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Tag: 2016

  • George Howarth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    George Howarth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by George Howarth on 2016-10-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effect of tolls on the Mersey Gateway and Silver Jubilee bridges on the (a) finances, (b) employment levels, (c) employment choices and (d) road travel habits of residents of Knowsley.

    Andrew Jones

    The Secretary of State for Transport has not produced an assessment of the effect of tolls on the Mersey Gateway and Silver Jubilee bridges on the (a) finances, (b) employment levels, (c) employment choices and (d) road travel habits of residents of Knowsley. The Mersey Gateway Bridge scheme is being promoted by Halton Borough Council and it is for them to justify the costs for users of the new bridge. A range of discounts will be available for frequent users of the crossing.

    In approving the scheme the Government considered the case for change, the economic case, and that the scheme is viable, affordable and achievable. In line with other estuarial crossings, and as there will be improved travel across the Mersey, users are expected to part fund the infrastructure.

  • Michelle Donelan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Michelle Donelan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michelle Donelan on 2016-01-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps the Government has taken to resettle Syrian refugees.

    Richard Harrington

    On 16 December the Prime Minister informed the House we had met our commitment of resettling 1,000 Syrians before Christmas. These refugees form part of the 20,000 that we will resettle during this Parliament, showing that Britain will continue to act in the finest traditions of providing shelter to the most vulnerable.

  • Nicholas Brown – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Nicholas Brown – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Brown on 2016-01-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans his Department has to help alleviate the work pressures placed on A&E departments as a consequence of the number of admissions which relate to excessive drinking.

    Jane Ellison

    Alcohol-related attendances in accident and emergency (A&E) are a matter of concern. We are taking action, for example, by encouraging better sharing of anonymised data on these attendances between National Health Service bodies and the police. This can provide intelligence for licensing decisions, enabling targeting of premises who are contributing to irresponsible sales and drunkenness.

    The NHS constitution makes clear that abusive or violent behaviour would be reasonable grounds to refuse access to NHS services. That would include a small minority of people who are drunk and abusive to staff.

    In addition, accredited hospital staff have powers to issue fines to individuals whose drunkenness could cause harassment, alarm or distress (Penalty Notices for Disorder – £80 fines).

  • Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2016-02-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress Highways England has made on introducing Regional Road Safety Co-ordinators; and whether Highways England’s Regional Incident and Casualty Reduction Plans will include targets for casualty reductions.

    Andrew Jones

    Regional Safety Coordinators have now been appointed by Highways England. The first appointment was made in January 2016 and the final appointment was made this month.

    The killed and seriously injured reduction target, which is within the Roads Investment Strategy, is a 40% reduction by 2020 (against 2005 to 2009 average baseline). Highways England’s Regional Incident and Casualty Reduction Plans which will provide the disaggregated targets per region will be published in April 2016.

  • Debbie Abrahams – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Debbie Abrahams – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Debbie Abrahams on 2016-03-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of care leavers in receipt of jobseeker’s allowance or employment and support allowance had a sanction applied in each year from 2010 to 2015.

    Priti Patel

    The information is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

  • Andrew Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Andrew Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Smith on 2016-04-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate he has made of the amount of staff time that has been used in assisting representatives of British overseas territories and Crown dependencies in preparation for meetings with the European Commission in the most recent period for which information is available.

    James Duddridge

    The UK is responsible for the international relations of the Overseas Territories, which have a specific status within the European Union Treaties. The Overseas Association Decision is the instrument which sets out the relationship between the European Union and the Overseas Territories of the Member States. In 2015 I attended the annual Forum bringing together Territory leaders, senior representatives from the European Commission and the Member States. Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials meet approximately six times a year with the Territories and the Commission to take forward cooperation under the Overseas Association Decision. Other government departments provide officials when required if the subject matter falls within their area of competence.

    The United Kingdom is also responsible for the international relations of the Crown Dependencies which have a special relationship with the European Union under Protocol 3 to the United Kingdom’s Treaty of Accession to the European Community.

    United Kingdom Government officials meet regularly with Crown Dependency and Overseas Territory representatives to discuss forthcoming business; information sharing is a matter of routine. The Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories make their own preparations for meetings with the European Commission but Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials assist when asked to do so. Support is also available from other government departments and the UK Permanent Representation to the European Union should it be required.

  • Lord Mendelsohn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Lord Mendelsohn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Mendelsohn on 2016-06-06.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to change the broadband target of 10 megabits per second by 2020 to a higher one, in the light of the progress made by other countries.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    The Government’s ambition for the broadband Universal Service Obligation (USO) is that it should be set initially at 10 megabits per second. The rationale for the USO is to provide a ‘digital safety net’ to ensure that every home and business is able to access a fast broadband.

    A broadband USO set at 10 megabits per second is higher than anywhere else in Europe. Spain, for example, has set their USO at 1 megabit per second, and Finland and Malta at 2 and 4 megabits per second respectively. We expect that the USO speed will need to increase over time beyond 10 megabits per second and are committed to keeping this under review to make sure that it keeps pace with consumers’ needs.

  • FALSE – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    FALSE – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by FALSE on 2016-07-20.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the reply by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 27 June (HL Deb, col 1352), whether when they use the words extremism”

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    As part of the Government’s counter-terrorism strategy (CONTEST), the Prevent strategy was revised in 2011 to address all forms of terrorism.

  • Drew Hendry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Drew Hendry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Drew Hendry on 2016-10-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what measures his Department has put in place to ensure that terminally ill patients’ needs are fully considered during personal independence payment assessments.

    Penny Mordaunt

    There are special rules and procedures for people who are terminally ill and make a claim to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) meaning that their claims are fast tracked and they are guaranteed immediate, unconditional entitlement to the enhanced rate of the daily living component, without an assessment of their needs.

    To ensure correct decisions are made as quickly as possible, factual information on the claimant’s condition, clinical features and current/planned treatment is captured on the DS1500 form. This is completed by their GP, hospital consultant or delegated practice/special nurse (e.g. a Macmillan nurse).

    The Department has worked closely with organisations supporting terminally ill people, such as Macmillan Cancer Support, to ensure that the service we offer works as effectively and efficiently as possible. This collaborative approach has resulted in the Department introducing a dedicated telephone service for terminally ill claimants and introducing an electronic method of submitting a DS1500 form from the claimant’s medical practitioner.

  • Thangam Debbonaire – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Thangam Debbonaire – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Thangam Debbonaire on 2016-01-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, which export licences since 2008 relate to BAE Systems’ Eurofighter Typhoon sales to Saudi Arabia; how much each such licence was for; whether each such licence is extant or has expired; and whether each such licence was used in full or in part.

    Anna Soubry

    Since 2008 six licences have been granted that relate to the sale of complete Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft to Saudi Arabia. Four of these licences are linked. Where licences expired before they were fully exhausted the exporter submitted a new application to cover those aircraft not exported under previous licences. The values therefore relate to exports licensed rather than actual exports.

    Typhoon transfers per year are declared in the UK Strategic Export Controls Annual Reports and can be found on GOV.UK

    Year

    Value of Licence(s)

    Licence Extant or Expired?

    Licence used in full or in part

    2009

    £1,476,666,648

    Expired

    Used in part

    2011

    £1,555,833,315

    Expired

    Used in part

    2011

    £129,652,776

    Expired

    Used in full

    2013

    £1,564,666,650

    Expired

    Used in part

    2015 2015

    £1,564,666,650 £129,652,776

    Extant Extant

    Used in part Used in part