The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-04-27.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when he plans to respond to the letter of 24 March 2016 on ethical procurement from the hon. Member for Birmingham, Northfield.
Matthew Hancock
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given today.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-05-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he expects to launch the Government’s proposed consultation on changing the law to allow learner drivers to drive on motorways with instructors.
Andrew Jones
The Government expects to launch a consultation on proposals to allow learner drivers to drive on motorways, with an approved driving instructor in a car that has dual controls, later this year.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-05-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking on steps to find a long-term solution for congestion in the South East.
Andrew Jones
The Government is committed to alleviating congestion in the South East and is providing £15.2 billion between 2015 and 2021 to invest in our strategic road network. This is the biggest upgrade to our motorways and A roads for a generation, and it is adding capacity and tackling congestion. Of this total, about £2.2 billion is being invested in the South East and includes tackling congestion on key parts of the network such as the M25.
On local roads we have set up the £12 billion Local Growth Fund to 2021 which has enabled Local Authorities through the Local Enterprise Partnerships to identify and secure funding for projects to enable among other things, local road improvements and sustainable local transport projects. This is on top of over £6 billion through to 2021 to councils in England to help maintain their local roads and repair potholes. This funding includes more than £143 million for the South East in 2016/17, and over £777 million up to 2021.
In addition, our investment in railways contributes to the Government’s overall transport vision by facilitating, amongst other things, congestion relief on our road network. As part of our Rail Investment Strategy, the Government is investing over £700 million on infrastructure in the most congested routes in London and the South East between 2014-2019, in addition to delivering the Crossrail and Thameslink Programmes to transform east-west and north-south travel across the region.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-06-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what work his Department is carrying out in advance of the International Maritime Organisation’s 70th session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee to ensure a collective agreement on (a) fair share and (b) other possible measures needed to reduce carbon emissions.
Mr Robert Goodwill
With greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping expected to grow as others sectors act to reduce theirs, the UK Government is clear that the International Maritime Organization (IMO) must take further steps to reduce emissions and improve the energy efficiency of ships.
At the 69th session of the IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee, there was broad support from Member States and industry for proposals to define international shipping’s fair share of global greenhouse gas emissions. The UK strongly supports the establishing of a Working Group at the 70th session of the Committee (MEPC70) to discuss how the Organization should take this work forward and will play an active part in this group.
Department for Transport officials are continuing to engage with international partners to consider how these proposals can be taken forward in the IMO and to ensure that international shipping plays its part in working towards the goals of the Paris Climate Change Agreement.
Regarding the energy efficiency of ships, the UK is actively contributing to the Intersessional Correspondence Group on the data collection system for fuel consumption of ships ahead of the MEPC70. The establishing of the data collection system is the first step in an agreed three step process towards further technical and operational measures applicable to new and existing ships. We are confident that the data collection system will be adopted at MEPC70 and the UK will continue to contribute to the work of this group to ensure that the data collection system is robust and transparent.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-07-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect on the UK’s policy on the Middle East of recent demolitions by Israel of Palestinian homes and other structures in the West Bank.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
The UK position on demolitions is clear: demolitions cause unnecessary suffering to ordinary Palestinians; are harmful to the peace process; and are, in all but the most exceptional of cases, contrary to international humanitarian law. Officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv have raised our opposition to demolitions with the Israeli authorities repeatedly, most recently on 12 July, and urged them to provide a legal route for Palestinian construction. I also made our position clear at Oral Questions in the House on 12 July.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-09-12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when he plans to publish his Department’s response to the consultation on the Local Government Pension Scheme: investment regulations; and what steps he is taking to ensure full parliamentary scrutiny of any resulting proposals.
Mr Marcus Jones
The government’s response to the consultation will be published in due course.
The regulations will be made according to the negative resolution procedure as required by the Public Service Pensions Act 2013. The instrument will be scrutinised by the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments and the Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee and may be subject to additional scrutiny in either House in accordance with the procedures applicable to all negative resolution statutory instruments.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-10-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many military service complaints on the reversion of rank have been (a) made and (b) upheld in each of the last three years.
Harriett Baldwin
This information is not available in the format requested. The number of individuals who have raised service complaints regarding the reversion of rank is fewer than five in any year, which is deemed low enough to risk identification of the individuals in question.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2015-10-21.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of global shipping tonnage was registered in the UK in each of the last five years.
Mr Robert Goodwill
The proportion of global shipping gross tonnage (GT) registered in the UK in each of the last five years is shown below:
|
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 to July 2015 |
|
|
World Fleet (million GT) |
959.2 |
1036 |
1094 |
1134 |
1175 |
1193.0 |
|
UK Fleet (million GT) |
17.5 |
17.9 |
17.6 |
15.1 |
13.8 |
14.2 |
|
UK % of World Fleet |
1.8% |
1.7% |
1.6% |
1.3% |
1.2% |
1.2% |
These figures are for ships over 100GT. Figures for the size of the world fleet are not recorded by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and come from Clarksons.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2015-10-21.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the proportion of global shipping tonnage that will be registered in the UK in 2020.
Mr Robert Goodwill
The Department has not produced estimates of the future size of the UK Ship Register (UKSR). The Government is committed to supporting the UK maritime sector and improving the UKSR. The Maritime Growth Study, published on 7 September 2015, contained a number of recommendations relating to the ship register.
The Government will respond formally to the report by the end of 2015, but is taking immediate action in response to some recommendations. This includes the establishment of a Ministerial Working Group for Maritime Growth and taking steps to support the improved operation of the Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) such as appointing a commercial director to lead the UKSR separately from the Agency’s regulatory functions and a business case exploring the costs and benefits of options for more significant reform of the MCA.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2015-10-26.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish the minutes of all meetings of the Special Cabinet Economic Affairs (Airports) Sub-Committee; and if he will make it his policy to publish the minutes of future such meetings.
Mr Oliver Letwin
Information relating to the proceedings of Cabinet Committees, including when and how often they meet and which Ministers have attended, is generally not disclosed as to do so could harm the frankness and candour of internal discussion.