Tag: 2016

  • Rehman Chishti – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Rehman Chishti – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rehman Chishti on 2016-10-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the recent statement of the Secretary of State for Defence on increasing the number of cadet units in state schools across the UK, what steps he plans to help ensure that those units provide opportunities for young people from ethnic minority and vulnerable backgrounds.

    Mark Lancaster

    Last year the Government committed £50 million of LIBOR funding to the Cadet Expansion Programme (CEP) to increase the number of cadet units in schools to 500 by 2020. This manifesto commitment will establish around 150 new units in state schools across the UK. The programme is targeting schools in less affluent areas to ensure that more young people can experience the life-enhancing activities that cadet service brings.

    The cadet forces are inclusive organisations which help young people achieve their full potential. We are committed to equality of opportunity for young people from all backgrounds, regarding diversity within our membership as one of our greatest strengths.

    As part of our plan to build a country that works for everyone we have made it a priority to focus the CEP on areas of high deprivation where the potential benefit is greatest. The new school units will help young people to get on in life, raising their aspirations and motivating them to succeed in their education.

  • Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2016-01-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what projection she has made of the number of full-time equivalent staff working in the Environment Agency in each year until 2020.

    George Eustice

    There are no firm projections over the next 5 years of the number of full-time equivalent staff working in the Environment Agency. Formal budgets have not yet been allocated for 2016/17 to 2020/21.

  • George Howarth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    George Howarth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by George Howarth on 2016-02-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what information his Department holds on what proportion of the £2 billion cost of whiplash claims comes from (a) genuine claims and (b) fraudulent claims.

    Dominic Raab

    As noted in the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement, the figure of £2 billion a year is an insurance industry estimate of the cost of dealing with road traffic related personal injury claims.

    The Government will be publishing an impact assessment alongside its consultation on the whiplash reforms announced in the Autumn Statement in due course.

  • Graham Stuart – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Graham Stuart – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graham Stuart on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average length of time between application to initial decision was for awards issued by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority in (a) 2013-14 and (b) 2014-15.

    Mike Penning

    The average time taken for CICA to reach an initial decision in the years 2013-14 and 2014-15 were as follows. Note that this time includes cases where no compensation was payable within the terms of the Scheme. Comparable data going back to financial year 2010-11 is included.

    2010-11

    7.2 months

    2011-12

    7.8 months

    2012-13

    8.8 months

    2013-14

    10.4 months

    2014-15

    10.9 months

    The average time taken for CICA to reach an initial decision where compensation was offered, during the years 2013-14 and 2014-15 were as follows. Comparable data for the average time taken to make a decision where a monetary award was offered is not held.

    2013-14

    14 months

    2014-15

    16 months

    In the last year, CICA have focused on clearing the older cases from its caseload, which has allowed CICA to reduce the proportion of cases which are more than two years old. However, this has contributed to longer average clearance times.

  • Kelvin Hopkins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Kelvin Hopkins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kelvin Hopkins on 2016-03-17.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether all documents released by his Department as a result of Freedom of Information requests are placed on his Department’s website.

    Harriett Baldwin

    A proportion of our responses are published on GOV.UK, which you can find at this link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications?departments%5B%5D=hm-treasury&publication_type=foi-releases.

    “

  • Antoinette Sandbach – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Antoinette Sandbach – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Antoinette Sandbach on 2016-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which Natura 2000 sites have been identified as being within 10 miles of the proposed Phase 2 route of High Speed Two.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The following Natura 2000 sites within 10 miles of the proposed Phase 2 Route (Special Protection Areas (SPAs) and Special Areas of Conservation (SACs)) have been identified:

    1 SPA site

    17 SAC sites

    SPA Name

    Peak District Moors

    SAC Name

    Birklands & Bilhaugh

    Cannock Chase

    Cannock Extension Canal

    Denby Grange Colliery Ponds

    Ensor’s Pool

    Kirk Deighton

    Manchester Mosses

    Mottey Meadows

    Oak Mere

    Pasturefields Salt Marsh

    Peak District Dales

    River Mease

    Rixton Clay Pits

    Rochdale Canal

    Skipwith Common

    South Pennine Moors

    West Midlands Mosses

  • Jeff Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Jeff Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeff Smith on 2016-05-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many new businesses have been set up in Manchester, Withington constituency since May 2010.

    Anna Soubry

    There is no single data source that comprehensively measures all business start-ups within the UK.

    However, ONS has published statistics showing that there were 2,210 businesses newly registered for VAT or PAYE in the Manchester, Withington constituency between 2010 and 2014. Some newly registered businesses will have been trading for a number of years and other active businesses will not be covered because they are operating below the VAT and PAYE registration thresholds.

  • Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-07-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when negotiations with EU member states on the future of EU citizens in the UK will begin.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    When the Prime Minister decides to trigger the formal process for the UK’s departure from the EU, the issue of the future status of EU nationals in the UK will form part of those negotiations.

  • Neil Parish – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Neil Parish – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Neil Parish on 2016-10-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which local authorities have breached legal air quality limits in the last year.

    Dr Thérèse Coffey

    Defra uses both monitoring and modelling to assess air quality in the UK. Currently, 156 monitoring stations in the national network report near-real-time data on five key pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), sulphur dioxide (SO2), ozone (O3) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). Information about these sites and modelled data is available on Defra’s UK-Air website.

    Latest compliance data show that the UK is meeting the EU limit values for all pollutants covered by the European air quality Directives other than those for NO2.

    That is why in December last year, the Government published the national air quality plan for reducing NO2 concentrations through a new programme of Clean Air Zones in five cities in England, including Leeds, Nottingham and Southampton, as well as Birmingham and Derby, along with the Ultra-Low Emission Zone in London. The plan combines targeted local and national measures and continued investment in clean technologies.

    The councils which were observed to have exceedances of the annual mean NO2 limit value in 2015 are in the attached table.

  • Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2016-01-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assurances he has received from the government of Saudi Arabia that no British-made equipment was used in recent executions in that country.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The UK operates one of the most rigorous and transparent arms export control regimes in the world. Each application for an export licence is subject to a rigorous case-by-case assessment against these high criteria. The British Government is satisfied that the current licences for Saudi Arabia are compliant with the UK’s export licensing criteria and that we are not in breach of our international obligations. No licence is issued if it does not meet these requirements. This includes the export of arms to Saudi Arabia.