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100107

registered interest
date	21/10/2014
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	National Insurance Contributions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent steps he has taken to simplify the rates of employees' National Insurance contributions.
tabling member constituency	Windsor
tabling member printed	Adam Afriyie
uin	211325
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2014 answer text <p>This Government is committed to a competitive tax regime and has introduced a range of measures to reduce the burden of National Insurance Contributions (NICs), as part of our long term economic plan to back business and create jobs.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Employment Allowance, introduced in April this year, means that around 450,000 employers– one third of all employers – are expected to be taken out of paying employer NICs altogether in 2014-15 and from April 2015, employer NICs for under 21 year olds will be abolished, helping to support jobs for almost 1.5 million young people currently in employment.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South West Hertfordshire answering member printed Mr David Gauke question first answered 27/10/2014 16:16:49 answering member 1529 label Biography information for Mr David Gauke
tabling member	1586 label Biography information for Adam Afriyie

100150

registered interest
date	21/10/2014
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Teachers: Training
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she has taken to encourage (a) computer science graduates and (b) professional programmers to become teachers.
tabling member constituency	Windsor
tabling member printed	Adam Afriyie
uin	211327
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/10/2014 answer text <p>The Department for Education is committed to recruiting high-quality graduates into teaching. The latest data published by UCAS on 25 September 2014 in its ‘UCAS Teacher Training statistical releases’[1], indicates that there will be an increase in computing trainees commencing initial teacher training (ITT) this year, although this will not be certain until the 2014/15 ITT census is published.</p><p>For computing trainees starting their training in 2015/16, we have increased bursaries to up to £25,000 tax-free. We are also funding a prestigious scholarship scheme for computing trainees worth £25,000 tax-free and offering a range of professional benefits. Additional funding has also been made available to schools offering School Direct (salaried) places in computing to boost starting salaries; computing trainees will be able to earn over £21,000 nationally and £25,000 in inner London.</p><p>There are a range of other incentives in place to attract high quality computing trainees into the teaching profession, including:</p><ol><li>The delivery of a targeted marketing campaign to encourage high-quality computing graduates and potential career changers to consider a career in teaching.</li><li>The offering of tailored support for graduates and career changers interested in teaching computing, including access to a School Experience Programme.</li><li>Funding of computing subject knowledge enhancement (SKE) programmes, which prepare applicants for teacher training by building up or refreshing their existing knowledge. 31% of computing applicants who accepted an ITT place for 2013/14 accessed a SKE course.</li></ol><p>[1] <a href="http://www.ucas.com/data-analysis/ucas-teacher-training-statistical-releases" target="_blank">www.ucas.com/data-analysis/ucas-teacher-training-statistical-releases</a></p> answering member constituency Yeovil answering member printed Mr David Laws question first answered 24/10/2014 10:10:23 answering member 1473 label Biography information for Mr David Laws
tabling member	1586 label Biography information for Adam Afriyie

47135

registered interest
date	07/04/2014
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent steps she has taken to increase tourism to (a) Berkshire and (b) the South East; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Windsor
tabling member printed	Adam Afriyie
uin	195452
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>DCMS is responsible for the policy that supports the growth of domestic and international tourism, working in partnership with other Government Departments and our Arms-Length Bodies, VisitBritain and VisitEngland. Between 2011 and 2015, Government is investing more than £105m in tourism through the GREAT and other international campaigns. Investment to date is showing positive results. 2013 was a record year for inbound tourism with 32.9 million international visits being made which generated a record £21 billion into the UK in 2013.</p><p>In terms of Berkshire specifically, VisitBritain's public-facing website includes a range of tourism information relating to Windsor which is available via the following link: <a href="http://www.visitbritain.com/en/Destinations-and-Maps/History-and-heritage/Windsor.htm" target="_blank">http://www.visitbritain.com/en/Destinations-and-Maps/History-and-heritage/Windsor.htm</a>. VisitBritain's ‘Heritage is GREAT' advertising campaign also prominently featured Highclere Castle, which is the setting for Downton Abbey.</p><p>The South East region will benefit from a number of thematic campaigns currently being run by VisitEngland which can be found at <a href="http://www.visitengland.com/" target="_blank">http://www.visitengland.com/</a>. It will also benefit from VisitEngland's Holidays at Home are GREAT campaign, which has been broadcast on mainstream terrestrial channels since 1 April, while those areas in the South East region affected by the recent floods are also benefitting from both VisitEngland's ‘Spot on England' marketing campaign and business support events.</p> answering member constituency Maidstone and The Weald answering member printed Mrs Helen Grant question first answered 28/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4018 label Biography information for Mrs Helen Grant
tabling member	1586 label Biography information for Adam Afriyie

