Asked by: Mark Lazarowicz (Labour (Co-op) - Edinburgh North and Leith)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many emergency travel documents were issued in (a) June 2013 and (b) June 2014.
Answered by Mark Simmonds
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office issued 2895 emergency travel documents in June 2013 and 5235 in June 2014 (as at 16 July).
Asked by: Mark Lazarowicz (Labour (Co-op) - Edinburgh North and Leith)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what average time is taken to process an application for funeral expenses from the Social Fund from the time an application is submitted to a decision being taken.
Answered by Steve Webb
The clearance time for Funeral Payments, as published in the 2012/13 Social Fund Annual report, is an average of 14.76 days, against a target of 16 days
Asked by: Mark Lazarowicz (Labour (Co-op) - Edinburgh North and Leith)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will review the availability of language test centres in Ukraine in response to the current security situation in parts of that country.
Answered by James Brokenshire
Cambridge English are operating nine language test centres across Ukraine. The Home Office is working with Cambridge English to monitor access to these test centres.
Asked by: Mark Lazarowicz (Labour (Co-op) - Edinburgh North and Leith)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent steps his Department has taken to ensure compliance with the International Convention for the Control of Ships' Ballast Water.
Answered by John Hayes
The International Convention for the Control of Ships' Ballast Water is not yet in force internationally.
In order to achieve its widespread adoption Member States of the International Maritime Organisation including the UK are finalising the enforcement regime associated with the convention. Shipping is a reserved matter. The UK Government sought input from the Scottish Government in the development of the convention and the Scottish Government is being consulted on the negotiating position taken by the UK.
Asked by: Mark Lazarowicz (Labour (Co-op) - Edinburgh North and Leith)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what role the Scottish Government plays in ensuring compliance with the International Convention for the Control of Ships' Ballast Water.
Answered by John Hayes
The International Convention for the Control of Ships' Ballast Water is not yet in force internationally.
In order to achieve its widespread adoption Member States of the International Maritime Organisation including the UK are finalising the enforcement regime associated with the convention. Shipping is a reserved matter. The UK Government sought input from the Scottish Government in the development of the convention and the Scottish Government is being consulted on the negotiating position taken by the UK.
Asked by: Mark Lazarowicz (Labour (Co-op) - Edinburgh North and Leith)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which oil transfer licences have been (a) applied for and (b) consented under the Merchant Shipping (Ship-to-Ship Transfers) Regulations 2010 as amended to date.
Answered by John Hayes
To date the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has received five applications for an Oil Transfer Licence.
Of these three have been consented. These are:
• Shetland Island Council - Sullom Voe;
• Cromarty Firth Port Authority - Nigg Oil Terminal; and
• Port of Grangemouth.
The fourth application for the Finnart Ocean Terminal (Loch Fyne) has completed consultation and has been assessed by the MCA. A final decision is pending, awaiting legal clarification.
The fifth application, for Ship to Ship Transfers in Scapa Flow, has just been received and went out to public consultation on 10 July 2014.
Asked by: Mark Lazarowicz (Labour (Co-op) - Edinburgh North and Leith)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what role is played by (a) Ministers in the Scottish Government, (b) Scottish Natural Heritage and (c) the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency in the consenting process for oil transfer licences made under the Merchant Shipping (Ship-to-Ship Transfers) Regulations 2010.
Answered by John Hayes
The Local Government Authority, in whose area the proposed site is situated, is always consulted as part of the public consultation process that accompanies an application for an Oil Transfer Licence within the UK. Members of Parliament or the Scottish Parliament may get involved in the public consultation, as may Ministers in the Scottish Government, by replying to the consultation.
Both Scottish Natural Heritage and the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency are among the mandatory consultees for all applications for an Oil Transfer Licence, where the application is for a location in Scotland.
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency, acting on behalf of the Secretary of State for Transport, is the Competent Authority for managing, assessing and issuing Oil Transfer Licenses within the UK. This is a reserved matter for the UK Government.
Asked by: Mark Lazarowicz (Labour (Co-op) - Edinburgh North and Leith)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which oil transfer licences applied for under the Merchant Shipping (Ship-to-Ship Transfers) Regulations 2010 have required determination under Schedule 1 of likely effects on European wildlife sites.
Answered by John Hayes
To date four applications for Oil Transfer Licences have required determination under Schedule 1 of the Merchant Shipping (Ship-to-Ship Transfers) Regulations 2010.
A fifth Oil Transfer Licence application went to consultation on the 10 July 2014. During its assessment it will require determination under Schedule 1 of the Merchant Shipping (Ship-to-Ship Transfers) Regulations 2010.
Asked by: Mark Lazarowicz (Labour (Co-op) - Edinburgh North and Leith)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if his Department will review the rate for Social Fund funeral expenses payments.
Answered by Steve Webb
There are no current plans to review the rate of funeral payments. However, for those who are eligible to be considered for a budgeting loan payment, the scope of this scheme has now been expanded to include funeral costs.
Asked by: Mark Lazarowicz (Labour (Co-op) - Edinburgh North and Leith)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to encourage local authorities to provide training for drivers of heavy goods vehicles to increase awareness of the dangers faced by cyclists.
Answered by Stephen Hammond
In addition to licence acquisition tests which require drivers to demonstrate knowledge of vulnerable road users, the EU mandated Driver Certificate of Professional Competence requires drivers of heavy goods vehicles to carry out five days of further training in every five year period. Within the confines of the Directive, we would encourage drivers and employers to select the training which best meets their needs, which may be a course on vulnerable road users.
We welcome initiatives such as 'Exchanging Places' events where cyclists and drivers of HGVs and buses get to experience the others' perspective, and encourage local authorities to consider such activities which can improve road sharing.