The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachel Reeves on 2016-04-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of introducing an adoption allowance for self-employed adopters.
Priti Patel
The Government is looking at what more could be done to support the self-employed, but do not have plans to introduce an adoption allowance for self-employed adopters.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karl McCartney on 2016-06-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what change there was in the amount the EU Commission proposed to make available in structural funds to Cornwall for the period 2014-2020 and the period 2007-2013; and what steps his Department took to limit such changes.
James Wharton
On 17 April 2014, the former Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the Rt Hon Vince Cable MP, set out the methodology for how the UK’s Structural Funds were to be allocated in his letter ‘European Regional Development Fund and European Social Fund: UK allocations 2014 to 2020’.
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sarah Wollaston on 2016-09-05.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many fully-qualified coastguard staff were on (a) daytime and (b) nighttime duty at Falmouth Coastguard operations centre on (a) 2 May and (b) 9 July 2015.
Mr John Hayes
The number of fully qualified Coastguard staff on duty at Falmouth, within Her Majesty’s Coastguard’s national network, was as follows:
(a) 2 May 2015
(a) Day Watch – 4 (Total staffing for the national network – 25)
(b) Night Watch – 2 (Total staffing for the national network – 19)
(b) 9 July 2015
(a) Day Watch – 2 (Total staffing for the national network – 37)
(b) Night Watch – 3 (Total staffing for the national network – 25)
The operational concepts and procedures that underpin HM Coastguard’s national network mean that the Coastguard Centres within it no longer have fixed geographic boundaries. This enables Coastguards at either the National Maritime Operations Centre (NMOC) or any of the 9 Coastguard Operations Centres (CGOC) to coordinate any incident anywhere around the UK coast irrespective of their location. As a result workload is now managed on a national basis rather than Centre by Centre as was previously the case. National capability and Coastguard staff from any Centre are now available to provide additional support to any individual Centre within the network when it is considered necessary by senior operational managers.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark on 2016-10-13.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to encourage local government, where possible, to use biodiesel made from waste food products.
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation has supported a strong market for sustainable biodiesel made from wastes through double rewards, and benefits all economic players with an interest in encouraging the use of sustainable biodiesel.
In addition buses that run on biodiesel are eligible for the Bus Service Operators Grant. Operators receive 34.57pence per litre of biodiesel used on their bus routes.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2016-01-06.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, when she plans to publish a response to the consultation carried out by her Department between July and September 2014 into energy issues affecting park homes including energy supply and use of the application of energy efficiency measures.
Andrea Leadsom
The Department issued a call for evidence, rather than a formal consultation, in 2014 and there was no plan to publish a formal response. We welcomed the evidence submitted which confirmed information already available.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Doughty on 2016-02-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when he last discussed import duties on steel reinforcing bars with the European Commission.
Anna Soubry
My Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills last discussed the European Commission’s anti-dumping investigation into steel reinforcing bars with Trade Commissioner Malmstrom on 20 January.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2016-02-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 1 February 2016 to Question 24278, how much has been set aside within his Department’s budget to cover potential costs associated with the decommissioning and disposal of HMS Ocean.
Mr Philip Dunne
Much of the work to decommission Royal Navy ships is undertaken using contracts that provide support services for all ships conducting Fleet activities at HM Naval Base, Portsmouth. Costs are not attributed to individual vessels.
Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) will be responsible for the removal of classified equipment and known hazardous materials from HMS OCEAN after the ship has been decommissioned. The DE&S financial plan will include a provision for this work but a figure has yet to be approved.
The Disposal Services Authority (DSA), part of DE&S, disposes of defence equipment that is surplus to requirement. DSA costs are not attributed to individual platforms and information is not held in the format requested.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Blenkinsop on 2016-04-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support his Department make available to people whose mandatory reconsideration and appeal takes longer than seven weeks to resolve.
Priti Patel
Claimants who are found fit for work through the Work Capability Assessment and wish to appeal may be entitled to claim either Universal Credit, Income Support or Jobseeker’s Allowance during the reconsideration period. Jobcentre Plus Work Coaches work with all such claimants to tailor a package of support commensurate with their individual needs.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2016-04-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what discussions he has had with the (a) Law Society and (b) other representatives of the legal profession on the issuing of seven day notices of legal proceedings at the same time as invoices for payment to consumers.
Mr Shailesh Vara
Ministers at the Ministry of Justice have had no such discussions with the Law Society or other representatives of the legal profession on this issue.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Arkless on 2016-06-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assistance the Government plans to provide to broadband suppliers to meet the terms of the Universal Services Obligation.
Mr Edward Vaizey
Universal Service Providers responsible for delivering the broadband Universal Service Obligation (USO) will be designated by Ofcom following changes to primary and secondary legislation. No decision has been taken yet on funding the USO’s delivery .