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101529

	registered interest
	date	29/10/2014
	answering body	HM Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Financial Services
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he has taken to monitor practices in the banking sector.
	tabling member constituency	South Antrim
	tabling member printed	Dr William McCrea
	uin	212470
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/11/2014 answer text <p>This Government has taken a number of major steps to strengthen monitoring and regulation of the banking sector.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Financial Services Act 2012 put in place two new, properly focussed financial regulators, the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) - a subsidiary of the Bank of England - the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), as part of a new approach to financial regulation. The new regulators started work on 1 April 2013.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Government’s new approach to financial regulation enables the PRA to concentrate on monitoring the health of UK banks to ensure that they are prudently and competently managed and to reduce the risk that the practices of UK banks will lead to serious financial failure. At the same time, the FCA can concentrate on monitoring the practices of UK banks and other financial services businesses in their dealing with ordinary retail customers and in wholesale financial markets, to reduce the risk that the practices in the banking sector are detrimental to consumers or competition, or threaten the integrity of financial markets.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>On 12 June 2014, the Government announced the Fair and Effective Markets Review, which is a joint review by HM Treasury, the Bank of England, and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) into the way wholesale financial markets operate. The Government is determined to take action to help restore trust and integrity and to ensure that the highest standards are expected of those who operate in these markets. It is important that this is done in a way that preserves the UK’s position as the global financial centre for many of these markets. The Review published its consultation document “How fair and effective are the fixed income, foreign exchange and commodities markets?” on 27 October, and the Government looks forward to the review’s final recommendations in June 2015.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South Northamptonshire answering member printed Andrea Leadsom question first answered 05/11/2014 16:50:46 answering member 4117 label Biography information for Andrea Leadsom
	tabling member	655 label Biography information for Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown

105844

	registered interest
	date	03/11/2014
	answering body	HM Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Lloyds Banking Group
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with Lloyds Bank since its announcement of 9,000 job losses.
	tabling member constituency	South Antrim
	tabling member printed	Dr William McCrea
	uin	212921
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/11/2014 answer text <p>Details of the Chancellors meetings are published in HMT transparency returns.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Government’s shareholding in Lloyds is managed at arm’s length from HM Treasury by UK Financial Investments Ltd. In accordance with UKFI’s investment mandate, the Government does not seek to intervene in the operational management of Lloyds Banking Group.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency South Northamptonshire answering member printed Andrea Leadsom question first answered 20/11/2014 13:50:57 answering member 4117 label Biography information for Andrea Leadsom
	tabling member	655 label Biography information for Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown

166250

	registered interest
	date	26/11/2014
	answering body	HM Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Business: Northern Ireland
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to increase access to bank lending for businesses in Northern Ireland.
	tabling member constituency	South Antrim
	tabling member printed	Dr William McCrea
	uin	216115
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/12/2014 answer text <p>The Government has taken significant action to increase bank lending to businesses throughout the UK, including 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>The Government is also implementing further major reforms to boost competition in the small and medium sized enterprise (SME) lending market through the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill; most notably the measures to improve access to SME credit information and to match SMEs rejected for finance with challenger banks and alternative finance providers that are looking to offer finance.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Furthermore, 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 specifically for businesses in Northern Ireland.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South Northamptonshire answering member printed Andrea Leadsom question first answered 02/12/2014 17:50:30 answering member 4117 label Biography information for Andrea Leadsom
	tabling member	655 label Biography information for Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown

169404

	registered interest
	date	10/12/2014
	answering body	HM Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Business: Northern Ireland
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he next plans to meet (a) representatives of the business community and (b) high street traders in Northern Ireland.
	tabling member constituency	South Antrim
	tabling member printed	Dr William McCrea
	uin	218166
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/12/2014 answer text <p>Treasury Ministers do not have any outstanding invitations to meet representatives of the groups specified, but will continue to respond to such requests on their merits, should they be made.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>UK Government Ministers do however maintain regular contact with their counterparts in the Northern Ireland Executive on a range of matters of mutual interest, and the views of business leaders in Northern Ireland inform their considerations.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South Northamptonshire answering member printed Andrea Leadsom question first answered 18/12/2014 17:34:41 answering member 4117 label Biography information for Andrea Leadsom
	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

