Category: Speeches

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-02-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate his Department has made of the number of rent repayment orders issued to houses in multiple occupation which were not adequately licensed in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

    Brandon Lewis

    The Department does not collect or hold information about the number of rent repayment orders issued in respect of unlicensed houses in multiple occupation.

    A local authority may apply to the First Tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) for such an order if Housing Benefit was paid to cover or assist with rent payments during the period a house in multiple occupation was required to be licensed, but was not. Information about the number of rent repayment orders issued to local authorities will be held by the authorities themselves.

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-03-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many responses he (a) expected to receive and (b) received to the consultation on BBC Charter Review.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    Prior to the consultation opening, no estimate was made of the number of expected responses. Over 192,000 responses were received, with over 140,000 responses submitted in the final 2 weeks of the 12 week consultation period.

  • Jo Stevens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Jo Stevens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jo Stevens on 2016-04-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many people were employed in the Insolvency Service Cardiff office in each year since 2010.

    Anna Soubry

    The number of employees working in the Insolvency Service’s Cardiff office prior to 2014 is not held and could only be ascertained at disproportionate cost. The numbers of permanent employees working in the Cardiff office since 2014 are as follows:

    1 January 2014: 35

    1 January 2015: 45

    1 January 2016: 46

    The increase in staff numbers between 2014 and 2015 follows the closure of the Insolvency Service’s Swansea office and transfer of staff between the two offices.

  • Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the value was of (a) private and (b) public sector investment in the British steel industry in each of the last 10 years.

    Anna Soubry

    This information is not collected centrally. However, the following are examples of Government investments in the UK metals sector since 2008:

    • £8.2 million from the Regional Growth Fund towards a new Tata Steel Europe R&D Centre at Warwick University
    • Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain Initiative (AMSCI) – £12.7 million comprising £6.47 million grant and £6.25 million loan to a consortium of which Tata Steel Europe is a key partner, to develop the “Proving Factory” which specialises in the industrialisation and low-volume production of advanced propulsion systems to automotive standards.
    • AMSCI – CASCADE project and consortia of 11 companies led by Tata Steel – awarded grant of £4.6m in April 2015 for development of metal powders and processes for additive manufacturing
    • Over £100m in capital projects in universities (through the Research Partnership Investment Fund) in steel, composites, automotive and aerospace, which has leveraged funding from businesses such as Tata, Rolls Royce and JLR.
    • Over £100m in EPSRC’s grant programme in metals and alloys
    • Innovate UK have provided just under £4m in grants to Tata Steel and a further £2m (with £2m from EPSRC) for SPECIFIC – an innovation and knowledge centre at Swansea University.

    Information on private sector investment in the steel industry is not available from official sources.

  • Judith Cummins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Judith Cummins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Judith Cummins on 2016-06-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the potential effect of the provisions of the Housing and Planning Act 2016 on the total stock of affordable homes in Bradford.

    Brandon Lewis

    The Housing and Planning Act will help more people buy their own home and ensure that we are making best use of our social housing stock. It will also get the nation building homes faster, by giving house builders and decision makers the tools and confidence to deliver more homes.

    The Act sets out that planning authorities have a duty to promote the supply of starter homes and the starter homes requirements in the planning system. Local authorities will still be able to seek other forms of affordable housing in addition to the starter homes requirement where it would be viable.

    The impact assessment for the Housing and Planning Bill can be found here:

    http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2015-16/housingandplanning/documents.html

    “

  • Robert Flello – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Robert Flello – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Flello on 2016-09-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to address non-payment of tolls, charges, penalties and fees by non-UK drivers.

    Mr John Hayes

    The Government takes the recovery of non-payment of tolls, charges, penalties and fees very seriously by UK and non UK drivers. The following sets out the steps used by the different organisations responsible in addressing the non-payment of UK charges and penalties.

    When a non-UK vehicle uses the Dartford Crossing without paying the Dart Charge, Highways England uses a European debt recovery agency to issue a Penalty Charge Notice. Highways England also runs seasonal compliance campaigns, providing translated material at ports, airports and poster sites in the Calais area to build broader awareness for foreign drivers heading to the UK.

    For the HGV levy, the Government has effective enforcement procedures that are delivering 95% compliance rates in Great Britain. The Driver and Vehicle and Licencing Agency (DVLA) has the powers to target non-compliant vehicles, and hold them until a penalty is paid.

    Enforcement of road traffic legislation is an operational matter for the police. They are able to issue penalties for speeding, and those who cannot provide a verified UK address can be required to make an on-the-spot roadside payment, known as a fixed penalty deposit.

    Local authorities have powers to clamp or remove foreign vehicles to ensure drivers comply with parking restrictions and pay any penalties.

    The Government will continue to look at the ways we collect tolls, charges, penalties and fees by non-UK drivers and ensure improvements are made where necessary.

  • Graham Jones – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Graham Jones – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graham Jones on 2015-11-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what recent discussions she has had with local authorities about minimum EPC standards for the private rented sector.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property)(England and Wales) Regulations 2015 were made in March this year following a full public consultation, and establish an EPC minimum of E for domestic and non-domestic private rented sector properties from April 2018.

    Officials in the Department liaise regularly with the insulation industry, local authorities, and other stakeholders on a range of energy efficiency issues including the minimum EPC standards for the private rented sector. Discussions have also been held recently with French officials about domestic energy efficiency issues including minimum standards.

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Daniel Zeichner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2015-12-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to require enforcers of the Pet Travel Scheme to carry out visual checks on dogs entering the UK.

    George Eustice

    The UK carries out more checks on pets at the border than most other EU Member States. It is a condition of their approval that the transport companies check 100% of pets declared by their owners for compliance with the EU Pet Travel Scheme. The only way that we are practically able to have a system of checking every declared pet dog entering Great Britain, on an approved route, is by working in partnership with the transport companies.

  • Baroness Pinnock – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Baroness Pinnock – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Pinnock on 2016-01-20.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the average time taken in England for the ambulance service to take a patient from their home to the nearest fully-equipped accident and emergency department.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    NHS England has advised that it does not collect data on the average time taken in England for the ambulance service to take a patient from their home to an accident and emergency department.

    The Government is clear the reconfiguration of front line health services is a matter for the local NHS. Services should be tailored to meet the needs of the local population, and proposals for substantial service change must meet the four tests of reconfiguration which are: (i) support from GP commissioners; (ii) strengthened public and patient engagement; (iii) clarity on the clinical evidence base and (iv) support for patient choice.

    Locally driven elements of reconfiguration mean delivery will largely be managed by NHS England, who will work closely with commissioners, the Trust Development Authority and Monitor, and only approve the progression of proposals to consultation that have local support. We are aware that NHS England, in their guidance ‘Planning and delivering service changes for patients’, emphasise that NHS service change planners include an analysis of distance and travel times, the impact of these on transport users, as well as the ambulance service. A copy of this guidance is attached.

  • Emily Thornberry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Emily Thornberry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2016-02-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 3 February 2016 to Question 24277, how many Sea King (a) Mk3, (b) Mk3a, (c) Mk4 and (d) Mk5 aircraft are planned to be taken out of service in 2016; and what plans the Government has to replace those assets.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    A total of 32 Sea King aircraft are planned to be taken out of service during 2016:

    10 Mk3

    2 Mk3a

    9 Mk4

    11 Mk5

    The Search and Rescue role provided by these Sea King helicopters is to be delivered by contractor-provided services. Other roles delivered by these aircraft will transition to the Merlin fleet operated by the Royal Navy.