The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Hollern on 2016-01-27.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the estimated completion and entry into service dates are for each of the proposed Successor Trident submarines.
Mr Philip Dunne
As set out in the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015, we expect the first Successor submarine to enter service in the early 2030s. As detailed Planning Assumptions for Service Entry are classified, I am witholding that information.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jamie Reed on 2016-02-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment her Department has made of the potential effect of the Sellafield Workforce Reform programme on the Sellafield workforce.
Andrea Leadsom
The Sellafield Change Programme is being put into place to improve business performance and provide greater value for the public purse while maintaining the priority of safe and secure operations. Sellafield Ltd will continue to offer quality employment for many people for many years and is looking at how it can deliver the decommissioning mission as effectively and efficiently as possible and in a way that strengthens the local economy. Sellafield Ltd is engaging the workforce and its representatives on plans to improve the business and specifically on what this will mean for employees.
Details of the change programme are available at http://www.nda.gov.uk/contracts-and-competition/sellafield-model-change-programme.
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hannah Bardell on 2016-03-15.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what process HM Revenue and Customs uses to test for illicit tobacco products.
Damian Hinds
Tobacco products classified as ‘illicit’ in the UK include anything on which duty has not been paid but should have been paid. This includes counterfeit products, brands manufactured legally overseas but not legally sold in the UK, and genuine products originating in the UK and overseas but diverted from legitimate supply chains by criminals. Because of this, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) officers use a variety of ways to identify illicit product. Testing product authenticity is one mechanism.
To test product authenticity, HMRC uses identifiers required by legislation, for example, Fiscal Marks which manufacturers are required to print on specified tobacco products to show they are UK duty paid, as well as voluntary tools used by the manufacturers. One such voluntary tool is Codentify.
Codentify was developed and introduced by the major tobacco manufacturers on their own initiative through the Digital Coding and Tracking Association (DCTA). HMRC played no part in the development or introduction of the system nor did HMRC require that it be introduced. Codentify codes already feature on packs and are there regardless of any HMRC use of them. HMRC took a policy decision, in line with the commitment to tackle illicit tobacco, to examine whether these existing codes could provide a useful additional tool to help officers authenticate product in the field.
The trial is concerned only with the use of Codentify for product authentication, and no other aspect of the system is being used or evaluated. Codentify requires no specialist equipment or training. Officers are provided with basic guidance and access to an online system. No charge is made for use of the system and, as no procurement was needed, there was no requirement for HMRC to run a tender exercise. As this is a trial only, no Ministerial approval was required or has been sought.
A number of HMRC officers have been given access to the system and trained by HMRC colleagues. The time spent on this activity is minimal and is estimated to be less than one staff year in total.
HMRC has explained the use of Codentify as a potential product authentication tool to colleagues in Border Force and Trading Standards. However, they have not provided training to any officers in those organisations.
The EU Tobacco Products Directive introduces a requirement for a pan European security feature and track and trace systems. The European Commission, working with Member States, is considering proposals and have yet to determine any technical specifications,
HMRC is aware of a wide range of potential track and trace and security feature solutions on the market. They are not evaluating, and, given the current position on the Directive, could not evaluate any products against its requirements. The aspects of Codentify being used are entirely separate from the requirements of the Directive.
In accordance with regulatory requirements, when technical specifications are determined, HMRC will ensure that any evaluation against them ensures no unfair competitive advantage or obstacles to competition.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bill Esterson on 2016-04-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, who will act on behalf of the Pubs Code Adjudicator in situations where one of the parties to that adjudication objects to the Adjudicator’s involvement.
Anna Soubry
The Pubs Code Adjudicator has been appointed by the Secretary of State to arbitrate alleged breaches of the statutory obligations set out in the Pubs Code. The Adjudicator will therefore be operating within the statutory framework provided in the SBEE Act and Pubs Code regulations. The parties to an alleged breach of the Pubs Code are not afforded an automatic right to object to the Adjudicator discharging what is a statutory duty. This is in contrast to the position of arbitrators appointed to deal with a private arbitration of contractual disputes.
