Tag: Dan Jarvis

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2016-03-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how the UK economy has benefited from defence technology research and development.

Mr Philip Dunne

As stated in National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015 (Cmd 9161), the UK conducts world-class innovation across all the major commercial technology sectors with national security applications, including aerospace, biotechnology and medical sciences, big data, cyber security, satellites, robotics and advanced materials.

The defence and security industries make a major contribution to our prosperity. In the UK they employ over 215,000 people, predominantly highly skilled, and support a further 150,000, as well as 6,500 apprentices. In 2014, both industries had a collective turnover of over £30 billion, including defence and security export orders worth £11.9 billion.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2016-04-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of (a) introducing a Standardised Means Test for Residence Order Payments and (b) making the use of such a test a statutory requirement for local authorities.

Edward Timpson

Local authorities have the legal responsibility for deciding what financial support should be provided to families supporting children under a Child Arrangements Order (previously known as a residence order). We do not propose to introduce a national standardised means test for Child Arrangements Order allowances.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2016-06-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential health benefits of increasing the temperature below which cold weather payments are made.

Priti Patel

The Government already has a plan to protect health and reduce harm from cold weather. In October 2015 it published The Cold Weather Plan for England which can be viewed at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cold-weather-plan-cwp-for-england . We have no plans to change the criteria for Cold Weather Payments.

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2016-10-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to ensure that (a) the Maximum Sustainable Yield and (b) other objectives of the Common Fisheries Policy are incorporated into UK legislation by 2020.

George Eustice

No decisions have yet been taken, although the Government remains committed to sustainable fisheries and the ending of discards, as set out in its manifesto commitments.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2015-11-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with his European counterparts on measures to tackle avoidable winter deaths.

Jane Ellison

Work with European counterparts continues to be seen as an important way of reducing avoidable winter deaths and the building of partnerships and programmes will remain an ongoing focus of effort. For example, Public Health England (PHE) produces the annual cold weather plan for England (CWP) a framework intended to protect the population from harm to health from cold weather. The CWP was developed in consultation with WHO Euro.

The global disaster risk reduction and seasonal influenza teams at PHE also work with European counterparts to reduce avoidable winter deaths. Key initiatives include engagement with the Disaster Risk Management Knowledge Centre and the flu surveillance network.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2015-11-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to increase access to green space as part of the Northern Powerhouse initiative.

James Wharton

The Northern Powerhouse is about bringing together northern cities and regions to maximise the potential of the North and help drive UK economic growth.

We will do this by investing in science and technology, transport, digital and innovation, culture and tourism across the region, alongside devolving power to give the North a powerful new voice, investment and decision-making powers to meet these ambitions. Improving the environment could be a consideration in how we take forward these investments and activities.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2016-01-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what information his Department holds on whether there has been an application to the Criminal Cases Review Commission in respect of the case of Sergeant Blackman.

Mark Lancaster

The Department was notified by Sergeant Blackman’s legal team that an application to the Criminal Cases Review Commission was submitted in late 2015. The Department will continue to co-operate fully with Sergeant Blackman’s lawyers and will respond expeditiously to any enquiries the Commission may raise with it. This has included the release of the classified documents referred to during the Westminster Hall debate on 16 September 2015.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2016-02-02.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an assessment of the effect of the Public Contract Regulations 2015 on small businesses.

Matthew Hancock

The Public Contracts Regulations 2015 introduced a number of reforms to increase transparency, streamline processes and ensure prompt payment. These reforms were introduced to support all businesses, especially smaller ones. The impact of these reforms is being assessed by our Mystery Shopper service, who will publish a report on progress in due course.

Direct SME spend in central government increased from under £3 billion (direct only) in 2009-10 to over £12 billion in 2014-15 (direct spend and spend through the supply chain).

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2016-02-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the existence of links between the Taliban and Islamic State movements in Afghanistan and the abusive exploitation of extractive resources.

Penny Mordaunt

We assess that the Afghan Taliban leadership opposes Daesh’s presence in Afghanistan, where there has been reported fighting between the two groups. Our judgement is that the Taliban generate funding via illegal exploitation of Afghanistan’s natural resources, for example marble, talcum and lapis lazuli, and through extortion of payments from legal mining operations, but we have seen no evidence to suggest that Daesh is currently engaged in these activities.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2016-03-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will review eligibility arrangements for the teacher’s Pension Scheme to enable supply teachers to participate in that scheme.

Nick Gibb

The Teachers’ Pensions Regulations currently provide for supply teachers to participate in the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS) where they are employed by a scheme employer. These are local authorities (LAs), academies and further education colleges. This includes supply teachers who are recruited by a supply agency but then employed directly, under a contract of employment, by the scheme employer.

Where supply teachers are self-employed or remain employed by a supply agency and their services are provided under a ‘contract for services’, it is not possible for them to participate in the TPS as there is no organisation to undertake the employer role, including remitting contributions to the scheme.

The Department does not plan to review these arrangements and considers that it is for employers and teachers to determine how supply teachers are employed, which can in turn enable access to the TPS under the current arrangements.