Tag: Daniel Kawczynski

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Kawczynski on 2016-01-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether his Department plans a second round of Growth Deals for Local Enterprise Partnerships.

James Wharton

Through Growth Deals agreed to date with each of the 39 Local Enterprise Partnerships, £7.7billion of Local Growth Fund has been awarded from 2015-16 to 2020-21. The recent Spending Review re-confirmed the Government’s commitment to a £12 billion Local Growth Fund between 2015-16 and 2020-21 and that Local Enterprise Partnerships will continue to receive core funding from the Government to deliver growth in their communities. We will be announcing further details on the Local Growth Fund in due course.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Kawczynski on 2016-02-22.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what work his Department is undertaking to assist small and medium-sized enterprises in the construction industry to expand and create more jobs.

Nick Boles

The Government is working to help all construction companies to expand and create jobs. At the Spending Review the housing budget was doubled to over £2 billion per year, and the Chancellor also committed to £100 billion of spending in this Parliament for new roads, rail, flood defences and other vital projects.

We are making sure that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have access to government contract opportunities, making it easier for them to do business with us. We are requiring departments to publish details of future projects on the “contracts finder” website, giving businesses the confidence and time to invest in relevant skills, labour and capabilities.

Access to finance can be a barrier to growth. There is a range of support and assistance available through the Business Support Helpline. The British Business Bank is a government-owned business development bank dedicated to making finance markets work better for smaller businesses, through schemes such as the Enterprise Finance Guarantee (EFG). The British Business Bank promotes the EFG to high street lenders to encourage them to lend to viable smaller businesses that would otherwise be declined for lacking adequate security.

More widely the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills’ red tape challenge programmes are targeting rules and regulations in the construction sector. Many of those red tape requirements fall disproportionately heavily on smaller construction employers.

In addition the Government is placing employers, including small businesses, in the lead in developing new apprenticeship standards and providing financial support. Specific grants are available for smaller businesses and for younger apprentices. In addition there is a range of support for all approved learning outcomes available from the Construction Industry Training Board.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Kawczynski on 2016-04-29.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent steps his Department has taken to help achieve a two-state solution that is acceptable to the people of both Israel and Palestine.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

We remain focused on steps which will secure progress towards a two-state solution. We continue to believe that the best way to achieve this is through negotiations. We are in close consultation with international partners about what kind of renewed process might lead to progress. We continue to press both sides on the need to refrain from taking any action which takes us further away from securing a lasting peace. We believe that if both parties show the bold leadership and political strength necessary to find a way forward, a two-state solution remains possible.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Kawczynski on 2016-10-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with his Dutch counterpart on the efforts of the Royal Netherlands Army to (a) identify and (b) mark the grave of Private Gilbert Anderson of the 11th Parachute Battalion who was killed in action on 20 September 1944.

Mark Lancaster

The Department is aware of the case surrounding the potential rededication of the grave for Private Anderson, but the case has not been passed to the Ministry of Defence to manage.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Kawczynski on 2015-10-28.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans his Department has to reform the Electronic Communications Code following the closure of the consultation on 30 April 2015.

Mr Edward Vaizey

The Government remains committed to delivering a reformed Electronic Communications Code that is clear, fit for purpose, and supports a UK network that provides consumers with a choice of high quality telecommunications services.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Kawczynski on 2016-01-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he is having with his Russian counterpart on improving collaboration on defence affairs.

Michael Fallon

I am not currently engaged in any discussions with my Russian counterpart. The illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014 and Russia’s continuing support to separatists in eastern Ukraine do not allow a return to normal engagement.

However, in the interests of Air and Maritime safety, I have authorised MOD officials to undertake limited military to military engagement with the Russians, which is now in progress.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Kawczynski on 2016-02-24.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what his policy is on the maintenance of entrepreneurial relief over the course of this Parliament.

Mr David Gauke

The Government is committed to supporting UK businesses and entrepreneurs’ relief is an important way of doing this. It is widely used and valued.

The Government keeps all tax reliefs under review to ensure they continue to fulfil their policy objectives. At Autumn Statement 2015, the Chancellor announced that he will consider bringing forward legislation to amend the changes made by Finance Act 2015 to entrepreneurs’ relief, in order to support businesses by ensuring that the relief is available on certain genuine commercial transactions.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Kawczynski on 2016-05-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received on the legitimacy of the impeachment process of President Dilma Rousseff in Brazil.

Mr Hugo Swire

We continue to follow the political situation in Brazil closely. The impeachment process is a matter for the people of Brazil and their elected representatives. We believe that the Brazilian people and their institutions will resolve the matter in a democratic way and in accordance with their Constitution.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Kawczynski on 2015-10-28.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the cost of line speed upgrade on the railway line between Shrewsbury and Wolverhampton.

Claire Perry

Network Rail and the relevant train operators terminated a line speed improvement assessment in 2014. Detailed work had identified an estimated cost of up to £12.45m to clear structures for higher speed. With these costs the scheme was poor value, having a benefit cost ratio of less than 1.0. No assessment has been made since then.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Kawczynski on 2016-01-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the cost was to the public purse of the public inquiry into the death of Alexander Litvinenko; and what the average cost was to the public purse of inquiries into suspicious deaths undertaken by coroners over the last three years.

Mr John Hayes

The public inquiry into the death of Alexander Litvinenko publishes costs on its website https://www.litvinenkoinquiry.org/costs. As of 31st December 2015, the inquiry had spent £2.25m. Final figures are still being calculated.

Coroners are a local service, funded independently of central government by local authorities. The total cost to the public of inquiries into suspicious deaths over the last three years is therefore not available.