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What discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Scotland on the potential introduction of a scheme to allow international students graduating from Scottish further and higher education institutions to remain in Scotland to work for a defined period of time.
What discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Scotland on the potential introduction of a scheme to allow international students graduating from Scottish further and higher education institutions to remain in Scotland to work for a defined period of time.
My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary meets colleagues regularly for discussions on a range of issues, including how we can continue to attract the brightest and best to study here while bearing down on abuse.
The recommendation comes as part of the Smith agreement. It recognises that the higher education sector is a multi-billion pound industry, and Edinburgh university is one of the most successful participants in that. More than 10,000 foreign students are now studying at Edinburgh, generating some of the highest quality research in the UK. Does the Minister agree that keeping more of those excellent students in the UK while their research is commercialised would be of enormous benefit, not just to the Scottish economy but to the UK as a whole?
The recommendation comes as part of the Smith agreement. It recognises that the higher education sector is a multi-billion pound industry, and Edinburgh university is one of the most successful participants in that. More than 10,000 foreign students are now studying at Edinburgh, generating some of the highest quality research in the UK. Does the Minister agree that keeping more of those excellent students in the UK while their research is commercialised would be of enormous benefit, not just to the Scottish economy but to the UK as a whole?
My hon. Friend will know that the Russell Group of universities, of which Edinburgh is a member, has seen a 30% increase in the number of applications from overseas students since 2010, showing that studying in the United Kingdom is an attractive offer to students. There is no cap on the number of students who can stay in the UK after completing their degree, provided they have a graduate-level job, get an internship or become a graduate entrepreneur.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the Government's position is in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership negotiations on the import from the US of chemically-treated poultry.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the Government's position is in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership negotiations on the import from the US of chemically-treated poultry.
All food imported from the US must adhere to EU rules and TTIP will not change that. Any changes to food safety measures in the European Union must be subject to a robust scientific risk assessment and agreed by EU Member States and the European Parliament.
Is my right hon. Friend, like me, waiting with bated breath for the latest Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland figures to be published? Does he expect that they will bolster or demolish the Scottish National party’s case for full fiscal autonomy?
Is my right hon. Friend, like me, waiting with bated breath for the latest Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland figures to be published? Does he expect that they will bolster or demolish the Scottish National party’s case for full fiscal autonomy?
Bated breath might be overstating it, but I expect the new GERS figures very soon. In recent days we have seen evidence of the damage that the Scottish National party’s ideas would do to the UK economy—higher debt for the whole of the UK at the end of this Parliament than at the beginning of it, and an extra £5 billion a year being spent on interest payments. Having been defeated on its proposals for independence, which would have undermined and damaged the Scottish economy, the SNP seems inclined to offer the same damage to the UK economy as a whole.
Thank you, Mr Speaker, and I thank hon. Members for their welcome.
I have harangued the Prime Minister on many occasions to do more on nuisance calls, so it is right today that I thank the Government for the announcement that was made on the subject by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport this morning. Of course, vulnerable consumers will still be targeted today and tomorrow by vicious scammers, who will pay no heed to the announcement. I therefore ask him politely to do all he can to help me set up a national call blocking scheme to protect vulnerable consumers in his constituency and in mine.
Thank you, Mr Speaker, and I thank hon. Members for their welcome.
I have harangued the Prime Minister on many occasions to do more on nuisance calls, so it is right today that I thank the Government for the announcement that was made on the subject by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport this morning. Of course, vulnerable consumers will still be targeted today and tomorrow by vicious scammers, who will pay no heed to the announcement. I therefore ask him politely to do all he can to help me set up a national call blocking scheme to protect vulnerable consumers in his constituency and in mine.
I will certainly look at the specific suggestion that the hon. Gentleman makes. I can announce today that we are changing the law to make it easier to hit companies with fines of up to £500,000 if they
pursue nuisance calls. That will be welcomed up and down the country. I am sure that parties from all parts of the House will be doing a little light telephone canvassing and will be talking to people, but such things should never be done by nagging people or being a nuisance, which is what can happen. Proper punishments are being brought in today.
That this House congratulates Edinburgh Airport on a second record-breaking year in a row; recognises that in 2014, 10.175 million passengers travelled through the airport and there was an 89.6 per cent rise in long-haul traffic; notes that in January 2015, 628,285 passengers passed through the airport, which was an increase of 7 per cent on the same month last year and the number of domestic passengers was 344,840 which was up by 7.2 per cent on the same month last year; welcomes the impact this increase in passengers will have on the city as a whole; and celebrates the hard work of the staff of Edinburgh Airport to constantly improve standards and the overall customer experience.
