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381363

registered interest
date	16/06/2015
answering body	Department for Energy and Climate Change
answering dept id	63
answering dept short name	Energy and Climate Change
answering dept sort name	Energy and Climate Change
hansard heading	Fuel Poverty
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps she has taken to reduce fuel poverty.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	2675
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/06/2015 answer text <p>Fuel poverty is a devolved matter.</p><p>In England, the Government is fully committed to tackling fuel poverty, including meeting a new 2030 target now enshrined in law. Official statistics show that fuel poverty has fallen in England every year since 2010, demonstrating that the Government’s policies are working. Flagship policies such as the Energy Company Obligation and Warm Home Discount (both of which operate across Great Britain) help millions of low income and vulnerable households each year with heating and insulation measures as well as direct reductions in their energy bills.</p><p>The Northern Ireland Executive decides its own fuel poverty objectives and policies. For example, the Department for Social Development offers energy efficiency improvement schemes for low income households through the Warm Homes Scheme, Boiler Replacement Scheme and the Affordable Warmth Scheme.</p> answering member constituency South Northamptonshire answering member printed Andrea Leadsom question first answered 22/06/2015 10:09:40 answering member 4117 label Biography information for Andrea Leadsom
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

381402

registered interest
date	16/06/2015
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	USA: Defence
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to strengthen the UK's relationship with the US in relation to defence operations and funding.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	2701
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/06/2015 answer text <p>The UK-US defence relationship is as strong as it has ever been.</p><p>On operations, our forces have fought side by side in Iraq and Afghanistan. Today we are together combating terrorism and violent extremism in the Middle East and Africa, maintaining freedom of navigation in the Persian Gulf, providing reassurance to NATO Allies in Eastern Europe, providing training and other support for the Ukrainian Armed Forces, undertaking counter-piracy operations off the Horn of Africa, countering the narcotic trade in South America and the Caribbean, fighting Ebola in West Africa and providing nuclear deterrence for NATO.</p><p>Beyond joint operations, our collaboration spans the full spectrum of defence activity including intelligence sharing, nuclear cooperation, joint exercises and training, defence procurement, cyber, science and technology.</p><p>The US continues to value what the UK has always been able to offer: our leadership and partnership in addressing shared challenges, and a contribution to global operations that no other ally can match.</p><p>On funding, we have the largest defence budget in the EU and the second largest in NATO. We will spend 2% of our GDP on defence this year. We will invest over £160 billion over the next decade on our future force.</p><p>Our defence relationship with the US benefits from a healthy regular dialogue and strong personal relationships at the most senior levels.</p><p>Our Combined Chiefs met for the third time in recent history in the US in May to discuss our approach to shared challenges like ISIL and Russia and to ensuring that our forces are increasingly able to operate alongside each other.</p><p>When I met with the US Secretary of Defense earlier in the year he said that &quot;our military collaboration is the cornerstone of both of our nations' security&quot;. I look forward to seeing him again next week at the meeting of NATO Defence Ministers where we will continue to look for opportunities to strengthen our relationship for our mutual benefit.</p> answering member constituency Sevenoaks answering member printed Michael Fallon question first answered 22/06/2015 15:45:28 answering member 88 label Biography information for Sir Michael Fallon
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

381470

registered interest
date	16/06/2015
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Iraq: Christianity
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the government of Iraq on protection of the Christian minority in that country.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	2709
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/06/2015 answer text <p>We continue to condemn in the strongest terms the atrocities committed by the self-styled ISIL against all communities throughout the areas under its control. The human rights situation for many living in areas under ISIL control is gravely concerning.</p><p>I visited Iraq on 12 February and encouraged Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to continue progress on ensuring that all minorities are represented and their rights protected. We welcome the commitments that Prime Minister al-Abadi has made to inclusivity, to protecting Iraqi citizens, addressing human rights abuses and holding those responsible to account.</p><p>We are working closely with the Iraqi government and our international coalition partners to assist and protect civilians wherever we can. We will continue to explore what further support we might be able to provide to vulnerable groups and internally displaced persons.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 22/06/2015 14:27:09 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

