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99776

registered interest
date	20/10/2014
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	Scottish Power
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when he last reviewed the adequacy of prior investigations in connection with the nature of the warranties sold by Scottish Power to its customers between 1980 and 1999 and any potential losses suffered by such customers.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow North East
tabling member printed	Mr William Bain
uin	211060
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2014 answer text <p>It is not the policy of the Secretary of State to announce or comment on confidential enquiries conducted using powers contained in the Companies Acts.</p><p>However, the Secretary of State has recently received further information regarding the Extended Warranty schemes sold by Scottish Power between 1997 and 2001 from the liquidators of two companies involved in administering the schemes. Officials are currently reviewing this information together with the conclusions of an earlier investigation to determine what further action, if any, is appropriate.</p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 27/10/2014 14:06:40 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	1610 label Biography information for Mr William Bain

99778

registered interest
date	20/10/2014
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	Scottish Power
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will reopen the enquiry into the nature of the warranties sold by Scottish Power to its customers between 1980 and 1999 and any potential losses suffered by such customers.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow North East
tabling member printed	Mr William Bain
uin	211059
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2014 answer text <p>The Secretary of State has recently received further information regarding the Extended Warranty schemes sold by Scottish Power between 1997 and 2001 from the liquidators of two companies involved in administering the schemes. Officials are currently reviewing this information together with the conclusions of an earlier investigation to determine what further action, if any, is appropriate, within the limits of his powers of investigation under the Companies Acts.</p><p> </p><p>The liquidators have also notified other regulators who may have an interest in this matter and who will be considering their own courses of action.</p><p> </p><p>It should be noted that any decision whether or not to commence an investigation using s447 Companies Act 1986 is confidential and the existence or otherwise of such an investigation will not be announced or commented on.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Dunbartonshire answering member printed Jo Swinson question first answered 27/10/2014 14:09:30 answering member 1513 label Biography information for Jo Swinson
tabling member	1610 label Biography information for Mr William Bain

99779

registered interest
date	20/10/2014
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	Interest Rate Hedging Products
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what recent discussions he has had with the Financial Conduct Authority on the interest rate swap redress scheme.
tabling member constituency	Aberconwy
tabling member printed	Guto Bebb
uin	211066
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2014 answer text <p>We have asked the Chief Executive of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) for an assurance that redress offers which take the form of a substitute hedging product are only being offered where it is fair and reasonable to do so. In response, the FCA has said that robust oversight and challenge processes are in place to ensure that this is the case and that a replacement product offer can only be made if an independent reviewer is satisfied that there is sufficient evidence to support the decision.</p><p>In addition, my officials liaise regularly with the FCA to draw the regulator’s attention to swaps redress cases that have been raised with the department where we think this is justified.</p> answering member constituency West Suffolk answering member printed Matthew Hancock question first answered 27/10/2014 14:15:56 answering member 4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock
tabling member	3910 label Biography information for Guto Bebb

99780

registered interest
date	20/10/2014
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	Apprentices: Surrey
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many apprenticeship starts there were in each sector in (a) Woking constituency and (b) Surrey in the last 12 months.
tabling member constituency	Woking
tabling member printed	Jonathan Lord
uin	211117
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2014 answer text <p>Information on apprenticeship starts by geography and sector subject area is published in a supplementary table to a Statistical First Release (SFR): <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/364257/apprenticeships-starts-by-geography-and-sector-subject-area.xls" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/364257/apprenticeships-starts-by-geography-and-sector-subject-area.xls</a></p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 27/10/2014 14:13:29 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
tabling member	4090 label Biography information for Mr Jonathan Lord

