Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Viscount Waverley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Viscount Waverley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Viscount Waverley on 2016-04-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of whether the budget apportioned to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is sufficient for the development of the knowledge, understanding and policy sophistication required in respect of the Islamic world.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is devoting considerable resource to strengthening the organisation’s expertise and skills, including geographical, language and other relevant expertise, such as understanding the Islamic world. The opening of the FCO’s Diplomatic Academy last year has given new impetus and structure to this work. There is a growing range of formal and informal learning in London and throughout the FCO network, including better sharing of knowledge internally and increased access to external expertise. We put time and effort into understanding political trends globally including the “Islamic” element of political Islam. Our online Foundation Level course includes a basic religious literacy module. Our diplomatic missions report regularly on trends in political Islam and our research analyst cadre provide in-depth expertise, analysis and links to academics and think tanks. The FCO’s Human Rights and Democracy Department run training courses on religion and foreign policy which serve as a practitioner level religion/foreign policy module for the Diplomatic Academy. We also offer training on contemporary Islam and its role within politics and society in various regional contexts.

  • Paul Flynn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Paul Flynn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2016-06-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if she will (a) list the titles of and (b) publish on her Department’s website all reports prepared by (i) officials of her Department and (ii) contractors for her Department since May 2015 on options for financing new nuclear power plants.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The department has retained advisers in relation to this matter, however any reports they have prepared are commercially sensitive.

  • Margaret Hodge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Margaret Hodge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Hodge on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many times his Department has used the services of (a) PwC, (b) Deloitte, (c) Ernst and Young, (d) KPMG and (e) other consulting firms in the last three financial years; and what (i) work was undertaken and (ii) the cost to the public purse was on each such occasion.

    Kris Hopkins

    The Department has used the services of (a) PwC, once in the last three financial years. This was for the provision of VAT advice. The cost to the public purse was £1,350. My department has not used the services of any other consultant firms in the last three financial years.

  • Lord Ouseley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Lord Ouseley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Ouseley on 2016-10-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact on the protection of children in care and children in need of delays in the work undertaken by the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service.

    Lord Keen of Elie

    Data collected by the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) shows that, since April 2012, the average time to complete care and supervision applications has reduced from 48 weeks to 30 weeks. These are the proceedings most commonly initiated by a local authority and Cafcass has played a key role in working with other parts of the family justice system to achieve that reduction.

    Since April 2012, Cafcass has also exceeded its targets to allocate at least 97% of the open public law care workload to an appointed Children’s Guardian, and to allocate care applications to an appointed Children’s Guardian in no more than 3 working days.

  • Diana Johnson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Diana Johnson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2015-10-30.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether it is his policy to require the new TransPennine Express franchise to include direct Hull, Leeds and Manchester services at the same frequency as is currently provided.

    Andrew Jones

    The Government recognises the value that passengers attach to direct services in preference to having to change trains.

    The specification for the new TransPennine Express franchise, which starts in April 2016, requires the future franchisee to continue to operate through services between Hull and Manchester. The Government’s response to the consultation on the new Northern and TransPennine Express franchises, published in February, made clear that decisions on the post-electrification service pattern for Hull would be taken during the life of the new franchises. In the meantime, the specifications for the new franchises will provide Hull passengers with an improved weekday evening service back from Manchester, a full hourly all-day service to/from York, and additional trains to/from Scarborough.

  • Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-11-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he expects to publish the Defence Nuclear Safety Regulator’s Annual Report for 2014-15.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The Defence Safety Authority Annual Assurance Report (AAR) 2014-15 was published on 1 December 2015. This was informed, in part, by the Defence Nuclear Safety Regulator’s AAR for 2014-15 which is expected to be published in early 2016.

  • Kevin Hollinrake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Kevin Hollinrake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Hollinrake on 2016-01-08.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make it his policy to provide tax reliefs similar to those provided to businesses that contribute to flood defence schemes to landowners and farmers who assist in managing flood risk through soil management, investment in flood defences and water storage.

    Mr David Gauke

    The Government keeps all tax policy under review. Any changes in tax policy are announced by the Chancellor at the Budget or Autumn Statement.

    At the Spending Review the Government confirmed that Defra’s £2.3bn, six-year flood defence capital programme will be protected, which will invest in over 1,500 schemes by 2021 to better protect 300,000 homes. The programme will also deliver economic benefits of £30bn in avoided damage over the next 50 years, and reduce overall flood risk in England by 5%.

    Following Storm Desmond and Storm Eva the Government has announced over £200m of funding to support households and businesses, and repair damaged flood defences and roads. Council tax and business rate relief has also been announced for affected households and firms.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-02-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what the implications for her policy on the solar power industry are of the recent European Court of Justice decision on levels of VAT.

    Andrea Leadsom

    HMRC has consulted on removing solar technologies from the list of measures that are currently eligible for the lower (5%) rate of VAT. They are currently considering the responses to the consultation, which closed on 3rd February[1].

    If it is decided that a change to VAT is appropriate, we will consider options on how to maintain a suitable rate-of-return for investors.

    [1] https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/vat-changes-to-the-reduced-rate-of-vat-for-the-installation-of-energy-saving-materials

  • Craig Mackinlay – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Craig Mackinlay – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Mackinlay on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the European Council on the use of EU funds to support travel by candidates for the post of the UN Secretary General in connection with that candidacy.

    Mr David Lidington

    We are not aware of any EU funds being used to support travel by candidates for the post of UN Secretary General and have therefore not made any representations.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-03-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he plans to take to monitor the location and use of the recently announced military equipment being given to Ukraine.

    Michael Fallon

    All equipment being gifted is non-lethal in nature, and includes night vision goggles, global positioning sets (GPS), helmets, body armour, ruggedized laptops, large tents, heating units, cold weather clothing and individual first aid kits.

    This equipment has helped save lives in contested areas in the Donbas. Given its non-lethal nature, we see no need routinely to monitor its location and usage.