Tag: Charles Walker

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charles Walker on 2015-10-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if she will consider the environmental impact of tidal lagoons in the Severn Estuary, Bristol Channel and Swansea Bay before granting permissions for these lagoons; and if she will make a statement.

Andrea Leadsom

Before determining any consent applications for tidal lagoons that are nationally significant infrastructure projects, my rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State will consider their individual and cumulative environmental impacts alongside all other relevant information.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charles Walker on 2015-10-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether the plans for the Swansea Bay tidal lagoon have been delayed; and if she will make a statement.

Andrea Leadsom

The Government is currently in the first phase of a Contract for Difference negotiation with the developer of the proposed Swansea Bay tidal lagoon project. This process of due diligence will enable us to gain a better understanding of the potential of a tidal lagoon programme in the UK.

At present there is no timeframe for how long the negotiation process may take. The timeframe depends on a number of factors, many of which would be outside the control of the Department. Robust due diligence is needed to determine whether undertaking this proposed project would be in the best interests of the consumer long term.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charles Walker on 2015-10-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will ensure that revenue raised by the sale of rod licences is used to maintain and improve fisheries and fish stocks.

George Eustice

The revenue raised from the rod licence fee is classed as a hypothecated tax. The Environment Agency Financial Memorandum clearly sets out that this income is used for the provision of its fisheries service.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charles Walker on 2015-02-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what research his Department has conducted into the effect on public health of alcohol advertising in each of the last three financial years.

Jane Ellison

The Department’s National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) funds the NIHR School for Public Health Research (SPHR). The SPHR is conducting a programme of research from June 2013 to March 2017 on reducing alcohol-related health harms in an English context. This includes research on aspects of the impact of alcohol advertising on alcohol consumption. Details of the research programme are available on the SPHR website at:

http://sphr.nihr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/NIHR-SPHR-Alcohol-programme-summary-Nov-2014.pdf

Researchers supported by the SPHR have contributed to research on industry-driven marketing influences on young people’s drinking behaviour. Findings were published in the journal Addiction in 2014.

The Behaviour and Health Research Unit (BHRU) at the University of Cambridge is part-funded by the Department. The BHRU has contributed to research on exposure of children and adolescents to alcohol marketing on social media websites. Findings were published in the journal Alcohol and Alcoholism in 2014.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charles Walker on 2015-02-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the cost of treating alcohol-related illnesses in each of the last three years.

Jane Ellison

Estimates have been made of the cost to the National Health Service of alcohol related harm at around £2.7 billion per year in 2006-07 and £3.5 billion per year in 2009-10.

Work is under way in the Department to produce estimates for more recent years.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charles Walker on 2015-02-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will review the effect of the regulation of alcohol (a) packaging and (b) advertising on public health.

Jane Ellison

We have asked Public Health England to provide a report to Government in spring 2015 on the public health impact of alcohol and the evidence-base for actions to reduce health harms. We expect that any evidence-base for the impact of labelling and advertising on public health should be included.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charles Walker on 2015-02-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations he has received on the adoption of standardised packaging for alcohol.

Jane Ellison

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 29 January 2015 to Question 221956. That question is the only representation received on the adoption of standardised packaging for alcohol.

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charles Walker on 2014-07-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether the Solicitors Regulation Authority is continuing to endorse the Law Society practice note on Sharia succession rules; and whether such an endorsement is compatible with the SRA’s obligations under the Equality Act 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Shailesh Vara

Sharia law has no jurisdiction in England and Wales and the Government has no intention to change this position.

The legal profession is independent of Government and is regulated by approved regulators for which the Legal Services Board has oversight responsibility. The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) is the independent regulatory arm of the Law Society, the approved regulator for solicitors under the Legal Services Act 2007. The SRA has advised that its recent guidance issued on the drafting and preparation of wills relates to conduct issues concerning the drafting and preparation of wills, rather than their content. At the end of that guidance, reference was made and links attached to other sources of information, amongst which was a link to the practice note issued by the Law Society. The SRA advise that such references are regularly attached to their guidance and are not an endorsement of their content. The SRA advise that the reference to the Law Society practice note has now been removed from the appendix to its guidance note.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charles Walker on 2014-07-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what guidance judges will receive on settling inheritance disputes which were initially settled under the Sharia succession rules guidance issued by the Law Society.

Mr Shailesh Vara

Sharia law has no jurisdiction in England and Wales and the Government has no intention to change this position.

The legal profession is independent of Government and is regulated by approved regulators for which the Legal Services Board has oversight responsibility. The Law Society is the approved regulator for solicitors under the Legal Services Act 2007. On 13 March it published a practice note on Sharia succession rules to assist its members preparing wills for clients under the law of England and Wales. The Secretary of State has not had any discussions with The Law Society about its practice note. It is not for the Government to comment on the compatibility of the guidance with equalities legislation as the courts in England and Wales interpret and apply the law.

The guidance does not, and cannot, change the law of England and Wales. The courts will continue to apply the law of England and Wales relating to the making of wills in exactly the same way as they did before the practice note was issued.

The judiciary of England and Wales is independent of the Government and it would not be appropriate for the Ministry of Justice to issue guidance to the judiciary on how judges are to apply or interpret the law.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charles Walker on 2014-07-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what discussions he has had with the Law Society on its inclusion of Sharia succession rules in its guidance; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Shailesh Vara

Sharia law has no jurisdiction in England and Wales and the Government has no intention to change this position.

The legal profession is independent of Government and is regulated by approved regulators for which the Legal Services Board has oversight responsibility. The Law Society is the approved regulator for solicitors under the Legal Services Act 2007. On 13 March it published a practice note on Sharia succession rules to assist its members preparing wills for clients under the law of England and Wales. The Secretary of State has not had any discussions with The Law Society about its practice note. It is not for the Government to comment on the compatibility of the guidance with equalities legislation as the courts in England and Wales interpret and apply the law.

The guidance does not, and cannot, change the law of England and Wales. The courts will continue to apply the law of England and Wales relating to the making of wills in exactly the same way as they did before the practice note was issued.

The judiciary of England and Wales is independent of the Government and it would not be appropriate for the Ministry of Justice to issue guidance to the judiciary on how judges are to apply or interpret the law.