Tag: 2014

Steve McCabe – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2014-06-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will publish a list of all consultancy groups and sub-contractors used by her Department on the Bost Agri-Business and Airfield projects in Afghanistan.

Justine Greening

The Bost industrial business park proposal was originally approved by officials in 2009 at a time when Ministers did not approve spend under £40m. In 2012 it became clear that the project could no longer be completed within the original timeframe and in good order. To avoid wasting taxpayers’ money I decided that UK funding for the project should be cancelled. The completed park designs have been handed over to the Afghan authorities to enable them to pursue the project over a revised time frame. DFID’s work on Bost Airfield was completed in November 2013.

The following consultancy groups were paid directly by DFID on the Bost Airfield and Business Park programme:

Coffey International

Crown Agents

Mott Macdonald

November 1, 2022
Hugh Bayley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hugh Bayley on 2014-06-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many and what proportion of people with cases before (a) civil and (b) criminal courts received legal aid in (i) England and (ii) York in each year since 1995.

Mr Shailesh Vara

The amount spent on (a) civil and (b) criminal legal aid in (i) cash (i.e. net of operating receipts) and (ii) real terms in each of the last 20 years was provided by way of a written response on 18 June 2013 to the hon. Member for York Central’s Parliamentary Question 160682.

The Legal Aid Agency does not record the number of people who receive legal aid. Instead it records the number of ‘acts of assistance’. One individual may receive a number of separate acts of assistance, and one act of assistance can help more than one person. As the categorisation of legal aid has changed over the last 20 years, acts of assistance relating to representation in court cannot be accurately compared over time. The total acts of assistance relating to civil and criminal cases from 1995 onwards were provided by way of a written response on 18 June 2013 to the hon. Member for York Central’s Parliamentary Question 160683.

With regard to the breakdowns requested for England and York, to extract the information requested from the Legal Aid Agency’s IT Systems would incur disproportionate cost.

November 1, 2022
Hugh Bayley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hugh Bayley on 2014-06-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate the UK Statistics Authority has made of the number and proportion of young people aged 16 to 24 in York in (a) training, (b) employment and (c) education in each year since 1995-96.

Matthew Hancock

Data are not available prior to 2000. Estimates for the proportion of young people in training, employment and education separately are not available.

Information on the number of Apprenticeship starts and achievements by geography and age is published in supplementary tables to a Statistical First Release:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/fe-data-library-apprenticeships–2

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/308808/apprenticeship-starts-by-geography-level-and-age.xls

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/296382/apprenticeship-achievements-by-geography-level-and-age.xlsm

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November 1, 2022

Michael McCann – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michael McCann on 2014-06-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much public interest lawyers have received in legal aid for cases against the Department for Work and Pensions in each of the last 10 years.

Mr Shailesh Vara

The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) cannot separately identify legal aid cases against the Department for Work and Pensions, the Ministry of Defence and the Home Office. Opponents are not systematically recorded against Legal Aid cases.

The net payments to Public Interest Lawyers over the past ten tears were:

Financial Year	Net Payments
FY2003-2004	£139,620.72
FY2004-2005	£158,282.52
FY2005-2006	£251,844.27
FY2006-2007	£299,667.99
FY2007-2008	£577,263.60
FY2008-2009	£628,527.75
FY2009-2010	£267,433.88
FY2010-2011	£439,268.02
FY2011-2012	£331,238.85
FY2012-2013	£50,633.27

These payments cover all work undertaken by the firm under legal aid. The payments made will be offset by recoupment on successful cases where the opponent has paid the costs.

November 1, 2022

Barry Sheerman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2014-06-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Nigerian counterpart on the abduction of schoolgirls in Chibok, Nigeria.

Mark Simmonds

My right Honourable Friend, the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (William Hague) discussed the abduction of the school girls with FM Wali on 18 April, and attended a Summit in Paris on 17 May with the Nigerian President, which was specially convened to discuss this issue. I discussed the abduction with President Jonathan and Defence Minister Gusau during my visit to Nigeria on 14 May. During that visit we agreed the package of support the British Government would offer to help find the girls, as well as to help tackle Boko Haram’s wider activities. Foreign Minister Wali and I have been in contact since then on the subject of Boko Haram. I look forward to further detailed conversations with him and representatives from Nigeria’s neighbours, the US, Canada, France, EU, UN and AU at this week’s ministerial meeting on security in northern Nigeria.

November 1, 2022
Conor Burns – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Conor Burns on 2014-06-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what representations his Department has received from UNESCO on the proposed Navitus Bay Wind Farm development.

Mr Edward Vaizey

UNESCO has submitted representations from its Advisory Body the IUCN about the proposed Navitus Bay Wind Farm development. The development is being considered by the planning authorities and these views have been submitted as part of this process.

November 1, 2022
Martin Horwood – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Martin Horwood on 2014-03-18.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to encourage charities to become signatories to the Financial Reporting Council’s UK Stewardship Code.

Nick Hurd

The Financial Reporting Council’s Stewardship Code does not direct itself to matters particular to charities such as their responsibilities under charity law and their focus on beneficiaries. ‘Good Governance – a Code for the Voluntary and Community Sector’ developed by a coalition of charity and voluntary sector bodies is a code designed for charities and the voluntary sector. This Code has the support of the Charity Commission which encourages its adoption through publications and signposting on its website.

November 1, 2022
Caroline Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2014-06-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of changing the national urban default speed limit to 20 mph on (a) air pollution and (b) other environmental conditions; what similar studies in other developed nations his Department has assessed; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The Department does not have any current plans to introduce a default 20mph speed limit. Local authorities are best placed to determine the speed limits for their areas, based on local knowledge and the views of the community, and have the powers to do so. We are aware of studies carried out for local authorities, including for the City of London, which showed no overall negative effects on air quality in 20mph speed restrictions.

However, the Department is about to commission comprehensive research into the effects of 20mph limits. This will cover many aspects including effects on speed, collisions, casualties and modal shift. The research will also consider air quality, best practice, road users’ perceptions and effects on the quality of the environment, as well as relevant research from other countries.

November 1, 2022
Robert Halfon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Halfon on 2014-03-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans he has to visit university technical colleges.

Elizabeth Truss

The Secretary of State for Education visited JCB Academy shortly before that university technical college (UTC) opened. Lord Nash has visited both Hackney and Aston UTCs since his appointment as an Education Minister. Skills Minister, Matthew Hancock, recently visited South Devon UTC, which has now been approved for pre-opening.

This Government has already opened 17 UTCs, and approved a further 33 for pre-opening. These UTCs are introducing innovative ways of combining academic subjects with high quality technical education giving young people the skills and experience that industry wants.

The Secretary of State regularly visits all types of schools and plans to visit a UTC in due course.

November 1, 2022
Richard Fuller – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Fuller on 2014-06-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will support an international enquiry into the events at the Golden Temple in Amritsar in 1984.

Mr Hugo Swire

This is a matter between the Sikh Community and government of India. The purpose of the Cabinet Secretary’s recent investigation and report on the Indian operation at Sri Harmandir Sahib in Amritsar in 1984, was to establish the extent of UK Government involvement in the Indian government’s plans for military operations, not the operation itself, or the actions of the Indian government.

November 1, 2022