The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-11-02.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what discussions he has had with the International Network for Government Science Advice on improving scientific advice within UK Departments of State based on best practice worldwide.
Matthew Hancock
In line with the practice of successive administrations, details of ministerial discussions are not normally disclosed.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nia Griffith on 2015-11-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he has had with Ofcom on its proposals to open up BT fibre for business lines in Wales.
Mr Edward Vaizey
Ofcom has proposed that competitors be granted access to BT’s fibre network in Wales and across the UK. It has consulted on this proposal and expects to publish its decision in early 2016. This is a matter on which the regulator must decide.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2015-12-15.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what information they have received, if any, about Turkish and Greek coastguards attacking boats of refugees near the Greek islands, thus endangering life.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
We are aware of news stories about boats of refugees being attacked near Greek islands, but have seen no evidence to substantiate these reports.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-01-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he plans to take to co-ordinate steps to enhance public transport and accelerate the transition to ultra-low emission vehicles.
Andrew Jones
We have an ambitious programme of improvement for public transport. The Government is investing more than £38 billion in Network Rail to deliver the biggest programme of railway modernisation since the Victorian times, and backing Transport for the North and Midlands Connect to enable cities and regions. We are also supporting technology upgrades on transport networks to meet the expectations of the digital age and to deliver extra capacity.
We want nearly all cars and vans to be zero emission by 2050 and have committed more than £600 million between 2015 and 2020 to this goal, which is itself a substantial increase in funding compared to the previous Parliament. This investment will bring improvements to public transport as well. We have allocated £30m to support low emission buses, which will improve urban air quality, reduce running costs, and provide smoother more reliable journeys for passengers. We are supporting the installation of electric vehicle chargepoints at public transport hubs. 80 chargepoints have already been installed at train stations, and the £40m Go Ultra Low City Scheme includes plans for many more at strategic urban locations, such as park-and-ride sites, as well as measures to encourage EV car clubs. The low emission vehicle industry already supports over 18,000 UK jobs and it is a key element of our ambitions for a low carbon, high tech, high skills economy.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Boateng on 2016-02-11.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government on how many occasions in each of the last three years the Ambassador of Burundi to the UK has been (1) called to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to discuss events in Burundi, and (2) met a minister.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
Mr Deo Sindayihebura became the first Burundian Ambassador to the UK in May 2014. Until then the position was based in Paris. The most recent meeting between the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Rochford and Southend East (James Duddridge), and the Burundian Ambassador was on Wednesday 3 February.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers have regular contact with Ambassadors and High Commissioners during their normal diplomatic duties. We do not hold central records of all such meetings.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2016-03-11.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government by what criteria they define a serious crime as opposed to other crimes.
Lord Faulks
Various definitions of serious crime are used in different contexts. Sections 2, 2A and 3 of, and Schedule 1 to, the Serious Crime Act 2007 define ‘involved in serious crime’ for the purposes of Part I of that Act, which relates to serious crime prevention orders. Section 81 (2) and (3) of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 defines ‘serious crime’ for the purposes of that Act.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Phil Boswell on 2016-04-18.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made on the potential selling price of the Government’s remaining stake in the Royal Bank of Scotland of the implications for the leveraged loans made by that bank to the oil and gas sector of the default rate of companies in that sector on high-yield loans.
Harriett Baldwin
The Government’s shareholding in RBS is managed at arm’s length from HM Treasury by UK Financial Investments (UKFI). However, UKFI’s role is to manage the investment, not the bank. RBS retains its own independent Board of Directors. Commercial decisions such as lending remain the responsibility of the bank’s independent management team and not the Government.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-05-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Answer of 26 November 2015 to Question 16942, for what reason his Department does not publish statistics on the number of buses in England that are fitted with audio-visual systems; and whether the Buses Bill will make provision to do so.
Andrew Jones
The Department’s annual survey of local bus operators was amended in 2013/14 to include a question on the number of buses providing audio/visual information.
In line with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics, statistics should be produced to a level of quality that meets users’ need. To date, the statistics relating to this question have not been published by the Department because of concerns about the robustness of the data.
The Department, as part of it’s statistical quality management process, will take steps to improve the quality of the audio/visual data. Once these quality concerns are met so that what is produced does not risk misleading users, the Department will look to publish the information, in line with the majority of data collected through the local bus survey.
The Government, therefore, does not consider it necessary to legislate on this issue through the Bus Services Bill.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-07-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 11 July 2016 to Question 42042, what information his Department holds on the length of NHS waiting lists in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Philip Dunne
Consultant-led referral to treatment waiting list data is published each month on NHS England’s website.
The information is available at the link below:
“
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-10-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to consult stakeholders in the development of proposals for a post-Common Agricultural Policy system of farm support.
George Eustice
Following the decision to leave the European Union, we now have an unprecedented opportunity to redesign our policies to ensure that our agricultural industry is competitive, productive and profitable and that our environment is improved for future generations. We look forward to hearing from the industry, NGOs and the public on what is needed to drive agriculture and the environment forward to help us develop new policies.