Tag: Nicholas Soames

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-04-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of the (a) survivability, (b) sustainability and (c) readiness of NATO forces.

Mr Julian Brazier

The Readiness Action Plan (RAP), agreed at the NATO Summit in Wales in September 2014, is progressing well and it will deliver enhanced NATO Response Forces, including the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF), by the time of the NATO Summit in Warsaw in July 2016. The UK has played a leading role in the implementation of the RAP: we have committed to spending 2% of GDP on Defence, and 20% of that on new equipment; we will lead a capable and credible VJTF (Land) Brigade in 2017; we have increased our commitment to NATO’s Standing Naval Forces this year; and will continue to provide Airborne Early Warning, Air to Air Refuelling, Tornado and Typhoon aircraft to the VJTF (Air).

Considerable work on survivability, sustainability and readiness of NATO forces has been undertaken. The RAP includes a commitment to generate an enhanced NATO Response Force (eNRF) including a VJTF. To enhance survivability, the eNRF has been designed from the outset as a Joint, Multi-National force with an appropriate quantity and balance of forces needed to effectively conduct the full range of potential operations. Integral logistic structures, which include the newly created Multi-National Corps Headquarters in Poland and a Multi-National Division Headquarters in Romania, ensure the sustainability of the enhanced NRF and VJTF. Enhanced NRF forces are designed to meet the readiness timelines that are laid down in NATO’s strategic planning documents, including the Alliance’s Graduated Response Plans.

Considerable work on Interoperability has also been undertaken since the end of combat operations in Afghanistan at the end of 2014. This has built upon NATO’s Connected Forces Initiative to ensure that NATO’s Multi-National forces force are able to continue to operate together effectively beyond the end of combat operations in Afghanistan. For our lead of the VJTF (Land) in 2017, the British Army will operate alongside the armed forces from 13 contributing nations.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-04-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the state of UK relations with Iran.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

16 January 2016 marked Implementation Day of the Iran nuclear deal which, along with the subsequent lifting of international sanctions, has the potential to represent a new era in Iran’s relationship with the wider world. Since the Foreign Secretary reopened our Embassy in August 2015, significant progress has been made in developing the bilateral relationship between the UK and Iran. We welcomed Foreign Minister Zarif to London on 4 February 2016, in what was the first bilateral visit of an Iranian Foreign Minister since 2003. We look forward to the Business Secretary leading a trade delegation to Tehran in May, building on previous visits by Lord Maude and Transport Minister Robert Goodwill.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-05-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance he has given to NHS England – South (South East) on consulting local authorities on housing growth and other demographic change when planning future demand for GP services.

Alistair Burt

If there is a successful planning application for a new housing estate then NHS England or the delegated clinical commissioning group will consider the availability and accessibility of services from nearby general practitioners’ practices and if it is deemed insufficient or inadequate then the commissioner would go out to tender for a new service.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-05-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for what reasons GP practice lists have been closed in East Grinstead; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt

NHS England has advised that the Horsham and Mid Sussex Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is using the predicted population data from the developing estates strategy to model health services to meet the increased demand. NHS England further advises that it is working closely with the CCG to develop an action plan for local primary care services in East Grinstead.

NHS England is responsible for commissioning of primary care in Mid Sussex. NHS England advises that only one general practitioner practice in Grinstead has closed its list to new patients and two others have applied to close their lists but are still currently being allocated patients by NHS England.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-07-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he or officials in his Department last met the Chairman or Chief Executive of the National Childbirth Trust.

Mr Philip Dunne

My Rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health has not met with the chair or chief executive of the National Childbirth Trust (NCT). However, my Rt. hon. Friend the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Ben Gummer), met with Nick Wilkie, chief executive of NCT, on 3 November 2015.

Officials met with the chair of NCT, Helen Stephenson, and Nick Wilkie on 15 November 2015.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-09-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what representations she has received from the Coast to Capital LEP and West Sussex County Council on the Central Sussex College in (a) Haywards Heath and (b) Crawley.

Robert Halfon

The Post 16 education and training area review of Sussex, which involved both the Coast to Capital LEP and West Sussex County Council, as well as all the colleges in Sussex, was undertaken earlier this year and a report of the review is expected to be published shortly. As part of the review, Coast to Capital LEP indicated the need to maintain further education in Crawley and arrangements are being taken forward to ensure that this need is met.

We are also working with West Sussex County Council to establish the future use of the Haywards Heath campus, following the Central Sussex College’s announcement to withdraw from this campus in April 2016.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-10-19.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people have indicated that they have non-domiciled status on their tax returns in each of the last five years for which such data is available.

Jane Ellison

The information requested is set out below :

Tax Year	Number of Non-Domiciled Individuals	Number of UK Resident Non-Domiciled Individuals	Income Tax Paid by UK Resident Non-Domiciled Individuals (£bn)	Proportion of Total UK Income Tax (%) paid by UK Resident Non-Domiciled Individuals
2010/11	115,100	80,900	6.09	4%
2011/12	113,200	80,200	6.20	4%
2012/13	116,600	81,700	6.29	4%
2013/14	118,200	83,000	6.56	4%
2014/15	118,100	83,400	6.44	4%

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2015-11-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the effect on productivity of privately-funded research and development in the agricultural sector; and if she will make a statement.

George Eustice

Privately-funded Research and Development, insofar as it supports innovation and new technologies, is one of several drivers of productivity growth in agriculture. Defra and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, with oversight from the Agritech Strategy’s Leadership Council,have carried out an assessment of public and private investment to support innovation in the agri-food sector, and its relationship with productivity growth. The outcomes of this exercise will be published by the end of November.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2015-11-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much the public purse received in reimbursement from each EEA country for healthcare provided to their citizens for each year from 1997-98 to 2014-15.

Alistair Burt

Regarding non-European Economic Area (EEA) countries, including those with reciprocal healthcare agreements with the United Kingdom, we can confirm that no reimbursements are made from the public purse in respect of healthcare provided to UK citizens.

For non-EEA countries without a reciprocal agreement in place with the UK, it would be for the individual to pay for any healthcare needed and for that reason appropriate travel and medical insurance is highly advisable. Similarly, for those non-EEA countries with whom the UK does have a reciprocal healthcare agreement, no money changes hands between the parties to the agreement. The basis of these agreements is reciprocity – that is, necessary healthcare is provided in most cases free of charge to the visitor and the associated costs are absorbed by either side.

The information requested on the amount received in reimbursement from EEA countries in only available for the country totals of cash payment for 2007-08 to 2014-15. That information is provided in attached table. We do not hold totals for amounts before 2007-08, as the information is hot held centrally.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2015-11-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assurances he has received from Govia Thameslink Railway on the recruitment, training and in-service dates of train drivers.

Claire Perry

The Department is in regular dialogue with Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) and each railway period they provide a report relating to drivers which details headcount, new driver recruitment and number of drivers expected to complete their training in the future. Since the start of the year over 120 drivers have completed their training across the GTR franchise and there are currently over 200 drivers in training.