Tag: Grahame Morris

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2015-11-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, when she plans to (a) launch a public consultation on her Strategy to Maximise Economic Recovery of North Sea oil and gas reserves, and (b) lay the final version of that strategy before Parliament.

Andrea Leadsom

Our oil and gas industry is incredibly important. It supports around 375,000 jobs, provides secure energy for our homes and businesses and generates billions of pounds for our economy every year, at home and through exports. The industry is an essential part of the Government’s plans to provide a secure, reliable energy source to UK homes for decades to come and we are committed to backing it.

We are working hard to implement the recommendations of the Wood Review – most importantly setting up the Oil and Gas Authority and, even with the challenges presented by lower oil prices, the North Sea still provides opportunities and remains fully open for business.

The consultation will be launched shortly. The Strategy will be laid before Parliament after the consultation has closed and Government has considered the responses it receives.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2015-11-17.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to support greater diversification in forms of lending in the UK banking sector.

Harriett Baldwin

The Government is committed to competition and diversity in financial services and would like to see firms with a range of business compete and succeed.

The Government has supported both the Peer-to-Peer (P2P) and Crowdfunding sectors, which provide alternative sources of finance for both businesses and individuals, by introducing a proportionate regulatory regime as well as other policies, such as the inclusion of P2P loans in ISAs.

The Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015 contained two policies to support Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in accessing finance. The first requires the major banks share information on their SME customers with other lenders through designated Credit Reference Agencies. This will improve the ability of challenger banks and alternative finance providers to conduct accurate risk assessments and level the playing field between providers. The second requires major banks to refer SMEs they reject for finance, with the SMEs permission, to ‘finance platforms’ that can match SMEs with alternative finance providers.

The Government has established the British Business Bank to support the development of diverse finance markets for smaller businesses in the UK. The British Business Bank’s £950m Business Finance Partnership aims to diversify the sources of finance available to smaller and mid-sized firms and reduce their dependence on bank finance. £863m has been allocated to funds supporting mid-sized firms, with £333m already invested alongside private money, generating over £1bn of lending to businesses.

The Government has also continued to support the building societies sector through a number of measures including: carving out building societies from the Independent Commission on Banking ring-fencing regulations, extending ISA eligibility to Core Capital Deferred Shares, and applying a £25m sector-specific allowance to carried-forward losses for Corporation Tax. More recently, the Government listened to the concerns of smaller organisations, including building societies, when taking steps to remove the reverse burden of proof from the senior managers regime.

The Government has also taken significant steps to support the credit union sector by investing £38m in the sector through the Department of Work and Pensions’ (DWP) Credit Union Expansion Project, changing legislation to allow credit unions to admit corporate members, providing £500,000 to help armed forces personnel access credit union services and launching a Call for Evidence which allowed all credit unions, regardless of size or influence, the opportunity to contribute their vision for the future of the sector to the wider debate.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2016-01-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much is spent daily on food on each serving solider.

Mr Philip Dunne

Ministry of Defence personnel in the UK and permanent bases overseas are primarily catered for through a number of multi-activity contracts. Armed Forces personnel serving on operations, exercises and HM Ships and Submarines, are catered for under a single food supply contract with Purple Foodservice Solutions Ltd.

The cost of feeding Service personnel when on operational deployments and on training exercises varies, depending upon a defined kilocalorie output, which is based on the level of activity being undertaken. Furthermore, the cost will vary across the world reflecting the cost of locally procured food.

For the vast majority of UK bases, the provision of catering services, including food supply, has been out-sourced to commercial contractors. Service personnel accommodated in these bases "pay as they dine" on a meal by meal basis, but are not obliged to take any meals on site.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2016-02-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps he has taken to secure the adequate supply of accessible homes suitable for disabled people.

James Wharton

In 2015 the Government updated planning policy and Building Regulations to support local authorities in meeting the housing needs of disabled and older people in their communities. This included the introduction of two optional levels of accessibility in the Building Regulations, Category 2 – Accessible and adaptable dwellings, and Category 3 – Wheelchair user dwellings which local authorities can apply to new development in their local area subject to needs and viability assessments.

