Tag: Ronnie Cowan

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ronnie Cowan on 2016-01-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions his Department has had with betting operators to ascertain how much is held in dormant betting accounts and unclaimed winnings.

David Evennett

My officials have regular discussions with betting operators on a wide range of issues.

The Government keeps under review ways to support investment in good causes, including the recommendations of the Use of Dormant Betting Accounts Report.

Ministers continue to encourage the gambling industry to maximise their contributions to these important areas, including funding programmes of research, prevention, and treatment of gambling-related harm,

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ronnie Cowan on 2016-04-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps the Maritime and Coastguard Agency is taking to encourage people to join the merchant navy.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has no direct control over recruitment into the merchant navy.

The MCA works with strategic partners such as the Chamber of Shipping, Nautilus, the RMT and organisations such as the British Tugowners Association and National Workboat Association to encourage economic growth, including the employment of seafarers.

The MCA also manages the Government’s Support for Maritime Training (SMarT) scheme that subsidises seafarer training by £15M annually. More than 700 new officer trainees started last year. The MCA is also involved with industry in supporting the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills apprenticeships for seafarers.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ronnie Cowan on 2016-07-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if her Department will assess the potential merits of reducing the maximum stake people are allowed to bet on fixed odds betting terminals.

Tracey Crouch

As previously stated in the House of Commons, the Government is considering the situation and I hope to announce details of a review in due course. This will be the appropriate mechanism to look again at the issue of stakes on Fixed Odds Betting Terminals.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ronnie Cowan on 2016-02-01.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the administrative costs of delivering means-tested benefits were in each of the last three years.

Justin Tomlinson

The information is not available.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ronnie Cowan on 2016-04-12.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether HM Revenue and Customs plans to drop proposals currently under consultation to increase VAT on solar in response to the EU VAT action plan published on 7 April 2016.

Mr David Gauke

The reduced VAT rate for solar products remains unchanged and in place.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ronnie Cowan on 2016-09-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to tackle problems associated with the rise in availability of Fixed Odds Betting Terminals.

Tracey Crouch

The Government tightened controls on FOBTs last year, and we are continuing to monitor developments. The next Triennial review of gaming machines will look closely at all the evidence on this issue.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ronnie Cowan on 2016-02-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many telephone calls his Department received to its benefit helplines from people in Inverclyde in 2015.

Priti Patel

DWP operates a national network of contact centres which allows calls from anywhere in the country to be routed to the next available agent, regardless of their location. This virtual national telephony network means that it is impossible to provide a definitive answer regarding the volume of calls received from any particular geographical area.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ronnie Cowan on 2016-04-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assistance his Department provides to prevent job losses in highly-skilled manufacturing businesses.

Anna Soubry

We are creating a highly competitive business environment to make the UK an attractive location for advanced manufacturing investment, boosting skills and protecting spending on innovation and cutting edge manufacturing technologies. This drives the strong productivity growth, and exports, that will sustain the UK as a leading manufacturing nation.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ronnie Cowan on 2016-09-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to improve nuclear safety at the Atomic Weapons Establishment to ensure that it no longer requires enhanced regulatory attention from the Office of Nuclear Regulation.

Harriett Baldwin

The Office for Nuclear Regulation has stated that safety at the Atomic Weapons Establishment remains acceptable. The enhanced regulatory attention relates to issues which do not pose any immediate safety concerns and the regulator is satisfied that work is well advanced to address these. The Ministry of Defence works closely with AWE, monitoring all aspects of its performance, including regulatory compliance.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ronnie Cowan on 2016-02-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimates his Department has made of the amount of unexploded ordinance in the River Clyde.

Mark Lancaster

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has made no estimate of the amount of unexploded ordinance (UXO) in the River Clyde.

The Royal Navy routinely survey important shipping routes in the Clyde and make safe any ordnance discovered. In addition they occasionally make safe ordnance discovered in the Clyde by other non-defence means. All UXO identified in the Clyde is removed and/or made safe.

MOD information on sea dumped munitions in the British Isles has been placed in the public domain; it can be accessed at the following internet address:

http://tna.europarchive.org/20091204111626/http:/mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/CorporatePublications/HealthandSafetyPublications/DSEA/DisposalOfMunitionsAtSea.htm

The records show no historic dump sites in the River Clyde.