Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Susan Elan Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Susan Elan Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Susan Elan Jones on 2016-02-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to improve access to parental leave for self-employed people.

    Nick Boles

    In July 2015 my Rt hon Friend the Prime Minister appointed Julie Deane OBE to look at what more could be done to support the self-employed. Julie Deane’s report ‘Self-Employment Review’ was published on 14th February and can be viewed at https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/500358/ind-16-2-self-employment-review.pdf

    The Government is reviewing her recommendations in regard to this area carefully.

  • Lord Stunell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Lord Stunell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

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

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will review animal welfare policy and regulations, in particular with regard to the welfare of ducks in the production of foie gras overseas that is then imported and sold within the UK.

    Lord Gardiner of Kimble

    Foie gras using force feeding gives rise to serious welfare concerns, which is why its production is banned in the UK under the Animal Welfare Act 2006. The EU has already introduced controls on the production of foie gras and, therefore, as a matter of EU law, any further action must be taken at an EU level, and not individually by Member States. Additionally we have to be mindful of our obligations under the EU Treaty in relation to the free movement of goods. Ultimately, it is for the consumer to decide whether or not to purchase foie gras.

  • Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-04-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what proportion of (a) members of the Senior Civil Service and (b) all officials of his Department will be based at head office on conclusion of BIS2020.

    Joseph Johnson

    The plans for BIS2020 are still being developed. We do not currently have information on which posts will be at head office in 2020.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many motorists were fined as a result of motorway average speed cameras in each year since 1985 for which figures are available; and how much was collected in fines in each such year.

    Andrew Jones

    Highways England does not hold information on how many motorists were fined as a result of motorway average speed cameras, nor how much were collected in fines, as they are not an enforcement agency. Enforcement is undertaken by the respective police forces.

  • Lord Boateng – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Boateng – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Boateng on 2016-07-07.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact on the economies of the Caribbean and British Overseas Territories of the result of the referendum on the UK’s membership of the EU.

    Earl of Courtown

    We are already engaged with the Overseas Territories to capture the full range of interests they have in the EU, including the potential economic impact of any change in their relations with the EU. We will fully involve the devolved administrations, Gibraltar, the Crown Dependencies, the other UK Overseas Territories and all other regional centres of power, in accordance with their various constitutional relationships with the UK, to ensure that all of their interests are taken properly into account. In the meantime, the UK remains a member of the EU, and the full range of rights and obligations afforded under the Treaties still apply.

  • Baroness Humphreys – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Baroness Humphreys – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Humphreys on 2016-10-03.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many people living in communities of 150 residents or more in the UK have no access to mains gas.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    Estimates for communities and residents are not available. However, published estimates for the number of households in Great Britain not connected to the gas network are available at Lower Super Output Area level in the attached.

  • Owen Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Owen Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Smith on 2015-11-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the age-standardised mortality rate of people declared fit for work by his Department since December 2011.

    Priti Patel

    The information as requested is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

  • David Anderson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    David Anderson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Anderson on 2015-12-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the dependency that hen welfare has on the frequency of human attention regardless of the position of the cages in which they are kept.

    George Eustice

    The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) enforces the relevant welfare legislation and carries out welfare inspections on farms to check that the UK legislation, which implements European law, is being followed. This includes spot checks and planned risk based inspections.

    In addition, a programme of inspections is carried out under EU cross compliance legislation to farmers that claim cross-compliance subsidies. The APHA also enforce the requirement for owners or other responsible persons to inspect their hens at least once a day.

    Our expert advisory committee, the Farm Animal Welfare Committee, has concluded that stockmanship, and the correct application of husbandry standards, whatever the system of production, is key to ensuring good welfare for farmed animals. This view is relevant to all livestock, whether in intensive or extensive production systems. The EU Commission’s Scientific Panel on Animal Health and Welfare recognised that there is a wide variety of enriched cage designs for laying hens, and that the layout of some cages can affect bird inspection. Both the EU Commission in its 2008 report on the welfare of laying hens in various systems and the Farm Animal Welfare Committee recognise the welfare benefits of enriched cages and have given their support to this system of production.

  • 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, what recent assessment he has made of the differences in the ability of the Green Investment Bank to invest in higher risk emerging green technologies as a (a) public and (b) private sector bank.

    Anna Soubry

    The Government’s position on this matter was set out in paragraphs 31 – 36 of our November 2015 policy statement on the future of the UK Green Investment Bank (GIB) which can be found on the GIB pages of the GOV.UK website.

    This makes clear that 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.

    There are other Government policy mechanisms in place aimed at promoting investment in more high risk projects and early stage technologies.

  • 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 recent assessment he has made of the potential effectiveness of the ring-fence between retail and investment banking in reducing funding risk in the UK financial system; and if he will make a statement.

    Harriett Baldwin

    Ring-fencing insulates ring-fenced banks from shocks originating elsewhere in the global financial system, and makes ring-fenced banks simpler so that monitoring and supervision is easier. The PRA are putting in place rules to ensure that the ring-fenced bank can effectively manage its liquidity.