Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission

    Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission, what recent assessment the Electoral Commission has made of the potential benefits of the inclusion of the actual number and proportion of UK citizens registered to vote as a measure of the Electoral Commission’s effectiveness.

    Mr Gary Streeter

    The inclusion of the actual number and proportion of UK citizens registered to vote is not currently included as a key success measure of the Electoral Commission’s effectiveness. The Commission’s key success measures are reviewed each year and included in its Corporate Plan which is updated and presented to the Speaker’s Committee for approval on an annual basis.

    The Commission works with Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and other stakeholders to increase the number and proportion of UK citizens registered to vote and therefore the change in registrations cannot be attributed solely to the Commission. Changes in registration rates are also likely to be the result of some factors which do not relate directly to registration practices, including levels of political engagement and changes in population mobility.

    However, the Commission sets targets for the number of registration forms downloaded from its AboutMyVote website. This measure provides a proxy for the number of registrations attributable to each Commission campaign. The targets for the number of registration forms downloaded vary for each poll taking account of, for example, the size of the electorate.

    It is currently not possible to directly map the number of forms downloaded from the Commission’s site to actual registrations as the registers are managed by 363 Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) across Great Britain and EROs do not measure the number of registration forms downloaded from aboutmyvote.co.uk for the specific period of Commission campaigns. Following the introduction of Individual Electoral Registration, the Commission will examine the opportunities presented by online registration to review its registration measurements.

  • Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth on 2014-04-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what they are doing to ensure the protection of bees.

    Lord De Mauley

    The importance of pollinators, including the honeybee, and their value to both food security and sustaining the natural environment is recognised as a high priority. In view of this, Defra has taken action on a number of fronts, including:

    · contributing £2.5 million over five years to the Insect Pollinators Initiative;

    · establishing the Healthy Bees Plan, a ten year plan to protect and improve the health of honeybees in England and Wales, of which five years has already been completed;

    · continuing to fund the long-established National Bee Unit bee health programme, which includes inspection of colonies, diagnosis of bee pests and diseases, and training for beekeepers; and

    · launching a public consultation on the National Pollinator Strategy this month.

  • Frank Field – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Frank Field – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many applications for personal independence payments were made by individuals diagnosed with a terminal illness in each of the three months to June 2014.

    Mike Penning

    I refer the Rt. Hon. Member to the Written Answer I gave him on 18 June, Official Report, column 629W. Information on clearance times is not currently available. Statistics on clearance times are intended for future publication.

  • Iain Wright – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Iain Wright – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Iain Wright on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to Growth is Our Business: A Strategy for Professional and Business Services published in July 2013, if the new envoy network has been convened through UK Trade & Investment; and what progress his Department has made in orchestrating a mission programme.

    Michael Fallon

    In line with the commitment in “Growth is Our Business” to invite leading business people from professional and business services (PBS) to act as sector envoys whilst travelling abroad, several individuals were approached to join the Prime Minister’s list of Business Ambassadors. Appointments of four new PBS Business Ambassadors were announced in January 2014. These were Ruby McGregor-Smith CBE (Chief Executive Officer MITIE), Rona Fairhead CBE, Steve Varley (UK Chairman and Managing Partner (UK and Ireland) of Ernst and Young) and Will Lawes (Senior Partner, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer). They joined Caroline Plumb (Chief Executive Officer, FreshMinds), Alan Parker (Chairman, Brunswick Group), who were already active.

    Business Ambassadors agree to undertake a programme of activities agreed with UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) including holding events to promote UK businesses around the world, meeting overseas Ministers and inward missions, participating in trade missions and providing insights into how UKTI can best deliver for business.

  • John McDonnell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    John McDonnell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John McDonnell on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much the Government will receive from deductions of charges and from charges for enforcement action in child maintenance cases under the Child Maintenance Options contract; and what profit will be made by G4S in running this contract.

    Steve Webb

    The Child Maintenance Options service offers information and support to help separating and separated parents make an informed choice about their child maintenance arrangement. The service has operated under contract to the Department since 2008, most recently by G4S.

