Tag: 2016

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Patten on 2016-03-07.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anelay of St Johns on 8 February (HL5486), whether they have evidence that the Turkish Air Force has bombed its citizens in the predominantly Kurdish areas of south-east Turkey since the beginning of 2015.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The ongoing violence in the predominantly Kurdish areas of south east Turkey is extremely concerning. The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) continues to kill members of the Turkish police service and security forces in violent terrorist attacks. The Turkish government has responded by striking PKK targets in south-east Turkey, including with the use of air power. We believe Turkey has a legitimate right to defend itself against the PKK, whose attacks we condemn as we condemn all terrorism. We continue to monitor the situation closely. The Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), and our Ambassador in Ankara have emphasised to the Turkish government the need to respect human rights, avoid civilian casualties and return to the peace process.

  • Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-04-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the Government’s strategy is for litter and fly-tipping.

    Rory Stewart

    Defra has announced plans for a new litter strategy and we are working with industry, experts and councils across England to improve the way we all tackle the scourge of litter. The litter strategy will promote affordable and replicable ways to influence littering behaviour – and reduce littering. It will encourage innovation in physical infrastructure and cleansing methods, and in product design, and will help to make a compelling and engaging case for investment in work to tackle litter and littering.

    To develop the strategy we will seek the views of, among others, representatives from local government, campaign groups and independent experts, as well as voices from the packaging and fast-food industries. As part of this process we will also establish a number of working groups on specific issues, such as roadside litter, data and monitoring and enforcement.

    We are committed to tackling fly-tipping as set out in the Government’s manifesto. Subject to Parliamentary approval, we will give local authorities the power to issue fixed penalty notices for small-scale fly-tipping. Regulations were laid in Parliament on 11 March. These new enforcement tools will be available to local authorities from 9 May, providing them with an alternative to prosecutions and will assist them to take a proportionate enforcement response. This will build on other actions, including:

    • Cracking down on offenders by strengthening the Sentencing Council’s

      Guideline for sentencing for environmental offences, which came into force on 1 July 2014.

    • Making it easier for vehicles suspected of being involved in waste crime to be

      stopped, searched and seized.

    • Continuing our work with the Defra-chaired National Fly-Tipping Prevention

      Group to promote and disseminate good practice in the prevention, reporting,

      investigation and clearance of fly-tipped waste.

  • Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-05-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the suitability of the UK’s existing (a) road infrastructure and (b) skills in the workforce for the anticipated rise in the number of autonomous vehicles.

    Andrew Jones

    Autonomous vehicles could potentially have significant impacts on congestion, safety, and efficiency. The Government recognises that this is an important issue and needs to be better understood to properly inform long-term policy and investment decisions. For this reason, the Department for Transport is currently engaging with interested parties and conducting research and development to understand the specific requirements on the road infrastructure needed for the deployment of these technologies.

    The Transport Systems Catapult is developing a report on current and future skills for the fast-growing Intelligent Mobility sector, which includes autonomous vehicles. This report will be complete in early summer.

    This work is ongoing, and forms part of a much wider programme of research and development that the Government is supporting to examine the issues associated with these technologies.

  • Andrew Percy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Andrew Percy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Percy on 2016-07-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he has taken to engage with (a) coal generators and (b) the biomass sector on whether a future biomass auction will take place.

    Jesse Norman

    We plan to hold the next Contracts for Difference allocation round in due course We will announce further details about the allocation round and engage with stakeholders in good time.

  • Baroness Wolf of Dulwich – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Baroness Wolf of Dulwich – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Wolf of Dulwich on 2016-09-15.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what percentage of advanced learner loans in 2015–16, as a percentage of the total number of individual loans made in that year, were made for courses at (1) level 3, and (2) level 4.

    Lord Nash

    82,990 eligible applications for Advanced Learner Loans were received for courses starting in the 2015/16 academic year. Approximately 94% of courses taken were for provision at Level 3, with approximately 6% for provision at Level 4.

  • Gordon Marsden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Gordon Marsden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2016-01-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what discussions he has had with the (a) Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government and (b) Chancellor of the Exchequer on how the Apprenticeship Levy will operate in combined authorities to whom powers over skills and training are devolved.

    Nick Boles

    Apprenticeship funding is not devolved and we have no plans to do so.

  • Emma Lewell-Buck – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Emma Lewell-Buck – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emma Lewell-Buck on 2016-02-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what discussions he has had with the Secretaries of State for Work and Pensions and Health on transferring responsibility for attendance allowance to local authorities.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government announced to the House of Commons on 17 December 2015, Official Report, Column 1722, that the Government is considering giving more responsibility to support older people with care needs to local authorities in England and in Wales, including people who, under the current system, would be supported through Attendance Allowance. Officials have started to explore the potential options and will shortly begin working with stakeholders on a broad and open basis to understand how any devolution would best work.

  • Andrew Percy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Andrew Percy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Percy on 2016-03-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what discussions he has had with the Minister for the Cabinet Office on encouraging public procurement for British Steel.

    Anna Soubry

    BIS Ministers and officials have worked closely with my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Crown Commercial Service officials in developing the set of measures delivered through the Steel Procurement Working Group, including the issuing of steel-specific procurement guidance, the mapping of indicative quantities of steel for key projects and the updating of British standards for steel. This close working continues in the implementation of these measures, reporting to the Steel Council. On 3 April we announced we would extend the guidance to the wider public sector and we are setting up an approved list of steel suppliers.

  • 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 2016-04-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will take steps to support the principle of self-determination and the right of the British Overseas Territories to remain self-governing dependent territories as long as their inhabitants wish to remain so; and if he will make a statement.

    James Duddridge

    Support for the principle of self-determination is at the heart of the UK’s relationship with its Overseas Territories. It is a modern relationship based on partnership, shared values and the right of the people of each Territory to choose to remain British.

    The Government continues actively to support the rights of the peoples of the Territories to self-determination: diplomatically (for example when UK sovereignty is challenged at the UN) and in terms of our security guarantees. The Strategic Defence and Security Review published last year emphasised that the Government’s most important duty is the defence of the UK and the Overseas Territories.

  • Rachel Reeves – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Rachel Reeves – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachel Reeves on 2016-05-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Government plans to take to help people who will access their pensions before the proposed new pension guidance service becomes available in April 2018.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The current Pension Wise service will continue to deliver guidance to people aged 50 years and over, with defined contribution pension pots, to help them understand their options under the pension freedoms.

    The new pensions guidance body will take forward the services currently provided by three organisations: Pension Wise, The Pensions Advisory Service (TPAS) and the pension services offered by Money Advise Service (MAS). Until then these organisations will continue to support people in understanding and accessing their pensions.