Asked by: Baroness Mone (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, following The Alison Rose review of female entrepreneurship, published on 8 March 2019, what progress they have made in increasing the number of female entrepreneurs.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
In response to the Alison Rose Review, the government has set out an ambition to increase the number of female entrepreneurs by 50% by 2030, equivalent to nearly 600,000 additional female entrepreneurs.
In order to help realise this ambition, over the past year the Government has worked closely with industry to implement the eight recommendations of the Rose Review. The Rose Review Board, which is co-chaired by BEIS and HM Treasury Ministers, has been established to oversee progress, which includes:
Asked by: Baroness Mone (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to mark UN International Women’s Day on 8 March.
Answered by Baroness Berridge
International Women’s Day is an excellent opportunity to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women in the UK and across the globe.
As you are aware, the UK Parliament has held debates in both Houses to mark this important event. The House of Commons debate was led by the Minister for Women and Equalities, Rt Hon Elizabeth Truss MP, who delivered the opening statement. Maria Caulfield MP closed the debate.
I opened the House of Lords debate as the Minister for Women, and it was closed by Baroness Sugg. Thank you for your personal contribution.
The Prime Minister hosted an International Women’s Day Reception in Downing Street on Thursday 5 March where he gave a speech and took part in a panel discussion with inspirational women from across a range of sectors. Representatives from business, science, and sport, among other areas, attended, alongside school pupils.
International Women’s Day is an important moment and receives significant press attention. As such, Government Equalities Office planned communications ahead of this year's event. This included the Government Equalities Office digital and campaign plans for a series of content featuring women activists and change makers, and Ministerial content including to showcase excerpts from Parliamentary speeches.
Asked by: Baroness Mone (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the current state of the UK housing market, and (2) how that market may be affected by Brexit.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
As a matter of course the department works closely with industry and all levels of government to monitor and assess the future of the UK housing market.
We?are ?committed to delivering safe, secure and affordable housing to people across the country, and this has not changed. A key pillar of realising this commitment is our ambition to deliver more homes for the communities up and down the country that need them. We have made necessary legislation that means the UK’s regulatory requirements on construction products are the same as the EU’s requirements.
Asked by: Baroness Mone (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce new tax incentives in their next budget to support the UK housing market.
Answered by Earl of Courtown - Captain of the Queen's Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard (HM Household) (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The Government has already made substantial reforms to the taxation of housing. At Autumn Statement 2014 the Government reformed SDLT on residential properties, cutting the tax for 98 per cent of buyers who pay it, unless they are purchasing additional property. At Autumn Budget 2017 the Government went further and introduced an SDLT first-time buyer relief that means that 80 per cent of first-time buyers will not pay SDLT, and 95 per cent of first-time buyers who pay SDLT will benefit from the change.
At the last election the Government committed to introduce an SDLT surcharge on non-UK residents purchasing residential property in England and Northern Ireland. This aims to help control house price inflation and the money raised will be used to tackle rough sleeping.
The Government will announce further updates on all tax measures at the Budget, to be held on 11 March.
Asked by: Baroness Mone (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to reform (1) tax relating to the housing market, and (2) stamp duty, following Brexit.
Answered by Earl of Courtown - Captain of the Queen's Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard (HM Household) (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The Government has already made substantial reforms to the taxation of housing. At Autumn Statement 2014 the Government reformed SDLT on residential properties, cutting the tax for 98 per cent of buyers who pay it, unless they are purchasing additional property. At Autumn Budget 2017 the Government went further and introduced an SDLT first-time buyer relief that means that 80 per cent of first-time buyers will not pay SDLT, and 95 per cent of first-time buyers who pay SDLT will benefit from the change.
At the last election the Government committed to introduce an SDLT surcharge on non-UK residents purchasing residential property in England and Northern Ireland. This aims to help control house price inflation and the money raised will be used to tackle rough sleeping.
The Government will announce further updates on all tax measures at the Budget, to be held on 11 March.
Asked by: Baroness Mone (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce new non-tax incentives after Brexit to support the UK housing market.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
This Government is committed to delivering safe, secure and affordable housing to people across the country and is working closely with the industry to support the market.
I am focused on delivering the comprehensive suite of housing measures set out in the manifesto to deliver at least another million homes in the next five years and make further progress towards the target of 300,000 new houses a year by the mid-2020s.
This includes ambitious measures such as renewing the Affordable Homes Programme, making the planning system simpler, and a new single housing infrastructure fund.
Asked by: Baroness Mone (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to mark the Micro-, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Day on 27 June.
Answered by Lord Henley
Our business environment is amongst the best in the world and Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises are the backbone of our economy, playing a key role in helping the UK remain the best place to start and grow a small business.
The United Nations (UN) General Assembly, recognising the importance of these enterprises, has declared 27 June the Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Day which we support through the ongoing work of our modern Industrial Strategy. Through our modern Industrial Strategy, we are doing even more to ensure the UK remains the best place in the world to start and grow a business – whether that is through creating the right environment for business; investing in research; creating a workforce skilled for the future or taking hold of the opportunities EU exit presents for trade.
Through programmes operated by the Government-owned British Business Bank they are currently supporting over £5.5bn of finance to over 78,000 SMEs; and since its launch in 2012, the Start-Up Loans programme, part of the British Business Bank, has delivered more than 59,000 loans, totalling over £450m.
Asked by: Baroness Mone (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to mark World Health Day on 7 April.
Answered by Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford
World Health Day is a key event to recognise, promote, and raise awareness of global health matters around the world. It falls on 7 April each year and marks the anniversary of the founding of the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1948. Each year it has a theme to highlight a global health issue. The theme for the 2019 World Health Day is Universal Health Coverage.
The Department works closely with the WHO and will support World Health Day through promotion of the day and its key messages on social media platforms. We have done this for other global health days, including World Health Day 2018.
Asked by: Baroness Mone (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Keen of Elie on 28 January (HL12983 and HL12985), whether they intend to publish a report into the provision of legal aid in cases where the individual has absconded; if so, when; and if not, why not.
Answered by Lord Keen of Elie
As we have previously confirmed, the Government is looking carefully at the provision of legal aid in cases where the individual has absconded.
The priority is to ensure the case can be concluded fairly and that victims, witnesses, and the public can see justice being done.
Asked by: Baroness Mone (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether people who are considered to be fugitives can receive legal aid.
Answered by Lord Keen of Elie
The Court of Appeal can, in certain circumstances, grant permission to appeal to an individual who was convicted in their absence in the Crown Court. The Court also has the power to grant legal aid when required in the interests of justice.
The Government is looking carefully at the provision of legal aid in cases where the individual has absconded.