Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Lord Soley – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Soley – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Soley on 2015-10-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the potential to reduce aviation emissions through improved air traffic management.

    Viscount Younger of Leckie

    The UK has set targets for the next five years for air traffic management aimed at reducing flying times and therefore aircraft emissions. These are in line with the environmental target contained within the EU performance scheme. In addition UK industry is actively involved in the Single European Sky ATM Research (SESAR) programme which is developing new technology and operational procedures that will lead to further improvements in this area. This includes the implementation of the Civil Aviation Authority’s Future Airspace Strategy which has the need to reduce aviation emissions as a key objective.

  • The Lord Bishop of Coventry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The Lord Bishop of Coventry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Lord Bishop of Coventry on 2015-10-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the freedom of religious minorities in Saudi Arabia to practise their religion or belief in private.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The British Government strongly supports the right to freedom of religion or belief, which is restricted in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is a Muslim country in which Islamic law is strictly enforced and the public practice of any form of religion other than Islam is illegal. However, the Saudi authorities do accept foreign workers privately practising religions other than Islam. These restrictions on freedom of religion or belief reflect widely-held conservative social values in Saudi society. The Saudi authorities are encouraging reforms but at a pace that is acceptable to its society.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-10-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether his Department has reviewed the adequacy of financial support for students with disabilities; and if he will make a statement.

    Joseph Johnson

    Disabled Students’ Allowances are available to help meet the additional costs that a disabled student is obliged to incur, in relation to their study, by virtue of their disability.

    Disabled Students’ Allowances, along with all other types of student support, are reviewed before laying the annual student support regulations.

  • George Kerevan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    George Kerevan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by George Kerevan on 2015-10-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will bring forward proposals to assist SMEs with higher labour costs by 2020 under the National Living Wage.

    Nick Boles

    The Government is reducing Corporation Tax to 19% from 2017-18 and then to 18% from 2020-21; setting the Annual Investment Allowance at a new permanent level of £200,000; and increasing the Employment Allowance by £1,000 to £3,000 from 2016-17. The increase in the employment allowance means a business could employ four people on the National Living Wage and pay no National Insurance Contributions.

  • 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.