That this House congratulates Edinburgh Airport on a second record-breaking year in a row; recognises that in 2014, 10.175 million passengers travelled through the airport and there was an 89.6 per cent rise in long-haul traffic; notes that in January 2015, 628,285 passengers passed through the airport, which was an...
That this House notes that Ofcom is currently subject to a full merits appeals regime in the Competition Appeal Tribunal which goes significantly beyond the requirements of EU law; is concerned that the current regime results in almost every major decision being challenged in costly and often lengthy proceedings; acknowledges that the current system works in favour of incumbents and against newer entrants, challengers, downstream businesses and consumers, by allowing incumbent operators to use litigation to frustrate the promotion of effective competition; recognises that this results in the creation of a second regulator which re-examines decisions in great detail; further notes the inconsistencies in Ofcom's appeals regime as the Postal Services Act specified that appeals against Ofcom decisions should be made by judicial review and acknowledges that modern judicial review is the standard by which most decisions by public and regulatory bodies in the UK are judged; agrees that as a regulator Ofcom should be held to a high level of scrutiny and challenge as it reinforces market confidence in the regulator's decision-making and ensures that standards are kept high; believes, however, that the current regime goes beyond what is required and can prevent Ofcom from being effective as a regulator; further believes that an effective appeals system in this area must be built around the concepts of materiality and fairness; and calls on the Government to reform the appeals system in the communications sector to ensure long-term effective competition in communications markets.
That this House notes that Ofcom is currently subject to a full merits appeals regime in the Competition Appeal Tribunal which goes significantly beyond the requirements of EU law; is concerned that the current regime results in almost every major decision being challenged in costly and often lengthy proceedings; acknowledges...
The claims management regulator is often held up as the model for how to limit the number of nuisance calls due to the way in which the number of payment protection insurance call numbers has been reduced. However, recent discussions I have had with the Association of British Insurers indicate that it may not be working quite as planned. Will the Minister commit to a meeting as soon as possible to review whether the process is working as well as possible?
The claims management regulator is often held up as the model for how to limit the number of nuisance calls due to the way in which the number of payment protection insurance call numbers has been reduced. However, recent discussions I have had with the Association of British Insurers indicate that it may not be working quite as planned. Will the Minister commit to a meeting as soon as possible to review whether the process is working as well as possible?
I recognise my hon. Friend’s assiduous work on this issue and I am very happy to pick up on the issue that the claims management regulation unit may not be as effective in practice as we believe it is in theory. We are determined to protect the public. Nuisance phone calls and nuisance texts, particularly to the vulnerable, are unacceptable. They must be dealt with and we will do that with my hon. Friend’s help.
What discussions he has had with the Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries on how effectively the Government is protecting vulnerable consumers in Scotland from nuisance calls.
What discussions he has had with the Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries on how effectively the Government is protecting vulnerable consumers in Scotland from nuisance calls.
I commend my hon. Friend on his work in recent years on this serious issue. Tackling this problem is a priority for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, and I understand that the Minister with responsibility for culture, communications and creative industries will meet him later today to discuss the matter.
Over the last two years, trials run by councils and trading standards officers have installed call blockers in the homes of 400 older and vulnerable Scots, blocking more than 100,000 nuisance calls, improving
their quality of life and protecting them from becoming the victims of scams. Does the Minister agree that the time for pilots is over, as the technology is proven, and that we need to establish a national scheme to protect 300,000 Scots rather than just 300?
Over the last two years, trials run by councils and trading standards officers have installed call blockers in the homes of 400 older and vulnerable Scots, blocking more than 100,000 nuisance calls, improving
their quality of life and protecting them from becoming the victims of scams. Does the Minister agree that the time for pilots is over, as the technology is proven, and that we need to establish a national scheme to protect 300,000 Scots rather than just 300?
I agree with my hon. Friend that this is an important issue. The pilots have been necessary to test the technology involved. I am sure he will be able to make that very point to the Minister from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport when he meets him later today.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what external agencies are carrying out character enquiries on behalf of UK Visas and Immigration as part of the application process for British Citizenship; and what the (a) mean, (b) median and (c) longest time taken to complete such enquiries...
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what external agencies are carrying out character enquiries on behalf of UK Visas and Immigration as part of the application process for British Citizenship; and what the (a) mean, (b) median and (c) longest time taken to complete such enquiries...
No external agencies currently carry out specific character enquiries on behalf of UK Visas and Immigration as part of the application process. UK Visas and Immigration routinely completes robust checks itself to inform its assessment
of character, accessing information collated by other Government departments and agencies for their own purposes. No information is aggregated in national reporting systems to enable reporting on the time taken for these checks to be
returned.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Scottish pensioners in each local authority area were entitled to receive the basic state pension in (a) 2013-14 and (b) 2014-15; and how many such people are expected to receive basic state pension in 2015-16.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Scottish pensioners in each local authority area were entitled to receive the basic state pension in (a) 2013-14 and (b) 2014-15; and how many such people are expected to receive basic state pension in 2015-16.
