Asked by: Baroness Clark of Kilwinning (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many times the Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre at Belfast was staffed at below risk-assessed levels in January 2015.
Answered by John Hayes
Where there are specific issues at a Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC), Her Majesty’s Coastguard uses the current long established pairing arrangements between MRCCs. This enables each MRCC to be connected to at least one other MRCC which is available to provide mutual support.
These historic risk assessed watch level assessments at MRCCs err strongly on the side of caution. As each MRCC joins the evolving national network the number of Coastguards at any of the individual centres becomes less significant. The flexibility of the new arrangements means that it is more important to consider the number of Coastguards available on the growing network.
Based on the risk assessment which characterised the previous model, during January 2015 Stornoway MRCC was staffed below risk assessed levels on 31 occasions out of 62 shifts, and Belfast MRCC was staffed below risk assessed levels on 25 occasions out of 62 shifts.
Work continues on the fresh appraisal I have asked for on the relationship between the available levels of resource and need in the light of the benefit of the new structure.
Asked by: Baroness Clark of Kilwinning (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many times the Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre at Stornoway was staffed at below risk-assessed levels in January 2015.
Answered by John Hayes
Where there are specific issues at a Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC), Her Majesty’s Coastguard uses the current long established pairing arrangements between MRCCs. This enables each MRCC to be connected to at least one other MRCC which is available to provide mutual support.
These historic risk assessed watch level assessments at MRCCs err strongly on the side of caution. As each MRCC joins the evolving national network the number of Coastguards at any of the individual centres becomes less significant. The flexibility of the new arrangements means that it is more important to consider the number of Coastguards available on the growing network.
Based on the risk assessment which characterised the previous model, during January 2015 Stornoway MRCC was staffed below risk assessed levels on 31 occasions out of 62 shifts, and Belfast MRCC was staffed below risk assessed levels on 25 occasions out of 62 shifts.
Work continues on the fresh appraisal I have asked for on the relationship between the available levels of resource and need in the light of the benefit of the new structure.
Asked by: Baroness Clark of Kilwinning (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he last reviewed the level of the island fuel rebate.
Answered by Priti Patel
The Government keeps all elements of the island rural fuel rebate scheme under review. In 2013, the Government published a report which found the rebate to be effectively reducing prices for motorists.
The UK required EU approval to introduce the scheme. The EU permission for the island scheme is in place until 2017. Ahead of the scheme’s expiry in 2017, the Government will consider the case for applying to the EU for renewal, along with the case for altering aspects of the scheme.
Asked by: Baroness Clark of Kilwinning (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will bring forward proposals to increase the island fuel rebate.
Answered by Priti Patel
The Government keeps all elements of the island rural fuel rebate scheme under review. In 2013, the Government published a report which found the rebate to be effectively reducing prices for motorists.
The UK required EU approval to introduce the scheme. The EU permission for the island scheme is in place until 2017. Ahead of the scheme’s expiry in 2017, the Government will consider the case for applying to the EU for renewal, along with the case for altering aspects of the scheme.
Asked by: Baroness Clark of Kilwinning (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the recent conviction of Nabeel Rajab in Bahrain.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
We are following Mr Rajab’s case closely. Our Ambassador has raised the case with the Government of Bahrain and encouraged the Bahraini authorities to ensure due process is followed and international norms of justice are upheld. British embassy officials have attended Mr Rajab’s court appearances to underline the UK’s interest in the case.
The UK government is supporting the government of Bahrain in its reform programme, including work to help Bahrain strengthen its human rights and justice sector. We are clear that more needs to be done and we raise these issues frequently and at senior levels.
Asked by: Baroness Clark of Kilwinning (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many requests for mandatory reconsideration on claims for Personal Independence Payments were made in the 12 months to October 2014.
Answered by Mark Harper - Secretary of State for Transport
The information requested is not available at this time.
The Department is working to guidelines set by the UK Statistics Authority to ensure we are able to publish statistics that meet high quality standards at the earliest opportunity. We intend to publish official statistics on PIP mandatory reconsiderations in the future in line with our publication strategy https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/personal-independence-payment-release-strategy and will pre-announce our intention to do so in line with UK Statistics Authority protocols.
Asked by: Baroness Clark of Kilwinning (Labour - Life peer)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 6 May 2014 to Questions 196539 and 196540, how much of the funding for (a) adult further education and skills and (b) apprenticeships was spent in 2013-14.
Answered by Nick Boles
A breakdown of programme expenditure for adult further education and skills is provided in the Skills Funding Agency Annual Report and Accounts 2013-14:
Adult skills budget and adult (19+) apprenticeship expenditure is presented on page 73; expenditure on apprenticeships for 16-18 year olds is presented on page 75.
Asked by: Baroness Clark of Kilwinning (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions officials in her Department have had with the governments of African states receiving aid from the UK on policy reforms relating to seeds and plants variety protections; and if she will publish correspondence and transcripts of meetings on those issues between her Department and (a) the governments of those African states, (b) the US administration, (c) representatives of agricultural companies and (d) representatives of seed companies.
Answered by Desmond Swayne
I refer the hon. Lady to the answer given on 18/12/2014 to the right honourable member for North Ayrshire and Arran (Katy Clark MP), (218562).
Asked by: Baroness Clark of Kilwinning (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to paragraph 65 of the report of the Smith Commission, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to give the Scottish Government discretion to decide whether or not to tender for rail services for which it is responsible.
Answered by Claire Perry
In respect of Paragraph 65 of the report of the Smith Commission, legislative proposals are being brought forward by Government to unlock such existing executive functions that the Scottish Ministers have as “appropriate franchising authority” and “appropriate designating authority” to allow public sector operators to become franchisees in respect of Scotland-only services.
Asked by: Baroness Clark of Kilwinning (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, in which areas of the UK personal independence payments natural reassessment has not yet been rolled-out.
Answered by Mark Harper - Secretary of State for Transport
The postcode areas where Personal Independence Payment (PIP) natural reassessment has started, or is shortly planned to start, can be found on the Gov.UK website: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pip-postcode-map-uk.
The Northern Ireland Assembly are in the process of passing the necessary legislation to introduce PIP in due course. It is a matter for the Northern Ireland Assembly how and when natural reassessment will start.