Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Bernard Jenkin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Bernard Jenkin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bernard Jenkin on 2016-04-11.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate his Department has made of the Government’s (a) gross and (b) net contribution to EU institutions in 2014; and what the UK’s balance of payments with those institutions was in that year.

    Mr David Gauke

    Complete outturn figures, including receipts administered by public sector bodies and those received directly by beneficiaries, for the UK’s gross and net contribution to the EU Budget in 2014 can be found in Table 3B, page 16, of HM Treasury’s European Union Finances 2015 publication (Cm 9167) which is available from the House library and on gov.uk. No estimates are provided, as outturns for 2014 are available. The Government does not produce an estimate of the UK’s balance of payments with EU institutions.

    The UK’s contributions fluctuate between years. Over the years 2010 to 2014, the UK’s contributions averaged around £7.1bn. This means that for every pound paid in tax, a little over 1p goes to the EU. An explanation of these figures can be found in Annex B of HM Treasury’s analysis of the long-term economic impact of EU membership and the alternatives.

  • Rachel Reeves – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Rachel Reeves – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachel Reeves on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what funding his Department has provided for (a) scientific excellence, (b) renewable energy in the Humber, (c) food production in North Yorkshire, (d) advanced manufacturing in South Yorkshire and (e) finance and tech in West Yorkshire since the publication of the Long-Term Economic Plan for Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire in February 2015.

    Anna Soubry

    This Government is committed to supporting scientific excellence. That is why in Spending Review 2015 we protected science resource funding from its current level of £4.7 billion per year in real terms for the remainder of the Parliament, and why we are investing in new scientific infrastructure on a record scale, delivering on the £6.9 billion science capital commitment in our manifesto.

    The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills is working with universities, cities, local enterprise partnerships, and businesses to map research and innovation strengths through a series of science and innovation audits. As part of this, Sheffield University and the Sheffield City Region have been selected, as part of a wider consortium to take part in the first wave of these audits. Linked to other Northern Powerhouse groups Sheffield will be exploring the potential to develop the global competitiveness of advanced manufacturing in the north of England.

    We are committed to supporting long term economic growth across Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire. My department is contributing to the cross-government local growth fund which, over a period of 6 years commencing from April 2015, has awarded £1.202 billion to local enterprise partnerships covering Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire. This funding is helping deliver long term economic growth priorities including renewable energy in the Humber, food and agri-tech in York North Yorkshire and East Riding, and advanced manufacturing in Sheffield City Region. The government is also investing in finance and tech in Leeds City Region, including £3.7m to Leeds in March 2016 for a new city centre digital business incubator facility, and providing £50m for two new agricultural technology centres in North Yorkshire.

  • Mark Menzies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Mark Menzies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Menzies on 2016-06-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, for what reasons the Committee of Climate Change report on the compatibility of UK onshore petroleum with meeting UK carbon budgets has not yet been laid before Parliament; and when she plans to publish the Government’s response to that report.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The Government has received the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) report. We are carefully considering the report to ensure it is given the proper consideration it is due.

    Under the Infrastructure Act 2015, the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change is required to lay the CCC report and our response before Parliament together. They will be published as soon as practicable once our response is complete.

  • Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-09-13.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the combined effect of the Apprenticeship Levy, the National Living Wage and the increase in auto-enrolment charges on FTSE 250 companies’ employment spend.

    Mr David Gauke

    The Government is taking action to build an economy that works for everyone. We have committed to improve the technical and professional skills of the workforce by putting control of apprenticeship funding in the hands of employers, to boost the wages of the lowest paid, and, through Automatic Enrolment and pensions tax reliefs, to support people in saving for retirement. At the same time, we are supporting business with a competitive and fair tax system, including the reduction of the corporation tax main rate from 28% to 20%. Finance Act 2016 cut the rate further, to 17% in 2020, ensuring the lowest rate in the G20.

    The Government has not produced a combined assessment of the effect of these specific policies on employment spend for this group of companies. The costs and benefits to business of regulatory measures such as the National Living Wage and Automatic Enrolment are set out in impact assessments (available at legislation.gov.uk and gov.uk respectively), and the independent Office for Budget Responsibility takes the impact of government policies on the economy into account in producing its forecasts.

  • Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-11-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support initiatives to increase hedgehog numbers.

