Newsletter 14 February 2008

Newsletter from David Gauke, February 2008

Parliament is in recess this week, which gives me an opportunity to update you on what has been happening in the last few weeks.

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Parliamentary Question 7 February 2008

PricewaterhouseCoopers

David Gauke asks the Secretary of State for Justice about contracts awarded by his Department to PricewaterhouseCoopers since 2000.

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Speech 6 February 2008

Treaty of Lisbon

David Gauke raises concerns about the dropping of ‘free and undistorted competition’ from the objectives of the EU and the effect that too much EU regulation has on competitiveness.

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Parliamentary Debate 5 February 2008

Lisbon Treaty Debate

David Gauke presses the Government on his concerns that UK law is not protected from being changed as a result of European Court of Justice decisions on the Charter of Fundamental Rights being made in respect of other countries.

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Parliamentary Question 4 February 2008

Departmental Computers

David Gauke asks the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many of his Department's computers and laptops have been stolen in 2007.

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Speech 31 January 2008

National Insurance Contributions Bill

David Gauke tables amendments to the Bill aimed at retaining the ratio limiting any increase in the upper earnings limit for national insurance contributions without proper parliamentary scrutiny.

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Speech 31 January 2008

National Insurance Contributions Bill - Third Reading

David Gauke winds up the debate for the Opposition raising concern that the increase in the upper earnings limit is yet another stealth tax on middle earners.

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Parliamentary Question 31 January 2008

Welfare Tax Credits: Fraud

David Gauke asks the Chancellor for an estimate of the level of fraud by tax credit claimants claiming to be living alone when living as part of a couple.

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Petition 28 January 2008

M25 Noise Pollution

The Secretary of State for Transport responds to the M25 Noise Pollution petition.

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Speech 28 January 2008

EU: Financial Management

Debating the Court of Auditors' refusal once again to sign off the EU budget, David Gauke examines their report.

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Parliamentary Question 25 January 2008

Foreign Office: Departmental Consultants

In a written question, David Gauke asks the Foreign Secretary for details of spending by his Department on consultants in each financial year since 2000.

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Parliamentary Debate 24 January 2008

Data Protection

David Gauke calls for the Government to answer questions about the missing child benefit data from HMRC instead of hiding behind the Poynter report.

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Parliamentary Question 24 January 2008

Special Advisers

David Gauke questions the Prime Minister about obligations on special advisers to declare financial interests prior to being appointed.

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Speech 23 January 2008

Appointment of the Comptroller and Auditor General

David Gauke pays tribute to the outgoing Comptroller and Auditor General, Sir John Bourn and welcomes the new appointee, Mr Tim Burr to his new position.

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Parliamentary Question 23 January 2008

Departmental Consultants

David Gauke asks the Secretary of State for Justice about payments made to PricewaterhouseCoopers.

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Parliamentary Question 22 January 2008

PricewaterhouseCoopers

David Gauke questions the Foreign Secretary about contracts with PricewaterhouseCoopers relating to PFI projects.

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Parliamentary Question 21 January 2008

Pensions: Females

David Gauke asks the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for an estimate of the percentage of women who will qualify for the basic state pension in their own right by 2020.

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Parliamentary Question 15 January 2008

Registration of Births Deaths Marriages and Civil Partnerships: Internet

In a written question to the Chancellor, David Gauke asks about compensation paid to local authorities as a result of difficulties arising in the introduction and operation of Registration On-line.

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Parliamentary Question 14 January 2008

Child Tax Credit

David Gauke questions the Chancellor why HMRC suspended the provision of information in relation to the chosen frequency of payment of child tax credit in December 2007.

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Parliamentary Question 14 January 2008

Registration of Births Deaths Marriages and Civil Partnerships: Internet

David Gauke asks about the effectiveness of the introduction of Registration On-line by the General Register Office.

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Parliamentary Question 14 January 2008

Registration of Births Deaths Marriages and Civil Partnerships: Internet

David Gauke asks when the General Register Office expects to introduce Registration On-line for marriages.

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Parliamentary Question 10 January 2008

Child Benefit: Personal Records

David Gauke asks the Chancellor when the police were first informed by HMRC of the loss of the computer discs containing the child benefit claimants' data.

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Parliamentary Question 10 January 2008

Economic Situation

David Gauke calls on the Chancellor for an assessment of when the last economic cycle concluded.

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Parliamentary Question 10 January 2008

Revenue and Customs: Data Protection

David Gauke asks the Chancellor about security measures put in place to protect data held under the construction industry scheme.

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Speech 9 January 2008

Buncefield

Speaking in a debate on the Buncefield explosion, David Gauke raises a number of concerns about the ongoing costs to Hertfordshire taxpayers and unresolved environmental issues.

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Parliamentary Question 8 January 2008

Poynter Review

David Gauke asks the Chancellor about the timetable for the Poynter Revirew.

