The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Carswell on 2016-01-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much the Army Air Corps and Fleet Air Arm Augusta Westland AW159 Wildcat helicopters cost from development and approval to the end of 2015.
Mr Philip Dunne
The accrued costs on the AW159 Wildcat helicopter programme since the main investment decision in June 2006 through to the end of 2015 is £1.5 billion.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Carswell on 2016-02-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, with reference to the Prime Minister’s Oral Statement of 22 February 2016, Official Report, column 35, on the European Council, whether his Department is undertaking planning in the eventuality of a majority leave vote in the EU referendum.
David Mundell
At the February European Council, the Government negotiated a new settlement, giving the United Kingdom a special status in a reformed European Union. The Government’s position, as set out by the Prime Minister to the House on 22 February, is that the UK will be stronger, safer and better off remaining in a reformed EU.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Carswell on 2016-02-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the Prime Minister’s Oral Statement of 22 February 2016, Official Report, column 35, on the European Council, whether his Department is undertaking planning in the eventuality of a majority leave vote in the EU referendum.
Jane Ellison
At the February European Council, the Government negotiated a new settlement, giving the United Kingdom a special status in a reformed European Union. The Government’s position, as set out by the Prime Minister to the House on 22 February, is that the UK will be stronger, safer and better off remaining in a reformed EU.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Carswell on 2016-03-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the outcome has been of its programme to improve the effect of public expenditure on the quality of service delivery and poverty reduction in Uganda.
Mr Nick Hurd
Supporting public financial management is essential in promoting accountability and ensuring the efficient use of public resources to drive poverty reduction, as well as being fundamental in the fight against corruption.
The Financial Management and Accountability Programme (FINMAP) works across the public financial management system. The programme has registered a number of achievements. The Public Finance Act was passed by Parliament in November 2014 thanks to technical support provided by FINMAP. A new Government of Uganda Public Financial Management reform strategy for 2014–2018 was launched in August 2014. The programme has also strengthened the Office of the Auditor General.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Carswell on 2016-03-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many staff in his Department were in receipt of Continuity of Education Allowance in (a) 2012-13, (b) 2013-14 and (c) 2014-15; and what the cost to his Department was of providing that allowance for staff based (i) in the UK and (ii) overseas in each such year.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
The figures requested are attached and as follows:
|
Number of Staff |
Cost CEA Home |
Cost CEA Overseas |
Total |
|
|
2012/2013 |
442 |
£8,736,957 |
£6,189,104 |
£14,926,061 |
|
2013/2014 |
378 |
£6,727,304 |
£6,435,519 |
£13,162,823 |
|
2014/2015 |
370 |
£7,193,211 |
£5,749,923 |
£12,943,134 |
It is a condition of their employment that members of the diplomatic service must be prepared to serve anywhere in the world at any time during their career, sometimes at very short notice. Those with children have a legal obligation as parents to ensure that their children receive a full-time education from the age of five years. Most parents prefer to take their children with them abroad, but in some of the 168 countries where the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has UK based staff, we do not permit staff to take their children for health or security reasons. In others, local schools of an acceptable standard are not available. It is longstanding practice that the FCO helps staff by providing financial support for their children’s education in the UK where staff choose this, or are obliged to do so given local conditions in the country to which they are posted.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Carswell on 2016-04-26.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much UK public money has been used to purchase steel from loss-making state-owned Chinese steel making companies (a) through the Crown Commercial Service and (b) in total in the last 10 years.
Matthew Hancock
The Crown Commercial Service has not awarded any contracts for the procurement of steel.
Information on departmental spend on steel is not held centrally.
All departments are now required to implement new guidelines, which we published on 30 October last year, on how government buyers should source steel for major projects so that the true value of UK steel is taken into account in major procurement decisions.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Carswell on 2016-09-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make it his policy to seek compensation for passengers from Abellio Greater Anglia.
Paul Maynard
All franchised Train Operating Companies are required under their franchise agreement to have in place a Passenger’s Charter which will include arrangements for compensation for passengers.
Abellio Greater Anglia operate the Delay Repay passenger compensation system in their Passenger’s Charter under which all passengers are entitled to claim compensation for each delay of 30 minutes or more which they experience, whatever the cause. The entitlement is 50% compensation of the single fare for delays of 30 to 59 minutes and 100% of the single fare for delays of 60 minutes or more.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Carswell on 2015-11-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what his policy is on the location of imprisonment of transgender prisoners.
Caroline Dinenage
Prison Service Instruction 07/2011 sets out NOMS policy on the care and management of prisoners who live or propose to live in a gender other than the one assigned at birth. Prisoners are normally placed according to their legally recognised gender. However, the guidelines allow room for discretion and senior prison staff will review the circumstances of every case in consultation with medical and other experts in order to protect the physical and emotional wellbeing of the person concerned along with the safety and wellbeing of other prisoners.
A review of the current policy on transgender and transsexual prisoners began earlier this year and revised policy guidance will be issued to reflect NOMS’ responsibilities to transgender offenders in the community as well as in custody. The intention is to implement the guidance early in the New Year.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Carswell on 2015-11-30.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what weight will be given to the security situation in Syria at such a time as Syrian refugees who have entered the UK due to the present crisis in that country become eligible for indefinite leave to remain of UK citizenship.
Richard Harrington
Syrians who are resettled under the Syrian Resettlement Scheme will be able to apply for indefinite leave to remain and UK citizenship at the expiration of their five year humanitarian protection visa. Each application will be assessed on a case by case basis in line with our guidance which considers the ongoing need for protection, including the security situation in Syria at the date of decision, as well as the individual’s behaviour.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Carswell on 2016-02-02.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department made of the merits of other potential methods of debt insurance before authorising use of government buildings in London as security for the sukuk bonds.
Harriett Baldwin
In the Sukuk structure, rental payments provide the income for investors. When the Sovereign Sukuk were issued in July 2014 the profit rate was set at 2.036% in line with the yield on gilts of similar maturity, making the investor return on the Sukuk broadly equivalent to that on conventional gilts of similar maturity.
Three central government properties form the underlying assets which underpin the Sukuk.
The Government was clear at the time of issuance that the Sukuk issuance was not for debt financing purposes. Instead, it was issued to deliver on the government’s commitment to become the western hub for Islamic finance. The issuance showed that the UK is open for business with all parts of the world and provided high quality capital to UK-based Islamic banks.
UK based institutions that offer Islamic finance services are contributing to jobs and growth with assets totalling $4.5bn at the end of 2014.