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Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Robert Flello – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Robert Flello – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Flello on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effect on rail freight movements of the re-opening of the Carno station in Powys.

    Claire Perry

    The case for re-opening Carno station is one of a number of possibilities that the Welsh Government is discussing. The interests of all users of the rail network, including freight operators, are protected through the contractual access regime overseen by the Office of Rail and Road.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-02-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 10 December 2015 to Question 18874, what assessment he has made of the reasons for the increase in the number of knives confiscated in Crown courts between 2012-13 and 2014-15.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    My Department takes the issue of security within courts extremely seriously and has robust security and safety systems in place to protect all court users and judiciary. These systems include mandatory bag searches, modern detection equipment, X-ray machines and surveillance cameras, as well as court security officers with the legal powers to seize items where required. Security procedures, including the detection technology used, are continuously reviewed to ensure that security is as effective as possible.

    The increase in the number of knives taken from people as they enter Crown Courts between 2012/13 and 2014/15 may be due to the implementation of more robust training for Court Security Officers; improved rates of recording for the taking of such items and improved searching of people entering Crown Courts.

  • Martyn Day – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Martyn Day – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Martyn Day on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will discuss the imprisonment of Ahmed Naji with his Egyptian counterpart; and if he will make representations on the freedom of expression in Egypt during that discussion.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    My officials are aware of Mr Naji’s case and will continue to follow further developments.

    Political progress is essential for Egypt’s long-term stability. This includes freedom of expression in all its forms. We also want to see better protection of Egyptians’ constitutional rights. Ministers and officials regularly raise our concerns with their Egyptian counterparts.

    We will continue to urge the Government of Egypt to demonstrate its commitment to freedom of speech, including the right of freedom of expression for journalists and writers to operate. The UK has clearly stated that freedom of expression is fundamental to building a democratic society.

  • Stephen Gethins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Stephen Gethins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Gethins on 2016-03-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the levels of toxic heavy metals, cadmium and mercury, in the sea on the brains and organs of pilot whales in 2012.

    George Eustice

    Scientists working for Defra have not made any assessment of the levels of cadmium and mercury in the brains and organs of pilot whales in 2012.

    However, I am aware that the University of Aberdeen carried out assessments of this kind on pilot whales stranded on Scottish beaches in the same year.

  • Caroline Ansell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Caroline Ansell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Ansell on 2016-04-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has formally accepted the recommendations made by the Airports Commission in its report published in July 2015 on night flights and the ruling out of a fourth runway at Heathrow Airport; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    A number of important decisions on airport capacity were taken by the Government in December, including to accept the case for expansion in the South-East. However, we must take the time to get the decision right on a preferred scheme. The Government is further considering the environmental impacts and the best possible measures to mitigate the impacts of expansion. We anticipate this work will conclude by summer 2016.

  • Paula Sherriff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Paula Sherriff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paula Sherriff on 2016-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the Answer of 9 May 2016 to Question 36231, when he expects the liver disease framework to be published.

    Jane Ellison

    Public Health England (PHE) is producing a liver disease framework which will outline PHE’s wide range of work contributing to the prevention of liver disease and the improved wellbeing of patients with liver disease. The PHE Liver Disease Framework is expected to be published in autumn 2016.

  • Drew Hendry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Drew Hendry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Drew Hendry on 2016-09-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent review her Department has made of the regulatory framework for the provision of subtitles for on-demand services.

    Matt Hancock

    In 2015 the then regulator for video on demand services, the Authority for Television on Demand (ATVOD), published its Provision of Video on Demand Access Services Report. The Department analysed the findings of this report, and met with platform operators, content providers and broadcasters to review the provision of such services. The Department has asked broadcasters, content providers and platform operators for a progress update in Spring 2017.

    Ofcom is the regulator with responsibility for on-demand programme services (ODPS). Ofcom are presently consulting on how to improve access services and ensure that providers see broadcast and ODPS accessibility as equally important.

  • Ian Austin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Ian Austin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Austin on 2016-10-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the reasons are for the time taken to publish the findings and recommendations of Dame Louise Casey’s Review into Opportunity and Integration in the UK.

    Sarah Newton

    Dame Louise Casey’s independent review on boosting opportunity and integration in isolated and vulnerable communities will report to the Prime Minister and be published in due course.

  • Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to promote Small Business Saturday.

    Anna Soubry

    The Department is fully supportive of the Small Business Saturday campaign and recognises the role it plays in highlighting the importance of small businesses to their local area and the UK as a whole.

    This is the third year we have worked with Small Business Saturday. I attended the UK campaign launch event on July 16th and support is being co-ordinated across government to further promote the campaign in the run up to December 5th.

  • Michael Tomlinson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Michael Tomlinson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michael Tomlinson on 2015-12-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what recent steps his Department has taken to help councils to house refugees.

    Richard Harrington

    Those who have been granted refugee status or humanitarian protection must qualify under local rules set by the relevant local authority and have sufficient priority under the local authority’s allocation scheme to be eligible for social housing, just as anyone else.

    At the Spending Review the Government committed £129 million to assist with local authority costs over years 2-5 for those local authorities who are resettlling refugees under the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme. This is unringfenced funding and it will be for local authorities to decide how to use the funding to support the refugees they resettle.