Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Biography information for Greg Knight – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Biography information for Greg Knight – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Biography information for Greg Knight on Transport.

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    Stephen Hammond

    We have been involved in negotiations on the Commission’s proposal to amend the General Circulation Directive (maximum weights and dimensions) since they commenced in January, in which we have supported the proposals to enable the introduction of more rounded front designs of HGV lorry cabs to increase fuel efficiency.

    Political agreement on the Presidency text was reached in the Transport Council on 5 June.

  • Gregory Campbell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Gregory Campbell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2014-04-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent discussions he has held with education ministers in the devolved legislatures on proposals for English baccalaureate certificates and reforms of A-levels.

    Elizabeth Truss

    The Secretary of State met the Minister for Education for Northern Ireland and the Minister of Education and Skills for Wales on May 13 2013, along with Ofqual’s Chief Regulator Glenys Stacey, to discuss proposed reforms of GCSEs and A levels.

    In line with the concordats between the Department for Education and the Northern Ireland Government, we give the Ministers of the devolved Governments advance notice of our intentions wherever possible. Department for Education and Ofqual officials meet regularly with their counterparts in Wales and Northern Ireland to discuss matters of common interest and share information. This includes GCSE and A level reforms in their respective administrations.

  • John Stanley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    John Stanley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Stanley on 2014-04-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will bring forward proposals to make borough councils for areas where there is no unitary authority eligible to apply for flood and coastal erosion risk management grant-in-aid.

    Dan Rogerson

    Borough Councils are already able to bring forward proposals working with the Environment Agency and/or the Lead Local Flood Authorities, should they wish to seek flood and coastal erosion risk management grant-in-aid.

  • Lindsay Roy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lindsay Roy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lindsay Roy on 2014-04-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to reduce the number of animals used in medical research.

    James Brokenshire

    In 2010, the Coalition Government made a commitment to work to reduce the use of animals in scientific research and our Delivery Plan was published in February 2014.

    The commitment is being delivered through a science-led programme. At the core of the programme is a commitment to the 3Rs, led by the National Centre for Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs), an organisation with a strong record in reducing animal use. The NC3Rs closely involves government departments and agencies, the Home Office Inspectorate, the research community in both academia and industry, and others with relevant animal welfare interests.

    I am committed to reducing the use of animals in research and the Delivery Plan shows how alternative methods can deliver fast, high quality research that also boosts economic growth. The commitment is not concerned with just baseline numbers, but encompasses the replacement, refinement and reduction (3Rs) more broadly. Aiming to achieve a target of reduction would be a flawed approach because numbers are not within our control. Instead, the Delivery Plan looks to support an agenda with the 3Rs at its heart.

    The scientific case for developing new techniques that do not require the use of animals is now as strong as the moral one. This Delivery Plan is therefore our starting point for the future and it will pave the way for future practice, both at home and abroad, and will cement the UK’s place as an international leader in this field.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Andy Slaughter – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2014-04-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what criteria have been used by his Department in choosing membership of the sub-groups set up to support his Department’s Working Group on the implementation of reforms to reduce the cost of personal injury compensation following a road traffic accident.

    Damian Green

    The Ministry of Justice has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

  • Pamela Nash – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Pamela Nash – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Pamela Nash on 2014-04-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many officials in his Department have been employed on zero-hour contracts in each of the last two years up to the most recent period for which records are available.

    Stephen Hammond

    The number of direct employees of the Department and its 6 Executive agencies who are on zero hours contracts is 9. All are qualified engineers.

    There are no direct employees on zero-hour contracts in the Department’s arms length bodies.

  • Barry Sheerman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Barry Sheerman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2014-04-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to ensure that women’s rights are not undermined by the use of Sharia law.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    The Government is committed to the protection and promotion of women’s rights. Sharia law has no jurisdiction in England and Wales and the Government has no intention of changing this position. Everyone is equal before the law.

  • Katy Clark – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Katy Clark – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Katy Clark on 2014-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what amount the Government spent on full-time students in technical colleges in 2013-14.

    Matthew Hancock

    The funding available for adult further education and skills in 2013-14 financial year was £4.1bn of which £3.6bn was routed through the Skills Funding Agency to support the capacity for 3 million learners. More detailed data on spend in that financial year are not yet available.

    The funding available for apprenticeships in 2013-14 financial year was £1,566m of which £802m was provided by the Department for Education for those aged 16-18 and £764m was provided by the Department for Business Innovation and Skills for those aged 19 and over. More detailed data on spend in that financial year are not yet available.

  • Ivan Lewis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Ivan Lewis – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ivan Lewis on 2014-04-25.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what support the Emergency Planning College has provided to the planning and preparation for the Giro D’Italia Big Start in Northern Ireland in May 2014.

    Mr Oliver Letwin

    The Emergency Planning College (EPC) has had no requests for direct support of the planning and preparation for the Giro D’Italia Big Start in Northern Ireland in May 2014. The EPC has however delivered a variety of civil protection and resilience planning courses in Northern Ireland for various organisations, including Sports NI.

    The Emergency Planning College (EPC) has provided 79 courses on emergency planning and crises management courses to 1170 attendees delivered in Northern Ireland since 2006. In addition to the training provided for customer organisations in NI, the EPC has trained 358 practitioners from NI attending residential training courses at the EPC since 2006

  • Valerie Vaz – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Valerie Vaz – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Valerie Vaz on 2014-04-25.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment he has made of the prevalence of allowances being paid to senior bank executives to enable them to avoid the EU bonus cap.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The UK is at the forefront of global efforts to tackle excessive pay in the financial sector and ensure that pay is aligned with performance; our tough Remuneration Code requires deferral of at least 60% of bonuses of senior bankers and limits the amounts that can be paid in cash. Bonuses are down significantly since their peak under the last Government, and are now largely deferred and paid in shares.

    In contrast, the EU’s bonus cap is a poorly thought through measure that undermines rather than reinforces our efforts by pushing up fixed pay. It was introduced without any proper impact assessment and has serious issues around its compatibility with the EU Treaty, and for these reasons we are challenging it in the European Court of Justice. However, pending the outcome, the Government is fully implementing the cap in the UK.

    The Prudential Regulation Authority and Financial Conduct Authority have responsibility for ensuring that remuneration practices in the banking sector are compliant with the new rules.