Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2016-10-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to work with the waste and coatings industries on making better use of leftover paint.

    Dr Thérèse Coffey

    The Government has been engaging constructively with the British Coatings Federation on making better use of leftover paint, including identifying potential regulatory barriers to its recycling and remanufacture and how these might be overcome.

    The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) encourages consumers to recycle and re-use household paint by providing information through the Recycle Now website. This includes a postcode locator which helps pinpoint local Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) that accept leftover paint. The Government’s Innovation in Waste Prevention Fund has also supported a pilot paint re-use project in Cheshire involving local charities, working with HWRCs and housing associations to increase paint donation and minimise disposal. WRAP will publish a summary of the project, lessons learned and a video case study later in the year.

    In terms of public procurement, it is for each Government department to consider sustainability and put this into practice in its own procurement activity. Government Buying Standards do not currently include remanufactured paint. WRAP has recently published a guide on ‘How to Include Re-use in Local Authority HWRC Procurement’.

  • Adam Afriyie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Adam Afriyie – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Adam Afriyie on 2015-11-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the quality of education at university technical colleges.

    Nick Boles

    University technical colleges (UTCs) harness students’ talents, offering them technical learning alongside GCSEs and A levels, and providing them with knowledge and skills which employers value. The programme is still at an early stage. The best UTCs, such as UTC Reading, are providing excellent education, which is reflected in their exam results.

  • Ruth Smeeth – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Ruth Smeeth – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ruth Smeeth on 2015-12-15.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what progress the Infrastructure Commission has made in its work as it relates to Northern Ireland.

    Greg Hands

    The National Infrastructure Commission has been established to provide expert impartial analysis of the UK’s long-term infrastructure needs. To do this the commission will conduct an infrastructure needs assessment every five years, with its findings articulated in the National Infrastructure Assessment. As part of the infrastructure needs assessment the commission will review areas of Northern Irish infrastructure that are the responsibility of the UK government, and its findings will be made public once the report is completed.

  • Wes Streeting – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Wes Streeting – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Wes Streeting on 2016-01-25.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the oral contribution of the Economic Secretary to the Treasury of 19 January 2016, Official Report, column 1254, what the nature and scope is of the Financial Conduct Authority’s investigation into Symphony interbank communications software.

    Harriett Baldwin

    The FCA does not directly regulate the activities of Symphony Communication Services LLC or any other electronic messaging platform. However, firms that are authorised by the FCA who use messaging services such as Symphony are subject to a range of applicable requirements, including the recording and storage of such tapes and electronic communications. The FCA is monitoring developments in relation to the use of Symphony by FCA-regulated firms.

    The FCA is also in touch with regulated firms to monitor how they are using new technology in this area, and any risks that may exist.

    Treasury Ministers and officials meet regularly with the Financial Conduct Authority to discuss relevant regulatory issues.

    As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Treasury’s practice to provide details of all such discussions.

  • Lord Warner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Warner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Warner on 2016-02-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they intend to take to increase the percentage of GDP being spent on NHS and social care services.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The Spending Review settlement, delivered by the Chancellor on 25 November 2015, set the Department’s overall budget for the remaining years of the Parliament and the level of funding that will be available to the National Health Service. It set absolute spending totals, not spending as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product, providing certainty for financial planning over the period.

    As a result of the Spending Review, NHS funding will be £10 billion higher in real terms by 2020-21 than 2014-15. And the NHS will not have to wait until the end of the Parliament for much of this investment. We will be giving the NHS £3.8 billion more next year, over and above inflation, and almost £6 billion of the £10 billion in the first two years of the six year period. This shows that the Government has listened and responded to what the NHS has said about the profile of investment it needs to deliver the NHS’s own plan, the Five Year Forward View.

    In regards to social care, the Spending Review has shown our continued commitment to joining up health and care by confirming ongoing commitment to the Better Care Fund – making available further social care funds for local government from 2017, rising to £1.5 billion by 2019-20, which will be included in the Better Care Fund. As well as this, we are giving local government further access to the funding it needs by introducing a social care precept which could raise up to £2 billion by the end of the Parliament.

  • Roberta Blackman-Woods – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Roberta Blackman-Woods – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roberta Blackman-Woods on 2016-03-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answers of 23 February 2016 to Questions 27190, 27129, 27130 and 27131, what the nature and scope of the review of the Collective Passport Service is; which stakeholders and officials have been engaged on that review; when she plans to inform hon. Members about that review; when that review will be completed; and when the outcome of that review will be known.

    James Brokenshire

    As stated in my reply on 23 February 2016 an announcement will be made shortly.

  • Steve Rotheram – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Steve Rotheram – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve Rotheram on 2016-04-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will take steps to ensure that customers who were sold cashback warranties by PowerPlan and who did not receive their cash deposits having not claimed against those warranties receive compensation.

    Anna Soubry

    The liquidation of the companies involved in the cashback scheme is ongoing. The liquidators have the right to take action against the company if they consider the cashback scheme created an obligation to fund any liabilities.

    My hon. Friend from Grantham and Stamford is meeting the Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group to discuss their findings shortly.

  • Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Caroline Lucas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-06-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to her contribution of 4 May 2016, HC Deb Official Report, column 166, whether the unaccompanied children who come to the UK will be eligible to apply for their parents to join them under refugee family reunion rules.

    James Brokenshire

    Under the family reunion provisions in the Immigration Rules children are not eligible to sponsor parents or grandparents. Allowing them to do so would create a perverse incentive for children to be encouraged, or even forced, to leave existing family units in their countries of origin and risk hazardous journeys to the UK in order to act as sponsors. This would go against our safe guarding responsibilities.

    Our refugee family reunion policy allows a spouse or partner and children under the age of 18 of those granted refugee status or humanitarian protection in the UK to reunite with them here, providing they formed part of the family unit before the sponsor fled their country of origin.

    There is provision to grant visas outside the Immigration Rules, which caters for those who do not qualify under the rules, where there are exceptional circumstances.

  • Lisa Cameron – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lisa Cameron – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lisa Cameron on 2016-09-02.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what progress his Department has made on identifying suitable properties for the relocation of its offices to Glasgow; and if he will make a statement.

    Jane Ellison

    HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) location decisions were based on a number of key principles to enable it to deliver more for less. This included retention of its current staff and skills and local and national transport links. It does not plan to carry out an impact assessment on the local economy of East Kilbride in addition to the People Impact Assessments that have already been conducted.

    HMRC is considering a number of sites at each regional centre location, including Glasgow. More details will be available when commercial negotiations have finished.

  • Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-10-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to his Nigerian counterpart on the return of some of the Chibok schoolgirls; and what steps his Department is taking to help secure the safe return of the remaining Chibok schoolgirls.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    ​I welcome the recent release of 21 of the Chibok girls. It is vital that they and their families now receive appropriate help and support.

    We regularly raise the issue of abducted women and girls with the Nigerian Government at the highest levels. Most recently, I discussed the Chibok girls with the Nigerian Vice President during my visit to Nigeria in September.

    Since the abduction of the Chibok girls in 2014 the UK has significantly increased its support to Nigeria in the fight against Boko Haram. This includes training and advice for Nigerian armed forces deploying against Boko Haram, a substantial package of intelligence, military and development support and £5 million to support the Multinational Joint Task Force.

    We are resolute in our support for Nigeria in the fight against Boko Haram, and continue to call for the release of all who have been abducted by this barbaric group.