The below Parliamentary question was asked by Danny Kinahan on 2016-07-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will assess the level of charges by ferry companies to cross the Irish Sea.
Mr John Hayes
I have held no such recent discussions. The level of charges on ferries across the Irish Sea is a commercial matter for the companies concerned, subject to normal competition law.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Pennycook on 2016-10-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure that Southeastern has access to sufficient rolling stock to enable it to alleviate capacity pressures across its London metro network.
Paul Maynard
The Department is exploring the provision of additional rolling stock to Southeastern, in order to lengthen services and increase capacity for passengers. This requires extensive commercial negotiations with Southeastern. We are continuing to work with Southeastern to develop the business case, and an announcement will be made in due course.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Amess on 2015-10-30.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the number of people likely to have age-related macular degeneration in 2050.
Alistair Burt
The Department has made no estimate of the number of people likely to have age-related macular degeneration in 2050.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2015-11-26.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to paragraph 4.105 of the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015, how much of the £1.9 billion investment in cyber defence he plans to spend in each year until 2020.
Matthew Hancock
As announced in the Chancellor’s speech of 17 November, a new National Cyber Security Strategy will be launched in 2016, implemented through a new National Cyber Security Programme. The new programme will determine how much of the £1.9 billion investment is spent each financial year to March 2021.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Brinton on 2015-12-22.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government which organisation has responsibility for ensuring compliance with EU legislation on pharmacovigilance.
Lord Prior of Brampton
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has the responsibility for ensuring compliance with European Union legislation on pharmacovigilance.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2016-01-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans his Department has to hold NHS bodies accountable to the recommendations of the Accelerated Access Review.
George Freeman
The Accelerated Access Review, which was set up to look at speeding up access to innovative drugs including those for rare diseases, devices and diagnostics for National Health Service patients, has been making strong progress since it was first announced in November 2014.
The review is independently chaired by Sir Hugh Taylor and has been engaging stakeholders extensively since the summer to gather evidence on the big questions the review is considering, and has developed a number of emerging solutions.
Sir Hugh published his interim report of the review on 27 October 2015. The report is high-level, direction-setting and grounded in evidence gathered through the review’s stakeholder engagement to date. Included in the report were proposals for a National Innovation Partnership of key bodies in the innovation pathway who would be party to a Concordat committing them to the ambitions set out in the review. The review has used a second phase of engagement to work closely with industry stakeholders, Government, the NHS and arm’s length bodies on these and other proposals set out in the interim report.
In April 2016 the review will conclude with Sir Hugh making his final recommendations to Government. The Department will review these recommendations and consider how best to respond.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2016-02-22.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of whether Russian airstrikes in Syria have breached international humanitarian law.
Mr Philip Hammond
We are aware of reports of alleged violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) in Syria. The UK supports the UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria, which is mandated by the Human Rights Council to investigate all alleged violations of international human rights law including those that may constitute crimes against humanity in Syria with a view to ensuring perpetrators are held to account. In addition, the UK co-sponsored a UN Security Council resolution to refer all those who are alleged to be responsible for war-crimes and crimes against humanity in Syria, regardless of affiliation, to the International Criminal Court. Russia and China chose to veto this resolution.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jess Phillips on 2016-03-16.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much her Department has spent on academy conversions.
Edward Timpson
There have been 4897 academy conversions during the current and preceding five financial years. During the same period, the department has spent £323 million to support schools to become academies.
Further details are in the table below:
|
Financial Year |
Academy Conversions |
Costs |
|
2015-16 (April 15 – January 16) |
530 |
£17m |
|
2014-15 |
899 |
£48m |
|
2013-14 |
964 |
£59m |
|
2012-13 |
1079 |
£65m |
|
2011-12 |
1165 |
£67m |
|
2010-11 |
260 |
£67m |
|
Total |
4897 |
£323m |
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Mackintosh on 2016-04-14.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to provide young offenders with (a) rehabilitation and (b) education to reduce the likelihood of them reoffending.
