Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Sadiq Khan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Sadiq Khan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sadiq Khan on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much No. 10 Downing Street paid to (a) G4S, (b) Serco, (c) Sodexo, (d) GEOAmey, (e) Capita, (f) Atos, (g) Mitie, (h) Working Links, (i) A4E, (j) MTC Amey, (k) GEO Group and (l) Carillion in (i) 2010-11, (ii) 2011-12, (iii) 2012-13 and (iv) 2013-14.

    Mr Francis Maude

    The Prime Minister’s Office and the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office are an integral part of the Cabinet Office.

    As part of my department’s transparency programme, any spend over £25,000 is available on the Department’s website. Since January 2011, all contracts over £10,000 in value are published on Contracts Finder (http://www.contractsfinder.co.uk/).

  • Ivan Lewis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Ivan Lewis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ivan Lewis on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Regional Air Connectivity Fund has been used to support air links to and from Northern Ireland since that fund was created.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Regional Air Connectivity Fund has not currently been used to support air links to and from Northern Ireland.

    The fund can be used maintain existing domestic air connectivity to London where there is a risk that an existing link may be lost, and to provide financial support to develop new routes from airports of less than five million passengers per year.

    Northern Ireland is well-connected by air to London with over 18,000 flights per year between the two Belfast airports and the five main London airports, carrying over two million passengers. The first use of this fund was announced earlier this summer to protect the air route between Dundee and London through a Public Service Obligation.

    With regards to providing Start-up aid for new routes, the Department for Transport is working with the Treasury to develop guidance that will clarify how the Government will expect to interpret the European Union State aid guidelines on start-up aid for new air routes. The Department for Transport expects to publish this guidance in the autumn.

  • Chuka Umunna – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Chuka Umunna – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chuka Umunna on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what discussions took place between (a) Ministers in his Department, (b) officials, (c) the Financial Adviser to HM Government and (d) the banking syndicate working on the privatisation of Royal Mail with priority investors on the length of time shares in the privatised business would continue to be held.

    Matthew Hancock

    We did not seek assurances from priority investors on the length of time that they would hold the Royal Mail shares that they bought.

    Our intention was to ensure that RM started out with a core of long-term, stable investors who understood the business, along with some hedge fund participation to ensure liquidity in the aftermarket. We achieved that.

    We did not expect the shareholder register to remain static. Some investors have sold their shares, presumably because the share price reached their target price. Others have bought shares. There is still a wide range of views on the value of this company.

  • Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Robertson on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when Military Aviation Authority Regulatory Article 1210 replaced Ministry of Defence Business Procedure 1201 with regards to air safety.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    Military Aviation Authority (MAA) Regulatory Instruction 02/11, issued on 28 January 2011, mandated a Risk Management framework to support Aviation Duty Holder decision making and replace existing procedures. This was superseded by Regulatory Article 1210 on 1 August 2011.

  • Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when his Department first learnt of the installation by Volkswagen of software to distort emissions tests on diesel vehicles; and what steps he took in response to that information.

    Andrew Jones

    The government first became aware of the installation of software fitted to Volkswagen vehicles to distort emissions tests following the announcement of the US Environmental Protection Agency investigation in the US on 18 September 2015.

    In response, the Vehicle Certification Agency, the UK regulator, has started investigations to establish whether this affects other manufacturers.

    As part of this work they will re-run laboratory tests where necessary and compare them against real world driving emissions.

    The government have called on the EU to conduct a Europe wide investigation into whether there is evidence that cars here have been fitted with illegal defeat devices.

  • Carolyn Harris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Carolyn Harris – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Carolyn Harris on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the (a) capacity and (b) skills of Jobcentre Plus staff to provide appropriate support to disadvantaged parents.

    Priti Patel

    The support available to vulnerable and disadvantaged claimants is tailored to meet their individual needs, helping to overcome barriers that might make finding a job more difficult.

    Jobcentre Plus staff are provided with the skills and knowledge required to support a range of claimants with a diverse set of circumstances, and to respect each individual’s needs.

    Each member of staff works with their line manager to assess their individual skills and ensure they deliver high levels of competence and professionalism, including identifying additional training needs.

    This approach encourages continuous improvement and skills growth to meet the full range of customer needs.

  • Stephen Doughty – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Doughty – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Doughty on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many liability orders issued by the Child Support Agency (CSA) for the non-payment of child maintenance resulted in (a) bailiffs acting on the CSA’s behalf, (b) a county court third-party debt order, (c) an order of disqualification and (d) a warrant of commitment.

    Priti Patel

    The Department records statistics on the number of instances of different types of enforcement actions and publishes these in the Quarterly Summary Statistics. This information is set out on Page 41 of the Child Support Agency quarterly summary of statistics which can be accessed online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/child-support-agency-quarterly-summary-of-statistics-june-2015.

    Note:

    A County Court third-party debt order was the enforcement action used prior to the introduction of Regular and Lump Sum Deduction Orders.

  • Chris Stephens – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Chris Stephens – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Stephens on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 14 September 2015 to Question 9035, which properties are shared by his Department in flexible delivery locations; and which of these properties are shared with (a) local authorities, (b) the Scottish Prison Service, (c) third sector and other voluntary organisations and (d) other private or public sector organisations.

    Justin Tomlinson

    Our current Flexible delivery locations are attached. The majority of these do not constitute full time locations but are used on a part time basis as agreed locally. Due to that local agreement the number does fluctuate. In addition to the sites listed in the attached, we have one site currently working in partnership with Aberdeenshire Council with the intention of progressing to full co-location of all JCP services in Banff Local Authority premises in the near future.

  • 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 2015-10-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the decision by the Supreme Court in Saudi Arabia to uphold the sentencing of Ali Mohammed al-Nimr, who was arrested as a juvenile, to death by crucifixion for seeking democratic reforms in that country.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The British Government is very concerned about the case of Ali Mohammed Al-Nimr. We have raised this case with the Saudi Arabian authorities at a senior level including by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond). We will continue to follow this case closely. The UK opposes the death penalty in all circumstances and in every country, especially in cases which do not meet the minimum standards defined by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. This includes the execution of a minor and the use of the death penalty for a crime which isn’t deemed “the most serious”.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2015-10-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, or other similar bodies, will be sending official observers to the general election on 1 November in Turkey; and if not, why not.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The British Government has already deployed 2 Long Term Observers to Turkey to join the 18 other Long Term Observers in the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Limited Election Observation Mission for the early parliamentary elections in Turkey scheduled for 1 November 2015.

    Delegations from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) and from the Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE will also observe the elections in Turkey on 1 November.