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Category: Speeches

  • Mrs Anne Main – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Mrs Anne Main – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mrs Anne Main on 2015-12-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of (a) the efficacy of the third badger pilot cull in Somerset and (b) the humaneness of the badger pilot culls to date.

    George Eustice

    The UK Chief Veterinary Officer has advised that (a) the outcome of this year’s culls indicates that industry-led culling can deliver the level of effectiveness required to be confident of achieving disease control benefits; and (b) that the humaneness of controlled shooting is comparable with the range of outcomes reported when other culling activities, currently accepted by society, have been assessed, such as deer shooting.

  • Ruth Smeeth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Ruth Smeeth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ruth Smeeth on 2016-01-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what discussions he has had with representatives of the UK ceramics industry on the effect of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme.

    Anna Soubry

    I can confirm that I met on 3 February 2016 the British Ceramics Confederation. BIS officials are also in regular contact with the sector on all energy and environment matters.

  • Ian Blackford – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Ian Blackford – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Blackford on 2016-02-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what discussions he (a) has had and (b) plans to have with Rio Tinto on that company’s strategic review of its smelter operations in Lochaber.

    Anna Soubry

    The future of the Lochaber smelter is largely a devolved matter, but the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has discussed Rio Tinto’s strategic review with the Scottish Government and will maintain these contacts as the situation develops. There have been no direct contacts with Rio Tinto, but BIS officials have discussed this matter with the Aluminium Federation, which represents the aluminium industry in the UK.

  • Lord Tebbit – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Lord Tebbit – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Tebbit on 2016-03-16.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bridges of Headley on 14 March (HL6673), whether Mr Hopkins importuned any persons to sign letters to national newspapers concerning the European Referendum or the consequences of a national vote for leaving the EU; and if so, how many (1) were importuned, (2) signed, and (3) declined to do so.

    Lord Bridges of Headley

    I refer the Noble Lord to the Prime Minister’s answer to the hon. Member for Mid Bedfordshire (Ms Dorries) on 22 February 2016, Official Report, column 32. As set out in the Civil Service Code, it is the role of the civil service to support the Government of the day in developing and implementing its policies.

  • Andy McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Andy McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy McDonald on 2016-04-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what powers Rail North has in relation to the Northern and TransPennine Express franchises.

    Andrew Jones

    Whilst the franchise agreements are between the franchisees and the Secretary of State who also retains statutory powers under the Railways Act 1993 in relation to the franchises, the management of the Franchise Agreements is undertaken by a devolved team based in Leeds which reports to a Joint Rail North/DfT Strategic Board.

    In addition, Rail North Ltd has been ‎given certain specific powers, including the ability to vary the level of regulated fares for the Northern and TPE franchises, which would otherwise be determined by the Secretary of State as part of a national fares policy.

  • Geoffrey Clifton-Brown – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Geoffrey Clifton-Brown – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Geoffrey Clifton-Brown on 2016-05-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many claims made under the 2015 Basic Payment Scheme are still outstanding; and when all the those claims will be settled.

    George Eustice

    The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) estimates that as of 5 June 2016, 86,521 (99%) claimants have received a payment on their 2015 Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) claim. Of these, 82,460 have received a claim payment; 3,936 bridging payments; and 125 a manual hardship payment. There are a number of claims where processing has been completed successfully but they have not resulted in a payment for reasons such as the claim being under minimum claim size, or the Agency awaiting information on probate cases.

    The RPA will continue to make top up payments throughout the remainder of the payment window up to the end of June 2016.

    While the payment window runs between December and June, the RPA expects to make 90% of payments on eligible claims by the end of December this year and all remaining payments as promptly as possible. As of 5 June the RPA had received 86,581 applications for BPS 2016.

  • Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts on 2016-07-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have received from interested parties about the recent EU deactivation specification as it applies to deactivated historical firearms as defined in the Policing and Crime Bill.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    The EU Implementing Regulation 2015/2403 on deactivation standards which came into force on 8 April 2016 sets new technical specifications for deactivated weapons.

    Clause 114 of the Policing and Crime Bill creates a specific new offence to sell or gift a weapon that has not been deactivated to the new EU Deactivation Standard.

    We have received representations from a small number of interested parties who have been concerned that the EU specification is not as effective as the previous UK standards. In addition, we were contacted by members of re-enactment and living history societies wishing to travel to France with their firearms to participate in commemorative events linked to the D-Day landings and the Battle of the Somme.

    We have published guidance on the Regulation which includes requirements for additional measures for deactivated weapons brought into the UK. These measures, which go beyond the EU specification in a small number of areas, were introduced to align the requirements more closely with the previous UK standards. We have also worked with the UK Proof Houses to ensure that certification to the new standards is prioritised for re-enactors wishing to travel with their firearms.

  • Justin Madders – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Justin Madders – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Madders on 2016-10-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to reduce the autism employment gap.

    Penny Mordaunt

    We will shortly publish a Green Paper on work and health and conduct a consultation aimed at disabled people, their representative organisations and a wide range of other stakeholders.

    We have put in place the Autism Alliance UK contract to upskill autism leads across the JCP+/DWP Network – Delivering autism and associated hidden impairments training by specialists in this area. So far we have reached over 1,100 staff.

    It is hoped the training will help increase the proportion of autistic adults in full-time employment, which currently stands at 15%, according to the National Autistic Society.

    DWP has also developed an uncovering hidden impairments toolkit to help colleagues support those with hidden impairments, including autism.

  • Tom Elliott – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Tom Elliott – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Elliott on 2015-10-28.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps HM Revenue and Customs are taking to stop illegal fuel laundering and smuggling in Northern Ireland.

    Damian Hinds

    The government is committed to reducing revenue loss due to fuel duty fraud in Northern Ireland. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has a comprehensive anti-fraud strategy in place that has helped drive down the estimated illicit market for diesel in Northern Ireland (NI) from 26% to 8% since its launch in 2002. Autumn Statement 2013 also announced the expansion of HMRC Road Fuel Testing Unit and Criminal Investigation capacity in NI and GB.

    The fight against fraud will be further enhanced by the new rebated fuel marker introduced in April 2015, which makes it much harder to launder marked fuel and sell it at a profit.

    HMRC also works closely with the Revenue Commissioners in the Republic of Ireland to fight fuel fraud on a wide range of fronts. This multi-agency approach includes regular exchange of information and joint operational activity. Ireland have also introduce the same new marker as the UK.

  • Nigel Dodds – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Nigel Dodds – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Dodds on 2015-11-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what cooperation arrangements are in place to tackle the potential utilisation of the land border between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic by Islamist terrorists.

    Mr John Hayes

    The UK and the Republic of Ireland have long enjoyed a Common Travel Area (CTA) free of routine border controls. However, there are long-established and effective working relationships between the police and intelligence agencies in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland to mitigate threats. The Government takes protecting our border security very seriously, and there is also a high level of collaboration on work with the Irish Government on strengthening of CTA’s external border.