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Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Gordon Marsden – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Gordon Marsden – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2014-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 7 April 2014, Official Report, columns 103-4W, on state retirement pensions, if he will assess whether a woman born on 6 April 1981 who was in continuous employment from her 21st birthday until her state pension age as derived in line with the practice outlined in the Pensions Bill, had worked consistently in contracted-in employment for 30 hours a week in a role which paid the National Minimum Wage, had average female life expectancy, in line with the most recent ONS population projections, and was subject to any other assumptions used in the Impact Assessment which accompanied the Pensions Bill, would receive a different level of pension at the point of retirement under the Single Tier mechanism than they would have expected under the current pension system; and what the difference in the level of pension would be.

    Steve Webb

    The state pension reforms radically simplify state pension provision, by replacing the current, two-tiered pension system with a simpler single-tier state pension for people reaching state pension age after 6 April 2016.

    The majority of people reaching state pension age in the 40 years after the new state pension is implemented will have a higher pension income overall over the course of their retirement as a result of the reforms. The new state pension will also underpin automatic enrolment, which will see around 9 million people saving more, or saving for the first time, into a workplace pension.

    The Pensions Bill provides for the Government to carry out a review of State Pension age every parliament. It is our intention that State Pension ages will only be finalised once someone is within ten years of their proposed state pension age. Because this date will be affected by future changes in longevity, at this point we cannot say with certainty what will be the state pension age for people born in the 1980s. In addition, any calculation on pension entitlement would also depend on decisions that have not yet been taken, including the starting rate for the single tier. Furthermore, future State Pension levels are determined by up-rating decisions taken by Governments on a year-by-year basis. Therefore, whilst we have forecast the possible impacts of the new system at a population level, it is not possible to give definitive statements of the future state pension entitlements for individuals who do not yet have a set State Pension age, whether under the current system or under the single tier pension

    For the first few cohorts of people reaching State Pension Age from April 2016, the government will provide a statement service to help them plan for retirement.

  • – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by on 2014-06-12.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their current estimate of the time it will take, in the event of a yes” vote in the Scottish referendum on 18 September

    Lord Wallace of Saltaire

    It is not possible to predict the time needed for the preparations that would be necessary in the event of a “yes” vote in the Scottish referendum.

  • John Redwood – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    John Redwood – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Redwood on 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Attorney General, what levels of stock the Law Officers’ Departments hold of (a) stationery, (b) printer cartridges, (c) treasury tags and other fasteners and (d) other office consumables.

    Oliver Heald

    The Crown Prosecution Service has reduced its expenditure on stationery substantially since 2010, however inventories of stationery items and office consumables are not maintained and to calculate the stock levels held would incur a disproportionate cost.

    The remaining Law Officers’ Departments operate "Just in Time" purchasing for most stationery items and do not therefore keep details on the exact levels of stock of stationery, printer cartridges, treasury tags and other fasteners, or other office consumables. Providing such information would incur a disproportionate cost.

  • Baroness Hollins – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Baroness Hollins – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Hollins on 2014-06-12.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to ensure that people with learning disabilities are not excluded from NHS England’s five-year strategic plan for National Health Service commissioners to improve quality of and access to health care, outlined in Everyone Counts: Planning for Patients 2014/15–2018/19.

    Earl Howe

    The Government’s Mandate to NHS England, sets out our ambitions for the health service, which include an objective that NHS England ensures clinical commissioning groups work with local authorities to ensure that vulnerable people, particularly those with learning disabilities and autism, receive safe, appropriate, high quality care. NHS England sets out how it will achieve the objectives in the Mandate in its 2014-15 – 2016-17 business plan. The Government will hold NHS England to account for its achievement.

    Everyone Counts: Planning for Patients 2014/15 to 2018/19sets out a framework within which commissioners will need to work with providers and partners in local government to develop five year plans to secure the continuity of sustainable high quality care for all. Building on Everyone Counts, NHS England is beginning a programme of work to consider how to improve quality of and access to health care for people with learning disabilities. Within the framework there is specific reference to Transforming Care: A national response to Winterbourne View Hospital. This is a non-negotiable item that NHS England expects to be part of every relationship between commissioners and providers. As part of this, clinical commissioning groups, local authorities and specialised commissioners should work together to implement the core specification which describes the core principles that must be present in all education, health and social care services for children, young people, adults and older people with learning disabilities and/or autism who either display, or are at risk of displaying, behaviour that challenges.

    NHS England is committed to work to reduce premature mortality amongst people with learning disability, including actions in response to the Confidential Inquiry into Premature Deaths of People with Learning Disabilities.

  • Diana Johnson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Diana Johnson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what negotiations took place with trade unions prior to the decision to close the Hull Official Receiver’s office; and on what dates those negotiations took place.

    Jenny Willott

    Extensive discussions have taken place between the Insolvency Service and trade union officials in connection with the estates review of our 36 offices throughout the last 2 years, in the context of continued falling case numbers. As a result of this on-going consultation, changes have been made to our excess fares, home moves and flexible working policies, to support those affected by office closures. The trade unions were made aware on 25 February 2014 that the future of the Hull office was being considered, and were invited to provide any views they wished. Following the announcement of the office closure on 27 March 2014 a 90 day formal consultation period with employees and their trade unions representatives commenced. The purpose of the consultation is to ensure that the Insolvency Service explores what the decision means for each of its employees, as well as discussing and agreeing the support that it can provide.

  • Alison Seabeck – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    Alison Seabeck – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alison Seabeck on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Attorney General, how many parliamentary questions tabled to the Law Officers’ Departments in the last parliamentary Session did not receive a substantive answer by the time of the 2014 prorogation; and when each such question was first tabled.

    Oliver Heald

    None.

  • Ian Lavery – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Ian Lavery – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Lavery on 2014-04-10.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the staffing levels at HM Revenue and Customs debt management collectors were in (a) debt management telephony centres, (b) field force, (c) debt collection intervention teams, (d) debt technical offices and (e) late stage intervention in each of the last three years.

    Mr David Gauke

    Staff numbers fluctuate throughout the year but the following numbers of staff were in post at 31 March for each of the last three years:

    2011/12

    2012/13

    2013/14

    DMTC/DCIT

    1,276

    1,194

    1,336

    Field Force

    631

    601

    531

    DTO

    1,012

    1,223

    1,113

    LAST

    242

    277

    Total

    2,919

    3,260

    3,257

    · HMRC uses an appropriate mix of interventions to recover outstanding debt based on assessments of previous behaviour, [credit] risk and likely ability to pay. The allocation of various activities to specific debts is not mutually exclusive – some debtors may experience multiple contacts if they do not respond to initial attempts at recovery.

    · The table below shows the overall annual amounts of debts which HMRC has pursued and cleared in recent years.

    £billion

    2010/11

    2011/12

    2012/13

    2013/14

    Total Debt processed

    51

    53

    47

    59

  • Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-06-12.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people are registered as self-employed in each region and constituent part of the UK.

    Mr David Gauke

    Estimates of the numbers of individuals with self employment sources for each region of the UK in the year 2011-12 are provided in the table attached.

    Region

    Number of Self-employed
    (thousands)

    North East

    158

    North West and Merseyside

    497

    Yorkshire and the Humber

    402

    East Midlands

    352

    West Midlands

    418

    East of England

    556

    London

    883

    South East

    844

    South West

    559

    Wales

    240

    Scotland

    368

    Northern Ireland

    177

    Address abroad

    34

    All UK

    5,490

    These estimates are based on the Survey of Personal Incomes for 2011-12 which is the latest year available.

  • Sir Peter Bottomley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Sir Peter Bottomley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sir Peter Bottomley on 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will direct the Leasehold Advisory Service to co-operate with the Leasehold Knowledge Partnership and the Campaign Against Retirement Leasehold Exploitation on providing advice to leaseholders.

    Kris Hopkins

    My hon. Friend raises a serious matter. In July 2013, Mr Benjamin Mire resigned from his (part-time) judicial post on the Southern Residential Property Tribunal following a conduct investigation by the Ministry of Justice, but prior to the conclusion of the formal disciplinary process.

    Mr Mire is Chief Executive of Trust Property Management, a firm of chartered surveyors and managing agents. The issue raised is whether this company should continue to be advertised on LEASE’s (the Leasehold Advisory Service) practitioners’ list.

    The practitioner list is not meant to be a fully comprehensive list, nor does inclusion constitute a recommendation by LEASE. Firms pay a fee to be entered on the list and sign a contract accordingly.

    In considering a recent complaint on this issue, LEASE undertook a careful review of their terms and conditions in relation to inclusion in their professional directory. This has resulted in amendments being made, and revised terms and conditions have been published on their website.

    The revised terms and conditions give LEASE the right to temporarily remove an organisation’s directory information from the directory if a complaint is received from a third party relating to the organisation or its listing. They also give LEASE the right to terminate the contract with immediate effect by giving written notice if a number of conditions are not met, these include:-

    “The inclusion of the organisation’s directory information on the directory conflicts with LEASE Conferences Ltd or the Leasehold Advisory Service’s purposes, objectives or obligations or brings LEASE into disrepute or there is a risk (in our reasonable opinion) of any such conflict or bringing into disrepute.”

    If Trust Property Management does not meet the new terms and conditions when their contract for inclusion in the directory is due for renewal in July, then they will be removed, as will any other organisation which similarly does not meet the revised terms and conditions.

    Whilst I appreciate that this may not be as quick a step as my hon. Friend would wish, moving forward, I hope these actions taken will in due course ensure the continued integrity of the practitioners’ list. I would be happy to meet my hon. Friend if he wishes to discuss this further.

  • Ian Swales – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Ian Swales – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Swales on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much his Department has spent on redundancy payments for special advisers since May 2010.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The Government publishes annual statements on special adviser numbers and paybill costs, including severance pay. Information for each financial year going back to 2010/11 is available at the following links:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/special-adviser-data-releases-numbers-and-costs

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/special-adviser-data-releases-numbers-and-costs-october-2013

    “