Tag: Christian Matheson

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christian Matheson on 2016-09-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2016 to Question 45595, how much her Department spent from the public purse on advertising and promoting the previously proposed points-based immigration system for non-EU nationals in the latest period for which figures are available.

Mr Robert Goodwill

We have spent no money promoting a proposed points-based immigration system for non-EU nationals.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christian Matheson on 2016-01-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what export licences have been granted to UK manufacturers since 2010 to export (a) military and (b) police-related equipment to Israel.

Anna Soubry

Information on arms export licences are published as Official Statistics (from January 2015) in the Annual and Quarterly Reports on Strategic Export Controls. These reports contain detailed information on export licences issued, refused or revoked, by destination, including the overall value, type (e.g. Military, Other) and a summary of the items covered by these licences. They are available to view at GOV.UK.

The most recently published information covers the period until 30 June 2015.

All export licences are issued in strict accordance with the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christian Matheson on 2016-04-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate his Department has made of the cost of electrifying the railway line from (a) Crewe to Chester and (b) Chester to Holyhead.

Claire Perry

We await the industry’s advice on future investment priorities for the England and Wales network in the next Control Period, building on the Wales and other Route Studies. We continue to work with the industry, the Welsh Government and local groups, including the recently announced North Wales and Mersey Dee Region Task Force, to see what more can be accomplished to deliver better journeys for passengers and freight customers in this corridor. We welcome the recent submission by the Welsh Government of their Strategic Outline Business Case for electrification from Crewe/Warrington to Holyhead as a contribution to this work.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christian Matheson on 2016-04-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the Chief Executive of the Lancashire Teaching Hospitals Trust has made a request to (a) the military and (b) the Cabinet Office to fully cover the 24 hour accident and emergency service at Chorley and South Ribble Accident & Emergency unit.

Ben Gummer

These are operational matters for the Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and we have written to Stuart Heys, Chair of the Trust informing him of the hon. Member’s questions. He will reply shortly and a copy of the letter will be placed in the Library.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christian Matheson on 2016-10-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 30 September 2016 to Question 46253, what steps her Department has taken via (a) broadcast media, (b) UK Visas and Immigration, and (c) agencies of her Department to advise employers of their responsibilities under a points-based immigration system on employing non-EU nationals in the UK; and what the cost of that advice was to the public purse in the latest period for which figures are available.

Mr Robert Goodwill

Comprehensive guidance for employers is published on the gov.uk website, and we regularly engage with employers and trade bodies, at no additional cost to routine business.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christian Matheson on 2016-01-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to his Colombian counterpart to ensure that the Mothers of Soacha are able to keep their relatives’ graves in their current cemetery without incurring financial costs.

Mr Hugo Swire

Any claim in negotiating compensation for the preservation of the graves must be requested directly via the government of Colombia, through the local compensation courts. Her Majesty’s Government is unable to interfere directly in this process.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christian Matheson on 2016-04-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the average cost per mile of electrification of a railway line in the UK.

Claire Perry

The Department for Transport does not delineate the average cost per mile of electrification from the wider rail upgrade works that it funds in England and Wales. The Government’s commitment to a rolling programme of electrification is reliant on a wider set of enhancement works to make journeys better. This often includes track works, gauging, signalling upgrades, power supply works and station works to allow electric trains to run. The Department does not make an estimate of the average cost per mile of electrification as the engineering complexity and challenge varies significantly across England and Wales. Electrification works in Scotland are devolved to the Scottish Government.

However, we are aware of the significant cost to the industry and the wider public of the failure of the Labour Governments of 1997 to 2010 to progress electrification schemes across the country. This Government is determined to rectify this failure.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christian Matheson on 2016-04-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, pursuant to the Answer of 22 April 2016 to Question 34372, whether Petroleum Exploration and Development Licence 189 was one of the licences included in the Deed of Variation dated 4 December 2013, allowing the drilling of 10 wells to a depth of 800 metres and three wells to 3,000 metres on 13 specified licences.

Andrea Leadsom

A Deed of Variation was made on 4 December 2013 in respect of Licence PEDL189. It amended both the Licence’s Initial Term Work Programme and the date at which the Licence’s Initial Term would expire. A further variation has been sought by the licensee, and while it remains the case as I said in the answer I gave the hon. Member on 22 April that no such variation has been agreed, that request is under consideration from the Oil and Gas Authority and a decision will be made shortly:

http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2016-04-18/34369/.

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christian Matheson on 2016-01-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received on the use of illegal sub-contracting employment arrangements in Colombia.

Mr Hugo Swire

Her Majesty’s Government has not received official reports on the scale of illegal sub-contracting employment in Colombia.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christian Matheson on 2016-04-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate his Department has made of the cost of upgrading the M56 to a smart motorway between junctions 12 and 14.

Andrew Jones

No work has been done to estimate the costs of upgrading the M56 to a smart motorway between Junctions 12 and 14 as this scheme is not within the first Road Investment Strategy (RIS). Highways England is working hard to deliver the schemes set out in the RIS in the first Road Period 2015-20.

Future investment in the strategic road network is currently being developed through Highways England’s Route Strategies process, which will be used to plan new investments in the second Road Period 2020-25.