The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Manzoor on 2016-04-28.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many (1) women, and (2) men, had jobs paid below £10,000 per annum in (a) 2013–14, and (b) 2014–15.
Lord Bridges of Headley
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Allen of Kensington on 2016-06-13.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government which regulator will have responsibility and oversight of the planned Electronic Communications Code.
Baroness Neville-Rolfe
Under paragraphs 106 -119 of the Communications Act 2003 OFCOM are responsible for application of the Code to electronic communications providers.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alison Thewliss on 2016-09-02.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will bring forward proposals to ban the promotion of high-risk credit products through unsolicited direct marketing mail and telephone calls.
Simon Kirby
The Government has, as part of its action plan to address nuisance calls, made it easier for the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) to take action against nuisance callers. The Government has removed the legal threshold requiring the ICO to prove a firm has caused ‘substantial damage or substantial distress’, and increased the level of fine available to punish rogue companies.
The Financial Conduct Authority is also committed to ensuring that cold calling by phone, text or email makes clear the identity of the firm, and the purpose of the communication, so the consumer can decide whether to proceed. Such promotions are also required to include a representative example or APR. Regulated firms must comply with data protection and Telephone and Mail Preference Service requirements.
In addition, the FCA has committed to review its rules on unsolicited marketing calls, emails and text messages from consumer credit firms, including payday lenders. The review will include specifically looking at whether these unsolicited communications should be banned, given the potential for causing significant distress to consumers. The FCA will publish the outcome of that review by the end of the year.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-10-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if Ministers of his Department will meet with the European Investment Bank to discuss access to loan finance for local authorities after the UK leaves the EU; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Marcus Jones
Consideration of local authorities’ financial relationship with the European Investment Bank will form part of our approach to exiting the EU. As this government has already stated, we will not give a running commentary on Brexit negotiations.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Walmsley on 2015-11-05.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they define commercial confidentiality” and “exceptional circumstances” in relation to restrictions on FOI requests relating to private companies that provide public services.”
Lord Bridges of Headley
Requests for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 are considered on a case by case basis. Section 43 of the Act sets out the circumstances in which information is exempt from disclosure on grounds of commercial interests.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2015-12-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department plans to retain or to return to the Consolidated Fund receipts from the sale of land and property assets over the Spending Review period.
Mark Lancaster
The Ministry of Defence plans to retain all receipts from the sale of land and property assets.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Chapman on 2016-01-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) assets and (b) personnel of his Department took part in Exercise Platinum Lion in collaboration with the US, Romanian and Bulgarian armed forces.
Penny Mordaunt
40 personnel from 40 Commando Royal Marines took part in Exercise PLATINUM LION during July 2015. This was primarily an infantry skills exercise with no major assets deployed.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karl Turner on 2016-02-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 29 January 2016 to Question 24371, for what reasons there are no figures for the number of compliance checks the Maritime and Coastguard Agency carried out on vessels in the North Sea sulphur dioxide emission control area in 2015.
Mr Robert Goodwill
Further to my answer of 29 January, the data provided refers to the specific fuel sampling and testing regime put into place by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) in order to support compliance activity relating to the use of low sulphur fuel by ships. This sampling activity started on 1 January 2016 in line with a Europe-wide decision.
This sampling is supplementary to the normal Port State Control activity that is performed by MCA Marine Surveyors, the scope of which includes consideration of compliance with air pollution requirements.
In 2015 the MCA carried out 1068 inspections under Port State Control which includes the examination of documentation related to compliance with the North Sea sulphur emissions control area.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by James Berry on 2016-03-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to reform special educational needs and disability provision.
Edward Timpson
The special educational needs and disability (SEND) reforms which came into effect in September 2014 represent the biggest change to the SEND system in a generation. They are transforming the support available to children and young people with SEND by joining up services across education, health and social care and by focusing on positive outcomes for education, employment, housing, health and community participation.
Since September 2014, our reforms have seen the introduction of:
o published ‘local offers’ for each local area, setting out the SEND services that are available;
o new Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans for those with more complex needs – replacing statements of SEN and post-16 Learning Difficulty Assessments (LDAs);
o a new legal requirement on local authorities to take the views of families fully into account when deciding what provision to offer;
o new statutory protections for 16-25 year olds in further education – including the right to request the educational institution of their choice;
o new duties for health to deliver the agreed health elements of EHC plans;
o the option of a personal budget for families and young people with an EHC plan;
o a review of disagreement resolution arrangements; and
o new arrangements for supporting young offenders with SEND.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Lord Bishop of Leeds on 2016-03-23.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Iraq about Iraq becoming a signatory to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The UK coordinates with other EU member states to promote the universality of the Rome Statute. We offer support to any State that is in the process of ratifying the Rome Statute or needs assistance in adopting the national legislation needed to enact the full implementation of the statute.
Whether Iraq chooses to accede to the Rome Statute is a matter for the Government of Iraq.