The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2016-04-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many local authorities in each of the nations and regions of the UK have a multi-agency service dedicated to supporting members of the armed forces and former members of the armed forces and their families.
Mark Lancaster
The Ministry of Defence does not hold this information.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Madeleine Moon on 2016-04-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the lengths of the Poseidon P-8A contracts are; what forecast his Department has made of the length of time for which the P-8A will be operational; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Philip Dunne
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 13 April 2016 to Question 33059 to the hon. Member for Barrow and Furness (John Woodcock).
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charlotte Leslie on 2016-04-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what mechanisms his Department uses to communicate its decisions to air cadet units.
Mr Julian Brazier
The Ministry of Defence, through the Air Cadet Organisation (ACO), has a variety of mechanisms to communicate its decisions and policy changes to air cadet units.
Routine issues without any sensitive aspects are publicised on the ACO IT system, BADER, which all air cadet units have access to. These can be placed on BADER’s home page on the scrolling news announcements.
Departmental decisions that may have some sensitive aspects are normally communicated down through the chain-of-command by either e-mail or letter. Highly sensitive issues may be briefed by senior commanders in face-to-face meetings.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Madeleine Moon on 2016-04-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what provision his Department has made for facilitating the in-flight refuelling of P-8As; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Philip Dunne
The P-8A Poseidon is capable of operating over significant range and will be able to meet the requirement for the core UK missions, for which it is being procured, without the need for air-to-air refuelling. In exceptional circumstances, for example to meet extended range missions, we will draw on the in-flight refuelling capability of our Allies.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2016-04-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what standing procedures his Department has for engaging other departments and the devolved administrations in promoting delivery of the Armed Forces Covenant.
Mark Lancaster
A feature of the Armed Forces Covenant is the Covenant Reference Group (CRG) which is chaired by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and includes representatives from all of the main Government Departments and Devolved Administrations. The CRG meets regularly to guide and direct work on the Armed Forces Covenant. The CRG also includes the three Service Family Federations, COBSEO (the Confederation of Service Charities) and other charities. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) also holds regular meetings with Devolved Administrations specifically to take forward Covenant work. The MOD also works closely with other Government Departments through the CRG Ministerial Sub-committee to meet their commitments under the Armed Forces Covenant and in much of their day to day work.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Sturdy on 2016-04-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions his Department has initiated with military charities on minimising duplication of effort and gaps in provision.
Mark Lancaster
The Service Charities Partnership Board (SCPB) is the most senior MOD Forum with charities and is attended by the Confederation of Service Charities (COBSEO), The Royal British Legion and the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association.
Our structured engagement serves to help identify gaps in current provision and increase coherence. The SCPB meets quarterly chaired by the Chief of Defence People with an annual Ministerial-led meeting attended by a broader spectrum of Armed Forces charities. Armed Forces charities are also represented at the MOD Welfare Conference, Bi-annual Defence Recovery Board, and the Armed Forces Covenant Reference Group.
The MOD continues to pursue a number of initiatives to increase coherence and minimising duplication of effort amongst the many Service Charities, including producing clear strategies in areas such as Mental Health; Wellbeing; and a Families Strategy, which will help provide a clear and better direction to co-ordinate work in these areas as well as helping to identify gaps in the current provision.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Whittaker on 2016-04-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to work with the Football Association to raise awareness of doping issues at all levels of football.
David Evennett
The Football Association operates a sport-specific anti-doping education programme for players of all ages. UK Anti-Doping – the relevant Arm’s Length Body of DCMS – works closely with the Football Association on this programme.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2016-04-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, by what date he estimates there will be universal access to high-speed broadband services in Easington constituency.
Mr Edward Vaizey
Current estimates suggest that almost 90% of premises in the Easington constituency are subject to commercial rollout, and a further 6% of premises (2,410) now have coverage as a result of the Government’s Superfast Broadband programme.
Based on DCMS modelled estimates and current delivery plans, 97.2% of premises in the Easington constituency will have access to superfast broadband by December 2017. Early gainshare funding that BT will return in response to the high levels of take-up being achieved, could help extend coverage further.
In addition, the Government’s intention to implement a new broadband Universal Service Obligation will give people the legal right to request a broadband connection, no matter where they live, by the end of this Parliament. Our ambition is that this should be set at 10 Mbps.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Mowat on 2016-04-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many and what proportion of residential addresses in the parish of Hatton are currently within reach of superfast broadband.
Mr Edward Vaizey
The Department does not hold parish level data.
However, current estimates suggest that almost 85% of premises in the Warrington South constituency are subject to commercial rollout, and a further 9% of premises (4,615) now have coverage as a result of this Government’s Superfast Broadband programme.
Based on DCMS modelled estimates and current delivery plans, 97.7% of premises in the Warrington South constituency will have access to superfast broadband by December 2017. Early gainshare funding that BT will return in response to the high levels of take-up being achieved, could help extend coverage further.
In addition, the Government’s intention to implement a new broadband Universal Service Obligation will give people the legal right to request a broadband connection, no matter where they live, by the end of this Parliament. Our ambition is that this should be set at 10 Mbps.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Lammy on 2016-04-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that like-for-like replacements are provided in the same local authority area for (a) properties sold under the Right to Buy scheme and (b) properties sold to fund the discounted sale of properties sold under the Right to Buy scheme.
Brandon Lewis
The voluntary Right to Buy agreement with the National Housing Federation states that housing associations will have the flexibility to replace nationally.
The 2012 Reinvigorated Right to Buy scheme introduced for the first time ever, a requirement to provide a new affordable home for every additional sale nationally. There is a rolling 3 year deadline for local authorities to deliver additional affordable homes through new build or acquisition under the reinvigorated Right to Buy, and so far they have delivered well within sales profile.
The Government is committed to using a portion of every receipt from our value vacant housing policy to fund the building of additional homes. The Housing and Planning Bill currently going through Parliament allows the Secretary of State and a local authority to enter into an agreement for the local authority to retain part of its receipts from the policy to lead on the delivery of more homes that meet housing need. Recognising London’s particular housing need, where these agreements are with a local authority in London, every empty dwelling assumed sold will be replaced by at least two new affordable homes.