Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Jon Trickett – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Jon Trickett – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jon Trickett on 2016-04-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what guidelines he has issued to local authorities to require them to record the proportion of their procurement spent on small and medium-sized businesses.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    The Government is committed to ensuring there is a simple and consistent approach to procurement across the public sector so that small businesses can gain better and more access to public sector contracts – either directly or as sub-contractors.

    The Government produced guidance as part of the reforms included in the Public Contract Regulations 2015 which aim to make public contracts more accessible to businesses and in particular to small and medium enterprises. The reforms included the abolition of pre-qualification questionnaire for low value tenders; simplification of the pre-qualification questionnaire for high value tenders; advertising all local authority contracts of £25,000 or over (or the authority’s standing order limit if higher) on Contracts Finder; and paying down the supplier chain in 30 days.

    The Local Government Transparency Code 2015 requires all local authorities to publish details of contracts exceeding £5,000 including information on whether or not the supplier is a small or medium sized enterprise and/or a voluntary or community sector organisation.

    However, the Department has made no assessment of the amount or proportion of local government procurement spend going to small and medium sized businesses.

  • Mike Kane – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Mike Kane – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mike Kane on 2016-05-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to encourage investment in (a) sustainable aircraft fuels and (b) other renewable technology.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The UK wants to ensure that the aviation sector makes a significant and cost-effective contribution to reducing global emissions. The Government supports a range of measures to achieve this, including the use of sustainable alternative fuels, technological improvements to aircraft, operational improvements in air traffic management, and market-based measures.

    Sustainable fuels have an important role to play in reducing carbon emissions from transport, particularly in sectors where there are limited alternatives for decarbonisation such as aviation.

    We are assessing the benefits of making sustainable aviation fuels eligible for certificates under the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO). We aim to publish a consultation on legislative amendments to the RTFO later this year including proposals for aviation biofuels.

  • Deidre Brock – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union

    Deidre Brock – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Deidre Brock on 2016-07-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what the Government’s policy is on continuing to adhere to the terms of the Aarhus Convention on access to information, public participation in decision-making and access to justice in environmental matters after the UK has left the EU.

    Mr David Jones

    I refer the honorable Member to the answer given on 26 July to Question 43162.

    Until we leave the EU, EU law continues to apply so the UK continues to comply with EU law that implements obligations in the Aarhus Convention. The UK remains a Party to the Aarhus Convention.

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-10-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if her Department will commission research into the economic, social and environmental contribution of the organic farming sector in England to assist in informing policy and funding of this sector once the UK leaves the EU.

    George Eustice

    As part of our commitment to evidence-based policy making, we regularly collect and analyse data on all farm types – including small farms and organic enterprises. We will continue to develop our evidence base to inform policy development, and are committed to working with the industry to ensure a vibrant and productive future for all agricultural sectors outside of the European Union.

  • Ben Howlett – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    Ben Howlett – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Howlett on 2015-11-19.

    To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what recent assessment she has made on progress towards the target of 25 per cent female representation on FTSE 100 corporate boards by 2015.

    Caroline Dinenage

    Women now make up 26.1 per cent of directors on the boards of FTSE 100 companies. This exceeds the Lord Davies target of 25 per cent. We have no more all male boards in the FTSE 100 and more women on FTSE 350 boards than ever before.

  • Mrs Anne Main – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Mrs Anne Main – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mrs Anne Main on 2015-12-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to extend badger culls into new areas.

    George Eustice

    As outlined in a Written Ministerial Statement on 17 December, the Government wants to see badger control over a wider number of areas this year. This is in line with the UK Chief Veterinary Officer’s advice and our comprehensive strategy to eradicate bovine TB in England.

  • Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2016-01-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether he plans to invest any unallocated funding held by the Green Investment Bank at its point of privatisation into green projects in the UK.

    Anna Soubry

    The Government has put paying down our debt while investing in infrastructure at the heart of our long term economic plan. Proceeds from a sale of UK Green investment Bank plc (GIB) will help us deliver on both those objectives. Any proposal to allocate Government funding to other types of intervention to achieve green policy objectives would need to be considered individually on its merits.

    GIB’s remit has always been to invest in green projects on fully commercial terms to help demonstrate green investment can be profitable and attract additional private sector investment into green sectors from mainstream finance providers. GIB will continue to perform that role in private ownership. Details of the other Government policy mechanisms in place aimed at promoting investment in more high risk projects and early stage technologies are provided at paragraphs 31 – 36 of our November 2015 policy statement on the future of GIB which can be found on the GIB pages of the GOV.UK website.

  • Richard Burgon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Richard Burgon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burgon on 2016-02-19.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the implications for the effectiveness of the ring-fence between retail and investment banking of the Prudential Regulation Authority’s proposal to allow ring-fenced bodies to pay dividends to other entities in the parent group.

    Harriett Baldwin

    The Prudential Regulation Authority’s (PRA) proposed rules allowing ring-fenced bodies to pay dividends to other entities in the parent group are entirely consistent with the ring-fencing legislation and the Independent Commission on Banking’s recommendations. The PRA has the power to prevent these payments if they deem that they would negatively impact on the viability of the ring-fenced bank.

  • Lord Turnberg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Turnberg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Turnberg on 2016-03-16.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the Health Foundation report A Perfect Storm: an impossible climate for NHS Providers’ Finances? which reports a shortfall in NHS funding of £2.8 billion in 2015–16 and predicts a widening gap between demand and funding levels despite proposed efficiency savings.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The Government has listened and responded to what the NHS has said about the profile of investment it needs to deliver the Five Year Forward View, and that is why we are investing an additional £10 billion that the NHS has said it needs to implement its own plan for the future – with £6 billion frontloaded over 2015-16 and 2016-17.

    For next year (2016-17) we have created the Sustainability and Transformation Fund that will give the NHS the resources it needs to transform and create sustainable services for years to come.

    Delivering the Five Year Forward View, including proposed efficiencies, will put the NHS on a financially sustainable footing by enabling the NHS to live within its means, eliminating organisational deficits and ensuring a balanced NHS budget in each year. We are putting the right measures in place to help spend taxpayer’s money more efficiently, and reduce variation and waste.

  • Norman Lamb – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Norman Lamb – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Norman Lamb on 2016-04-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the number of ex-service people with post-traumatic stress disorder in each of the last 10 years.

    Mark Lancaster

    The Ministry of Defence does not hold any estimates of the number of veterans diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Responsibility for the delivery of clinical and mental healthcare of our veterans lies with the National Health Service in England and the Devolved Administrations.

    The Department is committed to supporting members of our Armed Forces Community. I am pleased that good progress has been made in implementing the entirety of Dr Andrew Murrison’s excellent ‘Fighting Fit’ report and in the provision of funding for national and community based projects to support veterans experiencing mental health issues.