Tag: Paul Flynn

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

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment the Civil Contingencies Unit has made of levels of radioactive contamination in upland areas across the UK from radioactive fallout in May 1986 as a result of the Chernobyl nuclear accident.

Mr Oliver Letwin

The Civil Contingencies Secretariat does not make assessments of the current levels of radioactive contamination existing in upland areas across the UK. However, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) coordinates a report on radiological monitoring across the UK on behalf of Environment Agency, Scottish Environment Protection Agency, Food Standards Scotland, Natural Resource Wales and Northern Ireland Environment Agency. This is reported annually in the report on Radioactivity in Food and the Environment (RIFE). The most recent report can be found at: http://www.food.gov.uk/sites/default/files/rife-20.pdf

Between 1986 and 2012, the Food Standards Agency and its predecessors managed controls and routine monitoring of sheep in certain upland areas of the UK in order to protect food safety. Following a review of the evidence (which included an assessment of the levels of radio caesium in sheep within the restricted areas) and a 12-week public consultation, the Board of the Food Standards Agency agreed the lifting of the last of these controls with effect on 1 June 2012.
See: http://www.food.gov.uk/science/research/radiologicalresearch/radiosurv/chernobyl

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2016-06-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, with reference to the European Council decision of October 2014 on a Climate and Energy Policy Framework to set EU-wide energy targets for 2030, what assessment she has made of the potential effect of a vote to leave the EU on the UK (a) reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40 per cent by 2030, (b) making the target for renewable energy at least 27 per cent and (c) meeting the indicative energy efficiency target of at least 27 per cent.

Amber Rudd

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the statement given by the Prime Minister on 24 June:

https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/eu-referendum-outcome-pm-statement-24-june-2016.

“

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

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the process used by the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments in drawing up its advice on appointments to be taken by former Ministers and former civil servants.

Ben Gummer

I refer the honourable gentleman to my answer of 17^th October, given in response to PQ 47620.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with the General Medical Council on their revalidation programme.

Ben Gummer

My Rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health meets the General Medical Council regularly and has discussed their revalidation programme with them.

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, whether snares are used to trap animals on land owned by her Department; and what records her Department keeps of animals caught in such snares.

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 2015-11-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what the evidential basis is for the statement in her speech on energy policy at the Institute of Civil Engineers on 18 November 2015 that nuclear power is safe.

Andrea Leadsom

The Government views safety at nuclear sites as paramount. The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) has regulatory and operational independence and is staffed with nuclear safety experts. It carries out inspections across the nuclear estate and has a wide range of enforcement powers with which to hold duty holders to account and secure sustained compliance with the law. Further, safety is kept under regular review in line with international best practice.

The Chief Nuclear Inspector’s Statement about the nuclear industry can be found in the 2014-15 Annual Report and Accounts (pages 26-44), which clearly sets out further the work undertaken by the ONR to ensure that industry meets the safety requirements:

http://www.onr.org.uk/documents/2015/annual-report-2014-15.pdf.

“

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to paragraph 4.75 of the National Security and Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015, by what date the new team sponsoring the defence nuclear enterprise is scheduled to be established.

Mr Philip Dunne

We expect to announce further details of the new organisation in 2016.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-12-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Prime Minister’s oral contribution of 2 December 2015 on ISIL in Syria, Official Report, column 323, what the seven locations are in the UK where the security services have stopped terrorist attacks; and in which months each such attempted attack was stopped.

Mr John Hayes

In line with our longstanding practice, it would be inappropriate to comment further on operational matters.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, with reference to the announcement by the Prime Minister at the UN climate change conference in Paris on 30 November, how much from the public purse has been allocated to Mission Innovation to accelerate clean energy investment and innovation.

Andrea Leadsom

The Government set out plans in the Spending Review to invest more in clean energy research and development over the next five years as part of Mission Innovation. By 2020/21 we will be spending in excess of £400m under Mission Innovation.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2016-01-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on how many occasions since 1 January 2014 explosives stored at the Atomic Weapons Establishment have been found to be wrongly labelled; on what date it was discovered that such explosives were wrongly labelled; and what (a) types and (b) quantities of explosives were involved in each such case.

Michael Fallon

Since 1 January 2014, there have been two occasions on which anomalies have been discovered in the labelling of explosives at the Atomic Weapons Establishment. In each case a small discrepancy was discovered through the checking and accounting process in place. In neither case were any explosive licence limits exceeded, and there was no requirement to notify the Authority or the Regulator.

On 14 August 2015, it was identified that a container labelled as containing 0.054 Kg of explosives actually contained 0.063 Kg.

On 6 January 2016, it was identified that a container labelled as containing 0.10716 Kg of explosives actually contained 0.0872 Kg.

The explosives concerned were Hazard Type 1.