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Parliamentary Question 8 January 2008

Revenue and Customs: Prosecutions

David Gauke asks the Chancellor about criminal prosecutions completed against HM Revenue and Customs staff.

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Article 8 January 2008

The men who came to dither

The point of Alistair Darling was always supposed to be that he was a ‘save pair of hands’.

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Parliamentary Question 7 January 2008

Child Benefit: Personal Records

David Gauke asks the Chancellor when HMRC staff first searched the premises of the NAO looking for the missing computer discs;

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Parliamentary Question 7 January 2008

Child Benefit: Personal Records

In a written question to the Chancellor, David Gauke asks how many representations he received directly from banks requesting a postponement of the announcement of the loss of computer discs containing the personal data of child benefit claimants.

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Parliamentary Question 18 December 2007

Child Benefit: Personal Records

David Gauke questions the Chancellor of the Exchequer about the number of people who have access to a full copy of data held on tax credit claimants.

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Speech 17 December 2007

National Insurance Contributions Bill

David Gauke opposes the introduction of another stealth tax by way of changes to national insurance contributions and reforms of the state second pension.

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Parliamentary Question 17 December 2007

Child Benefit: Personal Records

David Gauke asks the Chancellor for an estimate of the number and value of tax credit payments erroneously made to a perpetrator of identity theft in the last 12 months.

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Parliamentary Question 17 December 2007

Data Protection: Complaints

David Gauke asks the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many complaints HM Revenue and Customs have received in the last 12 months from tax credit claimants claiming they have been victims of identity theft.

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Parliamentary Question 17 December 2007

Transport: Departmental Computers

In a written question, David Gauke asks the Secretary of State for Transport how many of her Department's computers and laptops have been stolen in 2007.

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Parliamentary Question 17 December 2007

Health: Departmental Computers

In a written question, David Gauke asks the Secretary of State for Health how many of his Department's computers and laptops have been stolen in 2007.

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Parliamentary Question 13 December 2007

Child Benefit: Personal Records

David Gauke asks the Chancellor of the Exchequer about the provision of personal data to KPMG as part of the National Audit Office’s 2006-07 resource accounts audit for HM Revenue and Customs.

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Parliamentary Question 13 December 2007

Departmental Data Protection

David Gauke questions the Chancellor of the Exchequer about previous loss of discs containing personal data by HMRC.

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Parliamentary Debate 12 December 2007

M25 Noise Pollution - Petition presented to Parliament

David Gauke presents a petition from residents calling for measures to reduce noise pollution from the M25 between Junctions 17 and 18.

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Parliamentary Question 10 December 2007

Scotland: Departmental Computers

In a written question, David Gauke asks the Secretary of State for Scotland how many of his Department's computers and laptops have been stolen in 2007.

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Parliamentary Question 10 December 2007

DEFRA: Departmental Computers

In a written question, David Gauke asks the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many of his Department's computers and laptops have been stolen in 2007.

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Parliamentary Question 10 December 2007

Defence: Departmental Computers

In a written question, David Gauke asks the Secretary of State for Defence how many of his Department's computers and laptops have been stolen in 2007.

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Parliamentary Question 10 December 2007

Innovation, Universities and Skills: Departmental Computers

In a written question, David Gauke asks the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many of his Department's computers and laptops have been stolen in 2007.

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Parliamentary Question 10 December 2007

Child Benefit: Personal Records

David Gauke questions the Chancellor of the Exchequer about the number of HMRC officials who had access to a full copy of HMRC’s data on the payment of child benefits as at 18 October 2007.

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Parliamentary Question 10 December 2007

HM Revenue and Customs

David Gauke asks the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from banks requesting that he delay announcing the loss of personal data by HM Revenue and Customs.

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Parliamentary Question 10 December 2007

Welfare Tax Credits: Overpayments

David Gauke asks the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many tax credit claimants who ceased to be entitled to tax credit by reason of working less than 16 hours a week have been informed that overpayments will be remitted.

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Parliamentary Question 6 December 2007

Taxation

In a written question to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, David Gauke asks whether he thinks changes to the tax system should be announced to Parliament first.

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Speech 6 December 2007

Government’s assessment as set out in the pre-Budget report for the purposes of Section 5 of the European Communities (Amendment) Act 1993

David Gauke raises concerns about validity of using figures based on the pre-Budget report for the Government’s public finances submission to the European Commission.

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Parliamentary Question 5 December 2007

Communities and Local Government: Departmental Computers

David Gauke asks the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many of her Department's computers and laptops have been stolen in 2007.

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Parliamentary Question 5 December 2007

Child Benefit: Personal Records

David Gauke asks the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the Government will reimburse clearing banks for the costs of measures to prevent identity theft arising as a consequence of the loss of data.

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