The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Smith on 2016-04-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department will be responsible for drafting and publishing the obesity strategy.
Jane Ellison
The Childhood Obesity Strategy, which will be launched in the summer, is being led by the Department with input from across Government, including Public Health England.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Dodds on 2016-06-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions she has had with the Chief Electoral Officer on proposed industrial action by electoral office staff in Northern Ireland.
Mr Ben Wallace
I have regular discussions with the Chief Electoral Officer, including regarding the recent industrial action.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lisa Nandy on 2016-09-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent representations the Government has received from (a) the Chinese government and (b) Chinese energy companies on proposals to build new nuclear power stations in the UK.
Jesse Norman
The Department regularly engages with the Chinese government and with CGN about their proposed partnership with EDF in UK new nuclear build – as we do with all developers with proposals for new nuclear power stations. A record of ministerial engagement with external stakeholders is published on a quarterly basis, and can be found at
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jess Phillips on 2016-10-14.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the average cost was of opening a university technical college in the last three years.
Edward Timpson
The total pre-opening revenue expenditure for university technical college projects that opened, or were withdrawn or cancelled in 2010 to 2015 is published on at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/revenue-spending-on-open-and-withdrawn-utcs-and-studio-schools
The total pre-opening revenue expenditure for the 11 university technical college projects that opened in 2016 will be published in due course.
The capital costs of completed university technical college projects since 2011 are published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/capital-funding-for-open-free-schools
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Seema Malhotra on 2015-11-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department has taken to implement the conclusions of Fixing the foundations: creating a more prosperous nation, Cm 9098, published in July 2015, and simplify and streamline the number of qualifications.
Nick Boles
Compared to other countries, technical and professional education in England is still too complex. The government’s ambition is for a system that provides individuals with clear, high-quality routes to employment.
Following Professor Alison Wolf’s 2011 Review of Vocational Education, the government has already removed thousands of low-quality qualifications, which were not valued by employers, from the school and college performance tables.
Building on these reforms we will introduce up to 20 specific new professional and technical routes will be created, leading up to employment or degree-level study. This will simplify the system so individuals no longer need to choose from thousands of qualifications.
To advise on these reforms, the government has appointed an Independent Panel on Technical and Professional Education, headed by Lord Sainsbury, former Minister of Science and Innovation.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2015-12-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what estimate she has made of the net effect of her Department’s projects on greenhouse gas emissions in each of the next five years.
Mr Nick Hurd
The principal channel through which the UK Government targets reductions in greenhouse gas emissions overseas is the International Climate Fund (ICF), managed jointly by DFID, DECC and Defra.
The ICF seeks to prevent emissions by supporting countries to shift to cleaner, low carbon approaches and technology. The expected savings by the end of this financial year are over 6 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent. This is a result of a variety of programmes and interventions across developing countries which seek to exploit the economic benefits of clean energy technologies, avoid locking countries and cities in to high-carbon futures, help poor people to access energy, and reduce the risks of harmful climate change.
The latest results for greenhouse gas emission reductions, both achieved, expected to be achieved (by April 2016), and expected over the full lifetime of the programmes are as follows:
|
Achieved results (results reported by April 2015) |
Expected results by April 2016 |
Expected total benefits* |
|
|
Reduction in Greenhouse Gas emissions (Tonnes of CO2e) |
2,300,000 |
6,600,000 |
440,000,000 |
*Some ICF programmes will continue to deliver results long after our financial support ends. Expected total benefit figures include long term legacy benefits beyond the lifetime of the programmes, and outside of the 2011 – 2016 Spending Review period.
The full set of ICF results can be found here:
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Bradshaw on 2016-01-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when the Government plans to commence its review of driving offences; when he plans that the public consultation on that review will take place; and what timetable he has set for the completion of that review.
Andrew Selous
Driving offences can have devastating consequences for victims and their loved ones, which is why tough sentences are available to the courts. It is our intention to consult on sentencing proposals, including driving, before the end of this year.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Beecham on 2016-02-01.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to minimise the risk to aircraft from the use of drones, and whether those steps include a system of registration of ownership.
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Drones are becoming increasingly popular and have the potential to bring significant economic benefits, but it is vital that they are operated safely, in a way that does not put members of the public and other aircraft at risk. There are existing regulations in place that require users of drones to maintain direct, unaided visual contact with their vehicle and to not recklessly or negligently cause or permit an aircraft to endanger any person or property. Work is underway to better understand the level of risk posed by flying drones close to commercial planes. We are talking to both the Civil Aviation Authority and airports to find technical solutions to the problems around airport, these include mandated geo-fencing or frequency jammers.
The department is leading efforts with international bodies to develop a stringent regulatory framework focusing on safety. We are currently undertaking public dialogues ahead of a public consultation which will help to inform a government strategy to be published this year. The consultation will look at a range of options including regulation, registration and licensing options and a database to increase transparency on the use of drones for the general public.
The Civil Aviation Authority is undertaking activities to raise awareness of the basic safety requirements, including an ongoing ‘Dronecode’ safety awareness campaign, issuing safety leaflets at the point of sale, publishing an animated video on their website, and running ‘small UAS’ Risk and Hazard workshops with industry as part of the Mid Air Collision Programme.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Lester of Herne Hill on 2016-02-25.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will give guidance to local authorities about the limits on their powers to engage in political boycotts overseas.
Lord Bridges of Headley
On 17 February, the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) published procurement guidance for public authorities that makes clear that boycotts in public procurement are inappropriate outside where formal legal sanctions, embargoes and restrictions have been put in place by the UK Government.
This new guidance gives no consideration to matters of common law, which is a matter for the courts. However, the guidance makes it clear that local level boycotts can be unlawful and lead to severe penalties against the contracting authority and the Government.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Patrick Grady on 2016-03-21.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, to what her Department allocated spending on malaria in (a) 2013-14 and (b) 2014-15; and how that spending was disbursed between multilateral and bilateral channels.
Mr Nick Hurd
In 2013-14 DFID malaria spend was approximately £536 million, of which 66 per cent was provided bilaterally and 34 per cent multilaterally. In 2014-15 DFID malaria spend was approximately £428 million, of which 75 per cent was provided bilaterally and 25% multilaterally.
The methodology is detailed in the Malaria Framework of Results. This can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/67642/malaria-framework-for-results.pdf.
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