Tag: Parliamentary Question

Robert Syms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Syms on 2016-03-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will postpone the start date for the introduction of standardised packaging on tobacco products in order to undertake an assessment of the implications of the post-implementation review of a similar measure in Australia on his policies in this area.

Jane Ellison

The Government has no current plans to postpone the introduction of standardised packaging of tobacco products. The Standardised Packaging of Tobacco Products Regulations 2015 come into force on 20 May 2016. Standardised packaging is an important public health measure and any delay in implementing the policy would also delay the health benefits from accruing. The Government continues to consider relevant information and evidence on standardised packaging, including the Post-Implementation Review of Tobacco Plain Packaging published by the Australian Government last month.

01/01/2023
Helen Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2016-05-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to restrict the amount that mobile telephone companies and other communication providers can charge for the provision of a Porting Authorisation Code to customers; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Edward Vaizey

Industry rules require mobile telephone companies to provide mobile number portability (the ability to transfer a mobile phone number) to customers within the shortest possible time, and the Porting Authorisation Code (PAC) must be issued over the phone, or by text message, within two hours of a customer’s request. Companies are permitted to make reasonable charges for providing number portability, but those charges should be based on the costs of providing the PAC and should not disincentivise customers from switching. In general, mobile telephone companies do not charge customers for requesting or issuing a PAC, nor for the process of switching a customer to another provider. However, some service providers may make a termination charge, if for example a customer terminates a contract before the expiry of the minimum contract term, or if the customer changes provider before they have served out any required minimum notice period for termination (usually 30 days). The Government is committed to making it easier and quicker for consumers to switch services enabling more customers to obtain better value from their mobile service provider and fully supports Ofcom’s interim findings in the recent digital communications review. This includes Government efforts encouraging industry on a voluntary basis to remove/reduce charges for handset unlocking for consumers at the end of their contracts.

01/01/2023
Richard Burgon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burgon on 2016-06-15.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the systemic financial risk from tranching of securitised assets.

Harriett Baldwin

The Government welcomed the development of international and EU standards to revitalise the regulatory framework for securitisation by encouraging the use of simpler and more transparent products. We agree with the Bank of England that a well-functioning and stable securitisation market will benefit financial stability and the wider economy. We support the Basel standards for securitisation, set with the intention of enhancing financial stability, which see features such as tranching and synthetic structures as being legitimate activity. We also support the need for all securitisations to adhere to appropriate rules on transparency and investor due diligence, and that they must be afforded sensibly calibrated capital requirements. Following the financial crisis it was Basel, working with the Financial Stability Board and the International Organization of Securities Commissions which, set the 5 percent risk retention standard.

In the development and delivery of policy, Treasury Ministers and officials are in regular contact with relevant institutions, regulatory authorities, other governments, industry and other civil society groups including think tanks such as Finance Watch.

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

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-09-12.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many officials in his Department have applied for career breaks in the last 12 months.

Ben Gummer

Records of applications for career breaks – approved and rejected – are not held centrally and would incur disproportionate costs to determine.

I can confirm, however, that at 31^st August 2016, 26 officials in my Department had commenced an approved career break in the last 12 months.

01/01/2023

Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-10-19.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people have indicated that they have non-domiciled status on their tax returns in each of the last five years for which such data is available.

Jane Ellison

The information requested is set out below :

Tax Year	Number of Non-Domiciled Individuals	Number of UK Resident Non-Domiciled Individuals	Income Tax Paid by UK Resident Non-Domiciled Individuals (£bn)	Proportion of Total UK Income Tax (%) paid by UK Resident Non-Domiciled Individuals
2010/11	115,100	80,900	6.09	4%
2011/12	113,200	80,200	6.20	4%
2012/13	116,600	81,700	6.29	4%
2013/14	118,200	83,000	6.56	4%
2014/15	118,100	83,400	6.44	4%

01/01/2023

Stephen Doughty – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Doughty on 2015-11-09.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Prime Minister has had discussions with (a) the UN Secretary General, (b) the President of the International Criminal Court and (c) the President of the International Court of Justice on the recent amendments to the ministerial code and compliance with international treaties.

Matthew Hancock

The government publishes details of ministers’ meetings with external organisations as part of its wider commitment to transparency at www.gov.uk/government/collections/ministers-transparency-publications.

01/01/2023
Lord Lester of Herne Hill – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Lester of Herne Hill on 2015-12-07.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Faulks on 4 December (HL3813), what is their assessment of whether they have the power under section 24 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 to give direction to the devolved institutions in Northern Ireland to secure their compliance with the European Convention on Human Rights; and whether the Secretary of State has considered exercising any such power to secure full compliance in Northern Ireland with its obligations under the Convention in relation to equal marriage, blasphemy and defamation.

Lord Dunlop

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland does not have the power under section 24 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 to give direction to the devolved institutions in Northern Ireland to secure their compliance with the European Convention on Human Rights.

The UK Government recognises and respects the devolution settlement in Northern Ireland and in any event does not have power under section 24 to secure full compliance in Northern Ireland with its obligations under the Convention in relation to equal marriage, blasphemy and defamation.

01/01/2023
Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2016-01-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 14 September 2015 to Question 8988, whether the Government has taken a decision on the funding of the Green Investment Bank’s business activity in future years.

Anna Soubry

Government funding for the Green Investment Bank (GIB) for the 2016-17 period and beyond has now been announced as part of the current spending review. This is a good settlement for GIB and provides what GIB management wanted by allowing for 100% funding of GIB’s investments to the point of majority sale, assuming a sale in the next financial year.

01/01/2023
David Hanson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Hanson on 2016-02-04.

To ask the Prime Minister, what the (a) job description, (b) budget and (c) selection criteria is for each of his trade envoys.

Mr David Cameron

Information regarding trade envoys can be found on the gov.uk website.

01/01/2023
David Anderson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Anderson on 2016-03-01.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what evidence her Department holds that increasing the national expectations in writing from 4b to 5c will improve the outcomes in writing for children at the end of Key Stage 2.

Nick Gibb

The Government has set a more a challenging expected standard for assessment at the end of Key Stage 2 (KS2) to reflect the high expectations set by the new national curriculum. The curriculum standards align with the highest performing jurisdictions internationally and have been raised because too many children who met the old expected standard at the end of primary school did not go on to achieve at least five good GCSEs.

The new expected standard is not, however, equivalent to the old level 5c for KS2 English writing or any other subject. While there will be no need to make comparison to the old national curriculum levels once the new system is established, we have been clear that the new expected standard is broadly equivalent to 4b.

The Standards and Testing Agency published exemplification materials for KS2 writing in early February to support teachers in making their teacher assessment judgements. These were developed in consultation with a number of teacher panels and are real examples of work by pupils currently in year 6. The materials show two examples of pupils assessed as working at the expected standard: one shows work that has met the expected standard and is broadly equivalent to the old 4b, while another shows work at the higher end of the expected standard. We have published these two different examples to show the breadth of competence covered by ‘meeting the expected standard’. I have asked the Standards and Testing Agency to issue further guidance to schools shortly to clarify the assessment arrangements and eliminate any misunderstandings.

01/01/2023