Tag: 2016

  • Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-03-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 29 February 2016 to Question 27310, on how many occasions other than cases in which an objection was submitted the Schools Adjudicator has judged a school’s admission arrangements not to be compliant with the Schools Adjudicator’s Code in the last two years.

    Nick Gibb

    The Schools Adjudicator has the power, under Section 88H of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, to consider objections to a school’s determined admission arrangements. She also has the power, under Section 88I of the Act, to consider whether admission arrangements that come to her attention by other means comply with the School Admissions Code.

    Data on the number of cases considered by the Adjudicator and their outcome can be found on page 20 of the Chief Schools Adjudicator’s annual report for 2014/15. The report can be found here: www.gov.uk/government/publications/osa-annual-report.

    The Adjudicator does not publish data broken down in the way requested.

    “

  • Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-04-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much the Government has contributed to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees’ appeal for the Burundi humanitarian response in 2016; what steps she is taking to encourage international partners to contribute to that fund; and if she will make a statement.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    The UK is very concerned about the ongoing political and human rights crisis in Burundi, and the flow of refugees to neighbouring countries. DFID has contributed £21.15 million in Tanzania and Rwanda towards the UNHCR regional refugee response plan since April 2015 to support shelter, food, healthcare and livelihoods assistance for Burundian refugees. The 2016 Burundi Regional Refugee Response Plan was published in January and appeals for $313.8 million to support 330,000 refugees in Tanzania, Rwanda, DRC and Uganda. DFID is currently reviewing the 2016 allocation to this appeal and intends to release further funds in coming months. DFID is also supporting refugees in the DRC and Uganda through existing programmes and the provision of technical advice. DFID has deployed a humanitarian adviser to the region in support of the response and to monitor funding provided so far.

    DFID officials across the region are working closely with national and international counterparts – including UNHCR, the EU, World Bank, NGOs and other donors – to ensure that humanitarian needs in Burundi and the region are met. We are encouraging developmental donors in Burundi to re-programme funds quickly to maintain the basic functions of the state – such as health centres – and working with the international financial institutions (IFIs) to respond to the growing needs and develop programmes that support the resilience of existing systems.

    The Humanitarian Response Plan for Burundi was published in March 2016 and appeals for $62.3 million to support 1.1 million people. DFID is currently reviewing a potential contribution to the appeal, and is undertaking contingency planning should the situation deteriorate.

    DFID continues to monitor the situation closely with the FCO, and liaises regularly with interested and influential parties such as the Archbishop of Canterbury, in order to pressure the international community to act and focus attention on the crisis.

  • Tom Tugendhat – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Tom Tugendhat – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Tugendhat on 2016-05-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many of his Department’s properties and in which locations are classified as void.

    Penny Mordaunt

    The number and locations of properties classified as void as of 24 May 2016 are shown in the table below:

    County

    Voids

    ABERDEENSHIRE

    5

    ANGUS

    20

    ARGYLL AND BUTE

    237

    AVON

    42

    AYRSHIRE

    21

    BEDFORDSHIRE

    194

    BERKS

    276

    BUCKS

    183

    CAITHNESS

    1

    CAMBS

    373

    CHESHIRE

    50

    CLWYD

    1

    CORNWALL

    46

    *COUNTY ANTRIM

    647

    *COUNTY DOWN

    397

    COUNTY DURHAM

    16

    CUMBRIA

    14

    DEVON

    202

    DORSET

    151

    DUMBARTON

    4

    DUMFRIES

    3

    DURHAM

    8

    DYFED

    45

    EAST SUSSEX

    2

    EAST YORKSHIRE

    4

    EDINBURGH

    169

    ESSEX

    155

    FIFE

    221

    GLOUCESTERSHIRE

    88

    GWENT

    45

    GWYNEDD

    53

    **HANTS

    1074

    HEREFORDSHIRE

    8

    HERTS

    176

    INVERNESS-SHIRE

    58

    ISLE OF BENBECULA

    3

    KENT

    483

    LANCASHIRE

    86

    LEICESTERSHIRE

    162

    LINCOLNSHIRE

    294

    LONDON

    86

    MIDDLESEX

    163

    MIDLOTHIAN

    43

    MORAY

    121

    NORFOLK

    209

    NORTH LANARKSHIRE

    4

    NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE

    3

    NORTH YORKS

    522

    NORTHUMBERLAND

    67

    NOTTINGHAM

    58

    ORKNEY ISLANDS

    1

    OXON

    361

    OXON

    1

    PEMBROKE

    4

    PERTH

    3

    POWYS

    64

    RENFREWSHIRE

    26

    ROSS AND CROMARTY

    1

    SHETLAND ISLANDS

    1

    SHROPSHIRE

    223

    SOMERSET

    90

    SOUTH GLAMORGAN

    111

    SOUTH YORKS

    2

    ST ANDREWS

    3

    STAFFORDSHIRE

    83

    STIRLING

    1

    SUFFOLK

    281

    SURREY

    222

    SWINDON, WILTS

    19

    TYNE AND WEAR

    12

    WARWICKSHIRE

    69

    WEST MIDLANDS

    9

    WEST SUSSEX

    14

    WEST YORKS

    2

    ***WILTS

    1294

    YORKSHIRE

    29

    (blank)

    Total Voids

    10219

    Of these properties 4623 were vacant for more than 12 months.

