Tag: Alex Cunningham

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

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many reports of criminal offences against residents of properties used to house asylum seekers have been recorded in each of the last 12 months.

James Brokenshire

The Home Office and its accommodation providers encourage accommodated asylum seekers to inform us of any criminal or anti-social activity against them so that appropriate action can be taken to ensure their safety. Information concerning the reports of criminal offences is not recorded on centrally collated statistical databases and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost by examination of case records.

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, what discussions he has had with his counterpart in Colombia on reducing the incidence of children and young people aged under 16 working in coal mines; and if he will make a statement.

Jesse Norman

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has not engaged with the Colombian government on this issue. Departmental officials have had discussions with NGOs and industry bodies regarding coal mining in Columbia but have not been made aware of evidence to support these claims. We are aware that Columbia has laws in place to prevent child labour; if there is evidence to the contrary we would encourage the Hon Member to share it with officials.

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, what evidence her Department has received on the potential effect on the sport of shooting that would result from the phase out of the use of lead ammunition for sport shooting in England.

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 2015-11-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how her Department plans to implement the Guidelines to Prevent the Risk of Poisoning to Migratory Birds adopted by the Eleventh Conference if the Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals in November 2014.

Rory Stewart

The UK has strict protection for migratory birds through existing statutory and policy provisions, noting our obligations under the EU Wild Birds Directive, as a Contracting Party to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA), Rotterdam, Ramsar and Bern Conventions, and as a Signatory to the Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation of Migratory Birds of Prey in Africa and Eurasia.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions her Department has had with HM Treasury on the removal of the fuel duty escalator for liquefied petroleum gas as part of government proposals to reduce emissions from road transport.

Rory Stewart

Defra has had no discussions with HM Treasury about the removal of the fuel duty escalator for liquefied petroleum gas.

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, if she will provide financial support to village halls to ensure that they are able to continue to operate after the closure of the National Village Halls Forum.

Rory Stewart

Community and Village Halls play an important role in many communities. We continue to consider the best ways to help the people who run them have the skills and support they need. Defra provided ACRE with £2,312,000 for 2015-16 to distribute amongst Rural Community Councils, allowing them to continue their role in sustaining rural villages and communities, and in operating their network of village hall advisers.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2015-12-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Pet Travel Scheme Regulations.

George Eustice

The pets checkers (carriers or agents) which carry out checks to ensure pets animals are compliant with Pet Travel Scheme rules are audited by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) and the results show that they are performing satisfactorily. In 2014, APHA audited close to 6,000 pets. Of these only 0.9% of the pets were found not to comply with the entry rules. These pets were either detained until their compliance could be established, re-exported or placed into quarantine.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-01-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 17 December 2015 to Question 20011, on animal welfare: sentencing, what steps his Department has taken in response to the concerns expressed by Ministers of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Andrew Selous

The maximum penalty for any offence is set by Parliament and is designed to deal with the most serious case. The Ministry of Justice keeps under review maximum penalties for offences and considers proposals to increase penalties where there is evidence that the penalty available is insufficient for the courts to deal appropriately with the case.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what criteria were used to determine who in South Lakeland was entitled to £500 flood compensation payments.

James Wharton

South Lakeland District Council are responsible for determining the criteria for distribution and entitlement to the £500 flood compensation payments.

The funding came from a central government funding scheme (the Communities and Business Recovery Scheme) for Cumbria and Lancashire flood affected households.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-01-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will make an assessment of the financial penalties potentially faced by further education institutions resulting from triggering break clauses in the loan agreements they hold with banks resulting from his Department’s area reviews.

Nick Boles

The Area Reviews provide an opportunity for post-16 institutions to explore issues relevant to the provision in their area and consider recommendations for change. The cost of these changes will be considered in the steering group discussions. Additionally, officials are meeting regularly with the main lenders to the post-16 sector. The nature, likelihood and cost implications of break clauses in loan agreements are being explored in these discussions.