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Tag: 2015

  • Michael Tomlinson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Michael Tomlinson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michael Tomlinson on 2015-12-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what help his Department will provide to assist local authorities to resettle Syrian refugees over the next five years.

    Richard Harrington

    Local authorities have played a vital role in helping those Syrian refugees arriving here to settle into a new life in the UK. The Syrian Resettlement Team, made up of officials from Home Office, DCLG and DFID, is working closely with those local authorities that wish to participate in the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme, helping to manage the process of accepting refugees for resettlement, providing help and advice where appropriate.

    At the Spending Review the Government committed £129 million to assist with local authority costs over years 2-5 for those local authorities who are resettlling refugees under the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme. This is unringfenced funding and it will be for local authorities to decide how to use the funding to support the refugees they resettle.

  • Helen Jones – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Helen Jones – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to increase the availability of superfast broadband in (a) Warrington North constituency, (b) Culcheth and (c) Burtonwood.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    Warrington, Culcheth and Burtonwood are covered by the Connecting Cheshire project. Over 62,000 homes and businesses in Cheshire have been upgraded to superfast broadband as a result of the project and we expect coverage to reach over 95 per cent in Cheshire by the end of 2017. It is estimated that the Warrington North constituency will have 98 per cent of premises able to connect to superfast by the end of the programme. Data is not collected below this scale.

  • Lucy Frazer – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Lucy Frazer – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lucy Frazer on 2015-12-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will take steps to ensure that the Deaflympics are recognised as equal to the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

    Tracey Crouch

    Government recognises the importance of deaf sport to those who take part at both grassroots and elite level. Sport England is investing £365,872 in UK Deaf Sport between 2014 and 2017 in recognition of this.Questions of official recognition at an international level are a matter for the International Olympic Committee.

  • Nicholas Soames – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Nicholas Soames – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has received notification of, or has itself noted, any unusual submarine activity in the vicinity of internet and telephony cables in the Atlantic Ocean; and if he will make a statement.

    Penny Mordaunt

    I refer my right hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 3 November 2015 to Question 13593 to the hon. Member for Dunfermline and West Fife (Mr Chapman).

  • Steven Paterson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Steven Paterson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steven Paterson on 2015-12-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the threat posed to the Trident nuclear weapon system by cyber-attacks; and what steps he is taking to ensure that system is secure against such attacks.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The Ministry of Defence audits the integrity of the UK’s nuclear deterrent regularly for all threats and hazards and acts to ensure that it maintains the highest possible standards. The Strategic Defence and Security Review acknowledges the growing cyber threat and the importance of investing in cyber security across all of our capabilities. The Government has invested £860 million in new technology and capabilities since 2011 and will invest £1.9 billion over the next five years in protecting the UK from cyber attack and developing our sovereign capabilities in cyberspace. Our approach to protecting Defence capabilities against and mitigating the impact of cyber attacks spans technical, organisational, procedural and physical measures benefiting many different systems and networks, and investment is integrated across these measures. Submarines operate in isolation by design, and this contributes to their cyber resilience. I will not discuss further details for reasons of safeguarding national security.

  • Andrew Stephenson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Andrew Stephenson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Stephenson on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the report from Sense, The case for play, published 22 June 2015; and what the implications of that report are for her Department’s policies.

    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.

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

    “

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Whitehead on 2015-12-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment she has made of investor confidence in the carbon capture and storage industry following the CCS competition.

    Andrea Leadsom

    We are engaging closely with the two bidders and wider CCS industry on the implications for them of the recent decisions.

  • Conor McGinn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Conor McGinn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Conor McGinn on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, pursuant to the Answer of 14 October 2015 to Question 11089, what statistical analysis or impact assessment her Department has made of the effect of the proposed cut to feed-in tariffs on small businesses in the UK; and if she will make a statement.

    Andrea Leadsom

    In addition to the impact assessment published alongside the FIT review, part of the purpose of the consultation process itself has been to gather views on the broader economic impact of the proposals. We are currently analysing feedback submitted during the consultation, which closed on 23rd October. We will publish a Government response in due course.

  • Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-12-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assistance the Government is providing to Israel to help prevent knife attacks by Palestinians on Israeli citizens.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    Since the start of the current violence we have spoken regularly to both the Israeli government and the Palestinian Authority on the urgent need to de-escalate the tensions. I discussed the recent violence with the Israeli Charge D’Affaires and officials from the Israeli Ministry of Defence on 24 November. Officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv have also discussed the issue of the current violence with the Israeli Head of the Civil Department of the Office for the Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories on 24 November. However the Government is not providing any assistance to Israel specifically to help prevent knife attacks.

  • Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with shooting bodies on ensuring an effective trap is developed to replace the Fenn trap.

    Rory Stewart

    Defra officials have held discussions with representatives of the shooting bodies, trap manufacturers and retailers to discuss alternatives to the Fenn trap. Defra is in the process of approving a replacement trap and has funded testing on a further two traps.