Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Douglas Carswell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Douglas Carswell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Carswell on 2016-05-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans his Department has to ensure that the next East Anglia franchise introduces new rolling stock on routes to Clacton-on-Sea and Walton-on-the-Naze.

    Claire Perry

    The specification for the next franchise requires that bidders provide high quality rolling stock in their bids and 30% of the available quality points from the franchise evaluation (the highest level in any franchise) will be awarded for bidders’ plans for rolling stock improvements.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-06-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department’s factsheet on the Investigatory Powers Bill, dated 30 October 2015, on what date and through what process the use of equipment interference was avowed for use by the security and intelligence agencies.

    Mr John Hayes

    The use of equipment interference by the security and intelligence agencies was avowed on 6th February 2015 when the Government published a draft Equipment Interference Code of Practice detailing the procedures and safeguards that apply to the power. The use of equipment interference by the security and intelligence agencies is authorised under Sections 5 and 7 of the Intelligence Services Act 1994 and statutory oversight is provided by the Intelligence Services Commissioner.

  • Lord Tanlaw – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Lord Tanlaw – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Tanlaw on 2016-09-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to review the use of British Summer Time, and what assessment they have made of the possible impact of maintaining BST throughout the year.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    The Government has no plans to review the use of British Summer Time.

    In 2012, the Government published a review of the available evidence concerning the likely effects of moving to Central European Time (also known as Daylight Saving time) in the UK. This is attached, but is also available on the Government website at the following link.

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/34587/12-1036-review-evidence-putting-clocks-forward.pdf

    “

  • Jim Fitzpatrick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Jim Fitzpatrick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Fitzpatrick on 2016-10-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans he has for the number of full-time equivalent staff to be in the benefit cap processing team when the lower benefit cap is implemented; and what estimate he has made of the cost of those staff to the public purse.

    Caroline Nokes

    The implementation funding for additional benefit cap processing is circa £1.4m to provide an additional 44 FTE staff in steady state for Universal Credit and current benefit claimants.

  • 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 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, to whom and for what price the site of the Royal Hospital Haslar was sold.

    Mr Julian Brazier

    The Haslar Hospital site in Gosport was sold in November 2009 to Our Enterprise (Haslar) Ltd for £3 million. The Department retains no formal interest in the site.

  • Martyn Day – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Martyn Day – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Martyn Day on 2015-12-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether Parliament will be asked to vote on a decision to replace the warheads used for the successor nuclear weapon programme.

    Michael Fallon

    As stated in paragraph 4.72 of the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review: "Work continues to determine the optimum life of the UK’s existing nuclear warhead stockpile and the range of replacement options. A replacement warhead is not required until at least the late 2030s, possibly later. Given lead times, however, a decision on replacing the warhead may be required in this Parliament or early in the next." The Government will inform Parliament of its intended approach in due course.

  • Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the spending reduction in 2016-17 that will result from (a) the changes in universal credit work allowances and (b) other changes in universal credit taking effect in April 2016.

    Priti Patel

    The fiscal implications of policy changes were published by the government in July 2015 “Summer Budget 2015: policy costings” and November 2015 “Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015: policy costings. See links below:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/443195/Policy_costings_summer_budget_2015.pdf

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/480565/SRAS2015_policy_costings_amended_page_25.pdf

    “

  • Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead on 2016-02-04.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to change the definition of overseas development aid in order to channel a higher proportion of the aid budget through departments other than the Department for International Development.

    Baroness Verma

    As one of just a few donors to have met the 0.7% commitment, the credibility of the Official Development Assistance system is of great importance to the UK. The government is working closely with other countries to modernise the definition of Official Development Assistance at the OECD Development Assistance Committee, to ensure it reflects the breadth of the new international development agenda set by the new Global Goals for Sustainable Development and fully incentivises other countries to meet these goals.

  • Stella Creasy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Stella Creasy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stella Creasy on 2016-03-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish the details of the cooperative arrangement her Department has with the Department of Homeland Security which enables their officials to operate as immigration advisers to airlines operating out of UK airports.

    James Brokenshire

    We do not publish the specific details of the arrangement with the Department of Homeland Security for operational reasons.

    US officials have operated as immigration advisers at UK airports since 2007 in an advisory capacity which reflects an established global practice. They hold no authority in the UK, and can only make recommendations to carriers on whether to allow travel

  • Baroness Lister of Burtersett – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Baroness Lister of Burtersett – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Lister of Burtersett on 2016-03-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they have taken to ensure there is adequate funding for children with special educational needs in early years education.

    Lord Nash

    We have already announced over £1bn more for the early years entitlements within the ring-fenced Dedicated Schools Grant by 2019-20, which includes £300m per year to uplift the average funding rate to providers. We are also providing protection for high needs funding that will make sure that the level of funding rises in proportion to the number of children, including those under 5. This will make sure that local authorities continue to have the flexibility to target funding where it is most needed to help children with special educational needs and disabilities and their families, including the youngest children. Further consideration will be given to funding for children with special educational needs in early years education as part of a consultation later this year.

    Local authorities are required by law to secure free entitlement places for parents that want their child to take them up. The Government is committed to ensuring that all families have access to high quality, flexible and affordable childcare and parents with children with special educational needs should have the same opportunities as other parents through access to high quality childcare. The Children and Families Act requires local authorities to have a ‘local offer’ which includes a statement on how they intend to tailor the childcare on offer for children with special educational needs and disabilities.

    Early implementation of 30 hours from September 2016 provides a real opportunity to develop innovative approaches to providing flexible childcare for working parents whose children are disabled or have special educational needs. Through Early Implementation, York, Northumberland, Newham and Wigan are among 8 LAs delivering the 30 hours entitlement from September 2016, a year earlier than planned. This will include delivering targeted places focusing on children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.

    They will also be supported by Early Implementer Innovator areas including Brighton and Hove, Hampshire and Trafford, who will test the offer and how it works under specific circumstances, including developing approaches to support children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.