Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • 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 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential effect of the outcome of the EU referendum on the management and regulation of the UK’s Marine Protected Areas and on Government plans to complete a coherent network of Marine Conservation Zones.

    Dr Thérèse Coffey

    The Government remains committed to putting in place a well-managed Blue Belt to protect precious marine habitats and species. We are aiming for the third tranche of Marine Conservation Zones to be comprehensive and complete our contribution to the ecologically coherent network of Marine Protected Areas in the North East Atlantic. This network plays an important part in helping stem the decline of marine habitats and species and in aiding their recovery. Marine Conservation Zones are provided for through domestic legislation.

    We will be exploring options over the coming months for how best to protect the species and habitats that are found in our European Marine Sites set up under the Habitats and Birds Directives.

  • Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-10-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Review of the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) for victims of human trafficking, published in November 2014, whether her Department plans ultimately to remove the reasonable grounds stage in the NRM.

    Sarah Newton

    We are committed to doing all we can to identify and support UK-based victims of modern slavery. Following a review of the NRM, and in consultation with law enforcement and NGOs, we are piloting ways of improving the efficacy and efficiency of existing arrangements in two regions. The pilot will be evaluated and the findings will inform any reforms that we decide to roll out. Putting the NRM on a statutory footing would require secondary legislation and we will consider whether there is a need do so at the end of the pilot.

  • Andrew Stephenson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Andrew Stephenson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will make an assessment of the likely demand for new UK-manufactured aircraft over the next 15 years.

    Anna Soubry

    The latest Airbus Global Market Forecast identifies a need for more than 32,500 new large passenger and freighter aircraft, worth a total of $4.9trillion by 2034. In addition, there is an estimated requirement for 24,000 new business jets, 5,800 regional aircraft and 40,000 helicopters by 2032, worth around $500bn. (Source: ADS)

    The Government is working with the UK aerospace industry, through the Aerospace Growth Partnership, to ensure the UK sector has the capability and capacity to secure maximum benefit from this growth opportunity. A range of industry-led action is under way, supported where appropriate by Government, to increase the productivity and competitiveness of UK suppliers; and develop the product and manufacturing technologies required to meet future market demands.

  • Mark Tami – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Mark Tami – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Tami on 2015-12-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reasons his Department no longer publishes information on the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s rating of driving instructors; and if he will take steps to make such information routinely available.

    Andrew Jones

    Approved Driving Instructors (ADI) are required to successfully pass a three part qualification process to gain access to the Register of Approved Driving Instructors. They are also required to periodically undergo further reassessment, through a standards check, to demonstrate that they have maintained the minimum level of instructional ability to remain on the register. ADIs are graded following the standards check, based upon their level of performance. Whilst the overall number of ADIs at each grade is published on a quarterly basis, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has never routinely published the grading of individual instructors. DVSA is, however, taking steps to allow ADIs to voluntarily publish their grading through its on-line Find Your Nearest instructor facility on GOV.UK.

  • Stewart Malcolm McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Stewart Malcolm McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stewart Malcolm McDonald on 2016-01-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information he holds on how many Volkswagen vehicles have been re-tested for emissions since September 2015.

    Andrew Jones

    The Department has retested three of the VW Group vehicles for which the UK provided type approval. These tests have confirmed that the extended test programme announced by the Secretary of State on 10 November can identify defeat device strategies. The testing of vehicles is underway and a report of the findings will be published in the spring.

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2016-02-01.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what evidence the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority has received that bona fide trophectoderm stem cells have already been successfully derived and propagated from human embryos; whether any such stem cell lines have been deposited in the UK Stem Cell Bank; and if so, when.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority has advised that it holds information on the number of stem cell lines derived in each licensed research project and checks for compliance (on inspection) with the requirement for stem cell lines to be deposited in the UK Stem Cell Bank. However, this information does not differentiate between stem cells derived from the inner cell mass and those from trophectoderm.

  • Baroness Hodgson of Abinger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Hodgson of Abinger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Hodgson of Abinger on 2016-02-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they will promote their Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative at the Commission on the Status of Women meeting in March.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    At the current time, four UK Ministers (from the Department for International Development, the Ministry of Defence and the Department for Education) are planning to attend the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) and promote UK objectives, including the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI). Tackling violence against women and girls is a key UK objective. We will be actively participating in the Review Theme and a significant number of side events focused on tackling all forms of violence against women and girls including sexual violence. We will use the opportunity of these different discussions to promote PSVI.

  • Stephen Hammond – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Stephen Hammond – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Hammond on 2016-03-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the effect of non-custodial sentences for knife crime offenders on the rate of reoffending.

    Dominic Raab

    We have made no assessment of the effect of non-custodial sentences on the rate of reoffending for those convicted of knife crimes. Sentencing is entirely a matter for our independent judiciary based on all the facts of each case.

  • William Wragg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    William Wragg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by William Wragg on 2016-04-26.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 12 April 2016 to Question 32664 and the Answer of 25 April 2016 to Question 33678, and with reference to paragraph 2.113 of the report, The best of both worlds: the UK’s special status in a reformed EU, published in February 2016, if he will estimate the cost to the public purse of child benefit payments paid to non-UK citizens in each financial year since 2010-11.

    Damian Hinds

    Around 7m people are receiving Child Benefit. To extract and collate the value of all payments made to EU migrants for children living outside the UK in the format requested could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

  • Kirsten Oswald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Kirsten Oswald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2016-06-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has considered purchasing the AeroVironment Blackwing miniature tube-launched drone.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    Representatives of the Department meet AeroVironment representatives on a regular basis to discuss current and potential future capabilities, and the Department is aware of the capabilities of the Blackwing Reconnaissance System. However, the Department has no capability requirement to procure an underwater launched Unmanned Aerial System at this stage, and, as such, there have not been any formal discussions with AeroVironment on a possible procurement of Blackwing.