Tag: 2016

  • Sue Hayman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Sue Hayman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sue Hayman on 2016-02-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether her Department plans to begin a procurement process for a technology to reuse plutonium stored at Sellafield before 2020.

    Andrea Leadsom

    Safely and securely managing plutonium remains a government priority. My Department is working across government, with the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) and industry to develop a solution.

    NDA submitted advice to support DECC in its considerations on the policy options for separated plutonium held in the UK, in December 2015. The report gives a view on the balance of attractiveness and risk of each reuse option (reuse as MOX and assessment of the credible alternatives PRISM and Candu); as well as immobilisation and continued storage. This, together with other sources of information and evidence, is informing DECC’s consideration of the options for the way forward.

    Only when Government is confident that an option could be implemented safely and securely, in way that is affordable, deliverable, and offers value for money, will it be in a position to proceed.

  • Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2016-02-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much of Public Health England’s social marketing budget for 2015-16 has been allocated to mental health.

    Jane Ellison

    Mental health and wellbeing is integrated into many Public Health England campaigns.

    In 2015-16 an estimated £380,000 has been allocated to the development and promotion of mental health content for 11-16 year olds via the Rise Above campaign.

    In addition, the Information Service for Parents (ISP) programme delivers information on mental and physical health topics to support parents and parents-to-be. There are a wide range of topics relating to mental health covered including ante-natal and post-natal depression, and the importance of seeking professional help to address mental health issues in both parents and young children. The annual cost of delivering the ISP is £250,000, but we cannot ascribe a precise value to mental health given the breadth of issues it covers.

  • Stuart C. McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Stuart C. McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stuart C. McDonald on 2016-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will estimate the number of people affected by the decision of 23 March 2016 of the Upper Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) in the case Qadir v Secretary of State; and what steps she plans to take to (a) notify those people affected and (b) support appeals of previous immigration decisions by those people affected.

    Mike Penning

    We are disappointed by the decision in Qadir and SM and, once we have the full determination, we will consider challenging it. Until we have the full determination, we cannot make an assessment of the number of persons affected.

  • Marie Rimmer – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Marie Rimmer – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Marie Rimmer on 2016-05-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the Government’s plans are for consultation on the top-up and tariffs system that is set to operate once business rates have become fully devolved.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    The retention of business rates locally is an important part of our plan to take power out of Whitehall and return it to local government. This means we will no longer be taking local business rates income into Whitehall for redistribution as grant. All locally collected business rates will stay with local government.

    We have already been clear that we will retain redistribution within the system. We recognise that we will need to redistribute to ensure councils don’t lose out merely because they currently collect less in rates.

    The Government is currently working with the Local Government Association, and engaging directly with local authorities, to develop the detail of this change. This includes developing the mechanics of redistribution. As previously announced, we will consult later this year and implement this important change to the local government finance system by the end of this Parliament.

  • Jonathan Edwards – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Leader of the House

    Jonathan Edwards – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Leader of the House

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Edwards on 2016-06-09.

    To ask the Leader of the House, what estimate he has made of the potential cost of providing simultaneous and written translation in Welsh Grand Committees for bilingual proceedings.

    Chris Grayling

    English is and should remain the language of this House. The Government has not made a detailed estimate of the cost of providing simultaneous and written translation in Welsh Grand Committees.

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2016-09-06.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they made of Saudi Arabia’s human rights record, and its role in Yemen, before announcing that the UK would continue to sell weapons to Saudi Arabia.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The UK Government takes its arms export responsibilities very seriously and operates one of the most robust arms export control regimes in the world. All export licence applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, taking account of all relevant factors at the time of the application.

    Risks around human rights violations are a key part of our assessment against the Consolidated Criteria. We do not export equipment where we assess there is a clear risk that it might be used for internal repression, or would provoke or prolong conflict within a country, or where we assess there is a clear risk that the intended recipient would use the items aggressively against another country. Export licensing requires us to consider how the equipment will be used by the end-user. This is done by reference to all currently available and relevant information at the time of application. A licence will not be issued, for any country, if to do so would be inconsistent with any provision of the mandatory Criteria, including where we assess there is a clear risk that it might be used in the commission of a serious violation of International Humanitarian Law.

  • Nigel Evans – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Nigel Evans – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Evans on 2016-10-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what plans her Department has to increase investment in decentralised renewable energy in developing countries.

    James Wharton

    The UK Government is playing a leading role in improving energy access in developing countries. DFID has a range of programmes which are working with developing countries to ensure renewable energy markets work effectively as well as supporting energy businesses to grow, and providing consumers with access to funding to buy solar goods. For example, our Energy Access Ventures programme is investing in off-grid electric and we are delivering green mini-grid solutions across Africa.

    Through the UK Government’s Energy Africa campaign we are working with solar firms to help them access the finance they need to expand their businesses, create jobs and help reach millions of people in Africa without electricity access

  • Phil Boswell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Phil Boswell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Phil Boswell on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 12 January 2016 to Question 20474, how much funding has been allocated to apprenticeships in the retail and commercial enterprise sector subject area since 2010.

    Nick Boles

    The table below shows estimated funding values for apprenticeships in the Retail and Commercial Enterprise sector subject areas between academic year 2009/10 and 2014/15.

    Figures for estimated funding come from the Individualised Learner Record and provide an indication of the level of government funding. They should not be treated as actual spend, since spending is not reported by sector subject area.

    Table 1: Estimated Funding for Apprenticeships in Retail and Commercial Enterprise, 2009/10 to 2014/15

    Academic Year

    Estimated Funding (£millions)

    2009/10

    179

    2010/11

    211

    2011/12

    230

    2012/13

    217

    2013/14

    212

    2014/15

    211

    Notes:

    1) Figures show estimated (notional) funding and should not be treated as actual spend.

    3) Figures do not include estimated (notional) funding for LEOP, EOP or apprenticeship standards, which is not available

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-02-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assistance the UK is providing to Taiwan since the recent earthquake in that country; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    Through The British Office in Taipei we have worked closely with the Taiwanese authorities to establish whether any British Nationals were affected by this tragic earthquake. The Taiwanese authorities have responded swiftly and effectively to the earthquake. Taiwan is not a recipient of UK aid, which is targeted at the poorest, and those least able to cope with such disasters.

    The Foreign Secretary and I have passed our thoughts and condolences to the people of Taiwan and all those affected.

  • Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many export extradition requests her Department received from Category 2 territories in each year since 2009-10; how many such requests she certified; how many of those requests were approved by district judges at extradition hearings; and in how many such cases she ordered extradition.

    James Brokenshire

    “Category 2 territories” refers to countries designated as extradition partners under Part 2 of the Extradition Act 2003. Not all the information requested is held centrally. The tables below set out the information which is centrally held by the Home Office.

    Figures for the numbers of people extradited or requests refused in a particular year may include those for whom a request was made in a previous year.

    Import extradition requests involving Category 2 territories

    Year

    Requests submitted to the Home Office for Category 2 territories

    Requests sent to Category 2 territories

    Number of people extradited to the UK

    2009

    35

    35

    26

    2010

    33

    33

    19

    2011

    49

    49

    22

    2012

    32

    32

    25

    2013

    23

    23

    26

    2014

    37

    37

    11

    2015

    45

    45

    26