Asked by: Mike Weatherley (Conservative - Hove)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when he intends to publish for consultation the draft Statutory Instruments for the implementation of section 74 of the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
The Government is currently considering the responses received to its recent consultation on transitional provisions for the repeal of section 52 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, which deals with the issue of when to implement section 74 of the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013. The consultation closed on 27 October 2014.
No decision has as yet been taken on transitional provisions or the type of statutory instrument that will be used, or on whether and when a draft instrument will be published.
Asked by: Mike Weatherley (Conservative - Hove)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will take steps to enable interested parties to have access to appropriately redacted Project Licence applications made under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 prior to approval being given for consultation on scientific and animal welfare grounds; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Norman Baker
There are currently no plans to enable third parties to have access to redacted project licence applications made under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 prior to approval.
The Government only authorises procedures on animals after rigorous checks. Under the 1986 Act there is a statutory requirement for scrutiny by, in the first instance, the Animal Welfare Ethical Review Body at the Establishment where the work will be performed, and then an assessment is made by the Home Office Inspectorate. The Animals in Science Committee may also be asked for advice on specific applications.
The Inspector’s assessment of an application will include a rigorous harm / benefit analysis which requires access to all of the information in an
application. This will take into consideration discussions held with the applicant and knowledge of the establishment where the work will take place.
Inspectors use criteria such as the proposed scientific methodology, the resources available to the applicant and their track record with regard to
publications and animal use, to determine how likely the benefits are to be delivered. This would form part of the information which may subsequently be redacted.
Inspectors may also seek further information either from the applicant, from the scientific literature or from specialist knowledge within the Inspectorate to understand the context and the value of those benefits.
As a consequence the Inspectorate and, when appropriate, the Animals in Science Committee are the only bodies who can advise the Secretary of State on whether, and on what terms, the work should be authorised.
In the interests of openness and transparency, and to aid public understanding the Home Office publicly committed to publish details of the investigation and outcome of substantial investigations into compliance with the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. The first three reports were published on 2 October 2014, and further reports will be published as set out in our publications policy. The reports can be found at;
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/compliance-investigations-by-the-animals-in-science-regulation-unit
Asked by: Mike Weatherley (Conservative - Hove)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps are being taken to reduce the administration associated with police stop and search procedures.
Answered by Mike Penning
This Government has taken firm and far reaching action to reform the use of stop and search powers. In April, the Government announced reforms to the police’s use of stop and search to ensure that this measure is used fairly, effectively and with the support of local communities. When stop and search is misused, it is a waste of police time and undermines police and community relations, making the job of policing more difficult. The voluntary Best Use of Stop and Search Scheme, and other measures announced, are designed to reduce the number of stop and searches and promote the proper and effective use of this power. In addition, we are working to explore the possibility of quick and efficient stop and search data recording through the Emergency Services Mobile Communications Network, which will replace the national Airwave system from 2017.
This is in addition to action the Government took in 2011 to scrap bureaucratic recording of all stop and accounts and to reduce the number of items recorded from 12 to 7.
Asked by: Mike Weatherley (Conservative - Hove)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential effect on (a) schools and (b) universities of loss of access by wireless microphone users to the 700 MHz band of radio spectrum; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
Ofcom published a consultation on the future use of the 700 MHz band on 28 May 2014. This consultation assesses the impact any loss of access to the 700 MHz band would have on the PMSE community. Ofcom will ensure the views and spectrum requirements of the PMSE community are taken into account when making any final decisions on the use of the band. The consultation document and responses can be found on Ofcom’s website:
http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/consultations/700MHz/
Ofcom is working with the PMSE community of users and manufacturers to mitigate the impact of any change of use of the 700 MHz band; and discussing with the regulatory authorities in other countries their approach to this issue. A key focus of their work in this area is seeking to identify and make available alternative spectrum for the PMSE community.
