Tag: Paul Flynn

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2014-06-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what the evidential basis was for the statement made by his Department’s Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in her foreword to the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority’s Annual Report and Accounts for 2013-14, issued on 23 June 2014, that the continuation of Nuclear Management Partner’s contract to manage the Sellafield site offers the potential of stability and focus on the priorities during a vital five-year period in the history of Sellafield as it transitions from an operational plant into a fully-fledged decommissioning site.

Michael Fallon

The decision on contract extension was for the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority in line with its duties and responsibilities under the Energy Act 2004. The Department has oversight of all NDA activity and, given the particular importance of Sellafield, officials were closely involved throughout the contract review. From this we were assured that the NDA reached its decision based on a thorough and independent review of performance in the first period of the contract and consideration of all the options available to it. Ministers endorsed the NDA Board’s decision to extend the contract for a second term on the basis that rolling the contract forward represented the best way forward, giving the opportunity for NMP to build on progress made to date, address weaker areas of performance and make further real progress in this next five year term.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-02-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what total amount his Department has spent on consultant fees for the Great Western direct award to date.

Claire Perry

The total amount the Department has spent on consultancy fees for the Great Western Direct Award (DA) from November 2012 to date (January 2015) is approximately £1.6m. This amount is inclusive of VAT.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2014-06-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, with reference to the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority’s Annual Report and Accounts for 2013-14, published on 23 June 2014, what estimate he has made of the additional cost to the public purse arising from the increased cost on an undiscounted basis of legacy radioactive waste and nuclear plant commissioning announced in that report.

Michael Fallon

As reported in the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority’s Annual Report and Accounts for 2013/14, the Nuclear Provision (the estimated cost to complete the decommissioning of all 17 sites in the authority’s estate) is now calculated as £65bn on a discounted basis (£110bn undiscounted). These costs will be borne in their entirety by the public purse.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-02-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what total amount his Department has spent on consultant fees relating to the Intercity Express Programme to date.

Claire Perry

From 2005 to October 2009, £21m was spent. Since then further spend has been incurred taking the total as at February 2015 to £46m.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2014-06-26.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on the regulation of the practice of dark pool trading by high frequency bank traders.

Andrea Leadsom

Treasury Ministers regularly meet with Ministers in other departments as part of normal Government business. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government’s practice to provide details of all such meetings and discussions.

Dark pool trading is subject to regulation under the markets in financial instruments directive (2004/39/EC) (MiFID). The new MiFIR Regulation (600/2014/EU) recently agreed as part of the “MiFID 2” negotiations will impose significant limits on dark pool trading in the EU.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-02-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Great Western direct award will specify that guards will be responsible for the opening and closing of doors on the new Intercity Express Programme trains.

Claire Perry

Negotiations are continuing between the Department for Transport and First Great Western over the detail of the next franchise Direct Award.

As a matter of general policy, the Department does not specify numbers of staff or how they should be deployed as this is an operational matter; which the train operator is better placed to manage and understand.

However, we do support the resilience and efficiency offered by a train fleet and infrastructure which can operate as Driver Only Operation (DOO) as set out in the Intercity Express Programme (IEP) Specification which is in the public domain.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2014-06-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will publish the titles of all reports covering the effects of the use of a UK nuclear weapon produced by (a) his Department and (b) the Atomic Weapons Establishment and its predecessor body for his Department in the last 30 years.

Mr Philip Dunne

The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-02-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with Hitachi and Agility Trains on future maintenance depots for the new Intercity Express Programme trains in use for (a) Great Western and (b) East Coast services.

Claire Perry

Staffing issues at maintenance depots on the East Coast and Great Western are a matter for Hitachi and the respective Train Operator. The Department does not get involved.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2014-04-29.

To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to the Answer of 28 April 2014, Official Report, column 473W, on Pakistan, whether Pakistan’s possession of nuclear weapons and the prospects of Pakistan joining the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty were discussed at his 30 April 2014 meeting with the Prime Minister of Pakistan.

Mr David Cameron

When I met Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on 30 April, I discussed a range of issues, including on foreign and security policy.

It is the UK’s position that all countries should join and abide by the Nuclear Proliferation Treaty.