Category: Speeches

  • Mark Menzies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Mark Menzies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Menzies on 2014-06-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps he is taking to ensure that the views of homeowners are taken into account before any change in existing trespass legislation to allow for horizontal shale gas drilling.

    Michael Fallon

    We are currently running a twelve week consultation on proposals for underground drilling access for shale gas, oil and geothermal energy. Homeowners are invited to take part in this consultation, and can respond by post, email or by using our online portal. The Government will not make a decision on this issue until we have analysed the consultation responses. This feedback may help to refine the existing proposal, develop an alternative proposal, or convince the Government that the existing system is fit for purpose.

    In addition to the consultation, we have engaged with groups or organisations that represent homeowners. We held workshops in February and March this year, which were attended by representative groups such as the Country Landowner’s Association, the National Farmers Union and a number of local authorities and elected representatives.

  • Adrian Sanders – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Adrian Sanders – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Adrian Sanders on 2014-06-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what reforms his Department plans to make to the Work Programme following the downgrading of the project’s rating from green to amber by the Major Projects Authority.

    Esther McVey

    The Major Projects Authority has not downgraded the Work Programmes project rating. The rating was amber in 2012/13 and has remained amber in 2013/14.

  • Baroness Doocey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    Baroness Doocey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Doocey on 2014-06-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many times the Crown Prosecution Service has made a charging decision not to proceed on the use of section 71 of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 in each of the last five years where the victim was under 18 at the time of commission of the offence.

    Lord Wallace of Tankerness

    The Crown Prosecution Service does not hold figures centrally for the number of cases where a decision was made not to charge under section 71 of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009, including those cases where the victim was under 18 at the time of commission of the offence. To obtain such information would require a manual examination of records which would incur a disproportionate cost.

  • Lord Laird – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Lord Laird – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2014-06-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many suspects of terrorist-related offences have been given assurances by letter that they will not be subject to investigation.

    Baroness Randerson

    The administrative scheme relating to so-called “On the Runs” did not promise people that they would not be subject to investigation. Rather, the letters issued were only a statement of fact at a particular point in time that the individuals concerned were not sought for arrest.

    As the Noble Lord may be aware the Report by Lady Justice Hallett into the “On the Runs” administrative scheme will be published by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on 17 July 2014.

  • Emily Thornberry – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    Emily Thornberry – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2014-06-24.

    To ask the Attorney General, how many directors of companies were disqualified as a result of a criminal investigation by the Serious Fraud Office in (a) 2012-13 and (b) each of the five preceding years.

    Oliver Heald

    The number of directors of companies disqualified on conviction following prosecution by the Serious Fraud Office were as follows:

    2012/13

    2011/12

    2010/11

    2009/10

    2008/09

    5

    18

    6

    8

    22

    Data prior to 2008 is not collated centrally and it is not possible to provide the information requested without incurring a disproportionate cost.

  • Lyn Brown – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Lyn Brown – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lyn Brown on 2014-06-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many crew were available in each fire and rescue authority area during the 24-hour strike on 12 June 2014; and how many crew are available in each area on non-strike days.

    Brandon Lewis

    The levels of crewing available for each authority, whether or not during periods of strike action, are dependent upon a number of factors. These include the duty system being worked locally, availability of on-call firefighters and, during strike periods, local contingency arrangements, which are the responsibility of each fire and rescue authority. The Department collects details of appliance availability from local fire and rescue authorities on a confidential basis. The arrangements for business continuity planning during strike action are kept under review by the Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser.

    The principles of the recall to duty protocol, published as National Joint Council for Fire and Rescue Services Circular NJC/09/13, were agreed between the Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser, the Fire Brigades Union and the National Employers. Appendix 1 applies to fire and rescue authorities in England and makes clear that the Chief Fire Officers are responsible for arrangements locally, in accordance with their service’s major incident policies. I am confident that should there be a major disaster, striking firefighters would return to work.

  • Kate Green – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Kate Green – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Green on 2014-06-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how many children in poverty lived in a household that did not receive a Warm Home Discount in 2013-14.

    Gregory Barker

    Under the “broader group” schemes offered by suppliers participating within the Warm Home Discount, considerable assistance is offered to vulnerable groups such as low-income families and those with long-term illnesses and disabilities. In scheme year 3 (2013/14) all seven participating suppliers (British Gas, EDF, E.On, First Utility, N Power, Scottish Power and SSE) made broader group support open to low-income families with children aged under five years.

    We expect around 600,000 broader group rebates worth £135 to have been provided in 2013/14. However, final figures for the number of such payments will be published in Ofgem’s annual scheme report in the autumn.

    Participating energy suppliers are not required to provide the Government with a breakdown of the payments made to different groups of customers. As a result, we cannot calculate how many low income families received the Warm Home Discount, nor how many did not.

  • Philip Davies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Philip Davies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2014-06-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many successful matches there have been between DNA profiles taken from crime scenes and those stored on the National DNA Database in each of the last two years.

    Karen Bradley

    The requested data are as follows:

  • Jim Shannon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Jim Shannon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2014-06-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will take steps to encourage universities in the UK to enter into partnerships and twinning arrangements with the British University in Egypt.

    Mr David Willetts

    I am keen that UK universities broaden their engagement with their Egyptian counterparts in recognition of the country’s growing research strengths. The newly created UK – Egypt Newton – Mosharafa Fund presents a real opportunity to take UK – Egypt institutional engagement to another level, by investing £20 million over five years in a bilateral partnership focussed on science, research, innovation and education.

    The British University Egypt will be eligible to apply for calls once the fund is launched.

  • Hilary Benn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Hilary Benn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2014-06-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate his Department has made of the average lettings agency fees charged to tenants in the private rented sector (a) at the start of a new tenancy and (b) when a tenancy is renewed.

    Kris Hopkins

    My Department has not made its own estimate of the average lettings agency fees charged to tenants in the private rented sector but has taken note of the figures reported by independent organisations, such as the Office of Fair Trading, Shelter and Which.

    The Government is currently legislating through the Consumer Rights Bill to ensure there is full transparency on fees charged by all letting agencies, ending hidden fees.

    By contrast, I would observe that the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has commented that the policy proposals of HM Opposition on fees would harm tenants, as it would lead to: “increases in rents to cover the additional costs visited upon landlords” and a “reduction in supply” (RICS, Letting agent fees for tenants: a tale of two amendments, 15 May 2014).