Tag: Parliamentary Question

Lord Bassam of Brighton – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bassam of Brighton on 2015-11-09.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether evidence sessions will be held in the course of Lord Strathclyde’s review of the powers of the House of Lords, and whether those sessions will be public.

Baroness Stowell of Beeston

The Lord Privy Seal (Baroness Stowell of Beeston):

Lord Strathclyde is being supported in his review by a panel of external experts and a small secretariat of civil servants in the Cabinet Office. The secretariat does not include political advisers. The expert panel comprises Sir Stephen Laws, former First Parliamentary Counsel; Jacqy Sharpe, a former Clerk in the House of Commons and Clerk to the Joint Committee on Conventions; and Sir Michael Pownall, former Clerk of the Parliaments.

Several reviews have examined the powers of the House of Lords, including the Royal Commission on the reform of the House of Lords (2000) and the Joint Committee on Conventions referenced above (2006).

The review led by Lord Strathclyde is due to consider how to protect the ability of elected Governments to secure their business in Parliament in the light of the operation of certain conventions. The review will consider in particular how to secure the decisive role of the elected House of Commons in relation to its primacy on financial matters; and secondary legislation.

Ministers regularly discuss a wide range of issues with the Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service.

Lord Strathclyde will determine the way in which the review is undertaken and the content of his recommendations, including any definitions required. It is not possible to provide an estimate of the cost of the exercise at this stage, but neither Lord Strathclyde nor his panel of experts will be paid a fee. Lord Strathclyde is expected to seek views from a wide range of Parliamentarians, parties and groups in undertaking his review, and has issued a letter to all Parliamentarians inviting their input. He is also seeking views from the Clerk of the Parliaments and the Clerk of the House. Lord Strathclyde will report to the Prime Minister, and the Government will decide how to proceed upon receipt of his recommendations.

January 1, 2023

Madeleine Moon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Madeleine Moon on 2015-12-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 30 November 2015 to Question 17694, how many training courses have been completed at (a) MOD Grantown-on-Spey, (b) MOD Llanrwst, (c) MOD Fairbourne and (d) MOD Crickhowell in each year from 2010 to 2015; how many students of each service attended each such course; what the cost of each such course was per trainee; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Julian Brazier

Due to the variation in course length (from one day through to 42 weeks), the number of courses completed is not recorded. Rather, delivery is measured on the number of weeks of training delivered. For financial year (FY) 2014-15, the number of weeks of training delivered at each centre is as follows (historical data is not held).

Force Development Training Centre (FDTC) Grantown – 46 weeks

Joint School for Adventorous Training (JSATI) Llanrwst – 41 weeks

FDTC Fairbourne – 45 weeks

FDTC Crickhowell – 46 weeks

Information on the number of attendees is not held as costs are solely dependent on the maximum bed space capacity, regardless of the number of students attending.

Please see the information below giving the operating costs covering all locations for the last four financial years, for which information is available.

	FY 2011-12 £	FY 2012-13 £	FY 2013-14 £	FY 2014-15 £
FDTC Grantown	295,624	220,819	213,781	231,290
JSATI Llanrwst	292,320	302,366	382,063	281,695
FDTC Fairbourne	259,855	292,885	325,181	279,093
FDTC Crickhowell	688,808	654,010	646,027	643,985

January 1, 2023

Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-01-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Ministerial Correction of 11 January 2016 on Saudi Arabia, what work has taken place under the memorandum of understanding since it came into force.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

It is the policy of this Government and previous Governments to treat such Memorandum of Understandings with other countries as confidential.

January 1, 2023
John Healey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Healey on 2016-02-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will publish the names of the successful bidders to become trusted partner pilots for the purposes of universal credit alternative payment arrangements.

Priti Patel

The intention is to deliver 26 Trusted Partner pilot sites. In total we received just over 200 valid applications; 16 landlords have already commenced the pilot and work is in train to confirm the final 10.

