The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tessa Munt on 2014-05-07.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department has undertaken any work to assess how many jobs in the UK are dependent on trade with the EU.
Nicky Morgan
HM Treasury regularly monitors economic developments in the UK and elsewhere. In doing so, it considers a wide range of publications and analyses, from many sources and covering many issues.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-05-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how long tenants who move from direct payment of housing support to managed payment because they have eight weeks of rent arrears will be allowed to stay on managed payment before they revert to direct payment.
Steve Webb
It is expected that this arrangement would be reviewed six months after the arrears have been repaid, with a view to the tenant returning to the standard monthly payment, having received additional personal budgeting support where appropriate. All alternative payment arrangements are discretionary and based on individual circumstances and consequently this timescale may vary depending on the capabilities and support needs of the claimant(s).
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Blenkinsop on 2014-05-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will meet the hon. Member for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland to discuss recent developments in South Tees NHS Foundation Trust.
Dr Daniel Poulter
The hon. Member for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland has had these issues debated in the House on more than one occasion, most recently at a Westminster Hall Debate on 5 November 2013. He has also had several meetings with Ministers.
The National Health Service (NHS) regulator, Monitor, is continuing to investigate the South Tees NHS Foundation Trust and the results of its investigation will be published in due course.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David T. C. Davies on 2014-05-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which people from Wales responded to the consultation on the relaxation of licensing hours during the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
Norman Baker
The Government received 25 responses to the online consultation on the
relaxation of licensing hours during the FIFA World Cup from respondents who
identified themselves as living or working in Wales. This included nine from
members of the public, seven from licensing authorities, three from the
licensed trade or trade organisations and two from the police and four from
‘other’. The response to the consultation is available online at the gov.uk
website.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Simon Reevell on 2014-05-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what evidence there is of contamination of the bacterial pathogen, Melissoccocus plutonius, from countries within the EU.
Dan Rogerson
Melissococcus plutonius is the causative agent of European foulbrood. In 2012 the Dutch reported the results of a survey that used sensitive detection methodologies to suggest a 35 percent apiary prevalence of Melissococcus plutonius across the Netherlands.
But a 2012-13 pan-European epidemiological study on honey bee colony losses found a low prevalence of European foulbrood across 15 Member States:
http://ec.europa.eu/food/animals/live_animals/bees/docs/bee-report_en.pdf.
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Green on 2014-05-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many magistrates sat more than 70 half days in the last year.
Mr Shailesh Vara
The latest records for the number of magistrates that sat for more than 70 half days are for 2012/13. 759 magistrates sat for more than 70 half days in that year. It may also assist if I explain that 244 of those magistrates sat on panels, such as youth, family and fine enforcement.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by James Duddridge on 2014-05-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the timescale is for his Department to (a) survey East Beach in Shoeburyness for unexploded ordnance and (b) carry out remedial works.
Anna Soubry
East Beach is managed by Southend-on-Sea Borough Council under a licence agreement with the Ministry of Defence (MOD). The decision to close the beach was made by the Council and it will be for them to determine when to re-open it. As such, no estimates have been made by the MOD about the economic effect of the Council’s decision to the local economy.
A MOD survey of East Beach will assist in the formulation of a risk management plan that will focus mitigation work on those areas of the beach at greatest risk. It is too early to say what mitigation work will be required, when it will be carried out, and how long it will take to complete.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Smith of Finsbury on 2014-05-07.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Deighton on 6 May (WA 443) on the treatment of newspaper products, what plans they have in relation to a zero rate of VAT on books provided in digital format.
Lord Deighton
The Government has no plans to change the VAT treatment of books provided in digital format. Legal advice obtained by the Government indicates there is no scope to do so under EU law.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by FALSE on 2014-05-07.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the nature of the urgent consideration” they are giving to improve the attainment outcomes of Gypsy
Lord Nash
The draft Child Poverty Strategy document references measures currently under consideration to improve the attendance of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) pupils. Attendance levels for many of these pupils are unacceptably low. In 2012/13, the overall absence rate for Gypsy / Roma pupils (15.3%) was around three times the national rate for all pupils (5.3%) and for Traveller of Irish Heritage pupils, was around four times the national rate (21.4%). Poor attendance at school is a real barrier to improving attainment for this group of pupils and there is an urgent need for improvement. GRT families, stakeholder groups, schools and local authorities – working in partnership – have an important role to play in fostering the highest expectations when it comes to attendance so that all GRT children can benefit from their full educational entitlement.
The Government is investing £2.5 billion in the pupil premium this year to improve the attainment of pupils from low-income families and so improve their future life chances. Most GRT pupils are benefiting from the pupil premium on the basis of their economic circumstances. In 2013, three quarters of Traveller of Irish Heritage and 60% of Gypsy / Roma pupils attracted pupil premium funding. There are no plans to change the pupil premium funding criteria.
The summer term meeting of the Department for Education’s reference group on GRT will provide an opportunity for further discussion on improving the attainment of GRT pupils.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by on 2014-05-07.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations that are making directly and multilaterally to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in respect of the February 2014 speech by Christine Lagarde suggesting that rising inequality and economic exclusion can have pernicious effects” and that policy must take account of the inclusiveness of growth
Lord Deighton
At its April 2014 meeting, the International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC) of the IMF, attended by the Chancellor, agreed that rising inequality and high unemployment be addressed by removing structural impediments to inclusive growth.
It is not Government practice to comment on the detail of IMF Staff Discussion Papers. IMF Staff regularly produce such papers, and the analysis and views therein are those of staff and not necessarily the IMF or its Executive Board.