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  • John Pugh – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    John Pugh – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Pugh on 2014-03-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what requirements there are for academies and free schools to publish their curriculum for prospective parents; and what form that must take.

    Mr Edward Timpson

    Academy trusts that have a funding agreement published pre-July 2010 are required to publish an annual prospectus, which includes details of the curriculum offered. Since July 2011, the funding agreement with each academy or free school has included a requirement to publish details of their curriculum.

  • Dr Alan Whitehead – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Dr Alan Whitehead – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dr Alan Whitehead on 2014-03-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what estimate he has made of the number of homes classified as solid wall construction and built before 1920 that possess fillable cavities.

    Gregory Barker

    The English Housing Survey shows there were 4 million homes built in England before 1919 of non cavity wall construction. It is possible that a proportion of these could possess fillable cavities, although no estimate on how many is available.

    The tool used to produce the above figure can be accessed from the following link:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cambridge-housing-energy-tool-guidance-note

    “

  • Dr Alan Whitehead – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Dr Alan Whitehead – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dr Alan Whitehead on 2014-03-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what recent estimate he has made of the number of treatable cavity wall homes in areas prone to flooding treated with inappropriate filling agents.

    Gregory Barker

    DECC does not hold data on the materials that have been used to fill individual cavity walls.

  • Neil Parish – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Neil Parish – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Neil Parish on 2014-03-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what bilateral funding arrangements his Department has with (a) governmental and (b) non-governmental projects and bodies in Argentina.

    Dan Rogerson

    Defra does not have any funding arrangements with either governmental or non-governmental projects or bodies in Argentina

  • Maria Eagle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Maria Eagle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2014-03-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of whether the estimated cost of the direct damage caused by recent flooding in Somerset meets the eligibility criteria for the European Union Solidarity Fund; and what discussions his Department has had with EU officials on an application to that fund.

    Dan Rogerson

    EU Solidarity Fund money is available to all Member States suffering from large-scale natural disasters, but is subject to a number of eligibility requirements, including on the level of direct damages. Comparing the damage today to the 2007 floods, and following contact with the Commission, the Government’s assessment was that we had not met these conditions. The Regulation governing the EUSF sets the deadline for applications as ten weeks after the first damage caused by the disaster.

  • Gregory Campbell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Gregory Campbell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2014-03-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has to bring forward legislative proposals to amend the Hunting Act 2004.

    George Eustice

    The Government has no legislative plans to make an amendment to the Hunting Act 2004. However, the Government’s position remains that we will bring forward a motion for a free vote on the repeal of the Hunting Act when Parliamentary time allows.

  • Maria Eagle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Maria Eagle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2014-03-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many civil servants in his Department spent some or all of their time working on the Hunting Act 2004 in (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012, (d) 2013 and (e) 2014 to date; and what the grade is of each such staff member.

    George Eustice

    Since 2010 a range of civil servants in Defra from across all grades have had some responsibilities for working on the Hunting Act 2004 and have spent some of their time doing so. However, the amount of time they spend on this varies considerably according to levels of correspondence, interest and activity at any one time. As these officers also work on a range of other issues, no specific records are kept for how much of their time is spent working on the Hunting Act 2004.

  • Maria Eagle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Maria Eagle – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2014-03-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has allocated staff resources or established a dedicated unit in his Department to deal with proposed amendments to the Hunting Act 2004.

    George Eustice

    Some departmental staff time has been used to look into the issues raised by Welsh farmers about lamb predation by foxes and the stalking and flushing out exemption of the Hunting Act 2004. This has not involved establishing a unit dedicated to this issue within the Department. Staff resources are allocated to look into issues as they arise on a flexible basis. The Government has no plans to bring forward legislation to make amendments to the Hunting Act 2004 this Parliament.

  • Joan Walley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Joan Walley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Joan Walley on 2014-03-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will establish shale gas extraction exclusion zones in sensitive areas for wildlife and water resources.

    Dan Rogerson

    Each application for shale gas exploration and extraction will be assessed on its merits and operators will require planning permission from the local minerals planning authority. The Environment Agency will object to shale gas extraction infrastructure or activity within a Source Protection Zone (SPZ) 1 (i.e. drinking water protected zone). Outside SPZ1, the Agency will also object when the activity would have an unacceptable effect on groundwater based on a site specific assessment.

    In England, an environmental impact assessment is required if a particular development is located wholly or partly in a ‘sensitive area’.

    Planning authorities assess each application on a case by case basis. There is a general presumption against approving a permit in such areas.

  • Joan Walley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Joan Walley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Joan Walley on 2014-03-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has to meet representatives of Cuadrilla and other members of the shale gas industry.

    Dan Rogerson

    The Secretary of State has no such planned engagements at present but always welcomes meeting a broad range of organisations to understand their needs and concerns. The UK Government is committed to the development of the shale gas industry in a safe and environmentally responsible manner.