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105814

registered interest
date	03/11/2014
answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept id	26
answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
hansard heading	Technology: Greater London
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what future investment the Government plans to make to promote the technology sector in London.
tabling member constituency	Tottenham
tabling member printed	Mr David Lammy
uin	212963
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/11/2014 answer text <p>London is the tech capital of Europe. The Government has played a key part in its success. It supports Tech City UK which delivers support services and programmes to tech businesses in London and UK-wide. London and Partners promotes the London wide tech sector, working on behalf of the Mayor of London and other commercial partners, including Tech City for which it took over specific responsibility in April this year.</p><p> </p><p>Technology companies in London will benefit from a range of government funding such as the:</p><p> </p><p>• recently announced 5m funding (£2m in 2015/2016 and a provisional allocation of £3m in 2016/17) for a pilot digital skills programme to be run by the London Enterprise Panel as part of the London Growth Deal.</p><p> </p><p>• A new Digital Catapult, located in King’s Cross, with £50m over 5 years to provide tech companies with access to expertise and enable them to develop new products and services.</p><p> </p><p>• £40K, this financial year, for Tech City UK’s Future Fifty Programme. Of the 50 tech companies, 37 of them are headquartered in London.</p><p> </p><p>• £400K this financial year for Tech City UK’s Digital Business Academy - an online training programme to ensure everyone has the much needed digital skills.</p><p> </p><p>We will have the lowest corporation tax rate in the G7 from next year. Technology companies can also benefit from other tax incentives such as the Patent Box, which can give an effective 10% tax rate for qualifying net revenue arising from EU or UK registered patents, R&amp;D tax credits, the Enterprise Investment Scheme and the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme.</p><p> </p><p>The Government launched the new computing curriculum in September 2014, to ensure a pipeline of digitally skilled individuals. £3.5m of funding has been provided to ensure teachers have the skills to teach the curriculum and there are a number of coding clubs available in London schools, to inspire young people about the career opportunities digital skills provide.</p><p> </p><p>There is also good work at a local level, for example, Camden Council has started to set up code clubs in schools, see the following link: <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/local-government-network/2013/sep/02/camden-council-pioneers-coding-in-schools" target="_blank">http://www.theguardian.com/local-government-network/2013/sep/02/camden-council-pioneers-coding-in-schools</a></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed Mr Edward Vaizey question first answered 17/11/2014 17:06:59 answering member 1580 label Biography information for Lord Vaizey of Didcot
tabling member	206 label Biography information for Mr David Lammy

105857

registered interest
date	03/11/2014
answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Planning Permission
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what guidance his Department issues on the definition of severe in relation to the effect on traffic levels for the use of (a) local planning authorities and (b) the National Planning Inspectorate.
tabling member constituency	North Devon
tabling member printed	Sir Nick Harvey
uin	213125
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/11/2014 answer text <p>Guidance on undertaking Transport Assessments and Statements has been set out in the Planning Practice Guidance for everyone using the planning system, including local planning authorities and the Planning Inspectorate. <br><br>It is for the local planning authority in considering planning applications or the Planning Inspector in considering planning appeals to consider whether improvements can be undertaken within the transport network that cost effectively limit the significant impact of the development on traffic levels, and determine whether the residual cumulative impacts of development are severe. <br><br></p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 17/11/2014 11:32:29 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
tabling member	231 label Biography information for Sir Nick Harvey

