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  • Nia Griffith – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Nia Griffith – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nia Griffith on 2014-05-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how many acres of land are covered by solar farms in (a) Carmarthenshire, (b) Llanelli constituency, (c) each constitunecy in Wales and (d) each county in Wales.

    Gregory Barker

    DECC does not have data on the area of land covered by solar farms. There are currently 2 solar sites in Wales supported under the renewables obligation (totalling 12.2MW) and 2 sites (totalling 5MW) under the feed-in tariff scheme (FiTs) that are classified as ‘Stand-alone’ and are over 1MW in size. Information below country level is not available for sites in the Renewables Obligation. The sites accredited under FiTs are located in Monmouthshire.

  • Nia Griffith – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Nia Griffith – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nia Griffith on 2014-05-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what safeguards are deployed to prevent a sensor-fused munition operating in automatic mode from confusing a military target with a civilian target.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The targeting process, not the weapon, takes discrimination, proportionality and precautions in attack into account. The decision whether to use lethal force against a legitimate military target is made through a rigorous targeting process, the targeting directive for a specific theatre of operations and rules of engagement which ensure adherence to international humanitarian law.

    Since 1999, when the requirement to do so under the Geneva Conventions Additional Protocol I Article 36 came into effect for the UK, all new weapons, means and methods of warfare entering service have been subjected to a review in order to ensure they are capable of being used lawfully in armed conflict. The UK is committed to upholding the Geneva Conventions and encourages others to do the same.

  • Nia Griffith – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Nia Griffith – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nia Griffith on 2014-05-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how levels of human control are defined in use of the ballistic sensor-fused munition and other similar systems which can operate in automatic mode.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    For existing automated systems, human control requires an authorised operator to set the pre-programmed parameters for the weapon system’s operation. Authority to activate such systems is given only in full accordance with the targeting directive for a specific theatre of operations, targeting policy and rules of engagement which ensure adherence to international humanitarian law.

    The decision to deploy a particular weapon system in any given theatre of operations depends upon the context of that operation. It would be unreasonable to deny our Armed Forces the option of using the most appropriate weapons (including systems that can be operated in automatic mode) to engage legitimate military targets.

  • Charlie Elphicke – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Charlie Elphicke – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charlie Elphicke on 2014-05-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the highest amount is that a single household has been capped as a result of the benefit cap.

    Esther McVey

    Of the top ten highest capped households at the end of March 2014, the average capped amount was £607 per week.

    More detailed information on the amount capped is not available as providing this information could identify individuals and would breach data confidentiality. Further information on the number of households capped by the amount capped is found at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/benefit-cap-number-of-households-capped-to-january-2014

    “

  • Simon Kirby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Simon Kirby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Simon Kirby on 2014-05-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will bring forward proposals to relocate (a) staff and (b) offices of his Department to Brighton; and if he will make a statement.

    Mike Penning

    At the present time, there are no plans to relocate a) Departmental staff and b) offices to Brighton.

  • Simon Kirby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    Simon Kirby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Simon Kirby on 2014-05-01.

    To ask the Ministers for Women and Equalities, if she will bring forward proposals to relocate (a) staff and (b) offices of her Department to Brighton; and if she will make a statement.

    Mrs Helen Grant

    The Department has no plans to bring forward such proposals.

  • Simon Kirby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Simon Kirby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Simon Kirby on 2014-05-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will bring forward proposals to relocate (a) staff and (b) offices of his Department to Brighton; and if he will make a statement.

    Stephen Hammond

    The Department for Transport is a federated organisation comprising DfT (Central), the headquarters functions responsible mainly for policy issues, and five executive agencies responsible for the delivery of various services.

    DfT Central has no current plans to relocate staff or offices to Brighton. The Department for Transport (including our Executive Agencies) will consider opportunities for relocation as they arise, for example, through departmental reorganisation and reviews of estates requirements.

  • Simon Kirby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Simon Kirby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Simon Kirby on 2014-05-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will bring forward proposals to relocate (a) staff and (b) offices of his Department to Brighton; and if he will make a statement.

    Jeremy Wright

    Although reducing and rationalising the Ministry of Justice estate could result in relocations, there is no centrally driven relocation target to this effect. Any relocation is done based on the operational needs of the Department. The Ministry of Justice currently has no plans to relocate its staff or offices to Brighton. The Ministry of Justice continues to work with the Government Property Unit to ensure that the Ministry of Justice estate operates in an efficient manner and represents value for money.

  • Simon Kirby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Simon Kirby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Simon Kirby on 2014-05-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will bring forward proposals to relocate (a) staff and (b) offices of her Department to Brighton; and if she will make a statement.

    Mr Alan Duncan

    DFID currently has dual UK headquarters in London and Scotland. We have no plans to relocate staff to Brighton.

  • Simon Kirby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Simon Kirby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Simon Kirby on 2014-05-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will bring forward proposals to relocate (a) staff and (b) offices of his Department to Brighton; and if he will make a statement.

    Elizabeth Truss

    The Department for Education does not plan to relocate its staff or offices to Brighton.

    Following the Department’s Estates Review in 2012, it was announced that the Department would rationalise the existing estate from 12 core sites to 6, while maximising the efficiency of the retained sites. This has now been accomplished and the 6 remaining properties are located in Coventry, Darlington, London, Manchester, Nottingham and Sheffield.