The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2016-01-28.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what discussions he has had with Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on options relating to the future of Channel 4.
Mr Edward Vaizey
My Rt hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills has regular discussions with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and sport on a wide variety of issues.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2016-02-04.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, by what method his Department assesses the financial returns of the National Citizenship Service; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Rob Wilson
National Citizen Service (NCS) Trust receives an annual grant from Cabinet Office. In line with National Audit Office recommendations, the NCS Trust delivers an Annual Reconciliation Statement setting out how funds have been spent. The Cabinet Office publishes details of NCS funding in its Annual Report and the programme is independently evaluated to assess impact and value for money.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2016-03-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what information his Department holds on the powers of appointment of university vice-chancellors for staff working in Confucius Institutes on their university campus.
Joseph Johnson
Universities are autonomous from Government and responsible, by law, for all decisions about who they appoint as staff.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2016-04-25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 11 April 2016 to Question 32522, who the 22 Tibetans referred to in that Answer are; and what the response was of the Chinese authorities in the case of each such Tibetan.
Mr Hugo Swire
We included the cases of nine Tibetans detained by the Chinese authorities on a list of cases submitted to the Chinese delegation ahead of the 2015 UK-China Human Rights Dialogue. These included Tenzin Delek Rinpoche and Dhondup Wangchen. In 2014, we included the names of 16 Tibetan individuals on our case list. Three cases, including Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, appeared on both case lists. The UK-China Human Rights Dialogue is a platform for detailed, expert exchanges on human rights issues. We do not make our full case lists public as in some cases the individuals concerned do not want us to. We do not publish Chinese responses to cases raised as we assess this will be counter-productive. We continue to make our concerns about the human rights situation in China, including Tibet, known publicly via other means, such as in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s Annual Report on Human Rights and Democracy.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2016-06-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much has been paid in fines by Network Rail to Govia Thamelink Railway to compensate for poor performance in each of the last three years.
Claire Perry
Govia Thameslink Railway’s (GTR’s) provision of services for the Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern franchise only began on 14 September 2014, with Southern services included from 26 July 2015.
Network Rail’s performance is regulated by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), who have agreed a £4.1m package of improvements to be delivered by Network Rail on the Southern part of GTR franchise area in order to address performance issues.
There is a compensation and incentive regime element within the Track Access Agreement between Network Rail and each operator, and this is overseen by the ORR.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2016-07-21.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to release local authority children’s services departments from their safeguarding children responsibilities.
Edward Timpson
There are no plans to release local authority children’s services departments from their safeguarding responsibilities. The Children and Social Work Bill proposes a power for local authorities to test different ways of working. This power is not about questioning the fundamentals of what local authorities need to do in relation to children’s safeguarding, but about exploring how things could be done better. We are seeking to create a controlled, time-limited space to test new ways of working before seeking to make any wider changes to the legislative framework. Accountability for safeguarding will remain the same even if exemptions are being tested.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2016-10-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to his Chinese counterpart on the case of Tashi Wangchuk who is currently awaiting trial in Yushu, Qinghai Province.
Alok Sharma
We raised the case of the Tibetan language advocate Tashi Wangchuk at the UK-China human rights dialogue, scheduled which took place on 27 October.
I previously raised our concerns about Tashi Wangchuk with the Chinese Ambassador, in writing, on 1 August 2016.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2015-11-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 7 September 2015 to Question 8120, what the range is of the RAF Sea King helicopter resource in its coverage of Atlantic waters.
Mr Philip Dunne
The operational range of RAF Sea King helicopters is some 210-240 nautical miles.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2015-12-16.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which sponsors have expressed an interest forming trusts to take over the responsibilities of local authority children’s services departments judged as inadequate.
Edward Timpson
In 2016, the Secretary of State for Education will host a round table to explore how charities, local authorities, and others can best support the establishment of children’s service’s trusts, including the option of sponsorship.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2016-01-11.
To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, what contingency arrangements the Church Commissioners have made for the eventuality of a majority leave vote in the upcoming EU referendum.
Mrs Caroline Spelman
The Church Commissioners and the Church of England Pensions Board manage their investment portfolios using high quality well diversified and long term strategies. The Church Commissioners and Pensions Board believe that they are well positioned for any market re-pricing or uncertainty that may prevail prior to or after the referendum.