Tag: Parliamentary Question

Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2016-01-06.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many penalties have been issued by HM Revenue and Customs to (a) scheme promoters and (b) their clients for non-disclosure of tax avoidance schemes in each year since 2009-10 under the (i) disclosure regime for VAT and (ii) Disclosure of Tax Avoidance Schemes regime.

Mr David Gauke

The penalty regime for the VAT Avoidance Disclosure Regime (VADR) differs from the requirements laid under the Disclosure of Tax Avoidance Schemes (DOTAS) regulations, in that it is the user of a scheme that is required to make a disclosure to HM Revenue and Customs rather than the scheme promoter.

While the provision exists for promoters to make Voluntary Notifications and receive a disclosure reference to provide to their clients, the penalty regime does not extend to disclosures made in these circumstances.

The information requested in respect of the DOTAS regime is only available at a disproportionate cost.

01/01/2023
Lord Stoddart of Swindon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon on 2016-02-01.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the criticism of the European Commission by Robert Stack, the US Treasury Official in charge of international tax policy, for disproportionately targeting US companies; and under what articles of the EU treaties the EU can tax foreign enterprises.

Lord O’Neill of Gatley

While corporate taxation is a matter for Member States, under the EU Treaties the European Commission has competence to conduct State aid investigations in order to prevent unlawful distortion of competition and to safeguard the internal market. Investigations into tax rulings issued by EU Member States to multi-national companies were opened by the Commission in 2013. While the Commission has found illegal aid has been provided by some Members States (not including the UK) relating to some US companies, rulings under investigation also relate to a number of non-US undertakings.

01/01/2023
Tom Watson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-02-25.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department is taking to improve the representation of employees with a disability in the Senior Civil Service in the Cabinet Office.

Matthew Hancock

The Cabinet Office promotes a number of cross Government talent schemes to Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) and disabled staff, to accelerate their promotion to Senior Civil Service roles. This includes Civil Service wide talent schemes such the Future Leaders Scheme (aimed at G6&7 staff) and the Senior Leaders Scheme (aimed at SCS Pay Band 1). Additionally, it promotes development schemes aimed specifically at BAME and disabled staff including the Accelerate talent programme (for SCS) and the Positive Action Pathway (for staff below SCS).

01/01/2023
Maria Eagle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2016-03-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support her Department provides to 16 to 18 year old pupils eligible for the pupil premium to ensure that they can access sixth form education if it is not available in their local authority area.

Mr Sam Gyimah

The statutory responsibility for transport to education and training for 16- to 19-year-olds rests with local authorities, including those students who attend school or college in a neighbouring local authority area. Most students receive a discount or concession but it is for local authorities, along with local transport providers and schools or colleges, to decide whether to provide support and which students are eligible. These decisions are best made locally in light of local needs, the resources available, and other local circumstances.

The 16 to 19 Bursary Fund is also available to support young people with the costs associated with attending education or training, and transport is the biggest single area of expenditure for which this fund is used. Schools and colleges are responsible for deciding how to distribute their bursary allocations to students, and for establishing what criteria to use.

Local authorities are encouraged to take travelling times into account when considering post-16 transport arrangements. There is an expectation of 75 minutes as a maximum travelling time each way to and from school or college but this is not a mandatory requirement.

01/01/2023
Angela Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Smith on 2016-04-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many people were (a) proceeded against and (b) convicted of an offence under the Wild Animals (Protection) Act 1996 in each police force area in 2015.

Rory Stewart

The Government is committed to tackling wildlife crime. The UK National Wildlife Crime Unit, which is part-funded by Defra, monitors and gathers intelligence on illegal activities, including those relating to badger persecution and poaching, which are UK wildlife crime priorities. The Unit also provides assistance to police forces when required.

Court proceedings data for 2015, including those for the offences listed above, are planned for publication by the Ministry of Justice in due course.

01/01/2023

Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-06-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate his Department has made of the average price paid by the NHS for prescription drugs in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt

The average net ingredient cost of prescription items dispensed in the community in England is in the table: Information for medicines supplied in secondary care is not available.

Year	Average net ingredient cost per prescription item (£)
2005	11.02
2006	10.90
2007	10.51
2008	9.88
2009	9.64
2010	9.53
2011	9.16
2012	8.52
2013	8.37
2014	8.32
2015	8.55

Source: Prescription Cost Analysis data provided by the Health and Social Care Information Centre

01/01/2023

Dominic Raab – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dominic Raab on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many threat to life notices have been issued in each of the last five years.

Brandon Lewis

This information is not held centrally. Where a threat is made to an individual, it is an operational matter for police forces and law enforcement agencies to decide whether to issue threat to life notices, taking account of individual circumstances, to mitigate the risk to potential victims.

01/01/2023
Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2016-10-17.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will request that regulators investigate whether disabled people have access to insurance that fairly reflects risk.

Simon Kirby

Paragraph 21(1) of Schedule 3, Part 5 of the Equality Act 2010 makes clear that it is not a contravention of the Act for insurers to make decisions on the grounds of disability provided they do so by reference to information from a reliable source that is relevant to the risk to be insured, and that it is a reasonable decision. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) expects firms to comply with relevant legislation, including the Equality Act, and can undertake its own enquiries to better understand what the firm is doing and whether any of its regulatory requirements have been breached.

01/01/2023
Lisa Cameron – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lisa Cameron on 2015-11-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how her Department identifies vulnerable refugees with intellectual impairment; and what support is provided to such people.

Mr Desmond Swayne

DFID provides assistance to refugees through bilateral and central funding to a number of trusted organisations such as the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the International Organization for Migration, the International Committee of the Red Cross. We are in dialogue with our partners to ensure special consideration is given to the most vulnerable groups, including people with physical and developmental disabilities. In September 2015, DFID issued guidance for staff outlining the specific considerations to be made by DFID partners for those living with disabilities to ensure that their needs are identified and addressed, and that they have opportunity to participate in decisions that affect them. In addition, through the Disaster & Emergencies Preparedness Programme (DEPP) for NGOs, we are supporting the development of a new tool to guide humanitarian agencies on how to ensure their programming is inclusive.

01/01/2023
Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-12-01.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many civil servants in his Department are in the redeployment pool.

Harriett Baldwin

The function of the redeployment pool is to give appropriate support to employees who have become surplus as a permanent post no longer exists for them. The redeployment pool helps them remain in employment and provides priority access to vacancies before they are advertised across Treasury.

There are no employees in the HMT redeployment pool.

01/01/2023