Tag: Parliamentary Question

Matthew Pennycook – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Pennycook on 2016-09-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans he has to review the 2020 deadline for the rollout of smart meters to 100 per cent of UK households after delays to the DCC go-live date.

Jesse Norman

Energy Suppliers are required under licence conditions to take all reasonable steps to install smart meters in all of their domestic customers’ premises, and smart or advanced meters in smaller non-domestic sites, by 31 December 2020. There are no plans to amend this obligation.

01/01/2023
Lord Touhig – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Touhig on 2015-11-10.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what recent assessment they have made of morale in the Defence Medical Services.

Earl Howe

The Defence Medical Services (DMS) Continuous Attitude Survey (CAS) was completed in June 2015 and contained specific questions about morale.

The survey included a question to personnel asking "What is the level of morale like where you work?" 35% of respondents reported that the level of morale is either ‘high’ or ‘very high’ with 34% reporting it as ‘neutral’.

The results of the CAS have been considered by the Surgeon General and DMS Board.

01/01/2023
Norman Lamb – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Norman Lamb on 2015-12-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to (a) increase the rate of consent to deceased organ donation and (b) measure changes in attitudes towards deceased organ donation with regular public surveys.

Jane Ellison

The ‘Taking Organ Transplantation to 2020: A UK strategy’, published in July 2013, set out our plans for the United Kingdom to be among the best in the world for organ donation and transplantation. It also highlighted an aim to increase the consent/authorisation rate to donation and to make donation an accepted part of end of life care. Progress is measured through registration on the NHS Organ Donor Register and through actual donor numbers. NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) the organ donation organisation for the UK evaluates the effectiveness of its communications in raising awareness, and having a positive impact on public perceptions of deceased organ donation, through regular tracking research.

NHSBT is taking a number of steps to improve the rate of consent to deceased organ donation. As part of the behaviour change communication strategy, NHSBT has stressed in publicity and promotional material the important role conversations about organ donation within families have in improving consent rates. Families are encouraged to discuss organ donation, to talk about their decisions and to join the organ donor register. This includes the newly designed organ donor card. The message during National Transplant Week this year was the need to have conversations with families about donation.

01/01/2023
Robert Flello – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Flello on 2016-01-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the scenarios and charges in the Removal, Storage and Disposal of Vehicles Regulations 2008 were last reviewed to ascertain whether they should be updated.

Mike Penning

The current scenarios and charging regime in the Removal, Storage and Disposal of Vehicle Regulations dates from 2008, when a table of varying rates for different prescribed scenarios replaced the previous flat rate charge in place since 1989. The Government keeps these scenarios and charges under regular review. Currently, there are no plans to change this.

01/01/2023
Chris Stephens – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Stephens on 2016-02-09.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assurances HM Revenue and Customs obtains from its potential contractors and suppliers on the level of their compliance with UK tax obligations.

Mr David Gauke

Prior to engagement, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) require a new contractor or supplier to provide their tax details, and to agree to HMRC performing revenue compliance checks throughout the procurement process, using information from its own records and taking appropriate action where required in line with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015.

Contracts for such engagements include clauses requiring that at all times the contractor or supplier shall comply with all statutes and regulations relating to direct or indirect taxes, and that failure to comply may constitute a material breach of the contract.

01/01/2023

Emily Thornberry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2016-03-01.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many new recruits who have joined the Army Reserve since 1 April 2015 have (a) started and (b) finished phase (i) one and (ii) two training.

Mr Julian Brazier

Both Reserve and Regular recruits undertake initial Phase 1 training in order to become effective soldiers and then proceed to Phase 2 training, where they receive the specific training they need to carry out their defined role. On successful completion of Phase 2, they join the Army Reserve Trained Strength.

For Reserve recruits, Phase 1 initial training consists of two components; Phase 1(A) is delivered as a single week long course or over four weekends. Phase 1(B) is a 15.5 day long course. Phase 2 role-specific training courses are delivered over one period not exceeding 16 days.

Army Reserve recruits are expected to commence Phase 1 training as soon as possible after enlistment. However, factors such as arranging time off work, exam attendance, family commitments, injury or medical clearance can delay a recruit from starting Phase 1 training. Some new soldier entrants are enlisted at risk whilst waiting to be declared medically fit. These entrants are described as Phase 0.

Army Reservists are required to attend at least one period of annual continuous training per year not exceeding 16 days. It is therefore expected that Army Reservists will complete Phase 1 during their first year of service and Phase 2 during their second year of service. Some Army Reservists however are able to complete Phase 1 and Phase 2 training during their first year of service, as demonstrated by the information in the table below concerning the 2015 entrants.

The figures in the table below are as at 1 January 2016 and have been rounded to the nearest 10.

	January-December 2015	April- December 2015
New Entrants to the FR20 Army Reserves	3,640	2,740
Phase 0/Phase 1 Trainee	2,700	2,250
Phase 2 Trainee (completed Phase 1)	500	280
On Trained FR20 Strength (completed Phase 2)	310	130
Left Army Reserves	140	70

01/01/2023

Julie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julie Cooper on 2016-04-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to paragraph 1.89 of the Budget 2016, when she expects Sir Nick Weller’s report into transforming education across the Northern Powerhouse to be published.

Mr Sam Gyimah

The allocation of this funding will depend on the identified need and will be reassessed each year, based on the evidence. We intend to build on the Department’s strategy for Achieving Excellence Areas, as identified in our recent White Paper.

Decisions on allocation of funding for the 16-17 financial year will be made by the autumn of this year and will be informed by the emerging findings of the review by Sir Nick Weller.

We will be publishing the terms of reference for Sir Nick Weller’s report in due course.

01/01/2023
Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-05-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the financial value of pollinators to the economy; and if she will make a statement.

George Eustice

I refer the hon. Member to the reply previously given on 18 January 2016, PQ UIN 22302.

01/01/2023
Oliver Heald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Oliver Heald on 2016-06-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of her Department’s work in South Sudan.

Mr Nick Hurd

In 2016 DFID support in South Sudan has contributed to 2.3 million people receiving life-saving humanitarian assistance. Our education programmes have enabled 120,000 girls to complete primary education and provided 9.2 million textbooks. DFID’s Health Pooled Fund has provided primary care treatment to 8.7 million people.

01/01/2023
David T. C. Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Trade

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David T. C. Davies on 2016-09-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether his Department has made an assessment of the adequacy of the memorandum of understanding signed between the Regeneration Investment Organisation and Aventa Capital.

Greg Hands

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is a high-level arrangement, which is not legally binding, and enables the participants to work together toward a desired outcome. Between the period April 2014 to October 2015, the Regeneration Investment Organisation (RIO) negotiated MoUs with seven companies. Only one of those MoUs remains in place.

Aventa is a regeneration investor and comprises a regulated asset management company and a vehicle for managing early stage development and construction risk. The Regeneration Investment Organisation and Aventa Capital MoU was developed in October 2014 to support Aventa’s work in seeking to develop a regeneration fund and thereby encourage institutional investment into UK regeneration projects. The Department felt the proposal covered by the MoU was viable given Aventa’s sector and management experience.

There was no commitment on the part of RIO to provide any capital or resource in connection with the agreement. In addition, any recommendation from Aventa would have been reviewed and subjected to due diligence by the developer as a commercial partner. The MoU was concluded, by mutual agreement, following meetings with officials during December 2014.

01/01/2023