Tag: Paul Flynn

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2016-02-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his policy is on the self-determination movement in Bahrain that seeks to establish a freely elected government.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

Governance of Bahrain is a matter for all political parties in Bahrain. We encourage all political parties, to engage constructively in political dialogue in order to reach an inclusive political settlement. Although we were disappointed by the opposition’s decision to boycott the 2014 elections, we commended the participation of a broad range of candidates which saw 14 independent Shia candidates win seats, of which three were women.

We regularly discuss reforms with the Government of Bahrain including at the biannual UK-Bahrain Joint Working Group meeting which was most recently held in November 2015. Reform programme activities delivered through the Causeway Institute have used lessons from Northern Ireland to improve community outreach, participation and communication – particularly to a youth audience.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2016-02-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the cost to his Department of the Export Support Team was in (a) 2013-14 and (b) 2014-15; and whether those costs have been reimbursed by the UK Trade and Investment Defence and Security Organisation.

Mr Philip Dunne

The Export Support Team is part of the Defence and Security Organisation, part of UK Trade and Investment. The Minister for Trade and Investment is responsible for administrative and funding arrangements, including attached Service personnel’s capitation costs. Therefore, there is no cost to the Ministry of Defence.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2016-03-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, with reference to the Annex on a Comprehensive Franco-British Partnership on Civil Nuclear Energy, Franco-British Summit, on 3 March 2016, what the basis is for the statement that major progress has been made in recent months with a view to confirming the project to build two EPR reactors on the Hinkley Point site.

Andrea Leadsom

The terms of the contractual documentation relating to Hinkley Point C (Contract for Difference, Secretary of State Investors Agreement, Funded Decommissioning Programme (FDP) and related Waste Transfer contracts) between the Government and EDF are in final form.

EDF and CGN have confirmed major investment in HPC and are working to rapidly conclude the detailed investment documentation.

The Final Investment Decision is a matter for EDF and we understand they will make this shortly.

In January we gave planning consent for the National Grid connection to Hinkley Point C.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2016-03-22.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what attempts have been made to clean up contamination from bullets and shells used by UK forces in (a) Afghanistan, (b) Iraq and (c) Libya; what the cost has been of that work to date; and which UK companies have been awarded contracts to carry out that remediation.

Penny Mordaunt

In all operational theatres the UK, where practical and possible, records the use of all explosive ordnance and makes every effort to ensure no remnants, hazardous or otherwise, remain. This is done for both humanitarian concerns and operational imperatives as we would not wish to leave any ordnance which could fall into the hands of our adversaries and subsequently be used against UK forces.

UK forces records the use of all munitions and protects civilians under the Geneva Conventions with marking, removal and destruction of Explosive Remnants of War (ERW) wherever practical and possible: where troop movements may be affected or where ERW represent an immediate and significant danger to life. The Ministry of Defence does not hold information centrally on commercial ERW clearance: after the cessation of hostilities, the UK will normally contract commercial organisations, through the Department for International Development, to carry out the routine assessment, marking and clearance of ERW and risk education for humanitarian and developmental purposes.

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.