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100020

registered interest
date	15/10/2014
answering body	Department of Health
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health
answering dept sort name	Health
hansard heading	General Practitioners: Standards
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress has been made on improving access to GPs.
tabling member constituency	Weaver Vale
tabling member printed	Graham Evans
uin	905556
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2014 answer text <p>The Prime Minister’s £50 million Challenge Fund is currently improving general practitioner access for over two million patients across England. This includes offering evening and weekend appointments, as well as better use of technology, such as telehealth, to look after patients. By January, 7.5 million patients will be covered.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>And, we have recently announced another £100 million of funding for next year to improve access for even more patients.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Central Suffolk and North Ipswich answering member printed Dr Daniel Poulter question first answered 21/10/2014 15:48:51 answering member 3932 label Biography information for Dr Dan Poulter
tabling member	4081 label Biography information for Lord Evans of Rainow

100022

registered interest
date	15/10/2014
answering body	Department of Health
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health
answering dept sort name	Health
hansard heading	Patient Choice Schemes
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to promote patient choice.
tabling member constituency	Stroud
tabling member printed	Neil Carmichael
uin	905559
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2014 answer text <p>We are committed to patients having greater choice and control over their healthcare, as this can help drive up standards and improve patient care.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We believe that patient empowerment is vital to the National Health Service in the 21st century. This Government is committed to continuing to develop digital platforms to enable this to happen, such as My NHS and the NHS e-Referral Service.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Mid Norfolk answering member printed George Freeman question first answered 21/10/2014 16:00:56 answering member 4020 label Biography information for George Freeman
tabling member	4104 label Biography information for Neil Carmichael

93468

registered interest
date	15/10/2014
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Economic Policy: Northern Ireland
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Executive regarding his long-term economic plan.
tabling member constituency	South Antrim
tabling member printed	Dr William McCrea
uin	210815
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2014 answer text <p>Treasury Ministers and officials have regular discussions with Northern Ireland Executive Ministers and officials on a wide variety of topics.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey answering member printed Danny Alexander question first answered 22/10/2014 15:46:06 answering member 1535 label Biography information for Danny Alexander
tabling member	655 label Biography information for Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown

93469

registered interest
date	15/10/2014
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Inheritance Tax
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to permit parents to leave more of their own money to their children.
tabling member constituency	South Antrim
tabling member printed	Dr William McCrea
uin	210769
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2014 answer text <p>The Government has already taken steps to make it easier for parents to pass on more of their money to their children when the die.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>From April 2015, individuals will be able to pass on their unused defined contribution pension to any nominated beneficiary when they die, rather than paying the 55% tax charge on inherited pensions which currently applies</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>If the individual dies before they reach the age of 75, the beneficiary will be able to access the funds completely tax free at any age. If the individual dies after they reach the age of 75, the beneficiary will be able to access the funds, at any age, subject their marginal rate of income tax. There will also be an option to receive the pension as a lump sum payment, subject to a tax charge of 45%.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>These changes will be legislated for in the Taxation of Pensions Bill currently passing through the House.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South West Hertfordshire answering member printed Mr David Gauke question first answered 21/10/2014 15:58:05 answering member 1529 label Biography information for Mr David Gauke
tabling member	655 label Biography information for Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown

93470

registered interest
date	15/10/2014
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Public Sector Debt
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what further plans he has to protect vulnerable groups while tackling the deficit.
tabling member constituency	South Antrim
tabling member printed	Dr William McCrea
uin	210816
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2014 answer text <p>The government is committed to a fair tax and benefit system where everyone contributes to reducing the deficit, and those with the most make the largest contribution. Our published distributional analysis confirms that the richest are continuing to contribute the most to consolidation, even as a share of income and benefits in kind. Our reforms to the tax and welfare system promote work and personal responsibility while protecting the most vulnerable members of society. For example, the government has protected people with disabilities by uprating disability benefits in line with CPI rather than 1 percent, has implemented the triple lock on the basic state pension to protect pensioner incomes throughout this parliament, and has implemented the pupil premium and extended the free school meals program to support disadvantaged children.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Witham answering member printed Priti Patel question first answered 22/10/2014 15:58:12 answering member 4066 label Biography information for Priti Patel
tabling member	655 label Biography information for Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown

