Tag: Richard Arkless

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Arkless on 2015-12-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment the Government has made of the implications of its decision to remove border staff at the ports of Stranraer and Cairnryan for UK security.

James Brokenshire

The ferry crossings between Stranraer, Cairnryan and Northern Ireland are domestic routes and are therefore not subject to immigration border controls.

Home Office Immigration Enforcement in Northern Ireland and Police Scotland work in close partnership to detect illegal migrants who are already in the UK and travelling on these ferries. Detections have increased year on year since the current partnership arrangement was introduced in 2011.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Arkless on 2015-12-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much Forestry Commission England spent on replanting in each year since 2000.

Rory Stewart

The area felled in any one year on the public forest estate in England is not recorded separately, but the total area that has been felled and which is in the process of being either restocked, or being converted to another land use, such as open habitats for landscape or conservation reasons, is recorded. This is given in the table below, along with the area restocked each year and the expenditure on restocking operations.

Year ending 31 March	Total felled area 1 (thousand hectares)	Restocked area 2 (thousand hectares)	Expenditure associated with restocking 3 (£ ,000s)
2001	7.9	2.1	5,181
2002	8.4	2.3	5,779
2003	7.9	2.3	5,979
2004	8.1	2.2	5,735
2005	8.1	1.9	5,635
2006	7.5	2.5	6,356
2007	8.2	1.9	6,562
2008	8.3	2.1	5,915
2009	8.7	1.8	5,924
2010	9.2	1.5	5,880
2011	8.1	2.5	7,340
2012	8.2	2.2	7,384
2013	8.6	2.2	6,448
2014	8.7	2.1	7,399
2015	8.6	2.3	7,884

^{1 ‘}Felled area’ is the area of the public forest estate that is recorded as felled on the sub-compartment database, the Forestry Commission’s electronic record of current land use. Because there is generally a two to four year gap between felling and restocking, or the reclassification as another land use, the total area classified as ‘felled’ is significantly greater than that which is felled in any one year.

^{2 ‘}Restocked area’ is the area of the public forest estate that has previously been felled and which is recorded as having been restocked in the previous 12 months, including by natural regeneration and replanting.

³ Expenditure associated with restocking is all money spent on activities directly attributed to restocking after felling, including preparation of the site and maintenance during the initial establishment phase.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Arkless on 2016-06-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if the Government will review the mechanism by which service personnel are awarded payment in the event of life-changing injuries during their time in the armed forces to take greater account of the effect of those injuries on those people.

Mark Lancaster

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) provides no-fault compensation for members of the Armed Forces where illness, injury or death is caused by service from 6 April 2005 under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) and, before that date, under the War Pensions Scheme (WPS).

Any disablement, injury or illness, including those which are life-changing, can be claimed with awards made where the claimed disorder is accepted as being due to Service. Lay and scheme medical advisers work together and decisions are evidence based, reflecting the individual case facts, contemporary medical understanding of causation and the relevant law.

Awards under the WPS depend on the assessed level of disablement with the method of assessment set out in the legislation and expressed as a percentage. The AFCS is tariff based. The legislation includes nine tables of injuries and disorders with associated tariff levels, relevant to military service. A lump sum is paid for pain and suffering taking account of the likely progress of the condition over the person’s lifetime. There are 15 tariff levels and, for the more serious disorders and injuries, a guaranteed income payment to cover reduced civilian employability is paid, in addition, from the date of claim for life.

Service personnel may make a claim for damages under common law for Service after May 1987 and where the MOD has a proven legal liability, compensation is paid. The amount of compensation is determined by common law principles which, broadly, take into account an individual’s pain and suffering, degree of injury, past and future financial losses and level of care required. Compensation can therefore vary depending on an individual’s circumstances.

The MOD has no plans to undertake a review of this mechanism, however the AFCS tariff levels and payment awards are currently being reviewed to ensure they are fit for purpose.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Arkless on 2015-11-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what progress has been made towards a resolution of the Scottish Power cashback mis-selling dispute since his meeting in July 2015 with the CEO of the Insolvency Service.

Sajid Javid

I have asked my officials to seek an update from Scottish Power on what steps they are taking in this matter.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Arkless on 2015-12-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prosecutions were brought to court under the provisions of the Human Rights Act in each year since 2005.

Dominic Raab

Prosecutions are not brought under the provisions of the Human Rights Act. A person may bring a civil claim under the Act or rely on Convention rights in any legal proceedings.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Arkless on 2016-01-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to support milk producers in ensuring milk prices in supermarkets are maintained.

George Eustice

We support the farming industry by reducing red tape, funding research to foster innovation, extending the tax averaging period for self-employed farmers and working to open up new export markets.

To provide some relief to hard-pressed farmers we secured a £26.6m aid package for the UK from the European Commission – the third largest of all Member States. Dairy farmers across the UK are being paid a one-off, flat rate payment linked to milk production. The majority of payments were made by the RPA on 16 November 2015.

The Government is working with the food industry – including supermarkets, retailers, manufacturers and caterers – on even more consistent labelling and branding of British dairy products, improving transparency across the supply chain and allocating more space on shop shelves. This will make it easier for consumers and food businesses to know when they are buying British dairy products.

A number of supermarkets have pledged to pay a premium over and above the current market price and we should welcome that. It won’t solve the problem but it will give some respite to farmers.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Arkless on 2016-09-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if his Department will exempt crisis, refuge and homeless accommodation from any extension to the Local Housing Allowance cap.

Caroline Nokes

I refer the Honourable Member to the Written Statement made today by the Secretary of State:

http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2016-09-15/HCWS154/

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Arkless on 2015-11-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to her Statement of 16 November 2015, Official Report, columns 379 to 382, what proportion of the new security officers announced in that Statement she plans will be based in Scotland.

Mr John Hayes

We do not discuss specific deployments of SIA officers. The Rt. Hon member can be confident that the Strategic Defence and Security Review is a good result for the whole of the UK.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Arkless on 2015-12-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he plans for the proposed British Bill of Rights to apply to Scotland.

Dominic Raab

The government was elected with a mandate to reform the UK’s human rights framework. We are considering the implications of a Bill of Rights on devolution as we develop our proposals. We will, of course, fully engage with the devolved administrations.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Arkless on 2016-01-28.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether she has had discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the implications for aid of the 1955 tax treaty between the UK and Malawi.

Mr Nick Hurd

The Secretary of State for International Development has had no discussions on the 1955 tax treaty between the UK and Malawi with the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Issues relating to tax treaties are a matter for Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs.