Asked by: Marcus Fysh (Conservative - Yeovil)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the contribution of farmers and landowners to supporting bees and pollinators.
Answered by George Eustice
Farmers and other land managers make a vital contribution to supporting pollinators through management and creation of beneficial habitat features. This is reflected in Defra’s National Pollinator Strategy implementation plan.
Well over one thousand applications for the new Countryside Stewardship Scheme, which funds environmentally beneficial land management, contained the Wild Pollinator and Farm Wildlife Package. As part of our monitoring and evaluation programme, we will assess the effectiveness of the Scheme in supporting bees and other pollinators.
Asked by: Marcus Fysh (Conservative - Yeovil)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what progress his Department has made on its review of business rates; and what the projected timetable is for that review.
Answered by David Gauke
The deadline for responses to the business rates review was 12 June 2015. We have been undertaking analysis and considering the wide variety of views put forward in stakeholder responses.
The Summer Budget confirmed that the review will be fiscally neutral and will conclude by the end of the year.
Asked by: Marcus Fysh (Conservative - Yeovil)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will take steps to improve the safety of the Ilminster bypass on the A303; and if he will direct the Highways Agency to revisit this matter in the light of recent serious accidents on that road.
Answered by Andrew Jones
Highways England is currently designing safety schemes to improve safety at both roundabouts at either end of the Ilminster By-pass. The Road Investment Strategy also announced, in addition to the schemes on the A303 to be taken forward in the period up to 2020/21, the Government’s intention to up-grade the A303 in subsequent road investment periods, post-2020, which will include the up-grade of the Ilminster By-pass to a dual carriageway, which will aim to further improve safety.
I do however offer my deepest sympathies to the families and friends of the people who lost their lives or were seriously injured in the collisions on the Ilminster By-pass in July 2015.
These collisions are still under Police investigation and until concluded it would be inappropriate to speculate on causes and subsequent improvements to that stretch of road. It is important to base decisions on evidence and Highways England will work with partner agencies to further reduce casualties on our roads in light of the evidence as it emerges.
Asked by: Marcus Fysh (Conservative - Yeovil)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his European counterparts to ensure that economic instability in parts of the Eurozone does not have a detrimental effect on the defence-industrial relationship between the UK and (a) Italy and (b) other EU member states.
Answered by David Lidington
The UK has a long tradition of collaborative working with European partners on joint defence programmes and maintains regular dialogue with European Union member states, including Italy, to discuss existing and future cooperative programmes. All EU nations are subject to EU procurement directives, which helps maintain a culture of open, transparent and fair competition on public procurement projects. Open competitive markets and more efficient cross-border cooperation are key methods of sustaining our defence industrial capabilities against a backdrop of wider economic instability.
The Ministry of Defence is the lead department for defence industrial relations and, as such, has engaged in detail on these specific areas. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon.Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge and I also regularly discuss defence industry matters with European partners, most recently at the May 2015 Foreign Affairs Council, as part of wider defence discussions held at the June 2015 European Council. Our aim is to encourage a globally competitive European defence industry that delivers the capabilities our armed forces need at best value for money, whilst responding to an increasingly diverse range of threats and supporting wider economic growth.
Asked by: Marcus Fysh (Conservative - Yeovil)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that economic instability in parts of the Eurozone does not have a detrimental effect on the defence-industrial relationship between the UK and (a) Italy and (b) other EU member states.
Answered by Philip Dunne
The UK has a long tradition of collaborative working with European partners on joint defence programmes and maintains regular dialogue with European Union member states, including Italy, to discuss existing and future cooperative programmes. All EU nations are subject to EU procurement directives, which ensures a culture of open, transparent and fair competition is maintained on public procurement projects. Open competitive markets and more efficient cross-border cooperation are key methods of sustaining our defence industrial capabilities against a backdrop of wider economic instability.
We regularly review the financial and business robustness of our supply chain, covering both UK-based and foreign-owned suppliers. Any risks or concerns are addressed as part of normal commercial activity and through regular meetings with our suppliers.
Asked by: Marcus Fysh (Conservative - Yeovil)
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 progress of negotiations to reform (a) the EU and (b) the UK's relationship with the EU.
Answered by David Lidington
The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), the Chancellor of the Exchequer, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne), the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) and I are focussed on successfully reforming and renegotiating our relationship with the EU. The June European Council saw the successful launch of a process of technical discussions on EU reform. Leaders have agreed to return to the issue at the December European Council.