Tag: Gareth Thomas

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-10-10.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the total value of European Investment Bank loans to local councils in (a) total, (b) Scotland, (c) Northern Ireland, (d) England (e) Wales and (f) each region of England in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

Mr David Gauke

Answer: The EIB publish all loans made to UK borrowers. The link below provides information on lending volumes to the UK and details on individual UK projects are available on the EIB website.

http://www.eib.org/projects/regions/european-union/united-kingdom/index.htm

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-10-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when he expects to publish the Local Government Settlement; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Marcus Jones

The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government published an historic four year local government finance settlement on 8 February 2016 which was debated by Members of the House on 10 February. We published a technical consultation which confirmed the approach for 2017-18 on 15 September. Councils across England applied for the four year offer by 14 October and the Government will respond as soon as practicable. We intend to publish in the normal way a statutory provisional settlement for 2017-18 that honours the Government’s commitment to the four year offer later this year.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-10-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which agreed EU directives have not yet been transposed directly into UK law; and if she will make a statement.

George Eustice

As of 12 October 2016, there were 11 EU directives awaiting transposition into UK law. These are detailed in the table below.

Directive	Tittle
2013/51/EURATOM	Directive 2013/51/EURATOM of 22 October 2013 laying down requirements for the protection of the health of the general public with regard to radioactive substances in water intended for human consumption.
2014/97/EU	Commission Implementing Directive 2014/97/EU of 15 October 2014 implementing Council Directive 2008/90/EC as regards the registration of suppliers and of varieties and the common list of varieties.
2014/96/EU	Commission Implementing Directive 2014/96/EU of 15 October 2014 on the requirements for the labelling, sealing and packaging of fruit plant propagating material and fruit plants intended for fruit production, falling within the scope of Council Directive 2008/90/EC.
2014/98/EU	Commission Implementing Directive 2014/98/EU of 15 October 2014 implementing Council Directive 2008/90/EC as regards specific requirements for the genus and species of fruit plants referred to in Annex I thereto, specific requirements to be met by suppliers and detailed rules concerning official inspections.
2015/412/EU	Commission Directive 2015/412/EU of 11 March 2015 amending Directive 2001/18/EC as regards the possibility for the Member States to restrict or prohibit the cultivation of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in their territory.
2015/996/EU	Commission Directive (EU) 2015/996 of 19 May 2015 establishing common noise assessment methods according to Directive 2002/49/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council.
2015/1480/EU	Commission Directive (EU) 2015/1480 of 28 August 2015 amending several annexes to Directives 2004/107/EC and 2008/50/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down the rules concerning reference methods, data validation and location of sampling points for the assessment of ambient air quality.
2015/1787/EU	COMMISSION DIRECTIVE (EU) 2015/1787 of 6 October 2015 amending Annexes II and III to Council Directive 98/83/EC on the quality of water intended for human consumption
2015/2193/EU	Directive (EU) 2015/2193 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 November 2015 on the limitation of emissions of certain pollutants into the air from medium combustion plants
2016/11/EU	Commission Implementing Directive 2016/11 of 5 January 2016 amending Annex II to Council Directive 2002/57/EC on the marketing of seed oil and fibre plants
2016/317/EU	COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DIRECTIVE (EU) 2016/317 of 3 March 2016 amending Council Directives 66/401/EEC, 66/402/EEC, 2002/54/EC, 2002/55/EC, 2002/56/EC and 2002/57/EC as regards the official label of seed packages

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-10-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what representations he has received on allowing local authorities to balance their budgets over a period longer than 12 months since 1 October 2015; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Marcus Jones

Government receives representations on a range of local government finance issues. The annual balanced budget requirement is a key element of the local authority financial control framework. It means that the council is content that underlying income will cover ongoing costs and future commitments in a sustainable and manageable way.

In addition to preparing annual balanced budgets local authorities should prepare multi-year Medium Term Financial Plans. In order to support effective multi-year financial planning the then Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government published an historic four year local government finance settlement on 8 February 2016. Councils across England applied for the four year offer on the 14 October and the government will respond as soon as practicable.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-10-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether local authorities will continue to be required to comply with EU law relating to (a) energy efficiency, (b) waste collection and disposal, (c) trading standards and (d) procurement after the UK leaves the EU; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Marcus Jones

Local authorities are required to comply with EU law and the UK remains a full a member of the European Union at this present time. The Prime Minister has said that government will not give a running commentary on its preparation to leave the European Union.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2015-11-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many full-time equivalent UKTI staff in his Department were based in (a) India and (b) Gujarat in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Anna Soubry

UKTI-funded full-time equivalent (FTE) staff in India and Gujarat were as follows:

2015 – 90 UKTI FTE in India, of which 2 in Ahmedabad (Gujarat)

2014 – 86 UKTI FTE in India, of which 2 in Ahmedabad (Gujarat)

2013 – 87.2 UKTI FTE in India, of which 2 in Ahmedabad (Gujarat)

2012- 86.5 UKTI FTE in India, of which 2 in Ahmedabad (Gujarat)

2011- 83.85 UKTI FTE in India, of which 2 in Ahmedabad (Gujarat)

Under UKTI’s sector and project based approach, opportunities in Gujurat are supported by UKTI’s wider teams in India, as well as through links to experts and support in the FCO and in UKTI’s UK based networks.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-01-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with Flybe about its proposal to use RAF Northolt for domestic flights; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Philip Dunne

I have received and responded to two pieces of correspondence from Flybe on this topic. I advised the airline that I do not believe it appropriate to discuss their interest in use of RAF Northolt until after the Government has responded to the Davies Commission on Aviation capacity in the South East and greater clarity has been achieved on the future operating and airspace environment around RAF Northolt.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-01-26.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the revenue that will accrue to the Exchequer from the insurance premium tax on health cash plans; and if he will make a statement.

Mr David Gauke

In 2014-15, total Insurance Premium Tax receipts were approximately £3bn. HM Revenue and Customs estimates that £10.9 million in revenue was received from Insurance Premium Tax on health cash plans in 2014-15.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-02-24.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with the Swedish government over their decision to end the production of coins containing nickel; whether he plans to further investigate the health risks posed to those who suffer from nickel allergy of the decision to switch to steel nickel-plated 5p and 10p coins in 2012; and if he will make a statement.

Harriett Baldwin

Nickel has been used in UK coinage for over 60 years and nickel-plated coins introduced in the UK in 2012 were already in use in Canada, New Zealand and other countries around the world.

Independent tests have concluded that there is no increased risk to people from handling the nickel-plated steel five pence and ten pence coins compared to coins made of cupronickel alloy.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-04-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the threat posed by Daesh in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

The Taleban remain the main threat to Afghans’ security. Although the Daesh affiliate in Afghanistan is under pressure from the US and Afghan armed forces, local militias and the Taleban (with whom they are competing for influence), we assess that Daesh aims to expand its presence in Nangarhar Province in the east of Afghanistan.