The Adjudicator will make and publish arrangements for dealing with any conflict of interest as he is required to do by the SBEE Act [Schedule 1 para 10]. These will be the relevant arrangements for any parties wishing to raise any questions about conflicts of interest. Where the parties raise any objection to the Adjudicator arbitrating a dispute, it is for the Adjudicator to decide whether it is appropriate for him to appoint another arbitrator (as the Act allows).
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2016-05-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) people, (b) nominated officers and (c) other nominated officers were prosecuted for failure to disclose under Section 19, Part III of the Terrorism Act 2000 in each year since 2009-10.
Mr John Hayes
The Home Office holds data on the number of people prosecuted for terrorism-related offences under specific legislation, on a principle offence basis (i.e. if an individual is prosecuted for multiple offences at one time, only the most serious offence is recorded). Since 2009/10, there have been no prosecutions where the principle offence comes under section 19 of the Terrorism Act 2000.
The Home Office does not hold data on the number of nominated officers that were prosecuted.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-07-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will instigate an inquiry into the past management of the South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust.
Mr Philip Dunne
The Department’s attention was first drawn to issues in relation to South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAMB) NHS Foundation Trust’s NHS 111 service in autumn 2015.
In March 2015, NHS England convened a risk summit meeting involving all partners following the suspension by SECAMB of their unofficial call-handling project. NHS England commissioned an external investigation which was published on 5 November 2015, while an initial report was shared with families involved with the SECAMB’s project in September 2015.
Monitor, the then independent regulator of NHS Foundation Trusts (now part of NHS Improvement), announced on 28 October 2015 that it was taking action against SECAMB. Monitor’s requirements included the development of three reviews. The first; a forensic review of the project itself undertaken by Deloitte was published on 15 March 2016. Second, the Trust has commissioned an independent expert to lead a patient impact review following the call-handling project, which will be finalised shortly. Third, the Trust is required to undertake a full governance review and this will take place once the substantive board is in place.
In the meantime NHS Improvement are working closely with the Trust to support it in addressing known governance, operational and quality issues.
The Government has no plans to set up an inquiry.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Brendan O’Hara on 2016-10-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will take immediate steps to reopen consular facilities in Malawi to enable Malawian nationals to obtain UK visas in that country.
Mr Robert Goodwill
UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI), an operational command of the Home Office, has responsibility for running the UK’s visa service.
In Malawi, UK visa applications can be made through the Visa Application Centre in Lilongwe, which is open five days a week. UKVI has no plans to change its current operating model.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paula Sherriff on 2015-12-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what directions or guidance his Department has issued to (a) Network Rail, (b) train operating companies and (c) Transport for London regarding funding agreements with British Transport Police since the publication of the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015.
Claire Perry
Funding agreements are a matter between the British Transport Police Authority and the train operators, Network Rail and Transport for London.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-01-27.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with (a) NATO and (b) the Balkan states on increasing the number of NATO troops and amount of materiel in those states.
Mr Julian Brazier
The UK is fully engaged with NATO’s regular reviews of its distribution of troops and materiel to ensure the Alliance is adaptable to the changing security situation. The NATO Kosovo Force (KFOR) – around 4,600 personnel – is reviewed regularly, with SHAPE currently reporting a positive security and political situation. NATO Allies regularly train in the Western Balkans region, and in 2016 the UK will contribute troops to: Exercise CARPATHIAN EXPRESS and Exercise STEADFAST COBALT in Romania; Exercise STEADFAST LEV in Bulgaria; Exercise IMMEDIATE RESPONSE in Slovenia; and Exercise JOINT EFFORT in Albania.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Nuttall on 2016-02-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, in which court the commitment in point 7 of Section A of the Decision of the Heads of State or Government, meeting within the European Council on 18 and 19 February 2016, to incorporate the substance of the section into the EU Treaties is enforceable.
Mr David Lidington
The decision of the Heads of State or Government, meeting within the European Council, concerning a new settlement for the United Kingdom within the European Union, is legally binding. The Government is confident that all the commitments in the Decision will be implemented by the Member States and EU Institutions.