381486

registered interest
date	16/06/2015
answering body	Department of Health
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health
answering dept sort name	Health
hansard heading	Hearing Impairment: Medical Treatments
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to consider the use of new drugs and treatments for hearing loss and tinnitus.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	2667
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/06/2015 answer text <p>The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is responsible for developing technology appraisal guidance for the National Health Service on whether new and existing treatments represent an effective use of NHS resources. NHS commissioners are required to fund drugs and treatments recommended by NICE, normally within three months of the publication of final guidance.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Department is aware of a number of treatments for specific types of hearing loss, as well tinnitus, which are currently in development. The safety and efficacy of these treatments would need to be sufficiently demonstrated in clinical trials before they could become publically available and appropriate for consideration by NICE.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency North East Bedfordshire answering member printed Alistair Burt question first answered 23/06/2015 10:05:33 answering member 1201 label Biography information for Alistair Burt
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

381534

registered interest
date	16/06/2015
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Firearms: Licensing
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many shotgun and firearms permit holders there were in each of the last five years.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	2698
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/06/2015 answer text <p>The table provided below contains statistics on the number of firearm and shotgun certificates on issue in England and Wales as at 31 March each year from 2009/10 to 2013/14.</p><table><tbody><tr><td colspan="7"><strong>Number of firearm and shotgun certificates on issue as at 31 March each year, England and Wales, 2009/10 to 2013/14</strong></td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td> </td><td>Firearm certificates on issue</td><td>Shotgun certificates on issue</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>2009/10</td><td>141,852</td><td>580,653</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>2010/11</td><td>141,840</td><td>564,269</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>2011/12</td><td>143,166</td><td>562,696</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>2012/13</td><td>147,695</td><td>570,726</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>2013/14</td><td>151,413</td><td>582,923</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p> answering member constituency Hemel Hempstead answering member printed Mike Penning question first answered 22/06/2015 15:08:18 answering member 1528 label Biography information for Sir Mike Penning attachment 1 file name PQ1.15 table.xls title copy of table
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

349580

registered interest
date	10/06/2015
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Intelligence Services
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she has taken to make the Security Service more transparent and accountable.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	2061
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/06/2015 answer text <p>The intelligence agencies’ work is carried out in accordance with a strict legal and policy framework that ensures their activities are authorised, necessary and proportionate, and provides for rigorous oversight. Intelligence activity is overseen by Secretaries of State, independent Interception of Communications and Intelligence Services Commissioners, the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament, and held to account by the independent Investigatory Powers Tribunal.</p><p>Since 2010, the Government has taken a range of measures to strengthen this oversight and increase transparency about security and intelligence matters where this does not damage national security. Oversight was significantly enhanced through the Justice and Security Act 2013, which expanded the remit and powers of the ISC. The Government has provided extra resources to the Commissioners who oversee the use of intrusive powers by the intelligence agencies, put elements of oversight on a more transparent and, where possible, statutory footing. In addition, the Interception of Communications Commissioner now produces six monthly rather than annual reports.</p><p>The Government is taking full account of David Anderson QC’s report and will give full consideration to his detailed recommendations, and those made by the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament, when considering if further imrpovements to the oversight system are needed.</p><p>The Security and Intelligence Agencies are subject to close budgetary scrutiny and challenging efficiency targets. Their accounts are audited by the National Audit Office. National Audit Office staff have access to relevant records for this purpose. The expenditure and resource allocations of the intelligence agencies are also scrutinised by the ISC as part of its remit.</p><p>National Security matters are a reserved issue ( this is called “excepted” in Northern Ireland) and have not been devolved. The actions of the Security Service within a devolved region are subject to the same high standards of oversight regardless of where they are operating geographically.</p> answering member constituency South Holland and The Deepings answering member printed Mr John Hayes grouped question UIN 2060 2062 question first answered 17/06/2015 13:53:16 answering member 350 label Biography information for Sir John Hayes
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

