The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anna Turley on 2015-11-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what discussions he has had with the Prime Minister about the value of the Government support package for people affected by the closure of the SSI Steelworks in Redcar.
Anna Soubry
The package, worth up to £80 million, announced to support former SSI workers and the Tees Valley economy more broadly was agreed across Government.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Lucas on 2015-12-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what estimate she has made of the proportion of existing fossil fuel reserves that are (a) unburnable under a scenario of keeping temperature increases to below two degrees C and (b) unburnable; and what her policy is on the proportion of primary energy supply (i) in the UK, (ii) globally that should come from oil and gas in (A) 2030 and (B) 2050; and if she will make a statement.
Andrea Leadsom
The International Energy Agency has suggested that around a third of global fossil fuel reserves are burnable under a 2°C scenario.
In the UK, we are committed to implementing the Wood Review recommendations to maximise economic recovery of oil and gas in a way that is compatible with our climate change targets. Maximising recovery both in terms of increasing efficiency of production, as well as increasing levels of production of the UK’s oil and gas, will help maintain security of supply as well as boost growth and jobs.
This Government remains committed to the Climate Change Act and to meeting our climate change target of an 80% emissions reduction by 2050. This will mean reducing the amount of fossil fuels we use – through improved energy efficiency and increased supplies of low carbon energy – as well as reducing other sources of emissions. As part of our efforts to reduce emissions I have already announced that the Government will consult on proposals to end coal power generation by 2025 and restrict its use from 2023.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Hollobone on 2016-01-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the security situation in the Sinai and its impact on the military capability of Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Penny Mordaunt
The Egyptians have been carrying out operations against violent extremists in the Sinai since late 2013. We understand that as part of those operations the Egyptian Armed Forces have destroyed the majority of the tunnels between Sinai and Gaza. This is likely to have reduced significantly the smuggling of weapons to Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2016-02-01.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what discussions (a) the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and (b) the Paymaster General have had with representatives of (i) the Food and Drink Federation, (ii) Coca-Cola, (iii) PepsiCo and (iv) the British Soft Drinks Association.
Matthew Hancock
Details of Ministers’ meetings with external organisations are published on a quarterly basis and can be found on Gov.uk.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Chapman on 2016-02-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 16 February 2016 to Question 26667, whether HMS Defender tracked the Iranian UAV that was reported to have flown in close proximity to the USS Harry S Truman; and what reports he has received on other instances of Iranian UAV activity in the Persian Gulf.
Penny Mordaunt
I am withholding information on the operational activity of Royal Navy ships and on what operational reports Ministers receive as their disclosure would or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2016-04-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people who had their entitlement to the personal independent payment enhanced mobility rate removed and then reinstated on appeal were required to return a mobility vehicle or aid before that reinstatement in 2014-15.
Justin Tomlinson
The Department does not routinely collect information on the numbers of people who have had to return a Motability vehicle nor on whether they were successful on appeal. Motability is an independent charitable organisation that is wholly responsible for the administration of the Motability scheme, including collating its own management information. Whilst the Department meets regularly with Motability to discuss scheme performance, questions relating to the details of the scheme’s operation should be directed to Motability itself.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2016-04-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how his Department monitors the performance of Sussex Clinical Commissioning Group’s patient transport services.
Jane Ellison
The Department does not have responsibility for monitoring the performance of Sussex Clinical Commissioning Group’s (CCGs) patient transport services.
We are advised by NHS England that the Sussex non-emergency Patient Transport Service (PTS) is managed by Coperforma who sub-contract to a variety of specialist ambulance and transport providers. Coperforma is therefore held accountable for the actions of all service providers it subcontracts to, as the organisation responsible for the entirety of the PTS.
Sussex CCGs are responsible for monitoring Coperforma’s performance.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Blenkinsop on 2016-06-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of the inclusion of the Northallerton to Teesport line in the rail electrification scheme.
Andrew Jones
The Transpennine Route Upgrade is an ambitious and challenging programme which is due to be delivered by December 2022. There are currently no plans within this scope to electrify the line between Northallerton and Teesport. However, this does not preclude the thinking of future electrification as a further phase following the delivery of the current scope in 2022.
I can confirm that the current assumption for services between Manchester and Middlesbrough is that these will operated by new bi-mode trains i.e. capable of diesel and electric operation. The new bi-mode will offer significant journey time savings for passengers on this route.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2016-09-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department consulted workers’ representatives and groups representing victims of labour exploitation during the appointment process for the Director of Labour Market Enforcement.
Margot James
The appointment of the Director of Labour Market Enforcement is being made through a formal recruitment process. A campaign was jointly launched by the Department for Business, Energy and Industry Strategy (BEIS) and the Home Office in June after the Immigration Act received Royal Assent in May 2016. Shortlisting took place during the summer and interviews are scheduled for early October.
My Rt hon Friends the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and the Home Department plan to meet appointable candidates following interviews, and will have discussions before making a joint decision. The successful candidate will be announced as soon as practicably possible.
BEIS and the Home Office are working together to implement a Labour market Enforcement programme. This followed a formal consultation, Tackling Exploitation in the Labour Market, to which groups representing workers and victims of labour market exploitation responded.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Joan Ryan on 2016-10-14.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment has he made of the ability of the Palestinian Authority to ensure that the human rights of all citizens are respected.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
The Palestinian Authority (PA) has made important progress on state-building, including the promotion and protection of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs). Our Consul General in Jerusalem regularly engages with the PA and emphasises the importance of respecting human rights, particularly in regard to law and security. We encourage the PA to reflect their human rights obligations in domestic law and ensure they are fully adhered to. We are, however, concerned about the inability of the PA to access certain areas of the OPTs where Palestinians are subject to human rights violations, including through settler violence and the death penalty.