Tag: 2016

  • The Marquess of Lothian – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The Marquess of Lothian – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Marquess of Lothian on 2016-01-13.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment, if any, they have made of the condition and capacity of naturally occurring underground aquifers in the light of the high levels of rainfall in the UK over the last six weeks.

    Lord Gardiner of Kimble

    The Environment Agency routinely monitors groundwater levels in England’s principal aquifers and publishes these monthly in a national water situation report.

    Rainfall totals for December were above average across England at 165% of the long term average. For a second consecutive month north-east and north-west England had exceptionally high rainfall totals for the time of year. Groundwater levels increased at approximately two-thirds of indicator sites during December and two thirds of sites were classed as normal or higher for the time of year.

    The Environment Agency undertakes monitoring and assessment of different aquifers locally, based upon the potential risk of groundwater flooding. A system of groundwater flood alerts and warnings is provided through our incident response procedures for those communities most vulnerable to potential groundwater flooding.

    The groundwater situation currently varies widely across the country, with higher than average and exceptionally high groundwater levels in parts of Cumbria, Yorkshire, Wessex, East Hampshire and Sussex whilst across the rest of southern England groundwater levels are around average or below average for the time of year.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-02-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what representations he has received concerning paintings left by Sir Hugh Lane to the National Gallery.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The Minister for Culture and the Digital Economy met with Paul McGuinness, Roy Foster and Sir Donnell Deeny in September to discuss the bequest left by Sir Hugh Lane to the National Gallery. The department has received no other representation concerning the bequest.

  • Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2016-02-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the geographic variation in the effectiveness of each of the UK’s NHS transplant centres for the transplantation of stem cells; and what steps NHS England is taking to reduce that variation.

    Jane Ellison

    NHS England assesses providers against service specifications. Of the 46 providers assessed, 41 were assessed to be compliant with the NHS England specification. Commissioners and providers have agreed action plans to achieve compliance in the remaining five. NHS England also collects data from providers against a number of metrics. There is a process for reviewing variation in this data involving the Clinical Reference Group chair and accountable commissioner. Where variation is identified, commissioning teams hold discussions with services to determine any actions required.

  • Christopher Pincher – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Christopher Pincher – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Pincher on 2016-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many tonnes of air pollution control residues were captured at municipal energy from waste incineration facilities in 2015; and what estimate she has made of the total tonnes of air pollution control residues that will be generated by municipal energy from waste incineration facilities in 2016.

    Rory Stewart

    The derogation to allow the landfilling of air pollution control residues that are three times above normal waste acceptance criteria was originally granted because there was a lack of alternative treatment capacity at the time to either treat certain wastes to levels meeting normal waste acceptance limits, to treat the wastes via alternative treatment technologies or to recycle or recover the residues. The availability of sufficient alternative treatment capacity and the costs of that treatment are therefore the two central criteria that the government will use to decide whether or not to remove the derogation.

    The Government is making an assessment of the quantity of air pollution control residues produced at energy from waste facilities to inform its decision on whether or not to remove the derogation to allow the landfilling of air pollution control residues that are three times above normal waste acceptance criteria. These figures will be available following the announcement of that decision.

    The Government is making an assessment of the costs of the different forms of treatment for air pollution control residues, including their mixing into concrete blocks and their disposal to hazardous waste landfill, to inform its decision on whether or not to remove the derogation to allow the landfilling of air pollution control residues that are three times above normal waste acceptance criteria. These figures will be available following the announcement of that decision.

  • Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2016-05-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Cabinet Secretary is undertaking a review of High Speed 2.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    As is normal for large projects, the Cabinet Office’s Infrastructure and Projects Authority is conducting assurance of the HS2 programme as it proceeds into its delivery phase.

    It is standard practice for this to include a small cross Government team, and not unusual for the Cabinet Secretary to take an interest on projects of this scale.

  • Toby Perkins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Toby Perkins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Toby Perkins on 2016-06-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect on the civil war in Yemen of arms sold by the UK to Saudi Arabia.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The UK supports the Saudi Arabian-led Coalition military intervention in Yemen, which came at the request of legitimate President Hadi to deter aggression by the Houthis and forces loyal to the former president Saleh. Saudi Arabia and the Coalition have played a crucial role and the priority now is for the Yemeni parties to agree a political solution through UN-facilitated peace talks to end the conflict. The UK is not a member of the Saudi Arabian-led Coalition and UK’s arms exports to Saudi Arabia are made under pre-existing and long-standing government to government arrangements. The UK Government takes its arms export responsibilities very seriously and operates one of the most robust arms export control regimes in the world. The Government is satisfied that extant licences for Saudi Arabia are compliant with the UK’s export licensing criteria.

  • Julie Elliott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Julie Elliott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julie Elliott on 2016-09-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what representations his Department has made to the Valuation Office Agency on the effect of planned business rate increases for solar power on the solar industry.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    Business rates are based on valuations from the Valuation Office Agency and we do not intervene in their independent assessments. We will look closely at the impacts of the forthcoming revaluation and consult on how to make sure the right support is in place for businesses to adjust to any changes.

  • John Healey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    John Healey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Healey on 2016-10-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to the oral evidence of the Minister of State for Local Government to the Communities and Local Government Committee on 14 September 2016, at Questions 84 to 87, HC635, whether he plans to publish an estimated cost of the draft Homelessness Reduction Bill before its Second Reading.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    One person without a home is one too many. This is why on Monday 24 October the Government announced its support for Mr Blackman’s Homelessness Reduction Bill.

    The Bill will significantly reform England’s homelessness legislation, ensuring that more people get the help they need to prevent a homelessness crisis in the first place.

    The Government will fund any additional costs in line with the longstanding ‘new burdens’ arrangements.

  • Baroness Jones of Whitchurch – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Baroness Jones of Whitchurch – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch on 2016-01-13.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have calculated the additional investment necessary to speed up the implementation of their clean air plan, and if so, where those figures will be published.

    Lord Gardiner of Kimble

    The air quality plan for reducing nitrogen dioxide emissions published on 17 December last year sets out the investment we have made to date to improve air quality and our future commitments. For example, we have committed over £2bn to greener transport measures since 2011 including, over the next five years, £600m to support the development and take up of ultra-low emission vehicles and £580m for a new access fund for sustainable travel.

    The plan confirms that we will be providing funding to help five Local Authorities in England outside London to implement clean air zones and support the implementation of additional measures where necessary. We will be discussing the details of this with the relevant Local Authorities. In London, the 2015 Spending Review and Autumn Statement set out the financial settlement for Transport for London which is supporting a number of measures in the capital as set out in the air quality plan.

  • Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-02-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to support young people who have been receiving palliative care and are transitioning from children’s to adults’ services.

    Ben Gummer

    The Department has provided grant funding to Together for Short Lives which is the membership organisation for children’s hospices to support the Transition Taskforce to provide guidance and training that supports good transitions locally between children’s and adult services for those with life-limiting conditions or needing palliative care.