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  • Brendan O’Hara – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Brendan O’Hara – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Brendan O’Hara on 2015-11-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what operational assessment has been undertaken of proposals to use the upgraded TPS-77 radar systems at RRH Benbecula and RRH Buchan as mitigation for planned wind turbine developments.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    In respect of the upgrade of the Air Defence radar at Remote Radar Head (RRH) Buchan, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) is in contact with the developers who proposed the upgrade as mitigation for their wind farm proposal.

    At RRH Benbecula, the MOD is in contact with the Western Isles Council and developers via the Council’s Working Group. In addition, the MOD provided an Air Defence update at the Aviation Management Board meeting on 5 November 2015 at which Scottish Government, the wind industry and RenewableUK representatives were present.

    The MOD continues to undertake full technical and operational assessments of all site specific Air Defence radar mitigation proposals, including those to the upgraded TPS-77 radar systems at RRH Benbecula and RRH Buchan. It remains the responsibility of developers to submit site specific mitigation proposals. The MOD will determine whether the impact upon the radar is of a permissible level.

  • Brendan O’Hara – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Brendan O’Hara – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Brendan O’Hara on 2015-11-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the reasons are for the time taken to upgrade air defence radars at RRH Benbecula and RRH Buchan to the TPS-77 radar standard.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The Type 92 radar has undergone extensive modifications to the signal processing equipment to bring the radar to TPS-77 standard. This complex work required the manufacture and replacement of safety-critical components and extensive testing, whilst also maintaining operational capability, which has necessitated the deployment of an additional radar whilst the Type 92 was being upgraded – all of which has been carefully managed by the Ministry of Defence and delivered to time and within cost.

  • Brendan O’Hara – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Brendan O’Hara – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Brendan O’Hara on 2015-11-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department has taken to communicate to local authorities and developers of onshore wind renewables projects the effect of the time taken to upgrade air defence radars at RRH Benbecula and RRH Buchan.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    In respect of the upgrade of the Air Defence radar at Remote Radar Head (RRH) Buchan, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) is in contact with the developers who proposed the upgrade as mitigation for their wind farm proposal.

    At RRH Benbecula, the MOD is in contact with the Western Isles Council and developers via the Council’s Working Group. In addition, the MOD provided an Air Defence update at the Aviation Management Board meeting on 5 November 2015 at which Scottish Government, the wind industry and RenewableUK representatives were present.

    The MOD continues to undertake full technical and operational assessments of all site specific Air Defence radar mitigation proposals, including those to the upgraded TPS-77 radar systems at RRH Benbecula and RRH Buchan. It remains the responsibility of developers to submit site specific mitigation proposals. The MOD will determine whether the impact upon the radar is of a permissible level.

  • Brendan O’Hara – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Brendan O’Hara – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Brendan O’Hara on 2015-11-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department will meet the revised December 2015 target for upgrading air defence radars at RRH Benbecula and RRH Buchan to the TPS-77 radar standard.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The Type 92 radars at Remote Radar Heads Buchan and Benbecula have both been upgraded to the TPS-77 standard; the Buchan upgrade was completed on 30 March 2015 and the Benbecula upgrade on 3 July 2015.

  • Philip Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Philip Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2015-11-20.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect on the local economy of the closure of the HM Revenue and Customs office in Shipley; and if he will place a copy of that assessment in the Library.

    Mr David Gauke

    On 12 November, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) announced the next stage of its ten-year modernisation programme. As part of that, the department demonstrated its long-term commitment to Yorkshire and the Humber by setting out that it would establish a Regional Centre in Leeds.

    A number of factors were considered by HMRC when deciding where to locate its new Regional Centres. In addition to cost, it considered local and national transport links, the local labour market, supply of future workforce and the retention of current staff and skills.

    HMRC modelled the impact of locating the Regional Centre for Yorkshire and the Humber in both Bradford and Leeds. For both scenarios, it took into account the potential loss of jobs for staff expected to be outside of reasonable daily travel (defined as approximately 1 hour from home to work, though dependent on individual circumstances).

    HMRC first shared its transformation plans with its employees 18 months ago. Since then has held more than 2,000 events across the UK, setting out how and why it is changing. The department is committed to continuing to support all of its employees who are affected by these changes.

    Staff in Yorkshire attended a number of face-to-face events, providing feedback on the potential location of the regional centre. They will also have the opportunity to discuss their personal circumstances in one-to-one meetings with their manager.

    This transformation programme will ultimately enable HMRC to deliver better public services at lower cost to the taxpayer. It will generate estate savings of £100 million a year by 2025.

  • Ian Blackford – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Ian Blackford – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Blackford on 2015-11-20.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people making use of new pension freedoms have sought professional, regulated financial advice since April 2015.

    Harriett Baldwin

    The Government does not hold the information requested.

    However, the Government is committed to ensuring that all consumers can access high quality, affordable advice so they can make informed decisions about their hard-earned money.

    That is why the Treasury has launched, jointly with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the Financial Advice Market Review which will examine how consumers can best be provided with the help and advice the need.

    The Treasury and the FCA published a Call for Input on 12 October seeking views from all interested parties on how financial advice could work better for consumers. The Call for Input will run until 22 December and the review will report back with proposals ahead of Budget 2016.

  • Alex Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Alex Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2015-11-20.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how his Department is monitoring the implementation of the family test across Government.

    Mr Oliver Letwin

    The Family Test was announced by the Prime Minister in August 2014 and introduced in October 2014, through the publication of guidance for officials – which can be found online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/368894/family-test-guidance.pdf. Consideration of the Family Test takes place as part of the usual policy making process within departments.

    “

  • Nicholas Brown – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Nicholas Brown – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Brown on 2015-11-20.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the vulnerability of the UK’s critical infrastructure from cyber attack; and what investment his Department is making to improve the security of the UK’s critical infrastructure from such attacks.

    Matthew Hancock

    For security reasons we do not comment on details of our vulnerability to cyber attacks. The Government takes cyber security very seriously; since 2011 we have invested £860 million in a National Cyber Security Programme. As announced in the National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015, we plan to almost double investment in cyber security to £1.9bn over the next five years, which includes further investment in protecting the UK’s critical national infrastructure.

  • Roger Godsiff – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Roger Godsiff – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2015-11-20.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 14 October 2015 to Question 12011, when the consultation on making property ownership by foreign companies more transparent will begin.

    Matthew Hancock

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to him on 14 October 2015 to UIN: 12011.

  • Rupa Huq – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    Rupa Huq – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rupa Huq on 2015-11-23.

    To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps she is taking to reduce gender economic inequality.

    Nicky Morgan

    You cannot have true opportunity without real equality. Achieving gender equality isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s vital for our economy. We cannot afford to waste the skills of a single person, let alone half our population.

    The Government wants to support all women to fulfil their potential and progress in work. One of the greatest issues affecting both women AND men is childcare. That is why we are doubling the amount of free childcare available to working parents and introduced flexible working and shared parental leave.