Tag: 2016

  • Rob Marris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Rob Marris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rob Marris on 2016-02-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, which British Overseas Territories will be included within the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement.

    Anna Soubry

    Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) made between the EU and other countries do not automatically apply to Overseas Territories. However, the UK does work to ensure that the impact of FTAs on Overseas Territories is assessed and taken into account during negotiations.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Mawson on 2016-03-16.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what practical role they have played in the Clean for the Queen initiative.

    Lord Gardiner of Kimble

    The Clean for the Queen campaign, organised by Country Life and Keep Britain Tidy, was the biggest community-led clean-up the country has ever seen. Keep Britain Tidy distributed 200,000 bags to collect litter; more than 1,500 Costa, McDonald’s, Greggs and KFC stores took part; events were held as far north as Isle of Lewis and as far south as Jersey and Guernsey; and more than 100,000 volunteers took part. We hope the campaign will help lead to a lasting legacy of a cleaner, tidier Britain.

    Defra supported the initiative with a grant of £9,500 towards providing resource packs to help support and encourage schools to participate in the campaign, and to support monitoring and evaluation of the impacts and effectiveness of the campaign. The Department for Communities and Local Government also spent £5,000 on promoting the initiative through Facebook. Having ownership of social media ensured the Department was able to engage with the public effectively, and be proactive and responsive when necessary in its social communications.

    In the lead-up to the initiative, Ministers from Defra and the Department for Communities and Local Government wrote to every Member of Parliament with an English constituency and every English unitary and district local authority, to encourage their participation and leadership in this worthwhile campaign.

    Ministers from both Departments took part in litter pick events in London and Nuneaton. Staff from both Departments also took part in a joint litter pick in Westminster.

  • Nia Griffith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    Nia Griffith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Wales Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nia Griffith on 2016-04-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, when he plans to publish the draft Wales Bill.

    Alun Cairns

    On 29 February, my predecessor announced the Government’s intention to introduce the Wales Bill early in the second session.

  • Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-05-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many UK nationals has been on the staff of the European Court of Justice in each year since 2010.

    Mr David Lidington

    The European Court of Justice (ECJ) does not publish figures relating to the nationality of its staff. According to our own internal records, there were 67 UK nationals on the staff of the ECJ in 2013. We do not hold records for the other years.

  • Mary Glindon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Mary Glindon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mary Glindon on 2016-07-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans he has to monitor the (a) provision and (b) price of starter homes under the Housing and Planning Act 2016.

    Gavin Barwell

    My Department publishes annual statistics on total Affordable Housing Supply, including breakdowns by local authority and type of housing provided (social rent, affordable rent and intermediate housing). We also publish a combined Greater London Authority/ Homes and Communities Agency funded Affordable Housing figure on a six-monthly basis. My Department plans to publish a breakdown of starter homes alongside existing housing types from early 2017.

    We have also included provisions in the Housing and Planning Act 2016 for local planning authorities to report on starter homes delivery in their area and make this publicly available. This could be combined with their existing requirement to report on delivery of affordable housing through their Authority Monitoring Report. We have consulted on proposals, which will be put in place through regulations.

  • Helen Goodman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union

    Helen Goodman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2016-10-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, whether it is his policy to apply to join the EEA (a) before or (b) after the UK leaves the EU.

    Mr Robin Walker

    We have been clear that we will pursue a solution that works for the unique circumstances of the UK. Ministers are considering the UK’s future customs and trading relations with the EU and work continues to analyse the options to ensure we have the best possible outcome for the UK.

  • Angus Brendan MacNeil – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Angus Brendan MacNeil – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Brendan MacNeil on 2015-12-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether her Department intends to expand the range of technologies available under the Renewable Heat Incentive as part of its process of reviewing the scheme.

    Andrea Leadsom

    We intend to reform the RHI to improve value for money and reduce costs; improve cost control and budget management; and explore the best way to support less able to pay households. Ofgem will continue to run the RHI under the current rules, while we consider the reform of the scheme. Officials have begun discussions with stakeholders, and we plan to consult on the changes early in 2016.

  • Ruth Smeeth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Ruth Smeeth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ruth Smeeth on 2016-01-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what discussions he has had with representatives of the UK ceramics industry on the effect of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme.

    Anna Soubry

    I can confirm that I met on 3 February 2016 the British Ceramics Confederation. BIS officials are also in regular contact with the sector on all energy and environment matters.

  • Rachel Reeves – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Rachel Reeves – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachel Reeves on 2016-02-19.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many migrants residing in the UK claim benefits on behalf of children living abroad; and what the value is of such claims by country of residence of the child.

    Damian Hinds

    The information is not available in the form requested.

    The Government’s new settlement means that EU nationals whose children live abroad will ultimately receive Child Benefit at a rate that reflects the conditions – including the standard of living and child benefit paid – of the country where their child lives. This will restore fairness to the system. Meanwhile, Child Tax Credit is being phased out, and we do not have to pay the new Universal Credit for children living in other countries. That means as Universal Credit is fully rolled out, the only benefit we will pay for children living in other Member States will be the indexed rate of Child Benefit.

  • Lord Smith of Leigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Smith of Leigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Smith of Leigh on 2016-03-16.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government when all schools become academies, how they will ensure that the Department for Education has the capacity to respond quickly and positively to catastrophic events, such as the recent floods in Cumbria.

    Lord Nash

    We expect all schools, including academies, to have emergency management plans in place, drawn up in conjunction with their local authority, to deal with crises such as the recent floods. This is reinforced by the Department’s White Paper ‘Educational Excellence Everywhere’, published by the Secretary of State on 17 March 2016 that states that local authorities will continue to take a lead in crisis management and emergency planning for all schools in their area. Further details of the future role of local authorities will be announced in due course.