Tag: Mark Pritchard

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representation in the Vienna peace talks on the future of Syria it is planned Assyrian-Syriac Christians will have.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

Members of all major communities of Syrian society – including Syrian Christians – participated at the Riyadh Opposition Conference in December 2015. The meeting participants agreed to form a delegation to negotiate with the Syrian regime representatives, in accordance with the Geneva Communiqué, under the auspices and guarantee of the UN and supported by the International Syria Support Group.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Pritchard on 2016-02-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to his Belarusian counterpart on recent death penalty sentences handed down by Belarusian courts and the position of the Belarusian government on the abolition of the death penalty.

Mr David Lidington

The UK continues to press Belarus to implement a moratorium on the death penalty as a first step towards abolition.

Officials from London and in the Embassy in Minsk make representations to the Government of Belarus at each available opportunity. Most recently the Director General, Political at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office visited Minsk and spoke about the need for a moratorium on the death penalty during discussions with the Deputy Foreign Minister, Ms Alena Kupchina, on 9 February 2016.

The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office is funding a conference on the death penalty to help stimulate debate about the advantages of a moratorium and abolition within the Government of Belarus and civil society.

The UK supports statements and demarches by the European Union on all death penalties handed down in Belarus.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Pritchard on 2016-06-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will hold discussions with major high street retailers on increasing their involvement in local chamber of trade organisations in market towns.

Anna Soubry

The Future High Street Forum, a joint partnership between government and the retail, leisure and property industries, includes major high street retailers and Gloucester First – the Retail Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP). The Forum supports town centres, including market towns, in meeting the changing needs of today’s consumer. The Forum leads a range of work, including a local partnerships work stream.

LEPs define and champion their area’s offer, driving local economic growth through agreed local priorities set out in their Strategic Economic Plan.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential effect on gunmakers of a ban on the use of lead in shotgun ammunition; and what plans she has to introduce such a ban.

Rory Stewart

The Government is considering the independent Lead Ammunition Group’s report on the effect of lead shot on human and wildlife health and will respond as soon as possible.

A representative from the Gun Trade Association contributed to the group and the formation of its report.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will discuss with his Russian counterpart the release of the Ukrainian MP Nadiya Savchenko.

Mr David Lidington

The UK Government believes that Nadiya Savchenko is being held illegally and has repeatedly called for her release. I have raised our concerns with the Russian Government at Ministerial and Ambassadorial level on multiple occasions, most recently with First Deputy Foreign Minister Titov during a visit to Moscow on 22 December.

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 2016-06-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will hold discussions with major high street retailers on increasing their involvement in local enterprise partnerships.

Anna Soubry

The Future High Street Forum, a joint partnership between government and the retail, leisure and property industries, includes major high street retailers and Gloucester First – the Retail Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP). The Forum supports town centres, including market towns, in meeting the changing needs of today’s consumer. The Forum leads a range of work, including a local partnerships work stream.

LEPs define and champion their area’s offer, driving local economic growth through agreed local priorities set out in their Strategic Economic Plan.

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.