Tag: Margaret Ferrier

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ferrier on 2016-03-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what estimate he has made of the cost of (a) fraud and (b) financial error in his Department in each of the last five years.

David Mundell

The Scotland Office keeps the risk of fraud and financial error under constant review and is subject to audit by the National Audit Office. There have been no confirmed cases of fraud or known financial errors in the Scotland Office in each of the last five years.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ferrier on 2016-06-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the oral contribution of the Minister for Europe on 8 June 2016, Official Report, column 137WH, when the UK last maintained cluster munitions held by Saudi Arabia.

Michael Fallon

The UK has never maintained cluster munitions held by Saudi Arabia.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ferrier on 2016-06-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how much his Department spent on air, rail and taxi travel in 2015-16.

David Mundell

The Scotland Office spend on air, rail and taxi travel in 2015-16 is shown below.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ferrier on 2015-11-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, with reference to paragraph 1.203 of the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015, when the energy intensive industry exemption from the cost of Renewable Obligation and Feed-in Tariff will come into effect.

Andrea Leadsom

Following consultation, state aid clearance and necessary amendments to Renewables Obligation and Feed in Tariff scheme legislation, we intend to switch from compensation to exemptions as soon as possible.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ferrier on 2015-12-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the page on the National Crime Agency website entitled, Cyber crime: Preventing young people from getting involved, what discussions she has had with the Home Secretary on interest in coding and possession of independent learning material on computing being considered possible indicators of risk of involvement in cyber crime.

Nick Gibb

The Secretary of State holds discussions on a range of topics with Cabinet Ministers.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) has recently published guidance on preventing young people from becoming involved in cyber-crime: www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/crime-threats/cyber-crime/cyber-crime-preventing-young-people-from-getting-involved

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ferrier on 2016-01-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will take steps to provide compensation for people in Scotland who have lost out financially as a result of the increase in the women’s pension age.

David Mundell

In-work and out of work working age benefits are available for those who have not yet reached State Pension age.

The women affected by the Pensions Act 2011 will reach State Pension age after the introduction of the new State Pension, which will be more generous for those historically worse off under the current system.

Further, a £1 billion concession was made, limiting the delay that anyone would experience to their State Pension age to 18 months, relative to the Pensions Act 1995 timetable. This mitigated the effect of the changes for those most affected by the Pensions Act 2011.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ferrier on 2016-02-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, who from his Department attended the Tata Steel Task Force meeting on (a) 20 January 2016 and (b) 1 February 2016.

Stephen Crabb

The Welsh Taskforce was convened on 20 January and met subsequently on 1 February. The next meeting will be held on 15 February.

The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth, attended the meeting on 1 February and will attend future meetings whenever practicable. Due to prior commitments he was unable to attend the first meeting and the Wales Office Director represented the Department. UK Government officials also attend Taskforce meetings.

The Taskforce is chaired by Welsh Government Minister for Economy, Science and Transport, Edwina Hart. Minutes of the Taskforce and any agreed programme of work are matters for the Welsh Government.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ferrier on 2016-03-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what recent estimate he has made of the level of inward investment to Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

David Mundell

On 29 February 2016, UK Trade & Investment published the number of Foreign Direct Investment projects by UK Region for the period 2010/11 to 2014/15. These figures show that Scotland attracted 531 projects during this period. These projects led to 26,184 new jobs, which is equal to 8.6 per cent of the total job creation for the UK as a whole.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ferrier on 2016-06-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the oral contribution of the Minister for Europe of 8 June 2016, Official Report, column 136WH, whether his Department has made representations to Saudi Arabia requesting that the death sentences issued to Ali Mohammed al-Nimr, Abdullah al-Zaher and Dawood al-Marhoon be commuted.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

The British Government opposes the death penalty in all circumstances and in every country. We remain concerned about the cases of Ali al-Nimr, Abdullah al-Zaher and Dawood al-Marhoon. I can assure you that we continue to raise their cases with the Saudi authorities at every opportunity, most recently during the Foreign Secretary’s visit on 29 May. Our expectation remains that they will not be executed.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ferrier on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the conclusions of the report led by the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology published in Nature Communications on 16 August 2016, entitled Impacts of neonicotinoid use on long-term population change in wild bees in England; and if she will make a statement.

George Eustice

We consider new studies on neonicotinoids, including the recent study led by the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, carefully, drawing on advice from the UK Expert Committee on Pesticides as well as from government experts. The Government remains committed to ensuring that pesticides are not authorised if the scientific evidence shows they pose unacceptable risks to the environment.