Tag: Paul Monaghan

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Monaghan on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with people from other EU countries living in the UK since the EU referendum on their right to live in the UK after the UK’s exit from the EU.

Mr Robert Goodwill

Government Ministers and officials engage with a wide range of stakeholders.

The Prime Minister has been clear that she wants to protect the status of EU nationals here. The only circumstances in which that would not be possible are if British citizens’ rights in other EU Member States were not protected in return.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Monaghan on 2015-11-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, pursuant to the Answers of 6 July 2015 to Question 4511 and 12 October 2015 to Question 10567, if she will (a) request that OFGEM assess whether the use of conventional hydro-power in the north of Scotland offsets the extra cost per unit of supply and (b) instruct OFGEM to cancel the 2p per kW hour excess charge in that region.

Andrea Leadsom

Electricity supplied to consumers in the North of Scotland region is produced by a range of generation types traded in a competitive market across GB. The electricity price paid by consumers in any given region is not therefore determined by the predominant generation type in that region.

Ofgem does not regulate energy prices – these are set by energy suppliers in competition with each other and so matters relating to the pricing of tariffs are a matter for each individual company.

Ofgem addressed the differences in electricity charges between regions at paragraph 2.5 of their recent report on ‘Regional Differences in Network Charges’. This stated that the differences observed are not a ‘surcharge’, but reflect the different network costs in the region when shared out between customers consuming energy in that area. They also saw “no compelling case” to change these arrangements, from a regulatory perspective.

The report also noted that electricity distribution charges in the north of Scotland are already cross-subsidised to an extent through the Government’s Hydro Benefit Replacement Scheme. It is currently worth around £41 per annum per household in the north of Scotland, and means that consumers face lower network charges than they otherwise would.

This report can be obtained at:

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications-and-updates/ofgem-report-regional-differences-network-charges.

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Monaghan on 2015-11-27.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what correspondence the Government has had with the Bank of Scotland on implementation of the Access to Banking Protocol and the (a) closure of branches and (b) reduction of banking services in the Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross constituency.

Harriett Baldwin

The Government welcomed the industry-wide Access to Banking protocol announced in March 2015. From the first of May this year, each participating bank has committed to carry out a number of steps if it is closing a branch. This includes establishing the impact of a branch closure before it takes place; finding suitable alternative provision; and putting in place suitable alternative measures before a branch is closed.

There is a commitment to review the operation of the protocol after one year. In August, the Minister for Small Business, Industry and Enterprise and I wrote to the Chief Executive of the British Bankers’ Association and requested an update on progress towards the appointment of an independent reviewer. A copy of the letter was also sent to the Chief Executives of the banks that are signatories to the Access to Banking protocol.

Banks and building societies need to balance customer interests, market competition, and other commercial factors when considering their strategy.

Decisions on the opening and closing of individual bank branches are taken by the management of each bank on a commercial basis without intervention from Government.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Monaghan on 2016-02-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he supports the aims of the Arms Trade Treaty.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

Yes. The UK was a prime-mover for the creation of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) and continues to be an active advocate of a robust Treaty. The UK was amongst the first to sign the ATT in 2013 and ratified on 2 April 2014. We believe that the ATT will be stronger for every State which accedes to or ratifies it.

Universalisation will remain a key priority. The UK played an important role in the preparatory discussions leading to the First Conference of States Parties, and was a Vice-President of that Conference, brokering agreement on key decisions to establish sustainable mechanisms for the future viability of the ATT.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Monaghan on 2016-02-29.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many applications for consent determined by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency have required appropriate assessment of their effect on European wildlife sites since 2010.

Mr Robert Goodwill

Since 2010, when the Maritime and Coastguard Agency has determined applications for consent, three Oil Transfer Licence applications have required appropriate assessments to be undertaken in relation to European Sites.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Monaghan on 2016-04-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what measures she has put in place to compensate officers of the Civil Nuclear Constabulary if they are dismissed because of failing (a) fitness and (b) eyesight tests for reasons attributable to advancing age.

Andrea Leadsom

This is a matter for the Civil Nuclear Police Authority, who are responsible for the terms and conditions of the officers they employ, as well as ensuring that the capability of officers meets the standards required to carry out their mission of protecting civil nuclear material.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Monaghan on 2016-05-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what the total length is of tunnels for each specific diameter being constructed by the London Power Tunnels Project; and what length of each such type of tunnel has been constructed to date.

Andrea Leadsom

National Grid has said that:

The total length of the tunnels is 32km and tunnelling was completed in March 2015.

19.6km of the network was constructed using a 3m internal diameter tunnel boring

machine

• Willesden to St John’s Wood 3m diameter tunnel – 7.4km

• Wimbledon to Kensal Green 3m diameter tunnel – 12.2km.

  12.4km of the network was built using a 4m internal diameter tunnel boring machine

  – St John’s Wood to Hackney 4m diameter tunnel.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Monaghan on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans the Government has to improve the provision of asylum accommodation.

Mr Robert Goodwill

We have worked closely with our COMPASS Providers to improve property standards and over the lifetime of the contract quality standards have increased. Where issues with accommodation are discovered we work with our contractors to ensure issues are quickly addressed. When they are not we can and do impose sanctions and seek remedial plans to drive improvement. Through continued engagement with service users and accommodation providers and regular property inspections the Home Office will continue to ensure asylum accommodation is adequate.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Monaghan on 2015-10-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when he expects the Coastal Communities Fund to reopen for a further round of funding.

Mr Marcus Jones

Details of future funding arrangements for the Coastal Communities Fund are currently being considered as part of the 2015 Spending Review. An announcement about the timing of future funding rounds is expected after the Autumn Statement.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Monaghan on 2015-09-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have had their mobility allowance withdrawn requiring them to immediately return their Motability vehicle to the dealer for disposal in each full calendar month in tax years 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16; and how many such people have won an appeal against the withdrawal of mobility allowance allowing them to return to a dealer to purchase a second Motability vehicle to aid their mobility.

Justin Tomlinson

The Department does not routinely collect information on the numbers of people who have had to return a Motability vehicle nor on whether they were successful on appeal. This information can only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Motability is an independent registered charity. It is not sponsored by the Department for Work and Pensions. The Department works closely with Motability and facilitates the transfer of benefit to Motability on behalf of those claimants who have chosen to join the Motability Scheme. The Scheme purchases vehicles which are then leased to Scheme customers. The purchase of the vehicles is funded by the Scheme and there is no cost to the public purse.

Responsibility for the charity’s policies and operational strategy falls to the Governors and Director of Motability. Motability is wholly responsible for the administration of the Motability scheme including collating its own management information. Questions about the number of vehicles returned to Motability and number of vehicles purchased can be sent to: Declan O’Mahony, Director, Motability, Warwick House, Roydon Road, Harlow, Essex CM19 5PX.