Tag: 2014

  • Nigel Dodds – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Nigel Dodds – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Dodds on 2014-04-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much her Department has spent on legacy issues in each year since 2010; and how many staff are employed on dealing with such legacy issues.

    Mrs Theresa Villiers

    It is not possible to provide a breakdown of spend by the Northern Ireland Office on legacy issues annually since 2010 as matters related cut across so many aspects of the Department’s work.

    Within the Northern Ireland Office’s Engagement Group there is a Legacy Unit which currently consists of 4 members of staff. This unit deals with a wide range of issues arising from Northern Ireland’s troubled past, including calls for further inquiries and reviews; legal challenges brought in relation to legacy cases; applications for public interest immunity; and compensation for certain miscarriages of justice. In addition, the Legacy Unit oversees the sponsorship of the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims Remains.

  • David Crausby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    David Crausby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Crausby on 2014-06-17.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of the number of people employed on zero-hour contracts in Bolton North East constituency.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

  • Grahame M. Morris – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Grahame M. Morris – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame M. Morris on 2014-04-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of the helicopter fleet operating in the offshore oil and gas industry is fitted with a side-floating helicopter scheme that is compliant with the Civil Aviation Authority’s relevant statutory specifications.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), as part of its Offshore Helicopter Review, looked at improvements that could be made to helicopters to increase the survivability of passengers in the event of a ditching in the sea. The CAA has made recommendations to industry concerning the use of flotation devices. However, the CAA does not have statutory specifications for side-floating helicopter schemes.

    The requirements for such equipment are being developed by the European Aviation Safety Agency.

  • Justin Tomlinson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Justin Tomlinson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Tomlinson on 2014-06-17.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will take steps to mandate that APR figures be displayed in cash terms.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The Government believes it is important for consumers to be able to compare the cost of credit products easily.

    The Consumer Credit Directive (CCD) requires the APR to be stated in pre-contract credit information and in the credit agreement itself, as well as in advertising where triggered. In addition, firms must state the total amount payable (TAP), which is the sum of the amount borrowed and the total charge for credit (TCC).

    As the CCD is full harmonisation in the relevant areas, it is not open to Member States to require disclosure of the TCC in addition – although the consumer can work this out as the difference between the TAP and the amount borrowed. Lenders can also include the TCC on a voluntary basis.

    As previously shared with the Public Accounts Committee, the Government raised the issue of how to present cost information with the European Commission as part of its current review into the implementation of the CCD.

  • Mike Crockart – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Mike Crockart – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mike Crockart on 2014-04-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what inflation adjustment measures are applied to the pensions paid to armed forces pensioners resident outside the UK.

    Anna Soubry

    Armed Forces pensions are currently uprated annually in April using the Consumer Price Index (CPI) figure from the previous September. These are occupational pensions and are therefore paid, including any CPI increase, to scheme members wherever they reside in the world.

    The UK Government is confident that the people of Scotland will continue to support remaining within the UK. There have, therefore, been no discussions with the Scottish Government about this matter.

  • Christopher Chope – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Christopher Chope – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2014-06-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department’s response to the letter of 2 May 2014 from Mr Kishore Rao, the Director of the UNESCO Culture Sector, World Heritage Centre.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    DCMS has not issued a formal response to the letter of 2 May 2014. The letter has been passed to the planning authorities as part of that process.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Tonge – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2014-04-02.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they plan to take to protect the property rights and security of Palestinians if peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority are extended.

    Baroness Warsi

    I refer the noble Baroness, Lady Tonge to the answer I gave her on 21 November 2013 (Official Report, column WA233).

  • James Gray – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    James Gray – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by James Gray on 2014-06-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to change the funding support for Combined Cadet Forces.

    Anna Soubry

    We have set a target of expanding the number of Combined Cadet Forces (CCFs) in state schools.

    We are moving towards a model for all CCFs which will involve schools making a small contribution towards the running costs of their units, irrespective of which sector the school is in. We are working with schools to establish the best way forward and our current plan is that funding changes will happen in a phased manner over a four-year period from September 2015.

    The Secretary of State for Defence has not had discussions with the Combined Cadet Force Association (CCFA), although officials are in regular contact. The CCFA is represented on relevant Government cadet committees, and has been briefed on the planned changes.

  • Lord West of Spithead – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord West of Spithead – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2014-04-02.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to reintroduce the artificer rate into the Royal Navy.

    Lord Astor of Hever

    No, the Royal Navy has disestablished the Artificer system in favour of a more coherent engineering technician structure which sets a headmark of achieving accreditation through the appropriate professional institutions and apprenticeships.

  • Alex Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Alex Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2014-06-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate he has made of the value of the land for which academy trusts currently have leasehold interest.

    Mr Edward Timpson

    When community schools convert to academies, the freehold is retained by the local authority and a lease is granted to the academy trust. In some circumstances, where the school governors or supporting foundation already hold the freehold, my Rt hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, may allow publicly-funded school land to be transferred to an academy trust, which will have satisfied the Secretary of State as to its ability to operate a state-funded school.

    There are strict rules protecting publicly funded land used by academies, regardless of who holds the freehold. This is set out in published guidance, which is available online:

    www.gov.uk/government/publications/protection-of-school-playing-fields-and-public-land-advice

    A copy of the guidance has been placed in the House Library.

    The Department does not hold information about the average value of land used for academies on a freehold or leasehold basis. Information about the number of academies that occupy land on a leasehold and freehold basis is not held centrally.

    “