Tag: 2016

  • Christian Matheson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Christian Matheson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christian Matheson on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the average cost per mile of electrification of a railway line in the UK.

    Claire Perry

    The Department for Transport does not delineate the average cost per mile of electrification from the wider rail upgrade works that it funds in England and Wales. The Government’s commitment to a rolling programme of electrification is reliant on a wider set of enhancement works to make journeys better. This often includes track works, gauging, signalling upgrades, power supply works and station works to allow electric trains to run. The Department does not make an estimate of the average cost per mile of electrification as the engineering complexity and challenge varies significantly across England and Wales. Electrification works in Scotland are devolved to the Scottish Government.

    However, we are aware of the significant cost to the industry and the wider public of the failure of the Labour Governments of 1997 to 2010 to progress electrification schemes across the country. This Government is determined to rectify this failure.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the House of Commons Commission

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the House of Commons Commission

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-04-26.

    To ask the Rt. hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington representing the House of Commons Commission, what assessment the Commission has made of the effectiveness of the Education Service in engaging the attention of children during their visits to Parliament.

    Tom Brake

    The Commission has not made a formal assessment of the effectiveness of the Education Service in engaging the attention of children during their visits to Parliament. However, it receives regular updates on the work and reach of the service, and has supported the substantial growth in this area in recent years.

    The Education Service uses a number of techniques to engage students’ attention during visits including story-telling, question and answer, images, audio-visual clips, debating, quizzes and roleplay.

    Visits also make use of interactive and immersive technology as a means to enhance learning. The Education Centre’s Discovery space uses 360° projection and sound technology to immerse students in virtual chambers, historical events and The Story of Parliament, whilst three of the Centre’s learning spaces are equipped with augmented reality experiences, which see Winston Churchill, the Yeoman Usher, Charles I and Queen Victoria ‘come to life’ in virtual environments.

    Voting pods and tablets are used regularly in sessions, and the centre also contains a 3D printer, for printing objects students cannot normally handle or get close to; this is proving particularly effective for tactile learning and Special Educational Needs (SEN) groups. Tablets are also used on the line of route as part of the ‘Adventurer’s Tour’ programme, where KS2 students are tasked with a mission to save democracy.

  • Tom Watson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Tom Watson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-06-07.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many members of staff will be recruited to form the Anti-corruption Innovation Hub.

    Matthew Hancock

    There will be a full time member of staff with additional support as part of joint commitment between the Government and Omidyar Network.

  • Stephen Hammond – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Stephen Hammond – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Hammond on 2016-09-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information his Department holds on trends in the incidence of mobile phone use while driving since it was prohibited.

    Andrew Jones

    In 2014, 1.6% of drivers in England and Scotland were observed using a mobile phone whilst driving. This is similar to the 1.4% of drivers observed using a hand held mobile phone in England in 2009, when the previous survey was carried out. In this context, we have recently consulted on proposals for increased penalties for this dangerous behaviour.

  • Lord Inglewood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Inglewood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Inglewood on 2016-10-13.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their estimate of the average number of British citizens who are in other EU countries, either temporarily or permanently, at any one time.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    United Nation migration statistics from 2015 estimate that there are around 1.2 million British nationals living in the EU.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with his counterparts in states which allow women to engage in close combat operations on effective implementation of that policy.

    Penny Mordaunt

    The Prime Minister and the Defence Secretary stated on 20 December 2015 that they would like to see all roles in the Armed Forces opened up to women in 2016 and further physiological research currently under way will inform a final decision in mid-2016.

    The Ministry of Defence is working closely with other nations who have lifted the exclusion including Australia and the United States. This engagement includes collaboration between scientific and research bodies as well as on policy and training development. The UK research programme is investigating the long-term health effects of UK combat requirements which will benefit both male and female personnel.

    I discussed this issue at length with counterparts in the US when I visited Washington in September 2015.

  • Lord Fearn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Lord Fearn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Fearn on 2016-02-01.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what support has been given to the British Olympic team during the years 2014 and 2015.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    UK Sport’s investments in sports are made on a quadrennial rather than yearly basis, with all investment decisions and levels reviewed annually.

    In the current 2013-17 Rio Olympic and Paralympic cycle, UK Sport are investing around £350 million in the Summer Olympic and Paralympic sports, and a further £31 million in the Winter Olympic and Paralympic sports, targeting success in PyeongChang 2018 and Tokyo 2022.

  • Steve Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Steve Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve Reed on 2016-02-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what official domestic visits he has made since May 2015; and what the purpose of each such visit was.

    Greg Clark

    I have carried out a wide range of domestic visits since May 2015. Transparency data is recorded on the Department’s website.

  • Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether an impact assessment has been undertaken of the proposal in Question 35 of his Department’s consultation on the extension of charging overseas visitors and migrants using the NHS in England.

    Alistair Burt

    In relation to the Department’s recent consultation on extending charging to overseas visitors using the National Health Service in England, a lack of available data means that it has not been possible to estimate the cost to industry of the proposal to remove the exemption from charge category for overseas visitors working on United Kingdom-registered ships. However, the proposal was included in the Impact Assessment and is thought to be small overall.

    We are currently analysing responses to the consultation.

  • Robert Flello – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Robert Flello – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Flello on 2016-04-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress his Department has made on signing the Luxembourg rail protocol.

    Claire Perry

    The United Kingdom signed the Luxembourg Rail Protocol on the 26th February 2016.