Tag: 2015

  • Seema Malhotra – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Seema Malhotra – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Seema Malhotra on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what plans the Government has to move away from the funding per qualification model for adult learners as set out in the HM Treasury report, Fixing the foundations: Creating a more prosperous nation, published in July 2015; and if he will make a statement.

    Nick Boles

    Over time the further education funding system has become complicated, with a lengthy set of rules about who and what can be funded. We plan to significantly simplify this funding system and at the same time increase local influence over the skills system so funding can be used to best meet local economic need. A key part of this simplification is to decouple funding and qualifications, freeing up providers and in time local commissioners to deliver the learning required to meet the skill needs of local economies and to maximise the benefit to local communities. We will include more detail on this in the Skills Funding Letter for 2016-17.

  • Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark on 2015-12-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the case for setting the speed limit at 20 miles per hour on all minor roads in villages, towns and cities.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    Setting local speed limits is a matter for the local highway authority, as they are best placed to determine the speed limits for their areas, based on local knowledge and the views of the community. The Department for Transport (DfT) has issued guidance to help them in Speed Limit Circular 01/2013 – Setting Local Speed Limits.

    In June 2014 the DfT commissioned a comprehensive three-year research project into the effects of 20mph limits. This will cover many aspects including effects on speed, collisions, casualties and modal shift. The research will also consider best practice, road users’ perceptions and effects on the quality of the environment.

  • Hilary Benn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Hilary Benn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the effect on Syrian refugees of fluctuations in the value of food vouchers provided by the World Food Programme.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    The UK is at the forefront of the response to the crisis in Syria and the region and has pledged over £1.1 billion to date, our largest ever response to a single humanitarian crisis. By the end of June 2015, our support in Syria and the region had delivered almost 20 million food rations, over 2.5 million medical consultations and relief items for 4.6 million people.

    Recent UN food security assessments have shown that fluctuations in assistance by the World Food Programme (WFP), as well as other agencies, has had an impact on refugee’s ability to provide for their basic needs. The UK is closely monitoring the situation across the region, alongside other key donors, to understand how this reduction in support will further impact the lives of Syrian refugees.

    UN appeals for Syria and the region remain severely underfunded. We continue to lobby other partners to step up to the plate and match our commitment.

  • Lord Greaves – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Lord Greaves – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Greaves on 2015-12-02.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to make regulations under section 89(3) of the Localism Act 2011.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    Communities across England have used Community Rights to list land and buildings that are important to them as assets of community value; over 2,600 to date. The Government currently has no plans to make regulations under section 89(3).

  • Natalie McGarry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Natalie McGarry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Natalie McGarry on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the cost of providing carer’s allowance was to people in (a) the UK, (b) Scotland, (c) Glasgow and (d) Glasgow East constituency in the most recent period for which figures are available.

    Justin Tomlinson

    Due to the geographical level of information requested it has been assumed that the question refers to benefit expenditure.

    The information on requested is shown in the table below.

    Tables show expenditure for Great Britain, not the UK, as expenditure in Northern Ireland is the responsibility of Northern Ireland Executive.

    Carers Allowance Expenditure £ million 2014/15
    Great Britain 2,319.2
    Scotland 202.7
    Glasgow (City) 34.5
    Glasgow East (constituency) 6.5

    Benefit expenditure information is published and can be found using the following URL:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/benefit-expenditure-and-caseload-tables-2015

    “

  • The Countess of Mar – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The Countess of Mar – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Countess of Mar on 2015-12-02.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government further to the Written Answers by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 8 July (HL831) and 2 November (HL3215), why those fume events that did occur did not trigger the airline’s formal reporting procedures to the Civil Aviation Authority under its mandatory reporting scheme, CAP382.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    Under the Civil Aviation Authority’s mandatory reporting scheme (CAP382), a trigger for a report is an event that is considered by crew to be a “safety-related event which endangers or which, if not corrected or addressed, could endanger an aircraft, its occupants or any other person”.

    None of the flights where fumes/smells were reported on post flight questionnaires met this criteria.

