Tag: Geoffrey Clifton-Brown

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Geoffrey Clifton-Brown on 2016-02-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans her Department has to commence the provisions of Schedule 23 of the Deregulation Act 2015 on the Breeding of Dogs Act 1973.

George Eustice

My Department has no plans to commence paragraphs 35 and 36 of Schedule 23 of the Deregulation Act 2015, relating to the Breeding of Dogs Act 1973. While the option to do so remains, we believe that for the foreseeable future these records do have a role in assisting Local Authorities investigating welfare concerns at dog breeding establishments. This will mean that licensed dog breeders will therefore be required to continue keeping records in a prescribed form.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Geoffrey Clifton-Brown on 2016-02-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if the new national curriculum can be taught in primary schools to mixed-age classes.

Nick Gibb

Schools can choose to teach pupils of different year groups together.

Maintained schools are required to cover the whole of the programme of study for each national curriculum subject by the time pupils reach the end of the key stage period. In planning how best to teach the curriculum, schools should consider all relevant circumstances, including the needs of their pupils, and make decisions accordingly.

The programmes of study for primary English, mathematics and science are set out on a year-by-year basis to provide a guide as to the pace that the material should be taught in these key subjects.

The national curriculum focuses on the essential knowledge that must be taught, allowing teachers to take greater control over the wider curriculum in schools and how it is taught. Teachers are free to use their professional judgement and take account of local circumstances in deciding how best to organise their classes, including whether it would be suitable to teach mixed age pupils together. The Department has no involvement in these decisions.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Geoffrey Clifton-Brown on 2016-04-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average cost to the public purse was of processing a UK visitor visa through centres in China in the last 12 months.

James Brokenshire

These costs are not broken down to show costs by location.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Geoffrey Clifton-Brown on 2016-04-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many UK visitor visas were issued in China in (a) 2012, (b) 2013, (c) 2014 and (d) 2015.

James Brokenshire

The available information relates to Chinese nationals and is provided in the table below.

UK Entry clearance visitor visas granted: Chinese nationals
(including dependants)

2012: 210,344
2013: 291,826
2014: 327,349
2015: 397,764

Notes

The figures above represent entry clearance visitor visas issued worldwide to Chinese nationals, not visas issued in China.

Source: Table vi_06_q_o, Immigration Statistics, October to December 2015

The latest quarterly Home Office immigration statistics on entry clearance visitor visas granted are published in ‘Immigration Statistics, October-December 2015’, Visas volume 3 table vi_06_q_o available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office website at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-statistics-october-to-december-2015/list-of-tables#visas

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Geoffrey Clifton-Brown on 2016-04-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what UK Trade and Investment’s annual budget is for work in Europe.

Anna Soubry

It is not possible fully to disaggregate UK Trade and Investment’s budget for all its work in each overseas market. The overall budget will be made up of costs incurred in country and funds that are not market specific.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Geoffrey Clifton-Brown on 2016-05-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many claims made under the 2015 Basic Payment Scheme are still outstanding; and when all the those claims will be settled.

George Eustice

The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) estimates that as of 5 June 2016, 86,521 (99%) claimants have received a payment on their 2015 Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) claim. Of these, 82,460 have received a claim payment; 3,936 bridging payments; and 125 a manual hardship payment. There are a number of claims where processing has been completed successfully but they have not resulted in a payment for reasons such as the claim being under minimum claim size, or the Agency awaiting information on probate cases.

The RPA will continue to make top up payments throughout the remainder of the payment window up to the end of June 2016.

While the payment window runs between December and June, the RPA expects to make 90% of payments on eligible claims by the end of December this year and all remaining payments as promptly as possible. As of 5 June the RPA had received 86,581 applications for BPS 2016.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Geoffrey Clifton-Brown on 2016-05-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she expects all applications made before the deadline for the applications for the 2016 Payment Scheme to be paid this year.

George Eustice

The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) estimates that as of 5 June 2016, 86,521 (99%) claimants have received a payment on their 2015 Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) claim. Of these, 82,460 have received a claim payment; 3,936 bridging payments; and 125 a manual hardship payment. There are a number of claims where processing has been completed successfully but they have not resulted in a payment for reasons such as the claim being under minimum claim size, or the Agency awaiting information on probate cases.

The RPA will continue to make top up payments throughout the remainder of the payment window up to the end of June 2016.

While the payment window runs between December and June, the RPA expects to make 90% of payments on eligible claims by the end of December this year and all remaining payments as promptly as possible. As of 5 June the RPA had received 86,581 applications for BPS 2016.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Geoffrey Clifton-Brown on 2016-09-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps he is taking to secure a trade agreement with Israel after the UK ceases to be party to the EU-Israel Association Agreement.

Greg Hands

In due course, Britain will be leaving the EU. This offers us an opportunity to forge a new role for ourselves in the world: to negotiate, in time, our own trade agreements and to be a positive and powerful force for free trade.

Whilst it would be wrong to set out unilateral positions at this stage, the UK will want to continue our strong trade and investment relationship with Israel.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Geoffrey Clifton-Brown on 2015-12-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many .22 calibre semi-automatic rifles are held by firearm certificate holders in (a) England and Wales, (b) Scotland and (c) Northern Ireland; and how many of those rifles are conditioned for the purpose of (i) shooting vermin and ground game and (ii) target shooting.

Mike Penning

I can confirm that the information requested on the number of .22 calibre semi-automatic rifles held by certificate holders in England and Wales is available. However, as it takes time to extract this information from our systems, I will write separately with our response and place a copy of the reply in the House Library.

The licensing of firearms in Scotland and Northern Ireland is a matter for the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Scotland and the Department of Justice for Northern Ireland. Information in respect of firearms in those jurisdictions is not held centrally by the Home Office.

I am unable to provide the information requested on the number of legally owned .22 calibre semi-automatic rifles used in criminal offences as it is not collected centrally.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Geoffrey Clifton-Brown on 2015-12-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many legally owned .22 calibre semi-automatic rifles have been used in criminal offences in each of the last 10 years in (a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland.

Mike Penning

I can confirm that the information requested on the number of .22 calibre semi-automatic rifles held by certificate holders in England and Wales is available. However, as it takes time to extract this information from our systems, I will write separately with our response and place a copy of the reply in the House Library.

The licensing of firearms in Scotland and Northern Ireland is a matter for the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Scotland and the Department of Justice for Northern Ireland. Information in respect of firearms in those jurisdictions is not held centrally by the Home Office.

I am unable to provide the information requested on the number of legally owned .22 calibre semi-automatic rifles used in criminal offences as it is not collected centrally.