Asked by: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, with reference to the Trade Barriers (Revocation) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018, what mechanisms exist for the UK ceramic industry to secure departmental action on any market access problems experienced in overseas markets.
Answered by George Hollingbery
The Government has established a dedicated market access team within the Department for International Trade to improve how market access barriers experienced by UK exporters are identified and tackled.
In addition to the usual engagement channels and regular dialogues between the Government and the ceramic industry, we will have a dedicated form through the gov.uk website where businesses will be able to report market access barriers they face. This will be available shortly.
Asked by: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the grounding of Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft, whether he has made a risk assessment of the award of the AWACS contract to Boeing for the provision of the E-7 wedgetail.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The E-7 is based on the proven and widely used 737 NG aircraft generation of which nearly 7,000 have been produced since it was first introduced in 1996. The two recent tragic incidents involved the different 737 MAX aircraft generation. It would not be appropriate to speculate on these accidents until the competent regulatory bodies have issued their formal reports.
Asked by: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what criteria his Department uses for the allocation of funding under the Prevent programme.
Answered by Ben Wallace
Prevent funding is prioritised based on threat and risk across the country where we assess the risk of radicalisation to be highest.
A number of factors, including local and national intelligence / information, the number of TACT arrests and disrupted plots, as well as Channel referral data, are used to help determine the locations where the threat from terrorism and radicalisation is greatest.
Each priority area receives funding for a dedicated Prevent Coordinator and for civil society organisations to deliver campaigns and activity that counter terrorist narratives and build resilience in communities against radicalisation. We do not provide detailed information about the funding allocation of local Prevent projects by area.
Asked by: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect on the local economy of restricted access to free to use ATMs.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
Information on ATM numbers by Parliamentary Constituency is publicly available on the LINK website.
LINK, the scheme that runs the UK’s ATM network, has committed to maintain the broad geographical coverage of the ATM network in the UK. The Government-established Payment Systems Regulator, which regulates LINK, is closely monitoring developments within ATM provision and has used its powers to hold LINK to account over its commitments.
LINK has put in place specific arrangements to protect free-to-use ATMs more than 1 kilometre away from the next nearest free-to-use ATM. Furthermore, LINK recently announced new additional premiums to safeguard the presence of free-to-use ATMs in remote and deprived areas.
Asked by: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the number of towns without free access to the ATM network.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
Information on ATM numbers by Parliamentary Constituency is publicly available on the LINK website.
LINK, the scheme that runs the UK’s ATM network, has committed to maintain the broad geographical coverage of the ATM network in the UK. The Government-established Payment Systems Regulator, which regulates LINK, is closely monitoring developments within ATM provision and has used its powers to hold LINK to account over its commitments.
LINK has put in place specific arrangements to protect free-to-use ATMs more than 1 kilometre away from the next nearest free-to-use ATM. Furthermore, LINK recently announced new additional premiums to safeguard the presence of free-to-use ATMs in remote and deprived areas.
Asked by: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions his Department has had with LINK on the interchange rate for ATMs.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Government recognises that widespread access to cash remains extremely important to the day-to-day lives of many consumers and businesses in the UK. Government is continuing to engage with the regulators and industry, including LINK, on this issue.
LINK has cancelled its third interchange fee reduction, due in January 2020, and put on hold its fourth reduction, due in January 2021, pending further review.
The Payment Systems Regulator, who regulates LINK, has welcomed these adjustments, having stated that LINK must carefully review its decisions on interchange fees to reflect changing market conditions.
Asked by: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, where the new University Enterprise Zones announced in Budget 2018 will be; and by what process that decision was reached.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The Government announced £5m towards University Enterprise Zones in the Budget. The locations of these have not yet been decided. The process for awarding funding is currently being developed by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
Asked by: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect of the new business rates relief announced in Budget 2018 on local authority finances.
Answered by Elizabeth Truss
The Budget confirmed that local government will be fully compensated for the loss of income that results from changes to business rates announced in the Budget.
Asked by: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether local authorities that see a reduction in funding as a result of the change to business rates will receive additional funding from central Government.
Answered by Elizabeth Truss
The Budget confirmed that local government will be fully compensated for the loss of income that results from changes to business rates announced in the Budget.
Asked by: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what financial support further education and sixth form colleges receive for students who entered the UK via the Syrian Children's Resettlement Scheme.
Answered by Anne Milton
The government considers refugees, who entered the UK via the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme or the Vulnerable Children’s Resettlement Scheme, eligible for funding on the same basis for 16-19 study programmes as all other eligible students.
In addition, the department provides a number of financial support programmes for economically disadvantaged 16 to 19 year olds, in particular the 16-19 bursary fund, to help with the education related costs associated with staying in post-16 education such as travel and course equipment. These programmes aim to enable 16 to 19 year olds to participate whatever their financial situation, and are available to refugee students who meet the qualifying criteria for each scheme.