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  • Cheryl Gillan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Cheryl Gillan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cheryl Gillan on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many people working in (a) HS2 Ltd and (b) his Department are (i) on secondment, (ii) on loan and (iii) paid for by another company; and in each case what the parent company or organisation of such people was.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The number of people seconded and loaned to my whole Department and HS2 Ltd are set out in the tables below:

    HS2 Ltd

    Parent Company/Organisation

    Number of secondees

    Unpaid*

    AECOM

    3

    0

    Cabinet Office

    1

    0

    Carter Jonas

    1

    0

    DCLG

    1

    0

    DECC

    1

    0

    DEFRA

    1

    0

    DELOITTES

    1

    0

    DfT

    24

    0

    Ernst & Young LLP

    2

    0

    Gardiner & Theobald

    4

    0

    Network Rail

    17

    0

    Pick Everard

    4

    0

    ETM

    1

    0

    PwC

    3

    0

    Westbourne Communications

    2

    0

    Total

    66

    0

    Loans

    0

    0

    *payments are invoiced to HS2 Ltd.

    DFT

    Total

    Loans

    Paid

    25

    Unpaid

    19

    Loan Total

    44

    Secondment

    Paid

    4

    Unpaid

    20

    Secondment Total

    24

    Total

    68

    The Department does not hold information centrally on the parent company or organisation where they have come from.

  • Caroline Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Caroline Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many students received disabled students’ allowance in Brighton and Hove local authority area in (a) 2012-13 and (b) 2013-14.

    Mr David Willetts

    Information on students awarded and paid Disabled Students’ Allowance is published annually by Student Loans Company (SLC) in the Statistical First Release ‘Student Support for Higher Education England‘. The latest statistics are available at the following link:

    http://www.slc.co.uk/media/694170/slcsfr052013.pdf

    A further breakdown for Brighton and Hove local authority has been provided in the table. Equivalent figures for the academic year 2013/14 will be available from November 2014.

    Students in receipt of Disabled Students Allowance from Brighton and Hove Local Authority

    Academic Year 2012/13

    Effective date: 13/11/2013

    Academic Year

    2012/13

    Application Type

    Number Paid DSA

    Full-Time Application

    450

    Part-Time Application

    10

    Post Graduate DSA

    80

    Total

    530

    Notes:

    [1] Disabled Student Allowance may be paid to the Student or to a Supplier on the student’s behalf.

    [2] Figures are derived from the Post Code of the applicant’s home address.

    [3] The effective date is that of the November 2013 Awards Statistical First Release. The figures are therefore provisional and do not include students who were awarded DSA after November 2013.

    [4] DSA Payments may be made at any point during the Academic Year or after the end of the Academic Year.

    [5] Numbers are rounded to the nearest 10. Totals may not add to the sum of the components due to rounding.

    “

  • Caroline Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Caroline Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, with reference to the Answer of 6 February 2014, Official Report, column 383W, on Energy Companies Obligation, what progress he has made on publishing proposals on the form, level and date for a new fuel poverty target in England; and when he expects to publish those proposals.

    Gregory Barker

    The Government is preparing proposals on a new fuel poverty objective for England in line with the provisions of the Warm Homes and Energy Conservation Act 2000.

  • Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether public communications providers have sought advice from her Department on the consequences of the decision of the European Court of Justice in Digital Rights Ireland and Seitlinger and Others on data retention by those companies.

    James Brokenshire

    The Government continues to consider the judgment of the European Court, but we consider that the UK Data Retention (EC Directive) Regulations 2009 remain in
    force. Those in receipt of a notice under the Regulations have been informed that they should continue to observe their obligations as outlined in any notice.

  • Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what role her Department’s Centre for Applied Science and Technology has in (a) the trial of the Aeryon Skyranger drone around Gatwick Airport and (b) the trial or use of any other surveillance aircraft operated by government departments, agents or public bodies in the UK.

    Karen Bradley

    CAST has no direct role in the Gatwick trial, but does liaise with the trial
    team in order to learn from their experience.

    Trials conducted by other Departments and their agencies are matters for the
    respective departments.

  • Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what role the Information Commissioner’s Office has in (a) the trial of the Aeroyn Skyranger drone around Gatwick Airport and (b) any other use of other surveillance aircraft operated by Government departments, agents or public bodies in the UK.

    Simon Hughes

    The Information Commissioner’s Office has no specific role in the trial of the Aeryon Skyranger drone around Gatwick Airport. Members of the Information Commissioner’s staff sit on the Cross-Government Working Group on Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems. They advise on any data protection compliance issues that arise.

    In addition the ICO is currently consulting on its revised CCTV code of practice which includes a section on remotely operated vehicles, or drones:

    http://ico.org.uk/about_us/consultations/our_consultations

    “

  • Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has provided any advice to public communications providers on the consequences of the decision of the European Court of Justice in Digital Rights Ireland and Seitlinger and Others on data retention by those companies.

    James Brokenshire

    The Government continues to consider the judgment of the European Court, but we consider that the UK Data Retention (EC Directive) Regulations 2009 remain in
    force. Those in receipt of a notice under the Regulations have been informed that they should continue to observe their obligations as outlined in any notice.

  • Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has made an assessment of the advice of Jemima Stratford QC to the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Drones; and if she will make a statement.

    Damian Green

    Existing regulation and guidance, which includes the Covert Surveillance and
    Property Interference Code of Practice, applies to the use of aircraft
    including remotely piloted aerial vehicles. The Code provides a framework of good
    practice for public authorities using covert surveillance techniques. The
    Department has noted the responses by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on
    Drones to the recent consultation on a revised version of the Code and intend
    to lay a further draft before Parliament in due course.

  • Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether his Department has made an assessment of the advice of Jemima Stratford QC to the All Party Parliamentary Group on Drones; and if he will make a statement.

    Hugh Robertson

    The UK intelligence agencies work in accordance with UK law, as described by the Foreign Secretary in his statement to the House on 10 June 2013 (Official Report of 10 June 2013, column 31). In addition, Section 6 of the recently published Annual Report for 2013 by the Interception of Communications Commissioner, Sir Anthony May, addresses the legal basis for intelligence sharing between the UK and its partners.

    The UK Intelligence Agencies adhere to the law at all times. We have one of the world’s strongest legal and regulatory frameworks governing the use of secret intelligence. All of GCHQ’s activities are legal, necessary and proportionate. GCHQ does not disclose or share information other than is appropriate under the Intelligence Services Act 1994 and Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000.

  • Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Answer of 10 February 2014, Official Report, column 474, on unmanned air vehicles: guided weapons, if his Department will publish the method and results from the UK-US firing trials of Brimstone missiles from MQ-9 Reaper.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The firing trials successfully demonstrated rapid integration of Brimstone missiles onto the MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted air system – safe carriage, safe release and system targeting – with a high success rate against static and high-speed manoeuvring targets.

    However, the final trials report has not yet been completed and it remains too early to say what information from the report, or the trial method, will be published.