Written answers

Wednesday, 30 March 2016

  • Home Office

    • Emergency Services: Greater Manchester

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the expected cost is of replacement of the Emergency Services Network in Greater Manchester; and how that project is to be funded.

    • Greater Manchester Police: Finance

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential effect of planned future budget reductions on the capacity of Greater Manchester police...

      Cybercrime: Autism

      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the level of involvement of autistic people in cybercrime offences.

  • Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    • British Nationals Abroad: EU Countries

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate his Department has made of the number of UK nationals living in other countries in the EU.

    • Middle East: Refugees

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what support the Government provides to Kurdish authorities in (a) Iraq and (b) Syria to support refugees in those regions.

      Honours: British Overseas Territories

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many badges of honour have been awarded by (a) Gibraltar, (b) the Falkland Islands, (c) the Cayman Islands and (d) Bermuda...

      Iran: Guided Weapons

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of recent reports of Iran testing a new long-range ballistic missile.

      Palestinians: Schools

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has made representations to the Palestinian Authority on allegations of its schools naming sports tournaments after...

      Israel: Palestinians

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports his Department has received on the rebuilding by Hamas of its cross-border tunnel infrastructure into Israel.

      Andargachew Tsege

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will take steps to permit the European External Action Service to press for the release of Andargachew Tsege in Ethiopia.

      Andargachew Tsege

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to secure the release of Andargachew Tsege in Ethiopia.

      Islamic State

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent progress has been made in preventing members of the Islamic State/Daesh from travelling across the border between...

      Bahrain: Human Rights

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has received from the UN High Commissioner on human rights and political prisoners in Bahrain and on...

      Bahrain: Politics and Government

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the government of Bahrain pressing for (a) the release of all people arrested in relation to...

      Israel: Palestinians

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to his Israeli counterpart on settlement activity in the West Bank.

      Sudan: Religious Freedom

      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 17 March 2016 to Question 30739, what information he holds on (a) the legal status of Telahoon Rata...

  • Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    • Holiday Accommodation: Prices

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether his Department has conducted an assessment of the findings of the (a) French parliament and (b) German competition...

    • Pubs Code Adjudicator

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many names were provided to Ministers to enable them to take a formal decision on the appointment of the Pubs Code Adjudicator.

      Pubs Code Adjudicator

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many people applied to the Pubs Code Adjudicator vacancy; and how many such people were (a) longlisted and (b) shortlisted.

      Pubs Code Adjudicator

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many people were invited to interviews for the post of Pubs Code Adjudicator; and how many people attended such interviews.

      Sign Language

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the effect of the devolution of skills policy to local authorities on the development of British...

      Written Questions: Government Responses

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when he plans to answer Written Questions 29167 and 29238, tabled on 1 March 2016 and Written Question 29372, tabled on 2 March 2016.

      Companies: Registration

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many companies have cited in their registration at Companies House their registered office, the address of another business...

      Exports: Government Assistance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will make it his policy to create a single online platform for accessing government support for increasing exports for UK...

      European Economic Area: Membership

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 3 March 2016 to Question 27866, what powers EEA states which are not EU members have to (a) terminate...

      Department for Business, Innovation and Skills: Billing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how much his Department owed in late payments to small and medium-sized enterprises in each year for which data is available.

      Public Houses

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, on what date his Department plans to publish the final version of the Pubs Code.

      Employment: Telephone Services

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 18 March 2016 to Question 30738 on employment: telephone services, what the equivalent data is for...

      EU Grants and Loans

      To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how much (a) European Regional Development and (b) European Structural funding (i) Scotland, (ii) Wales, (iii) Northern Ireland...

  • Department for International Development

    • Developing Countries: Poverty

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps the EU is taking to tackle poverty in (a) the Middle East, (b) South Asia and (c) Africa; and what the Government's...

    • Developing Countries: Malaria

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, to what her Department allocated spending on malaria in (a) 2013-14 and (b) 2014-15; and how that spending was disbursed between...

      EU Aid

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, which humanitarian aid operations the Government has been involved in that (a) have involved other EU member states and (b) have been...

      EU Aid

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what international humanitarian aid exercises her Department has been involved in that have (a) involved EU member states and (b) been...

      Developing Countries: Sanitation

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what plans the Government has to support efforts to achieve goal 6 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development on water and sanitation.

      Overseas Aid

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what proportion of overseas development assistance was spent by departments other than her Department in each of the last six years;...