47166

registered interest
date	07/04/2014
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	CaTreasury
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect the introduction of seven-day bank account switching has had on the number of people changing bank account provider; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Windsor
tabling member printed	Adam Afriyie
uin	195454
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/04/2014 answer text <p><strong>The Current Account Switching Service launched in September of last year, and has had a very positive impact. Early signs are positive, with switching numbers in Q4 of 2013 up by 17 per cent compared to Q4 of the previous year. </strong></p><p> </p><p><strong>The Financial Conduct Authority will carry out a review in September of this year into the effectiveness of the Current Account Switching Service. This will include an assessment of the effect the introduction of seven day account switching has had on the number of people changing bank account provider. </strong></p><p> </p> answering member constituency South Northamptonshire answering member printed Andrea Leadsom question first answered 29/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4117 label Biography information for Andrea Leadsom
tabling member	1586 label Biography information for Adam Afriyie

47167

registered interest
date	07/04/2014
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	CaTreasury
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many meetings he held with the Office of Tax Simplification in (a) 2011-12 and (b) 2012-13.
tabling member constituency	Windsor
tabling member printed	Adam Afriyie
uin	195455
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/04/2014 answer text <p>Treasury Ministers regularly meet with the Office of Tax Simplification and other parts of Treasury group as part of normal departmental and Government business. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings and discussions<em>.</em></p><p> </p><p>Details of Ministerial and permanent secretary meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at:</p><p><a href="http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/minister_hospitality.htm" target="_blank">http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/minister_hospitality.htm</a>.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South West Hertfordshire answering member printed Mr David Gauke question first answered 28/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1529 label Biography information for Mr David Gauke
tabling member	1586 label Biography information for Adam Afriyie

47195

registered interest
date	07/04/2014
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what guidance and support his Department provides to military veterans and their families on securing stable housing; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Windsor
tabling member printed	Adam Afriyie
uin	195453
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/04/2014 answer text <p>The £200 million Forces Help to Buy scheme commenced on 1 April 2014, meaning that Servicemen and women can now borrow up to 50% of their salary, up to a maximum of £25,000, interest-free, providing a boost to those needing to find a deposit to buy their own home.</p><p> </p><p>To assist the transition of serving personnel to civilian life, the MOD offers a wide-ranging resettlement programme which includes a briefing by the Joint Services Housing Advice Office. This offers advice and information about a range of topics that armed forces personnel may find useful relating to an individual's housing needs before they leave the armed forces.</p><p> </p><p>Once a person leaves service, any need for social housing becomes a local authority matter. The MOD is working closely with the Department for Communities and Local Government to ensure the fair treatment of service families in need of social housing and ensure they are given proper priority on housing waiting lists.</p><p> </p><p>The Government recognises that there is more that can be done to provide practical support to our veterans and their families in this area. In February I announced LIBOR funding of £40 million to support charities which assist veterans with housing needs in order to build new homes, buy new accommodation and renovate old facilities. Projects are expected to include hostels and half-way houses for veterans who have fallen on hard times, supported housing for the wounded, injured and sick, and long-term care homes.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Broxtowe answering member printed Anna Soubry question first answered 28/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 3938 label Biography information for Anna Soubry
tabling member	1586 label Biography information for Adam Afriyie

