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Tag: 2014

  • Mr Laurence Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Mr Laurence Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mr Laurence Robertson on 2014-03-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will allow a transitional period for schools to prepare to provide free school meals for under-sevens in cases where those schools need to set up their own kitchens; and if he will make a statement.

    David Laws

    The Government announced in September 2013 that state-funded schools will be required to offer free school meals to infant pupils from September 2014, giving schools a full year to put arrangements in place. We know from the universal free school meal pilots, in which schools were required to provide meals to all infant pupils and all key stage 2 pupils, that it is possible for schools to prepare to implement this policy with much less notice.

    In order to help schools to implement universal infant free school meals in September 2014 we have put in place a national support service, run by school food experts. The assistance available through that service includes a telephone helpline, the sharing of good practice, and intensive face-to-face support. We are also providing additional funding of £22.5 million to help small schools with the transition to providing meals for all their infant pupils.

  • Paul Flynn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Paul Flynn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what information has been provided to his Department by (a) EDF Energy and (b) the Office for Nuclear Regulation on the application by EDF Energy to extend the operating life of the Dungeness B reactor.

    Michael Fallon

    In December 2013, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) received a notification from EDF Energy of the intention to extend the planned operating life of Dungeness B AGR power station (as required under the Nuclear Liabilities Funding Agreement). Information relating to this process was shared with the Department. The decision on whether in practice to extend the life of the plant will be a commercial matter for EDF Energy. This is subject to the relevant safety and security regulations.

  • Nadine Dorries – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Nadine Dorries – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nadine Dorries on 2014-03-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when someone, held at a Border Force checkpoint, is officially considered a detainee.

    James Brokenshire

    For immigration purposes, a person is considered detained on service of an IS81 form, pending examination or further examination for a decision on a grant, refusal or cancellation of leave.

  • Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Deputy Prime Minister

    Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Deputy Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, whether monies collected from fixed penalty notices issued for failure to register on the electoral register will be retained by the local authority which issues that notice.

    Greg Clark

    Under paragraph 11 of schedule ZA1 to the Representation of the People Act 1983, monies received from a civil penalty notice issued for failure to respond to a notice of requirement to register on the electoral register are paid into the Consolidated Fund.

  • John McDonnell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    John McDonnell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John McDonnell on 2014-03-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 16 May 2013, Official Report, column 335W, on the Merchant Shipping (Diving Safety) Regulations 2002, whether it is still his policy to pursue revocation of the regulations.

    Stephen Hammond

    It is still our policy to revoke the Merchant Shipping (Diving Safety) Regulations 2002.

    There have been no specific discussions between Ministers or the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) regarding the implications for diver safety or revoking the regulations since May 2013. However, the proposal was raised by the MCA at a meeting with HSE’s Offshore Division in July 2013 to consider a range of regulatory issues affecting the offshore sector, and it was agreed to discuss in more detail as the proposals are developed, and prior to any changes to the regulations.

  • Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what use in formulating policy her Department has made of the National Wellbeing Index introduced by the Office for National Statistics since the introduction of that Index in 2011; and what policies her Department has introduced to improve national wellbeing as defined in that Index since 2010.

    Karen Bradley

    The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is measuring National Wellbeing, not
    as an index but through a framework of 41 indicators which capture social
    progress around important aspects of life for individuals, communities and the
    nation. The statistics are experimental and as such we should not expect to
    have examples of major policies that have been heavily influenced by the
    wellbeing data at this stage. However there is much work going on across
    government which is detailed in the evidence provided to the Environmental
    Audit Committee for its Inquiry into Wellbeing. This can be found at:
    http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/envir
    onmental-audit-committee/inquiries/parliament-2010/well-being/

  • Angela Smith – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Angela Smith – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Smith on 2014-03-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the outcome of the recent Illegal Wildlife Trade conference and the resulting London Declaration; and what steps she plans to take to ensure that animal welfare is a key element of her Department’s response to that declaration.

    Norman Baker

    The Home Office recognises that the illegal wildlife trade is not only a serious threat to our environment, but is also a transnational criminal industry worth billions of pounds every year, and one which drives corruption and insecurity and undermines efforts to cut poverty and develop sustainable economic opportunities.

    I was therefore pleased that world leaders from over forty nations, including key states such as Botswana, Chad, China, Gabon, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Tanzania, and Vietnam, alongside the United States and Russia, gathered in London on 13 February 2014 and made a political commitment to take actions to eradicate the demand for illegal wildlife products, strengthen law enforcement, ensure effective legal frameworks, and to reduce the incentive for communities in source countries to get involved in the trade by supporting the development of alternative, sustainable livelihoods. I co-chaired part of the proceedings to underline the Home Office’s commitment to this issue.

    The Home Office will continue to work with other departments to ensure that the Government delivers on the UK Commitment to Action on the Illegal Wildlife Trade.

  • Thomas Docherty – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Thomas Docherty – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Thomas Docherty on 2014-06-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when (a) he and (b) other Ministers in his Department last met representatives of BAE to discuss Typhoon exports.

    Michael Fallon

    The Eurofighter Typhoon programme is carried out in partnership with the Governments of Germany, Italy and Spain. This includes cooperation on exports. The Government of Belgium has expressed an interest in Typhoon as well as other competing aircraft as a potential replacement for their F-16 fleet. UK Trade and Investment have been invited, to participate in preliminary discussions at official level on Typhoon. United Kingdom Trade and Investment (UKTI) officials are working with colleagues across Government, in the partner nations and with Eurofighter GmbH to coordinate a response.

    Within UK Government work on Typhoon export campaigns is led by UKTI, but HMG takes a collaborative approach to defence exports and so all campaigns are a cross departmental effort. Information on staffing numbers is not therefore available centrally.

    Ministerial responsibility for UKTI rests with my noble Friend the Minister of State for Trade and Investment (Lord Livingston of Parkhead). My noble Friend reports to my Rt Hon Friends the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills and Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, as the two responsible Cabinet Ministers.

    Information regarding Ministers’ meetings is published by the Department on the internet: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications?departments%5B%5D=department-for-business-innovation-skills&publication_type=transparency-data

    The Minister of State for Trade and Investment discussed Typhoon exports during his meeting with BAES on 18 December 2013. The Secretary of State for Business Innovation and Skills has no immediate plans to meet his Belgian counterpart.

    “

  • Lord Mendelsohn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Mendelsohn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Mendelsohn on 2014-03-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what customer, user and satisfaction surveys were conducted in the last 12 months in the Department for Education and the agencies that report to it; which of them have been reported to the management board in the last 12 months; and which were commissioned by the management board.

    Lord Nash

    The Department for Education uses a range of feedback mechanisms across policy and delivery work to improve the experience of users and customers. Feedback is commissioned by the relevant teams; there is no central coordination of this activity. To collect details of this would incur disproportionate cost. The Department’s management board considers papers covering the range of the Department’s responsibilities, which reflect the results of the Department’s feedback mechanisms.

  • David Hanson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    David Hanson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Hanson on 2014-06-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when (a) she, (b) Ministers in her Department and (c) the Chief Executive of HM Passport Office (HMPO) last met staff representatives of HMPO.

    James Brokenshire

    The views of staff representatives are communicated to Ministers through the HM
    Passport Office Chief Executive.
    The Chief Executive holds regular fora and other meetings with staff at HM
    Passport Office premises.
    Events were held in:
    Durham on 12 February 2014;
    Liverpool on 14 March;
    Southport on 30 April;
    Belfast on 9 May; and
    Newport on 16 May.

    The Chief Executive also met local Public and Commercial Services union
    representatives in those offices on those dates.