Tag: Gordon Marsden

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2015-10-22.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the possible savings to his Department of the outcome of post-16 area-based reviews.

Nick Boles

Yes. The Joint Area Review Delivery Unit supporting the area reviews will advise Hon. Membersas a matter of course when reviews are due to be undertaken in any part of their constituency.

Area reviews should take place as quickly as possible, the typical timescale being 3-4 months but this could vary depending on the number of colleges and complexity of the local issues involved.

The reviews are aimed at delivering a skills system that meets the economic and educational needs of areas whilst also ensuring the long term sustainability of colleges to support productivity. Their purpose is not to secure savings to Government. However, early evidence from the pilot reviews indicates that there is potential for the reviews to secure efficiency savings.

All applications to open a free school, academy, school sixth form or university technical college will be assessed on a case by case basis against the published criteria and taking account of local needs and circumstances.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2015-10-22.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether an (a) free school, (b) academy, (c) school sixth form and (d) university technical college will be allowed to open while a post-16 area-based review is still taking place.

Nick Boles

Yes. The Joint Area Review Delivery Unit supporting the area reviews will advise Hon. Membersas a matter of course when reviews are due to be undertaken in any part of their constituency.

Area reviews should take place as quickly as possible, the typical timescale being 3-4 months but this could vary depending on the number of colleges and complexity of the local issues involved.

The reviews are aimed at delivering a skills system that meets the economic and educational needs of areas whilst also ensuring the long term sustainability of colleges to support productivity. Their purpose is not to secure savings to Government. However, early evidence from the pilot reviews indicates that there is potential for the reviews to secure efficiency savings.

All applications to open a free school, academy, school sixth form or university technical college will be assessed on a case by case basis against the published criteria and taking account of local needs and circumstances.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2014-06-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what average number of hours of training staff employed at the Maritime and Coastguard Agency Maritime Operations Centre at Fareham are expected to undertake to reach that centre’s full operating capacity; and how many staff have already undertaken that amount of training.

Stephen Hammond

The hours of training needed for coastguards at the new National Maritime Operations Centre to be fully operational will vary depending on the nature of the role, whether they are existing staff, their levels of experience, or external recruits brand new to HM Coastguard. HM Coastguard has tailored its training programmes on an individual basis. Training is underway for all new recruits and they will receive at least 488 hours of training.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2014-06-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with external stakeholders on the staffing and training levels required for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency Maritime Operations Centre at Fareham to be fully operational.

Stephen Hammond

The proposals for the modernisation of Her Majesty’s Coastguard, including plans for staffing the new National Maritime Operations Centre and the roles and skills of its officers, were the subject of two rounds of extensive public consultation from December 2010 to May 2011 and then again from July to September 2011. More detailed work by experienced coastguards to develop and implement training plans has taken account of those earlier consultations and has involved representatives of the PCS Union.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2014-06-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions (a) he, (b) Ministers in his Department and (c) officials in his Department have had with trade union representatives from the maritime sector on the employment and related implications of implementing the maritime fuel suulphur regulations in the last 12 months.

Stephen Hammond

The Department has not had discussions with the trade unions specifically on the implementation of the sulphur rules. However, the trade unions have had the opportunity to contribute their views during the eight-week public consultation on the draft UK Regulations and the associated Impact Assessment which commenced on 29 April 2014.

The maturity and efficacy of ship-board exhaust gas cleaning system technology was one of the key subjects under consideration when I chaired the ‘round table’ meetings of industry stakeholders in October 2012 and March 2013 to which I referred in my Answer of 17 June 2014. At those meetings, first-hand information was forthcoming from both the shipping industry and the exhaust gas cleaning system technology industry.

The Department has engaged the European Commission about the potential impacts of the new regulations and the scope for financial support from EU sources, including finance from the European Investment Bank. The Commission has reaffirmed the possibility of support for the maritime sector through the new Connecting Europe Facility or the Trans-European Network (TEN-T) programme.

The Department is investigating impacts on prices as part of its assessment of the impact of the draft UK Regulations.

The Department will conduct the review at an appropriate time and not later than the timetable specified in the Regulations themselves, in accordance with normal Government practice and consistent with the principles of better regulation. It would be premature to make a commitment now concerning the precise timing of the review.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2014-06-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has commissioned or received any (a) internal or (b) external reports on the effectiveness of sulphur technology on maritime vessels.

Stephen Hammond

The Department has not had discussions with the trade unions specifically on the implementation of the sulphur rules. However, the trade unions have had the opportunity to contribute their views during the eight-week public consultation on the draft UK Regulations and the associated Impact Assessment which commenced on 29 April 2014.

The maturity and efficacy of ship-board exhaust gas cleaning system technology was one of the key subjects under consideration when I chaired the ‘round table’ meetings of industry stakeholders in October 2012 and March 2013 to which I referred in my Answer of 17 June 2014. At those meetings, first-hand information was forthcoming from both the shipping industry and the exhaust gas cleaning system technology industry.

The Department has engaged the European Commission about the potential impacts of the new regulations and the scope for financial support from EU sources, including finance from the European Investment Bank. The Commission has reaffirmed the possibility of support for the maritime sector through the new Connecting Europe Facility or the Trans-European Network (TEN-T) programme.

The Department is investigating impacts on prices as part of its assessment of the impact of the draft UK Regulations.

The Department will conduct the review at an appropriate time and not later than the timetable specified in the Regulations themselves, in accordance with normal Government practice and consistent with the principles of better regulation. It would be premature to make a commitment now concerning the precise timing of the review.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2014-06-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 17 June 2014, Official Report, column 536W, on shipping: exhaust emissions, whether he intends to have a UK review of the effect of the new sulphur regulation limits before 2019.

