Tag: Toby Perkins

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Toby Perkins on 2015-10-28.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the consequences for the UK’s capability of the retirement in 2018 of the 53 Typhoon aircraft purchased in tranche 1; and if he will reverse this decision in the 2015 Strategic Defence and Strategic Review.

Mr Philip Dunne

The Ministry of Defence is reviewing the potential utility of all its current platforms, including its fleet of Tranche 1 Typhoon aircraft, as part of the ongoing Strategic Defence and Security Review. Where there is clear merit in extending the life of existing equipment in terms of both military utility and value-for-money, the opportunity to do so will be considered in the context of the wider Review. It is therefore not appropriate to anticipate decisions on the Typhoon Tranche 1, or other capabilities, that have not yet been made.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Toby Perkins on 2015-11-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what role he expects the Single Source Regulation Office to have in the procurement of the Successor class submarine.

Mr Philip Dunne

All contracts related to the Successor programme that meet the conditions set out in Section 2 of the Defence Reform Act will be Qualifying Defence Contracts (QDCs) as defined by the Act and so subject to reporting to the Single Source Regulation Office.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Toby Perkins on 2016-01-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether it is his policy to take steps towards repeal of the death penalty in states which hold the death penalty.

Mr David Lidington

The Government’s approach to all states which retain the death penalty is to focus first on suspension of its use as the key step towards permanent abolition. We take a pragmatic approach to achieving that goal. We welcome reforms which improve legal procedures, reduce the number of capital crimes or mitigate some of the cruelties inherent to the death penalty. We fund projects which educate the judiciary, promote reform, mount legal challenges to death penalty systems and stimulate public debate. We engage diplomatically with retentionist states to ensure they are aware of the compelling arguments against the death penalty and of the UK Government’s opposition to any execution. Our assessment is that these approaches are stimulating a long-term movement by states towards abolition.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Toby Perkins on 2016-04-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to gather the views of and comments from claimants regarding their experiences with Maximus Health and Human Services Ltd.

Priti Patel

The Department has a formal contractual requirement on CHDA to report on claimant engagement and perception of the service they receive.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Toby Perkins on 2016-06-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent reports he has received of delivery of arms by Russia to Fiji.

Mr Hugo Swire

The Republic of Fiji Military Forces received a shipment of small arms, ammunition and mobile repair workshops from Russia in January. The equipment is consistent with that required to support Fiji’s deployments to international peacekeeping operations in Golan, Lebanon, Sinai, and South Sudan.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Toby Perkins on 2015-10-28.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which of the items of equipment referred to in UK Defence in Numbers, published by his Department in August 2015, are (a) not capable of use on the front line and (b) have been retired.

Mr Philip Dunne

The Defence in Numbers booklet is a snap shot of the UK’s Defence capability and how we are spending the fifth largest Defence budget in the world. As well as giving details on civilian and personnel numbers and current operations, it also includes a list of the Ministry of Defence’s equipment holdings, the vast majority of which are in service and deployable. We will continue to review the Defence in Numbers booklet to ensure that it best reflects the breadth of defence equipment.

The pieces of equipment listed in the Defence in Numbers booklet that are not capable for use on the front-line are: Jet provost aircraft, BAE-125 aircraft, Wessex helicopters, Challenger 1 battle tanks, FH70 Towed Howitzers and Chieftain Armoured Vehicles. These platforms are used in either a training or ceremonial capacity.

Currently 90 Tornado aircraft remain in the operational fleet and are, or could be, returned to combat ready status; this number includes aircraft undergoing periodic deep maintenance and modification which are not immediately available for operational use.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Toby Perkins on 2015-11-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether the Government plans to create a new national scheme to improve home energy efficiency to replace the Green Deal scheme.

Andrea Leadsom

Since 2013 Government has supported industry in delivering over 1.6 million measures which were installed in over 1.3 million households through the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) alone.

We are now working with the industry and consumer groups on a new value-for-money approach. We’ve also commissioned an independent review led by Peter Bonfield to investigate quality, standards and consumer protection to ensure that the system properly supports and protects consumers.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Toby Perkins on 2016-02-01.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average waiting time for mental health (a) assessment and (b) treatment was in each of the last five years.

Alistair Burt

We do not collect the data centrally. However, this Government has for the first time legislated to enshrine parity of esteem and put into place waiting time targets.

We are moving forward the data and transparency agenda and a new dataset for mental health will be published by April this year.

It begins with data on Waiting, Access, and Outcomes for the Early Intervention in Psychosis Pathway. Initial data will be experimental, although once the data is more robust we will expand the dataset to other mental health pathways.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Toby Perkins on 2016-04-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what contractual standards have been set for Maximus Health and Human Services Ltd for the number of completed work capability assessments.

Priti Patel

Centre for Health Disability Assessments, a MAXIMUS Company, has a target of 1,170,000 completed assessments in 2016/17.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Toby Perkins on 2016-06-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the UK offered support to Saudi Arabia for the process of that country being elected to the UN Human Rights Council.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

Saudi Arabia was the only candidate put forward by the Asian Group for this seat in the UN’s Human Rights Council. So while the UK never publicises how it votes, this was not a contested election and the UK’s vote was immaterial.