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Tag: 2015

  • Matthew Offord – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Matthew Offord – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Offord on 2015-10-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment her Department has made of the economic recovery in Nepal since the earthquake in April 2015.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    The Nepal government estimates that GDP reduced by 1.5% as a result of the earthquake. Economic recovery has been slow and uncertain.

    Delays setting up the National Reconstruction Authority and unrest in the border area with India, which has closed most border crossings for over 6 weeks, make economic recovery challenging. We are pressing the government to prioritise the post-disaster response.

    The UK is providing up to £35 million for technical assistance to the Government of Nepal to directly mobilise more than £600 million of private investment into growth-boosting sectors, such as export-focused hydropower projects, indirectly generating better-paying jobs for unskilled and low-skilled Nepalese. The UK is also investing in building and maintaining roads to improve access in Nepal.

  • Jim Fitzpatrick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Jim Fitzpatrick – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Fitzpatrick on 2015-10-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what regulatory arrangements require airlines to use the quietest aircraft for early morning and late night flights into London’s airports; and by what means are those arrangements enforced.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Government sets night flight restrictions at the three busiest London airports; Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted, which are designated for noise control purposes under the Civil Aviation Act 1982. As well as limiting the number of movements allowed within an airline season, these restrictions place requirements on the aircraft that can operate during the night period, and place seasonal limits on the amount of noise energy that can be emitted at each airport.

    All aircraft are given a Quota Count (QC) number based on their noise during take-off and landing, with the noisier aircraft given a higher QC rating. QC/4 aircraft are not allowed to be scheduled during the night quota period (2330 to 0600), and the highest rated QC/8 and QC/16 aircraft are prevented from operating at all during the entire night period (2300 to 0700).

    Each airport is given a seasonal noise quota, with aircraft with higher QC ratings using more of this quota per movement. The noise quota limit is designed to encourage the use of quieter aircraft by allowing airports to maximise the number of movements during any season through the use of aircraft with a lower quota count.

    The Government regularly monitors the movement and noise quota usage at all three airports, including restrictions on the noisiest aircraft, to ensure compliance. It should be noted that these restrictions do not preclude noisier aircraft from using these airports in the case of emergencies or severe disruption, or with prior Government approval, such as for disaster relief flights.

    The Government does not set night restrictions at any of London’s other international airports, but these operate their own restrictions, which are usually agreed as planning conditions:

    • London Luton has a similar night noise regime to that in place at the designated airports. This limits the number of flights that can take place between and 2330 and 0600 and prohibits aircraft with a QC rating of greater than 2 from operating between 2300 and 0700.
    • London City Airport does not operate flights between 2200 and 0630 from Sunday to Saturday morning, nor any flights between 1230 Saturday and 1230 Sunday.
    • London Southend sets a limit of 120 night movements per month in the period 2300 to 0630 and, in addition, prohibits any scheduled movements by aircraft with a QC rating of greater than 1 or by helicopters.

    Enforcement at these airports is a matter between airlines and the airport, or the local planning authority if relevant.

    It should also be noted that airports are able to incentivise airlines to use their quietest aircraft during the night and early morning by charging higher landing fees for noisier planes at these times.

  • Nicholas Brown – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Nicholas Brown – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Brown on 2015-10-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effect on people on the autism spectrum of removal of the additional payment in the employment and support allowance’s work related activity group.

    Priti Patel

    The Government set out its assessment of the impacts of the policies in the Welfare Reform and Work Bill on 20th July. These are available on the Parliament website: http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2015-16/welfarereformandwork/documents.html

    “

  • Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe on 2015-10-20.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will publish a health impact assessment of the reductions in, and freezes to, alcohol duties announced in the last Budget.

    Lord O’Neill of Gatley

    The Government published its assessment of the impacts of the alcohol duty change in the Tax Information and Impact Notes published alongside the March 2015 Budget document. Budget documentation is available in the Printed Paper Office.

  • Lord Knight of Weymouth – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Knight of Weymouth – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Knight of Weymouth on 2015-10-20.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they plan to publish the Small Schools Taskforce report relating to the provision of free school meals in small schools.

    Lord Nash

    A decision has not yet been made on the publication of the taskforce report.

  • 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 2015-10-20.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much surplus land owned by the Department for Education and its agencies they estimate is suitable for building new houses on; how much has been released in each year since 2010–11; and how much they expect to release in (1) the current year, and (2) each year to 2020–21.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    During the last Parliament, the Government exceeded its ambition to release surplus land with capacity for 100,000 homes. The housing capacity of the land released by Government Departments and their arms length bodies is set out in the attached table.

    Over this Parliament, the Government is committed to releasing surplus public sector land with capacity for up to 150,000 homes by 2020. The Department for Communities and Local Government is working with Departments to review their land holdings in order to identify suitable surplus public sector and finalise disposal plans for this Parliament.

  • Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark on 2015-10-20.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Uzbekistan concerning Mr Muhammad Bekzhanou.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    Our Embassy in Tashkent raised Mr Begjanov’s case with the Government of Uzbekistan last year and, together with our EU colleagues, we have called for his release as part of an annual amnesty granted by the Uzbek authorities. We plan to raise Mr Begjanov’s case again with the Uzbek authorities in the coming weeks. More broadly we have raised with the Uzbek authorities our concerns about the use of a provision of Uzbekistan’s Criminal Code to impose additional sentences for violation of prison rules such as in the case of Mr Begjanov and various other prisoners.

    We have longstanding concerns about the overall human rights situation in Uzbekistan. Our Embassy in Tashkent raises these issues at every appropriate opportunity with the Uzbek authorities and funds projects that support good governance and human rights. We also continue to encourage further progress towards full implementation of Uzbekistan’s international human rights commitments.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Andy Slaughter – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2015-10-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the effect on businesses in London of withdrawing from the EU.

    Anna Soubry

    The Government is focused on delivering a successful renegotiation: it believes it can and will succeed in reforming and renegotiating our relationship with the EU and campaigning to keep the UK in the EU on that basis. Reforms will benefit business and investment and many businesses in London agree.

  • 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 responsibilities are proposed for the (a) elected mayor, (b) North East Combined Authority and (c) North East local enterprise partnership in overseeing the adult skills budget for the North East.

    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.

  • Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-10-20.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reasons the introduction of proposed reductions in tax credits is not being phased in.

    Harriett Baldwin

    The Government wants to move from a low wage, high tax, high welfare economy to a higher wage, lower tax, lower welfare society. By 2017-18, 8 out of 10 working households will be better off as a result of the personal allowance, living wage and welfare changes in the Summer Budget.

    The Tax Credit changes are being phased in in two stages. The taper, threshold and income disregard will change from April 2016. The changes to the Child Element and Family Element in Child Tax Credit will come into effect from April 2017.