Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Lord Taylor of Warwick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Lord Taylor of Warwick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Taylor of Warwick on 2016-10-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their response to reported delays to Legal & General’s proposed investment in a factory near Leeds to build pre-fabricated homes.

    Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth

    The Government is keen to widen the use of innovative construction in housebuilding. We are encouraging this through our housing and planning programmes including Affordable Homes 2016-21, Build to Rent and Housing Zones, and through our National Planning Practice Guidance.

    We are also providing funding. Earlier this month, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government launched the Home Building Fund, which aims to provide further support to builders using innovative construction, in addition to custom builders, small and medium-sized builders, and new entrants to the market. Full details are published (attached) at www.gov.uk/homebuildingfund

    We welcome Legal & General’s plans to enter this growing market and operate a new offsite manufacturing facility, but it is not for Government to comment on the commercial decisions it may take around its launch date.

  • Douglas Carswell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Douglas Carswell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Carswell on 2015-10-30.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans his Department has to increase the frequency of train services to north-east Essex along the Great Eastern Main Line.

    Claire Perry

    As with all competitions, after running a public consultation to help specify services, we have published the Invitation To Tender which sets out the minimum service specifications for the next East Anglia franchise. This asks bidders to set out detailed proposals on what improvements for passengers they will deliver. This approach allowsbidders the flexibility to design the best way of delivering or exceeding the specifications.

  • Bridget Phillipson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Bridget Phillipson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bridget Phillipson on 2015-11-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what information her Department holds on the cost of broadband access for primary and secondary schools.

    Mr Sam Gyimah

    £1.7 billion of public funding has been committed to support improvements in broadband services across the UK. The Superfast Broadband Programme aims to make superfast broadband available to 95 per cent of UK premises by 2017.

    Costs will vary from school to school depending on location and how much they use the internet. The type of connectivity that the government funded broadband programme needs will not be suitable for secondary schools. They will need a dedicated connection because of their high bandwidth demands. The Department for Education does not hold information about the cost of broadband access for schools.

  • Alex Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Alex Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-01-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many stocks for which the UK has quotas were fished (a) at and (b) below maximum sustainable yield on the last date for which figures are available.

    George Eustice

    The UK’s provisional assessment is that in 2016, 24 stocks will be fished at or below maximum sustainable yield (MSY). A significant majority of these will be fished (a) at MSY rather than (b) below it; information on the specific stocks will be placed in the House Library.

  • Ian Murray – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Ian Murray – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Murray on 2016-02-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what modelling was used when calculating a new rate of return of 9.2 per cent from hydropower with reduced feed-in tariff levels.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The modelling used to deliver a rate of return of 9.2% is based on discounted cash flows of a hydro plant’s cost and revenue streams, which is the approach often used by investors to evaluate opportunities. The capital and operational costs are calculated over the expected lifetime of the project and are compared with the expected revenue streams of a well-sited installation. The generation tariff makes up the difference over and above the income streams that a plant would need to hit its target rate of return. The rate of return is achieved based on a project having an average (median) capital and operating cost, and a high level of generating output (higher than average load factor). The level of return is aimed at attracting those investors with lower hurdle rates, such as individuals, communities and small scale organisations, which the FITs scheme targets.

    The impact assessment, published alongside the response to the feed-in tariffs review, sets out in more detail how rates of return were calculated:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/486084/IA_-_FITs_consultation_response_with_Annexes_-_FINAL_SIGNED.pdf.

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  • Andrew Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Andrew Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Smith on 2016-02-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will discuss with his Indonesian counterpart the restriction on non-governmental organisations working in West Papua.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    We welcome the Indonesian government’s commitment to improving the situation in the Indonesian provinces of Papua and West Papua. President Joko Widodo has visited 3 times since his election, most recently spending New Year in Papua. During his visit in May 2015, he granted clemency to a number of prisoners and announced the lifting of travel restrictions for foreign journalists and international organisations. Since then, a number of foreign journalists have successfully visited and reported from Papua and West Papua. Our Ambassador in Jakarta last visited Papua in January. As well as raising these issues, he also discussed ways to ensure the sustainable and equitable development of the provinces with members of the police, and religious and community leaders.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-03-22.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what criteria the Government plans to use to calculate each school’s allocation of funds raised from the soft drinks industry levy for school sports.

    Mr Sam Gyimah

    Revenue from the soft drinks industry levy will be used to double the PE and sport premium for primary schools to £320m a year from September 2017, enabling them to improve the quality and breadth of PE and sport they offer. It will also provide up to £285m a year to enable up to a quarter of secondary schools to extend their school day to offer a wider range of activities, including sports clubs. Further details will be announced in due course.

  • William Wragg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    William Wragg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by William Wragg on 2016-04-21.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many nationals of other EEA member states migrated to the UK with dependants of school age in each of the last 10 years; and how many school-aged dependants of other EEA member states have lived in the UK in each of the last 10 years.

    Mr Rob Wilson

    The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

  • Matthew Offord – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Matthew Offord – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Offord on 2016-06-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimates his Department has received for the cost of refurbishing the pier head at Ascension Island.

    James Duddridge

    Ascension Island Government has embarked on a project to assess and cost potential improvements to the pier head. I take all matters relating to piers seriously.

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the proportion of maintenance and repair technicians who are qualified in electric and hybrid car maintenance.

    Mr John Hayes

    The government recognises the need to develop servicing skills to support the UK’s transition to ultra low emission vehicles (ULEVs).

    The Institute for the Motor Industry estimates there are currently around 1,000 vehicle technicians qualified to work on electric vehicles, with another 1,000 in training and due to be qualified by 2018. The 2020 Vision for English Apprenticeships supports an industry-led approach to skills training that puts employers in the driving seat of new apprenticeship standards.

    The establishment of the employer-led Institute for Apprenticeships and the introduction of an employer levy fund provides an opportunity for the ULEV sector to lead the development of training programmes to meet the skills needs they have identified.