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77592

registered interest
date	14/07/2014
answering body	Department for Energy and Climate Change
answering dept id	63
answering dept short name	Energy and Climate Change
answering dept sort name	Energy and Climate Change
hansard heading	Energy: Prices
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what recent steps he has taken to make switching energy supplier quicker.
tabling member constituency	Windsor
tabling member printed	Adam Afriyie
uin	205501
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2014 answer text <p>Since our challenge to industry in the Annual Energy Statement to cut switching times, the Department has worked with Ofgem and the industry to bring forward changes to industry rules to enable and secured industry commitment to a halving switching time from 5 weeks to 2 weeks and 3 days by the end of this year.</p><p> </p><p>My ambition is to see switching times reduced to 24 hours and Ofgem has now brought forward a consultation on how this can be achieved. The Department will continue to work with Ofgem and industry to deliver this in a reliable and cost effective way as quickly as possible.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency West Suffolk answering member printed Matthew Hancock question first answered 21/07/2014 15:11:34 answering member 4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock
tabling member	1586 label Biography information for Adam Afriyie

77517

registered interest
date	14/07/2014
answering body	Cabinet Office
answering dept id	53
answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
hansard heading	Non-governmental Organisations
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisations were abolished in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Windsor
tabling member printed	Adam Afriyie
uin	205499
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2014 answer text <p>In 2010 the Coalition pledged to reduce the number and cost of public bodies. Our Public Bodies Reform Programme is the largest restructuring of public bodies in a generation. It will make the landscape smaller, more accountable, and will offer better value for money to the public.</p><p>By April 2011 the reforms brought about by the programme had reduced the number of public bodies by 46. During 2011-2012 the numbers reduced by a further 56. To date over 185 public bodies have been abolished and more than 165 have been merged into fewer than 70.</p><p>The total number of public bodies has reduced by over 285.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Horsham answering member printed Mr Francis Maude question first answered 21/07/2014 13:52:09 answering member 115 label Biography information for Lord Maude of Horsham
tabling member	1586 label Biography information for Adam Afriyie

65966

registered interest
date	07/07/2014
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Business: Education
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent steps he has taken to encourage businesses to engage with schools so that students develop a more practical understanding of business.
tabling member constituency	Windsor
tabling member printed	Adam Afriyie
uin	204193
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/07/2014 answer text <p>The Department for Education wants to give employers a much greater role in inspiring and motivating young people about the world of work. We published statutory guidance in April to improve links between schools and employers so that pupils can receive careers advice from people with experience of business. More employers are getting involved by interacting with young people in the classroom and giving them an insight into the workplace. This can also include coaching, mentoring, work tasters and work experience. From October we are reshaping the role of the National Careers Service (NCS) to expand its offer to schools and colleges. It will be easier for employers and educators to participate in the NCS.</p><p> </p><p>We are taking steps to connect the education system to the world of work to ensure that young people have the skills, experience and qualifications that employers want. Last month we announced the introduction of Technical Awards for students aged between 14 and 16. These qualifications, which are equivalent to GCSEs, are developed in partnership with employers and will give students the opportunity to develop practical skills.</p><p> </p><p>The Department has introduced Tech Levels for students aged between 16 and 19 who want to learn technical skills as an alternative to, or alongside, A levels. The 227 Tech Levels taught from September 2014 are all endorsed by employers, trades or professional bodies and cover most practical careers. From September 2016, all Tech Level courses will also involve employers in the delivery or assessment of the qualification.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Yeovil answering member printed Mr David Laws question first answered 14/07/2014 15:25:54 answering member 1473 label Biography information for Mr David Laws
tabling member	1586 label Biography information for Adam Afriyie

