Tag: 2016

  • Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-01-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment his Department has made of the extent and effectiveness of wifi and telephone signal coverage on the Midland Mainline route.

    Claire Perry

    On all Department for Transport-controlled rail franchises, in England and Wales, free Wi-Fi is being introduced. All train operators bidding for new franchises and direct award agreements will have to present a phased implementation plan for free Wi-Fi. Currently c30% of train carriages operating within the DfT controlled franchises and serving c50% of rail passenger journeys have Wi-Fi available. We have committed that 90% of passenger journeys will benefit from free Wi-Fi by the end of 2018.

    East Midlands Trains is upgrading its Wi-Fi services, on approximately 70% of their trains, to deliver at least 15 minutes free wi-fi to passengers travelling in standard class by Autumn 2016.

    Reliability and availability of mobile broadband and telephone services on trains can be an issue, partly due to physical barriers to radio signals reaching the railway track, include railway cuttings and tunnels and due to signal weakening, called attenuation, caused by train carriage walls and windows.

    On-train Wi-Fi addresses some of the reliability issues as will the ongoing roll-out of the 4G networks by mobile network operators. However we recognise that there is more to do that will require enhancements to trackside infrastructure. That’s why we are working with the rail and telecommunications industries to reach a shared understanding of the technical and commercial challenges, and seek out potential solutions.

    Our current assessment forecasts that between 68% and 85% of the UK rail network will have 4G mobile network coverage by the end of 2017. There is no separate assessment of the Midlands Mainline route.

  • Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2016-02-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what mechanisms (a) are available and (b) will be available from 2016-17 for applicants for disabled students’ allowance (DSA) who wish to appeal against an assessment by an independent needs assessor; how many students have appealed against such a DSA assessment in each year since 2009-10; and how many of those appeals have been found in favour of the appellant in each of those years.

    Joseph Johnson

    All disabled higher education students who are eligible for Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSAs) are referred to an independent assessment centre so as to identify the type and level of support they require.

    A DSAs Needs Assessment Report, which sets out any recommendations for support, is agreed between the independent needs assessor and the student. The assessment report is not a decision about the type and amount of support to be provided.

    The assessment report is submitted to Student Finance England (SFE), who makes a decision about the type and amount of support they will fund.

    Student Finance England has an established appeals process which students can use if they do not agree with the final decision made by Student Finance England in relation to any aspect of their support.

    SFE appeals information is categorised by appeal issue type rather than by student support product type. Therefore information on appeals that specifically relate to DSAs is not produced.

  • Kelvin Hopkins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Kelvin Hopkins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kelvin Hopkins on 2016-03-16.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the exposure to derivatives is of each bank holding a deposit-taking licence.

    Harriett Baldwin

    The Financial Policy Committee of the Bank of England publishes the growth in the notional value of derivatives (see link below).

    http://www.bankofengland.co.uk/publications/Documents/fsr/2015/scrdec15.xlsx

    This indicates that notional derivatives growth was -25.9% as of 20 November 2015.

    The Financial Policy’s Committee’s indicator includes all major UK banks.

    Individual bank derivatives exposures may also be found in their published annual reports.

    “

  • Helen Goodman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Helen Goodman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2016-04-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department takes to ensure claims for diplomatic immunity are authentic.

    James Duddridge

    Under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 1961 the sending State must make certain that the agrément of the receiving State has been given for the person it proposes to accredit as its head of mission (Article 4). The UK also requires sending States to submit the names of military, naval and air attaches for approval (Article 7). Diplomatic missions are further required to notify the receiving State of the arrival of all members of the mission and their accompanying family members (Article 10). If a foreign national resident in the UK claimed diplomatic status, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) would check whether the person’s name was on its database of foreign diplomats and their families, as notified to the FCO by the sending State. As necessary, the FCO would also seek confirmation from the relevant diplomatic mission.

  • Baroness Lister of Burtersett – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Baroness Lister of Burtersett – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Lister of Burtersett on 2016-05-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, in response to the British Red Cross campaign Torn Apart, they will extend the scope of refugee family reunion rules to include young people over 18 years of age who are living with their parents when they were forced to flee.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    There are no plans to extend the family reunion criteria. The current policy meets our international obligations and strikes the right balance. Where family members cannot meet the requirements of the Immigration Rules, such as in the case of an 18 year old applying to join their refugee parents in the UK, we consider whether there are exceptional circumstances or compassionate reasons to justify granting entry clearance outside the Rules.

  • Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-07-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 13 June 2016 to Question 39643, what plans the Government has to discuss the EU Nature Directive as part of the negotiations on the UK leaving the EU; what the EU Nature Directive’s status will be during those negotiations; and whether her Department plans to retain the implemented measures that relate to the EU Nature Directive after the UK’s negotiated exit from the EU.

    Dr Thérèse Coffey

    Whilst we are still a part of the EU, the EU framework for our environment remains in place. Defra will continue to ensure the right policies are in place for a cleaner, healthier environment for everyone.

    The Government is considering the impacts of the decision to leave the EU, including future arrangements for existing legislation. We have a manifesto commitment to produce a 25 Year Plan for the Environment.

    We all now have an opportunity to consider our long-term vision for the environment following the referendum vote.

  • Alison Thewliss – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Alison Thewliss – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alison Thewliss on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what arrangements he plans to put in place for milk bank sharing between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland when the UK leaves the EU.

    Kris Hopkins

    The issue of milk bank sharing is a devolved matter and as such falls to the Department of Health in Northern Ireland. However, the UK Government’s focus remains on making a success of exiting the European Union and getting the right deal both for Northern Ireland and the UK as a whole.

  • Andrew Stephenson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Andrew Stephenson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Stephenson on 2016-01-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to support the NHS recruit, retain and help the professional development of consultants specialising in (a) rare and (b) ultra-rare diseases.

    George Freeman

    The Government published the UK Strategy for Rare Diseases in November 2013. The strategy is a high-level framework which sets out a strategic vision for improving the lives of all those affected by rare diseases. The strategy includes specific commitments regarding the education and training of the National Health Service workforce in the context of genomics and rare diseases.

    Health Education England (HEE) was established to deliver a better healthcare workforce for England and for ensuring a secure workforce supply for the future. In addition, the HEE Genomics Education Programme was established in 2014 and is intended to build capacity and capability in response to the genomic medicine revolution. The programme includes rare diseases within its scope and will support the professional development of both new and existing members of the NHS workforce.

    HEE has also published a suite of awareness raising videos to inform healthcare workers and the public about rare diseases. One video is aimed at general practitioners and highlights the importance of considering the possibility that their patient may have a rare condition.

  • Peter Kyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Peter Kyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2016-01-25.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on micro-businesses of changes included in the Finance Bill in relation to dividend taxation.

    Mr David Gauke

    At Summer Budget 2015, the Chancellor announced that the dividend tax credit will be replaced by a new £5,000 tax-free dividend allowance from April 2016, and that dividend tax rates would be amended from the same date.

    A tax information and impact note setting out expected impacts was published on 9 December. This is available to view at the following address: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/income-tax-changes-to-dividend-taxation/income-tax-changes-to-dividend-taxation.

    “

  • Adam Afriyie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Adam Afriyie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Adam Afriyie on 2016-02-22.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what revenue was received by the Exchequer from the total amount of food imported by the UK from other member states of the EU in the last 10 years.

    Mr David Gauke

    This level of detail is not collected on VAT or any other tax return.