105860

registered interest
date	03/11/2014
answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Pay
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many Instant Rewards of what value were given to his Department's officials in (a) 2013 and (b) 2014 to date.
tabling member constituency	Barrow and Furness
tabling member printed	John Woodcock
uin	213061
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/11/2014 answer text <p>The Department has reduced staffing costs from £218 million a year in 2009-10 to £95 million in 2013-14. We have also completely overhauled and reformed the system of bonuses, in turn, reducing spending from £1.3 million in financial year 2008-09 and £1.2 million in financial year 2009-10 (£1.0 million in performance year 2009-10) to £440,000 in performance year 2013-14.</p><p> </p><p>For staff who are not Senior Civil Service, this included replacing the Annual Performance Bonus Scheme and the in-year Special Bonus Scheme, with an Exceptional Performance Scheme and in-year Instant Voucher Reward Scheme. The latter is designed to enable managers to provide immediate acknowledgment of exceptional performance for smaller scale achievements over a short period of time. Vouchers are given in values of £10 to £50.</p><p> </p><p>The types of work that may qualify for a nomination include:</p><p> </p><ul><li>identifying and taking actions that results in cost savings and efficiencies;</li><li>stepping in to support colleagues at short notice to deliver business goals;</li><li>delivering high quality work ahead of agreed timescales;</li><li>exceeding the expectations of colleagues or customers;</li><li>displaying exemplary behaviour which reflects DCLG’s values;</li><li>receiving outstanding feedback from colleagues or external customers.</li></ul><p> </p><p>From the scheme’s launch in June 2013 to December 2013, 360 staff received a reward with an average payment of £34. From January 2014 to September 2014, 285 staff received a reward with an average payment of £30.</p><p> </p><p>I am unsure of whether the hon. Member wishes to disparage such small-scale bonuses because they may involve giving out shopping vouchers, yet we believe that they are a cost-effective way of improving staff performance within Whitehall and delivering a better service to the public.</p><p> </p><p>Indeed, the vouchers given for saving taxpayers’ money have delivered at least £40,000 of quantifiable savings and further efficiency improvements on top. Under the Labour Government, the state congratulated those that regulated more, spent more and taxed more. We want to reward those who regulate less, spend less and tax less.</p><p> </p><p>I would hope the hon. Member, as a Co-operative Party MP, supports the underlying principles of staff involvement, economic participation and self-improvement which we are embracing.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins question first answered 18/11/2014 17:13:20 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
tabling member	3917 label Biography information for Lord Walney

105879

registered interest
date	03/11/2014
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Freedom of Information
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Freedom of Information requests his Department has declined to answer in full since 2010.
tabling member constituency	Barrow and Furness
tabling member printed	John Woodcock
uin	213083
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/11/2014 answer text <p>The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) publishes a quarterly statistics bulletin recording Freedom of Information responses from all Government Departments, including the Ministry of Defence. The bulletin includes tables showing how many requests were granted in full, or resulted in some or all information being withheld. The MOJ statistics bulletin can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/government-foi-statistics</p> answering member constituency Broxtowe answering member printed Anna Soubry question first answered 17/11/2014 16:55:35 answering member 3938 label Biography information for Anna Soubry
tabling member	3917 label Biography information for Lord Walney

105885

registered interest
date	03/11/2014
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Freedom of Information
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department has spent on legal fees over prevention of release of information requested by Freedom of Information requests since 2010.
tabling member constituency	Barrow and Furness
tabling member printed	John Woodcock
uin	213104
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/11/2014 answer text <p>I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 1 September 2014, (Official Report, column 95W). Since that answer, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) has spent a further £17,470.52 in 2013-14, bringing the total in that financial year to £66,319.58. In the current financial year, to date the MOD has spent £14,471.00.</p> answering member constituency Broxtowe answering member printed Anna Soubry question first answered 17/11/2014 16:59:56 answering member 3938 label Biography information for Anna Soubry attachment 1 file name 20141106-PQW2014-06651-John Woodcock MP-Legal Fees for FOI final[1].doc title 20140901 - Hansard extract on FOI
tabling member	3917 label Biography information for Lord Walney

105886

registered interest
date	03/11/2014
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Armed Forces: Housing
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many vacant army dwellings there were on 30 September 2014 in Colchester; and how many such properties had (a) three and (b) four bedrooms.
tabling member constituency	Colchester
tabling member printed	Sir Bob Russell
uin	213127
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/11/2014 answer text <p>There are currently 926 Service Family accommodation properties in Colchester. On 30 September 2014, 124 of these were unoccupied.</p><p>Of these 124 unoccupied, 50 were three-bedroomed and 29 were four-bedroomed properties.</p><p>The Ministry of Defence always maintains a management margin of vacant properties, in order to ensure that properties are available for incoming families and to allow for essential maintenance.</p><p>36 of the 124 properties have since been allocated to families. They are due to move in these in the near future.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Broxtowe answering member printed Anna Soubry question first answered 17/11/2014 16:57:56 answering member 3938 label Biography information for Anna Soubry
tabling member	35 label Biography information for Sir Bob Russell

