The below Parliamentary question was asked by Scott Mann on 2016-06-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to protect the armed forces from persistent legal claims.
Penny Mordaunt
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave in the House on 18 April 2016 to Question 904485 to the hon. Member for Braintree (James Cleverly).
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2016-09-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what progress his Department has made on ensuring that energy efficiency in the private rented sector is improved to meet new regulations regarding E-grade standards for properties to be let.
Jesse Norman
The Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property)(England and Wales) Regulations 2015 requires that all landlords of domestic and non-domestic privately rented property in England and Wales ensure that, from 1 April 2018, their properties reach an energy performance rating of at least an E before granting a tenancy to new or existing tenants, unless a prescribed exemption applies.
The Department has undertaken, and will continue to undertake, engagement activity with landlord groups to help them understand the requirements of the regulations. Officials are currently preparing guidance to assist non-domestic landlords in complying with their obligations under the regulations, and we will prepare similar guidance for domestic landlords in due course.
The Department is also developing a landlord exemptions register, a requirement of the Regulations, which will be used by enforcement authorities to help target their enforcement activities, and which will allow landlords to register online any exemptions that apply.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2016-01-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will ask Ofcom to compare the predicted and actual proportion of BT’s ducts that are able to have fibre blown through them without further civil works.
Mr Edward Vaizey
All ducts and poles in BT’s network beyond the telephone exchange are open to other providers, under the Passive Infrastructure Access obligation imposed by Ofcom, to provide primarily residential broadband services. In its Digital Communications Review. Ofcom is looking at the future role of passive infrastructure access in facilitating competition and innovation.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2016-02-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he plans to announce a decision on access to Translarna after the NICE Highly Specialised Technology Committee meeting on 17 February 2016.
George Freeman
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is currently evaluating Translarna (ataluren) for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy through its highly specialised technology programme. The publication date for NICE’s final guidance is to be confirmed.
NHS England has advised that it is in constructive discussions with the pharmaceutical company about the development of a managed access agreement for Translarna and a progress update will be given at the next NICE Evaluation Committee meeting on 17 February 2016.
In the absence of guidance from NICE, it is for commissioners to make decisions on whether to fund medicines based on an assessment of the available evidence.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Reynolds on 2016-03-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether he has discussed with the Football Association the introduction of a fit-and-proper-person test for owners of non-league football clubs.
David Evennett
The Owners and Directors Test, formerly the fit and Proper Persons Test, is already applied to National League clubs at Steps 1 to 4. The FA are also in the process of introducing a licensing system for those clubs from 2016–17, which will ensure clubs can only compete if they meet a set of legal, ownership, integrity, stadia, insolvency and sustainability criteria.
Any plans for a licensing system or the Owners and Directors Test to be introduced to non-league sides further down the football pyramid are a matter for the FA.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2016-04-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the capacity of existing multi-academy trusts to absorb the remaining community schools in (a) England and (b) Yorkshire.
Edward Timpson
Existing schools are choosing to join or form a multi-academy trust (MAT); in 2014/15 over 90% joined or formed a multi-academy trust with one or more other schools. They are doing this because forming these MAT partnerships creates capacity in the system allowing schools to pool resources, share best practice, and benefit from strong leadership.
We are committing over £500M to build capacity and convert schools over the next four years – including recruiting excellent sponsors and encouraging the development of strong multi-academy trusts.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rebecca Long Bailey on 2016-05-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to prevent atrocities, such as the Gatumba massacre, from taking place in Burundi.
James Duddridge
The UK is playing a leading role in trying to build a strong and coherent international response to the crisis in Burundi. I visited Burundi in December 2015 and have consistently urged the Government of Burundi, in the strongest terms, to end the violence and engage in inclusive dialogue. Through the conflict, stability and security fund, we will be increasing our efforts on the ground which will include deploying a Burundi coordinator to Bujumbura.
DFID offices in Kigali and Dar Es Salaam have stepped up their analysis and coverage of the crisis to ensure they can respond to an evolving situation and increasing humanitarian assistance as necessary. My Hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for International Development, Nick Hurd MP, has visited the Burundi refugee camps in Tanzania and DFID has provided £14.25 million in Tanzania and £6.9million in Rwanda to support refugees.
In March I addressed the UN Security Council and regional leaders of the Great Lakes, highlighting the need for urgent action in Burundi. British Ambassadors and High Commissioners across the region continue to lobby their host Governments on the importance of taking action to resolve the situation in Burundi.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Wes Streeting on 2016-06-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assistance her Department is providing to Sri Lanka.
Sir Desmond Swayne
DFID’s bilateral aid to Sri Lanka ended in 2006 when middle income status was achieved. We continue to support them through multilateral organisations and through centrally managed DFID programmes. In 2014 these amounted to at least £28m.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-09-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what his policy is on the export of UK arms to Saudi Arabia; and if he will make a statement.
Mark Garnier
The Government’s policy has always been to rigorously assess all licence applications on a case by case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Export Licensing Criteria. A licence would not be granted if to do so would be a breach of the Criteria, including if there was a clear risk that the items might be used in the commission of a serious violation of International Humanitarian Law.
The framework for arms export licensing remains as set out in the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, known as the Consolidated Criteria.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Knight on 2016-01-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps the Government is taking to reduce the number of fraudulent compensation claims against Armed Forces personnel in Iraq.
Penny Mordaunt
The Government is committed to action to bear down on unmeritorious litigation of all kinds against the Armed Forces, and will be announcing its proposed course of action in due course. Accusations must be investigated, but where they are found to be fraudulent, or where relevant information is withheld, we will robustly defend the reputation of the Armed Forces and the interests of the taxpayer. We welcome the decision of the Solicitors Regulation Authority to refer one firm of solicitors heavily involved in bringing claims from Iraq to the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal.