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Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Lord Empey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Trade

    Lord Empey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Trade

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Empey on 2016-09-15.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what encouragement they have given to UK investment in the Palestinian territories currently governed by the State of Israel.

    Lord Price

    The Government’s Palestinian Market Development Programme (PMDP) works with Palestinian companies to improve their competitiveness and ability to attract investment and create jobs. PMDP also supports the Palestinian Investment Promotion Agency (PIPA) to deliver better services to potential investors including UK investors. PIPA offers a package of incentives to investors.

    PMDP provides technical assistance to support the Palestinian Ministry of National Economy to improve the environment for trade and investment, and is working on an initiative to encourage UK businesses to outsource business in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, especially in the IT outsourcing sector.

    No specific assessment has been made of companies investing in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs), or those parts of the West Bank, known as ‘Area C’, under full Israeli security and administrative control.

  • Debbie Abrahams – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Debbie Abrahams – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Debbie Abrahams on 2015-11-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions the Government has had with the Indian Prime Minister on Kashmir during his recent visit to the UK.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron) and Indian Prime Minister Modi did not discuss Kashmir during the recent visit. The long standing position of the UK is that it is for India and Pakistan to find a lasting resolution to the situation in Kashmir, taking into account the wishes of the Kashmiri people.

  • Baroness Kennedy of Cradley – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Baroness Kennedy of Cradley – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Kennedy of Cradley on 2015-12-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the number of GCSE and A-level exams that were changed after challenges this summer.

    Lord Nash

    This is a matter for the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) and I have asked its Chief Regulator, Glenys Stacey to write directly to the noble Baroness. A copy of her reply will be placed in the House of Lords Library.

  • Rosie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Rosie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rosie Cooper on 2016-01-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has (a) guidelines issued and (b) imposed rules on police forces relating to the specific information required to be provided to the Disclosure and Barring Service to appear on an individual’s record; and if she will make a statement.

    Karen Bradley

    The Home Secretary issues guidance to chief officers of police under section 113B(4A) of the Police Act 1997, which they must have regard to in making decisions about providing information from police records for inclusion in enhanced criminal record certificates.

    This guidance extends, for example, to information held by the police relating to someone being arrested and bailed.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Stephenson on 2016-02-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what contribution his Department has made to the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief’s report on Bangladesh which will be published in March 2016.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    Officials from the British High Commission in Dhaka discussed the preliminary findings of Heiner Bielefeldt, Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief with him during his visit to Bangladesh in September 2015. We look forward to the release of his report at the UN Human Rights Council in March 2016 and will encourage the Government of Bangladesh to consider all its recommendations carefully.

  • Keith Vaz – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Keith Vaz – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Keith Vaz on 2016-03-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the parameters or cost of the Home Office contract with Airwave have been altered as a result of the acquisition of Airwave by Motorola Solutions.

    Mike Penning

    The Home Office holds three contracts with Motorola Solutions. These are:

    (a) The Public Safety Radio Communications Service (PSRCS) Framework Arrangement for the provision of the Airwave service to the police services of Eng-land, Scotland and Wales.

    (b) Contract ST03 10/641/9 for the provision of telecommunications services to the Immigration and Nationality Directorate.

    (c) Emergency Services Network (ESN) — Lot 2 User Services; one of the contracts that will replace the current Airwave contract.

    The cost to the public purse of the Home Office contract with Airwave in Financial Year 2015-16 is forecast to be £283 million comprising £230 million paid centrally by the Home Office and £53 million paid locally by police forces to Airwave. By way of comparison, under the newly procured Emergency Services Network, the policing share of costs is expected to be less than half of the current Airwave costs.

    Airwave Solutions Ltd provides mobile telecommunications services for emer-gency services. The Home Office Airwave contracts only relate to police forces, and immigration and nationality functions within the Home Office. The Home Office is not party to the contracts which many other organisations in the public sector have entered into with Airwave.

    The acquisition of Airwave by Motorola Solutions means all three Emergency Services contracts now end on 31st December 2019. This provides continuity of service for the transition to the Emergency Services Network.

  • Kerry McCarthy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Kerry McCarthy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2016-04-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what advice she has received from the Science Advisory Council on (a) causes of bovine TB, (b) methods of controlling bovine TB, (c) risks associated with badger culls and (d) the updated licensing criteria for badger culls; and if she will review the scientific evidence on badger culls before licensing any further such culls.

    George Eustice

    The Science Advisory Council (SAC) has a high-level strategic role and does not normally advise on detailed scientific aspects of policies. Therefore advice has not been sought recently from the SAC on the causes of, or methods of controlling, bovine TB, including badger control. The Guidance to Natural England on licences to control the risk of bovine TB from badgers was published in December 2015 after a public consultation. The Guidance reflects the advice of the UK’s Chief Veterinary Officer and Defra’s Chief Scientific Advisor.

  • 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 2016-05-23.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he plans to publish a draft of the Modern Transport Bill announced in the Queen’s Speech.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The final date for the introduction of the Modern Transport Bill will be announced in due course.

  • Rachel Reeves – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Rachel Reeves – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachel Reeves on 2016-07-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment for the presence of asbestos is made prior to the purchasing and occupation of a previous industrial building for conversion into a free school.

    Edward Timpson

    We instruct building surveys prior to the acquisition of all buildings that we are intending to convert into free schools. Where necessary, we commission further surveys, including asbestos surveys, where risks highlighted in the building survey warrant further investigation.

    Ahead of any acquisition we‎ also ask sellers for their Building and Health and Safety files to determine the level of statutory compliance, which includes meeting the control of asbestos regulations.

    If we wish to proceed with the transaction and our initial assessment highlights any quality issues or gaps in compliance, our due diligence arrangements and budgets are tailored accordingly, in advance of completing the transaction.

    When construction works are planned in an industrial building with known asbestos, an asbestos refurbishment and demolition survey is undertaken to assess if the asbestos should be removed, encapsulated or left in-situ. This is according to material type, location, condition and the extent of works to be undertaken to the existing building.

    For any sites with known asbestos, a management strategy identifying the asbestos location is handed over to the occupier. They are then responsible for complying with statutory regulations for the management of asbestos.

  • Lord West of Spithead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord West of Spithead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord West of Spithead on 2016-09-15.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the Delivery Authority for the replacement of the Vanguard-class submarines will be established.

    Earl Howe

    Options for establishing a new delivery body continue to be developed and assessed. We will announce further details once the relevant decisions have been made.