Asked by: Natalie McGarry (Independent - Glasgow East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will seek compensation for the demolition of UK or EU-funded buildings by Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
We are concerned by the large increase in the rate of demolitions since the start of 2016, compared with the rate in 2015. The EU has not sought compensation from Israel for demolition of EU projects in the West Bank and no decision has been made yet about whether to claim compensation in the future. The UK is focused on preventing these demolitions from happening in the first place, and supporting those affected.
Asked by: Natalie McGarry (Independent - Glasgow East)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to repay, with interest, funds diverted from the Big Lottery Fund to National Lottery distributors in 2007 to finance the Olympic Games in London in 2012.
Answered by Tracey Crouch
As agreed from the outset, repayments to the National Lottery Distribution Fund will come from land development and sales in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Payments are expected to start in the early 2020s, and distributors will receive payments pro-rata to their contribution. The BLF’s share of this money is £425m. This is set out in a legal agreement between DCMS SoS and the Greater London Authority (GLA) from 2012, which I attach.
Asked by: Natalie McGarry (Independent - Glasgow East)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Prime Minister, what discussions she has had with the (a) Scottish Government, (b) Welsh Government and (c) Northern Ireland Executive on the (i) European Social Funds, (ii) European Regional Development Fund and (iii) access and membership of the single market.
Answered by Theresa May
I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave, on 16 November, to the hon. Member for West Dunbarton- shire (Mr Docherty-Hughes), Official Report, column 237, the hon. Member for Ynys Môn (Mr Owen), Official Report, column 240, the right hon. Member for Islington North (Mr Corbyn), Official Report, column 229, the right hon. Member for Moray (Mr Robertson), Official Report, column 232 and the hon. Member for North East Fife (Mr Gethins), Official Report, column 236.
Asked by: Natalie McGarry (Independent - Glasgow East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect of the UK leaving the EU on Scotland's public finances.
Answered by David Gauke
We have always been clear that this is a new chapter for the United Kingdom, but our economy is fundamentally strong. We will work closely with the Scottish Government – and get the best possible deal for all parts of our United Kingdom as we conduct our negotiations for leaving the EU.
Asked by: Natalie McGarry (Independent - Glasgow East)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps the Government is taking to bring forward new measures to reduce the frequency of late payments to small businesses.
Answered by Margot James
The government is already taking forward a number of measures to tackle late payment.
In April 2017, the payment practices reporting requirement will come into force. This will require large companies and large LLPs to report publically on their payment practices and performance, twice per financial year.
Also in 2017, we will be appointing the Small Business Commissioner, who will support small businesses in resolving payment disputes.
We continue to promote the voluntary, industry-led Prompt Payment Code. More than 1,800 firms are signed up to the Code, with each committing to pay suppliers within a maximum of 60 days, with the aim of 30 days as the norm. To date 27 of Government’s 33 strategic suppliers have signed up.
Public sector buyers (other than devolved bodies) are required to have 30-day payment terms in their new contracts and through their supply chains. Public sector buyers are required to publish annual data on their payment performance.
We also strongly encourage businesses to report poor payment practice and instances of late payment in public sector contracts to the Government’s Mystery Shopper service.
Asked by: Natalie McGarry (Independent - Glasgow East)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether the Government plans to bring forward proposals for a cap on standard energy tariffs.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The introduction of a price cap for customers on pre-payment meters was a recommendation of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) report. The Government is currently considering their recommendations of the CMA report and will respond soon.
Asked by: Natalie McGarry (Independent - Glasgow East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions the Government has had with (a) President Obama and (b) President-elect Trump on NATO since 8 November 2016.
Answered by Michael Fallon
The Prime Minister has spoken to President-elect Trump and the Foreign Secretary has spoken to Vice President-elect Pence to send their congratulations for the election victory. We continue to work closely with the current administration to ensure implementation of the commitments Allies made at the July NATO Warsaw Summit. We will continue to emphasise that NATO remains the cornerstone of Euro-Atlantic defence and security.
Asked by: Natalie McGarry (Independent - Glasgow East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether it remains government policy to maintain the Bank of England's independence.
Answered by Simon Kirby
The operation of monetary policy in the UK is independent of Government. This is a crucial cornerstone of the UK’s macroeconomic framework. The Government’s position on this has not changed.
Asked by: Natalie McGarry (Independent - Glasgow East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether it remains Government policy to continue the triple-lock guarantee on the basic state pension throughout the lifetime of the current Parliament.
Answered by Lord Harrington of Watford
Yes, the Government is committed to the triple lock for the duration of the current Parliament.
Asked by: Natalie McGarry (Independent - Glasgow East)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, which reports commissioned by his Department from external bodies between 1 January 2015 and 31 August 2016 have not yet been published; when each report was commissioned for research; what the nature of the research commissioned was; from which external body or individual person the research was commissioned; what the value was of each such piece of research commissioned; on what date each report was received by his Department; for what reasons the research has not yet been published; and when he plans to publish each report.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
The requested information is not held centrally by BEIS and its Partner Organisations.
For research reports, BEIS has committed to both GSS and GSR publication rules – this means GSS publications are pre-announced and GSR publications should normally be published within 12 weeks of completion.
The Contracts Finder government portal provides information about contracts worth over £10,000 with the Government and its agencies, including details of previous tenders and contracts, and future opportunities.