Tag: Alex Chalk

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Chalk on 2016-10-24.

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps the Government is taking to tackle the rise in online misogyny.

Caroline Dinenage

Abusive or threatening behaviour – whoever the target – is totally unacceptable. As set out in the Violence Against Women and Girls prevention strategy, my department, with the Home Office, has established a cross-government working group to develop proactive responses to online misogyny. We have also provided new funding for the Revenge Porn Helpline.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Chalk on 2016-02-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what support her Department is providing for the development of (a) technologies for the improved storage of electricity and (b) locally-based smart grids.

Andrea Leadsom

More than £80m UK public sector support (including Ofgem innovation funding) has been committed to energy storage research, development and demonstration activities since 2012, which is helping to drive down the costs of storage and bring new technologies closer to market. The Department has provided more than £18m of innovation funding for development and demonstration storage technologies; including funding for four technology demonstration projects.

We are facilitating the deployment of a smart grid through:

• Rolling out smart meters which are an integral part of a smart grid;
• The DECC-Ofgem Smart Grid Forum with a range of active workstreams to remove barriers to smart grid deployment.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Chalk on 2016-04-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what support the Government is providing to GPs to help them with the cost of insuring work carried out outside normal hours.

Ben Gummer

The Department and NHS England are working on proposals for discussion with the profession, medical defence organisations, the commercial insurance industry and the NHS Litigation Authority.

This will consider:

― how personal costs of indemnity and clinical insurance can be contained – provided certain clinical governance standards are met, with the objective of reducing the overall costs to the individual;

― the funding routes for indemnity in different models of care; and

― with a specific focus on new models of care such as Primary and Acute Community Services and Multi-Speciality Community Providers and the scope for corporate indemnity, freeing up individuals working in those new models from the burden of personal indemnity costs.

NHS England created the Winter Indemnity Scheme which ran from December 2015 until March 2016, making £2 million available to cover the cost of additional indemnity premiums for doctors to undertake additional out of hours sessions. This was in response to increased demand for appointments during the winter period.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Chalk on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Government plans to grant local authorities greater powers to resolve neighbour disputes arising from the reservation of parking spaces using traffic cones, refuse bins or other items.

Andrew Jones

It is an offence under Section 148(c) of the Highways Act 1980 for a person to deposit anything on the highway to interrupt the use of a highway. Local authorities have powers under Section 149 of the Highways Act 1980 to notify the person who deposited the item or items to remove them, or refer the matter to a Magistrates’ Court if he or she fails to comply. The Government believes that the current powers are adequate to deal with such matters.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Chalk on 2016-03-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what support his Department is providing for the development of a cyber innovation centre in Cheltenham.

Mr Edward Vaizey

Following the Chancellor’s announcement last November, my department has been working with GCHQ and the Office for Cyber Security and Information Assurance to take forward development of the innovation centres. We will ensure that you are kept regularly apprised of progress.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Chalk on 2016-04-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many road traffic accidents have been recorded over the last five years on the area of the A417 in Gloucestershire for which an upgrade is planned in 2020.

Andrew Jones

Highways England is starting full-scale options work on the A417 Missing Link ‘Air Balloon’ roundabout scheme this financial year (2016/17), with the intention that the scheme will be ready to start construction as early as possible in the next Road Investment Strategy period which starts on 1 April 2020.

A total of 65 personal injury road accidents were reported to the police between 2010 and 2014 in the vicinity of the A417 scheme.

The number of reported personal injury road accidents per year by severity are as follows:

	Fatal	Serious	Slight	Total
2010	1	1	14	16
2011	1	0	9	10
2012	0	2	13	15
2013	2	2	4	8
2014	2	3	11	16
5yr total	6	8	51	65

Figures for 2015 will be published on 30^th June 2016.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Chalk on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential effect of removing the protected status of seagulls in urban areas on local authorities’ ability to manage seagull populations more effectively.

Dr Thérèse Coffey

Defra has not undertaken such an assessment. The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 already allows for the control of gulls, under licence from Natural England, in the interest of public health and safety or to prevent disease. Local authorities, businesses and individuals are also able to take action to manage urban gull populations e.g. using bins with secured lids, ensuring domestic animals are not fed outside and that streets are clear of litter.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Chalk on 2016-04-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps the Government is taking to protect and support victims of stalking.

Karen Bradley

Stalking is a deeply disturbing crime which can leave its victims living in fear for years. That is why we introduced new legislation in 2012 which made stalking an offence in its own right.

The latest published figures on stalking show that this legislation is taking effect. In 2014-15, over 1,100 prosecutions were commenced under the new offences, a nearly 50% rise from the previous year. The number of referrals by the police to the CPS, the number of convictions and the number of custodial sentences have also risen.

However, legislation alone is not enough and we are determined to provide all victims of stalking with the protection and support that they need. As part of the dedicated funding to tackle violence against women and girls we provide support to the Suzy Lamplugh Trust for its National Stalking Helpline to provide support and advice to victims.

The Home Office is currently considering the results of a public consultation on the possible introduction of a Stalking Protection Order aimed at providing immediate and earlier protection for victims. Through the Police Innovation Fund, we are supporting the police to identify ways to manage the significant volume of online material in abuse, harassment and stalking cases, so that evidence can be collected more easily and a strong case built to bring a prosecution.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Chalk on 2016-04-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps the Government has taken to promote cycling to work.

Mr Robert Goodwill

We support the Cycle to Work scheme which allows employers to loan bicycle and bicycle safety equipment to employees free of any income tax liability. The Department has produced guidelines to encourage employers to take advantage of this exemption so that employees can loan affordable equipment enabling them to cycle to work.

The Department also helps people to cycle to work, for instance, by providing funding to local authorities through the Local Sustainable Transport Fund and Cycle Ambition Cities fund which can be used to improve local cycling provisions, provide safer cycle routes and increase cycle parking facilities.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Chalk on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions have taken place between the British and Iranian authorities on the case of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

I am deeply concerned by recent reports that Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe has been sentenced without confirmation of the charges against her. We continue to raise our strong concerns about British prisoners in Iran, including Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe, at the highest levels in both London and Tehran. The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), did so in her introductory call with Iranian President Rouhani on 9 August. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip (Mr Johnson), similarly raised this case in his introductory call with Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif on 4 August, and followed up in writing on 29 August. Our Ambassador and embassy staff in Tehran raise this case with their Iranian counterparts at every available opportunity, and will continue to press for further details as well as assurances of Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s welfare. I met Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s family on 8 September to reassure them that we will continue to do all we can.