47349

registered interest
date	07/04/2014
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent steps he has taken to improve transport connections between Windsor and London.
tabling member constituency	Windsor
tabling member printed	Adam Afriyie
uin	195451
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>The programme to increase passenger capacity on the Windsor to Waterloo railway by 25% is now under way and will be completed in early 2015. 60 additional carriages are being incorporated into an extended and refurbished fleet of trains to operate as a maximum 10 carriage train length. The first additional vehicles are now in service. From May 2014, platform 20 of the former Waterloo International station will be brought into use for scheduled services. Construction of Crossrail is now half completed and electrification of the Great Western Main Line is also under way; the Slough to Windsor &amp; Eton Central line will be electrified by 2019. The Highways Agency is welcoming preliminary comments on the M4 Smart Motorway scheme between Junction 3 (Hayes) and Junction 12 (Theale) until the end of April 2014, and will conduct a formal public consultation on the scheme in the autumn. Subject to development consent and the final business case, construction could start in spring 2016.</p> answering member constituency Wimbledon answering member printed Stephen Hammond question first answered 29/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1585 label Biography information for Stephen Hammond
tabling member	1586 label Biography information for Adam Afriyie

47897

registered interest
date	09/04/2014
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
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 steps he has taken to ensure that exporters of intangible goods can access the resources of UK Export Finance.
tabling member constituency	Windsor
tabling member printed	Adam Afriyie
uin	196127
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/05/2014 answer text <p>UK Export Finance can provide support for intangibles, such as software licenses, where they are provided in connection with goods or services. As far as the supply of intangibles by themselves are concerned, UK Export Finance has initiated a public consultation on proposals to widen its powers under its enabling legislation, the Export and Investment Guarantees Act 1991 (as amended). These proposals include giving UK Export Finance the ability to support exports of intangible goods such as intellectual property rights by themselves. If, having regard to the responses to that consultation, it is deemed to implement these proposals, they will form part of a Bill that will be introduced in the next session of Parliament.</p> answering member constituency Sevenoaks answering member printed Michael Fallon question first answered 01/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 88 label Biography information for Sir Michael Fallon
tabling member	1586 label Biography information for Adam Afriyie

48012

registered interest
date	09/04/2014
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps she has taken to ensure developing countries can access UK satellite technology to monitor local agricultural land and environmental risks; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Windsor
tabling member printed	Adam Afriyie
uin	196128
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/04/2014 answer text <p>DFID is supporting projects that use satellite data. DFID supports the World Agroforestry Centre to use data to help monitor and assess agriculture land use and environmental risks including land degradation. DFID contributes to the UK Environment Observations Framework Coordinating Climate Observations Group which coordinates Her Majesty's Government activities supporting the development and use of climate data, including from satellites.</p> answering member constituency Hornsey and Wood Green answering member printed Lynne Featherstone question first answered 28/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1531 label Biography information for Baroness Featherstone
tabling member	1586 label Biography information for Adam Afriyie

48050

registered interest
date	09/04/2014
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will provide a simple route for people to donate their universal benefits back to the state; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Windsor
tabling member printed	Adam Afriyie
uin	196078
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p> </p><p>The majority of winter fuel payments are sent out automatically. However, people can simply return their winter fuel payment to the office that issues it. They can also write to the Department requesting not to receive a winter fuel payment for future years, either in advance of first getting a payment, or after they have received one or more payments.</p><p> </p><p>Anyone aged 75 or over is entitled to a free TV Licence for their main address. The free licence is not issued automatically and needs to be applied for. Once issued, licences are renewed automatically every year unless the customer does not have a National Insurance Number in which case TV Licensing will contact them to confirm their circumstances have not changed each year. An over 75 licence can be cancelled at any time and a paid-for licence requested.</p><p> </p><p>The concessionary travel benefit is optional. An eligible person can choose not to take up the entitlement. The National Travel Survey 2011 shows that in GB, 79 per cent of people eligible for an older persons' bus pass held one.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Steve Webb question first answered 28/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 220 label Biography information for Steve Webb
tabling member	1586 label Biography information for Adam Afriyie