Tag: Tim Farron

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2016-02-01.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much his Department spent on advertising the Right to Buy scheme for council and housing association tenants in each month from October 2015 to January 2016.

Brandon Lewis

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 2 December 2015, PQ 18460.

At that time, Right to Buy campaign spend figures for October and November were provisional as the campaign was still running. Confirmed monthly expenditure from October to December 2015 is as follows:

October – £155,001
November – £171,066
December – £142,656

Figures for January 2016 are still be finalised so are not yet available.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2016-04-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many convictions have been secured under the Gangmasters (Licensing) Act since its introduction in 2004.

Mr Shailesh Vara

The number of offenders found guilty at all courts of offences under the Gangmasters Licensing Act 2004, in England and Wales, from 2004 to 2014 (the latest available) can be viewed at the following link:

http://www.gla.gov.uk/our-impact/conviction-totals/

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2016-05-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of proposed changes to the disabled students allowances on the number of disabled students accessing higher education.

Joseph Johnson

The reform of Disabled Students’ Allowances is intended to ensure higher education institutions are consistently meeting their duties to disabled students under the Equality Act, and is not expected to impact on the number of disabled students accessing higher education.

The Government carried out an Equality Analysis as part of the recent consultation on reforms to Disabled Students’ Allowances. This is available online at https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/481527/bis-15-658-disabled-students-allowances-equality-analysis.pdf

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2016-06-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when he expects his Department to submit a final estimate of the damage caused by flooding in the South Lakes area to the European Commission as part of the UK’s application to the EU Solidarity Fund.

James Wharton

The Government submitted an initial UK application to the European Union Solidary Fund on Friday 26 February. The application included an estimate of eligible costs of direct damage incurred by the storms in December and early January. Since making this initial application we have continued to refine our cost estimates. I will update Parliament once the European Commission’s final assessment has been made.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2016-09-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many days of holiday, on average, were awarded to departmental employees living and working overseas in 2015-16.

Rory Stewart

DFID employees living and working overseas may utilise up to 30 days annual leave, with exception of those at A band (Grade 7 and above) who are eligible for 31.5 days, plus agreed local public holidays.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2016-09-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that the emergency services can be contacted in areas where mobile phone service is poor or non-existent.

Matt Hancock

Improving mobile connectivity across the UK, including in rural and hard to reach areas, is a priority for the Government and the December 2014 landmark agreement with industry guarantees that each mobile network operator will provide voice and SMS text coverage to 90% of the UK’s landmass by end 2017. Additionally, Telefonica has a licence obligation to deliver indoor 4G coverage to 98% of UK premises, also by end 2017. Taken together these obligations will cut complete not spots by two thirds, resulting in 98% of the UK landmass with mobile coverage.

This coverage would be available to all mobile phone users for emergency 999 calls as the Code of Practice for the Public Emergency Call Service requires that a caller from a mobile phone is able to roam onto another mobile network to make an emergency call if they have no signal from their own provider.

Furthermore, the Government recognises the importance of public call boxes as a means of calling the emergency services. Ofcom requires that there is a period of consultation before a public call box is removed and that one of the factors to be considered by the relevant public body is the potential importance of the call box to contact the emergency services.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2016-10-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the potential UK liability for EU disallowance penalties in relation to late payment by the Rural Payments Agency of Basic Payments in the 2015-16 CAP round.

George Eustice

Following the announcement made by the European Commission on 8 June, the UK will not be subject to late-payment penalties in relation to 2015 Basic Payment Scheme payments made by the Rural Payments Agency during the period 1 July to 15 October 2016.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2015-11-13.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many (a) employees and (b) companies have participated in the shares for rights scheme under section 31 of the Growth and Infrastructure Act 2013.

Mr David Gauke

The information requested is not available.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2016-02-01.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of the total spending allocation her Department has made to supporting communities affected by recent floods has been spent to date.

Rory Stewart

Defra is administering a Farming Recovery Fund to support farmers affected by the flooding. Further support to communities is available through the Communities and Business Recovery Scheme provided by the Department for Communities and Local Government. Farmers affected by flooding will be able to claim grants of between £500 and £20,000 to cover the cost of restoring their farmland. The RPA will pay out on all eligible claims. The deadline for Fund applications is 1 April 2016.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2016-04-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015, Cm 9161, what (a) market value and (b) weight of UK steel will be used in the manufacture of the nine new Boeing P8 Maritime Patrol Aircraft.

Mr Philip Dunne

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 13 April 2016 to Question 33059 to the hon. Member for Barrow and Furness (John Woodcock).