UKPOL.CO.UK

Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Zac Goldsmith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Zac Goldsmith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Zac Goldsmith on 2015-10-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the implication for his policy of evidence in the Airports Commission consultation of November 2014 which shows that Heathrow expansion will result in no overall increase in the number of UK passengers, business passengers, flights or connectivity because it would be fed by re-distributing growth from other UK airports; and what assessment he has made of the potential effect of Heathrow expansion on the diversification of economic growth throughout the UK.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Government is currently considering the large amount of very detailed analysis contained in the Airports Commission’s final report before taking any decisions on next steps.

    The Government will carefully consider all the evidence set out, including that on noise, air quality and costs, when making a decision on additional runway capacity.

  • Ben Howlett – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Ben Howlett – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Howlett on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what plans he has to expand the Bristol and Bath Science Park.

    Joseph Johnson

    The Bristol and Bath Science Park provides a world-class environment for innovative businesses to locate and grow their operations. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) continues to work closely with the Homes and Communities Agency, the private sector development partners and local partners to ensure that the existing site is developed to its full potential.

    The Homes and Communities Agency manages the development on behalf of BIS. The Department is the beneficial owner of the site and the Homes and Communities Agency holds the freehold rights.

    A Local Steering Group has been established to steer the development, which includes representatives from the private sector development partners, the local universities (Bath, Bristol, and the University of the West of England), South Gloucestershire Council, West of England Local Enterprise Partnership, the National Composites Centre which is situated on the Science Park and is part of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, Invest Bristol & Bath, the Homes & Communities Agency and BIS.

  • Christian Matheson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Christian Matheson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christian Matheson on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the existing system for dual support for research in providing stability for research infrastructure and supporting competition of research grants; and what plans he has to review that system’s use.

    Joseph Johnson

    The Government’s Productivity plan – “Fixing the foundations: Creating a more prosperous nation” – reiterated our commitment to excellence in science and research, facilitated through a dual support system.

    In 2013 the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills published a review of the dual funding system and research income across universities, including analysis of the ways in which UK academics can maximise their impact (available on Gov.uk).

  • Mark Pritchard – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Mark Pritchard – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Pritchard on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the compatibility of the labelling of goods produced in Israeli settlements with World Trade Organisation law.

    Anna Soubry

    The Government is committed to ensuring that the UK observes its obligations under the WTO Agreements. The UK’s laws and practices on designations of origin for products produced in Israeli settlements are compatible with those obligations.

  • Paul Blomfield – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Paul Blomfield – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, for what reasons consideration of extension of the scope of the Freedom of Information Act to private contractors has not been explicitly included within the scope of the Independent Commission on Freedom of Information’s review.

    Matthew Hancock

    It is for the independent Commission on Freedom of Information to determine the scope of its review in accordance with its Terms of Reference.

  • Ian Murray – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Ian Murray – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Murray on 2015-10-09.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will send detailed information to employers and payroll agents affected by the introduction of the new Scottish rate of income tax to enable them to implement systems and deal with enquiries.

    Mr David Gauke

    HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) have been liaising with employers and payroll software developers for the last eighteen months to raise their awareness of the Scottish Rate of Income Tax. This has been undertaken through numerous workshops, presentations and publications.HMRC have already published:

    • a technical pack (in Dec 2014) outlining the Specified Electronic Submission files for outgoing messages (P6/P9) for 2016/17
    • technical specifications for the Specified Electronic Submission for incoming files (FPS/EPS), as well as guidance & test data (June 2015)

      In addition, test services for the 2016/17 tax year went live on 8 October 2015, enabling payroll developers to submit their test files to HMRC.

      HMRC have also included details of the Scottish Rate in their Employer Bulletin publication, which will assist employers in dealing with queries from their employees, and published guidance on GOV.UK.

  • Chris Stephens – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Chris Stephens – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Stephens on 2015-10-09.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what meetings his Department has had with representatives of (a) the Taxpayers’ Alliance, (b) the Confederation of British Industry, (c) the Institute of Economic Affairs, (d) the Adam Smith Institute, (e) the Freedom Association, (f) the Politics and Economic Research Trust and (g) the Midlands Industrial Council in the last 12 months.

    Harriett Baldwin

    Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery.

    Details of ministerial and permanent secretary meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel

    “

  • Grahame Morris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Grahame Morris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many 16 and 17 year olds were presented as homeless to Durham County Council in the most recent 12 months for which figures are available.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    The Department for Communities and Local Government collects data on the numbers of households accepted as owed a homelessness duty, where the reason the household is in priority need is that the applicant is aged 16 or 17 years old. There have been no such cases in County Durham in the last 12 months.

  • Mark Pritchard – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Mark Pritchard – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Pritchard on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps the Government is taking to extend the BBFC’s voluntary pilot project for the rating of online music videos to other online platforms, UK music labels and publishers and non-UK music labels; and what plans he has to review the voluntary nature of that scheme.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    Independent evaluation of the pilot shows that 78% of parents value age ratings for online music videos and 86% of parents would choose online channels with clear age ratings for their children’s viewing. We were pleased therefore to announce recently that the industry and the BBFC were putting their online music videos ratings scheme on a permanent footing and extending it to include videos produced in the UK by independent labels, as well as by major UK labels.

    We welcome this voluntary action by industry and will now be looking at how the lessons learned in the UK could help international partners adopt a similar approach.Government is committed to working with labels and platforms towards seeing age rating on all online music videos.

  • Barry Sheerman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Barry Sheerman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to assist disadvantaged children by the provision of free school meals.

    Mr Sam Gyimah

    The government recognises the benefits of providing a healthy school meal to the most disadvantaged children. Children in England who receive, or whose parents receive, specified benefits[1] are entitled to receive free school meals. Free meals were also extended to disadvantaged students in further education institutions from September 2014.

    Since 1 September 2014, state-funded schools in England have been required by law to provide free lunches to all pupils in reception, year one or year two.

    The provision of universal infant free school meals was a commitment in the Conservative Party Manifesto.

    [1] Income Support (IS); Income Based Jobseekers Allowance (IBJSA); an income-related employment and support allowance; support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999; Child Tax Credit (provided they are not entitled to Working Tax Credit) with an annual income, as assessed by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC), that does not exceed £16,190; the guarantee element of State Pension Credit; or Universal Credit. Where a parent is entitled to Working Tax Credit run-on – the payment someone receives for a further four weeks after they stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit -their children are entitled to free school meals.