Tag: Jim Shannon

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-06-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make representations to Ryanair on the cost of amending boarding passes and other travel documents.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The Government and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) continue to emphasise to the airlines the importance of compliance with ticket transparency obligations, ensuring that terms and conditions (including any administration fees and charges) are clear to passengers when they choose between airlines.

To enhance consumer protection in this area, the CAA will start work on unfair contract terms with the airlines this summer, in accordance with the CAA’s Strategic Plan 2016-2021. The work will include a review of the airlines’ terms and conditions (Conditions of Carriage) with the aim of ensuring the rights and obligations of the consumers and businesses are fair and balanced and consumers are not being penalised by unfair contract terms. The administration fees the industry currently charges are part of the terms and conditions and as such, will form a part of this work. The Government supports this work and will follow the progress with interest.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-06-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what progress has been made on the development of the multi-operator self-exclusion scheme since 17 February 2016.

David Evennett

All individual gambling operators are required by their licence conditions to put in place procedures for self-exclusion.

In May 2015, the Gambling Commission introduced a new licence condition which also requires online gambling operators, other than certain society lottery operators, to participate in a national online self-exclusion scheme once it is developed and available.

The Remote Gambling Association (RGA) is currently developing the online multi-operator self-exclusion scheme on behalf of the online sector.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-06-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he has taken to ensure that families of children with life-shortening conditions receive financial support in order to care for their children.

Justin Tomlinson

The benefits available to the parents of children with life shortening conditions will depend on the particular circumstances of their household. Extra support is available to those parents who have had to give up full-time work to care for a child with a health condition or disability through benefits such as Carer’s Allowance, Income Support and Universal Credit. Disability Living Allowance may also be payable for children with a health condition or disability as a contribution towards the extra costs they may incur.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-07-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of a programme to introduce more oysters in the waters around the UK.

George Eustice

Fisheries management is a devolved issue in the UK. The Government currently has no plans to make an assessment of the potential merits of a programme to introduce more oysters to the waters around England.

Oyster restoration schemes currently underway in the UK include the Chichester Harbour Oyster Partnership Initiative, the Essex Native Oyster Regeneration Initiative, and an initiative in the Solent led by the Blue Marine Foundation.

In 2005, Defra and Seafish commissioned Cefas to produce a feasibility study of native oyster (Ostrea edulis) stock regeneration in the UK. The full report is available on the Seafish website.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-07-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many compensation claims have been made against NHS hospitals related to treatment received by patients.

David Mowat

The Department does not hold the information to answer this question. This data has been provided by the National Health Service Litigation Authority.

In 2014/15 (the most recent year for which information has been published) 11,497 new clinical negligence claims were received by the NHS Litigation Authority which indemnifies all English National Health Service trusts, clinical commissioning groups and some independent sector providers. This number therefore includes claims related to organisations other than NHS hospitals. Claims can arise some years after an incident so this number represents the number of claims notified to Members in 2014/15 regardless of when the incident occurred. Not all these claims will result in financial compensation being awarded to the claimant.

This information is available on the NHS Litigation Authority’s website in Fact sheets:

www.nhsla.com/CurrentActivity/Pages/Home.aspx

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-07-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the government of China on human rights in Tibet.

Alok Sharma

We set out our human rights concerns about China, and specifically in the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) through the Foreign and Commonwealth Office annual report on Human Rights and Democracy. The Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my noble Friend, the Rt Hon. the Baroness of Anelay of St Johns raised our concerns about the Tibetan language advocate Tashi Wangchuk with the Director of the National People’s Congress Foreign Affairs Committee on 7 July.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussion she has had with Cabinet colleagues on the effect of the possible expansion of Heathrow Airport on UK tourism.

Tracey Crouch

The Government has accepted the case for airport expansion in the South East and the Airports’ Commission’s shortlisted options. The new Culture Secretary will be ensuring that tourism is one of the factors considered, when a final decision is taken on a preferred scheme.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-09-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether he has taken steps to support the Northern Ireland Executive in the regeneration of coastal areas in Northern Ireland.

James Brokenshire

I have visited some of the coastal communities in Northern Ireland and aside from their general beauty I have seen how vital they are to local economy. Since its launch in 2012 the UK Government’s Coastal Communities Fund has helped coastal towns across the UK to strengthen their appeal as places to live, work and visit. In Northern Ireland 11 awards have been made, worth £2.5m.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-09-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what targets he has set for recruiting female soldiers into the Armed Forces Reserve; and how he plans to track those soldiers’ performance through the recruiting process.

Mark Lancaster

There is a combined UK Regular and Future Reserve 2020 target to increase female personnel to 15 per cent of total intake by 2020. Progress against this target is reported on a biannual basis in the Armed Forces Biannual Diversity Statistics. The information can be found in table 26 at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/uk-armed-forces-biannual-diversity-statistics-2016

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that sprinkler systems are installed in all schools.

Nick Gibb

The proper standard of fire safety, to protect life and property, is essential in our schools. All schools must comply with building and fire safety regulations.

All new schools are assessed on a case-by-case basis for fire safety and, where it is concluded that sprinklers must be fitted to protect property or keep children safe, they will be. This is consistent with the position set out in our Fire Safety Design for Schools – Building Bulletin 100 (BB100) guidance for schools in England and Wales.

Schools in Northern Ireland are required to comply with the Fire and Rescue Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 and the Fire Safety Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010 which reinforces a risk based approach to fire prevention.