Tag: 2016

  • Brendan O’Hara – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Brendan O’Hara – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Brendan O’Hara on 2016-10-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps are being taken to attend to Iraqi civilians expected to be displaced as a result of a planned offensive on Mosul, Iraq.

    Rory Stewart

    On 21 September, the UK announced an extra £40 million of humanitarian funding to Iraq, taking our total commitment to £90 million this financial year and £169.5 million since June 2014. This new assistance will be targeted specifically to enable a scale up of humanitarian assistance ahead of the Government of Iraq-led Mosul operations. It will provide emergency life-saving assistance – such as food, shelter, medical and protection services – to civilians affected by Mosul operations, as well as continued support to displaced and vulnerable people across the country.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-01-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps to broker negotiated ceasefires to allow the creation of aid corridors across Syria; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The UK plays a key role in ensuring humanitarian access to Syria. The UK co-sponsored and lobbied hard for UN Security Council Resolutions 2165, 2191 and 2258 which enable the UN to deliver aid across borders, without the consent of the regime, to assist those in the hardest to reach areas.

    The UK will consider options compliant with international law that might save lives in Syria. However, experience suggests that so-called ‘safe’ areas or corridors can prove difficult to demilitarise and protect against all threats. In fact, there is a risk that they can become targets. For an aid corridor to work, all parties to the conflict would need to agree to its establishment. In the absence of such consent, foreign military intervention may be necessary, under the authority of a UN Security Council resolution.

    An estimated £275 million of humanitarian assistance funded by the UK for inside Syria has been allocated to the UN and NGOs for cross-border operations. We are now encouraging the UN to consider alternative means of assistance such as cash, to support vulnerable populations that are increasingly hard to reach. We continue to call on all sides to the conflict to respect International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and ensure free, unimpeded access for humanitarian agencies.

  • Dan Jarvis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    Dan Jarvis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2016-01-28.

    To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what the Government’s timetable is for introducing measures to implement a gender pay gap reporting among (a) public sector, (b) private sector and (c) voluntary sector employees.

    Caroline Dinenage

    Eliminating the gender pay gap is a key priority for this government. We will shortly seek views on the draft regulations requiring large private and voluntary sector employers in Great Britain to publish information about differences in the pay and bonuses paid to male and female employees. The government wants to commence these regulations at the earliest opportunity. We have also pledged to extend these requirements to the public sector. Public bodies will be covered by different regulations, following a further consultation that we will issue soon.

  • Emily Thornberry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Emily Thornberry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to paragraph 4.92 of the National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015, Cm 9161, what additional funding the Government intends to provide for investment in the Special Forces; and when that funding will be provided.

    Michael Fallon

    As the Prime Minister announced on 16 November 2015, there will be a £2 billion programme of new investment in the Special Forces over this Parliament.

  • Gordon Marsden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Gordon Marsden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2016-03-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate he has made of how much European Social Fund funding will be allocated to local enterprise partnerships by the end of March (a) 2017 and (b) 2018.

    Anna Soubry

    Information on the combined allocation for European Social Fund and European Regional Development Fund to each Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) area for the 2014-20 period can be found on the GOV.UK website at ‘EU Structural Funds: UK allocations 2014 to 2020’.

    Each LEP area was asked to prepare a strategy setting out its priorities for how its allocation should be spent, including how much should come from the European Social Fund. Information on the individual LEP area Strategies for 2014-20 can be found on the website ‘The Network of LEPs-LEP Network’, searching by European funding.

  • Cat Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Cat Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Cat Smith on 2016-04-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when the tender document for the Work and Health Programme to provide specialist support for long-term unemployed and claimants with health conditions and disabilities will be published; and when that programme will be operational.

    Priti Patel

    The 2015 Spending Review confirmed that the Department will launch the Work and Health Programme, restructuring our current provision to focus on providing the best possible support for claimants with health conditions or disabilities, as well as those who are long-term unemployed. The programme will launch in 2017.

    The Department have commenced the commercial process for the programme by issuing a Prior Information Notice which was published on 28 April 2016.

  • Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-06-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the average wait is for a driving test appointment (a) in England and (b) at the Hull test centre.

    Andrew Jones

    The main cause of current waiting times across the country is a significant and sustained surge in demand for driving tests, the last time we saw demand at such high levels was in 2005/6.

    The average waits for a driving test appointment in (a) England and (b) at Hull test centre are as follows:

    England

    Car – 12 weeks

    Taxi – eight weeks

    Module one motorcycle test – six weeks

    Module two motorcycle test – six weeks

    Hull driving test centre

    Car – 15 weeks

    Taxi – nine weeks

    Module one motorcycle test – 11 weeks

    Module two motorcycle test – one week

    Our 2015/16 recruitment campaigns resulted in 193 new examiners starting work at test centres across Britain. A further 48 examiners have started testing since April 2016, and we have made employment offers to an additional 110 people, who are currently either attending the new entrant training course, or waiting to attend one.

  • Julian Sturdy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Julian Sturdy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Sturdy on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of accessibility of assessment centres for work capability assessment and personal independence payments consultations for people using larger or bariatric wheelchairs.

    Penny Mordaunt

    All assessment centres meet accessibility standards under the Equality Act 2010.

    Before attending an assessment, claimants are given the opportunity to alert the assessment provider to any additional requirements they may have and the providers will endeavour to meet any such reasonable requests.

    If a claimant is unable to travel to, or access an assessment centre as a result of their health condition or impairment, a home visit may be offered.

  • Lord Touhig – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord Touhig – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Touhig on 2016-10-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Earl Howe on 13 September (HL Deb, col 1389), when a Royal Navy vessel requires repair and on-board engineers are unable to resolve the problem without the help of other, more specialist, engineers how this will be achieved without the support of RFA Diligence.

    Earl Howe

    Should on-board engineers be unable to resolve a problem with any ship or submarine, there is a range of ways in which operational maintenance and repair can be delivered. This can include the deployment of a Royal Navy repair and maintenance party, or utilising well-established commercial arrangements and international agreements, such as the use of other countries’ bases and facilities. This is particularly the case where resources and facilities are not available within the Ministry of Defence or are more effectively provided by a third party.

  • Harry Harpham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Harry Harpham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Harry Harpham on 2016-01-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what the total cost to the public purse had been of developing carbon capture and storage technology.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The Government continues to view CCS as having a potential role in the long-term decarbonisation of the UK’s power and industrial sectors and has invested over £222 million since 2011 in developing carbon capture and storage technology, including approximately £130 million through our support to new technologies and research to help develop new capture technologies to reduce costs. The latest investment includes £1.7 million for three innovative CCS technologies awarded through Energy Entrepreneurs Fund and £2.5 million to identify suitable CO2 stores in the North and Irish Seas.

    Government has also supported industry to complete detailed engineering and design work on CCS project proposals to determine their cost and feasibility, ensuring that knowledge gained is made freely available to benefit future CCS projects and aid research and development in CCS technology.