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  • Simon Kirby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Simon Kirby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Simon Kirby on 2014-05-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will bring forward proposals to relocate (a) staff and (b) offices of his Department to Brighton; and if he will make a statement.

    Stephen Hammond

    The Department for Transport is a federated organisation comprising DfT (Central), the headquarters functions responsible mainly for policy issues, and five executive agencies responsible for the delivery of various services.

    DfT Central has no current plans to relocate staff or offices to Brighton. The Department for Transport (including our Executive Agencies) will consider opportunities for relocation as they arise, for example, through departmental reorganisation and reviews of estates requirements.

  • Simon Kirby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    Simon Kirby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Simon Kirby on 2014-05-01.

    To ask the Ministers for Women and Equalities, if she will bring forward proposals to relocate (a) staff and (b) offices of her Department to Brighton; and if she will make a statement.

    Mrs Helen Grant

    The Department has no plans to bring forward such proposals.

  • Simon Kirby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Simon Kirby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Simon Kirby on 2014-05-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will bring forward proposals to relocate (a) staff and (b) offices of his Department to Brighton; and if he will make a statement.

    Mike Penning

    At the present time, there are no plans to relocate a) Departmental staff and b) offices to Brighton.

  • Charlie Elphicke – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Charlie Elphicke – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charlie Elphicke on 2014-05-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the highest amount is that a single household has been capped as a result of the benefit cap.

    Esther McVey

    Of the top ten highest capped households at the end of March 2014, the average capped amount was £607 per week.

    More detailed information on the amount capped is not available as providing this information could identify individuals and would breach data confidentiality. Further information on the number of households capped by the amount capped is found at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/benefit-cap-number-of-households-capped-to-january-2014

    “

  • Nia Griffith – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Nia Griffith – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nia Griffith on 2014-05-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how levels of human control are defined in use of the ballistic sensor-fused munition and other similar systems which can operate in automatic mode.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    For existing automated systems, human control requires an authorised operator to set the pre-programmed parameters for the weapon system’s operation. Authority to activate such systems is given only in full accordance with the targeting directive for a specific theatre of operations, targeting policy and rules of engagement which ensure adherence to international humanitarian law.

    The decision to deploy a particular weapon system in any given theatre of operations depends upon the context of that operation. It would be unreasonable to deny our Armed Forces the option of using the most appropriate weapons (including systems that can be operated in automatic mode) to engage legitimate military targets.

  • Nia Griffith – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Nia Griffith – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nia Griffith on 2014-05-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what safeguards are deployed to prevent a sensor-fused munition operating in automatic mode from confusing a military target with a civilian target.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The targeting process, not the weapon, takes discrimination, proportionality and precautions in attack into account. The decision whether to use lethal force against a legitimate military target is made through a rigorous targeting process, the targeting directive for a specific theatre of operations and rules of engagement which ensure adherence to international humanitarian law.

    Since 1999, when the requirement to do so under the Geneva Conventions Additional Protocol I Article 36 came into effect for the UK, all new weapons, means and methods of warfare entering service have been subjected to a review in order to ensure they are capable of being used lawfully in armed conflict. The UK is committed to upholding the Geneva Conventions and encourages others to do the same.

  • Nia Griffith – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Nia Griffith – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nia Griffith on 2014-05-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how many acres of land are covered by solar farms in (a) Carmarthenshire, (b) Llanelli constituency, (c) each constitunecy in Wales and (d) each county in Wales.

    Gregory Barker

    DECC does not have data on the area of land covered by solar farms. There are currently 2 solar sites in Wales supported under the renewables obligation (totalling 12.2MW) and 2 sites (totalling 5MW) under the feed-in tariff scheme (FiTs) that are classified as ‘Stand-alone’ and are over 1MW in size. Information below country level is not available for sites in the Renewables Obligation. The sites accredited under FiTs are located in Monmouthshire.

  • Jamie Reed – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jamie Reed – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jamie Reed on 2014-05-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many officials in (a) his Department and (b) NHS England are working on the transition to a new system following the implementation of the Health and Social Care Act 2012; and what the cost was of employing such officials in the latest period for which figures are available.

    Jane Ellison

    The Health and Social Care Transition Programme (HSCTP) was set up to implement the changes introduced under the Health and Social Care Act 2012. The programme was led by the Department and closed on 31 March 2013. All of the organisations in the new health and care system assumed full responsibilities and powers as set out in the Act from 1 April 2013.

    Any enduring responsibilities that transferred to the Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), or NHS England from 1 April 2013 are being discharged as part of business as usual arrangements in each organisation. As the HSCTP has closed and the new organisations are in place, there are no longer any officials working on the transition to a new system.

    Further information on the overall cost of transition is available in the National Audit Office report ‘Managing the transition to the reformed health system’ available at the following link:

    www.nao.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/10175-001-Managing-the-transition-to-the-reformed-health-system.pdf

  • Jamie Reed – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Jamie Reed – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jamie Reed on 2014-05-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to improve the openness and transparency of the proceedings and accountability of Family Court decisions.

    Simon Hughes

    The Government recognises the need for greater openness in the family justice system. The challenge is to open the system up to greater scrutiny while protecting those involved especially the welfare of children. Last year, the President of the Family Division issued practice guidance in relation to committal of individuals found in contempt of court to ensure that these proceedings should be held in open court. In January this year, the President issued guidance aimed at increasing the number of judgments in family proceedings which are published. We are grateful to the President for his work in this area.

    The guidance is available at the following link:

    http://www.judiciary.gov.uk/Resources/JCO/Documents/Guidance/transparency-in-the-family-courts-jan2014.pdf

    “

  • Jamie Reed – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Jamie Reed – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jamie Reed on 2014-05-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to ensure that fathers have appropriate access to or custody of their children following separation or divorce in cases where there is no risk to the child.

    Mr Edward Timpson

    The Government recognises that a father’s role in his child’s life is a very important one and legislation in the Children and Families Act 2014 reflects the importance of children having a continuing relationship with both of their parents following family separation, as long as it is safe and in the child’s best interests.

    We are also strengthening the way in which breaches of child arrangement orders are handled. Cases which are breached within the first 12 months of an order being made will in future return to court quickly and, wherever possible, to the judge who made the original order. Courts will also be able to make full use of powers to direct a parent who is in breach of an order to participate in an activity, for example a parenting programme, to address their behaviour.