Asked by: Mike Weatherley (Conservative - Hove)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential safety and security risks at major national events arising from a loss of access by wireless microphone users to the 700 MHz band of radio spectrum; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
PMSE users currently have dedicated access to spectrum in channel 38 (between 606MHz and 614MHz) as well as access to interleaved spectrum for which no new equipment is required. Ofcom published a consultation on 24 April 2013 on the future use of the 700MHz band, and will ensure the views and spectrum requirements of the PMSE community and any other wireless microphone users are taken into account when advising on any decision. The consultation document and responses can be found on Ofcom’s website: http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/consultations/700mhz-cfi/ There are also currently discussions in Europe on future spectrum provision for PMSE users and the potential requirement for further dedicated spectrum for these purposes.Asked by: Mike Weatherley (Conservative - Hove)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on small and medium-sized enterprises operating within the (a) programme making and special events sector and (b) creative industries of reallocation of the 700 MHz band of radio spectrum to use by mobile network operators; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
Ofcom published a consultation on the future use of the 700 MHz band on 28 May 2014. This consultation assesses the impact any loss of access to the 700 MHz band would have on the PMSE community. Ofcom will ensure the views and spectrum requirements of the PMSE community are taken into account when making any final decisions on the use of the band. The consultation document and responses can be found on Ofcom’s website:
http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/consultations/700MHz/
Ofcom is working with the PMSE community of users and manufacturers to mitigate the impact of any change of use of the 700 MHz band; and discussing with the regulatory authorities in other countries their approach to this issue. A key focus of their work in this area is seeking to identify and make available alternative spectrum for the PMSE community.
Asked by: Mike Weatherley (Conservative - Hove)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on the corporate events and conference industry of a loss of access by wireless microphone users to the 700 MHz band of radio spectrum; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
Ofcom published a consultation on the future use of the 700 MHz band on 28 May 2014. This consultation assesses the impact any loss of access to the 700 MHz band would have on the PMSE community. Ofcom will ensure the views and spectrum requirements of the PMSE community are taken into account when making any final decisions on the use of the band. The consultation document and responses can be found on Ofcom’s website:
http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/consultations/700MHz/
Ofcom is working with the PMSE community of users and manufacturers to mitigate the impact of any change of use of the 700 MHz band; and discussing with the regulatory authorities in other countries their approach to this issue. A key focus of their work in this area is seeking to identify and make available alternative spectrum for the PMSE community.
Asked by: Mike Weatherley (Conservative - Hove)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on the continuation to the UK economy by (a) West End theatres, (b) the UK theatre industry and (c) the Programme Making and Special Events (PMSE) sector of a loss of access by the PMSE sector to the 700 MHz band of radio spectrum; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
Ofcom published a consultation on the future use of the 700 MHz band on 28 May 2014. This consultation assesses the impact any loss of access to the 700 MHz band would have on the PMSE community. Ofcom will ensure the views and spectrum requirements of the PMSE community are taken into account when making any final decisions on the use of the band. The consultation document and responses can be found on Ofcom’s website:
http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/consultations/700MHz/
Ofcom is working with the PMSE community of users and manufacturers to mitigate the impact of any change of use of the 700 MHz band; and discussing with the regulatory authorities in other countries their approach to this issue. A key focus of their work in this area is seeking to identify and make available alternative spectrum for the PMSE community.
Asked by: Mike Weatherley (Conservative - Hove)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the economic contribution to the UK economy of (a) West End theatres, (b) the UK theatre industry and (c) the Programme Making and Special Events sector in each year since 2004; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
Independent sector bodies have carried out assessments of the economic contribution of the arts to the UK economy. A report by the Society of London Theatre in 2013 showed that London Theatres grossed £0.53bn in sales generating VAT receipts of £88m.
DCMS’s Creative Industries Economic Estimates, based on data from the Office of National Statistics available on a consistent basis since 2008, show the following contribution to the UK economy from Music & Visual and Performing Arts (including theatre) in Gross Value Added (GVA) terms:
Year | GVA £m |
2008 | 3,740 |
2009 | 3,779 |
2010 | 3,434 |
2011 | 4,039 |
2012 | 4,574 |
Asked by: Mike Weatherley (Conservative - Hove)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on (a) places of worship and (b) community centres of loss of access by wireless microphone users to the 700 MHz band of radio spectrum; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
PMSE users currently have dedicated access to spectrum in channel 38 (between 606MHz and 614MHz) as well as access to interleaved spectrum for which no new equipment is required. Ofcom published a consultation on 24 April 2013 on the future use of the 700MHz band, and will ensure the views and spectrum requirements of the PMSE community and any other wireless microphone users are taken into account when advising on any decision. The consultation document and responses can be found on Ofcom’s website: http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/consultations/700mhz-cfi/ There are also currently discussions in Europe on future spectrum provision for PMSE users and the potential requirement for further dedicated spectrum for these purposes.