Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • 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, whether the increase in ISA limits announced in the 2014 Budget allow those with current ISAs to take advantage of the new limit between the present time and March 2015.

    Mr David Gauke

    The 2014 Budget announced that the annual ISA subscription limit for 2014-15 will stand at £15,000. The new £15,000 limit will take effect on 1 July 2014. From that date, for the first time ever, ISA savers will be permitted to deposit their full ISA allowance into either a cash ISA, a stocks and shares ISA, or split in any combination between the two.

    Between now and the 1 July 2014, savers are permitted to deposit up to £11,880 into a stocks and shares ISA and up to half of this amount into a cash ISA. From the 1 July, subject to the terms and conditions of their accounts, they will be permitted to add additional funds up to the new £15,000 limit.

  • Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the effect of the use of zero hour contracts on workers’ wellbeing.

    Jenny Willott

    No assessment of the effects of zero hours contracts on worker’s wellbeing has been made by this Department. However the Workplace Employers Relations Study (WERS) found that overall well-being of employees increased between 2004 and 2011 despite the recession. Overall job satisfaction also increased and is very high by international standards.

    Zero hour contracts have a place in today’s labour market, supporting business flexibility, making it easier to hire new staff and providing pathways to employment for young people.

    Following a public consultation, which closed in March this year, this Government has introduced legislation via the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill to ban the use of exclusivity clauses in contracts which do not guarantee any hours.

  • Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Robertson on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many suitably qualified and experienced RAF personnel his Department has required for aircraft maintenance in each location in each of the last three years; and how many such posts were vacant in each location in each such year.

    Anna Soubry

    A table that provides the data requested is attached.

  • Jim Sheridan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Jim Sheridan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Sheridan on 2014-06-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the prevalence of blacklisting amongst employment agencies.

    Jenny Willott

    Blacklisting is an unacceptable and illegal practice and we take any allegations of blacklisting very seriously. We have always encouraged anyone with evidence of blacklisting to come forward so that we can investigate. Any evidence of blacklisting should be referred to the Information Commissioner’s Office. Individuals who believe they are being excluded from employment because of a blacklist should seek redress in the county courts in England and Wales, or Court of Session in Scotland.

  • Gregory Campbell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Gregory Campbell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the Pakistan government on the case of Shafqat Emmanuel and Shagufta Kausar who have been sentenced to death for allegedly sending a text message regarding the prophet Mohamed.

    Hugh Robertson

    I am concerned to hear about the case of Shafqat Emmanuel and Shagufta Kausar and the imposition of the death penalty on them. We regularly raise the issue of blasphemy laws, and their misuse against both Muslims and religious minorities, at the highest levels in Pakistan. We have consistently pressed the government of Pakistan on the issue of the death penalty and our principled opposition to it in all cases and we will continue to raise both these issues with the government of Pakistan.

  • Cathy Jamieson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Cathy Jamieson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cathy Jamieson on 2014-06-17.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to improve regulation of the shadow banking sector.

    Andrea Leadsom

    When appropriately conducted, shadow banking can benefit the economy by increasing the availability of credit to a range of individuals or firms, and provide a valuable alternative to bank funding. It provides credit and liquidity to the real economy and can improve efficiency and drive innovation in the financial system through firms developing expert knowledge in a particular area.

    However, the Government is aware of the risks shadow banking activities pose to financial stability when things go wrong. The crisis showed that some shadow banking entities created pro-cyclical build-ups of leverage, did not fully transfer credit risk, were susceptible to rapid sell-offs, and were very complex. It also became clear that the shadow banking sector had very complex interconnections with the traditional banking system.

    Recognising the need to improve the transparency and supervision of the shadow banking sector, the Government has taken steps to improve the way shadow banking entities are regulated.

    Domestically, the Government has created new Financial Policy Committee (FPC) within the Bank of England to ensure emerging risks and vulnerabilities across the financial system as a whole are identified, monitored and effectively addressed. In September last year, the Committee agreed as one of its medium term priorities the identification and management of potential systemic risks from shadow banking.

    At the international level, the Government is actively supporting the effective regulation of the sector in EU policymaking, and the UK is instrumental in shaping the global regulatory response at the Financial Stability Board.

  • Steve Rotheram – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Steve Rotheram – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve Rotheram on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which police forces failed to meet her Department’s deadline of 4 April 2014 for handing over to the Independent Police Complaints Commission any evidence relating to the Hillsborough disaster.

    Mrs Theresa May

    I wrote to all Chief Constables in England and Wales on 4 March 2014 to request
    that all police forces search their records to establish whether they possess
    any material that relates to the Hillsborough tragedy. The purpose of the
    letter was to assist the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) and
    Operation Resolve in recovering any material which had not already been
    provided. I understand that all forces have now responded to the IPCC and I am
    aware that the IPCC is currently assessing these responses. I am expecting a
    full report from them in due course.

  • David Lammy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    David Lammy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Lammy on 2014-06-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when he expects to reach a decision on whether Haringey Council will be issued with a Compulsory Purchase Order in relation to the site of 1-3 Paxton Road, London N17 0PB.

    Nick Boles

    We are currently considering whether to confirm a Compulsory Purchase Order known as The London Borough of Haringey (Northumberland Development Project) (No 1) submitted by Haringey Council which includes the site of 1-3 Paxton Road. The Order was received in the Department on 5 September 2012.

    This is a complex case. After the close of the inquiry there were matters in respect of which further views of the interested parties were sought and considered. This has delayed the decision in this case.

    We hope to issue the decision on this shortly. It is not appropriate to comment further as to do so may prejudice the Secretary of State’s decision.

  • Elfyn Llwyd – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Elfyn Llwyd – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Elfyn Llwyd on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what guidance his Department has issued to magistrates on consideration of breach applications following the introduction of the Transforming Rehabilitation agenda in England and Wales.

    Jeremy Wright

    The Department has engaged regularly with the magistracy on the Transforming Rehabilitation reforms, via the National Sentencer Probation Forum and other meetings, and through the usual communication channels. Our intention is to ensure that the magistracy and sentencers more widely are fully informed of the Transforming Rehabilitation reforms and associated implications, including for breach applications. Training for the magistracy and any sentencing guidelines relating to the Offender Rehabilitation Act 2014 will be a matter for the independent Judicial College and the Sentencing Council respectively.

  • Dan Jarvis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Dan Jarvis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2014-06-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what criteria he will use in deciding in which schools to establish a new Combined Cadet Force detachment.

    Anna Soubry

    The cost of setting up a new Combined Cadet Force (CCF) unit under the Cadet Expansion Programme depends largely on the number of cadets in the unit.

    Decisions on opening new CCFs in schools are made jointly by the Department for Education and Ministry of Defence (MOD). The key criteria for deciding which schools can establish a new CCF are the ability of the school to fund the new unit and provide sufficient adult volunteers to run it. However, we are particularly interested in establishing CCFs in areas of deprivation.

    No assessment has been made of the effect of establishing new CCFs in state schools on recruitment to community cadet units. However, it should be noted that CCFs and community cadet units deliver different but complementary elements of the MOD’s youth engagement strategy.