Tag: 2016

  • Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb on 2016-10-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking towards adopting the recommendation of the Joint World Heritage/ICOMOS Advisory Committee on Stonehenge that the asset life design of the A303 widening scheme should incorporate asset resilience and future proofing in design”.”

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The Government has proactively sought the views of the Joint World Heritage/ the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) Advisory Committee and welcomes its recommendations.

    Highways England are supported by Historic England to consider the asset resilience and future proofing for their proposals for this section of the A303. This will be presented at a public consultation on proposed route options in 2017.

  • Lord Browne of Belmont – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Browne of Belmont – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Browne of Belmont on 2016-01-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what safety and background checks are carried out on people renewing taxi driver licences or applying for new taxi driver licences in the UK.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The Government is responsible for setting the regulatory structure within which local licensing authorities in England and Wales license taxi drivers. Regulation of taxi drivers in Scotland and Northern Ireland is devolved to the Scottish Government and Northern Irish Assembly respectively.

    Local licensing authorities in England and Wales have a duty to ensure that any person to whom they grant a taxi driver’s licence is a fit and proper person to hold such a licence.

    Although the term ‘fit and proper’ is not defined in legislation, the procedure for assessing a driver’s fitness will typically involve a criminal record check, a medical check, a local topographical knowledge test and possibly a special driving test. The inclusion of any or all of these elements and the stringency thereof is a matter for the licensing authority. However, the Department for Transport publishes Best Practice Guidance to assist licensing authorities when setting standards.

  • Baroness Gould of Potternewton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Baroness Gould of Potternewton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Gould of Potternewton on 2016-02-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any plans to repeal the provisions contained within the Vagrancy Act 1824, which allow for homeless people to be arrested for begging.

    Lord Bates

    We have no plans to repeal the Vagrancy Act 1824.

  • Lord Berkeley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Lord Berkeley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Berkeley on 2016-03-07.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the spoil from Crossrail tunnelling deposited at Wallasea Island was authorised under a landfill or recovery permit or licence and whether the same designation will apply to spoil deposited from the Thames Tideway Tunnel excavations.

    Lord Gardiner of Kimble

    The site at Wallasea Island received the Crossrail tunnel excavated material under a deposit for recovery permit.

    Tideway, the Infrastructure Provider set up to finance, build, maintain and operate the Thames Tideway Tunnel, is assessing several sites that were identified as part of the information submitted for the Development Consent Order consent to receive the tunnel excavated material. In order to meet its commitment to transport by river Tideway is focussing on sites in the Thames Estuary. The type of permit these sites require is being assessed in line with current statutory guidance. A number of applications have been made and are being determined by the Environment Agency.

  • Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-04-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate he has made of growth of the digital economy in the last five years; and what assessment he has made of its contribution to GDP.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    Growth in the Digital Sector (measured by GVA) between 2009 and 2014 was 26.3% (in comparison to a 20% growth of the UK Economy as a whole). According to DCMS research, the digital sector accounted for 6.9% Gross Value Added in 2010, and 7.3% in 2014.

  • Frank Field – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Frank Field – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he plans to reply to the letter of 15 March 2016 on wage insurance from the hon. Member for Birkenhead.

    Justin Tomlinson

    My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Stephen Crabb) has replied to the Rt. Hon. Member today.

  • Baroness Thomas of Winchester – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Baroness Thomas of Winchester – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Thomas of Winchester on 2016-07-07.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether local authorities will be able to bid for resources from the Department for Transport’s Access Fund for Sustainable Travel to support or develop Wheels 2 Work schemes within their areas.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The Department for Transport welcomes applications to the Access Fund from local transport authorities in England (except London) that support or develop Wheels 2 Work schemes in their area which increase cycling and improve access to work, skills, education or training.

  • Baroness Randerson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Baroness Randerson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Randerson on 2016-10-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the reasons for the fall in revenue from Vehicle Excise Duty since October 2014.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) annual audited accounts showed that £5.9 billion was collected in vehicle excise duty (VED) during 2015-16. The amount of VED collected varies year on year and this was a reduction of £93 million, a decrease of around 1.5% from the previous year. This figure compares favourably with the Office of Budget Responsibility’s forecast that VED revenue would fall by up to £300 million during 2015-16.

    The decrease in revenue for the last financial year is principally attributable to the ever increasing number of fuel-efficient cars on the road which attract a lower rate of duty, as well as a small increase in evasion.

    In addition, in the 2015-16 annual accounts, the Comptroller and Auditor General noted that the decline in cash receipts had been significantly influenced by the short term effect of giving motorists the option to spread VED payments over longer periods through the introduction of Direct Debit.

  • Lord Kilclooney – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Lord Kilclooney – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Kilclooney on 2016-01-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the value of imports from the EU in the most recent year for which figures are available; and what percentage of that amount is represented by imports from the Republic of Ireland.

    Lord Maude of Horsham

    The value of UK imports of goods and services from the EU28 was £290.6 billion in 2014. Imports from the Republic of Ireland amounted to £17.1 billion, or 5.9% of total UK imports from the EU28 (Source: ONS Pink Book 2015).

  • Lord Rooker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Lord Rooker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Rooker on 2016-02-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the consultation promised by the Prime Minister in his speech of 28 July 2015 at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy in Singapore regarding property ownership and extending what we currently ask of UK companies to foreign companies” will commence.”

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    I refer the hon. Member to my recent answer (HL5950) to him on the same issue, to which I have nothing further to add.