gatley

Letters are issued annually on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to Diplomatic Missions in the UK (Embassies, High Commissions and Consulates) requesting staff lists providing details of all locally engaged staff and private servants.

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has a specialist team (the Embassy team) in place to deal with enquiries from locally engaged staff employed at Diplomatic Missions and International Organisations in the UK as detailed in ‘The London Diplomatic List’. In December 2015 HMRC wrote to all these bodies to ensure they held full and up-to-date contact information for the team.

Locally engaged employees and private servants are expected to contact the Embassy team to notify their employment as soon as they are engaged.

The Embassy team determines the employee’s liability to Income Tax and National Insurance Contributions. The team also carries out risk assessment activity and where it identifies individuals who have not notified their employment to HMRC, it takes action to ensure they pay the tax that is due.

01/01/2023
Kevin Hollinrake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Hollinrake on 2016-06-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of establishing clear national planning guidelines for the (a) maximum density of shale gas well sites per square mile and (b) minimum distances of such sites from towns and villages.

James Wharton

The planning system currently requires shale well site density and distance to settlements to be considered where relevant in plan making and decisions on planning proposals, taking into account local context. Were limits to be set in national planning guidance, they may not provide appropriate protections in some contexts, or rule out otherwise acceptable development in others.

For minerals such as shale gas, local authority mineral plans should set out environmental criteria for the assessment of applications and take into account cumulative effect of multiple impacts from individual sites and/ or from a number of sites in a locality. Planning law requires that decisions must be taken in accordance with the development plan for the local authority, including any relevant mineral plan policies, unless material considerations indicate otherwise.

In all cases, national planning policy must also be taken into account when applications are determined. This is clear that when a planning permission is granted for mineral development, including shale gas, there should be no unacceptable adverse impacts on the natural and historic environment, or on human health. It also ensures relevant cumulative effects are considered.

01/01/2023
Craig Whittaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Whittaker on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential for job creation in renewable energy sectors in the next five years.

Mr Nick Hurd

The latest figures from the ONS suggest that, in 2014, 238,500 full-time equivalent employees were working directly in the Low Carbon and Renewable Energy sectors in the UK. This figure does not include additional jobs that have been created in the wider renewable energy supply chain.

The Low Carbon and Renewable Energy sectors will be at the heart of this Governments Industrial Strategy to support jobs and growth.

01/01/2023

Jess Phillips – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jess Phillips on 2016-10-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what domestic visits (a) she and (b) Ministers in her Department have made since July 2016; and what the purpose of each such visit was.

Caroline Dinenage

Domestic visits made by the Secretary of State for Education and Ministers in their official capacity are listed in the following table:

Minister	Date	Visit/Purpose
The Rt Hon Justine Greening, Secretary of State	July 2016	Visit to DfE site in Coventry to meet staff
The Rt Hon Justine Greening, Secretary of State	July 2016	Visit Walsall College (West Midlands) to meet staff and students
The Rt Hon Justine Greening, Secretary of State	August 2016	Visit to Southfields Academy (London) to meet students receiving their A-level results
The Rt Hon Justine Greening, Secretary of State	September 2016	Visit to Ashburnham Community School (London) to meet staff and students
The Rt Hon Justine Greening, Secretary of State	September 2016	Speaking about gender balance at Women at the Top Event by Financial Times
The Rt Hon Justine Greening, Secretary of State	October 2016	Visit Prudhoe High School (Northumberland) to open the new building
The Rt Hon Justine Greening, Secretary of State	October 2016	Visit to Roehampton University to open Chadwick Hall
The Rt Hon Justine Greening, Secretary of State	October 2016	Visit to UTC Oxford to meet with staff and students
The Rt Hon Justine Greening, Secretary of State	October 2016	Visit to the University of Derby, Buxton and Leek FE College
The Rt Hon Justine Greening, Secretary of State	October 2016	Visit to the Oasis Academy Limeside to meet staff and students
The Rt Hon Justine Greening, Secretary of State	October 2016	Visit to the Schools North East Summit to speak at the conference
The Rt Hon Justine Greening, Secretary of State	October 2016	Visit to DfE Site Manchester to meet staff
The Rt Hon Justine Greening, Secretary of State	October 2016	Visit to City College to meet staff and students
The Rt Hon Justine Greening, Secretary of State	October 2016	Visit to North City Children’s Centre

Caroline Dinenage, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Women, Equalities and Early Years	September 2016	Speaking at Early Implementers National Meeting (London)
Caroline Dinenage, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Women, Equalities and Early Years	October 2016	Speaking at National Mumandworking Awards (London)
Caroline Dinenage, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Women, Equalities and Early Years	October 2016	Speaking at the opening of the London Stock Exchange
Caroline Dinenage, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Women, Equalities and Early Years	October 2016	Speaking at the Fawcett Society (London Marriot Hotel (London)
Caroline Dinenage, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Women, Equalities and Early Years	October 2016	Speaking at the Women’s Business Council three year on event (London)
Caroline Dinenage, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Women, Equalities and Early Years	October 2016	Speaking at the Advertising Association Front Foot breakfast event (London)

