Anne McGuire: On 11 September 2012, the Secretary of State said: “For what it is worth, I take absolute, direct and close interest in every single part of the IT development.”—[ Official Report, 11 September 2012; Vol. 550, c. 154.] He said he held meetings and briefings, and worked on it at weekends from his box. He also said, “we are testing stuff”— I think that is a technical term—...
Anne McGuire: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what sanctions are available if generating stations using biomass to generate electricity exceed their forecasted domestic wood use; and if he will make a statement.
Anne McGuire: How long does the Minister anticipate that post offices will have to wait before they are in a position to take applications for universal credit?
Anne McGuire: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the timescale was for decisions for terminally ill people who applied for disability living allowance under the special rules process from 1 January to 1 October 2013.
Anne McGuire: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he is taking to ensure that generating stations using biomass to generate electricity adhere to their forecast domestic wood use; and if he will make a statement.
Anne McGuire: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 7 November 2013, Official Report, column 404, on East Coast Main Line Ltd, whether the Dutch, French and German national railways will be able to bid for the East Coast Main Line franchise; and whether the current operator of the line will be barred from so bidding.
Anne McGuire: Let me deal with the consultation document. I shall quote from Hansard: “Yes, it was in the consultation document, but we listened to the consultation responses and recognised that it would be inappropriate to roll it into the social housing sector.”––[Official Report, Welfare Reform Public Bill Committee, 2 November 2006; c. 453.] That was the response of the Minister in the debates...
Anne McGuire: Will the hon. Gentleman give way?
Anne McGuire: I do not think that the hon. Gentleman was in the Chamber for the earlier clarification, given by my hon. Friend the Member for Westminster North (Ms Buck), that the local housing allowance was not retrospective. This tax is retrospective and it penalises people for not changing their circumstances.
Anne McGuire: The hon. Gentleman accepts that the situation cannot be changed overnight, but does he believe it is fair that people should be caught in the trap of having to pay the bedroom tax? He is contradicting his own argument.
Anne McGuire: Is it the Government’s case, then, that they inherited a bad situation and have set about making it worse?
Anne McGuire: While recognising that the Deputy Prime Minister has been dragged kicking and screaming into this, does the hon. Gentleman find it regrettable that the review of the bedroom tax will not come through until 2015?
Anne McGuire: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people receiving disability living allowance will be reassessed for that allowance between October and December 2013 in each postcode highlighted in his Department's Quick Guide to Personal Independence Payments, updated on 28 October 2013.
Anne McGuire: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people who were in receipt of disability living allowance have been re-assessed for personal independence payment since 8 April 2013; and what percentage of the forecast figure this is.
Anne McGuire: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when young people in Stirling constituency who are currently in receipt of disability living allowance will be re-assessed for personal independence payment.
Anne McGuire: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the timescale is for decisions for people with terminal illnesses who apply for personal independence payments under the Special Rules procedures.
Anne McGuire: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many young people currently in receipt of disability living allowance will be re-assessed for the personal independence payment in the three months from 7 October 2013 in the postcode areas highlighted in the Quick Guide to Personal Independence Payments, updated on 28 October 2013.
Anne McGuire: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when his Department will publish its response to the consultation on Renewable Heat Incentive: Expanding the non-domestic scheme; and if he will make a statement.
Anne McGuire: What recent assessment he has made of East Coast Main Line Ltd’s financial performance.
Anne McGuire: I thank the Secretary of State for his answer. Will he confirm that while German, Dutch and French railway companies will be allowed to tender for the new franchise, a successful British company that is currently operating the franchise will not be allowed to do so?
