Category: Speeches

  • Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2016-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will make an assessment of the potential costs and benefits of introducing an import tax on coal and gas imported from outside the EU; and if he will make a statement.

    Anna Soubry

    The UK is part of the EU Single market which has a common EU tariff policy which applies to all imports. Import tariffs are set by the EU. The UK has no legal ability to set its own import tariffs.

    EU tariffs rates form part of our World Trade Organisation (WTO) commitments and apply to all WTO member countries. Under WTO rules increases to EU tariffs above the level committed to, or ‘bound’ rate, require us to give compensation to affected countries (in the form of lower tariffs on other products). Any potential benefit of an import tariff increase may therefore harm another UK sector.

    The latest version of the EU tariff was published in Official Journal to the EU L285 on 30 October 2015 (Council implementing Regulation EU No 1101/2014 amending Annex I to Council Regulation (EEC|) No 2658/87 on the tariff and statistical nomenclature and on the Common Customs Tariff). Chapter 27 covers the import of fuel including coal and gas. The import of coal has a 0% import duty and the import of gas ranges from 0% to 8% depending on the type and usage.

    WTO rules, do however allow countries to impose import tariffs when goods are being “dumped” e.g. sold on our market at below manufacturing cost price. If there is evidence that imports of coal and gas are being dumped the European Commission could propose imposing anti-dumping duties.

  • Alan Brown – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Alan Brown – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Brown on 2016-04-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his policy is on recognition of the Polisario Front as the representative of the people of Western Sahara.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    Government officials engage with the Polisario Front regularly, most recently on 16 March in London. We regard the Polisario Front as a pro-independence movement and party to a UN-mediated dispute, but not all Sahrawis consider it to be their representative. Therefore the UK Government does not regard the Polisario Front as representing all Sahrawis. Because of this, Ministers do not meet Polisario Front members.

  • Lord Moynihan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Lord Moynihan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Moynihan on 2016-06-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they expect the independent review by Andy Ward into UK Anti-Doping’s handling of intelligence in relation to Dr Mark Bonar to be finalised, and whether they intend to lay a copy of that report before Parliament.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    The review is expected to conclude during the summer. UK Anti-Doping will publish the report.

  • Marion Fellows – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Marion Fellows – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Marion Fellows on 2016-09-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether it is her Department’s policy to immediately reject visa applications based on the applicant’s nationality.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    It is not Home Office policy to refuse an application for a visa on the basis of an applicant’s nationality. All visa applications are considered on their merits, in accordance with the Immigration Rules.

  • Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2016-10-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what oversight is provided to private higher education providers enrolling students onto degree courses to ensure minimum criteria are met for entry onto undergraduate degrees.

    Viscount Younger of Leckie

    It is for individual higher education providers to determine the minimum criteria for entry onto their courses.

    However, private providers must meet a number of conditions to gain designation for student support. These include having a successful Quality Assurance Agency Higher Education Review (Alternative Providers), which tests providers’ recruitment, selection and admission policies and procedures, as well as ensuring that all students recruited onto courses designated for student support meet a minimum English Language requirement.

    The Department monitors whether providers comply with the conditions of designation to ensure providers are held accountable and to protect the student and public interest. If at any point the Department determines that the conditions have not been met, it could put in place a range of sanctions, including the removal of course designation.

  • Richard Burden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Richard Burden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of Innovate UK’s contribution to the development of technologies in (a) aviation, (b) road transport and (c) ports and shipping.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Department for Transport (DfT) works collaboratively with Innovate UK through a range of mechanisms to support technological development and innovation in all modes of transport. DfT and Innovate UK work together to support wider government objectives to develop the nation’s science and research capability to support UK economic growth. However, the Department has not made any separate assessment of Innovate UK’s contribution to the development of technologies in the transport sector. Innovate UK undertakes well established economic evaluations on the effectiveness and impact of its activities and are reported to the Department for Business Innovation and Skills, as Innovate UK’s departmental sponsor.

  • Nia Griffith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    Nia Griffith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nia Griffith on 2015-12-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many times he has visited each parliamentary constituency in Wales in an official capacity in the 2015-16 session of Parliament.

    Stephen Crabb

    Wales Office Ministers regularly visit Parliamentary Constituencies in Wales. In each instance, the respective honourable Member is notified of the visit.

    Details of Ministerial visits and meetings are published on the Wales Office website, and in Quarterly Ministerial Transparency Returns. In addition, visits and meetings conducted in support of the Wales Office Business Plan are published in the Wales Office Annual Report and Accounts.

    Wales Office Ministers are always keen to receive invitation requests from honourable Members.

  • Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2016-01-13.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will ask the UNHCR to select individuals and families for resettlement in the UK on grounds of family reunion with relatives, as well as of vulnerability and extreme need.

    Lord Bates

    We work closely with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)to identify cases that they deem in need of resettlement according to agreed vulnerability criteria for the Syrian Resettlement Scheme. One of the criteria is ‘refugees with family links in resettlement countries’. The scheme was expanded in September 2015 to ensure more of those in the greatest need are resettled in the UK.

  • Rob Marris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Rob Marris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rob Marris on 2016-02-02.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many cases of suspected VAT and customs fraud relating to online sales and imports have been the subject of a criminal investigation for possible referral to the Crown Prosecution Service in each of the last 10 years.

    Mr David Gauke

    To provide the answer to these questions would incur disproportionate cost. Data has not been captured centrally for the specific categories over the last 10 years.

  • Paul Monaghan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Paul Monaghan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Monaghan on 2016-02-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many applications for consent determined by the Marine Management Organisation have required environmental impact assessment since 2010.

    George Eustice

    The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) database was established in April 2011 and accurate data for marine licence applications determined by the MMO are limited to post 1 April 2011. However, I can confirm that since April 2011:

    • 50 fully determined marine licence applications have required an appropriate assessment;
    • 151 fully determined marine licence applications have required an environmental impact assessment;
    • 44 marine licence applications have been refused; and,
    • 3,849 fully determined marine licence applications have been approved, including 1,848 variations to an existing marine licence.