Tag: Parliamentary Question

Ronnie Cowan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ronnie Cowan on 2016-04-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps the Maritime and Coastguard Agency is taking to encourage people to join the merchant navy.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has no direct control over recruitment into the merchant navy.

The MCA works with strategic partners such as the Chamber of Shipping, Nautilus, the RMT and organisations such as the British Tugowners Association and National Workboat Association to encourage economic growth, including the employment of seafarers.

The MCA also manages the Government’s Support for Maritime Training (SMarT) scheme that subsidises seafarer training by £15M annually. More than 700 new officer trainees started last year. The MCA is also involved with industry in supporting the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills apprenticeships for seafarers.

January 1, 2023
David Mackintosh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Mackintosh on 2016-04-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his Department’s timetable is for the renewal of Trident.

Michael Fallon

The key elements of the UK Trident nuclear deterrent are the Vanguard-class submarines, the Trident D5 missile and the UK warhead. As set out in the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015, we expect the first Successor submarine to enter service in the early 2030s. A replacement warhead is not required until the late 2030s, possibly later. Given lead times, however, a decision on replacing the current warhead may be required later in this Parliament or early in the next. While we have no plans to replace the current Trident D5 missile, we are participating with our US partners in a programme to extend its current life to the 2060s.

January 1, 2023
Nicholas Brown – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Brown on 2016-06-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the effect of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership agreement on (a) academy chains and (b) the ability of US or European companies to establish academy chains in the UK.

Edward Timpson

The Government remains committed to academies and providing the best quality education for all children and young people. The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) will not change this. The Government of the day will always set the rules governing how the education system is run.

We have protected public services, including education, in all of our trade agreements and will continue to do so in the EU-US Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). This is non-negotiable.

January 1, 2023
Steve Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve Reed on 2016-09-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether he has received a copy of the report by the Westminster Commission on Autism, entitled A Spectrum of Obstacles, published in July 2016; and what plans he has to implement that report’s recommendations.

David Mowat

The Department welcomes the Westminster Commission report as a valuable addition to the autism debate. Departmental Officials met with the co-ordinator of the report in July to discuss the report and work is underway to consider the report’s recommendations.

January 1, 2023
Lord Campbell of Pittenweem – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Campbell of Pittenweem on 2016-10-18.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are proposing to introduce a new towed artillery system; and if so, what that system will be.

Earl Howe

The Army is undertaking a scoping project known as ‘Medium Wheeled Gun System’ to examine 155mm calibre towed and wheeled self-propelled options to provide a medium weight fire support capability within the future Strike Brigades. At the concept stage it was previously known as Strike 155; no decisions regarding the choice of system have yet been taken.

Project Congreve was a study conducted by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory and initiated in 2014. Its objective was to determine options for all future surface-to-surface fire systems capability. The work on the Medium Wheeled Gun System has been informed by Project Congreve and the Strategic Defence and Security Review.

January 1, 2023

Andrew Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Smith on 2015-11-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many NHS (a) standalone midwife-led units, (b) midwife-led units situated alongside consultant-led units and (c) consultant-led maternity units there are in each region of England; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Gummer

Information on the number of standalone midwife-led units, midwife-led units situated alongside consultant-led units and consultant-led maternity units in each region of England is set out in the table below:

	Standalone midwife-led units	Midwife-led units situated alongside consultant-led units	Consultant-led maternity units
North West, Lancashire, Cheshire, Merseyside	4	12	20
Cumbria, North East of England and Yorkshire and the Humber	8	8	24
NHS Midlands and East.	14	37	44
South East Coast and Wessex	8	12	16
South	18	10	18
London	3	22	25

Women can expect a range of choices over place of birth. As set out in the NHS Choice Framework for 2015/16, these choices include giving birth at home with the support of a midwife, in a midwifery facility with the support of a midwife, or in any available hospital with the support of a maternity team. Choices will depend on what is best for the woman and her baby, as well as what is available locally.

January 1, 2023

Lord Laird – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2015-12-03.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they record nationality and immigration status on social security benefit claimant records; and if so, whether that information is collated, and whether they will publish it broken down by nationality, status and country of origin.

Lord Freud

Nationality and immigration status are not recorded on social security benefit claimant records in a form that allows for collation.

For contributory benefits, nationality is not a qualifying factor, as eligibility is determined by the National Insurance contributions that the claimant has made. As such, this information is not available. For other income related benefits where residency conditions apply and the claimant must be lawfully resident in the UK, nationality is a factor. Once residency has been determined, nationality is not required for further processing and is therefore not routinely held on DWP computer systems in a form that allows for collation.

There are currently no plans to change how data is collected to allow for collation or publication.

January 1, 2023
Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2016-01-13.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how children in small rural primary schools can fully access the National Curriculum.

Lord Nash

The government believes that all children should have an excellent education, regardless of where they live. Maintained schools are required to teach the national curriculum as part of their duty to provide pupils with a broad and balanced school curriculum.

The government’s view is that schools, including small rural schools, are best placed to decide how best children are taught the curriculum, and which resources meet their needs and to secure these accordingly.

January 1, 2023
Anne Main – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anne Main on 2016-02-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the letter from her Department to the Harperbury Free School governors of 17 November 2015, if she will make an assessment of the implications for housing and other planned developments in the catchment area of the proposed Harperbury Free School of the risk referred to in that letter that no suitable site can ever be found for that school.

Edward Timpson

Assessing the implications for housing and other developments is a matter for the Council rather than the Department.

In order for planning permission to be granted for a site in the Green Belt, as is the case for the trust’s preferred site, the Local Planning Authority would have to accept that there is a strong need for a school in the locality of the identified site, which they do not.

January 1, 2023
Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2016-02-29.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the Kantar Worldpanel 2014 dataset on sales-weighted average sugar content in soft drinks; and whether he plans to review the Government’s voluntary approach to the food and drink industry in relation to calorie reduction in soft drinks.

Jane Ellison

As part of its review to identify possible actions to reduce sugar intakes and inform the Government’s thinking on sugar, Public Health England considered the current evidence on sugar in food and drinks. We are considering this alongside other evidence as we develop our Childhood Obesity Strategy which will be launched in the summer. It will look at everything that contributes to a child becoming overweight and obese including sugar. It will also set out what more can be done by all.

January 1, 2023