Asked by: Duncan Baker (Conservative - North Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of maintaining a connection to (a) copper wires and (b) a suitable alternative in rural communities to allow residents to make emergency calls, what assessment she has made on the need to maintain a connection to either copper wires or a suitable alternative in rural communities during the installation of fibre cables to allow residents to still make emergency calls if required.
Answered by John Whittingdale
The PSTN is a privately-owned telecoms network and the decision to upgrade it has been taken by the telecoms industry. The industry’s decision to upgrade the PSTN is due to necessity, as the network is increasingly unreliable and prone to failure.
Ofcom, the independent telecoms regulator, has mandated guidance on backup solutions, including how telecoms companies can fulfil their regulatory obligation to ensure that their VoIP customers have uninterrupted access to the emergency services. The guidance was issued following a consultation with the general public as well as telecoms providers and Ofgem.
Asked by: Duncan Baker (Conservative - North Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will have discussions with Cabinet colleagues on the potential merits of supporting care homes that are transitioning to ultra-fast fibre broadband and facing potentially expensive (a) subscriptions and (b) hardware purchases.
Answered by John Whittingdale
Fast, reliable broadband is key for all establishments, including care homes. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology has launched a series of interventions to accelerate the speed of rollout of gigabit-capable broadband. We are also investing £5bn through Project Gigabit to provide improved connectivity for the hardest to reach parts of the UK.
The Department of Health and Social Care is undertaking work this autumn to understand challenges care homes may be facing in improving their connectivity, and what future support might be necessary. DSIT and DHSC are in frequent communication about the merits of improved digital connectivity.
Asked by: Duncan Baker (Conservative - North Norfolk)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of calculating national insurance contributions using the combined income from multiple employers.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
National Insurance Contributions (NICs) are assessed on a pay-period basis per each employment. Requiring the aggregation of earnings for NICs of people doing more than one job with multiple employers would be administratively complex, increasing the burden on employers.
However, the Government keeps all taxes, including NICs, under review.
Asked by: Duncan Baker (Conservative - North Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with relevant stakeholders on the reselling of tickets for (a) music and (b) other events at prices above the face value of the ticket (i) online and (ii) by other means.
Answered by John Whittingdale
His Majesty’s Government is committed to supporting fair and transparent ticket pricing and tackling unacceptable behaviour in this market.
We have strengthened the law in relation to ticketing information requirements and have introduced a criminal offence of using automated software to buy more tickets online than is allowed. We also support the work of enforcement agencies in this area, such as the Competition and Markets Authority, National Trading Standards, and the advertising industry's own regulator, the Advertising Standards Authority.
We engage with a range of key organisations and individuals operating in the ticketing sector to ensure a fair and transparent system. This includes STAR (the Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers, the self-regulatory body for the entertainment ticketing industry in the UK), the CMA, Fanfair Alliance (the campaigning body against industrial scale online ticket touting), and, where appropriate, primary and secondary ticketing businesses.
Ultimately, ticket pricing strategies are a matter for event organisers and ticketing platforms, providing they comply with relevant legislation, particularly regarding transparency to customers on how tickets are priced, in order to help consumers make a fair and informed decision.
Asked by: Duncan Baker (Conservative - North Norfolk)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has had recent discussions with relevant stakeholders on providing increased financial support for pubs in the Autumn Statement 2023.
Answered by Gareth Davies - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
HM Treasury ministers and officials regularly engage with stakeholders as an important part of the policy development process.
The Government believes that pubs make an important contribution to our culture, fostering a sense of place and community, and the UK economy.
Our ‘Brexit Pubs Guarantee,’ confirms that the duty on a draught pint will always be lower than its equivalent in a supermarket. And the new alcohol duty system implemented in August of this year included a new Draught Relief that provides a significant duty discount on alcohol sold in containers of 20 litres or more in the on-trade.
In addition, pubs will benefit from business rates support worth £13.6bn over the next five years, including a more generous Retail, Hospitality and Leisure (RHL) relief scheme that has increased from 50% to 75% relief in 2023-24.
Asked by: Duncan Baker (Conservative - North Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of requiring that housing benefit is paid directly to landlords.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Housing Benefit regulations have powers which allow local authorities to make payments of Housing Benefit direct to the landlord if it appears to be in the interest of the claimant and their family. Serious rent arrears, for example arrears equivalent of six weeks’ rent, may indicate it is in the claimant’s best interests to arrange direct payment.
When deciding whether to make direct payments local authorities must consider the individual circumstances of each case.
There are currently no plans to review this policy.
Asked by: Duncan Baker (Conservative - North Norfolk)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether it remains her policy not to charge visa fees for Ukrainians visiting family members in the UK.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
In response to Putin’s brutal invasion of Ukraine, the UK Government created three bespoke Ukraine Schemes offering 36 months’ temporary sanctuary in the UK. These schemes are free to apply for and have no restriction to rights, access to benefits or services and have a health surcharge waiver. The Standard Visitor route is for anyone wanting to visit the UK for a temporary period, usually up to 6 months, for purposes such as tourism and visiting family and friends, with a fee charged.
Asked by: Duncan Baker (Conservative - North Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
What recent discussions she has had with the Gambling Commission on the potential impact on prize draws and competitions of the provisions in the gambling white paper.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Secretary of State announced in the white paper that the government would explore the potential for regulating the largest prize draws and competitions that sit outside of gambling regulation.
The Gambling Commission monitors products such as those which sit outside the boundary of regulated gambling.
We are working closely with Gambling Commission on implementing the white paper, including gathering evidence and considering options on prize draws.
Asked by: Duncan Baker (Conservative - North Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has made an estimate of the cost to the public purse of removing the two children limit for support provided through (a) the Child Tax Credit and (b) Universal Credit.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The latest available estimate was made in 2019, which can be found here Written questions and answers - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament
Asked by: Duncan Baker (Conservative - North Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will take steps to amend the methodology used in the standard assessment procedure on the use of non-storage heaters to ensure that it does not negatively impact the energy performance certificate of affected properties.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government is committed to making the Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) methodology more accurate, robust and fit for purpose to support our commitments to Net Zero. Government has commenced work on an update to the Reduced Data SAP (RdSAP) which underpins energy performance certificates in existing buildings. This will be introduced in due course.