Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Ian Austin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Ian Austin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2014-04-10.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions he has had on the future of the Landfill Communities Fund.

    Nicky Morgan

    The Government regularly meets a range of stakeholders on the Landfill Communities Fund.

    The LCF makes a valuable contribution to local communities. All projects have to be approved by ENTRUST as meeting specific criteria, to ensure the project benefits the wider community.The value of the landfill communities fund for 2014-15 will be reduced to £71 million. This reduction takes account of progress that environmental bodies have made to address the government’s challenge to reduce unspent funds. The saving will be used to fund an equivalent one-off increase in Defra’s budget to address waste crime. The government intends that environmental bodies’ performance against the challenge is published once the final information is available later this year.

  • Nigel Evans – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Nigel Evans – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Evans on 2014-06-12.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimates have been made for the net financial benefit to the pub industry of the reduction in beer duty in the 2014 Budget.

    Nicky Morgan

    Budget 2014 cut the tax on a typical pint of beer by one penny. This will support pubs as the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) estimate nearly two thirds of the alcohol sold in pubs is beer. After the beer duty cut at Budget 2013, a BBPA survey suggested 76% of their members increased their investment and 61% employed more staff.

    Some pubs have diversified away from beer and these pubs will benefit from the duty on ordinary cider and spirits being frozen this year, as well as from ending the wine duty escalator.

  • Sir Peter Bottomley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Sir Peter Bottomley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sir Peter Bottomley on 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will direct the Leasehold Advisory Service to cease carrying advertising for or links to the services of Benjamin Mire or Trust Property Management.

    Kris Hopkins

    My hon. Friend raises a serious matter. In July 2013, Mr Benjamin Mire resigned from his (part-time) judicial post on the Southern Residential Property Tribunal following a conduct investigation by the Ministry of Justice, but prior to the conclusion of the formal disciplinary process.

    Mr Mire is Chief Executive of Trust Property Management, a firm of chartered surveyors and managing agents. The issue raised is whether this company should continue to be advertised on LEASE’s (the Leasehold Advisory Service) practitioners’ list.

    The practitioner list is not meant to be a fully comprehensive list, nor does inclusion constitute a recommendation by LEASE. Firms pay a fee to be entered on the list and sign a contract accordingly.

    In considering a recent complaint on this issue, LEASE undertook a careful review of their terms and conditions in relation to inclusion in their professional directory. This has resulted in amendments being made, and revised terms and conditions have been published on their website.

    The revised terms and conditions give LEASE the right to temporarily remove an organisation’s directory information from the directory if a complaint is received from a third party relating to the organisation or its listing. They also give LEASE the right to terminate the contract with immediate effect by giving written notice if a number of conditions are not met, these include:-

    “The inclusion of the organisation’s directory information on the directory conflicts with LEASE Conferences Ltd or the Leasehold Advisory Service’s purposes, objectives or obligations or brings LEASE into disrepute or there is a risk (in our reasonable opinion) of any such conflict or bringing into disrepute.”

    If Trust Property Management does not meet the new terms and conditions when their contract for inclusion in the directory is due for renewal in July, then they will be removed, as will any other organisation which similarly does not meet the revised terms and conditions.

    Whilst I appreciate that this may not be as quick a step as my hon. Friend would wish, moving forward, I hope these actions taken will in due course ensure the continued integrity of the practitioners’ list. I would be happy to meet my hon. Friend if he wishes to discuss this further.

  • Harriet Harman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Harriet Harman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Harriet Harman on 2014-06-12.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent estimate he has made of (a) the total amount paid out in film tax relief and (b) the resultant benefit to the UK economy as a result of such tax relief since 2007; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr David Gauke

    HMRC data indicates that between January 2007 and March 2013, over 1,200 film productions have claimed £1.3bn of tax relief.

    According to the Office of National Statistics and the BFI, the film and video production industry generates around 46,000 jobs and film investment is over £1 billion a year.


    To support this important sector the Government has modernised film tax relief and extended the relief to animation, high-end television and video games.

    The BFI statistics for 2013 show that these reforms are working, with an increase in overall UK film investment, and that the new TV and animation tax reliefs have supported growth in production in the UK.

  • John Redwood – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    John Redwood – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Redwood on 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what levels of stock his Department holds of (a) stationery, (b) printer cartridges, (c) treasury tags and other fasteners and (d) other office consumables.

    Elizabeth Truss

    The information requested is not held centrally, and could only be collated at disproportionate cost.

