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Tag: 2016

  • Sammy Wilson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Sammy Wilson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sammy Wilson on 2016-09-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans his Department has made to bring forward legislative proposals to implement the ruling of the European Court of Justice of September 2014, Damijan Vnuk v Zavarovalnica Triglav C-162/13, on insurance for motorised vehicles used off-road and on private property.

    Andrew Jones

    We oppose any measure that imposes unreasonable costs on British motorists, home owners and businesses. We are pleased to have achieved positive progress; the Commission has agreed in principle that the Motor Insurance Directive should be amended. They set out their high level proposals in an Inception Impact Assessment in June.

    The Secretary of State will consult in due course on whether or not to make changes to how the Motor Insurance Directive is implemented in domestic law.

  • Ian Blackford – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Ian Blackford – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Blackford on 2016-01-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to increase tree-planting as a method of flood prevention.

    Rory Stewart

    In some places trees can slow the flow of water down stream and reduce the local impacts of floods. That is why flood risk management is one of the targeting criteria for woodland creation funded through the new Countryside Stewardship scheme. The Forestry Commission also continues to undertake research into understanding what role woodlands can play in managing flood risk.

  • Lord Turnberg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Turnberg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Turnberg on 2016-02-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Palestine about the re-opening the Red Cross offices closed by recent violence in Gaza.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We understand that the International Committee of the Red Cross office in Gaza closed on 7 February for security reasons following protests in solidarity with a Palestinian hunger striker in Israeli detention. We have not raised this specific issue with the Palestinian Authority (PA) but we have urged the PA to make progress on resuming control in Gaza.

  • Christopher Chope – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Christopher Chope – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2016-03-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what checks his Department carries out to ascertain the (a) immigration status and (b) nationality of benefits claimants.

    Priti Patel

    Access to means-tested benefits is conditional upon satisfying the Habitual Residence Test (HRT) where claimants must provide proof of their nationality and immigration status; their employment (where appropriate) and habitual residence in the UK.

    Generally, access to disability benefits is conditional upon satisfying the Past Presence Test (PPT) where claimants must provide proof of their nationality and immigration status; their habitual residence in the UK; and presence in the UK for 2 years out of the last 3 years.

    Access to contributions-based benefits is not dependent on a residency test, but the claimant must be present in the UK and they must have made the required number of national insurance contributions.

  • Nadine Dorries – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Nadine Dorries – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nadine Dorries on 2016-04-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to improve the travel experiences of blind and partially sighted people; and if he will make a statement.

    Andrew Jones

    The Government plans to publish an accessibility action plan (AAP) to improve the travel experience of disabled people, including blind and partially sighted people. We are working with the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC) to assess what information should go in this publication and how to update any other Departmental guidance to make it used and useful to visually impaired people and a wide audience. We plan for the AAP to be ready for wider consultation in the summer.

  • Lord Berkeley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Berkeley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Berkeley on 2016-05-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their latest estimate of the cost of HS2’s AP3 design for its part of Euston Station and, within that cost, what allowances have been made for (1) inflation, (2) property purchase and compensation, (3) demolition, and (4) provision for taxis, buses and connections to London Underground and Crossrail 2, if built.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The latest cost estimate for Euston is £2,250m. This is based on the revised proposal for Euston included in the 3rd Additional Provision (AP3) to the Phase One hybrid Bill, deposited in Parliament in September 2015.

    This figure is at 2nd quarter 2011 price levels and excludes land and property, inflation and contingency costs.

    The property purchase and compensation costs for the AP3 proposals are included as part of the wider property budget for Phase One of HS2.

    This estimate includes provisional allowances for demolition, station connections for taxis & buses and connections to London Underground. Due to their commercial sensitivity, figures for those provisional allowances are not currently available for release.

    The AP3 proposals do not include a connection for Crossrail 2, however the design of the high speed station has been coordinated with the promoters of the Crossrail 2 scheme and AP3 does not preclude a connection.

  • John Spellar – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    John Spellar – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Spellar on 2016-06-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will take steps to ensure that his Department’s purchasing policies support British (a) industry and (b) agriculture.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The Department’s purchasing policies support the Government’s commitment to do all it can to ensure UK suppliers can compete effectively for public sector contracts, in line with our current international obligations and guidance issued by the Crown Commercial Service.

  • Thangam Debbonaire – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Trade

    Thangam Debbonaire – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Trade

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Thangam Debbonaire on 2016-09-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps he is taking to determine how many trade negotiators his Department will require in the next six months.

    Greg Hands

    The Department for International Trade already has a strong and capable trade policy team which has more than doubled in size since 23 June. Over the coming months we will be developing that team to build the world class negotiating strengths needed to deliver the best outcomes for the UK. They will have the depth and breadth of expertise to handle the full range of sectoral and cross-cutting issues that arise in trade agreements, supported by analysts and lawyers.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-01-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with the Royal College of Nursing on whether there may be a connection between passive smoking and the menopause.

    Jane Ellison

    The Department’s Tobacco Control team has not held any discussions with the Royal College of Nursing on the connection between passive smoking and the menopause.

    The Department does, however, regularly review the impacts of smoking as part of its tobacco control strategy.

  • Lord Willoughby de Broke – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Lord Willoughby de Broke – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Willoughby de Broke on 2016-02-08.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Chief Executive Officer of the Rural Payments Agency will receive a bonus payment this year.

    Lord Freud

    Universal Credit is a single, indivisible benefit. Universal Credit claimants receive a single monthly amount based on various criteria, including family size and the level of any housing or childcare costs and taking into account earnings and other household income. The final award is therefore a single amount and elements cannot be separated.

    The final agreed Decision of the Heads of State and Government adopted at the European Council on 20 February 2016 makes clear that the emergency welfare brake will apply to non-contributory in-work benefits. All EU workers arriving in the UK while the brake is in operation will have to wait for four years before getting full access to these benefits.