Tag: Grant Shapps

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grant Shapps on 2016-10-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Turkish counterparts on what estimate the government of Turkey has made of when it expects Turkey to join the EU.

Sir Alan Duncan

As and when Turkey meets the requirements for accession in full, it will be for Turkey and EU members at the time to decide on membership. The UK will continue to support countries committed to the accession process in meeting the necessary requirements.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grant Shapps on 2016-10-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, if he will eliminate the import tariffs on all unprocessed fruit and vegetables from developing nations when the UK has left the EU.

Greg Hands

The Government is currently reviewing its trade policy as the UK prepares to leave the EU. This offers us an opportunity to forge a new role for ourselves in the world: to negotiate and design, in time, our own trade arrangements. The UK remains committed to ensuring developing countries can reduce poverty through trading opportunities.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grant Shapps on 2016-10-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate he has made of the cost of the Small Modular Reactor Competition (Phase One) to its completion.

Jesse Norman

As stated in the published Guidance, the objective of this initial phase was to inform the development of government policy and the design of any subsequent competition stages, by gauging market interest in developing, commercialising and financing Small Modular Reactors in the UK. As such, a cost assessment has not been undertaken.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grant Shapps on 2016-10-20.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to reduce VAT on the purchase of new solar panels as part of home renovations once the UK has left the EU.

Jane Ellison

While all taxes are kept under review, there are no plans to reduce the rate of VAT applied to sales of solar panels.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grant Shapps on 2016-07-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the implications are for his Department’s guidance to local authorities on Gypsy and Traveller Assessments of the recommendations of the report by the Traveller Movement, Impact of insecure accommodation and the living environment on Gypsies’ and Travellers’ health, published in January 2016.

Nicola Blackwood

This report was commissioned by the Department to inform the work of the inclusion health programme and the local and national bodies which address the health needs of Gypsies and Travellers, and it provides support to the Department for Communities and Local Government guidance on local Gypsy and Traveller accommodation needs assessment.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grant Shapps on 2016-10-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether any detailed breakdown is available for (a) the redevelopment of Birmingham Curzon Station and (b) other costs of High Speed 2.

Andrew Jones

Spending Review 2015 restated the funding envelope for delivery of HS2 at £55.7bn, in 2015 prices. This breaks down as £27.2bn for Phase 1 (including rolling stock), £3.7bn for Phase 2a, and £24.8bn for Phase 2b (including rolling stock). We do not provide funding breakdowns for specific items such as stations due to commercial sensitivities.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grant Shapps on 2016-10-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, if he will eliminate the import tariffs on canned goods from developing nations when the UK has left the EU.

Greg Hands

The Government is currently reviewing its trade policy as the UK prepares to leave the EU. This offers us an opportunity to forge a new role for ourselves in the world: to negotiate and design, in time, our own trade arrangements. The UK remains committed to ensuring developing countries can reduce poverty through trading opportunities.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grant Shapps on 2016-10-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what independent body or bodies he plans will judge phase one of the Small Modular Reactor Competition.

Jesse Norman

Phase One has not involved any evaluation or assessment of Small Modular Reactor proposals, beyond reviewing applicants against the published eligibility criteria, and therefore no independent bodies have been or will be making decisions during Phase One.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grant Shapps on 2016-10-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make it her policy to relax rules on the use of animal growth hormones in beef farming once the UK has left the EU.

George Eustice

There are no plans to relax rules on the use of hormones for the purposes of growth promotion, following the UK’s exit from the EU.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grant Shapps on 2016-10-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what method and criteria were used to select the Board of HS2 Ltd.

Andrew Jones

All Non-Executive members including the Non-Executive Chair of the HS2 Ltd Board are appointed by the Secretary of State for Transport. All Executive Members of the HS2 Ltd Board are appointed by HS2 Ltd on the delegated authority from the Secretary of State. The Chief Executive Officer of the HS2 Ltd Board is appointed by the Chair of HS2 Ltd.

All Ministerial appointments, extensions and exemptions to the HS2 Ltd Board, come under the remit of the Office for Commissioner for Public Appointments (OCPA). They are made using the process from the Commissioner’s Code of Practice for Ministerial Appointments to Public Bodies. The Commissioner may, in exceptional circumstances, agree that Departments may depart from this Code where he believes that this is justified in the public interest.