Tag: Maria Eagle

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2015-11-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what timetable he has set for phasing out the commitment bonus for members of the armed forces.

Mark Lancaster

Commitment Bonuses are being phased out over the next five years as there is insufficient evidence they significantly influence retention in the Armed Forces.

In Financial Year 2014-15 approximately 14,000 Service personnel claimed a Commitment Bonus payment. Eligibility for Commitment Bonuses ceases with effect from 1April 2021, providing eligible Other Ranks with the opportunity to claim any payments they might have already included in their financial plans.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2015-11-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to change the payment of annual increments to military staff between 2015-16 and 2020-21.

Penny Mordaunt

This Government has no plans to remove incremental pay or annual pay increases for serving members of the Armed Forces.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2015-12-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department spent on the veterans’ accommodation fund in each year since 2010.

Mark Lancaster

The £40 million Veterans Accommodation Fund was open for applications in 2014 using LIBOR money to support projects providing veterans accommodation. Successful projects were announced between July 2014 and July 2015, with a total of 16 projects supported. For details of the funding allocated to the successful projects I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave on 2 June 2015 and 23 November 2015 to the hon. Member for St. Helens North (Mr McGinn) to Questions 428 and 16834.

In addition, the Chancellor announced in March 2015 a new £25 million Aged Veterans Fund staged over five years; this is also provided from LIBOR fines and charities can apply for funding to help veterans born before 1950. The Aged Veterans Fund is now closed for applications, but it will reopen in 2016.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2015-12-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many bids his Department received under its proposal to make the Defence Infrastructure Organisation government-owned contractor-operated.

Mark Lancaster

The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) has been led by a Strategic Business Partner (SBP) since September 2014. The SBP contract allowed for the Ministry of Defence (MOD) to instruct the incorporation of DIO as a Government-owned company (GovCo), subject to a value for money review.

I announced the conclusions of the review in my written statement of 10 December 2015 (Official Report, columns 55-56WS). The GovCo model would have been led by the SBP but 100% owned by the Secretary of State for Defence. A GovCo is distinct from a Government-owned contractor-operated organisation (GOCO) which has a different legal construct. The MOD has never proposed for the DIO to become a GOCO.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2016-01-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what his Department’s planned expenditure on the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit is for (a) 2016-17, (b) 2017-18, (c) 2018-19 and (d) 2019-20.

Mr Edward Vaizey

The Intellectual Property Office has committed to provision of £1.5m funding for the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit in 2016-17. Funding beyond that period is still to be determined.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2016-02-02.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what meetings (a) Ministers and (b) civil servants in his Department have had with (i) James Murdoch and (ii) representatives from Sky UK Limited in each year since 2012.

Matthew Hancock

Details of Ministers’ meetings with external organisations, including senior media figures, are published routinely and can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/ministers-transparency-publications on Gov.uk.

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2016-03-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what his Department’s planned expenditure on computer facilities for public libraries is for (a) 2016-17, (b) 2017-18, (c) 2018-19 and (d) 2019-20.

Mr Edward Vaizey

Public libraries are funded and run by local authorities. However, through the Government’s development agency for public libraries, Arts Council England, funding is provided to support public libraries in England, some of which will fund computer facilities. Specific detail of this funding is not available. Future Arts Council England investment plans for public libraries will be developed following proposals from partner organisations.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2016-03-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many public libraries have received funding from his Department to provide computer facilities since 2010.

Mr Edward Vaizey

Public libraries are funded and run by local authorities. However, through the Government’s development agency for public libraries, Arts Council England, funding is provided to support public libraries in England, some of which will fund computer facilities. Specific detail of this funding is not available. Future Arts Council England investment plans for public libraries will be developed following proposals from partner organisations.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2016-05-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the cost to his Department was of commissioning and publishing the report, entitled BBC television, radio and online services: An assessment of market impact and distinctiveness, published in March 2016.

Mr Edward Vaizey

The costs ​of ​this ​piece of independent research was £98,900 excluding VAT.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2016-05-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate his Department has made of the number of (a) households and (b) businesses unable to access broadband speeds of (i) 10 Mbit/s and (ii) two Mbit/s in the latest period for which figures are available.

Mr Edward Vaizey

According to Ofcom’s Connected Nations 2015 report – based on the state of the market in May 2015 – 8% of premises were unable to access broadband speeds of 10Mbp/s and 2% of premises were unable to access broadband speeds of 2Mbp/s. These figures are likely to have reduced due to continued commercial and BDUK broadband deployment across the UK – superfast broadband access has increased from 45% in 2010 to 90%, and by the end of next year, 95% of homes and businesses will have access to superfast broadband. In addition, all premises with speeds below 2Mbp/s now have access to speeds greater than this through the Government’s Basic Broadband Scheme, and the Prime Minister has announced the Government’s intention to implement a new broadband Universal Service Obligation, with a minimum speed of 10Mbps, to help ensure no-one is left behind.