Tag: Jamie Reed

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jamie Reed on 2016-02-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what account his Department has taken of (a) new nuclear developments and (b) tidal lagoon projects in West Cumbria in devolving its Northern Powerhouse agenda.

James Wharton

Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership has identified nuclear and energy excellence as a key priority contributing significant growth opportunities for the Cumbria economy. Discussions with Cumbria about their Devolution deal proposals are progressing well. I am pleased they have strong ambitions to drive growth across the Cumbria area by improving the delivery of skills, infrastructure, environmental sustainability and business support.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jamie Reed on 2016-04-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what recent discussions she has had with her Japanese counterpart on the involvement of Japanese companies in new nuclear power projects in the UK.

Andrea Leadsom

I have just returned from Japan where I met Japanese counterparts during the G7 Energy Ministerial for positive discussions on energy matters including nuclear.

Senior officials also have regular dialogue with Japanese counterparts including in relation to the proposed new nuclear power stations at Wylfa and Moorside, which are led by Japanese companies.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jamie Reed on 2016-06-28.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what support the Government plans to provide to communities in (a) West Cumbria and (b) Somerset (i) during and (ii) after the construction of new nuclear development in those areas.

Andrea Leadsom

The Government aims to maximise the supply chain, skills and infrastructure opportunities from new nuclear development for host communities. DECC chairs fora in both West Cumbria and Somerset that bring together senior stakeholders, including local and central Government. During construction of a nuclear plant, local communities receive funding from the developer through a mechanism in the Development Consent Order. We also encourage communities to bid for Government funding to capitalise on new nuclear opportunities, such as the upcoming Growth Deal 3. In 2013 the Government announced a Community Benefit package for new nuclear host communities once a plant begins operating. This totals £1000 per megawatt of capacity for each year of the plant’s initial life.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jamie Reed on 2016-07-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will take steps to help (a) retain and (b) increase the number of beds at Keswick Hospital.

Ben Gummer

Decisions on services at Keswick Hospital are matters for the local National Health Service.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jamie Reed on 2016-09-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people applied for attendance allowance under the special rules for people with terminal illness in each of the last five years.

Penny Mordaunt

The information requested is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. Information on claims awarded under the special rules for people with terminal illness is available from the DWP Tabulation Tool: http://tabulation-tool.dwp.gov.uk/100pc/tabtool.html.

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jamie Reed on 2016-10-17.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will meet the hon. Member for Copeland to discuss the effect of the exit payment cap on nuclear workers in Copeland constituency.

Mr David Gauke

The government announced in May 2015 that it intends to take forward its manifesto commitment to end six-figure exit payments for public sector workers. The Enterprise Act, which contains provisions for the £95,000 public sector exit payment cap, received Royal Assent on 4 May 2016.

Public sector exit payments cost around £2 billion a year and it is important that they are fair, proportionate and provide value for money to the taxpayer that funds them. The proposed cap, amounting to 3.5 times the average public sector salary, will still offer a significant level of compensation and support to an employee, and will apply to only a small percentage of public sector exits. The exit payment cap will apply to organisations classified as within the public sector by the Office for National Statistics, with a small number of exceptions.

I am aware that the hon. Member for Copeland is discussing the effect of the cap on nuclear workers in his constituency with my noble friend the Minister of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). That is the appropriate route for these discussions as BEIS is the department responsible for the nuclear industry.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jamie Reed on 2015-10-28.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans his Department has to improve access for children in rural areas to high-quality cultural and historical exhibits.

Mr Edward Vaizey

This Government is ensuring that all children have the opportunity to experience a broad selection of art and cultural activities regardless of where they live or go to school. Since 2012, the Government has invested over £460 million in music and cultural education programmes. In addition, publicly funded arts organisations across the country run excellent education programmes to help children experience the arts, including the Arts Council’s Cultural Education Challenge, which encourages the local cultural education partnerships. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport also funds the Heritage Schools Programme to help schools across the country make use of their local historic environment.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jamie Reed on 2015-11-27.

To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his Oral Statement of 26 November 2015, Official Report, columns 1489-94, what additional humanitarian support the Government plans to provide to countries that border Syria to assist with the likely increased displacement of people as a result of the coordinated international response to Daesh in Syria.

Mr David Cameron

Coalition airstrikes have been on-going since September 2014. Airstrikes may cause some local level internal displacement and disruption; but it is the conflict that is the main cause of suffering of civilians in Syria. In Syria, the UN carries out regular humanitarian contingency planning exercises including preparing for the impact of military operations.

To date, the UK has allocated £559 million to support refugees in the region and vulnerable host communities, including £304 million in Lebanon, £193 million in Jordan and the remainder across the region.

The UK is very concerned about the plight of the Syrian people. This is why the Prime Minister announced on 16 November that the UK, Kuwait, Norway, Germany and the UN will co-host an international conference on the Syria crisis in London on 4 February 2016. The Conference aims to raise significant new funding to meet the needs of all those affected by crisis within Syria and to support neighbouring countries, who have shown enormous generosity in hosting refugees, to cope with the impact of the crisis. The Conference will aim to raise both emergency and long-term funding for 2016 and subsequent years.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jamie Reed on 2015-12-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will make it his policy to provide relief funding to allow local authorities to reduce business rates for businesses affected by flooding.

Mr Marcus Jones

I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement of 17 December, HCWS442, which can be found at the following link:

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201516/cmhansrd/cm151217/wmstext/151217m0001.htm#15121732000005

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jamie Reed on 2016-02-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will make it his policy that business rates generated by new nuclear development in Copeland will be retained by the billing authority.

Mr Marcus Jones

The Government has announced reforms to the business rates retention scheme which mean that, by the end of this Parliament, local government will keep 100% of locally raised business rates and 100% of the growth generated by new development. Over the coming months we will be working with local government on the details of the scheme.

Ahead of final decisions, it is too early to assess what the impact of the reforms will be on individual areas’ spending power.