Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2016-06-06.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they are making to the government of Ivory Coast about the number of prisoners being held for political reasons following the elections of 2010; what responses, if any, they have had; and whether they are in touch with local Roman Catholic bishops about that issue.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The UK has worked closely with the UN Special Representative for Côte D’Ivoire, and international partners to ensure that, as part of the national reconciliation process, those held in detention since the 2010/11 post-electoral crisis without formal criminal charges, or no charges to answer, were released. We welcome President Ouattara’s release of the final 3,100 such prisoners in January 2016. A further 265 prisoners remain on remand: all have been charged with criminal offences committed during the crisis. Following the visit of the UN Special Representative of the UN Secretary General to Abidjan Prison on 10 June and subsequent meeting with President Ouattara, the Justice Minister has given an assurance that the trials will be completed by the end of December 2016. The UK continues to urge for the trials to be held in a timely manner.

    To promote national reconciliation, the UK and other international partners continue to press for the Government of Cote d’Ivoire to ensure that all parties responsible for human rights abuses and violations of international humanitarian law are brought to justice, no matter what their political affiliation. Whilst local Roman Catholic bishops have not directly contacted us, officials from our Embassy in Abidjan will engage with them on this issue.

  • Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Hunt of Kings Heath – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2016-07-20.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the scope of the Cost Effectiveness Methodology for Immunisation Programmes and Procurements working group has shifted from its original purpose, and if so, why.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    No, the Terms of Reference have not changed.

  • Paul Monaghan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    Paul Monaghan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Monaghan on 2016-10-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many households in (a) Scotland and (b) the Highland area of Scotland have their electricity supplies controlled by dynamically teleswitched meters.

    David Mundell

    We do not hold information on how many households in Scotland and the Highland area of Scotland have their electricity supplies controlled by dynamically teleswitched meters. In Ofgem’s response to the Competition Markets Authority’s Notice of Remedies published in August 2015, it was estimated that there were 160,000 households across Great Britain with dynamically teleswitched meters in operation at the end of 2014.

    The Competition Markets Authority’s Notice of Remedies is available online at:

    https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/561e1fbaed915d39bc000013/Ofgem__revised_with_additional_material_.pdf.

  • John Spellar – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    John Spellar – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Spellar on 2015-11-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many (a) passenger vehicles, (b) vans, (c) public service vehicles and (d) heavy goods vehicles are licensed; and how many vehicles in each such category (i) use petrol, (ii) use diesel and (iii) are hybrid.

    Andrew Jones

    The numbers of licensed vehicles in the categories requested are shown in the table below.

    Licensed vehicles of selected types of propulsion type in the UK as at 30 June 2015

    Vehicle Body Type

    Petrol

    Diesel

    Hybrid

    Other

    Total

    Passenger Vehicles

    1906892

    11592134

    22382

    5956

    30944434

    Vans

    1414

    3518023

    122

    14328

    3673873

    Public Service Vehicles

    4851

    164107

    1

    504

    169463

    Heavy Goods Vehicles

    2537

    498816

    0

    1085

    502438

    Notes:

    1. Vehicle types shown are based on the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency vehicle body type definitions:

    Passenger vehicles = cars; Vans =Light Goods with a gross weight of up to and including 3.5 tonnes; Heavy Goods Vehicles = Goods vehicles with a gross weight of over 3.5 tonnes;

    Public Service Vehicles = Buses and Coaches (including minibuses with 9-16 seats)

    2. Hybrid vehicles may be under-recorded for Public Service Vehicles and Heavy Goods Vehicles: other includes gas and electric

  • Eilidh Whiteford – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Eilidh Whiteford – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Eilidh Whiteford on 2015-11-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of people in the social housing sector in Scotland will be affected by changes to the levels of housing benefit; and what the cost of such changes will be to the average household in Scotland.

    Justin Tomlinson

    This policy was introduced because in some areas, increases in social rents have outstripped the increase in private rents.

    The policy to cap social sector rents at the relevant Local Housing Allowance rate for the area from April 2018 only applies to a new tenancy or a tenancy that is renewed after April 2016. As such it isn’t possible to accurately estimate the proportion of those in receipt of Housing Benefit in the social sector that will be affected by this policy, as it relies on the choice of those taking out new tenancies.

    The Discretionary Housing Payment scheme will be available to Local Authorities to protect the vulnerable.

  • David T. C. Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    David T. C. Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David T. C. Davies on 2016-01-11.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the previously published Carbon Price Support rates of £30t/CO2 in 2020 and £70t/CO2 in 2030, at 2009 prices, remain in place.

    Damian Hinds

    CPS rates have been capped at £18/tCO2 until 2019/20. An announcement on the rates beyond 2019/20 will be made in due course.

  • David Burrowes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    David Burrowes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Burrowes on 2016-01-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if his Department will update its travel checklist to include advice and warnings about the danger posed by carbon monoxide when travelling abroad.

    James Duddridge

    While the number of consular cases involving British nationals affected by carbon monoxide poisoning overseas is low, this remains a concern. The travel industry has an important role to play in addressing this issue, including through communications, although care must be taken to ensure the onus is not placed entirely on the traveller. Holiday providers should provide a safe environment without requiring holidaymakers to, for example, carry carbon monoxide alarms. In the UK, the energy industry is providing important advice to the public on carbon monoxide poisoning through its ‘Be Alarmed’ campaign. Our foreign travel checklist on the GOV.UK website signposts travellers to their advice.

  • Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what guidance his Department issues to senior civil servants attending events organised by hon. Members of the Government party.

    Matthew Hancock

    All civil servants are subject to the requirements of the Civil Service Code and Civil Service Management Code. Further guidance on attendance at external events including those organised by political parties can be found in the Directory of Civil Service Guidance (vol 2).

  • Debbie Abrahams – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Debbie Abrahams – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Debbie Abrahams on 2016-03-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 29 February 2016 to Question 28404, on Independent Living Fund, if he will publish (a) the timescale and (b) the terms of reference of the research which the Government plans to conduct.

    Justin Tomlinson

    We have completed the planning for researching the impact of the ILF’s closure; we will publish the findings when the research is complete.

  • Caroline Ansell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Caroline Ansell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Ansell on 2016-04-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps she is taking to support the solar industry in the South East; and if she will make a statement.

    Andrea Leadsom

    Government recognises the significant role that solar deployment under the Feed-in-Tariffs (FITs) has played in engaging non-energy professionals in the electricity market, and the role that small-scale generation can play in the future energy mix. We therefore decided to keep the FITs scheme open in order to support the solar industry on a path to subsidy-free deployment.

    Some 91,000 solar installations directly supported by FITs have been undertaken in the South East, providing 425 MW of generating capacity.

    The new tariffs we’ve introduced will provide appropriate rates of return within a capped budget, encouraging further solar deployment whilst providing significantly better value for money to bill payers.