Asked by: Drew Hendry (Scottish National Party - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what his policy is on utilising the reserves in capital funding for 2024-25.
Answered by Laura Trott - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The Reserve is used for genuinely unforeseen, unaffordable and unavoidable pressures, or certain special cases of expenditure that would otherwise be difficult to manage. Chapter 2 of Consolidated Budgeting Guidance sets out further information on the criteria for Reserve funding.
Asked by: Drew Hendry (Scottish National Party - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what his policy is on utilising the reserves in resource funding for 2024-25.
Answered by Laura Trott - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The Reserve is used for genuinely unforeseen, unaffordable and unavoidable pressures, or certain special cases of expenditure that would otherwise be difficult to manage. Chapter 2 of Consolidated Budgeting Guidance sets out further information on the criteria for Reserve funding.
Asked by: Drew Hendry (Scottish National Party - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will use the £1.8 billion of reserves in capital funding to increase defence funding for 2024-25.
Answered by Laura Trott - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The Prime Minister recently set out our pledge: to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2030. That increase starts immediately, rising each year, and will see defence spending rise to £87 billion a year by 2030/31.
This is the biggest strengthening of our defence since the Cold War, ensuring we remain by far the largest defence power in Europe. It will protect our homeland security, cements our UK leadership in NATO and create jobs in the UK.
Asked by: Drew Hendry (Scottish National Party - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will use the £9.2 billion of reserves in resource funding to increase defence funding for 2024-25.
Answered by Laura Trott - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The Prime Minister recently set out our pledge: to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2030. That increase starts immediately, rising each year, and will see defence spending rise to £87 billion a year by 2030/31.
This is the biggest strengthening of our defence since the Cold War, ensuring we remain by far the largest defence power in Europe. It will protect our homeland security, cements our UK leadership in NATO and create jobs in the UK.
Asked by: Drew Hendry (Scottish National Party - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, whether his Department is taking steps to (a) provide funding for and (b) otherwise support the Ukrainian government to (i) investigate, (ii) arrest and (iii) prosecute Russian military (A) commanders and (B) personnel involved in the deployment of (1) choking and (2) other illegal chemical agents.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
Russia's use of chemicals as a method of warfare in Ukraine is a breach of its obligations under the UN Chemical Weapons Convention. The UK has provided Ukraine with assistance against potential chemical attacks, including medical countermeasures and protection. We have supported the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to assist Ukraine to detect the use of chemicals on the battlefield.
We have provided £6.2 million of capacity-building support to Ukraine's domestic work to document, investigate, and prosecute war crimes. Since 2022, we have provided £2.3 million in additional contributions to the International Criminal Court, in addition to our £13.2 million annual budget contribution for 2024.
Asked by: Drew Hendry (Scottish National Party - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether her Department is taking steps to ensure that chemicals that can be used in the manufacture of choking agents are (a) tracked and (b) not sent to Russia.
Answered by Alan Mak - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade) (jointly with the Cabinet Office)
We have sanctioned the export of all chemicals and biochemicals of concern to Russia.
This is in addition to our existing export controls, which already restrict the export of certain chemicals, pathogens and toxins.
Sanctions and export controls are impacting Russia’s economy and depriving its military of key components, and we are going further by extending our capabilities..
My department has recently announced the creation of the Office of Trade Sanctions Implementation (OTSI) to strengthen enforcement and support industry compliance.
We are also working closely with Ukraine and international partners to coordinate efforts to thwart Russia’s efforts to circumvent sanctions to gain access to technology to support its invasion.
Asked by: Drew Hendry (Scottish National Party - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of Personal Independence Payments on trends in the number of claimants (a) in and (b) seeking employment.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
On the number and proportion of PIP claimants in employment, I refer the honourable member to the answer given on the 2nd of May to PQ 24056.
The Department has made no assessment of the potential impact of Personal Independence Payments on trends in the number of claimants (a) in and (b) seeking employment.
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is designed to help with the extra costs arising from long-term ill health and disability, and is paid regardless of income and irrespective of whether someone is in work. PIP can also be paid in addition to other benefits the individual may receive, for example Universal Credit or Employment and Support Allowance, and can provide a passport to additional support through premiums or additional amounts.
Asked by: Drew Hendry (Scottish National Party - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in employment receive Personal Independence Payments.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
I refer the honourable member to the answer given on the 2nd of May to PQ 24056.
Asked by: Drew Hendry (Scottish National Party - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether she has had recent discussions with Ofgem on taking steps to ensure that energy companies use reputable contractors to meet their obligations under the ECO4 scheme.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Installations under ECO4 must be carried out by TrustMark registered and Publicly Available Specification (PAS) 2030 or Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) certified businesses, in accordance with PAS 2035. This ensures work is carried out by an installer who has demonstrated an appropriate level of skill and competence and minimises the risk of unintended consequences.
As the only Government endorsed quality scheme, TrustMark registered businesses are thoroughly vetted for technical competence, customer service, and good trading practices. TrustMark registered businesses must also provide an appropriate guarantee and be signed up to a dispute resolution process.
Asked by: Drew Hendry (Scottish National Party - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of enabling transition between technologies when applying for Renewable Heat Incentive payments when a given technology is not feasible after technical review.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Non-Domestic and Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive schemes are closed to new applications. Therefore, the Government does not plan to make such an assessment, given that new applications can no longer be made to the schemes.