Tag: Tim Farron

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to negotiate with the Chinese government to seek concessions for UK companies affected by the recent decision of the Chinese General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine to delay an update to the UK Health Certificate to allow UK exports of goat milk products.

George Eustice

The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs and the British Embassy in Beijing are working closely with the Chinese Authorities to take forward these negotiations and review options for accelerating progress on an ongoing basis.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2016-01-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much steel by (a) market value and (b) weight has been purchased from each country for the manufacture of the TIDE Class Royal Fleet Auxiliary tankers.

Mr Philip Dunne

Under European and UK procurement regulations, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) could not contractually mandate the use of particular suppliers. Decisions on the source of steel are a matter for the contractors who take into account the cost, timeliness of availability and the quality of steel used in defence contracts. These considerations allow defence contractors to deliver value for money for the taxpayer.

The Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability contract to build the four Tide Class tankers was awarded to Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering in March 2012. Although UK companies participated in the competition to supply the vessels, none submitted a final bid.

In January 2015, the MOD awarded a contract worth approximately £15 million to A&P Group Ltd in the UK for the provision of UK customisation, Capability Assessment Trials and Support for all four tankers. The work will be managed by A&P Group Ltd’s Falmouth shipyard.

Manufacture of the four Tide Class tankers will in total require 44,000 tonnes of steel. Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering source this steel locally in South Korea. The market value of steel depends upon a number of factors, including geographical location and quality. The MOD does not hold information from which the market value of the steel used in the manufacture of the Tide Class tankers could be determined.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2016-03-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to paragraph 4.49 of the National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015, what progress the Government has made on the proposal to adapt a Voyager aircraft for the secure transport of senior ministers and the Royal Family; what adaptations will be made to the aircraft for that purpose; what estimate the Government has made of costs of those adaptations; who is responsible for making those adaptations; and when those adaptations are planned to be completed.

Mr Philip Dunne

We are making good progress on the proposal to adapt one of our existing Voyager aircraft so that, as well as its primary air tanking role, it can transport senior Ministers securely. The aircraft will also be available for the Royal Family. There will be a number of modifications to ensure that the Voyager aircraft can transport senior Ministers whilst still maintaining the ability to conduct its operational role, therefore delivering better value for money than the current use of charter aircraft. The aircraft will be reconfigured to have 158 seats.

I am witholding further information at this time as its release would prejudice on going commercial negotiations.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2016-05-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many British military personnel have been embedded with US military personnel flying drones or planes over Libya in the last six months.

Penny Mordaunt

None.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2016-06-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much the NHS spent on treating people with medical conditions caused by botox injections in the last five years.

Ben Gummer

Information is not held on National Health Service spending on treating people with medical conditions caused by botox injections.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2016-07-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many air ambulance rescues have taken place in Cumbria in each month of the last 10 years.

Mr Philip Dunne

The information requested is not centrally collected.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2016-09-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will set out her plans for the future of Cumbria Police; and whether that police force’s (a) budget and (b) number of police officers will be reduced in the current financial year.

Brandon Lewis

Decisions about the policing priorities in Cumbria are a matter for the locally elected and accountable Police and Crime Commissioner. In Cumbria, police recorded crime fell by 5% between June 2010 and March 2016.

In 2016/17, direct resource funding to Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs), including precept (the element of police funding derived from council tax), has been protected to at least flat cash levels. This means that no PCC who chose to maximise precept is facing a reduction in cash funding in 2016/17 compared to 2015/16 and the majority are seeing marginal cash increases in their spending power.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2016-10-07.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Government will maintain the cap on bankers’ bonuses after the UK leaves the EU.

Simon Kirby

Until negotiations on Britain’s future relationship with Europe are concluded, we remain a full member of the EU and must meet our obligations as a member of the EU.

All government departments are currently reviewing the EU laws that apply in their policy areas and how our withdrawal from the EU will affect the operation of those laws.

The UK is at the forefront of global efforts to tackle unacceptable pay practices in the banking sector and has the toughest regime on pay of any major financial centre.

Firms are now required to have policies in place to defer, reduce, cancel or clawback bonuses in the event that poor performance or misconduct comes to light and the Government expects firms to be proactive in their application of these policies. Used in this way bonuses can be an effective incentive for staff to act in the long term interests of a business.

The Government’s efforts have resulted in a restructuring of pay including a significant reduction in cash bonuses, and a better alignment of risk and reward in the financial sector.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2015-10-29.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans he has to review the adequacy of his Department’s guidance on the care and management of transsexual prisoners.

Caroline Dinenage

Prison Service Instruction 07/2011 sets out NOMS policy on the care and management of prisoners who live or propose to live in the gender other to the one assigned at birth. Prisoners are normally placed according to their legally recognised gender. However, the guidelines allow room for discretion and senior prison staff will review the circumstances of every case in consultation with medical and other experts in order to protect the physical and emotional wellbeing of the person concerned along with the safety and wellbeing of other prisoners.

A review of the current policy on transgender and transsexual prisoners began earlier this year and revised policy guidance will be issued to reflect NOMS’ responsibilities to transgender offenders in the community as well as in custody. The intention is to implement the guidance early in the New Year.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2016-01-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the written statement by Baroness Anelay of St Johns on 15 December 2015, HLWS393, what elements constitute a similarly effective system for tax information exchange and company beneficial ownership information.

James Duddridge

We have asked the Overseas Territories to implement either a central register of company beneficial ownership, or a similarly effective system, which meets the following criteria:
a) UK law enforcement and tax authorities must be able to access company beneficial ownership information without restriction, subject to relevant safeguards;
b) These competent authorities should be able to quickly identify all companies that a particular beneficial owner has a stake in without needing to submit multiple and repeated requests; and
c) Companies or their beneficial owners must not be alerted to the fact that an investigation is underway.

We are continuing our dialogue with the Overseas Territories and have offered technical support as they develop their proposals.

The Overseas Territories have shown their commitment to tax information exchange by being early adopters of the new OECD global standard on tax transparency with the first exchange of data taking place in 2017. They have also had the Multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance on Tax Matters extended to them.