The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Ian Lavery on Transport.
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Stephen Hammond
The public consultation exercise is a joint consultation conducted and prepared by the Department for Transport and Rail North, which is a body that represents all Local transport Authorities in the North of England. The consultation also encourages individual responses from Local Transport Authorities. The consultation can be found at:
“The below Parliamentary question was asked by Huw Irranca-Davies on 2014-04-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to his statement of 3 April 2014, Official Report, columns 1034-7, on bovine TB, what the evidential basis is for the statement that about a third of badgers in TB hotspot areas are infected with TB.
George Eustice
The prevalence of M. bovis in badgers based on post-mortems and a subsequent analysis of the post-mortem protocol following the Randomised Badger Culling Trail (RBCT) showed prevalence of around 33%.
In the long-running study of badgers at Woodchester park TB prevalence in badgers has increased to over 30%.[1]
In a separate study in Gloucestershire between 35% and 53% of badgers tested positive to a TB test. [2]
[1]Delahay et al. Epidemiol. Infect. (2013), 141, 1445–1456. Long-term temporal trends and estimated transmission rates for Mycobacterium bovis infection in an undisturbed high-density badger (Meles meles) population
[2]Carter SP, et al. (2012) PLoS ONE 7(12): e49833. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0049833 BCG Vaccination Reduces Risk of Tuberculosis Infection in Vaccinated Badgers and Unvaccinated Badger Cubs.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Iain McKenzie on Business, Innovation and Skills.
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Jenny Willott
The Government is committed to increasing compliance with minimum wage legislation and effective enforcement of it. Everyone who is entitled to the minimum wage should receive it. Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs have 173 staff dedicated to the enforcement of the National Minimum Wage.
The Government is already taking tougher action on employers that break minimum wage law. We have made it simpler to name and shame employers that don’t pay the national minimum wage and increased the financial penalty that employers pay for breaking the law.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2014-04-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he was informed that cage trapping and shooting of badgers had been implemented alongside the free shooting of badgers within three days of the beginning of the pilot badger cull in Gloucestershire in 2013.
George Eustice
Both controlled shooting and cage trapping and shooting methods were always available to the cull companies. There was no compulsion on the contractors to use a defined proportion of cage trapping and controlled shooting. How they used these two methods was a decision for them to make. As the pilot culls progressed, cull companies decided to use more cage trapping, as this technique was found to work well under certain circumstances. Ministers were kept informed of progress during the pilot culls from an early stage.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park on Work and Pensions.
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Mike Penning
The information is not available.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Lucas on 2014-04-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the Turkish government on the security and humanitarian situation in Kessab.
Hugh Robertson
We have regular discussions with the Turkish authorities regarding the appalling situation in Syria. We work closely with Turkey to coordinate the substantial humanitarian effort in the region and we welcome their assistance in facilitating aid delivery. Turkey is also a valued security partner of the UK. We work closely with Turkey to restrict the ability of foreign fighters to cross into Syria. We will continue to engage with Turkey on these important topics.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Charlie Elphicke on Treasury.
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Mr David Gauke
Previous replies have explained that further discussions in relation at Priory Court in Dover are a matter for Mapeley who own the land. While HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) occupy the property under the STEPS contracts and will consider any reasonable proposals, resolution of commercial considerations are for Network Rail and Mapeley.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ann Coffey on 2014-04-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many convictions there have been with offence code (a) 21, (b) 22, (c) 23, (d) 71, (e) 72, (f) 73, (g) 74, (h) 17Z, (i) 17B, (j) 19C, (k) 19D, (l) 19E, (m) 19F, (n) 19H, (o) 20A, (p) 20B, (q) 22B and (r) 88A under the Sexual Offences Act 2003 (i) in each of the Crown courts in Greater Manchester and (ii) at the lowest available level.
Jeremy Wright
The proportion of offenders given custody for sexual offences has increased since 2003.
The Government takes very seriously all matters relating to the sexual abuse of children and adults. Our laws in these areas are rightly robust and clear. The 2003 Act, which came into effect in May 2004, significantly modernised and strengthened the laws on sexual offences in England and Wales. We have already introduced automatic life sentences for a second serious sexual or violent offence, and we have announced plans to end automatic early release for child rapists, terrorists and all dangerous offenders.
The number of offenders found guilty at the Crown Court in Greater Manchester police force area, for sexual offences with the offence codes specified from 2008 to 2012 (latest data available), can be viewed in the table.
Court proceedings statistics for the year 2013 are planned to be published by the Ministry of Justice in May 2014.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Alan Whitehead on Energy and Climate Change.
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Michael Fallon
We anticipate that some generators will seek to establish the terms of any PPA and financing arrangements before they participate in the CfD allocation round, in order to understand better their likely costs. Agreements between generators and PPA providers could take a number of different forms, from indicative terms to a signed contract. The decision to sign a conditional PPA ahead of the auction, and the duration of any agreement, are ultimately commercial matters.
We anticipate that the Offtaker of Last Resort (OLR) will encourage competition in the PPA market both at the outset of the CfD and once any initial PPA has expired. Generators agreeing to a conditional PPA would be able to participate in the later short-term PPA market, once their initial PPA had expired; backed by the protections afforded by the OLR.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by John McDonnell on 2014-04-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how long it took to merge Avon and Somerset Probation Services.
Jeremy Wright
Avon and Somerset Probation Trust, which was established on 1 April 2010, replaced the Avon and Somerset Probation Board, which had been created on 1 April 2001 following the merger of the two separate probation committees for Avon and for Somerset.