Tag: 2015

  • Baroness Bakewell of Hardington Mandeville – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Baroness Bakewell of Hardington Mandeville – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Bakewell of Hardington Mandeville on 2015-10-20.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what the average right to buy discount is expected to be for housing association tenants outside London; and whether they will break this data down by local authority area.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    Working with the National Housing Federation, the Government has secured an historic agreement with housing associations to give their tenants the opportunity to buy their home with Right to Buy discounts equivalent to those enjoyed by Council tenants, up to a maximum discount of 70% of market value, or £77,900 (£103,900 in London), whichever is lower. This will deliver the manifesto commitment to extend the benefits of Right to Buy to 1.3 million housing association tenants.

  • Kevin Brennan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Kevin Brennan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2015-10-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when he was first made aware of the fact that job losses were likely at TATA Steel in Scunthorpe and Lanarkshire; and what assessment he has made of the economic effect on (a) the local community and (b) the supply chain of those job losses.

    Anna Soubry

    The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills were given final details of the planned closures and associated redundancies on 8 October on a commercially sensitive basis. Our main priority now is to support the workers and the families of those who have lost their jobs. We have established a local task force led by Liz Redfern, leader of North Lincolnshire Council, to consider what action needs to be taken to support the local economy and related supply chain following this announcement and the Government stands ready to provide help.

  • Nicholas Brown – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Nicholas Brown – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Brown on 2015-10-20.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the proposed membership is of the skills board for the North East overseeing a comprehensive review of post-16 education, skills and employment.

    Greg Hands

    On 23 October the Government signed a historic devolution deal with the North East Combined Authority. As part of the deal, and subject to the passage of the Cities and Local Government Devolution Bill through parliament, a new directly-elected Mayor for the North East will be created. The Mayor will chair the existing North East Combined Authority. Powers and responsibilities will be devolved from central government to the Mayor and Combined Authority.

    Full details of the deal are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/north-east-devolution-deal

    A detailed implementation plan will be agreed over the coming months between central government and the North East Combined Authority.

  • Helen Jones – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Helen Jones – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2015-10-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will estimate the number of homes in (a) Warrington and (b) Warrington North constituency which were sold under Right to Buy legislation and which have subsequently become privately rented properties.

    Brandon Lewis

    No estimate has been made as to how many homes sold under the Right to Buy have become private rented properties.

    What a Right to Buy owner chooses to do with their property after they’ve bought it is up to them, just as it is for other home buyers on the open market. Mortgage providers and landlords may place restrictions on letting in the terms of the sale.

    Under Right to Buy there are financial restrictions in place for re-sale within 5 years, and councils have the right of first refusal to buy back the property for up to 10 years at market value.

  • 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 2015-10-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which military units are based at Baker Barracks on Thorney Island.

    Mark Lancaster

    12 Regiment Royal Artillery, 16 Regiment Royal Artillery and 49 Battery Royal Artillery (an independent sub-unit of the Joint Ground Based Air Defence Regiment) are based at Baker Barracks.

  • Ian Austin – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Ian Austin – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2015-10-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the estimated cost to the public purse of developing the reception baseline assessment policy implemented in September 2015 (a) was in 2014-15 and (b) is expected to be in 2015-16.

    Nick Gibb

    The expenditure in 2014/15 was£82,507.81.

    Costs for 2015/16 cannot be released until finalised.

  • Charles Walker – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Charles Walker – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charles Walker on 2015-10-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what the level is of public subsidy per megawatt of energy generated sought by the developers and operators of the proposed Swansea Bay tidal lagoon; and how this subsidy compares to similar subsidies sought by the nuclear industry.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The negotiations between the UK Government and Tidal Lagoon Swansea Bay PLC are commercially sensitive and it is not appropriate for us to comment on matters such as the potential strike price.

    The negotiations must be kept confidential in order to allow the Government to secure the best possible deal for consumers.

    Any decision to offer a contract for difference (CFD) would be subject to strict value for money considerations, the funds available within the Levy Control Framework at the time of a decision and be subject to State aid approval.

    If issued, any CFD would be published once completed, including the strike price, having redacted commercially sensitive information.

  • Angus Brendan MacNeil – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Angus Brendan MacNeil – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Brendan MacNeil on 2015-10-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent reports he has received on the whereabouts of Sombath Somphone who disappeared in Laos in December 2012; and what representations his Department has made to the Laos government on Mr Somphone.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    We remain very concerned as to the whereabouts of Mr Sombath Somphone. We regularly raise his disappearance with the Lao government. Laos underwent its second UN Universal Periodic Review under the auspices of the UN Human Rights Council, earlier this year. The United Kingdom’s recommendation calling on the Lao government to conduct a thorough, transparent and impartial investigation into Mr Somphone’s disappearance was formally accepted by the Lao government. On 11 September, 1000 days since Mr Somphone’s disappearance, I wrote to the Lao Ambassador to the United Kingdom, to urge the Lao government to rapidly proceed with conducting an investigation. Next month, at the EU-Laos Human Rights Dialogue in Vientiane, the United Kingdom, along with our EU partners, will highlight the lack of progress in the investigation into Mr Somphone’s disappearance.

  • 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 2015-10-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with Indian authorities on the abuse of young girls in rural areas.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    We have been following recent reports of violence against women and girls in India and share the honourable gentleman’s concerns. The United Kingdom discusses a range of human rights matters with India, including women’s rights, both bilaterally and through the EU. We are committed to tackling violence against women and girls round the world, including in India.

    Through the Department for International Development, we are currently helping to implement India’s Domestic Violence Act and supporting initiatives to reduce violence against women, both in homes and in public spaces. Our High Commission also works closely with Indian civil society and non-governmental organisations, including through providing advice to lawyers and grassroots organisations who are directly supporting survivors of sexual violence, through the Indian criminal justice system.

    Although this is ultimately a matter for India’s police and courts, we are working productively with the Indian government and international partners on this important issue.

  • Nicholas Brown – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Nicholas Brown – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Brown on 2015-10-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress he has made in establishing a smaller number of specialist children’s heart units, as recommended by the Safe and sustainable review of children’s congenital heart services, published by the NHS in February 2011.

    Jane Ellison

    On 12 June 2013 my Rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced in Parliament that the Safe and Sustainable review’s proposals for children’s congenital heart services could not go ahead in their current form. In July 2013, after discussions with key stakeholders, NHS England established a new congenital heart disease review, encompassing services for adults as well as children.

    The new review has now been completed and the board of NHS England has agreed its proposals. NHS England is now working on implementation of the proposals and commissioning services against the new requirements. This is being done in collaboration with provider trusts.