Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Ian C. Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Ian C. Lucas – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian C. Lucas on 2015-12-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 28 October 2015 to Question 12762, on broadband, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of repaying a proportion of the returned funds to the BBC which made an initial contribution to the project.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The clawback funding identified by BT remains available for investment by the local authorities and devolved administrations in further broadband coverage within their respective project areas. This funding has not been returned to DCMS.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether the entering into force of the agreement between the UK and EDF to proceed with Hinkley Point C is conditional on the Flamanville successfully demonstrating capability of operation; what recent conversations her Department has had with EDF about the findings of the French Nuclear Safety Authority on tests on the Flamanville EPR reactor vessel head and bottom and the implications for her policies on new nuclear power; and if she will make a statement.

    Andrea Leadsom

    My rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State’s final decision on the Contract for Difference and associated agreements for Hinkley Point C is not dependent on developments at Flamanville. The UK has its own independent nuclear regulatory regime which has assessed the reactor design proposed for use at Hinkley Point and will continue to regulate the project through construction, operation and decommissioning. As part of this, the Office for Nuclear Regulation has said that it expects EDF to apply any relevant lessons learned from Flamanville and improve its design to ensure the delivery of high standards of nuclear safety for its new nuclear power plants in the UK. DECC officials are in regular contact with EDF about both projects.

  • David Simpson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    David Simpson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2016-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of criminalising cyber bullying.

    Edward Timpson

    The Government continues to work closely with social media companies to make sure they are committed to protecting children who use social media platforms. Ministers from the Department for Education, the Department for Culture Media and Sport, and the Home Office meet quarterly with social media providers and other key stakeholders at the UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS) executive board meetings, to discuss important issues relating to child safety online, including cyberbullying.

    Recently, Ofcom led a social media working group on behalf of UKCCIS, with representation from Twitter, Facebook, Google, Ask.FM, and MindCandy. The group developed best practice guidance aimed at encouraging responsible practice from industry to ensure children using their services are able to do so in a safe and protected way. The guidance was issued by UKCISS in December 2015 and can be found on their website.

    To help schools prevent and tackle bullying, we are providing £1.3m this year (2015-16) to anti-bullying charities to tackle all forms of bullying including cyberbullying, on top of the £4m provided in 2013-15. We are also providing £2m this year (2015-16) to organisations to specifically tackle homophobic bullying, which includes cyberbullying.

    We do not want to make any form of bullying a criminal offence as to do so would risk criminalising young people. In some circumstances that may be justified, but probably only in a limited number of very serious cases, for which there are already laws in place to protect people. Internet providers, schools and parents all have a role to play in keeping children and young people safe online.

    The Government Equalities Office is funding the UK Safer Internet Centre to produce advice for schools on how to keep children safe online. This is scheduled for publication this spring.

  • Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2016-03-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what discussions his Department or its employment agency adviser had with Mr Paul Newby about actual and potential conflicts of interest prior to his appointment as the Pubs Code Adjudicator.

    Anna Soubry

    As is standard practice, Mr Newby was asked during the appointments process to declare any potential conflicts of interest.

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-04-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will take steps to ensure that the £500 million Access Fund is spent on sustainable transport projects.

    James Wharton

    The £500 million Access Fund is part of the Department for Transport’s overall contribution to the Local Growth Fund in this spending review period. As with the majority of the Local Growth Fund it is available to Local Enterprise Partnerships to bid for and spend in line with their own priorities. LEPs are already planning to spend considerably more than £500 million on sustainable transport and we would encourage them to propose ambitious sustainable transport measures in their further growth deal bids this year.

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-05-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Answer of 15 March 2016 to Question 29991, what estimate he made of the total amount local authorities have spent on delivering concessionary bus fares since 2011.

    Andrew Jones

    Figures for net current expenditure on concessionary travel in England between 2011-12 and 2014-15 (the latest for which data is available) are available in Table BUS0811b which is published on the Department’s statistics page on the GOV.UK website.

