Tag: Mark Pritchard

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Pritchard on 2015-11-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will hold discussions with the African Union about steps to ensure that a Pan-African and Continental Free Trade Area will be introduced on schedule in 2017.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

The UK supports the vision of an African Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA) as a key step to supporting African prosperity. We provide capacity building support to the African Union (AU) Commission to strengthen its ability to negotiate and implement trade agreements, including analysis to ensure the potential costs and benefits are fully understood. We will continue to work with the AU to ensure progress towards the CFTA is maintained, and I intend to raise this with AU colleagues at the January AU summit.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Pritchard on 2016-01-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to improve telecoms connectivity onboard Eurostar trains travelling in tunnels in England.

Claire Perry

Neither the Secretary of State, nor HS1 Ltd, which operates the HS1 network on a 30 year government-let concession basis is able to oblige Eurostar to provide wi-fi on its services. This would be a commercial decision for the train operating company concerned.

HS1 Ltd already provides free wi-fi at St Pancras, Stratford and Ebbsfleet International stations.

HS1 Ltd has also entered into exploratory conversations with a telecoms supplier to provide a 4G service at all HS1 stations and along the HS1 route, including the tunnels and open route areas. The exploratory work will assess the proposed financing of additional infrastructure required with a decision expected later this year. The Secretary of State has no part to play in this decision-making process.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Pritchard on 2016-02-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will take steps to ensure that (a) Shropshire Council, (b) Telford and Wrekin Council and (c) Highways England put in place road safety improvements to reduce the number of road deaths and injuries on roads in (i) Shropshire and (ii) Telford and Wrekin.

Andrew Jones

Local authorities are responsible for road safety on the local road network. Section 39 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 puts a ‘statutory duty’ on the local authorities to deliver an appropriate road safety education service and for the provision of a safe local road network.

It is up to individual authorities to determine how they meet their “statutory duty”. However, following the 2015 Spending Review the Government will continue to provide funding through the Integrated Transport block for local highway authorities to support small-scale initiatives, including road safety schemes. This funding is not ring-fenced and gives local authorities the freedom to develop and implement solutions which best suit their localities.

More widely, from within the record £6.1 billion to be allocated to local highways authorities between 2015 and 2021 for road maintenance, Shropshire has been allocated £86million and Telford and Wrekin £18million (including indicative allocations from 2018/19 to 2020/21) plus Telford has also been allocated £10.3million from the Highways Maintenance Challenge Fund. This compares to £79million allocated to Shropshire and £15.6million to Telford and Wrekin covering the period 2010 to 2015.

Highways England has made a commitment to review routes in Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin over the next five years.

Safety improvements are proposed on the A5/B5070 at Gledrid Roundabout in the 2016/17 financial year. Potential safety schemes have also been identified in Shropshire, and in Telford & Wrekin, and these will be considered over the 5-year Roads Investment Strategy. These are detailed below.

• A483 Maesbury Road
• A49/A456 Wooferton
• A5 Montford Bridge and Shrawardine Junctions
• A5/B5009 Gobowen
• A49 Laybys

All of these works will be subject to available funding and are not, as yet, programmed for delivery.

An A5 corridor study has also been commissioned to identify a long term strategy for addressing the changing needs and function of the A5 trunk road corridor between Chirk and Preston Boats. This study will consider current issues with the existing corridor, summarising the implications of growth and providing a set of highway options to address congestion and safety, for consideration within future financial years.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Pritchard on 2016-06-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will raise the issue of attacks on and murders of people with albinism with his counterparts in sub-Saharan African countries.

James Duddridge

The UK strongly believes that everyone, everywhere, should enjoy the rights and freedoms set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. We are concerned by any reports of violence perpetrated against people with albinism. Our High Commissioner to Malawi raised this issue during his meeting with the Malawian Foreign Minister on 27 April and we will continue to raise concerns about human rights violations and abuses in the region when the opportunities arise.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Pritchard on 2015-11-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what support his Department is giving to Côte d’Ivoire to strengthen its border security with Liberia.

James Duddridge

Through our commitment to the UN Peacekeeping Budget, the UK contributed £23 million to the UN Operation in Côte D’Ivoire (UNOCI) and £19.5m to the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) in financial year 2014/2015, both of which help secure the Côte D’Ivoire-Liberia border. The UK has supported UN Security Council Resolutions 2226 and 2239 extending the mandates of both Missions into 2016.

Despite incidents early in 2015, neither UN commander has reported any recent security concerns along the border region. We welcome the improved security situation and greater stability in Liberia and Cote D’Ivoire. We expect both governments to assume increased responsibility for the security of their shared border as the two UN missions begin to draw down.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Pritchard on 2016-01-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he expects Libyan Investment Authority funds to be released for Libyan social and physical infrastructure projects from the Future Generations Fund, Libyan Local Investment and Development Fund and the Budget Stabilisation Fund.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

It is for the Libyan Investment Authority (LIA) to decide on the allocation of funds for Libyan social and infrastructure projects. Some LIA assets are frozen under UN and EU regimes, but the LIA continues to have access to unfrozen funds. Article 8b of the EU Regulation provides a derogation such that if LIA were to make an application, the competent authorities of the Member States (which in the UK is HM Treasury) may authorise the release of frozen funds or economic resources under certain circumstances.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Pritchard on 2016-02-29.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the UK’s submarine fleet is not detected by unmanned underwater vehicles deployed for anti-submarine warfare purposes.

Mr Philip Dunne

The Ministry of Defence places a high priority on assuring the effectiveness of our submarine fleet and countering threats to our submarine operations. We continue to monitor and evaluate capabilities and technologies that could threaten submarines, including cyber and unmanned vehicles. It would not be appropriate to go into specific detail of the steps taken to mitigate against these threats. We assess, however, that the ocean will remain a complex and challenging environment in which to conduct large scale anti-submarine warfare, despite advancements in technologies. We are therefore confident that our submarine fleet remains safe and secure.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Pritchard on 2016-07-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Russian government on increases in the number of attacks on EU and US diplomats stationed in Russia.

Sir Alan Duncan

We continue to take robust measures to protect all our staff in Russia and raise our concerns with the Russian authorities in Moscow and the Embassy in London as appropriate.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Pritchard on 2015-11-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to expand the role of the National Crime Agency in (a) West Africa and (b) the Sahel region.

Mike Penning

The National Crime Agency (NCA) engages with a range of overseas partners in the both West Africa and the Sahel Region to tackle serious and organised crime threats to the UK, including drugs trafficking, money laundering, organised immigration crime and child sexual exploitation and abuse. This engagement is subject to continuous review by the NCA and is being expanded to enable the UK to respond to changing or emerging threats such as organised immigration crime. The Prime Minister announced the creation of a new multi-agency Organised Immigration Crime (OIC) Taskforce in June to tackle people smuggling in June and as part of this Taskforce the NCA has expanded its coverage in West Africa from where it also covers the Sahel.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Pritchard on 2016-01-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will simplify the fishing licence regime to expand fishing as a sport.

George Eustice

The Environment Agency is currently undertaking a number of activities to modernise the current rod licence service. This includes a proposal to change the licence structure and associated charges. The proposed new licence structure includes a number of changes such as a full year rolling licence rather than a fixed single season; a licence for a maximum of three rods rather than the current two and a free junior licence for anglers under the age of 16. The Environment Agency will consult on these proposals in the spring.