Tag: 2016

  • Martyn Day – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Martyn Day – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Martyn Day on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent steps he has taken to ensure that UK-made arms are not being used to commit human rights abuses in Yemen.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We remain deeply concerned about the human rights situation in Yemen. We continue to raise the importance of compliance with International Humanitarian Law with all sides to the conflict.

    The UK operates one of the most rigorous and transparent export control regimes in the world. All exports of arms and controlled military goods are assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing, taking account of all relevant factors at the time of the application. Risks around human rights violations are a key part of our assessment against the Consolidated Criteria. A licence will not be issued, for any country, if to do so would be inconsistent with any provision of the mandatory Criteria.

  • John Nicolson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    John Nicolson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Nicolson on 2016-02-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps she is taking to ensure that reductions in the wholesale price of energy are passed on to consumers.

    Amber Rudd

    Average domestic gas prices fell by £37 during 2015, and all six major suppliers have announced a further reduction in their tariffs in recent months. This is a good start, but the Government expects all suppliers to pass on reductions in the costs of supplying energy to consumers. I have met all the major energy suppliers in recent months to make that point clear.

    The Competition and Markets Authority are nearing the end of their enquiry into the energy markets, and I look forward to their conclusions. I am determined to do whatever it takes to ensure markets work well for consumers.

  • Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2016-03-02.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations he has received on financial institutions’ plans to offer negative or zero rates of interest to savers.

    Harriett Baldwin

    HM Treasury has not received any representations on financial institutions’ plans to offer negative or zero rates of interest to savers.

    The levels of interest being paid to savers and their disclosure was explored as part of the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) Cash Savings Market Study report, which was published in January 2015. The report found that competition in the cash savings market was not working well for many consumers and, in response, the FCA has consulted on and will subsequently be introducing new rules from 1 December 2016 designed to both improve competition and the information savers receive. As part of these new rules, firms will need to make it clear to consumers what interest rate they are getting for their account.

  • Lord West of Spithead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord West of Spithead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2016-03-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many major surface warships were ordered between the 2010 general election and the 2015 general election.

    Earl Howe

    Her Majesty’s Government did not order any major surface warships between the 2010 and 2015 general elections. However, the work to deliver the Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers continued during this period and in August 2014 we placed an order for three Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs), which will provide valuable capability to the Royal Navy and sustain the skills needed to build the Type 26 Global Combat Ship.

    Since the 2015 general election, the White Paper ‘National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015’ (Cmd 9161) has set the Government’s commitment to build eight anti-submarine Type 26 Global Combat Ships, preceded by two additional OPVs, and to launch a concept study and then design and build a new class of lighter, flexible general purpose frigate. Additionally, the White Paper confirmed we will buy three new logistic ships to support the fleet, in addition to the four Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability tankers ordered in 2012.

  • David Anderson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    David Anderson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Anderson on 2016-05-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 25 April 2016 to Question 34235, whether the UN Economic Commission for Europe Regulation 10 specifically covers the potential health risks of electromagnetic emissions by multiple driverless vehicles as well as those from single vehicles.

    Andrew Jones

    United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Regulation No 10 seeks to limit the maximum emission of electromagnetic radiation from vehicles. Recognising the rapid changes in technology in new vehicles, the relevant UN-ECE technical committee has established a task force to consider the implications of new technologies such as those used by driverless vehicles.

    The Department is participating in the work of the task force.

  • David Anderson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    David Anderson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Anderson on 2016-06-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions she has had with the Ethiopian government on the implications for her Department’s supported programmes in Oromia of the response of that government to protests in that region.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    I visited Ethiopia on the 17th of June and held discussions with senior Ministers in the Ethiopian Government, reiterating our concerns about the response to the protests in Oromia. I emphasised that civil and political rights are an important aspect of DFID’s Partnership Principles assessments, which inform decisions on the shape of our programme.

  • Lord Empey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Lord Empey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Empey on 2016-09-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will guarantee to fund the remaining period of Peace IV in the event that the UK leaves the EU before the conclusion of that fund in 2020.

    Lord Dunlop

    The Government has set out that all European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIFs) projects with signed contracts or funding agreements in place with government, and projects signed before the Autumn Statement, including the PEACE programme will be fully funded, even when these projects continue beyond the UK’s departure from the EU.

    For qualifying projects under the PEACE programme signed after the Autumn Statement, we will work with the devolved administrations on funding arrangements to allow them to prioritise projects within their devolved responsibilities. As we make the transition to longer-term arrangements, we will ensure the devolved administrations are treated fairly and that their circumstances are taken into account.

  • Jim Fitzpatrick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Jim Fitzpatrick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Fitzpatrick on 2016-10-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the viability of amending the Valuation for Rating (Plant and Machinery) (England) Regulations 2000 in relation to the 2017 business rates revaluation that is being conducted by the Valuation Office Agency; and how that revaluation will affect rooftop solar.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    Business rates are based on valuations from the Valuation Office Agency and we do not intervene in their independent assessments. Well established principles, as set out in the Valuation for Rating (Plant and Machinery) Regulations 2000, determine when plant and machinery, such as rooftop solar, should be rateable and included in assessments. We have no plans to change these principles. However, we have proposed a £3.4 billion transitional relief scheme to ensure that no ratepayer is unfairly penalised by the 2017 revaluation.

  • Norman Lamb – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Norman Lamb – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Norman Lamb on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to increase the number of mixed race stem cell donors; what discussions he has had with the Anthony Nolan Trust and others on diversifying stem cell registries; and if he will make a statement.

    Jane Ellison

    The Department’s delivery partners, NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) and the Anthony Nolan Trust, ensure that all patients regardless of ethnicity can gain maximum benefit from the United Kingdom’s registry of volunteer bone marrow donors and from its inventory of altruistically-donated cord blood.

    In March 2015 the Department gave £3 million of funding to NHSBT and the Anthony Nolan Trust to continue their work saving and improving lives through stem cell and cord blood donation. Part of this funding will support the collection of an additional 3,000 Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) adult donors.

    The provision of cord blood stem cells remains an important part of the overall strategy and this year will see a continued expansion of the cord blood bank with a target that 40% samples are collected from the BAME community.

    The Department continues to support the work of the National BAME Transplant Alliance that helps to coordinate the work of BAME organisations working to promote all forms of donation including bone marrow stem cells.

    The Department is currently working with Anthony Nolan and NHSBT to consider possible future funding in the light of the spending review and set against other spending priorities.

  • Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-02-05.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to his Department’s spending data for October 2014, for what reasons IPSOS Mori was engaged on the business case for Efficiency and Reform Group fraud, error and debt.

    Matthew Hancock

    Ipsos MORI were commissioned by the Grants Efficiency Programme to conduct research to help us to further understand the make-up of the complex grants landscape across 17 central government departments. The study consisted of 81 interviews, which investigated a range of randomly selected grants. Interviews were held with a cross-section of Grant Managers between 15th July and 12th September 2014.

    The qualitative and quantitative findings from this research were used to help develop a baseline for calculating the benefits of various proposed interventions aimed at improving the administration of government grants, which were included in The Grants Efficiency Programme’s outline business case. The business case received support from ministers across government and the Grants Efficiency Programme is working with departments to deliver better information and to increase capability, in relation to grants, by the Spring.