Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Richard Burden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Richard Burden – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Statement of 10 November 2015, HCWS301, (a) how many Volkswagon vehicles have been retested to date, (b) how many such vehicles he expects to be retested and (c) what the findings were of the retest in relation to discrepancies in (i) nitrogen oxide and (ii) carbon dioxide emission figures; what recent estimate he has made of the cost of the retest programme; and if he will make a statement.

    Andrew Jones

    Two Skoda vehicles (from the Volkswagen Group), of a type identified by the manufacturer as having defeat devices fitted, have been tested. These tests were to determine the potential for a wider test programme to identify the presence of a defeat device.

    We are not planning to retest any further Volkswagen group vehicles that are known to have defeat devices fitted but the Vehicle Certification Agency will test vehicles presented by Skoda (and at Skoda’s expense) to verify that the technical solution proposed ensures that the affected vehicles operate in accordance with the regulatory requirements.

    We do not have firm numbers for these preliminary tests in relation to nitrogen oxide and carbon dioxide as they were not designed to provide absolute measurement, but to validate a test procedure for the wider programme.

    We have approved a budget of £675,000 from public funds to ensure that this important work can proceed. However, we have agreed with ministers in Germany and in France that we will collaborate to avoid duplication of testing and secure best value for the taxpayer.

  • Margaret Ferrier – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Margaret Ferrier – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Ferrier on 2015-12-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 5 November 2015 to Question 13962, when he most recently made representations to his Ethiopian counterpart on the detention of Andargachew Tsege.

    James Duddridge

    The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Philip Hammond) wrote to Ethiopian Foreign Minister Tedros on 10 December about Andargachew Tsege’s continued detention. He made clear that Mr Tsege should have access to a lawyer, and be allowed to challenge his detention through a legal process.

  • Earl Attlee – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Earl Attlee – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Earl Attlee on 2016-01-19.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many (1) SO1, and (2) SO2, staff appointments are established at the British Army Headquarters, and of those, how many are gapped or unfilled, excluding short handover periods.

    Earl Howe

    Army HQ in Andover is currently undergoing reorganisation. There are presently 221 SO1 and 375 SO2 established posts in Andover, but this includes elements of the Army that are not part of Army HQ, including Commander Field Army and parts of Personnel Support Command. Of these, seven SO1 and 13 SO2 posts are gapped. The final structure of Army HQ under the Army Command Review is not expected to be finalised until April 2016 at the earliest.

  • David Simpson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    David Simpson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much her Department has spent on reducing reoffending in each of the last three years.

    Mike Penning

    The Home Office makes an important contribution to the Government’s commitment to reduce re-offending to cut crime and make our streets safer. Integrated Offender Management provides a framework for the police working with other agencies to prevent some of the most prolific and problematic offenders from committing further crime.

    Operational policing matters are the responsibility of Chief Constables in conjunction with their Police and Crime Commissioners. The Home Office does not, however, provide specific funding for this, over and above overall central Government funding provided to the police.

  • Stella Creasy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Stella Creasy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stella Creasy on 2016-03-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations have been made by whom in her Department to the Indian government on the extradition of the person charged with the rape and murder of Michelle Samaraweera in 2009.

    James Brokenshire

    An arrest was made in this case in India in July 2011 following an extradition request from the UK. Since then, the case has been before the Indian courts.

    The Home Office continues to monitor the case through the British High Commission in New Delhi. However, the United Kingdom has no involvement in the Indian court process.

    A further hearing is due to take place in India on 21 April 2016.

  • Anne-Marie Trevelyan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Anne-Marie Trevelyan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anne-Marie Trevelyan on 2016-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people from other EU member states were in receipt of housing benefit in each of the last 10 years; and what the total cost to the public purse was of those people claiming that benefit in each of those years.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The information requested is not available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

  • Grahame Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Grahame Morris – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2016-05-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if she will bring forward proposals to give the Oil and Gas Authority powers to regulate commercial decisions in the offshore helicopter industry.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The Civil Aviation Authority regulates the offshore helicopter industry.

  • Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Lord Storey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2016-06-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what safeguards and governance arrangements have been put in place to prevent a recurrence of the situation where (1) the Principal of North East Surrey College of Technology allegedly paid her husband over £170,000 during the course of a contract with a Saudi Arabian college, and (2) the Board of Governors were unaware for over 18 months that such payments were made.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    As an independent corporation North East Surrey College of Technology is responsible for ensuring appropriate safeguards and governance arrangements are in place in relation to the corporation including subsidiary companies. The Skills Funding Agency has received a report from NESCOT and is considering whether there is any risk to public funds and if so what action should be taken.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-09-06.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to prevent the continued demolition of Palestinian homes.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We continue to raise our serious concerns over this issue with the Israeli Government at all levels. On 07 September, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Mr Ellwood) emphasised our concerns about demolitions with Israeli Defence Minister Lieberman during their meeting.

  • Lord Maginnis of Drumglass – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Maginnis of Drumglass – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Maginnis of Drumglass on 2016-10-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are planning to restrict the ability of local authorities to request information about children’s self-perception of their sexual orientation.

    Lord Nash

    The Department for Education do not require schools or local authorities to collect any information on the sexual orientation of children. Any information collected locally by schools and / or local authorities on sexual orientation for their own purposes is a matter for them to manage locally.

    The Department for Education has provided schools with guidance on complying with the Equality Act.

    The Public Sector Equality Duty, at section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, is a duty on public bodies (and others carrying out public functions) to consider, in their day to day work, the needs of people who share particular protected characteristics. This includes schools and children’s services.

    Under the Duty, public bodies must have due regard to the need to:

    • eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conducted that is prohibited under the Equality Act 2010
    • advance equality of opportunity, and;
    • foster good relations between people who share a relevant protected characteristic and those who do not.

    The Equality Duty covers the protected characteristics listed in the Equality Act, which includes age, disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.

    Guidance on complying with the Act and the Equality Duty can be found on GOV.UK (under Equality Act 2010 guidance). Earlier guidance formed under the Coalition Government has been archived on the National Archives website (under the ‘Equality Bill’ guidance). The Equality and Human Rights Commission has also issued guidance on the Public Sector Equality Duty.

    Local authorities will also have to comply with the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998 on the data they collect. The Information Commissioner’s Office state that data should only be collected if organisations have legitimate grounds for collecting and using the personal data; that they do not use the data in ways that have unjustified adverse effects on the individuals concerned; that they be transparent about how they intend to use the data, and give individuals appropriate privacy notices when collecting their personal data.