Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Stephen Kinnock – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Stephen Kinnock – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Kinnock on 2016-05-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of recent reports that Turkish border guards have shot and killed Syrians crossing the border to seek asylum in Turkey.

    Mr David Lidington

    We are aware of the allegations of the use of lethal force against civilians trying to cross the border from Syria into Turkey. We are unable to verify these allegations, as is the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. The allegations have been strongly refuted by the Government of Turkey. We regularly raise with the Government of Turkey issues relating to the management of the border with Syria and the treatment of refugees. Turkey is hosting over 2.7million Syrian refugees and we understand that the Turkish government has made preparations to accept more Syrian refugees should conditions in Syria make that necessary, but that its priority is to enable humanitarian aid to be provided to affected populations inside northern Syria.

  • Jamie Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Jamie Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jamie Reed on 2016-07-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will conduct a study on the potential merits and feasibility of upgrading the trunk road section of the A595 in 2016.

    Mr John Hayes

    Highways England, the Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership, and Cumbria County Council commissioned a study to examine the connectivity, capability, resilience, and reliability of the A595. This will conclude later this month. Highways England has also commenced its evidence-based Route Strategy process. If this section of the A595 is included in the priority list, the next stage would be to consider potential improvement options, which would be developed during the next Road Investment Strategy (RIS) period (2020-2025).

  • Yvonne Fovargue – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Yvonne Fovargue – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Yvonne Fovargue on 2016-09-14.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many high-cost, short-term credit firms are operating with interim permissions.

    Simon Kirby

    This question has been passed on to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The FCA will reply to directly to the Honourable member by letter. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

  • Helen Goodman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Helen Goodman – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2015-11-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the running costs of the British naval base in Bahrain in (a) 2015-16, (b) 2016-17 and (c) 2017-18; and what proportion of those costs will be borne by the Government.

    Mr Julian Brazier

    Currently the UK has a Maritime Component Command (MCC) HQ and collocated Fleet Support Unit (FSU), which is a warehouse,in Bahrain. These were constructed on our behalf by the United States, at a cost to the UK Government of $10million. The Government expects to pay the United States for the ongoing running costs of these facilities, the precise costs of which are yet to be determined. The Kingdom of Bahrain (KoB) has no involvement in these arrangements.

    The construction of the new UK Mina Salman Support Facility (MSSF) in Bahrain will consist of accommodation, life support facilities and further storage and will enhance the support to UK forces in the Gulf Region. Construction of the UK MSSF is being funded primarily by the KoB. To date in 2014 and 2015 the UK Government has expended £277,000 on engineering consultancy costs for the UK MSSF. We expect to contribute around £9 million towards the construction of the new UK MSSF. This will include costs of bespoke UK technical facilities and the additional cost of ensuring compliance with UK regulations.The balance of the costs, will fall to the KoB.

    There are no running costs forecast in the current year or 2016-17, from 2017-18 the running costs for the UK MSSF are forecast to be £12 million per annum.

  • Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Louise Haigh – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-11-27.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what plans the Government has to bring forward new regulations or guidance on divestment or boycott policies pursued by local authorities.

    Matthew Hancock

    Cabinet Office will shortly issue guidance that reminds public authorities of their international obligations when letting public contracts. It will make clear that boycotts in public procurement are inappropriate and may be illegal, outside where formal legal sanctions, embargoes and restrictions have been put in place by the Government.

    The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) is currently working to give effect to the recent announcement on Local Government Pension Scheme funds’ investment allocations, specifically the extent to which administering authorities should have regard to non-financial factors. Guidance will be issued to local authorities in the new year.

  • Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-01-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many claims for grants have been made under the electric vehicle homecharge scheme in each year since its introduction.

    Andrew Jones

    The Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme was introduced in August 2014. In the period from September to December of that year there were 3,744 claims for grants. In the period January to November 2015 there were 12,435 claims for grants. The Office for Low Emission Vehicles is currently processing claims for grants made in December 2015.

  • Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2016-01-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the UK was represented at the recent UN working group meeting on nuclear disarmament in Geneva.

    Mr Philip Hammond

    The UK did not attend the recent organisational meeting for the working group established by UN General Assembly Resolution 70/33 entitled “Taking forward multilateral nuclear disarmament negotiations”. As detailed in PQ 23329, the UK, along with the four other Non-Proliferation Treaty Nuclear Weapons States, voted against this resolution. The Government believes that productive results can only be ensured through a consensus-based approach that takes into account the wider global security environment.

  • Tristram Hunt – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Tristram Hunt – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tristram Hunt on 2016-02-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 7 January 2016 to Question 21452, how many jobs at the Staffordshire and West Midlands Probation Trust were abolished or relocated from Stoke-on Trent between May 2010 and 1 June 2014.

    Andrew Selous

    The former probation trusts ceased operation on 31 May 2014, as part of the previous Government’s Transforming Rehabilitation reforms. The trusts’ archived records are now held by the National Offender Management Service.

    Within the specified timescale, it is not possible to ascertain whether or not the information requested is held in the archives. I will write to the hon. Member in due course to let him know the position and to provide the information if we have it.

  • Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-03-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which road projects his Department plans to finance from the (a) £49 million previously announced to repair roads following Storms Desmond and Eva and (b) £130 million set out in paragraph 1.239 of the Budget 2016; and how much he plans to allocate to each such project.

    Andrew Jones

    The Department for Transport is allocating £180 million to help assist local highway authorities affected by the storms this winter season. This includes a further £130 million as announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Budget 2016.

    It will be for each local highway authority to decide on how this funding will be spent in in Cumbria, Lancashire, West Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, Northumberland, Greater Manchester and Durham in repairing damaged local highway infrastructure.

  • Dan Jarvis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Dan Jarvis – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dan Jarvis on 2016-04-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 14 March 2016 to Question 31000, what assessment the NHS has made of the potential causal link between formaldehyde contained in everyday products and eczema and other atopic conditions.

    Jane Ellison

    The National Health Service has made no such assessment.

    The NHS has to comply with the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH). This applies in the workplace when hazardous substances are manufactured, used or where processes are undertaken that generate hazardous substances. COSHH requires the employer to carry out a risk assessment to establish what, if any, hazards are associated with products/processes employees are using/undertaking and then put measures in place to control exposure to those hazards.