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Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • David Ward – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    David Ward – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Ward on 2014-06-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will take steps to increase the penalties for uninsured drivers.

    Jeremy Wright

    Sentencing in individual cases is entirely a matter for our independent courts and they must follow sentencing guidelines issued by the independent Sentencing Council.

    The Government announced on 12 May this year that it intends to carry out a review of the offences and maximum penalties available for a range of driving offences. This will include offences involving uninsured drivers.

  • Gordon Marsden – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Gordon Marsden – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gordon Marsden on 2014-06-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has commissioned or received any (a) internal or (b) external reports on the effectiveness of sulphur technology on maritime vessels.

    Stephen Hammond

    The Department has not had discussions with the trade unions specifically on the implementation of the sulphur rules. However, the trade unions have had the opportunity to contribute their views during the eight-week public consultation on the draft UK Regulations and the associated Impact Assessment which commenced on 29 April 2014.

    The maturity and efficacy of ship-board exhaust gas cleaning system technology was one of the key subjects under consideration when I chaired the ‘round table’ meetings of industry stakeholders in October 2012 and March 2013 to which I referred in my Answer of 17 June 2014. At those meetings, first-hand information was forthcoming from both the shipping industry and the exhaust gas cleaning system technology industry.

    The Department has engaged the European Commission about the potential impacts of the new regulations and the scope for financial support from EU sources, including finance from the European Investment Bank. The Commission has reaffirmed the possibility of support for the maritime sector through the new Connecting Europe Facility or the Trans-European Network (TEN-T) programme.

    The Department is investigating impacts on prices as part of its assessment of the impact of the draft UK Regulations.

    The Department will conduct the review at an appropriate time and not later than the timetable specified in the Regulations themselves, in accordance with normal Government practice and consistent with the principles of better regulation. It would be premature to make a commitment now concerning the precise timing of the review.

  • Lord Chidgey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Chidgey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Chidgey on 2014-06-26.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to consider (1) supporting the European Union and United Nations Development Programme in creating an operational and democratic justice system of police and judiciary in the Central African Republic, and (2) providing technical assistance to the police force, prosecution service and judiciary in that country.

    Baroness Warsi

    We continue to support the UN and other major international partners, to develop a coherent and effective strategy to improve security and justice in the Central African Republic. We will consider what support the UK might be able to provide on the basis of this strategy.

  • Philip Davies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Philip Davies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2014-06-26.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many grades there are in the Civil Service.

    Mr Francis Maude

    Arrangements for setting grades below the Senior Civil Service (SCS) are delegated to departments and not held centrally. For the SCS, grading arrangements are determined centrally by the Cabinet Office. There are four main grades in the SCS.

    To deliver a flatter structure in the Civil Service, departments are, as set out in the Civil Service Reform Plan, reviewing their structures as part of ongoing change programmes and departmental improvement plans.

  • Adrian Sanders – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Adrian Sanders – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Adrian Sanders on 2014-06-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what future foreign visits the Minister for Sport, Tourism and Equalities has planned in relation to her departmental duties; and if he will make a statement.

    Mrs Helen Grant

    A number of visits have been proposed by other government departments but I currently have no plans for any further foreign visits at this time.

  • Nic Dakin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Nic Dakin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2014-06-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will review whether the recent guidance, keeping children safe in education, distinguishes between legislation which applies to further education colleges as opposed to sixth form colleges; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Edward Timpson

    The Department for Education’s ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ guidance is clear that it applies to children under the age of 18 in both further education and sixth-form colleges.

    We are currently considering requests for clarification to the guidance as part of our implementation review.

  • Greg Mulholland – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Greg Mulholland – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2014-06-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Answer to the hon. Member for Brighton, Pavilion of 25 November 2013, Official Report, column 20W, on bovine tuberculosis, whether his Department has since commissioned any research about the safety, humaneness and effectiveness of gassing badgers.

    George Eustice

    In August 2013, we commissioned new research into alternative methods of culling badgers.

    The first step involved reviewing and updating the ‘Review of effectiveness, environmental impact, humaneness and feasibility of lethal methods for badger control’ published in 2005. The review was completed in September 2013.

    Following research carried out as a result of Lord Zuckerman’s review in the 1980s, we would not support the use of hydrogen cyanide gas due to humaneness concerns. However, we are considering potential humane alternatives.

    In October and November 2013 we carried out initial trials of nitrogen-filled foam to analyse its dispersal in an artificial sett-like environment. These trials did not involve the use of active setts or tests on live animals.

    Further research is now planned into the use of carbon monoxide as a potential sett-based means of humane culling.

  • Robert Halfon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Robert Halfon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Halfon on 2014-06-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the cost was of NHS knee replacement operations and subsequent revisions in England in the last three years.

    Jane Ellison

    The information requested is not held centrally.

    Such information as is available is from reference costs, which are the average cost to National Health Service trusts and NHS foundation trusts of providing defined services in a given financial year to NHS patients. Reference costs for acute care are collected by Healthcare Resource Groups (HRGs), which are standard groupings of clinically similar treatments that consume common levels of healthcare resource. The HRGs in the attached table therefore include the costs of other knee procedures in addition to knee replacements.

  • Frank Field – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Frank Field – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2014-06-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress her Department has made on reaching a settlement with Raytheon Systems Ltd on the e-Borders programme; and when the arbitration progress is scheduled to be completed.

    Karen Bradley

    The Home Office would like the dispute with Raytheon to be concluded as swiftly
    as possible. It is not unusual that an international arbitration of this
    complexity should take a considerable time to resolve. The Home Office has
    done everything possible to progress the Arbitration as quickly as possible.
    The evidential hearings concluded in April 2013.

  • John Denham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    John Denham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Denham on 2014-06-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what her Department’s policy in funding overseas organisations that restict their employment to members of particular faiths.

    Lynne Featherstone

    DFID works to ensure that organisations supported do not discriminate. All DFID funding is subject to pre funding Due Diligence, which includes an analysis of the robustness of the organisation’s operational and commercial systems, processes and procedures, including compliance with relevant policies, legislation and regulations on discrimination.