Tag: 2016

  • David Mowat – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    David Mowat – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Mowat on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many and what proportion of residential addresses in the parish of Hatton are currently within reach of superfast broadband.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The Department does not hold parish level data.

    However, current estimates suggest that almost 85% of premises in the Warrington South constituency are subject to commercial rollout, and a further 9% of premises (4,615) now have coverage as a result of this Government’s Superfast Broadband programme.

    Based on DCMS modelled estimates and current delivery plans, 97.7% of premises in the Warrington South constituency will have access to superfast broadband by December 2017. Early gainshare funding that BT will return in response to the high levels of take-up being achieved, could help extend coverage further.

    In addition, the Government’s intention to implement a new broadband Universal Service Obligation will give people the legal right to request a broadband connection, no matter where they live, by the end of this Parliament. Our ambition is that this should be set at 10 Mbps.

  • Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has made an estimate of the number of people having to travel more than one hour to attend a jobcentre plus office in order to obtain a National Insurance number in the last 12 months.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    No estimate has been made of the number of people having to travel more than one hour to attend a Jobcentre Plus office in order to obtain a National Insurance number in the last 12 months.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-06-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the cost to the public purse was of replacement prison cell doors because of damage by prisoners in each of the last five years.

    Andrew Selous

    The Information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

  • Deidre  Brock – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission

    Deidre Brock – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Deidre Brock on 2016-09-12.

    To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission, what response the Electoral Commission has made to paragraphs 214 to 226 of the Report entitled, Securing the ballot, Report of Sir Eric Pickles’ review into electoral fraud, published in August 2016.

    Mr Gary Streeter

    The Electoral Commission welcomed the publication of Sir Eric Pickles’ review into electoral fraud and is now carefully considering the detail of its recommendations. The Commission has noted that the review supports a number of its own longstanding recommendations, including its call for voter ID, first put forward in 2014.

    The Commission is an independent statutory body which reports and is accountable to the UK and Scottish Parliaments. It will publish a full response to Sir Eric’s review in due course and a copy will be placed in the House Library.

  • Douglas Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Douglas Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Chapman on 2016-01-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many companies based in Scotland have expressed an interest in trading with Iran; and what steps the Government is taking to increase trade between Scotland and Iran.

    Anna Soubry

    The Government does not currently hold information centrally on how many companies have expressed an interest in trading with Iran.

  • Gavin Shuker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Gavin Shuker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gavin Shuker on 2016-02-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions his Department has had with Network Rail on improvements to Luton station.

    Claire Perry

    I can confirm that my officials have discussed improvements to Luton station with Network Rail recently. Luton station has been selected for a number of DfT funded improvements, including Access for All and the National Stations Improvement Programme.

  • David Anderson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    David Anderson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Anderson on 2016-03-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with his Jordanian counterpart on the launch, recovery or other control of Reaper drones from that country or any other element of Reaper control.

    Penny Mordaunt

    We routinely discuss counter-Daesh air operations with Coalition partners but it would not be appropriate to give details about these discussions as to do so could affect the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.

  • Emily Thornberry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Emily Thornberry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many service personnel from (a) 22 Special Air Service Regiment, (b) Special Boat Service, (c) Special Reconnaissance Regiment, (d) 18 Signal Regiment, (e) Special Forces Support Group and (f) Joint Special Forces Aviation Wing died during (i) operations and (ii) training in each of the last 10 years.

    Penny Mordaunt

    This Government has demonstrated its commitment to our Special Forces by announcing a £2 billion programme of investment over the course of this Parliament. All military operations, including the activities of the Special Forces, are discussed and scrutinised at the highest levels of Government, including at the National Security Council. However, as it is the longstanding policy of the Government not to comment on our Special Forces, or to release information relating to them, I cannot comment on specific questions about personnel, equipment, discussions or activities in relation to these units.

  • Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the UK leaving the EU on the UK’s international and diplomatic relations.

    Mr Philip Hammond

    The decision in the forthcoming referendum is one for the British people alone to make. In the nearly 2 years I have been Foreign Secretary, I have visited over 70 different countries in 6 continents – and in no single one of them have I been told that Britain’s influence would be greater if it were not a member of the EU. On the contrary whether in China, in the USA, in Australia, in Nigeria, Britain is seen as more influential because of its membership of the EU. We get two bites of the cherry: Britain’s is a strong and influential voice in its own right; but it is also the voice of a leading Member State of the world’s largest economic block. Membership of the EU does not diminish Britain’s influence; it enhances it – and I speak from personal experience.

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-06-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if his Department will promote the provision of seating facilities in public places to encourage walking.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    It is for local authorities to determine what works best for their own areas, but we welcome public realm improvements that help encourage more people to make walking the natural choice for shorter journeys. Through the Manual for Streets, the Department for Transport (DfT) provides guidance to assist those in the planning, construction and improvement of our streets to deliver functional, attractive public spaces. This includes using street furniture, such as seating, to help create a sense of place, making the street a destination in its own right.

    The principles that the Manual for Streets sets out are expanded for urban areas in Manual for Streets 2, published by the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation and endorsed by DfT.