The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2016-02-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he expects the (a) demonstration phase and (b) manufacture phase of the Successor submarine programme to begin.
Penny Mordaunt
We expect to approve the next stage of the Successor submarine programme later in 2016.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2016-02-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) reconnaissance, (b) combat and (c) other missions were flown by RAF aircraft over Syria in the last 12 months.
Penny Mordaunt
The number of reconnaissance, combat and other missions between 1 February 2015 and 1 February 2016 are detailed in the table below. The majority of aircraft flying missions in Syrian airspace will have flown over Iraqi airspace as well. Reaper, Tornado and Typhoon are multi-role aircraft and as such can be deployed in both a combat mission and a reconnaissance mission. Other missions have been defined as those involved in the transportation of people or equipment.
|
Syria |
Iraq |
|
|
Reconnaissance Missions |
435 |
906 |
|
Combat Missions |
64 |
699 |
|
Other |
0 |
484* |
*This figure does not include C17, which is estimated to have flown two missions a month in the period in question. The records for C17 are not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2016-02-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) reconnaissance, (b) combat and (c) other missions were flown by RAF aircraft over Iraq in the last 12 months.
Penny Mordaunt
The number of reconnaissance, combat and other missions between 1 February 2015 and 1 February 2016 are detailed in the table below. The majority of aircraft flying missions in Syrian airspace will have flown over Iraqi airspace as well. Reaper, Tornado and Typhoon are multi-role aircraft and as such can be deployed in both a combat mission and a reconnaissance mission. Other missions have been defined as those involved in the transportation of people or equipment.
|
Syria |
Iraq |
|
|
Reconnaissance Missions |
435 |
906 |
|
Combat Missions |
64 |
699 |
|
Other |
0 |
484* |
*This figure does not include C17, which is estimated to have flown two missions a month in the period in question. The records for C17 are not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Naz Shah on 2016-02-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much his Department spent on access to the arts in Yorkshire and Humber region between (a) May 2015 and February 2016 and (b) May 2010 and April 2015.
Mr Edward Vaizey
The Government continues to support the fantastic range of arts in the culture in Yorkshire and the Humber through its public investment in the arts, distributed by Arts Council England, as well as investment in cultural projects and programmes including £1.5 million for the Ferens Art Gallery in Hull to support its redevelopment and £1 million to support the Yorkshire Festival which will celebrate the region’s culture this summer.
The Arts Council has provided the following funding to Yorkshire during the dates specified:
|
Funding Year |
Total |
|
2015/2016: 1st April – 8 Feb 2016 |
£46,399,085 |
|
Funding Year |
Total |
|
2010/2011 |
£36,013,760 |
|
2011/2012 |
£47,661,513 |
|
2012/2013 |
£64,126,617 |
|
2013/2014 |
£46,717,549 |
|
2014/2015 |
£53,628,743 |
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Naz Shah on 2016-02-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what his policy is on a National Photography Museum.
Mr Edward Vaizey
The National Media Museum in Bradford holds the National Photographic Collection, which has over 3 million photographic objects. DCMS museums operate at arm’s length from government and the transfer of objects between national museums is a matter for the boards of the museums.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Naz Shah on 2016-02-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether his Department has been consulted on the transfer of the Royal Photographic Society’s collection from the National Media Museum to the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Mr Edward Vaizey
DCMS museums operate at arm’s length from government and the transfer of objects between national museums is a matter for the boards of the museums. The Trustees of the Science Museum approved the transfer of the Royal Photographic Society’s collection to the V&A, and the Royal Photographic Society also approve of the transfer. The Department was informed in December 2015.
The V&A intend to store, digitise and make the photographic collection available as part of its planned International Photography Resource Centre, which will provide the public with a world-class facility to access the consolidated collection.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-02-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to (a) encourage innovation and competition amongst broadband network providers and (b) reduce monopoly control over broadband infrastructure.
Mr Edward Vaizey
It is a matter for Ofcom to monitor and regulate competition in electronic communications markets and last year it launched a Strategic Review of Digital Communications. Maintaining and promoting competition and innovation in the electronic communications markets are key areas that Ofcom is considering.
The promotion of competition and innovation in the telecommunications sector is high on the Government’s list of objectives for the European Commission’s review of the Electronic Communications regulatory Framework, as was reflected in our response to its consultation. Proposals from the Commission are expected later this year.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-02-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent steps his Department has taken to tackle disparities in broadband coverage in (a) London and (b) the UK.
Mr Edward Vaizey
The Government is working with commercial broadband providers to encourage them to fill the remaining gaps in superfast broadband coverage in London. BT has announced £50 million of investment in new commercial coverage, much of which will be aimed at London, and Virgin Media has announced a demand led investment programme of £3 billion over the next few years. Other suppliers are also active in London.
As a result of commercially-led delivery and public funding in areas which are not commercially viable, superfast broadband coverage across the UK now reaches almost 90% of premises, providing access to speeds of more than 24Mbps. Coverage is on track to increase to 95% of premises by December 2017. The Government has also announced proposals for a Universal Service Obligation to enable all premises to request a broadband speed of at least 10Mbps, with the aim of implementing it in this Parliament. A basic broadband scheme has also been introduced across the UK allowing all premises with speeds below 2Mbps to gain access to speeds above this level through a subsidised satellite broadband connection.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gerald Jones on 2016-02-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when he plans to publish the outcome of the consultation on the BBC Charter Renewal process.
Mr Edward Vaizey
I refer the honourable member to my response to PQ 22672, submitted to Parliament on 19 January.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2016-02-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate he has made of the additional cost to rural broadband subscribers of paying separately for satellite broadband and telephony; and what the impact of such costs is on the rural economy.
Mr Edward Vaizey
Our Satellite Broadband Scheme offers homes and businesses in some of the most remote areas of the UK a subsidised satellite broadband connection if they are currently unable to obtain an affordable broadband service of at least 2 Mbps.
The benefits of broadband are clear – and that is why we have introduced this subsidised offer to meet the Universal Service Commitment – which gives a first year only subsidy for a basic package capped at £400.
The total number of premises eligible for the universal service commitment subsidy had been substantially reduced, from around 11% in 2010 to around 1% by the end of 2015, as a result of roll-out superfast broadband by the commercial sector and through publicly-funded programmes.