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Tag: 2015

  • Ian Austin – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Ian Austin – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2015-10-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the number of airfields on land designated as brownfield sites.

    Brandon Lewis

    National planning policy already requires local planning authorities to take account of airfields’ growth and role in serving business, leisure, training and emergency needs. In March we issued guidance emphasising the need for local planning authorities to have regard to the extent to which an aerodrome contributes to connectivity outside the authority’s own boundaries.

    Currently, all airfields, as land that has been previously developed, are regarded as brownfield land.

    We will work with the aviation sector to ensure the current policy relating to development on airfields is better understood.

  • Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-11-26.

    To ask the Prime Minister, with reference to pages 12 and 13 of his response to the Second Report from the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, on the Extension of Offensive Military Operations to Syria, HC 457, what specific steps have been taken through the Financial Action Task Force and Egmont Groups to block funding of ISIS.

    Mr David Cameron

    The Financial Actions Task Force (FATF) report on ‘Financing of the Terrorist Organisation ISIL’ (Feb 2015) sets out specific measures which countries should adopt, over and above general measures designed to block terrorist financing, to ensure Daesh cannot access the international financial system. The FATF conducted a report for the G20 Leaders in November 2015 on implementation. They found almost all 194 jurisdictions had criminalised terrorist financing and 90% of jurisdictions had a legal framework to enforce sanctions. There were 33 jurisdictions which had secured convictions for terrorist financing.

    The Egmont Group comprises 151 members, including the UK, USA, France and regional partners such as Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Qatar and Lebanon. In June 2015 the Group expanded its membership; 42 new bilateral agreements to exchange information were announced to help combat global money laundering and terrorist threats. The Group also issued a communication to its members in June 2015 regarding Daesh which encouraged members to use its unique global network to combat Daesh money laundering and financing by increasing international cooperation, including the exchange of information.

  • Sharon Hodgson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Sharon Hodgson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sharon Hodgson on 2015-10-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the finding of the report by Sense, entitled The case for play, on the importance of play for the development of children with disabilities and complex needs.

    Edward Timpson

    Play has an important role in supporting all young children to develop and prepare for later learning. The importance of play is recognised in the Early Years Foundation Stage framework [1], which states: “Each area of learning and development must be implemented through planned, purposeful play and through a mix of adult-led and child-initiated activity. Play is essential for children’s development, building their confidence as they learn to explore, to think about problems, and relate to others. Children learn by leading their own play, and by taking part in play which is guided by adults.”

    Early Years educators and Early Years teachers are required to have an understanding of different pedagogical approaches, including the role of play in supporting early learning and development. It is for individual schools and settings to provide opportunities for play for their children and pupils, including those with special educational needs.

    We welcome the report published by Sense and their continuing efforts to support deafblind children and young people.

    As the Spending Review is underway, we are unable to give details of which programmes will be funded. We have committed to protecting the core schools budget throughout this Parliament at flat cash per pupil. We will look carefully at the impact of changes in schools’ and early years settings’ costs when making plans for education spending as part of the spending review.

    [1] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-framework–2

    “

  • Nicola Blackwood – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Nicola Blackwood – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicola Blackwood on 2015-11-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much of his Department’s funding allocated in the Spending Review 2015 will be for research and development expenditure up to 2020.

    Justin Tomlinson

    Spending Review 2015 set out settlements for departments and showed how the government will deliver on its priorities, eliminate the deficit, and deliver security and opportunity for working people.

    Final decisions on internal departmental funding allocations for future years, including for research and development, have not yet been made.

  • Gareth Thomas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Gareth Thomas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2015-10-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to his European counterparts encouraging them to oppose Lithuanian government plans to erect a convention centre in the Jewish cemetery in Piramont, Vilnius; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr David Lidington

    The Government is aware of plans announced by the Lithuanian Government to renovate the Soviet-era Vilnius Palace of Concerts and Sports, located in the Šnipiškės Jewish cemetery. The existing building on the site has been left derelict for some time. The Chairperson of the Jewish Community in Lithuania has been clear in her public support for the renovation, stressing that the current site is run-down and at risk otherwise of further deterioration. It is the Governement’s understanding that there will be no significant structural changes and that only the interior will be renovated for use as a centre for conferences and cultural events. The surrounding area will be maintained as a memorial park. The Lithuanian Prime Minister has said that all Jewish cemeteries in Lithuania would be memorialised and marked by the end of 2017. We welcome his commitment to working alongside the Jewish Community of Lithuania and the international Jewish community on this renovation. The Lithuanian government has also said it will discuss the renovation with the Israeli government.

  • Vicky Foxcroft – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Vicky Foxcroft – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vicky Foxcroft on 2015-11-26.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to improve the morale of staff within the civil service.

    Matthew Hancock

    It should be a source of pride that the Civil Service has successfully changed the way it operates and become more efficient – it is now delivering far more, for less, than it did before 2010. It is a tribute to the dedication and work of individual Civil Servants that job satisfaction remains high and wellbeing has increased.

  • Grahame Morris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Grahame Morris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2015-10-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations he has received on the potential numbers for junior doctors who may leave the NHS should a new contract for that role be imposed.

    Ben Gummer

    The Government has received a number of representations from individuals and on behalf of organisations about the introduction of a new junior doctors contract.

    The proposals are for a fairer contract that will maintain average earnings and will not require juniors to work longer. It will also put in place improved safeguards for patients and doctors that go beyond those in legislation (and go beyond those in the current contract) that will reduce maximum working hours which will not be the case in other countries. On 28 October, the Government also committed to protect the pay of all junior doctors working safe hours in the transition to a new contract, and appealed to the British Medical Association (BMA) to return to negotiations.

  • Ian C. Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Ian C. Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian C. Lucas on 2015-11-25.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, from which HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) offices staff will be redeployed to the proposed new Liverpool HMRC office.

    Mr David Gauke

    HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) announced the planned locations of its future Regional Centres based on a number of key principles that will enable it to deliver more for less. In addition to cost, HMRC has taken account of the quality of local transport links, the local labour market and future workforce supply, and the need to retain the staff and skills it requires to continue its transformation. These changes will reduce HMRC’s estates costs by around £100 million a year by 2025.

    HMRC estimates that Liverpool will be home to between 2,800 and 3,100 full time equivalent employees. Consolidation into the Regional Centre is expected to begin in 2019-20. HMRC plans to open the Regional Centre in Cardiff in 2019-20. It is likely that the office at Plas Gororau in Wrexham will close in 2020-21. HMRC will be holding one-to-one discussions with each of its people to discuss the next steps.

  • Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, on how many occasions between 1 June 2013 and 31 May 2014 the officer at Plaistow Jobcentre responsible for authorising payments from the Flexible Support Fund queried the use of that fund to pay for Zone 1 to 4 travelcards.

    Priti Patel

    The information is not collated. To provide this information could only be done so at disproportionate cost.

  • Owen Thompson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Owen Thompson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Thompson on 2015-11-25.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Spending Review 2015, what steps he plans to take on the proposed Edinburgh City Region Deal.

    Greg Hands

    We are working with Edinburgh and South East Scotland on their proposals to drive local economic growth and will continue to do so in discussion with the Scottish Government.