      Libya: Humanitarian Aid

      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 21 March 2016 to Question 31131, how much financial assistance her Department plans to provide UNOCHA for...

  • Ministry of Justice

    • Ministry of Justice: Steatite

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Written Statement by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice, 25 February 2016, HCWS549, on offender management, what...

    • Antisemitism

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to his speech of 15 March 2016 to the Inter-parliamentary Coalition for Combating Anti-Semitism Conference, what legal changes he has...

      Ministry of Justice: Staff

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to paragraph 1.287 of Budget 2016, what estimate he has made of how many civil servants will be relocated in his Department as a result...

      Knives: Crime

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people aged 18 to 20 have received custodial sentences of under 12 months for knife crime offences in London since 2010.

      Anti-semitism

      To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to his speech to the Inter-parliamentary Coalition for Combating Anti-Semitism on 15 March 2016, what legal changes he was referring to...

  • Ministry of Defence

    • Defence: Research

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on what defence technology research and development programmes the Government is cooperating with other EU member states.

    • Armed Forces: Carbon Emissions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the carbon emissions of UK forces operating abroad were in the most recent year for which figures are available.

      Gurkhas: Pensions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress has been made on reaching a settlement with Gurkha soldiers who retired before 2000.

      Iraq-Kuwait Conflict: War Pensions

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many personnel who have made a claim under the Mercantile Marine Scheme as part of the War Pension Scheme have stated that their injury or illness...

      Army: Northern Ireland

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to maintain the Royal Irish Aftercare Service in support of veterans of Operation Banner in Northern Ireland.

      Defence: Partnerships

      To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many partnerships are in operation between UK and non-UK EU-based companies in the area of defence; and what the total value of those partnerships is.

  • Department for Work and Pensions

    • Jobseeker's Allowance: Voluntary Work

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effect on jobseeker's allowance claimants taking up volunteer work of the requirement for them to spend 35...

    • Children: Maintenance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans his Department has to extend the remit of the Child Maintenance Group to cover the investigation of cases in which a non-resident...

      Children: Maintenance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the criteria are for referral of a child maintenance case to the Child Maintenance Group's Financial Investigations Unit.

      Children: Maintenance

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 29 February 2016 to Question 27465, what the budget is for the Child Maintenance Group's Financial Investigations...

      EU Globalisation Fund: Iron and Steel

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 5 February 2016 to Question 24713, if he will apply to the EU's Globalisation Adjustment Fund for funding for the UK...

      Housing Benefit: Social Rented Housing

      To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the discretionary housing payments scheme in preventing households in exceptional...

  • Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    • Flood Control: Leeds

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to paragraph 1.301 of Budget 2016, how much funding will be made available to support delivery of the final...

    • Flood Control: Lancashire

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to paragraph 1.242 of Budget 2016, how much of the additional £700 million for flood defence and...

      Flood Control: Leeds

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions her Department has had with the Treasury on the business case for delivery of the final phase of the Leeds...

      Flood Control: River Medway

      To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of funding from the new measures announced in paragraph 1.205 of Budget 2016 she plans to allocate for flood...

  • Department for Communities and Local Government

    • Help to Buy Scheme

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what proportion of people who have purchased homes under the Help to Buy scheme were from BAME communities since the...

    • Homelessness

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans the Government has to help more homeless people rent privately.

      Homelessness

      To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what proportion of the local government finance settlement announced in the 2015 Spending Review his Department plans to spend...

  • HM Treasury

    • Minimum Wage: Fines

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the average penalty awarded against employers who failed to pay the national minimum wage was in each year since 2012.

    • Tourism: VAT

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of a reduction in VAT for small businesses in the tourism sector.

      Stamp Duty Land Tax

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many properties valued at or over £1 million were sold in October to December (a) 2014 and (b) 2015; and how much was raised in stamp duty land tax...

      Greece: Loans

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what reports he has received on progress made by Greece in implementing the conditions of the 2015 EU bailout package; and if he will press for steps to...

      Monetary Policy

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on the UK economy of the use of helicopter funds by the European Central Bank.

      Social Mobility

      To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the potential effect of measures in Budget 2016 on social mobility.

  • Cabinet Office

    • Crime: Death

      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what proportion of deaths in (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland resulted from (i) traffic offences and (ii) other offences...

  • Department for Transport

    • High Speed 2 Railway Line

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the (1) internal diameter, (2) cross-sectional area, and (3) maximum design speed allowable, in each of the HS2 train running tunnels, and what...

