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Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • John Pugh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    John Pugh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Pugh on 2015-12-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much parents and guardians have been fined for taking their children on term-time holidays in the academic year 2013-14.

    Nick Gibb

    The Department for Education does not hold information on the reason for a penalty notice (fine) being issued to a parent or guardian.

    The department collects and publishes local authority level annual data on the number of penalty notices (fines) issued to parents in England, for offences relating to Section 444(1) of the Education Act 1996. The most recent data published by the department is for the academic year 2012/13.

  • Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2016-01-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what effect the European Commission’s decision to grant the Green Investment Bank scope to operate with aided capital until mid-2017 has had on his Department’s policy on privatising that bank.

    Anna Soubry

    The original European Commission state aid decision on the Green Investment Bank (GIB) gave approval for GIB to operate until October 2016. While we expect to move GIB into private ownership during the course of 2016, the Government has obtained an updated state aid approval that provides the scope for GIB to operate as a state funded enterprise until the end of March 2018. This ensures GIB could continue to operate should the sale process extend beyond October.

  • Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2016-02-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what discussions he has had with local enterprise partnerships on supporting social enterprises.

    Anna Soubry

    Cabinet Office officials have been working with Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) – including the hon. Member’s LEP, Leeds City Region – and the Big Lottery Fund to agree European Social Fund match-funding arrangements. This funding will invest in local projects tackling the root causes of poverty, promoting social inclusion, local jobs and growth. Social enterprises and charities are well placed to get involved in these opportunities.

  • Lord Shinkwin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Shinkwin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Shinkwin on 2016-03-16.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the National Screening Council’s recommendation that the NHS should offer non-invasive prenatal testing techniques in the light of (1) the UK’s obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and (2) the Equalities Act 2010 protection of disabled people from unjustified discrimination on grounds of disability.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    There is a long established Fetal Anomaly Screening Programme that prospective parents can choose whether to participate in. The United Kingdom National Screening Committee recommendation on non-invasive prenatal testing does not change the choices available to prospective parents within the programme. We are satisfied that the UK is compliant with its obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and that the Programme is compliant with all obligations under the Equality Act 2010. We would also note that English law does not recognise a foetus as a separate legal person.

  • Fabian Hamilton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Fabian Hamilton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fabian Hamilton on 2016-04-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will publish the 1973 Cost Sharing Agreement between the US and the UK.

    Michael Fallon

    No.

  • Neil Parish – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Neil Parish – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Neil Parish on 2016-05-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of making superfast broadband a planning obligation on all new build properties

    Brandon Lewis

    We have worked with BT Openreach and the Home Builders Federation on an agreement, announced earlier this year, which aims to deliver superfast broadband connectivity to new build properties in the UK. We have also recently introduced a requirement for all new buildings and major renovations to include in-building physical infrastructure to support connections to superfast broadband. In addition, the National Planning Policy Framework places the provision of superfast broadband alongside other strategic infrastructure and requires local planning authorities to consult providers as part of the Local Plan.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-07-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Zimbabwean counterpart on (a) steps to improve democracy and (b) support for the domestic production of food in that country.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The UK Government continues to stress the importance of political and governance reform and respect for human rights to the Government of Zimbabwe. The former Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Hon. Friend the Member for Rochford and Southend East (James Duddridge) discussed these issues with Zimbabwean Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa on 5 July. He also raised the economic situation and land reform policy, which have a direct impact on Zimbabwe’s agricultural capabilities. The UK’s Livelihoods and Food Security Programme is providing over 130,000 farmers with training in the application of new agricultural technologies and management practices in crop and livestock production, including promoting the production of bio-fortified food crops. The programme is working with the private sector to offer agricultural inputs and outputs services to smallholder farmers, as well as improving agri – businesses and smallholder farmer access to finance.

  • Barry Gardiner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Barry Gardiner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Gardiner on 2016-09-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether EDF will incur a penalty in the event that Hinkley Point C starts to generate electricity by 2025.

    Jesse Norman

    Under the contract for difference, if Hinkley Point C does not start generating electricity four years after 2025 then there will be reductions to the contract term. This means that for every day that Hinkley is late, the period of time where EDF is getting increased certainty on the price of electricity generated from Hinkley is reduced. If neither reactor at Hinkley is generating electricity by 2033, there is an option to cancel the contract.

  • Owen Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Owen Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2015-11-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what progress his Department has made on establishing pilot schemes to support carers to stay in work in North Tyneside, Northamptonshire, Cheshire West, Gateshead, Bury, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Staffordshire and Stoke and Sefton.

    Justin Tomlinson

    Government has provided £1.6 million of funding for nine Carers in Employment pilots in North Tyneside, Northamptonshire, Cheshire West, Gateshead, Bury, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Staffordshire and Stoke and Sefton, to explore how carers can be supported to stay in, or return to paid work alongside their caring responsibilities. They began running in all nine Local Authorities from April 2015. These pilot projects support local businesses to make the best use of flexible working arrangements, maximise the use of assistive technology; improve carers’ access to information and resources, and support carers to set up micro-businesses that will expand the local care market.

  • David Anderson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    David Anderson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Anderson on 2015-12-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the inspection regime is for ensuring that hens are housed in conditions compliant with relevant EU directives.

    George Eustice

    The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) enforces the relevant welfare legislation and carries out welfare inspections on farms to check that the UK legislation, which implements European law, is being followed. This includes spot checks and planned risk based inspections.

    In addition, a programme of inspections is carried out under EU cross compliance legislation to farmers that claim cross-compliance subsidies. The APHA also enforce the requirement for owners or other responsible persons to inspect their hens at least once a day.

    Our expert advisory committee, the Farm Animal Welfare Committee, has concluded that stockmanship, and the correct application of husbandry standards, whatever the system of production, is key to ensuring good welfare for farmed animals. This view is relevant to all livestock, whether in intensive or extensive production systems. The EU Commission’s Scientific Panel on Animal Health and Welfare recognised that there is a wide variety of enriched cage designs for laying hens, and that the layout of some cages can affect bird inspection. Both the EU Commission in its 2008 report on the welfare of laying hens in various systems and the Farm Animal Welfare Committee recognise the welfare benefits of enriched cages and have given their support to this system of production.