UKPOL.CO.UK

Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Anna Turley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Anna Turley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anna Turley on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, on what date his Department plans to open a consultation on biofuels; and if he will take steps to ensure that that consultation addresses indirect land use change and the level of the crop cap.

    Mr John Hayes

    We plan to consult later this year on changes to the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation including steps to provide more long term confidence for producers and to address indirect land use change with options to limit the contribution from crop based biofuels.

  • Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-11-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the cost of using external agencies for recruitment to senior Civil Service posts in his Department in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

    Jane Ellison

    The Department uses external recruitment agencies to support appointments to the Senior Civil Service (SCS). The table below shows the costs of SCS appointments that have been made where a recruitment agency was involved, for each financial year since 2010/11.

    Year

    Spend

    1 April 2010 – 31 March 2011

    £45,673

    1 April 2011 – 31 March 2012

    £160,404

    1 April 2012 – 31 March 2013

    £49,275

    1 April 2013 – 31 March 2014

    £76,973

    1 April 2014 – 31 March 2015

    £68,906

    1 April 2015 – November 2015

    £7,450
  • Charlotte Leslie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Charlotte Leslie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charlotte Leslie on 2015-12-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many prosecutions there have been for tachograph violations in each year since 2010.

    Andrew Jones

    The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency takes non-compliance with drivers hour’s regulations very seriously and deals appropriately with anyone who attempts to undermine public safety by not taking the required breaks. This includes taking prohibition and prosecution action.

    DVSA is determined to tackle the small minority of operators and drivers who choose to break the rules, and it has effective measures in place to catch offenders quickly.

    DVSA carry out investigations based on intelligence and information from the public and the haulage industry, as well as conducting checks across the strategic road network, using technology such as ANPR cameras, as well as enforcement officers at the roadside and at DVSA check sites

    The figures below show the amount of prosecutions for tachograph violations in each year since 2010, with figures also included for 2008/09 and 2009/10 to provide context.

    Heavy Goods Vehicle

    2008/09

    2009/10

    2010/11

    2011/12

    2012/13

    2013/14

    2014/15

    Drivers Hours

    3,913

    2,717

    2,211

    2,346

    2,130

    2,219

    1,518

    Tacho records

    2,046

    1,391

    1,153

    1,619

    1,664

    1,831

    1,343

    Public Service Vehicle

    2008/09

    2009/10

    2010/11

    2011/12

    2012/13

    2013/14

    2014/15

    Drivers Hours

    326

    107

    87

    458

    293

    119

    149

    Tacho records

    219

    122

    58

    409

    218

    106

    148

    Light Goods Vehicle

    2008/09

    2009/10

    2010/11

    2011/12

    2012/13

    2013/14

    2014/15

    Drivers Hours

    38

    23

    43

    25

    15

    35

    33

    Tacho records

    20

    19

    25

    15

    13

    6

    20

  • Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-01-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether trade union groups based abroad will be eligible to bid for funding from the Magna Carta Fund for Human Rights and Democracy.

    Mr David Lidington

    Any individual or organisation can apply to the fund. All parties that submit bids are subject to due diligence checks to ensure they have the capacity/ability to deliver their proposed project in line with the funds objecitves. This applies to all Foreign and Commonwealth Office programme funds. Bids will be rigorously assessed against the criteria set out in our programme guidance and strategy, available online.

  • Emily Thornberry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Emily Thornberry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2016-02-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many UK civilian personnel are currently deployed on military operations; and in what capacity such personnel are deployed.

    Penny Mordaunt

    There are 84 UK civilian personnel currently deployed on behalf of the Ministry of Defence on military operations. 26 of those are deployed as UK civil servants undertaking a range of essential roles including policy, legal and scientific advice, financial and commercial services, and delivery of the Government’s ex gratia redundancy and intimidation schemes for locally employed civilians. 58 of those 84 are deployed as contractors, undertaking a range of support roles.

    In both cases, the roles are undertaken principally in Kabul and locations across the Gulf.

  • Mark Williams – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Mark Williams – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Williams on 2016-03-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what value of dairy produce was imported from each country of origin in each of the last five years.

