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.

  • Royston Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Royston Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Royston Smith on 2016-04-27.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what discussions he has had the Electoral Commission on ensuring that people are able to check whether they are registered on aboutmyvote.co.uk related to the EU referendum.

    John Penrose

    A registration look up tool that allowed electors to check their registration status would reduce duplicate applications. Technical and practical barriers prevent its implementation before the EU referendum.

  • Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2016-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his Department’s policy is on maintaining an intercity standard train service between (a) Norwich and London, (b) Ipswich and London, (c) Colchester and London and (d) Chelmsford and London.

    Claire Perry

    In our invitation to tender for the East Anglia franchise we have asked bidders to:

    • As a minimum meet the train services we have specified in the invitation to tender and to develop train services that are attractive to passengers within each of the different Market Segments served by the Franchise which includes the Intercity Services that offer long distance rail services between London and Norwich operating on the Great Eastern Mainline and calling at the stations you mention. This includes train services between Norwich and London that have a journey time of 90 minutes or less each weekday and between Ipswich and London that have a journey time of less than 60 minutes.
    • Furthermore they have been asked to implement a rolling stock fleet solution that delivers the train services to consistently high standards of rolling stock availability, reliability and presentation through effective management, maintenance and improvement of rolling stock assets. As a minimum this includes ensuring that all rolling stock that forms part of the Train Fleet is compatible with the infrastructure throughout the Core Franchise Term and any Extension and has an internal lay out and facilities appropriate for the Market Segments served.

    I look forward to saying more in the coming weeks.

  • Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2016-09-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent representations she has received from scientists and other experts on the use of neonicotinoids and their effect on the bee population.

    George Eustice

    Defra has not received recent expert representations on this issue. However we do consider new studies on neonicotinoids carefully, taking advice from the independent UK Expert Committee on Pesticides, Defra’s Chief Scientific Adviser and experts in the Chemicals Regulation Division within the Health and Safety Executive.

  • Dan Jarvis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Dan Jarvis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2016-10-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans he has for employees’ representation on company boards; and what conditions will be set for such representation.

    Margot James

    UK companies are able to appoint employees to their company boards presently, but very few do. Many UK companies deploy alternative approaches to engaging their employees. The issue of employees’ representation on company boards will be included in a discussion document that will be published by Government later this year.

  • Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2016-01-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the Prime Minister’s announcement of 11 January 2016, how much of the proposed £1.4 billion mental health support funding for young people over the next five years has already been allocated.

    Alistair Burt

    The Government has committed to making available the full £1.4 billion over the course of this Parliament to improve children and young people’s mental health.

    In this financial year (2015/16), the Government has already allocated £173 million. This includes:

    – £75 million for clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) to improve local services;

    – £30 million to CCGs to develop evidence based community eating disorder services for children and young people;

    – £28 million to fund the expansion of the Children and Young People’s Improving Access to Psychological Therapies Programme;

    – £15 million for improvements to perinatal mental health care; and

    – £25 million for investment in inpatient services for children and young people, to build workforce capability, and to support innovation and development of online support.

    A targeted and phased approach to the additional investment over future years will enable local areas to develop additional capacity and a collaborative approach across health, education and children’s services so that the money can be spent effectively. This is what is needed to make a real difference. The Government remains committed to spend the whole £1.4 billion over the course of this Parliament to improve children and young people’s mental health.

  • Lord Touhig – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord Touhig – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Touhig on 2016-02-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of the speed at which reservists will be able to fill front-line combat roles.

    Earl Howe

    Volunteer Reservists (VR) on the trained strength (26,560 as at 1 December 2015) are required to respond to a mobilisation call-out at 28 days’ notice and may then carry out additional training for an operation. The length of time required for this training will depend on the complexity of the operation, which may require familiarisation training on equipment which they will be required to operate, and procedural training to prepare for the environment they will encounter. Further preparations may be required, such as vaccinations, which depend on the environment of the operation and which will affect the length of time between mobilisation and deployment.

    For a medium scale intervention operation we would expect the period between mobilisation and deployment for VR to be around 180 days. However, the use of intelligent mobilisation means that willing and available VR are routinely mobilised in around 90 days for specific tasks and this can be significantly shortened in some circumstances.

    No estimate has been made of the number of Reservists who would be able to serve at short notice in the event of a major conflict.

  • John Mc Nally – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    John Mc Nally – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Mc Nally on 2016-02-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 30 November 2015 to Question 17357, when in 2016 he plans to introduce the new reporting requirement to report on payment practices and performance.

    Anna Soubry

    The reporting requirement will come into force later this year. Further information on timings will be published in due course.

  • 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.

  • Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-04-27.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 21 April 2016 to Question 34477, whether it is possible to correct errors in PAYE real-time data submitted by employers before the point at which such errors affect universal credit claimants.

    Mr David Gauke

    Data validation rules are built in to stop obvious errors at the point of filing and allow customers to correct submissions. Where errors are made, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has a dedicated team who work with employers. If HMRC spots something is incorrect, it and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will work with the employer to correct that information. If the employer realises they have made a mistake, they have the opportunity to submit correct information. In addition, HMRC and DWP continually monitor the quality of Real Time Information to understand why errors occur