The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Evans on 2015-10-28.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many students from India were granted a visa to study in Britain in 1990.
James Brokenshire
Due to a change of database in 2004, comparable data are not available for visas in years prior to 2004.
In 2005, 18,857 Indian nationals were issued with study visas granting entry clearance to the UK.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mary Robinson on 2015-11-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps his Department is taking to promote apprenticeships in the road haulage industry.
Nick Boles
Through our reforms, more than 1300 employers are designing new apprenticeships standards that are more responsive to the needs of business. 194 standards have been published with over 150 new standards in development, including the new Large Goods Vehicle Driver standard.
Subject to final approval, this new apprenticeship standard will provide the sector with an excellent opportunity to develop a new generation of drivers in a way that meets their specific requirements.
In addition, in June Jobcentre Plus and the Road Haulage Association launched “Driving Britain’s Future”. This 12-month scheme will identify 2,400 work experience placements for Jobcentre Plus customers with logistics employers.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2016-01-06.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations she has made to her French counterparts on the proposed construction of a new camp for migrants close to Dieppe.
James Brokenshire
The management of migrant camps in northern France is the responsibility of the French Government. The Home Office is in regular contact with the French authorities and will continue to engage with them on managing port security and dealing with the migrant pressures.
We are not aware of any proposals to build a migrant camp in Dieppe.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bridget Phillipson on 2016-01-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 14 December 2015 to Question 19988, what progress he has made on finalising monitoring arrangements; and if he will support monitoring of the use of public transport and investment in the North East’s bus and rail networks as part of those arrangements.
James Wharton
The Government is working with the North East Combined Authority on the implementation plan for its devolution deal, which will cover monitoring arrangements. The devolution deal will create an elected mayor, who will be directly accountable to local people and will have powers over transport among other things. It is for the future mayor to decide how to monitor transport policy, and for local people to hold the mayor and the Combined Authority to account.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tulip Siddiq on 2016-02-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, on how many occasions in each year since 2009-10 he has been asked to confirm a local planning authority’s decision to revoke planning permission under Section 97 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990; and on how many such occasions he (a) confirmed and (b) overturned that decision.
Brandon Lewis
Section 97 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 means that if it appears to the local planning authority that it is expedient to do so, it may make an order revoking any planning permission to develop land. When an order is opposed by the owner and occupier of the land or by other persons who in the authority’s opinion will be affected, the order has to be submitted to the Secretary of State and shall not take effect unless it is confirmed by him.
For each year since 2009/10:
|
Year |
Number submitted for confirmation |
Confirmed |
Overturned (declined to confirm) |
|
2009/10 |
1 |
1 |
None |
|
2010/11 |
1 |
None |
None |
|
2011/12 |
None |
None |
None |
|
2012/13 |
1 |
None |
None (withdrawn by authority) |
|
2013/14 |
None |
None |
None |
|
2014/15 |
None |
None |
None |
|
2015/16 |
None |
None |
None |
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2016-03-21.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Minister of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Mr Hugo Swire, on 25 February (HC27825), whether UK companies that operate in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea must demonstrate that the funds used do not contribute to that country’s nuclear and ballistic missile programme or its human rights violations; and whether the UK Government must investigate the final destinations of UK company funds in that country.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
UK companies have a legal obligation to comply with UN and EU sanctions measures, including those on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. The Treasury is responsible for the implementation and administration of international financial sanctions in effect in the UK, and works with law enforcement agencies to enforce these measures.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alan Mak on 2016-03-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the strength of diplomatic and economic relations between China and the UK.
Mr Hugo Swire
Our relationship with China is strong and prosperous. We are building on the global partnership established during last year’s Chinese State Visit, by cooperating on international challenges and boosting trade and investment. We also have frank discussions on difficult issues including steel over-capacity, human rights and the South China Sea.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer on 2016-04-28.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the positive findings of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs research Digestate and Compost in Agriculture, what action they are taking to increase the volume of food waste going to anaerobic digesters rather than to incinerators.
Lord Gardiner of Kimble
It is wrong for good surplus food to go to waste when it could go to people. For food waste which is unavoidable and inedible, anaerobic digestion is the most environmentally beneficial means of dealing with it.
The Waste Framework Directive sets out a priority order for waste treatment: the waste hierarchy. We have departed from the waste hierarchy to place anaerobic digestion above – rather than on a par with – composting and other energy recovery technologies for the treatment of food and garden wastes. We explain this position in our “Guidance on applying the waste hierarchy”. While local authorities are best placed to determine local collection arrangements, they must have regard to this guidance.
The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) has recently published guidance to local authorities on how to introduce or improve the effectiveness of food waste collection systems. WRAP is also looking at whether greater consistency in how waste is collected has the potential to improve recycling rates.
The “Food Waste Recycling Action Plan”, soon to be published by WRAP, aims to bring together industry and local authorities to increase the supply and quality of household and commercial food waste to the food waste recycling industry.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Deech on 2016-06-13.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the 2013 Report of the European Court of Auditors EU Direct Financial Support to the Palestinian Authority said (1) that a number of civil servants in Gaza were being paid without going to work, and (2) that the EU was not using its leverage on the Palestinian Authority to promote reforms; and what assessment they have made of the EU allocation of 252.5 million euros to the Palestinian Authority in 2016 through PEGASE.
Baroness Verma
The European Court of Auditors report of the EU’s Direct Financial Support to the Palestinian Authority assessed the European External Action Service’s and the European Commission’s management of the direct financial support provided through the PEGASE mechanism to the Palestinian Authority. The report is accessible in the public domain.
The UK is supportive of the EU’s programme of financial assistance to the Palestinian Authority, which supports delivery of essential basic services to Palestinians and helps maintain the viability of the two-state solution.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Murray on 2016-09-02.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) offices in Scotland the Government plans to close by 2020; and what changes there will be in the total number of HMRC employees working in Scotland.
Jane Ellison
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) plans to create two new regional centres in Scotland in Glasgow and Edinburgh in 2019-20, accommodating between 5,700 and 6,300 full time equivalent posts by 2025. As work is transferred to the regional centres HMRC plans to close ten offices in Scotland by 2020. The changes are part of a ten-year transformation programme to deliver better public services at lower cost to the taxpayer. Scotland has 12 per cent of HMRC’s total workforce and that will not change with modernisation.
HMRC believes that its responsibilities will be unaffected by the changes. Staff are receiving guidance and training to deal with any enquiries relating to the Scottish rate of income tax, as with any other tax issues.