Tag: Alex Cunningham

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-05-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, with reference to the Answer of 14 April 2016 to Question 33418, what progress her Department has made on options for taking account of process emissions in a tiering system for the allocation of free allowances under Phase IV of the EU Emissions Trading System; and what those options are.

Andrea Leadsom

The Government supports reform to strengthen the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) while continuing to support the competitiveness of British businesses in the transition to a low-carbon economy. We recognise the barriers to decarbonisation in certain sectors due to high proportions of emissions from chemical processes. Negotiations to reform the EU ETS are still in the early stages, with discussions ongoing on possible tiered free allocation to industrial sectors. We will continue to work closely with UK industry to consider ways to account for the issue of process emissions in the next phase of the EU ETS starting in 2021.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-05-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department has taken to ensure (a) compliance with and (b) appropriate implementation of COMPASS contracts in Teeside.

James Brokenshire

The provision of accommodation for asylum seekers is provided under the COMPASS contracts. It is the responsibility of all of the suppliers to ensure that all accommodation used meets the required contractual standard and complies with the Decent Homes Standards. The accommodation should be safe, habitable and fit for purpose. The COMPASS providers are required to inspect properties each month and UKVI’s contract compliance teams reinforce this by visiting properties regularly.

The Home Office expects the highest standards and where a contractor is found to be falling short of these standards we work with them to ensure that issues are quickly addressed.

Earlier this year, we instructed our supplier (G4S) to repaint the doors of G4S and Jomast managed properties to ensure that no one colour is predominant. I have received confirmation from the Provider that this had been completed, UKVI staff have also confirmed that no one colour is predominant as they have visited properties as part of their inspection regime.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when the Government plans to formally respond to Lord Oxburgh’s report on carbon capture and storage in the UK, published on 12 September 2016; and if he will make a statement.

Jesse Norman

The Government will consider closely the findings and recommendations made in the report, ‘Lowest Cost Decarbonisation for the UK: the critical role of carbon capture and storage’, published by the Lord Oxburgh- led Parliamentary Advisory Group on CCS.

Government will be setting out its future approach to CCS in due course.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2015-11-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to increase the breadth of physical activity opportunities beyond sport available to children (a) in and (b) out of school.

Edward Timpson

We want all children to lead healthy and active lives. The government will publish a new sports strategy by the end of 2015. The strategy will set out how the government intends to support young people to participate in, and engage with sport and physical activity.

Schools can offer a variety of opportunities for children to be physically active. Physical education (PE) is a compulsory subject at all four Key Stages in the national curriculum for maintained schools. The curriculum sets out the expectation that pupils should be physically active for sustained periods of time. Teachers have the flexibility to organise and deliver a range of activities.

Through the Primary PE and Sport Premium, the government has committed over £450m of ring-fenced funding to primary schools to improve the quality of their PE and sport provision.

Other programmes focused on increasing physical activity include Change4Life Sports Clubs and the Young Ambassador Peer Leaders programme. Change4Life Sports Clubs aim to increase the physical activity, health and wellbeing of the least active children through healthy lifestyle activities. In May 2015, an independent evaluation on Change4Life Primary Clubs found that around 270,000 children participated in Change4Life Primary Clubs over the lifetime of the programme (2011/12 – 2014/15). Young Ambassadors are primary and secondary pupils who promote physical activity across their school and lead activities with their less active peers.

Outside of school, more than 385,000 families signed up to the Change4Life 10 Minute Shake Up summer campaign and over 700,000 children participated. The campaign encouraged children to team up with some of their favourite Disney characters and enjoy 10 Minute Shake Up activities to keep them healthy and physically active.

The government is also keen to encourage more pupils to walk to school. Statutory guidance for local authorities on travel and transport to school was published in July 2014. Local authorities have a duty to promote the use of sustainable travel and transport and to develop a strategy for sustainable local travel.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2015-11-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to Resolution 11.15 adopted by the Eleventh Conference if the Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals in November 2014, what assessment she has made of the extent and type of poisoning risk from lead ammunition in the UK.

Rory Stewart

The Government is considering the independent Lead Ammunition Group’s report on the effect of lead shot on human and wildlife health and will respond as soon as possible.

The Food Standards Agency has produced advice on the consumption of lead shot game which can be accessed at https://www.food.gov.uk/science/advice-to-frequent-eaters-of-game-shot-with-lead.

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2015-11-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the effect of the extension of Right to Buy on affordable housing supply.

Brandon Lewis

Under the 2012 reinvigorated Right to Buy, every additional home sold, as well as those homes sold to tenants through the voluntary agreement with the National Housing Federation and housing associations, will result in an additional home being provided. This will lead to an increase in overall housing supply.

The Government exceeded its affordable homes target over the last 4 years by 16,000 homes, delivering 186,000 new affordable homes.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2015-11-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on funding for Rural Community Councils.

Rory Stewart

The Secretary of State discussed a range of issues with the Chancellor of the Exchequer as part of the Spending Review. The Chancellor announced the outcome of the Spending Review on 25 November.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2015-12-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if the Government will publish an updated Tobacco Control Plan for England.

Jane Ellison

This Government is committed to reducing the prevalence of smoking in England to further improve and protect the health of the nation. In line with this commitment Government plan to publish a new tobacco control strategy for England next year.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2015-12-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to Part 1 of the Education and Skills Act 2008, what assessment he has made of whether all armed forces personnel aged 16 and 17 are able to study for 280 guided learning hours per year towards accredited qualifications.

Mark Lancaster

The Armed Forces meet the requirement of Raising the Participation Age, as defined in the Education and Skills Act 2008.

In the Naval Service, all new recruits, whether Royal Navy or Royal Marines and irrespective of age, undertake a Level 2 accredited apprenticeship. This is as part of Phase 2 training for the Royal Navy and Phase 1 training for the Royal Marines.

The Army provides full-time training and education to all recruits aged 16 and 17, largely through the Junior Entry courses at Army Foundation College, Harrogate.

All non-commissioned Royal Air Force recruits, regardless of their age, are enrolled onto a Level 2, Level 3 or Level 4 accredited apprenticeship according to their Trade.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-01-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make it her policy to publish sea bass landing data by metier for 2014.

George Eustice

The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) publishes annual data which includes total landings by UK vessels for bass in the UK Sea Fisheries Annual Statistics Report 2014. In conjunction with this report, the MMO publishes two more detailed datasets online which show bass landings by, for example, year, month, port of landing, vessel nationality, gear category, over/under 10m, area and rectangle. This information is available at the link below.

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/uk-sea-fisheries-annual-statistics-report-2014.

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