The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Doughty on 2016-02-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the transfer of HMS Cambria to Cardiff Bay is expected to be completed.
Mark Lancaster
On current plans, completion is expected in the autumn of 2018.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Doughty on 2016-02-09.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people who have used the Business Premises Renovation Allowance scheme have also been subject to investigation by HM Revenue and Customs for tax avoidance or tax evasion.
Mr David Gauke
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) does not collate information at the aggregate level requested.
The Business Premises Renovation Allowance (BPRA) is an incentive designed to bring derelict or unused business properties back into use, by providing 100 percent relief for renovation of vacant properties in disadvantaged areas.
In 2012 HMRC noticed a spike in the cost of BPRA. Investigations revealed that this increase was due to marketed avoidance. HMRC challenges avoidance wherever they see it. Where taxpayers choose to press their case to litigation, HMRC wins around 80% of cases heard in court.
In addition, legislation was introduced in Finance Act 2014 to prevent future avoidance. The NAO complimented the speed with which HMRC addressed this avoidance and tightened the legislation.
The costs of BPRA are published annually in HMRC’s Estimated cost of minor tax allowances and structural reliefs, which can be viewed using the following link:
Budget 2011 announced that Business Premises Renovation Allowance would be extended to 31 March 2017 for Corporation Tax and 5 April 2017 for Income Tax.
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Doughty on 2016-02-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how much and what proportion of her Department’s overseas development assistance budget her Department spent was subject to the International Development Act 2002 in each of the last three years.
Andrea Leadsom
The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has spent the following amounts of Official Development Assistance (ODA) over the past three years
|
Year |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
|
Total ODA |
£408.4m |
£192.4m |
£336m |
|
Amount under the International Development Act 2002 |
£402.8m |
£187.7m |
£328.2m |
|
% under the International Development Act 2002 |
98.6% |
97.5% |
97.6% |
The spend that is under the International Development Act 2002 comes from the UK’s International Climate Fund (ICF) and the ODA-eligible proportion of the annual subscription to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. The remaining DECC ODA spend is the ODA-eligible proportion of the annual subscriptions relating to the International Atomic Energy Agency. This spend is governed by the Supply and Appropriation Act; we seek to ensure this expenditure is consistent with the aims of the International Development Act.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Doughty on 2016-03-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what guidance her Department has issued to the (a) Ministry of Defence and (b) Home Office on international humanitarian law on UK operations in the Mediterranean.
Mr Desmond Swayne
UK military forces operating in the Eastern Mediterranean are subject to rules of engagement which ensure compliance with international law. DFID does not in general issue guidance on international humanitarian law.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Doughty on 2016-04-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to work with the Egyptian government to prevent people traffickers operating from (a) Alexandria and (b) other Egyptian ports.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
Government officials regularly engage the Egyptian authorities on irregular migration. Most recently, senior officials from the Home Office met their Egyptian counterparts on 27 April to discuss a range of issues, including how best to co-operate on countering irregular migration. They are now considering what areas of technical expertise and programmatic support we can provide the Egyptian authorities to strengthen their enforcement capabilities. The UK is also contributing to the “European Union Naval Force – Mediterranean” mission, aimed at disrupting human smuggling and trafficking networks in the Mediterranean and reducing the loss of life at sea.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Doughty on 2016-05-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether (a) he and (b) ministers of his Department have met with the new Welsh Government to discuss the steel crisis.
Anna Soubry
My Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills spoke with the First Minister about the steel crisis following his re-appointment on 18 May. He also wrote to the new Minister for Economy and Infrastructure on 23 May congratulating him on his appointment and extending a joint request from both myself and the Secretary of State for an early discussion on the situation in the South Wales steel industry.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Doughty on 2016-09-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what proportion of overseas development assistance she estimates will be spent by departments other than her Department for each year until 2019-20.
Rory Stewart
Table 1 below provides the estimated proportion of Official Development Assistance (ODA) to be spent by other government departments and cross-government funds based on the Spending Review 2015 settlement. Funding is dispersed across a wide range of departments and cross-government funds. Expected proportions are based on ODA budget allocations announced at Spending Review 2015 in order to meet the government’s commitment to spend 0.7 per cent of Gross National Income (GNI) on ODA in each calendar year. Adjustments will be made to the ODA budget to reflect the latest economic forecasts throughout the spending review period.
Table 1: Expected proportion of ODA to be spent by other government departments based on Spending Review 2015 settlement, 2016/17-2019/20
|
2016/17 |
2017/18 |
2018/19 |
2019/20 |
|
|
Non-DFID departmental spend (incl cross-gov funds) |
18% |
21% |
24% |
26% |
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Doughty on 2016-10-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 17 October 2016 to Question 48291, what bids his Department received for the provision of specialist steel required for the pressure hulls for the Successor submarine programme.
Harriett Baldwin
The management of the steel procurement process for the Successor programme is the responsibility of the Prime Contractor, BAE Systems. The Ministry of Defence conducted a technical assessment during the BAE Systems tendering process to ensure bids met specifications.
There were four bids received in total. I am withholding details of the bidding firms as the disclosure of this information would be prejudicial to commercial interests.
Other stages of construction will include grades of steel manufactured by British suppliers and we encourage them to take the opportunity to bid.
85% of BAE Systems supply chain for the new submarines is based in the UK.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Doughty on 2015-11-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the (a) security and (b) political situation in the Central Africa Republic.
James Duddridge
The security situation in the Central African Republic (CAR) is grave. Outside the capital Bangui, violence, looting, hostage-taking and human rights abuses continue to occur with relative impunity. The security situation in Bangui is more stable than the rest of the country, having improved following the surge in violence in late September, but tensions still run high and we continue to advise against all travel to CAR. The political situation is precarious. The transitional government, led by President Catherine Samba-Panza, is being undermined by actors from armed groups and dates for elections have been moved a number of times in the last months. The first round is currently planned for late December 2015, with additional rounds planned for January 2016. Great efforts have been made to register all CAR citizens both in CAR and in refugee camps in neighbouring countries. We expect a deterioration in the political situation, in parallel with the security situation, in the lead up to these elections.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Doughty on 2016-01-11.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether invitations to the event at which he spoke on 7 January 2016 at St David’s Hotel were issued by his Department.
Harriett Baldwin
Consistent with all official events, the Chancellor was supported by a small number of officials from his private office and the Treasury press office when speaking at the St David’s hotel and at the two associated visits.
Costs associated with the major economy speech at the St David’s hotel in Cardiff were met within the existing events budget at HM Treasury. Invitations were not issued by the department.
The event at the Salt Bar was not a Government event and so no costs were met by the Treasury and no civil servants attended.