Tag: Tom Blenkinsop

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Blenkinsop on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the effects of dumping steel flue dust on the surrounding environment; and what guidance and regulations apply to the disposal of steel flue dust.

Dr Thérèse Coffey

Defra has not undertaken an assessment of the effects of disposing of flue dust from steelworks on the environment. Impacts of direct releases to the environment from steel production are assessed on a site-specific basis during determination of applications for environmental permits. Wastes produced from flue gas abatement are disposed of through many different disposal or recovery routes. Assessment of any environmental impact of these waste operations is also done on a site-specific basis.

Flue dust produced from steelworks will be hazardous waste to be treated and disposed of at a permitted hazardous waste disposal facility. Those who produce or handle hazardous waste have a duty to ensure that the waste causes no harm or damage. Waste producers have specific responsibilities known as ‘duty of care’. Those who produce, store, collect transport or receive waste for recycling or disposal must also meet extra requirements, which are described on the GOV.UK website.

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Blenkinsop on 2016-10-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment her Department has made of the levels of the use of (a) illegal drugs and (b) legal highs in prisons in the UK in each of the last 5 years.

Mr Sam Gyimah

Prisons should be places of safety and reform. The increase in psychoactive substances in prisons has contributed to a rise in prison violence, making offenders more volatile and their reactions more difficult to judge and manage. Improving safety and decreasing violence is an urgent priority for the Government.

We have introduced legislation to restrict the supply and possession of psychoactive substances in prisons, and put in place new penalties for possession of a psychoactive substance in custody. Following a successful trial in 34 prisons over the summer, we have introduced an innovative new programme of mandatory drug testing for psychoactive substances in all prisons.

Mandatory Drug Testing (MDT) figures for prisons in England and Wales are published by financial year on gov.uk. MDT for psychoactive substances began in September 2016 and figures will be published in due course.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Blenkinsop on 2016-01-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many (a) men and (b) women will not qualify for a pension under the new state pension rules.

Justin Tomlinson

Men or women who reach State Pension age on or after 6 April 2016 will be eligible to receive the new State Pension and will do so as long as they have at least 10 qualifying years. Estimates of the number of pensioners in Great Britain who do not have 10 qualifying years will shortly be published in ‘Impact of New State Pension (nSP) on an Individual’s Pension Entitlement – Longer Term Effects of nSP’.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Blenkinsop on 2016-03-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which flood defence maintenance works were undertaken in Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency in each year since 2010; and what the cost to the public purse was of each of those works.

Rory Stewart

The Environment Agency regularly cleans and maintains several debris screens on the upper reaches of the Ormesby Beck, Middle Beck and Marton West Beck in Middlesbrough. Other maintenance works by the Environment Agency consist of works to maintain, or improve, the flow of water in rivers where it reduces flood risk to homes.

In accordance with data retention rules, the Environment Agency does not hold financial records for more than five years. The table below outlines expenditure since 2011/12.

2011 – 12	2012 – 13	2013 – 14	2014 -15	2015 – 16
£1,370	£22,990	£21,730	£16,920	£116,220

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Blenkinsop on 2016-06-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what the implications for Government policy on carbon capture and storage (CCS) are of the decision not to proceed with the CCS Commercialisation Commission.

Andrea Leadsom

The Government has not closed the door on carbon capture and storage (CCS) and believes it has a potentially important role in the long-term decarbonisation of the UK. We are clear that CCS is currently too expensive and its costs must come down. We continue to work with wider industry to help develop CCS cost efficiently in the UK, including through the joint Government-industry CCS Development Forum, which I co-chair. We will set out our approach to CCS in due course, informed by the findings from Lord Oxburgh’s CCS Advisory Group.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Blenkinsop on 2016-07-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans he has to re-examine the potential merits of establishing a materials catapult for manufacturing.

