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  • Maria Eagle – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Maria Eagle – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 29 October 2015 to Question 13126, how many of the refugees who have arrived at RAF Akrotiri have (a) claimed asylum, (b) had such asylum claims accepted and (c) had such asylum claims rejected to date; and if he will make a statement.

    Penny Mordaunt

    Following the arrival of 115 migrants at RAF Akrotiri on 21 October 2015, as at 12 November 2015, 60 migrants have claimed asylum. Six asylum seekers have been transferred so far into the Republic of Cyprus. The other asylum seekers are completing pre-requisite security and medical screening and we expect that they will transfer to the Republic of Cyprus asylum system shortly.

  • Stephen Phillips – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Stephen Phillips – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Phillips on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much Department for International Development expenditure his Department reported to NATO as defence spending in each year from 2006 to 2014.

    Michael Fallon

    This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, by what proportion UK military capabilities have been reduced in the last five years; and what assessment he has made of the resources available to the armed forces to defend the UK in the event of a major conflict.

    Michael Fallon

    The Strategic Defence and Security Review in 2010 set out a clear plan for the future structure of the Armed Forces to ensure they could meet new and emerging threats to our security. We are currently conducting a Strategic Defence and Security Review which will consider the threats to the UK and the resources required to meet current and future threats. We are also committed to making no further reductions in the number of Armed forces personnel, including an Army of 82,000, and we have some of the most sophisticated aircraft, ships and submarines in the world. We will spend 2% of our GDP on defence, in line with NATO targets, and have the largest defence budget in the EU and the second largest in NATO.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the total cost of overseas military operations was in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

    Penny Mordaunt

    The total net additional costs of UK military operations overseas in each of the last five financial years has been as follows:

    Financial Year

    Total

    2010-11

    £4.0 billion

    2011-12

    £3.8 billion

    2012-13

    £2.8 billion

    2013-14

    £2.0 billion

    2014-15

    £1.1 billion

    These figures cover operations in Afghanistan, Libya, the wider Gulf, countering ISIL activity in Iraq and Syria and other short-term operations, whether funded by the Treasury’s Special Reserve or by the Conflict Pool and subsequent Conflict Security and Stabilisation Fund.

    This information is published in more detail in the Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) Annual Report and Accounts, most recently in Table 2.3.1 on page 51 of the MOD’s 2014-15 Annual Report and Accounts, which is available on the Gov.UK website at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ministry-of-defence-annual-report-and-accounts-2014-to-2015

    “

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how the construction of a new Royal Navy facility in Bahrain will further assist UK forces operating in the Middle East to resolve the conflicts there in which they are currently engaged.

    Penny Mordaunt

    The new National Support Facility at Mina Salman Port in Bahrain will provide a permanent expansion of the Ministry of Defence’s presence in the Gulf. The enhanced facilities will provide better support for ships on operations, training, equipment storage and multi-purpose accommodation for Service personnel. The agreement with Bahrain reflects the UK’s and Bahrain’s joint determination to maintain regional security and stability in the face of enduring and emerging regional challenges.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the Government’s policy is on the provision of incremental annual pay rises for personnel of the armed forces; and if he will make a statement.

    Penny Mordaunt

    As part of its New Employment Model programme, Defence is developing a new pay model which will be simpler, more transparent and provide Service personnel with greater pay predictability, removing some of the unpopular and divisive features of the current pay model. However, the details of this new pay model, including incremental progression arrangements, cannot be finalised until the outcome of the Spending Review is known.

  • Conor McGinn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Conor McGinn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Conor McGinn on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate he has made of the proportion of households which have access to superfast broadband in (a) St Helen North constituency, (b) Merseyside and (c) the UK.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    Ofcom reported in its Strategic Review of Digital Communications in July 2015 that Superfast broadband is available to over 83 per cent of homes and businesses in the UK. The UK Government aims to increase this to 95 per cent of UK homes and businesses by 2017. Ofcom has not published data for Merseyside or at constituency level, however data for the five Local Authorities constituting Merseyside: Liverpool, Wirral, Sefton, St. Helens and Knowsley is published here:http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/research/infrastructure/2014/Fixed_local_authority.csv.
    “

  • Fiona Bruce – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Fiona Bruce – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Bruce on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to support the provision of playing pitches in local areas for community requirements.

    Tracey Crouch

    We recognise the importance of playing pitches for local communities. Sport England is a statutory consultee on planning applications affecting playing fields and its principle aim is to ensure local sports provisions are protected and enhanced. Sport England’s Protecting Playing Fields fund has invested £22 million of National Lottery money in 419 projects, protecting and improving over 1,100 local pitches. This includes Elworth Cricket Club in Congleton, which benefitted from over £47,000 of investment from Sport England in 2015 to develop a new playing field for its junior cricket team.

  • Ian C. Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Ian C. Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian C. Lucas on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the effect of the withdrawal of Government funding of free TV licenses from the over 75 on future availability of such free licences.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The Government is committed to protecting pensioner benefits for the entire period of this Parliament, and the agreement to transfer responsibility for over-75s TV licences to the BBC makes no change to that commitment. People who are over 75 will still receive a free TV licence under the terms of this.

  • Nic Dakin – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Nic Dakin – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department has taken to embed the family test into its policy making.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    Officials in my Department have liaised with DWP as the lead Department for the Family Test to embed it into the policy process. Thiscould includetraining officials on applying the Test, disseminating relevant evidence, learning materials and best practice.