Tag: Richard Burden

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2015-10-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many vehicles have been reassessed by the DVLA for their historic vehicle status; and how many such vehicles have (a) retained their historic status and (b) had their historic status revoked as a result of the reassessment.

Andrew Jones

The DVLA is carrying out a targeted exercise involving a small number of historic vehicles. So far, 30 of these vehicles have retained their historic vehicle status. No vehicles have yet had their historic vehicle status removed.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2015-10-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the Government’s policy is on the proposed EU Port Services Regulations; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Robert Goodwill

While the Government does not believe that the Proposal is necessary in respect of the UK’s proven competitive market based port sector, we achieved numerous significant improvements in the Council General Approach text agreed on 8 October 2014. The Regulation is now under active consideration by the European Parliament, and the Government will seek to defend those improvements against any amendments that would by comparison tend to increase the regulatory impact on UK ports.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2015-10-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress has been made on the DVLA’s investigation into the proper registration of historic vehicles in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Jones

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is currently carrying out a targeted exercise involving a small number of historic vehicles. This is in response to concerns expressed to the DVLA that a number of newly built replica vehicles had been incorrectly registered as historic vehicles.

The DVLA has advised 30 vehicle keepers that, following consideration of the evidence provided, their registrations are correct. A number of keepers have advised the DVLA that they are in the process of gathering the required information.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2015-10-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for (a) Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and (b) Defence on supporting international efforts to protect UK ships against pirates.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The Secretary of State for Transport has not had direct discussions recently with either the Secretary of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office or the Secretary of State for Defence on the subject of piracy.

The UK’s response to piracy involves many Government departments and the different teams working within them. Officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Department for Business Innovation & Skills, Home Office, Department for Transport and Ministry of Defence work closely together in supporting international efforts to protect UK ships against pirates.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office lead the UK’s policy on piracy whilst my Department is responsible for the UK’s policy on maritime armed security guards.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2015-10-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what support her Department has given to recycling initiatives of spoil wastes from harbour dredging.

George Eustice

There are a number of good examples where support has been provided to the successful, beneficial re-use and recycling of dredged materials, including land formation at Allfleet’s Marsh on Wallasea Island, beach replenishment in Poole Bay and land claim undertaken to construct the London Gateway Port in the Thames Estuary. In addition, in 2014 the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) published research on the potential to improve the co-ordination of such projects in the future.

The UK Marine Policy Statement (2011) states that applications to dispose of wastes must demonstrate that appropriate consideration has been given to the internationally agreed hierarchy of waste management options for sea disposal, which includes recycling.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2015-10-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions her Department has had with the International Maritime Organisation on (a) disposal and (b) recycling of spoil waste from the dredging of harbours.

George Eustice

The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) provides the secretariat for the London Protocol, to which the UK is party.

Under this global instrument (and the OSPAR Convention) that aims to protect the marine environment from pollution caused by dumping at sea, the UK has agreed guidelines on the management of dredged materials and the encouragement of its re-use and recycling. Moreover, we provide data on the disposal of dredged materials to the IMO (and the OSPAR Convention).

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2014-06-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to his counterparts in the Israeli government about the treatment of Palestinian child detainees in Israel.

Hugh Robertson

The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, my right hon. Friend the Member for Epsom and Ewell (Mr Grayling) raised the treatment of child detainees with the Israeli Supreme Court President during his visit to Israel in May. I wrote to the Israeli Attorney General on this issue on 31 March 2014.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2014-06-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what information his Department holds on how many of the recommendations made by UNICEF in its March 2013 report on children in Israeli military detention have been implemented by the government of Israeli; and what discussions he has had with his counterpart in Israel on the recommendations in that report that are yet to be implemented.

Hugh Robertson

The Government has made no assessment on how many recommendations made by UNICEF have been taken forward by the Israeli authorities. However, we continue to urge the Israeli authorities to take action on the recommendations made in the UNICEF report, and the positive steps they have taken so far, and the earlier independent report by senior British lawyers. I wrote to the Israeli Attorney General on this issue on 31 March 2014.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2014-06-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 19 June 2014, Official Report, column 710W, on Palestinians, what response Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office made on the issue of demolitions in East Jerusalem or the rest of the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Hugh Robertson

Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office informed our officials that demolitions take place where building has occurred without a permit from the Israeli authorities. And that – as per the Oslo accords – Israel has planning authority over these areas. They also said that they therefore have the right to evict people and demolish structures, where they consider building to have taken place illegally under Israeli law.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2014-06-26.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps are being taken in response to EU Council Regulation 692/2014 to (a) identify goods originating in Crimea or Sevastopol and exclude them from entry into the UK and (b) ensure no individual or business based in the UK provides, directly or indirectly, financing, financial assistance or insurance or reinsurance related to the import of such goods from Crimea or Sevastopol.

Mr David Gauke

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has set up customs risk profiles to target goods originating in Crimea or Sevastopol in response to EU Council Regulation 692/2014. The profiles are targeting Crimean postcodes. The risk profiles are being monitored and will be adjusted as circumstances require.

As with all sanctions introduced by the EU, they have direct effect in the UK and apply directly to UK persons and companies. The Government will take steps to ensure these measures are effectively implemented and enforced.