Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-02-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to (a) encourage innovation and competition amongst broadband network providers and (b) reduce monopoly control over broadband infrastructure.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    It is a matter for Ofcom to monitor and regulate competition in electronic communications markets and last year it launched a Strategic Review of Digital Communications. Maintaining and promoting competition and innovation in the electronic communications markets are key areas that Ofcom is considering.

    The promotion of competition and innovation in the telecommunications sector is high on the Government’s list of objectives for the European Commission’s review of the Electronic Communications regulatory Framework, as was reflected in our response to its consultation. Proposals from the Commission are expected later this year.

  • Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2016-03-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 22 February 2016 to Question 26813, what the job titles are of those people in receipt of excess fares allowance, paid car allowances or subsidised health insurance.

    Mark Lancaster

    Personnel in receipt of Excess Fares Allowance, Paid Car Allowance or Subsidised Health Insurance are employed in the Job Families outlined below:

    Business Management and Improvement

    Estates

    Commercial

    Finance

    Communications and Media

    Health Professionals

    Corporate Support

    Health, Safety and Environmental Protection

    Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) Commercial

    Human Resources

    DE&S Corporate Services

    Information

    DE&S Engineering

    Internal Audit

    DE&S Finance and Accounting

    Logistics

    DE&S Human Resources

    Policy Strategy and Parliamentary

    DE&S Information Management and IT

    Portfolio, Programme and Project

    DE&S Integrated Logistics

    Security

    DE&S Project Controls

    Training and Education

    DE&S Project Management

    Defence Intelligence

    Engineering and Science

    Notes:

    Job Families are a broader grouping based upon the type of role.

    Job Families where five or less personnel are in receipt of one or more allowances have not been included.

  • Peter Kyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Peter Kyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2016-04-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when his Department plans to respond to the Office of Rail and Road’s recommendations following Which?’s super-complaint regarding train companies and the compensation process for passengers affected by train delays.

    Claire Perry

    I welcome the publication of the Office of Rail and Road’s (ORR’s) recommendations following Which?’s super-complaint. It is vital that customers who suffer delays understand their rights to compensation and have access to it in a timely way. Industry must now do much more to make that process quick and user-friendly. We are already working with the Association of Train Operating Companies and the ORR to bring about improvements, and my Department will respond to the ORR’s report in the summer of 2016.

  • Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Tulip Siddiq – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2016-05-06.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, for how many court and tribunal cases his Department did not send a legal representative in each year since 2009-10.

    Harriett Baldwin

    As far as I am aware there were no cases of this kind in the period 2009-10 to the present.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-06-27.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel concerning cuts in water supply to areas of the West Bank.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    Officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv discussed this issue with the Israeli authorities on 27 June. We have stressed the need for Israel to take immediate and practical measures to improve the current situation and ensure fair distribution of water in the West Bank and Gaza.

    During the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Mr Ellwood’s) visit to Israel in February, he stressed to the Israeli government and Prime Minister Netanyahu that there was an urgent need for practical, incremental steps to improve the lives of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza.

  • David Nuttall – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    David Nuttall – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Nuttall on 2016-09-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what forecast she has made of which countries in receipt of UK aid will no longer require UK aid in (a) five, (b) 10 and (c) 15 years.

    Rory Stewart

    UK aid is supporting Britain’s interests through building a safer more prosperous world and helping countries achieve a timely sustainable exit from poverty. It is not possible to accurately predict which countries will require aid in those timeframes, but assessments of the likely trajectory of poverty in a country informs how we allocate resources. Programmes are largely focused on countries where extreme poverty currently affects a significant proportion of the population; is projected to persist over the medium term; where DFID has a comparative advantage; and, where the country itself is unable to finance their own development needs.

  • Gregory Campbell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Gregory Campbell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will hold discussions with the government of the Irish Republic on the number of refugees likely to be settled in the Irish Republic who would be eligible to subsequently move to the UK.

    James Brokenshire

    There are no plans to hold discussions with the government of the Irish Republic on the number of refugees who would be eligible to subsequently move to the UK. Those recognised as refugees in the Republic of Ireland require a visa under the Immigration Rules to enter the UK.

  • Douglas Chapman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Douglas Chapman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Chapman on 2015-12-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what guidance his Department provides to service personnel on choosing state and private schools for their children’s education.

    Mark Lancaster

    The Ministry of Defence (MOD) Children’s Education Advisory Service (CEAS) provides information, advice and support to Service parents on all aspects of the education of their children. CEAS advice is free and impartial, and covers a range of issues including mainstream state schools and special state maintained schools, state boarding schools, the MOD’s Queen Victoria School Dunblane, and independent schools both day and boarding. CEAS also advise on MOD educational allowances, and the strict eligibility criteria that must be met.

    CEAS offer tailored support for Service parents who experience difficulty in obtaining the state school of their choice and where necessary support them through the appeal process. As well as help-lines and an email enquiry service, CEAS provide four dedicated peripatetic Parent Support Officers who are educational professionals and cover all locations within the United Kingdom.

    The guidance provided by the MOD was covered in some detail during a House of Commons Defence Committee Inquiry in 2013, and more detail is available in the Fourth Report of Session 2013-14: The Armed Forces Covenant in Action? Part 3: Educating the Children of Service Personnel, which is available in the Library of the House and at the following link:

    http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmselect/cmdfence/586/58602.htm

  • Lord Browne of Belmont – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Lord Browne of Belmont – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Browne of Belmont on 2016-01-20.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress has been made with their adult apprenticeship schemes.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    Final data show that there were 499,900 apprenticeship starts in the 2014/15 academic year. 374,000 of these were aged 19+, an increase of 16.6% on 2013/14.

    We have delivered 2.6 million apprenticeships starts since May 2010, 73% (1.9 million) of these were adults (aged 19+).

    We are committed to reaching 3 million new apprenticeship starts in England by 2020. Our 2020 Vision for English Apprenticeships sets out how we will increase apprenticeships numbers for people of all ages – working with employers and setting new expectations for public sector procurement.

    Apprenticeship reforms are being led by employers designing standards to meet their skill needs. Over 1300 employers are currently involved. 198 new standards have been published and more 150 are in development (including 60 Higher or Degree level). More Degree Apprenticeships are being developed, combining a high quality degree with an apprenticeship.

    Through the UK-wide apprenticeships levy, we are also giving employers control over funding apprenticeship training in England.

    We are establishing an independent employer-led Institute for Apprenticeships to regulate the quality of apprenticeships in England which will be fully operational by April 2017.

    We are doubling the annual level of spending on apprenticeships between 2010-11 and 2019-20 in cash terms to £2.5bn, including income from the new apprenticeship levy.

  • Steven Paterson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Steven Paterson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steven Paterson on 2016-02-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many staff make up the Defence Cyber Operations Group.

    Penny Mordaunt

    The Defence Cyber Operations Group was designed to deliver cyber capability and mainstream cyber security throughout Defence by establishing a federation of cyber units. As this work matured it resulted instead in the formation of the Joint Forces Cyber Group in May 2013.

    The Joint Forces Cyber Group (JFCyG) plans and co-ordinates cyber operations, and develops new tactics, techniques and plans to deliver military capabilities to confront high-end threats. It comprises Joint Cyber Units at Cheltenham and Corsham, the Joint Cyber Unit (Reserve) and Information Assurance Units.

    I am withholding details on the JFCyG as their disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.