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

106023

	registered interest
	date	03/11/2014
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Prison Officers
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will consult the Prison Officers' Association on the work-related well-being of prison staff.
	tabling member constituency	South Antrim
	tabling member printed	Dr William McCrea
	uin	212914
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/11/2014 answer text <p /> <p>My officials do consult and will continue to consult the Prison Officers’ Association on the work-related well-being of prison staff within England and Wales. My Ministry launched an Employee Assistance Programme on 6<sup>th</sup> October 2014 that provides: 24 hour helpline including counselling; a health promotion and well being website; trauma support for staff within England and Wales prisons involved in serious incidents; business support for managers; mediation and other services. The POA and other recognised TUS were all aware of the proposals for this service and had opportunities in the Whitley consultative committees to discuss them with the lead officials<strong>. </strong>Please note that the answer provided is only for prisons within England and Wales.</p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 10/11/2014 17:41:01 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	655 label Biography information for Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown

172752

	registered interest
	date	08/01/2015
	answering body	Ministry of Defence
	answering dept id	11
	answering dept short name	Defence
	answering dept sort name	Defence
	hansard heading	Armed Forces Covenant: Northern Ireland
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent progress has been made on introducing the Armed Forces Covenant in Northern Ireland.
	tabling member constituency	South Antrim
	tabling member printed	Dr William McCrea
	uin	220197
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/01/2015 answer text <p>As I made clear in the debate on the Armed Forces Covenant on 22 October 2014 (Official Report, columns 971-1004), the implementation of the Covenant in Northern Ireland is going from strength to strength. The Armed Forces Covenant annual report, laid before the house on 16 December 2014, highlights the good progress that was made during 2014; nearly all of the measures in the Covenant now extend to Northern Ireland or will soon do so.</p><p>I am planning to visit Northern Ireland in due course to see for myself the results of this good progress and the benefits which this has brought for the Armed Forces Community in the Province.</p><p>We will continue to work with the Northern Ireland Executive to ensure that the needs of the Armed Forces community are met.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Broxtowe answering member printed Anna Soubry question first answered 19/01/2015 15:57:30 answering member 3938 label Biography information for Anna Soubry previous answer version 38762 answering member constituency Broxtowe answering member printed Anna Soubry answering member 3938 label Biography information for Anna Soubry
	tabling member	655 label Biography information for Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown

226255

	registered interest
	date	10/03/2015
	answering body	Ministry of Defence
	answering dept id	11
	answering dept short name	Defence
	answering dept sort name	Defence
	hansard heading	Army: Recruitment
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many people from Northern Ireland applied to join the British Army in each of the last three years.
	tabling member constituency	South Antrim
	tabling member printed	Dr William McCrea
	uin	227096
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/03/2015 answer text <p>The number of applications to join the Army from Northern Ireland over the last three years is as follows:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td colspan="4"><p><strong>Northern Ireland</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td> </td><td><p><strong>2012-13</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2013-14</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2014-15 (to 28 February)</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Regular</p></td><td><p>1,720</p></td><td><p>1,810</p></td><td><p>1,840</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Reserve</p></td><td><p>1,200</p></td><td><p>1,030</p></td><td><p>1,450</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Since the Recruit Partnering Project between the Army and Capita started operations in April 2013, applications have been carried out online and processed centrally. In order to align data for the years in question to the geographical boundaries of Northern Ireland the postcodes of candidates have been used. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Broxtowe answering member printed Anna Soubry question first answered 17/03/2015 17:43:03 answering member 3938 label Biography information for Anna Soubry
	tabling member	655 label Biography information for Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown

226257

	registered interest
	date	10/03/2015
	answering body	Ministry of Defence
	answering dept id	11
	answering dept short name	Defence
	answering dept sort name	Defence
	hansard heading	Armed Forces: Northern Ireland
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many military personnel are based in Northern Ireland.
	tabling member constituency	South Antrim
	tabling member printed	Dr William McCrea
	uin	227094
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/03/2015 answer text <p>As at 1 January 2015 there were 2,210 UK Regular Armed Forces personnel based in Northern Ireland. A full breakdown, including by Service and by local authority area, is available in the Ministry of Defence's Quarterly Location Statistics. The latest release, published on 19 February 2015, includes data as at 1 January 2015 and can be found at the following link:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/405232/QLS_January_2015.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/405232/QLS_January_2015.pdf</a></p> answering member constituency Broxtowe answering member printed Anna Soubry question first answered 16/03/2015 17:32:13 answering member 3938 label Biography information for Anna Soubry
	tabling member	655 label Biography information for Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown