Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Nicholas Brown – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Nicholas Brown – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Brown on 2015-10-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the effect of his proposed changes to business rates on (a) the North East, (b) the North East Combined Authority area and (c) Newcastle upon Tyne local authority area.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    The Government intends to move to 100% business rates retention in England by the end of this Parliament. We have confirmed that as part of the new system there will continue to be redistribution of local tax revenue between authorities and protections in place for authorities that see their business rates income fall significantly. Over the coming months we will be working with local government on the details of the scheme.

    Ahead of final decisions, it is too early to assess what the impact will be on individual areas or authorities, but before the start of the financial year, local authorities in the North-East estimated that the total business rates income for 2015-16 would be £854.58 million.

  • Chi Onwurah – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Chi Onwurah – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2015-10-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the level of mobile telephone coverage available to train passengers in tunnels; how that matches his Department’s coverage targets; whether his Department classifies such coverage as in-building coverage; and what steps he is taking to improve that coverage.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The Department for Transport is leading work on improving mobile coverage on the rail network and my department is working closely with them. A joint Call for Evidence was issued in June and responses received are currently being analysed.

    This complements the ongoing improvements to mobile coverage arising from the Government’s landmark agreement with mobile network operators in 2014, to provide coverage to 90% of the UK landmass, and the licence obligation on Telefonica to provide indoor 4G coverage to 98% of UK premises by 2017.

  • Mary Creagh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Mary Creagh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mary Creagh on 2015-10-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will assess the costs and benefits of the EU Water Framework Directive to the UK economy.

    Rory Stewart

    Implementation of the Water Framework Directive within the UK is a devolved matter. In England, the Environment Agency’s 2014 consultation on updating the 2009 River Basin Management Plans considered a scenario in which around 75% of waters would reach good status or good ecological potential by 2027 (or later where natural recovery times are an issue). It estimated the benefits of achieving this to be £21 billion (present value), with costs of £12 billion.

    The Environment Agency will shortly be submitting its updated proposed River Basin Management Plans with revised estimates of the costs and benefits to the Secretary of State, for consideration with a view to their approval and publication by the end of the year.

  • Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-10-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to make activated charcoal available on the NHS to treat (a) alcoholism and (b) obesity.

    Jane Ellison

    It is for individual clinicians to make decisions on appropriate evidence based treatment together with the patient, taking into account any relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance.

  • Oliver Heald – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Oliver Heald – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Oliver Heald on 2015-10-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the Answer of 3 December 2014 to Question 216204, what progress the working group on vaginal tapes and mesh has made concerning transvaginal mesh implants; and if he will make a statement.

    George Freeman

    The working group on vaginal tapes and mesh is now finalising its interim recommendations which NHS England expects to publish in November 2015, subject to its internal governance processes.

  • Danny Kinahan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Danny Kinahan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Danny Kinahan on 2015-10-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps she is taking to tackle the blockage of foreign aid to Nepal across the Indian border.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    We are deeply concerned about the impact of the border blockages and resulting fuel crisis in Nepal. This has affected all sectors of the economy and has affected the humanitarian relief effort and the supply of reconstruction materials.

    The UK has urged all parties to resolve their differences through peaceful dialogue. I issued a statement on 13th October expressing concern that much needed humanitarian supplies are yet to reach many people still living in temporary shelter.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Andy Slaughter – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2015-10-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether the closure of Just Solutions International and termination of all contracts and bids with Saudi Arabia breaks any agreement in the Memorandum of Understanding.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    No. The Memorandum of Understanding and the bids submitted by JSi are entirely separate and there is no link between the two.

  • Greg Mulholland – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Greg Mulholland – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2015-10-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure that the location of the new HS2 station in Leeds is decided with a view to accommodating HS3/Transnorth in future.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Government and Transport for the North are working to deliver the Northern Transport Strategy, which recognises that the Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) Programme must complement HS2’s transformative north-south connectivity with radically improved east-west connections, multiplying and sharing the benefits across the North. The Government and TfN are working closely together to ensure that HS2 and proposals for NPR are complementary and integrated and this includes plans for Leeds station.

  • Caroline Flint – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Caroline Flint – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Flint on 2015-10-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of people in work expected to be in receipt of universal credit currently receive less than the proposed National Living Wage.

    Priti Patel

    DWP does not have estimates of the salaries of people who are forecast to be on Universal Credit in the future.

  • Martyn Day – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    Martyn Day – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Martyn Day on 2015-10-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what assessment he has made of progress in meeting the recommendations of the Smith Commission; and if he will make a statement.

    David Mundell

    I refer the hon Gentleman to the answer I gave earlier today to his hon Friend, the member for Lanark and Hamilton East.