Asked by: David Morris (Conservative - Morecambe and Lunesdale)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for the Middle East of the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency report that Iran is refusing to co-operate with the investigation into the alleged storage of nuclear equipment and radioactive material in Tehran.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The UK fully supports the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) efforts to monitor and verify Iran's nuclear programme under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA) as well as related monitoring under Iran's Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement and the Additional Protocol. In its last report to the Board of Governors (May 2019) the IAEA confirmed its continued verification and monitoring of the JCPOA. The UK has consistently urged Iran to offer full and timely cooperation to the IAEA: this builds regional and international confidence in the peaceful intentions of its nuclear programme. Iran also has legal obligations to cooperate with the IAEA under its Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement and Additional Protocol. We strongly urge Iran to fully comply with its obligations.
Asked by: David Morris (Conservative - Morecambe and Lunesdale)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how the Government plans to allocate the £2 billion of dormant assets identified by the Dormant Assets Commission in March 2019 throughout the charity and voluntary sector; and if the Government will allocate those assets to the establishment of a community wealth fund.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Following the independent Dormant Assets Commission’s report and findings, an industry blueprint for expanding the scheme was published in April 2019, setting out a long-term plan for how additional dormant assets could be included.
We are working proactively with industry partners to enable this expansion that could see hundreds of millions of additional funds being released to good causes. Under the current legislation, this money can only be used to fund initiatives relating to youth, financial inclusion or via a social investment wholesaler. We are proud of our impact to date in these areas, which has created more than 26,000 jobs and training opportunities and helped more than 2,000 vulnerable individuals into suitable housing.
Asked by: David Morris (Conservative - Morecambe and Lunesdale)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of Trading Standards in protecting consumers from rogue and incompetent builders in the construction industry.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
No such assessment has been made, but the Government is considering options to ensure that our system of consumer protection provides a robust response to both local and national threats for the Consumer White Paper.
The Government has endorsed the TrustMark scheme to reduce the number of rogue and incompetent builders; and to identify local traders who have undergone independent checks for both trade competence and good trading practice. This scheme gives consumers increased confidence and ability to choose registered businesses including builders who adhere to and maintain high standards.
TrustMark is actively involved with Trading Standards to provide further protection to consumers affected by rogue builders.
Asked by: David Morris (Conservative - Morecambe and Lunesdale)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate he has made of the number of (a) rogue and (b) incompetent builders in the construction industry; and what steps his Department is taking to reduce that number.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department has not made an estimate of the number of rogue and incompetent builders in the construction sector. However, the Government has endorsed the TrustMark scheme to reduce the number of rogue and incompetent builders; and to identify local traders who have undergone independent checks for both trade competence and good trading practice. This scheme gives consumers increased confidence and ability to choose registered businesses including builders who adhere to and maintain high standards.
TrustMark is actively involved with Trading Standards to provide further protection to consumers affected by rogue builders. Where a company has committed a criminal breach of consumer law, Trading Standards can prosecute in the criminal court and the court can impose a fine or imprisonment for a serious offence.
Asked by: David Morris (Conservative - Morecambe and Lunesdale)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what guidance his Department has issued to the public on identifying competent builders.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
The Department has not issued guidance to consumers on identifying competent builders. However, the Government has endorsed the TrustMark scheme, which identifies local traders who have undergone independent checks for both trade competence and good trading practice. This scheme gives consumers increased confidence and ability to choose registered businesses including builders who adhere to and maintain high standards.
Further information is available for consumers on the Citizens Advice website at: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/get-more-help/find-a-trader-and-check-you-can-trust-them/.
For free information on their rights and how to take a complaint forward, consumers should contact the Citizens Advice consumer service on 03454 04 05 06 (www.citizensadvice.org.uk/).
Asked by: David Morris (Conservative - Morecambe and Lunesdale)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when the Government plans to publish the White Paper on modernising consumer markets.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
The Government’s Consumer White Paper is due to be published later this year.
Asked by: David Morris (Conservative - Morecambe and Lunesdale)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the annual cost to the public purse of the cash-in-hand economy in the private domestic repair, maintenance and improvement sector in the construction industry.
Answered by Mel Stride - Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
HMRC does not measure how much of the tax gap is specifically linked to cash. Cash plays a part in supporting the hidden economy and evasion. These behaviours consistently account for roughly 25% of the tax gap.
If anyone is aware of instances of a business or employer using cash to evade tax they can report this to HMRC; online or by phone.
Asked by: David Morris (Conservative - Morecambe and Lunesdale)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the amount that he (a) has allocated and (b) will allocate to each local authority area from the £10 billion of business rates support.
Answered by Rishi Sunak - Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, and Minister for the Union
The Government has introduced a range of business rates reforms and measures in England estimated to be worth over £13 billion between 2019-20 and 2023-24. It is not possible to accurately estimate support at a local authority level.
Asked by: David Morris (Conservative - Morecambe and Lunesdale)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when his Department plans to allocate funding for 2019-20 from the soft drinks levy; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
The 2016 Budget announced funding for a number of programmes linked to the revenue from the Soft Drinks Industry Levy. The Department of Education (DfE) will receive £575 million during the current spending review period.
The funding has been allocated to a number of programmes to support pupil health and wellbeing. In financial year 2019-20 £160 million and has been allocated to the primary physical education and school sport premium (totalling £320 million with funding from DfE and the Department of Health and Social Care) and £14 million for breakfast clubs.
Asked by: David Morris (Conservative - Morecambe and Lunesdale)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent discussions his Department has had with the Lancashire Director of Children's Services on early intervention, resourcing and identified or non-funding pressures.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
Following the meeting I had with my hon. Friend the Member for Morecambe and Lunesdale and his constituents about early intervention and resourcing, my officials subsequently spoke to Lancashire County Council’s Director of Children’s Services to relay the matters discussed. I understand the Director of Children’s Services has followed up with my hon. Friend the Member for Morecambe and Lunesdale’s constituent.
Funding for children’s services is an un-ring-fenced part of the wider local government finance settlement, to give local authorities the flexibility to focus on locally determined priorities and, of course, their statutory responsibilities, including children’s social care. Over the five year period from 2015-16 to 2019-20 councils will have access to more than £200 billion to deliver the local services their communities want to see, including children’s services. In February, Parliament confirmed the 2018-19 settlement for local government, providing a real terms increase in resources available to local government - £44.3 billion in 2017-18 to £45.1 billion in 2018-19.