Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Andrew Percy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Andrew Percy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Percy on 2016-07-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps he has taken to ensure garden cities offer affordable homes and a place to live for all age groups.

    Brandon Lewis

    It is our ambition that garden communities will provide a range of homes that meet the needs of all age groups and all types of tenures. We intend that they will provide a range of affordable homes, including Starter Homes aimed at first-time buyers aged between 23 and 40.

  • Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2016-09-15.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the governments of Syria and Jordan concerning the Syrian refugees trapped at the Syria–Jordan border; what responses they have had; and what plans they have for securing food and essential services for them.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We are deeply concerned by the humanitarian situation for the people camped in the no man’s land between Syria and Jordan. We are working closely with the Jordanian authorities and humanitarian agencies to resume relief supplies as soon as possible. Our Ambassador visited the area in March and we have regularly raised the issue with Jordan at the highest levels, including during the Secretary of State for International Development, My Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Witham (Priti Patel)’s visit to Jordan in August. Understandably, the Jordanian Government’s priority is their national security. We welcome their decision to supply water and allow a delivery of food and other essential aid in August, and continue to press for a long term solution that addresses both the humanitarian situation and Jordan’s security needs.

  • Paul Monaghan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Paul Monaghan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Monaghan on 2015-10-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, pursuant to the Answers of 6 July 2015 to Question 4551 and 12 October 2015 to Question 10567, if she will request that Ofgem estimates what the cost is to SSE of generating conventional hydro-electric power.

    Andrea Leadsom

    Detailed operating cost information per generation type of each energy company is not available publicly. Some information is available through supplier’s Consolidated Segmental Statements, which shows the annual operating costs of the largest suppliers generation businesses split into conventional and renewable generation.

  • Karin Smyth – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Karin Smyth – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karin Smyth on 2015-11-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the number of personal assistants who provide care to people formerly in receipt of the Independent Living Fund who will be entitled to pension scheme auto-enrolment; and what guidance his Department has issued to employers of such employees on that matter.

    Justin Tomlinson

    All personal care assistants that meet the eligibility criteria for automatic enrolment will be automatically enrolled into a pension scheme by their employer. In order to be eligible, staff must be between 22 and State Pension age and must earn more than £10,000 per year (which is £192 per week).

    We are working with The Pensions Regulator to ensure that employers of personal care assistants are supported with their automatic enrolment duties. The Regulator has tailored its online Step by Step guide and offline communications specifically to employers of personal care assistants. Furthermore, the Regulator provides information that will help employers of personal care assistants to choose a pension scheme. Finally, the Regulator has a dedicated Industry Liaison team who engage with providers, employers, intermediaries, charities and user-led organisations to raise awareness and understanding of automatic enrolment.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-01-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate his Department has made of the cost of Royal Navy search and rescue operations in the Mediterranean Sea in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

    Penny Mordaunt

    The Royal Navy has supported one dedicated Search and Rescue operation in the Mediterranean Sea over the past five years, which was Op WEALD in 2015. This constituted the UK’s contribution to the international efforts in response to the migrant crisis. The additional cost of the Royal Navy support to this operation was £2.58 million, which was funded through the UK Aid Budget.

  • Dan Jarvis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Dan Jarvis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2016-02-02.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an assessment of the effect of the Public Contract Regulations 2015 on small businesses.

    Matthew Hancock

    The Public Contracts Regulations 2015 introduced a number of reforms to increase transparency, streamline processes and ensure prompt payment. These reforms were introduced to support all businesses, especially smaller ones. The impact of these reforms is being assessed by our Mystery Shopper service, who will publish a report on progress in due course.

    Direct SME spend in central government increased from under £3 billion (direct only) in 2009-10 to over £12 billion in 2014-15 (direct spend and spend through the supply chain).

  • Kate Hoey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Kate Hoey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Hoey on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions his Department has had with London Underground (LU) on the effect on passenger safety of reducing staffing on LU.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Department’s Ministers and officials have regular meetings with Transport for London (TfL) where many issues are discussed, including TfL’s plans to change the way Underground stations are operated and staffed, and to improve the service they provide to customers. I am assured that the changes introduced by TfL will not have a detrimental impact on passenger safety.

  • The Lord Bishop of Southwark – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The Lord Bishop of Southwark – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Lord Bishop of Southwark on 2016-03-22.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what percentage of the Department for International Development’s humanitarian effort in Iraq has been transferred to partners and agencies working in Iraq.

    Baroness Verma

    Since June 2014, the UK has committed £79.5 million in humanitarian assistance to the crisis in Iraq. With the exception of emergency humanitarian supplies delivered by the UK to Iraq in summer 2014, all of this funding is delivered through UN agencies and NGO partners working in Iraq – including through those who have access to some of the most challenging areas. The Department for International Development does not provide any direct financial support to the Government of Iraq or Kurdistan Regional Government.

  • Kerry McCarthy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Kerry McCarthy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2016-04-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what criteria Natural England uses to assess applications for badger cull licences; and when such decisions on such applications will be announced.

    George Eustice

    Natural England assesses badger control licence applications using guidance issued under section 15(2) of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 (NERC). The guidance can be found at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-natural-england-preventing-spread-of-bovine-tb.

    Decisions on this year’s licence applications will be announced before the start of badger control operations.

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  • Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-05-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much his Department plans to spend on cycling in each year from 2016 to 2021.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Department’s spending on cycling programmes is stated in the table below.

    Programme

    2016/17

    2017/18

    2018/19

    2019/20

    2020/21

    Total

    Cycling

    £185.2m

    £202.6m

    £119.0m

    £93.0m

    £58.7m

    £658.5m

    The totals shown above include the Department’s core cycling programmes plus spending by local bodies on cycling projects using sums from within current Local Growth Fund and the Integrated Transport Block allocations. Not all of the Local Growth Fund is currently allocated, so as future allocations of the Local Growth Fund are made to Local Enterprise partnerships, the amount supporting cycling projects through to 2020/21 is likely to rise.

    In addition to the above, from within the record £6 billion allocated to local highways authorities between 2015 and 2021 for road maintenance, this funding can help maintain footways cycleways. Further, from 2018/19 the plan is to change the formula used to allocate local highways maintenance capital funding so that it also takes into account footways and cycleways as well as the roads, bridges and street lighting, which it is currently based on. Once implemented, around 9% of the funding will be based on footway and cycleway lengths.