Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Marie Rimmer – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Marie Rimmer – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Marie Rimmer on 2016-05-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the Government’s plans are for consultation on the top-up and tariffs system that is set to operate once business rates have become fully devolved.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    The retention of business rates locally is an important part of our plan to take power out of Whitehall and return it to local government. This means we will no longer be taking local business rates income into Whitehall for redistribution as grant. All locally collected business rates will stay with local government.

    We have already been clear that we will retain redistribution within the system. We recognise that we will need to redistribute to ensure councils don’t lose out merely because they currently collect less in rates.

    The Government is currently working with the Local Government Association, and engaging directly with local authorities, to develop the detail of this change. This includes developing the mechanics of redistribution. As previously announced, we will consult later this year and implement this important change to the local government finance system by the end of this Parliament.

  • Jonathan Edwards – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Leader of the House

    Jonathan Edwards – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Leader of the House

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Edwards on 2016-06-09.

    To ask the Leader of the House, what estimate he has made of the potential cost of providing simultaneous and written translation in Welsh Grand Committees for bilingual proceedings.

    Chris Grayling

    English is and should remain the language of this House. The Government has not made a detailed estimate of the cost of providing simultaneous and written translation in Welsh Grand Committees.

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2016-09-06.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they made of Saudi Arabia’s human rights record, and its role in Yemen, before announcing that the UK would continue to sell weapons to Saudi Arabia.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The UK Government takes its arms export responsibilities very seriously and operates one of the most robust arms export control regimes in the world. All export licence applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, taking account of all relevant factors at the time of the application.

    Risks around human rights violations are a key part of our assessment against the Consolidated Criteria. We do not export equipment where we assess there is a clear risk that it might be used for internal repression, or would provoke or prolong conflict within a country, or where we assess there is a clear risk that the intended recipient would use the items aggressively against another country. Export licensing requires us to consider how the equipment will be used by the end-user. This is done by reference to all currently available and relevant information at the time of application. A licence will not be issued, for any country, if to do so would be inconsistent with any provision of the mandatory Criteria, including where we assess there is a clear risk that it might be used in the commission of a serious violation of International Humanitarian Law.

  • Nigel Evans – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Nigel Evans – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Evans on 2016-10-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what plans her Department has to increase investment in decentralised renewable energy in developing countries.

    James Wharton

    The UK Government is playing a leading role in improving energy access in developing countries. DFID has a range of programmes which are working with developing countries to ensure renewable energy markets work effectively as well as supporting energy businesses to grow, and providing consumers with access to funding to buy solar goods. For example, our Energy Access Ventures programme is investing in off-grid electric and we are delivering green mini-grid solutions across Africa.

    Through the UK Government’s Energy Africa campaign we are working with solar firms to help them access the finance they need to expand their businesses, create jobs and help reach millions of people in Africa without electricity access

  • Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2015-11-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they will consult with local authorities and Academy sponsors on what role local authorities should play as strategic commissioners when all schools in an area have become Academies.

    Lord Nash

    At present there are no local authorities where all schools have become academies and therefore the issue has not arisen.

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2015-12-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, on how many occasions a special adviser in her Department accompanied a Minister on an overseas trip since May 2015.

    Nick Gibb

    On one occasion since May 2015 a special adviser employed by the Department for Education has accompanied the Minister for Childcare and Education on an overseas visit to France.

  • Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent bilateral discussions he has had with members of the International Syria Support Group on achieving a ceasefire in Syria.

    Mr Philip Hammond

    Since the last meeting of the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) on 18 December in New York I have spoken personally to my French, US, Saudi Arabian, Turkish, Chinese and German counterparts about our common goal of achieving an end to the Syrian crisis. British officials continue to engage with their counterparts from the full range of ISSG countries and organisations over Syria. Next month we are co-hosting an international conference in London to address the appalling situation in Syria and the impact on neighbouring countries. This event will provide a further opportunity to engage with ISSG counterparts.

  • Angela Eagle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Angela Eagle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angela Eagle on 2016-02-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the change to Sunday trading laws proposed in the Enterprise Bill on employment in each region.

    Anna Soubry

    The Government has been considering the costs and benefits of changes to Sunday trading and we will be publishing the Impact Assessment shortly.

  • David Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    David Jones – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Jones on 2016-03-02.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions (a) he and (b) ministers of his Department have had with their Welsh Government counterparts on the potential benefits to North Wales of the Northern Powerhouse.

    Greg Hands

    Ministers from the Treasury and Wales Office regularly meet with members of the Welsh Government. The Rt. Honourable Member is right to recognise that north Wales is well positioned to play an integral role in the Northern Powerhouse. The UK Government wants to work with the Welsh Government and partners like the Economic Ambition Board to improve productivity and drive further growth in the region.

  • Douglas Carswell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Douglas Carswell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Carswell on 2016-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will make an assessment of the effectiveness of her Department’s programmes in the eight districts of the Central Region of Uganda in preventing the spread of malaria.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    DFID works with UNICEF in the Central Region of Uganda on a programme to prevent the spread of malaria. As part of this, the Integrated Community Case Management programme is improving access to testing and treatment for children under five with high fever. This is an important intervention in preventing the spread of malaria and reducing deaths related to malaria and other treatable diseases.

    Results from the 2014-15 internationally recognised Malaria Indicator Survey showed that the prevalence of malaria in children in the central region where the eight districts are located had reduced from 39.1% in 2009 to 10.5%. This is largely as a result of targeted interventions including the programme funded by DFID and implemented by UNICEF.