The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-02-05.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what cyber-security training civil servants are required to undertake (a) as part of their induction and (b) during their employment.
Matthew Hancock
All civil servants undertake information security training; including the e-learning course, "Responsible for Information" as part of their induction and as a yearly refresher, plus further training as necessary.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Winnick on 2016-03-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when he plans to respond to the letter of 17 February 2016 from the hon. Member for Walsall North on local government expenditure in the Walsall borough.
Mr Marcus Jones
DCLG has not received a letter from the hon. Member for Walsall North dated 17 February 2016.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2016-03-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the top five reasons were for imposing sanctions on jobseeker’s allowance claimants in each year for which data is available.
Priti Patel
The available information for the number of Jobseeker’s Allowance sanction decisions, by referral reason, is published and can be found at:
https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk
Guidance on how to extract the information required can be found at:
https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started—SuperWEB2.html
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-05-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment her Department has made of the potential of solar thermal hot water heating to tackle fuel poverty.
Andrea Leadsom
Any measure which reduces the energy costs faced by a fuel poor home will have a beneficial impact on tackling fuel poverty. However, in order to tackle fuel poverty most cost effectively, it is right to focus on measures that can yield the greatest reductions in energy needs at least cost.
For example, low cost insulation is typically more cost effective in improving the energy efficiency of fuel poor homes than other measures, including solar thermal.
That is why Government is committed to insulating 1m homes this Parliament, helping to tackle the root cause of fuel poverty through cost effective policy.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Earl of Lytton on 2016-06-09.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what evidence they have collected that buy-to-let investors and prospective residential owner-occupiers are in competition in the market for the same properties.
Baroness Williams of Trafford
Whilst private landlords are competing for properties in the same housing market as owner occupiers, the types and locations of properties that they prefer will not always be identical to owner occupiers. Recent research by the Bank of England – see https://bankunderground.co.uk/2015/07/21/five-facts-about-buy-to-let/ – shows that buy to let investors have a greater tendency to purchase apartments and properties in London than owner occupiers.
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Stone of Blackheath on 2016-09-06.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact on the Egyptian economy and tourism industry of their continued advice against all but essential travel by air to or from Sharm el Sheikh.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
Prior to the downing of Metrojet 9268, tourism accounted for around 12% of Egypt’s GDP.
The Egyptian Tourist Minister stated in November that flight suspensions following the Metrojet attack have resulted in direct losses estimated at upwards of $280m a month. This figure includes the impact of flight suspensions by a number of countries including Russia, which has suspended flights to the whole of Egypt. 865,000 British nationals visited Egypt in 2015 accounting for around 1% of Egypt’s GDP. British tourists continue to visit Egypt, for example popular resorts such as Hurghada. We expect that our current suspension of direct UK flights to and from Sharm el Sheikh will mean that the overall numbers are significantly lower this year. We are cooperating closely with the Egyptian government on Aviation Security and have agreed a Joint Action Plan to resume flights between the UK and Sharm el-Sheikh.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town on 2016-10-21.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of Department for Transport figures showing a rise in the number of drivers failing a breath test.
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Our assessment of Home Office figures on breath tests is that the proportion of drivers providing a positive or refused to provide a sample over recent years has remained constant, with only a slight rise in 2014 to 11% compared to 10.5% in 2013. By contrast, it was 20% in 2003.
With Malta due to change their drink drive limit, all other European countries will have a lower alcohol limit, but they do not necessarily have a better record on reducing drink drive casualties. The TRL Report ‘PPR 796’ prepared for the Parliamentary Advisory Committee on Transport Safety (PACTS) shows that Britain, rather than having a higher level of road casualties in collisions involving alcohol than other European countries, has a comparable level despite the higher limit. Harmonisation with other countries’ limits is not a reason on its own for lowering the limit.
We therefore have no plans to lower the drink drive limit in England and Wales. Our approach in tackling drink driving is through rigorous enforcement, tough penalties, and changing the social acceptability of drink driving – including through our award-winning THINK! campaigns.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Stern on 2015-11-09.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the 20 new Protector” drones to be procured under the Scavenger Programme will be the General Atomics certifiable Predator B or any other model or variant.”
Earl Howe
No decision has yet been made on the choice of platform to meet the Protector (formerly Scavenger) requirement. This will be determined as part of the main investment decision, which is scheduled for 2016.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-12-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he expects that the trial will begin of Michael Misick, former Prime Minister of the Turks and Caicos Islands.
James Duddridge
We expect the trial to start this week.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Mackintosh on 2016-01-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will add pulmonary arterial hypertension to the conditions which are exempt from prescription charges.
Alistair Burt
There are no plans to change the list of medical conditions which provide exemption from prescription charges.
Other extensive exemption arrangements are in place, in England, including those based on low income, which support those who cannot afford to pay for their prescriptions. For those who need multiple prescriptions and do not qualify for exemption, Prescription Prepayment Certificates (PPC) can be purchased, which allow someone to claim as many prescriptions as needed. A 12 month PPC costs £104 and benefits anyone who needs 13 or more prescriptions a year.