These new options work as planning conditions to planning applications. Accessibility needs are met by each project’s own finance, be it for public, social or private homes. Some adaptations by individuals are eligible for funding through disabled facilities grants.

Accessibility to buildings has always been central to Approved Document M and greater concern and detail has been worked in since Disability Discrimination Act regulations 1995, 2005 and with the Equality Act 2010. Each update of Approved Document M further embeds government commitment to inclusivity and accessibility in guidance.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2016-04-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the potential effect on the cost of health and criminal justice services of the proposed housing benefit cap for people living in supported accommodation.

Justin Tomlinson

The Department for Work and Pensions jointly with the Department for Communities and Local Government commissioned an evidence review into the shape, scale and cost of the supported housing sector.

Off the back of this evidence, we will conduct a policy review to ensure support is focused on the most vulnerable and the appropriate groups are safeguarded.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2016-04-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to reduce litter on UK beaches.

George Eustice

The UK Marine Strategy Part Three, published in December last year, sets out the actions we are taking to improve the marine environment. It covers measures that contribute to reducing sources of marine litter, including sources of beach litter, and to remove what has already reached our beaches. Actions related specifically to UK beaches include Defra-funded beach cleaning schemes on priority beaches.

In addition, Defra and the Department for Communities and Local Government are working in partnership to develop a National Litter Strategy. This will promote concerted, coordinated and effective actions to reduce litter and littering on land, which in turn should lead to a reduction in the amount of litter reaching the marine environment, including our beaches.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2016-05-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if she will bring forward proposals to give the Oil and Gas Authority powers to regulate commercial decisions in the offshore helicopter industry.

Andrea Leadsom

The Civil Aviation Authority regulates the offshore helicopter industry.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2016-06-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the potential effectiveness in delivering medicines savings in the community of the therapeutic substitution service for community pharmacies proposed by the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee.

Alistair Burt

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Workington (Sue Hayman) on 14 June 2016 to Question 40161.

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2015-10-29.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what regions he has identified as having a shortage of GPs; and what steps he is taking to address those shortfalls.

Alistair Burt

Health Education England (HEE) has advised that they have identified six local offices experiencing low fill rates of general practitioner (GP) trainees. These are: Yorkshire; East Midlands; West Midlands; North East; East of England; and HEE Wessex (Isle of Wight only).

Data on GP vacancies is not currently held but collection of this data is under development by the Department and the Health and Social Care Information Centre as part of the Workforce Minimum Dataset.

NHS England, HEE, the Royal College of General Practitioners and the British Medical Association’s GPs Committee are working closely together to ensure that there is a skilled, trained and motivated workforce in general practice. In January 2015, the four organisations jointly published a ten point action plan to address immediate issues, and to take the initial steps in building the workforce for the future and new models of care.

There are three strands to this work: improving recruitment into general practice; retaining doctors within general practice; supporting those who wish to return to general practice.

As part of the plan, NHS England launched a new national returner scheme, which has attracted 120 applicants so far. A marketing campaign to highlight the benefits of a career in general practice was launched in September 2015. Further initiatives will be announced by the ten point plan partners in due course.

The plan, “Building the Workforce” is available on NHS England’s website:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/commissioning/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2015/01/building-the-workforce-new-deal-gp.pdf

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2015-11-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the economic effect of the England Coast Path on each area through which opened sections of that path pass.

Rory Stewart

Annex 4 of the impact assessment which was prepared for the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 included a summary of the estimated social and economic benefits and costs of the coastal access provisions.

The impact assessment noted that the average annual benefits to people who would make use of the improved access would be £12.35m. This figure would increase over time and from year 20 onwards was estimated at £25.8m per year. The benefits would include the improved health and wellbeing that access to the natural environment would bring. The impact assessment also noted that there would be a benefit to the coastal economy from increased spending in coastal areas where additional visitors were attracted to the area. The assessment suggested that the uplift from increased spending would be on average £6 – £9 per day visitor and £35 – £45 per overnight visitor.

A copy of the impact assessment is available on the National Archive website.

As the right of coastal access is implemented throughout England, Natural England will collect and evaluate national and local information about the social and economic benefits of new and improved access.