Category: Speeches

  • Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2016-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 23 May 2016 to Question 37807 and with reference to the Answer of 29 October 2015 to Question 12850, on Thameslink railway line: rolling stock, for what reasons the introduction of Class 700 trains has been delayed.

    Claire Perry

    Operational testing of the new Class 700 Thameslink trains by Govia Thameslink Railway Ltd is in the process of being finalised prior to their entry into revenue earning service, which I expect will take place shortly.

  • David Winnick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    David Winnick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Winnick on 2016-09-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much has been allocated from the Condition Improvement Fund for 2016-17; and how much from that Fund was allocated in 2015-16.

    Edward Timpson

    On 26 March 2015, the Department for Education announced the outcome of the Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) 2015 to 2016. 1,407 projects across 1,127 academies and sixth-form colleges were approved funding of £383 million. This includes institutions successful following appeals in July 2015.

    We announced the outcome of the CIF for 2016 to 2017 on 24 March 2016. Funding of £435 million was approved for 1,276 projects across 1,030 academies and sixth-form colleges. The information can be viewed on the government’s website here:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/condition-improvement-fund-2015-to-2016-outcome

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/condition-improvement-fund-2016-to-2017-outcome

    “

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-10-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions his Department has had with officials in the Northern Ireland Executive on the introduction of universal credit in Northern Ireland.

    Damian Hinds

    We are in regular discussions with Northern Ireland’s Department for Communities teams. This includes sharing lessons learnt to support the introduction of Universal Credit. Officials from Northern Ireland also attend programme governance meetings, including the Programme Board.

  • Alex Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Alex Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has assessed the potential of liquid petroleum gas as a replacement for diesel in (a) passenger cars, (b) taxis, (c) HGVs, (d) vans and (e) public sector fleets.

    Andrew Jones

    As part of a consultation in 2014 on amendments to the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) the department considered the potential benefits of biopropane in delivering GHG savings. In recognition of this, the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation was subsequently amended to increase rewards for suppliers of that fuel from April 2015.

    The department, working with the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, have evaluated a range of options for tackling poor air quality; this formed the basis of the Government’s draft air quality plans that recently went to public consultation. Switching to LPG can provide air quality benefits but may not be easily deployed in all vehicle types.

    As part of the department’s 2014 Clean Vehicle Technology Fund (CVTF) grant scheme, Birmingham City Council were awarded £500,000 to enable the conversion of 80 older black cabs from diesel to LPG which will help improve air quality on some of the most polluted roads. There is a possibility of funding through the current CVTF grant scheme being used to support further LPG conversions in other areas.

    We are considering many competing priorities across Government as part of the Spending Review, including measures to tackle air quality pollutants and reduce other harmful emissions. The outcome of the Spending Review will be announced later in the autumn.

    The department regularly meets with motor manufacturers and their representative body the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). Discussions on how manufacturers can act to tackle poor air quality cover a range of measures.

  • Huw Irranca-Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Huw Irranca-Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Huw Irranca-Davies on 2015-12-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether it is her policy that anaerobic digestion will continue to be supported under the reformed Renewable Heat Incentive scheme.

    Andrea Leadsom

    We are still at an early stage in the process of reforming the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI). Therefore, I am unable to make specific commitments as to the future shape of the scheme at this point.

    However, Ofgem will continue to run the RHI under the current rules, while we consider reform of the scheme.

  • Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2016-01-11.

    To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what contingency arrangements the Government Equalities Office has made for the eventuality of a majority leave vote in the upcoming EU referendum.

    Caroline Dinenage

    We refer the Right Hon. MP to the response submitted by the Cabinet Office.

  • Lord Jones of Cheltenham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Jones of Cheltenham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Jones of Cheltenham on 2016-02-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to support the National Wildlife Crime Unit with further funding and through changes in legislation.

    Lord Bates

    The Government fully understands the importance of tackling wildlife crime and the important contribution that the National Wildlife Crime Unit makes to this, both here in the UK and internationally.

    That is reflected in the fact that the Government is providing over £270,000 worth of specific funding to support the work of the Unit in 2015/16. As far as funding beyond March 2016 is concerned, a decision will be made in due course. The Government has no plans to make changes in legislation to support the Unit.

  • Baroness Masham of Ilton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Baroness Masham of Ilton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Masham of Ilton on 2016-02-29.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the impact of the price of five per cent coal tar ointment on the NHS Drug Tariff for England and Wales on Clinical Commissioning Groups’ decision to pay for that treatment.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    We have made no such assessment.

    In primary care, the prescribing decision rests with the patient’s general practitioner. The cost of any medicine has to be balanced against the importance of meeting the individual treatment needs of patients and potential adverse consequences for patients and additional costs to the National Health Service if supply is interrupted, for example the re-emergence of symptoms or relapse of the condition on stopping treatment.

    Clinical commissioning groups can issue prescribing advice taking into account the cost of medicine.

  • Christian Matheson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Christian Matheson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christian Matheson on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the average cost per mile of electrification of a railway line in the UK.

    Claire Perry

    The Department for Transport does not delineate the average cost per mile of electrification from the wider rail upgrade works that it funds in England and Wales. The Government’s commitment to a rolling programme of electrification is reliant on a wider set of enhancement works to make journeys better. This often includes track works, gauging, signalling upgrades, power supply works and station works to allow electric trains to run. The Department does not make an estimate of the average cost per mile of electrification as the engineering complexity and challenge varies significantly across England and Wales. Electrification works in Scotland are devolved to the Scottish Government.

    However, we are aware of the significant cost to the industry and the wider public of the failure of the Labour Governments of 1997 to 2010 to progress electrification schemes across the country. This Government is determined to rectify this failure.

  • Royston Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Royston Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Royston Smith on 2016-04-27.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what discussions he has had the Electoral Commission on ensuring that people are able to check whether they are registered on aboutmyvote.co.uk related to the EU referendum.

    John Penrose

    A registration look up tool that allowed electors to check their registration status would reduce duplicate applications. Technical and practical barriers prevent its implementation before the EU referendum.