Stephen Hammond

The Department has not had discussions with the trade unions specifically on the implementation of the sulphur rules. However, the trade unions have had the opportunity to contribute their views during the eight-week public consultation on the draft UK Regulations and the associated Impact Assessment which commenced on 29 April 2014.

The maturity and efficacy of ship-board exhaust gas cleaning system technology was one of the key subjects under consideration when I chaired the ‘round table’ meetings of industry stakeholders in October 2012 and March 2013 to which I referred in my Answer of 17 June 2014. At those meetings, first-hand information was forthcoming from both the shipping industry and the exhaust gas cleaning system technology industry.

The Department has engaged the European Commission about the potential impacts of the new regulations and the scope for financial support from EU sources, including finance from the European Investment Bank. The Commission has reaffirmed the possibility of support for the maritime sector through the new Connecting Europe Facility or the Trans-European Network (TEN-T) programme.

The Department is investigating impacts on prices as part of its assessment of the impact of the draft UK Regulations.

The Department will conduct the review at an appropriate time and not later than the timetable specified in the Regulations themselves, in accordance with normal Government practice and consistent with the principles of better regulation. It would be premature to make a commitment now concerning the precise timing of the review.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2014-06-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his comments of 18 June 2014, Official Report, column 127WH, on sulphur regulations, whether he has (a) commissioned and (b) received any specific assessment of the potential effect on diesel prices in the UK as a result of implementation of the new sulphur regulation limits.

Stephen Hammond

The Department has not had discussions with the trade unions specifically on the implementation of the sulphur rules. However, the trade unions have had the opportunity to contribute their views during the eight-week public consultation on the draft UK Regulations and the associated Impact Assessment which commenced on 29 April 2014.

The maturity and efficacy of ship-board exhaust gas cleaning system technology was one of the key subjects under consideration when I chaired the ‘round table’ meetings of industry stakeholders in October 2012 and March 2013 to which I referred in my Answer of 17 June 2014. At those meetings, first-hand information was forthcoming from both the shipping industry and the exhaust gas cleaning system technology industry.

The Department has engaged the European Commission about the potential impacts of the new regulations and the scope for financial support from EU sources, including finance from the European Investment Bank. The Commission has reaffirmed the possibility of support for the maritime sector through the new Connecting Europe Facility or the Trans-European Network (TEN-T) programme.

The Department is investigating impacts on prices as part of its assessment of the impact of the draft UK Regulations.

The Department will conduct the review at an appropriate time and not later than the timetable specified in the Regulations themselves, in accordance with normal Government practice and consistent with the principles of better regulation. It would be premature to make a commitment now concerning the precise timing of the review.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2014-06-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 17 June 2014, Official Report, column 536W, on shipping: exhaust emissions, what discussions his officials have had with the European Commission on securing EU finance to assist shipowners and ports to comply with the new sulphur regulation limits.

Stephen Hammond

The Department has not had discussions with the trade unions specifically on the implementation of the sulphur rules. However, the trade unions have had the opportunity to contribute their views during the eight-week public consultation on the draft UK Regulations and the associated Impact Assessment which commenced on 29 April 2014.

The maturity and efficacy of ship-board exhaust gas cleaning system technology was one of the key subjects under consideration when I chaired the ‘round table’ meetings of industry stakeholders in October 2012 and March 2013 to which I referred in my Answer of 17 June 2014. At those meetings, first-hand information was forthcoming from both the shipping industry and the exhaust gas cleaning system technology industry.

The Department has engaged the European Commission about the potential impacts of the new regulations and the scope for financial support from EU sources, including finance from the European Investment Bank. The Commission has reaffirmed the possibility of support for the maritime sector through the new Connecting Europe Facility or the Trans-European Network (TEN-T) programme.

The Department is investigating impacts on prices as part of its assessment of the impact of the draft UK Regulations.

The Department will conduct the review at an appropriate time and not later than the timetable specified in the Regulations themselves, in accordance with normal Government practice and consistent with the principles of better regulation. It would be premature to make a commitment now concerning the precise timing of the review.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2015-02-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the breakdown of Fareham Maritime Operations Centre’s VHF radio network on 2 February 2015, how long the breakdown lasted; which body of water was affected by the breakdown; which communications systems were affected by the breakdown; and what information his Department holds on attempts by vessels on the waters affected during the period of the breakdown to make contact with the Coastguard Service using the affected communications networks.

Mr John Hayes

There were no issues experienced with the VHF radio network on 2 February 2015.

However, on 8 February 2015 there was a temporary reduction in HM Coastguard’s ability to broadcast on VHF Channel 16 from Marsland Mouth, Cornwall to Beachy Head, East Sussex and River Towey, Carmarthen to Mull of Galloway. This lasted for 1 hour 47 minutes.

During this time the 999 service and the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) Distress alert systems were unaffected. There was no reduction in HM Coastguard’s ability to task rescue resources, such as lifeboats, volunteer Coastguard Rescue Teams or SAR Helicopters, to any incident around the coast.

HM Coastguard’s well established Business Continuity Plans allowed remedial action to be promptly undertaken and enabled vessels on the waters affected during the period of the breakdown to make contact with the Coastguard Service. The specific issue that caused the reduced ability to broadcast on VHF Channel 16 has now been resolved.

The Coastguard services (VHF systems) are currently fit for purpose both (a) generally and (b) specifically for the new national network.