Tag: Jim Cunningham

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-06-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what recent assessment she has made of the effect on the UK offshore oil and gas industry workforce of the withdrawal of the Super Puma airframes from commercial operation.

Andrea Leadsom

The withdrawal from service of most of the Super Puma helicopter models followed the tragic crash in Norway with the loss of 13 lives on 29 April this year. We are confident that the Norwegian Accident Investigation Board will determine the cause of the crash and that the UK regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority, will then decide on the appropriate longer term action to take. It was entirely appropriate for the relevant Super Puma models to be immediately withdrawn from service by the CAA in the light of the circumstances of the accident, and this should have given assurance to the UK offshore oil and gas industry workforce about the regulatory controls in place. Oil and Gas UK, the main trade association for the industry, has formed a Helicopter Resilience Group with members from industry to discuss how logistics can be managed more effectively.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-06-28.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 27 June 2016 to Question 40701, what estimate he has made of the number of housing association properties sold through right-to-buy which have been replaced since the launch of that policy.

Brandon Lewis

I refer the hon Member to my response of 29 June to Question UIN 40701.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-07-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the threat of ash dieback disease to biodiversity across the UK; and if she will make a statement.

Rory Stewart

A series of research projects, jointly funded by Defra, has looked into the ecological impacts of ash dieback and investigated possible woodland management options which might ameliorate the problems caused by ash dieback. The results from this work have been published^[1]. The research found that there are tree species that share ecological traits or support some of the species associated with ash trees. However, there is no single tree species that would be able to fill the niche provided by ash in terms of both its ecosystem characteristics and biodiversity contribution.

The Forestry Commission provides advice to woodland managers about how best to manage and adapt to ash dieback, for example, by planting a variety of tree species as diversity brings resilience to pests and diseases.

[1] http://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/publication/5273931279761408

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-07-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to safeguard the status of UK nationals studying in other member states of the EEA as a result of the outcome of the referendum on the UK’s membership of the EU.

Joseph Johnson

The EU referendum result has no immediate effect on students abroad or those applying for 2016/17. Payments will be made in the usual way. Access after we leave the EU is a matter for the forthcoming negotiations.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-09-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many British nationals are currently detained in Iran; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

We do not provide information about numbers of British nationals detained in a country when the low numbers involved may lead to individuals being identifiable.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-09-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many military personnel are based in Saudi Arabia; and if he will make a statement.

Mike Penning

There are around 100 military personnel based in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including at the Defence section within the British Embassy Riyadh; providing mentoring and advice to the Saudi Arabian National Guard, as part of the British Military Mission to the Saudi Arabian National Guard; personnel working on the Saudi Arabia National Guard Communications Project to acquire and support, modern communications capabilities for the Saudi Arabian National Guard and personnel working on the Ministry of Defence Saudi Armed Forces Projects, supporting the United Kingdom’s commitment to the defence of Saudi Arabia through the supply of modern military aircraft, naval vessels, weapons and associated support services to the Saudi Armed Forces. We also have a small number of liaison personnel who work at the Saudi MOD and Operational Centres. We do not discuss specific numbers for reasons of safeguarding operational security.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-09-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what representations she has received from football supporters clubs in England and Wales on whether the Fit and Proper Person Test used by the Football League and Premier League is appropriate and effective; and if she will make a statement.

Tracey Crouch

Any concerns to my Department (DCMS) regarding football’s rules and regulations, including the application of the Owners and Directors Test (formerly Fit and Proper Persons Test) are referred to the Football Association or Leagues. It is however worth noting that as well as a commitment to keep the Test under constant review, the Football Authorities have also said they will meet with supporter representative groups to listen to any concerns they have over current or prospective owners. The intention is set out in the Government Expert Work Group’s report on Football Supporter Ownership and Engagement.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-10-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of people using mobile phones while driving; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Jones

The government’s recent consultation on bringing in tougher sanctions received near unanimous support for tougher penalties. The Secretary of State for Transport has pledged to bring tougher sanctions in as soon as possible, we expect them to take effect in the first half of 2017.

Anyone using a hand-held device while driving will face higher on the spot fines and more points on their driving licence than they do today.

The government is also developing a hard-hitting THINK! campaign to tackle this issue, to make it socially unacceptable like drink driving or not wearing a seatbelt.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-10-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, pursuant to his oral contribution of 12 October 2016, Official Report, column 331, what his policy is on what should be included in the British option he described; and if he will make a statement.

Mr David Jones

The UK’s economy is unique, and the relationship we secure with the EU has to reflect that.

Supported by departments across government, DExEU is analysing the entire UK economy to understand the key factors for business and the labour force that will affect our negotiations with the EU. We have structured this analysis by looking in detail at over 50 sectors and cross-cutting regulatory issues. This will ensure that we can take full account of the opportunities and issues which arise for the economy from EU exit and get the best deal for the UK.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-10-29.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of recruitment levels of new teachers; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Gibb

Teaching continues to be a popular career; there are now more teachers in England’s classrooms than ever before. In November 2014 there were 454,900 full time equivalent teachers, an increase of 5,200 from the previous year and 13,100 from 2010.

Data from the end of the recruitment cycle showed that we exceeded our target for the recruitment of primary teachers, and made good progress in secondary recruitment, including in several key subjects like English, mathematics, physics and chemistry, where recruitment finished ahead of the previous year.

We recognise that teacher recruitment is becoming increasingly challenging as the economy continues to strengthen and competition for new graduates intensifies, which is why we are focused on attracting more top graduates and career changers into the profession, particularly in those core academic subjects that help children reach their potential. We have recently announced a package of generous financial incentives for the next recruitment round; this includes tax-free bursaries worth up to £30,000 and the opportunity to earn a salary whilst training.