The below Parliamentary question was asked by Flick Drummond on 2016-06-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to extend the operational life of the Type 23 frigate.
Mr Philip Dunne
There are currently no plans to extend further the out of service dates for the Type 23 Frigates.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Farrelly on 2016-09-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many staff working for the Health and Care Transformation Boards in (a) Staffordshire and (b) other constituent parts of the UK receive a higher salary than the Prime Minister.
David Mowat
We are unsure what is meant by Health and Care Transformation Boards. However in regards to Sustainability and Transformation Plans (STPs):
STP footprints are not statutory bodies, but collective discussion forums which aim to bring together health and care leaders to support the delivery of improved health and care based on the needs of local populations. They do not replace existing local bodies, or change local accountabilities. Each footprint has been asked to determine governance arrangements for agreeing and implementing their STP. Individuals who are leading the development of STPs within each footprint, which include National Health Service provider Chief Executives, Clinical Commissioning Group Accountable Officers, local authority senior leaders, are responsible for convening and chairing system-wide meetings, facilitating the open and honest conversations that will be necessary to secure sign up to a shared vision and plan. In the overwhelming majority of cases this is a voluntary, non-statutory role and they are not being paid over and above the remuneration they receive for their existing role. Their salary details will be available in the individual annual reports of the organisations by whom they are substantively employed.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christina Rees on 2016-10-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the reasons are for the proposal to reduce the number of benefit appeal cases in which (a) an appellant can appear in person and (b) the panel includes a member with direct experience of the relevant benefit; and what cost savings are expected to arise from that change.
Sir Oliver Heald
The Government is investing close to £1 billion to reform and digitise our courts and tribunals to deliver swifter and more certain justice.
Technology will be at the forefront of our reforms but specific support will be provided to ensure tribunals remain accessible to all and physical hearings will continue to be used to resolve many cases.
The impact assessment published alongside the Transforming our Justice System consultation paper sets out our estimate of potential savings from tribunal panel composition reform based on possible future scenarios.
The panel composition reforms will ensure that the most appropriate panel is always selected to hear a case. As now, relevant expertise will always be available where needed, regardless of how a case is resolved. The Senior President of Tribunals will continue to determine when panel members are used.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Danny Kinahan on 2015-11-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment she has made of the effect on the competitive parity of the Northern Ireland energy sector with that sector in other countries of the UK of the decision not to introduce a small-scale feed-in tariff scheme.
Andrea Leadsom
Energy policy is devolved in Northern Ireland and it is for Ministers in Northern Ireland to decide on what support mechanisms they deem appropriate and to assess what impact their decisions have on the competitive parity of the Northern Ireland energy sector.
The primary focus of the current review of the Feed-in Tariffs is to ensure generators are incentivised appropriately whilst seeking views on how to control future costs. We therefore do not consider it appropriate at this moment to extend the scope of the scheme.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sarah Wollaston on 2015-12-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans he has to provide additional practice guidance on applying planning policy and legislation in Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
James Wharton
The National Planning Policy Framework provides strong protection for Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It is for decision makers to apply that policy and related legislation. The local planning authorities have responsibility for determining planning applications and developing local plan policies in the first instance.
The strong protection for these valued areas is supported by planning guidance. We keep this guidance under review to ensure it reflects up-to-date planning policy.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2016-01-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he plans to publish the UK’s Future Nuclear Deterrent: 2015 Update to Parliament.
Michael Fallon
A further update will be published this year.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graham Allen on 2016-02-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 27 January 2016 to Question 23581, who the best official is to contact with credible reports from an external organisation of civilian casualties.
Penny Mordaunt
Any credible concerns or evidence relating to the possibility of civilian casualties caused by air strikes may be submitted to the Ministry of Defence Ministerial Correspondence Unit, Main Building, Whitehall, London, SW1A 2HB, or by email to ParliBranch-Treat-Official@mod.uk
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cheryl Gillan on 2016-02-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with the local licensing authorities on the introduction of five-year private hire operator licences by local authorities.
Andrew Jones
Five-year private hire vehicle operator licences were introduced in October 2015. Since that time, local licensing authorities have not made any representations to me on the subject.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Lord Bishop of Southwark on 2016-03-22.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what percentage of Syrian refugees scheduled for resettlement to the UK are located in refugee camps in Iraqi Kurdistan.
Lord Keen of Elie
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. The scheme is based on need and supports those who cannot be supported effectively in their region of origin.
We cannot therefore provide long term forecasts relating to the location of refugees within the region but have agreed a timetable of referrals. Volumes will vary, it is therefore not possible to give a percentage figure.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2016-04-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 25 April 2016 to Question 34932, what the grades were of the civilian employees seconded by his Department to (a) the Joint Intelligence Organisation’s Assessments Staff and (b) the National Security Secretariat within the Cabinet Office during 2015.
Mark Lancaster
Given the nature of the work that the Joint Intelligence Organisation’s Assessments Staff and the National Security Secretariat carry out, the Ministry of Defence is unable to disclose details of staff seconded to these areas for the purpose of safeguarding national security.