99781

registered interest
date	20/10/2014
answering body	Department for Culture Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Broadband: Rural Areas
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to encourage competition in the rural broadband market.
tabling member constituency	Aberconwy
tabling member printed	Guto Bebb
uin	211122
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2014 answer text <p>Almost 100 publicly funded contracts to provide superfast broadband to rural communities have gone out to tender following an Open Market Review. As well as BT a number of smaller suppliers are now delivering projects in rural communities. In addition, 8 suppliers have been appointed to run pilot projects to assess the feasibility of providing superfast broadband to the hardest to reach areas.</p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed Mr Edward Vaizey question first answered 27/10/2014 11:46:05 answering member 1580 label Biography information for Lord Vaizey of Didcot
tabling member	3910 label Biography information for Guto Bebb

99789

registered interest
date	20/10/2014
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Interest Rate Hedging Products
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 Financial Conduct Authority on the interest rate swap redress scheme.
tabling member constituency	Aberconwy
tabling member printed	Guto Bebb
uin	211065
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/10/2014 answer text <p>Treasury Ministers and officials meet with a wide range of organisations as part of the usual policy making process.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>However, the Chancellor has had no recent discussions with the FCA specifically regarding its review on the mis-selling of interest rate hedging products.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>It might be useful to know that the Treasury publishes a list of ministerial meetings with external organisations. This is available online at: http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/minister_hospitality.htm.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency South Northamptonshire answering member printed Andrea Leadsom question first answered 28/10/2014 16:23:36 answering member 4117 label Biography information for Andrea Leadsom
tabling member	3910 label Biography information for Guto Bebb

99791

registered interest
date	20/10/2014
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	Shared Ownership Schemes
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that part-owners do not face above-inflation increases to service charges under shared ownership schemes.
tabling member constituency	Dudley North
tabling member printed	Ian Austin
uin	211086
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2014 answer text <p>Shared owners have a full repairing lease and are financially responsible for all maintenance charges and outgoings, in the same way as any other leaseholder or homeowner.</p><p>The Government has no power to intervene in how housing associations, which are private, non-profit making organisations, carry out their maintenance or repair works. However, the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 requires that service charges are only payable where the costs incurred are reasonable.<br><br>Where they believe that the service charges they are being asked to pay are unreasonable, leaseholders - including those who have purchased under a shared ownership scheme - have a number of statutory rights and protections in respect of those service charges, and the management of their property. These include:<br><br><br>- The right to apply to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) to determine the liability to pay and reasonableness of service charges.<br>- The right to write to their landlord to request a written summary of the costs which make up the service charges, and to require the landlord to provide reasonable facilities to inspect the accounts, receipts and other documents supporting the summary.<br>- Where new or extended services are introduced and where an additional charge may need to be made, landlords are expected to consult appropriately with tenants before introducing these services and associated charges.<br><br>Free initial advice and information on leaseholders' rights can be obtained from the Leasehold Advisory Service (LEASE). This is a specialist body, funded by the Department for Communities and Local Government, to provide initial advice and information on a wide range of residential leasehold issues.<br><br></p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 27/10/2014 14:35:55 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
tabling member	1511 label Biography information for Lord Austin of Dudley

