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  • Tracey Crouch – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Tracey Crouch – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tracey Crouch on 2014-04-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many individuals have been awarded a war disablement pension for mesothelioma since 1994; what estimate he has made of the number of former members of the armed forces who have gone on to develop mesothelioma; and if he will make a statement.

    Anna Soubry

    The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is unable to provide the number of individuals awarded a War Disablement Pension (WDP) for Mesothelioma since 1994 in the time scale requested. However, as at 31 March 2013, 50 individuals were in receipt of a WDP for a recorded condition of Mesothelioma.

    The MOD has no estimated data of former personnel with Mesothelioma.

  • Adam Afriyie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Adam Afriyie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Adam Afriyie on 2014-04-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what proportion of the (a) 30-300MHz, (b) 300-3000MHz and (c) 3-30GHz bands of the radio spectrum is in the operation of the private sector.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    Officials have consulted Ofcom who hold such information. Ofcom advise that they do not hold such information for bands below 87.5MHz (as frequencies above this are considered to be the most important and usable), but have provided information for bands from 87.5MHz-30GHz.

    The table provides an overview of the proportion of total weighted spectrum accessed for market uses by band.

    Lower frequency

    Upper frequency

    Spectrum authorised for Market uses as a % of total weighted spectrum

    87.5 MHz

    328.6 MHz

    47%

    328.6 MHz

    3.1 GHz

    73%

    3.1 GHz

    30 GHz

    80%

    The Public Sector Spectrum Release Programme aims to release 500MHz of sub-5GHz spectrum from public sector use by 2020. The most recent Programme update can be found on the GOV.UK website: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/spectrum-strategy

    “

  • Philip Hollobone – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Philip Hollobone – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Hollobone on 2014-04-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what comparative assessment he has made of high speed broadband coverage between (a) Northamptonshire and other counties and (b) the UK and other EU nations.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    According to the most recent data from Ofcom, in 2013 superfast broadband was available to 73.8 per cent of premises in Northamptonshire, compared with 73 per cent of premises across the UK as a whole. The average speed in Northamptonshire was 17.5Mbps, compared with the UK average of 14.7Mbps. Ofcom’s European Broadband Scorecard published in March 2014 showed that the UK had the highest superfast broadband coverage of the five largest EU Member States.

  • Adam Afriyie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Adam Afriyie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Adam Afriyie on 2014-04-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what proportion of the radio spectrum is earmarked for (a) military purposes, (b) radar purposes and (c) public service broadcasting.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    Officials have consulted Ofcom who hold such information. Ofcom advise that they do not hold such information for bands below 87.5MHz, but have provided information for bands from 87.5MHz-30GHz.

    Ofcom has identified the proportion of spectrum accessed for public sector uses (not limited to the military), defined as all spectrum bands used by the public sector with Crown immunity (i.e. without need for authorisation by Ofcom). For the purpose of this analysis, this category includes all aeronautical uses of spectrum.

    Crown use of spectrum as a % of total weighted spectrum

    87.5 MHz

    30 GHz

    54%

    26% of the total weighted spectrum in the 87.5MHz to 30 GHz is allocated for radiolocation services/radar.

    Ofcom cannot provide specific information with regards to spectrum in use for public service broadcasting as the national allocation of frequencies does not distinguish between public service broadcasting and non-public service broadcasting. The table below provides information with regards to the proportion of total weighted spectrum in use for terrestrial broadcasting, split into TV and radio.

    Terrestrial broadcasting spectrum as a % of total weighted spectrum

    TV

    Radio

    87.5 MHz

    30 GHz

    8%

    7%

    1%
  • Roger Godsiff – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Roger Godsiff – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2014-04-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what arrangements are in place for the pension entitlement and employment status of firefighters under the new pension arrangements if they are unable to maintain required fitness levels.

    Brandon Lewis

    Where a firefighter cannot maintain operational fitness, the fire and rescue authority will assess the reasons for the loss of fitness. Where the loss is due to a permanent medical reason, the firefighter will be considered for ill-health retirement under the rules of the pension scheme. Where there is no permanent medical reason, the firefighter will receive support and training to increase fitness to the required level.

  • Gavin Williamson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Gavin Williamson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gavin Williamson on 2014-04-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will bring forward proposals to amend regulations governing the change of use of residential homes to care homes to promote enforcement of the classification of care homes as C2 residential institutions.

    Nick Boles

    The Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987 (as amended) provides a C2 use class for residential institutions and a C3 (b) use class for houses occupied by up to six people living together as a single household and receiving care. This allows for a mix of types of care homes to meet local needs. Where a change of use has taken place without the necessary planning permission it is for the local planning authority to determine whether it would be appropriate to take enforcement action.

  • Roger Godsiff – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Roger Godsiff – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2014-04-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether he has had discussions with the Fire Brigades Union on calculating pension entitlement for firefighters using length of service rather than age in the last six months.

    Brandon Lewis

    The transitional protection arrangements for the firefighters’ pension schemes are set out in the Proposed Final Agreement which was published in May 2012. The transitional protections use age to calculate a member’s entitlement to protection.

    There has been recent correspondence with the Fire Brigades Union on the scope and timing of discussions on this issue. Copies of this correspondence can be found at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/firefighters-pension-scheme-reforms.

    “

  • Pamela Nash – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Pamela Nash – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Pamela Nash on 2014-04-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many people in his Department have been employed on zero-hour contracts in each of the last two years.

    Brandon Lewis

    [Holding Reply: Thursday 1 May 2014]

    My Department has employed the following numbers of staff on zero-hour contracts in each of the last two years:

    2012-13 – 2

    2013-14 – 2

    In all cases, these were short-term arrangements for individuals to complete specific pieces of work which required particular expertise or professional skills.

  • Sarah Champion – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Sarah Champion – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sarah Champion on 2014-04-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans he has to publish data on (a) women’s homelessness, (b) the number of women who become homeless in a reporting period and (c) the length of their homelessness.

    Kris Hopkins

    I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 13 March 2014, Official Report, column 311-312W.

  • Philip Hollobone – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Philip Hollobone – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Hollobone on 2014-04-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much financial support his Department provided to Show Racism the Red Card in each of the last three years; and what controls are in place to prevent the use of such monies for party political campaigning.

    Stephen Williams

    The Department for Communities and Local Government provided the following funding to Show Racism the Red Card:

    Calendar Year

    2012 £52,460

    2013 £105,077

    2014 £47,427

    Total £204,964

    We are satisfied that the funding for Show Racism the Red Card was used for purposes outlined in the funding agreement – the provision of education workshops to equip young people with skills to reject the divisive messages of groups like the English Defence League – and that no funding was used for purposes of a political nature. Conditions in the funding agreement prevent funds being spent on anything other than educational work (including a prohibition on any political campaigning) and their status as a charity further preludes them from engaging in political activities.