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  • Ian Lavery – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Ian Lavery – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Lavery on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what arrangements have been made to ensure that fire cover remains available whilst fire crews are responding to major floods.

    Mike Penning

    I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Home Office.

    The Civil Contingencies Act 2004 requires that fire and rescue services have plans in place, working with local partners, to deal with emergencies such as flooding, and to ensure that the appropriate level of resource is available. Fire and rescue authorities are also required by the statutory Fire and Rescue National Framework for England to produce Integrated Risk Management Plans which identify the full range of risks to which an authority’s service is expected to respond, and to consult the local community on those plans.

    In addition, fire and rescue authorities’ mutual aid arrangements are well established under Section 13 and Section 16 of the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004. These arrangements ensure continuity of service provision across authority boundaries, through mutual assistance from supporting authorities and other agencies other than the host fire and rescue authorities. The National Coordination and Advisory Framework, a collaborative arrangement between the Government, the Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser and Chief Fire Officers Association, is in place to both support and supplement these arrangements.

  • Ian Lavery – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Ian Lavery – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Lavery on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department has taken to limit the damage to local communities and economies from flooding.

    Rory Stewart

    We are investing an unprecedented £2.3 billion in 1,500 flood defence improvement schemes over the next six years. This will provide better protection to at least 300,000 households, up to 420,000 acres of agricultural land, over 200 miles of railway and 340 miles of roads.

    In addition, flood maintenance spending will be protected in real terms over this Parliament.

    Over the five years of the last Parliament, our flood defences schemes have better protected over 255,000 households.

    This is on top of the £1.7 billion invested in the last Parliament and the £1.5 billion spent between 2006 and 2010.

  • Ian Lavery – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Ian Lavery – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Lavery on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to introduce a statutory duty for the fire and rescue service to respond to a major flooding incident; and if he will make a statement.

    Mike Penning

    I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Home Office.

    Both the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 and the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 detail the roles and powers of fire and rescue authorities, in respect of both emergency response and rescue in a wide range of situations, including from flooding. Fire and rescue authorities are expected to undertake integrated risk management planning, dovetailed with the community risk register overseen by the Local Resilience Forum (a multi-agency grouping of which fire and rescue authorities are key members). Integrated Risk Management Plans identify the full range of risks that an authority’s service is expected to respond to and are subject to consultation. The National Fire Framework published in July 2012 and given statutory effect in August 2012 makes this clear and I believe that fire and rescue authorities are fully competent to deliver on this.

    The Government has had no recent representations on this arrangement and in light of how well fire services have responded to recent flooding suggests there is no need for review.

  • Ian Lavery – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Ian Lavery – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Lavery on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, which local authorities affected by the recent flooding have applied to his Department for funding under the Bellwin scheme.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    As at 16 December, the 11 local authorities listed below had registered for financial support from the Bellwin scheme for the December 2015 severe weather events. More local authorities are expected to register for the scheme in the coming days and weeks.

    Allerdale Borough Council

    Barrow-in-Furness Borough Council

    Carlisle City Council

    Copeland District Council

    Cumbria County Council

    Cumbria Police and Crime Commissioner

    Eden District Council

    Lancaster City Council

    Northumberland County Council

    South Lakedale District Council

    Wyre Borough Council

  • Patrick Grady – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Patrick Grady – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Patrick Grady on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what her Department’s policy priorities are for supporting projects in The Gambia.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    DFID does not have a bilateral aid programme in The Gambia. The decision to end our programme was agreed with the Government of Gambia in 2008, and our office closed in 2011. The decision was taken to wind down the programme gradually as part of a responsible exit, and to ensure partners built on successful DFID programmes.

    The UK continues to maintain a good relationship with the Gambia. The UK supports The Gambia through its contributions to multilateral institutions, such the World Bank, the African Development Bank and the EU’s European Development Fund.

  • Patrick Grady – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Patrick Grady – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Patrick Grady on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the human rights situation in The Gambia.

    James Duddridge

    The UK remains concerned about The Gambia’s human rights record. We are the only EU Member State with a resident Ambassador and have a leading role in pressing the Gambian government for improved respect for human rights. We welcome some recent positive steps taken by President Jammeh, such as banning Female Genital Mutilation and the unconditional release of over 300 prisoners – including 60 high profile political prisoners. However, more needs to be done. Through our bilateral dialogue, and alongside EU partners, we will continue to make clear to the Government of The Gambia the need for further progress on its human rights record.

  • Patrick Grady – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Patrick Grady – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Patrick Grady on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what funding support the British (a) Council and (b) Embassy in The Gambia provides to civil society organisations in that country.

    James Duddridge

    Over the past two financial years, the British Embassy in The Gambia has provided funding support to civil society organisations totalling £81,965. This funding has focused on ten projects relating to human rights, good governance, education, health and disease prevention and environmental conservation. The funding is part of the Embassy’s Bilateral Programme Fund and comes under Overseas Development Assistance. There is no British Council in The Gambia.

  • Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many reassessments have been carried out for personal independent payments since the introduction of that payment.

    Justin Tomlinson

    Information on the number of individuals on Disability Living Allowance that have been reassessed for Personal Independence Payment is available using Stat-Xplore: https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/. Guidance on how to use Stat-Xplore is available here: https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/index.html.

    “

  • Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-12-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reasons recipients of personal independence payments are called for reassessment.

    Justin Tomlinson

    Personal Independence Payment is designed to ensure decisions on entitlement, award lengths and timing of reviews are appropriate and evidence-based.

    All ongoing awards, regardless of duration, will be reviewed periodically to ensure that the individual continues to receive the correct amount of benefit. Where we have sufficient evidence to do so, we will conduct a paper based assessment without the need for the claimant to attend a face to face assessment.

    The claimant can also ask for a review if the daily living needs or mobility needs arising change.

    Reviews can result in a higher or lower award or no change.

  • Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-12-14.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of employees in his Department have (a) taken the CESG Certified Cyber-Security Training Course and (b) received other cyber-security training.

    Harriett Baldwin

    One current HM Treasury employee has attended courses which are part of the CESG Certified Training (CCT) scheme, while three have attended other external training courses devoted entirely to Cyber Security. All HM Treasury’s employees periodically undertake online information assurance training which contains some cyber security related content, and are also provided with cyber security related guidance/advice on the Department’s intranet. All new employees have to attend induction training which contains some basic pointers on Cyber Security.