Asked by: Gemma Doyle (Labour (Co-op) - West Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much has been paid to recruitment agencies by (a) his Department and (b) its executive agencies and associated bodies in each year since 2010.
Answered by Anna Soubry
The Ministry of Defence has made payments to recruitment agencies since 2010 as follows:
Calendar Year | Total Payments |
2010 | £120,905 |
2011 | £143,785 |
2012 | £283,725 |
2013 | £372,937 |
2014 | £583,086 |
This expenditure relates to recruitment to the permanent Senior Civil Service across the MOD, including the Trading Funds (the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, the Defence Support Group and the UK Hydrographic Office). It represents the costs of searches, advertisements, response handling, assessment and support to selection panels. The figures do not include expenditure on Contingent Labour, the process used to engage temporary staff through recruitment agency contracts.
Recruitment to the MOD for all grades below the Senior Civil Service is carried out by Defence Business Services who do not make use of external recruitment agencies.
Asked by: Gemma Doyle (Labour (Co-op) - West Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which five recruitment agencies have received the largest total amount of money from (a) his Department and (b) its executive agencies and associated bodies since 2010.
Answered by Anna Soubry
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Gemma Doyle (Labour (Co-op) - West Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many military personnel, dependents and civilian staff from his Department are based in Germany.
Answered by Mark Francois
As at 31 January 2015, there were around 10,600 Armed Forces personnel serving in Germany. There were also around 11,300 dependants, 700 civilian staff and 2,500 locally employed civilians.
Asked by: Gemma Doyle (Labour (Co-op) - West Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much has been spent on the planned withdrawal from Germany under the Army Basing Plan to date; and what progress has been made on that withdrawal to date.
Answered by Anna Soubry
Since the Strategic Defence and Security Review in 2010 and Ministerial announcement in March 2013, there has been significant progress taking forward the Army Basing Plan.
To date more than 30 moves have been completed, largely in the UK, with 14 force elements planned and preparing to move from Germany in 2015, and an additional two also moving this year under Project Borona.
To date some £82 million has been spent on the withdrawal of troops from Germany under the Army Basing Plan.
Asked by: Gemma Doyle (Labour (Co-op) - West Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to help developing countries to tackle tax avoidance and evasion.
Answered by Justine Greening
The UK put tax and development at the heart of our G8 presidency in 2013. We are working with our international partners to provide expert assistance to developing countries to tackle tax evasion and avoidance. At the Autumn Statement the Government announced an additional £5 million for HMRC for dedicated tax expertise to help developing countries tackle tax avoidance and evasion.
Asked by: Gemma Doyle (Labour (Co-op) - West Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what discussions Ministers and officials in his Department have had with their counterparts in the Ministry of Defence on Ministry of Defence Police pensions.
Answered by Lord Maude of Horsham
As was the case under previous administrations details of internal discussions are not normally disclosed.
Asked by: Gemma Doyle (Labour (Co-op) - West Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he plans to confirm future arrangements for Ministry of Defence Police pensions.
Answered by Anna Soubry
The review conducted by the Department on the likely effect of section 10 of the Public Service Pensions Act 2013 on the Defence Fire and Rescue Service and the Ministry of Defence Police which was laid before Parliament in December 2013 included an assessment of the impact of a higher normal pension age (a key change brought about by the Public Service Pension Act 2013) on Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) personnel.
Defence Ministers are consulting colleagues about the issues raised by the review. The proposals put forward by the Defence Police Federation in respect of MDP pensions have been fully assessed and reflected in these consultations.
We hope to be able to confirm the future arrangements for MDP pensions shortly.
Asked by: Gemma Doyle (Labour (Co-op) - West Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the suitability of the new Civil Service Pensions Scheme for Ministry of Defence Police officers.
Answered by Anna Soubry
The review conducted by the Department on the likely effect of section 10 of the Public Service Pensions Act 2013 on the Defence Fire and Rescue Service and the Ministry of Defence Police which was laid before Parliament in December 2013 included an assessment of the impact of a higher normal pension age (a key change brought about by the Public Service Pension Act 2013) on Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) personnel.
Defence Ministers are consulting colleagues about the issues raised by the review. The proposals put forward by the Defence Police Federation in respect of MDP pensions have been fully assessed and reflected in these consultations.
We hope to be able to confirm the future arrangements for MDP pensions shortly.
Asked by: Gemma Doyle (Labour (Co-op) - West Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the proposals of the Defence Police Federation on Ministry of Defence Police pensions.
Answered by Anna Soubry
The review conducted by the Department on the likely effect of section 10 of the Public Service Pensions Act 2013 on the Defence Fire and Rescue Service and the Ministry of Defence Police which was laid before Parliament in December 2013 included an assessment of the impact of a higher normal pension age (a key change brought about by the Public Service Pension Act 2013) on Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) personnel.
Defence Ministers are consulting colleagues about the issues raised by the review. The proposals put forward by the Defence Police Federation in respect of MDP pensions have been fully assessed and reflected in these consultations.
We hope to be able to confirm the future arrangements for MDP pensions shortly.
Asked by: Gemma Doyle (Labour (Co-op) - West Dunbartonshire)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how much funding Citizens Advice Scotland has received from his Department in the last five financial years.
Answered by Jo Swinson
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills provides funding to Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) – the umbrella organisation and membership body for the Citizens Advice Bureaux network in Scotland. Total funding to CAS over the past five financial years is set out in the table below.
Funding has increased substantially since 2011/12 to reflect the additional functions CAS has taken on as a result of the consumer landscape changes, including the joint delivery (with Citizens Advice England and Wales) of the Consumer Service helpline, education and advocacy on general consumer issues and as the advocate on behalf of consumers in the regulated energy and postal sectors.
Financial Year | Total funding |
2013/14 | 5,614,800 |
2012/13 | 6,887,500 |
2011/12 | 2,900,000 |
2010/11 | 3,518,000 |
2009/10 | 3,362,000 |