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Tag: 2016

  • Holly Lynch – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Holly Lynch – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Holly Lynch on 2016-09-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance has been issued on the criteria used for deployment of police air support when a vehicle has failed to stop.

    Brandon Lewis

    The College of Policing has issued Authorised Professional Practice on the management of vehicle pursuits which includes guidance on the use of air support. Deployment of police air support is an operational matter. Since October 2012, the provision of air support to the forces of England and Wales has been the responsibility of the National Police Air Service.

  • Mike Kane – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Mike Kane – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mike Kane on 2016-01-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the proportion of the gross working premium of insurers which was required to fund the Diffuse Mesothelioma Payments Scheme in (a) 2014-15 and (b) 2015-16.

    Justin Tomlinson

    In 2014/15 the Diffuse Mesothelioma Payment Scheme (DMPS) levy was charged at £32m which represented 2.2% of employers’ liability gross written premium (EL GWP). The actual cost of the DMPS in 2014/15 was £24.2m, and the additional £7.8m collected has been carried forward into 2015/16.

    On 12 January 2016 the Department announced that it anticipated the gross cost of the DMPS in 2015/16 to be £31m. This represents 2% of EL GWP. However, the amount actually levied on the insurance industry for 2015/16, taking into account the £7.8m carried forward, is £23.2m, which represents 1.5% of EL GWP.

    Note: The proportions quoted above use the most recently available EL GWP data in any one year. Due to the time taken to collect and verify this data, the EL GWP figure used to calculate the proportion the levy represents will be two years old. For example, for the 2014/15 levy the EL GWP data is from 2012.

  • David Anderson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    David Anderson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Anderson on 2016-02-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will apply EU Directive 41/2003 on Institutions for Occupational Retirement Provision to the Local Government Pension Scheme; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    We are satisfied that the Scheme is consistent with the way in which Directive 41/2003 on the Institutions for Occupational Retirement Provision Directive was transposed into national law. It is not therefore necessary to take any further legislative steps to ensure compliance.

    In March 2014 the European Commission published proposals for new Institutions for Occupational Retirement Provisions Directive. The implications for the scheme will be fully considered if these proposals are taken forward.

  • David Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    David Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Morris on 2016-03-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what progress his Department is making on the Enterprise Zones applied for by the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership; and if he will make a statement.

    James Wharton

    My rt hon. Friend, the Chancellor announced the Lancashire Local Enterprise Partnership’s successful bid for a new Enterprise Zone at Hillhouse as part of the 2015 Autumn Statement. This followed approval of the business case for the Blackpool Enterprise Zone which was announced on 12 November 2015.

    Regulations are being laid for both Enterprise Zones to enable them to offer business rate discounts and enhanced capital allowances from April 2016. The new Enterprise Zones complement the existing Lancashire Local Enterprise Zone which covers sites at Warton and Samlesbury.

  • Jo Stevens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Jo Stevens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jo Stevens on 2016-04-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many people were employed in the Insolvency Service Cardiff office in each year since 2010.

    Anna Soubry

    The number of employees working in the Insolvency Service’s Cardiff office prior to 2014 is not held and could only be ascertained at disproportionate cost. The numbers of permanent employees working in the Cardiff office since 2014 are as follows:

    1 January 2014: 35

    1 January 2015: 45

    1 January 2016: 46

    The increase in staff numbers between 2014 and 2015 follows the closure of the Insolvency Service’s Swansea office and transfer of staff between the two offices.

  • Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the value was of (a) private and (b) public sector investment in the British steel industry in each of the last 10 years.

    Anna Soubry

    This information is not collected centrally. However, the following are examples of Government investments in the UK metals sector since 2008:

    • £8.2 million from the Regional Growth Fund towards a new Tata Steel Europe R&D Centre at Warwick University
    • Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain Initiative (AMSCI) – £12.7 million comprising £6.47 million grant and £6.25 million loan to a consortium of which Tata Steel Europe is a key partner, to develop the “Proving Factory” which specialises in the industrialisation and low-volume production of advanced propulsion systems to automotive standards.
    • AMSCI – CASCADE project and consortia of 11 companies led by Tata Steel – awarded grant of £4.6m in April 2015 for development of metal powders and processes for additive manufacturing
    • Over £100m in capital projects in universities (through the Research Partnership Investment Fund) in steel, composites, automotive and aerospace, which has leveraged funding from businesses such as Tata, Rolls Royce and JLR.
    • Over £100m in EPSRC’s grant programme in metals and alloys
    • Innovate UK have provided just under £4m in grants to Tata Steel and a further £2m (with £2m from EPSRC) for SPECIFIC – an innovation and knowledge centre at Swansea University.

