Tag: 2016

Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-04-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of progress on the NATO Readiness Action Plan.

Mr Julian Brazier

The Readiness Action Plan (RAP), agreed at the NATO Summit in Wales in September 2014, is progressing well and it will deliver enhanced NATO Response Forces, including the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF), by the time of the NATO Summit in Warsaw in July 2016. The UK has played a leading role in the implementation of the RAP: we have committed to spending 2% of GDP on Defence, and 20% of that on new equipment; we will lead a capable and credible VJTF (Land) Brigade in 2017; we have increased our commitment to NATO’s Standing Naval Forces this year; and will continue to provide Airborne Early Warning, Air to Air Refuelling, Tornado and Typhoon aircraft to the VJTF (Air).

Considerable work on survivability, sustainability and readiness of NATO forces has been undertaken. The RAP includes a commitment to generate an enhanced NATO Response Force (eNRF) including a VJTF. To enhance survivability, the eNRF has been designed from the outset as a Joint, Multi-National force with an appropriate quantity and balance of forces needed to effectively conduct the full range of potential operations. Integral logistic structures, which include the newly created Multi-National Corps Headquarters in Poland and a Multi-National Division Headquarters in Romania, ensure the sustainability of the enhanced NRF and VJTF. Enhanced NRF forces are designed to meet the readiness timelines that are laid down in NATO’s strategic planning documents, including the Alliance’s Graduated Response Plans.

Considerable work on Interoperability has also been undertaken since the end of combat operations in Afghanistan at the end of 2014. This has built upon NATO’s Connected Forces Initiative to ensure that NATO’s Multi-National forces force are able to continue to operate together effectively beyond the end of combat operations in Afghanistan. For our lead of the VJTF (Land) in 2017, the British Army will operate alongside the armed forces from 13 contributing nations.

January 1, 2023
Helen Goodman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2016-05-18.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether HM Revenue and Customs is in discussions with Tanzania about a tax treaty between the UK and Tanzania.

Mr David Gauke

The UK is not currently involved in active treaty discussions with Tanzania.

Discussions with Malawi over a new tax treaty began some years ago, and substantive agreement has been reached at official level. The Government of Malawi have stated that they hope to be in a position to sign the new treaty in the near future.

The UK has negotiated a treaty with Lesotho and are currently seeking to arrange signature.

The UK is currently involved in negotiations with Ghana in agreeing a new tax treaty.

Nepal has approached the UK to begin negotiation of a tax treaty. We are seeking suitable dates for discussions.

January 1, 2023
Keith Vaz – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Keith Vaz on 2016-06-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to bring forward proposals for a change to legislation to further regulate the pricing of everyday drugs to the NHS by pharmaceutical companies.

George Freeman

The Department is already referring cases to the Competition and Market Authority (CMA) and to strengthen our work in this area. We are considering putting measures in place to routinely and systematically monitor significant price increases of generic medicines and take action where appropriate, including the possible referral of suspected excessive pricing to the CMA, while taking into account the potential impact of any such action on the availability of medicines.

January 1, 2023
Richard Graham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Graham on 2016-09-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when the next application round for university technical colleges will open.

Robert Halfon

Each University Technical College (UTC) application round opens with the publication of the ‘University Technical Colleges How to Apply Guide’, which sets out the application window for each round. The next How to Apply Guide will be published in due course.

January 1, 2023
Lord Patten – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Patten on 2016-01-20.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the recent deaths of Kurdish men and youths in Van and other parts of south-east Turkey since 1 January; and whether they have made representations to the government of Turkey about that matter.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

The ongoing violence in the predominantly Kurdish areas of south east Turkey, including Van, is extremely concerning. The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) continues to kill members of the Turkish police service and security forces in violent terrorist attacks. We believe Turkey has a legitimate right to defend itself against the PKK, whose attacks we condemn as we condemn all terrorism. Our thoughts are with the victims of these attacks, and the civilians who have been caught up in the violence. We have been clear, in public and private, that PKK violence must end and we support a return to the peace process, in the interests of Turkey and the region. We stand ready to help in any way we can. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), and our Ambassador to Turkey have emphasised the need to respect human rights and the importance of avoiding civilian casualties to the Government of Turkey.

January 1, 2023

David Hanson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Hanson on 2016-02-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average hourly earnings of (a) female, (b) male, (c) full-time and (d) part-time employees of his Department were in each of the last five years.

Jane Ellison

The following table shows the average hourly rates of pay for all Civil Servants in the Department by gender and by working pattern for the last five years. The average hourly rate calculation uses net hours for both full-time and part-time staff.

	March 2012	March 2013	March 2014	March 2015	January 2016
Female	£22.34	£22.23	£22.23	£22.45	£22.48
Male	£25.37	£25.41	£21.69	£24.40	£24.56
Part-time	£22.95	£22.64	£23.60	£24.08	£23.95
Full-time	£23.74	£23.75	£23.12	£23.11	£23.21

January 1, 2023

Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2016-03-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to discuss e-cigarettes and other reduced harm smoking products with tobacco companies.

Jane Ellison

Supporting smokers to quit successfully is an important part of reducing the prevalence of smoking in England today. We know that a large number of smokers have and continue to use nicotine delivery devices to support their quit attempts.

We will consult a range of stakeholders to consider how the use of these products fits with overall tobacco policy as we start to develop the new tobacco control plan.

January 1, 2023
Alex Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-04-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what account she took of her Department’s Industrial Decarbonisation Roadmap for the cement industry in bringing forward proposals with France for tiering under the next phase of the EU Emissions Trading System.

Andrea Leadsom

The Government supports the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) as a market-based approach to achieve least-cost decarbonisation and maintain a level playing field across the EU. A tiered approach to free allocation of EU ETS allowances targets the available allowances to the sectors that need them most and provides greater certainty for sectors about their allocation, reducing risk and boosting investor confidence. In determining the impact of different tiered scenarios, the Government took account of the decarbonisation roadmap, which considered the wider policy context and technological barriers to decarbonisation and innovation. The proposed tiering scenarios are indicative and do not represent a confirmed Government position.

January 1, 2023
Craig Williams – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Williams on 2016-05-18.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Government’s review of Atos contracts will affect the preparations for the launch of tax-free childcare.

Damian Hinds

We do not anticipate that the review of Atos contracts will affect the preparations for the launch of Tax-Free Childcare. The Cabinet Office will write to the PAC summarising the findings of the review and it will be completed in summer 2016.

January 1, 2023
Chris Law – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Law on 2016-06-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her Department’s practice is for the number of security guards per detainee aboard mass deportation charter flights.

James Brokenshire

Prior to each charter a risk assessment is undertaken for each detainee. This assessment will take into consideration many factors including history of non-compliance and medical issues. This information will be shared with the Home Office’s overseas escort provider, Tascor, who will make a decision on the necessary detainee to escort ratio.

January 1, 2023