  • Margaret Ritchie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Margaret Ritchie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ritchie on 2015-11-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress he has made in respect of the introduction of regulations for international seafarers in the fishing industry.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Maritime and Coastguard Agency is working with industry representatives, fishing vessel owners and fishermen, to develop UK proposals to implement the ILO Work in Fishing Convention (ILO 188). A public consultation on those proposals is due early in 2016.

  • The Marquess of Lothian – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The Marquess of Lothian – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Marquess of Lothian on 2015-12-02.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what evidence they have that air strikes in Syria would reduce ISIL’s ability to attack the UK; and what assessment they have made of the terrorist threat to the UK posed by British-born ISIL recruits as a direct result of such air strikes.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The threat to the UK is already at Severe, meaning an attack is highly likely. In just over a year, our police and security services have stopped no fewer than 7 different terrorist plots in Britain, all linked to or inspired by Daesh. By attacking Daesh in its heartland in Syria, from where many of its plans are directed, we are taking the fight to Daesh and degrading their capability to plot to kill British people. There is already a significant threat to the UK from British Islamist extremists who have travelled to Iraq and Syria. Around 800 Britons of national security concern are known to have travelled to Iraq and Syria, and over half of those have already returned.

  • Liz McInnes – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Liz McInnes – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liz McInnes on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential effect of changes to support for asylum seekers on local authority services.

    James Brokenshire

    The Immigration Bill reforms support for failed asylum seekers and other illegal migrants. It restricts the availability of support, consistent with our international and human rights obligations, and removes incentives to remain in the UK illegally. The measures have been subject to public consultation and will be subject to a new burdens assessment.

  • Emma Lewell-Buck – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Emma Lewell-Buck – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emma Lewell-Buck on 2015-12-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate he has made of the effect on the UK economy of UK supply chain contracts being awarded to overseas bidders.

    Anna Soubry

    The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has worked jointly with Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC) and UKTI to encourage investment in UK energy supply chains, in both UK-owned and UK-based companies, and to achieve higher levels of UK content in energy infrastructure. We have worked constructively with project developers to enhance the opportunities for UK-based companies to win contracts and with top tier suppliers to encourage them to invest in the UK.

    BIS continues to work with DECC and the Oil & Gas Authority (OGA) to encourage investment in the UK Continental shelf (UKCS) and these arrangements include the formation of a Supply Chain Board to promote development of the oil and gas supply chain. Subsequent to the Oil & Gas Skills Analysis Report we maintain a regular dialogue with Offshore Petroleum Industry Training Organisation (OPITO), the oil and gas skills body, who advise on skills gaps.

    For large renewable energy projects, developers are required to have their Supply Chain Plans approved by Government, setting out how they will boost competition, innovation and skills, before they are eligible to apply for price support under the Contract for Difference regime. BIS has supported the GROW: Offshore Wind programme to help SMEs in England to compete in the offshore wind supply chain and the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult to help companies bring new technologies to market.

    Open competition is important to bring down the costs of energy and, in open competition, UK bidders do not always win the contracts. We have made no specific assessment of the impact of UK contractors failing to win contracts on the UK economy, including the Scotland economy, and on the UK skills base.

    More widely, the Government is taking a number of steps to strengthen UK manufacturing supply chains and help these businesses compete in global markets.

    First and foremost, we are building a strong economy and a competitive business environment. We are backing manufacturers by cutting corporation tax, slashing red tape by a further £10billion and investing £6.9billion in the UK’s infrastructure. This is creating the right economic conditions to encourage the business investment crucial to UK manufacturing productivity growth and jobs.

    Through the sectors councils we are working closely with manufacturing companies to understand their needs and remove barriers in their path. The Government continues to invest in our world leading aerospace, automotive, defence and transport sectors and has reformed procurement rules so the supply chain can reap maximum benefit; whilst the High Value Manufacturing Catapult shows how companies can adapt to new technologies reduce their costs and boost productivity. One in six manufacturers have reshored production over the past three years and around one third of the 2,000 new Foreign Direct Investment projects landed in 2014/15 were in the areas of advanced manufacturing and life sciences. Business has the confidence to invest and make things in the UK again because the Government is getting the fundamentals of the economy right and creating a highly competitive, pro-business environment.