    • High Speed 2 Railway Line

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their latest estimate of (1) the number of HS2 trains of each size required for HS2 Phase 1 and HS2 Phase 2, and (2) the total cost (a) of each type...

      Motorcycles: Noise

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proposals they have to reduce the noise level of motorbikes travelling on public highways.

      Roads: Litter

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the amount of litter currently on the verges of (1) the A13 trunk road between the Limehouse Link and the junction with the...

      Roads: Litter

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will review the arrangements with which the Highways Agency ensures that contractors responsible for keeping trunk roads clean fulfil their...

      Roads: Litter

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the total expenditure, in the most recent year for which information is available, of the Highways Agency on keeping (1) trunk roads, and (2)...

      Roads: Tunnels

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 17 March (HL6898), what assessment they have made of the Mont Blanc tunnel fire of 1999 and the...

      Roads: Tunnels

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 17 March (HL6898), how many road tunnels worldwide there are of a comparable length to road tunnels...

      Transport: Urban Areas

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 17 March (HL6801), what plans they have to introduce locally managed and self-financing schemes...

  • Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    • Africa: Females

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the current increase in girls suffering "breast ironing" in Western and Central Africa, and especially in southern Cameroon.

    • Israel: Palestinians

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel concerning the reported raids on Palestinian homes on 1 March.

      EU Staff

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many people are employed by the EU, including the European Court of Justice; and at what annual cost.

  • Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    • Iron and Steel: China

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Lord Bridges of Headley on 25 February (HL Deb, col 389), when they first made representations to the EU Commission as regards...

    • Student Unions

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Evans of Bowes Park on 23 February (HL6060), whether, in the light of clause 10 of the Trade Union Bill and the...

      EU Law

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the remarks by the Prime Minister on 22 February (HC Deb, col 22), how they reached the conclusion that the cost of EU regulation will be going...

  • Department for International Development

    • Developing Countries: Sustainable Development

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they plan to engage with the UN Regional Commissions to develop Sustainable Development Goal indicators, and how they intend to involve civil society in...

    • Gaza: Overseas Aid

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the reply by Lord Gardiner of Kimble on 17 March (HL Deb, col GC297), whether they will provide a breakdown of the £45 million spent in Gaza...

      Palestinians: Overseas Aid

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the reply by Lord Gardiner of Kimble on 17 March (HL Deb, col GC298), how much new employment has followed the expenditure of £349 million...

  • Department for Education

    • Academies: Admissions

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to prevent academies from using selective processes to exclude certain pupils, such as paying comprehensive schools to take...

    • Apprentices

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are planning to promote higher apprenticeships to inform pupils currently in key stage 3 of their future options.

      STEM Subjects: Primary Education

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the trend in the level of continuing professional development undertaken by teachers of STEM subjects in primary schools;...

  • Department for Work and Pensions

    • Personal Independence Payment

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many Personal Independent Payment claimants have so far been awarded the top level of mobility support; and of those, what percentage were awarded that...

    • Occupational Pensions

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government what criteria they used to decide on which radio channels to advertise the new workplace pensions; whether they are being advertised on BBC Radio; and if...

  • Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    • Agriculture: Forestry

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of any studies that have been conducted in the UK about integrating the cultivation of trees, crops and livestock on the same...

    • Agriculture: Forestry

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government why the only current option for English farmers who wish to plant trees with CAP support is to have forestry as a separate enterprise on their holding, with...

      Agriculture: Forestry

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government what practical examples of agroforestry have been visited by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs staff in England, and what assessment...

      Agriculture: Forestry

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government what advice they have received about the benefits of agroforestry in other European countries for soil conservation, biodiversity, productivity and the...

      Agriculture: Forestry

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of whether agroforestry measures under the CAP could help provide an incentive for farmers to plant some trees on pasture as...

      Babesiosis

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the implications of the discovery in the UK of the tick-borne canine parasite Babesia canis and the associated disease...

  • HM Treasury

    • Vat

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether levels of VAT in the UK can be reduced without the approval of the EU.

  • Cabinet Office

    • Households

      To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the change, if any, in the number of households in the UK with a (1) UK-born, and (2) non-UK-born, Household Reference Person between 2010 and 2015.

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The parliamentary question is a great way for MPs and Peers to discover information which the government may not wish to reveal. Ministers reply via written answers, a list of which gets published daily.

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