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Tag: 2015

  • Roberta Blackman-Woods – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Roberta Blackman-Woods – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roberta Blackman-Woods on 2015-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how much funding had been drawn down by successful bidders to the Regional Growth Fund by 31 December 2014; and what proportion of the overall allocation for each round that funding represents.

    Greg Clark

    The table sets out the total amount drawn down by operational RGF awards to date and the financial years in which the remaining RGF and eRGF is committed through to 31 March 2017.

    Unless otherwise agreed, projects and programmes in Rounds 1 to 4 have until 31 March 2015 to draw down their funding and projects and programmes in Round 5 and 6 will be able to draw down funding until 31 March 2017. The Department agrees a draw down profile with each organisation when they sign their grant offer letter that matches the beneficiary’s own investment schedules and job commitments. The subsequent rate of draw down is then subject to the beneficiaries meeting these conditions.

    RGF Drawn Down by year (£m)

    Financial Year

    2011-12

    2012-13

    2013-14

    2014-15

    2015-16

    2016-17

    Total

    Actual paid – year to date

    464

    159

    551

    875*

    2,048

    Remaining/ Planned for whole financial year

    16

    459

    305

    780

    Total

    2,829

    *This is the actual amount paid to beneficiaries and claims awaiting payment as of 24 March 2015.

  • Alison McGovern – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    Alison McGovern – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alison McGovern on 2015-02-10.

    To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, how many people have applied for the Access to Elected Office for Disabled People Fund in each year since its establishment; and what estimate she has made of the total grants from that date to May 2015.

    Jo Swinson

    The number of people who have made applications to the Access to Elected Office fund by year is in the table.

    Financial Year

    Number of applicants

    2012/13

    27

    2013/14

    34

    2014/15 (to date)

    34

    The total value of Grants awarded to date (from July 2012 to January 2015) is £399,061, and applications totalling £92,442 are currently pending. Total grant expenditure will depend on the final number of successful applications between now and the end of March 2015, after which date the fund will cease to take applications.

  • Gerry Sutcliffe – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Gerry Sutcliffe – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gerry Sutcliffe on 2015-02-10.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect on consumer indebtedness of decisions by banks to (a) charge consumers to receive information about their accounts online and (b) encourage consumers to receive information online.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The Government takes the firm view that consumers must be able to easily access clear and transparent information about their accounts. The major current account providers have previously committed to make fees and charges clearer on customers’ monthly statements, and provide an annual statement of charges for each customer.

    The Government is continuing to drive forward a wide-reaching and ambitious programme of reforms to make the banking sector more competitive, including enabling innovation in the use of bank data so that customers are able to use online information more effectively. This includes initiatives like the Midata current account tool, which will help customers switch to the best current account for them.

    The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is also currently reviewing cost-cutting initiatives that affect a significant number of customers, including the withdrawal of paper statements.

  • Angus Brendan MacNeil – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Angus Brendan MacNeil – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Brendan MacNeil on 2015-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 12 January 2015 to Question 220134, whether the 90 per cent 4G geographical coverage will cover the Outer Hebrides.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The agreement announced on 18 December 2014 will improve coverage throughout the UK, and we expect the Scottish Islands will see one of the greatest improvements of any area. Under the agreement each mobile network operator (MNO) will provide voice and text coverage to at least 90% of the UK landmass by 2017, and we understand that data coverage will improve in many areas. This will lock in £5bn of investment in UK mobile infrastructure, halving partial not-spots and cutting complete not-spots by two-thirds. The MNOs have now made the agreed coverage obligations legally binding, by requesting that Ofcom vary their spectrum licences on a voluntary basis.

  • Julian Lewis – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Julian Lewis – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Lewis on 2015-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to retain on the site of the Sea Mounting Centre at Marchwood (a) 73 Training Squadron, (b) Royal Fleet Auxiliary Centre, (c) REME workshops, (d) Motor Transport Department, (e) Mexeflote Storage and Maintenance Facility, (f) Hardstanding for container and vehicle storage and (g) Blast Shields for incoming munitions.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The Marchwood transaction has been structured as a leasehold and concession to balance the Ministry of Defence (MOD)’s objectives of ensuring continued sea mounting operational capability against increased commercialisation of the port. To this end, the MOD has committed to move facilities that are not essential to these services, off the main Port area over a three to five year ‘transitional’ period, from the start of the concession.

