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  • Gordon Marsden – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Gordon Marsden – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2014-06-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions (a) he, (b) Ministers in his Department and (c) officials in his Department have had with trade union representatives from the maritime sector on the employment and related implications of implementing the maritime fuel suulphur regulations in the last 12 months.

    Stephen Hammond

    The Department has not had discussions with the trade unions specifically on the implementation of the sulphur rules. However, the trade unions have had the opportunity to contribute their views during the eight-week public consultation on the draft UK Regulations and the associated Impact Assessment which commenced on 29 April 2014.

    The maturity and efficacy of ship-board exhaust gas cleaning system technology was one of the key subjects under consideration when I chaired the ‘round table’ meetings of industry stakeholders in October 2012 and March 2013 to which I referred in my Answer of 17 June 2014. At those meetings, first-hand information was forthcoming from both the shipping industry and the exhaust gas cleaning system technology industry.

    The Department has engaged the European Commission about the potential impacts of the new regulations and the scope for financial support from EU sources, including finance from the European Investment Bank. The Commission has reaffirmed the possibility of support for the maritime sector through the new Connecting Europe Facility or the Trans-European Network (TEN-T) programme.

    The Department is investigating impacts on prices as part of its assessment of the impact of the draft UK Regulations.

    The Department will conduct the review at an appropriate time and not later than the timetable specified in the Regulations themselves, in accordance with normal Government practice and consistent with the principles of better regulation. It would be premature to make a commitment now concerning the precise timing of the review.

  • Gordon Marsden – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Gordon Marsden – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2014-06-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has commissioned or received any (a) internal or (b) external reports on the effectiveness of sulphur technology on maritime vessels.

    Stephen Hammond

    The Department has not had discussions with the trade unions specifically on the implementation of the sulphur rules. However, the trade unions have had the opportunity to contribute their views during the eight-week public consultation on the draft UK Regulations and the associated Impact Assessment which commenced on 29 April 2014.

    The maturity and efficacy of ship-board exhaust gas cleaning system technology was one of the key subjects under consideration when I chaired the ‘round table’ meetings of industry stakeholders in October 2012 and March 2013 to which I referred in my Answer of 17 June 2014. At those meetings, first-hand information was forthcoming from both the shipping industry and the exhaust gas cleaning system technology industry.

    The Department has engaged the European Commission about the potential impacts of the new regulations and the scope for financial support from EU sources, including finance from the European Investment Bank. The Commission has reaffirmed the possibility of support for the maritime sector through the new Connecting Europe Facility or the Trans-European Network (TEN-T) programme.

    The Department is investigating impacts on prices as part of its assessment of the impact of the draft UK Regulations.

    The Department will conduct the review at an appropriate time and not later than the timetable specified in the Regulations themselves, in accordance with normal Government practice and consistent with the principles of better regulation. It would be premature to make a commitment now concerning the precise timing of the review.

  • James Arbuthnot – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    James Arbuthnot – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by James Arbuthnot on 2014-06-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his Department’s responsibility is for long range search and rescue at sea.

    Stephen Hammond

    The UK’s responsibilities for search and rescue are set out in Annex 12 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation and the Maritime Search and Rescue Convention. The Convention of the High Seas and the International Convention on the Safety of Life at Sea are also relevant. All four Conventions ask that the Department for Transport establish arrangements for search and rescue in the United Kingdom’s Search and Rescue Region and formalises international cooperation with neighbouring states by agreeing common response plans and the sharing of resources. The Conventions also compel ships’ masters to render assistance to those in distress at sea. The UK’s responsibility for search and rescue responsibilities extends out to 30º west in latitude and covers some 1 million square miles. The Department for Transport discharges this responsibility on behalf of the Government.

  • James Arbuthnot – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    James Arbuthnot – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by James Arbuthnot on 2014-06-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when his Department intends to acquire aircraft to carry out long range search and rescue at sea; and if he will make a statement.

