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Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Mark Pritchard – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Mark Pritchard – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Pritchard on 2016-02-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will take steps to ensure that (a) Shropshire Council, (b) Telford and Wrekin Council and (c) Highways England put in place road safety improvements to reduce the number of road deaths and injuries on roads in (i) Shropshire and (ii) Telford and Wrekin.

    Andrew Jones

    Local authorities are responsible for road safety on the local road network. Section 39 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 puts a ‘statutory duty’ on the local authorities to deliver an appropriate road safety education service and for the provision of a safe local road network.

    It is up to individual authorities to determine how they meet their “statutory duty”. However, following the 2015 Spending Review the Government will continue to provide funding through the Integrated Transport block for local highway authorities to support small-scale initiatives, including road safety schemes. This funding is not ring-fenced and gives local authorities the freedom to develop and implement solutions which best suit their localities.

    More widely, from within the record £6.1 billion to be allocated to local highways authorities between 2015 and 2021 for road maintenance, Shropshire has been allocated £86million and Telford and Wrekin £18million (including indicative allocations from 2018/19 to 2020/21) plus Telford has also been allocated £10.3million from the Highways Maintenance Challenge Fund. This compares to £79million allocated to Shropshire and £15.6million to Telford and Wrekin covering the period 2010 to 2015.

    Highways England has made a commitment to review routes in Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin over the next five years.

    Safety improvements are proposed on the A5/B5070 at Gledrid Roundabout in the 2016/17 financial year. Potential safety schemes have also been identified in Shropshire, and in Telford & Wrekin, and these will be considered over the 5-year Roads Investment Strategy. These are detailed below.

    • A483 Maesbury Road
    • A49/A456 Wooferton
    • A5 Montford Bridge and Shrawardine Junctions
    • A5/B5009 Gobowen
    • A49 Laybys

    All of these works will be subject to available funding and are not, as yet, programmed for delivery.

    An A5 corridor study has also been commissioned to identify a long term strategy for addressing the changing needs and function of the A5 trunk road corridor between Chirk and Preston Boats. This study will consider current issues with the existing corridor, summarising the implications of growth and providing a set of highway options to address congestion and safety, for consideration within future financial years.

  • Maria Caulfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Maria Caulfield – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Caulfield on 2016-03-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has made representations to the Palestinian Authority on allegations of its schools naming sports tournaments after terrorists.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    While we have not raised this specific issue with the Palestinian Authority (PA). We regularly raise the issue of incitement with the PA. Most recently, on 9 March, our Consul General in Jerusalem met Prime Minister Hamdallah and raised our concerns on incitement. I also raised the issue with the PA during my visit on 17 February.

  • Margaret Hodge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Margaret Hodge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Hodge on 2016-04-19.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, who the tax assurance commissioner is in HM Revenue and Customs.

    Mr David Gauke

    Edward Troup remains the Tax Assurance Commissioner for HM Revenue and Customs.

  • Shabana Mahmood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Shabana Mahmood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Shabana Mahmood on 2016-05-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which teams in her Department work on counter-extremism strategy and policy; how many staff are employed in each of those teams; what the grade is of each of those staff; what the budget is for each team; and what the budget is for external expert consultancy services for each of those teams.

    Karen Bradley

    In May 2015 the Home Secretary established the Office for Counter-Extremism, which works on counter-extremism strategy and policy. As of May 2016 the office has 51 staff of the following grades: 7 at SCS PB2, SCS PB1 and Grade 6; 10 at Grade 7; 14 at SEO; 10 at HEO; 10 at EO.

    The 16/17 budget for the Office for Counter-Extremism is £22.5 million, with a maximum of £2.57 million available for external expert consultancy services.

  • Jamie Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jamie Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jamie Reed on 2016-07-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 5 July 2016 to Question 41907, for what reasons the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State did not visit West Cumberland Hospital on 14 July 2016; and if he will visit that hospital as a matter of urgency.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State’s visit to Cumbria on 14 July 2016 was cancelled due to changes in Government. The Department continues to champion the Success Regime and my private office will be in touch in due course, as I look forward to visiting West Cumberland Hospital.

  • Tom Blenkinsop – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Tom Blenkinsop – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Blenkinsop on 2016-10-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 12 September 2016 to Question 44288, how many of these incidents led to fatalities.

    Penny Mordaunt

    There have been three incidents leading to fatalities.

    • Four people died as a result of an inrush of water at the Gleision Mine in South Wales on 15 September 2011;
    • One person died as a result of a fall of ground at Kellingley Colliery, North Yorkshire on 27 September 2011;
    • One person died as a result of a sudden and powerful release of gas from rocks at Boulby Mine in East Cleveland on 17 June 2016.
  • Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Luciana Berger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2016-01-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 17 December 2015 to Question 20082, what the (a) dates, (b) locations and (c) organisations of the 19 visits and meetings referred to in that Answer were.

    Alistair Burt

    Details of the 19 visits to or meetings with mental health trusts undertaken by Simon Stevens and Sir Bruce Keogh since their appointments as Chief Executive and Medical Director respectively are given on the attached table Details of meetings with and visits to mental health trusts undertaken by Simon Stevens and Sir Bruce Keogh since their appointments as Chief Executive and Medical Director respectively of NHS England.

  • Nic Dakin – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Nic Dakin – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2015-10-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what (a) guidance she has provided and (b) information her Department holds on which age groups the Sevenoaks Annexe of Weald of Kent Grammar School, recently approved by her Department plans to serve.

    Edward Timpson

    Departmental advice for academies wishing to make a change to their existing arrangements is available on GOV.UK.

    The new annexe will serve the same age range as the existing site of Weald of Kent Grammar School, which is 11-19. The admission arrangements apply across the whole school. It is the responsibility of the academy trust as the admission authority to ensure that admission arrangements are compliant with The School Admissions Code.

    The newly expanded school will better meet the needs of school-age people in the community that it serves, with over 41% of students at the existing site already travelling from the Sevenoaks area.

  • Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark on 2015-11-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Iran concerning the case of Kamal Foroughi.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We are very concerned for Mr Foroughi’s health and have frequently raised this with the Iranian authorities, urging them to provide regular medical assistance and access to a lawyer. Iran does not recognise dual nationality, and so will not allow us consular access.

    The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), personally raised this case with President Rouhani in Tehran, and also with Foreign Minister Zarif. The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), has written to President Rouhani about this case. On 1 December the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Mr Ellwood), met Mr Foroughi’s family to discuss the case. We will continue to raise this with the Iranian government at every opportunity.

  • Maria Eagle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Maria Eagle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Maria Eagle on 2015-12-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many staff in his Department worked on proposals to make the Defence Infrastructure Organisation government-owned contractor-operated in (a) 2011-12, (b) 2012-13, (c) 2013-14 and (d) 2014-15.

    Mark Lancaster

    The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) has been led by a Strategic Business Partner (SBP) since September 2014. The SBP contract allowed for the Ministry of Defence (MOD) to instruct the incorporation of DIO as a Government-owned company (GovCo), subject to a value for money review.

    I announced the conclusions of the review in my written statement of 10 December 2015 (Official Report, columns 55-56WS). The GovCo model would have been led by the SBP but 100% owned by the Secretary of State for Defence. A GovCo is distinct from a Government-owned contractor-operated organisation (GOCO) which has a different legal construct. The MOD has never proposed for the DIO to become a GOCO.