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Tag: 2014

  • Jim Murphy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Jim Murphy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Murphy on 2014-06-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent discussions she has had with non-governmental organisations in Pakistan and neighbouring countries about honour killings.

    Justine Greening

    Following the brutal murder of Farzana Parveen in Lahore on 27 May, I raised this issue at various levels in the Government of Pakistan. The Foreign Secretary and senior HMG officials in Pakistan have also publically and privately condemned the appalling crime of ‘honour killings’ and called for immediate action to bring the culprits of the 27 May attack to justice.

    HMG regularly engages with the government and civil society in Pakistan on women’s rights and violence against women, including so-called ‘honour killings’. Across DFID’s programmes in Pakistan we are helping women and girls to live healthy and secure lives.

  • Madeleine Moon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Madeleine Moon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Madeleine Moon on 2014-04-08.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has agreed to the Top Level Budget holder in the Ministry of Defence making ex-gratia payments to members of the armed forces wrongly disciplined under AGAI 67 following receipt of a police caution; what estimate he has made of the level of such payments; when such payments are to start; and if he will make a statement.

    Danny Alexander

    The Treasury delegates ex-gratia payments that are not novel or contentious to the Ministry of Defence, below an agreed threshold. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) may then delegate further to Top Level Budget holders with the agreement with Treasury.

    The MOD has not made any ex-gratia payments in response to claims from Armed Forces personnel that they had been wrongly disciplined under AGAI 67 on receipt of a police caution.

  • Mark Hendrick – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Mark Hendrick – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hendrick on 2014-06-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much his Department expects to raise from increased Notice to Seek Possession fees in (a) 2014-15, (b) 2015-16 and (c) 2016-17.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    We expect to generate around £35m in additional gross income in 2014/15 and subsequent years from increased Notice to Seek Possession fees.

    However, as part of our reforms we also removed the listing and allocation fees for possession claims in the county and high court.

  • Madeleine Moon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Madeleine Moon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Madeleine Moon on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 25 March 2014, Official Report, column 182W, on Defence Infrastructure Organisation, whether there are any covenants on the use of DIO Ashcurch; and if he will make a statement.

    Dr Andrew Murrison

    There are two covenants on the site at Ashchurch. These relate to:

    The erection and maintenance of stock proof fences; and

    The reservation of mines and minerals and rights of access to light and air.

  • David Ward – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    David Ward – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his Department’s key performance indicators are for decisions that require mandatory reconsideration.

    Esther McVey

    There is no statutory time limit. We deliberately do not have one because each case will be considered on its merits.

  • Paul Flynn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Paul Flynn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the timetable is for renewing the 1958 Agreement between the UK and US for Co-operation in the Uses of Atomic Energy for Mutual Defence Purposes; whether he will lay the draft renewed agreement before Parliament; and what role the British Embassy in Washington DC will play in the renewal.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    We are continuing to work with the US and satisfactory progress is being made. Parliament will be informed of the amending text at the appropriate time. The British Embassy in Washington DC will facilitate discussions between the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the US Department of State.

  • Biography information for Julian Huppert – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Biography information for Julian Huppert – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Julian Huppert on Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

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    Hugh Robertson

    We are not aware of any recent action taken by the US against Bangladesh.

  • Mark Tami – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Mark Tami – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Tami on 2014-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment he has made of the commerical and procurement capability of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority; and what steps have been taken to assist the authority in the development of its capability in this area of operations.

    Michael Fallon

    The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) is responsible for running competitions to manage its sites, and for managing the contracts with those sites; maintaining the capability to do so effectively is also the responsibility of the NDA. My rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State appoints the Chairman and other non-executive members of the NDA Board and we have ensured that it has strong commercial skills to support the Executive. With regard to the NDA’s Parent Body Organisation competitions, the process is subject to governance by the NDA’s Competition Programme Board (CPB), on which the Shareholder Executive (on behalf of DECC), HM Treasury and Infrastructure UK sit. A key role of the CPB is to provide assurance that the NDA has the right commercial and procurement capability. We also monitor continuously the NDA’s performance, capability and overall effectiveness.

  • Biography information for Lisa Nandy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Biography information for Lisa Nandy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Lisa Nandy on Transport.

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    Stephen Hammond

    Open access operators have helped to provide innovative services for passengers and grow new rail markets – often generating excellent passenger satisfaction scores. The additional competitive pressure generated by open access operators can also help improve the experience of passengers of franchised services.

    These beneficial impacts must be balanced against the potential to abstract passenger revenue from franchised operators. This abstraction primarily manifests itself as a cost to Government in the form of diminished value of the franchises when they are tendered.

    To mitigate this problem, the Office of Rail Regulation ("ORR") applies the "not primarily abstractive test", which aims to ensure that applicants for open access routes will generate at least 30 pence of new revenue for every £1 of existing revenue abstracted from franchised operators. The ORR considers that if the open access operator generates any less new revenue, the benefits of their operation would not outweigh the costs. Our policy is to support the application of the not primarily abstractive test when open access applications are assessed.

  • Huw Irranca-Davies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Huw Irranca-Davies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    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, if he will assess the desirability of separating responsibility for food safety policy and responsibility for food standards policy in England between the Food Standards Agency and his Department.

    George Eustice

    The Food Standards Authority is responsible for food safety and food hygiene across the UK, and for food law enforcement. Their strategic objective is safer food for the nation in order to protect the consumer.

    Defra is responsible for non-safety related food compositional standards and labelling policy in England. Most of these standards are set under EU legislation considered by EU Agriculture Council and there are synergies with the equivalent standards set through the Common Agricultural Policy. The underlying reason for regulating in these areas is to set internationally recognised standards to facilitate trade and ensure a level playing field for food businesses, whilst protecting consumers against product misdescription. Food composition and standards policy is not generally related to food safety.