Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-10-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if Ministers of his Department will meet with the European Investment Bank to discuss access to loan finance for local authorities after the UK leaves the EU; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    Consideration of local authorities’ financial relationship with the European Investment Bank will form part of our approach to exiting the EU. As this government has already stated, we will not give a running commentary on Brexit negotiations.

  • Baroness Walmsley – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Baroness Walmsley – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Walmsley on 2015-11-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they define commercial confidentiality” and “exceptional circumstances” in relation to restrictions on FOI requests relating to private companies that provide public services.”

    Lord Bridges of Headley

    Requests for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 are considered on a case by case basis. Section 43 of the Act sets out the circumstances in which information is exempt from disclosure on grounds of commercial interests.

  • Nicholas Soames – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Nicholas Soames – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2015-12-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department plans to retain or to return to the Consolidated Fund receipts from the sale of land and property assets over the Spending Review period.

    Mark Lancaster

    The Ministry of Defence plans to retain all receipts from the sale of land and property assets.

  • Douglas Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Douglas Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Chapman on 2016-01-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) assets and (b) personnel of his Department took part in Exercise Platinum Lion in collaboration with the US, Romanian and Bulgarian armed forces.

    Penny Mordaunt

    40 personnel from 40 Commando Royal Marines took part in Exercise PLATINUM LION during July 2015. This was primarily an infantry skills exercise with no major assets deployed.

  • Karl Turner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Karl Turner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Karl Turner on 2016-02-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 29 January 2016 to Question 24371, for what reasons there are no figures for the number of compliance checks the Maritime and Coastguard Agency carried out on vessels in the North Sea sulphur dioxide emission control area in 2015.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    Further to my answer of 29 January, the data provided refers to the specific fuel sampling and testing regime put into place by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) in order to support compliance activity relating to the use of low sulphur fuel by ships. This sampling activity started on 1 January 2016 in line with a Europe-wide decision.

    This sampling is supplementary to the normal Port State Control activity that is performed by MCA Marine Surveyors, the scope of which includes consideration of compliance with air pollution requirements.

    In 2015 the MCA carried out 1068 inspections under Port State Control which includes the examination of documentation related to compliance with the North Sea sulphur emissions control area.

  • James Berry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    James Berry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by James Berry on 2016-03-01.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to reform special educational needs and disability provision.

    Edward Timpson

    The special educational needs and disability (SEND) reforms which came into effect in September 2014 represent the biggest change to the SEND system in a generation. They are transforming the support available to children and young people with SEND by joining up services across education, health and social care and by focusing on positive outcomes for education, employment, housing, health and community participation.

    Since September 2014, our reforms have seen the introduction of:

    o published ‘local offers’ for each local area, setting out the SEND services that are available;

    o new Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans for those with more complex needs – replacing statements of SEN and post-16 Learning Difficulty Assessments (LDAs);

    o a new legal requirement on local authorities to take the views of families fully into account when deciding what provision to offer;

    o new statutory protections for 16-25 year olds in further education – including the right to request the educational institution of their choice;

    o new duties for health to deliver the agreed health elements of EHC plans;

    o the option of a personal budget for families and young people with an EHC plan;

    o a review of disagreement resolution arrangements; and

    o new arrangements for supporting young offenders with SEND.

  • The Lord Bishop of Leeds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The Lord Bishop of Leeds – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Lord Bishop of Leeds on 2016-03-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Iraq about Iraq becoming a signatory to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The UK coordinates with other EU member states to promote the universality of the Rome Statute. We offer support to any State that is in the process of ratifying the Rome Statute or needs assistance in adopting the national legislation needed to enact the full implementation of the statute.

    Whether Iraq chooses to accede to the Rome Statute is a matter for the Government of Iraq.

  • Gordon Marsden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Gordon Marsden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2016-04-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what discussions he has had with the Association of Employment and Learning Providers on the nature of their involvement with and contribution to the Institute of Apprenticeships.

    Nick Boles

    I will be meeting with the incoming CEO of the Association of Employment and Learning Providers later this month. My officials have regular discussions with the Association on all aspects of apprenticeships policy.

  • Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2016-06-13.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to speed up family reunions for refugees and migrants now in Europe, particularly in Greece, Italy and France; and whether special provision has been made for the 1,400 unaccompanied children in Greece, and households headed by women.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The Goverment continues to work with key EU Member States to ensure the Dublin Regulation family reunification process works effectively.

    Under the UK-France Joint Declaration of 20 August 2015, the UK and France have committed to ensuring that provisions of the Dublin III Regulation are used efficiently and effectively. To assist the handling of such cases, the two Governments have established a permanent official contact group, agree single points of contact within respective Dublin Units and a UK asylum expert was seconded to the French administration to faciliate the improvement of all stages of the process. The UK and France are running regular joint communication campaigns in northern France which inform unaccompanied children and others of their right to claim asylum in France and the family reunion process.

    We are also providing support to the Dublin units in Greece and Italy, both bilaterally and through European Asylum Support Office (EASO).

    On the 4 May the Prime Minister announced the Goverment will work with local authorities on plans to resettle unaccompanied refugee children from Europe. We are looking to transfer children who are already present in Europe before the EU-Turkey deal came into force on 20 March.

    Ministers and senior officials are engaged in ongoing discussions with Greece, Italy, and France to identify and transfer to the UK unaccompanied refugee children where it is in their best interests. We are also consulting local authorities, non-governmental organsitations, UNICEF and UNHCR.

    The UK is the largest bilateral contributor to the humanitarian response to the crisis in Europe and the Balkans with a total contribution of £65 million. This includes nearly £46 million to provide life saving aid to migrants and refugees including food, water, hygiene kits and infant packs, and protection for the most vunerable, as well as support to organisations helping goverments build their capacity to manage arrivals in Greece and the Balkans. The efforts of the partners we fund are targeted to reach the most vulnerable including children.

    It also includes the £10 million Refugee Children Fund the Department for International Development (DFID) has created the needs to vulnerable refugee and migrant children specifically in Europe. The fund will support three specialist and mandated organisations the UNHCR, Save the Children and the International Rescue Committee to work with host authorities to care for and assist unaccompanied or separated children in Europe and the Balkans.

  • Margaret Hodge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Margaret Hodge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Hodge on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will publish a list of all secondees to his Department from (a) PwC, (b) Deloitte, (c) Ernst and Young, (d) KPMG and (e) other consulting firms in the last three financial years; and what the role was of each of those secondees.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    My department has not had any secondees in the last three financial years from any of the named companies requested.

    However, my department has had a total of seven secondees from other consulting firms. Five of the seven roles were to help advise on specific housing and property issues, including three roles on the Private Rented Sector Taskforce. One other secondee is working in my Implementation Unit implementing reviews on housing and planning, and one secondee was working as a Crown Premises Fire Inspector. Only three of the seven secondees are still working in DCLG.