Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Steven Paterson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Steven Paterson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steven Paterson on 2016-02-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the budget of the Defence Cyber Operations Group was in each of the last five years.

    Penny Mordaunt

    The Defence Cyber Operations Group was designed to deliver cyber capability and mainstream cyber security throughout Defence by establishing a federation of cyber units. As this work matured it resulted instead in the formation of the Joint Forces Cyber Group in May 2013.

    The Joint Forces Cyber Group (JFCyG) plans and co-ordinates cyber operations, and develops new tactics, techniques and plans to deliver military capabilities to confront high-end threats. It comprises Joint Cyber Units at Cheltenham and Corsham, the Joint Cyber Unit (Reserve) and Information Assurance Units.

    I am withholding details on the JFCyG as their disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.

  • Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-03-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 3 March 2016 to Question 28795, on the troops to teachers scheme, what plans she has to expand the cohort beginning that scheme in September 2016.

    Nick Gibb

    Recruitment is currently underway for the September 2016 cohort of Troops to Teachers. The University of Brighton, who are contracted to run the programme, are actively promoting the Troops to Teachers scheme to ensure that the number of service personnel recruited to the cohort beginning in September 2016 is maximised. Their marketing and recruitment plans include specific service leaver employment fairs and a range of other marketing activities.

  • Nadine Dorries – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Nadine Dorries – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nadine Dorries on 2016-04-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of Govia Thameslink’s ability to safely transport disabled passengers; and if he will make a statement.

    Claire Perry

    We expect Govia Thameslink Railway to demonstrate its ability to carry all passengers safely through its safety management system. The Office of Rail and Road issues safety certificates for passenger operators in its capacity as safety regulator and carries out any enforcement necessary for safety issues.

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2016-05-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Darzi of Denham on 22 January 2008 (WA 28), 21 April 2008 (WA 234) and 12 May 2008 (WA 109–10), what assessment the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority has made of the recently published research in Nature (DOI: 10.1038/nature17948) and Nature Cell Biology (DOI: 10.1038/ncb3347); and whether in the light of that research it has changed its conclusion that outgrowing human embryos cultured in vitro for more than 14 days could no longer be considered to be live human embryos as a matter of principle.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has advised that it has not made a formal assessment of the recently published research in Nature (Deglincerti A. et al. 2016 and Shahbazi MN. et al. 2016). The HFEA has also advised that it is not expected that this research will lead to a change in the Authority’s assessment of embryonic masses, which form when embryos outgrow their structure. However, this research will be drawn to the attention of the HFEA’s Scientific and Clinical Advances Advisory Committee at its meeting in June.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-06-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many full-time trade specialists are employed by his Department; and if he will make a statement.

    Anna Soubry

    There are 40 civil servants in my Department primarily working on trade policy. They are assisted by officials in other Government Departments, notably the Department for International Development and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, as well as by other officials within my Department for whom trade policy is not their primary responsibility.

  • Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Trade

    Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Trade

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-09-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what discussions he has had with his counterparts in (a) China, (b) USA, Canada and Hong Kong, (c) Australia, (d) Brazil, (e) India, (f) South Korea, (g) Japan, (h) Mexico and (i) South Africa on negotiating trade deals with the UK.

    Greg Hands

    Ministers and officials in the Department for International Trade are working closely with counterparts across a wide range of markets, in order to promote the UK as a great place to do business and with which to trade. We are taking advantage of all the opportunities available to us to ensure that Britain becomes the global leader in free trade once we leave the EU.

  • Hilary Benn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Hilary Benn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2015-11-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the average cost to a local authority of taking in a Syrian refugee under the UNHCR VPR scheme in year (a) one, (b) two, (c) three, (d) four and (e) five; and how much additional central government funding has been made to local authorities to help meet those costs per refugee for each of those years.

    Richard Harrington

    The Government has committed to resettling 20,000 Syrian refugees in the lifetime of this Parliament. The Prime Minister has said that we want to see 1,000 refugees brought to the UK by Christmas.

    The first 12 months of a refugee’s resettlement costs will be funded by central government from the Overseas Development Aid budget. The Government has also committed to providing additional funding to local authorities to assist with costs incurred for years 2 to 5. This funding package forms part of the forthcoming Spending Review and full details will be confirmed shortly.

  • Madeleine Moon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Madeleine Moon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Madeleine Moon on 2015-12-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he is negotiating for a UK support element within the contact negotiations for the P8; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to her on 3 December 2015 to Question 17838.

  • Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2016-01-20.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the report of the European Parliament Budgetary Control Committee on EU external aid and development programmes.

    Baroness Verma

    The report concerned is based on internal Commission reports from EU delegations in non-EU countries, many of which are fragile or conflict-affected. These reports identify potential problems during implementation, so that things can be put right in time. We have not seen the actual reports, as these are internal Commission management documents. The report highlights the implementation challenges and the steps taken by the Commission to manage these risks, including the withholding of funds where fraud is thought to be to an issue. If it is proven that money has been wasted we expect the EU and its audit institutions to take swift and decisive action to recoup funds and to carry out a thorough review of all its programmes to provide a clear set of actions to stop this happening again.

  • Paul Monaghan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Paul Monaghan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Monaghan on 2016-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he supports the aims of the Arms Trade Treaty.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    Yes. The UK was a prime-mover for the creation of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) and continues to be an active advocate of a robust Treaty. The UK was amongst the first to sign the ATT in 2013 and ratified on 2 April 2014. We believe that the ATT will be stronger for every State which accedes to or ratifies it.

    Universalisation will remain a key priority. The UK played an important role in the preparatory discussions leading to the First Conference of States Parties, and was a Vice-President of that Conference, brokering agreement on key decisions to establish sustainable mechanisms for the future viability of the ATT.