    Rory Stewart

    Defra is working with partners to identify actions that will help the conservation of hedgehogs though the Terrestrial Biodiversity Group, chaired by Natural England.

    In addition, the Wild Pollinator and Farm Wildlife Package element of the new Countryside Stewardship scheme will deliver specific management focused on improving farmland biodiversity across most farming systems. The package supports management options, including the conservation and enhancement of hedgerow systems and the creation and maintenance of field margins, which will help to provide suitable habitat for a range of species, including hedgehogs.

    We also welcome the work being undertaken by a number of non-government organisations in helping to establish the facts behind the decline of the hedgehog and raise public awareness.

  • Ian C. Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Ian C. Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian C. Lucas on 2015-12-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if his Department will estimate the number of passengers from North Wales and Cheshire who are projected to use Manchester Airport in (a) 2015, (b) 2020 and (c) 2025.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The last aviation forecasts made by the Department for Transport were produced in January 2013. These gave the following forecasts of passengers using Manchester Airport who began or ended their journeys in North Wales or Cheshire in the central demand case:

    (a) 2015 : 2.46 million

    (b) 2020 : 2.74 million

    (c) 2025 : 3.05 million

  • Jim McMahon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Jim McMahon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim McMahon on 2016-01-19.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will commission an assessment of the potential economic impact on Oldham of the reduction in Oldham’s public estate.

    Matthew Hancock

    The Government Property Unit is working closely with Oldham Council and others across Greater Manchester on future plans across the public sector estate. Oldham Council is part of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority Partnership on the One Public Estate Programme. The programme, delivered by Cabinet Office and the Local Government Association, aims to maximise local economic growth from better use of public assets. 108 councils have recently joined a third phase of the programme. Together, they expect to generate £172 million capital receipts, reduce running costs by £65 million, and create 30,000 new homes and 43,000 new jobs over the next 5 years.

  • David Hanson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    David Hanson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Hanson on 2016-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the average hourly earnings of (a) female, (b) male, (c) full-time and (d) part-time employees of his Department were in each of the last five years.

    Joseph Johnson

    Average earnings are published by the Office for National Statistics, for all departments on an annual basis. The latest publication date was 8 October 2015. Breaking these figures down to an hourly basis could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

    Detailed breakdowns of mean and median salaries for female, male, full time and part time staff are contained in the Civil Service Statistics Statistical Bulletin Tables available here:

    2011: http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/publications/re-reference-tables.html?edition=tcm%3A77-229310

    2012: http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/publications/re-reference-tables.html?edition=tcm%3A77-279335

    2013: http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/publications/re-reference-tables.html?edition=tcm%3A77-319802

    2014: http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/publications/re-reference-tables.html?edition=tcm%3A77-375368

    2015: http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/publications/re-reference-tables.html?edition=tcm%3A77-414427

    “

  • Lord Greaves – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Greaves – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Greaves on 2016-03-02.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will provide an update on their policy on Islamic finance in the UK.

    Lord O’Neill of Gatley

    The Government remains committed to developing the UK as a global centre for Islamic Finance. This work includes issuing sovereign Sukuk of £200 million in 2014; adapting the tax regime to remove the major tax barriers to Islamic finance transactions; and UK Export Finance issuing its first ever Sharia-compliant export credit guarantee for a 10-year US$913 million Sukuk that was issued by Emirates Airlines in March 2015. This was used to finance the acquisition of 4 Airbus A380 aircraft.

  • Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-04-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 21 March 2016 to Question 31226, how his Department monitors local authorities for compliance with their obligation under the (a) Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 and (b) Local Government Transparency Code 2015.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    My Department has recently completed compliance testing of local authorities with the Local Government Transparency Code 2015, which entailed checking the websites of 103 authorities, a 25% sample of authorities to which the Transparency Code applies, for the data they are required to publish. We are currently analysing the initial results, including to ascertain whether where expected information has not been found on an authority’s website this is an accurate reflection of the authority’s circumstances or due to non-compliance.

    Principal local authorities will not be required to comply with the provisions of the Local Audit and Accountability Act until 1 April 2018 [and Health and smaller bodies from 1 April 2017]. Compliance is currently monitored by Public Sector Audit Appointments Ltd, a transitional body appointed to manage existing audit arrangements until they expire.