Tag: Toby Perkins

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Toby Perkins on 2015-11-10.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the staff budget for HM Revenue and Customs was in each year since 1997-98.

Mr David Gauke

Budgets for staff are set internally in HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), however information relating to actual staff expenditure for HMRC is available from their Report and Accounts.Please note that the staff expenditure up to 2010-11 include amounts for those staff who moved to UK Border Agency.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Toby Perkins on 2016-01-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure a conclusion to the case of six former British soldiers held in India on weapons charges; and what support his Department offered to each person so detained.

Mr Hugo Swire

Ministers have raised this case at the highest levels over thirty times since November 2013: my Right Honourable Friend, the Member for Witney, the Prime Minister, raised it for the third time with Prime Minister Modi, during his visit to the United Kingdom in November. On 11 January, the men were sentenced to five years’ imprisonment and I raised this in my introductory meeting with the new Indian High Commissioner the following day. While we cannot interfere in the Indian legal process, we will continue to offer consular support to all the men and their families and urge that their appeal application be dealt with swiftly.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Toby Perkins on 2016-02-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if it will make it his policy to require bus operators to install audio-visual announcements of bus stops on all public buses.

Andrew Jones

Accessible on-board information helps a wide range of passengers, including those who are visually impaired, to feel comfortable and confident when taking the bus.

Traditionally however, systems providing automatic next stop announcements have proven expensive to fit and maintain, meaning that mandating their use would place a disproportionate financial burden on the bus industry.

My Department has supported initiatives to develop innovative and low-cost approaches to providing such information, as well as providing Better Bus Area funding for local authority schemes to equip vehicles with audio/visual equipment.

Many operators are already recognising the benefits of on-board information for all their customers, and I would encourage others to do the same.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Toby Perkins on 2016-05-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many new Ajax armoured vehicles will be produced (a) in the UK and (b) abroad.

Mr Philip Dunne

I refer the hon. Member to the reponse given by my noble Friend, the Minister of State for Defence in the House of Lords, Earl Howe, to the noble Lord, Baron Moonie of Bennochy on 27 April 2016 to Question HL7778.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Toby Perkins on 2015-11-10.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the budget was for staff answering calls to tax offices in each year since 2007-08.

Mr David Gauke

HM Revenue and Customs does not hold this information, owing to the fact that resource is now moved flexibly within the organisation to deliver customer service.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Toby Perkins on 2016-01-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what contingency plans the Government has in place should Rolls Royce be unable to complete the Nuclear Reactor Component of the Successor Programme on schedule.

Mr Philip Dunne

We work closely with all of our key suppliers to ensure they deliver the capability we need. Risks and associated mitigation action are continually reviewed for all defence programmes. It would not be appropriate for the Ministry of Defence to release commercially sensitive material on any defence programme, as to do so would prejudice commercial interests.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Toby Perkins on 2016-04-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what contractual standards have been set for Maximus Health and Human Services Ltd for the number of completed work capability assessments.

Priti Patel

Centre for Health Disability Assessments, a MAXIMUS Company, has a target of 1,170,000 completed assessments in 2016/17.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Toby Perkins on 2016-05-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of steel used in the new Ajax armoured vehicles will be (a) sourced from the UK and (b) imported from abroad.

Mr Philip Dunne

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 1 February 2016 to Question 25075 to the hon. Member for Cardiff South and Penarth (Mr Doughty).

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Toby Perkins on 2015-10-22.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which pieces of equipment included in his Department’s Defence in Numbers publication of August 2015 are used only for training or ceremonial use.

Mr Philip Dunne

The Defence in Numbers booklet is a snap shot of the UK’s Defence capability and how we are spending the fifth largest Defence budget in the world. As well as giving details on civilian and personnel numbers and current operations, it also includes a list of the Ministry of Defence’s equipment holdings, the vast majority of which are in service and deployable. We will continue to review the Defence in Numbers booklet to ensure that it best reflects the breadth of defence equipment.

The Defence in Numbers booklet has a section for "training aircraft", and all of the aircraft types listed there are used for training only. This includes the Hawk, Viking, Vigilant, Tucano and Jet Provost aircraft.

The other pieces of equipment used only for ceremonial use are BAE-125 aircraft, Wessex helicopters, Challenger 1 battle tanks, FH70 Towed Howitzers and Chieftain Armoured Vehicles.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Toby Perkins on 2015-10-22.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether it is his policy to procure 13 Type 26 frigates.

Mr Philip Dunne

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 10 September 2015 to Question number 8460 to the hon. Member for Glasgow South West (Chris Stephens).