Andrew Selous
Although youth crime is down, reoffending rates are far too high and the care and supervision of young offenders in custody is not good enough.
That is why the Justice Secretary has asked Charlie Taylor to conduct a review of youth justice. He will report back later this year with recommendations on how to improve the treatment of young people in our care.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Tugendhat on 2016-05-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many of his Department’s properties classified as void have been empty for over 12 months.
Penny Mordaunt
The number and locations of properties classified as void as of 24 May 2016 are shown in the table below:
|
County |
Voids |
|
ABERDEENSHIRE |
5 |
|
ANGUS |
20 |
|
ARGYLL AND BUTE |
237 |
|
AVON |
42 |
|
AYRSHIRE |
21 |
|
BEDFORDSHIRE |
194 |
|
BERKS |
276 |
|
BUCKS |
183 |
|
CAITHNESS |
1 |
|
CAMBS |
373 |
|
CHESHIRE |
50 |
|
CLWYD |
1 |
|
CORNWALL |
46 |
|
*COUNTY ANTRIM |
647 |
|
*COUNTY DOWN |
397 |
|
COUNTY DURHAM |
16 |
|
CUMBRIA |
14 |
|
DEVON |
202 |
|
DORSET |
151 |
|
DUMBARTON |
4 |
|
DUMFRIES |
3 |
|
DURHAM |
8 |
|
DYFED |
45 |
|
EAST SUSSEX |
2 |
|
EAST YORKSHIRE |
4 |
|
EDINBURGH |
169 |
|
ESSEX |
155 |
|
FIFE |
221 |
|
GLOUCESTERSHIRE |
88 |
|
GWENT |
45 |
|
GWYNEDD |
53 |
|
**HANTS |
1074 |
|
HEREFORDSHIRE |
8 |
|
HERTS |
176 |
|
INVERNESS-SHIRE |
58 |
|
ISLE OF BENBECULA |
3 |
|
KENT |
483 |
|
LANCASHIRE |
86 |
|
LEICESTERSHIRE |
162 |
|
LINCOLNSHIRE |
294 |
|
LONDON |
86 |
|
MIDDLESEX |
163 |
|
MIDLOTHIAN |
43 |
|
MORAY |
121 |
|
NORFOLK |
209 |
|
NORTH LANARKSHIRE |
4 |
|
NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE |
3 |
|
NORTH YORKS |
522 |
|
NORTHUMBERLAND |
67 |
|
NOTTINGHAM |
58 |
|
ORKNEY ISLANDS |
1 |
|
OXON |
361 |
|
OXON |
1 |
|
PEMBROKE |
4 |
|
PERTH |
3 |
|
POWYS |
64 |
|
RENFREWSHIRE |
26 |
|
ROSS AND CROMARTY |
1 |
|
SHETLAND ISLANDS |
1 |
|
SHROPSHIRE |
223 |
|
SOMERSET |
90 |
|
SOUTH GLAMORGAN |
111 |
|
SOUTH YORKS |
2 |
|
ST ANDREWS |
3 |
|
STAFFORDSHIRE |
83 |
|
STIRLING |
1 |
|
SUFFOLK |
281 |
|
SURREY |
222 |
|
SWINDON, WILTS |
19 |
|
TYNE AND WEAR |
12 |
|
WARWICKSHIRE |
69 |
|
WEST MIDLANDS |
9 |
|
WEST SUSSEX |
14 |
|
WEST YORKS |
2 |
|
***WILTS |
1294 |
|
YORKSHIRE |
29 |
|
(blank) |
|
|
Total Voids |
10219 |
Of these properties 4623 were vacant for more than 12 months.
*The majority of void properties in Northern Ireland are awaiting demolition while 59 have been gifted to the NI Executive.
**Void properties in Hants have been retained due to short term Ministry of Defence requirements and plans have been made to release many of these for disposal.
***In the Wiltshire region a number of properties remain void to accommodate Army personnel returning to the area from Germany as a result of the Army Basing Programme.