Tag: John Spellar

The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Spellar on 2016-04-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many regular, full-time serving members of the Army there were on the latest date for which figures are available.

Mr Julian Brazier

The full-time trained strength of the UK Army at 1 March 2016 was 79,840.

Statistics are published by Defence Statistics in the Monthly Service Personnel Statistics report. The latest such report which shows figures at 1 March 2016 was published on 14 April 2016 and can be found at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/515805/Monthly_service_personnel_statistics_March_2016.pdf

The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Spellar on 2016-06-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will take steps to ensure that his Department’s purchasing policies support British (a) industry and (b) agriculture.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The Department’s purchasing policies support the Government’s commitment to do all it can to ensure UK suppliers can compete effectively for public sector contracts, in line with our current international obligations and guidance issued by the Crown Commercial Service.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Spellar on 2016-01-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what guidance his Department issues to the private parking industry on the appropriate levels of penalties for motorists.

Mr Marcus Jones

The Government does not issue guidance to the private parking industry on the levels of penalties for motorists. The private parking sector currently operates on a model of self-regulation, and parking companies predominantly obtain access to DVLA data by being a member of one of the two Accredited Trade Associations. These Trade Associations set out in their codes of practice that the maximum level should be no more than £100. Both Trade Associations suggest their members offer a reduced rate of at least 40% if payment is made within 14 days of the issue of the charge notice.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Spellar on 2016-06-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will take steps to ensure that his Department’s purchasing policies support British (a) industry and (b) agriculture.

Joseph Johnson

The Department’s purchasing policies support the Government’s commitment to do all it can to ensure UK suppliers can compete effectively for public sector contracts, in line with our current international obligations and guidance issued by the Crown Commercial Service.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Spellar on 2016-06-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will take steps to ensure that his Department’s purchasing policies support British (a) industry and (b) agriculture.

Justin Tomlinson

The Department’s purchasing policies support the Government’s commitment to do all it can to ensure UK suppliers can compete effectively for public sector contracts, in line with our current international obligations and guidance issued by the Crown Commercial Service.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Spellar on 2016-01-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the costs and benefits of ending the paper vehicle tax disc.

Andrew Jones

The changes to the administration of vehicle excise duty are expected to save the public purse £13.8m per year. These savings are made up of the elements shown in the table below:

No longer having to print or store tax discs.	£1.3m pa
No longer having to post tax discs to customers.	£7.9m pa
No longer having to process applications for vehicle excise duty refunds (which are now paid automatically without the need for an application) or handle enquiries about lost or missing tax discs.	£1.2m pa
Reduction in Post Office Ltd costs as they no longer issue paper tax discs, but offer an assisted digital service instead.	£3.4m pa

Business will also save an estimated £8.6m per year from the changes. The savings arise from leasing companies no longer having to post tax discs to customers or businesses having to apply for refunds of vehicle excise duty and paying to replace lost or stolen tax discs.

There are also one-off costs of £5.7m made up of the elements shown in the table below:

DVLA IT and systems changes/updates,	£4m
Familiarisation costs to the General Public and Business in understanding the changes	£1.7m

The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Spellar on 2016-06-27.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will take steps to ensure that his Department’s purchasing policies support British (a) industry and (b) agriculture.

Matthew Hancock

The Government is committed to doing all it can to ensure UK suppliers can compete effectively for public sector contracts in line with our current international obligations. To this end we are seeking to ensure the huge purchasing power of government supports the task of boosting growth, and enables us to actively shape the UK market for the long term.

We are providing industry with visibility of up to £191bn of potential procurement opportunities across 19 sectors. In addition, we are working with businesses to identify and address any key capabilities needed to meet future demand; actively helping them to remove barriers and supporting growth through additional benefits that boost exports and drive innovation.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Spellar on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to hold urgent discussions with her French counterparts on border controls at Dover and other British ports.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The Home Secretary met with her French counterpart, Interior Minister, Bernard Cazeneuve, on Tuesday 30 August.

The two nations committed to a number of specific steps, including:

Further securing the ports and tunnel in the region – Britain has already provided around £85 million to reinforce security;

Addressing humanitarian challenges in Calais, where around 7,000 migrants are now gathered – including 5,000 without housing;

Continuing to work together to return illegal migrants in Calais who are not in need of protection;

Bringing unaccompanied asylum-seeking children to the UK when in their best interest.

A joint statement from both governments after talks reaffirmed the commitment to working together to strengthen the security of our shared border, and to preserve the vital economic link supported by the juxtaposed controls in Calais.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Spellar on 2016-01-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many requests have been made to the DVLA for vehicle owner addresses in the last 12 months by private parking companies.

Andrew Jones

Requests to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency for vehicle keeper data can be made electronically or manually by post.

In 2015, 3,623,724 requests for vehicle keeper data from private parking companies were made electronically. A further 253,500 requests were made manually by post. The figure for manual requests includes enquiries from private parking companies and other organisations or individuals who can demonstrate reasonable cause for needing the information.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Spellar on 2016-06-27.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will take steps to ensure that his Department’s purchasing policies support British (a) industry and (b) agriculture.

Harriett Baldwin

In 2013, HM Treasury outsourced the majority of its procurement and commercial services to Crown Commercial Service.

All procurement activity is undertaken reflecting policy direction communicated via Procurement Policy Notes as issued by Cabinet Office, as well as the Public Contract Regulations 2015.