The below Parliamentary question was asked by Oliver Colvile on 2015-11-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what progress has been made on the proposals for a Cardiff City Deal.
Stephen Crabb
Cardiff is one of Europe’s youngest and most innovative capital cities. Last week the Government received Cardiff Capital Region’s latest proposals for the Cardiff City Deal. We are currently considering the submission and will continue to work with the Cardiff Capital Region to progress the Deal.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2015-12-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when the Government’s response will be published to the Dowling Review of Business-University Research Collaborations.
Joseph Johnson
We are grateful for the insights and recommendations provided in Dame Ann Dowling’s Review of Business-University Research Collaborations. We recognise and support the conclusion it has reached and Innovate UK is already working to simplify its product offering. Alongside the recent Higher Education Green Paper and Sir Paul Nurse’sreport, it will now be taken forward in our review of the funding landscape to make it, as recommended by Dame Ann, more strategic, coherent and effective.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2016-01-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Prime Minister’s announcement of 11 January 2016 on parenting classes, (a) how many hours of such classes will be provided to parents and (b) whether there will be a cost to parents participating in such classes.
Priti Patel
The Department will be working through the details of what will be provided by the contracted relationship support provision in the next few months.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-02-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many fires there have been in each prison and youth facility in each month since May 2010.
Andrew Selous
Information on the number of fires there have been in each prison and youth facility in each month since May 2010 is recorded in attached excel document PQ26250 Annex 1. The reporting of fire incidents has significantly improved, which has led to a greater number being reported in 2015.
The total number of fire incidents recorded in table 1 below refer to those in England and Wales recorded on the NOMS Incident Reporting System. They include accidental and deliberately set fires and those where the cause is unknown.
Total Number of Fires.
|
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
|
|
Jan |
82 |
100 |
77 |
85 |
114 |
73 |
84 |
78 |
98 |
110 |
102 |
|
Feb |
76 |
80 |
103 |
92 |
68 |
55 |
73 |
82 |
97 |
70 |
122 |
|
Mar |
84 |
84 |
93 |
87 |
98 |
62 |
75 |
99 |
83 |
92 |
144 |
|
Apr |
97 |
89 |
89 |
81 |
72 |
69 |
70 |
81 |
94 |
113 |
159 |
|
May |
97 |
89 |
99 |
81 |
65 |
86 |
86 |
84 |
102 |
125 |
150 |
|
Jun |
108 |
100 |
77 |
82 |
86 |
68 |
91 |
87 |
74 |
94 |
176 |
|
Jul |
89 |
101 |
84 |
104 |
76 |
84 |
82 |
90 |
123 |
119 |
181 |
|
Aug |
89 |
99 |
104 |
79 |
75 |
102 |
89 |
80 |
114 |
134 |
195 |
|
Sep |
73 |
93 |
100 |
83 |
106 |
85 |
72 |
77 |
81 |
82 |
190 |
|
Oct |
94 |
64 |
87 |
90 |
75 |
73 |
65 |
69 |
98 |
103 |
180 |
|
Nov |
102 |
91 |
80 |
90 |
92 |
82 |
85 |
114 |
82 |
101 |
156 |
|
Dec |
75 |
87 |
89 |
76 |
69 |
68 |
86 |
63 |
104 |
93 |
180 |
|
Total |
1066 |
1077 |
942 |
1030 |
946 |
907 |
1111 |
1004 |
1150 |
1236 |
1935 |
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Carswell on 2016-02-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Prime Minister’s Oral Statement of 22 February 2016, Official Report, column 35, on the European Council, whether his Department is undertaking planning in the eventuality of a majority leave vote in the EU referendum.
Mr Edward Vaizey
At the February European Council, the Government negotiated a new settlement, giving the United Kingdom a special status in a reformed European Union. The Government’s position, as set out by the Prime Minister to the House on 22 February, is that the UK will be stronger, safer and better off remaining in a reformed EU.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-03-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing a deposit return scheme for single use drinks containers to reduce litter.
Rory Stewart
Defra analysed the costs and benefits of implementing a deposit return system (DRS) for single use drink containers as part of the 2011 Review of Waste Policy in England, and sought views in the 2012 consultation on higher packaging recycling targets.
This work showed that introducing a DRS may increase recycling and reduce litter but might impose additional costs on businesses, consumers and local authorities (which would lose revenue from recycling). However, we lack evidence to quantify these benefits and costs appropriately. The current approach has driven a significant increase in packaging waste recycling rates, from less than 47% in 2003 to nearly 65% in 2013.
Last year, the Scottish Government published a feasibility study and a call for evidence investigating the implementation of a DRS for single use drink containers in Scotland. This valuable work highlighted significant uncertainties regarding the impacts and benefits that a DRS would have, notably regarding costs, environmental quality and littering, and existing waste collection systems. The Scottish Government is doing further work on the topic and we will review any new evidence arising from this in due course. However, in the meantime, we will continue to focus on improving existing waste collection and recycling systems, and developing a new National Litter Strategy for England to help coordinate and maximise the impact of anti-litter activity by local government, industry and others.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2016-05-04.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he plans the International Anti-Corruption Summit will take to tackle tax avoidance and the role played by offshore tax havens in such avoidance.
Matthew Hancock
This Government will continue to lead the international agenda to crack down on tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. The Summit will address a range of measures to tackle corruption, including promoting transparency.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-06-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 4 May 2016 to Question 35884, on Bees: Pesticides, if she will make it her policy to exercise her powers to lift the temporary ban on neonicotinoids in the future; and if she will make a statement.
George Eustice
EU restrictions on the use of neonicotinoids have been fully implemented in the UK. Member States can authorise limited and controlled use of a pesticide on an exceptional basis in emergency situations to “control a danger which cannot be contained by any other reasonable means”. Emergency authorisations are not granted automatically and applications must be based on evidence relating to the need for the pesticide and possible harmful effects.
Decisions on whether or not to grant authorisations for restricted neonicotinoids will be made on the basis of an examination of the technical and scientific information submitted by the applicant, by the UK Expert Committee on Pesticides and the Health and Safety Executive. Two applications are currently under consideration and will be assessed using the above regulatory criteria.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Brown on 2016-09-06.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the speech of the then Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change on 18 November 2015, on a new direction for UK energy policy, when the terms of reference of the review into coal will be published; and if he will make a statement.
Jesse Norman
The continued use of unabated coal for power generation is not consistent with our policy of decarbonising the economy. The role of coal for electricity generation has declined rapidly in the last couple of years due to the success of the Government’s policies to penalise emissions of carbon dioxide and other pollutants and encourage investment in lower carbon alternatives.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mary Glindon on 2016-10-21.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the number of basic rate taxpaying company car drivers who will potentially pay more tax as a result of proposals in the HM Revenue and Customs’ consultation on salary sacrifice for the provision of benefits in kind.
Jane Ellison
The Government has recently consulted on proposals to limit the range of benefits in kind, such as company cars, that attract income tax and National Insurance Contributions advantages when they are provided as part of salary sacrifice arrangements. Responses have been received from a wide range of interested parties and the Government’s response will be published in due course.
The Government is committed to encouraging company car drivers to take-up the driving of ultra-low emissions vehicles. A separate consultation published on 10 August sets out proposals to incentivise the take up of low and ultra-low emissions company cars.