The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Lester of Herne Hill on 2016-01-14.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Baroness Neville-Rolfe on 13 January (HL4703 and HL4704), whether they will place in the Library of the House a list of the grounds for retention linked to the relevant retention instruments.
Baroness Neville-Rolfe
I refer the noble Lord to the response to HL4704.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steven Paterson on 2016-02-09.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent discussions his Department has held with local authorities on cyber-security.
Matthew Hancock
The Office of Cyber Security and Information Assurance (OCSIA) in the National Security Secretariat in the Cabinet Office works with a range of government partners to deliver the National Cyber Security Programme (NCSP). OCSIA has been working closely with the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) to support local government cyber security. This includes working with individual councils, the Society of IT Management (SOCITM), the Society of Local Authority Chief Executive (SOLACE) and the Local Government Association (LGA). This financial year the NSCP funded team within DCLG has delivered regional workshops for local government leaders with further workshops planned later this year.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Mackinlay on 2016-03-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the HGV road user levy.
Mr Robert Goodwill
The Government published an assessment of the effectiveness of the HGV levy in a written statement on 15 June 2015. The levy was introduced, on time, in April 2014. It raised £192.5m in its first year, with £46.5m of that coming from foreign hauliers. Compliance in Great Britain is high at around 95%, and over 3,000 fixed penalties were issued in the first year.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alison Thewliss on 2016-04-14.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which companies were contracted to facilitate enforced returns to Yemen for failed asylum seekers from that country in 2014.
James Brokenshire
All escorting services to facilitate enforced returns are provided by the Home Office’s main contractor, Tascor. In 2014, detainee custody officers from the Pilgrims Group, who are sub-contracted by Tascor were used on one occasion on 23rd July to facilitate the enforced return of an individual to Yemen.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2016-05-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to page 31 of the White Paper, A BBC for the future: a broadcaster of distinction, published in May 2016, if he will publish the minutes of the roundtable events held with the creative sector as part of the BBC Charter review process.
Mr Edward Vaizey
The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport will not be publishing minutes of the events held with the creative sector as part of the BBC Charter review process. A list of the attendees of these meetings are however available in Annex 2 of the White Paper.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2016-07-19.
To ask the Prime Minister, with reference to the 2015-16 Annual Report of the Intelligence and Security Committee, for what reasons it was decided not to provide the Intelligence and Security Committee with evidence on the UK’s role in US air strikes against (a) Junaid Hussain and (b) Mohammed Emwazi.
Mrs Theresa May
I refer the hon. Member to paragraph 15 of the 2015-16 Annual Report of the Intelligence and Security Committee.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2016-10-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when steps have been taken to enact the provisions within section 165 of the Equality Act 2010.
Andrew Jones
Government is committed to building transport networks that work for everyone, including ensuring that disabled people have the same travel choices as other members of society.
I am committed to commencing Sections 165 and 167 of the Equality Act, making it unlawful for drivers of wheelchair accessible taxis and Private Hire Vehicles to refuse to provide assistance to passengers in wheelchairs or to charge them extra.
We will shortly be consulting on Regulations regarding the exemption certificates for drivers unable to provide such assistance, and on relevant guidance. We will commence the Sections once the Regulations and guidance are ready for issue.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Seema Malhotra on 2015-11-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to the document, Fixing the Foundations: Creating a more prosperous nation, Cm 9098, when he will intervene in local authorities that do not produce local plans.
Brandon Lewis
I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement of 21 July, HCWS172, which clarified that in cases where no Local Plan has been produced by early 2017, the Government will intervene to arrange for the plan to be written, in consultation with local people, to accelerate production of the Local Plan.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ferrier on 2015-12-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he plans to reply to the letter of 26 November 2015 from the hon. Member for Rutherglen and Hamilton West regarding mass executions in Saudi Arabia.
Mr David Lidington
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) received the letter from the hon. Member for Rutherglen and Hamilton West (Margaret Ferrier) on 27 November 2015. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Mr Ellwood) will respond to the hon. Member by 24 December.
FCO Ministers aim to respond to all correspondence from Members of this House, both written and electronic, within 20 working days of receipt, in line with Cabinet Office guidance.
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/441892/Cabinet_Office_Guidance_on_correspondence.pdf
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2016-01-14.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether new apprenticeship standards will be grouped within the same sectors as the frameworks they are replacing to ensure continuity with previously recorded data.
Nick Boles
Employer designed apprenticeship standards focus on the knowledge, skills and behaviour required to achieve full competence in an individual occupation. There is no requirement for employers to replicate particular frameworks or pathways within them, as the priority is creating apprenticeships that meet employers’ needs. To ensure we can track developments in apprenticeship standards – for example, take up in particular sectors or regions – we are currently maintaining the current sector subject area classifications and allocate new standards to them to ensure continuity with previously recorded data.