Tag: Mark Williams

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Williams on 2015-11-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will discuss with the Moroccan ambassador to the UK Morocco’s ban on the UN Secretary General’s Personal Envoy to the Western Sahara visiting Western Sahara during his visit to that region to facilitate negotiations called for by the UN Security Council.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

With Ambassadors of other members of the Group of Friends of Western Sahara, the British Ambassador to Morocco raised this issue with the Moroccan Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs on 13 November. The Group of Friends welcomed the assurances they received that the Secretary-General’s Envoy would not be prevented from visiting Western Sahara.

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

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when his Department plans to respond to the Eleventh Report from the Treasury Committee, Session 2014-15, Conduct and competition in SME lending, HC204.

Harriett Baldwin

The Government response, which was published on 21 December 2015, is available on gov.uk.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Williams on 2015-12-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what progress has been made in negotiations with Lloyd’s Bank plc about business banking services being offered through the Post Office.

George Freeman

The Post Office is negotiating with the major banks, including Lloyds and Barclays, with a view to extending and standardising the services available to the banks’ small business customers. These are commercial negotiations which are still ongoing. The Government is clear that completion of these negotiations should be a priority.

The Government is keen to see continued and wider availability of banking services through Post Office branches. In this context, we welcome the recent agreement between HSBC and the Post Office to provide HSBC’s business customers with services through Post Office branches.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Williams on 2015-12-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what progress has been made in negotiations with Barclays Bank plc about business banking services being offered through the Post Office.

George Freeman

The Post Office is negotiating with the major banks, including Lloyds and Barclays, with a view to extending and standardising the services available to the banks’ small business customers. These are commercial negotiations which are still ongoing. The Government is clear that completion of these negotiations should be a priority.

The Government is keen to see continued and wider availability of banking services through Post Office branches. In this context, we welcome the recent agreement between HSBC and the Post Office to provide HSBC’s business customers with services through Post Office branches.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Williams on 2015-12-15.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what information his Department holds on the number of communities of 5,000 people or more in England where there is no bank branch within a radius of three miles.

Harriett Baldwin

The Government does not hold the information requested.

Banks and building societies need to balance customer interests, market competition, and other commercial factors when considering their strategy. Decisions on the opening and closing of individual branches are taken by the management of each bank on a commercial basis without intervention from Government.

The Government welcomed the industry-wide Access to Banking protocol announced in March 2015. From the first of May this year, each participating bank has committed to carry out a number of steps if it is closing a branch, including the preparation of meaningful local impact assessments. There is a commitment to a review of the operation of the protocol after one year, and the Government looks forward to its conclusions.

The availability of alternative locations for accessing basic banking services is also important. The ongoing negotiation between the banks and the Post Office to agree a standard set of services – to be made available to personal and small business banking customers at Post Office counters across the country – remains vital. The Government is clear that completion of these negotiations should be a priority.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Williams on 2016-01-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 20 November 2015 to Question 1543, on Western Sahara: referendum, whether any referendum would put forward a choice between independence for Western Sahara and integration of that region with Morocco.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

The terms and choices of a referendum on the status of Western Sahara are for Morocco and the Polisario Front to agree as the two parties to the dispute. The UK fully supports UN-led efforts to encourage both parties to agree a lasting and mutually acceptable political solution that provides for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many applications for emergency authorisation for the use of neonicotinoids have been received in 2016; and how many of those applications have been granted.

George Eustice

No applications have been received in 2016 for the emergency authorisation of neonicotinoids.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many applications for emergency authorisation for the use of neonicotinoids have been received in 2016; and how many of those applications have been granted.

George Eustice

No applications have been received in 2016 for the emergency authorisation of neonicotinoids.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Williams on 2016-03-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what value of dairy produce was imported from each country of origin in each of the last five years.

George Eustice

The HMRC data has been provided on a ‘country of despatch’ basis, rather than the requested ‘country of origin’ basis, as ‘country of despatch’ trade data is considered a more accurate representation of actual levels of trade.

The table below shows the value of dairy produce imported into the UK, for the last five years, according to HMRC trade statistics:

£/million
Country	2011	2012	2013	2014	*2015
Irish Republic	689.1	662.6	767.3	702.6	594.1
France	484.2	510.0	559.5	568.4	392.0
Germany	286.3	283.5	336.5	345.1	241.4
Netherlands	169.2	237.2	277.2	252.1	187.3
Belgium	216.3	209.5	239.4	196.0	142.0
Italy	174.1	162.4	168.5	174.5	111.9
Denmark	214.1	195.1	153.1	160.0	70.7
Greece	44.8	44.9	53.7	60.7	70.2
Poland	28.4	31.9	42.0	43.4	41.2
Spain	31.8	36.8	44.3	39.6	31.9
Cyprus	16.3	17.2	20.4	26.6	22.2
Others	96.8	95.9	102.6	134.7	91.9
Grand Total	2,451.4	2,487.0	2,764.4	2,703.6	1,996.9

Source: HM Revenue and Customs. Data prepared by the Food & Trade Statistics team, Great British Food Unit, Defra.

*2015 data are subject to amendments. Totals may not add up to the sum of their components due to rounding.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Williams on 2016-04-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if his Department will raise with the Moroccan ambassador to the UK the death of Brahim Saika in Gulemin police station on 15 April 2016.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

The British Embassy in Rabat raised the case of Mr Brahim Saika with Morocco’s National Human Rights Commission, CNDH, on 18 April 2016. The Commission had been following the case closely and is preparing its report on his detention and death. We will consider any further action in the light of the Commission’s report.