Asked by: Baroness Clark of Kilwinning (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will make an assessment of the performance of the management of the Science Museum Group in relation to the restoration of the Flying Scotsman.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
The Flying Scotsman has experienced past problems. Before embarking on the current stage of work, the management of the Science Museum Group commissioned an independent report from Bob Meanley, an expert in heritage railway engineering, which outlines how these problems arose and plans for future avoidance. I am confident that the project is now managed effectively. The report can be accessed on the Science Museum website http://www.nrm.org.uk/~/media/Files/NRM/PDF/NRM%20Flying%20Scotsman%20Final%20Report.pdf . I have asked the Science Museum Group to make contact with the Hon. Member regarding this query.Asked by: Baroness Clark of Kilwinning (Labour - Life peer)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment he has made of the performance of the My Energy Credit scheme.
Answered by Matt Hancock
MyEnergyCredit scheme is an industry initiative by six largest energy companies to help energy consumers to claim credit repayments owed by their former energy supplier. The scheme was launched in two stages. The first stage was launched on 10 September and enabled consumers to claim repayments through the website www.myenergycredit.com. The second stage launched on 10 December enables consumers to claim through a new helpline 0370 737 7770 and a freepost address:
Freepost RTHL-ZYBU-KBCC
My Energy Credit
47 Aylesbury Road
Thame. OX9 3PG
It is important energy consumers are returned money that is rightfully theirs if it has been left behind when they moved house or switched supplier.
In February 2014, Ofgem called on energy companies to take action to return money they were holding in customers’ closed accounts. At that time, Ofgem estimated that the total balance held by suppliers in former domestic customer accounts was at least £202m, and £204m for former non-domestic customers. Ofgem continues to monitor suppliers’ progress and review the need for further action.
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 representations he has made to his Iranian counterpart on the detention of Roya Saberinejad Nobakht.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
We have raised our concerns over the detention and welfare of Roya Nobakht with the Iranian authorities on many occasions, including most recently on 15 December. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is providing consular assistance to Mrs Nobakht’s family.
Asked by: Baroness Clark of Kilwinning (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what assessment he has made of the changes to legislation that would be necessary to implement the recommendations of the Smith Commission on rail.
Answered by David Mundell
The UK Government is committed to implementing the Smith Agreement and will set out what the necessary legislation will look like and how it will work with the publication of draft clauses by Burns’ Night (25 January 2015).
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 her Department's officials have had with the governments of African states receiving aid from the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition on policy reforms relating to seeds and plants variety protections; and if she will publish correspondence and transcripts of meetings on that issue between her Department and (a) the governments of African states receiving aid from the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition, (b) the US government, (c) representatives of agricultural companies and (d) representatives of seed companies.
Answered by Desmond Swayne
In the context of the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition, DFID officials have had no discussions or correspondence with African states, the US Government or representatives of agricultural companies or seed companies, on policy reforms relating to seeds and plant variety protection.
Asked by: Baroness Clark of Kilwinning (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what consultation he plans on the draft legislation arising from the recommendations of the Smith Commission.
Answered by David Mundell
The Smith Commission process was thorough and extensive, consisting of cross-party talks with all five main political parties in Scotland and wide ranging engagement with Scottish civic institutions and members of the public.
The UK Government’s role now is to turn the agreement reached between the parties into draft clauses by 25 January 2015.
To support the draft legislation the Secretary of State for Scotland has invited Scottish stakeholders representing a wide range of different sectors to form a Stakeholder Group. This group will help inform the Government’s public and stakeholder engagement following the publication of the draft clauses.
Asked by: Baroness Clark of Kilwinning (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, when he expects to publish draft legislation arising from the recommendations of the Smith Commission.
Answered by David Mundell
The Government has committed to producing draft clauses by Burns’ Night, 25 January 2015.
Asked by: Baroness Clark of Kilwinning (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will make an assessment of the performance of the management of the Science Museum Group.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
As with all of the national museums and galleries sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, I have every confidence in the capabilities of the executive team at the Science Museum Group. Since 2012, the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester has become part of the Science Museum Group, and in 2013-14, a record 5.709 million visited its family of museums.
Asked by: Baroness Clark of Kilwinning (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions his Department has had with Transport Scotland on the proposals on rail in the Smith Commission; and what issues were raised by his Department in those discussions.
Answered by Claire Perry
There have been no discussions between the Department for Transport and Transport Scotland about the proposals on rail in the Smith Commission. Officials across the UK Government departments will be working with the Scottish Government to understand their views on the Smith Agreement.
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 (a) October and (b) November 2014.
Answered by John Hayes
Belfast Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) was staffed below risk assessed levels during:
a) October 2014 – 22 occasions out of 62 shifts
b) November 2014 – 10 occasions out of 60 shifts
Where there are specific issues at a MRCC Her Majesty’s Coastguard is using 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 gives a new significance to the number of Coastguards available on the growing network.