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Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Andrew Rosindell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

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

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans the Government has to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Gallipoli.

    David Evennett

    The two national events that marked the centenary of the battle of Gallipoli on 24th and 25th Apri 2015, were key commemorative events in the centenary programme.

    The first, a UK-led Commonwealth and Ireland Ceremony was held at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s Helles Memorial in Turkey on 24 April 2015, the eve of the centenary of the Gallipoli landings. This event was attended by The Prince of Wales, accompanied by Prince Harry, senior representatives of the nations involved in the Gallipoi Campaign and descendants. The Prince of Wales met with descendants on board the Royal Navy’s ship HMS Bulwark.

    The second, on Anzac Day, was held at the Cenotaph in Whitehall. This National Service of Commemoration event was attended by Her Majesty The Queen, senior representatives of the participant nations, and around 2500 descendants, included wreath-laying and a march past the Cenotaph led by military personnel.

  • Baroness Jones of Whitchurch – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Baroness Jones of Whitchurch – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch on 2016-03-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to take further steps to raise public awareness of the incidence of campylobacter in chickens.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The Food Standards Agency will continue to use social and news media opportunities to raise awareness of campylobacter and let people know how they can reduce the risk from campylobacter in their home. The Agency leads the Acting on Campylobacter Together campaign under which the poultry industry seeks to reduce the levels of the bacteria on the chickens they sell.

  • Kirsten Oswald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Kirsten Oswald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kirsten Oswald on 2016-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of using drones to detect mines and improvised explosive devices.

    Penny Mordaunt

    The merits of the use of drones to detect mines and improvised explosive devices have been recognised by the UK’s Armed Forces and there are a number of ongoing research projects which seek to refine possible techniques.

    While a number of technical challenges remain in integrating more complex detectors and sensors onto Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), there is potential for a UAS to be procured in future which could be used to detect mines and improvised explosive devices.

  • Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-06-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, for what reasons he has not yet called for the immediate release of Andargachew Tsege.

    James Duddridge

    The Government takes the detention and welfare of Mr Andargachew Tsege very seriously. The Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) raised Mr Tsege’s case with the Ethiopian Prime Minister and Foreign Minister during his visit to Ethiopia on 1 June 2016. The Foreign Secretary received assurances that Mr Tsege will be allowed access to independent legal advice to allow him to discuss options under the Ethiopian legal system. We judge that an independent lawyer would be best placed to advise Mr Tsege of his options based on points of Ethiopian law. We will continue to press the Ethiopians as necessary to ensure that Mr Tsege has legal representation. Britain does not interfere in the legal systems of other countries, any more than we would accept interference in our judicial system. Our consular role is to ensure well-being and access to legal advice.

  • Michael Tomlinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Michael Tomlinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michael Tomlinson on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Answer of 17 December 2015 to Question 19683, how much land in Purbeck District Council area is designated as green belt.

    Gavin Barwell

    Figures for the amount of land designated as Green Belt in each local authority area as at 31 March 2016 are included in Annex Table 1 of the department’s Green Belt Statistics 2015/16, published 8 September 2016. This is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/local-authority-green-belt-statistics-for-england-2015-to-2016.

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  • Alan Brown – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Alan Brown – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Brown on 2016-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many immigration applications were affected by the flooding incident at Leeds Royal Mail Depot on 15 December 2015; how many such applications have been resolved; what additional resources are being applied to resolve outstanding such cases; what the target timescales for completion of outstanding such cases are; and if she will make a statement.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The flood impacted 501 immigration applications. All customers impacted were advised that their individual application was involved in the incident. Once the impact of the flood had been dealt with the applications were handled under our normal casework procedures and checks. To date 468 of the applications have been completed. The remaining 33 applications are still under consideration.

  • Jamie Reed – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Jamie Reed – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jamie Reed on 2015-10-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 27 October 2015 to Question 13099, whether, as part of his Department’s work with Transport for the North, he has discussed the possibility of conducting a feasibility study into improving the A595.

    Andrew Jones

    Cumbria County Council and Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership are currently taking forward two infrastructure studies. One of these is in partnership with Highways England and will specifically consider accessibility to West Cumbria, including issues on the A595. Both studies are due to complete early next year and will be able to feed into the Roads Investment Strategy for 2020/21 to 2024/25 and the work Transport for the North is undertaking to establish the North’s future transport priorities.

  • Tom Blenkinsop – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Tom Blenkinsop – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Blenkinsop on 2015-11-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to encourage families with disabled children to access the full free childcare offer.

    Edward Timpson

    In September 2014 the Children and Families Act introduced the biggest reform to the Special Educational Needs (SEN) and disability system for 30 years. These reforms, which apply to early years, were supported across the House and are making a real difference for families.

    This Government is committed to ensuring that all families have access to high quality, flexible and affordable childcare. Parents with disabled children should have the same opportunities via increased choice and access to high quality childcare. Local authorities are required by law to secure free entitlement places for parents that want their child to take them up. This includes the free entitlement to 15 hours of early education for two year olds, where children in receipt of the Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or who have an Education, Health and Care Plan are eligible.

    From September 2014 all local authorities are required to publish a Local Offer of services for children with SEN and disability, and this must include childcare available in the area. As part of the early implementation phase of introducing 30 hours of free childcare for working parents of three and four-year-olds, we have also encouraged innovative approaches to providing flexible childcare for children who are disabled or have SEN. Early Implementation happens from September 2016, ahead of full roll-out in September 2017.

  • Stephen Hepburn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Stephen Hepburn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Hepburn on 2016-01-06.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people have been unemployed in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside and (c) the North East in each year since 2008.

    Mr Rob Wilson

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

  • Craig Whittaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Craig Whittaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Whittaker on 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps her Department is taking to work with local authorities to reduce the level of fuel poverty.

    Andrea Leadsom

    We are working with Local Authorities on fuel poverty initiatives in several ways:

    • In March 2015 we announced the £25m Central Heating Fund, a Local Authority competition designed specifically to implement the principles of the fuel poverty strategy. 20 Local Authorities were successful and are now delivering central heating systems to low income households in their local communities. Installing a central heating system can cut the cost of heating a home adequately by over £1,000 a year, making real progress towards our fuel poverty objectives.
    • Also in March last year we distributed £1m to scale up nine existing Local Authority schemes focused on tackling cold homes to improve people’s health. The evaluation of these projects is now underway and we are working closely with the Local Authorities to assess their impacts on health and on fuel poverty, as well as the effectiveness of their different approaches to delivery.
    • Green Deal Communities awarded 23 Local Authorities funding to provide subsidy to householders to install energy efficiency measures, mainly solid wall insulation. Many of these schemes are targeting and providing funding to householders in fuel poverty.
    • We are also interested in the role Local Authorities could play in a future energy company obligation (such as ECO); using local knowledge and working with ECO obligated energy suppliers to identify households in the greatest need. We will be consulting on the design of a supplier obligation in due course.