Tag: Anna Turley

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anna Turley on 2016-09-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to negotiate a financial settlement with those banks in Thailand which have a controlling interest in the former SSI UK site to ensure redevelopment in a timely manner for the benefit of the local community.

Mr Nick Hurd

My Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State and I are committed to the future of the Redcar area following the closure of the SSI steelworks. I am pleased that we have recently had the opportunity to discuss this in depth with the hon Member for Redcar and the leader of Redcar and Cleveland Council, Sue Jeffrey.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anna Turley on 2016-10-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many meetings Ministers of her Department have had with social media companies to discuss harmful online content since May 2015.

Sarah Newton

Home Office Ministers routinely meet with a range of stakeholders, including social media companies, to discuss action to protect people from harmful online content. Ministers also meet social media companies on specific issues such as online hate crime and extremism.

In addition, they attend meetings of the UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS), which brings together industry, law enforcement, academia, charities, parenting groups and government departments and meets on a regular basis.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anna Turley on 2015-11-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what action can be taken within state aid rules to secure assets of national strategic significance to the British economy.

Anna Soubry

A Member State may purchase or invest in an asset on purely commercial terms, as commercial investment is not subject to state aid rules. However, any subsequent injection of funds would be subject to the rules, unless it too was on commercial terms. It should be noted that the state aid rules apply equally to nationalised and privatised companies. With losses of over £600 million in just over three years and hundreds of millions in debts, commercial terms for SSI UK would have been impossible to meet.

More generally, it is possible to give a variety of types of aid under the rules including aid for research and development, and environmental protection. Restructuring and rescue of steel however is prohibited.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anna Turley on 2015-11-13.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department was consulted by HM Treasury before the Government announced its intention to exclude subsidised renewable energy generation by community energy organisations from eligibility for social investment tax relief.

Mr Rob Wilson

The Government is committed to helping social enterprises access finance as part of its drive to build a bigger, stronger society. This is why we developed the world’s first Social Investment Tax Relief. Cabinet Office continues to work closely with HM Treasury, the relevant social regulators and social investment market champions like Big Society Capital to ensure that this tax relief achieves its policy goals in a way that is fair and provides value for money to taxpayers.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anna Turley on 2016-04-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to help tackle serious cases of animal cruelty.

George Eustice

In this country we have one of the most comprehensive pieces of legislation anywhere in the world to protect animals. Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 it is an offence either to cause any captive animal unnecessary suffering or to fail to provide for its welfare needs. The maximum penalty is 6 months’ imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine. The financial element of the penalty was raised only last year from a maximum fine of £20,000. Courts can also disqualify offenders found guilty of animal cruelty from keeping animals for as long a period as they consider appropriate. The overwhelming majority of people in this country are responsible but in circumstances where cruelty does occur I believe we have the necessary measures for enforcement agencies and courts to take action.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anna Turley on 2016-05-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of airport expansion at (a) Heathrow and (b) Gatwick Airport on the level of foreign direct investment to the North East.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The Government is currently considering the large amount of very detailed analysis contained in the Airports Commission’s final report. The Government is not providing a running commentary on this work and nor would it be appropriate to outline specific pieces of evidence before an announcement. Any work to inform an announcement will be set out in subsequent publications and associated consultation.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anna Turley on 2016-07-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, which official engagements he has undertaken in Redcar since May 2015.

Margot James

My Rt hon Friend the Member for Bromsgrove (Sajid Javid) visited Redcar on 2 October 2015 following the announcement of the liquidation of Sahaviriya Steel Industries UK (SSI).

The then Secretary of State announced a support package worth up to £80 million for former employees affected by the closure. He was accompanied by the then Minister for Small Businesses, Industry and Enterprise, Anna Soubry.

The Minister for Small Businesses, Industry and Enterprise then attended the Redcar taskforce on 21 March 2016.

In his previous role as Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, my Rt hon Friend met the Mayor and Leaders of the five Tees Valley authorities on the following dates: 15 July 2015 (a joint meeting with James Wharton), 23 March 2016, 7 June 2016 (to launch Lord Heseltine’s report Tees Valley: opportunity unlimited) and 12 July 2016. These were regular catch-up meetings, which took place in Westminster.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anna Turley on 2016-09-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to ensure that there is trades union representation on the Shadow Board of the South Tees Mayoral Development Corporation.

Andrew Percy

The Shadow Board of the South Tees Development Corporation is at an early stage of its development, we have no plans to amend its carefully considered membership at this point.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anna Turley on 2016-10-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police cautions have been issued for offences under (a) section 127 of the Communications Act 2003 and (b) section 1 of the Malicious Communications Act 1988.

Brandon Lewis

Information going back to 2005 on police cautions for these offences has been published here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/criminal-justice-system-statistics-quarterly-december-2015

Data stretching further back is held by the Ministry of Justice, which is the department responsible for police caution figures.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anna Turley on 2015-11-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether monitoring activity was put in place by his Department to oversee the financial viability of SSI in Redcar.

Anna Soubry

It is up to companies to run their own financial affairs and to submit annual returns and accounts. My Department was aware of the serious financial difficulties facing SSI UK prior to its closure and made every effort within the bounds of the law to provide assistance where we could, including ensuring workers could be paid their monthly salaries.