Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Chris Green – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Chris Green – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Green on 2015-10-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what his Department is doing to ensure that brownfield land which may have been used by heavy industry is cleaned and prepared for house building in (a) Bolton West constituency and (b) England and Wales.

    Brandon Lewis

    We are supporting the regeneration of brownfield land through a range of measures. This includes up to £400 million to help create Housing Zones which can be used to cover the costs of land remediation, and a £1 billion fund which we intend to create to focus on unlocking homes on brownfield land for additional housing.

    We are also supporting development on brownfield sites through the existing Large Sites Programme, which provides long term loan finance and support to developers, and by releasing enough public sector land for over 150,000 homes by 2020.

    In Bolton the Homes and Communities Agency have been working with the Council and the Joint Venture ‘Horwich Vision’ since 2008 to facilitate the redevelopment of a large contaminated site – the former Horwich Loco Works for housing.

    Through the Housing and Planning Bill the Government will require local planning authorities in England to create and maintain registers of brownfield land that is suitable for housing.

  • Christina Rees – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Christina Rees – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christina Rees on 2015-10-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether it is his policy that employers will have to pay the apprenticeships levy if they do not take on apprentices.

    Nick Boles

    My Rt hon Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer will announce further details of the apprenticeship levy at the Spending Review, including the scope and rate of the levy and how it will operate with respect to the Devolved Administrations.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Jim Cunningham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2015-10-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment he has carried out of the adequacy of parking capacity across local authorities; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    Local authorities have the power and responsibility to provide adequate parking provision in their area. They are best placed to understand and ensure the parking needs of their local communities are met. It would be inappropriate for Central Government to intervene in this matter. Communities now have the opportunity to challenge local authorities’ parking policies if they think provision is inadequate. This is set out at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/right-to-challenge-parking-policies.

  • Grahame Morris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Grahame Morris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame Morris on 2015-10-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of UK slaughterhouses were inspected in each of the last five years.

    George Eustice

    All approved slaughterhouses are inspected every day they operate. Slaughterhouses are also audited a minimum of once every 12 months, with a greater frequency of audits where deficiencies have been identified during previous audits.

  • Lord Ahmed – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Ahmed – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Ahmed on 2015-10-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have provided any advice to (1) the Palestinian authorities, and (2) the government of Israel, regarding the peace plan or the two-state solution.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The UK has made clear in conversations with the Palestinian Authority and the Israeli government that the best way to achieve a just and lasting resolution that ends the occupation and delivers peace for both Israelis and Palestinians is through negotiations. However, in order to achieve this, there must be an environment conductive to peace. That is why since the start of the current violence we have spoken regularly to both the Palestinian Authority and the Israeli government, urging them to use their influence to de-escalate the tensions.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    Andy Slaughter – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Attorney General

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2015-10-23.

    To ask the Attorney General, what discussions he has had with his ministerial colleagues in the Cabinet Office on the removal from the Ministerial Code of a reference to Ministers having a duty to comply with the law including international law and treaty obligations and to uphold the administration of justice.

    Jeremy Wright

    Information relating to internal discussion and advice is not normally disclosed.

  • Mr Charles Walker – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Mr Charles Walker – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mr Charles Walker on 2014-02-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police forces in England have signed local protocols for those detained under the Mental Health Act 1983.

    Damian Green

    I understand that, as of 13 May 2014, 36 of the 39 territorial police forces in
    England – plus British Transport Police – are currently signed up to local
    protocols for those detained under the Mental Health Act 1983. The other 3
    forces report that they are in the process of agreeing such protocols with
    local partner agencies.

    The agreement of mental health protocols by local agencies is promoted at
    national level, including through the Mental Health Act 1983 Codes of Practice
    and the new national Mental Health Crisis Care Concordat, which states that:

    ‘Every area should have a local protocol in place, agreed by NHS commissioners,
    the police force, the ambulance service, and social services. This should
    describe the approach to be taken when a police officer uses powers under the
    Mental Health Act’.

