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  • Sarah Wollaston – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Sarah Wollaston – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sarah Wollaston on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will review the adequacy of the sentences available under the Cancer Act 1939 for people convicted of fraudulently advertising offers to treat cancer.

    Jane Ellison

    The Department last consulted on changes to the Cancer Act 1939 in 2006, and subsequently to this a Legislative Reform Order came into force in October 2008.

    We do not currently have any plans to review the adequacy of the sentences available under the Act for people convicted of fraudulently advertising offers to treat cancer.

  • Guy Opperman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Guy Opperman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Guy Opperman on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to raise the plight of persecuted Christians abroad; and what steps he is taking to raise the case of Meriam Ibrahim with his Sudanese counterpart.

    Mark Simmonds

    I am appalled at the death sentence given to Meriam Ibrahim, and her continued imprisonment. Immediately following her trial, I issued a statement describing her conviction as barbaric and calling upon the Government of Sudan to respect the right to freedom of religion or belief and international human rights laws as enshrined in its own constitution. The Chargé d’Affaires of the Sudanese Embassy in London was summoned to the Foreign Office on the 19 May at the request of Foreign Secretary. DFID Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Lynne Featherstone, reiterated our demand with the Sudanese Foreign Minister when she met him on 20 May. Our Embassy in Khartoum, that attended her trial, continues to press the Sudanese authorities for Meriam Ibrahim’s release, and is in close contact with the defence team.

    This is a priority human rights area for us. We speak out regularly against violence perpetrated against Christians. The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi) gave a speech in Washington in November last year on the need for unity in confronting the intolerance and sectarianism that leads to minority communities being persecuted. We also lobby for changes in discriminatory laws and practices that affect religious minorities, including Christians, and support UN resolutions on the elimination of discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief.

  • Guy Opperman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Guy Opperman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Guy Opperman on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much in pupil premium has been paid to (a) first, (b) middle and (c) upper schools in (i) Hexham, (ii) Northumberland and (iii) the North East to date.

    Mr David Laws

    Figures showing the pupil premium allocations to schools in the Hexham constituency area, Northumberland local authority, and the North East in the financial years 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14 are given in the table attached. These include allocations to academies in each area in each year. The figures for secondary schools include middle schools and all-through schools.

  • Helen Jones – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Helen Jones – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many people in Warrington North constituency are currently in receipt of a free television licence.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The data recording how many individuals are currently in receipt of a free television licence is not broken down by individual constituencies or regions.

  • Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the advice provided by Jemima Stratford QC to the All-Party Parliamentary Group on drones, if his Department will take steps to investigate activities carried out at US bases owned by his Department which may be unlawful under domestic law.

    Mr Mark Francois

    The Ministry of Defence remains content with the arrangements that are in place to govern the use of UK bases by the United States Visiting Forces (USVF). The Department therefore has no plans to investigate or review the activities undertaken by the USVF.

  • Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Answer of 30 January 2014, Official Report, column 691W, on Yemen, whether his Department has undertaken any impact assessment of drone strikes in Yemen.

    Mr Mark Francois

    The Ministry of Defence has not conducted any impact assessment of kinetic strikes by Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) in Yemen. As my hon. Friend the Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Hugh Robertson) said on 30 January 2014 (Official Report, column 691W), UAV strikes against terrorist targets in Yemen are a matter for the Yemeni and US Governments.

  • Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions his Department has had with its US counterpart on identifying how the US will support the new Joint User Group for Reaper.

    Mr Mark Francois

    Officials representing all user nations, including the US, have had initial discussions exploring the scope, formation and management of a proposed Joint User Group for Reaper. Further discussions are planned to take place in the coming months.

  • Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, where his Department plans to base the Watchkeeper remotely piloted air systems following completion of training at Salisbury Plain and West Wales Airport.

    Mr Mark Francois

    Under current plans Watchkeeper remotely piloted air systems will be located at Larkhill with 32nd and 47th Regiments Royal Artillery.

  • Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if his Department will carry out an independent qualitative assessment of the psychological and workplace stresses on the operators of remotely piloted air systems.

    Mr Mark Francois

    The Ministry of Defence currently has no plans to undertake an independent qualitative assessment of the psychological and workplace stresses on the operators of remotely piloted air systems.

    The health and wellbeing of all of our Armed Forces personnel is of the utmost importance. We are mindful of the pressure and stresses that service personnel may be subjected to when supporting enduring intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations. These personnel are carefully monitored and where appropriate have access to the highest levels of military physical and mental health care. Looking after our people is one of the critical roles for our front-line commanders and they keenly focus on the well-being of their people.

  • Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-06-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the advice provided by Jemima Stratford QC to the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Drones, if he will agree a new Memorandum of Understanding or other bilateral agreement with the US on data transfer and use.

    Hugh Robertson

    The UK intelligence agencies work in accordance with UK law, as described by the Foreign Secretary in his statement to the House on 10 June 2013 (Official Report of 10 June 2013, column 31). In addition, Section 6 of the recently published Annual Report for 2013 by the Interception of Communications Commissioner, Sir Anthony May, addresses the legal basis for intelligence sharing between the UK and its partners.

    The UK Intelligence Agencies adhere to the law at all times. We have one of the world’s strongest legal and regulatory frameworks governing the use of secret intelligence. All of GCHQ’s activities are legal, necessary and proportionate. GCHQ does not disclose or share information other than is appropriate under the Intelligence Services Act 1994 and Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000.