Tag: Jim Shannon

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-01-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with Ministers of the Northern Ireland Executive on steps to increase exports of food from Northern Ireland to China.

George Eustice

There has been very close collaboration at ministerial and official level to increase food exports to China. On her recent visit the Secretary of State highlighted the Northern Ireland priorities of securing approval for pork plants, finalising access for pig trotters and progressing negotiations for poultry meat. Supporting this extension of access, officials work closely with colleagues from Invest Northern Ireland to ensure complementary export promotional work in China.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-01-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the total number of people from the UK who have joined Daesh.

Mr John Hayes

We believe approximately 800 UK linked individuals of national security concern have travelled to take part in the Syrian conflict since it began. Of those who are known to have travelled, about half have returned.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-02-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans his Department has to make high-dose prostate therapy available on the NHS.

Jane Ellison

Intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) is commissioned by NHS England. NHS England’s commitment was to ensure that a minimum of 24% of patients requiring radical radiotherapy had access to inverse planned IMRT from April 2013, and this has been achieved nationally.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-02-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the likelihood of the Colombia Peace Agreement being reached on 23 March 2016; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Hugo Swire

Talks continue in Havana and both sides are working to meet the 23 March deadline. However, the priority is reaching a sustainable agreement, not the exact date. As President Santos himself has said “If it’s two days after, or one day before, or a week later, it doesn’t matter.”

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-02-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for what reasons the proposed hepatitis C improvement framework has not been published.

Jane Ellison

NHS England’s work to deliver a framework for hepatitis C services has been progressed so far through the formation and implementation of operational delivery networks providing clinical leadership which has progressed in parallel with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence assessment of new drug therapies. NHS England and Public Health England are currently considering the best approach to build further development of hepatitis C services which cuts across a number of commissioning organisations and that NHS England will be publishing an update shortly.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-02-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps she is taking to ensure that oil price reductions are fully passed on to customers.

Andrea Leadsom

The Government believes that it is important that consumers get a fair deal and any falls in oil prices are passed on to lower prices for consumers. We have made this clear to energy providers.

DECC continuously monitors pump prices, and publish average prices of petrol and diesel every Monday. Movements in pump prices are primarily driven by changes to crude oil prices; though pump prices are also influenced by a range of other factors, including refining capacity, stock levels, distribution costs and retail margins.

Analysis by the Department has found that crude price changes are being reflected in pump prices and suggests that on average, at a national level, sustained crude price changes are fully passed through into pump prices within 6-7 weeks; though much of the change is passed through earlier.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-02-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what programmes his Department is developing relating to cyber defence.

Penny Mordaunt

The Defence Cyber Programme delivers cyber defence activities for Defence as a whole. It incorporates the following strands:

Defensive cyber;

People and training;

Information and intelligence;

Strategic direction;

Offensive cyber.

Further to this, each single Service has their own cyber transformation programme within which they are undertaking projects to understand and meet defensive cyber requirements specific to each Service.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-03-01.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions he has had with broadband providers on rural broadband provision.

Mr Edward Vaizey

Superfast broadband is available to nearly 90 per cent of homes and businesses in the UK, including urban and rural areas, and we are on track to reach 95% by the end of 2017, as set out in our manifesto. In addition, the Prime Minister announced the Government’s intention to implement a new broadband Universal Service Obligation (USO). This will give people the legal right to request an affordable broadband connection no matter where they live.

I hold regular discussions with internet service providers on a wide range of issues. A number of communications infrastructure suppliers and service providers attended the recent not-spot summit on 3 February where the challenges for Government and industry for extending both superfast broadband and mobile coverage to all areas of the UK was discussed.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-03-01.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with the government of Cyprus on ensuring that wild migratory birds are not netted on the Sovereign Base Areas or any other land used by his Department in Cyprus.

Mark Lancaster

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence, (Michael Fallon) has had no direct discussions with the Government of the Republic of Cyprus on this subject, but the Sovereign Base Areas (SBA) Administration has regular meetings on this issue with the relevant authorities in the Republic of Cyprus and relevant Non-Government Organisations to exchange and share information. The SBAs in Cyprus are covered by the Bern convention on the conservation of European wildlife and natural habitats and adhere to its provisions. The SBA Police have for a number of years put considerable effort into anti-poaching measures, and recently there has been an especially robust campaign through enhanced enforcement and the removal of non-native invasive acacia trees that are deliberately cultivated by trappers to attract birds. The SBA Police also work in close co-operation with the Cyprus Game and Fauna Service and the SBA Administration intends to continue to work with the Republic of Cyprus to bring an end to this unpleasant and outlawed practice.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-03-01.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what support the Government has provided for the generations for peace programmes in Jordan.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

The Government has provided no support for the Generations for Peace programme in Jordan. The UK has contributed £228m to support peace and stability in Jordan since the start of the Syria crisis.