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Tag: 2015

  • 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 2015-11-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place in the Library a copy of the Civilian Manpower Capitation rates for 2015-16.

    Mark Lancaster

    I will place a copy of the 2015-16 Civilian Manpower Capitation Rates in the Library of the House, subject to the redaction of personal information. The 2015-16 rates will be available early in 2016, their compilation being determined by the timing of the relevant annual pay reviews.

  • Angus Brendan MacNeil – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Angus Brendan MacNeil – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Brendan MacNeil on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what plans the Government has for the effective and efficient oversight of strategic fuel stocks.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The UK is required to hold stocks of oil for use in response to substantial disruptions to oil supply through its membership of the European Union and the International Energy Agency. In the UK we manage our obligation by directing companies who are substantial suppliers of oil to the UK to hold stocks which can then be released if required in an emergency. The Department of Energy and Climate Change collects detailed data on a monthly basis from these companies on the stocks. This is then checked and verified before the Department then reports to the European Commission and International Energy Agency. Our processes ensure we have clear oversight of our emergency oil stocks. We also regularly review these processes to ensure they are as efficient as possible and do not place unnecessary burden on industry.

  • Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to increase the number of school children studying foreign languages.

    Nick Gibb

    Since September 2014, maintained primary schools in England have been required to teach a modern or ancient foreign language to pupils at key stage 2 (covering the ages 7 to 11).

    The Government took action in 2010 to halt the decline in the number of school children taking language GCSEs by introducing the English Baccalaureate (EBacc). This has had a positive effect on the take up of languages in schools, with a rise in the proportion of the cohort in state funded schools entered for a modern foreign language from 40% of pupils in 2010 to a provisional figure of 49% in 2015.

    As part of the Government’s commitment to increase the numbers of pupils taking the EBacc, all but a small minority of pupils who started secondary school this September will be expected to study a language to GCSE level. We are consulting on these proposals. To attract further applicants for initial teacher training (ITT), we have increased bursaries for secondary languages ITT trainees for 2016/17.

  • Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many organisations considered in-scope under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 have provided Certificates of Performance in each Department in 2015.

    Matthew Hancock

    The Public Contracts Regulations 2015 do not require the submission of Certificates of Performance.

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Daniel Zeichner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2015-12-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of buses in England are (a) zero-emission capable, (b) Euro 4 or above and (c) hybrid diesel-electric.

    Andrew Jones

    We do not hold detailed numbers on the information requested. However, in relation to points (a) zero –emission capable and (c) hybrid diesel-electric we understand that over one hundred zero-emission capable buses and over 1300 hybrid diesel-electric buses are currently in service in England.

    This Government is continuing to build on the good work of the Coalition government, which saw nearly £60million grants awarded through the Green Bus Fund to help purchase around 900 low carbon buses. In addition, around £14million was allocated to help modify over 900 buses outside of London to significantly reduce their emissions and to upgrade over 400 London buses with pollution reducing technology, following £5m (match funded by the GLA) of earlier funding to upgrade 900 buses in London. This Government will shortly announce the winning bids for the second round of the Clean Bus Technology Fund.

  • Douglas Carswell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Douglas Carswell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Carswell on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will make it his policy to advise local authorities, under Section 62 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, which powers are available to remove illegal traveller camps without recourse to the courts.

    Brandon Lewis

    In March 2015 the Government published a summary of the enforcement powers that enable the police and local councils to remove unauthorised encampments. This includes the powers under sections 61-62 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 which give the police discretionary powers to direct trespassers to leave land and remove any property or vehicles they have with them. The Government sent the summary of powers document to all Council Leaders, Police Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners in England and it is published on the Government’s website at:

    www.gov.uk/government/publications/dealing-with-illegal-and-unauthorised-encampments

  • Stephen Metcalfe – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Stephen Metcalfe – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Metcalfe on 2015-12-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to increase the use of digital technology in the courts and tribunals system.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    We have secured over £700m of funding to invest in our courts and tribunals system so they deliver swifter, fairer justice. Together with the Crown Prosecution Service, we are already developing shared digital technology for criminal justice so that all can work from the same digital case files. We have introduced online pleas and fines for traffic offences. Courts are now trialling extended opening hours, new ways of scheduling cases to avoid frustration and delays, and extending the use of video links.

  • Kirsty Blackman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    Kirsty Blackman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsty Blackman on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his Answer of 4 November 2015 to Question 14206, for what reason his Department’s quarterly report of transparency information from July to September 2014 was not ready for publication until 15 October 2015.

    David Mundell

    The Government publishes an unprecedented range of Transparency data. This is a significant task across all Departments, and Information is published as quickly as is possible.

  • Lord Hylton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Hylton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2015-12-01.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are making representations to the government of Turkey about the murder of Tahir Elci and the attempted murder of Selahattin Demirtaş; and whether they will place any response in the Libraries of both Houses.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    Mr Elçi’s murder is a tragic case. While the facts are not yet known, this illustrates the need for the peace process to be resumed and an end to violence from the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). Our Ambassador in Ankara has publicly expressed his shock and sadness at Mr Elçi’s murder, and passed condolences to the families of the policemen also killed in these clashes. We understand that the Turkish authorities have completed an initial investigation into reports of an attack on Mr Demirtaş and that a fuller investigation is ongoing.

  • Carolyn Harris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Carolyn Harris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Carolyn Harris on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment he has made of the effect of £100 a spin fixed odds betting terminal gaming machines on areas of social deprivation and vulnerable people and their families.

    Tracey Crouch

    New legislation came into force in April to improve player protections on B2 gaming machines (commonly referred to as ‘fixed-odds betting terminals’).

    Officials in my department are in the process of conducting an evaluation into these measures and I will publish the results in due course.