Tag: Richard Burden

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many seafarer (a) cadets and (b) ratings were trained by shipping companies operating in the UK in each year since 2000-01.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) does not collate figures for seafarer cadets and ratings who have been trained by shipping companies operating in the UK.

However, the MCA does collate the number of new cadets, the number of cadets in training and the number of trainee watch ratings who start training each year and these can be found in the tables below.

The figures in Table 1 show the number of cadets supported by the Support for Maritime Training (SMarT) scheme who started training in each year since 2000-01.

Year	Officer cadets currently in training	Number of which are SMarT1 new entrants
2000/01	1020	470
2001/02	1010	450
2002/03	1000	560
2003/04	1030	660
2004/05	1050	560
2005/06	1110	570
2006/07	1430	690
2007/08	1700	850
2008/09	1800	930
2009/10	1830	750
2010/11	1840	850
2011/12	1900	900
2012/13	1990	780
2013/14	1940	790
2014/15	1920	820

Table 1: UK officer cadets under SMarT1 scheme (1999-2015)

These figures are derived from SMarT returns for SMarT1 training and may include a small number of EU trainees resident in the UK. Numbers are rounded to nearest 10.

The figures in Table 2 below show the number of watch rating trainees who have been supported by SMarT each year since 2011-12. The data held by the MCA for ratings training prior to 2011-12 includes concessionaire training and does not provide an accurate reflection of watch rating training.

Year	Watch Rating Trainees
2011/12	32
2012/13	13
2013/14	12
2014/15	4

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will instruct the Working Group conducting the Post Implementation Review of the Equality Act 2010 (Work on Ships and Hovercraft) Regulations 2011 to (a) review and (b) make recommendations on enforcement of the national minimum wage for seafarers employed on (i) UK and (ii) non-UK registered vessels.

Mr Robert Goodwill

I refer the honourable Member to my response of 29 January 2016 (UIN 24307) http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-questions-answers/?page=1&max=20&questiontype=AllQuestions&house=commons%2clords&uin=24307.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish a list of (a) ongoing projects and (b) planned projects within the strategic road network in each region under the first road investment strategy; and how many such projects he expects will be completed (i) ahead of schedule, (ii) on schedule and (iii) behind schedule.

Andrew Jones

The Road Investment Strategy (RIS) and the Highways England Delivery Plan 2015-2020 list the ongoing projects and planned projects for each region. Of the 112 projects named in the RIS, five projects have either opened of will open in 2015-16 as planned. For the remaining projects all but two are progressing on or ahead of schedule.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent representations his Department has received on laser pens being pointed at aircraft in flight.

Mr Robert Goodwill

This Department has received 7 representations following the laser incident involving a Virgin Atlantic aircraft travelling from London Heathrow to New York JFK on 14^th February 2016.

These representations have been concerned with a range of questions around the frequency of laser strikes and whether legislation should be introduced to place a ban on the sale of laser pens. A cross-Whitehall discussion has been arranged to explore these options and consider what further measures could be taken to address the threat from the misuse of laser pens.

There is specific legislation prohibiting the use of laser pens against aircraft. Under the Air Navigation Order (2009), it is an offence to direct or shine any light at any aircraft in flight so as to dazzle or distract the pilot of the aircraft

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress his Department has made on the establishment of 12 hydrogen refuelling stations announced on 27 March 2015.

Andrew Jones

Despite the challenges of establishing an initial network, work on all 12 hydrogen refuelling stations is progressing. The first station will be fully upgraded and publically accessible by the end of this month. We expect the other stations to come on-line between March and November this year. They are located in and around London, in Swindon, Sheffield and South Wales. This will enable vehicle manufacturers to deploy their limited initial fleets of Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles and is an important first step towards a national network of 65 refuelling stations identified by UK H2Mobility.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-02-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of Syrian refugees resettled under the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Programme is included within the Government’s priority group for victims of sexual violence, the elderly, victims of crime of torture and the disabled.

Richard Harrington

All refugees resettled under the Syrian Vulnerable Person’s Resettlement scheme must meet at least one of the agreed vulnerability criteria. Many individuals will meet more than one of the criteria, for example an individual may be a survivor of violence or torture and have ongoing medical needs. They may also have dependants who would meet one or more of the criteria in their own right if they were applying separately.

While the Home Office records the primary reason for referral of the lead applicant we do not record any secondary reasons or those of dependant family members. Therefore, the data we have would not give a complete picture of the number of resettled people who would be included under each of the vulnerability groups listed.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-02-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to introduce measures to (a) improve the welfare of pheasants reared in the UK and (b) reduce the number of such pheasants that are reared in cages.

George Eustice

The welfare of pheasants reared for sporting purposes is protected by the Animal Welfare Act 2006. A Code of Practice for the Welfare of Gamebirds Reared for Sporting Purposes, made under the 2006 Act, provides keepers with information on how to meet the welfare needs of their birds, as required under the 2006 Act. The code can be used as evidence in court in support of a prosecution for poor welfare. A review of the code is due to commence later this year. At this stage there are no plans to reduce the number of pheasants that are reared in cages.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-03-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with the Civil Aviation Authority on its consultation on air display and low-flying permission charges.

Mr Robert Goodwill

I have had no discussions with the Civil Aviation Authority on its consultation on air display and low-flying permission charges.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-03-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the cost of constructing a river crossing at Lowestoft; and whether he plans that that cost will be wholly funded by his Department.

Mr Robert Goodwill

Suffolk County Council estimates a total cost of £91.7 million for the construction of a 3^rd Crossing over Lake Lothing at Lowestoft . The Government will provide £73.4m for the scheme which represents 80% of the estimated scheme cost, with Suffolk County Council taking responsibility for meeting the remaining 20% and any increases in costs beyond that.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-04-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the potential cost to industry of the proposal in Question 35 of the Department for Health consultation on the extension of charging overseas visitors and migrants using the NHS in England.

Alistair Burt

In relation to the Department’s recent consultation on extending charging to overseas visitors using the National Health Service in England, a lack of available data means that it has not been possible to estimate the cost to industry of the proposal to remove the exemption from charge category for overseas visitors working on United Kingdom-registered ships. However, the proposal was included in the Impact Assessment and is thought to be small overall.

We are currently analysing responses to the consultation.