Tag: Jeremy Corbyn

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeremy Corbyn on 2014-05-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what level of representation the UK will have at the humanitarian effects of nuclear weapons war conference being hosted by the Austrian government in December 2014.

Hugh Robertson

We have not received an invitation from Austria to this conference, and have therefore not yet made a decision on whether the UK will attend. I will update the House when a decision has been made.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeremy Corbyn on 2014-06-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which US establishments were visited by personnel from the Atomic Weapons Establishment under the terms of the US-UK Mutual Defence Agreement in 2013; and how many staff visited each such establishment.

Mr Philip Dunne

The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeremy Corbyn on 2014-05-08.

To ask the Ministers for Women and Equalities, when the Government plans to introduce regulations under the Equalities Act to prevent discrimination by caste and descent.

Mrs Helen Grant

There is a lack of certainty on some intrinsic issues around caste, such as what it is and how it is manifested, partly because there had never been any form of public consultation on caste. It was accepted therefore by both Front Benches during the Parliamentary debate on this issue last year that the whole process, up to and including the commencement of legislation, would take time and should include a consultation on the proposed legislation. The Government is currently considering two issues which have developed and which have potential implications for the consultation stage. We would expect the public consultation document, including our conclusions on these matters, to issue in the Autumn. We will then be in a position to consider plans to introduce regulations. You may also wish to note the answer given to Lord Avebury by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, which can be found in the Official Report for 6 May 2014, Col 331-2.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeremy Corbyn on 2014-06-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what facility rekit projects have taken place at the Atomic Weapons Establishment under the scope of the Nuclear Weapons Capability Sustainment Project; and what the cost of each such project was.

Mr Philip Dunne

The term rekit is used by the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) to mean the replacement or modernisation of process plant and /or equipment within an existing facility, including upgrading of building services. The following is a list of major facility rekits that have or are taking place at AWE. There are also a number of more minor rekits underway which are not listed.

Depleted Uranium Upgrade
Beryllium Facility
Plutonium Capability Programme (A90)
Enriched Uranium Facility (A45)
Explosive storage and processing Facility
Salts Sustainment
Facility for assembly/disassembly of Warhead

The information relating to individual rekit costs for each facility for the years 2003 to date is not centrally held and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeremy Corbyn on 2014-05-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many conversions of office premises to housing have been notified to him since the lifting of planning approval requirements for such conversions; and how many social housing units have been included in such conversions.

Nick Boles

New homes are being created now because of the permitted development right for office to residential change of use. These new homes are helping to address the country’s housing need regardless of tenure. Developers seeking to convert an office to a residential property are required to seek prior approval from the local planning authority. A survey by Estates Gazette has found that there were more than 2,250 applications for change of use from office to residential in the first six months since the change was introduced. Some of these developments are, in themselves, each set to deliver more than 100 homes. The Department will begin collecting data on the number of prior approval applications from local planning authorities later in the year, covering applications from April 2014.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeremy Corbyn on 2014-05-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what research his Department has undertaken into (a) the safety effectiveness of voice warnings on freight vehicles reversing, (b) the extent of noise pollution arising from such warnings and (c) the potential benefits of introducing visually triggered automatic systems for giving warnings.

Stephen Hammond

The Department has undertaken no recent research on voice warnings on reversing freight vehicles or on the benefits of visually triggered automatic systems.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeremy Corbyn on 2014-06-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what representations he has received from local authorities about the extension of fines to letting agents who fail to publish their fees tariff in full.

Kris Hopkins

Requiring letting agents to be transparent about their fees will prevent the small minority of rogue agents from imposing unreasonable, hidden charges. This common sense approach avoids excessive state regulation which would just push up rents for tenants. This and mandatory membership of redress schemes will give local authorities the tools they need to weed out the cowboys that give agents a bad name; and drive up standards.

We have not received particular representations from local authorities on this issue. We will undertake a New Burdens assessment in due course in the usual way.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeremy Corbyn on 2014-06-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the costs to local authorities of proposals to extend fines on letting agents who fail to publish their fees tariff in full.

Kris Hopkins

Requiring letting agents to be transparent about their fees will prevent the small minority of rogue agents from imposing unreasonable, hidden charges. This common sense approach avoids excessive state regulation which would just push up rents for tenants. This and mandatory membership of redress schemes will give local authorities the tools they need to weed out the cowboys that give agents a bad name; and drive up standards.

We have not received particular representations from local authorities on this issue. We will undertake a New Burdens assessment in due course in the usual way.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeremy Corbyn on 2014-06-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much funding each tenancy deposit protection scheme has received from the Government in each of the last 10 years.

Kris Hopkins

The tenancy deposit protection schemes are operated by private companies under service concession agreements with my Department. All the schemes are designed to be self-financing.

The service concession agreement that was agreed by the previous administration with the custodial tenancy deposit protection scheme contained a guarantee that the government would meet any shortfall arising if approved fees were not covered by the interest on deposits held.

As a result of the low interest rates that emerged due to the financial turmoil in 2008 and 2009, this agreement left the Government—i.e. taxpayers—liable for a shortfall under that guarantee which was estimated to reach over £30 million by the end of the contract in 2012.

In May 2010, the coalition Government inherited this unacceptable situation and looming liabilities. As outlined by my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Member for Welwyn Hatfield (Grant Shapps) on 19 July 2011, Official Report, Column 828W, following extensive negotiations in summer 2010, the guarantee and all associated liabilities were removed as part of a revised agreement which also incorporated a payment of £12.7 million and a four-year extension of the original agreement.

This is the only payment which has been made by Government to any of the tenancy deposit protection schemes.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeremy Corbyn on 2014-06-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what consultation he has had with local authorities about the extension of fines to letting agents who fail to publish their fees tariff in full.

Kris Hopkins

Requiring letting agents to be transparent about their fees will prevent the small minority of rogue agents from imposing unreasonable, hidden charges. This common sense approach avoids excessive state regulation which would just push up rents for tenants. This and mandatory membership of redress schemes will give local authorities the tools they need to weed out the cowboys that give agents a bad name; and drive up standards.

We have not received particular representations from local authorities on this issue. We will undertake a New Burdens assessment in due course in the usual way.