Tag: Susan Elan Jones

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Susan Elan Jones on 2016-02-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what plans she has to review the UK Bioenergy Strategy.

Andrea Leadsom

The UK Bioenergy Strategy was published by the previous government in 2012 and provides principles that provide a framework to guide policy development for bioenergy. Those principles remain relevant and so a review of the Strategy is not currently considered a priority for the Department.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Susan Elan Jones on 2016-10-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, whether his Department has made an assessment of whether tariff free trade between the UK and EU member states would be possible under World Trade Organisation rules.

Mr Robin Walker

A World Trade Organisation member can enter into a preferential trade deal, such as a Free Trade Agreement, with another member.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Susan Elan Jones on 2016-02-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change on the effect of the Government’s policy on biomass on the availability of UK-produced wood supplies to UK industries.

Anna Soubry

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has held no specific discussions with my Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change on the effect of the Government’s policy on biomass on the availability of UK-produced wood supplies to UK industries.

BIS is coordinating discussions between senior leaders in the industrial biotechnology, synthetic biology, chemicals, medicines manufacturing and agri-tech sectors, to consider how these industries can work together, alongside the UK’s excellent science and technology base, to build a strong and growing bioeconomy. These discussions are likely to include the availability of biomass feedstocks and their impact on specific sectors.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Susan Elan Jones on 2016-02-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to improve access to parental leave for self-employed people.

Nick Boles

In July 2015 my Rt hon Friend the Prime Minister appointed Julie Deane OBE to look at what more could be done to support the self-employed. Julie Deane’s report ‘Self-Employment Review’ was published on 14th February and can be viewed at https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/500358/ind-16-2-self-employment-review.pdf

The Government is reviewing her recommendations in regard to this area carefully.

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Susan Elan Jones on 2016-02-19.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps the Government is taking to support self-employed people who want to buy their own home.

Harriett Baldwin

The Government is committed to making the aspiration of home ownership a reality for as many households as possible. At the Spending Review the Government announced a series of measures which will help people become homeowners. These include plans to deliver 200,000 Starter Homes and 135,000 Shared Ownership homes; increasing the value of Help to Buy equity loans in London to 40% from 25% and extending the Help to Buy: Equity Loan scheme for a further year to 2021.

These schemes are also supported by the Help to Buy: ISA, through which the Government tops up mortgage deposit savings for first time buyers by up to £3,000.

Decisions around the availability of individual mortgage loans are commercial decisions for lenders, including what evidence is required to validate income. The Government does not seek to intervene in these decisions.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Susan Elan Jones on 2016-02-19.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps the Government is taking to improve access to mortgages for self-employed people.

Harriett Baldwin

The Government is committed to ensuring that the mortgage market delivers for creditworthy borrowers.

On 1 December 2015 the Government launched the Help to Buy: ISA to help all first time buyers saving for their first home.

Beyond the requirements set out in the regulations, decisions around the availability of individual mortgage loans are commercial decisions for lenders, including what evidence is required to validate income. The Government does not seek to intervene in these decisions.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Susan Elan Jones on 2016-03-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations she has received from the North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner on the removal of people convicted of child abuse and rape from the Sex Offenders Register.

Karen Bradley

The Home Office has not received any representations from the North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner on the removal of people convicted of child abuse and rape from the sex offenders’ register.

Offenders who are on the register indefinitely are only able to seek a police review after 15 years. In 2012, the Home Office issued detailed guidance to police forces on assessing applications for review. All decisions to release a sex offender from the notification requirements must be authorised by a senior police officer. Public safety is at the heart of all decisions taken by police, and those who continue to pose a risk will remain on the sex offenders’ register, if necessary for life.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Susan Elan Jones on 2016-04-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of banning micro beads.

George Eustice

Microbeads from personal care products are believed to make up a very small percentage of the total amount of microplastics entering the marine environment, with estimates ranging from 0.01% to 4.1%. A ban in the UK would therefore be expected to have only a small impact on the effects on the environment attributed to microplastics. However, microbeads, like other microplastics, do not biodegrade and so accumulate in the marine environment. There are also less harmful alternatives that are suitable to use.

Defra supports voluntary action by industry to phase out microbeads from personal care products, and is supporting other EU Member States in calling for the European Commission to come up with proposals to ban their use in cosmetics and detergents.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Susan Elan Jones on 2016-05-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether all children in Calais with valid family reunion claims and the first 300 of those children identified as most at risk will be re-located to the UK in time for the start of the new school year in September 2016.

James Brokenshire

Both Governments are clear that migrants in Calais in need of protection should claim asylum in France. The UK will consider requests to take responsibility of an asylum application made in France, where an asylum claim is lodged by a minor with close family connections in the UK and both governments are committed to ensuring such cases are prioritised. To assist the handling of these cases the UK and France have established a senior level standing committee, agreed single points of contact within respective Dublin Units and the UK seconded an asylum expert to the French administration to facilitate the improvement of all stages of the process of identifying, protecting and transferring relevant cases to the UK. Since February 2016 the UK has accepted over 30 requests from France under the Dublin Regulation to take charge of asylum seeking children on family grounds of which more than 20 have already been transferred to the UK.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Susan Elan Jones on 2016-05-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that (a) medical assessors and (b) others considering applications for (a) personal independence payment and (b) other benefits have knowledge of (i) muscular dystrophy, (ii) neuromuscular conditions and (iii) other rare and progressive conditions.

Justin Tomlinson

All healthcare professionals carrying out assessments receive comprehensive training in disability analysis, which includes the evaluation of how medical conditions affect claimants in their day-to-day activities. Prior to carrying out an assessment, assessors refresh their knowledge of any condition with which they are not fully familiar.

Benefit entitlement is determined by the Department’s decision makers, who receive extensive training to enable them to evaluate a claim and assess a claimant’s needs. In order to make a decision on benefit entitlement the decision maker considers all the available evidence, including the reports received from the healthcare professional and any further evidence, which may include reports from GPs, hospital doctors and other clinicians.