Tag: Paul Flynn

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2016-04-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what joint exercises his Department has held with participants from the US National Nuclear Security Administration on rapid response to emergency nuclear incidents, including those potentially involving terrorists, in the last 12 months.

Penny Mordaunt

The Ministry of Defence has been involved in four joint exercises related to nuclear incidents with the US National Nuclear Security Administration in the last 12 months. This included Exercise DIAMOND DRAGON 2015, a joint UK/US nuclear emergency exercise testing our response to an emergency involving US aircraft carrying US nuclear weapons in the UK. The other three exercises focused on countering nuclear terrorism.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2016-05-19.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will request that HM Revenue and Customs investigate the legality of the operations of those British Offshore entities registered with the Mossack Fonseca law firm in Panama whose identity was made public by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists on 9 May 2016.

Mr David Gauke

On April 10, The Prime Minister announced a new taskforce to obtain, analyse and take action on the information contained in the Panama Papers.

It is being jointly led by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and the National Crime Agency (NCA) and draws on investigators, compliance specialists and analysts from HMRC, the NCA, the Serious Fraud Office and Financial Conduct Authority. The four organisations are working in close partnership to take rapid action on evidence of tax evasion and avoidance, economic crime, regulatory breaches and misconduct identified within the material.

The Prime Minister has committed to provide resources to ensure that the material is fully investigated, including initial new funding of up to £10 million to support the taskforce’s work.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2016-10-07.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the total funding that the Welsh Government will lose as a result of the UK leaving the EU.

Mr David Gauke

The UK Government will guarantee EU funding for structural and investment fund projects in Wales, including agri-environment schemes, signed before we leave the EU. It will be for the Welsh Government to make an assessment of which projects should be pursued in areas of its competence, and this guarantee will apply to any such projects. The agricultural sector in Wales will receive the same level of funding that it would have received under Pillar 1 of CAP until the end of the Multi-Annual Financial Framework in 2020.

As a result of these steps taken by the UK Government, individuals and organisations in receipt of EU funds now have a greater degree of certainty about funding over the coming years. The UK Government will work with the Welsh Government to consider future funding arrangements for once the UK has left the EU.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2016-10-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much her Department has spent to date of the £1.25 million committed to the Badger Edge Vaccination Scheme.

George Eustice

Defra Badger Edge Vaccination Scheme projects in England were funded on the basis of actual work done by the grant beneficiaries with no specific total amount committed to the Scheme. Defra spent just over £92,000 on these projects in the 2015/16 financial year, with additional in-kind support in the form of free loans of equipment, supply of the Badger BGC vaccine and advice from field experts.

Although no vaccination of badgers under the Scheme is possible in 2016, we have awarded grant funding to three of the former beneficiaries for other vaccination-related work. The amounts payable to each will depend on the work that they do in the current financial year

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-11-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the cost of locums to the NHS arising from the General Medical Council’s revalidation programme.

Ben Gummer

Medical revalidation is underpinned by structured appraisal processes that support a doctor’s professional development. Doctors will prepare for their appraisal during planned periods away from clinical practice, thus removing the need for additional locum cover in the National Health Service.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-11-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department has taken to ensure that snare operators are (a) aware of and (b) complying with the Code of Good Practice on the Use of Snares, published in 2005.

Rory Stewart

Policy on wildlife management issues including snares is a devolved matter so I can only speak for England.

In 2012 Defra published research on the extent of use and humaneness of snares in England and Wales. This research included an analysis of the issues covered by the code. Ministers are currently considering options.

Defra and its agencies do not use snares on their property.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-11-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what her Department’s involvement was in the launch of E-Track on 18 November 2015 on the new European Commission programme on the Energy Transparency Centre of Knowledge (E-TRACK); and what the benefits are to the development of UK energy policy of E-TRACK.

Andrea Leadsom

The Energy Transparency Centre of Knowledge (E-TRACK) is a joint initiative of the European Commission’s Directorate General of Energy and Joint Research Centre. It is intended to monitor, disseminate and share information on good practices of public participation in energy policy. Given it has only just been launched and is yet to begin its work it is too early to assess whether its subsequent outputs will deliver benefits to the development of UK energy policy.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-11-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the UK sought permission from the government of Syria to deploy manned and unmanned surveillance aircraft over Syria before he made his Statement to the House on 21 October 2014.

Penny Mordaunt

No. This activity is conducted as part of the international counter-ISIL/Da’esh Coalition in the self-defence of the UK and the collective self-defence of Iraq, under article 51 of the UN Charter, against the direct threat from ISIL’s heartland in Syria.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-12-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assurances he sought from his French counterpart that, in providing British surveillance assistance to the French bombing of identified ISIS operational buildings in Raqqa following the ISIS-inspired terrorist attacks in Paris, the French military avoided any civilians being killed as collateral damage from the bombings.

Michael Fallon

France is operating alongside the UK as part of the international Coalition against Daesh. All Coalition air operations are planned in accordance with international law and every precaution is taken to minimise collateral damage and civilian casualties.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-12-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what review her Department has conducted on flood protection measures since the recent floods in Cumbria and Lancashire.

Rory Stewart

The Environment Secretary announced on Sunday 13 December a new Cumbrian Floods Partnership group that will consider what improvements to flood defences in the region may be needed, look at upstream options for slowing key rivers to reduce the intensity of water flows at peak times and build stronger links between local residents, community groups and flood defence planning.

The Environment Secretary also announced a National Flood Resilience Review will be carried out to better protect the country from future flooding and increasingly extreme weather events. This will be delivered by a new cross Government team.

I will also be taking on a special Floods Envoy role across Cumbria and Lancashire coordinating the flood recovery operation across local agencies over the coming months.