99792

registered interest
date	20/10/2014
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	Help to Buy Scheme: Woking
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 (a) house buyers and (b) first-time buyers have been supported under the Government's Help to Buy scheme in Woking constituency.
tabling member constituency	Woking
tabling member printed	Jonathan Lord
uin	211116
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2014 answer text <p>This Government is committed to supporting people’s aspirations to own their own home.</p><p> </p><p>Over 50,000 households have been supported by the Help to Buy: Mortgage Guarantee and Equity Loan schemes and around 80% of these are first-time buyers. The Department does not collect data on the number of first time buyers supported by Help to Buy: NewBuy. The Department does not publish data on the number of first-time buyers supported by the Help to Buy schemes at local authority or constituency level.</p><p> </p><p>Data at constituency level is only available for the Help to Buy: Equity Loan scheme.</p><p> </p><p>Statistics on the number of Help to Buy sales at local authority and postcode level are published in the Open Data Communities portal for Help to Buy: Mortgage Guarantee and Help to Buy: Equity Loan, which are available at the following link:</p><p><a href="http://opendatacommunities.org/def/concept/folders/themes/housing-market" target="_blank">http://opendatacommunities.org/def/concept/folders/themes/housing-market</a></p><p> </p><p>Statistics on Help to Buy: NewBuy sales at local authority level are published on the Department’s website, which are available at the following link:</p><p><a href="http://www.gov.uk/government/collections/help-to-buy-equity-loan-and-newbuy-statistics" target="_blank">http://www.gov.uk/government/collections/help-to-buy-equity-loan-and-newbuy-statistics</a></p><p> </p><p>The table below breaks down the total Help to Buy: Mortgage Guarantee and Equity Loan sales in Woking and Guildford local authority areas:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td> </td><td><p>Mortgage Guarantee</p><p>(to 30 June 2014)</p></td><td><p>Equity Loan</p><p>(to 31 August 2014)</p></td><td><p>NewBuy</p><p>(to 30 June 2014)</p></td><td><p><strong>TOTAL</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Woking</p></td><td><p>27</p></td><td><p>81</p></td><td><p>19</p></td><td><p>127</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Guildford</p></td><td><p>32</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>33</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 27/10/2014 17:11:34 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
tabling member	4090 label Biography information for Mr Jonathan Lord

99794

registered interest
date	20/10/2014
answering body	Department for Culture Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Direct Marketing
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to tackle nuisance telephone calls; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Woking
tabling member printed	Jonathan Lord
uin	211118
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2014 answer text <p>Tackling nuisance telephone calls is a priority for the Department. A range of options for reform are being pursued, which includes both legislative and non-legislative measures that will protect consumers more effectively.</p><p> </p><p>Our Nuisance Calls Action Plan of 30 March 2014, included proposals to enable the Office of Communications (Ofcom) to share information more easily with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) about companies who may be breaching the regulations. We made this measure effective on 15 July 2014 and it will help ICO to take enforcement action against companies deliberately breaching the rules.</p><p> </p><p>We are also soon to consult to lower the legal threshold, making it easier for ICO to take more enforcement action, including issuing monetary penalties to companies who currently manage to avoid having action taken against them. Work on improving the ability of communication service providers to trace calls is underway and led by Ofcom, with our encouragement. Consent and lead generation issues including how telephone numbers are captured and sold on, are also being considered by the Taskforce led by Which? that will report to the Department by the end of this year. Further details about the full range of measures outlined in our Action Plan can be viewed at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/nuisance-calls-action-plan-unveiled%20" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/news/nuisance-calls-action-plan-unveiled</a></p><p> </p><p>Steps taken to date include the Department having improved signposting and information about whom to contact when needing to report nuisance calls, a simpler complaints process, and greater use by regulators of their powers, including the ICO and Ofcom having to date issued monetary penalties totalling more than £2.2 million for nuisance telephone calls and SMS text messages. We will continue to work with regulators, consumer group representatives and the industry to deliver improved protection for the benefit of consumers.</p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed Mr Edward Vaizey question first answered 27/10/2014 11:44:55 answering member 1580 label Biography information for Lord Vaizey of Didcot
tabling member	4090 label Biography information for Mr Jonathan Lord

99795

registered interest
date	20/10/2014
answering body	Department for Culture Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Arts: Finance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what oversight he has of the allocation of the Arts Council England's funding to other organisations.
tabling member constituency	Colne Valley
tabling member printed	Jason McCartney
uin	211088
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2014 answer text <p>Funding decisions are made by Arts Council England, without Government input. Ministers establish the strategic priorities for ACE’s spending in each Spending Round and regularly meet with Arts Council England.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed Mr Edward Vaizey question first answered 27/10/2014 11:44:13 answering member 1580 label Biography information for Lord Vaizey of Didcot
tabling member	3953 label Biography information for Jason McCartney