105952

registered interest
date	03/11/2014
answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept id	26
answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
hansard heading	Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether he considers the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement between the EU and Canada to be a mixed agreement.
tabling member constituency	Paisley and Renfrewshire North
tabling member printed	Jim Sheridan
uin	212861
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/11/2014 answer text <p>In the UK's view, the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between the EU and Canada includes policy areas that are Member State competence and as such should be a mixed agreement.</p> answering member constituency West Suffolk answering member printed Matthew Hancock question first answered 17/11/2014 14:09:25 answering member 4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock
tabling member	1464 label Biography information for Jim Sheridan

106000

registered interest
date	03/11/2014
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	European Arrest Warrants
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the UK may exclude any offences from the scope of the European Convention on Extradition that fall under the scope of the European Arrest Warrant and cannot be moved from that warrant's scope by the UK; and what offences the UK has so excluded.
tabling member constituency	North East Somerset
tabling member printed	Jacob Rees-Mogg
uin	213180
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/11/2014 answer text <p>Article 2(3) of the European Convention on Extradition allows a Contracting Party to exclude offences from the application of the Convention where its domestic law does not allow extradition for those offences. At the time of ratification in May 1991, the UK made two reservations concerning Article 2 of the Convention. One of these reserved the right to refuse extradition if it appears, in relation to the offence(s) in respect of which a person's return is sought, that by reason of its trivial nature, or because the accusation is not made in good faith in the interests of justice, extradition would in all the circumstances be unjust or oppressive. The UK has not made any further reservations or notifications concerning Article 2. <br><br>Other Contracting Parties may also exclude offences under Article 2(3), making this a less effective tool than the European Arrest Warrant for returning wanted British criminals to face justice. <br><br>Under the Convention, extradition takes longer and is more expensive than surrender under the European Arrest Warrant. It is also less effective as a Contracting Party may also refuse to extradite its own nationals under the Convention, which means that some people may never face justice. <br>In non-European Arrest Warrant cases, the following EU Member States havean absolute bar on extraditing their own nationals to the UK:<br><br>Austria<br>Belgium<br>Czech Republic<br>Finland <br>France<br>Germany<br>Greece<br>Latvia<br>Luxembourg<br>Slovakia<br>Slovenia<br>Spain<br>Sweden<br><br>A further nine have made declarations to the European Convention on Extradition to the effect that they will not extradite their own nationals:<br><br>Bulgaria<br>Croatia<br>Cyprus<br>Estonia<br>Hungary<br>Lithuania<br>Poland<br>Portugal<br>Romania</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Old Bexley and Sidcup answering member printed James Brokenshire question first answered 17/11/2014 16:44:11 answering member 1530 label Biography information for James Brokenshire
tabling member	4099 label Biography information for Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg

106020

registered interest
date	03/11/2014
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Official Visits
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she met the Mayor of Calais during her visit to Westminster on 28 October 2014.
tabling member constituency	South Antrim
tabling member printed	Dr William McCrea
uin	212923
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/11/2014 answer text <p>Home Office Ministers have meetings with a wide variety of international partners, as well as organisations and individuals in the public and private <br>sectors, as part of the process of policy development and delivery. Details of these meetings are passed to the Cabinet Office on a quarterly basis and are subsequently published on the Gov.uk website: <a href="http://data.gov.uk/dataset/ministerial-data-home-office" target="_blank">http://data.gov.uk/dataset/ministerial-data-home-office</a>.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Old Bexley and Sidcup answering member printed James Brokenshire question first answered 18/11/2014 14:56:25 answering member 1530 label Biography information for James Brokenshire
tabling member	655 label Biography information for Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown

106025

registered interest
date	03/11/2014
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Mohammed Mattar
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the reasons are for the collapse of the trial of Mohammed Mattar; what costs to her Department arose from that trial; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Delyn
tabling member printed	Mr David Hanson
uin	212893
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/11/2014 answer text <p>Although one aspect of the investigation has been discontinued, a live investigation continues to be progressed. Accordingly, it wouldnot be appropriate to comment further.<br><br>The information requested regarding costs is not readily available and could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Old Bexley and Sidcup answering member printed James Brokenshire question first answered 17/11/2014 16:23:41 answering member 1530 label Biography information for James Brokenshire
tabling member	533 label Biography information for David Hanson