Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • 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 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to his Department’s press release of 13 January 2016, entitled Transport sector all geared up for winter weather, what plans his Department has to ensure safety of cyclists in the event of bad weather.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    We would advise all road users including cyclists to take extra care when cycling in wet or icy conditions. In particular when it is icy, cyclists should to stick to treated roads wherever possible.

    The responsibility for the treatment and maintenance of the road network rests with the relevant highway authority. Section 41a of the Transport Act 1980 as amended, places highway authorities “under a duty to ensure as far as is reasonably practicable, that safe passage along a highway is not endangered by snow and ice”.

    In this respect, in October last year I wrote to the leaders of all local highway authorities reminding them of their responsibilities regarding preparation for winter and the need for robust contingency plans in place to mitigate against any significant weather we may encounter over the winter period.

    The Department for Transport (DfT) also continues to play its part to ensure we stay through the 2015/16 winter season well prepared. This includes continuing to maintain a substantial national emergency salt reserve, first set up by the Coalition government, and having a robust distribution process in place, if for any reason this salt of last resort is needed to be allocated.

    The Department has also published a small amount of additional guidance for highway authorities in Local Transport Note 1/12 “Shared Use Routes for Cyclists and Pedestrians”.

  • Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale on 2016-02-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government who will represent them Government at the World Humanitarian Summit in May.

    Baroness Verma

    Decisions on who will be in the delegation will be taken nearer the time.

  • Barry Gardiner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Barry Gardiner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Gardiner on 2016-03-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether she was consulted about the decision to remove the discussion on raising EU climate ambition in light of the Paris Agreement from the European Council agenda for 17 to 18 March 2016.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The agenda for the European Council is set by the President of the European Council.

  • Rushanara Ali – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Rushanara Ali – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rushanara Ali on 2016-04-22.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of reductions in HM Revenue and Customs funding on efforts to tackle tax evasion and avoidance.

    Mr David Gauke

    In the last Parliament, more than 40 changes were made to tax law, closing down loopholes and introducing major reforms to the UK tax-system. These measures are estimated to have raised over £12 billion by the end of 2015-16.

    At Summer Budget 2015, the government gave HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) an extra £800 million to fund additional work to tackle evasion and non-compliance by 2020-21. This will enable HMRC to recover a cumulative £7.2 billion in tax over the next five years by tackling evasion and non-compliance. It is committed to raising an additional £5 billion a year through tackling tax avoidance, aggressive tax planning, tax evasion, non-compliance and imbalances in the tax system by 2019-20.

  • Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town on 2016-06-06.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to implement the findings of the Waterson Review on secondary ticketing published on 26 May as required by section 94 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    The Government is considering Professor Waterson’s Review and will publish its response in due course.

  • The Lord Bishop of Coventry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The Lord Bishop of Coventry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Lord Bishop of Coventry on 2016-07-20.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the decision by the Specialised Criminal Court in Saudi Arabia to sentence Ali Mohammed Baqir Al-Nimr, Abdullah Al-Zaher and Dawood Al-Marhoon to death by crucifixion for seeking democratic reforms in that country.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The UK opposes the death penalty in all circumstances and in every country, especially for crimes other than the most serious and for juveniles, in line with the minimum standards set out in the EU Guidelines on the Death Penalty of 2008 and the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Arab Charter on Human Rights.

    We continue to raise the cases of Ali Al-Nimr, Dawood Al-Marhoon and Adullah Al-Zaher with the Saudi authorities at the highest levels, including during the former Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond)’s most recent visit to Saudi Arabia on 29 May. We expect that Ali Al-Nimr and the two others who were convicted as juveniles will not be executed.

  • 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, what opportunities are available to households in Scotland with dynamically teleswitched meters to switch between electricity suppliers.

    David Mundell

    Households in Scotland with dynamically teleswitched meters can switch to a single-rate or an Economy 7 tariff offered by their existing supplier or by a rival supplier. At present, some suppliers may require the dynamically teleswitched meter to be replaced at a cost to the customer and they may suffer a loss of functionality. In its final report in June, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) included in its remedies an order on energy suppliers with more than 50,000 domestic customers to make all their single-rate electricity tariffs available to all existing and new domestic electricity customers with restricted meters, without requiring the meter to be replaced. Suppliers will also need to ensure these customers receive regular information on the options to switch supplier or tariff. The Citizens Advice will become a recognised provider of information and support for customers with restricted meters.

  • Owen Thompson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    Owen Thompson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Owen Thompson on 2015-11-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on the level of funding for the Big Lottery Fund.

    David Mundell

    The Scotland Office engages with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport regularly on a range of important issues, including the Big Lottery Fund. The Parliamentary under Secretary of State, Lord Dunlop, met with the Big Lottery Fund in Edinburgh on 14 September.

  • Earl Baldwin of Bewdley – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Earl Baldwin of Bewdley – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Earl Baldwin of Bewdley on 2015-12-15.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their view on the merits of reducing the concentration of fluoride in water supplies subject to fluoridation schemes from 1.0 to around 0.7 part per million, in the light of the experience of countries such as Canada, the Republic of Ireland, Hong Kong and Singapore.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    Public Health England advise that there is no current evidence from monitoring data to support a variation of the target level for fluoride in drinking water.

  • Jess Phillips – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Jess Phillips – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jess Phillips on 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, which categories of young people it is his policy will be exempt from the new restrictions to housing benefit eligibility.

    Justin Tomlinson

    Removal of automatic housing support for 18 – 21 year olds, announced in the Summer Budget 2015, will be introduced in April 2017. The Department is liaising with a range of key stakeholders as we develop the detail of the policy. Once this work has been completed we will bring forward detailed proposals.