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  • Baroness Jones of Whitchurch – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Baroness Jones of Whitchurch – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch on 2016-09-08.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to use further interventions to prevent the spread of Koi herpesvirus disease which kills common and ornamental carp.

    Lord Gardiner of Kimble

    The Government recognises the importance of protecting the UK from fish diseases including koi herpesvirus (KHV) disease which can have serious effects on our native fish population, angling waters and aquaculture industry.

    We have strong control measures in place to identify and constrain outbreaks of KHV. This includes an annual surveillance programme in fish farms; the prohibition of the movement of live fish from KHV infected sites, both farm and fishery; and, restrictions on angling in affected waters during disease outbreaks. We will continue to apply these control measures robustly to prevent spread of the disease. In addition we support research into KHV transmission routes and will review our options for interventions as new scientific information becomes available.

    KHV is most likely transmitted through the movement of live fish and it has also been demonstrated that angling equipment such as keep nets may spread infection. Defra has been working closely with the Angling Trust on the Check, Clean, Dry campaign to support good practice in the angling community, and with the Ornamental Aquatic Trade Association to highlight the importance of not releasing pet fish into the environment.

    Last year we published the aquatic animal health strategy for England setting out our approach and activities to protect and improve aquatic animal health over the next five years. This includes looking at the use of new technologies to improve disease surveillance.

  • Baroness Jones of Whitchurch – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Baroness Jones of Whitchurch – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch on 2016-09-08.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Gardiner of Kimble on 20 April (HL7511), and in the light of the outcome of the EU referendum, whether they will now consider bringing forward legislation to ban the routine use on farms of antibiotics classified by the WHO as critically important for treating bacterial infections in humans, rather than waiting until the EU negotiations on the relevant legislation are completed in late 2017.

    Lord Gardiner of Kimble

    The Government does not support the routine preventative use of antibiotics in animals, including those classified as critically important.

    We will be restricting the use of the most important critically important antibiotics (CIAs) through measures already underway to remove indications for preventive treatment of groups of livestock from medicines containing the most important CIAs. This will not require legislative change.

  • Karl Turner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    Karl Turner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karl Turner on 2016-09-08.

    To ask the Attorney General, if he will take steps to encourage barristers who are employed through the Service Prosecuting Authority to enter the selection competition to become Queen’s Counsel.

    Robert Buckland

    I would strongly encourage anyone with the appropriate skills and experience to apply to become Queen’s Counsel, including those at the employed bar and within the Service Prosecuting Authority.

  • Tom Watson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Tom Watson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-09-08.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 22 July 2016 to Question 43066, on Cabinet Office: Ministerial policy advisers, whether his Department has now calculated the information requested in that Question on severance pay.

    Ben Gummer

    This information will be published in due course, as part of the full and detailed list of special advisers, salary bands and total pay bill costs.

  • Sue Hayman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Sue Hayman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sue Hayman on 2016-09-08.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what discussions he has had with his Cabinet colleagues on the rollout of digital infrastructure in rural areas as part of the move to deliver public services through digital technology.

    Ben Gummer

    I meet Cabinet colleagues regularly to discuss a range of issues. My officials in the Government Digital Service work with the Department of Culture, Media & Sport on digital inclusion and engagement. Government is working in partnership with the private and voluntary sectors to ensure that everyone in the UK has the basic digital skills needed to benefit in the digital age. To date, more than 90 organisations, including EE, Vodafone, Age UK, the LGA, Tinder Foundation, Microsoft, Shelter and Google have signed up to the Government’s Digital Inclusion Charter to develop initiatives that reach as many people as possible. We are committed to ensuring every UK citizen who can be online will be by 2020.

  • Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-09-08.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of all government departments adopting the same practice of informal monthly performance reviews which has been implemented by the Valuation Office Agency.

    Ben Gummer

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on Wednesday 7 September 2016 to UIN: 44500.

  • Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-09-08.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the reasons for the large increase in public sector contracts going out to tender since the EU referendum.

    Ben Gummer

    The overarching principle behind all public procurement policy is to award contracts on the basis of achieving the best value for money for the taxpayer.

    It is the responsibility of the individual contracting authorities to decide whether, how and when to go to market for the procurement of goods and services.

    Analysis by the Crown Commercial Service shows no significant variation in the number of above threshold opportunities advertised in the Official Journal of the EU. Analysis of opportunities over £10k advertised on Contracts Finder show a drop in the levels of procurement activity prior to the referendum, consistent with deferring advertisements during the Civil Service’s period of “purdah”, rather than a sudden increase in new activity since the referendum.

  • Tom Watson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Tom Watson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-09-08.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he has appointed a new head of unit to oversee the audit to tackle racial disparities in public service outcomes.

    Ben Gummer

    Senior appointments to the new unit are currently being made from within the Civil Service. The size of the team will be determined over the coming weeks as the details of the work to undertake the Audit are completed.

  • Tom Watson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Tom Watson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-09-08.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many members of staff he plans to recruit to oversee the audit to tackle racial disparities in public service outcomes.

    Ben Gummer

    Senior appointments to the new unit are currently being made from within the Civil Service. The size of the team will be determined over the coming weeks as the details of the work to undertake the Audit are completed.

  • Tom Watson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Tom Watson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-09-08.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, who the members of the committee that oversees special advisers’ pay are.

    Ben Gummer

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Heeley on 2 November 2015 to UIN: 13720.