Statistics for numbers in receipt of State Pension are available from 100% data and are published on the Department’s website at:
http://tabulation-tool.dwp.gov.uk/100pc/sp/tabtool_sp.html
Guidance for users is available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dwp-tabulation-tool-guidance
Information is not available on the number of people entitled but who have not claimed their State Pension or how many people in each local authority area are expected to receive it in 2015-16.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, on what basis the Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme rebate allocation has been calculated for Scotland.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, on what basis the Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme rebate allocation has been calculated for Scotland.
Companies pay all Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme payments to the Department of Health in England. The total United Kingdom payments will be allocated to each of the four UK countries in a fair way and the estimated payments for England have been included within the NHS England budget. The method for apportioning 2014-15 payments will be based on primary care data for spend on licensed branded medicines, as the most consistent data set available across the UK. Income will be apportioned using prescribing data for the same period as the income relates, on a quarterly basis.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much was paid in compensation to local authority staff as a result of a dog-related injury at work in 2013.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much was paid in compensation to local authority staff as a result of a dog-related injury at work in 2013.
This information is not held centrally.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what change there has been on the level of income tax paid by basic rate taxpayers in each year since 2011.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what change there has been on the level of income tax paid by basic rate taxpayers in each year since 2011.
Estimates of the amounts of income tax paid by taxpayers at the basic rate and other rates of tax in the years 2011-12 to 2014-15 are published in HM Revenue and Customs’s (HMRC’s) National Statistics table 2.5 which is available at the following internet address;
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/306857/Table_2.5.pdf
These estimates are based on the Survey of Personal Incomes (SPI) outturn data up to 2011-12, and then projected to 2014-15 in line with the Office for Budget Responsibility's March 2014 economic and fiscal outlook.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much additional tax has been collected by HM Revenue and Customs from large companies through its anti-avoidance and evasion activities since 2012.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much additional tax has been collected by HM Revenue and Customs from large companies through its anti-avoidance and evasion activities since 2012.
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is active in assessing and tackling the risks of evasion, avoidance and error amongst large businesses. HMRC’s approach has enabled it to recover over £16billion in additional compliance revenues from large businesses between April 2012 and March 2014.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much additional tax HM Revenue and Customs expects to gather by March 2015 as a result of investigations into unpaid tax; and how much tax it has so gathered since May 2010.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much additional tax HM Revenue and Customs expects to gather by March 2015 as a result of investigations into unpaid tax; and how much tax it has so gathered since May 2010.
HMRCs compliance performance is measured using internal management information systems. This data is constructed from information derived from individual cases or activities within HMRC. These systems can be split into type of tax, but not into behaviour and customer group, as this is not a standard HMRC performance reporting metric.
The additional tax revenues collected from compliance activities by HM Revenue and Customs for each year since May 2010 is as follows.
(£bn) | 2010/11* | 2011/12 | 2012/13 | 2013/14 | 2014/15 |
Outturns | 13.9 | 18.6 | 20.7 | 23.9 | |
Target | 26 |
*Note: the methodology for calculating additional tax revenues from compliance activity changed between 2010/11 and 2011/12, and so the figure of £13.9bn is not directly comparable to later years.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much additional tax has been collected by HM Revenue and Customs from individuals through its anti-avoidance and evasion activities since 2012.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much additional tax has been collected by HM Revenue and Customs from individuals through its anti-avoidance and evasion activities since 2012.
HMRCs compliance performance is measured using internal management information systems. This data is constructed from information derived from individual cases or activities within HMRC. These systems can be split into type of tax, but not into behaviour and customer group, as this is not a standard HMRC performance reporting metric.
The additional tax revenues collected from compliance activities by HM Revenue and Customs for each year since May 2010 is as follows.
(£bn) | 2010/11* | 2011/12 | 2012/13 | 2013/14 | 2014/15 |
Outturns | 13.9 | 18.6 | 20.7 | 23.9 | |
Target | 26 |
*Note: the methodology for calculating additional tax revenues from compliance activity changed between 2010/11 and 2011/12, and so the figure of £13.9bn is not directly comparable to later years.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of local authorities have an on-call dog warden service available out-of-hours and at weekends.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of local authorities have an on-call dog warden service available out-of-hours and at weekends.
No central records are held of the details of dog warden services provided by local authorities.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the number of hobby dog breeders active in England in each of the last five years.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the number of hobby dog breeders active in England in each of the last five years.
We have not made any estimate of the number of hobby dog breeders in England.