The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-12-14.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when he expects applicants for payments under CAP to be able to register their identity using GOV.UK Verify as planned under the new CAP regime.
Matthew Hancock
Applicants can already register and sign in online for Rural Payments with GOV.UK Verify.
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-01-22.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many employees in his Department have (a) taken the CESG Certified Cyber-Security Training Course and (b) received other relevant cyber-security training.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
HM Government takes the cyber security training of its staff extremely seriously. There are a range of cyber security courses available depending on the role of specific staff; including the e-learning course, ‘Responsible for Information’ which is available to all civil servants on the Civil Service Learning Website.
This course, the development of which was funded through the National Cyber Security Programme, addresses information security, including cyber security. There are different modules for general users, Information Asset Owners, Senior Information Risk Owners, and Board and Non—Executive Board members. To date over 487,000 civil servants have taken the course.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-02-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will make representations to Rt Hon Tony Blair to request that he accede to requests from the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee to give oral evidence on compensation for victims of IRA violence.
Mrs Theresa Villiers
As I set out in my speech on 11 February, this Government condemns terrorism. We take very seriously the needs of victims of terrorism who, it is important to remember, suffered the most as a result of the Northern Ireland troubles. My Department has assisted the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee in its call for evidence on the issue of Libyan-sponsored IRA terrorism. The Government has every sympathy for the victims of these appalling atrocities. I would of course encourage anyone who can help the Committee with its work to do so.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon on 2016-03-08.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Evans of Bowes Park on 23 February (HL6060), whether, in the light of clause 10 of the Trade Union Bill and the laws regarding pre-entry trade union membership, they will take appropriate action to ensure that student unions are bound by the same rules as other unions.
Baroness Neville-Rolfe
Student unions are not trade unions, as specified by Section 1 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992. Therefore, none of the reforms being provided by the Trade Union Bill will impact students’ unions.
The Education Act 1994 already requires publicly-funded universities to take reasonable steps to ensure that their students’ union observes the right for students to opt out of membership.
The Green Paper “Fulfilling our Potential: Teaching Excellence, Social Mobility and Student Choice” sought public views on the role of students’ unions and what further steps could be taken to increase transparency and accountability to individual members. The Government plans to publish a White Paper in response in the spring.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-04-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will update national and planning policies to (a) account for shale operations and (b) introduce buffer zones between shale developments and local communities.
James Wharton
The National Planning Policy Framework and supporting guidance sets out a comprehensive approach to planning for shale gas extraction in England. Planning guidance includes the use of buffer zones in the determination of planning applications for hydrocarbon extraction, including from shale. This states that above ground separation distances are acceptable in specific circumstances where it is clear that, based on site specific assessments and other forms of mitigation measures (such as working scheme design and landscaping), a certain distance is required between the boundary of the minerals site and the adjacent development.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alison Thewliss on 2016-05-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps the Financial Conduct Authority is taking to enforce rules which prevent misleading advertisement by credit brokers.
Mr Edward Vaizey
This Government supports the system of co-regulation and self-regulation, overseen by the independent Advertising Standards Authority and underpinned by consumer protection legislation. This regulatory system is independent of the Government and is ultimately responsible for setting the standards in advertising, ensuring that all adverts, wherever they appear, are legal, decent, honest and truthful. The Government believes the system has worked well, suitably serving consumers and is sufficiently flexible to deal with both technological advances and new evidence.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Royston Smith on 2016-06-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether measures are in place to prevent people remanded in custody from distributing passwords for social media platforms for use by people not in custody.
Andrew Selous
An extensive programme of work is underway to prevent prisoners having access to mobile phones. As the Prime Minister said on 8 February 2016, we are working with the mobile network operators to challenge them to do more, including developing new technological solutions, so we can block mobile phones’ signals in prisons.
Although there are no rules to prevent prisoners on remand from passing on passwords for social media platforms, prisoners, including those on remand in custody, are not allowed access to social media platforms either directly or via a third party.
It is a criminal offence for a person to take or transmit any image or sound from within a prison and send it outside the prison and where a link between a prisoner and content posted on social media is identified, the case will be referred to the police. A sentence of up to two years can be given if those charged are found guilty. If the police decide not to pursue a criminal investigation, a prisoner can be punished under the prison disciplinary system, for example, by having privileges removed or additional days added to their time in prison.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2016-09-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions his Department has had with Huddersfield and Calderdale Clinical Commissioning Groups on NHS Sustainability and Transformation Plans.
David Mowat
This is a matter for the local National Health Service and key stakeholders.
Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) proposals are currently at a draft stage. No changes to the services people currently receive will be made without local engagement. If final plans propose service changes, formal consultation will follow in due course in line with good practice and legislative requirements. All STP areas will submit an updated plan to NHS England in October, with appropriate formal public engagement and consultation. Many areas are already publishing summaries as part of their engagement programme.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sammy Wilson on 2015-11-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what total amount of funding has been allocated to the Superconnected Cities project.
Mr Edward Vaizey
The Super Connected Cities Programme had an allocation of up to £150m, to support broadband and digital projects across 22 citiesup to March 2015. The Chancellor extended the connection voucher scheme to 50 cities from April 2015 on a first come first serve basis, with up to £40m of that funding available for this.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Laurence Robertson on 2015-12-14.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether UK universities are required to admit support dogs for adults with autism.
Joseph Johnson
Higher Education Institutionsare autonomous and independent bodies, and have clear legal responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010 to support their students, including those with autism.
Under the Equality Act 2010 institutions have a duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people to ensure students are not placed at a substantial disadvantage compared to non-disabled students.