93471

registered interest
date	15/10/2014
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Children: Poverty
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions he has had with the devolved administrations on tackling child poverty.
tabling member constituency	South Antrim
tabling member printed	Dr William McCrea
uin	210817
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2014 answer text <p /> <p>Tackling child poverty is a cross-government matter. Ministers in HM Treasury, the Department for Work and Pensions, and the Department for Education work together, in conjunction with other Government Ministers, towards the goal of ending child poverty.</p><p> </p><p>The Child Poverty Act 2010 places a duty on the government to consult with the devolved administrations when preparing a child poverty strategy. The Government has also established the Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission, an independent advisory NDPB, to monitor the progress the Government and others are making towards improving social mobility and reducing child poverty in the United Kingdom. This includes describing the measures taken by the Scottish and Welsh Governments.</p><p> </p><p>The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and the Minister of State for Schools recently consulted with the devolved administrations on two matters. The consultation on the Child Poverty Strategy 2014-17 (from 27 February to 22 May) and the consultation on Setting a Persistent Poverty Target (from 26 June to 14 August). Ministers carefully considered the views expressed by the devolved administrations, and all other respondents, when making their decisions on these.</p><p> </p><p>Additionally, UK Government officials met with officials from the devolved administrations in August to discuss approaches and evidence. Regular meetings are planned for the future.</p> answering member constituency Wirral West answering member printed Esther McVey question first answered 22/10/2014 16:44:30 answering member 4084 label Biography information for Esther McVey
tabling member	655 label Biography information for Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown

93472

registered interest
date	15/10/2014
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Small Businesses: Loans
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what further steps he plans to take to encourage banks to lend money to small and medium-sized businesses.
tabling member constituency	South Antrim
tabling member printed	Dr William McCrea
uin	210820
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2014 answer text <p>The Government has taken significant action to increase bank lending to smaller businesses, such as through the Funding for Lending Scheme, and through supporting non-bank lending channels via the British Business Bank.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>In Autumn 2013 a joint United Kingdom and Northern Ireland Ministerial Task Force was set up to look at ways to promote lending and increase support for businesses in Northern Ireland.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Government is also implementing further major reforms to boost competition in the provision of smaller business finance through the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill; these measures intend to improve access to SME Credit Information and to match SMEs rejected for SME finance with challenger banks and alternative finance providers that are looking to offer finance.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South Northamptonshire answering member printed Andrea Leadsom question first answered 22/10/2014 15:21:56 answering member 4117 label Biography information for Andrea Leadsom
tabling member	655 label Biography information for Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown

93473

registered interest
date	15/10/2014
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Self-employed
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of self employed people are earning less than the personal allowance of £10,000.
tabling member constituency	South Antrim
tabling member printed	Dr William McCrea
uin	210821
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2014 answer text <p>Estimates for the number of self employed people earning less than the personal allowance of £10,000 for 2014-15 are not available.</p><p> </p><p>The latest year for which estimates are available is 2011-12, where it is estimated that 1.94m (35%) of individuals with self employment income have total taxable income below the personal allowance of £7,475 for that tax year. These estimates are derived from table 3.6 and table 3.10 of the following publication, based on Survey of Personal Incomes (SPI) data for 2011-12.</p><p> </p><p>.</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/personal-incomes-statistics-tables-31-to-311-for-the-tax-year-2011-to-2012" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/personal-incomes-statistics-tables-31-to-311-for-the-tax-year-2011-to-2012</a></p><p> </p> answering member constituency South West Hertfordshire answering member printed Mr David Gauke question first answered 21/10/2014 15:56:38 answering member 1529 label Biography information for Mr David Gauke
tabling member	655 label Biography information for Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown

93474

registered interest
date	15/10/2014
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Fuels: Prices
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to decrease the price of fuel throughout the UK.
tabling member constituency	South Antrim
tabling member printed	Dr William McCrea
uin	210818
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2014 answer text <p>Since 2011, the Government has taken action on fuel duty to support both households and businesses. As a result, pump prices will be nearly 20 pence per litre lower by the end of the parliament than they would have been under the previous government’s fuel duty plans.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>In January 2013, the Office for Fair Trading published the results of a Call for Information to investigate whether or not competition problems existed in the road fuels market. This included investigating concerns that pump prices rise quickly when the wholesale price goes up but fall more slowly when it drops. Their analysis found very limited evidence of this, and in general, found that at a national level competition in the market is working well.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Witham answering member printed Priti Patel question first answered 22/10/2014 15:56:23 answering member 4066 label Biography information for Priti Patel
tabling member	655 label Biography information for Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown

93475

registered interest
date	15/10/2014
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Employment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to increase opportunities for full-time employment across the UK.
tabling member constituency	South Antrim
tabling member printed	Dr William McCrea
uin	210819
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2014 answer text <p>The Government is committed to increasing the opportunities for full-time employment across the UK. That is why we introduced the Employment Allowance in April 2014 which entitles businesses and charities to a £2,000 allowance on their annual National Insurance contributions bill. The allowance is reducing the cost of employment, supporting small businesses aspiring to grow by hiring their first employee or expanding their workforce.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We are also abolishing Employer National Insurance contributions for under 21s on earnings up to £813 a week from April 2015 helping to support full-time employment for young people. The Government will of course continue to look at further ways to support full-time employment across the UK.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South Northamptonshire answering member printed Andrea Leadsom question first answered 22/10/2014 16:04:11 answering member 4117 label Biography information for Andrea Leadsom
tabling member	655 label Biography information for Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown