Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • James Heappey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    James Heappey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by James Heappey on 2016-03-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps his Department is taking to help support research into the Zika virus.

    Joseph Johnson

    In February we allocated £1 million from the Government’s Global Challenges Research Fund to help urgently tackle the Zika virus; the Medical Research Council (MRC) received over 100 applications for support through its Rapid Response Initiative. To meet this demand, in March we committed up to an additional £2 million, with a further £1 million from the Wellcome Trust, bringing the total that was available up to a maximum of £4 million of funding.

    Today, the MRC has announced that it has allocated c. £3.2 million of this funding to tackle the emerging and unknown threats of this virus. Our commitment to protect the science budget in real terms to the end of the Parliament means we can react quickly to help tackle these life-threatening global challenges.

  • Lord Jopling – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Lord Jopling – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Jopling on 2016-04-22.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Neville-Rolfe on 21 April (HL7637), whether they will now state what contingency plans they have drawn up, if any, to repatriate the British Art Collection from the European Parliament in the event that the UK votes to leave the EU.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

  • Neil Coyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Neil Coyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Neil Coyle on 2016-06-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, for what reasons the food and drink industry does not meet his Department’s criteria for inclusion on its list of creative industries.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The Government fully recognises the importance of the food and drinks sector to our economy, and appreciates that there is a creative element to work in this sector. The definition of the Creative Industries since 2013 has been based on a Creative Intensity approach, which measures the proportion of jobs within an industry that are classified as creative. The proportion of these jobs in the ‘food and drink’ industry was below the 30 per cent threshold set in 2013, and was therefore not included in the Creative Industries Economic Estimates.

    Earlier this year, this Department carried out a consultation on our Economic Estimates for the Creative Industries, which included asking whether we should review the sectors included within the Creative Industries based on the existing Creative Intensity approach. We published our response to this consultation on 9 June, which stated that we will continue to review the Creative Intensities on an on-going basis to ensure they remain relevant. The Standard Occupational Classifications (SOC) which underpin this work are currently being reviewed, however, and we will wait for the outcome of that review before deciding whether and when to make any changes to the occupations which contribute to the Creative Industries.

  • Rachel Reeves – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Rachel Reeves – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachel Reeves on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many of her Department’s staff are in receipt of support for private school fees for children whose parents are stationed (a) in the UK and (b) overseas.

    Rory Stewart

    This information is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost to the taxpayer.

  • Lord Birt – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union

    Lord Birt – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Birt on 2016-10-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are planning to publish a consultation paper setting out and assessing the different routes to Brexit.

    Lord Bridges of Headley

    The Government is consulting widely through meetings all over the country with academics, think tanks, businesses, charities, universities and more to ensure that all views can be reflected in our analysis of the options for the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union.

  • Kate Hollern – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Kate Hollern – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Hollern on 2015-10-27.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which psychiatric disorder had the highest mortality rate in each of the last five years.

    Mr Rob Wilson

    The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

  • Lord Palmer – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Palmer – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Palmer on 2015-11-24.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what legal basis the WHO’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control has in English law.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control is an international treaty establishing general guidelines and principles for international governance on tobacco control. The United Kingdom ratified the Treaty in 2004 and takes its obligations under the Convention very seriously.

  • John Redwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    John Redwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Redwood on 2016-01-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, for what reason the Environment Agency did not deploy mobile pumps to York when the fixed pumps in that area were insufficient.

    Rory Stewart

    All 8 of the fixed pumps at the Foss Barrier were fully operational during the onset of flooding in York. The capacity of these pumps is sufficient in all but the extreme conditions which were experienced in December 2015. It is an assessment that the speed and the rise of the water level of the Foss would have overwhelmed the capacity of any potential temporary pumps, particularly given the design of the barrier, which restricted the area available for pumps.

  • Jo Stevens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Jo Stevens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jo Stevens on 2016-02-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many (a) assaults and (b) serious assaults on prisoners by other prisoners were recorded at HMP Cardiff during each of the last three years.

    Andrew Selous

    Statistics for assaults on prisoner on prisoner are published on an annual basis by calendar year in the Safety in Custody statistics bulletin annual assaults tables (see table 3.15 at the link below). https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/495430/safety-in-custody-assaults-dec-2014.xls. Figures for 2015 are due for publication on 28 April 2016.

  • Frank Field – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Frank Field – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effect on children whose refugee shelters in Calais are due to be demolished by the French government.

    James Brokenshire

    The UK is working closely with the French Government on all aspects of the migrant situation in Calais; however the management of the migrant camps in France is the responsibility of the French Government. They have recently increased capacity in heated container accommodation for vulnerable groups in the Calais camp, where women, children and the sick and injured are given priority.

    Both the UK and France are clear that the right course of action is to move migrants away from Calais and for genuine refugees to be offered protection within the French asylum system. That is why as part of the UK-France Joint Declaration of 20 August 2015, the UK has provided £3.6million (or €5 million) per year for two years to help provide support and facilities for migrants at centres elsewhere in France.