Tag: Richard Burden

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2015-10-29.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 29 October 2015 to Question 13434, on Cabinet Committees: Airports, under what circumstances (a) full minutes, (b) dates of and (c) other information about such meetings would be published.

Mr Oliver Letwin

Information relating to the proceedings of recent Cabinet Committee meetings is not disclosed as to do so could harm the frankness and candour of internal discussion. Cabinet Committee minutes and other papers, which are not subject to national security or other restrictions, will be released to The National Archives after 20 years once the transition from the 30 to the 20-year rule has been complete. A detailed list of the Cabinet Committees, including their membership and remit, can be found on Gov.uk.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2015-11-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with freight and haulier representatives on ensuring better access to food, drink and sanitation facilities as part of his Department’s development of a strategy to improve the running of Operation Stack; and when he expects to announce his Department’s strategy.

Andrew Jones

Government continues to work closely with a wide range of key partners on a number of short to long term solutions to Operation Stack. Based on these discussions, Highways England are assessing a number of sites off the strategic road network which could offer a potential long term solution and are exploring these options with landowners and stakeholders.

As part of this, my Department and Highways England will assess the facilities that will be made available on any such site and will liaise with the freight and haulier organisations in due course.

At present, an agreement has been reached with the owners of Manston Airfield in Kent to enable Kent Police, Highways England and Kent County Council to use the Airfield on a temporary basis to help reduce pressure on the M20 during Operation Stack. If Manston Airfield were to be required, access to toilet and washing facilities, and access to drinking water, would be provided as a minimum for drivers of parked vehicles as soon as reasonably practicable.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assistance the Government has given to (a) Kent Police, (b) Kent County Council, (c) other operational organisations and (d) businesses to cover costs incurred during the implementation of Operation Stack in Summer 2015.

Mike Penning

In respect of Kent police, the Home Office has recently received an application from the Kent Police and Crime Commissioner for Special Grant funding for the additional costs relating to Operation Stack. I will carefully consider the bid and make a decision in due course.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2015-11-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what conditions are placed on her Department’s funding for the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition; and whether such funding is (a) regularly reviewed and (b) preceded by local consultation in those countries that receive such funding.

Grant Shapps

In 2012, the UK made a £600m pledge to the New Alliance, consisting of projects in 6 founding member countries, which aim at improving incomes from agricultural production, and the food security and nutrition of smallholder farmers and the extreme poor. The objective of the pledge was to be more transparent about aid to agriculture and food security, in alignment with principles of aid effectiveness and the overall goal of the New Alliance. The £600m also included funding to the Global Agriculture and Food Security Programme (GAFSP, managed by the World Bank) and other international agriculture research and policy initiatives.

Like every programme funded by DFID, projects pledged under the New Alliance are subject to annual reviews that are posted on the DFID Development Tracker website. At national level, governments lead an annual review of the progress of commitments, in consultation with development and private sector actors, which findings are made public on the New Alliance website.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2015-12-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what effect the practice of revoking citizenship from protestors by the Bahraini government has had on UK policy towards that country.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

The UK enjoys a strong and constructive relationship with Bahrain where we are able to raise and discuss issues such as the revocation of citizenship of Bahraini nationals. This is often at Ministerial level or through our wider human rights and reform dialogue. We will continue to encourage the Government of Bahrain to ensure that the appeals process is fair and transparent.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-01-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what his Department’s policy is on capping exceed costs on mobile phone contracts for consumers.

Mr Edward Vaizey

The UK mobile network operators (Vodafone, Three, O2 and EE, together with Virgin Mobile) have signed a Code of Practice on Consumer Billing, which sets out a number of ways help customers to avoid excess charges when exceeding their monthly allowance. The code outlines the need for regular updates on usage, so customers can manage spend. For example, operators committed to sending alerts to customers – usually SMS messages – when they are nearing their bundle limits.

In addition, for contracts entered into after 23 January 2014, consumers can exit contracts without penalty, and hence can switch to another provider or tariff, when the agreed core price (usually the monthly subscription) increases. All communications providers have to comply with these rules when increasing prices.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-01-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent steps he has taken to promote safety among older drivers; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Jones

The crucial factor for road safety is not a driver’s age, but their physical and mental fitness to drive. The current licensing arrangements support road safety without penalising those older drivers who remain fit and competent to drive.

When drivers aged 70 and over renew their licences, they must declare any medical condition that could affect their fitness to drive and confirm that they meet the legal eyesight standards. Renewals are at three-yearly intervals and provide a timely reminder for drivers to consider their health in the context of driving.

Additionally, all drivers have an ongoing duty to inform the DVLA at any time of the onset or worsening of a medical condition that may affect their ability to drive safely. When a driver declares a medical condition, the DVLA will investigate their ongoing fitness to hold a driving licence.

The Department has provided grant funding to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents to develop a dedicated older drivers website that will provide information to drivers and their families on driving safely. The website should go live within the next couple of weeks.

We will consider the Older Driver forums review of older driver safety when it is published, subject to priorities set out in the British Road Safety Statement.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-01-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the effect of the Brazilian government’s enforcement of domestic cabotage legislation on the offshore supply sector in the North Sea.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The UK Government’s strong preference is to encourage free trade and liberalization of cabotage wherever possible, in the broad interests of international trade and economic growth. So far as I am aware, the Brazilian Government’s decision has no significant direct effect on the offshore supply sector in the North Sea, and there is no intention to amend cabotage rules in relation to that sector.

However, the Government does recognize the present pressures upon the North Sea oil and gas sector and, on his recent visit to Aberdeen, my Rt Hon Friend the Prime Minister set out an action plan for a set of measures including a £1.3bn package of tax measures for the oil and gas industry to ensure the UK Continental Shelf remains an attractive destination for investment and a £20M package of investment in exploration, innovation and skills, as well as the new City Deal for Aberdeen itself.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-02-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with his counterpart in the Scottish Government on the results of that government’s lowering of drink-drive limits; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Jones

I am intending to discuss with the Scottish Minister about the experience of the lower limit in Scotland and about the timescales to get access to robust evidence of the road safety impact. It is important to base our decisions on evidence and the Scottish experience will be crucial to that before we consider any possible changes to the limits in England and Wales. This Government’s current position however remains to focus resources on enforcing against the most serious offenders.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-02-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 26 January 2016 to Question 24307, if he will publish on his Departmental website the existing guidance produced by his Department for seafarers on the national minimum wage.

Mr Robert Goodwill

Guidance produced for seafarers in respect of the National Minimum Wage (NMW) is the responsibility of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).

General NMW guidance, including reference to seafarers, can be found at;

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/calculating-the-minimum-wage

BIS is currently in the process of revising its NMW guidance for seafarers (in full consultation with relevant stakeholders) and expects to publish the amended guidance in early 2016.

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