Category: Speeches

  • Lord West of Spithead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord West of Spithead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2016-01-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 5 January (HL4757), at what range from an airbase could UK land-based fighter aircraft provide constant air cover for one of the Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers.

    Earl Howe

    The range would be variable and dependent on a number of factors, such as: the geographical location of the theatre of operation; basing options available; the threat level being faced; the specific task in question, and types and numbers of assets available. Precise ranges and specific capabilities cannot be disclosed for reasons of safeguarding operational security.

  • Andrew Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Andrew Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Smith on 2016-02-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will ensure that decisions on planning applications for fracking are taken within the local government planning process.

    James Wharton

    The Government has in place a local government led process for the consideration of planning applications for shale gas exploration. As part of this, mineral planning authorities have a responsibility to consider such applicationsunder the Town and Country Planning regime. The Government has taken steps to ensure this locally led regime is effective, as set out in Written Ministerial Statements made on 16 September, HCWS201 and HCWS202. This includes making available £1.2 million to ensure mineral planning authorities have adequate resource to reach timely decisions.

    Community involvement in planning applications and people’s safety and the environment will remain paramount. No decision has been made to take shale gas exploration out of this local government led process and there are no plans currently to consult on such a change.

  • Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-02-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to encourage academies to join high-performing rather than under-performing multi-academy trusts; and if she will make a statement.

    Edward Timpson

    Regional Schools Commissioners (RSC) are supporting the development of high-performing multi-academy trusts (MAT). MATs enable academies to realise a wide range of benefits and provide the formal structure in which high-performing schools can support under-performing schools to improve.

    Where there are concerns about the performance of an academy, the RSC may decide that the support of a new academy trust is needed to bring about the necessary improvements. In selecting a new trust, the RSC will evaluate its capacity, including the performance of the trust’s existing academies and its ability to provide the support required.

    In order to move an underperforming academy to a new trust, the RSC may be able to use the termination powers set out in the academy’s funding agreement to require the academy to move without the agreement of the academy or the existing trust. The Education and Adoption Bill will give RSCs stronger, more consistent powers to do this with all failing and coasting academies.

  • Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts on 2016-03-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether there was any prior consultation before the decision was taken to end the post transaction valuation check and PAYE health check currently provided by HMRC with effect from 31 March 2016 and, if not, why not.

    Lord O’Neill of Gatley

    HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has been consulting representative bodies through the Valuation Fiscal Forum over the last 18 months.

    HMRC has not withdrawn valuation services that are most relevant to employee share ownership schemes.

    HMRC has withdrawn valuation checks for income tax and PAYE as in most cases acceptable valuations were submitted, and therefore the service offered was not of sufficient value.

  • Sue Hayman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Sue Hayman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sue Hayman on 2016-04-28.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to his oral evidence to the House of Lords Select Committee on Secondary Legislation Scrutiny on 19 January 2016, Question 7, under what circumstances government departments are permitted not to publish equality analyses which are referred to in government consultation documents.

    Mr Oliver Letwin

    The Public Sector Equality Duty requires Departments to pay due regard to equality aspects of decisions. It is up to each Department to decide whether to publish their analysis.

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2016-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 3 June 2016 to Question 37744, on property: ownership, on what date (a) his Department will begin to consult on the detail of the policy and (b) that consultation will end.

    Anna Soubry

    My Department is currently developing the policy detail to be included within the consultation, which we plan to publish later this year. I am not able to commit to a specific date for the consultation at this point.

  • Margaret Hodge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Margaret Hodge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Hodge on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will publish a list of all secondees to his Department from (a) PwC, (b) Deloitte, (c) Ernst and Young, (d) KPMG and (e) other consulting firms in the last three financial years; and what the role was of each of those secondees.

    Mark Lancaster

    Fewer than five employees from PwC, Deloitte, Ernst and Young, KPMG and other consulting firms were seconded to the Ministry of Defence within the last three years. Due to the low numbers involved, a breakdown of companies and job roles has not been provided.

  • Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2016-10-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what her policy is on forcing local authorities to offer flexible business rates for private nurseries.

    Caroline Dinenage

    The Government does not collect data on particular types of premises that might have benefited from local discretionary relief.

    Central Government has given local authorities wide-ranging, discretionary powers to grant business rates discounts as they see fit – they are best placed to serve the needs of their community. All local authorities which grant a local discount will receive 50% of the cost from central Government funds.

    The Minister for Childcare wrote to all local authorities in November 2014 to encourage them to apply business rates relief to nurseries and reminded them that central Government will meet 50% of the costs involved. He also encouraged nurseries to follow up with their local authorities themselves. The Department for Communities and Local Government wrote to local authorities in January 2015, reinforcing this message. This letter is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/395333/BRIL_1__-_2015__-__General_-_14_Jan.pdf

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  • Lilian Greenwood – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lilian Greenwood – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2015-10-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 16 June 2015 to Question 2215, and with reference to the indicative timetable contained in his Department’s Level Crossing Reform Action Plan, whether he will issue a public consultation on the reform of legislation relating to level crossings in 2015.

    Claire Perry

    The Department continues to develop its response to the Law Commission’s recommendations on the reform of level crossing legislation.

    Initial discussions with stakeholders have raised a number of concerns which the Department will need to consider further.

    This is a highly complex area and we must ensure that any amendments to the legislative framework do not adversely impact on the UK’s position of having the best level crossing safety record in Europe.

  • Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-11-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what sustainability impact assessment was conducted of the measures in the National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015.

    Michael Fallon

    It will be the responsibility of each Government department to carry out sustainability impact assessments as the Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) is implemented, as included in section 7.4 of the SDSR.