The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2016-02-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the (a) date and (b) remit was of his authorisation to use RAF Lakenheath as a base to carry out airstrikes in Libya.
Michael Fallon
Authorisation for the United States to use UK bases to launch the airstrike against a Daesh training camp in Libya was given on 18 February 2016. Authorisation would be required for any operations of this nature involving the use of UK bases.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2016-03-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many members of the armed forces have been employed specialising in the repair and maintenance of survival equipment in the RAF in the last twenty years; and how many former such staff have (a) received a medical discharge and (b) submitted a claim for compensation on the grounds of occupational related ill-health.
Mark Lancaster
The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Information is available from 1 April 2006 to 1 February 2016, and is given below.
Of the 1,027 personnel identified as being employed in the repair and maintenance of survival equipment in the RAF, around 40 were medically discharged from Service. Around 60 registered an injury/illness claim for a disablement pension under the War Pension Scheme (WPS). Around 100 registered an injury/illness claim under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS). Fewer than five made a legal claim for compensation.
Figures are rounded to the nearest 10, numbers ending in 5 have been rounded to the nearest 20 to prevent systematic bias. This is because there is a duty under the Data Protection Act 1998 to protect individuals from being identified by the release of information.
The War Pension Scheme provides no-fault compensation for all ex-Service personnel where illness, injury or death is caused by Service from the start of the First World War up until 5 April 2005. This was replaced by the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme on 6 April 2005. Please note that these statistics relate to illness and injury; it is not possible to determine which claims are related to occupational ill-health without accessing the individuals’ medical files. An award under the AFCS or WPS may be made for a variety of reasons and not necessarily directly related to the role of a Survival Equipment Fitter.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2016-04-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the 10 largest grants to fund research into the use of proton therapy treatment for cancers made from the science budget were in the last five years; and when the results of such research will be published.
Joseph Johnson
Research into cancer involving proton therapy and laser treatment falls within the remit of the Research Councils.
I have asked the Chair of the Research Councils UK Strategic Executive to write to the hon. Member and I will place a copy of the letter in the Libraries of the House.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2016-04-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many times have mines or improvised explosive devices in the vicinity of UK military bases caused (a) minor injuries and (b) serious or fatal injuries to non-military persons visiting the base in the last 10 years.
Penny Mordaunt
Specific statistics regarding mines and IEDs either detected or causing injuries or fatalities in the vicinity of UK military bases are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2016-04-27.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure British citizens employed on international marine vessels are not arrested for entering the territorial waters of a country with incorrect paperwork for arms held on the ship to combat pirates.
James Duddridge
It is the responsibility of employers and employees to ensure that they hold the correct paperwork for any arms held. The Department for Transport’s advice to UK flagged vessels employing Private Maritime Security Companies (PMSC) on board their ships is that the PMSC has, amongst other things: access to legal advice, given the imprecise position of armed guards under various national jurisdictions and international law; and an understanding of port State and coastal State laws and requirements with respect to the possession, carriage, and movement of firearms, ammunition and other security related equipment (such as body armour).
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills trade controls in the private armed sector apply to UK companies operating in the UK, and to UK nationals working for non UK companies. The use of the Open Government Trade Control License Maritime Anti-Piracy ensures that companies operating in the sector do so in adherence to industry standards and international law.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2016-06-08.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate his Department has made of the distributional effect of the exclusion from National Insurance contributions of property, dividends, pensions and other forms of non-employment income.
Mr David Gauke
National Insurance contributions (NICs) are not intended to tax all forms of income. As a system of social security, the purpose of NICs is that individuals contribute when they are working, in order to build entitlement to contributory benefits such as the State Pension.
Taxes are levied on non-employment income through the rest of the tax system, and the government’s policies since 2010 have repeatedly increased the contribution of the wealthy. The richest fifth of households will contribute more than half (52%) of UK household tax receipts in 2019-20; under the 2010-11 tax system, they would have paid 49%.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2016-07-21.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to address the downgrading of the UK’s rating for energy security in the World Energy Council’s 2015 Energy Trilemma Index, published in November 2015.
Jesse Norman
The Government takes energy security very seriously, and our energy security has not been downgraded. According to the World Energy Council’s Energy Trilemma index, the UK scored an ‘A’ for the energy security element and increased its country ranking for energy security from 9th in 2014 to 4th in 2015 after there was a downgrade on a point of Energy Equity.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2016-10-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Answer of 9 July 2015 to Question 5695, on Defence Fire and Rescue Service pensions, what progress has been made in discussions with the trade unions.
Mark Lancaster
Her Majesty’s Treasury is reviewing the Enhanced Effective Pension Age and Effective Pension Age for Ministry of Defence Police Officers. We have since been advised that this review extends to Defence Fire and Rescue Service personnel. We are anticipating a decision by 30 November 2016. This means that discussions with the trade unions are on hold until the review concludes.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2015-12-08.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he is satisfied that the Financial Conduct Authority’s minimum professional indemnity insurance requirements for Independent Financial Advisers provide investors with adequate protection for medium and long-term investments.
Harriett Baldwin
This is a matter for the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), which is operationally independent from Government.
This question has been passed on to the FCA. They will reply directly to the Honourable Member by letter. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2015-12-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make representations to the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency to implement the review of staffing and deployment agreed with trades unions in February 2014.
Andrew Jones
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) regularly shares staffing data with the Trade Union Side (TUS) and has met them on many occasions since February 2014 to discuss matters including, but not limited to, staffing and deployment. A timeline was agreed with the TUS for these discussions to conclude on 23 September 2015 in order for them to ballot members on the position reached. Despite the final position on these talks being rejected by the TUS DVSA offered to continue discussions, on an ongoing basis, about staffing and deployment.
DVSA is currently engaged in talks via ACAS with the Prospect Union, who have suspended industrial action, and hopes to be able to do the same with the Public and Commercial Services Union.