Tag: 2016

  • Mary Glindon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Mary Glindon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mary Glindon on 2016-10-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to pause the issuing of a formal contract notice in the Official Journal of the European Union for the outsourcing of Defence Business Services in light of the implications of the EU referendum result.

    Mark Lancaster

    The Ministry of Defence is currently examining options for the future of Defence Business Services (DBS) as part of the Future DBS Programme. No final decisions have been taken on whether any elements of DBS’ current operations will be outsourced. Timescales will be confirmed in the event of a decision to outsource.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-01-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what financial support her Department provides to livestock farmers to mitigate the development of antibiotic resistance; and if she will make a statement.

    George Eustice

    No specific financial support is offered to livestock farmers to mitigate the development of antibiotic resistance.

    We will continue to promote the importance of the vet-farmer relationship, and the need to be proactive in looking at any measures in husbandry practices that will reduce disease, and therefore the need for antibiotics, in livestock production

  • Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-02-01.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what his policy is on the exemption of political aides and special advisers from the one per cent public sector pay rise limit.

    Matthew Hancock

    All public servants, including special advisers, are subject to an overall 1% pay remit.

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2016-02-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how many consultants’ contracts were terminated early in each of the last six years for which figures are available; and what the cost of each such termination was in each of those years.

    Andrea Leadsom

    This information is not readily available, and can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

  • Grahame Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Grahame Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the potential effect on the cost of health and criminal justice services of the proposed housing benefit cap for people living in supported accommodation.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The Department for Work and Pensions jointly with the Department for Communities and Local Government commissioned an evidence review into the shape, scale and cost of the supported housing sector.

    Off the back of this evidence, we will conduct a policy review to ensure support is focused on the most vulnerable and the appropriate groups are safeguarded.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-04-25.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to mitigate the risk posed to the economy by the increased Chinese debt load.

    Harriett Baldwin

    The Treasury continuously monitors global economic developments, including in China, and their impact on the UK as part of the normal process of policy development.

    As one of the most open trading economies in the world with a large financial sector, we have to recognise that the UK is not immune to the continued problems being experienced in the world economy.

    Nonetheless, the Bank of England’s 2015 stress tests modelled a severe slowdown in commodities and emerging markets. No banks were required to submit revised capital plans following the stress tests. These results indicate that the UK banking system would have the capacity to continue to lend to the real economy, even under such a severe adverse scenario.

  • Jess Phillips – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Jess Phillips – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jess Phillips on 2016-06-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will estimate the number of unregistered schools in England.

    Edward Timpson

    We are currently investigating institutions that may be operating as unregistered independent schools in England, as referred to by Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw in his recently published letter. We will make a statement about progress in due course.

    It is important to recognise that new settings come to our attention and existing ones close, or are confirmed not to be operating as schools on a regular basis.

    Sir Michael Wilshaw’s published letter can be accessed on GOV.UK at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/unregistered-schools-ofsted-advice-note

    “

  • Brendan O’Hara – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Brendan O’Hara – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Brendan O’Hara on 2016-09-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what the cost to (a) government and (b) industry of the Defence Growth Partnership (i) was in 2014-15, (ii) was in 2015-16 and (iii) is for 2016-17.

    Jesse Norman

    The Defence Growth Partnership (DGP) is an industry led group, established jointly by industry and government to deliver export-led growth within the Defence sector. It does not receive any public funding. Since 2014, it has enabled joint industry and government resource equivalent to £50 million over three years to achieve its agenda: £30 million for strengthening the UK Defence & Security Organisation and establishing the UK Defence Solutions Centre (UKDSC). The remaining £20 million is currently delivered through a number of initiatives supporting the DGP’s growth agenda: establishment of the Centre of Maritime Intelligent Systems (CMIS); Dual Use Technology Exploitation (DUTE) cluster and the MOD Innovation Challenge fund.

    Government and industry have committed through a mix of cash and resource equivalent to £3.8m in 2015-16 to the UKDSC and a similar figure is predicted for 2016-17. As of 1 April 2016, there were 4 staff directly employed by the UKDSC and 28 secondees from across the 16 DGP Partner Companies.

  • Ian Austin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Ian Austin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2016-10-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department sought legal advice in advance of redrafting the Building Bulletin 100 guidance relating to sprinkler systems in school buildings; and what assessment her Department made of that advice.

    Nick Gibb

    We are currently consulting on updating the Fire Safety Design for Schools – Building Bulletin 100 (BB100) guidance as it is nearly 10 years old. However, there is no change to the policy regarding the installation of sprinklers in new school buildings, and the requirement for a proper fire risk assessment to determine the need for sprinklers in new schools is consistent with the BB100 guidance from 2007.

    All new schools are assessed on a case-by-case basis for fire safety and, where it is concluded that sprinklers must be fitted to protect property or keep children safe, they will be. All schools must comply with building and fire safety regulations.

    As there has been no change in policy, no legal advice was required in the development of the draft updated BB100 guidance.

  • Ann Clwyd – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Ann Clwyd – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ann Clwyd on 2016-01-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the political, economic and security situation in the Kurdistan region of Iraq.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    I visited Erbil in December where I met a range of Kurdistan Regional Government ministers and officials, including Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani, civil society contacts and members of the British military deployment in northern Iraq. I welcomed the recent military progress achieved by the Kurdish Security Forces against Daesh, particularly the liberation of Sinjar in November, and was able to see firsthand the contribution of British military training, equipment and support to counter-Daesh efforts. I encouraged progress on implementation of the economic reforms needed to manage the current economic downturn, as well as a rapid return to negotiations with Baghdad to secure a sustainable revenue sharing arrangement. To members of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and political party representatives, I underlined the importance of all the parties working together to resolve the issue of the KRG presidency peacefully, in the spirit of compromise and respecting democratic principles.