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Tag: 2015

  • Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb on 2015-09-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to implement a tunnel for the A303 in order to avoid the entire surface area of the Stonehenge part of the World Heritage Site.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The Road Investment Strategy is clear that the A303 Amesbury to Berwick Down scheme involves a tunnel of at least 1.8 miles (2.9 kilometres). Highways England is in the early stage of scheme development, looking at options, including the length of tunnel. Consultation on options will take place in 2017 and will involve stakeholders, local residents, businesses, road users and interested parties.

    Highways England does not yet have reliable cost estimates for a 2.8 miles (4.5 kilometres), or 4.3 miles (7 kilometres) tunnel. This information would become available during the consideration of options. The A303/A30/A358 Corridor Feasibility Study indicated that the cost estimate for a 1.8 miles (2.9 kilometres) tunnel is in the range of £864m to £1321m.

    To date, Highways England has not sought funding outside of their own resources to fund a solution for the A303 past Stonehenge although this does not preclude them from considering other funding sources in the future.

  • James Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    James Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by James Davies on 2015-09-17.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the annual VAT take is from tourism businesses in Wales.

    Mr David Gauke

    HM Revenue and Customs does not collect data on VAT receipts from particular goods and services, and has not estimated the VAT take from tourism businesses in Wales.

  • Gavin Newlands – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Gavin Newlands – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gavin Newlands on 2015-09-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps the Government will take to provide support to small organisations which are not able to pay their staff the national living wage.

    Nick Boles

    The National Living Wage is part of this Government’s aim to move from a low-wage, high-tax and high-benefits economy to a high-wage, low-tax and low-benefits economy; it ensures that work pays, and reduces reliance on the State topping up wages through the benefits system. As part of this, the Government is cutting taxes and employer NICs in total by over £3bn a year through the Employment Allowance and Corporation Tax.

    The Government believes that the new National Living Wage is affordable given the strength of the UK economy and labour market.

  • George Kerevan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    George Kerevan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by George Kerevan on 2015-09-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many requests from local or coalition forces for RAF strike missions against targets in Iraq he has rejected because they were deemed to have been in breach of British rules of engagement or posed an unacceptable risk of civilian casualties.

    Michael Fallon

    None because all targets which are put to me for approval are rigorously assessed in advance for compliance with UK rules of engagement, UK law and international law.

  • Alan Brown – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Alan Brown – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Brown on 2015-09-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what (a) representations and (b) advice she has received on health and safety at unrestored open-cast coal mines in the UK.

    Andrea Leadsom

    With regard to the general issue of the restoration of former opencast coal mining sites in Wales and Scotland in addition to meeting the Welsh Assembly Government Minister for Natural Resources on 16 July 2015 and a meeting with the hon. Members for Bridgend; Ogmore; Aberavon; and Kilmarnock and Loudoun on 9 September 2015 I have received written communications from other hon. Members and representations of the Welsh Assembly Government and Scottish Government. Officials from the Department’s Coal Liabilities Unit will be travelling to Wales next month to meet with Welsh Government and Local Authority officials, along with those directly affected, to discuss the matter. In the meantime my Department’s Non-Departmental Public Body, the Coal Authority, has provided expert advice to Local Authorities on calculating the level of security required for future surface mine operations to ensure the restoration costs are covered should the mining company no longer be in a position to carry out the work.

    In relation to the health and safety of these sites, this is a matter for the individual Local Authorities.

  • Henry Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Henry Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Henry Smith on 2015-09-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many catheter associated urinary tract infection related deaths there were in the last three years.

    Jane Ellison

    This information is not available in the format requested.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-09-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress has been made on the consultation on the revised junior doctors’ contract; and if he will make a statement.

    Alistair Burt

    After the British Medical Association (BMA) left negotiations in October 2014, the Government asked the independent Doctors and Dentists Review Body (DDRB) to make recommendations on a new contract for junior doctors. The DDRB report published on 16 July considered evidence from employers, Government, the British Medical Association (BMA) and other interested parties and made recommendations on a new pay structure for doctors and dentists in training.

    The Secretary of State accepted the recommendations of the DDRB as the basis for implementing a new contract and invited the BMA to re-enter negotiations to take forward the recommendations with NHS Employers. Although the DDRB accepted the principles of the reforms there remained significant work to finalise and agree the details of the contract and it was expected that these would be agreed between the parties on the basis of a negotiation. It is disappointing that on 13 August the BMA announced that it would not re-engage in negotiations based on the independent report and absented itself from participating in making important design decisions on the new contract.

    The Government cannot accept that a Trade Union should have a veto on making changes to an outdated employment contract that the BMA agreed urgently needed reform. The Department has therefore asked NHS Employers to take forward the work of developing a new employment contract without the BMA. NHS Employers are arranging to consult with junior doctors and other interested stakeholders directly and will shortly launch a series of roadshows across the country. The Government would still welcome the BMA re-entering the negotiation.

    The new contract will prioritise safe care by strengthening safeguards on doctors’ working hours and reward junior doctors more fairly for the work they do. No financial savings will be made from implementing the new contract. It will be finalised in the new year and is due to be implemented from August 2016.

  • Thangam Debbonaire – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Thangam Debbonaire – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Thangam Debbonaire on 2015-09-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether she plans to bring forward proposals to reform the law on abortion in Northern Ireland.

    Mr Ben Wallace

    Any proposal to reform the law on abortion in Northern Ireland is a matter for the Northern Ireland Assembly. It is also for the Northern Ireland Executive to determine what support women receive to travel to Great Britain to have an abortion. Ministers in the Northern Ireland Office have received no recent representations on the purchasing of abortion medication on the internet.

  • Gavin Newlands – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Gavin Newlands – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gavin Newlands on 2015-09-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many letters of apology for an administrative error have been sent by his Department in each of the last five years.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The information requested is not available.

  • Gavin Shuker – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Gavin Shuker – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gavin Shuker on 2015-09-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps the Government is taking to tackle low pay in Northern Ireland.

    Mr Ben Wallace

    Tackling low pay is part of the Government’s plan to move to a higher wage, lower tax and lower welfare society.

    100,000 low-paid people in Northern Ireland, 13 per cent of the workforce, will directly benefit from the National Living Wage from April next year.

    A full-time worker on the current National Minimum Wage will be £1,200 better off as a result.