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  • Emma Lewell-Buck – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Emma Lewell-Buck – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emma Lewell-Buck on 2015-01-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what resources from the UK’s allocatons of EU Structural Funds have been used to support food banks.

    Esther McVey

    The European Commission implementing decision of 3 April 2014 transferred €3.96m from the UK’s structural funds allocation to the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived.

    The Government announced on 18 December 2014 that the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived will be used to support additional breakfast clubs in schools in deprived areas in England, subject to agreement with the European Commission. We believe that breakfast clubs effectively target help to many of the most deprived children – providing nutritious meals in some of the poorest areas, supporting academic attainment, promoting healthy eating habits at a young age and saving families money. This funding would be in addition to existing support provided by the Government – we have already committed just over £1 million over two years to support an expansion of breakfast clubs in poor areas.

  • Grahame M. Morris – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Grahame M. Morris – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame M. Morris on 2015-01-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the need for specialist support within the Work Programme for people with mental health problems in receipt of employment and support allowance; and if he will make a statement.

    Esther McVey

    Support for those with mental health issues is being actively addressed as part of the Department’s on-going commitment to ensuring best possible support for all claimants.

    The Department set up an independently chaired group to share best practice amongst our providers and sub-contractors. The Building Best Practice Report published in December 2014, includes a focus on supporting the harder to help. We have already begun to implement many of the recommendations.

    Details of the Building Best Practice Report and the Department’s response to it can be found through the following link:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/work-programme-building-best-practice-report

    “

  • Andrew Gwynne – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Andrew Gwynne – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2015-01-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the levels of litter on the strategic road network.

    Mr John Hayes

    I have taken a keen interest in this matter and believe more should be done.

    Levels of litter on the Highways Agency network are assessed through routine inspections, customer surveys and information received from members of the public reporting littering issues on the network.

    However, I intend to discuss with the Highways Agency what further steps could be taken to reduce litter on the Strategic Road Network.

  • Andrew Gwynne – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Andrew Gwynne – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2015-01-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what arrangements are in place to ensure that the (a) embankments, slip roads and hard shoulders and (b) other areas of the M67 motorway from the Denton interchange to the River Tame are swept and adequately litter-picked.

    Mr John Hayes

    I have taken a keen interest in this matter and believe more should be done.

    The Highways Agency is required by the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to ensure that motorways and a small number of trunk roads in England are, so far as is practicable, kept clear of litter and refuse. The Act is supplemented by a Code of Practice which specifies standards of cleanliness and response times.

    A dedicated litter inspection is undertaken on the M67 at the beginning of each month which assesses the condition of the motorway and applies a grading for both litter and detritus in accordance with the Code of Practice.

    Any required restoration measures take place within the required timescales, in accordance with the Code of Practice – 14 days for slip road carriageways, hard shoulders and verges and 28 days (or as soon as is reasonably practicable) for the main line carriageway, central reserve, hard shoulders and verges.

    However, I intend to discuss with the Highways Agency what further steps could be taken to reduce litter on the Strategic Road Network.

  • Andrew Gwynne – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Andrew Gwynne – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2015-01-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the cost to the Highways Agency was of the removal of graffiti from road signage and structures for which it has maintenance responsibility in the latest period for which figures are available.

    Mr John Hayes

    The Highways Agency does not separately identify the exact annual cost of removing graffiti from its road signs and structures as this activity forms part of a wider contracted service which includes a number of other general maintenance activities.

  • Andrew Gwynne – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Andrew Gwynne – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2015-01-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the existing contracts for the removal of litter on the strategic road network.

    Mr John Hayes

    I have taken a keen interest in this matter and believe more should be done.

    The Highways Agency’s existing contracts specify sweeping and cleaning activities on the network to comply with the mandatory legal requirements under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. The Act states that the area should not fall below a Grade B (“Predominantly free from litter and refuse apart from some small items”), and the contracts operate satisfactorily in this regard.

    However, I intend to discuss with the Highways Agency what further steps could be taken to reduce litter on the Strategic Road Network.

  • Zac Goldsmith – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Zac Goldsmith – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Zac Goldsmith on 2015-01-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had on the ring-fencing of slots for domestic air services to Heathrow Airport in the event of a third runway being opened at that airport with (a) Heathrow Airport, (b) the Airports Commission, (c) ACL and (d) devolved and regional bodies.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Secretary of State for Transport has had no discussions with Heathrow Airport, the Airports Commission, the slot co-ordinator ACL, or devolved or regional bodies concerning the ring-fencing of slots for domestic air services to London Heathrow Airport in the event of a third runway being opened at the airport.

  • Sharon Hodgson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Sharon Hodgson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sharon Hodgson on 2015-01-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many ultra low emission vehicles of what models have been registered under the Plug-in Car Grant.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    17601 plug-in car grant payments have been made between the start of the scheme and 31 December 2014.

    These were for the following models:

    Manufacturer

    Model

    No. of claims paid

    Nissan

    Leaf

    6398

    Mitsubishi

    Outlander

    4354

    Toyota

    Plug-in Prius

    1206

    Vauxhall

    Ampera

    1139

    Renault

    Zoe

    873

    BMW

    i3 REV

    624

    BMW

    i3 BEV

    535

    Tesla

    Model S

    515

    Peugeot

    iOn

    343

    Mercedes

    Smart Fortwo

    268

    Mitsubishi

    i-Miev

    206

    BMW

    i8

    194

    Citroen

    C-Zero

    193

    Porsche

    Panamera

    191

    Volvo

    v60

    177

    Chevrolet

    Volt

    130

    VW

    e-Up

    89

    Renault

    Fluence

    82

    VW

    e-Golf

    46

    Audi

    E-tron

    37

    MIA

    Mia

    1

    The total number of PICG claims to end December 2014 is 22125. The difference between this figure, and the total payments figure above, represents claims currently being processed in the system.

    The Department for Transport also publishes registration data per model. The latest annual data is available here:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/veh01-vehicles-registered-for-the-first-time

    “

  • Caroline Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    Caroline Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-01-15.

    To ask the Prime Minister, with reference to his oral evidence to the Liaison Committee of 16 December 2014, HC887, if he will publish the evidential basis for his statement that 10 per cent of UK electricity coming from onshore wind is enough as part of a balanced energy supply; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr David Cameron

    The UK needs 11-13GW of onshore wind to meet the UK’s renewable energy targets affordably (as set out in DECC’s December 2013 Renewable Energy Roadmap). 7.8GW of onshore wind capacity has already been built, 1.5GW was under construction, and 5.3GW of onshore wind already had planning consent in September 2014. There is therefore more than enough onshore wind already consented to meet the 2020 Renewable Energy Targets.

  • Philip Davies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Philip Davies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2015-01-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many and what proportion of offenders given custodial sentences for offences committed during the public disorder in London in August 2011 were given terms of imprisonment of 12 months or less.

    Mike Penning

    Sentencing in individual cases is a matter for our independent judiciary, taking account all of the circumstances of the case. Numerous offences were committed during the disorder including theft, criminal damage, burglary and various disorder offences but most commonly violent disorder. As of 10 August 2012, of the 2,138 persons sentenced, 1,396 (65 per cent) were sentenced at the Crown Court, of which 1,137 (81 per cent) received immediate custodial sentences with an average custodial sentence length (ACSL) of 19.6 months. This compares to an ACSL of 11.3 months for offenders committed for sentence at the Crown Court for similar offences in England and Wales 2010.

    The latest available data shows that the number of offenders given a custodial sentence of 12 months or less for offences committed during the public disorder in London in August 2011 was 640.