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Tag: 2014

  • Jeremy Corbyn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Jeremy Corbyn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeremy Corbyn on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what consultation he has had with local authorities about the extension of fines to letting agents who fail to publish their fees tariff in full.

    Kris Hopkins

    Requiring letting agents to be transparent about their fees will prevent the small minority of rogue agents from imposing unreasonable, hidden charges. This common sense approach avoids excessive state regulation which would just push up rents for tenants. This and mandatory membership of redress schemes will give local authorities the tools they need to weed out the cowboys that give agents a bad name; and drive up standards.

    We have not received particular representations from local authorities on this issue. We will undertake a New Burdens assessment in due course in the usual way.

  • John Mann – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    John Mann – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Mann on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what performance indicators for the renewal of existing passports have been met by each passport office administrative centre.

    James Brokenshire

    Straightforward passport applications from applicants in the UK have a published expected turnaround of three weeks. For the financial year 2013-14,
    99.58 percent of customers received their passports within that period.

    Achievement of turnaround times is a national objective and specific targets are not focused on individual offices. This approach allows HM Passport Office
    to channel resources and distribute applications to meet capacity.

  • Stephen Phillips – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Stephen Phillips – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Phillips on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to facilitate the integration of remotely piloted aircraft systems into UK civil airspace.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Department for Transport leads on policy for the operation of civil remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) in the UK. We are working with international Governments, regulators and the industry – including the European Commission and International Civil Aviation Organization – on the development of regulation for the safe integration of RPAS into UK and European airspace.

    The UK Civil Aviation Authority and the European Aviation Safety Agency have a statutory responsibility to deal with the detailed Regulation.

    In addition, the Department for Transport currently chairs the cross-Government Working Group on RPAS and sits on the Autonomous Systems Technology Related Airborne Evaluation & Assessment Steering Board, which both seek to enable the safe and routine use of RPAS in all classes of airspace without the need for restrictive or specialised conditions of operation. This will be achieved through the coordinated development and demonstration of key technologies and operating procedures.

  • Julie Hilling – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Julie Hilling – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julie Hilling on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment she has made of the effect of the Government’s welfare reform policies in Northern Ireland.

    Mr Andrew Robathan

    We have worked hard with the Executive to adapt our reforms flexibly to Northern Ireland circumstances. They will ensure work always pays, and help lift people out of poverty by moving them into work. When fully implemented, Universal Credit will make over 3 million low to middle income households across the UK better off.

  • Hywel Williams – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Hywel Williams – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hywel Williams on 2014-05-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that a bilingual registered duty lawyer is available at all times in Crown courts in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    It has not proved possible to respond to the honourable Member in the time available before Prorogation.

  • Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Deputy Prime Minister

    Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Deputy Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-05-12.

    To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, with reference to the Answer of 23 April 2012, Official Report, column 623W, on the electoral register, what steps he has taken to improve student registration in the run up to individual electoral registration.

    Greg Clark

    It has not proved possible to respond to the Hon Member in the time available before Prorogation.

  • Alison Seabeck – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Alison Seabeck – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alison Seabeck on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the effect of seafarer fatigue on maritime safety; and what steps his Department is taking to enforce manning levels on vessels.

    Stephen Hammond

    The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) and the Marine Accident Investigation Branch were active participants in the multi-partner HORIZON research project, an EC-funded study, which used simulators to identify the effect on seafarers of working hours and interrupted rest. The project report demonstrates conclusively the links between certain watch keeping patterns and the performance of seafarers (looking particularly at “sleepiness”).

    The Government is committed to reducing the effects of fatigue on maritime safety and the health of seafarers. The output from HORIZON has been used to provide practical guidance to seafarers. The MCA remains involved with research on seafarer fatigue with other industry stakeholders.

    MCA Surveyors routinely inspect UK ships and foreign flag ships in UK waters and verify hours of work records for compliance with the regulations, and check ships are safely manned in accordance the requirements of the International Maritime Organisation convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW).

    The UK is leading the Paris Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control Concentrated Inspection Campaign to ensure compliance with the hours of rest requirements of watchkeepers under STCW which will run from 1 September 2014 to 30 November 2014.

  • Mark Williams – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Mark Williams – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Williams on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if his Department will provide incentives to developers to ensure that new homes planned for construction in 2014-15 will be (a) wheelchair accessible and (b) built to lifetime homes standards.

    Stephen Williams

    Part M of the Building Regulations set minimum access standards for new homes. The Government plans to introduce an optional level of accessibility above these minimum access standards which will set out criteria for age friendly, accessible and adaptable standards. The Government also plans to set out within Part M an optional standard which will set out criteria related to the specific needs of wheelchair adaptable and accessible housing.

    Furthermore, the National Planning Policy Framework already sets out that Local Plans should take into account the current and future needs of range of households including older and disabled people.

    This combination of Building Regulations and national planning policy sets a robust framework to promote adaptable and accessible housing.

  • Luciana Berger – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Luciana Berger – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the Government’s assessment is of the effectiveness of warning labels on alcoholic beverages regarding drinking during pregnancy; and what assessment he has made of the potential benefits of making such labels mandatory.

    Jane Ellison

    Research in the evidence around the effectiveness of alcohol harm reduction communications and related campaigns suggests that labelling and point of sale information can have an impact on consumption, in conjunction with broader campaigns to raise consumer awareness and education on the health risks linked to alcohol consumption.

    As part of the Public Health Responsibility Deal, alcohol retailers and producers have committed to putting an agreed warning or a pregnancy warning logo on 80% of labels on bottles and cans by the end of 2013. An independent market survey is underway to measure compliance. This level of coverage should allow the majority of consumers to see the pregnancy warning and logo.

  • Eilidh Whiteford – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Eilidh Whiteford – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Eilidh Whiteford on 2014-06-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department has taken to promote the Access to Work scheme to disabled people in Scotland.

    Mike Penning

    Access to Work is a valued and succesful national programme that makes a real difference to the working lives of disabled people throughout the UK.

    The Department for Work and Pensions has actively marketed Access to Work to raise awareness of the programme through a national marketing campaign lasting throughout 2013. This included activity to further strengthen our partnerships with key stakeholders and organisations, developing marketing materials, attending key events and digital marketing. The campaign involved a wide range of communications activities, including press releases, presentations at disability and employer events, articles in disability publications and engagement in direct marketing to large employers. It also included use of digital media, paid advertising links in popular search engines, magazine adverts and awareness training for Jobcentre Plus Disability Employment Advisors.

    Access to Work also featued in the launch of the Department’s Disability Confident campaign in July 2013 and at subsequent local events, including Glasgow on 4 March 2014.

    The Department for Work and Pensions has worked closely with the Public Health division of the Scottish Government to raise awareness of Access to Work with health professionals. This included sharing information on the NHS Scotland’s Knowledge Network and the Health and Employability Delivery Group.