The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2016-03-22.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many partnerships are in operation between UK and non-UK EU-based companies in the area of defence; and what the total value of those partnerships is.
Mr Julian Brazier
This information is not held in the format requested.
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 additional funding his Department is making available to local authorities to support implementation of interventions to reduce excess winter deaths.
Jane Ellison
The Government has invested an extra £400 million nationally to support health and care services over the winter period. This money will enable the NHS and local authorities to support people through the winter period. By making the money available from the start of the financial year, we have created certainty, enabling the health and care system to prepare more effectively than in previous years.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2015-11-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with the (a) Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government and (b) Chancellor of the Exchequer on improving the environment as part of the Northern Powerhouse initiative.
Rory Stewart
Improving the environment is essential for providing the natural resources that underpin our economic success. We also want to see businesses whose products improve the environment grow. As a member of the Informal Ministerial Group on the Northern Powerhouse, I have discussed with the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government and other Ministerial colleagues ways in which a healthy environment and economic growth in the north of England go together.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2016-01-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has taken steps to liaise with police and crime commissioners and local authorities on the proposed ban on novel psychoactive substances.
Karen Bradley
On 17 September 2015, the Minister for Policing, Crime, Criminal Justice and Victims wrote to all chief constables, copied to police and crime commissioners, to inform them of the Psychoactive Substances Bill and to invite them to operational workshops for enforcement partners taking place in February. The Local Government Association, Trading Standards and other law enforcement partners have been engaged through the cross government implementation working group as well as the police psychoactive substances enforcement working group over the last few months in preparation for the commencement of the Bill.
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.