Tag: 2016

  • Alex Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Alex Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-04-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what account she took of her Department’s Industrial Decarbonisation Roadmap for the cement industry in bringing forward proposals with France for tiering under the next phase of the EU Emissions Trading System.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The Government supports the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) as a market-based approach to achieve least-cost decarbonisation and maintain a level playing field across the EU. A tiered approach to free allocation of EU ETS allowances targets the available allowances to the sectors that need them most and provides greater certainty for sectors about their allocation, reducing risk and boosting investor confidence. In determining the impact of different tiered scenarios, the Government took account of the decarbonisation roadmap, which considered the wider policy context and technological barriers to decarbonisation and innovation. The proposed tiering scenarios are indicative and do not represent a confirmed Government position.

  • Craig Williams – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Craig Williams – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Williams on 2016-05-18.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Government’s review of Atos contracts will affect the preparations for the launch of tax-free childcare.

    Damian Hinds

    We do not anticipate that the review of Atos contracts will affect the preparations for the launch of Tax-Free Childcare. The Cabinet Office will write to the PAC summarising the findings of the review and it will be completed in summer 2016.

  • Chris Law – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Chris Law – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Law on 2016-06-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her Department’s practice is for the number of security guards per detainee aboard mass deportation charter flights.

    James Brokenshire

    Prior to each charter a risk assessment is undertaken for each detainee. This assessment will take into consideration many factors including history of non-compliance and medical issues. This information will be shared with the Home Office’s overseas escort provider, Tascor, who will make a decision on the necessary detainee to escort ratio.

  • Emily Thornberry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Emily Thornberry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2016-09-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many staff employed by his Department have been (a) seconded to and (b) directly recruited by the Department for Exiting the EU.

    Boris Johnson

    ​The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has seconded 39 positions including 30 officials on loan to the Department for Exiting the EU. This figure includes ten officials who were on loan to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office from other government departments. No staff have been directly recruited by the Department for Exiting the EU from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The UK’s Representation in Brussels will report jointly to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for Exiting the EU.

  • Earl Attlee – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Earl Attlee – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Earl Attlee on 2016-01-19.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many (1) SO1, and (2) SO2, staff appointments are established at the British Army Headquarters, and of those, how many are gapped or unfilled, excluding short handover periods.

    Earl Howe

    Army HQ in Andover is currently undergoing reorganisation. There are presently 221 SO1 and 375 SO2 established posts in Andover, but this includes elements of the Army that are not part of Army HQ, including Commander Field Army and parts of Personnel Support Command. Of these, seven SO1 and 13 SO2 posts are gapped. The final structure of Army HQ under the Army Command Review is not expected to be finalised until April 2016 at the earliest.

  • David Simpson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    David Simpson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2016-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much her Department has spent on reducing reoffending in each of the last three years.

    Mike Penning

    The Home Office makes an important contribution to the Government’s commitment to reduce re-offending to cut crime and make our streets safer. Integrated Offender Management provides a framework for the police working with other agencies to prevent some of the most prolific and problematic offenders from committing further crime.

    Operational policing matters are the responsibility of Chief Constables in conjunction with their Police and Crime Commissioners. The Home Office does not, however, provide specific funding for this, over and above overall central Government funding provided to the police.

  • Stella Creasy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Stella Creasy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stella Creasy on 2016-03-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations have been made by whom in her Department to the Indian government on the extradition of the person charged with the rape and murder of Michelle Samaraweera in 2009.

    James Brokenshire

    An arrest was made in this case in India in July 2011 following an extradition request from the UK. Since then, the case has been before the Indian courts.

    The Home Office continues to monitor the case through the British High Commission in New Delhi. However, the United Kingdom has no involvement in the Indian court process.

    A further hearing is due to take place in India on 21 April 2016.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-04-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what recent steps she has taken to ensure that (a) there is investment in UK renewable energy projects and (b) the UK meets its renewable energy targets.

    Andrea Leadsom

    We have announced our intention to hold three further Contract For Difference allocation rounds in this Parliament. At Budget 2016, we announced the budget for these allocation rounds. Applicants in the first allocation round will compete for £290m of annual support, which is being made available from 2021/22 onwards. Over the 3 rounds we are planning to allocate £730m of annual support. We will announce further details in relation to the next allocation round, as soon as possible . More details of future rounds will follow in due course.

    Our estimates show that we are on track to deliver 35% of the UK’s electricity from renewables in 2020/21, exceeding our ambition of 30%. We have announced the Renewable Heat Incentive budget will continue to March 2021 when it will reach £1.15 billion and Department for Transport will be consulting, later this year, on meeting the transport fuel sub-target of 10%.

  • Alison Thewliss – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Alison Thewliss – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alison Thewliss on 2016-05-18.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to prevent payday loan companies from advertising financial services from third party companies to customers during the loan application process.

    Harriett Baldwin

    The Government has fundamentally reformed regulation of the consumer credit market, transferring regulatory responsibility from the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) on 1 April 2014. This more robust regulatory system is helping to deliver the Government’s vision for a well-functioning and sustainable consumer credit market which is able to meet consumers’ needs.

    The FCA has introduced detailed rules regarding firms’ promotions and advertisements. It has consulted on possible new rules, including forbidding financial promotions appearing in or among the rankings of price comparison websites comparing high-cost short-term credit.

  • Royston Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Royston Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Royston Smith on 2016-06-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what measures are in place to prevent people remanded in custody from accessing social media platforms.

    Andrew Selous

    An extensive programme of work is underway to prevent prisoners having access to mobile phones. As the Prime Minister said on 8 February 2016, we are working with the mobile network operators to challenge them to do more, including developing new technological solutions, so we can block mobile phones’ signals in prisons.

    Although there are no rules to prevent prisoners on remand from passing on passwords for social media platforms, prisoners, including those on remand in custody, are not allowed access to social media platforms either directly or via a third party.

    It is a criminal offence for a person to take or transmit any image or sound from within a prison and send it outside the prison and where a link between a prisoner and content posted on social media is identified, the case will be referred to the police. A sentence of up to two years can be given if those charged are found guilty. If the police decide not to pursue a criminal investigation, a prisoner can be punished under the prison disciplinary system, for example, by having privileges removed or additional days added to their time in prison.