349581

registered interest
date	10/06/2015
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Intelligence Services
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she has taken to ensure the Security Service is properly audited.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	2062
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/06/2015 answer text <p>The intelligence agencies’ work is carried out in accordance with a strict legal and policy framework that ensures their activities are authorised, necessary and proportionate, and provides for rigorous oversight. Intelligence activity is overseen by Secretaries of State, independent Interception of Communications and Intelligence Services Commissioners, the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament, and held to account by the independent Investigatory Powers Tribunal.</p><p>Since 2010, the Government has taken a range of measures to strengthen this oversight and increase transparency about security and intelligence matters where this does not damage national security. Oversight was significantly enhanced through the Justice and Security Act 2013, which expanded the remit and powers of the ISC. The Government has provided extra resources to the Commissioners who oversee the use of intrusive powers by the intelligence agencies, put elements of oversight on a more transparent and, where possible, statutory footing. In addition, the Interception of Communications Commissioner now produces six monthly rather than annual reports.</p><p>The Government is taking full account of David Anderson QC’s report and will give full consideration to his detailed recommendations, and those made by the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament, when considering if further imrpovements to the oversight system are needed.</p><p>The Security and Intelligence Agencies are subject to close budgetary scrutiny and challenging efficiency targets. Their accounts are audited by the National Audit Office. National Audit Office staff have access to relevant records for this purpose. The expenditure and resource allocations of the intelligence agencies are also scrutinised by the ISC as part of its remit.</p><p>National Security matters are a reserved issue ( this is called “excepted” in Northern Ireland) and have not been devolved. The actions of the Security Service within a devolved region are subject to the same high standards of oversight regardless of where they are operating geographically.</p> answering member constituency South Holland and The Deepings answering member printed Mr John Hayes grouped question UIN 2060 2061 question first answered 17/06/2015 13:53:17 answering member 350 label Biography information for Sir John Hayes
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

349582

registered interest
date	10/06/2015
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Ministry of Defence: Procurement
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what continuous improvement programme there is for his Department's procurement practices.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	2055
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/06/2015 answer text <p>The Ministry of Defence (MOD) continues to make progress in improving procurement, as evidenced in the latest National Audit Office Major Projects Report, which recorded the best cost performance on major MOD projects since 2005 and the best time performance since at least 2001. Our 10-year, affordable and realistic equipment and support plan, which now underpins defence procurement, is also having a positive effect on the way we buy and support equipment for the Armed Forces.</p><p>Defence Equipment and Support (DE&amp;S), where most equipment procurement is undertaken, was established in April 2014 as a bespoke trading entity - an Arm's Length Body of the MOD. The changed status of DE&amp;S, and its associated management freedoms, marked the beginning of a three-year timeline to transform it into a best-in-class defence acquisition and support organisation. Through this programme, DE&amp;S will draw on industry best practice to review and improve project controls and programme management, thereby enabling the organisation to operate in a more business-like fashion.</p><p>The MOD also continues to work with suppliers to ensure defence procurement represents value for money, while ensuring that suppliers are paid a fair and reasonable price. For example, the new Single Source Procurement Reform Framework, known as the Orange Book, requires suppliers to provide regular, standardised reports on single source contracts, and comply with new costing regulations, as set out in the Defence Reform Act 2014 and the Single Source Contract Regulations 2014.</p> answering member constituency Ludlow answering member printed Mr Philip Dunne question first answered 18/06/2015 15:42:04 answering member 1542 label Biography information for Philip Dunne
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

349583

registered interest
date	10/06/2015
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Armed Forces: Training
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will examine the potential savings from unifying basic training for all armed services.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	2056
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/06/2015 answer text <p>The Ministry of Defence has no plans to examine the unification of basic training across the three Services.</p><p>The three Services have unique identities and make unique contributions to Defence which are reflected in their distinctive approaches to training. However, where possible, Defence strives to identify and assess opportunities for joint training efficiencies while still fulfilling individual Service requirements; the Defence Technical Training Change Programme is a good example of a collaborative effort that is seeking to make efficiencies from previously separate single Service technical training activities, managed by a single Defence College for Technical Training.</p> answering member constituency Portsmouth North answering member printed Penny Mordaunt question first answered 19/06/2015 13:06:55 answering member 4017 label Biography information for Penny Mordaunt
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

349584

registered interest
date	10/06/2015
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Army
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the average size of an infantry battalion (a) was in 2010 and (b) is now.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	2057
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/06/2015 answer text <p>On 1 April 2010, the average size of an Infantry battalion was 570; the equivalent figure for 1 April 2015 was 530. These figures reflect a reduction in the average size of an Infantry battalion under Army 2020. The figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 and reflect only those Infantry personnel in an Infantry battalion, not any attached personnel from other areas of the Army.</p><p>On 1 April 2010, the average size of an Infantry battalion was 570; the equivalent figure for 1 April 2015 was 530. These figures reflect a reduction in the average size of an Infantry battalion under Army 2020. The figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 and reflect only those Infantry personnel in an Infantry battalion, not any attached personnel from other areas of the Army.</p> answering member constituency Portsmouth North answering member printed Penny Mordaunt question first answered 19/06/2015 13:03:47 answering member 4017 label Biography information for Penny Mordaunt
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon