UKPOL.CO.UK

Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Charles Kennedy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    Charles Kennedy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charles Kennedy on 2014-04-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what recent assessment he has made of the economic potential of the Scottish Highlands and Islands; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Alistair Carmichael

    The Scottish Highlands and Islands play an important role in the Scottish economy.

    The UK Government recognises this and has demonstrated strong support for rural areas through measures such the fuel duty rebate scheme, the abolition of the fuel duty escalator, and in the Budget 2014 supporting Scotch Whisky by freezing duty on spirits.

  • Biography information for Rehman Chishti – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Biography information for Rehman Chishti – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Rehman Chishti on Business, Innovation and Skills.

    1

    Jenny Willott

    Our main labour market policy to improve the position of the low paid is the National Minimum Wage. We have asked the Low Pay Commission to review and recommend minimum wage rates for 2015 that maximise wages without damaging employment.

    We have also increased the focus on compliance and enforcement of the National Minimum Wage in order to ensure that those entitled to it, receive it.

    In addition to the National Minimum Wage we are raising the personal tax allowance so that people take home more of what they earn.

  • Liam Byrne – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Liam Byrne – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liam Byrne on 2014-04-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to page 201 of HM Treasury’s Central Government Supply Estimates 2013-14, Supplementary Estimates and New Estimates, February 2014, HC 1006, what factors led to the need for the revised forecast that gave rise to the reserve claim of £5.455 billion for non-cash relating to revised forecasts for student loans; for what reasons this was unforeseen in his Department’s main estimate for 2013-14; and what steps he plans to take to avoid the need for such a supplementary estimate in the future.

    Mr David Willetts

    The Supplementary Estimates claim covered additional impairment of up to £3.2 billion resulting from improvements made to the student loans repayment model. Significant changes were made to the model after Main Estimates 2013-14 which enabled the Department to make better use of historical earnings data, which in turn produced greater accuracy in modelling borrowers’ earnings paths. These changes, in addition to greater use of Student Loan Company data to support the model, have enabled us to address the historic over-forecasting of repayments.

    The claim also included a contingency of £1.4 billion for any change to the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) economic forecasts between December 2013 and March 2014. If unusually low interest rates were forecast to continue for longer than expected, this would result in a cost to Government as future cash flows would be lower. Any changes to forecasts of earnings growth and RPI would also mean that lower loan repayments would be likely in future years The Department will continue to take account the possibility that the OBR will change its forecasts in March of future years.

    Non-cash pressures of £0.4 billion from higher than forecast growth in the take-up of loans and pre-agreed claims of £0.7 billion for higher impairment charges identified at SR13 were also included.

    The Department will continue to update its modelling of student loan repayments in the light of the latest data and forecasts, and methodological innovation.

  • Biography information for Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Biography information for Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park on Work and Pensions.

    1

    Mike Penning

    The information is not available.

  • David Hanson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    David Hanson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Hanson on 2014-04-28.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much of each type of tax relief was provided to buy-to-let residential property investors at the (a) basic income tax marginal rate, (b) higher income tax marginal rate and (c) additional income tax marginal rate in (i) 2010-11, (ii) 2011-12 and (iii) 2012-13.

    Mr David Gauke

    The information is not available. HMRC’s administrative systems do not distinguish between residential and non-residential property businesses nor the nature of rental property businesses such as buy-to-let investors. Moreover property income is grouped with other income in the calculation of tax liabilities, and consequently the amounts of specific deductions effective against each rate of tax is not precisely defined.

  • Biography information for Charlie Elphicke – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Biography information for Charlie Elphicke – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Charlie Elphicke on Treasury.

    1

    Mr David Gauke

    Previous replies have explained that further discussions in relation at Priory Court in Dover are a matter for Mapeley who own the land. While HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) occupy the property under the STEPS contracts and will consider any reasonable proposals, resolution of commercial considerations are for Network Rail and Mapeley.

  • 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 2014-04-28.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many Equitable Life policyholders are expected to benefit from the compensation scheme.

    Andrea Leadsom

    Around 1 million policyholders are eligible for a payment from the Equitable Life Payment Scheme.

  • Biography information for Tobias Ellwood – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Biography information for Tobias Ellwood – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Tobias Ellwood on Communities and Local Government.

    1

    Brandon Lewis

    This Government has provided a range of financial support schemes to help individuals, businesses, farmers and local authorities return to normality after the winter’s severe weather: these include Council Tax Relief, Business Rate Relief, the Business Support Scheme, and Repair and Renew Grants.

    The Government deals with local authorities who administer support schemes on its behalf. It does not deal directly with residents and does not therefore hold information at constituency level in terms of requests for financial support that have been granted: that is a matter for the local authorities concerned. I can say, however, that Bournemouth Borough Council has received some £350,000 to repair local roads damaged by severe weather, a further £268,000 from the Department for Transport’s Potholes Fund and my Department is aware that as at 25 June, the Council has received 70 claims for Council Tax Relief totalling some £14,000, one claim for Business Rate Relief and three applications from residents for Repair and Renew Grant to help build better flood protection into their homes. The Government retrospectively reimburses councils for the costs incurred from its flood recovery schemes.

  • Tracey Crouch – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Tracey Crouch – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tracey Crouch on 2014-04-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many individuals have been awarded a war disablement pension for mesothelioma since 1994; what estimate he has made of the number of former members of the armed forces who have gone on to develop mesothelioma; and if he will make a statement.

    Anna Soubry

    The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is unable to provide the number of individuals awarded a War Disablement Pension (WDP) for Mesothelioma since 1994 in the time scale requested. However, as at 31 March 2013, 50 individuals were in receipt of a WDP for a recorded condition of Mesothelioma.

    The MOD has no estimated data of former personnel with Mesothelioma.

  • Biography information for Simon Burns – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Biography information for Simon Burns – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Simon Burns on Health.

    1

    Norman Lamb

    The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published technology appraisal guidance in June 2012 which recommends abiraterone (Zytiga) in its licensed indication for the treatment of castration-resistant metastatic prostate cancer previously treated with a docetaxel-containing regimen, subject to a patient access scheme agreed between the Department and the drug’s manufacturer.

    NICE is currently appraising abiraterone for the treatment of metastatic hormone relapsed prostate cancer not previously treated with chemotherapy and has not yet published final guidance for the National Health Service. We understand that NICE has recently consulted on its draft guidance for this indication, which can be found at:

    http://guidance.nice.org.uk/TAG/434/Consultation/Latest

    NHS commissioners are legally required to fund those treatments recommended by NICE in its technology appraisal guidance.

    In the absence of NICE technology appraisal guidance it is for the relevant NHS commissioner to make funding decisions based on an assessment of the available evidence. The NHS Constitution states that patients have the right to expect local decisions on the funding of drugs and treatments ‘to be made rationally following a proper consideration of the evidence’.

    We understand that abiraterone as a first-line treatment is available through the Cancer Drugs Fund to NHS patients in England who could benefit from it.

    We are unable to provide copies of the correspondence requested in the time available and this information will be placed in the Library in due course.