Tag: Alex Cunningham

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-01-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department spent on purchasing bearskins and other associated headgear containing real fur in each of the last 10 years.

Mr Philip Dunne

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) does not buy bear pelts; it buys ceremonial caps direct from suppliers who source pelts from animals culled as part of a programme to manage the wild population licensed by the Canadian government. Animal welfare standards relating to the bear cull are a matter for the Canadian government.

The MOD also purchases coney skin (rabbit fur) for the Royal Engineers’ and Royal Signals’ busby and fox fur for the Royal Horse Artillery, Kings Troop Officers’ busby. The current contract requires a commitment to sustainable procurement.

Depending on usage and maintenance, bearskin busbys can last for up to 50 years. The coney skin and fox fur busbys have indefinite lifespans if properly maintained.

Calendar Year	Cost of Bearskin Busby Headgear (£)	Financial Year	Cost of Coney Skin Busby Headgear (£)	Cost of Fox Fur Busby Headgear(£)
2005	Not held	2005-06	1,532	0
2006	Not held	2006-07	0	1,472
2007	Not held	2007-08	0	0
2008	31,319	2008-09	9,173	406
2009	148,891	2009-10	0	0
2010	131,886	2010-11	0	0
2011	90,822	2011-12	0	861
2012	126,087	2012-13	1,779	861
2013	65,108	2013-14	0	0
2014	136,671	2014-15	10,257	1,899
2015	149,379	2015-16	2,558	0

All figures are rounded to the nearest pound.

Calendar Year	Number of Bearskin Busby Headgear	Financial Year	Number of Coney Skin Busby Headgear	Number of Busby Headgear made of Fox Fur
2005	Not held	2005-06	4	0
2006	Not held	2006-07	0	2
2007	Not held	2007-08	0	0
2008	35	2008-09	22	1
2009	195	2009-10	0	0
2010	158	2010-11	0	0
2011	99	2011-12	0	1
2012	126	2012-13	4	1
2013	63	2013-14	0	0
2014	127	2014-15	20	2
2015	122	2015-16	5	0

Historically the MOD has undertaken a number of trials on synthetic alternatives to bear skin but none of these matched the properties of the natural material. No trialling has taken place since 2007. Information about costs of these trials is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. In 2012 the Ministry of Defence loaned a sample bearskin to the animal rights organisation, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, to aid its research and development programme on a synthetic alternative.

There has been no research and development carried out to find a synthetic alternative to coney skin or fox fur.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-01-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what special measures exist for survivors of domestic abuse in the family courts in child contact proceedings.

Caroline Dinenage

Family judges have a range of powers and training to ensure that vulnerable witnesses are handled sensitively in court. The Child Arrangements Programme and Practice Direction 12J set out a strong and clear framework where domestic violence is alleged. Judges can intervene to prevent inappropriate questions or have questions relayed. Practical protections, for example, protective screens, video links, separate waiting rooms and separate entrances are available where appropriate. It is for the judge involved, on the basis of the evidence, to determine how the framework will be applied in a particular case.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate he has made of the number of prison officers injured on duty in incidents involving new psychoactive substances in the last year.

Andrew Selous

Where injury to prison officers is suspected to be wholly due or due in part to new psychoactive substances, this is noted but the figures are subjective and the connection with NPS cannot be proven. We are piloting mandatory drug testing for new psychoactive substances from this month, and intend to roll it out to all prisons by April 2016.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-02-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 3 February 2016 to Question 24265, what criteria colleges and post-16 educational institutions will have to meet in order to access the transitional funding facility allocated by his Department.

Nick Boles

Further details of the purpose and availability of the transitional funding facility will be available in due course.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-02-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the cost to the public purse has been of his Department reimbursing local authorities for payments to (a) households and (b) businesses in flood protection grants.

James Wharton

To date over £48 million has been paid out to local authorities through the Community and Business Recovery Fund and Council Tax and Business Rates discounts to assist households and businesses affected by the floods caused by Storms Desmond and Eva.

Local authorities have not notified the Department of any allowable costs not covered by the sums transferred. It is expected that further payments will be made shortly as flooded property numbers are confirmed and further funds requested.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-03-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to paragraph 1.301 of Budget 2016, how much funding will be made available to support delivery of the final phase of the Leeds Flood Alleviation Scheme; and what proportion of that funding is additional to the £2.3 billion capital programme previously announced.

Rory Stewart

The Government has announced a new scheme for Leeds and the wider Aire catchment, which will provide flood defence for the area north of the station. Subject to business case approval, £35 million has been made available for this scheme up to 2021, with a commitment to ensure that the project is completed. This funding is in addition to the £2.3 billion capital programme.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-04-08.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when he plans to publish the responses to his Department’s National Flood Resilience Review.

Mr Oliver Letwin

The report of the National Flooding Resilience Review is due to be published in the summer of 2016.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-05-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what plans she has to consult trades unions for UK oil and gas workers on the development of the Inter-Ministerial Group on Oil and Gas’s plan for the UK oil and gas workforce.

Andrea Leadsom

The Department of Energy and Climate Change and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills are engaging with a range of stakeholders as the UK oil and gas workforce plan is developed.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-05-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what recent assessment she has made of the financial viability of (a) carbon capture and storage and (b) alternative options in helping to reduce the UK’s carbon dioxide emissions.

Andrea Leadsom

The Government views Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) as having a potentially important role in the long-term decarbonisation of the UK’s economy. However, CCS is currently too expensive and costs must come down. Government will set out its approach to CCS in due course, informed by the findings from Lord Oxburgh’s CCS Advisory Group.

In comparing the costs of other low-carbon technologies in the future, DECC typically use the levelised costs of electricity generation. Levelised costs include capital and operating costs over the lifetime of a plant, as well as DECC estimates of projected fuel and carbon costs.

We are currently undertaking a comprehensive review of our evidence on levelised costs of electricity generation.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-07-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to increase awareness of liver disease in the (a) general population and (b) NHS.

David Mowat

I understand that the British Liver Trust is working in partnership with the Royal College of General Practitioners on a three year programme to make liver disease a clinical priority for primary care. This is aimed at improving awareness and understanding of liver disease as well as treatment amongst those working in primary care.

Public Health England is currently developing a framework to tackle liver disease. This will include the action that needs to be taken across the health and care system, including in primary care, to prevent and better manage liver disease.