66199

registered interest
date	07/07/2014
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Road Traffic
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 reduce congestion (a) in Windsor constituency and (b) around Heathrow Airport.
tabling member constituency	Windsor
tabling member printed	Adam Afriyie
uin	204116
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/07/2014 answer text <p>Transport investment is central to the Government's long term economic plan. On 7<sup>th</sup> July we announced £3 billion of funding for new local transport schemes within the Local Growth Fund. This included £96.9 million for the Thames Valley Berkshire Local Enterprise Partnership (which includes Windsor). Of this, £94.6 million will support transport schemes that have been bid for by the LEP and will make a real difference to transport accessibility in the whole of the Thames Valley. These include provisional funding from 2016/17 onwards of £4.75 million for a sustainable transport package across the Thames Valley LEP area.</p><p> </p><p>Local transport in the Windsor and Maidenhead area has, since 2010, also benefited from investment that will reduce congestion in the area. This includes just over £2 million of Local Pinch Point Funding, £16.1million investment in improving the state of the roads and on small scale transport schemes and around £2 million from the Local Sustainable Transport Fund to ease congestion by promoting travel behaviour change through a package of sustainable travel measures aimed at residents, schools and businesses.</p><p> </p><p>In addition to investment in the local network the Government continues to progress the M4 smart motorway. A further formal public consultation on the scheme will be held in the autumn and subject to development consent and the final business case, construction could start in late Summer 2016. As well as this the Highways Agency is taking forward a £2.5 million scheme to improve the links between the M4 and A329(M), to provide increased capacity at the junction and improve traffic flows. The scheme will be delivered by the end of March 2015.</p><p>The Government is also investing around £500 million in Western Rail Access to Heathrow subject to a satisfactory business case and agreement of acceptable terms with the Heathrow aviation industry. This will facilitate direct rail services between destinations in the Thames Valley and Heathrow airport.</p><p> </p><p /> <p /><p /> <p /><p /> <p /><p /> <p /> answering member constituency Scarborough and Whitby answering member printed Mr Robert Goodwill question first answered 14/07/2014 15:19:51 answering member 1562 label Biography information for Sir Robert Goodwill
tabling member	1586 label Biography information for Adam Afriyie

65985

registered interest
date	07/07/2014
answering body	Cabinet Office
answering dept id	53
answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
hansard heading	Business: Regulation
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of savings to businesses in (a) the UK, (b) the Thames Valley and (c) Windsor constituency as a result of the Red Tape Challenge.
tabling member constituency	Windsor
tabling member printed	Adam Afriyie
uin	204115
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/07/2014 answer text <p>ThePrime Minister announced in January 2014 that that this would be the first government in modern history to reduce overall domestic regulation for business while in office. As part of this, he announced that the Red Tape Challenge programme had identified over 3,000 regulations to scrap or improve, delivering estimated savings to UK businesses of over £850m per year by the end of the Parliament. Analysis of the impact of the deregulatory reforms on a geographical basis has not been developed.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner answering member printed Mr Nick Hurd question first answered 14/07/2014 16:08:26 answering member 1561 label Biography information for Mr Nick Hurd
tabling member	1586 label Biography information for Adam Afriyie

64638

registered interest
date	30/06/2014
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	Business: Registration
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the effect of online business registration on registration rates; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Windsor
tabling member printed	Adam Afriyie
uin	202986
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/07/2014 answer text <p>There is no register covering all businesses in the UK. The Registrar of Companies registers a subset of businesses and provides online registration for those businesses that register as companies or limited liability partnerships. HMRC registers sole traders for tax purposes.</p><p>Online incorporation via software filing agents was introduced in July 2001, followed in April 2010 by the launch of the Citizen Incorporation service via Companies House Webfiling. The number of companies on the register has almost doubled, from 1.66 million at the end of March 2001 to 3.25 million at March 2014. In the financial year 2013/14, 98% of all new companies were incorporated electronically.</p><p>Companies House has carried out several studies to identify the main factors contributing to the increasing trend for company incorporations. This is attributed to a number of combined factors, such as the benefits of limited liability, changes to tax legislation and developments in the wider UK economy. There is no indication that the electronic enablement of company registration in itself has acted as a direct driver for the increase in new company registration rates, as just one of the methods the Government has used to help reduce the burden on business and the costs of running a company. This in turn has helped to make the UK one of the best places to set up and run a company.</p><p>Electronic services have also enabled Companies House to absorb the significant additional workload resulting from the growing register, make organisational efficiency savings and pass these efficiencies on to customers in the form of lower fees. For incorporation, the UK charges some of the lowest fees in the World.</p> answering member constituency Sevenoaks answering member printed Michael Fallon question first answered 07/07/2014 16:05:48 answering member 88 label Biography information for Sir Michael Fallon
tabling member	1586 label Biography information for Adam Afriyie