Nick Gibb, Minister of State for School Standards	July 2016	Visit to Seabridge Primary School (Newcastle) for the launch of their teacher recruitment film
Nick Gibb, Minister of State for School Standards	July 2016	Visit to All Saints National Academy (Walsall) to meet staff and pupils
Nick Gibb, Minister of State for School Standards	July 2016	Visit to Leeds to speak at Teach First Impact Conference
Nick Gibb, Minister of State for School Standards	August 2016	Visit to UCAS (Cheltenham) on A Level results day
Nick Gibb, Minister of State for School Standards	September 2016	Visit to King Solomon’s Academy (London) to speak at graduation ceremony
Nick Gibb, Minister of State for School Standards	September 2016	Visit to Kensington Primary Academy (London) for opening ceremony.
Nick Gibb, Minister of State for School Standards	September 2016	Visit to Havant Academy (Hampshire) to meet staff and pupils
Nick Gibb, Minister of State for School Standards	September 2016	Visit to South Farnham School (Surrey) to meet staff and pupils
Nick Gibb, Minister of State for School Standards	September 2016	Visit to the Brakenhale School (Bracknell) to meet staff and pupils
Nick Gibb, Minister of State for School Standards	October 2016	Visit to the Spanish Embassy for ‘National Day of Spain’ reception.

The Rt Hon Robert Halfon, Minister of State for Education	September 2016	Visit to Westminster Academy to discuss careers
The Rt Hon Robert Halfon, Minister of State for Education	September 2016	Visit to Central Eltham Youth Project for work readiness training
The Rt Hon Robert Halfon, Minister of State for Education	September 2016	Speaking at Edge Annual Lecture (London)
The Rt Hon Robert Halfon, Minister of State for Education	September 2016	Visits to New College Durham (Durham) to meet staff and discuss further education and apprenticeships,
The Rt Hon Robert Halfon, Minister of State for Education	September 2016	Visits to Derwentside College (Durham) to meet staff and discuss further education and apprenticeships,
The Rt Hon Robert Halfon, Minister of State for Education	September 2016	Visits to Churchill Community College (North Tyneside) to meet staff and discuss further education and apprenticeships,
The Rt Hon Robert Halfon, Minister of State for Education	September 2016	Visit to Unipres Corporation (Sunderland) to discuss apprenticeships
The Rt Hon Robert Halfon, Minister of State for Education	September 2016	Visit to Blackpool and the Fylde College (Blackpool) to meet staff and discuss further education, visit to Moore Park Primary School to attend a primary futures event.
The Rt Hon Robert Halfon, Minister of State for Education	September 2016	Visit to Blackpool BuildUp (Blackpool) to meet staff and discuss careers
The Rt Hon Robert Halfon, Minister of State for Education	September 2016	Visit to Cambridge Regional College (Cambridge) to view further education and apprenticeships provision
The Rt Hon Robert Halfon, Minister of State for Education	September 2016	Visit to Greene King (Bury St. Edmunds) to see apprenticeships in action
The Rt Hon Robert Halfon, Minister of State for Education	September 2016	Visit to West Suffolk College (Bury St. Edmunds) to see further education and apprenticeships provision
The Rt Hon Robert Halfon, Minister of State for Education	October 2016	Visit to the National College (London) focusing Digital Skills
The Rt Hon Robert Halfon, Minister of State for Education	October 2016	Visit to Blackfen School for Girls (Sidcup) focussing on careers
The Rt Hon Robert Halfon, Minister of State for Education	October 2016	Visit to MiddletonMurray (Sidcup) to discuss apprenticeships and traineeships
The Rt Hon Robert Halfon, Minister of State for Education	October 2016	Visit to Sarah Bonnell School (London) to discuss careers

Jo Johnson, Minister of State for Universities and Science	July 2016	Visit to British Library for the launch of the India Digitalisation Project
Jo Johnson, Minister of State for Universities and Science	July 2016	Visit to Manchester to speak at the EuroScience Open Forum and for a meeting with university vice-chancellors
Jo Johnson, Minister of State for Universities and Science	September 2016	Attendance at Festival of Education at University of Buckingham
Jo Johnson, Minister of State for Universities and Science	September 2016	Visit to the University of Nottingham to open the University Enterprise Zone.
Jo Johnson, Minister of State for Universities and Science	September 2016	Visit to Loughborough University to speak to students and staff.
Jo Johnson, Minister of State for Universities and Science	September 2016	Visit to Nottingham Trent University to speak at Universities UK Conference
Jo Johnson, Minister of State for Universities and Science	October 2016	Visit to Birkenhead for RRS David Attenborough Keel Laying Event and visit to Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts

