Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Chi Onwurah – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the House of Commons Commission

    Chi Onwurah – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the House of Commons Commission

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2016-05-19.

    To ask the Rt. hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington representing the House of Commons Commission, with reference to the Answer of 21 July 2015 to Question 7713, what progress has been made on developing device independent applications for the distribution of select committee papers; and how many hon. Members have now been issued with (a) android and (b) iPad devices.

    Tom Brake

    Options for the distribution of committee papers are being explored. One option involves using a SharePoint based system to distribute committee papers and this is due to be tested with a select committee soon.

    Documents for select committees are circulated to committee members electronically, predominantly in PDF format. The PDF format can be read on a number of different devices.

    594 Apple iPads and 25 tablets of other makes have been purchased by or issued to Members’ offices in this Parliament.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-07-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the possible long-term exchange rate fluctuations resulting from the outcome of the EU referendum on the viability of the North Sea Link project; and if he will make a statement.

    Jesse Norman

    The North Sea Link interconnector is being developed by National Grid and Statnett as a commercial business. National Grid has confirmed to us that the outcome of the referendum does not affect the delivery of the project and that construction is continuing as planned.

  • Stephen Gethins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Stephen Gethins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Gethins on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans her Department has to ensure the UK fishing industry retains access to the EU market after the UK leaves the EU.

    George Eustice

    We are about to begin negotiations to realise the opportunities we have from exiting the EU, and securing access for trade will be part of our future policy work. While trade is important, having access to fishing grounds and setting appropriate catch levels are also crucial to ensuring a prosperous catching sector and sustainable management of the fish stocks; the issues are inter-related.

  • Oliver Heald – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Oliver Heald – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Oliver Heald on 2015-11-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make an assessment of the quality and rigour of checks made by locum agencies of the character and credentials of staff to be provided to the NHS or social services; and if he will make a statement.

    Ben Gummer

    Providers of regulated health and social care services must be registered with the Care Quality Commission and comply with certain fundamental standards, including those relating to the employment of fit and proper persons.

    In the National Health Service, employing organisations have the overarching responsibility for auditing and monitoring compliance of third party suppliers of temporary workers (including locum doctors) to ensure that they operate to the same level of standards in relation to undertaking pre-appointment checks as outlined by the NHS Employment Check Standards. Under the framework agreements, all external staffing providers (including contractors and agencies) are required to provide assurances that they have robust recruitment processes in place in line with the NHS Employment Check Standards.

    Care workers also routinely use agencies to secure employment or apply to care homes and care providers directly. Employers in the care sector have a duty of care to patients and their families to take all appropriate action to ensure employees have the appropriate credentials to enable them to work in the sector. In cases of direct payment, where the council pays the care-recipient directly to employ a carer, this responsibility falls to the care recipient.

  • Christopher Chope – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Christopher Chope – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2015-12-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the oral contribution of the Minister for Housing and Planning of 14 December 2015, Official Report, column 1278, if he will call in for his determination the application by Dorset County Council to grant itself planning permission for a new school on land in the green belt adjoining Marsh Lane, Christchurch, on grounds of its departing from the recently approved Local Development Plan.

    Brandon Lewis

    The County Council intends to consider the application at its planning committee on 28 January. Should it be minded to approve the proposal, the Council would then refer the application to the Secretary of State due to the scale and location of the development proposed in the Green Belt. If the application is referred, the Secretary of State would then consider whether to call in the application.

  • 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 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much has been spent on (a) maintenance of and (b) upgrade works for (i) Tornado, (ii) Typhoon and (iii) Reaper drones in each of the last six years.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The costs of maintenance and capability upgrades for Tornado, Typhoon and the Reaper Unmanned Air System, in each of the last six financial years, are shown in the table below.

    Financial year (£ million)

    2009-10

    2010-11

    2011-12

    2012-13

    2013-14

    2014-15

    Tornado: capability upgrade work

    87.2

    69.3

    33.3

    28.9

    58.2

    45.6

    Tornado: maintenance

    311.0

    303.8

    369.7

    344.2

    247.7

    184.9

    Typhoon: capability upgrade work

    0

    0

    0

    0

    66.8

    178.4

    Typhoon: maintenance

    392.7

    475.3

    499.6

    294.8

    313.1

    460.2

    Reaper: maintenance

    4.8

    4.8

    4.8

    9.8

    27.1

    23.5

    Reaper: capability upgrade work

    0.2

    0.4

    0.4

    0.6

    1.3

    1.3

    Note: Costs for all platforms are extracted from the equipment support programme budget.

  • Alex Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Alex Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the deadline is for making an application to the EU Solidarity Fund in relation to the Cumbria floods.

    James Wharton

    Applications for the European Solidarity Fund must be received by the Commission within 12 weeks of the date of first damage caused by the disaster.

  • Chris Leslie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Chris Leslie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Leslie on 2016-03-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the effect of the changes to the Disabled Students’ Allowance on the number of university applications in the forthcoming academic year.

    Joseph Johnson

    The reform of Disabled Students’ Allowances is intended to ensure higher education institutions are consistently meeting their duties to disabled students under the Equality Act, and is not expected to impact on application rates.

    The Government carried out an Equality Analysis as part of the recent consultation on reforms to Disabled Students’ Allowances. This is available online at https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/481527/bis-15-658-disabled-students-allowances-equality-analysis.pdf

  • Julian Knight – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Julian Knight – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julian Knight on 2016-04-18.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what information his Department holds on the reasons for the FCA changing its policy on whether guarantor lenders should have to issue legal default notices on borrowers before collecting money from guarantors as set in PS15/23, of September 2015, to that set in GC16/2, of February 2016.

    Harriett Baldwin

    These are matters for the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and relate to FCA Guidance Consultation (GC16/2) issued on the interpretation of provisions in the Consumer Credit Act 1974, regarding whether a default notice should be given to a guarantor before payment is taken from them when a borrower defaults. The FCA is currently considering responses to the consultation and will publish a response after considering the complex issues raised.

  • Bridget Phillipson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Bridget Phillipson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bridget Phillipson on 2016-05-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the effect of the cross-examination of survivors of domestic abuse by their abusers on the ability of such survivors to provide their best evidence in family court proceedings.

    Caroline Dinenage

    The family courts take the issue of domestic violence extremely seriously. The Child Arrangement Programme and Practice Direction 12J sets out a strong and clear framework for judges to apply to the management of difficult court room situations, to ensure they are handled sensitively for alleged victims of domestic violence and other vulnerable witnesses. All judges receive specific training on this framework and they can intervene to prevent inappropriate questions or have questions relayed. Practical protections, for example, protective screens, video links, separate waiting rooms and separate entrances are available where appropriate.