Tag: Richard Burden

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.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-02-22.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what his policy is on the introduction of a learning disabilities commissioner with a statutory duty to promote and protect the rights of all people with learning disabilities and their families as recommended by the report of the Transforming Care and Commissioning Steering Group, Winterbourne View – Time for Change, published in November 2014.

Alistair Burt

The Department will consider the recommendations made in Time for Change – the Challenge Ahead, as part of development work on our Learning Disability Action Plan and in delivering the commitments we made in the Government’s response to ‘No voice unheard, no right ignored’ consultation published in November 2015. However, new statutory roles and legislation are not necessarily the answer to promoting and protecting the rights of people with learning disabilities and their families.

In the response to ‘No voice unheard, no right ignored’, we set out how we can make more rapid and meaningful progress by ensuring that the rights that exist under current laws and statutes are properly understood, implemented and exercised by those with learning disabilities and/or autism. This work is underway and we have made a clear commitment to consider legislation if the actions we propose do not create sufficient progress.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-02-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much of the Regional Air Connectivity Fund has not yet been allocated.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The Regional Air Connectivity Fund was announced by the previous Government to provide up to £20 million annually to maintain existing domestic air routes to London that may be withdrawn, and to support new air routes from airports handling fewer than 5 million passengers per annum though start-up aid.

The Government has already made £5.2 million available to maintain the existing air links between Dundee and Stansted airports, and between Newquay and Gatwick airports, and will continue to consider support for other routes that may be withdrawn.

In addition, the Department last year undertook a tender process for airlines to bid for funding for start-up aid for new air routes. A total of eleven bids were received and the government announced last November that up to £7 million would be provided to support all eleven routes. It is now for the airlines to start operating these routes, with payments from the fund made upon delivery of the agreed service.

We are now considering whether to take forward further start-up funding rounds and will make an announcement later this year.

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, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of stricter regulations on the use of snares and traps.

Rory Stewart

Regulation of traps and snares balances the welfare needs of the trapped animal against the need for effective methods of killing or taking target species.

With regard to snares, I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Chesterfield, Toby Perkins MP, on 11 February 2016, PQ UIN 25710.

As for other kinds of trap, we already ensure all new spring traps are tested for humaneness before they are approved for use and the use of any trap is prohibited against certain species of European or national concern, for example the European otter and pine marten.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what representations he has received regarding the Civil Aviation Authority’s consultation on air display and low-flying permission charges; what (a) estimate of the cost and (b) assessment of the timeframe of implementing those proposals he has made; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Robert Goodwill

Twelve Honourable Members have sent me thirteen letters from constituents about the Civil Aviation Authority’s consultation on air display and low-flying permission charges, which itself received 534 responses. Two individuals have written directly to me. A related parliamentary petition 120628 has received over 14,400 signatures. The Civil Aviation Authority consulted the Secretary of State on 8 March about this scheme of charges. I intend to respond shortly.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which road projects his Department plans to finance from the (a) £49 million previously announced to repair roads following Storms Desmond and Eva and (b) £130 million set out in paragraph 1.239 of the Budget 2016; and how much he plans to allocate to each such project.

Andrew Jones

The Department for Transport is allocating £180 million to help assist local highway authorities affected by the storms this winter season. This includes a further £130 million as announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Budget 2016.

It will be for each local highway authority to decide on how this funding will be spent in in Cumbria, Lancashire, West Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, Northumberland, Greater Manchester and Durham in repairing damaged local highway infrastructure.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the implications for (a) seafarer welfare and (b) compliance with the Maritime Labour Convention Regulation 4.1 on medical care onboard ship and ashore of the proposal in Question 35 of the Department of Health consultation on the extension of charging overseas visitors and migrants using the NHS in England.

Mr Robert Goodwill

UK regulations implementing Regulation 4.1. of the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 (MLC) make the shipowner responsible for meeting the cost of medical care for seafarers working on their ships, in order to ensure that such care is provided at no cost to the seafarer. Since the Department of Health’s proposal does not affect seafarers’ access to medical care at the point of need, no seafarers should be affected by the proposal, and there should be no impact on the welfare of seafarers. I am satisfied that the proposal in Question 35 of the Department of Health consultation is not contrary to the requirements of the Convention.