Lord Nash, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Schools System	July 2016	Speaking at Education Policy Institute (London)
Lord Nash, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Schools System	September 2016	Speaking at Foundation for Leadership in Education Summit (London)
Lord Nash, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Schools System	September 2016	Taking part in panel discussion at Education and Employers Governance Conference (London)
Lord Nash, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Schools System	September 2016	Speaking at Teach First Business Leaders Council (London)
Lord Nash, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Schools System	September 2016	Speaking at British Chamber of Commerce
Lord Nash, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Schools System	September 2016	Visit to Kings Langley School (Hertfordshire) to attend opening ceremony
Lord Nash, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Schools System	September 2016	Visit to King Solomon Academy (London) to meet staff and pupils
Lord Nash, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Schools System	October 2016	Attendance at On Side Youth Zone Meeting (London)
Lord Nash, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Schools System	October 2016	Visit to DfE site in Manchester to meet staff and attend Head Teacher Board,
Lord Nash, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Schools System	October 2016	Visit to Manchester Academy (Manchester) to meet staff and pupils
Lord Nash, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Schools System	October 2016	Visit to New Islington Free School (Manchester) to meet staff and pupils
Lord Nash, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Schools System	October 2016	Visit to King’s Leadership Academy (Warrington) to attend opening ceremony
Lord Nash, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Schools System	October 2016	Attendance at discussion at Ormiston Academies Trust Annual Lunch (London)

Edward Timpson, Minister of State for Vulnerable Children and Families	July 2016	Visit to Manchester to speak at ADCS Annual Conference
Edward Timpson, Minister of State for Vulnerable Children and Families	July 2016	Visit to Manchester to speak at Council for Disabled Children Conference and visit Trafford Council to meet care leavers

01/01/2023

Barry Sheerman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2015-10-29.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will set road casualty reduction targets.

Andrew Jones

The Government has not set road safety targets for local authorities or the police, and is not considering reinstating them. We do not believe that further persuasion is needed on the importance of road safety through “Whitehall knows best” diktats. However, local authorities and the police are free to set their own targets if they find this useful.

The Conservative Manifesto 2015 had a commitment to reduce the number of cyclists and other road users killed or injured on our roads every year. We are working closely with road safety groups to consider what more can be done and we believe that every death is a tragedy and is one too many.

01/01/2023
Nigel Dodds – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Dodds on 2015-11-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Warm Home Discount Scheme; and what plans she has to extend that scheme to Belfast.

Andrea Leadsom

The Warm Home Discount Scheme helps over 2 million low income and vulnerable households each year and has provided a total of £1.1 billion of direct assistance since the scheme began. The Government announced in the Spending Review on 25 November 2015 that the Warm Home Discount scheme would be extended to 2020/21 at current levels of £320m per year, rising with inflation, to help households who are at risk of fuel poverty with their energy bills.

The issue of fuel poverty is devolved to the Northern Ireland Executive, which decides its own fuel poverty objectives and policies.

01/01/2023
Lord Ahmed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Ahmed on 2015-12-17.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the risk that UK weapons are being used to commit or facilitate a breach of international humanitarian law, in the light of reports of indiscriminate airstrikes in Yemen by the Saudi Arabia-led coalition, including the destruction of schools and hospitals.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

We are aware of reports of alleged violations of international humanitarian law in Yemen by the Saudi Arabian-led Coalition and take these very seriously. We have regularly raised with Saudi Arabia the need to comply with international humanitarian law in Yemen, and continue to engage with them on this. We have offered advice and training to demonstrate best practice and to help ensure continued compliance with international humanitarian law. The UK is satisfied that we are not in breach of our international obligations. The UK operates one of the most rigorous and transparent export control regimes in the world. All exports of arms and controlled military goods are assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, taking account of all relevant factors at the time of the application, to ensure compliance with our legal obligations. A licence will not be issued, for any country, if to do so would be inconsistent with any provision of the UK Licensing Criteria, including where we assess there is a clear risk that it might be used in the commission of a serious violation of international humanitarian law. Our export licensing system allows us to respond quickly to changed circumstances, with options to suspend or revoke licences if necessary.

01/01/2023
Martyn Day – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Martyn Day on 2016-01-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will urge the Iranian authorities to commute immediately the death sentences of the juvenile offenders identified in the report, Growing up on death row: the death penalty and juvenile offenders in Iran, published by Amnesty International on 26 January 2010.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

We have made clear to Iran, as we do with all countries, our opposition to the use of the death penalty in all circumstances, and will continue to urge them to put an immediate moratorium on their use of the death penalty, whether for juvenile or adult offenders.

01/01/2023
Stephen Doughty – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Doughty on 2016-02-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what plans her Department has made to reallocate UK aid funding from cross-EU funds and programmes in the event of the UK voting to leave the EU.

Mr Nick Hurd

At the February European Council the Government negotiated a new settlement, giving the United Kingdom a special status in a reformed European Union. The Government’s view is that the UK will be stronger, safer and better off remaining in a reformed EU. The civil service works to support the government’s position.

01/01/2023
Nigel Evans – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Evans on 2016-03-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate his Department has made of the number of UK nationals living in other countries in the EU.

Mr David Lidington

There is no legal obligation on a British citizen living overseas to register with the British Embassy, but estimates suggest that more than 1.2 million UK citizens are living permanently elsewhere in the EU. These estimates do not include people who reside for part of the year in another Member State or British travellers.

01/01/2023