Tag: 2015

  • Thangam Debbonaire – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Thangam Debbonaire – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Thangam Debbonaire on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps her Department has taken to assess the impact of hydraulic fracturing in (a) national parks and (b) other environmentally sensitive areas.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The Government issued guidance on its planning policy on unconventional hydrocarbon development in National Parks, the Broads, AONBs and World Heritage Sites in July 2014, which clearly sets out the high level of protection accorded to these areas in respect to development.1

    In addition, in July 2015 the Government laid draft regulations that define protected areas in which hydraulic fracturing will be prohibited. These regulations ensure that the process of high volume hydraulic fracturing cannot take place at depths above 1200 metres in National Parks, the Broads, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, World Heritage Sites and areas that are most vulnerable to groundwater pollution.2

    We have also separately committed to ensuring that fracking cannot be conducted from wells that are drilled in the UK’s most valuable areas and are minded to apply these in Sites of Special Scientific Interest, Ramsar and Natura 2000 sites, as well as the areas covered by the draft Protected Areas regulations.3

    [1]http://planningguidance.communities.gov.uk/blog/guidance/minerals/planning-for-hydrocarbon-extraction/determining-the-planning-application/

    2]https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-defines-protected-areas-for-shale-developments

    [3]https://www.gov.uk/guidance/oil-and-gas-licensing-rounds#surface-development-restrictions

    “

  • Keir Starmer – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Keir Starmer – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Keir Starmer on 2015-12-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment her Department has made of (a) the effect of the drought in the Horn of Africa on Eritrea and (b) the response of the Eritrean government and the international community to that drought.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    Official food security and nutrition data for Eritrea for this year has not yet been released, but the late onset of rains, relatively low volume of rainfall, and significant soil moisture deficits are likely to have had a negative impact on both farming and pastoral communities. The country and regional offices of the World Food Programme and UNICEF are monitoring the situation closely.

    DFID is funding nutrition support activities in areas affected by El Nino in the Horn of Africa through UNICEF’s regional programme, which covers Eritrea

  • Michael Dugher – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Michael Dugher – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michael Dugher on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will estimate the number of households affected by food insecurity in (a) Barnsley East constituency, (b) Barnsley, (c) South Yorkshire and (d) Yorkshire and the Humber.

    George Eustice

    Defra does not estimate numbers of households experiencing food insecurity. There is no single definition of food insecurity. The factors that impact on household food security are complex and include economic, social and environmental issues.

  • Christina Rees – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Christina Rees – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christina Rees on 2015-12-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, which prisons have libraries; and which organisations (a) run and (b) fund each such library.

    Andrew Selous

    All prisons in England and Wales have a library. NOMS has been responsible for funding prison library services in England from April 2011.

    The total NOMS allocated budget for prison libraries in 2015/16 in England was £7,592,414

    The attached table shows both the provider and allocated library budget for each prison in England since 2010. NOMS is not responsible for funding library services in prisons in Wales as this is a devolved function of the Welsh Government so data is not included. Privately managed prison contracts put in place since 2011 have identified levels of funding for libraries and so are included in the table. The table does not include library provision at privately managed prisons whose contracts were awarded before 2011 as this was part of the overall included contract price and so it is not possible to extract a specific cost element to this part of the contract. This equates to 10 prisons.

    On 8 September 2015 the Secretary of State announced a review of the quality of education in prisons, chaired by Dame Sally Coates, which will report later in the year.

  • Conor McGinn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Conor McGinn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Conor McGinn on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the report by the National Audit Office, The economic regulation of the water sector, HC487; and what steps her Department is taking to ensure that customers benefit from water companies’ unexpected financial gains.

    Rory Stewart

    We accept the recommendation that we should develop further our assessments of the affordability and cost-effectiveness of environmental improvements. The Environment Agency has recently published the most comprehensive cost-benefit appraisal ever conducted for improving the water environment in England.

    The remaining recommendations of the report are for Ofwat, the independent economic regulator of the water sector. Its independence is crucial to ensure stable economic regulation to keep investment costs down and customer bills low. The Government does not intervene in any regulatory decisions made by the regulator.

  • Martyn Day – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Martyn Day – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Martyn Day on 2015-12-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans the Government has to hold a consultation with the Scottish Government on the future of the NATS centre at Prestwick.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Government is currently exploring the sale of its 49 per cent shareholding in NATS, and will ensure that the Scottish Government is consulted about any implications for Prestwick.

  • Alex Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Alex Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how her Department plans to implement the Guidelines to Prevent the Risk of Poisoning to Migratory Birds adopted by the Eleventh Conference if the Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals in November 2014.

    Rory Stewart

    The UK has strict protection for migratory birds through existing statutory and policy provisions, noting our obligations under the EU Wild Birds Directive, as a Contracting Party to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA), Rotterdam, Ramsar and Bern Conventions, and as a Signatory to the Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation of Migratory Birds of Prey in Africa and Eurasia.

  • Byron Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Byron Davies – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Byron Davies on 2015-12-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much her Department has spent on humanitarian assistance in (a) Syria and (b) neighbouring countries receiving Syrian refugees in the last two years.

    Justine Greening

    In the financial year 2014/15, the UK spent just under £150 million in humanitarian assistance inside Syria and around £125 million in the surrounding region. This has provided lifesaving support and helped ensure Syrian children can remain in education.

  • 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 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many full-time equivalent consular staff were based in (a) India and (b) Gujarat in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    This information is represented below for each of the consular offices that we have in India for each year. Please note that consular cases in Gujarat are covered by our Deputy High Commission in Mumbai.

    11/12

    12/13

    13/14

    14/15

    15/16

    New Delhi

    6

    6

    6

    7

    6

    Mumbai

    3

    3

    3

    3

    3

    Kolkata

    2

    2

    2

    2

    2

    Goa

    3

    3

    2

    2

    2

    Chennai

    2

    2

    2

    3

    3
  • Baroness Gould of Potternewton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Baroness Gould of Potternewton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Gould of Potternewton on 2015-12-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the suffragettes and the feminist movement will remain part of the new Politics A-level syllabus.

    Lord Nash

    A public consultation on reformed content for politics AS and A level closed on 15 December. The proposed new content for politics A level will require all students to study core political theories. This is an improvement on the current system which does not require students to study any political ideologies, including feminism.

    We are analysing the responses to the consultation and have started work with the exam boards to develop the content in light of the views expressed. We will listen carefully to the views of the sector and the wider public as part of this full consultation process.