    The Mental Health Crisis Care Concordat can be found at:
    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/281242
    /36353_Mental_Health_Crisis_accessible.pdf

    The Department of Health, supported by the Home Office and Mind, is encouraging
    local areas to sign-up to the principles of the Concordat, with the expectation
    that all areas in England will have signed local declarations by December
    2014. The Department of Health will publish details of the areas that have
    signed such declarations.

  • Gavin Williamson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Gavin Williamson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gavin Williamson on 2014-02-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to protect library services.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    I have been asked to reply.

    Together with other public services, local authorities are rising to the challenge of delivering and developing the library service, with many reviewing and re-shaping their library offer. Some changes have been made in response to the on-going funding environment to which all public services are making their contribution to savings. But many changes have also been made because individual authorities are looking at better ways of delivering a range of services so that they are fit for the present and the future. Details of the various developments in library services in England, including a range of innovative approaches to the task of delivering a comprehensive and efficient service are set out in the annual report to Parliament during 2012/13 and can be accessed at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/report-under-the-public-libraries-and-museums-act-1964-for-201213

    “

  • Sadiq Khan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Sadiq Khan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sadiq Khan on 2013-11-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, which contracts his Department holds with (a) Capita, (b) A4E, (c) G4S, (d) Serco, (e) GeoAMEY, (f) Sodexo and (g) Mitie; when each contract started; how much each contract is expect to cost over its lifetime; when each contract is due to end; whether there are any options in the contract for extension; whether any financial penalties have been incurred by each contractor to date; and whether each such contract has a break clause.

    Jeremy Wright

    I undertook to write to you when the information had been received.

    The table contained within Annex A details the live contracts that the Department holds with Capita, G4S, Serco, GeoAmey, Sodexo and MITIE. The table provides you with details on the start and end dates of these contracts, the estimated value of the contract as advertised when the procurement process was initiated, extension options and whether there is a break clause. Where information pertaining to any of these questions is already in the public domain, you will find for ease of reference links to the Hansard extracts.

    There are no contracts between the Department and A4E.

    The table within Annex A provides details on financial penalties where this information is already available in the public domain. To obtain this information for all the contracts listed would incur disproportionate costs.

    The details for the legacy Electronic Monitoring contracts between the Department and G4S and Serco have not been provided to you due to the ongoing criminal investigation into issues relating to these contracts.

  • Chris Leslie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Chris Leslie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Leslie on 2014-01-09.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion and value of his Department’s contracts have been let (a) under the restricted procedure, (b) by the open procedure, (c) via framework agreements and (d) via a tendering process involving the use of a pre-qualification questionnaire in each of the last three years.

    Andrea Leadsom

    Since January 2011, central government departments have been required to publish on Contracts Finder information on the tenders issued and contracts they award with a value over £10,000 (excluding VAT) (www.gov.uk/contractsfinder).

    Public Procurement Regulations require that prescribed procurement procedures are used when procurements exceed the EU contract threshold values. This legal framework helps to ensure that public procurement is conducted in a fair and open manner both within the UK and across the EU.

    Less than two percent of all contracts were let under the restricted procedure in each of the last three years.

    In 2010/11 there was one contract let under the restricted procedure. This was for actuarial support to the independent commission on Equitable Life Payments that was set up by this government to recommend how best to fairly allocate funds provided for the Equitable Life Payments Scheme (ELPS) and had a contract value of £1million.

    In 2011/12 there were two contracts let under the restricted procedure. They were (i) Corporate Financial Advice framework contract (estimated contract value of £5 million over the 2 years but no guaranteed spend)and (ii) a contract for actuarial support for (ELPS) in making fair and transparent payments to Equitable Life policyholders who suffered financial losses as a result of Government maladministration which occurred in the regulation of Equitable Life. The contract value was £5.4 million.

    The information requested for the proportion and value of HM Treasury contracts that have been let via framework agreements and where a tendering process involving the use of a pre-qualification questionnaire in each of the last three years is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.