    Information on private sector investment in the steel industry is not available from official sources.

  • Judith Cummins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Judith Cummins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Judith Cummins on 2016-06-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the potential effect of the provisions of the Housing and Planning Act 2016 on the total stock of affordable homes in Bradford.

    Brandon Lewis

    The Housing and Planning Act will help more people buy their own home and ensure that we are making best use of our social housing stock. It will also get the nation building homes faster, by giving house builders and decision makers the tools and confidence to deliver more homes.

    The Act sets out that planning authorities have a duty to promote the supply of starter homes and the starter homes requirements in the planning system. Local authorities will still be able to seek other forms of affordable housing in addition to the starter homes requirement where it would be viable.

    The impact assessment for the Housing and Planning Bill can be found here:

    http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2015-16/housingandplanning/documents.html

    “

  • Robert Flello – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Robert Flello – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Flello on 2016-09-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to address non-payment of tolls, charges, penalties and fees by non-UK drivers.

    Mr John Hayes

    The Government takes the recovery of non-payment of tolls, charges, penalties and fees very seriously by UK and non UK drivers. The following sets out the steps used by the different organisations responsible in addressing the non-payment of UK charges and penalties.

    When a non-UK vehicle uses the Dartford Crossing without paying the Dart Charge, Highways England uses a European debt recovery agency to issue a Penalty Charge Notice. Highways England also runs seasonal compliance campaigns, providing translated material at ports, airports and poster sites in the Calais area to build broader awareness for foreign drivers heading to the UK.

    For the HGV levy, the Government has effective enforcement procedures that are delivering 95% compliance rates in Great Britain. The Driver and Vehicle and Licencing Agency (DVLA) has the powers to target non-compliant vehicles, and hold them until a penalty is paid.

    Enforcement of road traffic legislation is an operational matter for the police. They are able to issue penalties for speeding, and those who cannot provide a verified UK address can be required to make an on-the-spot roadside payment, known as a fixed penalty deposit.

    Local authorities have powers to clamp or remove foreign vehicles to ensure drivers comply with parking restrictions and pay any penalties.

    The Government will continue to look at the ways we collect tolls, charges, penalties and fees by non-UK drivers and ensure improvements are made where necessary.

  • Lord Hoyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Hoyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hoyle on 2016-01-20.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether steel produced in Britain will be used for the electrification of the Manchester to Blackpool train route.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The electrification of the Manchester to Blackpool train route is still in the design phase and the steel has not yet been purchased.

    Network Rail already sources 95% of its steel rail from the UK. Steel for electrification projects has typically been procured by principal contractors from a variety of sources, but Network Rail is currently seeking to aggregate volumes wherever possible and procure materials directly. Total forecast requirement of steel for electrification projects is forecast to be around 175k tonnes over the next 6 years. Network Rail’s strategy is to source this from the UK wherever possible, and the electrification of the Manchester to Blackpool train route will also be in accordance with this.

  • Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-02-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent steps his Department has taken to tackle disparities in broadband coverage in (a) London and (b) the UK.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The Government is working with commercial broadband providers to encourage them to fill the remaining gaps in superfast broadband coverage in London. BT has announced £50 million of investment in new commercial coverage, much of which will be aimed at London, and Virgin Media has announced a demand led investment programme of £3 billion over the next few years. Other suppliers are also active in London.

    As a result of commercially-led delivery and public funding in areas which are not commercially viable, superfast broadband coverage across the UK now reaches almost 90% of premises, providing access to speeds of more than 24Mbps. Coverage is on track to increase to 95% of premises by December 2017. The Government has also announced proposals for a Universal Service Obligation to enable all premises to request a broadband speed of at least 10Mbps, with the aim of implementing it in this Parliament. A basic broadband scheme has also been introduced across the UK allowing all premises with speeds below 2Mbps to gain access to speeds above this level through a subsidised satellite broadband connection.