64658

registered interest
date	30/06/2014
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	CaTreasury
hansard heading	Income Tax
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people in (a) the UK, (b) the Thames Valley and (c) Windsor constituency no longer pay income tax due to changes in the level of personal allowance introduced since 2010.
tabling member constituency	Windsor
tabling member printed	Adam Afriyie
uin	202981
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/07/2014 answer text <p>By April this year this Government's increases in the personal allowance (for those born after 5 April 1948) are estimated to have taken over 3 million individuals out of the income tax system altogether. 384,000 of these individuals live in the South East region, which includes the Thames Valley and the Parliamentary Constituency of Windsor.</p><p> </p><p>These estimates are based on the 2011-12 Survey of Personal Incomes, projected to 2014-15 using economic assumptions consistent with the Office for Budget Responsibility's March 2014 economic and fiscal outlook.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>HM Treasury does not publish this information at constituency level.</p> answering member constituency South West Hertfordshire answering member printed Mr David Gauke question first answered 07/07/2014 15:09:45 answering member 1529 label Biography information for Mr David Gauke
tabling member	1586 label Biography information for Adam Afriyie

64810

registered interest
date	30/06/2014
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	Development Aid: Education
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many children received schooling as a direct result of UK aid in (a) sub-Saharan Africa and (b) South Asia in the latest period for which figures are available.
tabling member constituency	Windsor
tabling member printed	Adam Afriyie
uin	202969
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/07/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>Up until September 2013, UK Aid has supported over 6.4 million children in primary and lower secondary school, of which 3.1 million were girls, through our bilateral programmes. Of these, 4.2 million were in Sub-Saharan Africa and 2.1 million children were in South Asia. These figures are the latest available, and are reported in the DFID Annual Report and Accounts 2012/13.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Hornsey and Wood Green answering member printed Lynne Featherstone question first answered 07/07/2014 16:36:52 answering member 1531 label Biography information for Baroness Featherstone
tabling member	1586 label Biography information for Adam Afriyie

63174

registered interest
date	23/06/2014
answering body	Cabinet Office
answering dept id	53
answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
hansard heading	Exports
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what contribution intangible exports made to UK GDP in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13.
tabling member constituency	Windsor
tabling member printed	Adam Afriyie
uin	201813
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/06/2014 answer text <p>The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner answering member printed Mr Nick Hurd question first answered 30/06/2014 16:35:38 answering member 1561 label Biography information for Mr Nick Hurd attachment 1 file name PQ 201813.pdf title ONS Letter to Member
tabling member	1586 label Biography information for Adam Afriyie

63204

registered interest
date	23/06/2014
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: South East
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what progress he has made on improving the availability of superfast broadband in (a) the Thames Valley and (b) Windsor constituency.
tabling member constituency	Windsor
tabling member printed	Adam Afriyie
uin	201678
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/06/2014 answer text <p>I can confirm that the Berkshire broadband project was allocated £2.03m, which was matched by the Berkshire councils, the project signed its supplier contract on 04 October 2013 and is proposing to make available superfast broadband to over 17,000 premises that would not otherwise have got it.</p><p> </p><p>Ofcom monitors and reports on broadband and the table is of Next Generation Access availability across Berkshire between 2012 and 2013:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Local Authorities</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2012</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2013</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>BRACKNELL FOREST</p></td><td><p>76.8%</p></td><td><p>96.2%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>READING</p></td><td><p>92.9%</p></td><td><p>95.0%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>SLOUGH</p></td><td><p>91.7%</p></td><td><p>96.6%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>WEST BERKSHIRE</p></td><td><p>59.5%</p></td><td><p>65.1%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>WINDSOR AND MAIDENHEAD</p></td><td><p>83.1%</p></td><td><p>89.7%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>WOKINGHAM</p></td><td><p>87.3%</p></td><td><p>92.5%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Berkshire</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>81.7%</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>88.5%</strong></p></td></tr></tbody></table> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed Mr Edward Vaizey question first answered 30/06/2014 16:16:52 answering member 1580 label Biography information for Lord Vaizey of Didcot
tabling member	1586 label Biography information for Adam Afriyie