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Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Baroness King of Bow – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Baroness King of Bow – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness King of Bow on 2016-04-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to ask the Social Housing Regulator to request data from the Circle Housing Group about the performance of Kier Gas in repairing or replacing faulty boilers in each week since the Group downgraded Kier Gas’s governance rating.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    I refer the Noble Lady to my previous answer to her on 8 December (HL4002). The Social Housing Regulator is statutorily independent. The Department for Communities and Local Government cannot therefore direct the Regulator on this matter.

  • William Cash – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    William Cash – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by William Cash on 2016-05-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if she will publish the information her Department holds on the (a) process, (b) criteria and (c) guidance followed by the National Grid to deliver (i) supplementary balancing reserve and (ii) black start ancillary services contracts for the next 12 months; and what analysis was taken in advance to inform that delivery.

    Andrea Leadsom

    These services are a matter for National Grid, and the appropriate documentation is published on their website. The contingency balancing methodologies are available here:

    http://www2.nationalgrid.com/UK/Services/Balancing-services/System-security/Contingency-balancing-reserve/Methodologies/

    These documents also include National Grid’s analysis.

    And information on the procurement of the Black Start Service is published here:

    http://www2.nationalgrid.com/UK/Services/Balancing-services/System-security/Black-Start/Black-start-about-the-service/

    National Grid have not published their analysis of this as it is commercially confidential.

    “

  • Natalie McGarry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    Natalie McGarry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Scotland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Natalie McGarry on 2016-07-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what recent assessment he has made of the effect of welfare reform, including benefit sanctions and work capability assessments, on claimants in (a) Glasgow and (b) Scotland.

    David Mundell

    The Government set out our assessment of the impact of the welfare policies in the Welfare Reform and Work Act on 20 July 2015, with similar assessments for previous changes.

  • Lord Allen of Kensington – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Allen of Kensington – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Allen of Kensington on 2016-09-13.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the growth potential of Birmingham International Airport.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The government recognises the important contribution that airports across the UK make. The government made clear in its Aviation Policy Framework, that regional airports make a vital contribution to the growth and recovery of regional and local economies and their role in helping to accommodate wider forecast growth in demand for aviation in the UK. Birmingham Airport completed an extension to its runway in 2014 to encourage operation of larger aircraft flying to more long-haul destinations.

  • Lord Berkeley – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Berkeley – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Berkeley on 2015-11-04.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether there are any restrictions concerning ships anchoring in Mount’s Bay, and what steps are being taken to protect fishermen’s lobster pots from damage by ships’ ground tackle.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    There are no restrictions concerning ships anchoring in Mount’s Bay. International freedoms permitting ships to anchor within territorial seas are protected under the UN Convention for the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Ships’ Masters are responsible for selecting safe and appropriate anchorage positions for their ships.

    The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) is aware of the ongoing sea‑space competition issue between shipping and fisheries in Mount’s Bay. Warnings of unattended fishing pots have been placed on both nautical charts and in Admiralty Pilot books to assist Ships’ Masters with the decision where to anchor.

    In October 2015, the MCA facilitated a meeting between affected Mount’s Bay fishermen and the UK’s Safety of Navigation Committee, with a view to addressing the underlying problems here. This work is ongoing.

  • Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-12-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 1 December 2015 to Question 17942, where a claimant’s income is insufficient to meet their living costs, how early an advance payment of up to 50 per cent of their universal credit award can be made once an assessment has been made.

    Priti Patel

    An advance payment of up to 50% of a claimant’s Universal Credit (UC) award can be approved, subject to the eligibility criteria being satisfied, as soon as the claimant attends the initial work search interview. If necessary, payment can be made by direct payment into the claimant’s account on the same day.

  • Lord Vinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Vinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Vinson on 2016-01-13.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will consider making it an offence to lend shares for short-selling without permission of the beneficial owners.

    Lord O’Neill of Gatley

    The short selling of securities is a legitimate and longstanding investment technique that can provide a positive contribution to efficient market functioning through supporting price formation and providing liquidity to markets.

    It is already illegal to lend any property, including shares, without the consent of the beneficial owner. However, there are limited circumstances in which fund managers are able to lend shares on behalf of investors (including for purposes such as facilitating a short sale). Under the Financial Conduct Authority’s rules, fund managers are able to do so if they have explicitly set out that they will do this in fund documentation, including the prospectus. This documentation forms part of the contract, which the investors agree to when they invest in the fund. FCA supervisors monitor compliance with applicable rules in this regard. These existing rules allow the FCA to take action, where appropriate, if shares are lent without the permission of the beneficial owner.

  • Maria Eagle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Maria Eagle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2016-02-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will estimate the total annual cost to the UK economy of broadband connections that do not reach Ofcom’s acceptable minimum speed of 10Mbit/s.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The economic benefits of broadband are clear – and that is why we have done and invested more that ever since 2010 than ever to ensure that 95% of homes and businesses right across the UK will have access to superfast broadband by the end of 2017. The benefits are supported by SQW Consulting’s UK Broadband impact study in 2013 estimated that the availability and take-up of faster broadband speeds will add about £17 billion to the UK’s annual Gross Value Added (GVA) by 2024.

    In November, the Prime Minister announced our ambition to implement a new broadband Universal Service Obligation (USO) at 10 Mbps. This new broadband USO will give people the legal right to request an affordable broadband connection from a designated provider, up to a reasonable cost threshold, no matter where they live. We will be consulting on these proposals shortly.

  • Royston Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Royston Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Royston Smith on 2016-02-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will take steps to improve the level of expertise and knowledge amongst 111 NHS staff.

    Jane Ellison

    As part of the process of moving to a new integrated urgent care service, accessed through the 111 telephone number, NHS England has established a Workforce Development Programme. This includes the development of a competency framework, which will set out the skills, behaviours and competencies needed for both clinical and non-clinical staff to continually improve the safety and quality of patient care. In addition, NHS England’s NHS 111 Workforce Investment Fund is supporting a number of projects that will test and evaluate a number of initiatives for improving the effectiveness of the NHS 111 workforce.

  • Lord Polak – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Polak – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Polak on 2016-04-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anelay of St Johns on 10 March (HL6654), what projects are delivered by Burj Al Luqluq Youth Centre and Silwan Youth Centre that are funded through the Bilateral Programme Budget.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The Bilateral Programme Budget funded two projects run by the Burj Al Luqluq and Silwan Youth Centres, both of which were completed in March 2016.

    The Burj Al Luqluq project built the capacity of Palestinian youth in East Jerusalem to become positive and active leaders in their communities. The project worked with 50 participants, male and female, who received training in communication, leadership and photography skills. They developed their employability and strengthened their national and cultural identities.

    The Silwan project provided Information technology and other equipment to create a safe environment for children and adults to conduct homework and research.