The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Scriven on 2016-05-24.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the recommendations in the recent report The Digital Powerhouse: The innovation potential of tech clusters in the North.
Baroness Neville-Rolfe
We are considering these recommendations and will respond in due course.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-07-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the UK Ambassador to Israel was asked to sign the letter, signed in July 2016 by eight European ambassadors, to Israeli officials on the confiscation of EU-funded structures and the displacement of 49 people in Jabal al Baba; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
Our Ambassador to Israel was not asked to sign this letter. We understand that a group of international donors to the Occupied Palestinian Territories Humanitarian Pooled Fund wrote to the Israeli authorities to note their concerns about confiscation of several humanitarian assistance projects. The UK is not part of this fund.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-10-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what further steps he plans to take to allow local authorities to use capital receipts from the sale of its assets to fund local authority services; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Marcus Jones
The time limited flexibility, recently introduced by the government, allows local authorities to use capital receipts to fund the revenue costs of any project that is designed to generate ongoing revenue savings in the delivery of public services. Such projects will deliver an ongoing benefit for taxpayers.
Parliament has decided that capital receipts cannot normally be applied to finance revenue expenditure. This is consistent with the fundamental principle that long term assets should not be used to finance immediate costs. I have no plans to seek approval from Parliament to revoke this principle and allow local authorities to use capital receipts to fund ongoing service delivery.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-11-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the factors contributing to the reclassification of Atlantic puffins as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Rory Stewart
The latest population trends indicate a recent decline in the population of UK puffins. This is thought to be due to a combination of factors, including climate change-related food shortages and inclement weather conditions during the breeding season.
The UK is currently undertaking a review of the terrestrial and coastal network of UK Special Protection Areas (SPA), classified under the EU Wild Birds Directive. The review will inform the need for any further SPA provision for this species.
The UK is also making good progress in identifying a number of SPAs in the marine environment to complete our network. These will be in addition to the existing 108 SPAs with marine components currently in place in the UK, which provide protection for just over 11,500km2 of seabird habitat.
Additionally in England, Natural England has been involved in projects to eradicate mammalian predators on Lundy and the Isles of Scilly which should improve the nesting conditions for breeding puffins.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Judd on 2015-11-23.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government at what level the UK will be represented in the Open Ended Working Group established on 5 November by the First Committee of the United Nations General Assembly (Disarmament and International Security) and to be convened in Geneva.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The UK and the four other Non-Proliferation Treaty Nuclear Weapons States voted against the Resolution “Taking forward multilateral nuclear disarmament negotiations” in the UN General Assembly First Committee earlier this month which established an Open Ended Working Group. The Government believes that productive results can only be ensured through a consensus-based approach that takes into account the wider global security environment. We remain open to an appropriately-mandated Open Ended Working Group provided that it is conducive to a constructive dialogue and we are considering whether to attend the meeting in Geneva in 2016.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-01-05.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of when Tolvaptan will be available through the NHS to treat autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease.
George Freeman
Tolvaptan (Jinarc) became available through the National Health Service following its launch in the United Kingdom in June 2015.
In October, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published technology appraisal guidance recommending tolvaptan as a treatment for autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease where certain conditions are met.
NHS commissioners are legally required to fund drugs and treatments recommended by NICE technology appraisals within three months of the NICE technology appraisal guidance being published.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Brown on 2016-02-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to make it easier for passengers to access the cheapest tickets available for any requested journey.
Claire Perry
I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer I gave to the Hon. Member for Coventry South (Jim Cunningham) on 29 January 2016 UIN 24320, http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-questions-answers/?page=1&max=20&questiontype=AllQuestions&house=commons%2clords&uin=24320.
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Murrison on 2016-02-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential of Westbury to become the north-south/east-west rail hub for the central south of England.
Claire Perry
The importance of Westbury as an interchange station for South West Trains and Great Western Rail services is not underestimated by the Department, and is already a mini hub and crew point for some of the inter-regional services (Bristol to Portsmouth and Weymouth). However, Bristol is the key hub for the region, and the Department has therefore made no such assessment regarding Westbury.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2016-03-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much funding her Department received from the European Social Fund (a) between 2007 and 2014 and (b) from 2014 to the last month for which data is available.
Mr Sam Gyimah
The Department for Education was not directly in receipt of programme funding from the European Social Fund. The European Social Fund programme for England that operated from 2007 to 2013 (extended to 2015) did, however, include monies for young people aged 14-19 who were not in education, employment or training or who were at risk of being so. This funding was administered initially by the Learning and Skills Council. From 2010 to July 2015, the funds have been administered by the Skills Funding Agency on behalf of the Young People’s Learning Agency and then on behalf of the Education Funding Agency. Given the nature of this European Social Fund programme operated by arm’s length bodies across a number of departments, without in depth analysis it is not possible to attribute funding for the period requested to particular departments. Such information will, however, be available in the Skills Funding Agency’s evaluation of the programme which will be published later this year.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2016-04-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many new staff have been appointed to his Department since 21 March 2016.
Justin Tomlinson
A total of 337 new employees were appointed to the Department for Work and Pensions during the period 21 March 2016 to 25 April 2016.