Joseph Johnson

The Government recognises the importance of manufacturing to the UK economy and we have continued to invest significant funding through the High Value Manufacturing Catapult. This has led to the launch of two new programmes designed to offer additional cutting edge equipment and expertise and extend the Catapult’s services to more manufacturing sectors; and to enable UK SMEs to become more productive and to win more business. We have also provided funding for the Catapult to establish two new centres in the North East – the National Biologics Manufacturing Centre at Darlington and the National Formulation Centre at NETPark in Sedgefield.

Innovate UK manages development of the Catapult network on behalf of Government.

It has rigorously considered the potential merits of establishing a Materials Catapult for Manufacturing and has concluded that there is no robust case to establish a Materials Catapult at this time. This decision has been confirmed within the last month and my Department does not intend to re-examine this assessment.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Blenkinsop on 2016-09-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will ask the Foods Standards Agency to review the licence granted for BHM Food Group Ltd to operate an abattoir in Boosbeck.

Nicola Blackwood

BHM Food Group Ltd are no longer approved to operate as a slaughterhouse. They remain conditionally approved as a cutting plant and minced meat establishment. A third and final approval assessment will be conducted by 11 November 2016 to check their compliance against all relevant requirements of food law. If they have not met all these requirements their application for full approval will be refused.

The Food Standards Agency is aware of concerns raised by local residents regarding the environmental impact of a slaughterhouse sited within the village of Boosbeck. However, the Agency is not the competent authority for environmental hygiene matters which inform planning consent. Both of these roles (Environmental Health and Planning) are fulfilled by the local authority.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Blenkinsop on 2016-10-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what representations he has received on Duro Dakovic TEP and its treatment of its employees.

Damian Hinds

DWP has received no representations on Duro Dakovic TEP and its treatment of its employees.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Blenkinsop on 2016-01-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what estimate her Department has made of the whole system costs of different energy technologies; and when that information will be published.

Andrea Leadsom

Quantifying the whole system impacts of electricity technologies is a complex exercise which requires sophisticated electricity system modelling. In order to build on previous internal analysis quantifying system costs for some electricity technologies, DECC has commissioned a project titled: Whole System Impacts of Electricity Generation Technologies.

This project will improve DECC’s internal electricity system modelling capability to better capture the costs and benefits of all generation technologies on the whole electricity system. It will also allow a better representation of the dynamics behind these costs and benefits, in particular how they vary over time and with the background electricity mix.

This project is currently ongoing and given the complex modelling involved, it requires a rigorous quality assurance process to ensure the analysis is robust. We are aiming to complete the project in the first half of 2016, and will publish the results as soon as possible.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Blenkinsop on 2016-04-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that medical assessors and people considering appeals have sufficient knowledge of muscular dystrophy, neuromuscular conditions and other rare and progressive conditions.

Justin Tomlinson

The assessment for Personal Independence Payment is carried out by registered health professionals who have specialist training in assessing the impact of disability and health conditions on an individual’s functional ability, including conditions such as muscular dystrophy, neuromuscular conditions and other rare and progressive conditions.

All health professionals receive comprehensive training in disability analysis which includes a functional evaluation as to how medical conditions such as muscular dystrophy, neuromuscular conditions and other rare and progressive conditions, and the long-term medical treatment of those conditions, affect their ability to perform day-to-day activities. Prior to carrying out an assessment they routinely refresh their knowledge of any condition with which they are not fully familiar.

The Department’s Decision Makers and Appeal Writers receive training in health conditions to assess each case individually using the evidence provided by the claimant and the Health Professional, and can call on additional support from a Health Professional as necessary.

In all Personal Independence Payment assessments consideration is given to whether claimants can complete activities safely, to an acceptable standard, repeatedly and in a reasonable time period.

We have also worked closely with medical experts and charities to make significant improvements to the Work Capability Assessment, including strengthening the training programme to put more emphasis on making sure that assessors do not just focus on how someone manages on a ‘good day’ but also consider their ‘bad days’ if they have a health issue that fluctuates.