Asked by: Iain Stewart (Conservative - Milton Keynes South)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans he has to review access to compensation for victims of familial sexual abuse before 1979.
Answered by Mike Penning
The original Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme introduced in 1964 had a so called 'same roof rule' intended to prevent perpetrators benefiting from compensation paid to victims who lived with them. The rule was amended in 1979 to allow compensation for victims of incidents occurring after 1 October 1979 who no longer lived with their assailant. In line with usual practice, this rule change did not create retrospective entitlements. The Government has no plans to review the rule.
Asked by: Iain Stewart (Conservative - Milton Keynes South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what amount of corporation tax was paid by soft drinks manufacturers in the latest financial year for which figures are available.
Answered by David Gauke
Corporation Tax payable for accounting periods ending in the financial year 2013-14 for companies manufacturing soft drinks, and producing mineral water is estimated to be about £70 million. This estimate is based on those classified under the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) 2007 code 11070 (Manufacture of soft drinks; production of mineral waters and other bottled waters) plus those manufacturing soft drinks who are classified elsewhere. This is the latest year available.
Asked by: Iain Stewart (Conservative - Milton Keynes South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will publish modelling conducted by his Department on the potential effect of the soft drinks industry levy on corporation tax receipts.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
The independent Office of Budget Responsibility publishes the policy costing and forecast of the tax receipts at every fiscal event, which contain the relevant economic analysis.
Asked by: Iain Stewart (Conservative - Milton Keynes South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what external groups his Department consulted on its proposal to introduce a soft drinks industry levy before announcing that levy; and on what dates he or officials of his Department met such groups.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery.
Details of ministerial and permanent secretary meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel
Asked by: Iain Stewart (Conservative - Milton Keynes South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what information his Department holds on which other European countries have introduced a soft drinks industry levy in the last five years; and what research the Government has commissioned or undertaken on the effects of such levies on levels of obesity.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
Other European countries have introduced a soft drinks tax in recent years. For example, Hungary in 2011 and France in 2012.
These taxes however are not identical in design to the new soft drinks industry levy the Chancellor announced at Budget 2016. The levy is a lever to encourage producer-led reformulation.
The Chief Medical Officer has said that reformulation is a key win for tackling obesity and soft drinks are the single largest source of sugar intake for children and teenagers.
This levy will be an important part of the government’s comprehensive childhood obesity strategy.
Asked by: Iain Stewart (Conservative - Milton Keynes South)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether the fund to increase the number of degree apprenticeships that he announced on 24 March 2016 will also apply to masters-level apprenticeships.
Answered by Nick Boles
The fund to increase the number of degree apprenticeships announced on 24 March 2016 applies to developing degree apprenticeships at both level 6 (bachelor’s) and level 7 (master’s).
Asked by: Iain Stewart (Conservative - Milton Keynes South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Minister for Social Care's oral contribution of 3 December 2015, Official Report, column 608, what progress his Department has made on putting in place a national ambition to reduce the number of adults sent out-of-area for acute inpatient mental health care.
Answered by Alistair Burt
In-line with the recommendations of the Independent Mental Health Taskforce published in February 2016, we have set a national ambition to eliminate inappropriate out of area treatments for adult acute inpatient care as a result of local acute bed pressures by 2020/21 at the latest. To achieve this ambition we expect areas to put in place local action plans and achieve year on year reductions from 2016/17.
Asked by: Iain Stewart (Conservative - Milton Keynes South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what meetings he has had with Network Rail in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Lord McLoughlin
I and my ministerial team regularly meet with senior officials of Network Rail to discuss a wide range of key issues facing the company.
We recently discussed progress against the recommendations made by Dame Colette Bowe. In my letter to her on 25 November 2015, I committed to publishing a Memorandum of Understanding between the Department and Network Rail. This is the formal framework which resets the rail enhancements framework. It will improve and strengthen the governance and day-to-day management of the process for planning and overseeing rail enhancements, providing clearer accountability for associated costs and project management. It is deposited in the libraries of the House and available on the GOV.UK website.
Asked by: Iain Stewart (Conservative - Milton Keynes South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what contribution the Road Investment Strategy has made to increasing the housing supply.
Answered by Andrew Jones
The Road Investment Strategy (RIS), announced in December 2014, is the biggest upgrade to England’s motorways and major ‘A’ roads in a generation. As part of the RIS, a new £100 million fund dedicated to Growth and Housing was announced. This allows Highways England to help accelerate the progress of key housing and mixed-use sites that have secured planning consent but are not progressing due to the strategic road infrastructure improvements they require.
In addition, many of the major schemes announced in the RIS support economic and housing growth. These include the A5-M1 Link Road, a new Junction 10a on the A14 at Kettering and the A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon scheme. Together, these two A14 schemes support delivery of over 20,000 homes.
Asked by: Iain Stewart (Conservative - Milton Keynes South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what contribution the New Stations Fund has made towards increasing the housing supply.
Answered by Claire Perry
The New Station Fund has already delivered two new stations at Pye Corner in Wales and Newcourt in Devon. Three more new stations will be delivered as part of the fund at Ilkeston in Derbyshire, Lea Bridge in London and Kenilworth in Warwickshire. All of these new stations will be a catalyst for new housing as they make transport easier between communities and employment. Specifically the stations at: