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  • Andy Sawford – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Andy Sawford – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Sawford on 2014-06-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the performance of Queen’s Park Community Council since its establishment on 1 April 2014; and if he will make a statement.

    Brandon Lewis

    We have not made an assessment of the performance of the new Queen’s Park Community Council since its establishment on 1 April. The new council had its first elections on 22 May 2014 and it is therefore still very early in the life of the council. Unlike the last Labour Government, we do not micro-manage the performance of councils.

  • Hilary Benn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Hilary Benn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2014-06-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the additional cost of additional appeals to the Parking Traffic Appeals Service if a 25 per cent discount is given to motorists who lose an appeal at tribunal against the issue of a parking ticket.

    Brandon Lewis

    As recommended by the Transport Select Committee (Local authority parking enforcement, HC 118, October 2013), the Government intends to work in partnership with a local authority to assess introducing a 25% discount to motorists who lose an appeal at tribunal level. This trial will allow us to evaluate the impacts, before rolling out the policy nationally.

    The underlying policy rationale is the current lack of any discount at an appeal stage (but with a discount operating if the driver does not appeal) acts as a disincentive for drivers with genuine cases to appeal. I would remind the rt. hon. Member that parking fines are a quasi-judicial process, not a source of revenue for councils. This Government believes in fairness, in contrast to the Labour Government which actively told councils to adopt aggressive parking enforcement practices.

  • Andy Sawford – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Andy Sawford – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Sawford on 2014-06-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much funding his Department provided to billing authorities for council tax support schemes in (a) 2013-14 and (b) 2014-15.

    Brandon Lewis

    The Government provided £3.3 billion to local authorities for localised council tax support in 2013-14 and has made available the same amount in 2014-15.

  • Tracey Crouch – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Tracey Crouch – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tracey Crouch on 2014-06-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether his Department’s proposed constitution on society lotteries, which was first announced in December 2012, will consider ways to help the sector maximise returns to good causes.

    Mrs Helen Grant

    Decisions on what elements will be considered in the consultation on society lotteries have yet to be taken. We have commissioned advice from the Gambling Commission which will inform us of the scope and content of the consultation.

  • Tracey Crouch – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Tracey Crouch – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tracey Crouch on 2014-06-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what information his Department holds on how much society lotteries have generated for good causes in each of the last six years.

    Mrs Helen Grant

    Information about how much society lotteries generate for good causes is collected by the Gambling Commission. The most up to date information can be found in the Gambling Commission’s industry statistics, which are at:http://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/gambling_data__analysis/statistics/industry_statistics-1.aspx

    “

  • David Amess – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    David Amess – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Amess on 2014-06-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department has (a) taken in each of the last three years and (b) plans to take in the next two years to ensure that war memorials are properly maintained and kept in a good state of repair; and if he will make a statement.

    Mrs Helen Grant

    DCMS has spent the following amounts maintaining national memorials in each of the last three years. The Memorials Grant Scheme is available to charities and faith groups, and can be used for works involving war memorials. The scheme will be available until 31 March 2015.

    Year

    Spend (£)

    2013/14

    529,000

    2012/13

    269,000

    2011/12

    334,000

    The Government has announced this week that it will give the War Memorials Trust up to £3 million over the First World War centenary period to boost the funds available to local communities for the repair and conservation of war memorials. English Heritage, Imperial War Museums and Civic Voice will together be given £1.5 million over the same period to deliver better protection through Listing, a greater pool of specialist skills, a national register of war memorials, and a network of trained volunteers.

  • Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Robertson on 2014-06-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many fires have occurred onboard each variant of Joint Strike Fighter aircraft; and what the cause was of each fire.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    All aircraft variants of F-35 are currently within the Development Test phase of the overall programme. The aim of the Development Test phase is to reveal issues through testing so that solutions can be developed in order to deliver a capable aircraft to the Armed Forces.

    There have been no fires on-board either the F-35B (Short Take Off & Vertical Landing Variant) or the F-35C (Carrier Variant).

    There have been four fires on-board the F-35A (Conventional Take Off & Landing Variant) that the UK are aware of:

    The first fire was within the Integrated Power Pack (IPP) and was due to an internal valve failure. Ground personnel extinguished the fire which resulted in minor aircraft damage. This incident lead to a minor design change.

    The second fire was as a result of a hydraulic fluid leak onto a brake assembly following landing. Ground personnel extinguished the fire which resulted in minor aircraft damage.

    The third fire was due to a hot brake condition after landing which was extinguished by ground personnel and resulted in a replacement of the wheel/tyre assembly.

    Both brake fires remain under investigation with no immediate design change being considered as necessary.

    The most recent fire occurred on 23 June 2014 at Eglin Air Force Base during a takeoff roll. The root cause of the incident is currently being investigated.

  • Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Robertson on 2014-06-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what risk rating was placed on a collision involving a Tornado and another aircraft in (a) 1991, (b) 1998 and (c) 2010.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The risk rating placed on a collision involving a Tornado for the years 1991 and 1998 is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. For 2010 the risk placed on a collision involving a Tornado classifies the severity of Mid Air Collision as ‘Catastrophic’, and the likelihood as ‘Remote’. Nevertheless, we have initiated a programme to fit Tornado aircraft with a collision warning system, which is currently being trialed on two aircraft and a third has been fitted for further development. On current planning, we intend to introduce this capability in stages from later this year.

  • Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Robertson on 2014-06-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many times an RAF aircraft has engaged an enemy aircraft beyond visual range by firing a beyond visual range air-to-air missile in the last 30 years; what aircraft it was fired from; and what the target and missile was in each case.

    Mr Mark Francois

    RAF aircraft have not engaged any enemy aircraft by firing beyond visual range air-to-air missiles in the last 30 years. The last air-to-air engagement involving UK aircraft took place during the Falklands conflict.

  • Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Robertson on 2014-06-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much was spent on the Unmanned Sea Vehicle-based Mine Countermeasures Hydrographic Programme Sweep Demonstrator project.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The Mine Countermeasures Hydrographic Programme’s sweep demonstrator project is in its pre-contract award stage; spending to date has been on technical preparation activities at a cost of approximately £40,000.