    *The majority of void properties in Northern Ireland are awaiting demolition while 59 have been gifted to the NI Executive.

    **Void properties in Hants have been retained due to short term Ministry of Defence requirements and plans have been made to release many of these for disposal.

    ***In the Wiltshire region a number of properties remain void to accommodate Army personnel returning to the area from Germany as a result of the Army Basing Programme.

  • Helen Goodman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Trade

    Helen Goodman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Trade

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2016-07-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what representations he has received from non-governmental organisations on the reported use of arms sold by Britain to Saudi Arabia in Yemen.

    Mark Garnier

    There have been no representations from non-governmental organisations on the reported use of arms sold by Britain to Saudi Arabia in Yemen.

  • Paul Flynn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    Paul Flynn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how much Welsh steel will be used in the construction of the Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant.

    Alun Cairns

    The UK Government does not hold the specific figures requested. The decision to proceed with the first new nuclear power station for a generation will provide a huge boost to the regional economy including South Wales. Construction at the Hinkley site will provide 26,000 jobs and apprenticeships, and 64% of the project’s costs will be spent in the UK.

    Welsh companies are already taking advantage of the opportunities this project presents, for example, Express Reinforcements in South Wales was given preferred bidder status for a £100m contract to supply 200,000 tonnes of reinforcing steel for the project.

    I would encourage businesses in Wales to register with EDF in order to take advantage of upcoming supply chain opportunities.

  • Mark Pritchard – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Mark Pritchard – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Pritchard on 2016-01-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to improve telecoms connectivity onboard Eurostar trains travelling in tunnels in England.

    Claire Perry

    Neither the Secretary of State, nor HS1 Ltd, which operates the HS1 network on a 30 year government-let concession basis is able to oblige Eurostar to provide wi-fi on its services. This would be a commercial decision for the train operating company concerned.

    HS1 Ltd already provides free wi-fi at St Pancras, Stratford and Ebbsfleet International stations.

    HS1 Ltd has also entered into exploratory conversations with a telecoms supplier to provide a 4G service at all HS1 stations and along the HS1 route, including the tunnels and open route areas. The exploratory work will assess the proposed financing of additional infrastructure required with a decision expected later this year. The Secretary of State has no part to play in this decision-making process.

  • Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2016-01-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress has been made by the College of Policing in its review of the operation of Police Information Notices.

    Mike Penning

    The College of Policing has completed its review of Police Information Notices and has consulted with key partners.

    The College Of Policing has produced draft guidance and this will be included in the Authorised Professional Practice on Stalking and Harassment due to be published in the Spring.

  • Fiona Bruce – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Fiona Bruce – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Bruce on 2016-02-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the Answer of 5 January 2015 to Question 219046, what response his Department has received from Democratic People’s Republic of Korea authorities; and whether progress has been made on improving North Korean women’s rights in China.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    We continue to urge the DPRK authorities, through both our Embassy in Pyongyang and the DPRK Embassy in London, to respond in detail to the contents of the Commission of Inquiry report, including the violence and exploitation of women that it documents. The DPRK continues to reject the Commission’s findings and will not engage on the detail of the Commission’s report.

    Women trafficked out of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) are among the most vulnerable of those who flee the country. We call on the DPRK to improve its appalling human rights record and create better conditions for its women. We regularly discuss our concerns about the DPRK with China, as I did with the Vice-Minister of the Chinese Communist Party, Chen Fengxiang, in December 2015. We will seek to include this issue in the next UK-China Human Rights Dialogue due to be held in April. We also work directly with the Chinese authorities on a number of projects to counter human trafficking, which seek to protect the most vulnerable from exploitation, abuse, neglect and violence.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-03-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made an assessment of the implications for the UK of the introduction of citizenship by investment schemes by EU member states; and what steps she has taken to increase transparency in that area.

    James Brokenshire

    I refer my hon. Friend to the answers I gave on 9 March to Question 29833 from the hon. Member for Hammersmith (Andy Slaughter) and to Question 29873 from the hon. Member for Rochester and Strood (Kelly Tolhurst).

  • Stewart Malcolm McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Stewart Malcolm McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stewart Malcolm McDonald on 2016-04-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will seek assurances from Volkswagen that software and technical fixes made in response to problems with emissions testing will not change engine output, fuel consumption and performance data.

    Andrew Jones

    The UK’s Vehicle Certification Agency issued the type approval for some Volkswagen Group vehicles. For these the agency is working with the manufacturer to review and approve the proposed fixes. They are carrying out tests to ensure that after the fix is applied the vehicles meet all the legal requirements including emissions, and that other vehicle characteristics are unchanged, including power output, fuel consumption and engine noise.