    After this transition only MOD facilities associated with its maritime capability will remain on site: The Mexeflote Storage and Maintenance Facility and the Shipyard Workshop with 73 Training Squadron’s Maritime Store.

    By complying with the military’s storage requirements, the new Marchwood Port Operator will provide sufficient hardstanding for all military inward and outward cargo under both routine and contingent operations.

    The Sea Mounting Centre will continue to retain the ability to store and load ammunition for the military throughout the concession.

  • Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Roberts of Llandudno – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno on 2015-02-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that non-English-speaking road users can read road signs.

    Baroness Kramer

    Local authorities have a duty to ensure that their traffic signs and road markings comply with the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions (TSRGD) or are otherwise specially authorised by the Secretary of State. To provide consistency for road safety and efficient traffic management, TSRGD specifies that signs used on roads in Great Britain are in English. The Welsh Language Act 1993, however, allows for both Welsh and English to be used on traffic signs placed in Wales and the responsibility for specifying such bilingual signs is a devolved matter.

    The UK traffic signing system uses largely symbolic signing for warning and regulatory signs without the use of worded plates to explain the symbols. This means that many signs are fully understandable by drivers even if those drivers do not speak English.

  • Lord Judd – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Judd – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Judd on 2015-02-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, following their policy of prioritising survivors of sexual violence for their Syrian refugee resettlement programme, what similar action they are taking in respect of the situation of Yazidi women and girls.

    Lord Bates

    The Government is deeply concerned about the crises in Syria and Iraq and the suffering and hardship they are causing for millions of people, particularly those who have endured appalling violence, persecution and abuse. We are committed to helping those in need and have so far provided £39.5 million to help the 2.2 million displaced Iraqis, many of whom were victims of ISIL’s persecution. These funds provide food, shelter, water and medical care to thousands of vulnerable families.

    Tackling violence against women and girls is a priority for the Government. The action we are taking includes providing funding to support the UN Population Fund in the coordination and information management of the international response to support victims of sexual and gender based violence. The UK has also specifically committed funding to help establish community outreach teams that are providing psychosocial support and referrals to appropriate services for survivors of sexual and gender based violence.

    We will continue to be actively involved in the region and will closely monitor developments but we have no current plans to expand the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Relocation (VPR) scheme, or implement a similar scheme specifically for Iraq.

  • Mark Hendrick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Mark Hendrick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hendrick on 2015-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many Sure Start Centres there are in Preston; and how many child care places each such centre offers.

    Mr Sam Gyimah

    The Department does not hold this data at constituency level.

  • Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what communications he has had with the European Commission in respect of his plans to hold a departmental golden share in the Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant.

    Matthew Hancock

    DECC officials had initial discussions with the Commission on the possibility of a special (or ‘golden’) share for the Hinkley Point C project. Any arrangement will be designed to be fully compliant with existing EU legislation.

  • Kerry McCarthy – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Kerry McCarthy – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2015-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on ratification of the EU-Central America Association Agreement; when he expects the UK to ratify the agreement; and when the two remaining pillars will be applied.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    We strongly support the EU-Central American Association Agreement, which was signed in 2012. The Agreement supports our policy objectives for Central America via three important pillars of political dialogue, development cooperation and trade. We believe that these are the right tools to support economic growth, democracy and political stability in Central America and the UK has supported the Agreement’s progress through its negotiation, signature and conclusion stages.

    The trade pillar of the Association Agreement has been provisionally applied since 2013. The two remaining pillars will be applied as soon as the remaining EU Member States ratify. I have not had any recent discussions with my EU counterparts on this issue. However, I have recently discussed the Agreement with a number of Ambassadors to the UK from Central American countries and have had the occasion to discuss it while visiting the region – most recently on my visits to Guatemala, Costa Rica and Panama last year. The preparatory work prior to ratification is ongoing. The next stage will be to seek parliamentary approval for a draft Order in Council that will specify the Association Agreement as an EU treaty. I expect a draft Order to be laid early in the next Parliament.