Tag: Richard Burden

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2015-11-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent reports he has received about the threatened demolition of the village of Khan Al Ahmer in the West Bank and the effects of Israeli settlement activity in the vicinity.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

An official from our Consulate-General in Jerusalem visited the village of Khan Al Ahmer on 9 September and held discussions with community leaders. I also visited the village last year. We remain deeply concerned by Israeli proposals to relocate Bedouin population from the E1 area. Officials at our Consulate-General in Jerusalem are monitoring the situation closely and will continue to demonstrate our concern by regularly visiting the Bedouin communities.

The UK’s position on settlements is clear. They are illegal under international law, present an obstacle to peace and take us further away from a two state solution. We will continue to raise our objections to settlements with the Israeli Government. On 10 September, during Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to the UK, the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary raised with him our concerns about Israel’s approach to a number of issues, including settlement building and the need for a two state solution.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2015-11-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what work his Department is undertaking with authorities in China to support the welfare of animals.

Mr Hugo Swire

The Government takes all reports of animal cruelty throughout the world seriously, and is committed to raising standards of animal welfare at home and abroad. We are at the forefront of international efforts to protect animals, both domestic and wild, and continue to work with governments around the world, including China, to gain agreement to animal welfare standards and to phase out cruel and inhumane farming and trapping practices.

We also work with the European Commission through the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) to promote the welfare of a range of species internationally, including stray dogs and farmed animals. China, as a member of OIE, is committed to delivering the required standards.

Tackling the illegal wildlife trade has been a particular focus of our discussions with China. In a joint statement issued during last month’s Chinese State Visit, the UK and China recognised the importance and urgency of combating the illegal wildlife trade and committed to take active measures to tackle this global challenge. This built on previous commitments by China to tackle the issue, including agreement to join HRH The Duke of Cambridge’s International Taskforce on Transportation and Illegal Wildlife Trade, and plans to phase out the domestic commercial trade in ivory.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2015-11-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 19 November 2015 to Question 15363, what assessments she has made of the capacity of traffic police to enforce fixed-penalty notices for the traffic offences relating to use of mobile telephones.

Mike Penning

Data on the number of fixed penalty notices issued by the police for using a handheld mobile phone while driving in England and Wales in the last five years is set out below.

The enforcement of this offence is an operational matter for individual Chief Officers of police and decisions on the size and composition of a force’s workforce are for Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners.

Number of fixed penalty notices (FPNs) issued by police in England and Wales ⁽¹⁾ for using a handheld mobile phone while driving, 2010 ⁽²⁾ to 2014:

Number (thousands) England and Wales

Offence	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014
Use of handheld mobile phone while driving	124.7	123.1	92.7	52.4	29.7

Source: Police Powers and Procedures, year ending March 2015, Home Office

Notes

1. Excludes British Transport Police

2. Data for 2010 is not directly comparable with data from 2011 onwards due to the introduction of the PentiP system which records FPNs in England and Wales. Data from 2011 onwards is slightly lower that comparative data from the previous system.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2015-11-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that schools provide support and guidance to pupils who are victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse.

Edward Timpson

Schools play an important role in safeguarding children from all forms of abuse. Our statutory guidance is clear that schools have an important role in identifying children who may be suffering abuse, or at risk of abuse, and then take necessary action, working with other services where appropriate. Schools also have an important role in raising pupils’ awareness of these issues, thus helping pupils to keep themselves safe.

The Department for Education has produced statutory guidance for schools, ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’, which sets out the roles and responsibilities of schools and their staff, and which contains links to more detailed advice on specific forms of abuse, including domestic violence, teenage relationship abuse and forced marriage.

Schools can use relevant parts of the curriculum, including sex and relationship education and personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE), to raise pupils’ awareness. It is for schools to determine which issues they address and how, and the Government’s statutory guidance on sex and relationship education makes clear that schools should ensure that young people develop positive values and a moral framework that will guide their decisions, judgements and behaviour. To complement work done in schools, the Government’s ‘This is Abuse’ campaign has helped to educate young people about damaging behaviours within relationships.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2015-12-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what funding (a) in total and (b) by region of Road User Satisfaction Report was paid to AECOM from the public purse for those reports published by the Highways Agency on 11 December 2015.

Andrew Jones

The total contractual amounts Highways England pays are as follows:

• £274,129 for the National Road User Satisfaction Survey from April 2015 to March 2016.
• £376,846 for the Area Road User Satisfaction Survey from April 2015 to March 2016.

Costs are not split by region.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-01-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many applicants there were to the Advanced Biofuel Demonstration Competition; how many such applicants were successful; and what funding under what structure each successful applicant received.