    The total net current expenditure refers to expenditure on all aspects of concessionary travel, including the statutory bus concession for older and disabled people, discretionary concessions, youth concession schemes and administrative costs.

  • Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-07-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to Office of National Statistics data, Dementia/Alzheimer’s and respiratory disease behind biggest annual increase in deaths since the 1960s, published on 7 April 2016, what assessment he has made of that data on the provision of care for people with long-term care needs.

    David Mowat

    We are ensuring that the health and care support, that people including those with long term care needs receive, helps to enable them to live healthier and longer lives. For example:

    – The 2016/17 mandate to NHS England includes objectives to improve quality of post-diagnosis treatment and support for people with dementia and their carers as well as reducing premature mortality, including reducing early deaths (i.e. deaths under 75) from respiratory illness;

    – The NHS Outcomes Framework 2016/17 sets out the Department’s priority areas for the National Health Service and includes reducing early deaths from respiratory disease;

    – We have made great strides in the number of people with dementia receiving a diagnosis. Timely diagnosis unlocks the door to appropriate care and treatment; and

    – We published the Joint Declaration on Dementia Post-Diagnostic Care and Support; signed by leaders across the health, social care, local government and voluntary sector organisations. It sets out a joint ambition to improve the quality of post-diagnostic care and defines what this should look like.

    In February 2015, we also published the Prime Minister’s Challenge on Dementia 2020 (2020 Challenge) which builds on the achievements of the Prime Minister’s Challenge on Dementia 2012-2015. It sets out that by 2020, we want to see:

    – All people with a diagnosis of dementia being given the opportunity for advanced care planning early in the course of their illness, including plans for end of life;

    – All people with dementia and their carers receiving co-ordinated, compassionate and person-centred care towards and at the end of life including access to high quality palliative care from health and social care staff trained in dementia and end of life, as well as bereavement support for carers; and

    – Greater personalisation in the provision of post-diagnosis services. This means building support around the individual with dementia, their carer and family and providing them with more choice, control and flexibility in the way they receive care and support, regardless of the setting in which they receive it.

    In March 2016, we published an Implementation Plan to support the 2020 Challenge. The Implementation Plan sets out the actions partners will take to ensure the commitments in the 2020 Challenge are delivered.

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

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

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to introduce an animal abuse register to record the names of people who have been found guilty of crimes against animals.

    George Eustice

    Convictions for offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 are recorded on the Police National Computer and are not held on a public register. The Government would be concerned about the level of access to a public register, and Data Protection Act requirements would also apply. However, police forces are exploring how access to information relating to people banned from keeping animals might be improved for local authorities and other bodies with an enforcement role.

  • Richard Arkless – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the House of Commons Commission

    Richard Arkless – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the House of Commons Commission

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Arkless on 2015-11-17.

    To ask the hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington representing the House of Commons Commission, if he will provide an update on whether there are plans for a review of security protocols for the Parliamentary Estate and what communication the Serjeant at Arms office has had with relevant government departments on increasing the security of the House and the safety of staff.

    Tom Brake

    It is a long-standing practice that we do not comment in public on the security of Parliament. However, I can assure the hon. Member that arrangements are kept under continual review and those working on the Estate are advised of any changes. If he has particular concerns the Parliamentary Security Director and the Serjeant at Arms would be happy to meet with him.

  • John Mc Nally – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    John Mc Nally – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Mc Nally on 2015-12-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what her policy is on the development of Compressed Air Energy Storage as a means of cost effectively delivering large-scale electricity storage.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The Department recognises the potential role that cost effective energy storage could play in contributing to a resilient, affordable and low carbon energy system in the UK, alongside other forms of flexibility such as interconnection and demand-side response. As such, we are investigating the potential barriers to the deployment of energy storage, including Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES). Our approach to storage policy is technology neutral; however, we recognise the potential for CAES in the UK, and we are in regular dialogue with prospective developers of new CAES projects.