Asked by: Lord Storey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the decision by the First-Tier Tribunal (Information Rights) in<i> Gabriel Webber v the Information Commissioner</i> (EA/2015/0194) on 22 March, whether they will now release claims made, with supporting receipts, of public duty costs allowances paid to former Prime Ministers, and if so, when.
Answered by Lord Bridges of Headley
The Public Duties Cost Allowance (PDCA) was introduced to assist former Prime Ministers, still active in public life, with the costs of continuing to fulfil public duties. The PDCA is set in line with the annual Parliamentary Staffing Allowance allocated to Members of Parliament as determined by IPSA. In addition, former Prime Ministers are entitled to claim a pension allowance to contribute towards the pension costs of their staff. This is limited to a maximum of 10% of their staff salary costs.
The Government is currently considering the decision of the First-Tier Tribunal.
Asked by: Lord Storey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how the levels of public duty costs allowance for former Prime Ministers are determined.
Answered by Lord Bridges of Headley
The Public Duties Cost Allowance (PDCA) was introduced to assist former Prime Ministers, still active in public life, with the costs of continuing to fulfil public duties. The PDCA is set in line with the annual Parliamentary Staffing Allowance allocated to Members of Parliament as determined by IPSA. In addition, former Prime Ministers are entitled to claim a pension allowance to contribute towards the pension costs of their staff. This is limited to a maximum of 10% of their staff salary costs.
The Government is currently considering the decision of the First-Tier Tribunal.
Asked by: Lord Storey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the average growth in Gross Value Added for (1) the English Core Cities, and (2) Liverpool, from 2009 to 2014.
Answered by Lord Bridges of Headley
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
Asked by: Lord Storey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the total number of civil servants; and what percentage are based outside London and the south-east of England.
Answered by Lord Bridges of Headley
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
Asked by: Lord Storey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have guidelines for local authorities about charging for responses to Freedom of Information requests.
Answered by Lord Bridges of Headley
The Government has not published guidance for local authorities about charging for Freedom of Information requests.
Asked by: Lord Storey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what happens to gifts that ministers receive in their official capacity; where they are kept; and how they are eventually disposed of.
Answered by Lord Bridges of Headley
Gifts may be accepted in line with the provisions of the Ministerial Code
Retention and disposal arrangements are a matter for individual Departments. Departments may dispose of gifts after a suitable period of time has elapsed.
Asked by: Lord Storey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether there are any restrictions on the number of Freedom of Information requests an individual can make.
Answered by Lord Bridges of Headley
The Freedom of Information Act does not place a specific limit on the number of requests an individual can make. However, a request or series of requests for similar information may be refused where they exceed the cost limit, or are vexatious or repeated requests.
Asked by: Lord Storey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, as part of the Northern Powerhouse initiative, what are their policies for the decentralisation of civil servants.
Answered by Lord Bridges of Headley
The Civil Service has a significant presence across the UK and we are considering how new government hubs, in strategic locations across the country, will help to make sure that we have an efficient and effective Civil Service at the same time as we consolidate the government estate.
Any proposed relocation is done based on the operational needs of Departments.
Asked by: Lord Storey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Wallace of Saltaire on 24 February (HL4934), what direct voter registration work the Department for Education and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills are undertaking, or planning to undertake, with schools, further education colleges, apprentice and trainee providers and universities in advance of the 2015 General Election registration deadline on 20 April 2015.
Answered by Lord Wallace of Saltaire - Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Cabinet Office)
Citizenship education is in the revised national curriculum, taught from September 2014. At key stage 4, pupils should be taught the different electoral systems in and beyond the United Kingdom and about the actions citizens can take in democratic and electoral processes to influence decisions locally, nationally and beyond.
The Government is investing £530,000 to encourage students to register to vote to be shared by the NUS, Sixth Form Colleges Association, Active Citizens FE and the National Association of Managers of Student Services. This is the latest in a series of measures in this Parliament to maximise student registration. Additionally, a national competition for student unions to find the best ideas to get students to register to vote will be run by the National Union of Students (NUS).
Asked by: Lord Storey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that young people whose 18th birthdays fall on or before the voter registration application deadline know that they can register to vote before they turn 18.
Answered by Lord Wallace of Saltaire - Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Cabinet Office)
The Government recently announced that organisations that work with people who are underrepresented on the electoral register will share some £2.5 million of funding to ensure they register to vote. This includes UK Youth and British Youth Council who will target young people.
In addition, £6.8 million has been shared across every Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) in Great Britain. EROs are best placed to determine the type of activity they deliver through this funding to maximise registration levels in their area according to local circumstances. This could include specific activity aimed at registering attainers or a write out to all households to prompt those missing to register.