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Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Mark Hendrick – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Mark Hendrick – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hendrick on 2014-07-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many whole time equivalent staff were employed at each magistrates’ and Crown court in England in each of the last five years.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    I regret I am unable to collate the information required to answer this request within the normal time constraints of an ordinary written Parliamentary Question.

    Providing details for the requested period of five years requires an extensive manual search of legacy records and reports.

    I will write again in due course with the information available.

  • Simon Kirby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Simon Kirby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Simon Kirby on 2014-07-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will estimate the annual cost to his Department of (a) stationery and (b) postage incurred when sending a ministerial reply to hon. Members; and if he will make a statement.

    Claire Perry

    The information is not held in the format requested and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

  • Rosie Cooper – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Rosie Cooper – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rosie Cooper on 2014-07-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in West Lancashire constituency have waited more than nine months to receive a work capability assessment interview in the last three years.

    Mr Mark Harper

    This information is not reported to us by Atos.

  • Menzies Campbell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    Menzies Campbell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Menzies Campbell on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Attorney General, how many applications for a preliminary hearing for a Deferred Prosecution Agreement (a) the Director of Public Prosecutions and (b) the Serious Fraud Office have made since 24 February 2014.

    Mr Robert Buckland

    No such applications have been made so far.

  • Justin Tomlinson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Justin Tomlinson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Tomlinson on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what consideration he has given to lowering the tuition fee cap for students studying STEM subjects.

    Greg Clark

    The Government has not considered lowering tuition fee caps for students studying STEM subjects. Higher education institutions already have the flexibility to vary their fees for STEM or other courses, provided that the fees charged do not exceed the cap.

  • Luciana Berger – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Luciana Berger – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2014-07-15.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what expenditure HM Revenue and Customs has incurred in operating x-ray scanners to tackle tobacco smuggling in each year since 2010-11.

    Priti Patel

    It is not possible to provide the requested breakdown of the total HM Revenue and Customs spent on salaries for staff employed on tackling tobacco smuggling in the way requested. The total costs for each year are as follows:

    Salary Cost

    (millions)

    2010-11

    Salary cost

    (millions)

    2011-12

    Salary cost

    (millions)

    2012-13

    Salary cost

    (millions)

    2013-14

    Total

    £37.044

    £36.882

    £35.734

    £37.731

    HM Revenue and Customs does not operate any x-ray scanners. Border Force has responsibility for the operation of x-ray scanners as part of the joint strategy to tackle tobacco smuggling.

    HM Revenue and Customs total expenditure on tobacco work since 2010-11 is detailed in the table below. This includes administration and policy, as well as enforcement.

    HMRC Activity

    2010-11

    2011-12

    2012-13

    2013-14

    Total expenditure on tobacco work (millions)

    £65.750

    £68.918

    £67.641

    £76.000

    It is not possible to provide the staff information in the format requested. However, the total figures are set out below:

    HMRC Activity

    2010/11

    Full Time Equivalent

    2011/12

    Full Time Equivalent

    2012/13

    Full Time Equivalent

    2013/14

    Full Time Equivalent

    Total

    758

    777

    777

    832

    For the year 2012/13, the UK cigarette illicit market was reported at 9%, which is half the level seen a decade ago. The illicit market share for hand-rolling tobacco is 36%, lower than in 2010/11 and significantly lower than the level seen in 2008/09, when it was 50 per cent.

  • Lyn Brown – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Lyn Brown – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lyn Brown on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether he has tasked the National Board with setting guidelines on making decisions on ill-health retirement for firefighters.

    Penny Mordaunt

    The rules governing entitlement to an ill-health pension are set out in the firefighters’ pension schemes regulations. A firefighter is entitled to an ill-health pension if they are permanently incapacitated from undertaking their role. Decisions on ill-health retirement are taken by the fire and rescue authority in the first instance and the authority is bound by the opinion of an Independent Qualified Medical Practitioner. A firefighter may appeal against an authority’s decision on an issue of a medical nature to a board of medical referees.

  • Justin Tomlinson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Justin Tomlinson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Tomlinson on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether he has had discussions with Pan European Game Information on its pricing structure and effect on the UK video games industry.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    Whilst we have not had any recent discussions about pricing structure, PEGI – via the UK Games Rating Authority – formally notified my Department recently that the general fees for obtaining a PEGI classification are being increased by 5% from 1 July 2014, the first increase for 5 years.

    In 2012 my Department brought into force a statutory requirement for PEGI classifications for hard copy video games that are unsuitable for younger children. A full business impact assessment was produced for this policy in discussion with industry and with PEGI. My department will continue to monitor the impact of the statutory classification requirements for video games sold in the UK and we are committed to a formal review of the policy in 2015.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Andrew Rosindell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that schools promote British values.

    Mr Nick Gibb

    Academies, free schools and independent schools are already required to encourage pupils to respect fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect, and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.

    On 23 June, we launched a consultation on proposed revised standards, which will strengthen this position by requiring these schools actively to promote these values. We expect to have the new standards in place for the start of the next academic year.

    We also plan to issue guidance to maintained schools on promoting fundamental British values, and to ask Ofsted to reinforce those expectations through changes to the inspection framework for maintained schools, academies and free schools.

  • Tom Greatrex – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Tom Greatrex – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Greatrex on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment he has made of the quantity of gas imported to the UK through the (a) Bacton-Zeebrugge pipeline and (b) the St Fergus-Frigg/Heimdal pipeline in each month since June 2010.

    Matthew Hancock

    The Department publishes monthly statistics back to January 2000 on gas imports to the UK within Energy Trends table 4.4. The table includes the quantity of gas imported to the UK through the Bacton-Zeebrugge Interconnector and the Vesterled pipeline to St Fergus Frigg sub terminal. The latest version of Energy Trends table 4.4 can be accessed here:

    http://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/323246/et4_4.xls

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