The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2015-11-17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she plans to publish her Department’s new code of practice on the use of fox snares.
Rory Stewart
In 2012 Defra published research on the extent of use and humaneness of snares in England and Wales. Ministers are currently considering options.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2015-11-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place in the Library a copy of the Civilian Manpower Capitation rates for 2015-16.
Mark Lancaster
I will place a copy of the 2015-16 Civilian Manpower Capitation Rates in the Library of the House, subject to the redaction of personal information. The 2015-16 rates will be available early in 2016, their compilation being determined by the timing of the relevant annual pay reviews.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2015-12-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate he has made of changes in revenue from the Horserace Betting Levy arising from the activities of remote betting operators based offshore.
Tracey Crouch
The levy rate is set annually and is paid by bookmakers based in Great Britain, it does not currently apply to betting operators based offshore. The Government remains committed to replacing the current levy system to create a level playing field for British based and offshore gambling operators.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-01-29.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the obligations are on the UK under the provisions of the Five Power Defence arrangements.
Mr Julian Brazier
Under the Five Power Defence Arrangements, the five powers (Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Singapore and the UK) undertook to consult "immediately" in the event or threat of an armed attack on Malaysia or Singapore for the purpose of deciding what measures should be taken jointly or separately in response. There is no specific commitment to intervene militarily.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-02-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to encourage more milk processors to comply with the voluntary code on milk contracts.
George Eustice
The dairy industry code of best practice on contractual arrangements was created in Great Britain in 2012 in response to concern about fluctuating milk prices. About 85% of producers have signed up to it. There is general acceptance that the code’s introduction has led to some improvement for milk producers.
Ultimately, the code is voluntary and owned by the industry. However, this is something that I regularly discuss with the NFU and Dairy UK with a view to encouraging other, primarily smaller processors to sign up.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-02-29.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent progress his Department has made on the (a) composition and (b) operation of the individual funding requests screening process; and if he will make at statement.
George Freeman
NHS England has advised that updated standard operating procedures for NHS England’s management of individual funding requests was published on 26 February 2016 and is available at:
www.england.nhs.uk/commissioning/policies/gp/
Clinical commissioning groups are responsible for managing their own individual funding requests.
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-03-22.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will estimate the number of qualified doctors required in the NHS who are (a) GPs and (b) working in hospitals.
Ben Gummer
The Department has set up Health Education England to plan the future healthcare workforce for England. It is responsible for ensuring a secure workforce supply that reflects the needs of local service users, providers and commissioners of healthcare.
The number of doctors required is a matter for service commissioners and their provider partners to establish in providing a high quality service to patients and in taking into account the mechanisms through which those services will be provided. Delivery plans to meet the NHS Five Year Forward View are currently being established in collaboration via the Sustainability and Transformation Plan process. These plans will include early views on the shape of the future workforce.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-04-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his policy is on reform of the command structure of NATO.
Mr Julian Brazier
The Declaration of the NATO Summit in Wales in 2014 says, "We will ensure that the current NATO Command Structure remains robust, agile and able to undertake all elements of effective command and control". This remains our position and we fully support the reform work that NATO has done, and continues to do, to improve the ways in which it delivers military effects.
We support the work of the NATO Strategic Commanders to optimise procedures and processes within the Command Structure to make it flexible, efficient, and responsive to the security environment.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-04-14.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how many small nuclear reactors her Department plans to order over the Spending Review 2015 period.
Andrea Leadsom
Small modular reactors (SMRs) are a relatively new technology for civil nuclear power generation and whilst a small number of bespoke “small” reactors have been built and operated, no true SMRs have yet reached demonstration or deployment.
At Autumn Statement 2015 Government announced it would launch a competition to identify the best value SMR design for the UK. In March 2016 the first phase of the competition was launched. This phase will include structured engagement with technology developers, utilities, potential investors, funders and other parties interested in developing, commercialising and financing SMRs in the UK to inform subsequent stages of the competition. This is the beginning of a process that will enable bids from interested parties in subsequent phases of the competition.
As we are still in the early stages of the competitive process no decision has yet been made on a potential SMR design or levels of deployment.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-05-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent representations he has received from care home operators about their financial viability.
Alistair Burt
The Government continues to engage with the care sector, including care providers, to understand their concerns about their financial viability and the sustainability of services.
The trade bodies Care England and the United Kingdom Home Care Association have convened a provider Taskforce, with membership from the larger care home and home care operators and representatives from the Care Providers Alliance. Officials from the Department of Health, and other Government departments attend the taskforce meetings as observers. The most recent meeting was held on 9 May 2016, where discussions were held about risks to financial viability, local authority commissioning and the impact of the introduction of the National Living Wage.
The Department is working closely with the Local Government Association to consider targeted action to address the issues.
The Department is not aware of any specific representations from care home providers in West Sussex about their future financial viability.