Tag: Ronnie Cowan

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ronnie Cowan on 2016-02-19.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many tax credit investigations carried out by Concentrix under its contract with his Department have resulted in (a) no change in and (b) withdrawal of the tax credit award; and how many decisions to withdraw such awards were appealed successfully.

Mr David Gauke

As at 21 February 2016 Concentrix had closed around 440,000 cases. Around 390,000 of these resulted in no amendment to the award. Around 50,000 awards have been amended, though HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) does not hold information on how many of these were cancelled and how many adjusted.

HMRC does not separate out the number of awards that were amended for error and from the number amended for fraud.

On appeals, I refer the member to the answer I provided on 15 February 2016 to question 26041.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ronnie Cowan on 2016-06-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of linking the annual financial contribution of gambling licence holders for research into, prevention of and treatment for gambling addiction linked to their profit margins.

Tracey Crouch

I refer the Hon Member to the answer to PQ 40986.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ronnie Cowan on 2015-12-03.

To ask the Prime Minister, if the Government will bring forward legislative proposals to ensure any future decisions to deploy the armed forces requires a full debate and vote within the House.

Mr David Cameron

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for North Wiltshire (Mr Gray) on 26 November 2015, Official Report, column 1509.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ronnie Cowan on 2016-02-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, on how many occasions he or officials of his Department have met representatives of high street bookmakers to discuss gambling since May 2015.

David Evennett

Details of my and the Minister for Sport and Tourism’s meetings with representatives of the bookmaking industry are available via the Department’s transparency returns, which can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/search?q=quarterly+ministerial+returns&filter_organisations%5B%5D=department-for-culture-media-sport

In addition, my officials have met representatives of bookmakers on numerous occasions to discuss issues related to gambling.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ronnie Cowan on 2016-07-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether new arrangements are to be introduced for delivering the Nuclear Warhead Capability Sustainment Programme.

Michael Fallon

As announced in the Written Ministerial Statement on 21 April 2016 (HCWS689), the contract between the Ministry of Defence and AWE Management Limited (AWEML) has been reviewed and now falls under the Single Source Procurement Framework which is overseen by the Single Source Regulations Office.

As a result of the review, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) has greater control over the programme, while ensuring that AWE continues to deliver value for money for the taxpayer. The contract between MOD and AWEML also provides the opportunity for higher performance incentives, as well as reductions if targets are not met.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ronnie Cowan on 2015-12-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many shipbuilding jobs will be supported by the construction of each of the (a) eight Type 26 anti-submarine frigates that are scheduled to be ordered and (b) proposed five new frigates to be developed under the new light frigate programme.

Mr Philip Dunne

We have begun the detailed work to take forward the Type 26 Global Combat Ship and the new general purpose frigate programmes outlined in the White Paper ‘National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015 (Cmd 9161)’. It is too early to say how many jobs will be sustained by these programmes.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ronnie Cowan on 2016-03-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many personal independence payment claimants there were in Inverclyde in 2015.

Justin Tomlinson

Information on the number of claimants in receipt of Personal Independence Payment, by month and a range of geographic breakdowns, including parliamentary constituency, is available from Stat-Xplore. https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ronnie Cowan on 2016-07-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make it his policy to ensure that his Department undertakes research into the potential merits of a universal basic income.

Damian Hinds

We have no current plans to conduct research on this topic.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ronnie Cowan on 2015-12-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many people have been killed as a result of UK airstrikes in Syria since 3 December 2015.

Penny Mordaunt

We do not maintain total counts of enemy combatants killed in UK military action. We are not aware of any reports of civilian casualties resulting from UK air strikes in Syria since 3 December 2015.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ronnie Cowan on 2016-04-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans his Department has for the future role of the merchant navy.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The Government appreciates the role played by the merchant navy and recognises the need for an adequate supply of UK maritime expertise to meet the nation’s economic and strategic requirements. This includes the demand for experienced seafarers in the shore-based maritime services sector.

The Department continues to provide support for the training of officers and ratings through the £15m Support for Maritime Training (SMarT) scheme.

Apprenticeships are at the heart of the Government’s drive to give people of all ages the skills employers need to grow and compete. Maritime is a key part of this with the Maritime Trailblazer which is employer led and has one approved standard for deck ratings and a further three in development for maritime mechanic, maritime caterer and onboard services.

The Maritime Growth Study, chaired by Lord Mountevans and published on 7 September 2015, recognised the need for more proactive action to replenish and develop the skills needed to maintain the UK position as a world-leading maritime centre. The Government has accepted the recommendations. We have already let a research contract to Oxford Economics to establish the requirement for trained seafarers in the UK. This will assist both government and industry to plan ahead and to make efforts to address priority shortages where gaps are identified. We are also working to address the other skills recommendations including conducting a review of SMarT funding, better links into schools teaching and enlarging the awareness programme to encourage entry into the merchant navy.