The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Redwood on 2016-02-22.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an estimate of the revenue the Government received from VAT on domestic energy in each of the last five years.
Mr David Gauke
This level of detail is not requested on VAT returns and therefore data is not available on how much VAT was raised on domestic energy in each of the last five years.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kelvin Hopkins on 2016-03-16.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the judgment in Iliffe News and Media Ltd & Ors v Revenue and Customs [2012] UKFTT 696 (TC) (1 November 2012), what steps his Department has taken against Ernst & Young for designing and marketing the tax avoidance scheme rejected by the court.
Mr David Gauke
It is not possible for HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to provide details of any action taken in connection with these organisations.
In the March 2015 Budget, the Government challenged the accountancy and tax professional bodies to improve how they deal with their members who promote tax avoidance schemes.
The professional bodies have responded positively to this challenge and are working with HMRC to agree a new standard to which their members will need to adhere.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hywel Williams on 2016-04-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what meetings (a) he and (b) his predecessor had with ministers of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (i) wholly and (ii) primarily about Tata Steel’s intentions for the Welsh steel industry.
Alun Cairns
My predecessor, the Rt hon Stephen Crabb MP, and I have, and continue to conduct regular meetings to discuss Tata Steel, and the Welsh Steel Industry with Cabinet colleagues, UK Government Ministers and Welsh Government Ministers.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2016-05-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average hourly earnings were of his Department’s (a) BME and (b) non-BME employees in (i) 2015 and (ii) 2016.
Andrew Selous
There are multiple Terms and Conditions and multiple working patterns in operation at the MoJ. Providing an accurate and meaningful answer for both BME and non-BME employees would incur disproportionate costs.
The Civil Service is changing, and our recruitment seeks to reflect the make-up and composition of our nation as a whole. Historically, BME staff were under-represented: both in terms of previous recruitment patterns and the number and proportion in higher grades, both of these factors have contributed to the differences in average salaries.
We are making progress the proportion of BME staff in the Civil Service has risen from 9.2% in 2010 to 10.6% in 2015, but we recognise that there is still more to do.
In March, the Government published its 2016 Talent Action Plan for the Civil Service. It provides a progress update on initiatives to increase diversity in the Civil Service, including cross-Government talent programmes aimed at under-represented groups.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/talent-action-plan-2016-removing-the-barriers-to-success
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Debbie Abrahams on 2016-07-11.
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what funding her Department has provided to the Equality and Human Rights Commission in each year since 2010-11.
Caroline Dinenage
The Equality and Human Rights Commission is an independent body, but wholly funded by Government. Full information on its budgets since 2010/11 can be found in its Annual Reports at the following links: https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/corporate-reporting/annual-reports
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Mactaggart on 2016-10-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many children who have applied in France for asylum in the UK have been successful in their application in the last three years.
Mr Robert Goodwill
It is not possible for an individual to apply for asylum in the UK from France. If an asylum claim is made in France and the French Government consider that the UK is responsible for examining that asylum claim under the Dublin Regulation, a transfer request is made, which the UK subsequently either accepts or rejects. If the transfer request is accepted, the individual is transferred to the UK where their asylum claim is considered.
Before the beginning of the year very few transfers of children were made from France to the UK. However, following a concerted effort to improve the functioning of Dublin by the UK and French authorities, between 1 January and 1 October 2016 over 80 children have been accepted for transfer from France to the UK.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Virendra Sharma on 2015-11-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate he has made of the proportion of (a) disabled people aged (i) under 25 and (ii) under 30 who participated in apprenticeships and (b) apprenticeships undertaken by disabled people in each of those age groups in each of the last 10 years.
Nick Boles
Information on Apprenticeship participation by learners with Learning Difficulties and/or Disabilities, broken down by age, is published in supplementary tables (first link) to a Statistical First Release (second link).
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/fe-data-library-equality-and-diversity
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Pritchard on 2016-01-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what additional support the Government is giving to Syriac Christian and Yazidi female battalions in the fight against ISIL.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
The UK has not provided any ammunition or equipment to any groups in Syria. The Global Coalition has provided air support to the Syrian Democratic Forces (which include Syrian Christian members) in their fight against Daesh. The US is leading international efforts to support the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and has provided ammunition and other equipment. The UK is playing a full role in the Coalition air campaign in Syria and will work closely with the US and other Coalition allies to consider additional support to partner forces in Syria fighting Daesh, including the SDF. We recognise the situation is desperate for many communities within Syria and Iraq. We condemn in the strongest terms the atrocities committed by Daesh against all civilians, including Christians, Mandeans, Yazidis, and other minorities, as well as the majority Muslim population in Iraq and Syria. Ultimately, the best way of safeguarding minority rights in the region is by defeating Daesh and establishing peace and stability. The UK has been at the forefront of these efforts, and has a comprehensive strategy to deal with Daesh.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-01-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress has been made in dealing with the migrants who arrived (a) in October 1998 and (b) on 21 October 2015 in the RAF Dhekelia and RAF Akrotiri Soverign Base Areas in Cyprus.
Penny Mordaunt
The remaining migrants, both recognised refugees and failed asylum seekers, from those who arrived in the Soveriegn Base Areas (SBA) in 1998, are currently living in former Service Family accommodation close to the British Forces Garrison in Dhekelia. For those whose claims for asylum have not been accepted and who are unable to return to their country of origin, we continue efforts to identify a third country willing to accept them.
The majority of those migrants who arrived in the SBA on 21 October 2015 have transferred into the Republic of Cyprus asylum system and are housed in a facility in the Republic. Of those who remain in the Transit Facility in Dhekelia, all have either claimed asylum or are seeking voluntarily to return to their point of origin. Their asylum claims are being considered by the Sovereign Base Area Administration, with assistance from Republic of Cyprus immigration officials.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve Reed on 2016-02-22.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what work his Department is doing in relation to its responsibility for the European Regional Development Fund.
James Wharton
My Department will continue carrying out its responsibilities as Managing Authority of the England European Regional Development Fund programmes.