    Once client charges are introduced they will be applied by the Department only once a client is within, or applies to, the 2012 Scheme run by the Child Maintenance Service, which is part of the Department for Work and Pensions. Charging does not in any way form part of the Child Maintenance Options contract.

    Details of the Child Maintenance Options contract can be viewed at: https://online.contractsfinder.businesslink.gov.uk/Common/View%20Notice.aspx?site=1000&lang=en&noticeid=1072427&fs=true

    The level of profit that a supplier makes through a commercial contract cannot be disclosed as this action would be prejudicial to the supplier’s commercial interests.

    “

  • Gregory Campbell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Gregory Campbell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2014-04-09.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the likely change in annuities in 12 months’ time for the average 65-year-old (a) man and (b) woman.

    Mr David Gauke

    At Budget, the Government announced significant reforms to the pensions market, giving people greater choice about how to access their defined contribution pension savings. For many people, purchasing an annuity will remain the best way to secure an income in retirement.

    These reforms will help consumers choosing to buy an annuity to get a better deal in a much more competitive market place. The Government expects the change to the pensions market to stimulate innovation and new competition in the retirement income market. The shape of the market will now be driven by the choices consumers make, placing power back into the hands of savers.

    In December 2012 Government passed legislation to amend the Equality Act and ban gender-sensitive pricing. This means that annuity providers can no longer use gender as a factor when calculating annuity offers.

  • Ian Austin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Ian Austin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2014-06-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department has taken to help its employees who use on-site nurseries to find alternative childcare when these close from September 2014.

    Mike Penning

    The following steps have been taken to support DWP employees affected by the on site nursery closures:

    – At least six months notice of the closures given to users of the nurseries, in order to give them sufficient time to find a suitable alternative place. All contract expiry dates coincide with the beginning of the new school year to minimise disruption for parents and children as much as possible.

    – Employees have been provided with information regarding the DWP salary sacrifice scheme, where employees can give up part of their salary in return for childcare vouchers. This allows for savings through tax relief and gives parents support in order to make their own choices for childcare.

    – Information, on other nurseries in their local areas, has been provided to parents

    – DWP has awarded one day’s paid special leave to give parents paid time off work to find an alternative place.

  • Simon Kirby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Simon Kirby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Simon Kirby on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he last discussed the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty with his counterparts from the Permanent Members of the UN Security Council; and if he will make a statement.

    Dr Andrew Murrison

    The Secretary of State discusses a range of topics with his counterparts from the Permanent Members of the UN Security Council, including subjects related to the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty. However, engagement with our international partners on this Treaty is led by the Foreign Secretary.

  • John Denham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    John Denham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Denham on 2014-06-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate he has made of the number of former BAE staff at the Portsmouth shipyard who have been recruited by overseas ship-builders.

    Michael Fallon

    The local taskforce is working to secure positive outcomes for all staff leaving BAE in Portsmouth. It is too early to draw conclusions.

    We recognise the importance of manufacturing and engineering skills to the economy: these will be vital to building the Solent area’s strengths in marine and maritime. BIS is working closely with industry, Job Centre Plus, and Portsmouth Council to support those employees impacted by BAE’s decision to close its shipyard in Portsmouth.

    The Southampton & Portsmouth City Deal announced a £1 million DWP Rapid Response Service that will support those recently made redundant. Government and local industry will invest £3m in a Marine and Maritime Employer Ownership for skills Programme, responding to the immediate skills needs in small and medium sized enterprises in the advanced manufacturing sector.

    Additionally the existing UK wide Talent Retention Solution is available to help match skilled workers to engineering jobs in the UK and is currently advertising 693vacancies in the south of England on its website[1].

    [1] Active TRS vacancies listed on 18 June 2014.

  • Fiona O’Donnell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Fiona O’Donnell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona O’Donnell on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the government of Israel regarding plans for the creation of a new settlement in the Old City of Hebron.

    Hugh Robertson

    The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend, the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) issued a statement on 17 April 2014 condemning the Israeli decision to create a new settlement in Hebron.