The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2014-04-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had on the redevelopment of Birmingham New Street station.
Stephen Hammond
The Secretary of State visited the Birmingham Gateway project on 22 April 2014 to view progress. In addition, regular meetings take place between officials, Birmingham City Council, Network Rail and other stakeholders on the project.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-06-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many 16 year olds claimed jobseeker’s allowance in (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012 and (d) 2013.
Esther McVey
The information as requested is published and can be found at:
https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/Default.asp
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachel Reeves on 2014-04-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the effect on the number of people subject to improved incentives to work of the introduction of universal credit.
Esther McVey
Universal Credit will encourage claimants to move into employment by allowing individuals to keep more of their income as they move into work and by introducing a smoother and more transparent reduction of benefits.
Once Universal Credit is fully rolled out, the number of households losing more than 70% of their earnings when starting work of ten hours per week will fall by 800,000.
Overall it is estimated that up to 300,000 individuals will move into work as a result of Universal Credit, through improved financial incentives, increased simplicity of the system and increased conditionality.
These estimates are consistent with the policy assumptions underpinning the Universal Credit costings published by the Office for Budget Responsibility.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Taylor of Bolton on 2014-06-12.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to recognise women who worked in munitions factories during the Second World War as part of the 70th anniversary commemorations marking the end of conflict.
Viscount Younger of Leckie
The Government fully appreciates the efforts and the often very dangerous conditions experienced by those who worked in factories producing vital equipment for the armed forces that helped contribute to winning the Second World War. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has been working with the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Recognition for Munitions Workers, which was set up in 2011 to explore ways to ensure that the valiant collective efforts of all those who worked in munitions factories are not forgotten.
Following the very successful commemorations to mark the 70th anniversary of D-Day we will now be focussing in more detail across government on how the 70th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in 2015 might be marked in an appropriate manner. No decisions have yet been made on how the anniversary will be marked, but we expect an announcement on the commemorations to be made by the Government later in the year.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Katy Clark on 2014-04-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 8 April 2014, Official Report, columns 218-9W, on social security benefits, when he expects to make available the requested data.
Mike Penning
In the production of new statistics the Department works to guidelines set by the UK Statistics Authority to ensure we are able to publish statistics that meet high quality standards at the earliest opportunity.
All releases will be preannounced via the UK National Statistics publication hub at http://www.statistics.gov.uk/hub/index.html
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Rennard on 2014-06-12.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they consider that online completion of census data could be combined with online electoral registration.
Lord Wallace of Saltaire
With the introduction of online registration in England and Wales on 10 June and September in Scotland, registering to vote is now more convenient and accessible.
The Government will continue to explore the mutual benefits of collaboration between online electoral registration and preparation for the online Census.
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 estimate he has made of the potential cost of buying out the lease for the Hull Official Receiver’s office.
Jenny Willott
No assessment of the costs of buying out the lease have been made. The financial information considered when the decision to close the office was made assumed that the Insolvency Service would be responsible for lease payments until the lease end in September 2016.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness King of Bow on 2014-06-12.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Stowell of Beeston on 10 March (WA 351) on homelessness, how much was awarded to each of the 47 local authorities for preventing homelessness in 2011–12.
Baroness Stowell of Beeston
Under this and the last Administration, the Department for Communities and Local Government has provided grant funding to a number of local authorities to support the provision of advice on preventing homelessness to complement the funding we provide to the voluntary sector.
The London Borough of Croydon received £1,591,050 in grant in 2010-11 for homelessness prevention, which was intended to support a range of activities including a contribution to the costs of providing homelessness advice to local authorities in London. The payment to Croydon was made under Section 31 of the Local Government Act 2003 (the general power to pay grant to local authorities towards expenditure incurred or to be incurred). The grant was unring-fenced and not subject to any conditions.
As was the position with funding provided to Newham, as set out in the answers to the noble Lady on 13 February 2013, Official Report, column WA165 and of 27 March 2013, Official Report, column WA247, there was no contract either between the Department and the London Borough of Croydon or the Department and Andy Gale.
While departmental officials had discussions with Croydon about how the grant was to be spent, Ministers in this Administration had no involvement with local authorities on commissioning such services.
A copy of the The Homelessness Revenue Grant Determination 2011-12 (31/1974) dated 1 March 2012 which lists the amount of funding received by 47 local authorities in 2011-12 for homelessness prevention work has been placed in the Library of the House.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen O’Brien on 2014-04-10.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, in what circumstances he uses a calculation of the (a) value of preventing a fatality, (b) willingness to pay and (c) cost-per-quality adjusted life year approach to quantify the value of a policy intervention; what other tools he uses to quantify the benefit of a policy intervention; and if he will make a statement.
Danny Alexander
The Green Book and associated supplementary guidance is publicly available on the Treasury web site. It sets out a range of approaches and methods that may be appropriate in a number of different appraisal circumstances. The valuation of preventing fatalities makes a contribution to the calculation of risk reduction in many situations and is used extensively by the Department for Transport among others. Department of Health policies are likely to impact on health and longevity. For the majority of these policies, the impacts will be quantified in terms of quality adjusted life years. The cost of producing a quality adjusted life year is used as part of the appraisal and evaluation of alternative health investments.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sheila Gilmore on 2014-06-12.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what visits (a) each of the Ministers in his Department, (b) the Prime Minister and (c) the Deputy Prime Minister have made since January 2013; and what the purpose of each such visit was.
Mr Francis Maude
Details of Ministers’ visits overseas are published quarterly and can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/ministers-transparency-publications
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