    Stephen Hammond

    The Department for Transport uses its own search and rescue helicopters and those of the military to provide search and rescue today. The Department for Transport will also draw upon other resources including other military assets and assets from neighbouring states under long established arrangements for international cooperation. The Convention of the High Seas also enables the Department to divert merchant ships to provide assistance to those in distress where it is reasonable to do so.

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2014-06-26.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the safety of embryos created using the DNA of three individuals.

    Earl Howe

    An expert panel, convened by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, has conducted three reviews of the safety and efficacy of methods to avoid mitochondrial disease through assisted conception. The reports of the reviews were published in April 2011, March 2013 and, most recently, on 3 June 2014.

    All three reviews have found no evidence to suggest any of the techniques evaluated are unsafe. In its most recent report, the expert panel recommended that additional experiments should be completed before the techniques were used in clinical practice. The Government is considering the report and will announce its plans as soon as possible.

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2014-06-26.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what if at all is the funding shortfall for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Burma; and what additional funding the Department for International Development is providing to fill any funding gap.

    Baroness Northover

    DFID officials are in regular contact with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Burma. We have not been made aware of any critical funding shortfall for UNHCR, and have not been approached to fill any funding gap. DFID already provides a significant amount of humanitarian funding, including to UNHCR, for work with internally displaced people in Burma.

  • The Earl of Sandwich – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The Earl of Sandwich – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Earl of Sandwich on 2014-06-26.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they will assess the level of care provided by Public Health England and local charities to help those suffering from addiction to, and withdrawal from, psychiatric drugs; and whether they have estimated the number of those afflicted.

    Earl Howe

    Public Health England does not provide care, its role is to support commissioners to better understand and address local drug need. If local addiction charities are commissioned by a local authority, then it is the responsibility of local commissioners to assess the level of care they provide. If they are registered with the Care Quality Commission then they will be expected to meet minimum care standards.

    There is no widely accepted definition of ‘psychiatric drugs’. In-depth research commissioned by the Department found that there are no national databases that can give us information on the number of people who are addicted to medicine.

  • Lord Judd – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Judd – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Judd on 2014-06-26.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to ensure that any extension of the mutual defence agreement with the United States is designed to assist the fulfilment of the purposes of the non-proliferation treaty and to fulfil the undertaking in that context given by the existing nuclear powers.

    Baroness Warsi

    We are committed to the goal of a world without nuclear weapons and firmly believe that the best way to achieve this is through gradual disarmament negotiated through a step-by-step approach within the framework of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. The UK has a strong record on nuclear disarmament and continues to be at the forefront of international efforts to control proliferation, and to make progress towards multilateral nuclear disarmament. The UK-USA Mutual Defence Agreement is, and will continue to be, in full compliance with our obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

  • Lord Bassam of Brighton – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord Bassam of Brighton – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bassam of Brighton on 2014-06-26.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Astor of Hever on 18 June (WA 84), what plans they have to recognise the contribution of women in auxiliary, emergency and support services during the Second World War; and whether they have considered the introduction of a badge such as the badge awarded to the Veterans of the Women’s Land Army and Women’s Timber Corps in 2008.

    Lord Astor of Hever

    I am sure the commemorations will seek to honour the work of all of those who contributed to the Second World War effort including women in the auxiliary, emergency, and support services. As the Noble Lord points out, a number of Departments have introduced badges, such as that for female pilots of the Auxiliary Transport Service provided by the Department of Transport. The Ministry of Defence Veterans badge recognises all women who served in the Armed Forces during the Second World War.

  • Lord Condon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Condon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Condon on 2014-06-26.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many times since the permitting of ship to ship oil transfers off the coast of Southwold, Suffolk, in 2011, Maritime and Coastguard Agency surveyors, or other relevant staff, have boarded vessels engaged in ship to ship transfers to carry out a Port State Control Inspection.

    Baroness Kramer

    Maritime and Coastguard Agency surveyors, or other relevant staff, have undertaken a total of 38 Port State Control inspections in support of Ship to Ship transfer operations, during the period 1 January 2011 to 27 June 2014.