Tag: 2016

  • Charles Walker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Charles Walker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charles Walker on 2016-03-21.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate his Department has made of the number of its senior civil servants who will potentially fall under the provisions of the Fourth EU Money Laundering Directive, 2015/849; and what assessment he has made of which of his Department’s agencies or other public bodies will potentially be classed as holding a prominent public function for the purposes of that directive.

    Matthew Hancock

    The Government’s view is that the Directive permits a risk-based approach to the identification of whether an individual is a politically exposed person and, when identified, the Directive enables the application of different degrees of enhanced measures to reflect the risks posed. The Government will be setting out this view in a consultation which will be published shortly.

    The changes proposed under the Directive should not prevent any individual in this category from gaining or maintaining access to financial services. We regularly raise these issues with financial institutions and the regulator, and we encourage financial institutions to take a proportionate, risk-based approach when applying these measures.

  • Dawn Butler – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Dawn Butler – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dawn Butler on 2016-04-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will assess the merits of introducing a deposit return system for single-use drinks containers in England.

    Rory Stewart

    I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Birmingham Hall Green, Roger Godsiff, on 11 April 2016, PQ UIN32607.

    Defra analysed the costs and benefits of implementing a deposit return system (DRS) for single use drink containers as part of the 2011 Review of Waste Policy in England, and sought views in the 2012 consultation on higher packaging recycling targets.

    This work showed that introducing a DRS may increase recycling and reduce litter but might impose additional costs on businesses, consumers and local authorities (which would lose revenue from recycling). However, we lack evidence to quantify these benefits and costs appropriately. The current approach has driven a significant increase in packaging waste recycling rates, from less than 47% in 2003 to nearly 65% in 2013.

    Last year, the Scottish Government published a feasibility study and a call for evidence investigating the implementation of a DRS for single use drink containers in Scotland. This valuable work highlighted significant uncertainties regarding the impacts and benefits that a DRS would have, notably regarding costs, environmental quality and littering, and existing waste collection systems. The Scottish Government is doing further work on the topic and we will review any new evidence arising from this in due course. However, in the meantime, we will continue to focus on improving existing waste collection and recycling systems, and developing a new National Litter Strategy for England to help coordinate and maximise the impact of anti-litter activity by local government, industry and others.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-06-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate his Department has made of the amount paid by the NHS to pharmaceutical companies for prescription drugs in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

    Alistair Burt

    The information requested is in the table.

    Year

    Primary care drugs spend (1)

    Secondary care drugs spend

    Total drugs spend

    Outturn (£ m)

    Outturn (£ m)

    Outturn (£ m)

    2004/05

    7,376

    2,595

    9,971

    2005/06

    7,235

    2,764

    9,999

    2006/07

    7,593

    2,969

    10,562

    2007/08

    7,663

    3,274

    10,937

    2008/09

    7,749

    3,647

    11,397

    2009/10

    7,946

    3,974

    11,920

    2010/11

    8,280

    4,257

    12,537

    2011/12

    8,243

    4,482

    12,725

    2012/13(2)

    7,887

    5,055

    12,941

    2013/14(3)

    8,015

    5,324

    13,339

    2014/15

    8,206

    5,897

    14,103

    Sources:

    1. Primary care figures to 2012-13 are from Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) audited summarisation schedules. Figures from 2013-14 are from the Department’s annual report and accounts.
    2. Secondary care figures are from National Health Service trusts, PCT finance returns and foundation trust year-end accounts. Finance returns were not collected after 2011/12; figures for NHS trusts in 2012/13 are estimates.
    3. Secondary care figures from 2013-14 are from Monitor and NHS Trust Development Authority.
  • Steve Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Steve Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve Reed on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many civil injunctions have been made under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.

    Sir Oliver Heald

    The information requested could only be provided at disproportionate costs.

  • Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-10-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he has had with Nissan on its future investment in the UK after the UK’s exit of the EU.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    The Department is in close contact with Nissan as part of its responsibility to actively manage the relationship with our major manufacturers.

  • Matthew Offord – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Matthew Offord – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Offord on 2016-01-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to page 3 of the HMG Strategy for Abolition of the Death Penalty 2010-2015, as revised in October 2011, what bilateral agreements his Department promotes between the Government and the government of Saudi Arabia on reducing the number of executions carried out as part of that government’s judicial process.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The British Government remains firmly opposed to the use of the death penalty in all circumstances and in every country, including Saudi Arabia. The death penalty undermines human dignity and there is no evidence that it works as a deterrent. We continue to remind the Saudi authorities of our views on the death penalty at every suitable opportunity.

  • David T. C. Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    David T. C. Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David T. C. Davies on 2016-02-02.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate his Department has made of the number of men in the UK who are in polygamous marriages.

    Mr Rob Wilson

    The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-02-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 8 February 2016 to Question 25199, what steps his Department is taking to consult on proposed legislative changes on HGV sideguards; and what the timeframe is for that consultation.

    Andrew Jones

    The Department is currently preparing the regulatory impact assessment in preparation for the consultation on amendments to the Construction and Use Regulations in the second half of 2016.

  • Dan Jarvis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Dan Jarvis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2016-03-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which non-UK EU armed forces procure materiel from British companies.

    Mr Julian Brazier

    In 2014, Europe accounted for 10% of UK defence exports, with a value of approximately £800 million. Additionally, details of all export licences granted in 2014 can be found at;

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/491986/16-54-strategic-export-controls-country-pivot-report-2014.pdf,

    However this cannot be treated as an exhaustive list of defence exports.

  • Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-04-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the Government supports the request made by the Italian government to the Egyptian government to access telephone records relating to the case of Giulio Regeni; and whether he has made representations on that request to the Egyptian government.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We have consistently called on the Egyptian authorities to conduct a full and transparent investigation, in support of action by the Italian authorities. I spoke in depth with the Egyptian Ambassador in London on 11 April about Giulio Regeni’s case, including the Italian request for telephone records. We are disappointed by the limited progress made in the case over the last three months and are concerned that Italy has not found the cooperation that Egypt has provided to them to be sufficient.