Tag: David Simpson

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2016-10-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to address the change in Britain’s self-sufficiency rating.

George Eustice

The government has a manifesto commitment to introduce a 25 year plan to grow and produce more food, both to increase consumption of British food in the domestic market and to export more.

The UK Food Production to Supply ratio in 2015 was 61% for all food and 76% for indigenous-type food. This compares with 62% and 76% respectively in 2014. This has remained steady over the last decade.

Global food security is dependent on a number of factors including increasing production sustainably, reducing waste and ensuring open markets around the world to facilitate trade.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2015-10-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will bring forward legislative proposals for stricter laws dealing with people who abuse animals.

George Eustice

There are a number of existing laws, most notably the Animal Welfare Act 2006, that already provide enforcement agencies and courts with suitable powers to investigate and deal with people who are found to have abused animals.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2015-10-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many people died on the roads in each region in incidents where a driver was using a mobile telephone in each of the last three years.

Andrew Jones

The Department holds information on the number of personal-injury road traffic accidents where the attending police officer judged that a driver using a mobile telephone contributed to the accident. This includes both cases where ‘hand held’ and ‘hands free’ telephones were deemed to contribute to the accident. The table below provides the number of fatalities in road traffic accidents that were reported to the police in which at least one driver was allocated the contributory factor ‘driver using mobile phone’ by region for 2012 to 2014.

Fatalities in reported road accidents in which the contributory factor ‘driver using mobile phone’ was reported: GB, 2012-2014

Region	2012	2013	2014
North East	2	1	1
North West	1	2	1
Yorkshire and the Humber	2	5	1
East Midlands	1	1	4
West Midlands	2	2	0
East of England	1	2	3
South East	3	2	9
London	1	0	1
South West	2	4	1
Wales	1	2	2
Scotland	1	5	1
Total	17	26	24
Note: Includes only casualties where a police officer attended the scene and in which a contributory factor was reported

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2015-10-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department plans to provide assistance to companies in training personnel to gain HGV qualifications.

Andrew Jones

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) is responsible for funding the Trailblazer apprenticeships programme and the industry is developing a standard for an HGV Driver apprenticeship. Funding for obtaining an HGV licence is not currently in scope of Trailblazers but this is under review. BIS will consider what the new funding model will be with the introduction of the new apprenticeship levy.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2015-10-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the number of HGV drivers in the UK relative to demand.

Andrew Jones

The Department recognises that there is a high demand for HGV drivers in the UK and that there is a shortage, manifesting itself in pressure on costs, delays to some deliveries and the recruitment of people from outside the UK.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2015-10-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans his Department has to increase the number of HGV drivers.

Andrew Jones

The Department is working with its motoring services agencies to reduce times and delays in obtaining a driving test appointment and medical licence renewals.

Other government activity is helping jobseekers join the industry, retraining ex-military personnel and supporting apprenticeships.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2015-10-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what representations his Department has received on the removal of archery from the sports included in the Commonwealth Games for 2018; and what discussions his Department has had with the Commonwealth Games Federation about the decision not to include archery in those Games.

Tracey Crouch

DCMS has received no representations on archery’s exclusion from the 2018 Commonwealth Games. The inclusion of which certain sports that may participate in the Commonwealth Games is a decision entirely for the Commonwealth Fund and the host city.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2015-01-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what progress the Government has made on its work to provide justice for the victims of the 1976 Kingsmill Massacre.

Mrs Theresa Villiers

The Kingsmill attack was a horrendous sectarian atrocity. I understand how the pain of such an attack never diminishes for the families of the victims. I hope that the ongoing Coroner’s inquests will help provide the answers the families are seeking about the deaths of their loved ones.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2015-01-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent steps his Department has taken to ensure that doctors and surgeons are not working excessive hours.

Dr Daniel Poulter

It is the responsibility of National Health Service trusts to ensure that service rotas are designed and staffed appropriately and are in accordance with the Working Time Regulations.

The Department commissioned the Royal College of Surgeons to review the impact of the Working Time Directive on the health sector. A taskforce, chaired by Professor Norman Williams and comprising of representatives from across the medical profession, met on six occasions from October 2013 to February 2014 and a report was produced. The taskforce identified concerns about the impact of the adoption of the European Working Time Directive on the continuity of care for patients and the quality of training for some junior doctors. In view of this the report made recommendations that NHS trusts should review best practice in the design of working rotas.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2015-01-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to protect red squirrels in the UK.

George Eustice

The Government is committed to protecting and expanding red squirrel populations and tackling the threats that grey squirrels in particular pose to them.

In particular, Defra is contributing a total of £50,000 between 2014 and 2016 to research into the Squirrel Pox Vaccine that will help to secure the long term future of red squirrels in the UK.

Additionally, the Forestry Commission continues to support Red Squirrels Northern England, a partnership project between the Red Squirrel Survival Trust, Natural England, the Forestry Commission and the Wildlife Trusts, which is helping to protect and expand the biggest population of red squirrels left in England. Seventeen reserves have been identified where long-term survival of the species is considered most likely. Targeted control of grey squirrels is carried out in the reserves and surrounding buffer zones. In addition, the reserves and surrounding areas are being managed in ways that favour red squirrels. In the south of England, where there are secure populations on the Isle of Wight and Poole Harbour Islands, there is an action plan in place to respond to the appearance of grey squirrels.

In 2014 the Forestry Commission reviewed our approach to grey squirrels. As a result of the review, the Forestry Commission has updated the action plan for grey squirrels in England.