Tag: 2014

  • Jim Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Jim Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2014-03-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the economic benefits to the UK of international students.

    Mr David Willetts

    The Government’s International Education Strategy, published in July 2013, included an analysis of the value of international education to the UK. This analysis showed that international students across all parts of the education sector (higher education, further education, English language training, and independent schools) were estimated to contribute £13.6bn to the UK economy in 2011. More recent data indicates that this figure rose to £13.9bn in 2012.

    International students also bring indirect economic benefits to the UK, including: strengthening the quality, diversity and reputation of the UK education sector; providing a pipeline of prospective students who may study at higher levels in the UK; and improving overseas business, research, social and cultural links.

    The International Education Strategy and the accompanying analytical narrative can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/international-education-strategy-global-growth-and-prosperity.

    “

  • Kate Hoey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Kate Hoey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Hoey on 2014-06-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, on how many occasions the Royal Prerogative of Mercy has been granted in relation to offences occurring as a result and in the course of escaping from or breaking out of prison in the last 25 years; and if he will make a statement.

    Jeremy Wright

    We do not centrally hold data on the number of occasions the Royal Prerogative of Mercy has been exercised for the time period in question. Consequently, the information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost, as it would involve a manual trawl through the records of every prisoner who has formed part of the prison population for the last 25 years, to identify, firstly, if they have ever escaped from prison custody and secondly, if a request to exercise the Royal Prerogative of Mercy was successful.

  • Andrew Gwynne – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Andrew Gwynne – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2014-03-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, when she intends to respond to the email of 17 October 2013 sent by the hon. Member for Denton and Reddish concerning her Department’s plan for spending and distributing the core funds of £375 million that were pledged in June 2013.

    Lynne Featherstone

    I replied to the Hon. Member’s correspondence on 14th February 2014.

  • Ivan Lewis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Ivan Lewis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ivan Lewis on 2014-06-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many (a) permanent and (b) non-permanent staff were employed in her Department on 1 June 2014.

    Mrs Theresa Villiers

    As of 1 June 2014, my Department employed 155 permanent members of staff made up of Home Civil Servants and Northern Ireland Civil Servants staff seconded to the Northern Ireland Office. Three part-time members of staff are engaged on an annual contract.

  • Lord Storey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the The Lord Chairman of Committees

    Lord Storey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the The Lord Chairman of Committees

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2014-03-28.

    To ask the Chairman of Committees whether there are plans to sell or give away the tiles currently being replaced in the Palace of Westminster.

    Lord Sewel

    The Encaustic Tile Programme is a seven year conservation programme to replace and repair the encaustic tiles throughout the Palace of Westminster. As part of the programme, tiles which are in good condition are either left in place or re-used elsewhere whenever possible.

    In some cases, the tiles cannot be re-used elsewhere, and the Administration and Works Committee in the Lords and the Administration Committee in the Commons have agreed that, in these cases, some tiles should be kept for archival purposes, some tiles should be donated to museums or related institutions, and a limited number of tiles should be sold.

    The Committees in both Houses are currently discussing the details of this proposal.

  • Barry Sheerman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Barry Sheerman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2014-06-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he expects High Speed 2 will require a separate ticket pricing structure from regular rail services.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The HS2 business case demonstrates that the project can deliver significant benefits for the country without any fares differential being required for journeys using the high speed line. It is too soon to know what fares will be set for travel on HS2 services. Government decisions about fares structures and regulation will be taken closer to the commencement of HS2 Phase One services in 2026.

  • Neil Parish – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Neil Parish – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Neil Parish on 2014-03-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what non-lethal military support his Department has provided to Algeria in each year since 2012.

    Dr Andrew Murrison

    The UK provides military support to the Algerian Armed Forces mainly through the provision of academic and specialised UK based courses. In 2012, 31 Algerian students from the Algerian Armed Forces attended UK military courses, and in 2013 seven students came to the UK for training. The courses attended since 2012 are:

    Royal College of Defence Studies

    Initial Naval Training (Officers) at BRNC Dartmouth

    RAF Initial Officer Training at RAF Cranwell

    Economic Exclusion Zone Protection Officer Course (one in 2012 delivered in the UK, one in 2013 delivered in Gibraltar)

    Stabilisation and Peace Support Operation

    Board and Search Training

    English Language Training

    HM Common Time course

    International Principal Warfare Officers’ Course

    RIB training

    International Air Battle Management Course

    Multinational Peace Support Operations Instructor Training Course

    Design and Evaluation of Peace Support Operations Training

    In addition to this, in 2013, delegations from the Algerian Armed Forces visited the Permanent Joint Headquarters in Northwood, and the Defence Helicopter Flying School at RAF Shawbury. In March 2014, a delegation from the Ministry of Defence’s Surgeon General’s department visited Algiers to discuss potential areas for cooperation with the Algerian military medical services.

  • Fiona Mactaggart – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Fiona Mactaggart – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Mactaggart on 2014-06-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how many households with a below-average income have received support for comprehensive insulation of their homes in the last year.

    Gregory Barker

    The Coalition Government is committed to fighting fuel poverty through the installation of robust energy efficiency measures.

    Statistics published this morning show that from the start of 2013 to the end of April 2014, 394,000 low-income and vulnerable consumers, or households in specified areas of low income, had benefitted from energy efficiency measures being installed under the new Energy Company Obligation.

  • Neil Parish – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Neil Parish – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Neil Parish on 2014-03-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what bilateral funding arrangements his Department has with (a) governmental and (b) non-governmental projects and bodies in Argentina.

    Dan Rogerson

    Defra does not have any funding arrangements with either governmental or non-governmental projects or bodies in Argentina

  • Caroline Flint – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Caroline Flint – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Flint on 2014-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what estimate his Department has made of the number of households that will receive cashback under the Green Deal Home Improvement Fund in (a) 2014-15, (b) 2015-16, (c) 2016-17 and (d) all further years for which funding has been allocated.

    Gregory Barker

    The total number of homes supported under the GDHIF scheme will be dependent on a number of factors. Given these are unknown factors currently, the number of homes potentially supported could vary significantly. Up to £120m has been allocated to this scheme for 2014/15. A decision on allocating funding for future years has yet to be taken.