Andrew Jones

There were 17 expressions of interest applications in phase 1 of the Advanced Biofuels Demonstration Competition, of which six projects were shortlisted and invited to submit a phase 2 application.

Three winning projects were offered the following grants alongside significant private sector investment. Grant instalments will be paid subject to various conditions and the achievement of specified milestones:

• Advanced Plasma Power Ltd (Go Green Fuels) [Swindon]: £11 million to upscale the production of advanced biofuels from household waste
• Celtic Renewables Ltd [Edinburgh]: £11 million to expand the production of advanced biofuels from scotch whisky residues
• Nova Pangaea Technologies Ltd [Teeside]: £3 million to develop the process of producing advanced biofuels from forestry biomass (plant matter).

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to ensure effective enforcement of the National Minimum Wage in the maritime sector.

Nick Boles

My Department has worked with Maritime bodies to increase awareness of the National Minimum Wage (NMW) enforcement options available, including the ACAS helpline and HMRC enforcement operations. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills is working with the sector to agree specific NMW guidance for seafarers. This guide will provide more information on the UK and International maritime law and raise awareness of enforcement measures in place to help anyone who needs them. The guide will advertise the ACAS helpline. I have also met with the hon Member for Gateshead (Ian Mearnes), Convenor of the RMT, to discuss the enforcement of the NMW and how we can raise awareness of enforcement action further.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-01-29.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the effects of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea on the practice of nationality-based pay differentials in the (a) UK, (b) European and (c) international shipping industry.

Mr Robert Goodwill

Issues relating to the practice of nationality based differential pay and UNCLOS are being considered by the Post Implementation Review of the Equality Act 2010 (Work on Ships and Hovercraft) Regulations 2011 which is due to complete by the autumn of 2016.

Under UNCLOS, coastal States do not interfere in the ‘internal economy’ of foreign flagged ships on innocent passage in their territorial waters. However, seafarers have a range of potential employment protection where they work, or ordinarily work, in the United Kingdom. In a recent case the Court held that this applies to seafarers working from a base situated in Great Britain, even if they are employed on a non-UK flagged ship, and that ship spends most of its time outside Great Britain.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-02-08.

To ask the Prime Minister, which department is responsible for bringing forward proposals to (a) revise a procurement policy note to public authorities on the relationship of their procurement policies to UK foreign policy and (b) change investment rights of the Local Government Pension Scheme; and what representations he has received on bringing forward such proposals.

Mr David Cameron

Responsibility for public procurement policy rests with the Crown Commercial Service, an executive agency of the Cabinet Office.

Responsibility for the Local Government Pension Scheme rests with the Department of Communities and Local Government. Guidance will be issued to local authorities and other public bodies reminding them that their procurement and investment decisions should provide value for money and be consistent with UK Government policy.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-02-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many projects under the Road Investment Strategy are (a) completed, (b) ongoing and (c) still to be launched, by region; how many of those projects which are ongoing are (i) on schedule and (ii) on budget, by region; and how many of those projects which have been completed were on or under budget, by region.

Andrew Jones

North East & Yorkshire

Of the 112 projects listed in the RIS, 20 of these will be delivered in this region.

1 scheme has opened for traffic on schedule.

4 schemes are currently in construction – 3 are forecast to complete ahead of schedule and 1 on schedule.

Of the remaining 15 planned schemes 1 is forecast ahead of schedule, 1 forecast behind schedule and 13 on schedule.

North West

17 schemes are included for this region.

4 schemes are currently in construction – 2 are forecast to complete ahead of schedule and 2 on schedule.

Of the remaining 13 planned schemes 2 are forecast ahead of schedule and 11 on schedule.

Midlands

Total of 26 scheme in this region.

3 schemes have opened for traffic, 2 ahead of schedule and 1 behind schedule.

6 schemes are currently in construction – 4 are forecast to complete ahead of schedule and 2 on schedule.

Of the remaining 17 planned schemes 3 are forecast ahead of schedule and 14 on schedule.

South West

Total of 7 schemes in this region.

1 is in construction and is forecast behind schedule.

The remaining 6 planned schemes are all on schedule.

South East & London

Total of 26 schemes in this region.

2 are in construction, 1 is forecast ahead of schedule and 1 on schedule

Of the remaining 24 planned projects all are on schedule.

East

Total of 16 schemes.

2 are in construction and both are forecast ahead of schedule.

The remaining planned 14 schemes, 1 is forecast ahead of schedule and 13 are on schedule.

Overall schemes which are under construction are coming in or under budget. For schemes under development we would expect some movement in timescales or costs but overall Highways England is on course to deliver its commitments within the allocated funding.