Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Lord Rowe-Beddoe – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Rowe-Beddoe – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Rowe-Beddoe on 2015-12-02.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the reply by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth on 30 November (HL Deb, col 931–3) about the non-devolution of the long-haul element of air passenger duty to Wales, how they differentiate between Edinburgh and Newcastle, and Cardiff and Bristol with respect to state aid.

    Lord O’Neill of Gatley

    As set out in the St David’s Day Agreement, the government is considering the case and options for devolving powers to the Welsh Assembly over air passenger duty (APD). Any next steps pursued by the government will comply with EU State aid rules on tax devolution.

    Discussion of State aid is relevant to options we are considering to mitigate the effects of APD devolution with respect to English airports. In July, the government published a discussion paper on several options to do this. We will respond to the consultation and announce next steps in due course.

  • David Mackintosh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    David Mackintosh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Mackintosh on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he has taken to (a) invest in research on rehabilitation, health and social care models to improve the quality of life for ill Gulf War veterans and (b) communicate the results of US research on those issues to Gulf War veterans living in the UK.

    Mark Lancaster

    The Government greatly values the service of all 1990-91 Gulf War veterans, particularly as we reach the 25th anniversary of the start of combat operations. We have long accepted that the ill health of some veterans of the 1990-91 Gulf War is associated with their service in the Gulf. In such cases compensation may be claimed under the War Pensions Scheme with appropriate medical care provided by the National Health Service across the UK .

    The Department has funded extensive research into Gulf War illness including some research into rehabilitative therapies for those veterans with persistent symptoms.

    Our strategy on research topics and studies has been informed and overseen by independent scientific experts nominated by the Medical Research Council taking account of published peer-reviewed international literature and international studies. We have no plans to undertake further research on Gulf War issues. We continue to monitor any Gulf War research that is published round the world including from the United States.

  • Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the House of Commons Commission

    Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the House of Commons Commission

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-02-08.

    To ask the hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington representing the House of Commons Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 18 June 2015 to Question 2241, what the reasons are for there being no assessment undertaken of the safety implications of excluding cyclists from the Northern Entrance to the parliamentary estate; and if he will review that policy to take account of the forthcoming opening of the segregated cycle superhighway along the Embankment.

    Tom Brake

    A generic risk assessment for the movement of pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles around the Parliamentary Estate was undertaken in August 2015; the assessment considered the risk of collisions between vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians. A dedicated cycle entry gate has been installed at Derby Gate as this entrance has the width to allow safe vehicle, cycle and pedestrian access, whereas the Northern Entrance does not. This is under constant review by the relevant House Authorities.

    An assessment of the implications for both vehicle and bicycle entry at the Northern Entrance is planned to be conducted to reflect the construction of the East-West Bicycle Superhighway. The results will be reported to the hon. Lady by the Serjeant at Arms, once the work is complete.

  • Tom Blenkinsop – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Tom Blenkinsop – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Blenkinsop on 2016-02-26.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to provide additional funding for projects identified by the forthcoming Northern Transport Strategy.

    Greg Hands

    The government will need to consider the proposals from both Transport for the North and the National Infrastructure Commission before taking any funding decisions. The Government looks forward to the publication of both reports in the coming weeks.

  • Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Paul Blomfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Blomfield on 2016-03-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the effect of her Department’s reform of AS and A-level qualifications on the number of hours of study students are undertaking in post-16 education.

    Nick Gibb

    The number of guided learning hours for AS and A levels have not changed as a result of our reforms. However, with the move to linear qualifications, there will no longer be the routine and automatic external assessment of students at the end of year 12 which places unnecessary burdens on students’ and teachers’ time.

    Study programmes are funded per student rather than per qualification. Funding rates are based on an average of 600 hours per year of planned activities per student.

  • Naz Shah – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Naz Shah – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Naz Shah on 2016-05-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many contracts have been terminated early by the Skills Funding Agency due to the provider being at risk of failure in (a) 2013, (b) 2014 and (c) 2015.

    Nick Boles

    The Skills Funding Agency (SFA) does not terminate contracts on the grounds of a provider being ‘at risk of failure’.

  • Tom Blenkinsop – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Tom Blenkinsop – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Blenkinsop on 2016-06-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will (a) establish an additional National Teaching Service (NTS) pilot in Teesside and (b) give priority to the Tees Valley in the NTS national roll-out in response to the recommendation in Lord Heseltine’s report, Tees Valley: opportunity unlimited to prioritise the Tees Valley for national roll-out of the NTS.

    Nick Gibb

    In November 2015 we announced that by 2020 the National Teaching Service (NTS) will have placed 1,500 high-performing teachers and middle leaders into challenging schools in areas of the country that struggle to attract, recruit and retain high quality teachers.

    The NTS was launched with plans for a pilot scheme in the North West of England from September 2016 with the aim of attracting 100 NTS teachers and middle leaders into schools in the region. The national programme will include a clear focus on delivering cohorts of NTS teachers and middle leaders into eligible schools in Achieving Excellence Areas (AEAs) as set out in the Educational Excellence Everywhere White Paper. We will confirm our plans for rolling out the NTS in due course.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-09-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate he has made of his Department’s budget in each of the next three years; and if he will make a statement.

    Joseph Johnson

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my hon. Friend the Minister for Small Business, Consumers and Corporate Responsibility on 18 July 2016, UIN 43020.

    “

  • Patrick Grady – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    Patrick Grady – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Patrick Grady on 2016-10-24.

    To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what assessment she has made of the potential implications of the UK leaving the EU for the Government’s policies on equality.

    Caroline Dinenage

    The UK has some of the strongest equality legislation and policies in the world. This will continue to be the case after we leave the EU. The Government Equalities Office will continue to follow an ambitious programme of work to ensure that everyone has a fair chance and that no one is discriminated against because of their background.

  • Lord Ahmed – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Ahmed – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Ahmed on 2015-11-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anelay of St Johns on 4 November (HL2946), what advice they have given to the government of India about tackling the rise of attacks on religious minorities by Hindu nationalists in India.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We are concerned by recent attacks on religious minorities by Hindu nationalists in India. The British High Commission in New Delhi regularly discusses the treatment of religious minorities with the Indian National Commission for Minorities and with state governments across India. The Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for East Devon (Mr Swire), also personally discussed the issue of religious minorities with the Indian Minister of External Affairs, General V K Singh on 5 November.

    India has a strong democratic framework, which guarantees human rights, including minority rights, within its constitution. However, it also faces numerous challenges relating to its size, social and economic development. We welcome Prime Minister Modi’s reaffirmation that he governs for all Indians and his commitment to inclusive development. We will continue to work collaboratively with his government on a range of important issues, including the promotion and protection of minority rights.