Tag: Paul Flynn

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2016-06-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Civil Contingencies Unit has made an assessment of the implications for its CBRNE defense policies of the findings of the PRACTICE EU project on the different public reactions to industrial or transport accidents and terrorist incidents, referred to in oral evidence to the Science and Technology Committee on 7 June 2016.

Mr John Hayes

The Home Office is answering this question as the lead department for CBRN(e) Response. The Home Office and its partners use a range of evidence to develop the UK’s response to CBRN(e) incidents. This information has informed the development of the Initial Operational Response which has been rolled out nationally across the emergency services. The booklet produced under the auspices of the PRACTICE EU project and referred to in the oral evidence is based on the same body of evidence as the UK response and consequently its content is consistent with our approach.”

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, for what reasons he decided to give evidence on the Wales Bill to the National Assembly for Wales’ Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee; and if he will give evidence to that committee.

Alun Cairns

The Committee Chair declined my offer to meet him to discuss the Wales Bill.

I am giving careful consideration to the report and the Committee’s recommendations.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-10-22.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, on what date her Department commissioned a study of the technical and economic options for small modular nuclear reactors; which organisation her Department asked to carry this out; what departmental resources have been committed to support this study; and when the final report of that study is expected to be delivered.

Andrea Leadsom

A range of studies has been commissioned by the Department of Energy and Climate Change in order to deliver a techno-economic assessment of small modular reactors. The organisations currently under contract to deliver projects for the techno economic assessment are: Atkins Limited (contracted on 22/7/15); Energy Technologies Institute LLP (contracted on 3/8/15); National Nuclear Laboratory Limited (contracted on 3/8/15); Checkendon Hill Ltd (contracted on 25/6/15); and Ernst and Young LLP (contracted on 201/10/15).

The total budget for this study is up to £4.5million excluding VAT. The equivalent of approximately 4 full time staff are supporting the study in my Department.

The final report will be delivered in Spring 2016.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-10-22.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if she will make an assessment of the (a) causes and (b) effect of the construction delays of reactors in China and France built by the proposed vendors of reactors planned for Hinkley Point C and Bradwell; and what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies on the construction of new nuclear power stations of these delays.

Andrea Leadsom

Delays at the Olkiluoto 3 and Flamanville 3 reactors have resulted from a combination of technical, regulatory and contractual reasons, many of which are unlikely to be repeated at Hinkley Point C due to differing regulatory regimes, improved contracting arrangements and in light of the experience that the developer is gaining from these projects.

In addition, there are strong commercial incentives built into the contract for difference to minimise construction delays and cost overruns. The Contract for Difference (CfD) Strike Price cannot rise if there are construction cost over-runs so any cost overrun would have to be borne by the Project’s investors. Further, low carbon payments under the CfD will only be made once the plant starts generating. The incentives are therefore on the developer to deliver the Project within budget and on time, and if it succeeds in bringing it in under budget, there is a construction gainshare mechanism to ensure sharing of any savings with the consumer.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-10-22.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how many visits her Departmental officials have made to China in support of the development of the Strategic Investment Agreement between EDF and China General Nuclear Corporation announced on 21 October 2015; how much each such visit cost; and if she will publish the minutes of each meeting held between UK and Chinese government officials on this agreement.

Andrea Leadsom

Officials visited China twice, in July and September, as part of my rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State’s visits at the same time. The cost of the first visit for the relevant officials was £8,900, the cost of the second visit was £6,750. I do not intend to publish minutes of the meetings, which discussed commercially sensitive information.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-10-22.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment she has made of the potential threat to national security of the choice of the Chinese government company General Nuclear International as an investment partner for the development of the Hinkley Point C nuclear plant.

Andrea Leadsom

We have a robust system in the UK for examining whether investments into our country are in the national interest. Safety and security in the civil nuclear industry are of paramount importance to the Government. Companies involved in the UK nuclear industry must do so in accordance with the UK’s stringent regulations enforced by an independent regulator. On this basis we welcome companies which can demonstrate the capability to contribute to safe and secure nuclear power generation in the UK.

There is a longstanding convention of successive Governments not commenting in detail

on security and intelligence matters.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-10-27.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people have died as a result of a heroin overdose in each of the last 15 years.

Mr Rob Wilson

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-10-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the total cost to the public purse was of arrangements for the most recent visits to the UK by the (a) President of the US and (b) President of China.

James Duddridge

The full cost of inward State Visits is borne by a number of different Government Departments.

The cost borne by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for the 2011 State Visit by the President of the US was £395,095.

We do not yet have the costs for the 2015 State Visit by the President of China. These will be published on the gov.uk website once available.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-10-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the Care Quality Commission’s recent progress in meeting its inspection programme’s targets.

Ben Gummer

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator of health and adult social care providers in England. The CQC is an executive non-departmental public body accountable to the Secretary of State for the efficient and effective discharge of its functions, duties and powers. The Department monitors CQC’s financial and operational performance and risks, including progress with recruitment of inspectors, at a general and strategic level through regular formal and informal accountability meetings. Ministers and the Permanent Secretary also hold regular meetings with the Chair and Chief Executive of the CQC and its Chief Inspectors.

The CQC has advised that it expects the inspections of NHS acute hospitals to be completed as planned by the end of March 2016 and the inspections of the remaining NHS Hospitals by June 2016. Further planning is required for the independent health sectors to enable the December 2016 commitments to be met.

The CQC is currently behind the planned trajectories to have rated all adult social care and general practitioners and out of hours services by 30 September 2016. The time it has taken to both recruit the required numbers of inspectors and to ensure they are fully trained to conduct inspections has contributed to the current position. The CQC is considering what steps it can take to bring the programme back on track.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-10-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has held with the Care Quality Commission’s Head of Inspection on the number of vacant posts in the Commission’s inspection teams.

Ben Gummer

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator of health and adult social care providers in England. The CQC is an executive non-departmental public body accountable to the Secretary of State for the efficient and effective discharge of its functions, duties and powers. The Department monitors CQC’s financial and operational performance and risks, including progress with recruitment of inspectors, at a general and strategic level through regular formal and informal accountability meetings. Ministers and the Permanent Secretary also hold regular meetings with the Chair and Chief Executive of the CQC and its Chief Inspectors.