Asked by: Neil Carmichael (Conservative - Stroud)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to help SMEs win public procurement projects.
Answered by Matt Hancock
In 2014-15, Central Government spent over £12 billion (27.1%) with small and medium sized businesses, which shows a continued year on year increase in SMEs winning public procurements.
The Government is determined to deliver its new target of one third of spend with SMEs by the end of this Parliament. The Crown Commercial Service is working with departments to develop and implement individual plans to deliver in 2020.
Asked by: Neil Carmichael (Conservative - Stroud)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether he plans to change the (a) role of, (b) responsibilities of and (c) funding allocated to strategic health authorities.
Answered by George Freeman
Strategic health authorities were abolished in 2013 by the National Health Service Act 2006 (as amended by the Health and Social Care Act 2012). Since then NHS England and clinical commissioning groups have taken on responsibility for NHS planning and delivery.
Asked by: Neil Carmichael (Conservative - Stroud)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment she has made of the value to the economy in Northern Ireland of membership of the EU single market.
Answered by Theresa Villiers
The Government is fulfilling its manifesto commitment to seek a reformed relationship with Europe and then put the results of that negotiation to the people in a referendum.
Asked by: Neil Carmichael (Conservative - Stroud)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress the Highways Agency has made on noise mitigation measures on the M5 at Upton St. Leonards.
Answered by Andrew Jones
The main measures to mitigate noise are new road surfacing and noise barriers. Highways England has three resurfacing schemes in their forward programme for this area. The resurfacing will be done after essential repairs to bridge structures have been completed to avoid disruption to users of the M5.
Later this month works to inspect the condition of the noise fence from junction 11A to Gloucester Painswick bridge which covers the Upton St Leonards section of the M5 motorway will start and opportunities for a temporary noise barrier looked at.
Asked by: Neil Carmichael (Conservative - Stroud)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the progress of police inquiries into historic child abuse cases.
Answered by Theresa May
The day-to-day investigation into cases of child sexual abuse, including abuse that has taken place in the past, is an operational matter for the police. The Home Office has funded Operation Hydrant, which is the national policing response to the oversight and co-ordination of all child abuse investigations concerning persons of public prominence or those offences which have taken place in institutional settings
Asked by: Neil Carmichael (Conservative - Stroud)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he plans to publish the Government's response to his Department's consultation on changes to the Occupational Pension (Investment) regulations.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government plans to respond to this consultation by the end of the year.
Asked by: Neil Carmichael (Conservative - Stroud)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to ensure competition between broadband infrastructure providers.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
Ensuring there is competitive broadband market is a matter for Ofcom, although the Government has a keen interest in an efficient and effective market, capable of delivering users the level of service they require. Ofcom regularly monitors and regulates competition in electronic communications markets through market reviews. In June 2014 Ofcom published a Statement on its Fixed Access Market Reviews 2014 and announced a number of changes designed to promote competition in the markets. The Regulator also announced in March this year a Strategic Review of Digital Communications in the UK, in order to assess future issues around infrastructure and competition.
Asked by: Neil Carmichael (Conservative - Stroud)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will take steps to enhance the transparency of the operation and financial performance of management companies for housing.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
Managing agents must comply with the obligations in the lease, and must comply with landlord and tenant legislation. This sets out a framework of rights and protections for leaseholders, and also places particular obligations on landlords, and managing agents acting on their behalf.
This includes providing information about service charges where a written request is made. Managing agents should also comply with two Codes of Practice approved by the Secretary of State for the management of residential leasehold property.
Since 1 October 2014 managing agents have also been required to belong to one of three Government approved redress schemes, to whom leaseholders can take a complaint.
We continue to consider ways to improve transparency in the residential leasehold sector without adding disproportionate burdens and costs.
Asked by: Neil Carmichael (Conservative - Stroud)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what assessment he has made of the value to Scotland of the UK remaining in the EU.
Answered by David Mundell
We believe the United Kingdom’s interests will best be served by membership of a reformed European Union. That is why we will negotiate a new settlement for Britain in Europe, and then ask the British people to decide the question in a referendum.
Asked by: Neil Carmichael (Conservative - Stroud)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what cross-departmental work on productivity his Department is co-ordinating.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
The government will shortly publish its plan for improving the UK’s productivity.