Tag: 2016

  • Matthew Pennycook – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Matthew Pennycook – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Pennycook on 2016-04-25.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraphs 3.16 to 3.26 of the report, Independent review of UK economic statistics, published on 11 March 2016, what plans he has to improve the accuracy of estimates of the contribution of the digital economy to UK productivity.

    Greg Hands

    Professor Sir Charles Bean’s Independent Review of Economic Statistics highlighted the importance of proper measurement of the digital economy.

    To enable the Office for National Statistics to develop world-leading analytical and digital capabilities in economic measurement, the government will invest over £10m in a new hub for data science and a centre for excellence in economic measurement in line with the recommendations.

  • Clive Lewis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Clive Lewis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Clive Lewis on 2016-06-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether she has received representations in the last 12 months on coal that has been or will be stockpiled in the UK.

    Andrea Leadsom

    This is a matter for individual companies.

    The Department has not had any representations from individual companies on their plans for coal stockpiling.

  • Ronnie Cowan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Ronnie Cowan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ronnie Cowan on 2016-09-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to tackle problems associated with the rise in availability of Fixed Odds Betting Terminals.

    Tracey Crouch

    The Government tightened controls on FOBTs last year, and we are continuing to monitor developments. The next Triennial review of gaming machines will look closely at all the evidence on this issue.

  • Paul Flynn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Paul Flynn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2016-10-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to extend badger vaccination schemes in 2017.

    George Eustice

    There have been a number of private badger vaccination initiatives in England over the last three years, some of which have received Defra grant funding. Resumption in Defra-supported vaccination in 2017 will depend on the availability of the vaccine, current supplies of which are being prioritised by the Government for public health use.

  • Roger Mullin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Roger Mullin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Mullin on 2016-01-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what progress his Department has made on representations to the Italian government on guaranteeing that UK citizens working as teachers at universities in Italy who have had financial aspects of their contracts breached by their employers receive redress and equitable treatment.

    Mr David Lidington

    In 2015, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office intensified its campaign to end the unacceptable discrimination against the Lettori (UK and foreign national lecturers in Italy). We made significant progress with Italian Ministers in moving towards a legislative solution that would end the inequitable terms and conditions whilst also addressing past discrimination. While this proposal has yet to be submitted to the Italian Parliament, we continue to engage Italian Ministers on this important issue. The most recent meeting took place between The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) and Foreign Minister Gentiloni in November 2015.

  • Douglas Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Douglas Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Chapman on 2016-02-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department will pay out of the public purse for the cost of repairs to the electrical and propulsion systems on the Daring Class Type 45 Destroyers.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    A number of early modifications were implemented under the Type 45 Destroyer Contract for Availability arrangement with BAE Systems, at no additional cost to the Ministry of Defence (MOD). The initial work to prove the concept of upgrading the diesel generators was co-funded by BAE Systems and the MOD. Subject to main gate approval, the upgrade will be funded by the MOD.

  • Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-02-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many North Korean refugees have approached the British Embassy or Consulate in China for safe passage or asylum in each of the last 10 years.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    We do not have any record of refugees from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea approaching Our Embassy in Beijing or our Consulates in China to claim safe passage or asylum in the last 10 years.

  • Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2016-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how much his Department spent on upgrading IT systems at 2 St Paul’s Place, Sheffield in 2014-15.

    Joseph Johnson

    The Department spent £38m on upgrading IT systems in 2014-15, including both software and equipment development. This includes around £31m for internally developed software, predominantly within delivery bodies of the department such as the Student Loans Company. It also includes the Core Department roll out of a new ICT system, Evolve, for use by all staff. This replaced the previous IT service. The total cost of the Evolve rollout was £3.5 million.

    The IT systems at 2 St Paul’s Place Sheffield are part of the Core Department’s IT infrastructure, so the upgrades are included in the total cost of the Evolve rollout of £3.5m. Costs were not recorded separately by location for this general upgrade to our systems.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what information his Department holds on the amount paid in legal fees as part of the Combined Authority negotiation process to date; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Mark Francois

    This Department has not procured any external legal support in the negotiation of devolution deals or the creation of combined authorities, and therefore has not paid any legal fees as part of those processes.

  • Stephen Twigg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Stephen Twigg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Twigg on 2016-06-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that Saudi Arabia and other Coalition states in Yemen cooperate with the UN to develop and implement an action plan to end and prevent violations against children.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We note the announcement by the UN Secretary General on 6 June that removed the listing of the Saudi Arabian-led Coalition from the report’s annex, pending the conclusion of a joint review by the UN and Saudi Arabia on the cases and numbers cited in the text. We welcome co-operation between the UN and Saudi Arabia to look in to this matter.