Tag: Caroline Lucas

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what (a) discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Health on plans to cap housing benefit and (b) assessment he has made of the potential effect of the proposed cap on housing benefit on people who live in supported housing and have mental illness; and if he will make a statement.

Caroline Nokes

Ministers have held various discussions during the development of the policy to introduce Local Housing Allowance rates into the social rented sector.

Full impact and equality impact assessments will be undertaken in due course.

The Secretary of State has confirmed that the Government expects to make an announcement on the way forward for supported housing in early autumn.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-10-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what (a) national and (b) local arrangements are in place for issuing iodine tablets in the event of a radiation emergency involving an operational civil nuclear reactor or reprocessing facility; which localities have had a pre-distribution of iodine tablets to households and what the radii of those localities are; to which nuclear reactors those (a) national and (b) local arrangements are linked; and if he will make a statement.

Jesse Norman

Civil nuclear emergency preparedness is a devolved issue, with the Scottish Government taking responsibility for planning in Scotland. England and Wales have arrangements in place to ensure stable iodine is available to potentially affected populations around civil nuclear reactor sites.

Locally, stable iodine is pre-distributed around civil nuclear reactor sites to a distance that has been assessed by the Office for Nuclear Regulation to be sufficient for all reasonably foreseeable emergencies.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-10-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will undertake an Equality Impact Assessment of Driver Only Operation.

Paul Maynard

We are not planning to undertake an assessment, as it is for the individual operator to decide what level of assessment to carry out, in relation to their Legal obligations under the Equality Act and their Disabled Peoples Protection Policy which is a Passenger Operator License Condition.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-11-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the timetable is for the review of the Code of Practice for Privately Kept Non-Human Primates; and whether that review will include consultation with (a) members of the public and (b) animal welfare organisations.

George Eustice

Defra plans to review the Code of Practice for the Welfare of Privately Kept Non-human Primates next year. The review will include a consultation with industry, keepers, veterinarians and animal welfare organisations.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-12-01.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the Government’s policy is on the appropriate percentage rate of return on investment for (a) schools and community groups investing in on-site solar power and (b) foreign state owned companies investing in new nuclear power in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Greg Hands

We want to attract cost-effective investment in infrastructure. Investors rightly expect a market rate of return and value for money is achieved through competition and careful negotiation. Individual project rates of return will differ to reflect, among other things, the risk profiles involved.

The Feed-in-Tariff scheme, for which schools and community groups are eligible to apply, aims to offer rates of return for solar installations between 4% and 8%. Returns for each installation will vary according to their individual costs and the amount of electricity generated and used on site. The Government’s recently closed consultation on the scheme includes a review to ensure that tariffs are within this range, given the fall in costs of solar panels in recent years. It will detail its response to the consultation shortly.

We are unable to disclose the anticipated rate of return for new nuclear transactions as these are commercially sensitive.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-12-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many of her officials are engaged in preparing the Government’s next Climate Change Risk Assessment.

Rory Stewart

Defra’s core climate change adaptation team of eight officials is coordinating and inputting to the preparation of the second Climate Change Risk Assessment, to be laid in Parliament in January 2017. Many other officials from across Defra, wider Government and its agencies are also contributing to the assessment. The underlying evidence report that will make up the bulk of the assessment is being prepared by the Adaptation Sub-Committee of the Committee on Climate Change, with extensive input from around 100 other experts.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-01-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to paragraph 7.3 of the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015, whether she plans to maintain international language requirements for both universities and pre-university students.

James Brokenshire

It is important to ensure that students who come to study in the UK under the Tier 4 route of the points-based system can speak English, in order that they can truly benefit from their British education and will be able to properly integrate with their peers. We will continue to have English language requirements for these students.

We have an excellent offer for international students who wish to study at our world-leading institutions and there remains no limit on the number who can do so. As a result, the UK remains the second most popular destination in the world for international higher education students. Annual visa applications from international students to study at British universities are now 17 per cent higher than they were in 2010, with visa applications to our elite Russell Group universities up by 39 per cent since 2010.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-01-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make representations to the French government on ensuring that NGOs and volunteers are allowed continual access to the Dunkirk refugee camp for the provision of aid and other humanitarian assistance.

James Brokenshire

The UK Government recognises the exceptional pressures on the French Government and its citizens caused by the migrant situation in the Calais region. Both Governments are clear that the right course of action is, as far as possible, to move migrants away from Calais and for genuine refugees, to be offered protection within the French asylum system. This is why the UK has committed to providing £3.6 million (or €5 million) per year for two years to help provide support and facilities elsewhere in France.

The UK is in regular contact with France on all matters related to Calais and the migrant situation. However, operational decisions relating to the management of the camps are the responsibility of the French Government.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-01-28.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Answer of 22 July 2014 to Question 205815, what progress he has made on providing a secure and accessible on-line Personal Independence Payment claim form; and if he will make a statement.

Justin Tomlinson

We are developing the streamlined PIP digital claim process which brings the current PIP telephony claim and paper form together.

We are working closely with the Cabinet Office to ensure this meets the government standards for digital services which focus on the needs of users. We have user tested a number of different design approaches and based on feedback are ensuring that the claim process is tailored to individual needs and moves away from ‘one size fits all’.

The digital claim process continues to be improved and tested with a wide range of users and disability organisations for implementation in 2016. It will be available to everyone once the online claim process has been fully tested.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-02-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department plans to take to implement the recommendations of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman in its Insights into selected government departments, published on 10 November 2015, on scrutiny of the quality of its overall performance.

James Brokenshire

The cases referred to in the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman report do not reflect current visa and asylum processes. We have made significant improvements in our handling of complaints in recent years and have a clear plan to improve this element of our service further.

This plan takes account of feedback from the Public and Health Services Ombudsman and we will continue to work with the Ombudsman to identify further service improvements.