    George Eustice

    The HMRC data has been provided on a ‘country of despatch’ basis, rather than the requested ‘country of origin’ basis, as ‘country of despatch’ trade data is considered a more accurate representation of actual levels of trade.

    The table below shows the value of dairy produce imported into the UK, for the last five years, according to HMRC trade statistics:

    £/million

    Country

    2011

    2012

    2013

    2014

    *2015

    Irish Republic

    689.1

    662.6

    767.3

    702.6

    594.1

    France

    484.2

    510.0

    559.5

    568.4

    392.0

    Germany

    286.3

    283.5

    336.5

    345.1

    241.4

    Netherlands

    169.2

    237.2

    277.2

    252.1

    187.3

    Belgium

    216.3

    209.5

    239.4

    196.0

    142.0

    Italy

    174.1

    162.4

    168.5

    174.5

    111.9

    Denmark

    214.1

    195.1

    153.1

    160.0

    70.7

    Greece

    44.8

    44.9

    53.7

    60.7

    70.2

    Poland

    28.4

    31.9

    42.0

    43.4

    41.2

    Spain

    31.8

    36.8

    44.3

    39.6

    31.9

    Cyprus

    16.3

    17.2

    20.4

    26.6

    22.2

    Others

    96.8

    95.9

    102.6

    134.7

    91.9

    Grand Total

    2,451.4

    2,487.0

    2,764.4

    2,703.6

    1,996.9

    Source: HM Revenue and Customs. Data prepared by the Food & Trade Statistics team, Great British Food Unit, Defra.

    *2015 data are subject to amendments. Totals may not add up to the sum of their components due to rounding.
  • Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-04-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 12 April 2016 to Question 32506, how many stages there are in the asylum claims process prior to screening and substantive interviews; and at what stage of that process family ties to refugees already granted asylum in the UK are considered.

    James Brokenshire

    Screening is the first stage in the asylum process after a claim has been lodged. Each claim is considered on its individual merits, usually following a substantive interview. Consideration of a claimant’s personal circumstances such as family ties to the UK will be made following the interview.

  • Stephen Doughty – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Stephen Doughty – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Doughty on 2016-05-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Answer of 15 March 2016 to Question 30727, what knowledge UK military personnel based in the command and control centre for Saudi Arabian airstrikes in Yemen had on the alleged use of cluster munitions in that conflict.

    Michael Fallon

    The UK is aware that Saudi Arabia has used cluster munitions in the current conflict in Yemen, as the Saudis have themselves publicly confirmed.

    Based on all the information available to us we assess that no UK-supplied cluster weapons have been used, nor have UK-supplied aircraft been involved in the use of cluster weapons, in the current conflict in Yemen.

  • Alan Meale – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Alan Meale – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Meale on 2016-07-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, for what reasons his Department included in the tender document to administer the Coal Workers Pneumoconiosis Scheme 1974 a requirement that all posthumous claims to that scheme be accompanied by a grant of probate.

    Jesse Norman

    There was no separate tender document for the administration of the Coal Workers Pneumoconiosis Scheme. The Department’s tender did not therefore have any bearings on the requirements under the Scheme.

    Before payments can be made under the CWPS, claims handlers must ensure that the person making the claim is entitled to do so. Provision of probate is sometimes necessary in posthumous claims to ensure that the correct person receives the compensation and also to ensure that the positions of both the estate and the taxpayer are adequately and proportionately protected against fraud.

  • Paul Flynn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Paul Flynn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2016-10-07.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether any increase in Welsh Government funding will come through the existing Barnett formula following the UK vote to leave the EU.

    Mr David Gauke

    The UK Government will guarantee EU funding for structural and investment fund projects in Wales, including agri-environment schemes, signed before we leave the EU. It will be for the Welsh Government to make an assessment of which projects should be pursued in areas of its competence, and this guarantee will apply to any such projects. The agricultural sector in Wales will receive the same level of funding that it would have received under Pillar 1 of CAP until the end of the Multi-Annual Financial Framework in 2020.

    As a result of these steps taken by the UK Government, individuals and organisations in receipt of EU funds now have a greater degree of certainty about funding over the coming years. The UK Government will work with the Welsh Government to consider future funding arrangements for once the UK has left the EU.