We plan to let key stakeholders know once all landlords have been confirmed.

Tenants in accommodation such as supported or sheltered housing are not subject to the Alternative Payment Arrangement process.

January 1, 2023
Conor McGinn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Conor McGinn on 2016-03-02.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many children in (a) St Helens North constituency, (b) Merseyside and (c) England and Wales died from asthma in each year since 2010.

Mr Rob Wilson

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

January 1, 2023
Emily Thornberry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2016-04-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many service personnel there were in (a) 22 Special Air Service Regiment, (b) Special Boat Service, (c) Special Reconnaissance Regiment, (d) 18 Signal Regiment, (e) Special Forces Support Group and (f) Joint Special Forces Aviation Wing in each of the last 10 years.

Penny Mordaunt

This Government has demonstrated its commitment to our Special Forces by announcing a £2 billion programme of investment over the course of this Parliament. All military operations, including the activities of the Special Forces, are discussed and scrutinised at the highest levels of Government, including at the National Security Council. However, as it is the longstanding policy of the Government not to comment on our Special Forces, or to release information relating to them, I cannot comment on specific questions about personnel, equipment, discussions or activities in relation to these units.

January 1, 2023
Chris White – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris White on 2016-05-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the strength of diplomatic and economic relations between India and the UK.

Mr Hugo Swire

The UK and India have a broad and deep friendship symbolised by Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s visit last month and Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the United Kingdom in November 2015. The UK is the largest G20 investor in India and Indian companies invest more in the UK than the rest of the EU combined.

January 1, 2023
Martin Docherty-Hughes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Martin Docherty-Hughes on 2016-06-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidelines there are for the flying of unmanned drones in the proximity of airports.

Mr Robert Goodwill

Article 166 of the UK Air Navigation order 2009 (ANO) requires operators of small unmanned aircraft to maintain direct, unaided visual contact with the aircraft sufficient to monitor its flight path in relation to other aircraft, persons, vehicles, vessels and structures for the purposes of avoiding collisions. It also states that an operator may only fly the aircraft if they are reasonably satisfied that the flight can safely be made.

In addition, Article 138 of the ANO 2009, which also applies to small unmanned aircraft, states that “a person must not recklessly or negligently cause or permit an aircraft to endanger any person or property”. This includes persons within another aircraft, and of course the aircraft that those persons are within.

The Civil Aviation Authority issues CAP 722 which is guidance for operating drones in the UK.

January 1, 2023
Rob Marris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rob Marris on 2016-09-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to improve access to public transport for disabled people.

Andrew Jones

The Government recognises how important improving access to public transport is for disabled people and is committed to making transport more inclusive.

Since its launch in 2006, the £390m Access for All rail programme (which was further extended with £160m in 2014) has delivered accessible routes at over 150 stations. There are also 68 further projects at various stages of construction or development.

We also recognise that positive interactions with bus drivers can make a big difference to disabled people’s experience of taking the bus. We are working with the bus industry and disabled people to design best practice guidance in delivering disability awareness training which, we hope, will help to give bus drivers the skills and knowledge to assist every disabled passenger.

In addition, the Bus Services Bill will specifically allow enhanced partnership schemes to require all buses within a local area to provide audible and visual next stop information. Authorities using the new franchising powers will be able to place similar requirements on affected operators. The Government has also agreed to consider amendments on this issue which were tabled during the Bill’s committee stage in the House of Lords.

The Government intends to publish an Accessibility Action Plan for consultation by the end of the year which will present its ambition for further progress on this important agenda.

January 1, 2023
Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark on 2015-11-09.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to promote walking football.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe

We are investing in walking football via Sport England as part of the FA’s new National Game Strategy toget more people playing football. Sport England is currently working closely with the FA to understand the growing market for walking football.In partnership with the FA, the Premier League and Football League Community Foundations are also getting people playing walking football.

January 1, 2023