  • Kevan Jones – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Kevan Jones – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevan Jones on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the National Audit Office report, Army 2020, HC 263, published on 11 June 2014, page 25, if he will provide details of (a) the 167 implementation orders that his Department has already issued as part of the Army 2020 reforms and (b) any implementation orders which have yet to be issued.

    Mr Mark Francois

    Implementation Orders are used to communicate structural changes within the Army. As at June 2014 over 170 orders have been issued for Army 2020. The Ministry of Defence does not routinely publish details of internal military orders.

  • Maria Eagle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Maria Eagle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, on what date cage trapping and shooting of badgers was implemented alongside the free-shooting of badgers in the pilot badger cull in Somerset in 2013; and on what date free shooting had started in that cull.

    George Eustice

    Cage trapping was used from the outset in each of the pilot areas. Under the licence issued to each area, cage trapping and shooting and controlled shooting are both permitted control methods. No further authorisation from the Department was required.

    The Guidance issued to Natural England on issuing licenses to kill or take badgers for the purpose of preventing the spread of bovine TB under section 10(2)(a) of the Protection of Badgers Act 1992, and the Government’s policy document on Bovine TB and badger control in England, both state ‘in order to ensure humaneness, only two culling methods will be permitted (which can be used in combination, or as single control methods): i. cage-trapping followed by shooting; and ii. controlled shooting.’ Both of these documents were published on 14th December 2011.

  • Madeleine Moon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Madeleine Moon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Madeleine Moon on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) male and (b) female recruits dropped out of training at Catterick Infantry Training Centre after completing phase one but before completing phase two in each year since 2006; how many such recruits in each category were aged under 18 years when they enlisted; how many had undertaken phase one training at Harrogate Army Foundation College; and if he will make a statement.

    Anna Soubry

    Infantry training at Catterick is comprised of the Combat Infantryman’s Course, which is a combined phase one and phase two course. For this reason it is not possible to provide the information requested for those who are recruited straight into Catterick.

    Separate Phase one training prior to attending Catterick is undertaken by those who attend the Army Foundation College at Harrogate. The numbers in the table relate only to recruits who attended the Army Foundation College and therefore all would have been under 18 on enlistment.

    No female recruits undergo infantry training and therefore figures shown relate to males only.

    Year

    Total Starts

    Junior Entry Starts

    Junior Entry Drop out

    Senior Entry Starts

    Senior Entry Drop out

    % Junior Entry Drop out

    % Senior Entry Drop out

    2006-07

    3410

    300

    40

    3,110

    950

    13%

    28%

    2007-08

    3550

    300

    30

    3,250

    1,090

    10%

    31%

    2008-09

    4020

    320

    40

    3,700

    1,060

    13%

    26%

    2009-10

    4170

    380

    50

    3,790

    1,340

    13%

    32%

    2010-11

    2600

    280

    40

    2,320

    840

    14%

    32%

    2011-12

    4050

    470

    70

    3,580

    1,260

    15%

    31%

    2012-13

    3870

    630

    100

    3,240

    910

    16%

    24%

    2013-14

    1950

    420

    40

    1,530

    680

    10%

    35%

    Figures have been rounded to 10; numbers ending in ‘5′ are rounded to the nearest multiple of 20 to prevent systematic bias.

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

    Sir Menzies Campbell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sir Menzies Campbell on 2014-04-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his counterpart in Burma on protecting Burmese soldiers who refuse orders which could result in human rights abuses.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    During my second visit to Burma in January, I personally pressed the Burmese government and members of the Burmese military, including the Burmese Commander in Chief, to address our human rights concerns. I was also fortunate to visit Kachin State in January – the first British Minister to do so since Burma gained independence. I made clear to the government and the military that conflict should end and that there should be unhindered humanitarian access to the areas affected. I also raised our concerns about very serious allegations of sexual violence in conflict and the forced conscription of child soldiers.

    Whilst I did not discuss the issue of soldiers refusing orders which could result in human rights abuses, a discussion of the nature of illegal orders featured during the Managing Defence in a Wider Security Context course, delivered by the UK Defence Academy in Burma in January. The 30 course participants were a mix of mid-ranking military officers, members of the police and officials from Burma’s foreign ministry.

  • Jamie Reed – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Jamie Reed – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jamie Reed on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many teaching assistant training posts have been (a) commissioned and (b) filled in in (i) Copeland and (ii) Cumbria in the latest period for which figures are available.

    Mr David Laws

    The information requested is not collected centrally.