Category: Speeches

  • David Lammy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    David Lammy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Lammy on 2016-05-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate his Department has made of the number of affordable starter homes that will be built in (a) Tottenham, (b) Islington, (c) Barnet, (d) Haringey, (e) Enfield and (f) London in (i) 2016 and (ii) each of the next four years.

    Brandon Lewis

    The Starter Homes policy is expected to deliver at least a 20% discount from market value on new homes built for first time buyers under 40 years of age. We recognise that first time buyers can face affordability pressures within parts of London which is why we want Starter Homes to make a significant contribution to housing delivery. The London £450k price cap is not an expectation of the going price for a Starter Home. In London in 2014, the average price paid by a first time buyer was £364k – which would equate to a starter homes price of £291k. We are consulting on starter homes regulations which will set the requirement for starter homes and any exemptions. The Department does not make assessments on the number of starter homes that are to be built by local authority area.

  • Baroness Randerson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Baroness Randerson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Randerson on 2016-06-29.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government by what date they expect fairer charges for open access operators on railways to be introduced by the Office of Rail and Road.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    Setting the framework for track access charges is a matter for the Office of Rail and Road (ORR). As the Secretary of State made clear in his Written statement on 17 March, the Government would like to see reforms as soon as possible to ensure a level playing field between operators, and that open access operators pay a fairer contribution to the costs they impose on the network. ORR are considering options as part of their Periodic Review 2018 process, and we consider that any changes to the charging framework could be in place for the start of Control Period 6 in 2019.

  • Lord Foulkes of Cumnock – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Lord Foulkes of Cumnock – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Foulkes of Cumnock on 2016-09-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will publish all representations they have received following the delay in opening the airport at St Helena to commercial traffic.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The St Helena Government, supported by DFID, is in discussions with a number of possible air service providers. On commercial grounds, it would not be appropriate to publish the representations at this time

  • Gloria De Piero – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Gloria De Piero – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gloria De Piero on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, on how many occasions bed occupancy rates were (a) 85, (b) 90, (c) 95 and (d) 100 per cent in each hospital trust in Nottinghamshire in each of the last five years.

    Ben Gummer

    Official statistics for average daily occupancy rates for beds open overnight are published every quarter by NHS England on its website at the following address:

    https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/bed-availability-and-occupancy/

    “

  • Andy Slaughter – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Andy Slaughter – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2015-12-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of proposals to revise the costs capping scheme for environmental legal challenges on the UK’s ability to meet the requirement in the EU Public Participation Directive for claimants to have prior certainty in relation to costs protection.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    The Government’s proposals to revise the costs capping scheme for environmental legal challenges in England and Wales have been brought forward in light of recent developments in case law. Following those judgments the Government has made an assessment and considers there to be scope for introducing measured adjustments to the current regime within the framework of EU law, including the Public Participation Directive.

  • Alistair Carmichael – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Alistair Carmichael – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alistair Carmichael on 2016-01-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what projections her Department has made of the subsidies existing fossil fuel generators will receive through the Capacity Mechanism.

    Andrea Leadsom

    We do not subsidise fossil fuel generators, any fuel type can participate in the Capacity Market as the scheme is technology neutral. Auctions in the Capacity Market are competitive to ensure best value.

    Capacity market payments to be made to existing fossil fuel generators are £559m from 2014 auction and £714.3mfrom 2015 auction (both in 2015 values).

    The Capacity Market is designed to ensure we take account of low carbon technology supported through other Government schemes before calculating requirements; this ensures we get the most out of existing generation, bringing on new capacity when required. Capacity market payments are to provide missing money in the energy market and are not a subsidy. Capacity providers will also face heavy penalties if they fail to deliver energy when needed.

    The purpose of the Capacity Market is therefore to make sure we keep the lights on, while providing best value to consumers.

  • Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-02-09.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 18 January 2016 to Question 21746, what estimate he has made of the value of Integrated Debt Services Limited; and how much the private sector partner paid to purchase their 75 per cent stake in Indresser.

    Matthew Hancock

    The value of Integrated Debt Services Limited and the amount that the private sector partner subscribed for their 75% stake in Indesser are both considered to be commercially sensitive and cannot be shared.

  • Stephen Doughty – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Stephen Doughty – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Doughty on 2016-03-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of free-flow technology on the Severn Bridge.

    Andrew Jones

    The Government is considering the future of tolling arrangements at the Severn Crossing once the concession ends. I expect to consider the merits of free-flow technology in this context, although no options have yet been developed. To help understand whether this may be worth pursuing, my Department is attempting to estimate the potential traffic benefit of removing the barriers, though this work is not yet complete.

  • Mike Freer – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Mike Freer – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mike Freer on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which (a) Ministers and (b) officials of his Department plan to attend the UN General Assembly high-level meeting on HIV/AIDS at the UN headquarters in New York in June 2016.

    Jane Ellison

    The United Kingdom Government will be represented at this meeting. Precise attendance has still to be finalised.

  • Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-05-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) E3-D Sentry and (b) Voyager aircraft are in operational use.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The number of E-3D Sentry and Voyager aircraft in operation with the RAF as at 1 May 2016 is given below.

    Forward Fleet

    Sustainment Fleet

    Total

    E-3D Sentry

    4

    2

    6

    Voyager

    9

    0

    9

    The Forward Fleet comprises serviceable and short term unserviceable aircraft. Typically the short term unserviceable aircraft are undergoing minor works, forward maintenance or any other unforeseen rectification or technical inspection that can arise on a day-to-day basis. The Sustainment Fleet includes aircraft undergoing deep maintenance, upgrade programmes or being held in storage. It excludes those declared redundant, surplus or awaiting decommissioning or disposal.