The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-01-28.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans he has to review his Department’s priorities in the next six months.
Mike Penning
My Rt Hon friend, the Secretary of State for Justice, has a clear set of priorities for the Ministry of Justice. These priorities are regularly reviewed.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2016-02-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment (a) his Department and (b) Ofcom has made of the number of (a) business parks which do not have superfast broadband and (b) businesses based in business parks which do not have superfast broadband.
Mr Edward Vaizey
In its 2015 publication Connected Nations, Ofcom estimated that 68% of SMEs had access to superfast broadband in May 2015, and almost half (around 130,000) in certain business areas were unable to receive speeds above 10Mbit/s.
The Government is supporting investment to provide superfast broadband coverage to 90% of UK premises by early 2016 and 95% by December 2017. In addition, BDUK’s Connection Voucher Scheme issued around 55,000 vouchers to businesses to enable to access Superfast broadband. However, this does not include the provision of leased lines which offer an alternative connectivity option for businesses.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Bridgen on 2016-03-22.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the effect on (a) English airports and (b) aviation connectivity of the devolution of Air Passenger Duty.
Damian Hinds
Any potential effects of Air Passenger Duty (APD) devolution are contingent on the extent of devolution in the UK and subsequent decisions made by devolved administrations and central government.
The Government is delivering the Smith Agreement by devolving APD to the Scottish Parliament. It is also considering the case and options for devolving APD to Wales, informed by a review of options to support English regional airports from potential impacts caused by its devolution.
As part of this review, HM Treasury published a discussion paper at Summer Budget 2015 exploring a number of options. We are carefully considering the evidence received from stakeholders and will respond in due course.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Aldous on 2016-04-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he plans to make a decision on how supported housing will be funded when universal credit is introduced.
Justin Tomlinson
The Department for Work and Pensions jointly with the Department for Communities and Local Government commissioned an evidence review of the shape, scale and cost of the supported housing sector.
Off the back of this evidence, we will conduct a policy review to ensure support is focused on the most vulnerable and the appropriate groups are safeguarded.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-05-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what information she holds on trends in recruitment of teachers of priority subjects in secondary schools across the UK in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.
Nick Gibb
Information on recruitment numbers can be found in Table 1c of the Main Tables: SFR46/2015 of Initial teacher training: trainee number census – 2015 to 2016, available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/initial-teacher-training-trainee-number-census-2015-to-2016
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sammy Wilson on 2016-07-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support beekeepers whose colonies are at risk from notifiable diseases.
George Eustice
I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Fermanagh and South Tyrone, on 12 July 2016, PQ UIN 41793.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Laurence Robertson on 2016-09-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether it is his policy to continue the use of energy efficiency assessments when renting out or selling domestic properties; and if he will make a statement.
Gavin Barwell
Energy performance certificates on sale, rent or build, are a requirement of the Energy Performance of Buildings Regulations, which implemented the Recast of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive in England and Wales. Until exit negotiations are concluded, the UK remains a full member of the European Union and all the rights and obligations of EU membership remain in force. Therefore the requirement for energy performance certificates will continue to apply.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Evans on 2015-10-30.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, at what intervals her Department receives accident and injury data on (a) racing and (b) retired greyhounds from (i) the Greyhound Board of Great Britain and (ii) individual greyhound tracks.
George Eustice
Under the Welfare of Racing Greyhounds Regulations 2010, there is no statutory requirement on any greyhound organisation or individual track to report any figures to Defra. The Regulations have now been in force for five years and Defra is currently undertaking a review of their effectiveness. The review is looking at the requirement on tracks to collect injury statistics and how they are then used; and the traceability of greyhounds after they have left the sport. Defra intends to consult on the initial findings of the review.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2015-11-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 31 of the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015, whether he plans for the off-shore patrol vessels being procured by his Department to be manufactured using the same supply chain as the off-shore patrol vessels under construction.
Mr Philip Dunne
As with the three Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) currently under construction, the two additional OPVs referred to in the White Paper National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence And Security Review 2015 (Cmd 9161) will be built at BAE Systems’ (BAES) shipyards on the Clyde. Decisions about the appointment of sub-contractors to the supply chain will be a matter for BAES.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-01-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of sanctions measures imposed on North Korea in the last five years; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Hugo Swire
The UN and EU sanctions measures on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) have increased the cost and difficulty to the DPRK of its efforts to fund, supply and develop their nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes.
However, these sanctions regimes would be strengthened by more rigorous implementation by all UN Member States. As the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) said following the nuclear test conducted by the DPRK on the 6 January, we are working with other UN Security Council members to ensure the international community responds robustly, including immediate work on further significant measures in a new UN Security Council Resolution.