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Tag: 2016

  • Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2016-03-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent steps she has taken to tackle stone theft.

    Karen Bradley

    Stone theft has a detrimental effect on towns and communities across England and Wales. The impact of these crimes includes both the economic cost to the victim, but there are also wider costs to the community, for example where schools, churches or heritage items are targeted by criminals.

    We have received no recent representations from local authorities on this issue, nor have we had recent discussions with the police on stone theft specifically. However, the police are working with Historic England, the Crown Prosecution Service and others to share intelligence and shape good practice in tackling and preventing heritage crime, such as stone theft.

    We would encourage all victims of stone theft, whether individuals or organisations, to report instances of these crimes to their local police, so that the crimes can be properly recorded and investigated. The local response is a matter for individual chief officers of police and Police and Crime Commissioners, taking into account the specific local issues and demands that they face.

    We are satisfied that the existing legislation provides the police and courts with sufficient powers to respond to stone theft.

  • Fabian Hamilton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Fabian Hamilton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fabian Hamilton on 2016-04-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will publish the 1973 Cost Sharing Agreement between the US and the UK.

    Michael Fallon

    No.

  • Neil Parish – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Neil Parish – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Neil Parish on 2016-05-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of making superfast broadband a planning obligation on all new build properties

    Brandon Lewis

    We have worked with BT Openreach and the Home Builders Federation on an agreement, announced earlier this year, which aims to deliver superfast broadband connectivity to new build properties in the UK. We have also recently introduced a requirement for all new buildings and major renovations to include in-building physical infrastructure to support connections to superfast broadband. In addition, the National Planning Policy Framework places the provision of superfast broadband alongside other strategic infrastructure and requires local planning authorities to consult providers as part of the Local Plan.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-07-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Zimbabwean counterpart on (a) steps to improve democracy and (b) support for the domestic production of food in that country.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The UK Government continues to stress the importance of political and governance reform and respect for human rights to the Government of Zimbabwe. The former Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Hon. Friend the Member for Rochford and Southend East (James Duddridge) discussed these issues with Zimbabwean Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa on 5 July. He also raised the economic situation and land reform policy, which have a direct impact on Zimbabwe’s agricultural capabilities. The UK’s Livelihoods and Food Security Programme is providing over 130,000 farmers with training in the application of new agricultural technologies and management practices in crop and livestock production, including promoting the production of bio-fortified food crops. The programme is working with the private sector to offer agricultural inputs and outputs services to smallholder farmers, as well as improving agri – businesses and smallholder farmer access to finance.

  • Barry Gardiner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Barry Gardiner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Gardiner on 2016-09-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether EDF will incur a penalty in the event that Hinkley Point C starts to generate electricity by 2025.

    Jesse Norman

    Under the contract for difference, if Hinkley Point C does not start generating electricity four years after 2025 then there will be reductions to the contract term. This means that for every day that Hinkley is late, the period of time where EDF is getting increased certainty on the price of electricity generated from Hinkley is reduced. If neither reactor at Hinkley is generating electricity by 2033, there is an option to cancel the contract.

  • Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2016-01-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how much funding the Green Investment Bank has invested in fracking projects in the UK.

    Anna Soubry

    The Green Investment Bank has not invested in any fracking projects.

  • Jon Trickett – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Jon Trickett – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jon Trickett on 2016-02-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers were being accommodated by Serco in the North West region on the latest date for which figures are available.

    James Brokenshire

    The Home Office publishes quarterly data on the number of asylum seekers in Section 95 dispersal accommodation, by local authority. In Q3 2015 there were 7,531 in dispersed accommodation in the North West region (Asylum Vol 4. Table 16q).

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-statistics-july-to-september-2015/asylum

  • Christina Rees – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Christina Rees – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christina Rees on 2016-03-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, in how many and which courts in England and Wales court counters have closed in the last 12 months.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    Court counters have closed at the following courts in the last 12 months:

    Grantham Magistrates’ Court; and

    Skegness Magistrates’ Court.

  • 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 2016-04-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many of the 22 new free schools announced by her Department on 5 February 2016 will be located in but not adjacent to planning areas where there will be a need for additional school places by September 2017.

    Edward Timpson

    Of the 22 new free schools announced on 5 February 2016, 17 are mainstream schools for which basic need in the areas was assessed. Five of the 22 schools are not mainstream schools, so have been excluded; basic need does not apply in their application. Of these 17 schools, 13 are in planning areas where there is projected to be a need for places in September 2017.

    When assessing both the basic need for places in the local area and the standards of local schools, we define local schools as those that fall within the ‘straight-line’ distance of the proposed free school location within which at least 80% of the pupils in the area travel to school (at the relevant phase). This is intended to act as a proxy catchment area for the new free school. The local area is then defined as the planning areas in which these local schools are situated. Of the 17 schools, 15 have need for 2017 and one has need beyond 2017.

  • 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 2016-05-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many academy schools that are currently rated as inadequate have been waiting longer than six months to be re-brokered to another academy sponsor.

    Edward Timpson

    As at 31 March 2016, there are currently 123 inadequate academies and free schools. The Department does not hold information on the number of academies which are awaiting re-brokerage. Regional Schools Commissioners will work with schools in a number of ways before considering moving them to a new sponsor.